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Here' an article that compares to two companies, which might be helpful to you.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2709

My husband likes to bike, so we go with AMA.  Done Rhone River with them.  Will do Rhine River later in the year.

We're very satisfied with AMA.  Never been on Avalon.

Thank you for the replies.  They are helpful.

Hello, 

I'm taking an AMA Waterways Rhine River cruise.  I was thinking of going into Cologne on my own instead of the offered city tour because I'd rather get in some museums and shop for chocolates.  Can I easily get into town on my own or does the ship have free shuttle service?  How much time does it take to ride in?

Thank you for your help.

Absolutely agree with Cary Cruiser. Just stay away from the negative people. To paraphrase Einstein - negative people: they have a problem to every solution.

Since you are going with relatives, chose the date that works best for all. AMA books up quickly. You should make a decision ASAP. If you like the itinerary, just go for it. Don't overthink it. Doesn't matter which boat, I'm sure you'll be fine. How bad can it be? It's a cruise after all.

I booked on AMA for an April, 2019 Rhine Cruise in May this year. Cabin C for two dates were already gone. Only one Cabin B was left on my first choice date and it was by the elevator. Had to settle for my second choice date on an slightly older ship and had to go for a Cabin B which is slightly more expensive than the C category.

Bottom line, you may not have many choices left if you wait any longer.

I can't seem to find the information on the Celebrity website. Are any of the pools designed for lap swimming? Or do they set aside some time for lap swimming?

If not, when is the pool least busy? I was thinking about going at 7:00 am or 7:00 pm to avoid the crowd.

Thanks for your help.

We will be on the Solstice for the 12 days Sydney to Auckland cruise. We are part of a tour group, so the gratuities are pre-paid.

But I read on the ship guide that we should tip for room service. We plan to order a simple continental breakfast each morning. Mainly because we need at least 2-3 cups of coffee to be human. How much should we tip?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I will be on the Celebrity Solstice for the 12-day cruise from Sydney to Auckland. I've read on this site other threads that the wifi on the ship is slow and costly.

Are there ample cafes in the ports with free wifi? Hobart, Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland. I will have my laptop. Don't need an internet café.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Thank you on the advice to take a taxi instead of the airbus. We'll do that. Good idea.

I'm booked for my first cruise on Celebrity, on the Solstice, Sydney to Auckland. I have been on Royal Caribbean and Princess before.

I read a review where the person said they bought the "classic non-alcoholic beverage package" to get bottled water and coffee. These items are not free on the Solstice?! Can someone elaborate on this?

I get the impression from the reviews that passengers get nickled and dimed on this cruise line. $5 for the Bistro. Extra charges for hot items for room service breakfast.

Yes, I did consider the Celebrity post-cruise Auckland city tour with airport drop off. But I read a negative review on this website. They were rushed off the ship at 7:00 am. Got to the first sight too early which was still closed, so they missed that visit. The whole tour was rushed and hectic. And they were dropped off at the airport way too early. At $162/person, we could do better by ourselves. I don't want to experience a crazy hectic tour on my last day.

I figured at about $20 for luggage storage and $16/person on the Airbus was a better deal. We plan to spend some leisurely time at the Auckland Art Gallery, which is for free. :)

Thank you for all your input.

Our Celebrity cruise ends in the morning in Auckland. Our flight back to LAX is at 7:00 pm.

If we want to visit Auckland for the day, what do we do with our luggage?

Is there somewhere to check them?

We don't plan to do much. Maybe just go to the Auckland Art Gallery and grab some lunch. Be at the airport around 5:00 to check in.

Since you have a 5 year old, have you look into the apartment hotels? There are several Meriton Serviced Apartments in the area that you mentioned, near Chinatown.

If you go on their websites, you can find the floor plans and size of the apartments. The Cube Apartment is about 700 sq ft for about $275/night. The adults could have the bedroom and the child could sleep in the living room.

Another is Adina Apartment Hotel. A one bedroom apartment is about 614 sq ft for about $260/night.