We went on a group cruise with my husband's fraternity brothers from 50 years. The ship is about 10…read moreyears old and although it's nice, it needs renovation and more modernization ie, public bathrooms, carpets, decor. The staff is amazing. They can't do enough for you and always with a smile. They work hard entertaining us and always feeding us. Unless you eat in a specialty restaurant of which there are 5, the food can be better. But you will never go hungry here. This was an Eastern Caribbean cruise with 4 stops. They offered a variety of excursions. We are seasoned travelers in the Caribbean so we find out own thing. The islands are tourist oriented so in most cases you can navigate yourself without going on an expensive ship paid excursion. Our room was an accessible accommodation with bars in the shower and probably a little bigger than the others. We were very comfortable. We had a basic internet package snd classic drink package. It worked and very satisfied. This was a lovely vacation with so many options available to just relax or run snd have fun from morning until the wee hours of the morning.

This was my fourth cruise with Celebrity. So far, so good. My only gripe is that some staff have…read moreaccused and mistook me of being a crew member because of my mix of Asian & Native Hawaiian ancestries. Sounds innocent but it gets old after a while. We did a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise (Miami, Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Miami). STATEROOM: We stayed in stateroom 1585 which is on deck 11 in the Aqua Class (priority boarding, use of Persian Garden spa, exclusive dining in Blu Restaurant and a few other perks). A lack of charging ports is a big downfall on this ship. Only three are available (two at the desk, one in the bathroom). We were greeted with a non-emptied trash bin and food wrapped in a napkin in the mini refrigerator. The a/c also wasn't strong but was fairly comfortable. Bottles of water were replenished daily. BATHROOM: Surprisingly the shower's water pressure & drainage were good. Hot water was instant and plentiful. The shower system also sported multiple body jets. Amenities were very perfume-y. Oddly the basin's cold water was always warm. AMENITIES: Unlimited WiFi is now available (for a fee) and worked well. There was a $35 laundry day special. The daily canopies (appetizers delivered to room) were mostly sad and uninspiring. DINING: Blu Restaurant had a nice rotating & standard menu. Murano's food was very good. Silk Harvest was okay, really a P.F. Chang's in disguise. Sushi On 5 had fairly good ramen and sushi. Oceanview Cafe had a nice selection of item from morning till late night. Not once did we eat in the dining room. SHOWS: I'm not a fan of cheesy wannabe Broadway productions, sorry. But Bingo and pool deck parties were fun! SERVICE: Frideny at Guest Relations helped us with a beverage package error. Instead of having the premium, we were showing the lower classic. We (and many others) headed back down to Guest Relations because one of our room keys weren't working. Linda (hostess in Blu Restaurant) was a gem and provided exceptional service each and every time we interacted with her. She is the utmost definition of warmth, professional and friendliness. We really hope to see her again on future sails! Joahanna (server in Blu Restaurant) also took great care of us. She has the sweetest personality and was very professional. All the workers at the Martini Bar were the best, especially Munian! Innovative cocktails and great performances. Taz at the Sunset Bar was the only bartender who greeted AND thanked me. Simple professionalism goes a long way. The rest of the bartenders need to take control of their lines waiting as on many instances they'd assist people who approached the bar after others were waiting to be helped. SHORE EXCURSIONS: Key West - We booked the Key West Old Town Trolley ($25) which was a hop on/off tour then walked around town. Costa Maya - We booked the Costa Maya Triple Play ($109). Note that the "cenote swim" wasn't a swim at all. You enter the cenote, hang on to a rope while your chest down is in dirty-looking water and exit the cenote about 30 yards later. If it's too windy, you may not be able to paddle board. This port was the most disappointing as there was really nothing to see on land sans for a fake Disney-like village full of junk to buy. Cozumel - We booked the Chichen Itza Maya Ruins ($129). Boat ride for 45 minutes then almost 2 hour ride to the site, with just under 2 hours at the site. We and many others got back late to the ship that departs at 4:30pm due to the Cozumel port charging a high mooring fee to the cruise line. (We wanted Chichen Itza by Air but no one else signed up). Grand Cayman - We booked the Catamaran Sail & Stingray City ($79) after the Deluxe version ($59) got canceled due to a mechanical issue with the catamaran. Instead of matching the price, they gave a measly 10% off which was $7 and change, big whoops. Anyway, 15 minute van ride to the port, 25 minute catamaran ride to the site, 40 minutes feeding and interacting with the stingrays, and 30 minute sail back. Lots of free time on land after. TIPS: Book early. Get the beverage package especially if you like to drink booze. Wash your hands often as I witnessed a few passengers walking right out of the bathroom without washing. Gross! OVERALL: Good service and cuisine; the main reasons why we book with Celebrity.

I've done the Queen Mary II, several Princess Line ships and a couple aboard the Celebrity Eclipse…read moreand the Celebrity Solstice, so I have some measure of comparison. By far the nicest most modern up to date and "with it" ships that I have been aboard are the Celebrity Solstice class ships, which also gave me the biggest bang for my buck. For Cunard, yes I got to drink from real Waterford crystal, but I have better than that at home, so not too impressed. The other problem I had with both Princess and Cunard was that it sort of gave me the impression of being confined to a geriatric ward. However, it was refreshing for me at my age (on the edge of 70) to be considered young, or as you may obviously tell from my read, still as bratish and petulant as ever. Princess it is good, but frumpy, glittering in beiges and though new, seemingly like an old ladies out of date evening dress. Since this is sort of a comparison review and I'm only comparing three ship lines and not everyone in their line, the sort and sweet of it from my perspective is: Cunard Queen Mary II: Pros: Stately, in a reserved British sort of manner, top of the line food along with pleasant, accommodating service and the fact that it is clearly an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. Cons: They have a bunch of sales pitchmen aboard, the worst ever, who try to con you into buying all sorts of things on shore from stores that, upon questioning, advised me that they pay these hucksters to do that for them. Princess Lines: Pros: Great service, top of the line food, everything spotless with the entire ship Bristol in condition at all times. Cons: Probably just me, but it's a new ship dressed up like an old lady going to her last ball; frumpy looking golds, beiges and overdone ornate décor. Celebrity: Pros: Clean, glittering, gleaming chromes and whites. A lovely topside lawn a Corning glassblowing show, croquet and other assorted games. Top of the line food, service and a gleaming dinning area with one of the most unique selections of various wines. Cons: Maybe too modern in appearance for some, though certainly not for me.

I was excited to fly Virgin Atlantic. I heard really good things about them. The positive is that…read moreeven in coach, there is a very decent amount of leg room. I flew from Miami to London and both ways the flight went pretty fast. That is a positive for me. We had two meals each way. The food was pretty good going to London and not so at all on the way back. As always, some of the flight crew is better than others. I knocked off one star and really it should probably be 2 because of a strange incident flying to London. Without talking your ear off, a passenger in front of us would not "allow" me or others to walk in front of her row to go to the other side of the plane. She actually ended up sitting in the VERY wide walkway in front of her. She yelled at each person somewhat loud. Long story short, the crew let a woman who had no business making the rules dictate to half a plane of people. Not only was it rude and bizarre, but it could be potentially dangerous. I don't understand how the crew could allow this and then tell me my purse needs to be on the floor for safety! I said something to a flight attendant and she told me the woman had the right to do this. She paid extra foe the emergency row. I did not even respond because....well...I did not want things to escalate. I contacted Virgin through the survey after the flight that was sent to my e-mail. They gave me 8,000 miles but really my hope is that passengers are not making the rules. I highly doubt any of the airlines I normally fly with would have allowed this.

My flight was canceled 2 days before we were scheduled to travel to Europe. They rescheduled us…read moreonly after we argued with them at the ticket counter and we ended up having to fly out 24 hours after our original flight was scheduled. This delay caused a domino effect of things that we had to miss and had already paid for in Europe because arriving a day late. This occurred over the Christmas holiday and it was impossible to reschedule anything last minute. We missed our train because of the flight getting in late and there were no more trains available for a few days to get to our final destination, so we had to book a flight with a different airline from London to Zürich or risk missing additional bookings that we already had scheduled. We ended up having to spend an additional $2000 because of this delay and Virgin is not taking any responsibility for it and pretty much brushing us off. I will never fly with them again and I recommend no one does either. They do not take ownership for their failures and do not care about their customers.

Sailing May 3 to May 10, 2026 Alaska round trip via Seattle…read more Embarkation was at 10:30am, reached the port via Lyft, from my Hotel near the Seattle Airport SEA price $44. Luggage tags were mailed so no need to print. Dropped off bags at the terminal. Nice thing is that the Encore has a mid ship crew service elevator that was used for luggage so elevator congestion was lessened. Food American Dinner seating near the host is exposed so it got cold in that area on this sailing. Local Pub, 6am to 3am, late night menu started at 10:30pm. Breakfast Omelets can be customized, my favorite options the Cobb Salad, Wings with Sweet Chili Sauce, Warm Chicken Salad, Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce, Hot Fudge Sundae, order of Fries, etc. Buffet, Customized Omelets, Fresh Fruit, Custom Asian Noodle Soups during the day, Scoop Ice Cream. I prefer my food freshly composed so limited time spent here. Main Dinning Rooms no ball caps at dinner, Enjoyed Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners, you can ask to have sides swapped with your entree, and at breakfast I'd ask for 2 glasses of milk because of the distance between kitchen and dinning room. Specialty Dinning was good, and used some of my Stock Benefit Onboard Credit to upgrade to Lobster Thermidor $35 after fees and taxes. FYI, reservations are initially done in increments of 2 if you are seating an odd number you need to update the reservation when you board, also you must arrive within 10 minutes of you reservation, failure to either of these requirements can result in a fee. On my sailing 100's of us returned from our Juneau excursions post 9:30pm, so the ship extended the buffet hours. Also whenever I returned to the ship there were crew with platters of cups containing Hot Chocolate waiting for us near the deck 4 elevator banks. Liquor, the drink package is unlimited, and not timed. I'd order 2 alcohol drinks at a time, plus a chaser when seated to minimize bar and beverage wait times. Le Bistro stocks Drambuie among other spirits so enjoy it on the rocks, or as a Rusty Nail if inclined. Lots of entertainment and music on the ship. I focused on the large theater where there were always seats though the space got full, Choir Of Man a story of Pub Friends with lots of guest involvement interaction, they also performed Rock Music via Icons the Bands. The Beatles Invasion played numerous sets in the Cavern Club, but also did 2 performances in the Theater. We also lucked out to have 4 great couples that made our Love and Marriage a great experience. Music, Games, Comedy, Magic were found in many locations around the ship. Deck 15 had a massive Observation Lounge that could hold 100's of guests, and deck 16 the Cafe Buffet also had great Ocean views. If you want window seats in the dinning rooms consider getting there near opening to ensure that happens. This was an Alaska sailing in early May so pack gloves, a Coat with insulation, many of us had binoculars. Our trip was a fluke and we had zero rain at ports, and when cruising Glacier Bay, but consider packing a Poncho, Water Proof Hat, Wind Resistant Umbrella. The Casino is huge with 300+ slots with my favorites Dancing Drums, Flaming Pots, and Planet Moolah, being easy to access both in the smoking, and non smoking areas. The space also had 26 plus tables, with numerous tournaments during the sailing. $10 Blackjack, Craps, etc were all busy. FYI, Stock Benefit Credit cannot be used as Free Play. I played a little in the Casino and did well, but for me this was a destination cruise, not a Casino point experiment. My cabin was one of the 80 solo single cabins, this is an adult 18+ only area of the ship spread across 3 decks. These cabins have a private lounge on deck 11 where specialty coffees, water, juice, nibbles like fruit, pastry, cakes, and fresh cookies could be accessed. Lots of comfortable seating here and stewards committed to servicing this space from early morning till late at night. No kiddos, no noisy groups in the halls making this a nice change from my cruise in April on the Carnival Radiance. On disembarkation day, I opted to walk my luggage out and leaving my cabin as late as possible. Once in the cruise port I spied staff selling bus transportation from the port to SEA Airport for $30. This was a painless and as a solo inexpensive way to reach my flight. Buses will take guests to level one of the Airport. There is an area to tag your luggage if flying $ALK or $DAL here and a huge area where guests with mobility issue can wait for assistance. But, on a Sunday morning with numerous cruise ships docked and each loading and unloading thousands of guests many with mobility issues it might be smart if physically able and if you have priority status to proceed to your airlines check-in bag drop-off and skip the cold lower level. Overall a great experience, my only ask would be that the Comedians and Magicians be given a performance slot in the large theater to increase accessibility.

Built in 2019, the Norwegian Encore (largest in the NCL fleet: 3,998 passengers, 1,735 crew)…read morefinished its 2024 Miami season and went to dry dock for 4 weeks for a retrofit. It headed back to Miami on Dec 3 from Southampton, from where my wife and I got on for a 12 night trans-atlantic cruise in early Dec '24. It made 3 port stops: Vigo, Lisbon, Ponta Delgada. One can save a lot of money if willing to take a repositioning cruise and don't mind a lot of sea days. We had booked this cruise right after our last transatlantic in January, through Costco travel (same price as vendor, but often offers rebate via cash card usable in their warehouse stores...we got it via email soon after the end of our cruise). Each cruise line has a loyalty program, providing benefits at different levels. As part of this, we got chocolate covered strawberries and 2 bottles of water...next time we will be high enough on NCL to get free dinners and laundry. Room: Inner (windowless) Room on 14th floor, forward. Relatively quiet and close to buffet and fitness center. Lack of drawers in cabin, but has some closet space. Comfortable mattress. Very sensitive heat sensor...used the hair dryer to finish drying our clothes on 2nd day and ended up setting off the alarm calling in security to our room...definitely embarrassing. Service once a day. Expected low water pressure, but unexpected loss of hot water on last day. Good choice for quiet, between other sleeping floors. Room cleaned daily. Very limited TV channels (CNBC, BBC, Fox, 24hour sports...so good to watch predownloaded movies on i-pad), mini-fridge. US electric ports. Dining - Mainly went to 3 complementary restaurants: The Local (separate review), Main Dining rooms (disappointing food this trip), Garden Buffet (good variety); Twice to teppanyaki (mandatory gratuity of $14 per person per night). Because our sleep cycle was so messed up during the trip, we ended up sleeping through multiple dinner times (and waking up hungry at 2 am). 1(L): Local; 1(D): Taste 2(B): Local; 2(L): Savor; 2(D) - Teppanyaki 3(B): Local; 3(L): Buffet 4(B): Local; 5(B): Local; 5(B): Buffet; 5(L): Taste 6(B): Local; 6(D): Manhattan 7(L): Buffet; 7(D): Buffet 8(B): Savor; 8(L): Buffet; 8(D) - Teppanyaki 9(B): Buffet; 9(L): Buffet; 9(D) - Manhattan 10(B): Buffet; 10(L): Local; 11(LN): Local; 11(L): Buffet 12(B): Buffet; 12(L): Local; 12(D): Buffet 13(B): Buffet Highlights: Breakfast: made-to order omelets with English breakfast (baked beans, pork sausage, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms) at all venues. Lunch: noodle bar serving various Asian inspired noodle soups; make your own hamburger bar, both at Garden Buffet. Dinner: fish fingers. Everything at the Local Bar. Wonderful single serving various cheesecakes, made even better with hand scooped ice cream. Now has easy to carry breakfast items (yogurt, boxed cereal, single containers of milk). Large sea scallops cooked well at the Tepanaki. Misses: NY strip dinner: the one bad meal we had, where the steak was a top sirloin chunk, cooked well (when asked for medium), served with inedible shoestring fries, and grilled tomato. Soft serve ice cream: made multiple attempts throughout the cruise, and only once was it delicious (tasting like McDonald's)...the rest of the time tasted off. Lack of snacks: no bagged chips. Fish dishes: except for fish and chips using cod, everything seemed to be generic whitefish like tilapia. The smell of sewer gases was noticeable in our room, some days stronger than others. Activities participated in: -- Pulse fitness center open from 06:00 - 23:00. Complete selection of exercise equipment and weights. Dedicated room for yoga and stretching. We really made use of the facility (if only to justify the calories we ate). -- Internet - basic level has speeds of 2.69 mbps down; 3.01 up. always has free access to ncl.com and cruisecritic.com. No longer can use imessage to communicate for free like before. -- Daily puzzles - we stopped by the card room to pick up the daily sudoku, crossword and trivia.

I had an extremely frustrating experience with American Airlines that completely disrupted my day…read moreand night On 5/2/26. My flight was scheduled for 3:35 PM, and I arrived at the airport at 12:00 noon--well ahead of time. From there, everything went downhill. The flight was first delayed to 4:15, then to 5:50, then again to 7:00 PM with little to no meaningful communication. When we finally boarded, we sat on the plane only to be told there were mechanical issues and had to return to the gate. During this time, the cabin became extremely hot, and passengers were visibly uncomfortable and sweating. After deplaning, we were sent from one gate to another multiple times with no clear direction. The chaos continued when we couldn't board another flight because the flight attendants had timed out. Then, after replacements were found, the pilot timed out as well. At 10:30 PM, we boarded again, only to sit until 11:30 PM waiting for yet another pilot. We didn't take off until midnight and I didn't get home until 2:00 AM. This entire experience was exhausting, time-consuming, and completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, there was no real effort to compensate passengers for the inconvenience--just a $12 voucher emailed while we were still stranded in the airport. I understand delays happen, but the lack of organization, communication, and customer care made this a terrible experience. I expected much better from a major airline.

This was the best place to book excursions in Cuba. The agent was very nice and accommodating…read more We booked the modern cars tour. Everything promises to us was delivered. The car was beautiful. My guide was the best! Lorena spoke perfect English and was so gracious in educating us about her country. Our driver, Jose, was so courteous and careful. We felt comfortable with them. This was a educational, enjoyable, wonderful experience. The price was even better! Thanks OnCuba Travel! We highly recommend and wi definitely use your services again!