Essiesmom

Since your cruise is totally Caribbean, no US ports, and likely boards at more than one port, getting on a day late, or leaving a day early should not be a problem. But you would still have to clear it with MSC. EM

Miraflores Pedro Miguel

I’ve never had that happen, unless the next page only has one post. EM

We enjoyed MSC, the diversity, but I think the experience in South America will be different from what we experienced in the Caribbean, even with half of the guests being from somewhere other than North America. I think your demographic will be perhaps half Italian, the rest from South America. Entertainment is mostly musical, comedy doesn’t translate well among different cultures. We liked Divina and Seaside. I thought the cabins on Divina and Seaside were large, much larger than Princess. On Divina, don’t book anything that says ‘junior’ unless you are sailing solo. We enjoyed Armonia, but she is problematic . The Armonia/Lirica class were stretched, with balconies tacked onto OV cabins, like Carnival did with the Fantasy class ships. We had an OV cabin, and it was a bit cool and very humid. Trying to up the temp made the humidity more apparent. Humid like, they leave paper stuff in your cabin, and when you pick it up it sort of drapes over your hand. I think with the section inserted in the middle of the ship, the a/c system wasn’t well installed. You could walk the corridor and feel the climatic zones change. Armonia was much more low key than Divina or Seaside. Lots of open lounges with group seating. They want people to relax and mingle. It is intentional. The MDR was odd, divided in half with an elevator bank coming down in the middle. In the Caribbean, the European guests, particularly the women, dressed with more care than many Americans, especially in the evenings, not just on formal nights. Anyway, that is just my take. EM

The only line I have sailed that did not change to local time is Carnival. EM

Until someone can post the focal link to cabins, I don’t think they do. I have been through cruisedeckplans looking at all of the cabins that indicate connecting, for which there are pictures, and none of them show a connecting door in the cabin. Maybe they did when she was. I Tory, but not any more. EM

But you won’t have comedians on MSC. Entertainment, especially in Europe will be mainly musical, as your fellow guests will not be Americans, and may not speak English. Pay attention to the times in port, also. Many European cruisers go for the ship and to chill…they have already seen the ports, maybe multiple times. Also, MSC boards new guests in nearly every port, so you are always seeing different people. That said, cabins on Divina will be larger than anything on Princess, but don’t book anything that says ‘junior’ in front of it. Especially insides. EM

And when you book, use a credit card that does not have foreign transaction charges. Even if you are booking in the US in dollars, it will be processed through a foreign bank, I think in Paris. Same with the card you use for onboard charges. EM

It looks like you are going to have to fly to whatever departure port you choose. I would look at cost, and convenience of flights when choosing the port. As few changes as possible…and if flying in a day early (recommended) cost of hotels. EM

Royal Clipper transited yesterday WB and is turning around cruises today at Fuerte Amador and transiting back EB tomorrow. She has not approached the terminal. There are two tankers there…. EM

Since we are not familiar with the excursions named, we can’t really advise. We need to know what is included…the description. EM

I wasn’t following this thread, but I would like to add some captures from the Panama Canal webcams:

I have read here on boards for other cruise lines that you cannot do a future cruise deposit on your account, or try to use OBC for it. It has to be a separate credit card charge. I also think that the attempt showed as a charge in a foreign country and you hadn’t. O tidied them that you were ‘traveling’ to that country. Just slightly off topic, we were at a large annual arts festival and my sister had purchased items from several vendors. We were in PA, where she lived, but the vendors were from various places. Her husband got a call from one of the card companies because there were charges from disparate places. He told them it was okay. EM

In March you will be in the middle of various spring breaks, maybe more college than high school. There will be a ton of young folks. Your kids will find plenty to do and friends no matter what ship you are on. Have you - or any of them - cruised before? Are you looking for 7 days, or less? Are the teens girls or boys? What kinds of things do they like to do? You haven’t given us enough info to give you good suggestions. EM

You needn’t have worried about Diamond Princess. She had no passengers. Her first post-Covid cruise will leave Sunday 11/20. EM

Yes they could, but it has nothing to do with the PVSA. That cruise is not a closed loop. Yes, it has to visit a distant foreign port because it starts in one US port and ends in another US port. But a guest boarding in any of the other ports would be legal. EM

If you read down this forum you will find some reports on this tour. It doesn’t matter if you are doing it from a ship that does a partial transit, or one that just does a port stop in Colon. I think the same company/organization runs all the tours, and I think it is regulated by the canal authority. I read one recently that stated there was a basic lunch buffet and a couple of adequate toilets onboard. But I don’t remember if I read that here, or on another board cruise review. But read a bunch of threads here. It is mentioned and described often. EM

Because MSC charges go through a bank in Europe, Paris, I think. Even if booked in US$. EM

None of the dividers on M class open. EM

I have in the past read many threads about the horrible treatment, etc. Usually they are from first time posters. Occasionally there is a thread about how well someone was treated. I’m sure there are many in both camps who do not belong to CC. I think there is another cruise forum that specializes in such complaints. EM

You’re on the wrong board. This one is for people having technical problems using CC. You need to ask this on the board here for Celebrity. EM

Your signature is visible to me. Perhaps you have ‘display signatures’ turned off? EM

Add Berlin from Warnemunde as a place hardly worth visiting on a cruise port stop. Or to be closer to home, Disney World from Port Canaveral. EM

Have you/they cruised before? Careful packing depends on that. There is a thread further down about a surprise cruise, though I haven’t read it, so I don’t know if it a cruise as Christmas gift to be taken later or over Christmas. But if they are girls, I would think it might be politic to give them a few days to plan. And to not plan any affairs with their friends over the holidays. EM

It means you cannot bring bottles of water onboard. You can bring on your own refillable container. Sometimes they even give them to you, or sell them in the shops. My sister always carried a 24-32oz camelback bottle with insulated holder. Here is a picture of some of the bottles I have carried or been given: