Hlitner

Perhaps not if they ever get the picture line moving. But, we have often been in airports when the regular line (even with picture ID) seems to be very long while we breeze right through GE. On the other hand, GE is nothing great for those of us who have checked luggage. We are always among the first to reach the luggage area, but by the time the luggage comes up most other folks have cleared immigration. But also consider that Global Entry gets you TSA Precheck which has become invaluable at many US airports.

We have found that we can usually pack about the same for a 2 month trip as for a 2-3 week trip. But the big problem (for us) is when we need to plan on weather extremes. Consider that the upcoming Asian trip will involve everything from early spring weather (temps in the 60s) to Alaskan weather (and a Northern Pacific passage) which may find low temps. We all talk about "layers" but packing those heavier layers takes up a lot of space. And then there are the usual issues related to "senior" status which means more drugs and related "stuff." Hank

You will still get a pretty decent view if you are on the Starboard side during embarkation. You also get to sail under the Verrazano which is enjoyed by many folks. But we would agree that the best overall views are from ships docking at the Manhattan terminal (along 12th Ave) with Port Liberty (Bayonne) a close 2nd place. Hank

Your post got me looking :). So I just picked, at random, the April 25 Apex transatlantic cruise (15 days) and did a quick comparison of Celebrity's web site to one of our favored cruise agencies. Both sites offer exactly the same cruise pricing and amenities. However, the cruise agency adds $325 of On Board Credit for the lowest category P2 balcony. This is all in US Dollars. That $325 is a little more than 6% of the cruise price. I than looked at a different cruise agency (another of our favored agencies) for the same cruise at a P2 category and that agency tosses in an OBC of $425 which is about 8% of the cruise price. I priced out with two of our long-trusted agencies to point out that it usually pays to shop around among several reputable high volume cruise agencies. We know of another cruise agency that would likely offer even more OBC on that cruise, but we have some issues with that 3rd agency. That particular agency normally offers 10% of the cruise fare as an OBC. With Celebrity you will not generally find price differences since the cruise line imposes price restrictions on their authorized agencies. But they do allow the agencies to add OBCs and sometimes some additional amenities. While many cruise lines do impose price controls, they have no problem with the agencies offering other enchancements such as on board credits. The agencies can do this by sacrificing some of their commissions and overrides to be more competitive. And there are also deals made with some agencies and consortiums (who represent many agencies) to encourage the agencies to promote certain cruise lines and cruises. We once talked to a senior executive (with Princess) about all of this and asked why the cruise lines are not willing to match the deals offered by some agencies. He explained that the cruise lines really need these agencies and the agencies do handle the bookings which saves some money for the cruise lines since the agencies are doing the marketing and labor. Hank

WOW! Having cruised (extensively) on over 70 different ships (over 45+ years), I have never heard anything like this...ON ANY VESSEL. DW and I have spent more than 1400 days on ships and had a few noisy cabins, but nothing to come close to what is on that video. What would we do? For us it would be simple Demand a different cabin or make arrangements to disembark at the next port that has an airport. I think Celebrity has a big problem. As the word spreads about the Beyond, folks will go out of their way to avoid that ship. X needs to deal with this problem and any solution might be difficult to impossible. If it only involves a handful of cabins than those cabins should be pulled out of inventory. If this is the result of new engineering design (which depends on interior structure) than this ship (and possibly the class) may become a real albatross for X. Hank

Just a caution to some folks (those who are Elite should already be aware). Calling or dealing direct with X will not necessarily save you money. A discounted price for Elites may actually cost significantly more than just doing the same transaction through a decent cruise agency who adds various perks such as generous On Board Credits. When I see the word "SALE" or "DISCOUNT" it simply puts me on alert to carefully look at the bottom line. Let the buyer beware is advisable in the cruise/travel world. Hank

A few random thoughts from one in his mid 70s. While I guess that makes me a "senior," like many seniors I can handle walking many miles a day, handling my luggage, etc. Look around cruise ships and you will find many younger folks using an elevator to go down one deck while plenty of "seniors" will be using the steps to go up 4 or 5 decks. So this train issue is more about a person's or couple's mobility level and their ability to handle luggage. As a long time (over half a century) independent traveler, I am very cognizant of the luggage issue. It should be a major consideration for any traveler. One needs to have the ability to always keep luggage under control (to maintain security). Relying on strangers or porters to help with your luggage will get mixed results with some very bag outcomes. That being said, DW and pack "heavy" since we can handle a few pieces of luggage and love the convenience of having more clothes options and not having to do laundry when we travel. On long trips (which we measure in months) we actually give some thought to how we will handle laundry issues (we often get free laundry service on cruises). DW and I do not consider spending hours in a laundry room, washing stuff in a sink, etc. as what we do on vacations :). If carrying an extra piece of luggage means not having to do laundry, we will usually opt for the extra luggage :). I mention this because the idea of packing light sounds wonderful, but we have seen folks spending an awful lot of time waiting around cruise ship laundromats (many ships no longer have this option) which is not my idea of fun. While you are waiting for a dryer, or ironing your shirts, we will be sitting in a lounge enjoying a cocktail :). The price we pay (for extra luggage) is having to move it around and that is not too difficult in this era of wheeled luggage. Hank

Better? It depends on how much you like money. Book through a cruise/travel agent that gives out amenities (such as On Board Credits (OBC) and you have put some money in your pocket. Book direct with a cruise line and you are simply spending more money. As to how much you save, think in terms of percentage savings which should be in the 7-10% range. For those of us who do longer more expensive cruises, the savings will often be measured in the thousands of dollars. For a short much lower cost cruise your savings will usually be measured in the hundreds of dollars. The challenge is to shop around and find the right cruise/travel agency for you. Some folks need more hand holding and will want a personable agent with whom you can build some kind of business relationship. Others are fine doing most things online (you can do this with decent agencies or by booking direct with most lines). In defense of good cruise agents, consider that when you deal with a cruise line you are simply 1 customer out of millions. When you use a decent high volume agency you gain the clout that the agency has with multiple cruise lines. Our favorite cruise agent handles dozens of new bookings every day (with many cruise lines) and has the knowledge and contacts to deal with many issues. If I call a cruise line with an issue I might find myself on hold for an hour, getting different answers depending on who answers the phone, etc. When I deal with the cruise agents that are currently on my favored list (we use two different agencies at the moment) I can usually send a quick e-mail to handle most issues. That takes me less than a minute and the agent does the work :). Hank

All that you mention is good for a day trip from Lisbon. We do not get involved with the religious aspects but enjoy the history. There are many tour providers and we have no clue as to which is best. When we decided to spend a day exploring that part of Portugal, we simply rented a car in Lisbon and drove ourselves. You have already been to Sintra (a place to which we have returned a few times) and there is also the usual Esteril and Cascais which can easily be accessed by train (from Lisbon). You might also want to consider an evening at a Fado club. Our "go to" place is Senor Vinho, but there are other options. We have not been to Senor Vinho in about 5 years but that restaurant/club was actually owned by Fado folks and the music was certainly interesting. Or course you will not understand a work of lyrics, but the music is unique. Hank

Yes, that would be the "Green Line" which is a commuter train/subway running from the Pireaus Train Station (about a mile from the port) into Athens. Getting from the port to the train station can be done by walking (about 15 min for a fast walker) or crossing the street and catching the #843 bus (which stops in front of the station). There is also an express bus line X80 that runs from in the port area into Athens. The X80 only runs during the main cruise season and preferred by some folks since they do not need to be concerned about getting over to the train station. Hank

When we renewed DW, she was approved in a few days and had to get another interview (which we did when we returned from Mexico and got an immediate interview as we went through the normal entry process at ATL. It took about 20 seconds. When I got mine renewed it took 9 months to get a response, but they did not require another interview. No logic to any of it...it is what it is. Hank

From Colon to Cartegena is about 270 nautical miles. That is about 12 1/2 hours at 22 knots. Hank

In order to use trains in Europe, you must be able to handle all of your own luggage (and maintain personal security from pick pockets/luggage snatchers/etc. Depending on the train station and platforms you may need to walk a long distance to get to your train and possibly need to lift luggage up some steps. On the train there is usually some storage space at the end of the cars and also overhead racks (not wide enough for larger bags). If you plan on leaving your luggage at the end of the cars we suggest taking along some kind of luggage cable lock (you can find these on line) that you can use to attach luggage to each other and to the train. Thieves have been known to snatch luggage and jump off the train at stations so a little caution is always wise. Last Spring we flew from Nice up to Prague and spent a few lovely days. We than rented a car (for a few weeks) and drove through parts of the Czech Republic and over to Krakow. We have found that a car is, for us, a better option than trains since it makes handling luggage a little easier and gives us the flexibility to go where we please. When in cities we generally leave our car at the hotel and use public transit as well as do a lot of walking. Both Prague and Krakow are wonderful cities. I also recommend taking a day trip from Krakow to Auschwitz. Hank

Ships are generally too far off the coast, during normal operations, for folks to use land-based cells. As you approach the various ports you should begin to get local cell service about 10 miles out from the nearest cell. In our experience we generally can get cell service about 45 min before docking. Within Mexico the two major providers are Telmex and Movistar. If you have T-Mobile your account should work with either of those providers. I believe ATT uses Telmex. Not sure about the other providers. Be very careful if you do try to use your phone while outside ports. You need to make sure you are connecting to a land-based cell and not the ship-wide Cellular at Sea (or similar service) which can be very expensive. Hank

We have had a lot of experience in that area on both cruises and many self-driving trips. If I were guiding your tour I would take you from Villefranche directly to Nice to visit the Flower Market which runs from early in the morning until early afternoon. It is a nice area for browsing the stalls, seeing the local produce, baked goods, etc. DW and I love that outdoor market and would normally spend time just relaxing at a nearby cafe with our cafe au lait and a pastry or croissant. From the Flower Market we might take you to the nearby Promenade d'Anglais where you can walk along the wide walkway and the guide can point out, "the beach," "the sea," perhaps some folks in swimsuits, etc :). As you can imagine, I am not a big fan of tours. After Nice we would herd the group back to the bus (and it will be a large bus) for the drive along the Middle Corniche to Eze Village. Since it is a relatively compact village with its share of cute shops, a few art galleries, etc. they might actually trust you to walk on your own without a leash. After Eze they would continue on the Middle Corniche into Monte Carlo (this is a place that DW and I avoid like the plague) where they will point out the Casino and possibly take you up to the Palace. If your guide times it right you might get to the Palace area in time for the Changing of the Guard which happens at 11:55AM every day of the week. I cannot imagine doing any of this as part of a large tour group, but we have seen plenty of folks "following their guides." For me, I cannot even think about being in Nice without having Soupe de Poisson which is not equaled anywhere else in the world. On the other hand, DW would be happy with her Moules et Frites (assuming they are in season). But being on a tour that will not happen as you will not generally have the time to relax with a long lunch in a delightful cafe. We were a bit disheartened on our last visit (this past April) to see that a lot of the best food around the market had been replaced with Pizza! It is almost like the French have now decided that they invented pizza and it is why folks come to NIce! Really? We went tbo Nice (where we spent a few days) after a transastlantic cruise that ended in Monte Carlo. After we debarked our ship we took a booked car to our hotel in Nice and headed to the Flower market for a late morning snack. Sure enough we ran into a few folks from our cruise who were on an excursion that took them to the Flower Market before they went to the airport for their flight. Of course, like most excursions, they had to gulp their coffee with one eye on their watch so as not to miss their bus. In defense of such an excursion, getting to and from Eze Village can be somewhat difficult for many independent travelers since it involves getting a taxi (not cheap) or using a public bus which does not run as often as one would expect. There is another option using the train to a different bus but that is even more complicated. Hank

Using ATMs in Mexico will generally mean paying some fees/taxes but it is generally a great deal when compared to changing cash. Most ATMs will charge a combination of taxes/fees varying from about $50 (pesos) - $75 (pesos) per transaction. So we are talking about $3 - $5 US. If you get a small amount out of an ATM this can be a significant percentage. But withdraw $300 - $500 (US) worth of Pesos and those taxes/fees become negligible. And you will generally get a wholesale interbank rate of exchange minus 1%. But beware that ATMs will show you a screen which offers you an exchange rate (which is not that good) as if that is your only option. This is called "Dynamic Currency Conversion" and it is simply a legalized rip-off by the banks. Always say NO to these currency conversions (you may also get it with a credit card purchase) and you will then get the international banking conversion rate which is generally 7-10% better. The screens are designed to scare you into accepting the conversion rate, but just say NO. For folks that do not understand all this stuff I would suggest you Google "Dynamic Currency Conversion" and read about this legalized bank theft. Hank

Yes, but we have had some resistance from taxis who do not want to schlep over to Red Hook and go away empty. If hailing a taxi, and they do not want to take you to Red Hook, than just grab the next taxi or summon Uber. The last time a taxi did this to us I pulled out my phone and told the driver, "no problem, I will just get an Uber." The driver was livid. The problem with NYC Taxis is that they cannot have it both ways. They constantly whine about Uber, but then give folks more reasons to like Uber. Hank

Shipboard Internet is always hit/miss so one should take that into consideration. If you plan on streaming music, I suggest also having enough music downloaded on your phone/device so you can have that as a backup. Hank

It is unlikely that you will see Mountain Dew on HAL. The line has a contractual relationship with Coke, so unless this were to change, a Pepsi product would have to wait until you are ashore. Hank

Completely disagree. Staying in Mestre is akin to visiting NYC and staying in Newark! There are plenty of options in Venice and one does not need to use water taxis. In fact, in more than a dozen visits to Venice (often for multiple nights) we have never hired a water taxi. As has been suggested, we choose hotels (often prefer a smaller Inn) located near a major vaporetto stop. Hank

If one cruises long enough on enough different vessels one discovers that there are quiet ships, noisy ships, quiet cabins and noisy cabins. Having been at this cruise game for nearly 50 years we accept that the noise issue is luck of the draw. The Edge Class ships have an innovative architecture with more inside superstructure and less outside support. Does this mean more noise? I have no clue. As to 8 foot seas, that is truly no big deal. When seas get over 20 feet that is when things really become interesting and at 40 feet you will be getting quite a ride (and lots of noise). I do think many cruisers have been somewhat spoiled by mostly cruising in the Caribbean in calm seas. They hear 8 foot seas and start turning green. Cruisers need to accept that ships sail upon the sea, the sea is unpredictable and moves, and ships upon the sea will also move. That being said, I do have a strong dislike of noisy cabins and do feel for the OP. If there are empty cabins on the ship, and the Guest Relations folks are willing to move you to a different cabin, than that is an option. Otherwise, get out the ear plugs (or noise canceling headphones) and make the best of a bad situation. Hank

The reason it can take 2 or more pages is that short posts have no details 🙂 For example, while there is a daily ferry between Mykonos and Delos you need to know from where it departs, what time, and is the schedule usable for a cruiser :). As to your two villages at Santorini, you are forgetting all the other villages such as Firostefani, Pyrgos, Kamari, etc. There is a lot more to Santorini than Oia and Fira. And there is a lot more to Mykonos besides Mykonos Town. Hank

Years ago, HAL used to hire real bands. These were folks used to working together, had a big repertoire, and could handle most requests. But then HAL decided to simply hire musicians (not bands). While they are certainly professionals, they are not a band but rather a group of individuals. The old HAL Cats, the BB King Groups, etc. all fall into this category. You put a bunch of musicians together and expect them to gel as a group. Sometimes it works and other times it fails. Some of these groups get a few pre-cruise days ashore to work on the play list. Some other cruise lines (MSC is a good example) actually hire real groups (folks that have worked together for some time and can pass muster at an audition) and the difference can be astounding. DW and I still remember a fabulous Italian duo on MSC that played some fantastic rock sets. On the Enchanted Princess we had a 4 piece Jazz/Blues quartet (from Brazil) that were fantastic. This group had an amazing repertoire of music written by Antonio Jobim (think...Girl from Ipanema"). Iistened to that group for 10 days and rarely heard them repeat anything. And on those rare times when they would repeat something it was always done with a different style/arrangement. It has been the same on Celebrity where we have enjoyed several groups (duos to quintets) with amazing talent. The difference from HAL's bands is that these other groups were professional "bands" who had worked together for years...and it showed. HAL used to have some amazing piano bar talent who had nearly unlimited repertoires, but they been replaced (often by duel pianos with limited repertoires). When we took one of the Voyage of the Vikings cruises the piano bar player was "Barry from Boston" who is a musician we knew from many years earlier when he worked on RCCL. Barry claims to know over 3000 songs. You can often find him working in the Boston area although now he is working on an Oceania ship (where they still have a real piano bar). I am sure there are plenty of longtime fans who can still remember their favorite piano bar players including the flamboyant Stryker (now working on the Noordam....one of the few HAL vessels with a real piano bar). Hank

In PV it is about 75f or 24c. This is pretty typical, and we have found that the water is usually in the low to mid 70s for a good part of the winter. At times it can dip into the high 60s. We are generally on the beach, every day, during Jan-Mar.

Med Jet is not necessarily just for health! Medjetassist is about medical evacuation which normally comes into play after you have had a medical situation and are in a hospital. We are strong advocates for folks having adequate medical insurance (which we suggest should be $100,000+) as well as evacuation insurance. Folks need to understand that in order to be medically evacuated you normally need the approval of an Attending Physician, the insurance company, and some receiving entity (such as a hospital near home). If you have a serious medical issue, you may not be "fit for evacuation" for some time (until your condition has been stabilized). Hank