Mangrove Snapper

I would take the T to Salem. It takes about 30 minutes from North Station to Salem. When you get closer to your trip, you can take a look at the schedule https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Newburyport/timetable

You can use your sign & sail card in the indoor gift shops and at the bars but not at the straw market. We were there in January and I used my sign & sail at a gift shop and to buy drinks and paid cash at the straw market. Carnival did have the payment information listed in the Fun Times for HMC so that was helpful to know to bring cash for the straw market.

Really it's just going to be your preference. We did the tour and that does include a guide so, like stated above, if you prefer to have someone giving the historical information at the cemetery, you may wish to do the tour. On the tour you are also taken by the two other cemeteries in which there are graves.

We were in Ocho Rios in January on the Legend. We did a sightseeing tour w/lunch which was booked through the ship. The mini-bus was clean, comfortable and air conditioned and the driver and guide were both great. Others we got to know on our ship rode ATV's and horses, and went to the falls and the beaches. Everyone we spoke with had a good time.

I don't think it's weird at all. Virgin even recognizes that not everyone drinks alcohol and promotes their mocktails - https://www.virginvoyages.com/ahoy/stories/non-alcoholic-drinks-for-sober-cruises I don't see mocktails listed as part of the free beverages under the FAQ's so wouldn't you use your bar tab to pay for them? Not to mention specialty coffees.

Parking at Cape Liberty is fine. We've sailed out of there with Celebrity a bunch of times (most recently in July 2023) and have never had any issues with parking - both in the deck and out in the lot. We like the price for parking better in Baltimore, though. We paid the same to park in Baltimore for a 14 night cruise as we did in Bayonne for a 7 night cruise - $210. Now that's a fair point. We always go early to try to avoid this. I'd rather sit at the port and wait than sit in traffic and wait.

We're childfree by choice so I wouldn't be adverse to this but adults only isn't a need for us. Any people who have annoyed me on cruises have all been adults.

Yes, Edgartown is charming and has lots of historical buildings. It was a major whaling center in the past. There are lots of good places to eat. I've always been to Martha's Vineyard via the ferry from Falmouth to Oaks Bluff and when you get off the ferry, there are taxis and independent tour operators. Edgartown also has taxis and tours. Both have bikes. We've rented bikes in Oaks Bluff and it was an easy ride to Edgartown. Oaks Bluff also has good places to eat and shop and is a lovely town. If you do go on a tour or get a taxi to take you around the island, the cliffs at Aquinnah have a beautiful view. The best quahog chowder I've ever eaten came from a shack up there but that was 30 years ago. There are still shops and eateries there. If you are interested in movies and the movie "Jaws," specifically, it was filmed on Martha's Vineyard. Many of the places are recognizable like the beaches, scenes in Edgartown and Oaks Bluff, and the Chappaquiddick ferry, which is located in Edgartown and can be interesting for reasons other than Jaws.

Yes, I also collect them. The ones I have were all bought onboard so I haven't yet looked anywhere at getting one afterwards.

When you sign on to RCCL’s site you should have an option to manage your reservation and in the reservation there should be an option to go to the cruise planner. It might show up as an option to book excursions and drink packages. All of that is in the cruise planner.

Both Royal and Celebrity do have sales in the cruise planner. Sometimes they are "flash" sales which last a few days and often they are planned around holidays. Sometimes you will get an e-mail advertising the sales. If you buy a drink package and it later goes on sale for a lower price, you can cancel and re-purchase. If you've used OBC for the purchase, it will become available again almost immediately. If not, the refund will go back to your card.

We stayed at the Center Hotel Arnarhvoll in Reykjavik. It was really nice and we loved the location. I would stay there again.

In your profession, I would hope you realize that different things entertain different people and what entertains you is not universal. For example, I've been to the Boston Ballet and NYC Ballet multiple times (live, not on YouTube) and it was beautiful and I appreciated the experiences. And each time I left thinking "are you not entertained?" and the answer unfortunately was "no." Opera I can get into; ballet I can't. When I was younger there was a good deal of thinking "I should like this" then you realize "I don't care for this and I don't need to" and you move on because people like different things. Feel free to think I'm a boor for thinking ballet is a bore. Speaking of provable facts - in real life that pop music and rap and hip hop that you disparage sells well so apparently lots of people aren't dismissive of it. I go to a lot of concerts (live, not on YouTube) and I certainly can't speak for everyone there but I would guess the majority don't care about chords but just like the music. People like different things. Besides, complaining about people's different tastes in music has always felt get off my lawnish to me. I hated hearing "music was better back in my day" when I was a kid so that's something I've never done, especially now that I'm old enough to be a grandmother. People are allowed to like different things. I've always thought Celebrity's shows like "Life," "Chandelier," and "Colors of Life" do have a story in the same sense that Cirque du Soleil shows have a story. Those stories aren't told with dialogue but with the music and sets. Variety shows are random acts, these aren't random. Maybe it's just me but I've always understood the story with Celebrity's shows or Cirque du Soleil when I've seen them (live, not on YouTube). Maybe others don't think there's a story. Like I said, people are different and interpret things differently.

You choose the flights you want. If you're doing it over the phone, you can tell them the exact flights you want (if you already know) or you can work with them to get the flights you want (if they are doing the search). You can also book it yourself through FBC online and do the flight searches yourself. I've done it both ways.

That’s even better! I hope you have a great trip.

It's almost a 2 1/2 hour drive to the Glacier Lagoon from Vik but since you have a car, I don't see why you couldn't plan a route to include it. We enjoyed the boat ride there. We did the Golden Circle and the South Shore (including the Glacier Lagoon) on two separate days on tours, both starting from Reykjavik, as we didn't have a car. So with a car you should be able to plan this route.

I had to cancel flights when we moved a cruise. Flights by Celebrity was able to do this.

I see what you mean. I haven't used them in that way (yet) but I can see how that could happen. I've definitely done the "2 for a price" sales in supermarkets when I haven't actually needed two of the item, so I get it.

Celebrity always offers at least one accessible tour in Bermuda which is geared specifically for individuals in wheelchairs/scooters and their companions. I don't know the tour specifics but it will be listed under shore excursions in the cruise planner.

I buy the gift card(s) and apply the amounts right away for whatever is needed so, no, I'm not spending more. I just booked on Monday and the deposit came to $576. I bought a $500 card and $100 card which came to $540 and used them to pay for the deposit. I have $26 left which will later be applied to the balance or to a Wi-Fi or Bottomless Bubbles package. I would have spent more if I just paid $576 using a credit card. I found out about the AARP cards after I had already paid the balance on our first Carnival cruise. I could have saved $500. But I was able to use them for our internet and drink packages and shore excursions. I'm buying these anyway so why not save 10% while doing so?

Is this in Qaqortoq? We did two excursions while there with Celebrity and there were no issues. We also did the Viking ruins excursion and then later did an iceberg tour. The port area is small so when you come back from the Viking ruins excursion, you will not have far to go to meet for the other. I hope you have a great trip! We just booked the Greenland cruise with Carnival for next year.

You don't need to pay to go to the lotus spa pool. Celebrity's thalassotherapy pools are our favorite, as well, and this is not quite like it but it is a nice pool and a lovely area.

I’ve always thought it was pretty gross to mock other’s misfortunes. For Haiti’s citizens, it’s a horrific time. No one gets a choice in where they are born. I was fortunate to be raised in a safe environment in a family which prioritized my wellbeing and education. I’ve always had easy access to excellent medical care. Other human beings do not have this through no fault of their own.

We had Celebrity's Canada/NE cruise out of Boston booked for last summer but I switched it to Bermuda out of Bayonne. Partly because I wanted a warmer weather cruise and partly because Bayonne is closer. Then we did a last minute Princess Canada/NE cruise out of Brooklyn so it worked out well. We're doing that one again this year. I love Boston. I went to school there and it's always nice to go back. But there's times when I like convenience better so I'm glad there are choices.

Go and enjoy the cruise! I hope you have a great time and wish you the best! Thank you for saying this! This is super important and is really the only advice I'd feel comfortable giving to a fellow T2D. No two diabetics are the same.