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mahdnc

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About Me

  • Location
    ORD (03-?), SDF (97-03), PHL (83-96), LAX (82-83)
  • Interests
    cruising, national parks, photography, astronomy, blackjack, Pokemon Go
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Celebrity Cruises
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Of our cruises so far, our favorite is the Mediterranean; but I would love to do a Canal cruise!
  • If you have a personal or hobby CRUISE or TRAVEL BLOG, include the url here:
    5,000 badge 5/14, 10,000 on 2/23

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  1. Perhaps the hotel will grant you a later checkout time.
  2. Eclipse itinerary sounds so much better by a long shot. We've been on Eclipse and Solstice multiple times--the ships are quite comparable. Whichever one you pick, I would book now than later because cabin availability will go down and prices will go up. If a better cabin becomes available, you can certainly switch to it. Good luck.
  3. Here is the existing Cruise Critic Connections web page on Celebrity's website: link The registration button on that web page is still missing....
  4. Courtesy of @CaroleSS https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8899208959042120793?allowMobile=y&ecid=em_12921794&rid=583186056&mes=Celebrity Loyalty Laura Webinar 15 Mar 2024 EM&emsc=CCC_ELT_OUR_NAN_M_USA_FL_7_TA&empf=Y&emct=E&lnkid=REGISTER_AND_WATCH_NOW_CTA&rcid=69655777
  5. If you are interested in more detailed information about Aqua Luna's harbor cruise offerings, here is a link to their website.
  6. If your hotel is located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Kowloon, the Promenade is close by and is beautiful. It is located at the waterfront and gives you awesome views of the harbor and Hong Kong Island--day and night. You can also watch the nightly Symphony of Lights show from there.
  7. cleobella, Thank you for your very kind words and I am glad that you found the review to be helpful for your planning. Doing a private tour is very time efficient but expensive and so I understand your point. I don't feel that I am the final authority on the best day tour, but if I were planning a one day do-it-yourself tour of Hong Kong, I would visit the following: 1. Take the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island and/or back. The ferry is not expensive and it is pretty quick. The Star Ferry has a long history associated with it. My mom rode the Star Ferry every day to school back in the 1940's. Star Ferry does offer harbor sightseeing cruises. 2. Visit Victoria Peak (Hong Kong Island) which gives you great views of the city and its harbor. I would pay the modest fee to ride the Peak Tram to the top and back. The next time I return, I want to go to the Peak at night to see the city lights. Admission to the Peak itself is free although the Peak Tram costs money (the alternative is walking up to the Peak for free). Once there, there are various free vantage points to get a view. Alternatively you can pay to get to the Sky Terrace 428 which has a viewing platform. 3. Go the the Wong Tai Sin Temple which is on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. It is a shrine and a popular tourist attraction. 4. Visit the Ladies Market (Kowloon side) which is a very large flea market. It is fairly large and we liked it better than the Temple Street Night Market although the latter is worth visiting as well. 5. Finally make sure to visit a Chinese dim sum restaurant for lunch in Hong Kong. Although it was not invented there, Hong Kong is famous for its dim sum restaurants. It's worth trying if you would like an authentic Hong Kong dining experience. It was also recommended to me by a local while we were in Hong Kong to book an Aqua Luna Victoria Harbour Cruise through Klook. Their recommendation was for the cruise as well as the website/app. It's not very expensive and there are some pretty cool options like a Dim Sum cruise in the middle of the day, an Afternoon Tea Cruise, an evening cruise, and a cruise during the Symphony of Lights which occurs every evening. We found out about it too late to book anything and so I had to be content with watching the boat cruise the harbor at night from our hotel room window. Next time we go to Hong Kong, I am definitely booking it. Klook is evidently a popular website/app to book sightseeing activities. I have no experience with it and cannot tell you what the attraction is. If you have any more questions now or in the future, please do not hesitate to ask. David
  8. Ok. I looked at the current Captains Club Benefits Table that is currently posted on Celebrity's website (link). The discounted laundry benefit for Classic and Select members is 10%.
  9. It’s quite possible, but I don’t know if it affected the actual loyalty perk itself which is why I mentioned it. I would expect the perk to be better than what is offered in general (your screenshot) although I have no basis for that expectation.
  10. What ports are you thinking about making independent touring arrangements?
  11. You can take soft drinks on board but it must be carried with you. I don’t know what the loyalty discount is these days for the laundry perk you speak of. However when we used it 12 years ago it was $20 for a bag of laundry.
  12. I’m sorry to hear about your wife’s mobility issues. Choice is good. We've booked Celebrity shore excursions only when we have no other choice. It’s generally our least preferred option. Booking directly with the guide or tour operator is our first choice.
  13. Yes. It simply comes down to what value you place on the higher price you pay from the mark up. They don’t mean as much to me as it does for you. The same thing goes with the mark up associated with Celebrity’s shore excursions. Some people place a lot of value on the convenience and security.
  14. Our snorkel/diving excursions at the Great Barrier Reef (both booked through the ship and independently) had a strict headcount verification before the boats were allowed to leave the snorkel/dive area. Also the head count was performed by more than one employee. Both of their numbers had to match and it had to be the "right" number which takes some effort since the boats at the GBR could be huge. Good idea. I am sure this event had something to do with it: Open Water
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