Fivelinks

I've been thinking of trying Chogogo when we visit next week also but since you live there can I trouble you and ask is there a beach with a nice restaurant/bar you would say is better for a day of relaxing? It's my birthday when we are there and I want to make the best choice. I also thought about Windwood and appreciate any feedback you have. Thanks!

I have only been able to see mine on my confirmation e-mail from HAL. You can call customer service and ask them to send you an updated confirmation.

Just curious where did you end up going and how was it? We will be in Bonaire on my birthday at the end of January and are considering going to the resort, but I don't want to waste my day if it isn't good....

When you board rather than fighting the crowds going to the buffet, we have found the dining room to be open on many HAL ships but if not, the New York Deli is a great place to eat. No crowds and delicious food like fresh pizza, deli sandwiches, and yummy salads. Grand Dutch Cafe also great for snacks and coffee. The food in general is a step above most lines. Our favorite places are specialty restaurants Rudi's Sel de Mer for the bouillabaisse or whole Dover sole. Also worth the money is Tamarind and Pinnacle Grill (best value is lunch). I echo others that the crew on HAL is the best at sea! I have been on several other lines and while I enjoy many positives about them... hands down HAL has the most genuinely willing crew that are there to see to your every need. Enjoy!!

What I have stated is correct as I have done it mutiple times. When you make a HAL purchase $4001 and higher you will take 2.5% and multiply that by your total points. I just did a $5000 cruise final payment and had 32,000 points. My statement credit was $800.

The sum of eligible transactions made on the same date will be assigned to the appropriate rule as described below: This simply means that you can't split the transaction or add mutiple HAL purchases like I referenced for making a deposit in one transaction, then coming back later to pay in full. Those two amounts don't combine. Therefore, to have a redemption value of 2.5% of your total points the transaction you are redeeming them for must be $4001 and up. Be careful if you make more than one HAL transaction and be sure you are redeeming against the highest cost to maximize your credit. This is what I have done in the past and have been told to do so by a representative at Barclays. Feel free to give them a call and they will use your scenario / transaction(s) specifically to advise you how best to redeem.

In the question from islandwoman she already had the 15,000 bonus for signing up. However even if she had no bonus points and only used it for that $5000 purchase, you could still consider the $250 credit you earned as a total savings on that cruise. I like my HAL card for other reasons like cell phone insurance when I use it to pay that bill each month. Rental car insurance, some travel insurance benefits, and more. All depends on the benefits I find most beneficial as a consumer, and what rewards I want as to which card if any I utilize.

A few things to consider. For HAL purchases $4001+ you will get the highest statement credit redemption of 2.5%. Your points are 2x on HAL 1x on all other purchases and the points you have at redemption are the number you multiply by 2.5%. Ex. 25000 points x 2.5% on a $4001 final HAL purchase = $625 statement credit. Keep in mind the purchase can't be split. Ex. $500 deposit one time then final $3501 payment later won't give you the $4001 to claim the credit from. Having said that when I booked my last cruise the deposit was only $50 so, I have put everything I could on the HAL card and paid it in full each month. Now my final payment is due and it is over the $4001 mark which gives me the 2.5%. I am going to take it a little further though and pre-book dining, shore excursions, and pay gratuities with my final payment to rack up the points. Once all of that hits my statement and the points are there, I will redeem the credit. It makes me feel like I got a nice discount on my cruise this way since it will post towards that final payment statement. Only if I plan to sail HAL on the next cruise will I use that card for my on-board spending. If not, I use the card with the best rewards at the time. Hope that helps...

I was told by Barclays that you need to use the card at least once in a rolling year to keep it active and not loose your points.

I have always been able to get oat milk and have seen almond milk there as well. Like NanaJPB said they are always happy to go and get it if they don't have it already at that station... all you need to do is ask and so shall you receive😊

Having sailed both Celebrity and HAL equally, and having been on both sister ships to Rotterdam I agree you will enjoy it very much. You may even find you like HAL a little better... We are booked on Rotterdam in January after the past 4 cruises having been with Celebrity due to declining service that we experienced this year. IMO Celebrity has better itinerary's and HAL is much more expensive now than 2020 when we last sailed with them. But we found an itinerary we like on this newest ship and are willing to pay more due to the experiences with Koningsdam and Neiuw Statendam and the higher service standards HAL sets. A former HAL employee on Celebrity Edge told me some of the differences he has observed and openly admitted he wished he had stayed with HAL. We also love the private island and like the music venues offered on this class of HAL ships better. Again, both have strong positives, but the service and food quality are what matter most to me and HAL wins both IMO. No worries and safe travels!!

Thanks for the information! This is one I am considering. How about ocean front hotels that are still close enough like Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa? It looks like the next closest then continuing down the beach I see Courtyard FL Beach, Marriott Beach Tower, the new AC Hotel, and Westin. Does anyone have experience with any of these and ease of getting from the airport day before then to the port the day of cruise?

I have Marriott Bonvoy points to use and will be flying in the night before my cruise out of Port Everglades. There is a good size group of us with a few new to cruising whom I hoped would get to see the ships in port from the hotel. I am looking for new/newer hotel from this group that is VERY clean with good places to eat nearby. Hopefully I can get some recommendations. Thanks!

I used to purchase annual policy from Chubb however they no longer offer extensive coverage only medical. If you don't mind please post what you find as I am having a hard time finding a new provider.

I like the big bottles of Aqua panna from the dining room to carry back to my cabin and have always been able to get them at dinner with no additional charge. Anywhere else I have not been able to get around it. Please post if you try this and it still works.

Definitely watch videos for both ships and see which vibe you like. We sail both HAL and Celebrity equally and make decisions based on how we feel about the ship for the region/destination we want to sail to. You can't go wrong with either, but each have their merits. I find food, entertainment, and staff to be quite good on both however, overall service on HAL we have found to be a little better. I also prefer the music on HAL's Pinnacle class ships due to the diversity. Celebrity Edge series has more dining options which I enjoy, and the Solstice class has nice specialty restaurants like Murano. Neither are too fussy about their dressier nights, and there will be extremes both ways with everything in between. Good luck choosing between the two but either way you're going to have a wonderful trip!

Just off of a Celebrity cruise where we had acrobats or something crazy happening up there. Guest relations called while I was standing there and it did help some... Keep pushing them to do something!

Well put! Each person must experience and determine for themselves. Perception is reality but each person's perception is a just little different.... I read all the comments about changes and had myself worked up prior to my 10nt on Edge last month. But... I kept and open mind and went to experience things myself. This was my 4th Celebrity cruise and 1st on Edge but other than cabin noise from elephants or acrobats above us that no one could control, everything was wonderful! I am a bit of a foodie and am all about good wine. Food and wine offered were high quality with a great selection to choose from, service for the most part was exceptional, and the ship was well kept with mostly friendly staff. I have sailed many lines including Holland America whom until recently, I thought was a step above Celebrity in terms of service and food. After this last Edge cruise, I am ready to sail Celebrity again and already have booked another 10nt on Silhouette.

It is my understanding from the POM web site you pay when you leave. The only exception is in lot J where you pay upfront, and they give you a decal for your window showing you paid.

Great information, thanks so much! I will do some comparisons....

We normally stay in Dania Beach when we go out of Fort Lauderdale. Any recommendations for a nice safe hotel in the Jupiter area I should look into?

Thanks for the feedback! Our drive will be 14hours and we want to stop around that 10-hour mark to get a good night's sleep. We have an early boarding time and want to avoid major commuter traffic so will leave the hotel super early. In terms of hotel safety, I'm not worried about our stay but am worried about leaving my high-end car sitting in the parking lot. Will do some research from Titusville down to Ft. Lauderdale. If anyone has any more recommendations or can share experiences where they stayed it is appreciated!

I'm nervous to leave my car even at the port but can't fly. Will definitely spend the money and park at the port thanks to your advice. Do you have any advice on where to stay that is safe the night before? We have been considering stopping 3-4 hours before Miami like in the Titusville area or something like that.

Coming in from Virginia the day of cruise on 95 and planning to park at Port of Miami. With the construction is there a best way to enter for parking in garage G? Not sure if an overnight stay the evening before stopping 3-4 hours before the port is a good idea or not with traffic either. Anyone have any recent experience that can offer feedback?

I recently had success with the reverse switching from West coast to East coast. I looked up what cruises I had interest in and had plenty of available rooms left then called and simply asked would those cruises qualify for the offer. After a brief hold I was told yes, selected the one I wanted most, picked my room and the booking was made. I echo what others have said in it all depends on who you get and the availability of the sailing at the time you inquire. Good luck!