mom says

Sooo, just in case, I brought my nice canvas, zippered, Celebrity tote with me for our Crown Princess cruise. Not a (free) tote bag to be had- our Steward said they had none. No reaction to the competition's tote from the crew, but I did have a few ladies ask where I'd gotten it.

1. Usually you need to board at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours before sail away on embarkation day. Your edocs should have that time (or you will have to pre select your boarding time, depending on the cruise line). In any event, it is STRONGLY recommended that you arrive in your embarkation city a minimum of one day in advance. We like to have at least 2-3 days for sightseeing before the cruise begins. 2. Legally, only your passport is valid as identification in most European countries if you are a foreigner. We prefer to carry our passports, but only do it in a secure money belt or neck pouch, which keeps it safe from pickpockets. Others feel safe carrying a photocopy or a photo on their phone (plus a DL in case they are asked for ID). 3.Do as much research as possible in advance. For a first timer, I recommend getting a copy of the Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports book. If doing independent excursions, buy any entrance tickets to major sites in advance to avoid those lines. 4.Ravenna is over 200 km away from Florence. A Taxi (even if you found a willing driver) would be hugely expensive. A private car service would also be very expensive, but you could check prices online. Having traveled through Italy several times, we would opt for a taxi to the train station, then the train to Florence (look for one with only a single change in Bologna). 5. At my stage in life, we do premium economy for any flight over 2 hours and business class (not first class) for anything 5 hours or more. Otherwise I'm a wreck for the first day after arriving. You need to be the judge of whether the price is worth it to you.

I just pack a couple of heavy duty magnets with hooks ( est to hold 40 lbs. Bought at Home Depot) and a length of twine that I wind around a short pencil. Stick the magnets to opposite walls and run the twine between them. Drape your laundry over the line. It's not breezy, so you don't really need clothes pins.

It seems some people still don't know that high tea and afternoon tea are 2 different things. https://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/blogs/news/what-s-the-difference-between-afternoon-tea-and-high-tea#:~:text=Whilst they both include tea,long hard day at work.

I'm really not surprised. And it's not the cruise line's fault. You waited til the last minute and are disappointed, but this happens for the able bodied as well. The most desirable excursions, or those with limited capacity sell out well before embarkation on many , if not most, cruises. And then they disappear from the avaliable excursion offerings. Too bad, but next time don't wait to book your excursions. Or be content with hiring a taxi at the port to give you a tour. And not every excursion is appropriate to someone who has significant mobility problems, by their very nature. You can't hike in a wheelchair. Scooters can't manage stairs. None of them handle soft sand or uneven surfaces with ease. The Caribbean islands are not famous for uniformly paved roads, wide smooth sidewalks and big HA buses at every turn. And the cruise lines don't do their own excursions. They simply provide bookings with existing providers in the ports. They can't magically make handicap accessible excursions appear out of thin air; they can only make use of the ones that are available, such as they are.

If selecting your own cabin, look for ones that have cabins on either side and also on the deck above and below you, for the quiet. As for saving money with a guarantee- yeah you might get a great one. But someone's going to get the worst one in your category. Do you think anyone will knowingly specifically book that one? Are you going to be happy getting a crappy cabin if it means saving some money?

I don't think any line does a high tea (as it is properly defined). X does do a form of afternoon tea, but depending on the ship it may just be a few different items in the buffet.

Yeah, sure they did. Next time you see them, ask them how they knew exactly what the requisite amount was for each person, and how they managed to track down all of the behind the scenes crew who are also entitled to a piece of the pie. Leave the autograts alone.

You will have to clear both Passport Control AND Customs . Even if you preclear Passport Control on arrival, you can only clear Customs when you leave with your luggage. It's entirely possible that there will be no Customs officials in the terminal in the middle of the night. You may have to disembark earlier and stay at an airport hotel to make your flight.

Which ports? What do you want to see/do?

As long as the ships are sailing, it isn't bad news

Princess had them in Nov.

There should be minimal difference in view between decks 9 or 10. If anyone is prone to motion sickness, the lower you are and the closer you are to midships, the less motion would be felt. To minimize risk of noise, look for cabins that have cabins directly above and below.

It's possible to encounter seas rough enough to trigger motion sickness anywhere. No one but your doctor can advise what preventative is BEST for you. Many regard the Scopolomine patch as the method of last resort due to its potential for adverse reactions. There are previous threads ad nauseum you could look up using the search window on this forum. (Pardon the pun).

To be absolutely sure, you should contact the Indian embassy.

The first place I check is the Roll Call to see if anyone is offering to share a private excursion. Then I look at the Ports of Call board. Next I go to TripAdvisor. Tours by Locals and Viator are other 3rd party sources.

Thanks for the laugh. 😂

Since you quoted your deposit in £, I will assume you booked the cruise in the UK. Policies there are different than in the US. Hopefully someone familiar with UK cancellation policies will chime in soon. In the mean time try looking on the Celebrity UK website faqs, or call them. If you are allowed to shift your deposit to a different sailing, it would likely have to be done before final payment is due.

In addition to the lines mentioned by Hlitner, there is also Paul Gauguin. Just be prepared for sticker shock. French Polynesian cruises that include Bora Bora aren't cheap, even in the least expensive cabins.

Some people still do this, and of course, your steward would graciously accept it, since being courteous is part of their job. But realize that not everyone likes or can eat chocolate or sweets, and souvenir trinkets from your home will likely go directly in the nearest bin once out of your cabin. The best gifts are courtesy, a positive comment card delivered to Guest Relations, and/or an extra tip at the end of your cruise. However on port calls we will usually ask our steward if there is anything we can pick up for them while we are ashore.

If, as I suspect, this is a photo of an MSC Seaside class ship, then yes, it would be a drop of only about 6 feet or so onto the metal beam directly below, and then rolling or bouncing off down to the hard surfaced promenade deck 9 or 10 feet below that. Why would anyone possibly be concerned about a toddler falling that far? 😡

Oh, please. If it's shown in a public venue and you don't like it, go somewhere else. Just like I do to avoid having to watch/ listen to US football being shown on the screens. Forced down our throats. Good grief.

Could be any time right up until boarding day. Try phoning first thing in the morning. You shouldn't put your cruise tags on your bags before you fly anyway. The porters at the cruise terminal all have tags they can put on your bags, so don't worry about it.

By all means speak with your doctor. I see you are in Canada, so Gravol is the common anti nausea medication sold here. The active ingredient is the same as regular Dramamine in the US. But its most common side effect is drowsiness. Meclizine, sold under the brand name Bonine, is available OTC in the US. Its advantages are that you only need to take it once a day and can be used daily as a preventative. It has a much reduced likelihood of drowsiness (especially if taken at bedtime). I make a stop at a pharmacy whenever I'm in the States and stock up. If you do a search on these boards for "motion sickness" you'll likely find pages of previous threads.

Not only removed from the ship and banned, but reported to Child Protective Services.