Seaawgs

@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 .

We just canceled our Holland America world cruise over a similar itinerary change. While I certainly don't blame them given world conditions,  removing  bucket list destinations needs compensation. With cruise companies having their bread buttered on all sides these days, they've returned to and surpassed their punishing rules. Proceed with caution before making any future payments. After that, they can make any changes and you just have to accept it. Read carefully!

There will be a lot of "private" parties?

The ignorance of employing the "straw man" argument is on full display. Truly disabled people are generally aware of their need to fit in as best they can. This does  not include SUV sized scooters with storage racks and coolers. Expecting cruise companies to build ships with the fattest people riding the largest scooters in mind is nuts. There are numerous afflictions we all may suffer but expecting everyone else to alter and accommodate them ruins it for all. Should I demand theatrical shows on-board not use lighting in their production because I have epilepsy? I wear dark glasses and hope for the best. One or two scooters parked in the elevator landing was tolerable but as that number grows , the safety of other guests becomes an issue. 

How about a Guest Relations "eject" button.  Anyone with a complaint must sit in a special chair at Guest Relations while airing their grievance.  If the majority of his/her fellow passengers in the lobby feel they are being petty or unreasonable, an ejection button is pushed and the wank giving the staff a hard time is dumped.

@Kendall James-VargasI'm happy to drink water from a plastic bottle when available. Those seeking to profit will always use our preferences against us. The question becomes, how much of a hostage are you willing to be. @FJB decided Celebrity surpassed that limit with drink package prices. Perhaps we can dust off our smuggling skills. The argument of water being a necessity for life may work against you. Who wouldn't pay a few extra bucks to stay alive. Carnival stock is less than half of its average value before covid while Royal Caribbean stock has surpassed pre pandemic levels. 

I brush my teeth with it, so tap water on a ship is fine. The gym offers the next best option. Touching anything in the buffet has risks. The sources of bottled water can also be quite dubious. Let's not forget that EVIL plastic bottle, be an ECO warrior. Other entertainment venues (Disney, Broadway theaters etc.) charge $5 and up for a bottle of water. Only the guy on the Flamingo rd crossover in Vegas has held steady at a buck.

During the pandemic,  cruise lines borrowed hundreds of millions to stay afloat. That along with world governments economically empowering a whole new group of people means ALL prices will keep going up. 

It's the hypocrisy of so called environmentalists that discredits the notion of "green". Telling us phosphorus and lead are bad only to force the use of CFL lighting which has both. A pipeline is a sightly scar on the land but hundreds of acres of solar panels or windmills are just dandy. Millions of spent batteries from EVs won't be an environmental problem but other batteries are.

As world governments seek to empower all 8 billion people on the planet, doing without is no longer an option. As this appetite grows , unattractive remedies will be further employed in both our food and energy sources. Like most things,  $$$$ will determine access and acceptability. 

I suspect most of us will struggle with how any company received access to your bank account. It would also be a stretch to believe your bank has no idea whom they paid on your behalf. If you used a debit card backed by Master Card or Visa, there will be a trail for them to follow as well as your bank. Since there are transaction numbers a digital identifiers, it seems your bank could clear this up quickly. 

@Kendall James-Vargas sounds like your husband has it figured out!

@3Sisters there are plenty of things to do in Cayman but like my friends in Barbados say, everyone has palm trees and sunshine. The water and beaches are nice but the same are available at other ports at a much lower cost. Port days with an empty ship are glorious!

@Kendall James-Vargasolder veteran cruisers spend very little money once on board. Years of cruising has taught them how to maximize without spending. They no longer go on excursions which are a nice cash cow for the industry and the ports they visit. Suite class cruising and its exclusive spaces offers a new experience for those who spent years on the "cheap" along with those of means who want to get away from the crowd. Younger cruisers are also an attractive customer who have little expectation along with a willingness to blow every cent they have and max out credit cards. I expect current trends to continue.

@3Sisters it's probably like building roads in FL. The growth of cruising along with safety concerns at Western Caribbean ports makes Cayman an increasingly popular port. Finishing one project only to find it is inadequate is probably an issue. Lunch for two with a couple of drinks cost us about $100 at Guy Harvey's. These prices are normal in Cayman leading to people's desire to stay on board. Cruise lines want you off the ship on a sponsored excursion which is also highly priced. 

I'm not sure when the new rules began. I heard about it a couple of months ago. The concept isn't new. Casinos and shops have been closed in port for years, just add bars to the list. I expect this trend to catch on.

We recently visited Grand Cayman and were able to experience, first hand, the new rules they have in effect.  Beverage packages, Caribbean complacency and construction have been reducing the number of passengers going ashore. On the Celebrity Constellation, only the pool bar was open. All others were closed until we left Cayman water. The scene at the pool bar an hour before departure was very entertaining,  not in a good way.  We felt so sorry for the bartenders who had been dreading it all day.  

Unsure of how to react to Cayman extortion, we went ashore anyway because the tender ride is a nice excursion. Since we enjoy and respect Guy Harvey, we ate in his restaurant and shopped in his store. Nothing else. In the restaurant we had a nice 2nd floor view of a massive construction zone, which is the port, and all of the noise that goes along with it. When on the ground you're treated to construction dust and dirt. Things are getting better but this area has been like this for many years. Maybe one day they'll finish and no longer have to force cruisers to visit. 

@Cruising Caribbeanand @LukeJ. Two of the most popular days of the year in the US are St.Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo. Drinking permeates our culture. There are even socially sanctioned drinks for breakfast,  mimosas, bloody Mary etc. Jimmy Buffet, a marginal singer, became wildly famous and rich building a multi-billion dollar business structure by creating a happy state of mind with the Margaritaville theme. Oddly, drinking is one thing people from all walks of life are happy to do together. 

@Cruising Caribbean we have worked on the island several times and have good friends who pick us up when we cruise to Barbados. The roads are said to be former Ox cart paths so getting around can be tricky. Since nearly all Caribbean stops have palm trees and sunshine, enjoy what makes Barbados (Little England) special. 

There are several societal trends that result in grandparents raising their grandchildren which may be a factor. Celebrity's weak youth program makes parents/grandparents the entertainers of any children they bring abroad. If it's cold or raining,  what do you do with the little monsters? Unfortunately,  the Solarium amplifies all noise and will cause me to adjust my daily use of the beverage package. 

Carnebrity or Celebrival ....take your pick 

In Barbados, take a ride up to St. John's Parrish Church. Fantastic elevated views of the Atlantic Ocean with an attached cemetery containing centuries old monuments. A short ride from there is Bathsheba, a small town with a couple of nice restaurants and great views of the rugged Atlantic. 

@Cruising Caribbean I do sympathize with their attempt to lure new cruisers while trying to hang on to their loyal customers. The new mega cruise ships are actually competing with Disney World and other theme parks more than Celebrity or Holland. Most new ships, Edge Class included, are changing the ratio of "free" space to "pay" space. Exclusive space for Suite Class customers has expanded drastically. When you analyze bookings,  Soltice Class leads the way. We enjoyed our 42 days on Edge class ships last year but all future bookings are on Millennium and Soltice Class ships.

Edge class is a stinker. 35 days on the Beyond and 7 on the Ascent.  Imagine being on the Equinox and cramming the ; Martini bar and lounge, craft social bar and lounge, Ensamble bar and lounge, Passport bar and lounge and the Il Bacio all into one space with limited seating. That is what you'll face each evening on an Edge class ship. Infinite balconies are really just ocean view cabins with a window that rolls down. 3300 people won't feel like a Celebrity cruise. 

@Kendall James-Vargas so true. Fares fluctuate hundreds of dollars from day to day so $5 is negligible. It's ironic that ports heavily patronized by walk-off cuisers are issuing extra fees. Lisbon is one of the few European ports with easy walking access, beauty and a variety of activities. While that sounds good, fewer cruisers take sponsored excursions (cash cow) in these types of port. We older, veteran cruisers need a good reason to lure us from our beverage package lair. 

Spent 59 days this year on Celebrity without trouble.  A doctor making such a statement is pure ignorance when you consider how many non cruisers fill the doctors offices and hospitals. Hand sanitizer and vigilance will go a long way. 

Cruise companies set an unfortunate example, kissing world government butts, while trying to emerge from COVID restrictions. Sadly, the cruise industry has maintained this posture while world governments line up for round 2. You can't appease parasites. Ridiculous art work, Godmothers and the like only embolden those who cruise lines hope to placate.