SoonerDog

Thanks for the response. Your assessment of the 4 night trips makes perfect sense, although I hadn't really thought of that aspect. Just a long weekend party cruise so to speak. Our favorite line thus far has been Celebrity & we've done 2 trips with them- One Mediterranean, the other Eastern Caribbean. Both were great. We've also done 1 Princess cruise (Golden Princess, Transatlantic), but that was several years ago. We're thinking of taking a 7 nighter out of Galveston within the next 4 to 6 weeks & might take another look at Carnival. I'll watch for your post-cruise comments on the Mardi Gras! Hope it's a great trip!

There are plenty of cruises which allow children; many even cater to them. For those who prefer an adults-only ship, there are markedly fewer choices. Personally, I agree with those who prefer NOT having a bunch of children onboard. I have raised my children, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my Grandchildren when it suits me. However, I am not enthralled by other people's kids and have zero interest in spending my holiday/vacation time with them. Truthfully, I'd rather be hit in the face with a stick than look at photos of your grandchildren! My 2 adult sons and I have a Pub/Restaurant business in a mid-sized city. We'll have been open 21 years in March and have never allowed under 21's, even though we could if we elected to do so. Yes, there are people who complain and sometimes leave bad reviews online simply because of this policy. However, our loyal clientele love the fact that we are adults-only and have repeatedly expressed that to us. There are dozens of other places in town where families can go. We are the only nicer restaurant where a Teacher can come in for dinner and a few drinks without running into one of their students! So, for you who are somehow offended by those of us that prefer NOT to spend our leisure time around children, understand it isn't because we hate kids or families- We've simply paid our dues and prefer the company of like-minded adults....And Dogs! we like dogs!

Have you been on Carnival recently? My very first cruise some 20 odd years ago was a 4 day affair on the old Carnival Fantasy and it was not a very pleasant experience. In fact, that trip has caused me to avoid Carnival ever since. Am I being unfair? Have their cruises & ships improved? I do like some of the itineraries they offer, but have been leery of giving them another chance.

You are most welcome! My wife is from Edinburgh and, although we are now in the States, we lived in the City Center for a few years and travel back frequently to see family. Some things I failed to mention- Depending upon how much luggage you have, the Trams are a great way to get to the airport and I'd encourage you to use them if at all feasible. If you are carrying quite a lot, you'll be better off taking a Taxi or Private Car hire. If going by car/taxi give yourself some extra time, especially if your flight requires you to be at the airport between 7:00 & 9:00 or 4:00 to 6:30 as traffic can be quite heavy along the route during the typical 'rush hours'. The Britannia is moored at Ocean Terminal which is an indoor shopping center that has a food court and Cinema. The Trams run there from Princess Street with several stops along the way, including one adjacent to the Conan Doyle Pub & Edinburgh Playhouse I mentioned previously.

Edinburgh is kind of divided between what's known as "Old Town' & 'New Town'. Old Town basically sits above the New Town area and that is where you'll find the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. The Castle is at the top of the Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace sits at the bottom. Along the way are many shops, pubs, restaurants and interesting sites. It's best to find a ride to the castle (Taxi, Hop-on/Hop-off tour bus or City Bus (Lothian Buses) and walk down- much easier as getting to the castle on foot is a pretty good climb. Definitely stay in the City Center of Edinburgh. The hotels there will be a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion. Anywhere in the 'West End' or York Place/St James Quarter of New Town will be great as the Edinburgh Trams run pretty much everywhere in the City Center, even down to the Leith area (seaport region where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored). There are also a number of nice hotels along the Royal Mile, as well as the Grass Market which is just below the castle; however, Trams do not run in those areas, so you'll have to walk or grab a Taxi or Bus. One positive thing about the Edinburgh Buses (Red Lothian Buses) is the fact that they all run down Prince's Street at some point- Just make sure to ask the driver if he is headed to or away from Princes Street. The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle are pretty much a 'must see', they are a pretty tough climb from Prince's Street which is the main shopping street. The Edinburgh 'Hop-on/Hop-off' buses are a great way to get a general overview of the city and also will eliminate some of the walking/climbing between the main sites. I would do that, stopping off along the way to see the Castle and walk DOWN the Royal Mile. Depending upon how much time you have, some of my favorite places are as follows: The Surgeon's Hall Museum on South Bridge/Nicolson St Scottish National Gallery on Prince's Street National Museum of Scotland (near the University) The Edinburgh Playhouse (There is usually a good play on) The Conan Doyle Pub for a meal (named in honor of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes). Conan Doyle lived nearby. Stockbridge area if you have time and check out the 'Charity Shops'- Fun & full of bargains The basement supermarket at Mark's & Spencer's on Prince's Street. Primark Clothing Store- Prince's Street Walk along Rose Street which is like a pedestrian only street right behind Princess Street. TISO outfitters on Rose Street Stop at the Gregg's bakery on Rose street for a 'Steak bake' Also, any of the 'Pret' sandwich shops for a delicious quick snack Edinburgh is a magnificent city and, in my opinion, one of the World's most beautiful. It's easy to get around and people are friendly- even if a bit hard to understand at first. You'll love it!

Although it's been several years, I've stayed at the Luna Simone a couple of times and it was always clean & comfortable. And, if you aren't opposed to walking, it is within a mile or so to many of the sites around Westminster. Things may have changed, but when I was last there the closest Tube Station was Victoria Station which is about a half-mile walk and that can get kind of old. If you're comfortable interpreting the Bus schedule, then there is a Bus Stop very close, but London Buses can be challenging if you aren't familiar with the city. The other drawback is the lack of Pubs/Restaurants close by, but as I recall there was a supermarket in the area. No offense intended to 'Travelling2Some' as they are obviously seasoned travelers and likely know the area well, and for those who do, I agree- Luna Simone is a great choice.

If worse comes to worse, get casino chips for your remaining balance- you cannot 'cash' these in, but you can play a few hands of Blackjack using them and get back regular chips as/if you win. Those can be cashed in for actual dollars. I had $120 remaining credit on my last cruise. Went to casino the last night at 10:00 pm, got playable chips for my credit and was lucky enough to leave with over $300 cash.

Over the past 30 odd years, I've stayed in virtually every part of Central London and, while all have their own advantages/disadvantages, I've come to the conclusion that the more important criteria are selecting a hotel convenient to a Tube Station, as well as Pubs/Restaurants. My wife (who is from Edinburgh) & I live in the States now, but we lived in Scotland for a few years and traveled back & forth to London frequently while we were attempting to obtain a VISA for her to move to the US with me. We have come to prefer staying in the area around Tower Hill for a number of reason- There are a number of newer hotels there which are reasonably priced. The area has some nice Pubs & Eateries, and it's easy to get virtually anywhere in Central London from the Tower Hill Tube Station via the Circle Line. The other two areas we have enjoyed are Notting Hill & Bloomsbury (Russell Square) both of which have good hotels, although older & more traditional. Both are good locations with plenty of amenities. My suggestion would be to shop in one of these areas for a good deal then look up recent reviews for the specific hotel on Trip Advisor. Have a great time... Mark