newsanchor

For what it's worth...   This article claims the refreshes were mostly completed...  

https://cruiseradio.net/celebrity-eclipse-emerges-from-shipyard-refurbishment/

Reposting from the main HAL forum...  

We were on NA in April of 2017, and the casino was non-smoking after renovations to the piano bar area across the way...  I had assumed it would remain non-smoking, but the HAL website - supposedly updated to June 2019 - does NOT list Nieuw Amsterdam as one of the completely  non-smoking casinos.  Can someone who has sailed recently tell me whether HAL has reverted to smoking  in the NA casino?  Our booking depends on the answer...  Many thanks! 

I will repost this question there.  I scanned through and could not specifically find an answer to my specific question.  If anyone has an answer in the meantime, please post.  Thanks. 

We were on NA in April of 2017, and the casino was non-smoking after renovations to the piano bar area across the way...  I had assumed it would remain non-smoking, but the HAL website - supposedly updated to June 2019 - does NOT list Nieuw Amsterdam as one of the completely  non-smoking casinos.  Can someone who has sailed recently tell me whether HAL has reverted to smoking  in the NA casino?  Our booking depends on the answer...  Many thanks! 

I wouldn't get too excited.  If you scroll back about a year, you'll see the rumor that Royal was going smoke-free for 2019.  Whoops.  Perhaps more wishful thinking than anything else.  

I know I'm adding to an old thread, but to respond to an earlier post asking whether other ships aside from Celebrity have smoke-free casinos... Holland America is on its way. It is banning smoking as it renovates its ships. The new ships prohibit smoking, and we just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam, which was also blissfully smoke-free. They're up to 5-6 ships that now prohibit smoking. Not only happy news for the casino goers, but for the piano bar players across the open hallway.

The deal I got with my travel agent for the Nieuw Amsterdam (leaving tomorrow!) includes the coupon books. I wasn't expecting it to have much of interest, but if they offer me any bonus minutes, I'll happily take them!

When we cruise in December, my wife and I (gold level) are traveling with friends who are first-time cruisers. We've already signed up for a 10:45 am arrival time. Will they be able to arrive and check in with us? Our reservations and dining requests are already linked. Thanks in advance!

John

We were on the 4/6 Wonder, and were SUPPOSED to stop at Nassau but didn't because there was a passenger overboard on a Carnival ship and the Wonder had to assist with search efforts. We ended up with a day at sea instead, and I didn't hear one complaint about it. We've cruised to Nassau probably 7 times, and haven't gotten off the ship the last four times. You're much better off at sea... Enjoy!

My wife and I just got off RCL's Allure of the Seas, where we had a two-device Internet package. Do they even offer those on Celebrity? The single device price, which is the only thing I can see for our 8/6 Summit cruise, is much higher than on Royal. Any break for two devices?

I stand corrected - I was not lambasted on Cruise Critic... I went back and checked - I was lambasted on the Disney Cruise Line forum at DISboards.com. Sorry to have besmirched the good name of my friends at Cruise Critic! :)

That's great news for you! I also missed a cruise on Disney five years ago - mine was weather related - but stupid me had not bought trip insurance. Long story short, both Disney Vacation Club (we had booked through it and not the Cruise Line) and Southwest Airlines took great care of me, and we were able to rebook at no additional cost. When I shared the good news on Cruise Critic, I was met with a tidal wave of venom from cruisers on the Disney page who felt I should have been publicly stoned for my mistake of not buying insurance and certainly not given a break by the airline and Disney. Glad to see the warmer reception here on the RCCL page! Enjoy your cruise!

John

Carol - All arrangements made as you suggested... Many thanks again for your help!

John

Very helpful information... Many thanks!

My wife is taking her Mom on the Celebrity Summit on July 17th. My wife is driving to Bayonne from Maryland, and my MIL is driving from Long Island. They want to stay at a hotel the night before.. likely the Ramada Plaza... but the question is, can they both park their cars as part of a park and cruise package?

Thank you for that information about carrying on - I knew it was verboten... Just didn't know HOW verboten. :)

We sail on Vision on 8/14, and have been pondering drink packages. Wifey wants me to buy the water package, but there's no way I see us plowing through 8 1-liter bottles of water in four days, and at nearly 30 bucks, that just seems wasteful - So... even at what are sure to be rip-off prices, is there a way for me to buy single bottles of water on board?