Markanddonna

I've been on two NCL Eastern Med cruises in recent years and had a wonderful experience. NCL's itinerary is far superior, IMHO. Each one of those ports is fabulous. Although I favor Celebrity if all else is equal, in this case, it isn't. Go with NCL.

We had to use the medical center about five times for my DH on another cruise line. We were very impressed with the professional care, the good communication, and kindness of the medical team.

Mark does get sick very easily because he has Barrett's disease and COPD. Poor guy.

My husband got very ill from bad scallops onboard an MSC ship. Not all are norovirus. But, I'm sure you know that. We tend to eat in restaurants where we don't have to touch serving tools.

I agree. We are beyond getting hysterical about COVID now. We were able to secure an antiviral in Europe. If you aren't coughing and have no fever, I see no reason why you should go to the ship's doctor. There are SO many people onboard ships who are likely carrying active COVID and could care less. All those people with persistent dry coughs...they say they have seasonal allergies, but hey, we are in the middle of the OCEAN.

If purchasing "used" items, might we unknowingly be participating in theft rings? I wonder where these companies get this volume of used luxury items that some report look like new.

In some places in Europe, Prague for example, you can easily pay with a card but you DO need some 20 crown coins for the restrooms and shopping carts at grocery stores. The toilet guard ladies in the restrooms have no mercy. The restroom at Prague's main station DOES take credit cards to use the toilet, believe it or not. Not free!

I was on a 17-day B2B on MSC this Jan. It was the first time a staff member complained to us (a server in the buffet in the evening.) The crew was so overworked because they oversold the ship. We also witnessed several incidents of supervisors chastising the crew in public. That crew worked hard and didn't deserve the treatment.

I just returned from central Europe. I didn't need cash but we needed coins for the restrooms in many place. Let me tell you, those ladies who run the toilets have NO mercy. Prague had a credit card machine for people who didn't have coins.

Reminds me of the berets Clark Griswold forced his family to wear in Paris.

I just didn't want my fellow cruisers to insist upon on getting these perks. I think it was sone kind of tech error that benefited us.

We enjoyed them immensely, didn't ask why, and never found out. We also realize this will likely never happen again.

I think that is the majority view since you only see the shirts once on the cruise. I personally would not want to wear one...and I'm a gal.

Just off the TA Constellation from April 17 to May 2. There were many opportunities to dance. The two bands were very good at "reading the passengers' pulse" and played music that got them to get up and dance. Very little Latin music except at the pool area.

We got off our first Celebrity Cruise just a few weeks ago. We are Platinum on NCL, so we've been on quite a few (30+ also on other cruise lines). Generally, we like NCL, but our recent Celebrity cruise blew NCL away! My very favorite thing about this cruise was my fellow passengers. Almost everyone seemed so happy, willing to socialize and be friendly. We spent 17 days on a recent MSC cruise, and it was night and day! One thing that was touching is that the couples all seemed so contented and the married couples seemed happy to be with one another. We met some great people, both married and single. The crew was the best ever. I usually give high marks to all crew, even MSC, but this group was a step above. The food was very good to excellent, our cabin was great, and the atmosphere onboard was friendly. Even the customer service folks were pleasant! This was a transatlantic, so the passengers were a bit older, but just about everyone was quite active. We enjoyed dancing in the lounges, and they were quite active. We close down at 11-12, so I can't report what happened later. We all had to adjust our body clocks to European time with frequent time changes, which probably caused people to crash early. I noted that there was not the excessive, non-stop drinking you see on some other cruise lines. A sign of well adjusted, mature people. I usually like lectures, but theirs didn't appeal to me, so I didn't attend any. I would go on a Celebrity cruise again in a heartbeat!

We purchase travel insurance regularly and always wonder why the vast majority of reviews are left by people who never used it. Their reviews are typically, "We didn't have to use it, thank goodness. I gave it five stars anyway." Folks, this skews the ratings. It is like reviewing an appliance you have never used or a restaurant you have never stepped foot in. Am I wrong in my thinking? I imagine the ratings would be much, much lower if only people who used it gave a review.

I would imagine you would enjoy the yacht club. There is a huge difference between MSC and Celebrity. I have been on both as recently as this year. Just got off a transatlantic on Celebrity. It depends on the region you wish to travel. You might not enjoy the atmosphere in the main area of MSC. Although you can isolate yourself somewhat in the Yacht Club, you will venture out in the evening to enjoy the lounges and theatre. We enjoyed the these features so much more wirh Celebrity. For examp!e, we enjoy dancing. Our MSC catered to the Latin dance crowd and some lounges get taken over by preschoolers spinning on the dance floor. Celebrity took the pulse of the dancing passengers and catered to them. Only five children on that cruise. Our B2B MSC to Mexico, Central and South America had so many problems, the worst being rude and obnoxious passeo. First time seeing a fight by the pool. Security called. MSC was severely understaffed while we had amazing service on Celebrity. Celebrity still has a ship band/orchestra. Not on MSC. All recorded. There were times we noted the singers' voices were recorded. No lips moving, but heard singing. Oops. Btw, we were Black/diamond in a balcony on Msc. An oceanview on Celebrity with no status.

Good possibility. We shall never know, I suppose. There were several people on our sailing that tested positive for COVID mid cruise to the day after. From my small knowledge base, I would imagine there were quite a few more, including the ladies hacking behind us in the theatre...grrr

I would focus on an eastern Med itinerary. We have been there twice in the fall- last Nov and in 2019 Nov and Dec. The weather was close to perfect most days with just a bit of rain. So, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel.

Right, the Belt and Road initiative all over the world where China is buying ports (they own 100% of the port of Athens in Pireaus), mines, farms, valuable infrastructure, etc. They give weak countries loans, knowing they will default on payments.

But in Prata, Chinese laborers using Chinese materials work for these high end companies and can label their products not "Made in China" but MADE IN ITALY.

Maybe new bags from Chinese workshops in Prata, Italy?

I would imagine you would enjoy the yacht club. There is a huge difference between MSC and Celebrity. I have been on both as recently as this year. Just got off a transatlantic on Celebrity. It depends on the region you wish to travel. You might not enjoy the atmosphere in the main area of MSC.

We had two on the Constellation on out TA. To be fair, I didn't attend because the topics were not interesting to me. One was rock music histort but I saw this guy n another cruise. The other was a woman who spoke on crime, like the case of Jan Benne Ramsey.

Could it be these luxury bags are made by the Chinese companies in Prato, Italy? If you have never heard about this, do some research. Over the past decade, Chinese companies bought out Italian companies. They brought in Chinese workers with Chinese materials. Technically, they are allowed to put "made in Italy" on the bag. The New Yorker magazine had a comprehensive article on this scam. There are many other resources to explain this phenomenon.