phoenix_dream

thank you for the insight. I actually used to live in Cocoa (inland from the beach) many years ago, but that was way before my cruising days. I definitely want to do some sightseeing beforehand. Love visiting the Space Center, and taking in some of the other attractions nearby. I fondly remember Ron Jon's from years ago. I will look into that hotel.

I mentioned that in the first sentence of my posting. I definitely will. I want to hear from some Celebrity experiences as well.

And also practically speaking, what if a 5/6' 120 lb person can barely walk down a hallway unassisted, let alone manage narrow, steep stairs or ladders on a rolling boat? I agree it's their excursion and their rules. But I disagree that tour operators would have different restrictions based on the cruiselines . There is zero logic to that. I guess we need to remember that this is the cruise line that has eliminated footstools and loungers on balconies for "safety" reasons. They are covering their you-know-whats six ways from Sunday, while their parent company is still putting footstools and loungers on their newest ships. There is zero logic to that either.

I will also search the departure port pages, but also looking for some specific info about sailing Celebrity out of Port Canaveral. If anyone who has done it can report back on their experience? Particularly if they want to fly in several days earlier and rent a car and stay in the area? Does Celebrity offer shuttle service from the port back to Orlando? Has anyone used it and how might it compare to private services or Uber/Lyft? Are there rental car options available that don't charge around $400 PER DAY for a one way rental should I want to do that (yes, I typed the number correctly!). Is it worth it to stay outside of the immediate area and Uber to the port? I can't believe the prices of hotels I am seeing for early March (yes I know spring break is starting but shouldn't be too bad that early). I thought Lauderdale and Miami were bad - they're nothing compared to these prices. I strongly advise anyone considering sailing out of that port do some research prior on these things. I already booked my cruise and now almost wish I hadn't. I don't think that area is really geared up yet to handle the huge increase in sailings caused by the addition of more Celebrity and Royal ships (not to mention other lines). Any input would be appreciated and fingers crossed I can figure this all out without needing to take a second mortgage out on my house.

Is it possible? Yes. Will you always be able to make it? No. Lots of questions to ask. Are there many other ships in port and how big are they? Do you have any priority for early disembarkation with your cruise line? Do you have TSA precheck or Clear? If TSA be advised that the increase in Clear passengers and the way they put them at the front of the line is really hurting TSA entry times. Also consider capacity on the flight after yours if you miss yours. These days most of them are 100% full, and more people will be booking the later flight so your odds of getting on the next flight out are very, very slim.

And it's even better if you book it yourself using an Alaska TA! Years ago we saved $300pp doing our own, for a three day add on which included Denali and a stay at a Princess lodge.

Trust me, don't get your hopes up too high! It's Jamaica after all. I will say we did a nice snorkel trip there years ago. It was my first time snorkeling at the age of 60 and I was a nervous wreck - the people were very patient and nice to me. But the port overall -nothing to write home about

I agree. I'm all for giving more benefits to suites considering the pricing, but this will cause problems. My favorite part is the beds but I gave up even trying years ago with people hogging them for hours and hours, often taking long naps on them. Then they created AQ Sky Suites so people who wanted better locations (i.e., not under the buffet with rolling carts all night!!) had to pay extra to get those and added them to the mix - a sore point with me as I literally had to do that with a booking I made yesterday as the only remaining SS were in the worst spots under the buffet. That change made me very, very unhappy. Now adding high level suites? It's unsustainable and unfair.

Last time we did this, over a year ago, we were told tips are still pooled the same way they are for automatic tips. So not sure this is new.

I've stayed in 2133 - very close. There were carts rolling beginning around 3 am and lasting most of the day and evening off and on regularly (sorry, don't recall when it stopped). I would not say it was very noisy - it was a muffled sound like you might hear thunder off in the far distance. It was not enough to really bother us and did not keep us awake at night. It is frustrating, though, that they chose to put some of their most expensive cabins right under the buffet! An alternative rather than downgrading might be to move to an AQ Sky Suite - they tend to be more centrally located so they noise (if any) is much less.

What it boils down to is that cruise lines keep building more and more and bigger and bigger ships and they are currently sailing full (especially, but not exclusively those like Alaska which have shorter seasons). Almost every port you go to will be crowded wherever you sail. In Alaska I advise booking any excursions early as the towns are small and only have so many available. I usually recommend independent tours, but those are even less available so check really early. Don't plan on catching one in port like in the Caribbean (there are some but it is really hit or miss). Also if you plan to rent a car (in Skagway for instance that is a great idea) book WAY early as those book up very quickly. ps I love sailing to Alaska, have done it many times, but I have to say my Norway cruise was absolutely amazing!! I highly recommend it.

But if we have a liquor package, we are actually saving them money when we are lounging in our balconies!

Thank you so much for all the detailed info. I really appreciate it!!

Hi. Was reading this, and noticed you were going to be on a ship I was considering - the 9/14 cruise. My hesitations - first, I am susceptible to seasickness. Do you find a lot more motion on a ship this much smaller? The smallest I have ever been on is Celebrity Horizon and I am hesitant to go smaller. I was tempted by this cruise as I love Alaska and much of the cruise will be in calm waters (coast of California could go either way). Second, I am unclear about benefits. As a fellow Zenith (we met last year at one of the CC gatherings🙂) I am concerned about what will not be included that I am used to. Not sure if we could afford one of their suites. Any advice? They seem to have a good sale going on now, for example with champagne, wine, and more, but I have no idea what "more" encompasses and can't find anything on their website. Any thoughts you could convey would be greatly appreciated!

I can tell you why I don't - the motion. I am very susceptible to motion sickness and I have always found the smaller ships (which comprises the vast majority, if not all of luxury lines) to have a lot more motion. The larger ships also have more variety of things to do, although truth be told since I love to relax onboard I would love to sail a luxury line if they were larger.

I have never felt vibrations in that area. I have, however, noticed more motion, specifically more side to side gentle rocking.

It will be interesting. Right now the ships are filled, but future bookings into next year? Maybe not as much. Credit card debt is at an all-time high. But even more important - the delinquency rate on credit card payments is also going up considerably. So can people keep continuing with the attitude of live now as tomorrow is not guaranteed? That's fine if you can afford it. Apparently many people actually can't but are spending wildly anyway. Sorry folks, but if you're looking for that debt to be eliminated by the government I think you will have a very long wait. It has to catch up to them sooner or later. I'm hoping for sooner!

I agree. Remember when news was actually news and not tainted by the opinion of the newscasters so you could form your own opinion? Those were the days. Thank goodness for local news!

You piqued my interest so I checked this out. Unfortunately all the CS are gone. Aqua Sky was still a good price. Then I checked airfare and hotels. Just not willing to pay $700+ for a flight and close to $400 for a decent hotel room. Oh well. This particular Alaska cruise seems to be quite a bit lower than others. I looked at the itinerary and I think that's why. IMHO the times in port, with one exception, are not very ideal at all. Not saying you couldn't enjoy Alaska regardless but since I never eat dinners onshore I don't like to arrive in mid-afternoon, regardless of how late the ship stays.

Whether it is a long walk is relative. If you are mobility challenged, then yes it is a long walk. If you're sitting at the pool or in a lounge and remembered that you forgot something in your cabin, the walk seems very long indeed. Overall I prefer mid-ship cabins for their convenience to everything. But I definitely love S class ships and would not hesitate to sail in a far aft cabin if it was a desirable one - worth the compromise.

It has nothing to do with feeling unappreciated or disrespected. It has to do with taking away comfort. Maybe you're different, but if I am wanting to spend several hours on my balcony, reading and relaxing, I need to put my feet up. I shouldn't have to rely on pulling over that tiny table to rest my legs. And maybe you are right about the disrespected part. They are certainly disrespecting my intelligence by claiming it is due to safety reasons. When I sail in a suite I pay A LOT of money to do so, and one of the reasons is the nice, larger balcony. These changes make it much less desirable and it's taking away one of the main things I enjoy about cruising. I've already significantly cut down on the number of cruises I have booked, and may cut it back even more.

This is one reason we always make note of what a higher level cabin would cost us when we book, so we can avoid this kind of craziness.

I so very, very much prefer S and M class over E class. So much more of a 'traditional' cruise experience. E class is noisy, crowded, bling over comfort. Would never, ever sail in an infinite balcony as I spend literally hours on my balcony relaxing, reading, etc.. I have (and may in the future due to lack of choices) sailed in E class, but will only do so if I can be in a suite. And even then, will spend the majority of the time in the suite areas.

Agree with the answers, with the caveat that there are some excursions that you cannot cancel and get any refunds at all. They are few and far between but tend to be the more expensive ones.

On a cruise I love to sit out on my balcony for hours relaxing, reading, etc.. I am Zenith so already have premium alcohol package so they actually save money when I am in my cabin and not out drinking! I am furious with them for removing the footstools. I am furious with them for replacing nice comfortable reclining chairs with uncomfortable cheap little chairs. I am furious with them for taking away loungers. Safety my you-know-what. I had a stop recently next to the newest Royal floating city. Guess what - there were footstools on many (all??) of the balconies. So they're safe on Royal, which has tons more kids on it, but on Celebrity they are unsafe?? Do they think we are too old and feeble to know how to use them? This is getting absolutely ridiculous. Cabin, and especially Suite prices are through the roof and they keep downgrading the experience with unbelievable "reasons"! Where will it end?