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Everything posted by BuckeyeMark
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Celebrity decided to move their ship the Beyond to the Caribbean and so they canceled its Med cruises for the summer of 2024. Just sent us all emails saying "Sorry, you don't have a ship any more." Didn't even replace the Beyond with a different ship so we could still go on that cruise - just canceled it. Now we need to select another cruise - and we have two weeks to do so to get some perks and goodies that Celeb is offering to "make up" for the inconvenience. On top of that I had a big church group I was bringing on that Med Sea cruise! So now I'm choosing for a big group ... We are looking at going to Norway. Celebrity has a cruise in May that goes to Nordejordeid, Geiranger, Flam, Alesund and Kristiansand out of Southampton. That looks good but I need to know more about cruising fjords. Is it true you have to be up at 4 AM every morning to see the fjord as you sail into port and appreciate it? Is everyone pretty worn out all day because of the early starts? These cruises look amazing but the cruises I have been on have been about the port mostly - the sailing was inconsequential (the ocean looks the same every day). Norway looks like it's not so much about ports as it is about the sailing. Yes? What else should I know about these cruises before I put my group on a ship to Norway? Below is the cruise we're looking at. Any and all info appreciated. We're really trying to get up to speed on this quickly as Celeb pulled the rug out from underneath a well-planned, we've got everything in place cruise and now we're starting over from scratch. Thanks!
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Celebrity Apex, May 7th - May 14th, 2023 Norwegian Fjords Cruise
BuckeyeMark replied to sergel02's topic in Celebrity Cruises
Great report. I am worried about Celeb not being able to go to Geiranger in '26 because someone said they won't let any ship in that is not zero emissions after 26. We had planned to take the cruise you took in 26... Appreciate your good reporting here! -
This was a super helpful post. Thank you.
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What will be using on the Beyond to unlock the stateroom door? Some cruise lines still use a "credit card"? Princess has a bluetooth fob, about the size of a quarter, you wear on a watch band or around your neck and the door unlocks for you when you approach. What's the Beyond use? Picture? And thank you!
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Need a private, quiet place on Santorini for a church service
BuckeyeMark replied to BuckeyeMark's topic in Greece Ports
Thanks to all who have made suggestions. Very helpful. We are a large group and the cruise line has accommodated us with a place to worship on the ship, and they would tender us off as a group, and provide buses to get where ever we need to get on Santorini (it would be a custom shore excursion - $$$$ but we'd be happy to pay). The question is, "Where are we going?" There are some wedding venues we could rent but I haven't found one large enough for our group (100+ and growing). Still searching. Just need a quiet and scenic place. Was kinda hoping that if we got somewhere first thing in the morning we could rent out that place for the morning before things really got going as more passengers come ashore. Again, we could worship on the ship and then everyone head to Santorini on their own for a day of sightseeing. But if we could be together in God's creation for worship ... that would be very special. Thanks! -
My group (100+) will be in Santorini on a Sunday. We'd like to reserve a place where we could have our church service. Preferable super scenic. Is there a beach club we could rent for the morning? Would be great to have services on the beach, then have lunch and then everyone heads out for a day of sightseeing. So we only need a place for an hour or two. Ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions?
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Different take: get on the ship that goes to GLACIER BAY. It's incredible. Super amazing. Go to Glacier Bay!
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Find it Here: Santorini, Firá, and Oia Q & A
BuckeyeMark replied to TheBandit's topic in Greece Ports
Plan to bring a big church group next year on Celebrity to Santorini. We'll be there on a Sunday. Just wondering now - is there a quiet beach we could have a Sunday service on first thing in the morning? Is there a beach club that we could rent for the morning so we'd have a place? I think that could be very special but don't even know if it is remotely possible. Any ideas appreciated! -
We're headed out on the Beyond in 2024 (first time on an Edge class ship - really excited!) and we think the bed by the closet/bathroom is a much better arrangement than the bed over by the Infinite Veranda. That's just personal preference but it looks better to us so that is the kind of cabin we want. So how do we get that furniture arrangement? If you go to book, the cabin pictures and gallery views show rooms set up either way - no matter what class of cabin you choose! Ideas? I don't think we could ask the steward to move the bed so we need to get this right when we book. Thank you.
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Istanbul: NY Times Rated Tops!
BuckeyeMark replied to TLCOhio's topic in Other Mediterranean and Black Sea Ports
This thread is tremendous!!!! So many informed folks and so many kind and nice people here! WOW I am bringing a church group to Istanbul in May 2024. We are very interested in viewing items relating to the Bible at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. We'd like to see the famed Temple Balustrade. Also the Gezer Calendar, and the panels from the Assyrian Gate and the Siloam Tunnel inscription (and other items but these are the biggies). However, I am seeing that some galleries are closed when I look at the museum's website. However, it's all kind of confusing because there are three buildings that make up the museum. I'm not really sure what is housed where or what is closed. Can anyone help me out? Will we be able to see these great artifacts? -
Need a bathtub on the Beyond - what class cabins have them?
BuckeyeMark replied to BuckeyeMark's topic in Celebrity Cruises
We'd take any room with a bathtub. DW has neuropathy, needs to soak. Not sure we're up for the expense to get in one of those suites ... she may just have to visit the hot tubs! -
Need a bathtub on the Beyond - what class cabins have them?
BuckeyeMark replied to BuckeyeMark's topic in Celebrity Cruises
Well there it is... someone wasn't even trying The Retreat because that is a little beyond our budget... Thanks everyone! -
Need a bathtub on the Beyond - what class cabins have them?
BuckeyeMark replied to BuckeyeMark's topic in Celebrity Cruises
This is very helpful. Thanks! The cruise we are looking at has INSIDE, OCEAN VIEW, VERANDA, CONCIERGE CLASS, AQUA CLASS and THE RETREAT as accommodation options. I don't see Sky Suites anywhere in that? I've chosen different room options and I can't find Sky Suites. What am I missing here? -
Like the title says, if I'm just feeling sleepless at 2 AM can I go jump in the hot tub for a soak?
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Did a 12-day, 9 port on Princess. Last stop was Paris. Two hour bus ride into the city. Toured the city on the bus, got on a marvelous Seine River cruise (with lunch served) to see more of Paris and then had some free time around the Eiffel Tower. IT WAS MARVELOUS. No, it wasn't everything. No, we didn't see everything. No, it wasn't long. Guess what? It was a day in Paris and that was more than I'd ever had before. We got to experience the city, the feel, the ambiance, a coffee at a sidewalk cafe, and see the massive-ness of the Eiffel Tower, and the incredible bridges over the Seine and ... more. Much more. More than anything, now we know if we want to go back and get all that we missed. It was wonderful. Just wonderful. For me and my DW it was greatness. YMMV! But we loved it!
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Must see ports in Norway
BuckeyeMark replied to Bizziecruzer's topic in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea
What disappointed and why? NEED MORE INFO PLEASE!!!! -
We did the Paris excursion from LaHavre - 2 hours in a bus, get to Paris, do a drive around to see many of the sights, board a boat on the Seine for lunch and more sightseeing, free time around the Eiffel Tower for about an hour (not enough time to go up) and then back on the bus and "home." Totally worth it. I've been to Paris now! It was fantastic. Would I love to have had more time? Of course! Was it better than nothing! Absolutely! DO IT! Then you'll have been there and you'll know if you want to go back for a longer stay. Go for it!