Shep_Proudfoot

In my opinion you do not need an excursion for Santorini or Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik might be desirable for convenience but it’s very doable on one’s own. Santorini is walkable in the main area, and there’s plenty to see on foot for the first-time visitor. Ephesus you do really need one, not necessarily through the ship.It was a decade ago, but Ephesus Shuttle was fantastic and no carpet demos or unintended shopping stops-it was offered but there was zero pushback when we declined. And as others have said, do the Terrace Houses. Athens can be done on its own but is probably easier on an excursion, especially if you don’t want to take the janky subway and you want to see the ancient sites properly. Haven’t been to the rest.

Yes, it’s pure trash. Especially on mobile. The user experience is so disjointed and biased toward making the sale vs. supporting those who have booked. Random functions sometimes hang and you get the feeling there is a tired hamster on a wheel in there rather than a proper IT infrastructure. Although I will say MSC may be even worse. I test software for a living and every time I am on that site it’s like a bad day at work.

I’ve only sailed the Oosterdam and it’s an older ship, but I was fairly impressed with HAL. Considering the age of the ship it was immaculate and felt nowhere near as dated as a Royal Caribbean ship of similar vintage I had sailed a year earlier. Food not quite to Celebrity standards but the musical entertainment was superior on HAL. Celebrity feels more innovative, modern and unique in many ways vs HAL’s very traditional.I feel they’re very much peer lines for my tastes and would sail HAL again if the itinerary, timing and cost worked, but I still consider Celebrity my go-to and best all around of the mainstream lines.

I logged in hoping for news on the dry dock changes and there it is. Thanks.

@rebeccac Thanks for posting, this is perfectly helpful! @WheresWalter Thanks for the video content and additional detail. This looks intriguing and like something I’d be able to find things to do and like-that deck 7 looks fantastic, like I designed it myself! While I actually do love giant atriums designed to impress, that is about the only (small) negative I saw. Well maybe the interior looked a little too Ikea for this traditionalist. But, the lack of classes is great, the food is handled just how I would like (not a fan of MDRs) and the outside of the ship is beautiful! The retro arcade (also from my high school days) is something I could see stopping by a few times as well. I liked how the music was described as real and diverse, that alone is huge. Once I heard you say the vibe was like Celebrity I definitely knew it was at least worth a try.

Thanks so much for the thoughtful and detailed reply, there’s a lot in there that sounds good and refreshing and, just as importantly, really nothing that sounds bad. if I can find a decent Med itinerary seems like it would be worth a shot…

Considering trying Virgin but not sure it would be a good fit. Been on a dozen plus cruises across half a dozen lines and current line of choice is Celebrity. I am very lukewarm on the latest generation of Celebrity ships and their fake balconies and it might be fun to try something new. We are a married couple in their 50s who typically book a veranda cabin. On one hand the dining options sound interesting (no MDR sounds awesome!) and food and drink (especially good and varied beers) is a big part of cruising. We find most cruise entertainment, especially the music, subpar or uninteresting, and Virgin seems to be less cookie cutter there. Quality music options would be hugely appealing. On the other hand, although especially for our ages we not averse to partying some, we are a bit older than the VV target demographic and not remotely hipster, in fact living in a major city where hipster venues abound we tend to avoid them, or at least certainly don’t go out of our way for them. Also while we love music and live music, we’re selective and anything hip hop or “new” country is absolutely despised and it sounds like at least hip hop may be present (prevalent?) on Virgin. I don’t want to spend my vacation rolling my eyes or holed up on my veranda, excuse me, sea terrace. Also a big part of the cruise experience is relaxation and being at sea without hearing the noises of others or the PA system (think Carnival) and some quiet public spaces are desired. So given this, not sure if VV is worth a try or not, anyone who has been have any thoughts?

Those beer prices are appalling, but thank you for posting!

Thanks! And thanks for the other replies as well, all.

Thanks for that info, good to know. Sorry but what is “OVC” short for? I looked at a deck plan but nothing jumped out.

Hello. Just booked first Covid era cruise, a 7 day Caribbean itinerary (Nassau, Ocho Rios, GC and Cozumel) in a CC cabin on Reflection in January 2023, including the Indulgence package. In the past we’ve always booked premium dining on board but with all of the onboard credit available we’re booked in advance for first night at Tuscan Grille and also bought a 3 night prepaid premium dining package. At present, my account does not allow for actual booking to set specific times and places for the three night prepaid package. Is that because I just purchased it and at some point prior to sailaway this will become an option, or is it up to me to do this in-person (or maybe there is an in-cabin app?) once we board? If I need to wait until onboard, any tips? Do you need to visit each restaurant individually or is there a central place to book all of them at once on day one? Also, my best guess is formal nights on this Sunday to Sunday cruise will be on Tuesday (sea day) and Friday (second to last night), does that sound correct? Thanks!