chemmo

Yes, the law of diminishing appetite applies… By the end of a longer cruise all I ever want for breakfast is a black coffee and two rounds of toast compared to me pre cruise soooo looking forward to Bellinis and full English! Lunch ceases to exist and dinner becomes smaller in quality and simpler in ingredients… Towards the end of cruise is often when we will ask for something not on the menu in Luminae or the speciality restaurants…I fondly remember last Equinox cruise Tuscan being kind enough to offer to make me a simple mushroom ravioli dish next visit when I was looking at the entrees and asking for recommendations of something ‘lighter’…

Some years ago we cruised on Eclipse and we were dining in Tuscan. Unfortunately we had chosen an evening when they were accommodating a group of about 12 and our table was close by. Our waiter was great, saw our discomfort during starters when the group were getting loud (not being unpleasant, just a big group) and magically moved us to another table before we had our mains…The assistant waiter was fantastic all evening running from table to table to take pressure off the waiter… At the end of our meal the M’D came over to apologise for us needing to be moved. We had the impression that he thought we may be about to complain. Quite the contrary! We praised our waiter for dealing promptly with a difficult situation and the assistant waiter for really ‘stepping up’. We had enjoyed a lovely meal because they had responded to a problem rather than simply apologising for it. The next day we made a point of letting the hotel director (who we knew well from previous cruises) know how impressed we had been with the staff in Tuscan when faced with a difficult situation. When we next visited Tuscan both our waiter, assistant waiter and the M’D thanked us for passing on the compliment. As the M’D so rightly said, too often the HD only hears of issues not the excellent service they give most of the time…They didn’t say if they had had ‘rewards’ but the M’D said he was delighted that the assistant waiter’s training was now being speeded up to him becoming a waiter. Re surveys, I do think there is a difficult balance between not blaming staff for things beyond their control but genuinely reporting the truth…I do wander if they crunch the numbers rather than reflect on comments made? One thing we have always done is ‘complain’ immediately if we don’t like something and give the cruise line the opportunity to ‘put things right’ rather than wait until the end of the cruise and put it in a survey. If we complain about an issue and it is resolved I have no issues giving a 10 in a survey. If we complain and an issue is unresolved then the number can’t be a 10…

We always talk about how many ‘sleeps’ to our next holiday…comes from many years ago when our son was very young and counted the ‘get ups’ until his birthday, Santa coming and when we were going on holiday! The excitement of going on a cruise brings out the child in all of us!!! There is a dilemma between researching a cruise and being surprised…The risk with not doing research is you may miss an activity or venue you may enjoy or find it the last day of your cruise…However, I do understand that it is nice to have that Wow! Have a fantastic cruise!

We visited Kenya some years ago (with safari) and I can remember it like yesterday. The sounds and smells are as strong in my memory as the sights…A continent so colourful it is almost blinding…Seeing a herd of elephants making their way to the watering hole being one of the most fascinating…we were lunching at the safari lodge after a very early start and in the distance we saw a movement of dust. The dust came nearer and nearer until the cloud became individuals, large to very small. Tear jerking now to even think of it as is the genuine greeting of ‘Jambo’ from the locals… My only comment to you is don’t leave it too long. Out of all our vacations worldwide including several long tours this was the most physically hard. Very early starts and a challenging climate. I can imagine the photographer in you going wild…

Totally agree….Cruising is about seeing the world, fine dining, meeting others, entertainment and much more. However, for many, the best part is the opportunity to enjoy some quality couple time…As you say, the smile says it all…

My husband used to call it the law of diminishing appetite….The longer the cruise the less we seemed to eat daily. After our longest cruise on our flight home my husband and son were discussing what food they had missed/were looking forward to as they returned home…Home made veggie soup won!

Make sure you board fresh and ready to enjoy. Don’t fly in the day of your cruise, preferably enjoy a day or two in Fort Lauderdale first. As others have said prebook dining packages etc. Look at excursions on line with Celebrity, privately and by joining others through your roll call. Involve your son’s in the choices made. With four of you taxis may be a good option for beach days… Make sure the kids have lots of stuff downloaded on their iPads. Take a few things to enjoy together like simple packs of cards. There is an app where you can point your iPad at the stars and it will name them. My son loved doing this on deck at night with his Dad. Sincere best wishes for a wonderful family cruise!

I can remember when we toured all over Europe, luggage limited and in hand…Catching buses, trains and walking were no issue. Now I just hope when we fly our gate isn’t the one at the end of the satellite! Like yourself I need to be realistic about what I can/can not do. It is a sad but inevitable fact that sometimes changes to ports happen. Most recently Amsterdam/Rotterdam Venice/Ravinna. Whilst for most guests changes can be easily accommodated for those with mobility issues it can add a real stress to a journey. upwarduk is a much respected poster, I have followed and respected the views expressed for many years. Not a poster to complain about anything or detract from Jim’s wonderful narrative but he is totally correct that the older you get the more sensitive you are to travel issues…The more you have to consider distance and ease between airport and port…

The descriptions in the MDR and Blu are quite descriptive. However, if you are dining in Luminae it is sometimes necessary to ask the waiter what a dish is like. It is quite ‘playfully’ written. I wouldn’t say I have a particularly healthy meal choice. When I cruise I expect to enjoy some ‘treat foods’. However, my general on ship rules for not over eating are:- Ask for sauces to be ‘on the side’ for many dishes. Don’t pig out on the bread while waiting for your starter! Ask for a side of broccoli and leave the starchy element of the meal. Ask for a starter as a main meal if you know you are not really very hungry. Ask for the salad starter to be served as a main with the always available chicken or salmon. Don’t feel obliged to empty your plate. Either have a small breakfast and a bigger lunch or the other way around. Remember you can always have a simple sorbet or blob of ice cream rather than a full dessert. In the buffet put your salad or vegetables on the plate first then you are less tempted to load with the more fattening elements. With your attitude of being aware of calorie intake then I think you will find eating healthy on board not an issue. See nothing as ‘banned’ but everything as ‘moderated’…

Writing as someone from your neighbourhood the older you get the harder it gets to fly long haul, even when upgrading flights so don’t leave it too long! Having enjoyed two trips in the Pacific and South Pacific I can only say if I close my eyes I can see the sights, hear the noises and even smell the fresh earth smell of the islands…Worth every penny and suffering the flights!

My late husband and I always said we never regretted a penny we spent on cruising because of the fabulous memories…Like yourself, there are moments we will remember forever.

I think you are looking at this the wrong way around…So much is about what you personally want. For example a big room is important to me but for others it may be their lowest priority… If you enjoy shows then RC bigger ships win, if dining quality is important then a smaller luxury line may suit but if lots of dining choices are important then a Celebrity ship with included speciality restaurants may suit you more… Can I suggest you make a list of what is important to you (room size, balcony size, dining preferences, included drinks…). Not only then will you be clearer of what is important to you others may be able to focus their suggestions to your priorities.

Looking back on years of cruising and holidays it is often the ‘little extras’ like special meals or special excursions which we have paid extra for that have been memorable. We have done a few of these dining experiences and agree that the company you are with does make a real difference. After saying that, even our one bad experience was memorable! So nice that you have booked early, gives you longer to look forward to it!

Jim, when we visited we had read a review that had described the town as you have…We opted for a tour that day and were pleased that we had when we finished the day with a stroll around. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the tour but I remember lots of butterflies! A sign of age and how stressful and expensive flying has become…

Sincere thanks for a wonderful vicarious vacation!