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Celebrity isn't known for giving bump ups or free upgrades. Just about the only way an upgrade MIGHT happen is if you book a guarantee cabin, and even then, you rarely will get bumped from an ocean view to a suite. What you usually get is the same cabin category, but in a better location.

We've done more than 30 cruises on Celebrity and have never gotten an upgrade. I just think you need to realize that free upgrades will not likely happen.

The regular bingo is child friendly, but a parent must be with the child. BUT, it's not cheap. If I remember correctly, the cheapest cards were $30 per person.

You do realize that age limitations, for both younger and older passengers, are made by the local vendor and not by the cruise line. We've seen age limits on many cruise lines for quite a few eccursions, and it was explained that it's directly related to liability issues and insurance.

This really hacks me off. This new place is going to be nothing more than a glorified whiskey bar with none of the unique drinks.

Do not use a smart phone to browse the Internet. You'll be charged $2.49 a minute plus any download charges. Best to put the cell phone in airplane mode so as to not incur the charges.

Hey just saw your post, just wondering if you could send me ideas for door signs as well.

message me at findmyfamily@iinet.net.au

You do realize that this thread is over 3 years old, and the likelihood of the OP seeing it is pretty slim. Plus, most here feel that putting your email address on a public forum isn't a very good idea. You just can't be too safe when it comes to social media.

One big question for you. You said this cruise will be part of visit at the end of the year, but you didn't say exactly when. This makes a difference because if you're doing this cruise during the Christmas holidays, it will mean some ships will be loaded with kids, and that can be a negative for some cruisers.

With that said, it's really difficult to advise you on what line to take. Most here would tell you to take the 10 day cruise, especially if the cost is pretty equal to a 7 day. In addition, everyone here will have a different opinion because people have their favorite ship/cruise line. One thing that you said can be considered true, and that is the fact that Celebrity ships, and this also goes for Princess ships, aren't behemoths with 5000+ passengers, and consequently won't have all the non-stop activities. But, that can also be a negative because there can be long lines for everything-----there's a big difference between being on a ship carrying under 3000 passengers, and one with more than 5000.

But in the end, regardless of which ship you choose, it will be great, because first cruises are always special.

We've used the "Luggage Concierge" & loved it. You can book it on board. You will get a note from guest relations offering it. It costs about $25/bag(as well as airline fees)but it gets dropped off at the final destination & you pick it up there. The only "if" is the slight possiblity it will get "inspected" by TSA. If that happens, you'll be notified & you go through customs as usual when you leave the ship. The charges will be refunded back to you, which is as it should be.

Celebrity uses Luggage Valet, which is different from Luggage Concierge. It's Luggage Valet that X uses to take your luggage from the ship, to the airport and then you pick it up at your home airport. What the OP is looking for is a luggage shipping service that will pick up the bags and ship them home, usually using UPS as the shipping agent.

Jetswdo, I don't know anything about Luggage Concierge and Luggage Forward merging, but they have their own websites and different phone numbers. I have used Luggage Concierge out of Bayonne with no problem. Give Lori a call at Luggage Concierge and see what they can do for you. I know she's picking up our bags at Bayonne after our Summit cruise in June.

Wondering if Erin Andrews' boyfriend's arrest for cocaine and extasy will affect her in any way? She's been dating an NHL player and he was in Las Vegas when arrested. No mention was made if she was with him in Vegas at the time of the arrest.

We much prefer using Luggage Concierge for our shipping needs. We're on Summit in June and we are shipping both to the ship and back home. We've used LC maybe 15 times and have not had a problem, knock on wood. The company is based in NY, so their delivery to the ship and pick up at the end of the cruise is very smooth.

Alaska cruises aren't so much about the ship as it is about the scenery and ports. On a 7 day Alaska cruise, you have more ports than sea days, so planned activities will be less because they really don't do much on port days. On the Mille cruise, there's only one sea day with the rest being ports and one day cruising the glacier. Knowing that, I don't think you'll see a lot of organized activities, at least not like you would if there were more sea days.

Don't know what you mean by tournaments, but if you're meaning organized competitions for sport activities, I've not seen things like that on Celebrity. They may have a couple of pool activities, but that's about it. I've not seen any "cooking contests" but cooking demonstrations that you just sit and watch. There is bingo, some trivia (not nearly as many trivia games as they used to have), and the kids club might have more activities, but as I said, you're on a cruise that's all about the ports and not much about being on the ship.

If you're cruise starts or ends in Turkey, you need a visa. For example, if you're disembarking your cruise in Istanbul and flying home, you'll need a visa. But if Turkey is just a stop on your cruise, you don't need a visa.

Not sure what cruise line you're considering, but you need to know that there will be many people who take a 7 day cruise using only one carry on. No need to pack tons of clothes as daywear will be a bathing suit and coverup. Shorts and t shirts are regular wear for the ports, or again a bathing suit if you're doing beaches. If you're on a line like Carnival, no need to get really dressed up at night---slacks or Capri pants with a nice top will work fine. If you want to get a little more dressy on Elegant Night, a little black dress, nice slacks and dressy top will be just fine. If you pack more than one standard size piece of checked luggage, you're bringing way too much.

Personally, the fact that beverages are not included outside the YC would be a deal breaker. There's no way we want to be confined to such a small area of such a large ship to use the perks. When we book a CS or higher, the benefits are available throughout the ship.

As long as that cruise starts and ends in the same US port, all anyone needs is a birth certificate and government issued photo ID. The ship makes no difference---the only variable that counts is what I said above about starting and ending in the same US port.

Price adjustments are up to Celebrity's discretion. Most times, sale prices are for new bookings only, and Celebrity will not honor price drops once final payment is made.

The longer you wait, the less choice of cabins you'll have, so if you're interested in a specific cabin or category, the sooner you book, the better.

We know from experience that X will not book 6 in the PH, regardless of the size of the suite. We tried a few years ago to book 6 in the PH on Infinity, and were told that they will not allow 6.

Wendy, we've never been charged for room service late at night. That's something Royal Caribbean has done, but we've not seen that on Celebrity.

OP, congrats on your wedding.

If I were you, I would choose Select Dining, where you can have dinner anytime you want during regular hours. That would also offer more tables for two.

Med cruises are really port intensive, so doing arts and craft classes might not be offered as much, if at all.

The most romantic specialty restaurant on board will be Murano. Personally, we don't like Qsine as we find it loud, with lots of kids, and the food not very good. Yes, they present the food in unusual ways, but we found very few items that were worth the extra cost.

Two of our four sons were lifeguards, one at a municipal pool and the other at a resort. They had more stories of how many parents used the pool and adjacent areas as daycare for their kids.

As for the laws, if US laws can't govern things like disability issues and cruising, do you honestly think they're going to get laws pertaining to lifeguards? Things like that are why ships are registered in places like Malta and Nassau.

I was able to get CF Diet Coke at Cafe Al Bacio, MDR, Ensemble Lounge, Bistro on 5 and at the poolside grill on Solstice, Eclipse, Equinox. I don't see that it would be any different on the other ships.

They've changed Tuscan in the past 18 months, and not for the better. They used to serve wonderful tapenade, roasted tomatoes and red peppers, roasted garlic and a plate that contained cheese, prosciutto, melon and other tidbits. Now, a server comes by with basically tasteless items.

On our Feb cruise I ordered the lasagna and was terribly disappointed. The skillet was nothing but thick, gooey cheese, two strips of noodle and some sauce. But the ravioli my DH ordered was excellent. Our friends had the steak, and said it was ok, but fatty and over-salted.

As long as what you carry on fits through an airport size security scanner, you can carry it on. But be aware that if you embark early, and your cabin isn't ready until 1:30 or 2, you'll be lugging it around the ship.

Try living in Arizona which is the hold out. Sometimes it is 3 hours difference to the east coast, other times 2, and with relatives in the east you need a math degree to keep things straight.

And some of the northern Native American tribes in Arizona change clocks, or at least this was the case when we lived in Williams, Az a number of years ago.

OP, we did the clock change the first Saturday in March. I'm another who wishes this stupidity of clock changing would end.

If you Google "Blue Grotto Malta" you will see a listing of numerous independent tours that are offered. I personally think that taking a tour with any independent tour company is a better idea than trying to go it on your own. I saw one tour that was only $58 USD per person, which is a pretty good price.

If you're referring to Friends of Dorothy, which is a group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenders, if they do have a meeting place, it will be posted on an information board by Guest Relations. There's also a board here on Cruise Critic for the same GLBT group.

Miched, I think you're confusing Friends of Bill, for those in AA, with the group for GLBT, which has been referred to as Friends of Dorothy.