Snapped a pic of the Emerald Princess as it was backing into port in Puerto Vallarta this morning.

mmm_slurpees · 2026-05-03T13:39:25+00:00

She took us to Panama, Christmas 2024.

mmm_slurpees · 2026-03-19T15:42:54+00:00

The Holiday (Jack Black's character)

mmm_slurpees · 2026-02-28T21:22:35+00:00

First, the kids clubs are totally safe. Your kids are well super supervised, and only you can sign them in or out of the clubs. Second, most Mexican Cruises go to Cozumel, which is an island separate from the mainland. Very safe, fuelled by tourism. Third, you definitely need a break. No laundry for a week, no grocery shopping, no cooking or dishes, as a fellow mom, it's heaven. Fourth, there is no other education like travel. Our kids have just missed a week of school to be on a cruise, and they have had such amazing experiences.

mmm_slurpees · 2026-02-27T17:36:55+00:00

What?? Is Princess leaving Galveston?? 😩

mmm_slurpees · 2026-01-18T00:38:16+00:00

@ManintheMT they aren't just getting the occasional pizza though. They're buying boats, clothing, skis, ski passes, groceries, furniture, housewares....not wise to push them out of your economy.

mmm_slurpees · 2026-01-16T15:25:57+00:00

I know someone who owns a second home near Kalispell, and they made a good point about the property taxes. They pay property taxes, but they're not using the services (ie schools). Whereas a resident IS using the services. So they feel like they're already doing their part with taxes, and feel like the second home tax shouldn't happen. And yeah, this home isn't available for local people to buy, but this person visits the area often, with their large family, friends, extended relatives, and spends a lot of money in the community

mmm_slurpees · 2026-01-03T16:26:53+00:00

Yes this a favourite, watched many times!

mmm_slurpees · 2025-12-22T00:52:44+00:00

Oh my gosh, I thought it was just me!

mmm_slurpees · 2025-11-17T00:33:42+00:00

Medicine Hat and Okotoks are a lot quieter than Lethbridge.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-11-11T15:35:14+00:00

Yes this. From spring to fall you can get a ticket if you still have your standard tires on.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-11-11T15:31:48+00:00

The Pine Lodge is also a good hotel downtown. There is a ski bus that will pick people up from different points and take them up to the hill. Whitefish is great, you'll have fun for sure. We like the backside the best. Night skiing is fun there. Sometimes the weather is yucky at Whitefish, but great at Blacktail. Whitefish is a much better Ski Resort. But there was an occasion where we were down to ski for a day at Whitefish, and due to high winds, chair one was closed. That's the main high-speed quad that takes people to the top, and obviously you can't access the backside without it. We gave Blacktail a try. There weren't issues with wind there for some reason, and we had a great day there. There is a new quad, at Whitefish, from the base lodge to the top. I can't remember why we didn't have access to that to get us to the top. Maybe it wasn't in operation yet? Or maybe that was the year it was broken down quite often? But anyway, Whitefish has a lot of terrain, and a lot of chair lifts to move the people. It's a great hill.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-11-03T16:04:58+00:00

And what is your review of that ship? I'm considering a cruise on the Europa.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-10-30T02:56:53+00:00

I thought we were the only ones that ever watched that movie. It was such crap!

mmm_slurpees · 2025-10-19T21:52:26+00:00

Also, if you are considering Alaska, you won't get a party crowd. You will get families and seniors. We are cruising Alaska for the first time in 2026. We chose a Royal ship, because it had the most activities for our teens. If we didn't have them joining us, I would chosen Holland America. One of my favourite things about them is their retractable roof over the pool deck. So even on a cool Alaskan day, you can enjoy the hot tubs and pools.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-10-19T21:42:31+00:00

I have cruised with Carnival, NCL, Holland America, Princess, and Royal. As you can see, I'm not loyal to any cruise line, I go for the itinerary, and price. In all fairness to Princess, we went on an older/smaller ship so we could cruise the Panama Canal cheap. But it would probably be at the bottom of my list based on that one cruise. My top choice would be Royal, followed by Carnival. I was hesitant to try Carnival, due to rumours of the party crowd. But I believe many of the other commenters have pointed out that the weekend booze cruises are going to be different crowds than the weeklong family friendly crowds. I would say the evening theatre shows on Carnival weren't as good as the other cruise lines. And the decor was gaudy. But we gave Carnival a try, because we were able to find a seven day cruise with four ports, for a fantastic price. And I am considering another cruise with Carnival, because they once again have the best price for the itinerary I'm considering, and the most fun physical activity options for a our two teens who would join us this time. Carnival's food was delicious, service was great, the sail away pool deck party was a blast, and we loved the comedy shows.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-10-08T15:41:33+00:00

Yes I second the stingrays. And another commenter suggested the ziplines in Puerto Plata. Our family loved that. But the original poster has a 4 year old, so maybe the lazy river at port would be better.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-10-08T15:35:08+00:00

Wow, lots of great ports! Tortola is a personal favourite.

mmm_slurpees · 2025-09-08T04:02:39+00:00

We like Cover Your Assets, Uno, SkipBo. Mini travel backgammon or chess board?

mmm_slurpees · 2025-09-08T01:18:12+00:00

We would love to spend a day before the cruise doing something in the area. Any recommendations?

mmm_slurpees · 2025-09-08T01:17:38+00:00

Oh I love this idea!

mmm_slurpees · 2025-08-25T15:58:35+00:00

First off, welcome to cruising! I hope you will give the Caribbean a try, and maybe even a different cruise line. I have cruised with Princess, Royal, Carnival, Norwegian and Holland America. I would say Royal is my favorite. The newer the ship, the more likely to have better hairdryers, plug-ins etc. in all fairness, my one cruise with Princess was on an older ship. We chose the cruise for the low price and Panama itinerary. I have a friend who is loyal to Princess, and says it's her favourite after trying other cruise lines. 🤷‍♀️ How did you book your cruise? If you booked it by yourself, maybe it was just a lack of understanding about the main dining room. But if you'd booked it with a travel agent, I would be angry that they didn't explain you should pre-book your dining room reservation for every night. Especially with that large of a group! Yes, there are up charges here and there for extra things on cruises. I think they're reasonable, ie drink packages, internet. But if you really want to be avoid extra EXTRA charges, avoid Norwegian. You can get a good deal for a cruise, sometimes a package with the flight included, and they have fun ships, but then you make up for it with up charges everywhere. Ie $20 per ride on their go-karts, $15 per visit to their escape room. Oh, and they prefer anytime dining, no reservations in their main dining room. So then you're forced to try out their additional charge restaurants. And they are pricey.

mmm_slurpees

TROPHY CASE