markeb

Buy a glass of wine over the limit and add an extra tip. Problem solved. If it's the same bartender (I assume) and you have cash, just drop a 20 for the week. Don't worry about whether they keep it or not. It's either going to be pooled (cash or room charge) by Celebrity or they'll tip out their helpers. Bartenders may split tips with each other if they're all working the bar at the same time (sharing customers). They'll share in the pool if it exists (and it clearly does) on some formula. And they'll tip out the bussers and helpers if there's no pool. The bartender who pockets a fiver and doesn't remember the guy washing his glasses doesn't get clean glasses. And I can't imagine any circumstance where the cruise line would keep 93% of the tip! Or that the bartender's share of the pool would only be 7%. I'm not saying the bartender didn't say that, and if it's true, the same would largely be true of cash tips. The only thing that's unclear is whether the tip pool for extra tips is all bar staff on the ship or just that bar. But it's the tip pool they agreed to when they accepted employment.

Unless I'm mistaken, the screeners work for Port Everglades, not Celebrity. (Actually, they're probably contracted.) Tomorrow they could be screening for a different cruise line with different rules. I'm not surprised they apply the wrong rules to Celebrity cruisers under those circumstances.

Smart casual.

What's dress like? Do I need (or feel more appropriate in) a sport coat? We may do drinks at House Without a Key one night and dinner at Michel's. Looks like we can still get reservations!

Thanks! Looking at the pictures, I'm pretty sure I've eaten at Orchids for a group dinner for some meeting/event I was at! We just need to pick a night (and check sunset times...). We're there for a week, so I may still look at Senia. When you're talking about the setting for Orchids and Michel's you're talking about the beachfront location? That is a beautiful setting! We've got some work to do to figure out what we want to do while we're there! From reading through the thread, some things are more complicated than they used to be, so we need to figure out if we're doing anything that we should reserve early. We've been to the Arizona more than once, same for the Missouri (I'd actually looked at having a promotion ceremony on the surrender deck, but my number came up a month too late!). We're thinking rent a car one day and head out of Waikiki and around at least part of the island. This is really supposed to be a relaxing week, not a go-go-go trip!

DW and I will be in Honolulu in about a month for a non-cruise vacation. We're staying in Waikiki (Marriott's Laylow on points). We've been to Hawaii a number of times, but it's been 20 years for her, and my last trip was a layover coming home from the Philippines in 2014. Typically we mostly just look for something to eat, but we enjoy a nicer meal when we can. I'm retired Army, so in the past we've stayed at the Hale Koa and eaten there a number of times (they at least had some decent and affordable places to eat). And we'll wander by while we're there (their beachside bar makes a killer mai tai with a view of the sunset in December). I'm looking for ideas for a couple of "nicer" meals while we're there. We're not currently planning to pack anything for a fancy meal, but I've been in Hawaii in December and there will be long pants and jackets in the bag! I saw a recommendation in another thread for House Without a Key at the Halekulani, which looks interesting. Also interested in Senia over by Chinatown (largely from Somebody Feed Phil, but it looks nice and has good reviews). She'd like to find a good Thai place. Waikiki or an easy Uber. I doubt I could get her into a poke place... Love some suggestions. Game for most things. She's not a big sushi/octopus/squid person. I like good sushi. Korean/Korean fusion is also interesting. Definitely no mainland chains (other than for a quick bite while out and about). We almost certainly need to try to get reservations now for that week! Fortunately we've gladly had Marriott burgers on Christmas day in the past! Thanks!

I guess I've just not had a meal on a cruise ship so great that I'd deal with carrying one of my really good wines. Certainly not a truly special Bordeaux or Barbaresco or California Cab/Bordeaux blend. I'd be worried about bottle shocking it on the trip, or the sommelier mishandling it. Since generally speaking they aren't... But that's me. He says planning to finally have a 2007 Gaja on my birthday this week. It's still arguably young, but I only have one bottle!

If you want to have real fun (not), Google "Harmonized Tariff Schedule". When you carry an item through customs, you get an exemption of $800 per person and then a flat fee of 4%. There are higher limits in the Caribbean. Over I think $1800, you revert to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which may well be a better deal! For instance, if you import a Stainless Steel Rolex at >$10,000 (bad example because you can't find one to buy, but bear with me...), and there are two of you traveling together, you'd the first $1600 would be duty free. You'd then pay 4% on $8400 or $336. Under the HTS, you'd pay $1.75 for the movement, plus 4.2% of the value of the case, plus 9.9% of the value of the watch band. If you bought the Rolex overseas and are hand carrying it, you don't have any of that information, but it probably works out to less than $200, and involves a ton of paper work. It's not worth the effort for CBP, generally speaking. Other items that are based purely on purchase price are easier. And truly prohibited items (new ivory, for instance), are easy targets. Actually the biggest issue on watches (and handbags) is CITES for exotic animal skins! If you shipped that watch to yourself via FEDEX, FEDEX does everything and charges a handling fee, which is often more than the duty. I think I bought a watch from Germany years ago for about $2200. Duty was around $13 and FEDEX charged $35 for handling. Which is why CBP rarely bothers with duties unless something is really expensive or truly egregious.

I'm also curious as to why Berlin, but mostly because it's a big city to visit. Our only visit, years ago, was essentially three days, but we were exhausted! Is there something specific you want to see or do once you're there? You say it's your first trip to Europe. Do keep in mind that if you're flying from London to Berlin your luggage allowances will likely be very different than flying to or from the US. That includes the size and weight of your checked bag(s), and the size and weight of your carryon and/or personal item. If you book one ticket as Cotswold Eagle mentioned, you may "inherit" your allowances, but the overhead bin space won't get any bigger... This is definitely possible, but at the end of a cruise with bags, it may not be simple!

Apex sailed yesterday. There's a roll call, with posts from today. (Not many, admittedly.) If there was a mask requirement, I'm pretty sure there would be MULTIPLE posts about it. I'd consider it an artifact. Too late to add a question mark to the subject. Anne will probably have to take this down...

Did you try anything else in the outlets? Almost sounds like they were offline somehow. That’s strange.

Typical restaurant mark up is 2.5-3X retail. Usually more like 3X. You'll usually see readily available, inexpensive to mid-priced wines ($59 is right in that range) at around 3X retail. There's a point for "expensive" but not necessarily horribly rare wines to dip to 2X retail (especially if it's a slightly older vintage and retail already has appreciated; it's hard to sell a $250 retail wine for $750), and then for places with an extensive cellar/library list, the sky can be the limit on markup. 2X retail is not ridiculous.

Just piling on! I haven't been on a British Islands cruise (want to someday) but I've been to all the stops on the Baltic cruise, except for Rostock. The sail into Stockholm is worth the cruise, so be up when you're sailing in! If you've never been, and never think you'll return, then I'd reluctantly say go to Berlin. But it's not close. And the city itself is huge. If you can tag time on before or after the cruise, I'd look at options to get there from Amsterdam for 2-3 days (minimum).

But not a Marriott…

Probably the Renaissance, and no. I’m not aware of any hotels in Amsterdam with a shuttle. Maybe the exist.

Waiting to see the Alaska schedule. We've been wanting to do an Alaska cruise for years, and 2024 looks like the year...

I'm am going to disagree on selecting the airport based on the lowest fare. Choose your flights based on total cost. EWR may well have the lowest airfare, but it could have the highest transportation cost overall. People frequently post on this board asking about ground transportation and find out the $50 per person they saved on airfare into Newark is going to be dramatically eclipsed by the difference in ground transportation cost. There's nothing wrong with flying into EWR to go to Manhattan. You just need to understand it may be a more expensive or complicated trip. For those who can easily handle their own bags, you have rail options into Midtown, for instance. But add those costs into your plans when picking your flights. Less of an issue if you're only looking at LGA and JFK, but for someone comparing all three airports and not realizing the differences in distance and ground transportation costs, it can really add up.

They “may” be confiscated. They should be returned at the end of the cruise. What are you using them for? Do you need voltage conversion? Are you just charging electronics?

Most cybersecurity folks recommend against it. From the FCC: https://www.fcc.gov/juice-jacking-dangers-public-usb-charging-stations#:~:text=Cybersecurity experts have warned that,passwords directly to the perpetrator.

They do. (Ducking to dodge the next 50 posts about how bad they are. My follicular challenged head dries with a towel. And DW doesn’t care for blow dryers.)

The web page is worded pretty poorly. But presumably you would have to show one or the other at boarding. What's poorly worded is it states unvaccinated guests must provide test results to DEBARK, but the bold writing at the bottom states Guests who do not meet the testing and health screening policy requirements will be denied boarding. That would suggest everyone on a cruise to one of those locations must either show proof of vaccination or acceptable test results to board. Which kind of makes sense unless they plan on having the loud "buzz" instead of quiet "ding" when exiting the ship...

Yes. You can also give the emergency number as posted, but if you're on WiFi calling, it works as though you're on your home network. Connect it and try it at home if you haven't before! (Turn on WiFi calling, switch to airplane mode, and wait for WiFi calling to show. Then make a call.)

Are you cruising from the UK? I've not cruised X from the UK. On RC, there were kettles on UK cruises, and there were reports of people having kettles delivered to their cabins from other ports of origin (they didn't take them off the ship, but they did take them out of the cabin). I "believe" I've read on this board of people having kettles on X ships as well, but someone will almost certainly confirm that or tell me I'm an idiot... No to coffee makers. Maybe the high level suites, but otherwise no. And yes, it will be confiscated if you bring your own.

Bingo. There's an entire Snopes page devoted to it, among others... https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tip-sheet/

Back to the OP's original question: Yes, I use noise-canceling headphones or now largely earbuds every time I fly or take the train. They are a lifesaver. The two generally highest rated overall on performance and value are the Bose QuietComfort (over-ear or earbuds) and the Sony WH-1000XM4 (headphones) and WF-1000XM5 (earbuds). As posted earlier, Sony is releasing a WH-1000XM5 this week. Looks like a big price jump and I'm not sure of the features. You can go much "better" and expensive (Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufson), but unless you're a true audiophile with really good hearing you may not perceive a difference, and the last time I tried Bowers & Wilkins (have and love their speakers) they were just plain uncomfortable! I'm an iPhone guy, but I've never used the AirPods. The sweet spot for pricing on those is generally $250-300, so not inexpensive. The headphones will have longer battery life for long-haul flights, and will come with a cord to use with inflight entertainment systems on international flights. The Bose and Sony earbuds will give you about 8 hours of charge but will recharge in their case. I find that buds get a little tiring after a few hours, so drop them back in the charged case when you're taking a break. If you want to use the buds with current inflight systems, you'll need a 3.5 mm to Bluetooth adapter, and you've just added a layer of complexity. I was a QuietComfort guy for years. I picked up the Sony WH-1000XM3's in late 2019 based on reviews. They have a different sound quality from Bose, who were historically known for their bass reproduction. I just got the WF-1000XM4 buds, largely because I flew with a Panama hat to a cruise and couldn't wear my headphones... If you look at earbuds, TRY to get somewhere where you can try them on! That's harder to do these days. I actually swapped medium tips for large, even though I don't think I have that large of an ear canal, because the large seated better and were more comfortable. Over ear are a different story, obviously. And to keep this Celebrity related, you're not going to find any decent noise cancelling anything on Celebrity! They "might" have a cheap pair of JBLs (which aren't half bad for what they are), but that's about it. They had nothing when I was looking in August and needed to wear the hat on the flight but wanted to listen to my music. First world problem...