TeeRick

And ATM's dispense only $20 paper bills in $USD. So what is the problem? Getting $euro's in paper bills from the ATM is the best exchange rate. Especially if your bank rebates ATM fees. If you want to tip below 5 Euro you can make change I guess.

As I said, the honor system going forward. The large majority of Celebrity cruise passengers will take it seriously and comply with it IMHO. Some will not and nothing is ever absolute. As for me, I am totally ready to get past pandemic mode and just live with the virus in society. Much of that is believing in the integrity and goodness of most people cruising Celebrity. I will keep my vaccinations Up To Date and be cautious but that's it. Others who choose not to be vaccinated at this point will not change. I am betting that most Celebrity cruisers have some decent immunity - vaccinated or not- and will not cause serious outbreaks on ships. Positive cases yes. Serious illness no.

Joanie and Jim. My apologies! I should just mind my business! 😀 I honestly did not know of the reading list between the two of you on your longer cruises. I thought it was a great idea and hoped Joanie would start a thread that we could discuss and enjoy. That was my intention. Anyway I want to give a shout out to David McCullough who passed recently on Aug 7th. His Path Between the Seas got many of us through the Panama Canal cruise much more informed. His book is on Joanie's list. But he also wrote many more incredible books if you are a fan of historical fiction. Then of course there is James A. Michener. See- sorry it is easy to hijack your thread with this topic. Not my intention. Now back to the cruise!

On European cruises, there are at least two ATM's on board the ship. One dispenses $Euro's and one dispenses $USD.

highly likely.

Good topic and thanks for your list. But maybe start a separate thread? So as not to hijack Jim's live posting thread? Unless of course he does not mind?

Yes just premium suites have specialty dining included. Not Sky Suites, Aqua Suites or Celebrity Suites. But in any suite you will be able to dine in the suite restaurant, Luminae, which is included as is all of the benefits of The Retreat. Many consider Luminae as good or better than the specialty restaurants. But they do offer variation.

See post #92 above or whatever number it is. It is from Jim_Iain. The numbering seems to be messed up right now.

Did anybody of you actually read @Jim_Iain 's answer in post #92? That is how I remember it too. Nothing to worry about.

Honor system.

OK pretty bad that Celebrity has different rules on different websites by country. No matter your national origin, I would go by the H&S protocols on the US website if sailing from a US port until all of this gets cleared up.

I thought you were talking about your spouse😀.

Yes Ken. On Silhouette out of Southampton to Iceland and back. End of the month.

In general the term side-to-side usually refers to walking off one ship and getting on a different one, same day, same port. Back-to-back is the same ship. Your situation is a good one, no matter what it is called!😀 But cannot easily answer your testing question. Maybe you will need to ask Guest Services when on board the first ship. And the answer might very well change by the time you take these cruises anyway.

Thanks Ken. Great photos!

Probably some NFL games are in the casino. Usually. But Ravens/Jets? Who knows.

I agree that the on ship procedures for a positive test make many people apprehensive about cruising (including my DW) vs. land vacations. Much more so than dealing with some level of illness or fear of COVID. I do not see Celebrity abandoning the on-board isolation policy for cruisers testing positive any time soon. That is why many choose not to report symptoms. Neither you or I can control this. If I want to cruise now I just have to accept this - or choose another type of vacation.

No. Find a later flight or stay another day at a hotel (perhaps near the airport).

For cruises under the US CDC, cruise lines were under a No Sail Order, then constant scrutiny under a "voluntary" sail program that only just recently was rescinded. Now they are making changes but need to do so cautiously as their customer base has very mixed (but ingrained) opinions about vaccinations and testing requirements. And of course governments outside the US have their own rules for their ports too. The same protocols from even a month ago are actually not in place and changes have continued to be made.

Good I hate taking the stairs!😀

From the updated 8/11/2022 CDC guidance - more updates to come soon on travel (and cruising?). "This updated guidance is intended to apply to community settings. In the coming weeks CDC will work to align stand-alone guidance documents, such as those for healthcare settings, congregate settings at higher risk of transmission, and travel, with today’s update"

Even the CDC is easing up now. Finally getting closer to a post-pandemic state. https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/11/health/cdc-covid-guidance-update/index.html

Pretty simple for me. I will just keep Up To Date on vaccines. I plan to get the Omicron-specific booster some time this fall before peak COVID season (Thanksgiving through January). Although I personally would prefer the vaccination requirements to stay in place on cruise ships, that is not the case in most places and businesses. So be it. We now just live with this virus for the remainder of our lives, as normal as possible, taking our own precautions. I will just look out for myself and family. All I can do. I will not cruise or fly in the aforementioned peak COVID period as one precaution.

Suggest you go back and do your research on this subject and bivalent boosters. https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-a-bivalent-vaccine-6385845

Yes there are people who will ignore their symptoms on board or "cheat" as you say and just go about their day. It happens absolutely everywhere, not just on ships. That is the reality of COVID at this point. There will be many others who self-isolate, test themselves, do the right thing for themselves. Again at home or on ships. Let's just accept that, be done with it, and focus on our lives and what we can do and control. COVID viruses will be with us for the rest of our lives.