WHY WE CRUISE: My wife and I are both in our late 60’s and we really enjoy the relaxation and the flexibility that cruising (our 31st cruise) offers each passenger. As we have gotten older, we have had to focus more on the less strenuous and less sun intensive cruise activities. However, we still really enjoy visiting new destinations, relaxing in the Solarium on sea days, exploring the many dinning options, enjoying the live entertainment, spending time in the gym, and the opportunity to meet new cruising friends. This review reflects our experiences on our recent cruise, reflects our personal preferences, and reflects what we have come to expect based on more than 30 cruise. While this cruise was an overall pleasant experience, there is no doubt that rising food and fuel prices are having a negative impact on the cruise experience.

PRE-CRUISE: We drove to Ft. Lauderdale the day before the cruise and stayed at the Homewood Suites in Dania Beach ($172/night). The hotel was clean and well maintained and was very convenient to the airport and cruise port (10 minutes). We had a wonderful seafood dinner (crab cakes and fish and chips) at the Rendezvous Restaurant which is a short drive from the hotel.

EMBARKATION: Celebrity assigned us an 11:30 terminal arrival time, so we left the hotel at 10:00 am and drove to the port (10 minutes). It took about 30 minutes to clear the security at the port entrance, drop our bags curbside, and park the car in the adjacent port garage ($15/day). A majority of the time, the Edge Class ships use Terminal 25 in Port Everglades. Read more