Bill Miller

Dang, when I read the topic headline, Bahamas rears its ugly head, I thought it was about the new Bahamian, Value Added Tax. Value Added Tax, a sinister drop dead to the cruise lines who have kept the limestone rock islands floating in dollars since the 1960's.

Spring Break Florida: Come on vacation, Leave on probation.

I enjoy the human interaction with room stewards and all ship crew. We are all in this voyage together. We've bought our ticket and joined our cruise. We hope sun kissed memories. Crew members perform their work and deserve respect for their efforts. Sometimes they go above and beyond their duties and sometime they fail to meet our expectations. But I value all of my interactions with the crew and I always tip extra when deserved. Some passengers feel their fares entitle them to forget their manners. You'll see them embarrass themselves. A glance at the staff and the officers and you'll see the joke is on the rude, narcissistic passenger. Some passengers debark the ship and are happily forgotten, others build lifetime memories and relationships with shipboard friends. I guess you buy your ticket and makes your choice. Bon Voyage!

Or, as we say at the church carnival after watching a crew of winos and crackheads tighten nuts n bolts assembling the Ferris wheel, "You pay's your money and takes your chance."

If you're not early, your late.

Go to the Guest Services Desk, they have a bunch of them in the back room behind the copy machine. If they give you any trouble, just tell them I said it's, "Okay."

Bottom Line: You shouldn't need to wear ear plugs in a luxury cruise ship cabin.

Some cabins are affected by this unfortunate disruptive noise. You didn't pay for a luxury cruise to have to wear ear plugs. This is truly a unacceptable problem. Seems like Celebrity is willing to ruin some cruisers vacations, rather than fix the problem. Was the Celebrity quality control team at the build shipyard asleep? Who accepted the vessel from the shipyard? Maybe inaugural cruise schedules trumped quality control. Why should passengers who expect a Celebrity luxury vacation be expected to suffer through this? Where is the respect for the customer? Well it doesn't matter, fresh customers each week. Bon Voyage!

Geez, I'd be in trouble. I'm a collection of bits and pieces and my Dr Frankenstein has retired. Maybe you know my new doctor, Dr. Vinnie Boombatz. My pal Dangerfield highly recommended him.

My Dad is mobility challenged. We never made any special arrangements, but there were plenty of helpful people with wheelchairs waiting outside (Terminal 3 - Celebrity) to help us make the transfer onto the ship. This service was hassle free. Thank you, Tampa.

Of course the stitches could add to your pirate swagger. Party on.

Bon Voyage on your 2024 cruising. Cruise ships are great fun, but it's your fellow travelers and ship crew that create lasting memories. Where will you cruise this year? A special ship? A cabin mate who makes rough life journeys calm. Are you sailing in 2024? Where? Bon Voyage!

Thank You, Yes... Pack in Carry on not checked. Crzndeb is correct. Do not pack in checked luggage. Thankyou.

DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE: Do not pack your passport, birth certificates and boarding documents in carry on luggage. Too many people forget and in the excitement, forget to remove these critical documents before handing over to the porters at checked luggage opportunity. Then it becomes almost impossible to track down your bag to retrieve the documents.

Bottom Line, You shouldn't need ear plugs on a luxury cruise ship.

"Sum ting wrong," Charlie Chans Murder Cruise, 1940

We buy an annual travel policy which includes cancellation. And strong medical coverage if you should be involved in an accident or become ill when you are more than 100 miles away from home. My wife fell and broke her hip at home the day before a cruise. It took them 2 months and my supplying documentation but received complete cruise fare refund. Cruise line returned port taxes. You want your coverage to include evacuation back home and also, repatriation of the deceased if that becomes necessary. Don't laugh about the corpse in transit option. Not long ago a cruise passenger croaked on a cruise to the Caribbean. The family didn't have funds to fly the body back to the States so the cruise line graciously allowed them to return the body via the ships morgue. Except the refrigeration was down in the morgue so they stored the body bag in a drink cooler. Oh my! And the drink cooler wasn't cold enough so the body was decomposed like an over ripe banana when they got back to the States. If you make more than one cruise a year consider an annual policy. It will be cheaper than buying a policy for each cruise and offer more coverage. Bon Voyage.

Sneaking booze (vodka) aboard in plastic water bottles, one of the oldest passenger scams out there. When examined, an unadulterated bottle of water will show bubbles when swirled or shaken. A bottle with alcohol will lack the bubbles and appear flat.

Competition is good for the passenger and it helps keep the cruise line somewhat humble.

Bon Voyage. Wishing you a joyous family vacation.

I booked the Casino Cash Blowing Class, but after reading this topic I'm defiantly changing to the Glass Blowing thing. I'm a grumpy old man but this sounds great. Thank You for explaining it !

Are you cool with the main dining room menu or do you need specialty dining? Carnival’s Specialty Dining Price Increases in 2023 Venue Old Price New Price % Increase Steakhouse $48 $49 2% Rudi’s Seagrill $48 $49 2% JiJi’s Asian Kitchen $18 $24 33% Cucina del Capitano* $18 $24 33% Bonsai Teppanyaki Lunch $35 $38 9% Bonsai Teppanyaki Dinner $38 $42 11% Chef’s Table Expereince $80 to $99 $99 to $150 Up to 52%

In September we loved our stayed at the Plaza Catalunya. The hotel is about thirty meters or a hundred feet from the awesome Plaza de Catalunya. The La Rambla is just off the Plaza. The Plaza de Catalunya is also the major transportation hub for the Hop on- Hop off tour bus lines. Plenty of affordable restaurants on side streets off the Plaza. Practically across the street from the hotel is a good inexpensive coffee/breakfast lunch sandwich restaurant. And facing the Plaza de Catalunya is my favorite, Cafe Zurich. Cafe Zurich's outdoor tables are most excellent for a afternoon or evening beverage as the busy sidewalk traffic of trendy Barcelonans pass by. https://www.facebook.com/cafezurichdebarcelona/ When booking this hotel I looked at several of the more expensive recommendations frequently offered for Barcelona, but found the Plaza Catalunya to be a better bargain and location. This was for a Celebrity Edge cruise. Bon Voyage! Plaza Catalunya Bergara, 11. 08002, Barcelona +34 93 301 51 51 catalunya@cataloniahotels.com

In September we loved our stayed at the Plaza Catalunya. The hotel is about thirty meters or a hundred feet from the awesome Plaza de Catalunya. The La Rambla is just off the Plaza. The Plaza de Catalunya is also the major transportation hub for the Hop on- Hop off tour bus lines. Plenty of affordable restaurants on side streets off the Plaza. Practically across the street from the hotel is a good inexpensive coffee/breakfast lunch sandwich restaurant. And facing the Plaza de Catalunya is my favorite, Cafe Zurich. Cafe Zurich's outdoor tables are most excellent for a afternoon or evening beverage as the busy sidewalk traffic of trendy Barcelonans pass by. https://www.facebook.com/cafezurichdebarcelona/ When booking this hotel I looked at several of the more expensive recommendations frequently offered for Barcelona, but found the Plaza Catalunya to be a better bargain and location. This was for a Celebrity Edge cruise. Bon Voyage! Plaza Catalunya Bergara, 11. 08002, Barcelona +34 93 301 51 51 catalunya@cataloniahotels.com

You buy's your ticket and in doing so, the contract for travel on a foreign flag vessel. Behave or Be Gone!