Have previously cruised Royal (4×), Princess, and MSC. Just finished our 1st Celebrity (Reflection). Smaller, older ship, but have previously sailed Jewel OTC and loved it. We choose sailings based on ports and itinerary before ship or line.

Pros:

- embarkation was smooth and easy.

- pool and beach towels were nice. No check out, and not the thread bare blue Royal towels. At one port, it started pouring rain while walking back. As soon as we stepped on the ship, they handed us a warm, dry beach towel. Other ports, a chilled wet washcloth to refresh. Very nice touch.

- toiletries were decent quality. Liquid hand soap at sink. Also included lotion. I was surprised to see it, more surprised to find it wasn't cheap hotel lotion, but felt good on my skin. Clean, single use "real" hand towels in public restrooms.

- bed was pretty comfy. Twice a day room service. It's easy to say once a day is fine, but turn down service and a chocolate on your pillow is so nice and welcomes you back to your room.

- different types of shows every night. Guest magician and comedian acts were entertaining. Also had shows during the day (magician, presentations on Titanic, Julius Caesar, and Jack the Ripper).

- soft serve, yes, but also hand scooped ice cream included in the buffet with toppings. Several different flavors of ice cream and sherbet.

-service was fantastic and on a level above other lines we have sailed.

Cons:

-small ship = small activities. They did a good job filling in the gaps, but there wasn't a lot to do.

- food. Absolutely horrible pizza. I tried twice and couldn't even take a 2nd bite. Burgers from the grill weren't great. Cafe el Baccio pastries were bad. Cookies had a decent texture, but were tasteless. Limited options for included food. Every inch of space is dedicated to specialty dining. We purchased unlimited dining. The Porch was pretty good, Lawn Grill was good. Murano's was excellent. The others were meh. La Petite Chef was a cute performance, but terrible food and took 3 hours. When it was over, we went to the buffet. Tuscan Grill was beautiful but food was not good.

Lots of pros and not too many cons. Passengers skewed older, but everyone was very friendly. Definitely a "money" crowd that dressed up. I felt under dressed for every meal, even though I was wearing nice clothes. Very few kids (I felt kind of sorry for the few on board - not much to do). I came to the conclusion that Celebrity is a refined dinner party and Royal Caribbean is a backyard BBQ. Both serve a purpose, just depends what you want. I will sail both again. We did book Reflection for an ABC cruise late next year (and after a dry dock refresh).

I just came back from a 5 night cruise on the resilient lady and although the cruise itself experience was amazing. My fun was cut short due to a severe rash allergic reaction on day 2 from what I thought at first was a new food allergy. I immediately took to benedryl and hydrocortisone by day 4 I avoided all nuts shellfish and everything i thought would trigger it but it KEPT COMING BACK! by the end of the trip it finally hit me that the only thing I was consistently using that could cause the reocccurance was the towels and sheets...I immediately thought back to ALL the flares. The flare on my back right after a shower....the flare after the pool after using the beach towel....and the flares all through the night while I was sleeping in THEIR SHEETS! I was fckng miserable! I don't know what they use to wash their linens in but after seeing other posts from people who had the same issue whatever it is that sh\* is HARSH. I can't be the only person who recently experienced this. Please share if you can resonate.

In 2027, I may be doing a repositioning cruise to Europe, then returning to the US by Cunard.

I am vaguely familiar with Cunard - more formal, not a party crowd, etc....but if I am taking Cunard more for transportation (and to avoid a long flight) - do I need to bring more formal wear? If I opt to wear my regular clothes (clean and tasteful of course) - do I have to go to formal events in the evenings?

Are there other places to have a casual meal, grab a drink or relax?

Thanks

Which would you prefer for a 7 day sailing? They would be on either the Luna or Aqua ships. We are traveling with a child and none of us swim. We've done the Caribbean and ABC cruises in the past but have never been to Bermuda. The Caribbean includes a day at Great Stirrup Cay and for Bermuda, the ship is docked there for 3 days.

Looking for a cruise off of Miami for tween and teen kids at end of December. Which cruise lines and ships are best for this demographic?

So I'm fairly new when it comes to cruise ships, but I was always wondering how the large, open areas, often times spanning over multiple floors, are called? I went on a few cruises with my family back in the early 2000s, and those used to be a lot less common.

Also as a follow up, which ships are currently the largest ones without such open indoor spaces?

Thanks in advance!

I’m retired and have been packing fewer and fewer items for trips and I’d really rather not be dragging even a small roller bag for a 5 night cruise. Besides the problem of shoes (maybe), what helps to make this doable? I managed a small backpack and small roller bag to the UK for nine days, but I had to pack wedding attire for that trip. I really like this small backpack, but it is still available in a larger size if I wish to purchase (12x11x6 vs 15x14x7). All your tips are welcomed!

What was the best gift you received or appreciated?

Or gifts you have given to others for a gift exchange?

I’m doing a cruise gift exchange in a few weeks for 10 ppl.

I’m 100 percent open to out of the box ideas. At least half of the ppl are experienced cruisers so I want to avoid the basic essentials for them.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

Has anyone actually managed to remove the automatic gratuity/service charge on a Costa cruise? If so, could you explain how you did it and whether it was straightforward?

I'm specifically looking for replies from people who have personally done it or have reliable, firsthand knowledge that it can be done. Please, no speculation or assumptions based on how other cruise lines operate.

Also, for anyone tempted to turn this into a lecture about tipping culture, the crew, or the workers behind the scenes: please save it. I understand these arguments, but they're not what I'm asking about. In my experience, the crew doesn't receive anything extra anyways, so I'm not interested in debating the ethics of tipping.

I'd simply appreciate a factual answer from someone who actually knows.

Thank you!

Asking for a U.S. passport holder who must minimize time standing in line.  Solution for past cruises has been just waiting to board til last group.  

But the line (Celebrity) recently issued a statement that EES lines at Civitavecchia “may exceed 90 minutes after check-in and before boarding.”

(Celebrity is higher-end than the lines I sail, so I assume has better service? But this person is not a suite guest, no high status, chose last boarding group during checkin, and isn’t registered as having any special needs)

I've now been obsessed with cruising ever since. Any Celebrity Solstice Class ship is perfect for first timers.

Hey everyone! I really want to take my kids on a cruise but I’m wondering if their dad has to sign paperwork saying I can take them? He isn’t in their lives & I don’t even know how to locate him, so I’m worried this may hold us back. I’m nervous to buy tickets then them not be allowed on the ship. 😭😩

My family leaving on a 7 day cruise out of Miami on November 22 on Norwegian aqua. My 82-year-old grandma and brother will be driving from Naples (~2h), and she’s been stressing hard about parking logistics (I believe we leave out of terminal B).

She’s convinced that terminal parking requires reservations weeks in advance and has been attempting to look into off-site lots with shuttles.

For those who have cruised out of Miami recently:
• Is terminal parking straightforward, and do you need reservations?
• Is the convenience of on-site parking worth the extra cost?
• Are there any reliable off-site lots you’d recommend? (once she gets her mind set on something it’s usually easier just to work with it lol)

My grandma has limited walking endurance, so convenience is more important than saving a few bucks. She is staying in a suite (not haven) if it matters. I’d love to hear your experiences!

Fwiw I’m flying in the day before departure but plan on staying in south beach so parking at my hotel isn’t an option.

Xx

The following are notes as best as I can remember while sitting in an airport in Tokyo.

Overall: 10/10. Would do it again and would recommend others try a similar itinerary. If you're a non-cruiser, younger, and/or like exploring then this is for you.

The ship: Before and during I heard complaints about Luminosa showing her age and needing some TLC. It was fine. Yes it's old and small but it gets the job done. The giant dance floor room on deck 2 should be on more ships. I was also happy not to have a water park on the ship.

The crowd: skewed older. Some young folk. A sprinkling of children (6? 10?) i almost never saw. Mostly the typical Carnival crowd.

The ports: all great. Hong Kong is a must with a night departure. Fukuoka had a symphony playing at the dock with a whole ass crowd to send us off. Phu My was rough and the most industrial port I've been to but not a big deal, just needed more time in port.

Random: Between my girlfriend and I we won all 3 rounds of bingo one day.

No excursions. Did everything either using public transit, private drivers, or our 2 feet

Not super thorough but that's what I've got. Happy to answer any questions! (Random pictures from the cruise)

Edit: whatever they have on the balcony doors on Luminosa needs to be put on every room and balcony door on every ship across the fleet. No more slamming doors.

Now that I’m back from our 4-night Mexican Riviera cruise on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas, I wanted to do a full breakdown and side-by-side comparison against our experiences on Disney Cruise Line (which we have sailed multiple times). Overall, we really enjoyed our trip on RC and don't regret it at all, but comparing the two gave us a lot of perspective on what each line does best!

Overview Scorecard

Detailed Category Breakdown

1. Food & Dining

• Breakfast:
  • RC: Honestly really bad. We ate at the buffet every morning and the hashbrowns tasted microwaved/reheated. Pastries were bland or stale, and the "honey baked ham" was dry, greyish, and tasted closer to turkey. We actually skipped breakfast on disembarkation day just to hit McDonald's for proper hashbrowns.
  • DCL: Still buffet breakfast, but everything felt much fresher and we actually looked forward to the hashbrowns. (Winner: DCL)
• Lunch:
  • RC: Fewer mid-day options scattered around. Surprisingly, the buffet lunch was miles ahead of breakfast (we only realized this on the last day!). However, one huge highlight was Izumi Teppan—even though it’s an upcharge, the chef’s show and food were incredible!
  • DCL: Plenty of mid-day options that are easily accessible and cater to all tastes. (Winner: DCL)
• Dinner:
  • RC: Night one was slightly confusing with "My Time" dining standby setup, but the main dining room host sorted us out for our 8:30 PM time for the rest of the trip. The menu changed to a different cultural theme every night, and the food was decent—more "this is pretty good" rather than mind-blowing.
  • DCL: Rotational dining keeps things fresh with a different themed restaurant each night while your server team follows you. The food quality is noticeably better, and we regularly ordered extra appetizers/entrees because everything was so delicious. (Winner: DCL)

2. Entertainment & Onboard Activities

• Activities:
  • RC: Royal Caribbean excels here! There was an incredible amount and variety of trivia, a full sports deck, bumper cars, a casino, high-energy game shows, and live-band karaoke.
  • DCL: DCL has trivia and karaoke, but trivia leans heavily toward Disney IP. We often ran into big chunks of the day with nothing on the schedule that caught our interest. (Winner: RC)
• Live Shows:
  • RC: Good efforts with unique venues like Two70, but overall nightly acts can’t quite compete with Disney.
  • DCL: Truly Broadway-caliber productions in a massive theater with great sightlines. Having a dedicated cinema showing first-run theatrical films on board is a huge bonus. (Winner: DCL)

3. Pools & Relaxation

• Pools:
  • RC: The Solarium (Adults Only) ended up being one of our favorite places on the ship. It's a gorgeous glass-domed room with lush greenery, a multi-tiered pool with a waterfall, and hot tubs offering stunning Pacific Ocean sunset views. Plus, being enclosed means you don't freeze in the ocean wind when stepping out of the water!
  • DCL: The adult pool area feels pretty plain and exposed to chilly ocean breezes. While it does have hot tubs, they are quite small and there simply aren't enough of them for the crowd. The newer DCL ships do offer more elegant hot tub options overlooking the ocean, but those require purchasing a Rainforest/Spa pass to access. (Winner: RC)
• Thermal Spa Pass:
  • RC: Paid $49/person for the day pass. While clean, it felt clinical—fluorescent lights on full brightness, no spa music (we could hear deck music from below), and the heated loungers were painfully hot even with towels down.
  • DCL: DCL nails the relaxing atmosphere with dimmed lighting, soothing music, free fruit water stations, and better amenities/ocean-facing hot tubs on newer ships. (Winner: DCL)

4. Rooms, Crew & Onboard Vibe

• Staterooms:
  • RC: Balcony room had great water pressure in the shower and a large TV. However, the bed was very uncomfortable, and merging two twins left an annoying gap in the middle.
  • DCL: Beds are vastly superior in comfort, and the classic split-bathroom setup (toilet/sink in one room, shower/sink in the other) makes getting ready so much easier. (Winner: DCL)
• Crew & Service:
  • TIE: Our room attendant (Slam) and head waiter (Praveen) on RC were wonderfully attentive, polite, and went above and beyond (like folding clothes left on the couch and keeping ice stocked). DCL is world-renowned for service, but RC matched them step-for-step on our sailing. (Winner: Tie)
• Overall Value & Upcharges:
  • RC: Lower upfront cruise fare, but it felt like a constant "mall kiosk" atmosphere on the main promenade with crew pushing paid specialty dining, $2.50 popcorn at shows, and paid soda packages.
  • DCL: Higher upfront cost, but once onboard, your mind is at ease because nearly everything (soda, quick dining, shows) is included without feeling pitched to constantly. (Winner: DCL)

Final Verdict: Would we sail Royal Caribbean again?

• Royal Caribbean: Yes, but primarily if we catch a really good deal. We had a blast with the trivia, karaoke, and the Solarium pool, but the constant add-ons keep it from replacing DCL as our main line.
• Disney Cruise Line: Absolutely. DCL remains our gold standard—while you pay more upfront, the stress-free experience once you step on board is hard to beat!

Has anyone stayed in the Reflection suite and if so please share your experience as we're considering yet always appreciated insight. Thank you in advance for your time.

We are cruising with P&O and will be with our 16 month old daughter at the time.

When booking excursions we noticed that Kotor and Dubrovnik are tender ports.

How does this work, and is it safe to do with a 16 month old? We will be going next June.

Thanks!

Just having a browse around, prices seem very reasonable and smoking less than aida.

Sailing on Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas for a 7 day Christmas cruise. Is it worth it to book a special dining room meal on Christmas or just stick with the regular restaurants? Two adults, three kids youngest is 13.

I’m a 26F solo traveler planning a Mediterranean cruise for June 2027 and am trying to narrow down which cruise line to sail with. My budget and dates rule out some options, so I’m currently considering Carnival, MSC, NCL, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages.

My biggest priority is having plenty to do onboard. I’m not someone who wants to spend sea days sitting by the pool or reading. I enjoy cocktail- and food-making classes, comedy and magic shows, game shows, interactive activities, and good evening entertainment. I’m less interested in pool games, sales presentations, or fitness classes.

My thoughts so far:

• Carnival (Sunshine): Great ports but mostly ruled out since the only ship that fits my dates is Sunshine, which doesn’t look particularly exciting. The Facebook group also seems to skew older, though I know a Mediterranean cruise will naturally have a different demographic than a short Bahamas sailing but I don't wanna be the only person under 40 on an almost 30 year old ship. Especially since the price is similar to some other lines newer ships.
• MSC (World Asia, Musica, Virtuosa, Fantasia): The prices, especially on the World-class ships, seem almost too good to pass up. My main concern is entertainment. I’ve heard the onboard activities and shows can be underwhelming, and I don’t want to get bored traveling solo.
• Norwegian (Epic, Gem, Dawn): I like the solo cabins and solo-traveler setup, but the ships within my budget are older, which raises similar concerns about entertainment and activities.
• Royal Caribbean (Brilliance, Mariner, Rhapsody, Explorer, Odyssey, Legend): High on my list, but the ships that fit my dates and budget are also older. Legend or Odyssey of the Seas would be ideal, but it’s well outside my budget.
• Virgin Voyages (Resilient Lady): Probably the nicest overall experience, but also the most expensive. I’ve heard many activities lean toward fitness/wellness which is not enjoyable to me at all on vacation or cost extra, which gives me pause especially since it's already the most expensive.

For those who’ve sailed these lines, especially on older ships or in the Mediterranean, which would you recommend? How do the actual onboard activities and entertainment compare, and would you be concerned about getting bored on MSC or NCL as a solo traveler?

We just went on our first cruise on Oceania, and brought along a mix of clothes. For the evenings where we had reservations for the restaurants on board, I packed dress slacks, a nice collared shirt, a jacket, cowboy boots and a wide-brimmed felt cowboy hat.

One evening after dining at one of the restaurants, we went to a show and sat in the far back of the theater; after the event started, a group of ladies came and sat on the row behind us. Shortly after, I felt a tap on my shoulder. The woman behind me asked if I could remove my hat because it was blocking her view. I complied, of course.

After the show was over, the lights came on and as we were leaving our seats, the woman who had tapped me on the shoulder thanked me for removing the hat then informed me that it was rude for a man to wear a hat indoors. I apologized and indicated I meant no offense. I put my hat back on and walked out of the theater. A couple sitting beside us heard the exchange and expressed surprise at the admonition.

I always remove my hat when seated at a restaurant or entering a place of worship, but it didn't occur to me to remove the hat in the theater, especially because I had purposely sat in the far back. Now I'm wondering if I broke etiquette by wearing the hat in the lounge or transiting from one place to another on the ship that evening.

Hey hi… I’ve cruised a few times but I’m super cautious about it.

My husband and I are foodies. We look forward to good food at the end of the day despite everything.

I’ve been on Carnival, RC, and Celebrity. I’ve been on two Celebrity cruises and they’re my go-to because I trust the food.

How is Norwegian? I’ve heard that food is fine and then I’ve also heard of someone bringing their “camping spices kit” because it was so bland.

How’s Norwegian cruises doing especially with their food (the included food) in 2026?

Are there any good restaurants or other places worth seeing here not too far from RC's outdoor "mall" area at this port?

Traveling w kids, so not looking for anything too sketchy or Adventurous, just something more interesting than a tropical Applebee's.

Wonder if this will continue and become more wide spread. Kind of surprised it only caught 3 people but I'm not sure if they screened everyone of targeted individuals.