Treasure Hunter

The comedy was hit and miss ( a little stale ) . Not as good as Princess . We enjoyed the other entertainment.

We were in the Haven on the Getaway in February from New York to the Bahamas. It was a great cruise. The Casino was amazing. I play the slots and had four hand pays! They didn't even bother to ask my name by the end of the cruise, just paid me. We were all screaming and dancing. The entertainment was fabulous. Million Dollar Quartet ( we saw it in Chicago and then on Broadway ) was every bit as good as the the original, and then the cast did a second show ( more intimate) that was very enjoyable called Broadway Unbound. Service was terrific and that includes other dining venues like O'Sheehans with yuummy Reubens and wings. An all around fabulous time.

You cannot book two cabins with the same name. Even if the parents are the third and fourth people in your suite ( and with current free at sea would be at no cost) I asked. Then the parents would have Haven ( or suite amenities) and privacy to sleep. NCL stopped this.

Only manicures in the past few years. And they were pricy and not very good. Now I do a gell before we leave. We were going to do a 28 day on Princess and I would of needed roots but the pandemic squashed that.

Yes, that’s what I meant. Third and fourth in a room are free with the current free at sea. My grandchildren are free. We have a two bedroom in the Haven. My daughter is the discounted rate. And will sleep on the pull out in the living room. This way we are together with two bathrooms. Don’t put it off if you can possibly do it. Stuff happens. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. They will be thrilled, many people are happy with an inside cabin as they are rarely in the room.

It’s a wonderful idea. You know Judge Judy said give with a warm hand. We took our family Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. We are going February winter break with our daughter. Either use your TA for research or call. You can find out the cost without booking specific rooms. I assume you are looking at adding two rooms. I looked at a sail away inside today and although it showed slashed prices for two people when you add port charges etc. it came to $1900 total with almost no perks. The baby is free. A way to save is to find a port that you can drive to rather than flying.

It’s a wonderful idea. You know Judge Judy said give with a warm hand. We took our family Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. We are going February winter break with our daughter. Either use your TA for research or call. You can find out the cost without booking specific rooms. I assume you are looking at adding two rooms. I looked at a sail away inside today and although it showed slashed prices for two people when you add port charges etc. it came to $1900 total with almost no perks. The baby is free. A way to save is to find a port that you can drive to rather than flying.

Don’t stay in Catania but take a tour to Taormina. Wonderful charming town with excellent Roman ruins, beautiful views of Mt Etna, gardens, art galleries, cafes yummy pastry. Or do the tour “Following in the path of The Godfather”. All the tiny towns where the film was shot. Sicily is wonderful

And the Reuben is great too. Yum

I believe the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh only takes place in July and August. Amazing and a once in a lifetime event. Loved the Royal Mile and the antique jewelry shops. If you’ve never been to Amsterdam and Brussels please pick that cruise.

Go to Amsterdam and Brussels, both wonderful and very different from each other and the other ports on the cruise. Do Normandy and leave Paris for a multi day trip in the future.

I wish you well, but don't be surprised if the lesser cabin is more expensive than the cabin you already booked. The prices have gone up ( really through the roof). I was thinking about doing the same for next winter until I checked.

We have been to Alaska on cruises twice ( Princess and NCL) with children and grandchildren. Great time BUT if you have never been to Italy, Greece and Turkey and don't think you can go for five years! And lets face it , stuff happens, I would go to Europe. What you will see will be really special. And something you will think about all the time. Frankly mid-September is just as hot. You would need to go April to mid June and then late September thru October for ideal weather. We have been on cruises in the MED many many times. There is half the ice ( glaciers) in Alaska than there was twenty years ago and except for Glacier bay we found our recent cruise boring. And the weather can be cold and rainy and miserable. I'll take hot any time. And the Ship is soooo much nicer.

Also when payment in full comes due people might drop out. I don’t know if Celebrity has wait lists like Oceania. You could ask. We worked with a TA when we went to Cuba on Oceania. We paid in full for a suite even tho we weren’t guaranteed that we could go. Three months before the cruise we were informed that we got a cabin. Call and ask.

Kids can play. It’s like bingo. A kid can play ( with a card purchased by an adult) but if the kid wins the prize must be collected by an adult.

When my kids came up from Virginia to meet us on an NCL cruise, they stayed in a hotel in New Jersey . It was a package deal. Parking included and a shuttle took them to the ship and after the cruise picked them up and took them back to the hotel. It worked great! And was stress free. I’ll try to get the name.

Yes, the first time we cruised NCL in many years we sailed on the Gem in the last room in the Haven. It had an outside wall and the temp was 4 degrees. The toilet seat was a block of ice. When we got home the last day it was 65!

We sail a lot from New York in the winter. I’d rather spend a day on the ship than in the airport. The temps ( generally) range from 20-50) but can be much colder. We wear sweatshirts with a non bulky fleece for boarding day and day before debarking. But I’m either at entertainment or casino then so don’t care. I’m so excited on a cruise that I generate my own heat!

We are in an RS on the Edge in March ( Caribbean). I can’t sit directly in the sun so an overhang is welcome , especially since I hear the retreat has very little shade. If the take out the table and chairs, can they squeeze in one lounger?

I also love the Hotel de l’Europe. It was built by Heineken to house personal family and friends. It is an event in itself and has a great location. The concierge is amazing , securing tickets to a coveted Van Gogh exhibit.

I’m worried about making a 1:15 pm nonstop from Venice to New York now that the port is Ravenna. The ship says it arrives at six am. The trip is anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Your trip to Leonardo Da Vinci from the port is approx 1 hour to 1 1/2 if nothing bad happens , so I don’t think the early flight is a possibility. Unless you stay in Rome one night ( always a good idea) and take the non stop the next day.

We are traveling on "Connie" next June and treating our son's family. They plan to spend two days in Venice at the end of the cruise but we have been a few times and knowing us, will just want to go home. The direct flight that we are looking at leaves at 1:15 the day the ship comes into Ravenna. The ship comes into port at 6:00 Am. I have heard that ( even if Celebrity has bus transfers, they take up to two and a half hours on the road to the Venice airport and we all know that the buses take forever to load) we would be better off with a private transfer. Since we will not be spending on hotels in Venice , and picking up the meals for our kids we don't care about cost, just reliability. Does anyone have a recommendation for a car service that will pick us up at the port and hopefully get us to Venice by 10:00? Does anyone have experience with this port situation? We could go on a later flight but would have to change planes in Paris or Amsterdam and at our age that is something to avoid.

We always need extra things ( like more hangers, different pillow, diet coke, ice ). Once in a celebrity suite they taped up the little window between the bed and the living area. We tip at least a $20 at the beginning and usually $20-$40 at the end if we feel we have a established a relationship. I'm so happy to be on a cruise I could cry. The stewards work to death for us.

I’m sorry it came off that way. I’m not shaming anyone. When my son and his family were treated by us for a cruise on RCCL I offered them a grand suite ( like ours) for the four of them so we could eat in coastal kitchen together. My daughter and her family accepted. My son preferred two balcony cabins so the two teens would have their own bathroom. They were happy and we had a few lunch’s and two specialty dinners together but it wasn’t what I had envisioned for our 50th. Since they live far away.

It’s a shame. You’ll feel bad for not spending time with your 3rd person unless you forgo many of the perks you are paying dearly for.