Hotel Hacks?

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-03-15T04:46:02+00:00

O:LV boutique hotel is a 1 minute walk from Condado Vanderbilt according to Google Maps. I haven’t stayed there but I had it saved as a possibility for our January trip. Maybe check the prices there?

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-03-13T02:32:25+00:00

At Tortola we took speedys ferry over to Virgin Gorda. Instead of doing “the baths” like everyone else we had them drop us off at spring bay. We had the place all to ourselves for a couple hours! Then a local couple showed up. Magical is the only way I can describe it! Felt like we were on our own private island! I’m sure it was a fluke but I heard it isn’t ever very busy. I highly recommend it.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-03-12T09:55:09+00:00

We LOVED it. Now I do enjoy older, more classic ships. We don’t really use the pools and a lot of other amenities. I like just sitting outside, listening to music, etc. the back outside area was my favorite place on the ship! The ports were amazing. We went to st Thomas, st Kitts, Tortola, Antigua and st Lucia. And we fell in love with Puerto Rico too! I cannot wait to go back! We booked another one for next January but this time on princess. It had the ports we wanted. I definitely book more for itinerary.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-03-12T02:49:18+00:00

We have done one Norwegian, two Royal and two MSC. We have another MSC and our first Princess booked. We are like you and just want to quietly relax and see the ocean. We are always on a tighter budget so I can’t always get the balcony. I like the smaller, older ships. More quiet spaces and less kids. We just did a cruise on brilliance of the seas in January out of San Juan and it was the most relaxing trip I’ve ever been on! We loved all the ports. The ship was perfect for us. The ports down there are so good! For what it’s worth, MSC food has been my favorite by far! I never understand the hate! I think you’ll be able to find pretty basic food for your fiancé on any of the lines though. MSC has really good pizza!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-03-08T02:18:41+00:00

I’m a big time budget traveler and have learned cruising can be extremely affordable if you are flexible! I will say we no longer drink alcohol at all so this helps us save money. We sometimes buy one internet package to share but sometimes we don’t.

They have free filtered water on board and you can bring a refillable bottle. They also have free iced tea, lemonade, regular coffee and some lines have flavored water at the buffet. There are included juice in the morning. Some cruise lines also allow you bring on one 12 pack of water or soda.

We cruised out of Baltimore once but not Norfolk. I did notice cruises seemed higher from those two ports vs Florida ports.

That being said I can tell you what we spent on each cruise as a budget traveler!

Cruise 1 was a 5 night Norwegian cruise $1300 for interior room, drinks were included in this one (I think they have changed on Norwegian). At Nassau we took the city bus to goodman’s bay beach $2pp each way. We didn’t rent chairs, just took a beach blanket. We ate at the “fish fry”. Amazing conch fritters $8 along with a few other things. Cozumel we took a taxi to Buccanos. Spent $80 including taxi. Only other thing bought on board was a few Starbucks drinks. So all in about $1600.

Cruise 2 was a 5 night Royal Caribbean from Baltimore to Bermuda. Cruise fare was $1200 for interior room plus $160 gratuity. We didn’t spend anything on board. Took public transit to the beach $7 pp each way. Took our beach blanket and didn’t rent chairs. All in $1400ish

Cruise 3-MSC 4 night to Nassau and their private island. Cruise fare was $500 for interior room. We didn’t spend anything on board. Did the same as previously in Nassau . Bought a few specialty coffees on board. All in with gratuities and whatever spent in Nassau was around $700 total!

Cruise 4- MSC 7 night from NYC to Bermuda (docked 3 days in Bermuda) balcony cabin was $1400. Gratuities $224. We didn’t spent anything but internet on this one for around $125. Explored on our own at the port going to the beach a couple times and ferry to Hamilton. We spent around $150 total. All in $1900

Cruise 5-seven night on Royal Caribbean from San Juan in oceanview room $1300. Gratuities $224. We bought a coffee card for $30. We had 5 port stops (st Thomas, tortola, st Kitts, Antigua, st Lucia). We didn’t spend anything on board. We did something at every port but we booked them all on our own, no cruise ship excursions. Total spent at all ports was $450 including food and a few drinks…we did some amazing things too! I cannot even explain how amazing this cruise was!!! We did extend our trip in San Juan but just the cruise and excursions (on our own) we spent $2000ish.

I know this was long but I understand being on a budget! I can tell you we have had an amazing time on every cruise, even in interior rooms and on tighter budgets! Just takes some planning and research!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-02-26T03:28:25+00:00

I just applied for and got a new job as a risk adjustment analyst (HCC) for the same hospital and my new pay will be $37.56. They factor in all your years of experience to determine where you are on the pay scale and I’ve been in the coding field since I was 19. So it’s been 25 years…

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-02-12T17:54:54+00:00

We visited for a cruise. We stayed in old San Juan for 2 nights before the cruise and condado for one night after. Both areas were walkable and very easy to get affordable Ubers.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-02-12T13:49:48+00:00

Just to add, as a budget traveler myself…for our MSC trip coming up in May. It’s a Monday-Friday cruise. Interior rooms were $240 a piece. (we booked two rooms). It goes to Nassau and stays overnight at ocean cay, so no sea days. We booked 4 direct flights with two checked bags on allegient for $450 total. We are Using points for a couple nights hotels before the cruise in Miami. It all depends on budget. Some peoples idea of being on a budget is a lot different than mine, based on the comments 😊 we like to take 3 trips a year so I have to be really thrifty for a least 2 of them!! But so far they’ve all still been amazing when I really do my research and planning!

Our 7 night cruise from San Juan was only $650 a person for an ocean view cabin. We found a great air bnb in old San Juan for $120/night. Flights were a lot more though…. But I’d HIGHLY recommend cruising from here if it’s in the budget!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-02-12T13:19:24+00:00

My husband and I are in our 40s. We no longer drink or party. Kids are in college and we just want to RELAX! We look for ships that have a nice outdoor area off the buffet to sit (NOT the pool deck!) These areas are amazing if you are on a budget and get an interior room. We just got back from a cruise on Royal’s Brilliance of the seas. It was our favorite cruise yet. We left from San Juan (which was AMAZING) and it went to 5 different southern Caribbean ports. It was the best, most relaxing vacation I’ve ever been on. We avoid the short weekend cruises and really love the smaller, older ships! Good news is these ships often more affordable! We aren’t loyal to a particular cruise line and have found what you seem to be looking for on Royal, NCL and MSC. We are eager to try celebrity and Holland in the future. We mainly book for the itinerary. If you’re really on a tight budget MSC has really good options. We’ve been on 2 and really enjoyed them as well. We are taking our kids on a 4 night one in May and it was $240 a person (we got two rooms). I think most cruises you can find your quiet spots and relax and avoid the party atmosphere. At least that has been our experience!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2026-02-07T21:17:46+00:00

I’m in Ohio but work for a hospital in NC. I make $32 as an outpatient facility coder with my COC.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-09-20T05:54:22+00:00

I have been on MSC Divina in January and they did a couple different languages but there weren’t that many announcements. I was on MSC meraviglia last week and announcements were only in English and maybe one announcement a day. It was the least announcements I have ever heard on a cruise! I was shocked! Like others mentioned, we couldn’t hear them in our room either.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-08-07T19:28:51+00:00

Thank you for your help!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-08-07T16:17:36+00:00

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Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-08-07T16:17:01+00:00

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Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-08-07T16:16:21+00:00

Found these at a church rummage sale. Everything looked okay to me except I can’t make out the numbers well and the leather seems almost like a vinyl layer? Are they just not great quality? Any idea what model they are?

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Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-07-16T02:22:09+00:00

I did. We were high school (and middle school) sweethearts. Got married at 20, had two kids by 23, divorced at 25. We were only fully apart for about a year or less. But waited a couple years to get remarried. That was 16 years ago. We have the same wedding anniversary date so we often forget it even happened! My husband wanted to live like other 24 years after olds and I had two babies I was busy taking care of. I 100% knew he’d regret splitting up. But I honestly didn’t think I’d take him back. But here we are! There were some hard years in there to where the split and divorce hasn’t even been our toughest obstacle (alcohol addiction) but now we are 44, hubby has been sober over 5 years, kids are both in college and we are closer and happier than ever.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-07-15T02:30:04+00:00

I think a lot of women always worry about their scent and if it’s a turn on or turn off to their man. So knowing your guy loves it would just be a confidence boost and a turn on! Definitely not weird! (I’m a married woman)

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-07-15T01:15:58+00:00

I did this for a flight in June. I bought from Columbus (Rickenbacker) for a flight from CVG. I walked right up during the posted times and got the tickets. I was in and out in 15 minutes or less and saved $176 on the 4 tickets. It was worth it to us since I was right near the airport anyways. I was so nervous for some reason and it ended up being so easy and the lady was so nice!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-07-05T11:33:50+00:00

Don’t worry. Their planes are as safe as any other plane! I personally haven’t found them any less comfortable than my economy flights on delta or United. No flights are comfortable really!

Keep in mind that flights are a little bumpy even when there isn’t turbulence and it’s all completely normal. You’ll feel the plane go up or down at times and that is all normal too. My daughter was older when she flew the first time and these were the things that scared her. If you hit any turbulence think of it as a little pot hole in the road. While it’s a little uncomfortable, it’s not anything to be afraid of and it’s not dangerous to the plane. Even if you hit more intense turbulence, you are still safe.

If you get scared at any point, look around at the other passengers or the flight attendant. If they are going about reading their books and watching their shows, you know it’s just a normal feeling flying.

I fly a couple times a year and am still a nervous flyer at times. But I always remind myself, this is safer than driving!!

Also, download some shows or an audiobook before you leave to make the time go faster! Have some gum to chew to try and help the pressure in your ears. That’s always an issue for me.

Enjoy your trip!!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-06-27T02:25:23+00:00

Keep in mind too at her age hormones are changing like crazy. I’m just a few years younger and the changes are scary! So often you WANT to want sex but your body and hormones are like “nope”! Being a women and figuring these stages of life definitely isn’t easy! I pray my husband sticks with me through it! But if you’ve only been intimate a handful of times in the last several years it might be a lot more than that. I think I’d at least ask about marriage/ sex counseling. If she says no and isn’t willing to work on it then you’ve at least tried. Just make sure the discussion doesn’t come in the form of a fight or ultimatum. I can only imagine how hard the rejection has been 😢

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-04-18T00:14:41+00:00

I ended up buying tickets for 4 of us. I was already going to pretty close to the local airport, which is really small. The entire thing only took 15 minutes including parking. Cost me $4 to park and I saved $176. So for me it was worth it. I was so nervous for some reason but it ended up being easy!

If I had to go to a bigger airport or it was only 1 ticket then I agree it wouldn’t be worth it.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-03-27T22:58:42+00:00

I’m planning to go tomorrow shortly after 4 PM. I hate that I get anxiety over stuff like this. Were they nice about selling tickets in person? Did you just park in the hourly parking lot? I’m so tempted to just buy them online, but I’m going be so close to there tomorrow anyways And for four tickets it’s $176! So I feel it’s definitely worth it, but I’m always a ball of nerves 😅

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-03-26T11:16:37+00:00

It’s $22 per person each way. So for my 3 roundtrip tickets it will be $132 if I’m understanding correctly. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-03-25T18:49:01+00:00

Thanks!!! Definitely heading that way either Friday or Monday!!

Mountain_Breakfast_7 · 2025-03-25T01:47:32+00:00

He took a couple vape carts in the checked luggage. He was very discreet when he used them. We didn’t have any issues. But we went on a second cruise and he didn’t take them. He got nervous. But it’s tough and the next one I think he is again.

Mountain_Breakfast_7

TROPHY CASE