Jan115

Hi Bill - I think that the media hears both sides of the story but chooses to emphasize only the bad reports, and this is what the general public hears to base their opinion on whether to cruise or not. The fact that Carnival had four separate incidents within a short amount of time certainly doesn't help, and unfortunately they will suffer cancellations from currently booked passengers, as well as future bookings - at least until the dust settles and the memory of these incidents fades away over time. I think the booked passenger who would be most likely to cancel would be a first time cruiser, incorrectly under the impression that cruising is not safe. A veteran cruiser realizes that stuff can happen - on any cruise line - and will simply keep the booking, and those who believe it's primarily a Carnival issue will simply re-book on another cruiseline (providing, of course, they're not in the cancellation penalty period).

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Congratulations on your upcoming cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse next year ... from one Jan to another!

Welcome back, then! Now that you're here, we hope to see you around often. With 50+ cruises, you must have lots of experiences to share. Our favorite line, too, is Princess - but I am much more willing to spread my money out to all the cruise lines than my husband is. In fact, my first cruise on RCI will be this fall - and I am bringing my daughter.

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Only a serious health issue or death of a loved one would keep me away ... Oh - and if we both lost our jobs.

Jason - You are becoming quite the sought-after celebrity!

I posted a review of our recent stay here on TripAdvisor, and I thought I would share it here. For anyone looking for accommodations in Grand Canyon National Park and and willing to spend some money, I highly recommend El Tovar. Located directly on the South Rim of the Canyon, El Tovar is an historic, rustic-looking - but pricey - hotel with a view - and what a view it is! The changing shadows and colors of the canyon will leave you breathless. We happened to arrive just as the sun was setting. Determined not to miss the splendor of the canyon glowing in setting sunlight, we gathered all our gear and made a beeline to the viewing point adjacent to the hotel. This was our very first glimpse of the Canyon, and we were simply blown away by the beauty and splendor of it all. As we visited in February, there was a coating of snow at the rim, adding to the dramatic effect - absolutely beautiful! After getting our fill of the Canyon, we entered the hotel lobby to check in. On first impression, the room looked not like a hotel lobby, but more like a ski lodge, with natural wood, comfy chairs and sofa around a fireplace and even taxidermy displays on the walls above our heads. Simply stated, El Tovar blends in perfectly with its national park surroundings. The staff throughout the hotel was friendly and helpful. We had booked a king room months in advance and were fortunate to score a room on the second floor with both a porch and a partial view of the Canyon. Our room itself was spacious, modern, very clean and comfortable. One downside to the hotel is the absence of an elevator to reach either the second or third floor. Normally, this is not an issue for us, but schlepping our large, heavy bag full of winter gear and camera equipment up the stairs was laboring in the high altitude and left us huffing and puffing all the way up. On one night of our stay, we dined at El Tovar's restaurant and were lucky enough to get a table by the window with a canyon view. Normally, there would be a sunset to enjoy, but not that night - too much cloud cover. It was lovely just the same. As with the hotel, the menu is a bit pricey. Although the decor is rustic, the table settings were elegant and the food delicious and well presented. Due to both the popularity and reputation of the restaurant and hotel, reservations are required. We reserved our table weeks in advance, requested and received a table by the window overlooking the canyon. On the last night of our three-night stay, a major storm was predicted to dump upwards of a foot or more of snow, possibly affecting our drive to Sedona the next morning. Weather in the winter months here is very unpredictable - one of the risks of coming here from November through March. I am happy to say that although we had light snow falling most of the day, it did not hinder our escape the next morning and only added to the beauty of the park and Canyon. Is El Tovar worth the high prices. Absolutely - for the location alone. Even if you are not lucky enough to land one of few the rooms overlooking the canyon (or do not wish to part with hard-earned bucks for a full-view suite, in just a few steps out the door, you're standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Congratulations on your upcoming cruise on the Emerald Princess next month. We cruised on her in August of 2010 - we LOVED that ship! Have a great cruise.

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