teacherman

We are considering one of these rooms for a Trans Atlantic. There are only 2 of us and it looks like we will have a lot of room. The price is less than a balcony.They are located at the front of the ship, I believe on decks 6 and 7/8. Have any of you stayed in one of these rooms? Would you recommend it or not? Any information/advice is welcome. Thank you.

1. Begin viewing your roll call so that you can get an idea of what others on your cruise are planning in terms of ship activities and private tours.

2. Read port reviews of those places where you will be stopping.

3. Try to either go a few days early, or stay a few days after, to enjoy the area from where your ship will depart.

4. Read ship reviews written by others who have taken this particular cruise itinerary.

I feel much of the fun of a cruise is in the research and planning. We just did a Reflection trans-Atlantic which also had seven days at Med ports. It was a great ship, fun group of passengers, and I would do it again. Enjoy.

Just make it easy on yourself and take taxis. From airport to either of those hotels is about $10-15. Some hotels offer shuttles to the port, but those are about $7 per person, so a taxi would be less cost.

I think we are on your cruise. We once did a tour with Bernard's Tours that was an island tour with some time at Maho. Very good day. Wev may be doing it again this year.

We are thinking of taking our children/grandchildren on a cruise, but due to work schedules, it would have to be during June or July. We have cruised many times, but always in the winter. Is the Caribbean, and the island stops, extremely hot, humid, and "unbearable" during those months, or does it not really make that much of a difference? Any info/advice is welcome. Thank you.

We have never cruised from Bayonne, nor flown from Newark airport. This is long term planning. We are scheduled to arrive back at Bayonne aboard Celebrity Summit on a Tuesday next June. There is a 12:30 pm flight leaving from Newark. Is it okay to book that flight? Should we plan to take a taxi, ship shuttle, or "whatever" to the airport? The next flight is at 2:00 pm. Any info/advice is welcome. Thank you.

To me, the best drinks are the "free" ones at the Elite happy hour. And always remember to tip the servers, as it will usually get you prompt service and a "better" drink.

I, like most people, enjoy buying a product for "less" money. But if you get the cruise you want and select the cabin you want, at a price you are willing to pay, then just go and enjoy it. Yes, a few weeks before the cruise departure, there may be a price drop for unsold cabins. If you are totally flexible with your life's schedule (we are not) and can easily get to the port (we have to fly), then just wait for something that fits your desires and budget.

Otherwise, just do what you want to do and please stop complaining about being charged "too much" for a product. It is a business, not a charity.

We are booked on Summit for the "special" 9 day cruise leaving Bayonne on June 18, 2017. It is MY understanding that we will first cruise to Boston for a 1 day visit when the Tall Ships are docked in Boston. We will then be docked in Bermuda for 4 days when some of the America's Cup races are scheduled. This is the most expensive 9 night cruise I have ever booked, as it is a one time special thing.

People are wondering if Bermuda has the infra-structure to handle this event. Bermuda is crowded, and expensive, any time cruise ships are there. Add to this all of the visitors for the Cup races and it could be a real "mess". We have visited Bermuda twice, so we will be content to just enjoy the ship and watch the races from the top deck, or our balcony if we are facing the right direction.

We are considering a cruise on Anthem, next April, for 4 adults and 2 children (ages 6 and 9). Are there extra charges for the many "fun" things (bumper cars, skating, Fly "thing", north star, etc)? Do the children in Adventure Ocean get taken to these venues, or do they just stay in the "club" and do activities there?

There would be 2 adults and 2 children in one state room, most likely an inside. It seems like the children would be sleeping on a pull out couch. Does that get made up each night by the attendant? Does it take up a lot of the room when pulled out?

We are considering this cruise because airfares to Florida at that time will cost more than a cruise from Ft Lauderdale will and we can drive one loooong day to Bayonne from our home.

We are Diamond, but the two other adults and children will be on their first cruise. Is this ship a good idea for that, or should we seek a more "traditional" type ship? Any information/advice is welcome. Thank you.

We have booked Independence of the Seas, the largest RCCL ship we will have cruised on. Do we have to pre-book seats for the shows? I have heard of this being done on large ships. Any info is welcome. Thank you.

We have booked a 5 night cruise on Independence out of Fort Lauderdale on April 3, 2017. Now I am wondering if there will be a lot of children or college students aboard for spring break. We are from Michigan and that week (April 2-9) will be spring break for many elementary and high schools in our state, but I do not know about Florida's schedule. Can any of you provide information about other states? Any info is welcome. Thank you.

We have booked a cabin on Celebrity Summit. It is a balcony stateroom-category 2B. I notice that it is on deck 6, and the lifeboats are on deck 5 below the stateroom. Will they interfere with the view, or are they "tucked back under" the balcony? It does not say anything about an obstructed view. Any information is welcome. Thank you.

We have done it 3 times, staying at the Extended Stay Hotel, renting a car from that Budget, dropping it off, and taking their shuttle to the ship. Last time was 4 years ago. If they still have the shuttle it should work out fine. If not, take a taxi for $10.

Hyatt used to have a free airport-hotel shuttle. I think they now add $3 (?) to your room charge if you use their shuttle. You call the hotel after you have your luggage and they are there in about 10 minutes. Their shuttle to the port is about $7 pp. If 2 or more people it is cheaper to take a taxi.

I carry a 12 foot extension cord in my CPAP bag. The one the ship gives me is always too short.

I thank you for the explanation. Perhaps the agent I spoke with could have "explained" that to me rather than just read me the policy.

We have a cruise that ends April 25 in Rome. We then fly to Istanbul for a few days. When the bombings happened there, I checked on my travel insurance, and called them, to see how it should be done if we "interrupt" our trip to come home from Rome. They, of course, gave little information other than to read me the policy, which I had already read.

The strange thing is that if we canceled the Istanbul portion NOW, and made arrangements to come back from Rome, it would be much less costly than if we had to do it once we got there.

I told my wife, expecting her to say let's cancel the trip. I was amazed when she said that we have always wanted to see Istanbul and this was our chance. It is not going to get less "dangerous" over there.

I am signed up for the STEP program and have been sent good information concerning events and potential areas to avoid on certain days. All we can do is plan as carefully as possible, and then pray it all goes well. I am not one of those "don't let the terrorists win" people. But I do evaluate the risk involved in any decision. The risk of being involved in a terrorist attack is extremely low, but so is the danger in teaching in an elementary school, going to see a movie, attending a holiday party, etc.

Most people die within 15 miles of their home, so I guess that is a dangerous place to be.

I am going to Istanbul on my own after our cruise ends in Rome on April 25. It will be my first visit. I have gone on-line and joined the STEP program offered through the US State Department. I get e-mails with updates on the situation in Istanbul and also "warnings" of possible attacks. There are no guarantees, but I will be as vigilant as I can and pray for a safe journey.

There was a warning to avoid certain areas this past weekend, including where the bombing occurred.

Are you saying that I can make a booking with Celebrity, receive the on-board credit from them, and then transfer the booking to my big box store travel agency and ALSO get the OBC that they are offering? If so, why isn't everyone doing this?

This thread has nothing to do with me, but, we have ATT and were just in Mexico. Someone left me a voice mail message and I could not listen to it because when I tried to access the voicemail, like I do at home, it kept asking me for the "access code". That is because it is going through the Mexican phone system. When I got home, I set up a code. I guess I will see if it works next time I am out of the country.

I carry my own 12 ft extension cord in my CPAP case. I have used it on at least 15 cruises, as the one they leave in the cabin has NEVER been able to reach the outlet. I request the distilled water and they automatically give me the extension cord. It all depends on what type of cabin, how the bed is configured, and which side of the bed you sleep on. That is why I always carry my own. I try to position it in such a way that no one will trip over it in the night. Each morning, I unplug it and wrap it up so it is out of the room stewards way.

I have used my CPAP on Celebrity, RCCL, and Princess. I always ask for distilled water. If it is not in the cabin when I arrive, I ask the steward. I also have used the regular tap water from the ship. The extension chord they give me is never long enough to reach wherever the electrical outlet is in the cabin. I carry my own 12 foot extension chord in my CPAP bag. I have used it on many ships and in countries all over the world. I do carry a converter plug if I am going to a country that does not match up to my chord. This is what I have done for many years.

I carry mine in its own case. Security does not normally have me take it out. When I get to the scanner, I just tell them it is a CPAP and ask if they want me to take it out.

I also have a 12 foot extension chord that I keep in the case. The ones they give me on the ship are always too short. You never know where the outlet will be located. I have carried mine all over the world. No problem.

Sorry to chime in, but maybe take less luggage. We will be on the Reflection when it arrives that day (16 nights crossing from Miami;stopping at 6 different ports) We will take one 25 inch suitcase and one small carry-on for each of us. Our general thought is if we can't handle it ourselves, then we don't take it, as you can never be sure of porters, easily available taxis, etc. ANYWAY-since you are going with RomeCabs (which we use a lot) I might suggest that, for a fun day that adds to your vacation, have them pick you up early and do some little touring on your way to the ship. Maybe a stop for a nice lunch. The hilltop town of Cheri is interesting. I also believe that April 25 is some type of national holiday in Italy. Maybe you can find others on your cruise to share the cost.

We will be using Romecabs that day from the ship into Rome. Picking us up at 8:30. Enjoy your cruise.