TxKroozer

We have cruised during the Super Bowl several times and each time the Cruise Line sets up "finger food" such as hot dogs and chips and dips. You will have a blast.

I would still suggest coffe from Park Cafe or most likely Windjammer in the mornings. There are normally same group of early morning coffee drinkers at each and normally easily accessible. We like to grab early coffee and enjoy the quietness of the ship in the mornings.

We just returned from Navigator in the sailing of November 9th and Captain Klaus was still there.

We have encountered several crew on different cruises before. Some wait staff, some bartenders, and officers. Of course we have had the same cruise director on several occiasions, they have a tough time remembering you as they meet so many people. We have had the same concierges as well.

We enjoyed seeing some crew who have received promotions and gone from bartender to assistant bar manager.

We normally take pictures of the bartenders who serve us and share them with the other bartenders when we cruise again. Many times they know many of them and let us know if they are on that particular cruise so we can find them to say hello.

Having been on both as well, I have to agree with all previous posters and would vote for the additional day at the same cost. The perks or additional space on the Allure is nice, but that extra day and two additional new ports trumps it. So you don't get to walk through Central Park at night, just stroll through the Promenade. Just think on Day 7 you can say, hey we don't have to get off tomorrow and we have one more day!

What a co incidence, after watching the CDC announcement this morning (and we are Texans) I told my husband, wait and see they will be talking about this on the boards and people will be canceling their cruises. Might find some deals....

 

Just sayin....people tend to over react, until we get some really bad news from the CDC, we aren't canceling our cruises. But those who do will have the industry scrambling to fill ships for the next few months. But I am certainly going to be packin my baggie full of Clorox wipes....they said this morning Clorox would kill it.

 

Remember from what countries the crew usually comes...bless 'em. Not downing them, but just saying. The lines should absolutely step it up a notch until we see this thing settling down.,..if we do:(

Becci,

Just snatched a great rate on Navigator on the 9th of November, Ebola or not. We br cruising again soon.

Booked on the Wednesday of the week of the cruise for $332 per person for seven days with $100 OBC on the Navigator.

Our cruise ship is arriving on Sundays at Papeete/Moorea & Lautoka, Fiji. We've found most independent tour operators are not available on Sundays. Also not sure what places will be open (i.e. Moorea AG school, bakeries, juice factory, etc.). We're really hoping not to have to take a ship sponsored excursion and don't feel comfortable renting a car. Any suggestions?

The wife and I did the Vision on a Southern Caribbean cruise and loved it. The Vision, being a smaller sim palls you to have much more interaction with the staff. I am not sure if the same captain will be on the ship for your cruise, but if he is, he was the most visible Captain we have ever encountered. We had him Line Dancing with other officers, he played the water volleyball, and was constantly seen around the ship.

As noted, Belize is the only port that requires tender of those ports you noted. The doc at Costa Maya is a ways out but the doc is all good concrete and you should have no issues. They do have a tram going between the port shops and the ship.

Cruise fever is the best and I hope you have a wonderful cruise on the Vision.

I just sailed via Tahiti on a trans pacific a few months ago in Sept. But this review is about a cruise that goes to the Vanuatu Islands & New Caledonian Islands so the OP didn't go to Tahiti. :)

I was aware the only port I could gain some insight on from this review was few Caledonia, but we will also be finishing our cruise in Sydney, as such the review would be helpful in that regards as well.

We are excited to follow your review. We have plans for a San Francisco to Sydney Australia cruise this September on celebrity century. So we will be interested in any comments and pictures about New Caledonia and Tahiti as we will be stopping at both (Vanatu, Bora Bora, and Papette). Your early pictures are so nice. You appear to have had lovely weather. Looking forward to more of your review and thank you for sharing and taking the time to do this.

Becci Boo,

Thanks for the pictures and your comments about the Navigator. Debbie and I were just on her in December and plan to get back on soon since the refurbishment. Like you did for this last cruise, as I retired, we will be looking for those great last minute deals.

It is nice to see the new Diamond Lounge. We used the old Card Room each evening and it was always packed. I hope they accounted for the growing size of Diamonds and the outside over flow area will help. Did they have a standing bar outside in the Diamond area?

We just did our first Celebrity cruise and enjoyed it. We also have a 23 nighter to Hawaii, Tahiti, and ends in Sydney Australia in Sept. Hopefully we can catch up with you guys again on the new Navigator.

The captain on the constellation is Captain Tasos. Just promoted to captain in last 4 months and as stated has a great attitude and personality. Very funny as well. We sure enjoyed being on the constellation the last two cruises.

Congratulations on your new level. We will be trying the reciprocal price ledges extended on Celebrity.

Samba = meeeaaaaaaattttttttt

As another poster commented. Go hungry.

We too have done several back to back cruises and there is nothing special provided for the B2B cruisers. They will coordinate you on the turnaround day to get you logged off the ship and registered back on with your new sea pass cards, but nothing special about that other than you truly are the first ones on the ship on the second leg. It is fun enjoying the ship for those quiet few hours while they prepare to board the new crowd.

The most fun for B2B cruisers is the feeling you get on the last night of the first leg. Seeing all the luggage lined up in the halls and knowing your trip isn't ending like everyone else's is is priceless.

My thought is you get your sea legs on the first leg, finding and knowing where everything is and then enjoying it all again in a more relaxed state on the last leg. You feel like old time friends to the staff (bartenders and such) as they don't have to re-learn who you are.

Just enjoy the B2B experience even if you don't get anything special. Hey, you are on a cruise so what the heck!

Having read through the replies and having been on both classes of ships many times, My vote would be for the Liberty. This class with the inside Promenade is far more appealing and awe inspiring than the Radiance class. Not that I have anything negative to say about that class. Also I have to agree with other posters saying a day in Labadee is nicer than a day in Key West. Again, not bashing Key West, but again first time cruisers will be able to experience what Labadee has to offer than the bars of Key West. I agree that the stop in Falmouth is not exciting, but you can still either hop off for the close by shopping and then right back on the ship to enjoy it while the others trapse around the island.

We got our first crystal block on the Mariner and our second one on the Radiance during our Alaska cruise. They are heavy suckers.

We always enjoy the Pool Bar on both the Oasis and Allure. It is a primo assignment for the bartenders and they enjoy the vibe and crowds. It is a long bar and lots of room by it so it can handle crowds. Yes, it is outside, but under full cover so good rain or shine. If you want a bar to allow rowdy loud behavior, maybe plan to end your quest at the Pool bar. The Sand Bar is not as good as it gets some feed from the nearby kids pool.

Becci....

We signed up for Harv and Marv Whale Watching in Juneau.

Hey guys: how are you. Be sure and come back here and give us a review from the Alaska cruise.

We are planning big too. Harv and Marv for Juneau whale watch and Island Wings for float plane in Ketch. Another couple coming with us for that one....cannot wait! Our first Alaska.

Hope our weather is better than today's for our April Mariner:) Brian and Sherry whom we all met at Diamond hour in 2011 is joining us on this next one.:D

Will give a report once we return. We have excursions booked through Royal for Whale Watching, Flightseeing, Dogsledding, and ATV excursions. Should be fun.

Here we go, Magic is dropping her lines as I write....2 more months!

I see you will be on the Radiance in Sept. we will be on her on 5/31 on the same Northbpund route. We have several excursions booked as well. Planning to do Alaska big time.

It's 78 days, 205 days, and 389 days for us.

Won't see the Allure unless they change the view of the cam.

Enjoying your pictures as well. Makes the waiting for our planned trip on the Allure easier. Enjoyed the Oasis and these bring back great memories. Thank you.