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Debarkation is almost always longer after a TA. Some Coast Guard inspections are carried out when the ship docks and before passengers and crew can disembark the ship. Couple that with the need to be at MIA 3 hours pre-flight and I recommend that you stay over and fly home the next day and you might find flights from both MIA and FLL. Have a great cruise.

Just as an FYI...There have been issues with coming and going through the port gates even in the most peaceful times.

If you have booked the cruise within the last 30 days you can still transfer the booking from Oceania to a travel agent. You may be overwhelmed by the types of agents representing Oceania but the best are the Connoisseur and Preferred agencies. Unfortunately we are not permitted to mention agents by name on Cruise Critic. Not only do they have more clout they can offer additional perks. They are familiar with everything you need to know to prepare for your adventure. Initially your 16 year old daughter should not be booked into any cabin unless it is adjacent or across the hall (inside cabin) within close proximity to you or your father. You can get around this by booking her with you and booking her father anywhere. Once on board you can move her. You can see all available cabins by doing a mock booking. When you talk to your Oceania agent have a deck plan handy. If there is any way to change 6000 do so. It is not the best site for a first time cruiser. 7084 is in a good stable location. There also isn't much advantage to a concierge class cabin on this ship. Specifically seek out cabins between the elevators for your first cruise. The single cabins on deck 6 are ocean view with wide windows but are below the life boats with limited visibility. They are perfectly fine and are probably less than either your father or daughter occupying a cabin priced for two if that is a concern. Alaska is a port intensive itinerary so think about logging in to wifi, making calls etc while in port. Do this off the ship to avoid ship charges. Access is available everywhere. It's the US. Things to do.....whale watching from either Hoonah - Icy Straits or Juneau. If you are going to Skagway think about an independent tour to Carcrosse Canada. Take the train sitting on the left side on the ascent. There are multiple options. Float planes and helicopters to the glaciers are easily self booked. All of the tours are easily booked independently and the guides will pick you up adjacent to the ship or pier. Please do two things. Join the ROLL CALL for your sailing. Go to the Roll Call forum, click on Oceania then Regatta and look for your sailing date. Check out the Destinations forum for Alaska. You should find information about the ports and guides there. There will also be advice for activities your father can participate in. There is no need for him to confine himself to the ship in most of the ports. Alaska is awe inspiring and we are heading back there shortly after your cruise.

I have seen mention of the $25 corkage fee a number of times on the O forum. I am trying to recall when the same fee began on some of the other 6 lines we have sailed. Oceania is not alone in the corkage rate. To the OP, The Riveria has laundry rooms on passenger decks. There are washers, dryers, two ironing boards, a folding table and seating. Soap is also provided.

Bus and train are very easy. But beware of strikes for either or both. Also do watch your pockets particularly on crowded trains.

Do they have the diet Fever Tree? I know it's made just hard to find in my burg.

Another X wit a + here. Oceania reminds me of the gracious early years of Celebrity. I hope you enjoy every moment.

To get the full experience think about starting you cruise in the Pacific and sailing through the entire canal. Better yet start from Panama City. There are plenty of cruise lines that offer a full transit. It's easy to spend three or four days in the bustling city and its environs.

Soycapitan, Welcome to Cruise Critic. Check out the Insurance forum. It has a wealth of information. Independently booked travel insurance covers more than evacuation and medical needs. As a first time cruiser be sure to arrive at least a day prior to sailing. Check out flights via Celebrity and compare those rates to flights you can book. You will have more control of the air portion if you book yourselves. Scroll down the main page to Roll Call and find your ship and sailing date. The Roll Call is the best way to plan your shipboard experience and excursions. Feel free to come back and ask as many questions as you want. There will always be someone to help.

While not on O we did a crossing on Azamara which is the same ship just different cruise line. It all depends on the seas. We have sailed into and out of hurricanes in the Atlantic but our trans Atlantic crossing was smooth as silk. We've also sailed the North Atlantic six times and had beautiful seas so you never know. Bonine is my friend!!!

We've done the AC in Santiago recently. Our go to hotel, the El Bosque Suites has closed. The staff was very helpful, the rooms were clean, and the location was just fine too. In Rio we stayed at the Hilton Copacabana. Many cruise lines use this hotel and there really are some very good restaurants within easy and safe walking distances. There are also several groceries, pharmacies and small CVS and Walgreens type stores within a couple of blocks.

I started to post this very query last night. Thank you Mrs. Miggins for beating me to the punch! We are on a different Spanish intensive cruise soon and am particularly interested in Seville and Malaga. I appreciate all the postings and if there is further clarifications in our docs I will post on Cruise Critic. The docs should be here soon. Can't wait.

We will soon be back on The Journey and have one last Celebrity cruise booked. The only reason for the Celebrity booking was a prime cabin for an Alaskan voyage which we couldn't get on any other line for our sailing date parameter. We are itinerary driven and love the overnights. The smaller ships are now our only other focus. Azamara has White Nights and an Azamazing evening which Celebrity certainly doesn't offer. I can't see us returning to Celebrity. We once thought it was the best line for us but time and things change and we are moving on.

We sail both lines but have only been on the Marina. We are itinerary driven and appreciate the overnights for more extensive explorations. The last time we were on Azamara was pre Covid and from all accounts the food was subjectively better then. It's not far below Oceania by any means. These two cruise lines are our favorites and we will continue to focus on their sailings.

We were on the Marina a year ago and can't imagine that she has gone down so much. Even with the cancellation of the refitting I would cruise her again if the itineraries weren't jerked around. A few hits and misses onboard are one thing. We are itinerary driven and that comes first.

RetiredandTravel, Where are you staying in Santiago? It's a large city and some areas have groceries and wine shops and some don't. In several of the shopping malls there are also groceries with libation departments too. Are you interested in taking ship's tours or self booked tours? EcoUruguay was just used in every port on a cruise. Unfortunately it was not on an O ship but the itinerary was very similar to what O offers. The tour company has offices in Hartford, CT. and has guides who are returning to work as South America is opening back up for tourism.

The staff at the Palladio was terrific when we were there four days before the Covid lockdown in Argentina. I would think that the same care is taken now as tourism resumes. The location is safe and walkable. If you can get a reservation be sure to visit Don Julio. It's open. I think several of the other restaurants we loved have not reopened. BTW you can book Don Julio on line for up to 4 people.

Please post your query on the ROLL CALL forum. If you are not familiar with the forum scroll down to ROLL CALLS, click on Oceania then find your ship and sailing date. I hope you have an exceptional cruise!!!

We generally stay in an Aqua class cabin on either deck 9 or 11. 9127 and 9175 are both under the pool deck and can be noisy, 1100 is next to the door and when the whips along the open deck, and it does, the heavy door tends to slam. 1107 is across from the stairs/elevator lobby but it's a quiet deck. You might hear sounds from the movie on your balcony but shouldn't hear anything bothersome in the cabin. The quietest Aqua cabins on deck 9 are port cabins beginning with 9125 to 9133. On the starboard side check out 9104 to 9112. These cabins are under the carpeted foyer leading to the Oceanview Cafe. The very best Aqua cabins are the aft cabins on deck 11. The deck 11 cabins are newer but age is relative. The Aqua class cabins are also a little larger than the standard veranda cabins with enhanced shower fixtures. Take the Aqua!

gam888, If you are referring to the Tigre River boat tour I don't recommend it with such a brief amount of time. It is a good option of you are there for 3-4 days. The ride from the center of the city to the river will not take you by many sites of note. The packaged tours also usually stop at a lovely church and take you by a local amusement area before you get to the docks. The boats move very slowly along the river. We are doing it again in a couple of weeks but we have been in the area before and will be in the city for an extended stay. As noted the HOHO is not the best. A local guide would provide the best plan for your short day. Try to find one that can take your luggage in their vehicle so you don't have to return to your hotel.

Don't forget you can always arrange dinner in the comfort of your cabin.

Just let your tour company know which ship you are on and they will find you. Not to worry..........

I never found the laundry's 3 or 4 machines too busy on the Marina. Can't remember how many, sorry. There are also 2 ironing boards and a folding table. There are a few chairs as well.

It was the last time we were on the Silhouette but that was pre Covid.

I have to laugh about the newest rendition of the E+ and Zenith rant. Just today, while working on an upcoming cruise via my cruise planner I glanced at my cruise history. I'd forgotten how long we have cruised on Celebrity (30 + years.) Even more stunning is the fact that those early cruises earned ONE point. Some were even longer than one week. So I guess I should thump my chest and skip up the ramp, turn to those below me and do a Rocky dance when I board next month.