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Question for the group on this - how often do they play the game over the course of a 10-day cruise?  

Thank you!

Great - good to know!  Thank you @swin26 !

Thank you everyone!  This is great. 

@Northern Aurora - yes, we are looking at other parks as well.  So much planning!  But this is one that is on the top of everyone's bucket list.  🙂

My husband and i were blessed to see it long ago, and hopefully will be lucky again!  

We had thought about staying a night at the Princess Lodge in Talkeetna, so that may be an options as well.  Thank you again to all!  

Hi all!  We were beginning to plan a June 2025 cruise to Alaska.  We have been once before, but that was 20 years ago.  We would be going with a group who all definitely want to see Denali and the mountain. (along with Glaciers and wildlife).  None of them have been before.

I have just seen that the road in Denali is closed at mile 43, so you can't go out to the viewing area to see McKinley.  I realize that it is often fogged in anyway, but we had managed to get a great view way back when, so were hoping to get lucky again.  Some reports state it may open in 2025, but others feel it won't be until 2026.  

Are there other places to view the mountain from?  The bus trip out would be fine to see wildlife and other vistas if we could also go somewhere else to get views.  

Or should we postpone a year or two if this is important to the group?

Thanks for your advice!  

This is a bit late, but wanted to say we have stayed in both categories, so were able to directly compare.  We decided that we would never pay for the upgrade again.  The size difference of the room is minimal, we didn't even notice it.  We spent so little time in the room, and any "down' time was spent up on deck or in one of the lounges.  Avalon has wonderful spaces to relax in.  We would rather spend the money for special excursions, and you can do several for the money you save.  

Good luck with your choice!  I do hope it is a wonderful cruise!  

Thanks you guys!  This is perfect!  It looks like that will be our plan then.  

Love the pics!  That gives me a great idea of where to go and see.  

Happy that the beach is right there as well.  

Take care!

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions!

However we had decided to not go to Nice and have a nice leisurely down time day in port without dealing with travelling anywhere.  Thought we might do some shopping and have a wine lunch or some beach time.  Do either of you know if that is doable? Or should we just stay on the ship?

Thanks again!

Hi everyone!  I realize that this is mostly for hotels, but we are looking to stay in an apartment type of hotel/inn/etc if possible, near Plaza Navona.  Do any of you have any recommendations?  Thank you!

We are considering just hanging out in Villefranche for the day since it's a tender port and we really aren't interested in any of the excursions.  

However the town looks pretty small so i wasn't sure if there would be very many shops, restaurants, etc?  

I've heard there is a nice market on Sundays (which is when we will be there).  Has anyone been?

Thanks for any and all info!

This is great Jazzbo!  Thank you for submitting your review! And your beautiful pictures 

We will be stopping in Santa Margherita on our trip next fall - it sounds like it is a good town to wander around and eat lunch and shop?  I would appreciate your thoughts.  

And i'm looking forward to the rest of your review - thank you agian!

On 11/8/2023 at 5:21 AM, Jazzbo said:

Sore to hijack this fabulous review! We were in Rome for 2 nights last month at the end of our Barcelona to Rome French & Italian riviera cruise with my cousin and her husband. We stayed in Parione House Apartment through VRBO. Although it isn’t nearly as swanky as Charla & Jeremy’s, we loved it! 2 br, 2 ba, and superb location. Within a few minutes walk of Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, the Pantheon, Trastevere, etc. 

Hi @Jazzbo!

  Curious if you or anyone on your cruise did a review of your cruise?  I have been looking for one as we are taking this next September. 

Thank you!

Ok, cool - thank you!  Always good to know.  We have not sailed on Princess previously, but may in the next year.  Like so many others, we are looking around to see if we can find another line that has everything we like.  We are not keen on the large crowded ones - we prefer the smaller more intimate or medium size at most.  Thanks again!

On 9/19/2023 at 10:32 PM, abbydancer said:

We just got off the Caribbean Princess doing a similar itinerary (Quebec to NY) with similar port stops.  We were with the Summit in Sydney (discussing if it was possible to switch ships), and of course missing most of them due to the hurricane.  I do want to try again, and will probably look at 2025, but if X has a ship doing the same cruise, we'll definately do it on Celebrity not Princess.

Hi abbydancer!  Curious as to why you wouldn't do Princess again?  Thank you!

Has anyone stayed at HiSuiteROME?  It is like a hotel, but apartments.  Very curious as they look great and see to be in a great location. Would work very well for us.  Thank you! 

Thank you!  

Yes, departing FCO to the US.  I opened it to try it out, but it makes you pick a city/airport as your first stop/ destination, and there are no US ones listed?  

I looked at the Fast (Q) Pass but it does not look like you can do it if your first stop is in the US?  

Do  you need to have your first stop be in Europe? 

14 minutes ago, ladylemondrop said:

Malaga, Cagliari, Civitavecchia, La Spezia, Marseilles, Cadiz. Lots of sea days. So far the sea is calm, and really translucent, hoping it stays that way! 

Excellent!  Sounds great.  Thank you!

Following!  What is your itinerary?  Curious to see if you are stopping at any of the ports we will be on next summer.  Thanks!

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

The reason for the shuttles is that people are not allowed to WALK through the large, industrial port.

Oh!  That makes sense.  Thank you!

Thanks to both of you!  We had considered staying in Florence for the night, but it's not going to work for us.  We are travelling with a large group, and we will split up during the day. However we want to be back together in the evenings on the ship.  

There are so many comments about having to take a shuttle to get to tours in Livorno.  To be clear - if i book a private excursion (not through the ship), they will be able to pick us up at the dock?  That would be wonderful.

Thanks again!

This is a great thread!  Thanks for starting it NCteacherlovescruising!  We are doing this same cruise but in September 2024.  Great info and help to make many of these same decisions!  Although we will do 3 days in Rome and then head back home.  

A question to the group - there are several private companies that do small group tours.  We are looking to go from Livorno to Pisa to Florence on day 1.  Since the ship is overnighting in Livorno, we don't have to worry about getting back at a specific time, so we were not going to spend the night in Florence.  Where will these companies pick us up in Livorno?  How much time do we need to plan on to be able to meet them? We want to maximize the day, but don't want to be late to meet the guide.

Then on day two - we wanted to go back to Florence and see more before meeting the ship later in the afternoon. 

Is that too much traveling for two days?  We are in decent shape, in our 60's.  But don't want to be totally exhausted at the end of day two.  Although we do have a sea day after that.  Hmmm - so many choices!  

Thanks to all for the amazing information!

Thank you!

Have you stayed in one of these on the Equinox?

Hi everyone!  

  On the Celebrity Equinox, does the upper berth bed disappear into the ceiling or is it the type that hangs on the wall?

Need to know as hubby kept banging his head on the 8" protrusion last time, so don't want a room with the wall kind.

Thank you!

14 hours ago, CruiseMark said:

How bad are the “Deluxe rooms” (the cheap ones below the water line) on the Panorama?  Some of the videos mention noise, shaking, etc.  I’d much prefer a Panorama Suite, but may have to go the cheap route.

We were in an "aquarium" room the first time we went on Avalon.  It was small, but quite adequate and you get more light than you would think from the windows. If you are tall enough you can look out.

The second time we sailed in a panorama room. 

I will tell you we honestly did not think it was that much better!  (certainly not for the $1000 or more price difference) Half the time you are tied up to another ship and can't see anything anyway.  

We will not pay the extra again, and will stay down below.  We only slept and showered in the room - all the rest of the time is on excursions or dining or in the lounge or decks. 

You will enjoy whichever you choose!