Booking/Air. We booked this cruise probably 3-4 weeks prior to the sailing date because of the great price Celebrity offered after the final payment date. The AirChoice prices were a little bit high, but since the cruise fare was very affordable both expenses evened each other out. Our flight was with Lufthansa and it was so far the best experience. The service was great! The plane was clean and the seats were comfortable even for Coach Class. And the most important thing is - there were no delays: The flight was scheduled at 5:35 PM. They loaded the baggage and the passengers, the door closed at 5:35 PM, and they taxied the plane at 5:40 PM. Wheels up at 5:45 PM.

The cruise was starting in Venice and ending in Venice. We always arrive at least one or two days before a cruise (if time allows then we arrive a week prior to a cruise). Since it was a last minute deal I was a little nervous about finding a hotel in Venice. I really didn't want to end up dragging my suite cases (and I am not a light packer) over the bridges and curbstones or hiring a 100 EURO water taxi. After booking, re-booking, and cancelling three different hotels in Piazza San Marco area, I read a very good advice on CruiseCritic (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!) to book a hotel in Mestre. With my luck I was able to get a room at Hotel Plaza, which is right across the Train Station. When we arrived to Venice we took a public bus from the airport to Mestre Bus Station. It's only 6 EURO per person. The bus runs every 20 minutes and the Bus Station in Mestre is probably 100 meters away from the hotel where we stayed. What a smart move on my side! I've heard that you would have a better experience staying in Venice, but it was our first time in Venice and we only had half a day. Being jet legged after a long flight, I didn't think we could stay up that late to enjoy Venice at night. Hotel Plaza is conveniently located across the Train Station. You can get the tickets right at your hotel (just don't forget to validate them!) and the cost is 1.20 EURO per ticket. By the way, there is a nice supermarket probably a few blocks away from the hotel where you can get water, wine, toiletries, etc. The trains to Venice go every 5 minutes and it takes about 5-7 mins to get to Venezia Santa LuciaTrain Station from where you can start your walk through the city toward Piazza San Marco. Interesting thing: you have a map given to you at the hotel, but you don't even need a map - the crowd carries you through the streets and over the bridges to Rialto Bridge and then to Piazza San Marco! Since the ship was docked overnight at the end of the cruise we had a chance to enjoy Venice one more day! And I must say - it's an amazing city and it's absolutely beautiful! We loved it and would like to go back sometime soon!

Now the actual review of our cruise.... Read more