You’ve Booked a Cruise on the Celebrity Apex. Now What?

If you’re like me, after booking, you hang on every word from the cruise line. You’ve invested a lot of money. It’s your vacation. You want to get it right. To make sure you get it right, download Celebrity’s app and keep an eye on your emails. If you’re headed for the Caribbean on the Apex, here’s what you can expect from Celebrity in the months, weeks and days before you cruise: 

Months before 

Promotional emails – Once you book, be prepared to be bombarded by Celebrity’s emails on beverage packages, wifi, excursions, specialty dining and the like. If you’re buying one or more of these, it’s best to do it now because the prices will go up once you’re onboard. 

45 days before

Online check in – This opens up about 45 days before the cruise via Celebrity’s mobile app. You'll also get an email that announces, "It's TIme to Check In." We received it on March 11 for an April 18 sailing. 

Refer to Celebrity’s website, https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs, for details on what forms of citizenship and identification you’ll need. Once this is done, your boarding pass (“Xpress Pass”) will show up on the app. Note that online check in must be completed at least four days before the cruise. 

About one month before 

Luggage tags – You can find these in the last pages of the cruise document (“Guest Ticket Booklet”) that comes via email about a month before your trip. The luggage tags are in color; if you don’t have a color printer, you can get them printed easily from your local UPS or FedEx store. Or, you can print them in black and white. 

About 10 days before 

Reminder email – This includes last-minute details on what to bring to embarkation, as well as a reminder to check in and select an arrival time, if you haven’t done so already. 

About a week before 

Get excited – Around now, daily activities for the cruise start showing up in the app. (The evening shows, though, don’t show up until you actually board.) 

Two days before

Health questions – Each person on your trip will be required to answer two quick health questions on their app before embarkation. 

One day before 

Helpful tips – An email will tell you how to redeem your purchases of excursions or spa treatments; or drink, dining, wifi or photo packages. 

Breezing through embarkation in Port Canaveral

While I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same experience we did, Celebrity’s embarkation at Port Canaveral was the easiest we’ve had in 31 cruises. They usually dock at Terminal 1, which is easy to get to. Confirm the pier at portcanaveral.com, where you can also get directions and maps. 

There is ample outside parking (the garage fills up with Royal Caribbean cruisers) and a free shuttle van (note: tips are welcome). We parked the car at noon, hopped on the shuttle and were swiftly deposited at the terminal. To our shock, there were no lines anywhere and in mere minutes, we were in our stateroom, clinking glasses in delight! 

Musing’s Top Tip: At disembarkation, ask a port staff member where to pick up the shuttle to get back to your car. It’s not well marked (just a small sign on the ground outside) and hard to find.

Chew on This: Tips for Getting the Best Meal on the Sky Princess

A friend remembers that at his parents’ dinner party in the ‘60s, the talk was about cruising. But not the beauty of the sea or the allure of the ports – it was all about the food.

A sweet finish to a meal at The Catch

Have things changed, really? Of course, today we have bumper cars and bowling alleys, but who among us doesn’t care about the chow? In fact, we obsess endlessly about lobster tails, whether to spring for specialty dining and if waiters will actually serve us coffee in the buffet.

And after all, we’re spending thousands of dollars for the privilege of eating to our tummies’ content. So, with this in mind, I’ve assembled some tips on how you can get the best meal on your upcoming voyage on the Sky Princess:

Before You Go

Plan Your Palate – A real plus today is that we have many more choices for where we can consume our calories – main dining room (MDR), buffet, specialty restaurants, casualty eateries, poolside grills and snack shops, as well as room service. Princess offers traditional MDR seating, as well as anytime dining with reservations or without. You will need to make a selection when you book.

Package Your Pleasure – For the greatest choice, consider the Premier package. Princess’ top bells-and-whistles offering will set you back an extra $100 per person/per day (more if you wait to buy it onboard), but it’s a great value, given all that’s included, such as unlimited specialty dining (as well as casualty dining and room service, unlimited alcohol, wi-fi, gratuities and more). We took full advantage of the package, eating in specialty restaurants four times on an eight-day trip.

Your Best Meal is a Phone Call Away – After you make final payment, make specialty dining reservations a soon as possible through Princess’ dedicated Dine Line (1-833-805-DINE), as the restaurants fill up fast. (You can also use it to make reservations in the MDR.) Also, note that if you’re a Captain’s Circle Elite or Platinum, you can book specialty dining even before final payment is made.

On the Cruise

The highlight of an MDR dinner

Didn’t get in? Don’t despair – If you forget to make specialty reservations before you leave home, if you’re flexible, you may be able to get them on embarkation day, or even well into the trip. Sometimes, reservations are cancelled or there are no-shows. For example, we were able to snag an available slot at a specialty restaurant mid-voyage by visiting the restaurant.  

Know where you’re eating – Location of a restaurant can really matter. During our highly anticipated meal at The Catch specialty restaurant, which is located off the piazza, a song contest was underway. A large crowd screamed and cheered all the way through our meal. So, if a romantic dinner is your goal, you might want to check the restaurant’s location and the scheduled entertainment. (Note that when we ate there a few nights later, thankfully, a mellow folk guitarist was the featured performer.)

Main dining do’s – One formal night, we ended up at the MDR at 8:30 p.m. – just 30 minutes before
closing. We were shocked that it turned out to be one of the fastest dinners we’ve had in an MDR – 1 hour and 15 minutes, from soup to dessert. It might not be your first choice to eat that late, but perhaps the key to a speedy meal. 

Afternoon fare at the International Cafe

The International Café: A 24/7 Treat – The International Café is the best round-the-clock snack shop I’ve seen at sea in terms of food quality and choice. The variety changes during the day, so check it out whenever you find yourself in the piazza. Note that while the food is included in the cruise fare, the café’s coffees are not.

The Buffet: Come as You Are, Eat What You Want – The buffets seem to be more popular than ever. Perhaps folks are more reluctant to get dressed up for the MDR and/or sit through long meals.

Or, maybe the buffet’s selection is the draw. On the Sky Princess, the buffet is massive, with varying items spanning both sides of the ship, as well as areas in the middle. The meal hours are generous too: breakfast until 11:30 a.m.; lunch until 3:30 p.m.; snacks until 5:30 p.m.; and dinner until 10 p.m.

American fare is among the options of the buffet.

Be sure not to miss the special last sea day lunch, which features a cake extravaganza. Dozens of colorful confections fill the bakery area, designed to send you off the ship with a sweet taste in your mouth.

Musing’s Top Tip: Princess may be the only cruise line left offering a galley tour for free. We gathered in the theater at 10 a.m. on the last sea day to watch a cooking demo led by the executive chef. This was followed by a brief singing performance by kitchen crew, and then we filed out to visit the galley, a wonderland of mastery, mystery and stainless steel.

The galley tour

Returning to Royal: Review of Wonder of the Seas

When the pandemic ended, we chose to regain our Royal Caribbean sea legs with Wonder of the Seas. We’d been on other Oasis-class ships, so we had basis for comparison. 

Below are the highlights: 

The shows were energetic. With booming music and singing, fast-paced dancing and extensive use of the huge digital screens, the shows were an adrenaline rush, but may not appeal to an older crowd. “The Effectors II: Cash & Burn” brought to mind a comic book. “Taps Factory” featured tap dancing to a range of contemporary music, relying heavily on drums. 

“Voices” was closer to a traditional production show, with singers and dancers performing familiar songs spanning decades and background vocals displayed on the digital screens. The aqua show, with its unusual all-female cast, included aerial acrobatics, diving, music, lights and splashing water. The ice show was reliably wonderful, showcasing awesome twirls, dips and lifts, with colorful sets and costumes. 

Rehearsal for the aqua show

There were crowds, but empty places too. With 6,000+ vacationers on board, you expect crowds on Oasis ships. Embarkation, debarkation, the buffet and pools on a sea day are when you feel it the most. In the past, we’ve found refuge from the buffet by breakfasting in the usually tranquil Solarium Bistro. Clearly, word has gotten out on this alternative (and free) spot. This trip, food lines were long, the waiters could barely restock fast enough and all seats were taken. 

Central Park was often empty during the day.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of places to find respite from the crowds. Most of the day (not lunchtime), Central Park is an oasis and we enjoyed many a drink at the Trellis Bar without competition. The Diamond Lounge (for loyalty club Diamond and above) during the day was peaceful. And nothing can compare to the serenity of your balcony! 

Breads and such in the Windjammer

The food was a mixed bag. It’s hard to say if this was due to Royal Caribbean’s pandemic-produced debt, or just a Wonder of the Seas thing, but the Windjammer buffet selection was more limited than we’ve experienced on other ships. If your taste bends toward the basic, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, chicken parmesan and carved meats, you’ll be fine. But if you prefer more varied choices, you may be disappointed. Particularly noticeable was the minimal international food options, usually a buffet standout. 

However, the main dining room was a very pleasant surprise. All three dinners we had there lasted 90 minutes or less, a far cry from the two hours or more we were used to on other Royal Caribbean ships. And each meal was decent, particularly the last night of the trip. 

Wonder of the Seas main dining room

Service was consistently terrific. Our room steward was not only efficient and responsive, but friendly, always stopping to chat or smile when he saw us coming. We found the overall service—from the waiters to the bartenders—to be helpful and pleasant.

The loyalty club is better than ever. Not only does Royal Caribbean have the best loyalty club at sea, but the cruise line recently made it even better. Its daily drink vouchers (Diamond and above), now good all day and almost anywhere on the ship, enabled us to sample a greater variety of beverages and check out many more of the bars, which was a trip highlight. 

Tidbits 

Briefly, a few other notable changes: cabin service is down to once a day (you choose morning or evening)…cabin showers have dispensers with a combo body soap/shampoo…the tutti salad bar in the MDR on sea days is no more…printed newsletters are not provided, but your room steward will deliver one each day if 

you ask…for a nifty one-of-a-kind souvenir, consider the Starbucks Wonder of the Seas mug, for sale on the Promenade at, of course, the Starbucks concession. 

Already booked? 

If you’re already booked on Wonder of the Seas, check out “Be in the Know Before You Go” on what you can expect and what you need to do as your trip nears.

Be in the Know Before You Go on Wonder of the Seas

A fellow on YouTube recently complained that when he boarded Wonder of
the Seas, he went to the ticket booth, only to find that all the shows were sold out. Yikes! How did this happen? Clearly, a lot of people knew something he didn't.

Read on for important tips on what you should do and what to expect in the lead up to your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Once You Book

·     

Save on eat, drink and surf packages – If you’re looking to buy a package, know you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get it at a discount before your trip.  Royal Caribbean will barrage you will promo emails—ours started four months before the trip—even before we made final payment.

About a Month Before Your Cruise

·        Download Royal Caribbean’s app. Then, when you do online check-in, (available beginning about 45 days before the trip), you’ll get a digital boarding pass called the “SetSail Pass.”

Main dining room on Wonder of the Seas

Check out the app periodically; the closer you get to the trip, the more stuff you’ll see for your cruise, such as activities, menus and even loyalty club events.

Print luggage tags – You’ll get a “Guest Ticket Booklet” PDF via email, with the luggage tags on some of the pages. You can print the tags in black and white, but Royal Caribbean prefers color. We loaded the booklet onto a thumb drive, took it to a local Office Depot and for a few dollars, printed the luggage tags in color on the self-service printer.

       Sign up for shows now – In the “Manage My Cruise” section of Royal Caribbean’s website, you can make reservations for the date and time you prefer. The longer you wait, the fewer choices you will have. 

      Dine your way – You can also make reservations for the main dining room if you’re on My Time. It’s a good idea to do this, especially for formal nights, to reduce the wait at the MDR doors.

·    

Keeping track – Your booked shows and meals will be listed in the Calendar section  of  the app. Also, consider making a paper  chart and mounting it on the cabin wall with a magnet. It’s a good way for you and your  roommate to see your schedule at a  glance. I list for each day what port we’re in, where we’re eating and what show we’re seeing.

Before Leaving Home

·       Print your boarding pass – While you’ll show the SetSail pass on your phone at the port, it’s a good idea to also bring a paper copy, just in case the wifi in the terminal is down, you left your phone in your suitcase, you run out of battery juice, you dropped it in the toilet…

·        Ban the banned stuff – Double check that your carryon doesn’t include banned stuff. My spouse forgot he had a Swiss army knife in his toiletries bag and it was taken from him.

If something does slip by you, you’ll get it back at the end of the trip. A table was set up outside the cruise terminal in Port Canaveral on disembarkation day. Your possession will have plenty of company—our knife was nearly obscured by a vast collection of irons, steamers and power strips.

Musing’s Top Tip: If you’re doing a specialty restaurant, do it on the first night. Chops Grille was nearly empty, the service was attentive and it was just plain lovely. It was the opposite experience a few days later!

Beyond the T-Shirt: Shopping the Islands

After 27 cruises and a whole lot of shopping, my home office looks like a shrine to the Caribbean.

Some of the stuff is the usual, like key chains, magnets and snow globes. And I even have a t-shirt. But the souvenirs I really love were made by hand or unique to the island. They’re harder to find than ever, but they’re there.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Woven baskets from Dominica – The specialty of this Eastern Caribbean island makes a terrific souvenir or gift because it’s portable and practical. And handsome.

Wood art from Roatan – Honduras is known for its wood creations – especially those made from mahogany – and you can find cups, bowls and carvings at the cruise port at Roatan or Mahogany Bay.

Peasant tops from Costa Maya – There are a number of shops and stalls at the pier that sell locally made clothing. I bought a delicate, one-of-a-kind colorful hand-woven blouse there for a very reasonable price. 

Painted shells from St. Kitts – Walk through the cruise port towards town and you’ll pass an aisle of small vendors in covered stalls. One of the first vendors, is an artist selling her own work—magnets, small boxes and other objects hand-painted with tropical scenes, including the island’s wild vervet monkeys.

Paintings from Labadee – Royal Caribbean’s private part of Haiti has a thriving artisan market (see left), with dozens of stalls selling paintings of many sizes, and painted boxes and magnets. Some of the paintings can even be purchased without a frame to make it easier to get them home. Note that bargaining is expected!

Madras from Martinique – Ramble through the streets of Fort-de-France – or go no further than the cruise pier – to find examples of the local colorful fabrics. In town, you can buy fabric to make clothing. Or, you can get souvenirs made from madras, such as a little parrot I bought at a pier shop (see left). 

And then there’s rum. Everywhere!

In short, when you cruise the Caribbean, there’s plenty to buy beyond the T-shirt, but you’ll need a sharp eye to find it. Happy shopping!

 

 

 

Cruising a Classic

A trip on Holland America’s Rotterdam is to harken back to the good ol days, when a ship was a ship and not an amusement park. If it’s an amusement park you’re after—stop reading here. 

For this is a review of both a new ship and a classic.

What you’ve heard is true. Let’s start with the demographic, which is most likely on your mind. Yes, HAL’s guests trend upward; mostly 50+. If you fall in this category, you’ll love the Rotterdam. If you’re younger, but want a tranquil, laid back trip, you can love it too. 

Winsome and whimsical

Atrium artwork

. The ship is handsome, with muted colors, and music-themed and funky artwork.

All the right notes. It’s hard not to find something to like on the “Music Walk,” which featured venues with bands playing rock (Rolling Stones Rock Room) and blues (BB King Blues Club), two pianists singing oldies pop (Billboard Onboard) and a classical music quartet (Lincoln Center Stage). 

On our trip, there were also several performances by the ship’s dance troupe, a singing group, comedian and magician. 

With our comfort in mind. The staterooms have lots of storage—especially satisfying were two very deep drawers under the bed that still provided ample space to shove in two large suitcases. There are also reading lights mounted next to the bed that can be positioned perfectly, and outlets and USB ports on each side of the bed and by the desk. 

A morsel of food. In short, the food is typical of cruise ships—no better or worse. The meals in the main dining room were decent and the buffet was varied (standouts were the “Distant Lands” dishes, such as Beef Sumatra and Pork Vindaloo). We ate in specialty restaurants Pinnacle Grill (filet mignon) and Canaletto (osso buco), which were very good. 

A sweet end to the meal at Canaletto

Having it all. Holland America’s “Have it All” promotion is similar to perks packages of other lines. You pay one price and get a beverage package, wifi, specialty restaurants and excursions. Though it added a lot to the cost of the trip, we felt it was worth it because it enhanced the experience. 

Service with a smile. A second cabin cleaning per day is now available on request only. Yet, our room stewards were so wonderful that they did the second cleaning even though we passed on it. And they took the time to create elaborate towel animals most nights. In fact, throughout the ship, we found the vast majority of the crew helpful and friendly.

Special and welcome. The Rotterdam has a Grand Dutch Café (it’s on the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam as well) with Dutch snacks and other treats, as well as a bar and specialty coffees. Also, we loved the unique event in which BBC nature documentaries were shown in the nearly surround-screened World Stage theater, with a dramatic live soundtrack provided by the ship’s classical quartet. 

The bottom line on HAL’s Rotterdam? It’s hard to argue with a classic. It’s got the basics—pleasing décor, comfortable cabins, decent food, pools, spa, casino, entertainment, shops. No, you can’t ride a carousel. But it delivered a relaxing, rejuvenating vacation.

Cure for Chaos

If watching the news about cruising is making your head spin, know that you’re not alone. Who knows when and how it will all shake out, but in the meanwhile, we can nurture our passion in any number of ways. Here are a few:

Don’s Family Vacations – If you want to know what’s happening on a daily basis, you can get it from Don. His lively reports will have you grimacing and laughing, as you experience the full craziness going on right now.   

How to find it: Don posts regularly on YouTube. Just search for “Don’s Family Vacations.”

Nova, Season 44, Episode 4, “Ultimate Cruise Ship” – This is a fascinating look at what it took to create Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer, from its bronze propellers lovingly calibrated to avoid vibration to its funnel of aluminum, designed to counterweight the ship’s decadent marble suites. We may not all be able to shell out more than $650 a night, but we can vicariously enjoy—at least for 53 minutes.

How to find it: You will need to purchase PBS Passport. It’s inexpensive and provides a vast array of programming.

 “Love Boat” reruns – This will date me, but Gavin MacLeod’s recent passing reminded me of the first time cruising hit my radar. For a time, on Saturday nights, I had a date with the “Love Boat.” It made cruising intriguing, if you could get past the PA announcements.

Fast forward to 2021, with 26 cruises behind me, I can enjoy comparing Hollywood’s version to the real thing. I imagine you will too.

Regal Princess' shrine to the TV show

How to find it: You can stream it from Paramount, but you need to be a subscriber. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, it will cost an extra $5.99 a month after the free trial.

 Don’t want to spend anything? There are plenty of Love Boat clips and trivia on YouTube. You can even find a Princess ship or two playing the show’s theme song with its horn, as it pulls out of the harbor with some very excited cruisers.

 

Memories of the Caribbean for $5 or Less

Let’s face it; you can’t get much for $5 anymore. Or can you?

In looking over souvenirs I’ve collected from Caribbean cruises over the years, some of my most used, most prized, cost just a few bucks.

Once, I thought these kind of souvenirs were too touristy. But when I got older and wiser, it occurred to me they only look touristy while you’re there. Once you get home, no one else has them. They suddenly don’t seem touristy at all.

And I love them because they remind me of my good times at sea. So, if you’re looking for a memory or two from your next cruise without shelling out a lot, consider these:

Mini sacks for storing. We’ve picked them up in Aruba, Cozumel and Grand Cayman, but you’ll find them just about anywhere. They’re colorful, functional and fun. We use them for storing ear buds, extra batteries and loose change.

Ornaments for hanging. Christmas ornaments make great souvenirs. Some of them are so unique you may want them around all year round. Like the ceramic ones in all different shapes in Cozumel. The replica ruins from Costa Maya. The painted gourds in Bonaire. You can get ornaments for $5 or under, but if they’re more elaborate, they’re also more expensive.

Marking your spot. If you’re like me and still read a book made out of paper, check out the bookmarks. I’ve picked up great handmade ones from Labadee (in the artisan market in the building—they’re at the cashier counter), Bonaire and the Panama cruise terminal.

Encasing your glasses. One of my favorite souvenirs is a colorful heavy fabric eyeglass case that I bought in the Panama cruise terminal. You’ll never misplace your glasses with this one.

Magnets for clinging. Turn your fridge into a scrapbook. You can get a magnet for $1—or for $15. They come in all sizes and shapes—many are amazingly different. I have handmade doll magnets from Nassau and Barbados, mini magnetic paintings from Labadee, faux mini delft “wooden” shoes from Aruba, a ceramic magnet of the Puerto Rican flag from San Juan and many more.

Caps for keeping the sun out. Show off when you get home with a baseball cap like these from Aruba. (For more on baseball caps as status symbols—see the July 27 Wall Street Journal!)

Lots in Labadee. Five bucks go pretty far in the artisan market in Royal Caribbean’s private part of Haiti—especially if you’re willing to haggle. There are painted boxes and other wooden objects, carved stones, macramé bracelets, magnets, small paintings, among others.

Maracas and more. Cozumel is a great place to cheap-souvenir shop. Besides maracas, there are sombreros, ceramics and a ton of other trinkets to remind you of your cruise South of the Border.

One of the great things about this kind of shopping is you can really load up—and still have something left over for a deposit on your next cruise.

Seeing Old San Juan with New Eyes

It wasn’t my shining moment. In San Juan on our recent cruise, we were the last ones back on the ship.

We weren’t the ones who come running down the pier just as the gangway is pulled in, to the hoots of onlookers hanging over their balcony railing.

But pretty darn close. One of the crew came running over to usher us in.

I do have an excuse, if a lame one. I can’t tear myself away from Old San Juan.

When we were last there, it was right after Hurricane Maria. Most of the places were shuttered. The few that were open were dark and hot, without power or customers.

This time, however, Old San Juan was restored to its usual, fascinating self. And though I’ve been there many times, I felt as if I were seeing it for the first time. Never did the buildings look more colorful, more ornate or more majestic. The Golden Trumpets and bougainvillea seemed to burst with color and joy.

We wandered down side streets and found places we’d never seen before. Like the splendid little pastry shop shown below, a Spanish Parisian-style patisserie. We took pictures and moped away, tortured that we were in port too short a time to go in.

Another street found us facing a sprawling ceiling of umbrellas—a commemoration of Puerto Ricans who served in U.S. wars.

At every turn seemed to be a beguiling boutique and bohemian café. Lapis-toned cobblestones, mosaic tile stairways and storefronts. Tropical flora-laden parks. The forts. The fountains. And on and on.

How can you not love Old San Juan? It’s old world Europe meets trendy urban chic, and truly one of the best destinations for the Caribbean cruiser.

Paradise Revived: St. Maarten Two Years After Irma

The French woman kept her shop. But the two vendors next to her weren’t so lucky.

The owner of the Amsterdam Cheese & Liquor Store said Irma blew out his windows, shut off his power and wreaked havoc in his shop. His vast inventory of expensive cheese was gone. Without insurance, it set him back two years. “It’s the price you pay for living in Paradise,” he said with a shrug.

Today, two years after the category 5 hurricane rammed through St. Maarten, Philipsburg is alive and kicking, with rebuilding and rising spirits.

For the cruiser, the heart of Philipsburg doesn’t look a whole lot different than before the storm. The water is just as blue. The shoreline is still lined with bustling bars and cafes, colorful umbrellas and beachy funkiness.

Jet skis keep kicking up their spray as they fly across the harbor. Front Street still sports chic jewelry and clothing shops. And uniformed kids forever fill the streets with their lunchtime laughter. 

Yet, signs of Irma remain. There are a few boarded windows here and there. The landmark Belgian chocolate shop with its iconic replica of Brussels’ Manneken Pis is gone from Old Street. In fact, not much retail remains on Old Street. Many small businesses with insurance took their money and ran, says the cheese shop owner. Noticeably missing from the side streets is the once plethora of small vendors and stalls.

But the optimism and openness to tourism that has long been the hallmark of this Eastern Caribbean island staunchly remains.

It’s what led to quick rebuilding, the launch of vibrant new shops, restaurants and bars, and is what continues to make St. Maarten a wonderful port to visit.

Musing’s Top Tip: There are two ways to get into Philipsburg from the ship—inexpensive water taxi (about 5 minutes) or walk (about 10 minutes). If you’re walking, look for the sign for the sidewalk, which is behind the pier shopping. The reward for walking is passing by the wonderful Amsterdam Cheese Shop, with its Gouda, Edam and other international treats, and colorful Dutch-themed souvenirs.