d-train

What were your elegant nights on your sailing? We are doing the 8 day ABC on Celebration next summer... Thanks!!

We found Carnival to be more fun, geared toward a younger crowd with families. Many options for activities/entertainment. Late to bed, later to rise. Our one Celebrity sailing, we found it to be an older crowd (overall), fewer activities, certainly not a funship, early to bed and early to rise type of crowd. Finishes on the ship are more elegant. Food plated nicer, but not really better (at least in our experience.) This was 10 years ago though. Perhaps when the little ones are not cruising with us, when we are older, we will try Celebrity again...

We did a car rental once, but we had a few days added on the front end of the trip... Last year we hired a limo, while the experience was fantastic, it was just higher than 200... But we got to the port in about 50 minutes, rolled right up to luggage drop off, The driver handled all the luggage shuffling. walked across the street and went right in with no line. Was onboard MG by 11AM. That ease was worth the cost for us. With all that covid on board credit we had - over 2K..., we just bought the carnival bus transport to get back to MCO. Walked outside the terminal, right onto the bus. We had a later flight, so we did not worry about getting to MCO in a rush either. Was very simple.

Well look who’s here! so glad you are sharing another epic adventure! thanks for sharing your vacation with us once again!

Boy have you guys been through it! Glad that worked out before sailing! We are both teachers too, 3 weeks left, not that we’re are counting…lol!

We have usually gone with early dining time to enjoy the night life on board, until we sailed Mardi Gras. With the flexibility in restaurants included with YTD, that really was the only choice... Ended up we loved the flexibility in choosing our time day by day, probably won't go back to fixed dining times ...

We have sails Celebrity Summit and Carnival Horizon. While we have enjoyed any cruise we have been on, we do enjoy Carnival more. Horizon has many amenities. Our favorite thermal spa area, lots of great dining choices, lots of activity for lots of fun - though late hours. Summit's dining was great too, as was the cabin we were in. The activities seemed few and far between. The entertainment was comparable to our CCL sailings on Horizon and Mardi Gras. Planned activities not so much. And if you like late night adventure, Celebrity is not for you. Things got very quiet after about 8:30PM... Perhaps when we are older, sailing without kids again, we will try celebrity again. For now Carnival meets many of our "vacation needs" and style of vacation. As long as we are sailing through the Caribbean, the ports are all same old same old... So that is not a factor either. We talk about doing a couple European sailings when we are older too, then Celebrity would be a contender for us then too.

Go with the just asking for an extra key for each room... Without officially switching rooms. Assuming the kids will not be paying their S&S bill themselves...LOL! Wish ours did sometimes...

I always bring this one - never had an issue from CCL for it... https://www.amazon.com/Zuvas-Rotation-Portable-Personal-Electric/dp/B09T5GKF4Z/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2Q714J5E1Z6AK&keywords=4+inch+desk+fan&qid=1683302771&sprefix=4+inch+desk+fan%2Caps%2C304&sr=8-3 I agree it is nice to have some air movement - This one is a usb, so if your light next to the bed has a usb, or if you are on MG, and I assume Celebration (and the upcoming Jubilee), there are usb ports by the bed, so you don't even need the adapter. Golden!

We are doing the 8 day Celebration to the ABC's too - but in July 2024... Please do report back after you sail - when are those 2 elegant evenings? Thanks!!

Yes! Thanks again for sharing your vaca with us! Looking forward to the preview of our Celebration sailing, Just wish it was sooner than later! LOL!

Our local Lowes and Giant Eagle stores have CCL gift cards too.

When I sit on the bench inside the hydro pool, the water is almost at my shoulders. only 5' 6" tall... There is a lounger of sorts in the pool, aluminum pipes, etc..., totally not comfortable, and too high in the water... should of had a bench around the whole deal... Noice set of steps to walk in too.

We enjoyed the Mardi Gras spa last summer on our B2B. Thermal suite was well taken care of. Enjoyed each of the offerings in the thermal suite. Most of the time, it was quite empty, no issues in getting one of those heated loungers. As each week progressed, more folks found their way down and it got busier, but not crazy at all. The hydro pool was nice, larger than on Horizon. I got a pedicure, wife enjoyed a massage, both great service. One thing I missed from Horizon Cloud 9 was being higher on the ship, with those amazing views of the ocean. The Excel class Cloud 9 being below, with no windows, was confining at first, but after a thoroughly relaxing experience, that disappeared very quickly. looking forward to the thermal suite on Celebration next summer!

We did a B2B on MG last summer - it was linked together, and they gave us the $250. But, it was applied on the second leg of the B2B - not a complaint, just FYI...

That is less than the price for the thermal suite for two people. Loved using the thermal suite on Horizon - nice facility in Cloud 9. Plus the little "spa gifts" if that's your thing. But your balcony will not be covered - not sure if deck 6 balconies are covered either though... I would do it just to get the thermal suites included, since we would purchase than anyway... Save a few bucks...

Thanks for sharing the link to the cabanas! We were on Mardi Gras last summer for 2 weeks and wondered what it was like. Have Celebration booked for next summer - now we have another link to keep checking up on...LOL!

I am curious about this too - different price, so what is different with the meal?

We were on MG last summer, one week in 9363 (heard music from below once, during the day), and one week in 9366 (right above the bonsai sushi, never heard any noise). Looks like you will be above Chibang - I bet you will not hear much of anything from below. Loved being on deck 9, mid, both starboard and port sides. Easy to get just about everywhere. Close to 2 elevator banks and stairwells. The extended balcony was great too! Enjoy Mardi Gras! Good luck getting to everything you want to - even on our 2 weeks aboard, still did not hit is all! Great ship!

Is there a discount when you bring your cup back? Is it just the Java blue cups that work, or the tervis ones from blue iguana, etc…too?

Good question!

Going to be an epic trip report! thanks for sharing your vacation/celebrations with us!

We did Rudy’s last summer on our b2b Mardi Gras, once each week. my wife and son loved everything they had, don’t much recall their choices, but when I told my son we booked for Celebration, first thing he said was make a reservation for Rudy’s… I recall the chefs amuse Bouche was the steak tar tar. first, I don’t do raw meat…and second, beef was the choice? how about an escargot dish. had the scallop app, great! ciopinno soup. Great! stuffed lobster, enjoyed the lobster very much. the stuffing was over seasoned, with too much fennel and carrot. flavors really did not match well. the crab in the stuffing was good, but found some shell mixed in. I get the galley is huge, but they should have paid more attention on the shells for sure. would we go again? Definitely, and would choose different items, except for that chiopinno soup, so good!

This is the only way I can find the gift cards on AARP too. Google it, and you get the direct link... I have searched the AARP site several times to no avail... Right now they have $100 gift cards available, sometimes they are $500 cards. All electronic gift cards...

We enjoyed the spa on Mardi Gras last June/July. It wasn't busy until the last port day. Got two of the heated loungers every day, except the last port day. Got into the saunas first that day, then there were loungers available when we were done with that.