Hydro ergo

Thank you everyone for the comments. I definitely don't book a cruise based on reviews from others. I wasn't really looking for that type of information. I was looking more for things like... On Princess I really enjoy Movies Under the Stars On Virgin I really enjoy the no kids experience and the most-included model On Princess, try to get afternoon tea once On such and such a ship, this is a great place to sit and read a book I feel like there was a lot more of that type of discussion pre-pandemic. Post-pandemic everything seems to be about cutbacks. And yeah, I get it, I'm frustrated with that too, but I'm still going on vacation and I like to look for the positives. Customer service is hit or miss with just about every aspect of travel right now, so I'm taking all of that with a grain of salt (cruise and land vacations). Thank you all.

Yeah, I should have said check-in time. I know that check in and boarding are not the same thing. That was my miscommunication. I've sailed plenty, just not on Celebrity. Was wondering more about arriving at the terminal. thank you!

Hello! I've cruised a lot of the message boards on here, but unlike many other lines, I haven't found much in the way of "helpful tips and things you don't want to miss" for Celebrity. Hoping I can get some of that here! I've cruised on several other lines, many times, but wanted to try something different this year for my 40th bday at the end of February. I'm looking for any type of "can't miss" things around the ship or maybe some things that are unique to Celebrity. I'll be sailing on Reflection. In addition to general feedback, I do have a few specific questions in mind: 1. I've always wanted to do a behind-the-scenes tour but haven't yet on any line. What is the experience like on Celebrity? 2. What are dining options for breakfast and lunch? Is the MDR open? 3. One thing I love about Virgin is that they are SO EASY to reach. I've tried Celebrity's "chat" option several times, at different times of the day and week, only to be told that the agents are unavailable. What are hold times like if I call and what is the customer service like? I'm curious about trying to get waitlisted for anytime dining (vs. the current 830 slot that I'm not enthused about). 4. I've heard mixed things about boarding times. Are they enforced? Should I stay up to midnight 45 days out to get a good embark time? For context, I have a concierge class room and am sailing out of Port Everglades. 5. What are the actual perks of concierge class? It was literally the same price as verandah when I booked, so I figured why not. From what I have read it sounds like what is shown on the website isn't always what you get and it appears to vary widely person to person, ship to ship, itinerary to itinerary (maybe that answers my question! 😂) 6. We have four sea days. Any recommendations on things to attend around the ship? I'm a trivia nerd and expect there will be plenty of that, but anything else entertainment wise that is interesting or fun? 7. Is there afternoon tea? (always a favorite of mine when sailing Princess) 8. How about any neat spots around the ship? I love finding those great little nooks or spots with something different. 9. And finally...anything to avoid??? 🤣 Like I said, any feedback is welcome. I'm looking forward to adding Celebrity into the mix. Cheers!

Thank you @Team Stag! This is really helpful. I hate to be that person, but I'm just not into the group dinners. It's mostly because some nights I might just want an appetizer and dessert and I don't want to be beholden to someone else's schedule. There's also a chance I may end up sailing solo and sometimes I prefer to bring a book and read during dinner. But hearing they may be able to accommodate a smaller table, that's great. And I certainly won't overlook the Ocean View! I have a habit of doing the appetizer thing myself! 🤣 I definitely don't mind doing the buffet, and some nights it's a better option for many reasons. But I would hate to feel stuck. I like options, and I like to try as much as I can, especially on a new ship and cruise line! thank you!

Hello! Looking at booking a somewhat last minute cruise on equinox at the end of march. As of right now the only dining time available is 8:30 p.m. in all of my years of cruising I have never done assigned dining times as I don't like sharing a table. That's just my personal preference, and no disrespect or judgment to anybody who enjoys that, but it's not for me. Do you know if it's possible to request a table for two if you have an assigned dining time? I did request waitlist for anytime dining, but not sure how likely it is that will become available. I don't want to get stuck at the buffet every night. Thank you for any insight! I'm new to celebrity.

We ended up getting into port late and didn't make it to Oia... just enough time to explore Fira before sunset. We'll try it next time though! Thank you, it sounds like fun.

I will echo @bguppies...depends on what you are looking for. Take a look at the information for each of the sites and see which appeals to you. When in Belize I found that Lamanai looked REALLY interesting. But, it required a 1hr bus ride followed by a 1hr boat ride to reach. We LOVED it (the journey, the guide, the ruins, the meal, all of it). However, that's too much for a lot of people. Costa Maya ruins will certainly be more accessible than Belize, but there are shorter trips in Belize vs. the one we did. Side note, for the Lamanai trip, we booked through the ship and were glad we did as we were the last tender back--it would have cut too close for my comfort for a third party. Chacchoben with Native Choice however is only about a 4hr excursion on a (typically) 8-9 port day and an easy option to save over the cruise lines (who I have heard use them anyway!)

Hi All, We are going to be in Costa Maya next week and would like to spend a few hours on the beach. Since we won't be there too long, we don't want an AI package or anything that's going to cost a ton. We are more than happy to buy a meal and some drinks (that's part of the plan) but would prefer something a little more relaxing than what we are seeing at places like Krazy Lobster for example (just a little too tightly packed for my taste...and there are FOUR ships in port that day...) I've seen a few mentions of El Fuerte and that sounds more like our style. Wanted to see if anyone has been recently? Is there a minimum charge? Do you go in through the hotel and ask to use the beach? I certainly don't want to overstep or be "entitled" just trying to find something a little quieter. thank you!

I had $600 bar tab on my last Virgin cruise and I'm not a big drinker so...bought a bottle of champagne, asked that they keep it corked for me to open later...and brought it off the ship. I think if you just say you want to have it in your room later, it's fine. They even gave me two glasses to bring back to my room 🙂

@askjojo we had booked the Tuscany Bus transfer for about $70. It operates under several names, which made me a little nervous. Our paperwork was listed under a company called Shore Excursions. I wish I could give you more detail but unfortunately we ended up sick and had to miss getting off the ship that day. I did reach out to the company that morning to let them know via the emergency number they provided. I just didn't want anyone waiting around for us. Anyway, it took them a few hours to respond with a brief message saying "no good news. we cannot issue refund." I wasn't expecting, nor had asked for, a refund. I was a little surprised that it took a few hours to get a response from an "emergency" number. Unfortunately, that's all I have to share. I hope you have a lovely time and are able to find some good options for transit!

Left FCO Saturday on a 940am flight. 550 train to FCO, arrived at 625. Quick bag drop at Delta, maybe about 10-15minutes, if that. Breezed through security. We had purchased the fast pass and used it, but definitely didn't need to. Passport check was maybe another 15 minutes. Plenty of time at the gates to wander around and get some breakfast before boarding at 845. Like the post above, I think it could be a lot worse, but I also think all the hype is unnecessary. FCO was a breeze compared to the flight change at JFK and US Customs lines 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks everyone! We were just there a few days ago and yep, had to wait about 15mins off to the side. No big deal. We had read about the backpack policy and only brought a small bag for sunglasses and an umbrella. That wasn't a problem. However, we did see several people goin with large backpacks...like the ones students use, not hiking style, but larger than I would have thought was permissible. So yes, that does seem a bit arbitrary.

That was the point of the question... didn't want to rely on a phone alarm when changing time zones and the uncertainty of when the phone would update vs possibly staying on ship time etc etc.

It's not the cell phone 🤣 it was the little travel clock. I didn't want to bring anything extra that wasn't necessary.

thank you everyone, glad I'm not the only old fashioned one out here! @julig22 -- your repositioning issue is EXACTLY what I'm trying to avoid---relying on a potentially confused "smart" phone 😆

huh, learn something new everyday, I didn't realize this was possible, I'll have to check it out. thanks!

Hi Everyone, Ridiculous old school question here...does NCL do wake-up calls? I've sailed many times and always use my phone or a little travel clock. However, I'm trying really hard to cut down on packing for this next one and have a low-level interior cabin and worried about the phone working and time change and all that. A good old fashioned wake up call would help alleviate the stress as we do have a few days where we will need to be up EARLY to be off the ship for 6/630am excursions. I did see a thread from back in 2007 that they were available, but was hoping for something a bit more up to date 😉 thank you!

Hi Everyone, I'm trying to find out what types of bags/backpacks are permitted at the Acropolis. I've seen "small backpacks" listed as a guide on several sites. Anyone have actual experience? I had hoped to carry my Camelback pack with me really for the purpose of water but now I'm wondering if that's not going to be allowed. The thought of walking around Athens all day with the one bottle of water I could fit in my "purse" sized bag is frustrating. Yes, I realize I can keep buying bottles of water/refilling my reusable, but that gets annoying...I drink about 3 liters a day. If not permitted inside the Acropolis, do they have any type of secure bag check area or anything? Then I could at least have it for the rest of the day. And I know---pickpockets...and having a backpack makes me a target. It would literally only contain a water bladder, couple granola bars, and possibly a jacket/umbrella depending on the weather the day we visit. I did see that Pompeii has a bag policy but there's is quite clear about size and that they have onsite lockers for anything larger. Thank you!

Thank you @marazul, we would love to do a private tour but unfortunately it's simply out of our price range. 😥

@cruisemom42, thank you (again!!) you are such an amazing wealth of knowledge! @mapleleaves, I did a quick search and I think it is Tuscanybus/Shore Experience/Sightseeing Experience... they appear to all be the same website even if you search them individually. I had found them separately before and was a bit weary because of this. Sightseeing Experience doesn't seem to have great reviews, but those for Shore Experience aren't bad. Tuscany Bus has only been mentioned here, and I trust the gang on this site. I did try the ItalyTourShare site, thank you for that suggestion. Unfortunately, nothing was available. I think the combo of it being a National Holiday (just learned that), approaching the end of the season, only one ship in port...not having much luck. I think right now we are looking at probably taking a chance on one of the three (same?) companies above and getting a transfer. 4+ hours in Florence is better than just hanging around Livorno all day. I'll make a decision by tonight. 😁 thank you both!

Hi Everyone, We had a tour booked through ItalyTours for our day in Livorno. It was a full day to Florence with part of it a guided tour and then a few hours of free time. We were looking forward to an "easy" option for a longer port day (9-830pm). We had wanted to see Florence, but aren't interested in a stop at Pisa. We also want to be able to actually SEE some of Florence. Of course one day isn't nearly enough, but we felt like with a guided 2-hour tour of some of the major sites in the city and about three hours on our own, we would get a decent taste. Turns out no one else feels this way and the tour has been cancelled because we were the only ones to sign up. We leave on Saturday to fly to Rome from the US. Livorno is at the end of our cruise, November 1, but now we are scrambling and hoping for some suggestions?? Here's what we have run into so far... --We are comfortable taking trains, but the timing is crummy for Florence (no real surprise). The best we could manage with safely getting back to the ship is about 3.5, MAYBE 4 hours in Florence. Doesn't really feel worth it for an equal (or greater) amount of travel time. --We were actually originally considering Lucca. Looks like a lovely place easily reachable by train. We could manage about five hours there with plenty of cushion in the am and pm. However...Lucca Comics & Games - Much more than a festival (luccacomicsandgames.com) this is happening, first day is when we are in port. We are actually big nerds that have been to several comic conventions (including DragonCon many years in Atlanta, GA). But, we are imagining what the con footprint is like in Atlanta and not sure we would want that type of experience while in Lucca for the day. The website says they cap attendance at 80K and have sold about 40K tickets so far for Nov 1. Looking at the map... Official Map 2023 | Lucca Comics & Games (luccacomicsandgames.com) it appears to be spread out through a lot of downtown Lucca. So...would love to hear thoughts on 1. what it might be like going to Lucca anyway with this type of crowd 2. any suggestions on a last-minute tour we might be able to jump on from Livorno (we are open to options, don't feel like Pisa is necessary, would like to actually be able to see something vs. spending all our time in transit) 3. any suggestions for our adventure this day period. I'm open to just about anything at this point! Thank you to all you fabulous cruisers out there---this website is a vacation saver!! 😅

Thank you everyone, this is helpful. From what I had read in other sources there was a lot about lengthy meals around two hours. We plan to enjoy such an experience in other ports where we have more time available. There's so much that we want to see in Athens that we would rather do something quick. 45 minutes is definitely doable. Thanks!

Thank you @insidecabin. I think this clears things up a bit! Do you know if you have pre-purchased tickets, does that let you skip the line? Or, does everyone just queue up regardless of ticket status? My biggest worry is missing the time slot I guess...the way the trenitalia site is worded, it sounds like your ticket (even the port ticket for the $6) is only valid at a certain time...and if people get on that one that aren't ticketed for that time, are we out of luck? I'm probably overthinking all of this, but I just hate the idea of missing our train. thank you all again---the personal experiences are very helpful.

@mapleleaves, we're going to Termini. That part we have figured out! 🤣 Sounds like most people have had a different experience from each other, so I think we may just wing it once we get off the ship and make sure to give ourselves plenty of time to get from ship to Civi station...by some mode of wheeled transport! 😁

Hm. I think that we have a few different things being discussed here. When you ARRIVE at the port from the train you need to do three things: 1. Train from Rome (or wherever) to Civitavecchia 2. City/Local bus (or taxi) to cruise port 3. Shuttle bus from port entry to your ship What I'm trying to figure out is if that is the same on the reverse? @tsahall01 said that it was just the one bus from the ship to the train station, which would combine #2/3 above. But maybe there was a long walk from the ship to the city bus? @mapleleavesmentioned getting the combined ticket that includes the city bus so that you get off the train and transfer directly to that bus without additional payment (you've already paid the $6 as part of your train ticket and transfer). That's what I've done for the arrival, and expect to then take the port shuttle from the bus transfer point to the ship. If going in reverse, I'm wondering about buying the city bus ticket from the port entry to the train station ahead of time. Trenitalia website included the ticket for this trip with only a five minute transfer window. I wasn't comfortable with that (getting from bus to train in five minutes and possibly missing my high-speed train to Rome). So, I'm wondering if I should just wait and get the bus ticket at the station, or if I should book that ahead of time, just with a larger window between the bus arrival and train departure. Does that make sense? Or maybe I've completely lost the thought for the way back to the train...