Riley

When asked where I'm from, I always say "Chicago" and get one of three responses: "Michael Jordan" "Mobsters" or "Blues Brothers!"

Enjoying this thread as it moves into airline gossip Two things: I believe on-time statistics are based upon pullback from the gate, and as someone who has been stuck on the tarmac many times that's flat-out cheating! Second, our home airport is O'Hare in Chicago. We ALWAYS fly out a day ahead for domestic flights since Chicago can get shut-down weather any time of year... for our cruise out of Miami in February I'm planning two days ahead (might even do three and suck up the extra hotel costs) as that's prime "blizzard" time up here. We will just drive to the Everglades or the Keys for a day or two.

We fill in the form ourselves and I take a quick photo of the form and the folded laundry before it goes in (yes, I fold the dirty laundry... you can get a LOT more in that way) as documentation of what was sent. It's rare but lost items do happen; we were able to show the cabin attendant what we were missing and she tracked the items down.

Get a multiple entry - the price difference is small and there's no penalty if you only needed a single entry.

Pretty confident some Pinnacles will be equally ticked off if they think this increases the volume of attendees at their specialty meet-ups. Me? I think the more the merrier!

Been to Prince Rupert a few years back when we were touring British Columbia. It has a *surprisingly* good museum (the Museum of North British Columbia, I think) that is very well worth the visit. There are also nice hiking trails and the town itself is cute. I enjoyed it a lot and we just wandered around on our own. Do note it will very likely be raining - the area gets about 6 days of sun per year (I joke, but not by much - it's supposed to be the rainiest place in BC.)

Weighing in - you can cancel on board up to 48 hours prior to the excursion's departure time and yes, the refund is via onboard credit that returns to your credit card if not used. NOTE: in the event of injury or illness (the DB threw her back out while we were in Alaska once) you *can* get a refund the night before, though Shore Excursions might confirm you've seen Medical.

Somewhere on the boards I saw a comment that - so long as it's before final payment date - you can change a refundable deposit to non-refundable and get the surcharge back? Am I recalling correctly? Advice from the group if anyone knows... thanks!

Glad you had fun! We are doing the Fjords tour on "Jewel of the Seas" in a few weeks and I cannot wait

Definitely get there at least a day early. Nothing against Barcelona the city or its wonderful people, but IMO the airport is awful (and my "home" airport is O'Hare!). Even if you land on time, delays getting off the plane can be brutal; further, it's not uncommon to park the airplane beyond a gate and have to take a shuttle to the terminal itself, which adds more delays. Customs is another wild card and the stress would just about do my jet-lagged self in, even if we landed on time.

We were fortunate enough to do a few of the individual legs (the three between Hong Kong to Dubai, specifically) and even though "Serenade" is small and tired the experience was unforgettable. They either need to severely adapt the itinerary or keep a small ship, though - big ships can't fit into many of the stops and tendering at some of these ports would be even worse.

No worries - we love St. John and you'll have fun!

Along the main street to the left a few blocks (on the right-hand side of the road as you're walking) is Shamrock City, a WONDERFUL Irish pub that serves moose burgers and terrific local craft beers. If you've never had a moose burger before and eat red meat, it's well worth the try. Live music, great beers, great food, and an easy walkabout.

You're going to love Alaska - the best excursions depend on the stops and time of year so look into things. We took the Mendenhall Glacier/Whale Watching tour out of Juneau the first time we were there and had a great time. Skagway I'm not sure is open but if it is the Train is fun. I have heard good things about the salmon bake in Ketchikan, though you can see better totem poles for a LOT less money doing it on your own. (Get off the ship, walk to the left and then directly across the road from the bar/package store look for the bus stop. The Silver Line dead ends at the state park. It's $2 per person cash each way, takes about half an hour, and the bus returns every hour. Totem Bight state park requests I believe a $5 to $10 donation and it's a lovely walk-about). Ketchikan is also worth walking up to the old town area, especially if it's Fall and the salmon are running. Not only are there lots of salmon in the water, the sea lions follow the salmon upstream. If you stop at Icy Strait Point the zip line is a blast and walking along the shoreline itself can be fun. As for Sitka I haven't ever done an excursion but the town is an easy walk-about with a free shuttle to get there, and you can walk to the small totem park they have. NOTE: the shuttle line to return to the ship can be really, really long so manage your time wisely. Enjoy!

It's queen-sized. As someone who sleeps in a King at home, we definitely notice the size difference!

Take the ferry across the bay in the evening, especially if the weather is nice. For a few $$ per ticket as opposed to the RC "sunset cruise" excursion you get a lovely little water taxi ride, a nice walk along the other side, and then a ride back in the moonlight. Highly recommend it!

First off, you're going to have an amazing time! You can bring a 12-pack of cans/bottles of soda and two bottles of wine/champagne aboard with you so long as they are in your carry-on luggage (not your checked bags). Ask your cabin attendant for a bottle opener, wine glasses, and ice - he or she will be happy to keep you well-stocked. You should also have a small fridge in your cabin to keep the pop cold. I don't think you're under-budgeted and as others have noted, everything goes on to your SeaPass card (linked to a credit card) anyway. You can see a rolling total that will update daily via the app on your phone. I have found a $1 or two for your bar tenders and other direct-connect staff (room attendant, waiters) is always welcome. The only thing I'd suggest is take a good long look at everything you have packed. Depending on how far you have to bring or check luggage, it may be worth your while to carry fewer clothes and use the ship's $35 "wash and fold" option halfway through. Also, I usually wear chinos and a collared shirt for Formal Night and no one blinks. It's a blast to dress up but we live in the US Midwest so anything I pack I have to carry a long way.... also your cabin will have a drying line in the shower and I rinse out socks/underwear if we are on a long cruise. The sink and the shower gel work like a charm. I even had to wash a pair of jeans out once and it worked surprisingly well. I pack planning to buy a souvenir t-shirt or two, which also reduces what I carry. Enjoy!

Stop by Shore Excursions as soon as you can on ship. They have a paper list they cross-reference as cancellations occur.

Yeah, same as above - the sun is absolutely brutal (especially in the afternoon) and it's hilly. Take a really careful look and - if you must do sunset - consider a cab.

I print out everything (two copies, one for the DB's luggage as a backup in case I somehow lose mine) but I'm old school. A copy on your phone is fine and if you have an Apple device you can save the boarding passes into your wallet in case the app is down.

Everyone in the Civitavecchia port we encountered speaks English. My Italian is non-existent and I had no problems at all. Signs pretty much everywhere are in English as well, including at the train station if you take that mode of transport. Note: the train is lovely, convenient and well-priced. The only tricky part occurs when you arrive at Civi - you have to go down stairs or use a tiny elevator to get under the tracks to exit. Just follow the crowds. Once outside the station there are taxis if you want but shuttle buses come along (the port is used by multiple lines so make sure you get on the correct bus - RC was the white bus when we were there and the bus drivers can tell you which to use) and it's 3 euro cash only per person. DO NOT TRY TO WALK from the train station to the cruise terminal.

Adding an upvote for Icy Strait Point - the wildlife viewing was fantastic, the free gondola up the hill was fun. I did not take the zip line down but there's a huge long zipline for those braver than I plus the cannery museum was interesting and the food was great. Also Skagway is a blast but if the OP thinks it would be an easy walk they are wrong. When it was open that was one long dock!

If budget allows she can rent one of those mobility carts from the cruise ship (I have never done this but I would guess you have to call ahead) that could be really helpful. Assuming the walker folds up, can you affix it to one side of her wheelchair (I'm thinking bungee cords) for getting her through the terminal? Good luck and enjoy!

It's a way to get RCL high-tier folks off the fence to try Celebrity who previously had been reluctant to give up them perks. I am now searching the Celebrity site to book, not just browse.

I use the slots as ATM too, but note: if you do this throughout the cruise plan to draw a fairly low amount at a time as the system locks down future room charges until/unless you have played 50% of what you draw. If you pull out $40 and don't play through $20 of it (you don't have to go down to a $20 balance as winnings count) then you have to play cash the next time. I usually get around this by pulling $40 or $60 at a time and then popping a $20 into the machine the next time I go to the casino and playing a few hits. That should "break" the block and reset you, even if you don't play the whole $20. Alternately I bring enough with me for bar tips then hit the slots ATM the last couple of days to prep for tipping out everyone else. I don't gamble much, so blocking me from a room charge at the casino the last few days isn't any problem.