basil's mom

Why not have a romantic dinner on your balcony? The butler will bring it to you course by course.

Murano. We eat there at least once every cruise.

My friends and I go out to tea at least once a month. The prices range from $35.00 up to $75.00 per person. Celebrity's $25.00 fee is a steal and is definitely worth the money.

I just booked my first cruise direct with Celebrity. As a rule I don't like middle men if it can be avoided, however, I'm having some difficulty. They assigned me a "cruise specialist" but as near as I can figure he never answers the phone and has not returned my calls. People seem to get very personalized service from TA's, but is that level of service possible with the big online agencies? I live in upstate New York and don't know any l local agents or anyone who's used one.

 

Any advice much appreciated, thanks.

You don't need a local agent. We have booked with the same agent for 18 years and I have never met him (I live on the west coast and his office is on the east coast). There has never been a problem getting ahold of him. He must work seven days a week because no matter what day I call, I either talk to him or get an e-mail when he is traveling.

Talk to others to see if they are happy with their travel agent. Referrals are the best way to find someone.

There are several companies that will ship your luggage to your cruise ship and/or from the ship to your home. You can Goggle them.

We are not impressed with the nearly nil dress code. I miss the ambiance of the ship when everyone was formal.

I loved getting dressed up and this was about the only time I could put on a gown. Everyone looked so nice in their formal clothes. I read somewhere that clothes affect people's behavior and I do notice a difference when formal clothes were worn.

We will be sailing to the Caribbean this November. In the past, Caribbean sailings have been more casual than other (European, Hawaiian) cruises. My husband is not bringing his tux but he will bring a navy sports coat and dress pants, along with dress shirts and tie. My brother will bring the same type of clothes. I will wear a long dress one night and a cocktail dress the other night.

If you have a veranda, why not think about a private dinner on the veranda when you propose?

Have you tried airbnb? Maybe you could find a place with your combined budgets that would sleep all of you.

No, the due date is set by the cruise line. If final payment is not made by the deadline you lose your booking. Since the deadline is normally about 90 days before the cruise you could always cancel your reservation and rebook the cruise a month later. The price might be different, however, and you will have a smaller selection of cabins to choose from.

We always use Karmel Shuttle when we need transportation to or from the airport (http://www.karmel.com/).

The traffic in Los Angeles is terrible and the drive always takes a lot longer than you expect. There will be long security lines at LAX (I have seen the line go from inside the terminal, out the door, and extend about a block). You should leave extra time as a cushion.

We always use Karmel Shuttle (http://www dot karmel dot com/ whenever we need transportation to or from the airport. They have always been extremely reliable.

We use Karmel Shuttle whenever we need a ride to or from the airport. They have several options to choose from: shared van, private van, or a car/suv. Their website is http://www dot karmel dot com/. They have always been very reliablle.

I wouldn't worry about your weight. There will be all sizes and shapes on the cruise.

Catalina is really not good for snorkeling but you can go on a glass bottom boat. The fish are not the beautiful tropical fish but mostly brownish and grays. You can go on a tour to see the dolphins, do a tour of the island, see the botanical gardens, or if you are adventurous, ride a segway. There are lots of shops and you can walk around the town. I'm not sure when you are planning to go on the cruise but it might be too cold to lie on the beach (which is not very large).

There are severak sightseeing tours in Ensenada or you can walk around town (I wouldn't stray too far from the ship by myself). Fishing is a big attraction in Ensenada, and there is always shopping.

Without a doubt, Murano. The food and ambience is wonderful and equivalent to any four star restaurant in NYC.

The steaks in Tuscan Grill, imho, are just okay. Do not expect the quality of Ruth's Chris or The Palm; more like a tourist steak restaurant near Times Square.

The dishes at Silk Harvest are as authentic as La Choy is. Think more chop suey than true Asian dishes. You can get the same quality in the Oceanview Cafe.

Eight of us (including me) went on a wonderful tour with Roch Voyages http://www.transferts-service.com

Guided tour of the charming city of Aix, drive to Cassis, quick lunch, boat tour to see the famous inlets, drive along Crests Road

Sixteen members of our group went on the Provence Wine Tour

http://www.provencewinetours.com and raved about it.

Which ship are you on? Concierge on S class ships have the following perks:

Services

• Our signature friendly, personalized service with a guest to staff ratio of nearly 2:1

• Twice daily service (makeup and turndown)

• Ice service on request

Dining

• 24 hour room service

Amenities

• Robe

• Complimentary tote bag

• Custom blended bath products (shampoo, conditioner and lotion), shower cap, cotton balls and cotton swabs

• Water/wine glasses

• Celebrity eXhale™ bedding featuring custom premium mattresses, plush duvets and pillows, and 100% cotton linens

• Hair dryer

Stateroom features

• Private mini-bar*

• Interactive Samsung flat-screen television system to view and select shore excursions, order room service, and watch movies*

• Private safe

• Dual voltage 110/220AC outlets

*Additional charges apply

.

Some staterooms are accessible for wheelchair users and other guests with disabilities. They include automatic doors (on Solstice Class only), roll-in showers, grab bars and other accessible features. Please see the specific ship deck plans for the location of all wheelchair accessible staterooms.

In addition Concierge Class staterooms include:

Services

• Dedicated Onboard Concierge desk

• Priority check-in

• Concierge availability during pier check-in

• Priority disembarkation based on travel needs

• Exclusive pre-departure lounge

• Exclusive Destination Seminar arranged by the Concierge

• Complimentary shoeshine service

Dining

• Exclusive Welcome Aboard Concierge Class Lunch in the Main Restaurant (11:30am - 1:00pm)

• Main and specialty restaurant seating time preferences

Amenities

• Welcome Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine with a commemorative label featuring exclusive art work

• Welcome fresh fruit

• Daily Delectable Delights

• Pillow menu to suit sleeping preferences

• Celebrity eXhale™ bedding featuring custom premium mattresses, plush duvets and pillows, and pure cotton linens

• Plush 100% cotton bathrobes & towels

• Custom-blended bath amenities

• Extra handheld hair dryer

• Use of golf umbrella and binoculars

• Celebrity tote bag

• Celebrity embossed key holder

• Celebrity embossed notepad and pen

Stateroom features

• Hansgrohe® massaging showerhead

I always take an over-the-door or hanging shoe bag. My hair brush, comb, makeup, hair dryer, etc. go in there. It is out of the way and I can easily see what is there. If you have a lot of things that need to be plugged in, bring a plug adaptor and converter. That way you can use both types of wall plugs. Crazy glue and duct tape come in very handy.

The hotel is three miles from Port of Miami and four blocks from Bayside Market. There are several restaurants at Bayside, including chains such as Bubba Gumps, Chili's, Hooters, Hard Rock Cafe, and Five Guys plus several fast food places.

I believe Holiday Inn is part of the IHG family. I don't know if you need a separate account for each brand.

Check out the Intercontinental Miami. It is near the port and they are having a special right now - prepaid rate of $184 per night but if you belong to the IHG club the price is $172. Don't belong to the club? You can enroll on line and then place your reservation.

I'm not sure how long they will have these rates so hurry to take advantage of them.

Check out this website: http://www.uspassportnow.com/blog/passport-requirements-documentation-required-application/

It lists documents that can be used to apply for a passport if you don't have a birth certificate.

Hotel Continental is not very fancy but it is clean, extremely reasonable, and the staff are very friendly. http://www.hotelcontinental.com/en/hotel-continental-barcelona. Trivago has it listed for $109 a night.

There is a buffet containing cold cuts, cheeses, hard boiled eggs, bread, and fruit that is open 24-hours a day. They also have complimentary soda, ice cream, coffee, and beer. It is located about 1/2 block from Las Ramblas. There are several restaurants, a grocery store, and H & M department store on the same street.

Several people stayed at the hotel and we rented a van to the port for 90 euros for 7 people. It took about 15 minutes to travel to the ship so a cab wouldn't be expensive.

If there is any way to get your flight through the cruise line you should do that. You are then guaranteed to get on the ship, either at the embarkation port or the next port.

It is not just fly to the next port. If you miss the ship the captain has to get special permission for you to get on at the next port. If you read the fine print in your cruise contract there is no guaranty that you will be allowed to board the ship at the next stop.

Table for two? WHY?

 

My wife and I retired on the same day 12 years ago. When we now go on a cruise she says she wants a table with others so she can finally have an intelligent conversation. :)

You must have a good sense of humor.