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I carry ginger tea. That helps a lot. You could also consider asking the sushi restaurant on board for some raw ginger if it gets bad. I always carry tamarind candies. They are amazing for nausea. But I get them in Ecuador and don’t know if they are in the US. If you are traveling abroad, go to a local pharmacy. They have many otc remedies we don’t. Another remedy is bitters and soda. Any good bartender knows this cure.

We found a repositioning cruise on NCL that starts in NY. It spends 2 days in Iceland but I can’t remember where it ends. We never took the cruise due to Covid. But hope to one day. Repositioning cruises happen at the beginning and end of the various seasons. They can be a great value. This one was 14 days, started in NY to Halifax, to Iceland. Then went on to Ireland, Wales and Belgium. Hopefully the wedding date falls when a cruise like this is doable.

We took an Adriatic cruise on NCL last year and there was a member of the staff that was a history buff. She gave great talks on the history and politics of the different ports. I don’t know if this is the norm or we just got lucky. Maybe, those of us who enjoy that, should make our voices heard to the cruise lines. Money talks. If enough people let them know this may tip the scales toward one line or another, they will add more talks like this to stay competitive. Or maybe we truly are the minority. I do hope cruise lines read these posts.

I live by the adage “hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. It sounds like you do too. We also follow the plan of splitting our things between bags I also make sure the things I MUST have, like meds, are in my carry-on or tote. The safest option is don’t check any bags. I’d rather have to do some laundry, than risk lost or delayed luggage. On rare occasions they have asked me to check my carry on when I got to the gate, usually on those little puddle jumpers that have small luggage compartments. I don’t mind this since I know the luggage is getting on and off the plane with me. My most important things, like meds, jewelry (I usually don't bring things I couldn’t bear to loose) passport, etc, stay with me in a bag or backpack that goes under the seat. FYI- you don’t say where in SA you are going. We often travel to Quito Ecuador. There, and many other places in SA (or the world) it’s not safe to wear expensive jewelry. I have a travel wedding ring I wear that is very simple. I leave my diamond at home. Be safe, have fun!!

Just finished our first Celebrity cruise. We got concierge for same reason as OP. The lunch was ok. We do not mind the buffet, so not a big deal. The canapés were tasty. But we are not used to eating three big meals a day so more food was overkill. The sparkling wine was good. We are not wine snobs and wouldn’t know good champagne from bad. We asked our room steward when we first saw him. He brought it right away. We don’t drink much so we had a little glass 1x/ day until it was flat and tossed the rest. We used the app to make dinner reservations but could have used the concierge. The best perk was priority disembarkation. With tendered ports it was nice to have a shorter line.

In Puerto Plata-we didn’t pre book anything. Just as you exit the pier area there are drivers lined up to take you where you want to go. You give them an idea of what interests you and how long you have. I can’t remember the cost, but it was a fraction of the ship excursions. We told them we can’t do a lot of walking but we wanted to see scenic spots and local culture. Driver took us to some “hidden” spots to see pineapple and mangos growing, he showed us how Larimar is made, gave us a little time in the town center to explore, even took us to a friend’s farm. Then he took us to an awesome restaurant for local delicacies- soooo good. Through it all he gave us some history and political and social insight. One caveat/ they only take cash. Depending on your group size, you may need a van. Enjoy!

I didn’t even know we were getting concierge until it was booked. I just chose the least expensive balcony/ veranda room. I don’t think I would have paid extra for it. But it will feel extra special to have it.

So the canapés are not an extra charge? Is there anything special about the concierge lunch?

Can anyone tell me how to find when the destination seminar is? Is there still a lounge for concierge at the embarkation port? We couldn’t get an early check-in but may try to go early anyway. Lastly, how do you find what class or series your ship is? Descriptions reference Solstice or Edge. What is the Eclipse?

We always used to ask the room attendant to remove the barrier between balconies. That way we could go back and forth easily. Mom didn’t hear well so we couldn’t rely on her opening the front door. But the last cruise we took together the steward said it was a fire hazard to remove the balcony separators. So we got the access key card for her room. They gave us a hard time about this but we made it clear it was for mom’s safety. She was 91 on our last cruise. Sadly, she passed away in Jan. This will be our first cruise without her. Enjoy cruising with your parents. And be grateful for every moment with them.

Our experience cruising with my elderly mom was it is significantly less to book two cabins that a suite. Suites are easily 2-3x per person what a balcony cabin is. With two cabins you essentially paying the base cruise price for 4 people. But only pay the taxes and gratuities for those traveling. Be sure to ask for an entry only room key for your parent’s room.

You really wouldn’t want to be in Israel right now. I have friends in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and they tell me they hear bombs dropping around them almost constantly. Choose a more peaceful Christmas vacation and say a prayer for all those innocents ( on both sides) impacted by hate.

We have almost always done the category guarantee and never had a bad experience at all. We always do balconies and do enjoy spending time in our room. Our concern has been obstructed view. But we figure it’s never that bad. The only time we choose our specific room is when we are traveling with others and wanted our cabins to be close. The first time we did the guarantee we were traveling with my mom. When checking in we realized we were not close to each other. We explained that my mom needed us in case she fell or something. They did accommodate us. They even let us take down the balcony wall so it was more like connecting rooms. That was NCL.

Mine is also triggered by pain. Unfortunately I also have a very bad back and often get sudden unexpected spasms. So I never really feel safe.

You are all right in every point. Including the book early part. Both Murano and Tuscan are booked solid. 😢 Guess I hesitated too long.