The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[93boomer]

Sympathy like . Get well soon.

What he said^^^

 

[LAKid53]

I'm still wondering how do they do it? usually Cruise companies make the preparations for both depart, arrival at foreign nations AND then return. And don't all these steps require a passport?

Closed loop cruises (leave/return same US port) are handled differently for US citizens. But Carnival is not doing passengers on their closed loop cruises with foreign ports of call a favor telling them "you don't need a passport". Good luck trying to get off and back on at Cozumel without one.

 

[LAKid53]

I have both a passport book and passport card. I can cruise with the passport card. I may also be able to enter/leave Mexico and Canada with it. But if I fly, I have to have the passport book.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

See my edit above. You might not be able to get off the ship at foreign ports of call without a passport. Frankly, Carnival is doing a disservice to its passengers telling them you don't need a passport for their cruises. DCL pretty much stresses passports for their cruises.

No wonder Carnival doesn't have a good reputation.

You can get off ship. At Carnival ports you just need to scan your key card to get off ship. Then scan it again and through x-ray to get back on ship.

 

[LAKid53]

You can get off ship. At Carnival ports you just need to scan your key card to get off ship. Then scan it again and through x-ray to get back on ship.

That's great. But Customs at a foreign port of call need documentation before they'll let you enter and leave the country. They don't care about your room key.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

That's great. But Customs at a foreign port of call need documentation before they'll let you enter and leave the country. They don't care about your room key.

That's great and I'm not going to argue about it, that's not what this thread is for, take it somewhere else, but every port of call we've ever done not once was our passport asked for.

Now, in other news, how about those Eagles?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Sorry. There are actually plenty of normal/decent Philadelphia sports fans. I'm one of them.

Oh, I'm sure. Just like there are Orioles/Ravens fans who can be jerks. Unfortunatelyb there's lots of bad ones who have givven you guys a bad reputation.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Off topics. Not that we have topics but how are you feeling today?

Well, I went to work because we had a long meeting today from 12-5. Now I'm completely exhausted. There was a dinner afterward, but I told them I needed to get some rest. Belle is now on my lap. I'm honestly ready to get some sleep now.

I have an appointment with my allergist tomorrow to make sure he's okay with my change in meds and to see how long he thinks I should stay on the antibiotic and steroids. I'm debating just working from home tomorrow after the appointment. Work is fine with it, and considering how wiped I am...yeah.

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

Oh, I'm sure. Just like there are Orioles/Ravens fans who can be jerks. Unfortunatelyb there's lots of bad ones who have givven you guys a bad reputation.

I know.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Looking at campers to make life easier getting out into the woods when it's just the kid and I. The one I'm eyeballing is $10k

That's 3-4 Disney trips. It's funny that I found myself calculating worth in this way

 

[LAKid53]

Looking at campers to make life easier getting out into the woods when it's just the kid and I. The one I'm eyeballing is $10k

That's 3-4 Disney trips. It's funny that I found myself calculating worth in this way

But you can take it to Disney and stay at Fort Wilderness.

 

[DryerLintFan]

But you can take it to Disney and stay at Fort Wilderness.

Thought about that!! Especially since I read that the facilities in those campgrounds are really great. Not sure I'd want to get up and ready for a rope drop at the camp grounds though. I enjoy waking up slow when camping.

 

[LAKid53]

Thought about that!! Especially since I read that the facilities in those campgrounds are really great. Not sure I'd want to get up and ready for a rope drop at the camp grounds though. I enjoy waking up slow when camping.

I understand the hookups for RVs include, water, power and cable. And the facilities are pretty nice too, from what people have said. I gather when you said camper, you meant something you tow?

I never do rope drop. I'm on vacation. Like you, I enjoy waking up slowly.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Looking at campers to make life easier getting out into the woods when it's just the kid and I. The one I'm eyeballing is $10k

That's 3-4 Disney trips. It's funny that I found myself calculating worth in this way

And that is how we decided against anymore DCL cruises for now. For a family of 6 that camper is 1 cruise. We can get at least 2 8 or 9 day trips at Disney for that. And PS, you have been officially Disneyfied.

 

[LAKid53]

And that is how we decided against anymore DCL cruises for now. For a family of 6 that camper is 1 cruise. We can get at least 2 8 or 9 day trips at Disney for that. And PS, you have been officially Disneyfied.

I thought about renting a small RV for a trip to Disney, just to see if we liked that. The deluxe sites were about $100 a night. I've got my room, bathroom and kitchen all in one spot. No kids running in their room at 6am the floor above you. No smoker hacking up his lungs at 3am (yes, he was that loud - I was going to go next door and knock, just to make sure he wasn't dying). The sites have a picnic table. But then I bought DVC.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I understand the hookups for RVs include, water, power and cable. And the facilities are pretty nice too, from what people have said. I gather when you said camper, you meant something you tow?

I never do rope drop. I'm on vacation. Like you, I enjoy waking up slowly.

Yes, looking at an A frame pop up. My husband travels a lot at the last minute and last year all of my camping plans were ruined by this. We only made it to the woods once. It's too difficult for me to set up camp alone with such a young child, and she'll be too young to help really for a few more years. This camper would be a game changer for me. Which is good because I really really missed camping last year.

And that is how we decided against anymore DCL cruises for now. For a family of 6 that camper is 1 cruise. We can get at least 2 8 or 9 day trips at Disney for that. And PS, you have been officially Disneyfied.

Disneyfied guilty!

 

[LAKid53]

Yes, looking at an A frame pop up. My husband travels a lot at the last minute and last year all of my camping plans were ruined by this. We only made it to the woods once. It's too difficult for me to set up camp alone with such a young child, and she'll be too young to help really for a few more years. This camper would be a game changer for me. Which is good because I really really missed camping last year.

So that's just sleeping quarters, like a fancy tent, correct? Sounds like a great investment. I remember camping up in the mountains as a kid. Setting up camp wasn't fun. Neither was sharing a tent with my two older brothers.

 

[DryerLintFan]

So that's just sleeping quarters, like a fancy tent, correct? Sounds like a great investment. I remember camping up in the mountains as a kid. Setting up camp wasn't fun. Neither was sharing a tent with my two older brothers.

Yes, exactly! It's got a fridge and sink and a lot of storage and two good sized beds. More bed than we need right now, but eventually she's going to want to invite a friend out with us.

It will help us combat weather too. We live in Ohio, so when it rains here in the spring and summer, it monsoons. We've tried setting up a tent in that, but it's been impossible even when my husband is with me. Easy peasy with this setup, as the walls pop up quickly, all our supplies are already in it, dry.

Me from five years ago would be absolutely appalled. We were avid backpackers before having a baby. Car camping is bad enough but I never would have dreamed I would be sitting here obsessing over an actual camper

 

[donaldtoo]

Interesting. This is what Disney Cruise Line requires to board. Which I thought was ICE requirement, not the cruise line.


"All Guests claiming U.S. citizenship must present one of the following as proof of U.S. citizenship:

• A valid U.S. Passport
• A valid U.S. Passport Card
• A valid Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• Government-issued photo ID along with one of the following:
  • Original or copy of their state-issued birth certificate"

If you don't have a valid passport/card, you must have a state issued ID and birth certificate. My daughter somehow managed to mess up her passport application. She brought her Fla birth certificate and had to show that with her Fla driver's license when checking on on embarcation day. And when I checked us in online, I had to indicate what ID we were using. If passport/card, I had to enter that number.

Yes, you do not have to have a passport, but, we got them anyway because we wanted them and to be on the safe side.
We're going on another Carnival cruise in July, and my MIL (+3 others - 6 last cruise, 10 of us in July) is going with us and she will be using a state ID and a copy of her birth certificate.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I'm admitting defeat, I'm sick. The good news is it's been so long since I've been sick I didn't realize what was going on. ACHOO

Sorry to hear that you are sick. It sounds like you have been running and doing things in high gear for awhile. Take some time for yourself to recuperate. Those boys can forage for themselves for a day or two. Feel better soon.