CanuckCurlers

I bought one too!

Thanks so much for your excellent 'Live'. We've booked the Star for fall 2025. I was skeptical but my husband loves the big ships. You've lowered my stress level a lot!

There is a port bus which has several places to stop. We did not take the train but saw many people walking with their suitcases from it's direction when we boarded at this port.

Also were first time elite on the Emerald a few weeks ago and I tried. I was told I could swap out 20 small bottles for 1 regular bottle of wine. I didn't have 20 so it was a no for me.

We are just off the Emerald. One thing we enjoyed were the 'Behind The Sea' lectures. Lots of info from different crew members and an interview with the captain. If you are going through the canal the series will likely be different but we have always found their lectures to be good. In the dining room, find a set of servers you like and you can then book one of their tables at your preferred time for the remainder of the cruise. If they are good they will be able to recommend the best dishes of the evening that suit your taste. There are lots of quiet sitting spots around the ship so take a good walk around to find them. Skywalkers on Deck 18 has a great view of the wake and is air conditioned if you are not a pool, sun seeker. If you are a swimmer, the pool at the front that looks like it is part of the Sanctuary is not and is an adult pool. Although small, it is the easiest pool to actually swim in. Not our thing but there are lots of trivia and game show type activities during the day in the lounges. Hope this helps. Have a great cruise.

It was the same situation last fall. Even having taken a Princess Tour we were left to our own devices to find a way back on board. No Princess ambassadors were even available to separate us from the Celebrity line to the Princess line. New passengers and those already on funneled into the same lines, it was a crush with no directors. We followed a group that went in the crew entrance so saved a little time.

Do you have to pay the cover charge if only going for drinks?

Thanks for the Eatery pictures. Things look familiar. Have there been line ups? Do you have to go down a line at each of the stations or can you just pop in and say, "I'll have one of those." ?

Thanks, I was afraid of that. We have just booked the Star in 2025 and I am enjoying all of your postings.

Have you seen or heard of any time or place to play pickleball? It's the fastest growing sport around and suits all ages. Our last two ships have offered it on their basketball courts. Keeping my fingers crossed but the high ropes course seems to say not on this ship.

I would second this view. If you find a table and staff you like and book it for each night you then can just go straight to the table and not have to wait in any line. A good server will quickly get to know your likes and dislikes and be able to steer you to 'the best for you' thing on the menu.

We were on the Enchanted in September and saw some differences in staffing from before Covid and asked our waiter if it was because of cost or availability of staff and said some of both. With the new 'Dine Your Way' we dealt with some issues but after a few nights found the team we were comfortable with, joked with and respected and we had great service and we had all our requests granted with a smile ( ie. After several nights of having broccoli with the entree I picked, I just chose a veggie from one of the other meals and it landed on my plate. We asked for extra sauce/gravy with dishes and got our own little pots.) Yes the menu has been Americanized in my opinion but as I read by another CC cruiser, 'if the food on a cruise is the best you've ever eaten, you don't eat out enough and if the food on a cruise is the worst food you have ever eaten, you don't eat out enough.' We are going on the Emerald in February because we wanted to go around the Caribbean not back and forth to Fort Lauderdale so will adapt and still enjoy the sea air, warm temperatures and hopefully a comfortable bed. Princess has better replaced the beds even if it is an older ship.

Good to know, thanks.

We will be elite after our Sept. Med. cruise. I was most excited about the free laundry until it was pointed out everything has to be hot water safe. I wash all my clothes in cold so am deflated. I guess I won't have to iron my husband's dress shirts at least.

So it's all our fault for liking what they were offering.

Not sure where you were checking prices but have heard that you should always clear your cookies when going back to travel sites as it is not unusual for suppliers to up the prices when you return showing an interest in a product and they think you are ready to book. Could be a myth but my husband and I can be searching for products and get different prices at the same time depending on if we are going back to show each other what we've found.

We are boarding with you. From what I've read boarding seems to be going well in other ports but you never know 'til you get there.

Thanks for catching up. I did look under your heading but they didn't go back that far, or at least I didn't know how to make them go back that far. I enjoyed that cruise review just as much as this one. We are doing the Rome to Barcelona and have 3 nights at the end there. We did stop there on another cruise and did see the LSF. I wish I had known about your accommodations earlier, they sounded divine as we are traveling with friends and will just be in a hotel. Your pictures have taken me back to Barcelona and make me even more excited to get to the Greek Islands and Kotor. I think you have convinced me I still want to take my camera. I too love taking pictures of balconies, doorways, roof tops, ruins and sneak a few of the everyday people at work wherever we go. Where are you going next as I may have to put it on my bucket list?

Thanks for your Istanbul memories. We do have a rug making tour included but don't have a real need for one. The Grand Bazar is where we will be on our own. It wasn't our first choice of tours but others were sold out early. We do have our vaccine shot booked for tomorrow, our Dr. does a clinic once a month and pharmacies also have them, no lack of vaccines here. They did say the duo of a flu and Covid shot is not in the near future, if at all. I'm also looking forward to your release from isolation as your reviews have been great.

If you need something to fill the time, could you give us your reflections on the Istanbul market. We are going to have some free time there on our cruise. If you have a good book to finish that's alright too.

Sorry to hear you are cabin bound for another day. We are doing this cruise in September and were debating whether to get another vaccination or not. Media was recommending you wait until the fall when they are expecting an updated one. Your experience helped us decide. Since our last one was in January and we are in that 'over 65' age we have booked new ones for Monday. We will be following you for the rest of your trip and hope it is clear sailing here on out.

We have filled out the app for our cruise next month. It asked our group size, what time, which nights, where we would like and what type of service we preferred? It was my understanding that if you said every night that you would have the same table in the same area, thus the same servers. Is that a complete misunderstanding on my part?

You can let them know you are still there on the large screen and not lose your live chat. At least that was my, being stubborn, experience.

I used it this past week. Had to stay on the line and kept having to add 'Yes' each time they asked if I was still there. Stubborn person that I am I refused to hang up even when they also started trying to kick me off the main page because I hadn't been active. If you have a question concerning a booked cruise have your booking number ready.

We are doing the Rome to Barcelona section of this cruise in September so will be with you all the way to increase our anticipation. Can you tell me what the * means on the menus please.