blindrid

Will be sailing on Reflection with it returning to Miami on the 21st of March. Will be flying home to Canada from Fort Lauderdale. What is the earliest time that we should consider booking flights?

Anymore, as soon as possible. Jump on the early (discount fares allocated) as my experience is they only go up from there. Your plan makes sense.

We've been on both NCL and multiple cruises with Celebrity. Although we favor X, most of my comments are repeats, here they are. I think clearly the itinerary you mentioned on X is far superior than the one on NCL and cruising from SJ you are guaranteed great weather. The food & service in X'x MDR is much better than NCL. The specialty restaurants on both lines are excellent. Less announcements on X but slightly better entertainment on NCL. We use anytime dining on each line and generally have not had to wait long. Enjoy

Well put. NCL is my favorite - avoid the fuddy-duddy crowd.

Regardless of arguments, what's wrong with the current method? Change = people react. Some (me) get chased from hotel. Locals show up whenever. Why cause the uproar?

Oh wait, this is Celebrity!

People who use the argument "My hotel makes me leave at 11 so I have no choice but board at noon", how do they handle a 3 or 4pm flight home when the hotel kicks them out.

 

Heck how do they handle things when Celebrity makes them leave ship by 9:30 am in San Juan, when lots of return flights don't depart till 3 pm.

 

Or the argument "I would have booked a later flight" as if most airports have flights leaving every hour on the hour for the ports.

 

All we're talking hiere is a process over 3-4 hours time. Moving thousands of people thru the chokepoints of the ports is a big ordeal, if all would participate it'd go far smoother for everyone.

You book a better flight. I don't buy the participation = smoother. I have yet to have a bad experience boarding. The lines have it down. I'll let other board at 3:00 if they wish.

Really, like Alaska then?

Correct. The dew point changes with temperature of a surface and the Rh (relative humidity). Like, Alaska :rolleyes:. Or, better yet, anyway you are. Ever have morning dew on your lawn? Geez.

Regardless of this pettiness, Cartegena is like any metro area. No better, no worse.

We have just booked our first X cruise. Because it is only a month away, we got no perks at all. DH doesn't drink any alcohol, so he will probably get the pkg that includes coffee, water & soda. I like a few drinks, but I am having some trouble justifying the cost. I have never gotten a beverage pkg because on my regular cruises I get comped drinks in the casino which is where I spend lots of my time. I'm a little snooty about wine and whiskey and would want the premium pkg, but I am not sure I spend $475 on booze in a year! I am also thinking I won't have drinks at times that I would like them if I don't have the pkg as my brain will be doing the math every time I order. Does anyone have any insight for me?

In our case, it was rarely worth it. My DW drinks lightly and I drink well. We rarely come up with a bar tab of $100 a day as we also drink onshore. I must admit it was nice to have though.

You will get bottled water, but not sparkling water. Many cocktails are included. There are a few martinis that are available in a smaller size (cosmo, appletini, among a couple others). DH was able to get his rusty nail (scotch and Drambuie). I believe Smoothies are in the premium. Had no problem getting frozen drinks (pina coladas; frozen margaritas; frozen daiquiries; drink of the day - without the souvenir glass). Soda is included in the package. The Molecular Bar and the Martini Bar are mostly premium drinks (see comment above about the smaller martinis).

 

We originally planned on upgrading on board, but never felt the need to.

 

You can upgrade to premium up until the third day before disembarkation. You therefore have the time to check out the classic and then upgrade if you want to.

What mom said. It worked well for us. No drink up charges.

Sailing into Caregena is like nothing else. Bring your camera up on deck if you don't have a port side balcony and be in total awe.

 

Word to the wise... condensation with the cameras is troublesome, the heat/ humidity into this port is serious. Get your camera outside to balance for as long as you can from your air conditioned cabins or your photos will be misty.

 

Have fun!

Truly no difference than any other port. Dew point is the dew point.

But the staff is not ready to accommodate you....

But they start loading the boat when they are. Not real tough to figure out:rolleyes:

I apologise in advance, because I know the drink packages have been discussed ad nauseum on this board, but a quick search didn't answer this question and my wife was wondering if any champagnes or proseccos are included in the classic drink package?

 

Thank you in advance.

Yes on champagne. Equinox in December.

So, if I walk up to a bar and order, say, a martini, how will I tell them I am classic so I don't pay extra? Sorry if I am being stupid!

 

 

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They'll see it on the card and take care of you. Don't worry! If they can't they'll tell you. Worked well for us.

You have cruised a lot, go and look at some of the cabin statements you brought home. Based on what you have bought before, you will have the best road map ever! If OJ out of a 5 gallon concentrate mix is pleasing to your taste buds, and the same for what they want to convince us is coffee, you will be Okie dokie:D

You get the fresh squeezed with classic. Not sure where people get their info.....

I might, I'll check tomorrow. What cruise?

With the recent thread on the "Cost of Living on a Ship", it got me wondering who has the best loyalty program.

 

Anyone have experience with other lines.

 

Thanks

None, in reality.

I'm thinking of booking a Concierge cabin for a 7 night Caribbean cruise for this February. Will it be too late to be able too book specialty restaurants?

 

Thanks

Book them onboard.

Often as I cruise these forums I feel like DH and I are the only ones that are perfectly happy in a "cheap" cabin. Our first cruise was in an interior and the only reason I prefer an ocean view is the natural daylight to help wake up in the morning. We are only in our cabin to shower, change, sleep and ;)

 

Am I all alone? Sometimes reading these forums I feel like I am in steerage class on the Titanic. :o

In our case, wife needs balcony. Me, I don't care.

I recently read that Cartagena is listed as the world's third most dangerous cruise port. Can anyone who has sailed there recently speak to this? Did you feel safe while there? We are sailing there in a few weeks on the Equinox and have a tour booked through Celebrity. Is it worth leaving the ship?

Been there twice. Great time, you'll be fine.

Only thing is we feel now we've been there done that. After the fort, monastery, etc. not much after that. Great city though.

None. Go to compounding pharmacy and get scopolamine gel.

Crocs. Easy to take and carry in the sand. I hate water shoes.

It actually sounds like Celebrity may be a very good fit for you! We have cruised NCL a few times and while we had no serious complaints, we definitely prefer Celebrity. We think they do anytime dining quite well. We have not had a wait of more than 5 minutes.

 

Of the two you are looking at, Celebrity's itinerary is far better in my opinion.

 

While I think NCL has some terrific specialty restaurants (especially Le Bistro), we found their main dining rooms to be fair at best, and think X's are far superior in terms of everything from food quality, choices, presentation and especially service. Celebrity has great specialty dining as well.

 

Overall X is going to be more subdued, but should still have enough on board activities to keep most folks occupied. And there will be multiple venues open into the wee hours.

Just back from Equinox.

Pro's X, beautiful ships

Food is better in MDR

Cons: way too geriatric for me (I'm late 50's and felt young)

Entertainment, pretty lame

Never saw ruder passengers beating up staff. I felt like I was in NYC.

Bar service, spotty. Great back bar, thanks Vedron.

Still good cruise.

Multiple venues, " not". One, maybe.

NCL: more fun, good ships, anytime dining.

Your call.

Just ignore it -- that's what we did. ;)

Ditto. No one pays attention.

My DH usually has the Bailey's in his coffee for dessert in the MDR, with the Classic package. Are you saying that he can no longer get this with the Classic?

Baileys is still on the classic.

Reading all these post got me thinking....if it is so great....why aren't there many more longterm "residents" on cruise ships? A great idea in theory...but in reality....

Because a cruise ship does not provide nursing home service or even assisted living for that matter. Correct, in theory. How about medical service (beyond a dr's visit)?

Great idea but that dog won't hunt.

Regardless of websites, no.

Bean is all over it. Regardless of the only 11.50 + comments. We found the package just fine. Your call, no big deal here.