Lastdance

My first time in Eden was my last; however, I will say that Celebrity refunded the total price for two meals. I doubt whether we will try it again, even if the dinners were free. Yes, it was that bad, but prices for so many things are too high, IMHO yet an opportunity cost. As long as people pay the prices for specialty dining, they will go up, but also have discounts if these venues are not filling up.

Well, when you get tired of the Caribbean on Royal, come on over to Europe and enjoy the Adriatic on E-class. The demographics are quite engaging, not to mention a great gym, exciting ports, history culture and everything in-between!

Yes...that would be the possibility of the ship leaving without you, I guess. However, I have never taken that seriously.🤷‍♀️

I so enjoy going on a cruise vicariously with you, as seeing things through your eyes and writing makes everything fun!🤗

Yikes! That’s so sad...I hope they are returned ASAP!😩

Just go and make the best of it, as only Mother Nature knows about the weather. We are doing a TA back from Barcelona near the end of Barcelona. The ship will move around the storms and the weather should not be hot! We did the ABC Island in early December and it was hot, but that was a very minor reason for us not returning to the Caribbean.

FWIW...We have taken the speedboat to Fira. Since our tender dropped us off at Fira, opting for this worked out great for the four of us, due to the fact that we had all been to Santorini twice, in the past on private tours of the island. We just paid and got on the boat; it was a great ride there and still early in the morning, so Oia was not crowded at all. There were several choices of times to return, so relaxing, to say the least.

These are the types of details I love, due to those small things that make a difference. I am 5’1”, so this is very helpful for me. ~Thanks!😀

Just one of my reasons for booking new ships, no matter the cruise line. I haven’t cruised yet on Vista, but booked a suite with earplugs; actually, I am bringing those onboard. If I like it, along with my DH, I might just book Allura, but time will tell. Admitting to myself that I was fussy about my cabins/suites made me pay a nickel more to go first class...yes, I am definitely reaching, but also not a spring chicken, yet quite spry indeed🤷‍♀️.

Yay...all the time you have spent updating your home is certainly paying off; it looks fantastic! Thanks for all the photos and what a view! The three of you are going to have such a fun time together on this cruise. What a perfect confirmation gift for your nephew! So sorry you missed the train, but at least you got there together and are ready to go.🥰

I had to take a photo of myself standing in this shower, but was fully dressed, of course. Some of our friends booked this and were kind enough to throw a few parties...such a beautiful suite with so much room, tucked away at the end of that private hallway. We also had a party in the Signature Suite, which was perfect, IMHO. Reflection was my first favorite ship, but then came E-class, although, I would book it again for the right itinerary. Charla looks perfect in this suite, definitely not waiting for retirement to travel and make those “suite" memories! Jim, I think you will make the perfect juror due to so many different factors!

We all wish we could be “you,” but we can’t. I am doing Oceania for a TA next May because I like the itinerary and have lots of time to spend in Portugal, especially Algarve. It is a smaller ship, but want to try something different. This fall is Ascent’s TA, along with a b2bTA next year on Apex again. I need to balance my cruises with a car and driving, spending more in-depth time in several places. I love all your photos and adventures, so keep ‘em coming!🤗

Makes me wonder how close both of you were with your bids. I do enjoy the SV and the shower, as it is, much better for me, than that tub. The good news is that you saved some money to use on your next cruise. If we only knew the algorithm...🤗

Thanks, @Jeremiah1212, for sharing factual information! Of course, it can always change, but this certainly is the latest!

I had one(SV)and moved up to a suite. Actually, that was my plan. So, I can confirm that it worked for me in the Med. Although, I like the cabin a lot, especially the shower due to the suite having more of a tub🤷‍♀️.

Thank you, @janelledocb, for the lovely review. We are doing a TA next May on Vista from Miami to Portugal, so your information was a huge breath of fresh air to read. We also cruise Celebrity, booked a PH1 on Vista and just wanted a change, trying a smaller ship experience. Being concerned about the noise issue with suites, I have been told that the issue with soundproofing will be fixed, but obviously not yet. The gym is a very important venue for us, but we will make it work, getting a little creative. Our issue is doing private excursions and not from the ship due to many factors. We booked a TA because we have been to most of the ports, along with staying in Portugal after disembarking, so we did not have to fly both ways. New ships are the only ones for me, at this point in my life, but would never rule out an older vessel, having been on M, S and E class ships on Celebrity. Change is good and the only constant! If you think of any unique, or interesting things that you discovered, please let me know. Again, thank you for the great positive, yet balanced review! 🥰

I know; would not mind, but prices are high on both of my cruises, even though I booked the first week. The only constant is change and I am not a spring chicken🤷‍♀️. I have an SV for 12 nights, then a suite for the TA...I hope someone will post more information.

This was the latest information I could find, but whether it is true or not, just not sure. There have been several changes to the schedule which was slated for this year: ..."Several sailings onboard Celebrity Apex have been affected by the rescheduling of the drydock. The sailings that were scheduled to embark on November 9 and 21, 2024, as well as those between March 8, 2025, and April 26, 2025, have been cancelled. These sailings include a 12-night transatlantic crossing and a nine-night Caribbean cruise in November, as well as a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean between March and April.” **I have a TA/b2b for the fall of ’25, so am hoping this does not change! ~this was from “Cruise Insider Tips."

Charla, you definitely will not have to worry about that! I just read that Gen Xers are going to receive the greatest wealth transfer in history from us Baby Boomers! You are going to make Zenith after-all, not to mention stay in all your favorite hotels! I am a Boomer, but spending my money to enjoy myself as much as possible in future years!🤗

Yes, it is amazing how times have changed, not always for better, but for being able to find joy and a quiet place onboard when cruising...my own private balcony/veranda.

I had to LOL when I clicked on this thread, as it would not load at all; however, I have been very pleased that it finally did. Celebrity finally returned 200 that I was owed since the end of January! This has given me faith that things are improving with all the newbies who were hired, as my TA and I spent days on the phone with them, but reasons given made no sense at all, only leading to more and more frustration. I can only hope that a page has been turned in favor of the customer.

I have been experiencing the same thing; it started yesterday and today is no different. I totally agree that tomorrow has a great chance of being better🤷‍♀️.

We were very lucky and made it into Israel a year before the war and it was a wonderful experience mostly due to the fact that we had private tours, so able to get a more personal perspective. From the beginning, we knew that there was always a possibility of ports being canceled, but were very lucky, as this did not happen. No one knows the future; look what happened with Covid, so my advice would be for you to weigh the pros and cons, along with your tolerance level for cancelations/changes to schedules. Next year is definitely not the year for Italy due to its jubilee adding an extra 35-40 million visitors. Good luck with your decision-making process!

I love European itineraries, so many thanks for inviting us to join you for this trip. My two previous Apex cruises were in the Eastern Med and a TA; both were very enjoyable. In fact, another b2b is planned for the fall of 2025. I hope you have a wonderful and exciting trip!

No spin except your own comments that you posted, drawing attention to yourself, trying to do whatever until someone replies…safe travels and wonderful cruises whether you do Royal, Celebrity or any other line🔜