Seaawgs

@tina lamb use these comments to make a better choice of cruise line and fellow passengers. Holland America is a solid choice for Alaska. Though owned by Carnimal, they attract a different customer. Give the cruise line you select plenty of time to smooth out potential impediments.

@Cruising Caribbeanit only takes one to contaminate a scene. Most cruise passengers are fine, but as a wider cross section of the public has begun cruising, a wider variety of issues have been experienced. Boutique lines tend to roam offering unique experiences, however, most don't home port long in any one place When cruising was cheap, we didn't care where we went. Back to back including a transatlantic is a great choice since the cruise is often less expensive than a flight one way. Spring is the best time for those.

Chicago, New York, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, New Orleans etc.. How bad is Haiti?

@Cruising Caribbean this is a nice little cherry on top of the discussion we were having on a different topic. @euroguy we have spent over 400 days on Celebrity and nothing even close to this has ever taken place. However, we're abandoning our favorite cruise line because they're trending in this direction. Like most things in life, you'll have to spend more money to filter out this level of society. Try one of Carnivals boutique lines.

@Cruising Caribbean Celebrity used to be a great cruise line and was considered a better choice. Their new President has brought about this transformation which is eroding its brand. Their loyalty program is the best but not even that will get us on shorter cruises with what has become Carnebrity/Celebrival. Azamara, Holland America and Regent will make up most of our upcoming cruising. Africa, The Amazon and Iceland/Greenland. Nice long itineraries minus the nickel and dime.

There is only one cruise line in which we were treated to a food fight in the buffet and an "individual " with a giant boom box banging away in the Serenity area. These are the people Celebrity is now trying to lure away from Carnival with their 3 and 4 day cruises. Celebrity has abandoned their loyal guests in favor of the more lucrative younger cruisers. We have 90 days of cruising booked through next March, only 8 of it with Celebrity. Last year we spent 60 days on Celebrity.

If it helps...when you're in the ocean, every fish that ever lived ultimately took a dump in that water. Morbidly obese people also pose that problem in cruise ship pools. Pick your moments.

@LukeJ it's funny how one insect can damage so much grain.

As access to cruising has expanded across all levels of society many new issues have arisen. Man/Woman over board incidents have exploded and now we have a scooter Epidemic. The definition of " disabled " has undergone a huge expansion in recent years. Unfortunately, traditionally handicapped folks are consumed by the wave. COVID has ushered in levels of narcissism never seen before. Resources set aside for those truly afflicted are being consumed by the able bodied without empathy. If cruise lines enforced rules the way they enforce their bringing alcohol on board policy, the problem would go away. Selling scooter parking space may help. Cruise Line licensing of scooters.

Santorini is definitely worth visiting. It is a tender port so mega ships put a strain on limited dock space. You'll need to ascend nearly 900 ft. either by climbing steps, riding a donkey up same steps or aerial tram. Heavy cruise traffic can cause extreme wait times. Bathroom facilities are another issue for hoards of people. Inflation has changed typical passenger habits while in port. Alcoholic drinks and food have become so expensive in port that many return to the ship to eat and drink. Only souvenir shops do well in a high priced environment. As the cruise industry ignores local resistance to overcrowding by building 7000 passenger ships, this will continue to surface. Unlike the Caribbean, much of the world uses their container ports for cruise ship dockage. The logistical nightmare is real for those quiet communities when 10,000+ people spill into the streets.

Addictive/compulsive people inflate many cash cows. Smoking contaminates an area far beyond imaginary borders, however smokers gamble more than nonsmokers. Drunk, obnoxious passengers contaminate the bar area yet they spend large amounts of money. It's always an interesting balancing act to observe. No matter the decision, cruise companies will alienate someone. Personally, I despise smoking, but understand it's huge contributions to the medical field and tax base. Do your research and avoid cruises that don't align with your preferences. There's plenty of choices so don't whine either way.

There is a trolley to ride as well. You can actually stay in Ybor and trolley close to the port. The Hampton Inn is close enough to walk if you travel light.

What ever excuse it takes to get you to uncork your wallet. It's likely every aspect of a recent cruise is more expensive than before so now everyone wants to ride the gravy train. Every indulgence in Bermuda carries a heavy premium but they provide a nice, safe experience. $12-$15 beer and $25 sandwiches goes along with all of these new costs. You'll find these dynamics in nearly all large US cities and tourist destinations. Living in Florida, we are always amazed how much families are willing to spend at Disney World. No matter how much they charge, they can't slow demand.

@3Sisters no, we have never been on a world cruise nor have we visited Africa. The replacement itinerary is a good one but it relies heavily on more traditional stops which we've visited. Kenya, Tanzania, Jordan, The Red Sea are now gone.There have been several changes overall to the itinerary along with added disclaimers in Australia. It will likely change more becoming less like the cruise we booked. The other issue is visas. If you choose to obtain them on your own, you now have visas for countries you're no longer visiting.

@3Sisters the itinerary on this one was excellent, taking a southern route once exiting the Canal. Similarly, a more southern route from Australia to Africa. Most World cruises wander the Orient for far too long and skip The Seychelles, Mauritius and South Africa. No compensation or consideration was offered. It's likely this ship will be an extra with scheduling being complete for other ships .