CruisinNewb

We always prefer the rear angled portion of the hump. We try for the 1st and 3rd bigger balconies. Great central location, mid ship for those of us who don't love motion. We get plenty of walking in even there because we are usually in the Sky lounge until late evening.

Thanks for the positive review. It is nice to read something that isn't a complaint. Yes there are always things to complain about but there are also (usually) positive things to praise. While we never travel in suites we always enjoy our cruise. We will be on the Millennium for the first time in 2025 for a Best of Japan cruise and are looking forward to both the itinerary and the ship. Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

The fact is that cruise lines are a for profit industry. Despite their marketing that says otherwise, the only thing that really counts to the company is generating revenue and profit. If their loyalty programs add to that bottom line then they will provide whatever "perks" they need for that to continue. When they stop producing that profit then they cut them. After the pandemic, the cruise lines were basically closed for an extended period. Those dollar losses have to be recouped and those loans need to be paid back. As in any consumer product, the two primary ways to do that is reduce expenses and increase product cost. The mainstream cruise product of the past is gone, just like the 32 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce that is now 24 oz. They will continue to cut and trim until it adversely affects their profits. When and if they reach that point they will reintroduce those items that they cut, usually to loud trumpets and bells ringing and how they "listened" to their loyal guests. To compare Celebrity to Oceania or Viking is an unreasonable comparison. While the costs may be comparable in the higher end cabin or suites they are not for a balcony cabin. My experience has been that they are at least 25% costlier if not more. Of course when you pay more, you can expect more. We cruised on the Silhouette last summer and had a very enjoyable time. There were definitely shortages of personnel in Cafe' al Bacio as we saw officers helping out there. The martini bar was more crowded than usual and it was harder to get a cocktail and the bartenders weren't as good. But the servers in the MDR were the best we have ever had. The food and service in the specialty resturants were great. The buffet selections were always varied, plentiful and tasty. The musicians were great as were the aerialists during the shows. One of our friends from CC recently left Celebrity and is now a Viking fan. He will be missed on the Celebrity board but I am glad he found a new home that he enjoys. Sorry to see the OP leave but I hope he finds another line that gives him enjoyment at whatever price/value combination he decides on.

We love the variety of all the bars. We tried the WC bar but it wasn't our thing. I usually prefer bourbon or vodka straight and my wife enjoys her different flavored martinis. The bartenders you get on your specific cruise can really make or break the experience in my opinion. The martini bar has always been our overall favorite for a pre or post dinner drink or two. We loved the bartenders on the Eclipse and the Summit when we last cruised on them in 2018. The bartenders on the Silhouette last year weren't as good in our experience. The vibe that we loved on the Eclipse and the Summit were not there for us so we spent more time at some of the other bars onboard. Perhaps part of it was the post pandemic restaffing. We are hoping when we return to the Eclipse next year we get to experience that same vibe we missed at the martini bar. It really turned what was a great cruise into an amazing one.

Many thanks for the info.

Hello all 🙂 I've recently booked out first cruise with Princess (British Isles - 12 nighter). We booked a midship mini suite in one of the angled balconies on Deck 10 on the Regal Princess. We've pretty much sailed with Celebrity up till now and are excited to give Princess a try. I have been reading through the Princess forums trying to pick up as much information as we really don't know anything about the ship, bars, entertainment, etc. There are two questions I couldn't find the answers to and I thought I'd ask here. 1) Is there any place onboard where they have ballroom dancing in the evening? On Celebrity they has a lounge on one of the upper decks which had a sizable dance floor and a DJ several evenings during the cruise. From reading old threads it looks like on Princess most of the dancing occurs during dance parties on the promenade or by the pools. Are there any lounges where there is dancing? 2) We purchased the Princess Plus package and understand that covers alcoholic drinks up to $15. I'm a bourbon and vodka drinker, usually drinking them straight. My wife enjoys craft beers, lemon drops and chocolate type martinis. Would they be covered under this package or do you think it would pay to upgrade to the Premium package? Thanks for your help and if there are any other suggestions or advice you can give to a Princess newbie it would be greatly appreciated.

Is Celebrity still offering power up points for watching destination videos and completing questionnaires? I haven't received one in several months. Thanks.

Some photos of dinner at the Lawn Club Grill.

Red Church & White Church.

Briksdal Glacier

Olden We booked an excursion here again through Norway Excursions. This tour was to the Briksdal Glacier. We met the bus right outside the ship. Norway Excursion personnel usually wear these bright yellow jackets that are hard to miss. Unlike our last excursion, this one was very full and almost every seat in the bus was taken. The bus made several stops on the way for photo ops of Olden lake and the surrounding countryside. The hike itself was enjoyable. The bus dropped us off at the base where there is a small shop for food and shopping. The hike is steep in the beginning but then flattens out to a very easy climb.

Reviews of Olden and Stavanger excursions with photos to follow.

Thanks. I did exactly what I tried before and this time it worked. No rhyme or reason lol.

Any Buffalo trace products are allocated where I live and very hard to find. E.H. Taylor and Stagg Jr. are two of my favorites from the BT line. More accessible for me and two favorites are Old Ezra No. 7 and Old Forester 1920 if you like higher proof bourbons.