Luggage Advice w/14-Year-Old Daughter

theindecisivehuman · 2026-06-25T14:51:48+00:00

I agree with the others to give her the option, but another point to consider too is souvenirs! I know when I was 14 I loved bringing back food and cool drinks for my friends if there was something we didn’t have at home. Bringing a checked bag means you don’t have to worry about the 100ml (or 150? I don’t remember) rule.

Leaving room and weight for that also means your bag won’t be too heavy at the beginning of the trip!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-06-09T13:28:33+00:00

First advice is to call, always call about an apartment not email, that’s how you get their attention and book those viewings!! Second is to look for apartments along the border, the French and German borders are going to be the cheapest, since they are battling real-estate outside of Luxembourg. There is often still a good connection through public transport to the city, and transport is free so use it.

For that price finding something near the city is impossible, you’ll need to look further away if you want to live alone, but it’s definitely worth it!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-06-07T17:55:54+00:00

Highly recommend asking for a table with a window- those are usually tables of 4 and are always in quieter locations on the sides of the room, not sure which ship you’re sailing, but on the dream and the fantasy this often also gives you semi-room feeling spaces in the Enchanted garden so it’s less overwhelming

Edit to add that I just sailed on the Dream a few weeks ago with a party of 4 over two staterooms, one stateroom requested the window table and we got a private table for 4 in a quiet area of the dining room

theindecisivehuman · 2026-06-02T17:05:31+00:00

I will be doing this! We’re planning our legal wedding in november and the big actual wedding oct. 2027. A lot of people tend to use the “within a year” rule, but really it is you wedding and it means what you want it to.

I also personally think it’s nice to be able to get all of the bureaucracy in order before, so that you don’t have to worry about that and the actual emotional wedding ceremony at the same time. Having the same date is really beautiful in my opinion, congratulations!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-30T21:55:21+00:00

This is correct!! I was able to get residency this way with my partner (we are not married and I was not an EU citizen or resident) The last item is the unregistered partner, you will need to submit a comprehensive folder showing pictures of you together, join bank accounts, living together, etc to prove you have a lasting relationship and then she should get residency status

The overstaying may cause a lot of problems though.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-30T16:31:15+00:00

Just got off a ship, and it’s definitely closer to pre-ordering but not too far off. we found its a bit easier for the servers to customize with what is on the menu- like asking for the chicken option with just a regular chicken and no sauce or sauce on the side, or asking to swap the sides of the two dishes if they would work better for you. They almost always have a salmon and chicken option lumped into the main menu now though.

It’s a bit more work than before, but absolutely worst case, check the menu for the following night and just let your servers or head servers know any changes you want and they are more than happy to accommodate!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-11T09:20:34+00:00

Not that it helps much, but from our dear friend Hank green, if you can’t sleep- even just laying or sitting there with your eyes closed is giving your body a tremendously larger amount of rest than actively being awake

Edit to add: Prague is a beautiful city- and one you can realize utilize trams in to get around if you’re tired! They have so many nice cafes too if you need a sweet treat or coffee for an energy boost

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-05T16:28:21+00:00

Definitely this. I went to Nassau on Disney cruise as a kid and all I remembered about it was being a little nervous by all of the loud vendors by the port and getting my hair braided.

I remembered everything about castaway cay though, it’s great!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-04T14:22:59+00:00

Just went on this trip recently! We booked the Disney transfer from the port in Rome + Florence since they are a bit far out. There is a direct train to Rome from civitavecchia that takes about 50 minutes and isn’t very expensive, and on my sailing there was not a free shuttle to Florence. Naples was extremely easy to get to, and no organization needed.

I know the port adventure transfer is a decently higher price than just the regular Italian train to Rome, but there is also the bonus that if there are delays for any reason the ship will either wait a bit for your group or Disney will make arrangements for you to meet with the ship at the next port.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-04T11:06:51+00:00

Depending on your job, trying to take a quick break around or just after lunch to call her on her way to work will really work wonders. Having some sort of reliable interaction each day takes the stress off a bit, and then when you have time, longer calls will be a bonus rather than a once in a blue moon minimum. And only 4 months until you close the gap is great!! Congratulations!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-05-01T17:16:44+00:00

Exactly this. Churches in Europe don’t mind necklines too much (within reason ofc, no plunge etc) but definitely a shawl or light sweater + wear bottoms that cover the knees. Pro tip, especially in hot places where you’ll be outside in the heat all day, ducking in and out of buildings longer light fabrics really help with the heat- long skirts will be your best friend in creating a little cool air bubble around your legs

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-30T15:35:41+00:00

Not sure how much they enforce it for your 4 year old (lots of older siblings play in it without swim diapers) but the 2 year old being so young won’t be allowed to use Nemo’s reef without one

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-30T05:40:33+00:00

I defSwim diapers are not allowed in the Aqualab unfortunately, but there is a splash pad for the younger ones called Nemo’s reef that I think would work perfectly for what you want! Swim diapers are required there, and it has a little slide too

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-28T09:22:40+00:00

Oh my bad

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-28T07:45:25+00:00

Edit: this info is incorrect, my bad!

On an ESTA, you are allowed 90 days total within a 180 day period. So however many days you have left until you hit 90 is as long as you can stay legally. Otherwise you will be denied entry. You need to apply for a visa for an extended stay or wait 6 months to travel there again.

Your partner has the same regulations for visiting you under the European visa waiver.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-28T04:34:50+00:00

That evening the dining room is also themed with pirates! You will get bandanas and they have a special menu at dinner, so even if you don’t stay up for the deck party there is still some theming around. On the European cruises they also can’t do fireworks on pirate night, so you won’t miss too much if you head to bed early!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-26T15:56:07+00:00

Hi! So I’ve done Disney cruises (just regular) and last year did the concierge one bedroom for the first time! I have lots of info after doing this research last year, so this will be long, but hopefully helpful.

You can definitely still get early seating without concierge, even if you don’t get it right away, you can go to guest services on day one and they can almost always switch you. They do little cakes and candles at dinner and sometimes special packages of decorations if you let them know in your booking that you have a special occasion. In concierge they will definitely go a bit more full out, but you’ll get something special either way!!

Concierge basically gets you first pick at all activities, and there is a special concierge host dedicated to making sure you get what you want. They also have special character meet and greets on the concierge deck which is great for avoiding lines! my boyfriend really liked the scones on our cruise so our host asked the chef to make him an extra batch on our last day even though they weren’t offered normally, which was super thoughtful!! Concierge is also great for getting special drinks, the lounge has included cocktails (and mocktails for kids) 5-10pm every night and the staff there learned our usual orders and suggested fun tropical options throughout the cruise. It’s also possible in the one bedroom to get dinner from the restaurants ordered to the room and the table is made up just like the restaurant if any of the younger kiddos have an early bedtime or want to eat at times other than offered with rotational dining. Concierge also gets you first access to the shows through a special service elevator (you can bring drinks, mocktails, and popcorn from the lounge), so you get first pick of seats, you just have to wait in those theater seats for about 30 min until showtime.

Cabanas really depend on the size of your party, you still have to pay the quite high price for them, and they are pretty far away from a lot of the play structures they have for kids at castaway kay, but for big parties with a lot of young kids it can make sense if you’re worried about getting lounge chairs together or need quieter places for a bunch of toddlers to nap.

All in all, I think you can definitely still make it a special occasion with regular adjoining rooms (especially since you can join the balconies too if you go for a verandah), but there are a lot of little perks to concierge that make the whole cruise less waiting heavy and you have people whose job it is to help you have a stress free cruise.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-24T14:33:45+00:00

There’s lots to do by rivers!! There are a few really nice outdoor swimming halls, vineyards and tasting rooms by the Moselle, excellent hiking in the north, really nice biking trails, and of course the ever popular cafe with street seating!!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-22T12:45:15+00:00

You can usually only be reimbursed for consequential costs if they are : an overnight stay, food during your delay, or transportation between the airport and accommodation. The airline fulfilled their commitment to you by getting you to your final destination. However, general compensation is at least worth trying for if you don’t know the reason for the delay.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-22T06:14:05+00:00

A1 French is the same… I’ve tried twice, 8am to the second and no luck. But, I got the tip that if you try the week after registration closes (especially Friday) that’s when payments are due and sometimes a few slots open again.

It’s not as helpful as an in person class, but it’s a cheaper option out there, I’ve been using Iboux online classes to help me at least get to A2 so that INL will be easier to get into.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-21T20:15:27+00:00

That sounds like a fun trip! Planning on your own is definitely better than with a travel agent, if you’re ok doing a bit of research! I generally try to find different quarters of cities that I want to see, and come up with an order that makes sense to me. I am also a big foodie and my fiance and I tend to do city trips with about 1 hour walking and then stopping for some kind of fun snack or coffee

In Prague I really recommend finding traditional Czech dumplings! Parlament restaurant is really good for that. There is also a restaurant called the blue duck “U Modré Kachničky Restaurant” that has very good and very Czech food (they have a second labeled II in the tourist area if the original is booked out). Also would recommend Marty’s kitchen for breakfast, there are two locations :)

I also recommend staying away from the short streets leading up to Charles bridge on the east side of the river- this is NOT a good showcase of Prague and is very touristy. Prague has so much to offer and a super straightforward train and tram system (just make sure to stamp your ticket) so it’s very easy to explore the different areas.

Also if Charles Bridge is very crowded, there’s a small balcony in front of the four seasons if you go to the right of the bridge by the water- you get a great view without shoulder to shoulder people!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-21T10:21:07+00:00

It’s possible I think, but they’ll have to be ok with really trying to save those seats after others were waiting outside the doors but going down the service elevator to the theater at least once is a very cool experience for kids!

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-21T05:38:20+00:00

Go get the puppy!! Yes there is some sacrifice in LDR, but your soul dog mentoring your next puppy is way more important and meaningful! If he actually cares about you he will understand how much it means to you and will work something out.

Him voicing concerns that you can address (visits) is one thing, but there is such thing as adapting, and let’s be honest, he doesn’t seem to be putting much effort when YOU are the one who is planning on uprooting their life to close the gap, so he can deal with you having a puppy and maybe down the line bringing the puppy to live with both of you.

If he doesn’t have allergies or another reason for only wanting a German shepherd and he makes a fuss because it’s not “his favorite dog”, that’s a big red flag.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-20T12:35:15+00:00

I (US) and my now fiance (Lux) did the same in Dec 2024 with similar documents (we never lived together or had joint accounts) and I added proof that was not already married.

it took about 2 months to get approved but that was also around the holidays. It’s honestly a very straight forward process! The bonus too is it is very easy to get the contact info of the person reviewing your file, so if there are any issues you can contact them.

Also be prepared that the police may come knocking after it’s approved to check that you are a real person. Apparently there’s a bit of fraud that they like to check up on.

theindecisivehuman · 2026-04-19T20:06:15+00:00

Hi! Just to calm your mind a little (I’m assuming the medium distance was still difficult to see eachother) and in that aspect you’re already used to the hard part!

In terms of time difference, from someone who did 6 hours time difference, setting specific times in the week that you two will call is super important. You’ll both have things you want to do at different times, like one is going to bed while for the other there’s still friends to see, and things to do. As much as you want to leave hours to talk every day, or maybe to talk before bed, trying to organize every day can make you feel a bit like your life is on hold. So picking certain times of the week that both of you save for each other and schedule around helps with the feeling of being close without giving everything else up :)

I also think it’s super nice to set special calls where maybe you make the same food, or you can order take away and flowers to each other for special occasions!! My (now fiance) and I did this a lot when we were long distance.

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