Algebralovr

It all depends on the person. I like the over the bed storage units. I also like the cloth storage bins- although DH does not.

It is difficult/impossible to upgrade now. We have been able to upgrade in the past but Celebrity has a lot of restrictions in place now. We were not able to upgrade from balcony to CC as we used old Open Passage for original booking. We were told that we would loose the original deposit on passage and OBC from Passage to upgrade. Price difference was $100 pp which we would pay.

 

This happened yesterday!

That doesn't make sense. I would recommend you call again and ask a different agent, or if you use a TA you ask them to do the same. They have to abide by the written rules, especially on the open passage you purchased. Saying you would lose your deposit makes no sense, nor does losing a small OBC.

This disappoints me since I just booked a Priceline Express 4* deal for $102. When I received my confirmation email with the hotel name I began doing research on the one I was assigned too and was alarmed by the reviews of the hotel and the fact that even though I booked a supposed beach area hotel this is not on the beach. I called the customer service line and was told that they don't allow any kind of cancellations or editing of the reservation even though I explained to them that I figured since I booked a "beach" hotel that it should be on the physical beach. I probably will never use Priceline again to book a room and am thinking of disputing the booking with my credit card company. It's a let down, we were hoping for a nice post-cruise hotel :(

It is in the beach area. The people at Priceline never claim it is on the beach.

Prices often go for $250 -$300 per night. Just because they are not on the night you are there has nothing to do with it.

If you want to be able to choose your hotel, cancel if you don't like the reviews, and know exactly what you are getting, don't use a consolidator like PL. Instead, book direct via the hotel website at Hyatt, Hilton, etc. Even if you only travel once a year, join the loyalty club. Staying once a year still means you get points if you book direct, and every 3-5 years you can get a free room.

OP,

It sounds as though you do need the accessible cabin. They are called accessible, not wheelchair cabins. You will not be denied boarding just because you don't have a wheelchair as long as you can state in writing that you need the accessible features.

First, contact the access office via the number given previously.

Next, make sure you request wheelchair embarkation and disembarkation, so that you do not have the long walk on and off the ship. You can request it from the access department.

Third, consider booking the scooter now, in case you need it. It is easier to have and not need than to need and not have. You don't know how things will be between now and sail date, and we would hate for you to be feeling fine in the days leading up to the cruise, get on board, and halfway through, realize you really need the scooter.

Then, book your excursions and enjoy the cruise!

Roz,

If you and Horton ever sail on a Celebrity ship we are on, we will happily share a table you the two of you.

Honest, with as many lurkers as are here, I can't believe the issues finding someone who didn't mind eating next to Horton!

Fairbourne,

Please keep up the puppy pics and tales! We are enjoying them like crazy!

DH and I have debating doing Pre-check or GE for the last couple of months. I fly enough to want it, particularly after getting stuck in line last January. Of course, the nearest interview location for Pre-Check is 100 miles away, which means a day off work. I'm trying to see if I can make that work, while saving my vacation days frantically for cruises.

For the small fee difference, we'd prefer to apply for GE, for the once or twice in the next five years we'll use it, particularly if they ever start offering GE lanes at cruise ports. Unfortunately, there is not a GE interview location in the state. I believe the closest is Chicago, 7 hours away, and we do not have plans to be there any time soon.

We will, however, be visiting the in-laws outside Las Vegas over the holidays. I've called and left a message at the number listed to find out if they will be open for interviews on Dec 23 or 26th. Does anyone know if they close for the week? No telling if they will call back.

Sounds good, Dave! That lowered price would make me jump on it.

I believe you will get lounge access with the business class fare, which will be nice with the long waits in JFK. Doesn't the lounge provide some refreshments? If so, that will save you $30 -$50 in costs at the airport for coffee, lunch and water! It also means fewer people to fight for a chair, a little more to relax, more likely to find an electrical outlet if you need one, and possibly wi-fi access.

The premium NA includes water with gas, as well as premium bottled water choices. Additionally, the premium includes frozen drinks while the classic does not. As for mocktails, I cannot answer. I've had both, and find that if I want one frozen drink each day, I'm better off with the premium.

You don't state which ship you will be on. If Equinox, she has the new bar "Slush" with a bunch of nice frozen drinks that are covered on the premium but not the classic.

On the few occasions we have ordered breakfast via room service, we have had it delivered by our room steward or his assistant. Usually they are very rapidly in and out, so if you wish to give an extra tip, have it ready.

As stated above, the room service staff is covered under the tip pool, so nothing is required.

Growing up on water that came from the Mississippi, I found that the tap water was fine, however, I believe the salt content may be a little high. When I switched to bottled, my legs were less likely to swell.

I tend to look for water that has gone through a reverse osmosis system.

The last few cruises I've been on, the only cider usually available was Strongbow.

Count me in the Bistro on 5 embarkation fan club.

We wanted to go there for lunch on Equinox in June, and learned that they were waiting to open it until 4 pm daily for the port intensive Med cruises. One of the staff mentioned that while it does a slow and steady business in the islands, even on port days, there was no point having it open before dinner on port days in the Med. Plus, with the new GastroBar, the Bistro had even less business.

We never did get there. Looking forward to it in February !

My DD has a number of food allergies and was able to eat everywhere. At times, she needed to pre-order. At other times, she just needed to ask an Asst Matre'D to fetch something from the back to avoid cross-contamination.

AA may not be willing to change anything, unless they change the flight times. You have a couple of months for them to do that, it anything could happen.

My advise is to check the status of your flights often. Be on the lookout for AA to change things, and when they do, call and nicely request the reps assistance.

Also, as the flight gets close, watch b the weather reports very closely - particularly for the days leading up to your flights. If the weather forecast shows travel difficulty, they may be willing to fly you out I n advance of a winter storm, and use a different route to get you to FL. If you are able, be prepared t o leave a couple of days early. I had a success doing that a couple of years ago.

Thank you 6rugrats, I'm glad to hear from another parent. I think they will always be "the kids" to us.

You understand our feelings exactly!

To the OP, Dave, just how long is that flight from JFK? Are either of you likely to end up with swollen ankles from having your legs down for so long? That is another consideration we have for the next time we have a long flight. I was surprised to find that my ankles and feet were quite swollen at the end of the long flight.

Thank you for the reminder about "all the costs". I know it does not hold award flights against you, since that is specifically mentioned. I'll go read my policy regarding the rest of it.

We do like that we can purchase the insurance and add to it as we add costs.

All you can do is ask. Expect them to say no, but you can always ask.

As for a discount for boarding late, absolutely not.

I'm wondering how good the insurance will be via our USAA MC. I'm using it to charge the next couple of cruises, but also purchasing a policy from USAA ' S agreement with TravelInsured. My thought is that if I purchase the lowest increment with TravelInsured, that will cover my medical. The trip itself can then be covered by the MC. I believe that works under the policy that I read. A

Anyone tried that?

We did a mix of private and ship's tours last summer, depending on where we were. Read on the ports of call boards and trip advisor to decide what is best for you. One thing I like about the ship's tours is that we can change our minds at the last minute and get a refund. That becomes important if someone has a health issue. If all are healthy, it is not an issue.

Actually air traffic was still a mess all weekend and even now is not back to normal. My comment referred to a specific sentence about a total ground stop, which was inaccurate.

Sure!

This is why we always travel at least a day before, and have insurance. While it would be about a 20 hour drive to Port of Miami for us, if we needed to, we could drive it at the last minute.

I assume that insurance would also pay for something, whether to get us to meet the ship at the first port or something. Even on a closed loop cruise, where they don't normally let passengers join as the cruise goes on, I assume the rule would be waived if the people in question had the documentation needed to fly to where the ship was going to be.

Hmm mm, just one more reason I'm glad we travel with passports.

Generation gap? I think it is just personal preferences.

DH and I are in mid- 40s, cruising with friends in their mid- 30's.

We just all prefer it a bit more quiet.

Air travel was still a mess late in the day on Friday. A friend who was flying in from China said that they had already taken off when the incident happened in Chicago. He said that once they got close to the US, they flew a really strange route, almost as if they were searching for an airport to land at. It was late enough, though, that Chicago's airspace had reopened and they were able to land there as expected. His connection, however, had not made it in. He ended up on Amtrak for the last leg of his journey, a number of hours later than expected.

Please note: It may depend on the airline, but I would not count on upgrades to business routinely being available for just $500. To buy a ticket in Biz is typically much, much higher, and "upgrades" are often highly restrictive.... you either need to have paid a much higher economy fare class to begin, or have upgrade certificates as a perk of being an elite level frequent flyer, etc. etc. Sure, sometimes, they will offer something like you got at the gate but in my experience that is extremely rare, so just didn't want you thinking that it's the kind of thing that's always available if you want it. ;)

Very true! We were not offered such an upgrade on the way home!

I really don't understand people who say such things. It's treating your kids as second class citizens! Would you go to a 3 Michelin Star restaurant and give your kids $20 to go to McDonalds? Put them up in the Hampton Inn whilst you go to the Four Seasons?

 

It's strange because it seems to be something I never see or hear of back in Europe where I'm from. As a family growing up we always flew in the same class of travel and I think my parents would have been mortified doing it any other way.

No, it is not treating kids as second class citizens. My children are adults, and no longer depend on mom and dad to pay for everything. If they were younger, there is no way that I would expect them to be in a different class, but I've already told them that if we foot the bill for another expensive trip, I will pay for the basics and they can pay for enhancements. I see nothing wrong with telling my adult children, "I'm booking myself into a balcony stateroom. The interior is $XXX per person. If you wish to upgrade, please call the TA with your credit card number. Similarly, airfare is $XXXX. If you wish to upgrade, please contact the airline/travel agent with your credit card." We work for the little luxury items. I teach an extra class on top of my day job to pay for things such as cruises. They can learn to make similar decisions.

Besides, I'm pretty sure most children would prefer McDonald's over a 3 star restaurant! On our first cruise, in 2010, my then 15 year old was so annoyed by the pace and length of time spent at dinner in the MDR, that he asked for and received permission to eat dinner at the buffet after the second night.

Please do not judge when you know nothing about the situation.