Remember when flights across the ocean were positively luxurious---even in tourist! There was a menu for your dinner selection of food and wine. There were pillows and blankets for your comfort. Somebody actually gave a damn. Unfortunately the cruise lines are following the airlines, accommodating more people but cutting back on service and luxuries, and unless you are prepared to pay for something "special" you probably aren't going to get it. Actually I wondered how long it would take for these changes to come about. Austerity is the order of the day when prices for everything you consume continue to double or triple. Celebrity is our preferred cruise line and our loyalty is rewarded with various valuable perks. We sigh and accept the inevitable decline of democratic cruising.

We booked a "sunset veranda" stateroom (6306) on the stern of the ship - and lived to regret it. We could rarely use the veranda because of soot followed by bursts of water from above as the verandas were washed down....down to where we might have been sitting had we wanted a cold shower.

Our recent trip on the Equinox was surprising in that the help was not uniformly pleasant and helpful...room attendants and dining room waiters being the exception...they feel a connection to you and your gratuities in a way that less personal personnel do not. Read more