twangster

Cheapest.  
I always get a kick out of people who are convinced one side is better.  99% of the time you have land on both sides.  For a few hours before entering the inside passage land might be more visible on port but more marine life might be visible on starboard.  
I did a suite with large balcony once Southbound  Hardly used it - too cold.  Having done interior cabins twice in Alaska I’d rather splurge on excursions which are expensive in Alaska rather than on a balcony or a bigger balcony.  Hint - sitting on an excursion I was lifted up higher compared to the guy with a balcony next to me because my wallet was fatter .
Helicopter to a glacier I’ll never forget.  I can barely remember using my balcony.  Consider a location close to stairwells so you have quick access to outer decks on either side of the ship.
Where ever you are, go to the outer decks outside to see both sides   You never know what side a whale might appear on, or what side has a better view at any given moment   Staying in your cabin is a terrible idea because you miss half of it especially at a glacier.
Most of the time you will be in channels with land on both sides so ship motion isn’t a big thing.  You can encounter some waves during the open ocean sprint into the inside passage for a few hours. Or you might have no motion.   If you or your SO is sensitive to motion and the thought of being anywhere but midship is a source of stress, stay midship but the potential for motion is greater in the Caribbean.

It's not automatic anymore.  Another 2018 enhancement. 
If you book over the phone request an invoice by email when booking.  If booking on the website, call with the booking number and request an invoice.  
Another travel agency advantage as most agencies send you an invoice.

AKA an interest free loan using your money.  

If in doubt, try it at home tonight.  Put your phone in airplane mode, connect to home wifi.  Try making a call and sending text.  
The big US cell companies all support it except on pre-paid plans then it varies.  If in doubt call or drop by a store for your cell company and ask them.  

@twangster    gave some very good points on C&A benefits.  We enjoy going to breakfast in the dinning room every morning sitting in the Diamond section and being waited on.  We have found that being D+ we seem to get extra attention from the crew.  We get a lower number for disembarkation at the end of the cruise.  We get priority when a tender boat is needed.   Yes, the Diamond lounge is crowded but we still enjoy it.    The bartenders in the lounge work very hard at giving out free drinks but they will remember who is tipping and I have never had a short pour drink.  Most of the time my Jack and Coke is mostly Jack.  I'm not complaining.  ?  

AKA an interest free loan using your money.  

Climbing to Diamond was a significant milestone for me.
Free nightly drinks and diamond lounge access with concierge  Free photo (each for a couple) Day of free internet (each for a couple) Free entertainment tour Coffee machine in lounge makes much better coffee than WJ coffee Climbing to Dimond Plus also added:
Another free day of internet (each for a couple) 30% off drink packages on board Free bridge tours Free laundry bag BOGO specialty dining (buy one get one free first night) Always have a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for me in my cabin upon boarding Reserved entertainment seating areas (varies by ship) The onboard drink package and Voom discounts translates into not having to search and hope for cruise planner deals.  I can wait until I'm on board and buy them typically as cheap as cruise planner sales ever goes.  With diamond happy hours drinks I often sail without a drink package.    I can wait until I'm on board and if I'm in the mood I'll buy the drink package, if not I don't or I can wait until day two and buy Voom or drink packages even cheaper.  When traveling as a couple we both get 2 days of free Voom.  That's four days between us.  For many cruises that's enough to avoid buying Voom all together.  
Plus balcony discounts start to mean something.  On newer ships that have higher balcony to non-balcony ratios that often means a balcony is cheaper than or near the price of INT/OV cabins.  Granted on older ships that have fewer balconies it doesn't do as much for you, but I generally now book more balconies because they are closer in price or cheaper than INT/OV.    
For a married couple since they will status match you, it only takes one sailing solo on a couple of cheap interior solo sailings and both people in the relationship are moved up the ladder due to double points.    
If we don't want to visit the over crowded diamond lounge during happy hour we both get 3 free drinks every night.  On a 7 night cruise that's 42 free drinks for a couple, including bottled water.  

Climbing to Diamond was a significant milestone for me.
Free nightly drinks and diamond lounge access with concierge  Free photo (each for a couple) Day of free internet (each for a couple) Free entertainment tour Coffee machine in lounge makes much better coffee than WJ coffee Climbing to Dimond Plus also added:
Another free day of internet (each for a couple) 30% off drink packages on board Free bridge tours Free laundry bag BOGO specialty dining (buy one get one free first night) Always have a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for me in my cabin upon boarding Reserved entertainment seating areas (varies by ship) The onboard drink package and Voom discounts translates into not having to search and hope for cruise planner deals.  I can wait until I'm on board and buy them typically as cheap as cruise planner sales ever goes.  With diamond happy hours drinks I often sail without a drink package.    I can wait until I'm on board and if I'm in the mood I'll buy the drink package, if not I don't or I can wait until day two and buy Voom or drink packages even cheaper.  When traveling as a couple we both get 2 days of free Voom.  That's four days between us.  For many cruises that's enough to avoid buying Voom all together.  
Plus balcony discounts start to mean something.  On newer ships that have higher balcony to non-balcony ratios that often means a balcony is cheaper than or near the price of INT/OV cabins.  Granted on older ships that have fewer balconies it doesn't do as much for you, but I generally now book more balconies because they are closer in price or cheaper than INT/OV.    
For a married couple since they will status match you, it only takes one sailing solo on a couple of cheap interior solo sailings and both people in the relationship are moved up the ladder due to double points.    
If we don't want to visit the over crowded diamond lounge during happy hour we both get 3 free drinks every night.  On a 7 night cruise that's 42 free drinks for a couple, including bottled water.  

C&A discounts are not always combinable with every promotion.  In this case the current promotion is better than the C&A discount.  Wait a week and that will likely be different.  
Same with Next Cruise OBC - not always combinable with C&A balcony discounts or a different amount of OBC.  
Honestly this is where a travel agent comes in handy.  They see rates that aren't always offered on the website.  A good TA will flat out tell which is the best rate and it isn't always the C&A balcony rate.

Balcony discounts vary by ship.  When ships have a higher balcony count the C&A discount can work out well.  On ships like Vision class, not so much because there are few balconies and they sell faster so less inventory to discount.  It seems like there has to be lots of balconies available for the discounts to work out.  
Here is Ovation to Alaska in July 2020 (Peak):
No discount on top, C&A discount below.  

Ovation has a lot of balcony cabins. 
Same week, July 2020 for Grandeur:
No discount on top, C&A discount below.

Savings don't appear as enticing.
In the 1st case on Ovation the savings are $250 for two.  In the 2nd case on Grandeur just $174 savings for two but since there are so few balconies on Grandeur the already higher price for balconies make it look less enticing, granted in this case it's 9 nights on Lady G vs. 7 nights on Ovation.  
The point is that it's not a fixed discount.  It's one of those "up to" discounts.  Still for peak in Alaska saving $250 isn't bad.  Plus compared to OV it's just $51 per person to be in a balcony (probably an obstructed balcony but hey, it's a balcony).
For people who cruise just once in a while the discount may or may not seem like it does much when you just focus on one particular sailing.  For people who have the opportunity to cruise more,  the C&A discount will appear to mean something more often, depending on the ship, date and how far out you book.  
YMMV.

Climbing to Diamond was a significant milestone for me.
Free nightly drinks and diamond lounge access with concierge  Free photo (each for a couple) Day of free internet (each for a couple) Free entertainment tour Coffee machine in lounge makes much better coffee than WJ coffee Climbing to Dimond Plus also added:
Another free day of internet (each for a couple) 30% off drink packages on board Free bridge tours Free laundry bag BOGO specialty dining (buy one get one free first night) Always have a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for me in my cabin upon boarding Reserved entertainment seating areas (varies by ship) The onboard drink package and Voom discounts translates into not having to search and hope for cruise planner deals.  I can wait until I'm on board and buy them typically as cheap as cruise planner sales ever goes.  With diamond happy hours drinks I often sail without a drink package.    I can wait until I'm on board and if I'm in the mood I'll buy the drink package, if not I don't or I can wait until day two and buy Voom or drink packages even cheaper.  When traveling as a couple we both get 2 days of free Voom.  That's four days between us.  For many cruises that's enough to avoid buying Voom all together.  
Plus balcony discounts start to mean something.  On newer ships that have higher balcony to non-balcony ratios that often means a balcony is cheaper than or near the price of INT/OV cabins.  Granted on older ships that have fewer balconies it doesn't do as much for you, but I generally now book more balconies because they are closer in price or cheaper than INT/OV.    
For a married couple since they will status match you, it only takes one sailing solo on a couple of cheap interior solo sailings and both people in the relationship are moved up the ladder due to double points.    
If we don't want to visit the over crowded diamond lounge during happy hour we both get 3 free drinks every night.  On a 7 night cruise that's 42 free drinks for a couple, including bottled water.  

Climbing to Diamond was a significant milestone for me.
Free nightly drinks and diamond lounge access with concierge  Free photo (each for a couple) Day of free internet (each for a couple) Free entertainment tour Coffee machine in lounge makes much better coffee than WJ coffee Climbing to Dimond Plus also added:
Another free day of internet (each for a couple) 30% off drink packages on board Free bridge tours Free laundry bag BOGO specialty dining (buy one get one free first night) Always have a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for me in my cabin upon boarding Reserved entertainment seating areas (varies by ship) The onboard drink package and Voom discounts translates into not having to search and hope for cruise planner deals.  I can wait until I'm on board and buy them typically as cheap as cruise planner sales ever goes.  With diamond happy hours drinks I often sail without a drink package.    I can wait until I'm on board and if I'm in the mood I'll buy the drink package, if not I don't or I can wait until day two and buy Voom or drink packages even cheaper.  When traveling as a couple we both get 2 days of free Voom.  That's four days between us.  For many cruises that's enough to avoid buying Voom all together.  
Plus balcony discounts start to mean something.  On newer ships that have higher balcony to non-balcony ratios that often means a balcony is cheaper than or near the price of INT/OV cabins.  Granted on older ships that have fewer balconies it doesn't do as much for you, but I generally now book more balconies because they are closer in price or cheaper than INT/OV.    
For a married couple since they will status match you, it only takes one sailing solo on a couple of cheap interior solo sailings and both people in the relationship are moved up the ladder due to double points.    
If we don't want to visit the over crowded diamond lounge during happy hour we both get 3 free drinks every night.  On a 7 night cruise that's 42 free drinks for a couple, including bottled water.  

Right now they have a pretty good deal on their credit card IF you've never had a Southwest credit card before.  Spend $4k in the first 3 months and get a free companion pass for the rest of 2019.  If you fly much with family, one free ticket for a companion every flight you take can be a great deal.

Once in a while flights into MIA (Miami airport) are close enough to FLL (Fort Lauderdale) prices to have me book MIA.
Most of the time I fly into FLL when sailing out of Miami because even with an extra $50 for an Uber'Lyft  the cost savings is worth it (hundreds of $$$ cheaper).  Southwest only flies into FLL and with free checked bags Southwest is very cruise friendly if you book far enough out to get the good rates.

It's officially official. Deposit is charged and the reservation is in Celebrity's system. The countdown is on!!!

AKA an interest free loan using your money.  

Empress remains a favorite of mine.  I've sailed all Oasis class and all Freedom class and they are great ships but Empress has a charm about her.  
As @Matt says you have to have the right expectations.  I just sailed Vision last week and loved it.  Before that it was Navigator (loved it) and Oasis (loved it) and Symphony (loved it).  In all cases i knew what I booked and wasn't disappointed because I had the proper expectations for each ship.  
Empress feels big inside because many of the spaces are not crammed.  There is only Chops as a specialty restaurant and after several disappointing Chops experiences on other ships, Chops on Empress renewed my faith in Chops. It was great both in terms of service and food quality, a combination that was lacking on many other ships where service might be okay but food lacking or vice versa.  
In places you will see the ship's date but for the most part they've done a great job keeping her up and maintained.  The interior and ocean view cabins run on the small side because that's how cabins were when she was built.  I found a deal on a Junior Suite and enjoyed the cabin very much.  
I'm in the process of fixing my photos but here is a blog I did on Empress in July:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/8865-empress-73018-5-nights-inc-cuba/
I keep promising to fix my photos in my blogs but soon, very soon I'll get them fixed, I promise!

If any one has followed my posts on Voom you may have seen my 'Day 2 Voom Strategy' that involves waiting until day 2 to purchase Voom on board.  Since the price for the 'full voyage' Voom plans drop with each day passing you can save money if you can wait a day or two.
As I sit here on a 10 night cruise it has occurred to me the same strategy can be used with a drink package on longer sailings.
I've often avoided drink packages on longer sailings due to:
High cost of packages on longer sailings.  More nights equate to higher package price. Drink fatigue.  Fix or six (or more) alcoholic drinks every day, day after day, gets old. Itinerary.  Depending how many days are port days and times in port the drink package may be less desirable. On this 10 night sailing they offer the drink package on board up to day 5.  Onboard prices are higher than cruise planner advance purchase prices but under the right circumstances, it might make sense to buy it onboard but waiting a few days.
Let's look at this cruise.
Using $48 as a typical price the cruise planner deluxe drink package:
10 nights x $48 = $480 plus 18% gratuity = $566 per person.  That's too much for me.   If you wait until day 4 of a 10 night cruise there are 7 nights left. 
With an onboard price of $57 x 7 nights = $399 plus 18% gratuity = $471 per person.   A savings of $95 per person Not only do you save $95 but you avoid drink fatigue and depending on itinerary you might avoid paying for a few port days.
Where this really becomes realistic is if you are Diamond or higher because of the Diamond Happy Hour drinks each evening.  
Where it becomes even better is if you are Diamond Plus or better.  Diamond Plus receive 30% off onboard drink package pricing.  $399 less 30% is $280 plus 18% gratuity = $330.  That's a whopping $236 per person savings all by not drinking a lot for the first few days.  
How does it look for a 7 night cruise?
Cruise Planner 7 x $48 plus 18% = $396 Waiting for day 2, 6 nights x $57 plus 18% = $403 Waiting for day 3, 5 nights x $57 plus 18% = $336, a savings of $60 per person.     For Diamond Plus the day 3 price is $235 for a savings of $160 per person. At just $60 savings it's not really a great strategy for 7 night cruises, you'll save a little, but on longer cruises it can save you quite a bit more.
You do need to ask onboard which day the drink package sales will cease because that can vary from cruise to cruise.
The other gotcha could be onboard pricing which has been as high as $63 on some cruises recently.  By following live blogs here in the message boards we can perhaps get an idea for any given ship.  
When looking at a 14 night transatlantic next year there is just no way I am going to drop $826 for the cruise planner drink package.  Waiting until mid-cruise for a partial drink package might just be affordable though.  

New twist...
On Vision this past week the on board price for Voom Surf and Stream on day one only was reduced from $19.99 to $17.13 per day (full voyage plan).  The effect was that the price to purchase on day one for the full voyage was the same as it was on day two for the full voyage when the price was back up to $19.99.

Around here this isn’t considered a problem. It is considered completely normal.  

Wasn't there a fad in the 80's to wear multiple watches on one arm?

That is one of the major disadvantages of reading live blogs.  The ones by @twangster cause the most damage!  Many have come out of reading those with less money than they had prior. ?

Around here this isn’t considered a problem. It is considered completely normal.  

If any one has followed my posts on Voom you may have seen my 'Day 2 Voom Strategy' that involves waiting until day 2 to purchase Voom on board.  Since the price for the 'full voyage' Voom plans drop with each day passing you can save money if you can wait a day or two.
As I sit here on a 10 night cruise it has occurred to me the same strategy can be used with a drink package on longer sailings.
I've often avoided drink packages on longer sailings due to:
High cost of packages on longer sailings.  More nights equate to higher package price. Drink fatigue.  Fix or six (or more) alcoholic drinks every day, day after day, gets old. Itinerary.  Depending how many days are port days and times in port the drink package may be less desirable. On this 10 night sailing they offer the drink package on board up to day 5.  Onboard prices are higher than cruise planner advance purchase prices but under the right circumstances, it might make sense to buy it onboard but waiting a few days.
Let's look at this cruise.
Using $48 as a typical price the cruise planner deluxe drink package:
10 nights x $48 = $480 plus 18% gratuity = $566 per person.  That's too much for me.   If you wait until day 4 of a 10 night cruise there are 7 nights left. 
With an onboard price of $57 x 7 nights = $399 plus 18% gratuity = $471 per person.   A savings of $95 per person Not only do you save $95 but you avoid drink fatigue and depending on itinerary you might avoid paying for a few port days.
Where this really becomes realistic is if you are Diamond or higher because of the Diamond Happy Hour drinks each evening.  
Where it becomes even better is if you are Diamond Plus or better.  Diamond Plus receive 30% off onboard drink package pricing.  $399 less 30% is $280 plus 18% gratuity = $330.  That's a whopping $236 per person savings all by not drinking a lot for the first few days.  
How does it look for a 7 night cruise?
Cruise Planner 7 x $48 plus 18% = $396 Waiting for day 2, 6 nights x $57 plus 18% = $403 Waiting for day 3, 5 nights x $57 plus 18% = $336, a savings of $60 per person.     For Diamond Plus the day 3 price is $235 for a savings of $160 per person. At just $60 savings it's not really a great strategy for 7 night cruises, you'll save a little, but on longer cruises it can save you quite a bit more.
You do need to ask onboard which day the drink package sales will cease because that can vary from cruise to cruise.
The other gotcha could be onboard pricing which has been as high as $63 on some cruises recently.  By following live blogs here in the message boards we can perhaps get an idea for any given ship.  
When looking at a 14 night transatlantic next year there is just no way I am going to drop $826 for the cruise planner drink package.  Waiting until mid-cruise for a partial drink package might just be affordable though.  

In that case, Voom should be free!