JJK2008

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

The "published" Celebrity primary demographics is 50+, and in our rather extensive cruise experience with Celebrity that fits the profile far better than the suggested mid to late 60's+.  There always is a wide and diverse age group on board, including families with children, but also quite a number of couples in their 40's.  IMO your description seems to fit HAL far better than Celebrity.  Yes, it is more sedate by intention, but, again in our experience, there is a lot going on late in to the night if you want it, and we have never experienced the 10:00 PM desertion you suggest.  I guess just different experiences, but I am basing my observations on a dozen or more Celebrity cruises. 

Obviously, our experience with Celebrity was different than yours. Time of year, itinerary, ship and other factors all contribute to different cruise experiences.  

1 hour ago, kaz828 said:

We are a mid 40's couple, love good food, dining variety, pool people, like listening to music on vacation.
These ships are doing itineraries we like so which ship would you pick and why?

Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Apex
Icon of the Seas
Sun Princess

Enchanted Princess
NCL Prima 
NCL Viva

I agree with the other posts. The only thing I would add is that the age demographic between RCCL and Celebrity is VERY wide. You state you're in your mid-40's. That said, the demographic on Celebrity average age will be much higher - mid to late 60's plus. As a result, we found Celebrity to be much more sedate. The music in the evening was very mellow. Violins, low-key piano, etc. By 10:00 the ship seemed deserted. Now that said, Celebrity provided an excellent cruise, no complaints. RCCL on the other hand will have a more diverse age population and will be livelier overall. They both offer excellent cruises. Just depends on the activity you're looking for, excursions, etc. I'm one of those that believes there's almost no such thing as a bad cruise. Whichever you choose safe travels and enjoy.    

I think I understand the status match, my question is when you do a match does MSC also award a certain number of points as your starting point? For example, if three people are Emerald, Diamond and Diamond Plus respectively on RCCL, they each would be status matched to Gold on MSC. Would MSC then award each of these the same points or do the points vary on what level you used to status match? Would a Diamond Plus status match get more points than an Emerald status match even though they both would be status matched to Gold?    

Tried to find this answer, but no luck. Thanks, in advance for the help.

It serves no purpose!!!!!!!!

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Flying again today, to Buenos Aires via Santiago. Getting closer.

Long travel, but it will be worth it, I'm sure. Looking at your signature you have Adventure of the Seas listed for the Caribbean and Celebrity for the Caribbean. What are the plans??? We just did Adventure over Christmas, our 2nd time on that ship. We just booked another cruise for 2024, that makes 4 booked. Two in April, one in August and the fourth at the end of December over New Years. I think that about maxes us out for the year, but who knows. I love all the plans you guys have, it's Awesome!!!! Hope to read updates of the trip. Enjoy. 

9 hours ago, hammo said:

Just off Quantum of the Seas with our family ( we are Diamond members ) a little 3 nighter , 6 adults and 4 well behaved grandchildren -( I say this because there were 1500 kiddos onboard and many not supervised at all - including a group of teens who constantly pushed every elevator button at once and ran off yelling / laughing ) Another blaming the cruiseline becuase her son booked up $300 in the first few hours in the  arcade - she reckons the cruiseline should supervise - I told her maybe thats a parent thing 😂.

Anyway , heres my 2 bobs worth

Windjammer - disappointing - selection pretty much the same each day with little variation . Crowded as expected , drink stations not always  loaded - salad items good - missed any mexican if it was available - Second day lunch asian noodle dish not refilled ( I went back 3 times hoping) . Hard to get drink service as seemed to be understaffed . Yes its the buffet I know .Most seemed happy though . 

MDR - we were in Silk for ATD and had a table of 10 each night at 7:30 which was perfect . Line up was very quick and well supervised by the staff .Really well arranged by the MaitreD and the Grandchildren loved the atmosphere and experience which was a bit more like a Carnival Experience with the waiters dancing and the napkin waving and the Chicken dance . It really was a childrens cruise night and I guess good for us but not for others who would have liked a more sedate and relaxing dining experience . Still everyone around us joined in an had some fun .

The dining , not so much fun , apart from the fantastic waiter and wine service that our guys provided . They were first class and attentive , great personalities and made each night something to look forward to .Limited menu and similar/same offerings . Parts of the steak good , pastas just ok , presentation lacking and clumsy , good breads , fish not sure what , childrens menu offerings like fast food - thankfully our waiters brought them all friut cups to start . Service timing was excellent . ( I guess we are just off Cunard and Virgin hence feeling unrealistically disappointed here ).

Jamies Lunch - we shouted the 4 adults lunch and they thought it to be fantastic . Food , service , everything - lucky them . We took the grandkids to Sorrentos , that wasnt great as no pineapple ( all kids love Hawaiian I figured ) , so we then went to the Windjammer ,  chips and burgers again . 🤷‍♂️

Continental room service prompt and as expected , good for what it is . Coffee was unexpectedly  good .

Bars pretty good considering the number of passengers and just sea days , staff workrd hard .

Pool areas were packed - and as it was warm,  pools  were full including the solarium . One afternoon you could only just bob up and down there were so many in the water .

Rockclimbing was well organised and attended as was flowrider - the North Star not going .

Ship felt full , walkways always busy .

Entertainment around the ship was as usual , good , the Pool band played regae so that was appropriate . Two70 was fantastic and the Production show Sequins and Feathers excellent although we had seen this last year .Didnt catch the Comedy guy .  

Casino - unkind to us again - we are $1 pushers so dont expect anything but a donation to RCCL . Sat next to a couple who were both pushing $50 a push . Crikey ! 

Embarkation quick  and disembarking well organised but a long line waiting to get off ,  Much better than Virgin and on a par with Cunard recently for embarkation .Disembarking a little slower I think .

So that about it , we are on Ovation in April so will be cooler and Probably less children although still school holidays . Have booked the Ultimate Dining package which was reasonable but not the beverage package as that pricing is more than the cruise for 10 nights - RCCL are out of whack with their drink prices for Aussies so we'll do the Diamond drinks and the 40% off a bottle . That worked well this trip so hope it goes well again . . 

 

Well done on the review. Thanks. 

5 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I did a puzzle the other day, it took me just over a day but the puzzle said it was for 3+ years.

Good job....Very Impressive....It would have taken me a week.....😔

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

And we are off today to get the port in Argentina.

Safe Travels.....enjoy.

1 hour ago, buchhalm said:

Australia Day 2024 in the best city in the world...

Great pics.....Thanks.....looks Awesome!!!!!

20 hours ago, KKB said:

I have a little pill container that contains my few prescription meds--blood pressure meds, estrogen & progesterone. (4 total)

When space is an issue, I put them in tiny baggies, labeled.

I have taken them to Europe, Caribbean & traveled domestically this way.

 

I see on the AUS government website it says they need to be in their original pill bottle.

Do you feel this is necessary? A couple bottles are large & a terrible waste of space.

Could I just clip a pic of each label to keep on my phone?

 

How about over the counter meds--are they OK in small labeled baggies?

Thanks for your help!

 

We're similarly situated as you. Recently travelled to Australia and New Zealand for 8 weeks in October/November. Put all of our meds in baggies and labeled them. No opioids. Given we were travelling for so long, we had LOTS of pills. Had these in our backpack carry-ons which was opened a few times with pills in plain view. Always declared what we had to inspectors. Never had an issue. We did also carry hard copies of each prescription but since never asked, we never showed them to anyone.       

11 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Sounds good but that’s not the way its done here.  Prescriptions are sent electronically from the doctor to the pharmacy. We don’t see the actual prescription. This is alway true with narcotics as it prevents unauthorized duplication. Plus all ours are renewed automatically every 3 months and either sent by mail or picked up.  Truthfully I haven’t seen an actual prescription in years.  

The pharmacy can print you out a copy of your meds. I know CVS does it. They did it for us. 

8 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thanks for this Mic and also @possum52 Leigh. Lynn actually said yesterday we should do 2 overnights on the way from Bateman's Bay to Philip Island. So we will see what we can find in the places you suggest Mic. We do want to see more of Philip Island and being we will have a car we can be pretty mobile before we check in to the hotel there. We will definitely get the Penguin Parade tickets well in advance. We will be bringing our Marino wool sweaters and light weight wind breaker/rain jackets. I'm having a hard time finding any of my touques so I may have to buy a new one. I should be able to find something with the word Victoria and some local landmark, or a Maple Leaf.

Lyle you're going to really enjoy Phillip Island and the penguin parade. Nancy and I did it last November. In keeping with what others have said, the stands are right on the beach with the wind coming in right off the water - YES, it was cold. We went to a thrift store on the main street, I think it was a Vinnies, and bought blankets to bring. The stands are just benches so a cushion, like a blanket to sit on is a suggestion. Plus, one to wrap around you is not a bad idea. There are different ticket options. We bought the penguin plus tickets on-line well in advance. A little more money but you can sit right up close. Almost close enough to touch the penguins as they waddle by. The regular tickets have you in a grandstand that you can see the penguin march, but you are not right up close and personal. The picture below is an overview of the viewing area (Yes, that is a Wallaby) in the foreground). You can see two boardwalks leading to the beach the one going to the left leads to the general viewing area. The one that branches to the rights leads to the penguin plus ticket area. The seating is semi-circular and is partially hidden by the brush in the picture. You'll see in the picture it is a fair distance from the general seating. When the penguins come in from the sea, they will parade to the left as they come onshore and head to their nest which are in the hills that you see in the picture. So, literally are right in front of you, within 10-15 feet. In the general seating area, yes, you'll see them coming in from the sea, but they are a distance away. Hope the picture and explanation make sense. When we did it, they opened the gates at about 5:00. We got there very early and were already lined up before the gates opened. Nancy and I were first in line, as such we made our way down to the beach/viewing area and were able to sit front row. It is a little bit of a walk to the beach and the night we went it was very crowded. I'm guessing it is crowded most of the time. They do have a "schedule" of when the penguins will arrive. For us it was about 8:15 that night. So, yes, we sat for 3 hours waiting....it was worth every second. Pictures are allowed only up until a certain time when the spotters see the penguins starting to come onshore. From that point on, they announce no photos. Hope this info helpful.

John

6 hours ago, MrsInABox said:

Lol thanks! (It's 3:29, 329 days to my cruise 😂😂)

Very Clever. I admit, I missed it. Good Job!!!!🙃

2 hours ago, mullinbc said:

Silhouette, 10 day Jan 15-25, 2024, Aquaclass.

 

Blu waiters filled up our wine glasses too many times & brought extra appetizers or meals when we said we couldn't decide what to have.

 

Martini bartenders made us a custom martini and we didnt even ask for one.

The solarium wandering bartenders were too fast to come by again and our glasses were never empty.
And the water was way too wet.

 

The chairs in the Sunset Bar were too comfortable and we stayed there too long.

 

The excursions were way too organized, everyone made it from the theatre to the pier.
Oh and the towels they were handing out when we returned were so cold and refreshing.

 

The Silhouette staff smiled and said good morning and good evening every day, so annoying.

 

Still 2 days to go before Fort Lauderdale, wish we were there already.
😜

So, you had a TERRIBLE cruise.....Got it......can't wait to have the same "terrible" experience. Good post👍. 

We're aware of this practice. To each their own, but we stopped using TA years ago and have no regrets. We learned (the HARD way) years ago that any booking you make with a cruise line through a TA, the TA is the customer of the cruise line NOT you. You are a customer of the TA. So, if ANYTHING arises with the cruise that needs addressing, you must go through the TA (3rd party) to resolve. The cruise line will not even talk to you, since you are NOT their customer. Now, I'm certain that there are some very good, reputable TA out there. However, we prefer to just control the whole process ourselves. It takes a bit more work to do it yourself, but so much easier to just call the cruise line directly and resolve issues if the arise. But whatever works for you.    

4 hours ago, vwrestler171 said:

Any recommendations for a hotel to stay at in Port Canaveral that offers parking throughout the cruise? Used to stay at Country Inn and Suites, but they no longer offer cruise parking.

We did the Days Inn which has the park & cruise package along with shuttle (Cocoa Beach Shuttle). Would NOT recommend it. The hotel is in really bad disrepair and the shuttle service was the worst. Didn't NOT show up on pick-up day, we ended up taking Uber to the port, along with about 12 others also waiting. Arrived 2 hours late after the cruise. So many ships in port on our return that we could NOT get Uber or Taxi. Had to wait the 2 hours. Would NEVER recommend or use Days Inn or Cocoa Beach Shuttle again. 

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 minute ago, Blackduck59 said:

I think some of these places aren't booking more than a year out so we will have to wait until March.

We stayed at the Atlantis. It worked for us because it had on-site parking. It's centrally located and fit our need. No complaints. 

12 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

We cancelled that booking.

Lyle you had them on the ropes. Could have quietly cancelled that reservation and left it posted and booked an alternative.😉

Save yourself a LOT of aggravation.....just get a passport!!!

We've also been Loyal to Royal but agree that things have changed with the company, and these are NOT positive changes. Sometimes when companies get so big, they disconnect. Perhaps this is what is happening with RCCL.  

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

12 cruises booked - I LOVE it!!! You guys are really doing it right. GOOD FOR YOU. 

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Okay that's enough already.  

I  got in to work okay but it started to snow pretty heavily (for here), and the traffic reports came in. So being fairly confident my Subaru with all wheel drive and winter tires would be okay; I wasn't at all confident that others on the road would refrain from running in to me.

I got home fairly safely although there were some slippery moments. 

YUK!!!! Stay Safe.....spring is just around the corner.....almost.

Gratuities are included in the fare to PREVENT exactly what you are trying to do. Tipping is an American custom that is NOT generally practiced or accepted across the globe. Sadly, far too many Americans feel the need to tip even when they shouldn't because they know "it's the right thing to do" at least in their mind. Depending upon where your cruise is going/coming, your gesture may not be seen as appreciation but rather insulting. Let your conscious be your guide.  

30 minutes ago, lincoln81 said:

travelling to Europe on a mediterranean cruise in May - would like to still be able to use my phone - dont care if its another phone number, mostly wifi and whats app so I can get my emails and send to contact tour guides ect. 

 

What sim card do you recommend? I see tons on amazon that cover the countries we will at - Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Malta, Greece and Turkey but reviews are quite mixed with alot of people stating they did not work when they got there

 

my current provided (telus) does allow me to rom over there but at 18$ a day is a little much. 

 

thanks all

Found SimCorner to be a good choice. Worked for us in Europe and again in Asia. They also offer Esim if your phone is compatible.