At Sea At Peace

I believe that 12/4 Silhouette is 'full' also. Pre-🎅 There was only one Veranda stateroom available when we booked 'last minute' Hopefully all will go well. We're not big eaters when it comes to volume. We like tastes (a lot), enjoy the time to take in the moment (no rush, but certainly not looking for 2 hour meal) and I'm notorious for conversing with abutting table guests. Prefer small plates when traveling to kids/GKs (Boston, Austin, MD, etc.). Wife likes a coffee after dinner on cruises. ☕ I tend to go for a Port wine (or 2). 🍷 🍷 Usually get astonishing looks from servers, sometimes Maître d, when we pass on the bread, share an appetizer and only eat 2 ounces of a tenderloin and a bit of the potatoes, etc. 🤨 We just got a TEXT from Celebrity to confirm our arrival time. Waiting for the 24 hour period to do the Medical Questionnaire on the APP. Hopefully, we'll be able to share our experience and pictures at the end of the days.

Thanks. My wife is a big fan of the Solarium, especially during the extreme sun periods during the day. Only once in years of S Class cruises did it disappoint when a 'businessman' decided to do his work on speakerphone. 😲 I have little patience for such, but I 🤐 Love the Lawn. Also really like the daily hamburger, hot dogs, chips and salsa etc. on the upper decks by the pool. Sometimes just a plain hamburger brings back the best memories of our earlier lives as kids then as parents just in the back yard.

We have followed RCCL, NCL and MSC with CruiseCritic quick icons for years and had passed on Celebrity; so we got behind. We were working our way through the Solstice Class which, at the time, was our choice of ships for 'a break and relaxation' while we still had our business. We did the RCCL Oasis and Quantum Classes for activities (flo rida, simulated sky diving, etc. Labadee Dragons Breath). When we just looked at Celebrity again (we see the Edge Class and Solstice Class ships a lot as we are almost 1 exact mile north of Port Everglades on the beach) we had looked at Silhouette and learned that it had a $75M transformation makeover with features from the Edge class. Silhouette and Reflection, I believe, are the only S Class ships we didn't sail. The Celebrity website, from our perspective, was easy to use and awesome. Probably because it is a combination of good and that we're used to MSC's really tough and rough one. 😲 Have caught up on a lot of reviews, YT videos from passengers, the cruise line and TA's. Pretty excited. Again, despite 56N of cruises in 2019, zero, nil since (Covid and a health issue). Not much into most ports (repetitive) but love entering and leaving ports from up top. Hopefully there is no "basketball court" left on Silhouette. Other S Class ships have it and, with a metal chain net, used to open to 1 to 2 kids at such times.

First, thank you. SD for us aka Specialty Dining. We took the ones that were available at close to open (early). We're kind of 'free' for the first couple of days as there was little available, but we'll manage. We were assigned late MDR, which we can't do, but didn't really matter as we really like to try the other experiences. We're not big eaters; like taste and sampling flavors. Hopefully there will be parties seated next to us with hungry cruisers and/or families.

Well, we used to be real active on CC. Started cruising in 2008. Enjoyed 56N as recent as 2019, pre-Covid, on NCL Bliss (Haven) and MSC Yacht Club (Seaside and Meraviglia). Learned so much from CC postings all along. Life was good. We had a 'never again' on Celebrity over a tough cruise. Time to move on. Since we now primarily live 1 mile north of the Port of Everglades we see so many Celebrity ships. During a recent, massive storm, we watched Silhouette be the first ship to come back into port, with the support of tugs once in Lake Mabel, get into port safely. We 'googled' Silhouette, found out it had $75M of transformation with E Class type changes. As per today's technology, every news article and sports website we visited showed us "Celebrity deals, Silhouette." 🤨 So, we dipped our toes into looking. We found, last minute, a nice level Veranda on the 10N 12/4/2023 on Silhouette. We called Celebrity (no answer for an hour) and tried our VC online (didn't recognize us anymore). We found a TA that had a 'person' and booked, great PP and location. All Aqua gone, OK. Booked. After bookings, made 6 SD reservations and upgraded to Premium Bev etc. @ almost half off. Our first cruise since December of 2019. We emailed the CEO and MKT/CR VP of Celebrity to 'let them know' our story. No going back to why we left. Not surprisingly, we received email replies from the CEO and the MKT/CR, welcoming us back. So, we are excited once again. Hope to share our experience in some way. The website bookings for SD were great. The APP appears to be really good. Tomorrow we do the medical Q. Already have the digital passes. Will try to post how we do. 👍

Yep, map below CAM will show three ships. NCL Escape in middle. Closer to port is MSC Seascape, a bit further is Carnival Celebration.

https://snbc13.com/port-of-miami-accident-authorities-investigating-florida-boating-crash-closed/

It was quite an event. Online videos are amazing. Still yesterday, the southern part of the airport under several feet of water. See photo in article. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/news/53057330/travelers-airlines-anxiously-await-todays-fort-lauderdale-airport-reopening Also, they expect only ONE RUNWAY into the weekend! "Even then, they expected the airport to be a one-runway operation into the weekend as the north runway was fully submerged beneath several feet of standing rainwater in places. The south runway is dry."

Well, the airport did reopen. As expected, a lot of issues 'out' and 'in' today regardless. The following is good summary article. Bet the impact on ticketing, TSA and luggage today will be a challenge. https://www.travelmarketreport.com/News/articles/Ft-Lauderdale-Hollywood-International-Airport-Reopens "There are still significant cancellations and delays out of the airport on Friday—according to FlightAware, 31%, or 133, of its departures have been canceled and another 9%, or 41, have been delayed. Close to 25%, or 98, of its arrivals have also been canceled, and another 17%, or 72 flights, have been delayed." Here is a Link of the inbound cancelations. https://www.broward.org/Airport/passengers/Flights/Pages/FlightInformationArrivals.aspx Here is a link of the outbound cancelations. https://www.broward.org/Airport/passengers/Flights/Pages/FlightInformationDepartures.aspx

Thanks. I do understand 'thread move' has technically correct grounds, but (compared to other threads* with 3,678 and 1,272 pages unrelated to Royal for example) I agree it loses important relevance just here to a limited number cruise lines and ships today through Sunday. * for example, RC (as well as other CC line forums, time to move to the Floataway Lounge?) ~ Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" 😁 day in lockdown... how was yours?) 3,678 ,To add some humour... 1,272

Yep, that would be a plus. Hopefully, those on board arriving Saturday and Sunday are keeping an eye on flights (and hotels, some are overbooked as people couldn't leave and the Tortuga Music Festival is still on Friday-Sunday). The biggest headache is likely those trying to get here to FLL by air. It's almost impossible to schedule 'make up flights' when already booked flights at full dispatched planes are already schedule. I would wonder if the cruise lines might delay departure times if there is some threshold of late arrivals that can be measured is know due to the airport situation. I doubt it, but it might help. I guess those on Royals Liberty of the Seas that just arrived will have a tough time at the airport. With the photos and videos online, the terminals are already full of stranded passengers from Wednesday afternoon through today at 9am. Lines for the kiosks likely to be outside down the sidewalk for SW and JB. TSA could also be an issue. Luggage handling? Yikes. The logistics of that seem downright totally impossible. GLTA So true. Also flightaware for status of flight and "where is your plane now" feature.

So typical to see this important topic for Celebrity Cruise ships in Port Everglades FLL dislodged from the Celebrity thread. Technically, correct; just sad as this weekend has a passenger carry load of Celebrity on their best ships impacted for both off loading and on boarding with crucial FLL airport concerns. The few cruise lines and ships in FLL this weekend will feel a direct impact of the closed FLL airport, as well as the added complication of the tens and tens of thousands heading into FLL airport for the Tortuga Music Festival this Friday-Sunday. Good luck to 'off and on' Celebrity cruisers on Equinox, Apex, Reflection and Beyond Saturday and Sunday. Oh well. 🙄 https://www.cruisehive.com/severe-rainfall-in-fort-lauderdale-likely-to-impact-cruises/98793 "Royal Caribbean International’s Liberty of the Seas will be in Port Everglades on Friday, April 14, while five different vessels are scheduled for Saturday, April 15: Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, Costa Cruises’ Costa Deliziosa, Holland America Line’s Volendam, and two ships from Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Apex. Similarly, five vessels are also scheduled for Sunday, April 16: Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess and Emerald Princess, Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas, and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Beyond."

We follow a certain group of MSC CC member threads. Always fun and enjoyable. An interjection of levity, thank God they have arms. 🙄🤣

O Yep, all included, with the OP. 😁 We are all unique. https://*****.com/A-S-A-P-CC

I was also surprised by that. Not because of the level and extent of the negativity of the review, it just wasn't composed very well or supported by attempts to remedy while onboard (compared to other CC awarded reviews which are usually quite different). 😟 I found, and responded to, the salutation invitation for "Wondering others likeminded thoughts" as not really what I would perceive as welcoming any contrary thoughts. 😏 It's across all SM. You need to find where 'you can be you' and it is not consistent across CC forums or any other SM related platform. It's a lot better since the dog-house days of C19. What a mess that was. 🤪

Hopefully, fair minded thoughts are welcomed also? 🤔 Probably, word for word, the most negative post about a cruise that I've seen in a while. I can't imagine how someone can get so unhappy over almost every aspect of a cruise, especially a short one. However, to each their own. IMO, you could have done better research and decision-making than was done to select this ship at this time of year. Independence of the Seas - She's had her glory years and they are behind her in comparative alternatives for ship selection across the industry at the price point. Specifically, just within the RCL ship umbrella, simply not a good choice. https://travel.usnews.com/cruises/royal-caribbean-international-300/independence-of-the-seas-406/#:~:text=Independence of the Seas ranks,as well as health ratings.&text=Independence of the Seas offers,stateroom that suits your needs. March 6 - It's spring break, EMH school systems and colleges, at the start. 😮

Its a click bait news headline this year. Of course. It's been happening forever, more noticeable since 2010, because 'it is a headline. It implies a certain narrative re: climate. Although it is more consequential to the Caribbean islands, it also impacts Florida coasts, and currently anything Florida that is negative will get front page status (sargassum seaweed, pythons, spring break, etc.). 😉 https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/07/great-atlantic-sargassum-belt-here-stay/593290/ "The Caribbean would usually experience a few small mats of sargassum washing ashore in a given year, until 2011, when the seaweed first began arriving in unexpectedly large waves. Similar pileups have occurred almost every year since; 2015 and 2018 saw especially bad blooms." Now, no one has the sargassum levels, extended aerials and satellite imaging for the past 200 years, but they are sure this is all recent phenomenon. 🤣 It does not SMELL until it is on shore (i.e., it does not smell at sea for the cruisers concerned) ~ "In the North Atlantic, sargassum is an important habitat for marine life, but after 48 hours on shore the seaweed starts to emit toxins like hydrogen sulphide which, in low amounts, smell like rotten eggs." We have it annually in south Florida on the East Coast. In the past, the beaches were cleaned daily mechanically. NOW, the 'turtles' have a calendar and around March 1 the beaches can't be cleaned in the same fashion. There are no turtles yet at our beach, but March 1 is the date the regulations change. You know, the 'turtles' have a calendar. 🤪 All is good though. Here in FLL, we harvest the seaweed from the beaches, compost and dry rot through soil mix and re-use to fertilize the dunes and waterfront areas, n.a.t.u.r.a.l.l.y. It may be temporarily unsightly, temporarily smelly etc. but it is eco-friendly to fish, other wildlife on the shore and to plants and trees in the dunes and beachfronts.

👍 Unlike the almost $90B cash cumulatively directly to airline publicly-owned corporations, the aid to the railroads was also indirect and/or noncash. It is massive, was historically, as well. It used to be that railroads were built by railroad companies (originally three primarily) after millions of acres of federal land grants were given to them as well as financing enhanced government backed bonds. The railroad companies built the railroads. Now, the government pays for most construction and mostly directly, calls it infrastructure. Cruise lines do not get anything comparable to the airlines (direct) or the railroads (historically indirect and/or noncash and moving massively to direct). https://railroads.dot.gov/BIL IMO, there is no public sentiment that there are any parallels from the airlines and railroads to the cruise industry. In fact, the disdain towards cruise lines at the public domain level is quite negative. Regarding "oversupply," I see it differently. The cruise lines pre-pandemic growth orders will continue to significantly increase industry capacity beyond plateauing or falling demand and that will be quite detrimental. Not 'doom and gloom' just not through rose-colored glasses. 😉 What Does This Mean for FRA? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58), also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”, will provide unprecedented Federal funding for rail improvement projects in America. Over the next five years, that means greatly expanding existing Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) programs and creating new programs to enhance our nation’s rail network. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $102 billion in total rail funding, including $66 billion from advanced appropriations, and $36 billion in authorized funding.

Seems to be a popular BOD addition. Concerns of spreading thin possibly. As a BOD member, the expertise will be hands off. Likely more contributory with China business focus. https://investors.columbusmckinnon.com/investor-news/news-details/2023/Columbus-McKinnon-Appoints-Rebecca-Yeung-to-Board-of-Directors/default.aspx

The thing is, re: the history of railroads and airlines (especially), they've received massive bailouts of over 100 billion cumulatively. The cruise lines, with their flagging, will never get such. Further, railroads and airlines are deemed essential (railroads more so). Cruise lines are, well, discretionary (the best word to use without getting the post tossed). Ultimately, ships will sail, agreed. However, they've got to stop the new ship order pre-pandemic binge and increasing of capacity. Work off the debt operating with what they've got. CCL is down for the count. Sell off lines, liquidate to select secured creditors, etc. NCLH is next on the 'plank' but is small enough to be taken after shareholders wiped and creditors take a haircut (buzzcut for sure). RCL is only marginally ahead. The new risk to the cruise lines, a bit farther out, is the derivative result of the banking crisis. Yes, it is a crisis, intended, manufactured or behavior (risk) caused as it may be. Why the US, currently, and via the FDIC won't cover "all deposits" is not a mystery. Small rural and regional banks will lose significant wealth via deposits moved to 'systemically important banks' changing the entire economic fabric of rural and regional America. It's a transfer of wealth. Looking at the election maps in 2016 and 2020, and the small rural and regional bank deposit maps, it's a no-brainer. Long term, a lot of our cruising demographics will be in a different economic reality that might not bode very well for the cruise industry. 😉

Pretty brave, but it's your money. With regard to "restructuring," my take is another form (versus what I see as your inference to "refinancing" debt) and in troubled debt restructuring, aka bankruptcy reorganization (not liquidation). In such a scenario, which I believe is most likely (absent an oil-rich sovereign fund in which $30B is treated like Monopoly money), equity is almost universally cancelled. Again, pretty brave, but it's your money. GLTY 🤞

Well we are visiting $10 again. 😲 On the date of the post, probably back in @ $8-ish? Chance to 'bail and make a little something IMO. Might want to take it and bank the gain. Also, it's pretty clear that CCL is really in a tough predicament to be enthusiastic about 'ride this out' as the ride might not be that long. I have no idea what TLSA (which has had many stock-splits so a $ to $ PPS is of little relevance; i.e., not 🍎 to 🍎) or Twitter have to do with CCL. 🤨 Re: EM, there hasn't been an entrepreneur and inventor the likes of him in a generation. Back in 2018 Entrepreneur called it spot on. CCL could use a mind like that, or could have. https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/shaming-elon-musk-is-how-you-kill-the-next-great-inventor/324149

@Host Jazzbeau and @Dr. Cocktail present good perspectives. We've enjoyed such as 21-D LA-NY in Haven and enjoyed it, had good sights to see in NY (pre-pandemic, pre-what-the-heck-is-going-on-in-the-streets-there 😟). Even had good time pre-cruise on the Queen Mary overnight and up to Hermosa Beach. Now in FLL ☀️ for the winter (up North 🥶) we like the itineraries beneficial to an Uber ride to and from Port Everglades or Port of Miami. No more pre-flight hotels in Boston. No more flights to FLL or MIA. No more pre-cruise hotels in FLL (Harbor Beach Marriott) or MIA (Intercontinental). However, we will keep an open mind to a different start and/or finish going forward depending on various events and conditions at such alternatives. Generally prefer 10D+ cruises at a minimum, so the 7D comment is consistent. Also making such 'boring' is the mass market larger ships go to the same ports all the time and, because the ports aren't expanding as fast as the capacity of new mega ships coming online, the port stops are "shorter" noticeably. Looking forward to experiencing Explora I in December.

Yep, although feel up to it, the 67 YO legs, back, hamstrings etc. make a difference. 😉 Us also. Been a no-go since December 2019 pre-pandemic. Had a good run of 11+- weeks in 2019, YC B2Bs and a Haven 21D LA - NYC in time for Thanksgiving (we had a very large sickness, not Noro, not flu...but huge contingent of Asian passengers 😷 No comment). We're not big fans of so many no-returns-to-departure port of Explora Journeys. Yep. We've got a 'hold' on a 10 deck mid-ship, but appears below one of the 'inside whirlpools' on 11. Trying to figure that out. Can't find any photos of such. Anyone with a 'keen eye' of 'info' would be appreciated. Agree, likely wishful at this time. World events can't change in a 'blink though. The good thing with EJ and MSC we're not worried about our deposits. Would not touch the big 3 public CLs at this point and the Haven and YC are getting absurd.

Yep, we've got that $7,050 'net' price (25% MSC Voyagers Club Diamond Discount) confirmed and a hold reservation yesterday on that specific cruise. $352.50 PP PD is pretty decent to try Explora I. TA has indicated that he still got a 2-stateroom upgrade? Didn't expect that. TA also giving $500 OBC. Looks like less than Seascape Yacht Club for just 7-day periods time wise. Not going to miss waterslides, zip lines and large pool and show gatherings and shows and restaurants or risk dealing with potential new issues in the Yacht Club of late inference. Looking for a nice, tranquil pre-Christmas and New Years holidays cruise before we fly all over the country to visit sons and grandkids, get sick with either Covid, cold or flu from such, before returning to sunny South Florida after New Years for the 'winter.' 😉 I don't know how that compares to the original and sequential price increases, however, we've been told that the latest price increase really had an impact on new reservations. Likely, the moved too high too fast and it wasn't sustainable for some reason. Also, there are some disparities along choice of cruising dates aligned with typical holidays and seasons. Admire those that booked really early. Missed punching the button on such at the time.