the penguins

As X committed (gambled) to building several E class ships before the first had even sailed we won't know how successful the IV is until X launches its next generation of ships. I believe Icon only has a few IV's which is totally different. Viking is only one cruise line that has many years of experience with IV's and it chose not to have any on its Ocean Fleet.

With the balcony door open go out into the corridor and close the cabin door and you will hear the whistling. Next open the cabin door and you will get the full effect of the vortex your aircon is creating. The notice on the balcony door saying it must be kept closed is there for a reason.

Edge class operates differently to S class - the OP was asking specifically about Reflection.

Not on Celebrity. Leaving the balcony door open is an absolute no no. It puts tremendous pressure on the system creating a pressure vortex. Additionally as the aircon is shared between 2 cabins it also affects your neighbour. Walk down any corridor and you can hear the whistling created when balcony doors are left open. The balcony doors are all clearly labelled to reminder you that the doors must be kept closed.

Thanks. I assume you travel solo as clearly two people couldn’t use the table as a foot rest. My wife has mobility/back issues and clearly the chairs provide no back or neck support and there is no room for 2 foot stools. The IV seems perfect for passengers who: 1)like the idea of a balcony but don’t actually use it much. 2) don’t need chairs that provide support for the neck or the back. 3) don’t need space for footstools. 4) don’t need a decent sized table. 5) Accept that with the window down there is no aircon or heating. As we mainly cruise on itineraries with lots of sea days and regularly have lunch on the balcony the IV is a non starter for us. We will be sticking to S class. Not right or wrong just choices. Enjoy your cruising.

Just curious. The chairs have low backs and look extremely uncomfortable compared to the high back chairs that recline on the traditional balconies. Can't imagine relaxing on those chairs for the 3 plus hours we spend on the balcony every sea day. Just how long did you sit for?

No, aircon/heating is the samething. Window open everything is off.

not true on Reflection. We always pre book a time. On arrival every one signs in a the desk. Any one with a reservation is escorted to their table everyone else is held in a separate line (or released with a buzzer if there will be a longer wait) until a table is ready

We share one 90 minute package - prepare off line, logon send, logoff, read messages - repeat morning and night. When the first 90 is used decide if the second lot will last the rest of the cruise - if not use it as a discount on a full package for the remaining days. 90 X 2 has always lasted us.

Not on the basic package you would need to upgrade to Premium. For us one of the joys of cruising is to ditch as much of the digital world as possible. We check our emails early morning and late evening and that's it. The TV also stays off except to check our onboard account every day.

First 4 pics were Bora Bora - the rest Mooreia

pics as promised:

we were lucky got in on Solstice

Plus the ships have to enter through a hole in the reef blasted out by the American Navy in WW2 - The size of the gap, depth of the water and the very narrow channel are all limiting factors.

In both Bora Bora and Moorea we did private tours that took us way inland - or as inland as its possible to get. Mooreia: the attraction is definitely the flowers/ plants and the fabulous views that featured so prominently in the film South Pacific. Bora Bora: has just one road around the island - we choose a tour that included some WW2 sites. Both tours featured "air conditioned" vehicles that turned out to be open backed trucks. Both tours had great guides. Pics of both will follow

Surely its: Walk Offs Suites Luggage Tag numbers. The only other split is where you wait (Elite, Assistance etc ) for your tag number to be called. When we didn't need Assistance we waited in the Cafe Al Bacio. With Assistance it's usually Sushi on Five.

You can't. The only workaround is if one of your group is in a suite then they may be able to arrange for you all to get off with them. It worked for us (group of 6), and our Suite buddy fixed it well in advance. Good luck.

Prices: book early is the best way to reduce the costs. Hurtigruten have 12 nights this year from £6316 ( $7800) per person including flights from the UK and 19 nights in 2026 for £6000 ($7500). We did the reverse of your cruise on Eclipse to celebrate our Golden Wedding and had a fabulous time.- we did the Igassu Falls first and then a b2b ending in San Diego.

sorry what locals? there are no residents in Antarctica of any sort except on Research Stations. Hopefully by going passengers appreciate just what a pristine world where animals have no fear of man can be like. Far more tourists and ships go to the Great Barrier Reef every day than have ever been to Antarctica and without any of the controls.

Only book on a cruise that conforms to Antarctic Convention rules - max 100 people on shore at any one time, no one person on shore for more than an hour including crew. Groups are rotated to meet these standard. Hurtigruten's Fram can carry 500 passengers but it restricts the number to 208 for Antarctica On Hurtigruten on the way down all the outer clothing you will wear is vacuumed to remove any contaminants You are also measured for your "muck boots" thermally insulated waterproof boots that you must use on every landing. Once on land you can't pick anything up, put anything down or move anything. You can't even use tissues for a runny nose. Any breach of the rules brings instant rebukes by the Expedition Team and repeat offending results in you being banned from the landings. On returning from each landing you have to walk through a disinfectant bath for your boots. Your outer waterproofs are checked and if there is any mud etc your clothes are hosed down before you can enter the rest of the ship. Boots have to be removed in the cleaning area where they are dried ready for your next landing. You must wear life jackets on each landing and on return these are cleaned and dried ready for the next landing. All landings are proceeded by a specific briefing and if you fail to attend you are not permitted to do that particular landing.

something went wrong should have been 3 different pics

Talk her into the cruise first then mention the flights. Hurtigruten start from Buenos Aires with a charter from there to Ushuaia. Or fly to Buenos Aires and take a side trip to the Iguassu Falls will make it even more special. Whichever do it while you have your health, to many people wait until its too - our motto is "if we end up not being able to travel we will have memories not regrets". This type of cruise would now be impossible due to mobility issues. enjoy a few more pics:

Correct - I only wish X and the other big lines made that clearer. It always seems to me they get very close to breaking the Advertising Standards and Consumer Protection Rules/Regulations. Our CC name gives you an idea of how much we enjoyed the experience.

Each landing is subject to local conditions and is checked out by the first boat in which carries the Expedition Leader and the Emergency Supplies in case the ship can't pick you up again. One landing was a aborted due to rough seas - the ship moved about 500 yards turned to block the wind and then all was good. Another had a beach with too many seals again we moved further along - animals always get priority. Most sailings only land on the peninsular but we were due to try for a landing on the mainland. Unfortunately a passenger had a suspected heart attack which resulted in us going to King George's Island where we had to wait for 5 hours for an air ambulance to arrive. Turned out to be a great day as the 2 Research Bases agreed we could all land, explore the bases and meet the Scientists/workers. The passenger was "rescued" and we learnt later that she hadn't been having a heart attack - better safe than sorry. As it was then too late for a landing we went as far South as we could get only stopping when the ship nudged up against the solid ice. The great advantage the small ships have is their ability to adapt to the ever changing conditions plus they can get in really close to the shore something the big ships can't due. They are also "ice strengthened". I suppose if every landing was cancelled if would just be a panoramic cruise like X offers but I have never heard of that happening. Pics show how close in the ship gets. The last pic but one is the landing at Port Lockory the Southern most Post Office in the world and a Research Station. Manned by staff from the UK for 6 months every year.