Benjo8

All,

We have an early flight and want to be sure we can hop in a cab at 7-7:30 to make our flight. Very familiar with Terminal 25 which was less compact with plenty of cabs. Terminal 29 more compact but assume there will be cabs. Is arranging an Uber practical if not sure when we’ll be walking off the ship? Thanks for any input that would lower my anxiety level. Didn’t plan on quite this early a flight but JetBlue moved it up slightly less than an hour so no free change from them and price differential was significant.

Also, certain food and beverage items might be out of stock or in short supply. Probably not major. That was our experience October of last year with Riviera on Oceania

8 minutes ago, Suzanne123 said:

I’m on Reflection 8 day beginning Saturday. Chic nights were Day 2 at sea and day 7 at sea 

Thanks, Suzanne123. That's what I assumed.

HI,

We'll be on an 8 day Reflection cruise in February and just trying to figure out which nights will be the Evening Chic one(s) with the allegedly more interesting menu in the MDR. Thanks.

We spent 5 days in Slovenia several years ago; Lake Bled, Ljubljana, the caves, the countryside, the wineries. It is a beautiful place and was a great trip, ending in Budapest. If you stay in the port you are really missing out. Our cruise stops there in October. We'll figure out what we didn't see last time and enjoy whatever our choice is.

On 2/10/2023 at 6:49 PM, Duanerice1 said:

Why would they get quarantined?  I doubt they can make anyone test.  With vax and new medicines there is no reason to quarantine anyone.   Let’s get on with life. 

How about so they don’t walk around the ship infecting other passengers. Or is the assumption that someone with Covid who did not quarantine would at least wear a mask? Don’t hold your breath (unless you’re someone who happens to be on that ship).

2 minutes ago, dlh015 said:

I'm much more leery of my fellow passengers then the crew. Been to the buffet lately? Or belly up to a bar with dozens of others wanting a drink??

 

How often do you think the passengers get tested before they board the ship?

I don’t disagree, but passenger testing is not coming back anytime soon, if ever. Cruise lines control their staff and can require testing which is not a big deal. I’ll take what I can get as far as testing at this point with Covid among strangers. I test often when visiting family as they do and don’t give it another thought. Happy to be healthy having gotten Covid once on a cruise which was not pleasant.

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Since passengers aren’t tested not sure why crew would be tested.

Crew members, especially in bar and dining venues, presumably move among guests more than other guests do and, thus, more likely to spread the virus if they are positive and contagious. 

Does anyone know how often the crew are tested for Covid?

Regarding DeSantis' order about barring mandated vaccinations as a prerequisite, Federal Maritime Law may supersede (as we lawyers say) any State laws involving cruise ships that stop at ports outside the departure state. I'm no Maritime lawyer but I think DeSantis may be a loser on this one. And better for those cruising if he is, IMO.

Similarly, my May 19th European cruise final payment was moved back to 3/13. I hope they cancel prior to that. I don't see European cruising happening this summer. Don't know what i will do if they don't.

And don't forget that cruising overseas will also largely be determined by the situation in the port countries. So even if most of the US gets vaccinated by, say, June (long odds, admittedly), I think cruising in Europe will not resume before August or September, if then. What that leaves for the remainder of the 2021 European cruise season is slim indeed. Betting against a resumption of European cruising in 2021 is not a silly wager. 

I’m sure many of you have thought about the issue of getting crews back on the ships once the ok is given. This article puts it in stark relief.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/07/27/1-big-potential-roadblock-for-carnival-royal-carib.aspx 

Consider this article from today's NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/travel/coronavirus-cruises-reopening.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage

It's a tough question to answer for many, including myself, even if cruising returns later this year. Not to look into the darkness too much, but i see differences in cruising overseas and cruising domestically. I have a cruise scheduled for October leaving from/returning Rome. Forgetting for a moment the Italy and other countries health issues,  a concern i have is not so much being marooned at sea for weeks or more, but if I fall ill will i able to get fairly prompt, [hopefully] top line medical assistance off the ship. Until there is a vaccine who wants to roll those dice? It is a difficult decision for many of us who are older and want to take these trips while they are still able to. 

Everyone don't get too excited. There isn't a magic wand and if you go, do not get sick because there is no functioning hospital on St. Thomas and won't be for many months. This NYT article should be sobering to all. Cut and paste in your browser. https://nyti.ms/2ytt3l7

I'm on that cruise. My TA tells me he was told you disembark 8-10 am. I'm likely booking an afternoon flight since morning flight for me is at 10:50.

You do not say whether you have boys, girls, or one and one. But if you have at least one daughter, you need two bathrooms or you will not last the week. At those ages, you need two [bath]rooms to get ready, shower, etc. even with desk and mirror in the room for one lady to put makeup on. I have only a daughter and over many cruises, once she got older, it was very tough to manage three in that room as far as bathroom use to get ready. At that point my wife was taking her shower in the spa after exercise rather than fight for the room bathroom in time to be ready for late seating.

I noticed that, too. Celebrity may be trying to keep us from seeing if there was a price drop in our booked cabin category to discourage re-booking and/or credit if stateroom price has dropped prior to final payment.

The ship arrives early enough in the morning that you can use your 4G or whatever wireless service on your smart phone without the ship's wifi. So, other than sweating with Southwest and the prospect of screaming babies if you don't have a few minutes at the airport (and unless you have an early flight you have plenty of time at the airport), most of us do not have to get a bit crazy at the end of the vacation looking to print out a boarding pass onboard.

Agree with Daisy. A fabulous trip on Xpedition.

Another thing it took me many cruises to figure out: clothes dry faster in shower/bathroom if you leave bathroom door partially open. Really gives the room a/c a chance to remove more moisture from them.

Just off Summit as well. What I heard, in addition to Normandie changing to Tuscan Grill and movie screen, is Bistro on 5 becoming Sushi bar (so long to free sushi at 5:30), MDR getting new carpet and/or furniture, theatre getting new stage lighting and one moving part of stage being repaired. Last unconfirmed rumor is that 50 mold-resistant hammocks are being strung on deck 1 for those passengers who wish to save money for booze by foregoing their own cabins.

Just got off he Summit yesterday. Ate late seating MDR right next to Captain's table (sat empty late seating the entire cruise but at least one night had dinner with Captain in Qsine so I knew where he was). We had no problem getting good sommelier service, but then again the table of 8 next to us appeared to have relocated from Napa so sommelier was always around. In the past hard part is getting sommelier trained early in the cruise. And he/she seems to train quicker and better if you are buying bottles and not on a beverage package.

Success checking in! After two more failures checking myself in first, I tried to check my wife in first and all went well, first her, then me. The other numerous cruises I checked in with Celebrity online, I went first without a hitch. Go figure Celebrity.