Ron Don

We took all of our grandkids and had this suite in May 2018.  We did have the escort from the dock to the ship but it was also with a group of GS and OS cruisers.  We had some snacks with fruit each day but no stocked bar, unless you wanted to pay for that.  As far as the pool loungers go, there are pool chair hoggers there too but the chairs have cushions rather than just straps.  You don't have to go get your own towels as they are already on the loungers.  The suite is on the rear of the ship, has a really huge balcony but the viewing is not really great from there and all decks from above are looking down on you.  I believe that the deck is somewhere around 900 sq. ft.  There is also a hot tub on the deck, if you enjoy that.  You will really enjoy the suite, it comes with all of the aminities.....Suite Lounge, etc.

18 hours ago, boozrcruzr said:

This is the first time for a GS for us. has anyone stayed in 1282 on Liberty? Hope it's worth it!

 

 

We have been in that suite and a couple of others on the Liberty.  In our opinion, it is well worth it!  

We took all of our grandkids and had this suite in May 2018.  We did have the escort from the dock to the ship but it was also with a group of GS and OS cruisers.  We had some snacks with fruit each day but no stocked bar, unless you wanted to pay for that.  As far as the pool loungers go, there are pool chair hoggers there too but the chairs have cushions rather than just straps.  You don't have to go get your own towels as they are already on the loungers.  The suite is on the rear of the ship, has a really huge balcony but the viewing is not really great from there and all decks from above are looking down on you.  I believe that the deck is somewhere around 900 sq. ft.  There is also a hot tub on the deck, if you enjoy that.  You will really enjoy the suite, it comes with all of the aminities.....Suite Lounge, etc.

Are there possibilities for doing it if you are overseas?  We have a trip planned and wanted to spend a few days in Amsterdam then needed to do the test 2 days before boarding.  We would be in Amsterdam about 3 days at the time of testing.

18 hours ago, BND said:

We're halfway there but without a cruise for over 2 years, it makes it kind of hard to get there.  But, we cruise because we love cruising.  Status is just a side bonus.  

Us too, LOL.

BUY, BUY, BUY!!!!!

On 9/19/2021 at 8:13 AM, 2chiefs said:

There is so much talk about wifi availability, costs, etc. on these threads, it amazes me that there is such a need (or desire) for wifi while cruising.

I don't get it either.  I'm with you.....I turn off the phone,  put it in the safe and forget it until the trip is over.  If I need to get in touch with the family, I use my minutes on the ships computer system and go to my email a couple of times a week and "check in".  Family knows how to contact me if there is an emergency.

It's just a personal choice of mine but on most of the Freedom Class ships, particularly on the Independence and Liberty, cabins 1256, 1260 and 1556, 1560 are directly beneath the large whirlpools on deck 11.  When they are on (sometimes that can be late in the evening, depending on the crowd), there can be noise and vibration, plus there is an overhang of the tub on your balcony, particularly on 1260 & 1560. 

On 8/4/2020 at 12:45 PM, dawnelda said:

I don't know that the aft balcony dividers can be opened on Oasis class. They can't be opened on Freedom or Voyager class.

We were on the Liberty a couple of years with 3 other couples.  We had 4 GS's in a row, if you would.  We had our cabin steward open our dividers for the week....it was wonderful.  

1 hour ago, misguy said:

We are sailing on the July 10 sailing of the Adventure and trying to plan dining.  So I am interested in what are best dishes in the MDR.

It's better to go to the buffet (Windjammer), IMO.  The MDR is like going to a Golden Corral or something like that.  So hit and miss, sometimes fair, sometimes not so good, sometimes cold, sometimes luke warm....rather go to a specialty restaurant or the Windjammer and certainly don't have a favorite there.

Liberty, for sure!!!

On 2/25/2021 at 12:16 PM, Cruise Girly 88 said:

We have previously sailed on the Allure of the Seas and my husband is now looking at taking the Liberty of the Seas out of TX. Is there a huge difference between the ships? Allure had a ton to do and the board walk was kinda cool, but it wasn't a deal breaker for us. For those of you that have been on the Liberty of the Seas, did you find it had enough to do?

 

We will be traveling with extended family so it will be from ages 1-62 🙂 Thanks!

Liberty is our favorite ship and a part of the Freedom Class which is the size we prefer over all other in the RCCL fleet.  I think we have been on her 5-6 times.  IMO, not having to make reservations for everything like you have to do on Allure is a big plus for us as we are a little laid back and don't know exactly what we really want to do on the ship months in advance of our sailing.  As far as things to do...maybe not quite as much to do as the Allure but plenty to do.  One of our trips included an extended family with members ages 5-67, no one found it boring.  We have another trip planned on the Liberty in February 2022.   

16 hours ago, DLKC said:

Hi - When you do back-to-back and you have the same cabin for both cruises, do you have to clear out everything and unload on disembarking/embarking day, or just leave the ship yourself and reboard?

Thanks --

This is something that we always try and do (having the same cabin on both legs of the B2B).  When we do so, we leave everything in the cabin alone, then disembark, get new paperwork including new sea pass cards then get back on.  The ship is yours (along with the other B2B passengers for a couple of hours) until regular boarding starts.  

Good luck!!

We have limited experience with Celebrity and have only sailed on her 2 other times both in S1 categories.  We sailed on the Solstice in 2008 when she was brand new and had a corner aft on deck 10 and it was great.  The second time was 3 years ago to Alaska with some friends that we will be traveling with to the British Isles in 2021.  We were on deck 6 in a S1 and that one was a disaster.  First, the entry hall had a very narrow space between the bathroom and closet, if for some reason if the bride was in the bathroom and I was in the closet, we were always banging into each other....there just wasn't enough room to get around that tight space.  Then they placed a cabinet in the space that made it even more crowded.  Once you got into the bedroom part, then it was OK but not one of the best suites I have ever had.  Certainly would NEVER spend the money for an S1 on a M class ship ever again particularly at 250 sq. ft.  We will be traveling with friends in July 2021 in a 1A on the Reflection that is 200 sq. ft., based on some videos, that one appears to be better laid out, IMO.

We travel mostly on Royal in a Grand Suite.

On 8/7/2020 at 5:23 PM, Ashland said:

Applied sometime ago for Global Entry (they quickly took my $'s)...No interviews available for LAX showing at all. Got an email that I could do an interview if coming in from an international flight...and I'm certainly not. So what happens now ??

Same for me, applied for a renewal for wife and myself back in February 2019 with GE cards expiring mid-year 2020.  Paid all of he fees required and those were taken quickly, wife received her renewal card within about 2 months mine showed "pending review" for about 8 months, then "pending review" for another  6 months and the last time I looked it stated that mine has been "APPROVED".  The last time I looked was about a month ago and of course there is no one to talk to or contact.  My GE card has expired almost 10 months ago.  I know that they have extended the time period to 12 months for the old cards to be able to be used but the GE "people" are wearing me out.....it's been almost 18 months since I applied for renewal.

On 9/13/2020 at 10:34 PM, John&LaLa said:

Before the next cancellations are announced, how about a little game.

 

1. What is your next 'booked' cruise?

 

2. What is your next 'booked' cruise that you think will sail.

 

3. Of all your 'booked' cruises, which one will devastate you if it gets cancelled, or you decide not to go

 

 

1.  Celebrity Reflection 6/30/2021 - Still unsure about this one

2.   Liberty of the Seas 10/3/2021

3.  Celebrity Reflection probably, however, we have already been devastated this year when our trip to Rome/Greece for our 50th Anniversary was cancelled so after that everything is just a minor heartbreak, not devastation.

17 minutes ago, seaandsea said:

I tried to go to this site, but they want me to join at a cost, it is not free. 😞

 

My apologies, I have been a member of that site so long I just made an assumption it was free.  I paid nothing to join many years ago.

On 9/3/2020 at 11:56 AM, Wine-O said:

If your sail date is the 29th, I would go for 1136.  It's a connecting cabin, but I haven't heard any complaints about connecting staterooms, i.e. hearing from others thru the connecting door.  Two others I would recommend would be 9296 on the Starboard side, which is also connecting.  If you didn't want a connecting stateroom, I would choose 9239.

 

All of the above are in a great location on the ship, on the hump, with larger balconies, and near the bank of 8 elevators, up to the lawn club, and down to the Martini Bar and dining.   I've sailed on Reflection several times, so that's my input.  

I have to agree with Wine-o here.  We have been in 1245 before and loved it.  Anything close to the hump and close to the elevators on the angle going up to the lawn club is great.  You can take a look at a web site called cruise deck plans dot com and join, it's free.  Sometimes you can see the exact cabin you are looking to book because someone has posted pictures of the cabin.  If not, there are pictures of similar cabins posted there so you can see what the balcony looks like.

2 hours ago, TeeRick said:

 

 

Much better picture than mine

15 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

 

Ron I give up, I don't know, I didn't even find the answer

I must apologize about the country as stated being in Italy as that day was such a blur.  It was actually in southern France and the town is in Eze.  We spent the day going to several towns that day in both southern France and northern Italy.  It's the old clock tower in the central part of the city and the highest point of the area.  Walt Disney used to spend time there and the population dates back to the 900's I believe.

Somewhere in Italy.

Try the Hotel Barocco and talk with Christiano the Resident Manager for more information.  We love it there.

They usually have a package that gives you a free pick up at the airport then a transfer to the cruise port at a very reasonable price.

The hotel is small but the service is 5* and located on the Plaza Barberini.  Go to  www.hotelbarocco.com.

On 8/7/2020 at 3:59 PM, mnocket said:

This is a personal assessment that will vary from individual to individual.  My measure of "safe" is meaningless to others as they will make their own judgement for themselves.  But, since you asked about my definition of "safe" in the context of cruising, here you go......

 

For me, it will safe to resume cruising when:

• Masks are no longer necessary aboard ship
• Social distancing precautions have been lifted.
• Cruises across most lines have been sailing for at least 6 months and...
  • There have been no ship or large scale passenger quarantines in the past 4 months
  • Any onboard COVID cases have been rare and have been effectively responded to such that widespread infection was avoided.
• Port restrictions are lifted
• Onshore (incl tour) restrictions are lifted
• Travel insurance covers COVID infections

Note:  I don't care about CDC approvals or cruise line plans or the availability of a vaccine, these don't ensure safety - I care about a proven track record of results.  If any of the items I've listed do not exist, that indicates to me that cruising is not yet safe (for me).  There will need to be others to blaze the trail in order to establish this track record, and there seem to be many eager to do just that.  I do not judge them for having a different viewpoint of "safe cruising" than I. I wish them well and hope to join them in the future.

AMEN!

Cruising with a mask to me is not something I would do.  I would rather stay at home and wait until time passes and there is a time to travel again without masks.  If that does not happen, I will find other ways to travel other than cruising.

NOPE, ZIP, NADA!!