indy406

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Luggage tag holders have been ordered.

In the old days, our TA mailed us the luggage tags with glued backing. Easy to attach the day of sailing. Now we print them out at home, no glued backing, making attachment to the luggage a challenge. We get the job done by asking a nice person at the hotel front desk for the use of a stapler. Short of lugging along a stapler from home, it's pretty much the only way we've found to attach the tags after an overnight stay in the port city. Alternative suggestions would be appreciated.

Wild Turkey and Sam Adams are on the Classic package list. All is well.

We have the all-inclusive (classic beverage, tips, wifi) and bought early enough we're grandfathered in on the gratuities. We stick with the classic because it's usually OK and we can always order something premium and just pay the few dollars difference. We come out way ahead.

I also use a CPAP and always ask the cabin steward to bring an extension cord. It is there within minutes. I put it in the closet during the day and string it from the outlet at bedtime. Minor inconvenience.

Many months ago, we booked the April 15 sailing out of Athens for the Israel/Egypt cruise and then came the tragedy of the war. No surprise the itinerary was changed to Greek Isles. Celebrity offered us a free cancellation with all deposits returned in cash or $200 OBC if we stuck with the April 15 sailing. Unfortunately, we had non-refundable air tickets to/from Athens on dates coinciding with the ship schedule so we decided what the heck, stay with the cruise and, hey, maybe it'll be OK. So that's what we're doing.

And now, for us who are OK with reds from the lower shelf: Celebrity charges $13 a glass for Castle Rock pino. It costs $7 a bottle at Costco.

We enjoyed the Delos trip. I can't imagine why it is considered "strenuous." Flat surface, easy paths to navigate. It's remote and desolate and a good way to kill most of a day if you're not interested in Mykonos, which is an expensive tourist trap. One bit of advice: Skip the Celebrity excursion. Just walk about 10 minutes around the quay to a booth selling ferry tickets to Delos.It's clearly marked and easy to find. Brochures on the tiny island give you an easy self-guided tour and it is way, way less expensive than the Celebrity tour. Just check the posted schedule at the dock and take whatever ferry you want back to Mykonos.

We're on Infinity in April and I'm a little concerned, given conflicting reports on the ship's condition. Also, Tuscan is the only specialty restaurant of interest to us on Infinity. We'll miss Murano, Lawn Club and the Porch, which we've enjoyed on S-class ships. We've sailed Celebrity a dozen times and never been disappointed. Hoping to extend that string on Infinity.

We arrive back in Athens on April 25 and disembark the Infinity on the 26th. Next stop is Naxos and our hope is to take a ferry. Our TA cautions against doing that on disembarkation day because of the uncertainty about when we can leave the ship and making the ferry. It leaves around 0830 or 0900. We can carry our own bags off the ship. The TA thinks we should transfer to the Athens airport and fly to Naxos. I'm wondering if those with some experience think we should risk trying to make the ferry and avoid the airport and all that involves. Thanks.

Thanks, DM. We have nearly $500 in OBC, might as well use some of it.

We're on Infinity in April and booked All-In last year, giving us the classic drink package, WiFi and gratuities. TA says that we're grandfathered in on the gratitudes policy change, meaning ours are still included. So, we don't know if we still get the gratuities-included deal if we upgrade to the premium drinks package. If so, we'll upgrade using onboard credits. If not, we'll stick with the classic. Thanks, and apologies if this already has been addressed.

Our first cruise was on Infinity about a dozen years ago, Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. A vivid memory is the awful sulfur smell in the solarium. It was the entire cruise (16 days?) and we hurried through the solarium every time we needed to pass that way. Nobody, and I mean nobody, was lounging in there. Being rookies, we figured it was normal. Haven't noticed that problem on a single one of our 10 Celebrity cruises since then. Reflection a few times, Silhouette, Solstice, all good. We're on Infinity against next April. Here's hoping the problem is fixed.

Our TA has us in 1117 on Infinity and it appears to be a pretty good location with a slightly oversized balcony. We would appreciate it if anybody who has stayed in that room has any observations. Thanks.

I've been hearing for several years about Infinity going into dry dock and/or being refurbished. Is it actually true this time?

We've done a couple of Celebrity cruises in the last year and noticed the menus and quality of food in Blu isn't as good as in previous years. Fact is, we've started checking the menu mid-afternoon and decided to keep wearing our shorts and head to the buffet for dinner a few times. It wasn't a huge thing about Blu. Just very noticeable and disappointing. FYI, the recent cruises were on Reflection and Silhouette.

Celebrity is continuing to add water to the soup. What a shame.

Sounds like an escape from prison.

We'll be on Infinity, which arrives in Athens April 25. The ship overnights there and the cruise officially ends April 26. We'd like to get on a ferry leaving for another island around 9 a.m. on the 26th. We can carry our own luggage. Any chance we can disembark early make the ferry, which leaves from the Athens port?

The classic package is fine unless you're a bourbon drinker of if you like good wine. I am a bourbon drinker, which creates somewhat of a problem. I've managed to muddle through with a Jim Beam before dinner but it's tough to watch the Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve bottles sit quietly on the shelf. A little secret: last year on a certain Celebrity cruise on a certain ship the sommelier was kind enough to bring me a double Maker's Mark the moment we sat down for dinner every night in Blu. So that was nice. Very nice. IMO, the vodka, gin and Scotch selections are fine on the classic package. The bourbon list is exceptionally lame.

We showed up about an hour before our designated check-in time in February for a Reflection cruise out of Port Everglades. We weren't trying to cut the line or pull something, we were at the mercy of the hotel shuttle van to the port. Lots of hubbub in the drop-off area as usual but we walked right into the building and were in line just a few minutes before starting to be processed. Nobody asked us our check-in reservation time. We were on the ship probably 15 minutes later. My guess is there was no problem because we arrived when the line was short. We likely would have been held outside until our designated time if the place had been packed. So I think it's probably OK to show up early. What's the worst that could happen? You have to be waiting somewhere.

We have found it's impossible to make a reservation at The Porch on the app or Celebrity Web site. I finally gave up and just showed up on a Reflection cruise in February. Plenty of room and they wouldn't let us in without a reservation. Couldn't believe it. I got over my snit and called restaurant reservations from our room. Sure, lunch the next day, no problem. It was a fine experience, good food, wonderful white sangria, fine service. Only a few tables occupied. Three or four different couples arrived hoping to get a table. Nope. No reservations. They were turned away, An hour before closing down lunch and nobody with reservations showed. The only thing that makes sense to me is that they staff the place based on reservations. Amazing.

On our first cruise a dozen years ago we were seated in Blu near a very nice couple from New York State. The gentleman told us he was trying to maintain his weight but he loved desserts, especially the apple pie served warm. So he ordered the apple pie every evening in Blu and ate — get this — one bite. No more. We thought it was a bit wasteful but also knew it was not for us to judge. My favorite? Since you asked, I have taken the advice of another new acquaintance in Blu a couple years ago. He recommended creme brûlée with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh my.

We were on the Reflection in February, Aqua, and the food was OK. Not great, nothing memorable. Blu's menus were not special, probably better than the MDR but that's about it. One night I ordered the asparagus soup in Blu. It was inedible. I don't mean it was not to my taste. I'm talking awful, like somebody messed up the recipe and put in a full bottle of lime juice. The MD stopped by and asked if everything was satisfactory. I told him about the soup, first time in 12 years of Celebrity cruising I ever complained about the food in any venue. He smiled and nodded. I suggested he hit the kitchen and give it a taste. Smile and nod. I told my wife that we should watch other folks' reaction when the soup arrived. Every person gave it one taste and pushed it away. Isolated incident, I know, but the MD didn't care. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the buffet. So I'm not that hard to please.

I'm not clear on what happens if I have the classic drink package and order a drink from the premium list. Do I pay the difference between classic and premium price or do I pay the full premium price. I thought it was the former but have seen a couple of postings where it's allegedly the latter. FYI, I ordered a Bailey's on the rocks on our last cruise and the bartender said it wasn't on the classic package. I said, fine, whatever, do what's appropriate on the charge. He said, "nah, forget it." Nice, and that was before a put a tip on the bar.