mar214

Don't forget crew members such as the staff that walks around the pool areas all day picking up your used dishes, cups, etc.in the brutal heat. They even reach under your loungers to pick up your stuff, asking you first if you are finished using it. You never have to worry about removing your own used dishes. Don't they deserve some of those gratuities? There are so many more crew sharing those tips than just the servers in the dining room. It's still your choice, but I cringe when I read about cruisers removing their tips. How about hotels that charge a mandatory "resort fee" even if you don't use the pool, gym,etc.? Just consider these charges part the overall expense.

It's the same Uber app you use at home. Very easy!!

Some cruisers have posted here that they drop off their luggage at their embarkation terminal, go park at the debarkation terminal and then walk back to the embarkation terminal. It's much easier to walk between ports without all the bags. Sounds like a great idea!

Travelon and Pacsafe have a great selection of theft-resistant bags in a wide price range. Choose ones that have the features you like and check reviews. I use a Travelon bag when we travel to Europe. Be sure to use the fasteners and latches on your bag and you will be good to go.

Booking your ship's Delos excursion may cost more, but you will be in one of the first groups to get off the ship. With such limited time in port and being able to tour Delos and get back in time, it may be your only stress-free choice. You also have to deal with the ferry schedules as well if you book other tours. We chose our ship's excursion for similar reasons. It would be a shame to miss seeing Delos. Perhaps you have more economical options with your other port excursions to offset the cost?

We have been to Europe many times and are well aware of the tipping customs there. To each his own - tip or don't tip. Up to you.

Our "guide" was very knowledgeable about the entire area and throughout our day, pointed all so many points of interest and also gave us the history. We were very happy with all the information. Although we thoroughly researched the area before our trip, we learned many new things. We appreciate the talents of these experienced individuals and tip because we feel they truly deserve it. Some may say tipping is not necessary in Europe, we tip when it is earned. We wouldn't have changed a thing about our day on the Amalfi Coast - it was absolutely perfect.

We paid 350 euros for our day with Carmine's. Some of the other quotes we received for similar approx. 8 hour tours were 400 euros. These were private tours for the two of us. Don't forget to figure in the tip for your tour guide.

We wanted to spend our day in the Amalfi Coast with a tour company that would work with us on a personal level. We found exactly what we wanted with Carmine's. We reached out to several tour companies - Carmine's Classic Amalfi Coast Excursion. was the only one to respond quickly and asked us questions so that the day would meet our expectations. Echo was our tour guide and within 10 minutes of chatting with her, we knew were in excellent hands. Echo worked around several road closures and surprised us with a visit to Pasticceria Sal de Riso in Minori, where Stanley Tucci had that AMAZING Delizia al Limone on his CNN's "Searching for Italy"!! We also visited beautiful Amalfi and Positano. Echo knew where all the best look-out points were - our pictures are breathtaking. We were returned to the cruise port in plenty of time. Our day was perfect and we treasure our pictures and memories of our visit to the Amalfi Coast. https://www.carminesamalficoast.com/en/

Happy to help!! Enjoy your trip!!

Our 3 Uber rides booked through the Uber app in Pireaus and Athens were taxis, not private cars. Uber pricing was accurate and honored each time. The taxis were clean and we enjoyed chatting with our drivers. (We also had the same Uber experiences in Rome, by the way.) We Uber'd from Pireaus to the museum. It was at least a 1/2 hour drive and the charge was 20 euros. After dealing with the taxi drivers at the port, we were so happy with our Uber experience.

Be careful with the price if you use one of the taxis parked outside your terminal. The price SHOULD be between 17 - 24 euros. The taxi drivers are very aggressive and encourage you to just get in and they will take you to your destination. We were quoted a price of 40 euros to go to the Athens Archaeological Museum by several taxi drivers. We ordered an Uber and the price was 20 euros, in morning rush hour traffic, to a destination a little further out than central Athens.

Sailed on the Magic this past summer. Food was delicious and my bathroom scale showed the result when I returned home. We ate many of our Carnival favorite items all over the ship and enjoyed way too much, as we usually do when cruising. You do not have to worry about sailing on the Magic! It's one of our favorite ships!

This sounds great! Thanks for the suggestions!!

We will be docked from 1 pm to 11 pm on January 17, 2024. Since sunset is 6:30 pm, and we probably won't be able to leave the ship until 1:30 at the earliest, we are not sure if it's worth making our way to Eagle Beach for such a short amount of time before it gets dark. What suggestions do our CC friends have for us? We've never been to Aruba. Thanks in advance!

We docked in Pireaus last week and wanted to take a taxi to Athens Archaeological Museum. We researched the price in advance and knew the cost should be between 17 and 24 euros. The taxis lined up outside the cruise terminal all quoted a price of 40 euros. They are very aggressive and kept telling us to get in after opening the back door for us. We refused to get in until we had an agreeable price. They insisted the price would be 40 euros. We ordered an Uber that arrived within 10 minutes and we paid 20 euros. Do your research in advance so you don't overpay!

Formal nights will be the second night and seventh night on an 8 day cruise. Enjoy!

That's what we do, too!! Nice to give someone else an early opportunity to check in!

We faxed the requested info and received a quick reply. As soon as they approve your visit, they request payment which we paid promptly. Check the official website and you will see it says to fax or visit the Excavations office in person to submit a request. Good luck!

Margbem - thanks so much for posting! What time did you have to be back on board and what time did you get in line? You have to wonder if stopping in Santorini, as beautiful as it is, is worth the aggravation getting back to the ship!

We are in Santorini this coming October 14 with the ship departing at 4 pm. There are 3 other ships there that day. Our ship is the first to leave. Any suggestions for when we should be in line for returning on the cable car? Thanks!

Surprised no one is talking about the plats and diamonds who achieved these levels via free cruise offers. Their accrued free nights on board vs. the nights accrued by paying full price all get lumped into the same category. Is Carnival really going to "punish" those of us paying full price by adding new levels into the loyalty program? There has been mention here of loyalty programs taking into account how much is paid to be on board. Maybe it's time........

People have posted that they select the 1:30 check in window so that they can go right to their cabin to drop off their bags at 1:30. Since you have a big group, this may be the way to go for you. Something to consider!

We selected 10 am check in for our June cruise.

We stayed on deck 11. Fewer cabins on that deck so it was relatively quiet. Still easy to get everywhere we wanted to go. Hope this helps you a little bit if this is your concern.