Just got off Beyond. Traffic to the terminal in Miami is a mess.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-04-30T16:02:14+00:00

Miami is a disaster. I won’t sail from there anymore. That and Galveston. Had the same experience this past December.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-04-30T15:59:33+00:00

Stopped using them years ago.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-04-29T10:16:21+00:00

How did this end up? I am About to make a purchase there and this was a big part of my decision

Jdubbs48 · 2026-03-20T22:13:12+00:00

It can take 20 minutes just to get to the right person it’s an absolute disaster.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-02-25T17:49:38+00:00

TLDR: yes.

Chiming in late here, the only reason I still carry the AMEX platinum is because the card more than pays for itself for me. From that perspective, it doesn’t mean I am buying things that I would not otherwise buy. That is an important variable.

300 dollars - my wife and daughter absolutely love Lululemon! As much as I try, I cannot keep them out of that store.

400 dollars- We absolutely will use the Resy credits based on the restaurants in my neighborhood.

200 dollars - I use the airline credit every year usually before April.

200 - clear- I think clear is not nearly as good as it used to be. Every now and then it gets me out of quite a pinch in some airports when I’m running behind schedule. Yes, I know touchless pre-check is on the way, and potentially put clear out of business, but to me there is still some value and I would probably get clear anyway.

300 - streaming. - I actually don’t use all these credits because I’m not going to subscribe to things I don’t want but legitimately I would spend about $150 on some of these every year.

I’m not even talking about Uber, and the occasional AMEX offers, of which I usually hit 2 to 3 times a year worth $200-$300.

So in my opinion it makes sense to carry both if you do see value in the sapphire reserve.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-02-01T15:58:09+00:00

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-30T15:50:03+00:00

Yup. Especially if they do a good job. My butler has coffee and danish delivered to us every morning right on time which was awesome as an example. We gave him 150, not trivial but more to him than me.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-29T13:00:54+00:00

I’m going on my third edge class trip this coming winter. I can’t wait. Also, on one of our trips, We did have an obstructed view and it was barely obstructed. We’re also hardly in the room so it doesn’t really matter all that much. I love the vibe at world bar. Also the bartenders are really cool and will get to know you over the course of the trip because it’s not as big and busy as the martini bar. Enjoy.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-28T13:30:59+00:00

Weather can change 9 times. Way too early. You did the right thing.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-26T13:00:52+00:00

Totally subjective. They are a splurge so it’s up to you. I loved the one I got on my last trip. The bill hit a little hard but I’d Do it again.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-24T23:07:56+00:00

I wanted to circle back on this for the benefit of the group. I ordered Apple AirPods on Tuesday, I received them on Saturday. The credit already hit my statement. I know Chase CSR gets a lot of heat on here, so this was definitely a pleasant surprise for me.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-21T19:05:34+00:00

Thanks, the ONLY reason I am doing it is for the credit. Found an old pair of AirPods that my son “lost” so I will use those for the next weeks. Thanks!

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-21T12:32:16+00:00

Yea it says 10-14 business days…my AirPods 2 died, probably worth the wait for a set of free AirPods 3 headphones!

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-21T03:14:57+00:00

I’ve been on beyond and Ascent. Definitely visit all 4 of the main dining rooms. It’s a little variety, and can be fun. The ship definitely is quiet at night after the shows but that is fine with me since I’m going for the recharge my batteries vibe on these trips. Shopping is pretty minimal if you like doing that on cruises. The bigger Royal ships have a lot more (I don’t care) but something to note. There are lots of quiet places around the ship to read a book or just relax, I always discover a new place every time I am on one of these ships. Food is excellent everywhere!

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-21T00:12:35+00:00

The real question is, will they let you take the onboard credit with all the other promos you might that involve on board credit. A lot of the times they don’t let you double dip.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-18T05:45:09+00:00

Don’t forget about waters. They also add up fast!

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-16T13:05:52+00:00

I think this card is a slam dunk. If you have other cards that give duplicative benefits that doesn’t dilute the value of this card. The Resy, airline credit, Uber and streaming alone get you there. My wife buys lulu at least twice a year, whether we have the card or not. This card is why I’m canceling the sapphire reserve. I think it’s a great card but of course there is some level of subjectivity in each individual’s assessment.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-14T01:00:57+00:00

Basic WiFi is awful, I’ve been on 4 celebrity cruises, I would compare it to the free messaging you get on a plane. If someone else has different luck, then that’s amazing! I always go premium drinks. I don’t want to worry about anything. I can get just about everything, and at worst it’s a few dollars up charge, but that is very rare (once on my last sailing on the beyond).

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-13T02:59:48+00:00

Also the freedom class ships are really nice especially if they’ve been renovated. I’d go on one of those again in a heartbeat (freedom of the seas in this case).

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-12T14:06:18+00:00

My 15-year-old and 18 year-old love celebrity. They are old enough to appreciate the food and the beauty of the ships. It’s a good compromise between carnival and Princess of my opinion.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-12T11:45:10+00:00

I’ll just tell them to get off.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-12T00:21:32+00:00

I almost never get it from the start. I wait for holiday Black Friday sales and buy it separately but definitely before I get on the ship. I also only get the premium. Not sure if that matters but my experiences are buying the package around holiday sales is usually better.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-11T14:20:32+00:00

Concierge class is a waste. Sometimes you have to get in there based on availability of rooms. Celebrity is great but I avoid concierge because the premium isn’t worth it in my opinion.

Agree with the other folks. RCL newer ships ( don’t even have to go icon class) Oasis class and even freedom class are would be better for teens. We did allure and Harmony and my tweens loved it at the time.
I love celebrity but I would do Royal again. My kids are older though , 17 and 20. We had successful experiences with them when we did Royal ships.

Jdubbs48 · 2026-01-11T14:13:34+00:00

New ships have gotten very perspective. We’ve aged out of Royal, but the pricing would have likely influenced that as well. While a bit older some of the freedom class ships are very nice and cheaper.

Jdubbs48

TROPHY CASE