SPacificbound

I agree 100% with cruising out Bayonne NJ, Baltimore MD, or Manhattan, and avoid flying for both the extra cost and the hassle. 

I avoid spring break, Christmas holidays and summer vacation when schools are out.

On 2/11/2024 at 12:43 PM, CroozeNoob said:

I am wondering what our alternate plans would be if we happen to run into a Hurricane during our cruise in late August. I have read rhat the entire itinerary can be changed. What would be the alternate ports?

Hello from hurricane country! 🙂 It's the 3 r's...

The best you can do is, recognize there is a small possibility of a tropical event, realize that the Captain is going to make the decision on where he/she feels is the best place to take the ship, crew and passengers away from the storm, and relax as you are on a ship, which beats the heck out of staying home. 

On 2/12/2024 at 12:43 PM, ZsaZsa2019 said:

We cannot bring Gatorade on the ship, can we?

I bring Gatorade powder and mix my own.

Also Diamond+ and Elite.

We have only cruised with Royal, Celebrity, and Cunard.

Up until this past year we were perfectly fine with both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.

In 2023 we spent 24 nights on Celebrity Summit and then 22 nights on Royal Caribbean Jewel. These were our first cruises post COVID. The experience was so much better on Royal in all service areas, food was better on Royal, shows were better also. Since D+ gives more perks than Elite, we probably will not book again on Celebrity. As noted, in both cases these were older ships. 

Also, Royal Caribbean's Vision class and Radiance class are smaller ships, so much easier to get around for your mom then the larger ships.

Two connecting cabins will be much nicer than one, due to having two bathrooms.

Since Spirit changed the flight would you qualify for a refund to give you more choices of other airline flight times?

Galveston to IAH is 70 miles. 

If everything clicks in to place with no problems, you could make it, but there are just so many pieces that have to go just right, personally, I wouldn't chance it.

I'm local, there are just too many things that can go wrong. Fog in Galveston, Houston's infamous freeway traffic congestion, IAH having flight backups, etc. There have been thousands of flights cancelled this week due to the freeze. We just aren't set up for inclement weather.

Waterproof shoes are worth buying, mine have lasted for years. 

I would pick 2PM IAH or Noon HOU.

Only pack your tux if you enjoy wearing it.

I'm guessing Rover has had some very specialized training.

I never book a cabin that does not have cabins above and below.

The itinerary is always the most important thing on any cruise I have ever booked, and with the Mediterranean it is doubly so. I agree with smaller ship for the Med.

My choice would be the 9 nights out of New York, and Liberty is a great ship.

Have a great time!

On 1/14/2024 at 1:13 PM, WingerSupreme said:

We're both in our 30s, but we're looking for a more relaxing cruise rather than a party atmosphere. Neither of us drink so drink packages and such don't matter, I am a bit of a foodie and I'm also celiac, so both of those food aspects are important to me. My wife loves the beach, so ports that have a built-in beach are a bonus, but we are also looking to do 2-3 excursions (like 2 if we do the first itinerary, 3 if we do the second, since we've already been to Puerto Plata and Labadee isn't really an excursion port). Both sail out of Fort Lauderdale.

 

Cruise 1)

Celebrity Eclipse (Balcony), Dec 14-22. Ports are Labadee, Puerto Plata, St Thomas, and St Marteen. Day at sea, 4 port days, then 2 more days at sea. Cost (incl. tips) $3,058 CAD (with $200 USD OBC)

 

Cruise 2)

 

Enchanted Princess (Guaranteed Inside), Dec. 20-30. Ports are Princess Cays, St. Thomas, St Maarten, Antigua (on Christmas Day), St. Kitts, and Tortola. Port day, day at sea, 5 port days, 2 more days at sea. Cost (incl. tips) $3,240

 

Notes: With Celebrity, the day we're in St. Thomas will have 5 other ships, while with Princess we'll be the only ship. St. Kitts will have 6 ships that day, which could obviously impact things. Other than that, every other port day there will be 1-3 ships (including ours). 

 

Including the OBC, which will help pay for gratuities, the cost difference between the two is roughly $450 CAD. I haven't calculated any potential price differences in flights, but I assume it'll be roughly even.

 

The main things we're discussing and hung up on are:

 

1) Will the Princess be significantly more crowded because it runs over Christmas and many kids will be out of school? Will it be crowded to the point that it makes the trip less enjoyable?

 

2) I know a balcony is better than an inside stateroom, but my research leads me to believe overall the Enchanted Princess is a "better" ship than the Celebrity Eclipse (we especially like the idea of the movies under the stars). What is the likelihood of us getting an upgrade on our guaranteed cabin? And if we do stay in an inside cabin, what's the worst cabin we could be put in - and how bad would it be? 

 

3) Assuming we don't get upgraded, what would you say is the better cabin/ship combo - Celebrity Eclipse Balcony, or Enchanted Princess Inside? 

 

Thank you for all your help and suggestions!

Since title of your post was about itinerary, the Enchanted Princess itinerary is much better IMHO.

Choice on cabin, I personally would never book a cabin that does not have a balcony, that is our personal choice. Lots of folks are fine with interior or window, just not us.

The chance of being upgraded is very, very slim.

Whatever you book I hope you have a wonderful cruise!

On 12/11/2023 at 11:20 PM, JVes said:

I GOT UP OFF THE FLOOR BY MYSELF!

 

First try.

 

Hubby says that's the fourth time I've managed it since the cruise, and the first time I got up on my first attempt.

And thank you, Slugsta. I need to get a charity or something to believe that cruises have medical benefits for me, so I should cruise twice a year. In a suite.

Fantastic! 

There really is something about being at sea. When I am on a ship my blood pressure stays below the level to which I have to take bp meds. 

My 3rd ICD is Boston Scientific, all of the ICDs I have had, the instructions are definitely no metal detectors, magnets, no wands, and no MRIs. My current ICD was implanted in 2018. I'm not surprised at the different scenarios in what people think or believe. A highly acclaimed orthopedic knee doctor that I have seen several times, still does not get it that I cannot have an MRI. 

Be sure you know what is safe for you with your device. 

1 minute ago, BirdTravels said:

You loose 100% of your cruise fare. Port taxes are refunded along with anything you purchased. 
 

You can file an insurance claim for the lost fare, if it is for a covered reason. 
 

if you purchased NCL insurance, you can get a 75% FCC for any denied insurance claims. 

Okay, thank you.

I booked a cruise with NCL for the first time a while back, it is in January 2024. I need to move the cruise to another month, does NCL work with the customer, or do I just lose the deposit and start over?  TIA

51 minutes ago, cruisinmeme said:

I know the cruise has already happened so curious what you did. Your wife should have been ble to file on the insurance.  My grown son was admitted to the hospital with a brain bleed and we filed and was paid back every penny (minus cost of insurance. The hospital printed up the required form from NCL insurance and filled it out, doctor signed and my check was in the mail real fast.

What insurance did you have? TIA

We have always been able to find a quiet spot on Celebrity. We have never cruised with Princess.

What I would do with four days off would definitely not be a cruise. 

If you can get an early flight going out, and a later flight going back, to optimize the time you have, I agree with US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico. Book an all inclusive and enjoy.

I would choose by itinerary, not by ship.

As in title, looking for info on MSC sailing from Galveston.

I am interested in reading anything about Miracle.

15 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

Suggestion -Try maybe posting under Special Interest Cruising, "Disabled Cruise Travel."

Thank you, yes I posted there first, then here.