Updated: On Jan 6, 2019 Carnival announced they are suspending and re-evaluating room service charges.
Today, Carnival Cruise Line's Brand Ambassador, John Heald announced on Facebook that Carnival will now be charging for room service and will also be increasing the price of the Bottomless Bubbles (soda) package.  That is not however what I’m writing to talk about on New Years Eve (it would make for a short article).  Instead, I want to channel my inner John Heald and tell you how I really feel...

Celebrity Edge offers a space all the way aft (at the back) that has tall windows, wrapping around over 180 degrees, where you can dine, get a hand-crafted cocktail, read a book, sit outside, or experience the amazing performers in a rather unconventional display of talents.  The name of this space?  Eden.  Together, the aforementioned elements create not a venue, or a show, but an experience.  This experience is so unique that we...

After my late night at The Club and the outdoor area of Eden, I stayed in bed fairly late. Late for me, normal for Billy. When I got up, I wanted to check out Eden Cafe for lunch again. Hoping they opened at 11:30am, I got there at 11:45am to find the cafe opens at noon. The staff members were making their final preparations for the day’s lunch service...

When Celebrity Cruises announced the specialty dining venues for Celebrity Edge, they debuted the Le Petit Chef dining experience produced in conjunction with Skullmapping and TableMotion. When the Celebrity Revolution fleet revitalization project was announced, Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo shared plans to bring the chef to a new home in Qsine on the Millennium and Solstice-class ships. When I was on Celebrity Infinity, I had the opportunity to meet Le Petit Chef and try his menu.

In this version, the tiny French chef is joined by a Spanish chef, an Italian chef, and a Japanese chef — all of the same diminutive proportions...

Today we arrived in Nassau, Bahamas.  This is what some may call a “technical stop”, as the point of this particular sailing is to give guests a taste of Edge - and we’d bet that few guests went ashore for this reason.  Still, we have to stop in a foreign port because of various US laws that prohibit a “cruise to nowhere.”  This morning I awoke to my alarm clock (on my phone) and a dark stateroom, as I closed the blackout curtains on our infinite verandah last night.  Because I am not a morning person, this is when I usually appreciate having light switches next to the bed to aid in my waking up. Today was different however...

Note to readers: This live blog was written mostly from Billy's perspective.  He and Ric are both traveling on this Celebrity Edge preview cruise, and where noted below, Ric chimes in.  For more information on how this sailing came to be, you can get context here.

We woke up bright and early hoping to board Edge earlier than normal since she didn’t sail the day before (she was in port for her naming ceremony).  Our goal was to get there around 9:30, which turned in to 10:00, and that ended up being fine. There were four of us plus bags, so the usual plan of taking an Uber or Lyft didn’t work out as easily, as we’d have needed a larger car, which is an option with both services, but costs more than the ride for two normal rides -- so we got two cars and split up.

Although I’m born and raised in Tampa, Florida, I’ve never taken a cruise out of the port in my hometown. On Saturday November 10, 2018, I got a baby step closer by taking a tour of Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise while she was in port. When I showed up at the Terminal...