lynncarol

maybe if you are on the shorter side it is chest-deep water. My husband is 6'4" and I am also tall so to us it was about waist-deep.

Anchorage is, as I'm sure you know, a city. It has lots more restaurants and a great museum. Seward is more for the outdoor experience. The train from Anchorage to Seward leaves really early in the morning. (if I recall correctly, about 6:30 a.m). The Kenai Fjords are indeed lovely, but if the weather is bad, boat excursions there cancel. When we went in September, it was raining hard with wind and choppy waters so the captain turned the boat around and took us back to the dock half-way through the outing. (We were refunded half of the fare and saw a big pod of Orcas, so it was still a worthwhile experience). If I were you, I would check out the weather forecast before spending an entire day in Seward....we were told it rains there a lot!

Four of us (in two partially obstructed balcony cabins) were on the Equinox this past January. We were told the ship would be going to be refurbished etc probably in April. I don't know for how long she will be out of commission. However, the other couple with us was very upset about the paucity of outlets in the Equinox as they use laptops, kindles, etc and they both like to read them in bed. Apparently the outlets were not convenient for that purpose (Eventually the staff found them an extension cord). Also, we found our cabins had very little drawer space compared to other Celebrity ships we have sailed. FYI...these were minor issues to us, but major ones for the other couple. I will say we don't recall any of those issues on the Constellation.

It's been awhile since my husband and I were in Ephesus, but we really liked Ephesus Shuttle tours. They got us there so early from the ship that the gates had not yet opened, allowing us to be one of the first into the site. Although our guide politely asked if we wanted to see a rug factory, when we declined he did not insist and instead recommended some places we could visit for free on our own after his tour. (Unlike some different companies that others have used). I checked Trip Advisor, and it is still in business with a 5.0 rating

I highly recommend Hotel Palo Santo located in the prestigious Palermo District of Buenos Aires. It is a small boutique hotel, serves breakfast, has a lovely enclosed little garden and you will not encounter bus-loads of tourists. They even let us check in hours early for no extra charge. This area is very safe to walk around at night and only a few blocks away is the small Crizia restaurant, which served delicious food at a reasonable price.

I really thought being on a jury would be interesting, but wasn't even called for duty until I was in my fifties. As luck would have it, I had a cruise scheduled and they deferred my jury duty with only a phone call. Years passed until I got called up again. This time I went, only to have the defendant 'plead out' just before the trial started and we were all sent home. So now I am in my late seventies, and nobody 'official' seems to want me anymore...destined it seems to never serve on a jury.

Here is what my husband and I did in Kristiansand in 2016. Not sure where the ship docks anymore, but back then it was only a short walk to the Odderoya Peninsula. This former military area has been converted into a large park. There are still defensive armaments there that overlook the sea, some dating to the 1800s. Guns, ramparts, abandoned buildings etc. and when we were there in September, wild blackberry and blueberries lined the trails. At the top of the park are the ruins of an old fort with a spectacular view, a perfect spot for a picnic. I'd definitely check when the park closes: that was not an issue as we docked there in early morning. Alternatively, you could walk to Ravnedalen Park, which is supposed to be lovely. We had intended to do that after the Peninsula, but it was a long walk to get there and though we eventually saw the entrance in the distance, our energy was spent and we headed back to the ship.

After reading all these replies...maybe I have the answer. I bet they look up your onboard spending now to decide if you are 'worthy' of a free gift. Speaking only for myself, I can see why my husband and I aren't on the top of their list: We don't gamble, partake only of the free drinks we get in Elite status, never use specialty restaurants, do our own tours and rarely use ship excursions. Heck! I wouldn't waste a free gift on me either if I were the one making decisions.

You should be fine using local tours in Reykjavik. We used GeoIceland tours for the Golden Circle in 2016 and were very pleased. They picked us up right on the pier. I just googled them and they are still in business with a 97% rating in TripAdvisor.

Once we did a ship excursion that included Peggy's Cove as well as the Titanic passenger burial ground. Normally, we don't do ship tours (preferring independent bookings) but I was really glad this one was a ship excursion as on our return to Halifax, we ran into a lot of traffic and were late returning to the ship. It was nice not having to worry that we would be left at the dock. Halifax itself, is very walkable if you are used to hills and we have done this twice now on our own. Highly recommend their Botanical Gardens, the Citadel and the Titanic Museum.

My husband talked me into a 17 day TA cruise from Copenhagen to Boston in September of 2016 on a mid-size ship. Even though I am prone to sea-sickness, only one of the days was bad. We had a balcony and out of the entire trip, only one day was it warm enough to use the balcony. The entertainment and food were good, and we really liked our table-mates at dinner but both of us decided afterwards, that 17 days was just TOO LONG for us to be on a ship. (And I had a father who was in the Navy during WWII and loved being on his ship). I am sure that on a November cruise, it will be really cold in the Atlantic so dress appropriately.

Is your ship overnighting in Reykjavik? If so, try to get one of the later afternoon tours of the Golden Circle. My husband and I have done this twice: once during an independent week in Iceland in 2006 and another in 2016 while on a TransAtlantic cruise. We were both stunned at how many more folks were visiting these sites in 2016 then 10 years earlier and I understand the crowds have only gotten worse now. So...you need a tour out of Reykjavik that either leaves port really early, or if, overnighting, later in the day. Akureyri, at least in 2016, was a gorgeous area and much less crowded. We used Saga Tours for a full-day tour of the area that ended up with time at the Nature Baths. Isafjordur is a very small port and most cruise-ships use tenders. (Or at least they did when we visited in 2016). When two ships are in town, it was a mob scene. Try to get a ship excursion to see the nearby falls would be my suggestion, as you would get your money back if that port is skipped during bad weather.

That is indeed sad to learn.

While the four of us were traveling independently in Europe, we took one of the three days we spent in Vienna to go to Bratislava (Primarily so we could check another country off our list), We took the train from Vienna to Bratislava and spent most of the day there. All four of us agreed: We would rather have stayed in Vienna which has so much more to offer.

what ports are you visiting in Iceland?

True, but if you take the shuttle to the Visitor Center of the Glacier, you can easily see the glacier across the little lake (inlet?) and you can walk to Nugget Falls, which my husband and I enjoyed. At the time we went, they had telescopes set up in the visitor center where you could get a really close-up view of the glacier.

If it is the same one that most people use, no swimming is required. You just stand in waist-deep water holding the food and the rays come to you. When we were there, a parent had (foolishly) brought a young child (maybe 4 or 5). The water, of course, was over her head and her dad had to hold her the entire time. Plus the rays coming up apparently terrified her and the poor little thing cried most of the time.

OMG....he looks just like the dog that sniffed my woven bag and that was years ago. Maybe "Son of original sniffer"?

@kwokpot ---you make a good point. If the persons changing cabins have different status onboard, then you are correct, just get extra keys for the cabins and use your original ones for drinks, charges onboard and etc.

Have only been to Iceland twice: once in early June and then again in September. Both times we had some rather chilly weather. I think you should be Ok with what you are currently bringing but I would suggest thin gloves and hat. Doesn't take up too much room but goes a long way to making a person feel warmer. If you encounter really cold weather you can always buy a hoodie for extra warmth. I don't know if they still do this, but when we were there, Iceland had drop-off boxes where folks could donate extra clothing that they couldn't fit in the suitcase to go home..

I had used my woven bag to transport breakfast rolls while in Australia. When we flew into New Zealand, apparently the bag, although empty, still smelled of rolls. Their dog went crazy and of course, my bag was thoroughly searched. Even though I was completely innocent, it was embarrassing.

My husband and I have done this before with our adult kids. No problem at all if it is in one booking. Just go to Guest Services to switch rooms.

Just was on the Celebrity Equinox this past January. We are elite but were staying in an obstructed balcony room. Still, we discovered a free Celebrity tote bag on our bed.

Our best last-minute cruise was in 2014 on a mega-yacht for a 17 day cruise of the Black Sea through (the now defunct) Vantage Cruises. 2 months before the cruise was to begin, Russia annexed Crimea and apparently many folks cancelled as we received a notice from Vantage extolling a huge price drop. I called Vantage and asked, "Is the reason this price is so low because the Crimea situation resulted in a lot of cancellations?" After a long pause the agent replied, "Well, perhaps, but adventurous cruisers like yourself are currently filling the empty spots". He probably meant 'cheap-skates' but who cared. I made the booking and as airfare was included, no hassles at all. Plus, we ended up being the only passenger vessel in the Black Sea and were welcomed warmly everywhere...even in Sochi Russia.

Been on lots of cruises with both Celebrity and RCCL and have had Elite/Diamond status for years now. When we have taken our grandkids on cruises, we chose RCCL as, mentioned before, there are lots more activities for them. (The two of us just got off a nine day cruise on Celebrity to the ABC islands and there were a total of 4 children aboard...half of them babies). Also, I love RCCL salad buffets during sea days. However, for just my husband and myself, we usually go with Celebrity. We are not big drinkers, and can't even finish 2 of the 3 free drinks apiece offered with our status. It is definitely a more quiet passenger vibe, but we can't stay up late anymore even if we wanted to do so. Never have we been awakened on Celebrity by noisy folks in the hallway at night, but that was not always the case with RCCL. Otherwise, I think both lines provide a good cruise experience.