tlund

Probably not.  I had a gift card and tried to use it to make a payment for our cruise and it was declined.  When you check in for the cruise prior to sailing, they will ask you for the form of payment you will be using for all charges onboard.  They typically will do a pre-authorized amount on the card to make sure it is a valid card and has an appropriate credit line.  I think that is where you will have a problem since you won't be able to add multiple cards to use.  The last 2 gift cards I had were a pain to use and I ended up leaving small unused portions on the card (that will not be used) because of the difficulty in using them.  

I don't know about Labadee being so far away from the locals that nothing could happen there.  Twice when we were there in the past, there were kids on the other side of the fence by the BBQ begging for food.  If the kids can get to the fence, which had no guards nearby, what makes you think that bad guys can't get there.  A few snips snips of the fence and they are in.  I will not go on any itineraries that include Labadee as a stop, and haven't for many years now.

$2000 for a balcony for 2 on a 3 day Freedom sailing in July.  Nuts!!!!

To report back, we booked on Flights by Celebrity and in the process picked seats.   At the end of the reservation, it popped up that they could not confirm seats but gave record locators.  I logged into my United account, brought up the record locator numbers and added them to my trips.  When I did, the seats I picked through Celebrity showed up there so I didn't have to pick seats again.  We booked Business/First Class (treated ourselves) so not sure if that made a difference in being allowed to pick the seats.  The price through Celebrity was about $50 cheaper per person than booking on United directly and we have until February to pay it off since that will be the final payment time for the cruise.

Thanks.  Seems like it may be hit or miss as to whether you can pick seats.  We are looking at United and are frequent flyers so hopefully we'll be able to pick once the booking shows up in our account.

Just FYI, we went ahead and booked.  During the process, we picked seats.  Then, after the booking was confirmed and the record locator was provided, it posted a notice that they were unable to confirm the requested seats and that we'd have to contact the airline.

We are thinking about using Flight Finder to book our flights for our cruise in May of next year.  The reason is it does not have to paid in full until final payment for the cruise.  The other reason is it is refundable until final payment so we have flexibility in case something better comes along.  My question is:  If we book an Economy (not Basic Economy where you typically cannot pick your seat) fare through Flight Finder, can we choose our seats right away (since seat choice is available under Economy fare) or will we be restricted to pick until we actually make final payment.  We don't want to wait until 3 months before sailing to pick whatever seats are left, which may be only those that incur an additional fee.  If that's the case, we will book directly with the airline now and just pay for it.  

Thanks in advance for the advice of experienced travelers on this site.

This issue is not sold out excursions.  The issue is they aren't even showing but a couple excursions for each port (except recent additions for Cozumel).  Hard to book excursions when there are none.

We booked in April and for the longest time there were no shore excursions listed.  I highly doubt that all of the excursions were sold out 7 months before sailing.  Last night I noticed some more excursions for Cozumel populated but minimal for Jamaica and Cayman.  Just crazy that they offer a package with a shore excursion credit, but only a handful of excursions to choose from.   Hopefully we will see more populate before the cruise.  Would really like to avoid standing at the shore excursions desk trying to look at all the excursions and trying to decide for 6 people.

Sorry if this has been answered, but I couldn't find current info.  We are booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam for November 25th.  We have the Have It All package with the shore excursion credit.  I have been watching for shore excursions to populate to book.  It is quite frustrating to see only a hand full of excursions listed per port (except for Half Moon Cay).  Looking for experience from recent cruisers as to whether the number of shore excursions were severely limited, if more shore excursions populated closer to sailing or if more excursions were available to book once onboard (and whether there was a mad dash to the shore excursion desk at embarkation.  With my type A personality, I'd like to get everything planned and booked and this is making it very difficult.  Any recent experience would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

So, after having time to review, we would like to take a some time on the West End (turtle farm, Cemetery Beach, Hell) then head to the East End for all the interesting attractions there.  We are there 8-5, but with tendering when we get there and then back and obtaining and return the rental car, do you think we would be able to fit it all in in the time allotted.  I am a nervous cruiser when it comes to being back on time so I would want to be at the tenders by 4.

Looking to rent a car to take our group of 6 around on Grand Cayman.  Anyone have a suggested driving tour for the day?  Tried to Google and only found 1 but looking for other suggestions.  TIA.

Thanks to those that were booked on this sailing for the cancellation information.  Odd that the December 2nd sailing also went missing.  Must be a 14 day charter or 2 separate 7 day charter.  How unlucky that the 2 I was looking at just went under a charter. Darn!!

Yesterday I was rallying the troops to sail on the Nieuw Amsterdam sailing on December 9, 2023.  Price was good.  Liked the itinerary.  Was double checking prices, etc. this morning to try and get more people to join (if we booked).  This evening, the cruise is listed on the website but when you check on it, it says something is wrong. That doesn't happen on other dates.  I contacted a travel agent and they said that sailing is not listed on the travel agent portal, nor is the week before.  Anyone have any information on what happened to those 2 sailings (Dec. 2 & 9).  Doesn't seem plausible that the ship needed to go into dry dock considering the refurb last year.  If it was some kind of repair that needed to be done, you would think they would do it now instead of waiting 8 months from now.  Possibly a charter, but seems odd for 2 weeks and only 8 months out, when charters are typically planned well in advance so they can be marketed for a full ship. Would like to know if we need to look at another cruise or if it is just a glitch.

11 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I can help you that.

 

Thanks so much.  Appreciate it.

Can you do us a favor and post a picture of the entertainment chart for this sailing?  Would appreciate having an idea of time and date of shows.  Thanks!

Thanks.  Thought it was quite weird.  I don't need to book it that bad to make a big deal, considering others can't book it either.  Hopefully RCI's IT department actually notices it at some time.

6 hours ago, barbeyg said:

OP, can you possibly call to book?  Have you tried logging out of your account and logging back in?  That's about all I can offer, unfortunately.  It shouldn't be too early to book.

I've been in and out of the Cruise Planner many times with no change.  Weird that all the other restaurants are available for booking, except 150.  Was just curious if something is up with that restaurant that it would be closed or something.  

We are sailing on the Symphony in October.  150 Central Park is not showing up in the Cruise Planner (and hasn't been there).  Anyone experience that restaurant not showing up for reservations?  Is it open?  Is it only available for booking once onboard?  Weird that it is not there.

Great.  Thanks for the info.  Good news for friends travelling with a 12 year old.

Is a child's cost for a specialty dining experience $10, whether the parents have a dining package or it is just a separate individual dining reservation?  Appears so from RCI's website but it only references adding a child when a package is used by the parents.  I want to make sure the same is applicable if only one restaurant is booked outside a package.

Just curious, pre-covid the check in date was 90 days prior to sailing.  We sailed in December and we couldn't check in until 45 days prior to sailing.  Is it the current policy now for check in available 45 days prior to sailing instead of 90 days or was that sailing some sort of fluke?

Just curious.  Do most of the families with kids get off at the ports to do something on these holiday cruises?  Since we've been to most of the ports multiple times, I would consider staying on the ship while most of the people were off the ship if that means less crowds.

11 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Done 8 Thanksgiving Cruises in last 12 yrs, BUT mine were longer 10+ niters and on Radiance Class at most 30-50 Kids. On Oasis Class, lot more

I remember doing a cruise the week after Thanksgiving and it was mostly older people.  Very few kids. 

9 minutes ago, celoplyr said:

We have to sail when there are a lot of kids (my whole family are teachers) so it doesn't bother me.  However, it will be crowded, but a lot of kids will be at the kids club.  So I don't know what reservations you're hoping for, and how kids will affect those (like if you're hoping to go to the ice skating show during the day time hours, yes that will be harder to get reservations, but if you're late night people, it won't make as big of a difference).  how aggravated do you get normally at the small number of kids?

 

Maybe for us, it isn't as big of a deal, because Mom puts on her "teacher voice" and I have a "teacher stare" and all of a sudden the kids scatter like roaches away from us! If we really need it, Dad puts on the "principal voice and stare" and whoosh there goes everyone, even the parents!

I appreciate parents like you.  I'm more worried about the parents that don't even know what their kids are doing or let them do whatever because THEY are on vacation.

We've sailed a lot, but we typically do not sail when the kids are out of school.  I have been trying to get friends of ours to go on a cruise and they have finally agreed, HOWEVER the only time they can go is Thanksgiving week.  They are sailing with or without us on the Symphony.  I'm trying to decide if we should go along, considering we typically don't sail when there will be a lot of kids on board.  Would love to hear some opinions from people who have sailed during that week.  Trying to figure out if I will be aggravated all week when there are a ton of kids running wild and we can't find a pool chair/seat anywhere and can't get reservations for anything.  I'd love to go along with these friends but I want it to be an enjoyable trip.