Eight_Paws

Yes, there is a lot of climbing to get to the viewpoints. It's a beautiful island, though!

Barcelona is one of my favorite cruise ports. There is just so much to see and do! One of the best things to do is to explore La Rambla, Barcelona's famous pedestrian avenue. Be sure to visit the amazing market of La Boqueria! La Rambla has tons of shops, cafes, museums, street performers, and fabulous architecture to enjoy. Check out the highlights of La Rambla: La Rambla: Enjoy the Most Famous Street in Barcelona (2023) Lisa

Hank, very true! There are many great day trips you can take from Naples. We really had a hard time choosing! (Personally, I wanted to go to Capri, but my hubby didn't like the idea of the ferry ride as he gets affected by mal-de-mer.) Certainly we'll have much more to explore next time we visit Naples! Lisa

Hello all -- We visited Naples on a recent cruise, and this is a great port to explore on your own. The historical center of Naples is just a couple of blocks from where the cruise ships dock. Naples has many historic fortresses to visit (Castel Nuovo, Castel dell'Ovo), the Piazza del Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, a beautiful basilica, and more! Here's my post on some of the great things you can see during your port day in Naples: One Perfect Day in Naples, Italy: Best Things to Do in Naples Happy Travels! Lisa

You're welcome! We like to just explore a port on our own, rather than taking a shore excursion. And San Juan is perfect for this, since there are so many great attractions in such a compact area! Lisa

Super! I'm glad that I could be helpful. Have a great time! Lisa

Thanks so much, Hank! I didn't know that the mosaic benches were largely volunteer driven. What a great project for beautification and civic pride and spirit! Lisa

I depends on how much you want to see and how much time you have. El Morro you can see a lot just from the grounds, although I'm not sure if there is much you can see at St. Christopher's Castle without paying for entry. Have a fantastic time! Lisa

Hello all -- If you're like me and just want to explore a cruise port rather than take a shore excursion, then you'll want to read my new post around all the great things to see in Puerto Vallarta. This vibrant city has a spectacular oceanfront promenade (Malecón), vibrant public art, and of course the gorgeous Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the church with a crown!) Best Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta: A Fun DIY Walking Tour Happy Travels! Lisa

Yes there was still a mini shuttle to run you from the ship to the terminal. Happy Travels! Lisa

Hello friends -- I enjoyed one of the last Alaskan cruises of the season, and had a great time exploring Ketchikan on my own. All of the main attractions of the town were an easy walk right from the cruise dock -- see historic Creek Street, the Salmon Ladder Vista, and totem poles aplenty. Read about all the great things to do in Ketchikan! Best Things to Do in Ketchikan: Fun and Easy Walking Tour Enjoy! Lisa

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you found this information useful, and I hope you have a fantastic time on your cruise! Lisa

Heineken 0.0% was on the room service menu! Lisa

Hi LuAnn-- If Mai Tai is your preferred cocktail, I'd recommend trying the Peach Sangria. I had that one twice, and the second time they put in a LOT of the peach syrup so it was a bit heavy. But the one with less of the peach syrup and more of the pineapple juice was one of my favorites -- and the most 'tropical' to me. Enjoy! Lisa

To each their own! Cheers, Lisa

I usually feel a little left out since I don't drink much alcohol, so the mocktails are a bit more refined! Cruising is a great way to see new places and try new things! Lisa

Hi everyone! I was on the Celebrity Solstice for her final Alaskan cruise of the season. I don't drink much, but since I had the drinks package included, I decided to sample all of the fabulous mocktails on Celebrity! Read about all of the delicious and refreshing mocktails you can enjoy on a Celebrity Cruise! Best Celebrity Cruises Mocktails: Zero-Proof Drinks to Love Cheers! Lisa

Hi all, does anyone have info for what the rate is if you buy a pass for the full cruise on embarkation day? Online is showing $118 for a solo person for a 4-night cruise (Majestic). Will full-cruise passes be more/less/the same if booking on embarkation day? Thanks in advance! Lisa

Super cute! If you are making a small piece, is it cheaper to book onboard? Online it is currently $114 I believe.. I have seen older posts that smaller pieces are cheaper than that. Thanks! Lisa

I have a cruise coming up on the Solstice in two weeks and am thinking of using some OBC on this. But if it's only watching vs doing probably not worth the $120. Can you provide feedback on how much hands-on participation there was on your cruise? Thanks, Lisa

It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the cruise terminal to Plaza Machado in the historic center. I got my map at ( or just outside) the cruise terminal. Also they have a blue line painted on the sidewalk that you just follow to the historic center! Lisa

Actually, I booked it after it was already the Pacific Coastal on the Solstice.. Lisa

Good point, but I still think the Celebrity systems should have red-flagged it and not allowed the bookings in the first place. Lisa

Looks like you'll get your 10000 steps that day! You're adding on the extra visit to the lighthouse -- I need to do that next time! If you intersect with the Malecon near the shield you'll see pretty much all the statues I had in the post. You may want to swing by Plaza Machado and the theater as you head back from your last stop on the map to the cruise ship. Usually I just explore for 4-5 hours and then head back to the ship for my meal, but the bakery sounds like a great idea. Or you might find something that looks good at the Mercado when you visit there. Have a great trip! Lisa

Well -- I had been booked on this BTB pairing (Sep9 and Sep16) and after finding this information, asked my TA to verify. She called Celebrity brought it to their attention. Rather than send her my options, they just cancelled the second cruise (which is the one I would have preferred to keep!!) And they acted like they were doing me a FAVOR by giving me a refund for that one, when they are at fault for their systems allowing it. What flabbergasts me is -- why wouldn't they have gone through ALL their bookings once this violation was identified, to proactively identify any other customers who would be impacted? Grrr! Now trying to figure out what to do for the second part... when I had a been looking a month or so ago, flights from Vancouver to Phoenix were not cheap... 😞