PelicanLvr

Very interesting news! Is there a link to the announcement for more details? X website still says "cruise only" not available for AQ.

HI to the OP (from a fellow-NYer) Been to all your ports and most several times. If I had a friend going who had not been to any of your ports I would tell them: 2 Best Beaches: Aruba - Go to Eagle Beach. Easy to get a cab and one of the great beaches in the Caribbean. Palm Beach is too crowded with the high-rise hotels there. Grand Cayman - 7 mile beach. Great beach. - BUT stingray City there is very cool and really worth going to. Maybe you could do both but try to do stingray city if that looks good to you. Both are long beautiful beaches with soft sand. Bonaire - World famous for the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Book a trip (ship or private) - but do not miss the snorkeling there if that interests you. It really is better here. If you want to DIY get get a ferry ticket (very short ride) to Klein Bonaire (which you can easily see from the docked ship) and drift snorkel. Outstanding! - but no shade there. People seem to love the golf-cart thing too. Haven't done that yet. Curacao - Don't love this stop. Beaches are far from the port. Some rent a car...we just walk into town. Enjoy your trip

Babydrum - Have been to Petra on an overnight land tour, not a cruise. The O tour description seems to cover what you need to see. Also Petra is a couple of hours drive from the port and you are in Jordan. We also do alot of DIY shore excursions, but this is not the place for that. I think it would be smart to use the ship tour. Petra is one of those once in a lifetime sites that even a less-than-perfect guide will not spoil. Worry less about the tour reviews here because Petra "speaks for itself". Suggest you take an hour pre-trip to watch a video and/or read-up about Petra to understand more about it before seeing it. We find we get so much more out of seeing significant world sites by knowing a bit in advance. Enjoy Petra, it's spectacular! Even better than the pictures!

Agreed! Why be herded like cattle with ship transfers. If you walk off with your luggage you will probably be in the airport waiting area by 9am If you get off and claim luggage you will probably be at the airport & waiting around by 10am. So simple in FLL.

BERLIN: Download the free Rick Steves Berlin walking tour from his app. It will give you a great overview in the limited time you will have there.

Two names to check into further: Romeinlimo - Highly rated on these boards for private tours from all Italian ports. We used them in Livorno. Walks of Italy - Has ability to get you into sites after hours or sites closed to the general admission public. We have done their "pristine Sistine" tour which is access to the Sistine Chapel before the Vatican Museum opens. Also did after-hours at St. Marks in Venice and access to the "floor" and gladiator areas of the Coliseum. All outstanding experiences. Enjoy planning.

Highly recommend "Walks of Italy" for "special" access to major sites in Rome. Have done several of their walk-tours in Venice and Rome and all have been outstanding. They have permission to get you into areas not open to the general-admission public. If you can make their tour times work with the bus schedule, it would be a good move. There are a few other special-access companies recommended on these boards that you might also check out.

Romeinlimo is also excellent. We used them (just for 2 people) for a full-day private countryside tour out of Livorno. They are highly recommended on these boards.

??? We have used romeinlimo (frequently recommended on these boards) and they are excellent.

We live about 25 miles from JFK. The local quality transportation company is: Delux Transportation Port Washington NY Just call in advance (easier than the website) and book with flight info. Reliable....not cheap....but reliable.

If you have insurance questions, you should call one of the travel insurance agencies like "insuremytrip". They can best explain your insurance options.

About to book one of these large-balcony rooms. They look great. Are there any drawbacks like: Crew service area to avoid? Noise from the theater below? Replies are much appreciated. Thank you!

These staterooms look great! Thanks for all the useful info Are there any drawbacks? Any crew work areas (across the hall) near them? Any noise from the theater below? Thank you

Thank you so much for posting the Exciting Deals link. Glad to see it's back!

I see it's March 2024. Can you change dates? The itinerary change is a big downgrade. If you haven't been to Bonaire, it's so worth a visit. Great snorkeling and from these boards I hear the golf carts are lots of fun. Aruba has excellent beaches.....Curacao - we weren't impressed. Frankly IMHO, C is the least of the ABCs.

We have also used Guided Tours Israel (GTI) and it is outstanding! One of our greatest travel experiences ever. Also, Make arrangements to get off on Day 3 and spend 2 nights on land. Rejoin ship on day 5. Let GTI do an itinerary based on your interests but I would imagine it will be a day in Galilee and 2 days in Jerusalem. Very doable. Don't waste time valuable tour time going back and forth to the port & ship each day. Remember Israel is very small. While there I was told it is the size of New Jersey. You can get around very quickly. With a fast-moving small group or private tour from GTI (or similar company) you can see all the highlights in 3 full (long) days. But so worth it.....no matter what your religion. Please don't use large ship tours. They move at the speed of the slowest participant. You will see so much less. Our GTI guide timed our sites to avoid many of the large groups ... that's how to see Israel.

First Congrats to the OP on your upcoming wedding. Travel (like much of life) is so much about your attitude. There will always be someone in a better hotel room or at a better restaurant table etc. Your reaction to that inevitable situation will determine if that ruins your enjoyment. Don't let it! Have a wonderful wedding cruise and don't give any more thought to being "2nd Class".

Don't remember the X ship, but some years ago our stateroom was far aft. It wan't cool enough and we spoke to the steward. He changed some settings under his control and the room was much cooler. Moral of the story: Speak to the steward if you have a temperature issue. They can help with this issue.

Ask nicely with a smile and see what happens.

Suggest you contact a passport/visa service company and get all passports resolved before departure. Cost will be high,....but some things are worth it.

I have purchased a policy thru insuremytrip that covers pre-existing conditions if purchased within x days of final payment. It was more expensive....but it is out there.

Suggest you look into "Guided Tours Israel", a highly recommended tour company here on CC. After learning about GTI from these boards, we used them about 10 years ago for a 5 day private land tour there and it was perhaps our greatest travel experience ever! I would recommend using them even over any ship-tour.

OP - Everyone questions "did I do the right thing" when it comes to tipping and (as you can see from the above discussion) there really is no "correct" answer. But, since this started with you asking for suggestions, here's what we do: Stateroom attendant at end of cruise: about $10 per day - ie: $70 on a 7 night cruise etc. - adjusted up or down for quality of service. I go to our bank before departure and get lots of small bills: Usually change $350 for: 50 single ($1) bills 20 Five ($5) bills 20 Ten ($10) bills I always have several of each bill with me and usually tip: $5 - server of our one round of drinks nightly before dinner in Cafe B. $10-20/per night - to server and assistant to share in specialty or MDR - Since we don't eat with the same crew each night I do this every night. $0-$10 per night to wine steward- depending on attentiveness ( when on a drink package) $2-$4 - breakfast room service delivery - That was back when it was free! - so probably $0 now if a service charge is applied. $0 - when I pick up a bottle of beer or water directly from the bar. $0 - Maitre D' of dining rooms: Unless they do something for me, which they often do, so it varies. Tipping is a personal thing, but since you asked that's what DW and I do.

OP - I think you need a different plan. By 8:30 you will feel "unwanted" aboard the ship. Maybe a day pass at one of the airport hotels with a pool?

Suggest you call and speak directly to CC. See if you are in their computer. Happened to us on a different line and found out our name was misspelled in their records. Once corrected our points appeared.