First cruise in 11 years. Any advice?

Wow. Any chance you'd be willing to reveal which one?

I don't think people are allowed to say on here, but I'd like to know too. The one time we used a TA, I got nothing, zip, nada. Then I come to Cruise Critic and people talk about the OBC from their TA. :loudcry:

Our cruise is scheduled to get back to Miami at 7 am. The lowest cost flight back home, which also happens to be the only non-stop flight, doesn't depart until 9pm, which would give us a whole day in Miami. I'm not sure we want to stay that long, but I have to admit I've never been to Miami, and I'm sure there are plenty of things to do, like museums, the beach, etc.? Any suggestions for how to spend c. 10 hours in Miami with my 15-year old daughter? The challenge is that we might be a bit tired after this cruise, and I don't think we want to spend much money, having already spent a good deal on the cruise itself + shore excursions.

Oh, isn't there a way to pay a little extra and stay on the Equinox for breakfast on the day of departure? I think I saw something about that. If we departed like that, rather than at 7 am, we'd only be talking about c. 8 hours to figure out what to do rather than 10, which seems more doable. But even if we go to a museum, lunch, etc. after that, what the heck do we do with our luggage for all that time?

hello,

does anybody know if Allure of the Seas have Teen Club? is it safe to leave kids there?

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hello,

does anybody know if Allure of the Seas have Teen Club? is it safe to leave kids there?

 

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You need to ask on the RCCL board.

Thinking of trying to do this cruise without a drink package. I like a glass of wine with dinner, but that's about it, and I think I'll have OBC that should cover that.

You can get a pitcher of ice water for the room, right? Is the regular water bad to drink?

From what I hear the regular coffee isn't good. Seems like I'll be spending time and money at Cafe al Bacio.

How is the coffee at the AquaSpa cafe in the solarium?

Thinking of trying to do this cruise without a drink package. I like a glass of wine with dinner, but that's about it, and I think I'll have OBC that should cover that.

 

You can get a pitcher of ice water for the room, right? Is the regular water bad to drink?

 

From what I hear the regular coffee isn't good. Seems like I'll be spending time and money at Cafe al Bacio.

The water is better than most municipal systems in cities in the States. :rolleyes:

And the coffee in the buffet stations is not horrid either. As good if not better than what you get at IHOP or Dennys.

The water is better than most municipal systems in cities in the States. :rolleyes:

 

And the coffee in the buffet stations is not horrid either. As good if not better than what you get at IHOP or Dennys.

Thanks. I like good coffee, but I think I'll probably be ok with ihop coffee some of the time too....

Thinking of trying to do this cruise without a drink package. I like a glass of wine with dinner, but that's about it, and I think I'll have OBC that should cover that.

 

You can get a pitcher of ice water for the room, right? Is the regular water bad to drink?

 

From what I hear the regular coffee isn't good. Seems like I'll be spending time and money at Cafe al Bacio.

 

How is the coffee at the AquaSpa cafe in the solarium?

We love the coffee at Al Bacio and have 3 or more a day. Note that they are $5.00 a pop for a single and are covered in the booze package. We found the regular coffee to be undrinkable coloured water.:eek:

Our cruise is scheduled to get back to Miami at 7 am. The lowest cost flight back home, which also happens to be the only non-stop flight, doesn't depart until 9pm, which would give us a whole day in Miami. I'm not sure we want to stay that long, but I have to admit I've never been to Miami, and I'm sure there are plenty of things to do, like museums, the beach, etc.? Any suggestions for how to spend c. 10 hours in Miami with my 15-year old daughter? The challenge is that we might be a bit tired after this cruise, and I don't think we want to spend much money, having already spent a good deal on the cruise itself + shore excursions.

 

Oh, isn't there a way to pay a little extra and stay on the Equinox for breakfast on the day of departure? I think I saw something about that. If we departed like that, rather than at 7 am, we'd only be talking about c. 8 hours to figure out what to do rather than 10, which seems more doable. But even if we go to a museum, lunch, etc. after that, what the heck do we do with our luggage for all that time?

Breakfast will be served on the day you debark, no extra charge.

There may be excursions offered that you can go on when you debark the ship (sightseeing, etc) that will end by taking you (and your luggage) to the airport.

I think the pay to stay on board longer on debarkation day is only in Europe. I would look into a Celebrity excursion that ends with dropping you off at the airport.

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I think the pay to stay on board longer on debarkation day is only in Europe. I would look into a Celebrity excursion that ends with dropping you off at the airport.

 

 

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Thanks for the suggestion. This is what we've decided to do—go for a boat tour of the everglades which then drops us off at the airport.

At that point we'll still have a wait at the airport of about 7 hours, and my guess is that we'll be too tired to go back into the city to do anything, although I'm not sure. We might buy a day pass to American Airline's "Admiral's Club" and hang out there.

• Some people have said that the Concierge Class doesn't seem worth it, but on our particular cruise the Concierge Class cabins are only $50 more than a regular veranda. Seems worth it to me. Obviously it's very subjective, but the CC benefits seem worth over $100 pp to me. I've written in what each one seems worth to me personally below. Some it's hard to tell (massaging showerhead vs regular, for instance) and so I just left those blank. Plus by doing CC we could get a stateroom "on the hump" in a good location near the library, with a larger balcony, it seems in total worth c. $200 pp to me. Again, very subjective.
  
• •NEW Dedicated Onboard Concierge desk
  
• $5• Priority check-in
  
• • NEW Concierge availability during pier check-in
  
• • Priority disembarkation based on travel needs
  
• • Exclusive pre-departure lounge
  
• • NEW Exclusive Destination Seminar arranged by the Concierge
  
• $10• Complimentary shoeshine service
  

Dining

• $15• NEW Exclusive Welcome Aboard Concierge Class Lunch in the Main Restaurant (11:30am - 1:00pm)
  
• • Main and specialty restaurant seating time preferences
  

Amenities

• $10•Welcome Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine with a commemorative label featuring exclusive art work
  
• $5• Welcome fresh fruit
  
• $20• Daily Delectable Delights
  
• $20• Pillow menu to suit sleeping preferences
  
• • Celebrity eXhale™ bedding featuring custom premium mattresses, plush duvets and pillows, and pure cotton linens
  
• • Concierge Class Captain's Club points (5 pts per night)
  
• $10• Plush 100% cotton bathrobes & towels
  
• • Custom-blended bath amenities
  
• $10• Use of golf umbrella and binoculars
  
• $5• Celebrity tote bag
  
• • Celebrity embossed key holder
  
• • Celebrity embossed notepad and pen
  

Stateroom features

• • Hansgrohe® massaging showerhead
  

At Costa Maya we've signed up for a c. 6 hour walking tour of Mayan ruins. I assume they'll feel us some kind of lunch or snack during that time, but is that included in the tour cost, or is that extra? It's an official X tour.

At Costa Maya we've signed up for a c. 6 hour walking tour of Mayan ruins. I assume they'll feel us some kind of lunch or snack during that time, but is that included in the tour cost, or is that extra? It's an official X tour.

I would look at the tour description, but if I recall we took a similar tour many years ago that made a stop at the usual "rest stop" where you could buy souvenirs and get something to eat.

We take ship tours in the Caribbean because we are cowards. (Don't shame me, those of you who go off on your own. It is a risk factor for me, not an economical one). In Cozumel we swam with the dolphins at a resort with a long name I've forgotten. I thought it would be cheezy and sadly I have no evidence because the photographer for our group (you aren't allowed to take your own photos) was neither a photographer nor a pleasant person - all the other groups seemed to get the nice guys, so this was an aberration. That said, I had more fun than I could have imagined. There are people who object to these events, and they have a point but I figure these are working dolphins who get paid for their time. The dolphins seemed pleasant and did seem to have personalities. After the swim with the dolphins part, we spent time at the resort and had a delicious late lunch of ceviche and the other dish that is like ceviche but I can't remember the name. I'm glad I did it and it wasn't as cheesy as I thought it would be.

In George Town we did a ship tour as well. It was a boat ride and all I remember is that it was fun and we saw lots of birds and reptiles. Loved it.

Hope this is some help. Your roll call may have people organizing excursions. Cowardly us - we did only ship tours. You don't have to do excursions if you are beach people. We aren't, so we did want to find other activities rather than going to a beach, having a drink, coming back.

I don't know about Costa Maya but if you have the opportunity to go to a Mayan ruin without spending hours and hours getting there and back, it is worth the trip. Our second visit to Cozumel we went to Tulum. It was a good visit but a very long trip. Recommended with reservations.

At Costa Maya we've signed up for a c. 6 hour walking tour of Mayan ruins. I assume they'll feel us some kind of lunch or snack during that time, but is that included in the tour cost, or is that extra? It's an official X tour.

It depends. Look on your booking, it should tell you if there is one provided (and maybe has a knife and fork to illustrate), or simply time provided. On most of our Caribbean excursions, food was included (not the dolphin swim). Sometimes it was incredible, sometimes it was church pot luck. It was worth it though, just to try something new. Or something old. One time we had fried chicken.

It depends. Look on your booking, it should tell you if there is one provided (and maybe has a knife and fork to illustrate), or simply time provided. On most of our Caribbean excursions, food was included (not the dolphin swim). Sometimes it was incredible, sometimes it was church pot luck. It was worth it though, just to try something new. Or something old. One time we had fried chicken.

Thanks!

Yet another question. Still trying to figure out the pros and cons of Select Dining vs. Traditional 6 pm (8:30 isn't available, and seems a bit later for us anyway).

So with Traditional you're likely to get the same servers every night, and they probably will get to know your preferences, etc. a little.

With Select, even at the same time, you might get different each night.

If so, that seems a possible reason to go for Traditional.

With a 6 pm dinner, is it possible to make it to the 7 pm show if you sit in the back on the upper tier?

We might like sometimes to go for an evening swim. Are the pools usually pretty empty at c. 8 pm, since most people are at dinner or a show?

Just send me an email at my username @yahoo.com and I will give you a recommendation.

I m not a TA, I just use one who has taken great care of us.

Hi thephillykid, I just e-mailed you as I would appreciate this contact info as well.

Thanks!

 

Yet another question. Still trying to figure out the pros and cons of Select Dining vs. Traditional 6 pm (8:30 isn't available, and seems a bit later for us anyway).

 

So with Traditional you're likely to get the same servers every night, and they probably will get to know your preferences, etc. a little.

 

With Select, even at the same time, you might get different each night.

 

If so, that seems a possible reason to go for Traditional.

 

With a 6 pm dinner, is it possible to make it to the 7 pm show if you sit in the back on the upper tier?

 

We might like sometimes to go for an evening swim. Are the pools usually pretty empty at c. 8 pm, since most people are at dinner or a show?

We've booked Select Dining for our last 3 cruises . . . Last year on Eclipse, we liked the service team we had our first night in MDR, so we requested to be seated in their area each night. By the 4th or 5th night, the hostess would greet us by name and say, I'll have a table in John's section in just a few minutes. John and Santiago remembered our likes and preferences just like in Traditional and the sommelier brought our preferred wine immediately. It was great! We typically ate about 7:15, but we weren't trying to catch production shows . . . just some of the guest entertainers who frequently had 2 shows.

My daughter and I are looking forward to this cruise on June 18th of this year. Our passports are current and good for another few years, but I have a question about passports that might seem silly—do we take them ashore with us in Mexico, or do we leave them in our stateroom safe? I assume we take the passports with us, but could someone confirm that? Thanks in advance.

Ben

I've started a list of things we should do on the Equinox. What am I missing? Thanks in advance.

Things to do onCelebrity Equinox, Caribbean cruise of June 18th-June 25th:

-Go to Cruise Critic meetup

-Go to Hot Glass demonstration

-Picnic on Lawn and maybe play a game of croquet

-Go to Sushi on 5 restaurant

-Order room service for at least one meal in the room

-Get pastries from Café al Baccio

-Go to evening shows

-Try Aqua Café in Solarium

My daughter and I are looking forward to this cruise on June 18th of this year. Our passports are current and good for another few years, but I have a question about passports that might seem silly—do we take them ashore with us in Mexico, or do we leave them in our stateroom safe? I assume we take the passports with us, but could someone confirm that? Thanks in advance.

Ben

It is recommended that you have photocopies of your passports to carry with you and leave the originals in your safe.

If you are going to San Juan, you will need your actual passports to get on the pier when you return to the ship.

Ben, what a coincidence! I didn't pay attention to the cruise you and your daughter were taking when I posted on your thread...but I just booked this cruise for DH and me to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. So I'll be looking for the professor and the well behaved teenage daughter aboard!

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I've started a list of things we should do on the Equinox. What am I missing? Thanks in advance.

 

 

Things to do onCelebrity Equinox, Caribbean cruise of June 18th-June 25th:

-Go to Cruise Critic meetup

-Go to Hot Glass demonstration

-Picnic on Lawn and maybe play a game of croquet

-Go to Sushi on 5 restaurant

-Order room service for at least one meal in the room

-Get pastries from Café al Baccio

-Go to evening shows

-Try Aqua Café in Solarium

On Reflection, there was a "game room" on deck 8 or 9 (I can't remember) right above (or below) the library. They had a few free electronic game machines that played some simple games for two or more people. If that's on Equinox, you and your daughter might kill a little time there.

My only other cruise in my life was with my whole family 11 years ago on Celebrity. We took a West Coast trip on Infinity from San Francisco to Canada and thoroughly enjoyed it. Somehow I thought we'd cruise more often, but....Anyway, my wife and now-adult son can't get away for this one, but I've got a 24-hour courtesy reserve for myself and my daughter on Equinox for a Caribbean cruise on June 18th. We have a Concierge cabin on deck 10 near the library. The price seemed good—and then it soared by almost $200 a person a few hours after my reservation (!). But I think my courtesy reserve will lock in the price till I can buy it tomorrow. Seems like a wonderful trip. And I've been reading good reviews. I'm someone who tends to see more positives than negatives.

 

But, anyway, any tips for someone who was never a cruise expert to begin with, and is now thoroughly rusty? For instance, I'm sure I can figure it out, but how do I choose and book shore excursions? This probably sounds like a strange or stupid question, but sometimes can it work out just to walk to the beach and hang out and/or go for a swim?

 

Does that fancy coffee shop on board still have "free" pastries? Are they still just as good? Are they "ready" at a usual time?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Best, Ben

 

PS My daughter is 15, well-mannered, quiet, and polite. But, I assume we aren't allowed in the speciality restaurants? That's ok, since I'm think the MDR will be just fine for us.

Food will probably not be near as good as you remember. What's in the specialty rest. is what the MDR used to be like. Your daughter will have no issue at all going to the specialty rest. Though there were few children on the trips we've been on, all were welcome with their parents pretty much anywhere on board. Discounts for the rest. are frequent. Don't feel pressured to buy on the spot when you see the staff promoting the rest. For excursions, just check the website. Don't feel obligated to "prebuy" before you board. When you check on line you'll get a little more informed as to the ones you might want to book. Once on board seek out the excursion desk & DO ask questions.