G.C

We have done the Frankfurt to Nuremberg on Viking during the Christmas Market season.  That really is a wonderful cruise and a great time to visit those cites.  Having lived in Frankfurt many many years ago other than the Christmas market its too big a city to really see from a river cruise in a single day.  Germans are now in the minority it has become a true world class city.   We are going back this December for the Nuremberg to Budapest Christmas market sailing.

We did the chef`s table on this ship earlier this year. It was our 7th Chef`s table and by far the poorest offering. A very over priced dinner hosted by the chief of security. The chef seemed very disinterested and tired of this event in general. We will never attend another one on CC.

Thank you so much for all the information so far. I've found some photos online and the only thing that is holding me back in booking the CS is the balcony - it doesn't seem very private and looks like basically all the other decks can see you if they're standing against the railing. Is that the case?

Not at all. Yes they can see the rail area if they look around. I recommend the CS just behind the bump. That bump really blocks the wind when the ship is moving. For us we enjoy the CS cabin. That is the only cabin we`ll book on the this class ship. I do wish the bathrooms were larger like a Princess suite.

Have a choice from now between A753 and the Caribe deck in the PH cabin. Motion doesn't bother us. For this at sea, wanting to use our balcony with time on our hands finally, which would you recommend?

A 753 would certainly be my choice with those two options very easy choice. Whatever you chose have a great time!

Gary

We have stayed in both cabins several times. I prefer the PH due to the extra large clean no beam in my way balcony. The OS is a little larger with a table in the suite that we really don`t use. I no longer pay more for a cabin I like less. For me the noise was about the same in each. Maybe early a little more deck chair dragging by the crew in the PH cabin. I only notice when outside on the balcony. A 751 is my favorite cabin on this class ship. There is more cabin motion on both of these than a mid ship suite if that matters to you.

Just got off the Equinox. The app worked fine on my 6SE IPhone and my IPad. I did not have to have internet to make it work. While in port it worked great. After sailaway I had to set each device to Celebrity wifi for it to work. You did not have to connect to their wifi just set it on their wifi. No cost and it worked great on both devices.

I will find out and post the response here.

Gary

Just down loaded the app and looked around our sailing on the Equinox next week. Very helpful works well on my Apple phone. Thanks for bringing this up! I had no idea based on terrible X website experience the app would be so much better.

Tom,

Hope you and Cheryl are doing well. This past February Sushi on Five was covered on the Reflection. We did not try the other two.

Gary

All except Belize offer good shore diving options. Diving near the mainland in Belize until the nearby islands which I love is not so good.

Hugh Parkey also runs diving from their shore based site. I would avoid diving direct from the mainland. Make sure you ask which site if you book direct with them. Their island is a good 30/45 minute boat ride each way.

I January I would expect mid to low 70`s in the northern islands. For me that`s a 5 m wet suite for others no wet suite needed.

Sand Dollar Divers I know offers discover scuba with a walk in area just for that type dive. They have a man made reef ball trail starting near the shore line. Its all really shallow. My niece and nephew aged 13 & 15 went with them last year and loved it. No boat very easy water entry.

Anyone with a Delta Amex card? Does it work with Viking air to give you priority boarding?

Depends on which Delta Amex card you have. Black yes other colors unknown.

We sailed with Viking last year from Frankfurt to Nuremberg. It was a nice mix of small and large towns. Nuremberg had by far the best Christmas market of the trip. We had a wonderful time and will be doing another Christmas market cruise in 2018.

We had an 10:45 flight out of MIA. This was the first week of March 2017 shortly after they restarted luggage valet. I asked our butler if the service was available yet at POM. Later that day he returned with the forms. I listed the flight # and times and everything went perfect.

We used luggage valet recently and were at MIA before 9:00 am. if you have an early flight that certainly is the way to leave POM.

I have dove all four islands and stayed on Bonaire and Curacao several times. My favorites in order are listed below.

1. Bonaire

2.Curacao very close second can`t wrong with either.

3.St. Martin

4. Aruba I did find the history of the the wrecks very interesting. My four cruise dives all to the same wrecks always low vis and twice strong currents that once turned into unplanned drift dive. That unfortunately caused me to practice my rescue skills. Red Sails the operator had one diver and a captain no crew for 12 divers in a ripping current. The operators were picking up over divers total mess and dangerous. Will never use that operator in Aruba again.

I would hope it is Hugh Parkey again. I have been there four times and very much look forward to going back. Last time there during our surface interval a pod of wild Dolphins swam by and when I jumped in they came to the boat and played with us for about 10 minutes before moving on. Turneffe is their usual stop and I`ve never seen another operator there. Have a great time.

I`m sorry you had a horrible experience with them and have no reason to doubt a single word. If I was you I would not go back either. I`m a master diver who started diving in 1972 while growing up in SE Florida. As a professional diver you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. I`m glad you were able to protect yourselves when encountering such bad service. I`m only relaying my personal experience the (4) times I dove with them over a 6 year period as the OP requested.

I must be tired today. HMC?

I assumed that meant Half Moon Cay. Of course it could also be Her Majesty`s Car-pile dive site too with my luck.

I`ve read some horrible reports regarding Oasis Dive shop in Grand Turk. I have used them (4) times on different cruises over the years since the port was first built and never had a single issue. I do bring all of my own gear and did notice theirs at times looked pretty ragged. They are one of the few cruise ship operators I`ve seen make you prove you can clear your mask and retrieve your regulator before being allowed to dive. Of course that easy to do when your diving from a pontoon boat pulled up on the beach. My personal experience was very good and have seen much worse dive operators when cruising.

Grand Turk for diving HMC for snorkeling would be my first choice for each. If you walk down the beach at HMC about a mile there is a wreck just under the surface off the point that is loaded with fish and we have never had anyone else visit it while we were there.

Port to MIA is a flat rate of $ 27 for real taxi`s that are lined up curbside when you walk outside after customs.

No complaints at all with the service, staff or effort by all to make the dive great. I really liked the people operating the service. I`m a Floridian who regularly travels the Caribbean to go diving so I guess I`m just spoiled. St. Thomas is not for me a great or even good dive destination. I guess it all comes down to what your are used too. After (4) cruises that stopped in St. Thomas I`ll do no more. i would rather snorkel in St. John`s than dive St. Thomas. It`s like Aruba I`ve seen people here say the diving is great. I think its poor compared to their neighbors Bonaire and Curacao which I find great. To each his own no matter your choice be safe and best wishes on a wonderful vacation!

laissez les bons temps rouler aka:Let the good times roll!