Spif Barwunkel

Celebrity remains our cruise line of choice, though not exclusively so. From December 2023 through December 2025, 8 cruises include 4 X, 2 Princess, 1RC, 1 Virgin. More likely than not, 2026 will begin with an NCL cruise. NCL, Princess and Virgin will host us as first-timers. If one enjoys the cruising life, it is nice to have a comfortable primary residence while also having the opportunity to enjoy other cruise lines and what they offer. It should be noted that cruising with other lines is not based on negative experiences with Celebrity. Rather, it is based on curiosity and the ability to explore that curiosity.

Your thread has been a very enjoyable replay of our May 2023 cruise on the Beyond. Nicely balanced and thought out with a good eye, a pleasant tone and a coherent presentation, it's the next best thing to an in-person revisit. Despite the blatant, in-your-face pastry pic (post #88), as if the pizza pic wasn't enough, I was able to self-medicate and somewhat control a severe case of the "slobbers." As a result, my tee shirt and keyboard were spared a dampening of spirit, if you will. Beautiful journeys to be continued....

Santorini is a treasure trove of photo opportunities. It gives the most skilled photographer even more virtuosity and makes the most amateurish shutterbug seem somewhat proficient. What you saw through your lens reminds me of what I saw through mine, realizing that with just a slight move left or right, up or down, that same frame could offer many variations on the original look. Lovely pictures. At the same time when considering that the Ascent, fully loaded, brings more than 20 percent of Santorini's population to the Aegean Sea, it is hard to imagine that other boatloads of folks, also enjoying this beautiful part of the world, will not eventually become an encumbrance to local residents and the lay of the land. That can be said, of course, about many places around the world. Indeed, we enjoy and appreciate the privilege of these opportunities.

Previous posts are spot on. Europe's character is beautifully displayed through the varied personalities and presentations of its countries. The variables are many and require due diligence when planning your next trip. We are fortunate to have visited many of the countries on your survey, all cruises with some land stays. Although X is our cruise line of choice, we do not hesitate to patronize others when the itinerary most suits our desires. In answering your query, as you know, river cruises see Europe from a different perspective than do ocean cruises. Both offer enjoyable differences on a common theme. Depends on what you're in the mood for. My recommendations, in no particular order, Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia, Greece, Ireland, Iceland. Naturally, if you are fortunate to be able to combine b2b cruises that fulfill your most recent destination priorities, all the better.

A pleasant way to reminisce about cruises past as your succinct and unique style will no-doubt conjure up great memories of the ports-of-call. Our sailing ship was another vessel, but we did enjoy Ascent on a different itinerary. Putting that pizza, (post #32) out there for everyone to see shows total disregard for the resulting adverse mouthwatering effects that will be experienced by the viewers. It just looks too scrumptious.

How true is this! No way you should have to exert yourself in the slightest. For the money you spend, every need should be tended to. No argument from me. And yes, I am different from many folks who post on these forums. Actually, I am quite thankful for that. But I do speak up when something important to me seems amiss. Chair configuration is not on the list.

Totally understand where you are coming from. My expectations are perhaps not as definitively important as other folks. Not right or wrong, just different. Also, history has a way of bringing about changes, some temporary some permanent. Some good some not so much. Personally, I can appreciate that because change happens, and I might not always understand why.

As well you should. I pay for room and board plus whatever other incidentals/packages I might enjoy. I'm not sure that includes specific chair/lounger configurations. Could be wrong. I have had them all. Ain't no thing.

I can certainly understand the consternation regarding the lack of loungers in balcony cabins, particularly suites. What's more, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason across the fleet as to why. Some got 'em, some don't. When requested, some get 'em, some don't. Another mysterious Celebrity action item gone wrong? We cruise in Balcony/IV cabins. That suits us. If our balcony is furnished with two chairs and a table that is fine with us. We require nothing else, and we do spend lots of time out there. Even in a suite, no loungers would be okay. It is so much easier to enjoy a cruise when one is able to adapt and go with the flow without feeling unappreciated or disrespected. But that's just us.

For the OP, if my opinion/definition of an IV cabin translates as a delusional misconception and total unawareness of exactly what category cabin I am in, then by all means you should hold firm to the edict from those whose salient words truly provide cognitive pronouncement. I hold firm to my comments, seeking only to share my experiences as I feel best describes them. Enjoy your cruise. Enjoy your IV cabin. Take comfort in the fact that there are many more options out there (as you know), so there is always a choice.

I do not see it as pros and cons. Rather, I see it as a new presentation on an old theme. I enjoy both equally, but the advantage of an IV is that I can sit on the balcony when it is blowing and pouring rain, or extremely hot, or extremely cold, and still be dry and comfortable. Although you do not have total control over opening and closing your window, we have never found that to be a problem. Enjoy your IV for what it is intended to provide. Although it is not intended to replace the typical balcony cabin, it provides a different experience to those cruisers who spend lots of time on their balcony.

We have yet to experience the enjoyment of a Princess cruise. That will change in December of this year and November of 2025 when Caribbean Princess followed by Sky Princess take up residence at Port Canaveral. We are booked on each ship and are happy that Princess has decided to locate a ship in our neighborhood. Celebrity is and will remain our cruise line of choice. Despite all the negative commentary over the last several years, we have experienced no significant adversities. For us, given the insignificant issues and concerns mentioned in this thread, I see no reason not to anticipate the best that Princess has to offer.

We are Elite Plus on Celebrity and X continues to be our cruise line of choice. There has been much negativity written over the last several years, but other than the occasional hiccup we have yet to experience anything overwhelmingly unpleasant. For us, it just isn't there, and that pertains to all classes of ships across the fleet. Celebrity provides us with comfortable conveyance and a pleasant environment in which to enjoy our intended cruise. For sure, prices are higher, and perhaps the return on your dollar is not as much. Our comfort zone is still intact, and our money is still well spent, because there is nothing happening with Celebrity that causes us to feel otherwise.

We are looking forward to our first Princess cruise experience in December 2024. A long time coming, but Princess finally takes up residence in our neighborhood at Port Canaveral in November 2024 when Caribbean Princess arrives. We have also booked passage on Sky for November 2025 as she will be the next Princess ship to cruise from PC. We hope to enjoy Princess as much as we do our primary cruise line of choice.

It is very good news that Celebrity has decided to widen its footprint in central coastal Florida. Equinox in November '24, Apex in November '25. Has nothing to do with and will in no way affect cruises from other Florida ports, also good news. Princess too will base ships at PC. Caribbean Princess in November '24 and Sky Princess in November '25. More good news. Definitely shorter driving distance from FLL and MIA airports to respective cruise terminals. When driving into FL on the east coast to go cruisin' Port Canaveral offers a much less stressful destination. Good news!

Lots of huffing and puffing and roiling air swirling about this thread. To the point where it might actually register a wind rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Fortunately, no serious injury or property damage. Typically, as in many of these happenings, there is no solution and once the debris is cleared, we can only anticipate that, at some time, there will be another wind event. It's inevitable. Some folks choose to move elsewhere, resort to name-calling, wax poetic, trade automobiles, and seek counseling. Others understand the nature of it all realizing that climate change, in one form or another, is to blame.

And you know what, SL, despite that human firewall, I'm sure that on occasion some unintended verbiage slips through for all to see. Communicatively, everyone will "look like idiots" at one time or another. Agreed? I am more amused when the critics pointing out the error(s) are they themselves quite capable of doing the same.

Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, Jim. We all have occasion to need a look over the shoulder. Of course, it starts with our own review. How many times does that not happen?

A lovely yacht, in lovely waters, sailing a lovely itinerary. Beyond being spoiled and pampered - as you should be - your photo ops will be beautiful. It will be great to see what this level of cruising is all about. Very kind of you to let us know.

Excellent! Considering your response, you will certainly experience X's good vibe once again. Never mind the higher prices, you have already paid your money so that did not dissuade you. Changes in seven years, certainly, but I wonder if you will even notice, and if so, are they really that significant. You be the judge. Other than that, it's business as usual. The occasional hiccup, the occasional deviation from the "routine", an unplanned/unexpected occurrence, always a possibility. That being said and going back to those CC creds, it seems like your enthusiasm will be anything but curbed. Your enthusiastic expectations should reflect that. We are on Eclipse in August, New England and Canada. Expectations are high, as they have always been when cruising with Celebrity.

Judging by your CC creds, I would think that you would have been keeping track all along. "Minimum expectations" equals minimum good times. If it works, continue to let the posters set the table for you, that way you can return in whatever frame of mind suits you, with none of the responsibility.

On a ship, with a few thousand other folks, plumbing issues can certainly be an issue. Probably 95 to 99 percent are attributable to ignorant passengers who have no idea about what can go into a toilet and what should not. Kind of like the garbage disposal in one's kitchen. A toilet has a lid for a reason, or two or three. Put the lid down when the toilet is not in use. Not to minimize what happened here, but perhaps you would have been spared the indignity of getting up close and personal to this shipboard incident.

Is this much ado about nothing, or is this thread actually getting somewhere, different? I personally have no need for protractors, slide rules and spread sheets. Even my abacus cannot determine the ideal solution. You either tip or you don't. You either will or you won't. Go with your personal flow and then give a tidy sum to each of the major players.

If there was just a modicum of refreshingly new ideas and tipping talking points, this particular thread could actually have been the much-sought-after Holy Grail of gratuitous gratuities. Unfortunately, like many that have gone before, and many that will come and go after, that is not the case. There is no miraculous cure for "tipping syndrome" because symptoms manifest themselves in various ways, and how each of us deals with our own personal affliction is private and should not be subject to another's scrutiny. In the eyes of the beholders, there should be no right or wrong here because how each of us determines our best course of action is all that matters. Fortunately, tipping issues will never prevent us from living to cruise another day.

It is difficult for me to understand how folks can have such a difficult time using FBC. We have always had good experiences the many times that we have used them. I have to believe that in most cases it is user error and/or the inability to best use the system in one's favor. We have a European cruise in May/June '24 and a New England/Canada cruise in August/September '24. Both flight arrangements were made through the cruise line agency. We have been kept apprised of all flight changes and the fact that airfare payment is not required until final cruise payment makes this an attractive option for us. We do make our flight arrangements far in advance as soon as the dates appear on the airline website, about 330 days out. It is absurd to think that you can book too soon. Our seats on the flight to London are now $4000.00 more than when we booked. This is what we do. When our cruise dates appear on the airline website (in this case, Delta), I go to the website, select the flights, select the seats, call FBC and give them the information. Delta allows you to choose seats at the time of booking and without payment. In this case a Delta partner, Virgin Atlantic, is the operator and although it is a Delta flight number, we check in at the Virgin counter. I was given the option to check in through Delta or Virgin. Had I chosen Virgin, seat selection may not have been available until final payment or perhaps not until check in at the airport. There are variations on the theme - if you will - so it pays to know that even partners have differences. When I am finished with the airline booking, I receive an invoice with all necessary information, and I can periodically check my status through the Delta reservation number and the Virgin number. It is quite easy when one knows what to do. It is quite easy to blame someone else when one does not.