dgb281

Hi, I was wondering the same thing. In the past, we have brought a 24 pack of bottled water and a 12 pack of diet soda, both in the original package. Packed them in a sturdy reusable-type bag taped closed and put a luggage tag on it. Porter took it without a problem. I did find this article: https://familycruisecompanion.com/can-you-bring-bottled-water-on-a-cruise/#Celebrity_Cruises_Bottled_Water_Policy

My husband’s family is from Norway, so we are planning a cruise of the fjords. To economize, we were thinking of getting an ocean view room. The weather seems cool even in summer (for reference, we are Floridians). We are assuming the views of the fjords can be enjoyed from the common areas. We generally book Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. Any advice?

On the Reflection as an Elite.  Believe me, the 90 minutes don't go very far.  I made the mistake of signing up on my own without any written instructions provided.  I did not sign out properly and burned through more minutes than I thought. The sign-out page is a different site than the sign-in page!  The guys at the iLoung got it straightened out. Anyway, was barely able to load up my emails in my cabin on Deck 6.  Speed was better in public areas.  I have AT&T cell service and found I could get more value from the $10 a day International Day Pass.  It taps into your data usage allotment on your cell phone.  It’s available on all the island countries — we used it on Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Grand Caymen. Check it out as an alternative to buying Wi-fi on board.

Sailed on the Reflection November 26th, after being on Royal for our last couple of cruises.  Be aware there is NO Elite happy hour on the first night, embarkation day.  The Elite lounge was held in the Sky Observatory Lounge on 14.  There is a limited drink menu, but be sure to ask, as it may be available.  We prefer Pinot Noir wine, not on the list, but were able to order it anyway. The time limit is 5-7, with canapés doled out by circulating servers. (Prefer the buffet snacks on Royal.)  As to number of drinks, we tipped our waiters $2-3 every night and had more than 3. The 3 drinks loaded on card were available from 4:30 to 7:30.

This is very helpful, Bravo!

We were shocked to see many men wearing shorts and sandals in the MDR on Rhapsody on the December 3rd sailing. Not just on the first night, but throughout the cruise. I asked the section manager and she shrugged her shoulders and said it’s only a guideline on the dress code. But then she said some folks were missing luggage mid-week because the airline never transferred the bags! Also saw a couple of men wearing cowboy or baseball hats.

I used Cocoa Beach Shuttle ( http://www.cbshuttle.com) for my family of 7 and was very pleased with service. The larger the group, the cheaper the price. Website says about $13.50 pp + 15% gratuity.

i noticed in passing some passengers mention re-booking at a lower fare or better promotion. I know cruise prices are fluid, with a supply-and-demand dynamic.

Can someone enlighten me about obtaining a re-booking at a better deal? Do you go through a travel agent? Do you forfeit your original initial deposit?

Thanks, Biker19, that's what I needed to know.

We use AT&T and it doesn't look like they have anything reasonable for international data. So we are looking into the VOOM packages to stay in touch with family at home. We have 5 cabins - can we buy a 5-device package and use it with different cabins?

The pre-cruise special savings is $9.09 for 1 device - which is 30% off. But it sounds as if they offer a buy one, get one deal onboard. Is it better to wait?

Plus, we are Diamond members, and I know we get a discount, but can we share it with the kids?

We are planning to take a family tour of Stingray City, but Grandpa is not as strong as he used to be. When the boats go to the sandbar, how easy is it to climb on and off the boat?

Any advice?

Are the balcony chairs and table the same for deluxe and superior? We'd like to put our feet up. On some ships, there are footstools or a lounger.

I know there is no guarantee of safety in any port, but I am wondering if anyone has heard concerns about heightened threat conditions in Turkey, particularly the port of Kusadasi. It sounds very touristy, so perhaps there is more security there? We are considering a cruise of the Greek Isles and Italy.