The Fun Researcher

Great review. Thanks for sharing.

One question: We'll be on the Equinox very, very soon :) and have the classic drink package as well. Did you ever feel the desire to upgrade to premium? Any drinks that just begged you to splurge with the premium package? My wife and I are pretty simple drinkers (typically beer, rum and coke, margarita, etc...), but enjoy new options when on a cruise. Are typical tropical drinks like margarita's, daiquiris, mohito's etc... included in classic?

Dan

For many of the reasons you mention, we loved that class of ship, and the freedom class which is almost identical. Our favorites.

Thanks for the review!

Dan

We plan to do this in a couple of weeks while we're in Puerto Rico. (been there twice already)

It will be our first time staying on the ship in port. We love sea days a lot, and always feel like we could use another one, so I plan to make it like a sea day, but with less people.

• Get up
  
• have a coffee
  
• wander the ship a little
  
• work out
  
• Have lunch
  
• Relax out at pool/hot tubs and have a drink or three
  
• Take a nap
  
• Check if they are offering specials on specialty restaurants
  
• Dine at a specialty restaurant if offered
  
• wander the ship a little more
  
• find a bar and have a drink
  
• when it's dark, walk the outside promenade deck
  
• very late, go to the helipad area to view the stars
  
• have another drink or two at random location
  
• grab a late night snack
  
• go to bed.
  

:D:D:D

Dan

On Indy a couple weeks ago. They had a somewhat cheesy Greek God parade on the first or second night. I can't believe I didn't write it down in my notes. But it was down the promenade. They sang songs, they had all these different characters, some on the bridges, and then everybody walked down the promenade. They had representatives from all the different work teams as well - waitstaff, bartenders, housekeeping, etc... And then as others said, they did a 70's party the one night as well.

This is exactly how it's been the two times we were on the Indy (2014), so it sounds like the parade is still happening.

It is kind of a cheesy parade, but still fun.

Dan

Nope. No parades at all on the ship/no dreamworks. Only things that involved the Promenade were the 70's Street Party and just a singer singing on the bridge on Formal night.

Both of our cruises on the Independence had parades the first evening, plus the 70's night (which we love). These cruises were in 2014 however and may have changed.

No Dreamworks though. We had Dreamworks characters on the Freedom in 2012, and will have them this year on the Liberty

Dan

But isn't that the issue. You had multiple cruises booked that you couldn't take. [emoji33]

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

No honestly, not at all. It doesn't bother me that I couldn't take the cruises. In all actuality, I found better cruise for us and I'm very happy I wasn't locked into the other two.

What it allowed me to do, based on the very basic rules of a refundable deposit, is lock in very good cruise rates in case one of those two would have worked. I cancelled both well ahead of the 90 day window when I found out that it wouldn't work, so maybe I'm not the demographic that these non-refundable fares are targeted at.(those who frequently booked cabins/suites and cancelling at the 90 day mark to still get a refund).

I don't like the idea of locking in a multi thousand dollar cruise over a year in advance, especially with airfare being such a big unknown.

Dan

This has already been established. ^

Darn!

Putting it simply (as you suggested, Biker19): Making non-refundable fares the norm will invariably make refundable fares higher, even adjusted for inflation.

Double Darn!

Leading up to our New Years Cruise on the RCI Liberty this year, I had reserved, and cancelled both a Carnival and an NCL cruise option. I had booked both because prices were excellent. With both bookings I made sure I had the refundable option. Once it became apparent that flights were going to be too high for either cruise (Thanksgiving week), I had to cancel. Taking away this refundable option for me would really limit our flexibility.

Dan

Ok, thanks.

Dan

I'm ok with it as long as the new refundable prices aren't higher than the way pricing has always been in years past (by default, refundable).

That is my concern, that these non-refundable rates are now basically where historical rates have always been for refundables, and now they are RAISING rates if you want it to be refundable.

I won't book a non-refundable rate.

Dan

Just wondering, does Celebrity have souvenir soda cups like RCI does? My wife usually gets the soda package when on RCI, and we like the cups that come with it as a souvineer.

This upcoming cruise on the Equinox, we both have the classic drink package, so I'm wondering if we will get a cup included with that? If not, is there one to purchase as a souvenir?

Thanks,

Dan

Interesting. Our entire family has been just fine with the pizza. We've had it on Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class ships. It's not brick oven, high end pizza, but does the trick for us and it's all been the same tasting except for our first cruise back in 2012.

Our very first sailing, back in 2012 on the Freedom had the worst pizza so far, but still o.k.(barely). However, they had panini's that were AWESOME! They took a while to prepare, but we fell in love with the variety they offered and ate plenty at Sorrento's to soak up the alcohol at the end of a fun night. Wish all ships had paninis!!!

Dan

Deleting - didn't see this was a question about non alcoholic packages

Dan

Yes. Sushi on Five is open for lunch on embarkation day. You can usually get a 20% or higher discount.

Thank you very much for the reply. This is our plan then.

Dan

I believe that Sushi on 5 is open. Can someone please confirm? It is a pay-for restaurant but that is our plan for embarkation day lunch.

Dan

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks Bob

Dan

Which formal nights for this itinerary? Days 2 and 6?

1 - Galveston

2 - Sea Day

3 - Cozumel

4 - Roatan

5 - Costa Maya

6 - At Sea

7 - At Sea

Dan

https://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/hours.htm

No, closes at 6PM

Dan

I was told that its the last stop in town.

"Jamie's at the Blue Reef Beach". If you type that into Tripadvisor it will take you to some good info. Get's solid 5 star reviews so far.

Malecon | At the Blue Reef hotel in Costa Maya, Mahahual 77976, Mexico

Dan

FYI: Not everyone who coughs has a cold, flu or other virus. Some people suffer from COPD from years of smoking, lungs damaged by pneumonia or exposure to environmental agents.

So true, and I sympathize with them. However, as a complete stranger you have no way to know when someone coughs right by you. Are we to ask every stranger who coughs by/on us whether they have a contagious illness or not?

Dan

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Are we allowed to post email addresses? I have Jaime's

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It all ways amazes us that there are off shoot flamers . When a topic is important they still flame or just for no reason at all . Well imo they need to get a life & we hope they do lol

Not sure if that was partly directed at me, but I was just trying to make a joke. My goodness.

Sincerely, I hope you get all completely serious answers from this point on.

Kindly,

Dan

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Any reason you did not consider these guys? They are my favorite when I am in Roatan. There are vendors strolling the beach, but in my experience, had no problem accepting a friendly "no thanks "

 

http://www.beachersroatan.com/

I didn't know about them.. Thanks for sharing. I'll look into them. In my original post, I simply copied the options from Rony's website, in the list of options for their private tour.

Any experience snorkeling from this place?

Dan

How about this one.... Learn a new skill and only operate your stateroom remote control with your feet? :eek:

Dan

Dan you & others who have posted above are absolutely correct & all those ideas we have done personally many times However ,those precautions won't help if ones immune system is low (people who are diabetic ,heart problems ie ) from getting ill from a" air born virus "

Ah, I didn't read the original post close enough. You're right. I never thought so much about air-borne illnesses while cruising to be honest, but I might check out the zinc option, even if I am still in my 40's and healthy. (well, physically at least :')) We do take a multivitamin while cruising every day, (same as at home), but never checked the zinc level I'm getting with them.

The closest I come to thinking about air-borne virus is when I see someone walking towards, or just in front of me, me that just coughed. I tend to hold my breath until I'm well past the imaginary "cough cloud". :) :D

Kindly,

Dan

If eating in the buffet, it's simply not enough to hand sanitize upon entry. We bring a small portable bottle in with us an use it when we sit down after getting our food, but before touching our silverware. If you think about it, people can (and do) still wipe their noses and mouths with bare hands or cough into their hands after entering into the buffet. Then they touch the serving tongs... ...the same ones you need to use.

Just be aware of your hands before touching anything that is entering your mouth, and before rubbing your eyes, mouth, or nose etc...

It's nice to have a small, pocket sized sanitizer with you most of the time. We use it before eating in the MDR as well, and other eating locations.

Dan