IrieMRP

We are currently on the Silhouette and stopped by Guest Services to ask this question. The person we spoke with said it could be done at the discretion of the beverage manager onboard, but no promises. We sort of interpreted that as a 50/ 50 chance. (If my friend who asked me this question reads this, hello from Barbados!) :)

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Thank you reedprincess! Looking at the map I thought it might be a bit shorter ride, but with port traffic that makes sense. The ride sounds pretty manageable , I should be fine :)

We are planning to visit Sandals La Toc while in port, does anyone know approximately how much the cab fare might be? Am I correct to assume we would pay the driver upon return to port? Additionally, if anyone knows how long the cab ride is and what the drive is like I’d love to hear about it! (Being prone to motion sickness I want to prepare if the drive is winding and bumpy!) Thank you in advance for any help!

Does anyone know if it is possible to swap the Classic Beverage Package to the Premium NA package onboard? I found a few threads from 2016 where folks had mixed results when attempting this. Has anyone been able to do this recently? I'm asking for a friend who may be booking their first Celebrity cruise, but wasn't sure which 2 perks to select as a non-drinker (I always take the Classic package when it's an option so I was no help!) Thank you in advance for any help! :)

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply Bo, lots of great tips indeed! Great idea to go on the galley tour- I've never been, and it sounds like a great way to connect with some of the chefs! Based on the feedback I've received so far I think I am pretty comfortable keeping our specialty dining package! I especially liked your advice to proactively speak with the chef/staff in advance and ask them to get creative! I am willing to try anything they can come up with! Also, thank you for the reminder about kitchen errors/allergies. Before I became vegan I was always diligent to let them know about my shellfish allergy, so I probably should still do that even though I am not ordering any fish dishes. Beyond that, if the kitchen makes mistakes I am pretty forgiving, if I take a few bites of something non-vegan (it happens on occasion on land) I don't freak out :) I will try to make friends with the mast grill chefs, I can't wait to enjoy some veggie burgers and fries at sea! :)

Haha, good point! I’ll check once onboard [emoji3]

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Thank you for your honesty Mike, I really appreciate the feedback. I am going into it cautiously optimistic! I know I won't starve, but it would be pleasantly surprising if I was able to find some creative and delicious dishes. I suspect it will feel somewhat limiting at times as you mentioned, so I will mentally prepare myself for food not to be the #1 focus of this trip! (Good thing we have a drink package! ;))

Great suggestion with the pizza at the buffet, and the lawn club! I totally forgot the lawn club also has flatbread pizzas, that sounds awesome. Does your wife happen to know if the veggie burger at the mast grill is vegan by chance?

We too love Celebrity, and are hoping that we can make it work enough to continue sailing with them. I know Oceania has now rolled out a HUGE vegan menu, but the price jump is a bit shocking :) Hopefully Celebrity will take note if more and more guests request vegan offerings and continue to improve vegan food options. I really wish at a minimum they would label the buffet items, it seems like it would be easier for them instead of having to explain it to each guest who asks!

Thank you for the reply Gerelmx! I have seen the vegetarian menus, but unfortunately it looks like there is not yet a separate designation icon for vegan items, which are different than vegetarian items. In addition to excluding meat/fish, vegans also refrain from dairy, eggs, and honey. My hope is that at least some of the vegetarian menu items will be able to be modified to remove dairy/egg if present.

That is very encouraging! In my past experiences they have been extremely diligent regarding my shellfish allergy, so I am optimistic that my first cruise as a vegan will go well! On a side note, I thought your name sounded familiar- looks like we sailed together last year on the Summit (Dec 10 2016 sailing). Small world! :)

Thank you for the quick feedback snyniew! It sounds like the most logical approach will be to meet with the Maitre'D once onboard and coordinate from there! Also, great to hear that the specialty restaurants will be willing to work with you if given advance notice! We love getting away from the hustle and bustle of the MDR at least a few nights each cruise, so I would really like to keep the specialty dining I pre-purchased!

Bo1953 sounds very helpful! Bo, if you are out there I'd love to hear about some of the dishes/experiences you have had onboard!

Greetings all! I will be cruising for the first as a Vegan in January on the Silhouette, and was hoping some recent cruisers could provide some feedback. I noticed the last substantial thread on this topic is nearly 10 months old, and given the recent boom in vegan/plant based eating I am curious to know if any recent vegan cruisers can share their experiences. Thank you very much in advance for any help!:)

Specifically, I am wondering about:

1) I am planning to note this information on the online check in form, do I need to submit an additional request elsewhere?

2) Are the buffet items properly marked now? I have seen older pictures where items are labelled "Vegetarian", and was hoping they have expanded the labels to indicate which items are also Vegan. If not, is the best plan to track down the manager of the buffet to inquire about options?

3) In the MDR, is there still a separate full Vegetarian menu? I'd imagine some of the items on it could easily be made vegan upon request. We have select dining, but I have made reservations at roughly the same time each evening, so hopefully we can attempt to have the same table/waiter each night.

4) Should I even attempt specialty dining? I previously booked a 4 night package, not even thinking about the fact that it might not be the greatest idea with specific dietary concerns. Part of the reason we like specialty dining is for the atmosphere and service, so I'd be happy to keep the package as long as I know there will be at least something available to eat!

Thank you again for any assistance! We are definitely going on this cruise (we are well past final payment :)), but our experiences will help us determine if it makes sense to keep our other future bookings.

I noticed the items in your picture all clearly show dietary restrictions such as “Gluten Free, Vegetarian, etc.” on their signs. Did you happen to notice if all buffet items are clearly marked as Vegan now as well? Thank you in advance for any feedback!

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Now VV has it's own forum, let's start some threads. Here are some things I would like to see:

 

1) I thought I read (or maybe not) that VV would be 18+. Good start

 

2) Reciprocity with other cruise line loyal cruiser programs.

 

3) Suite lounge

 

4) Some sort of innovations although, I don't have anything specific in mind.

 

5) Fast, reliable wifi

 

6) Unique lounges such as Celebrity Martini Bar or World Class Bar

 

7) A crew that enforces policies such as chair hogging

 

8) Less emphasis on speciality dining and more emphasis on traditional MDR dining.

 

9) New Caribbean itineraries with overnight stops.

 

Kinda General in nature but I'm sure others have a lot more specific ideas. Let's hear them..

1. Yes, and glad to hear this is the case! (Although 21+ would have been a bit more appealing!)

2. Not too worried about this, as Branson has stated he would be targeting new or relatively new cruisers who are unlikely to have high status on any line.

3. Hopefully no, I would like to see them move away from "gated by fare" areas. I'm all for a wide range of room options, from singles to lavish suites; however, I feel like it would be a bold statement on their part to not restrict any of the common areas of the ship, regardless of cabin type purchased. I think there is a lot that could be offered to passengers in suites that wouldn't take away space from others; super upgraded room service menus, butlers, a complimentary spa service, plunge pools on balcony, etc.)

4. Some changes and innovations that break the mold would be very appealing! For example, traditional cruise ship theater could be replaced with several smaller intimate venues, offering a range of activities such as live music, a club/space for dancing atmosphere,"game nights" etc. As a mid 30-something person, most of my peers think traditional cruise entertainment is cringe-worthy (as do I), and maybe a range of options instead of one big production would be more appealing.

5. Fast (and included) unlimited wifi would be tremendously appealing to the market Branson is trying to target. While I understand the appeal of disconnecting, I'd like to have the option to do that when I wish. Right now, I have to buy an internet package, and either pay up for unlimited, or manage minutes just to do a few quick daily checks (elderly family, vet, etc.) I think it would be very refreshing if they just included it in the cost, and let people decide for themselves how much they wish to utilize it. Since they are going 18+, I think they will would be remiss not to include complimentary internet for parents leaving kids at home. I also think Virgin is savvy enough to realize the impact a positive social media prescence will have on their brand.

6. Big yes for unique lounges and bars! Would love to see more craft beers, a dynamic wine list/wine bar, a craft cocktail bar, etc. Celebrity has great bars, and i think Virgin could even expand upon these concepts. I would expect that they will offer a drink package as an option, or as part of the fare.

7. Yes- the chair hogging is a major annoyance of mass market cruising. There has got to be a better way to handle it than the way it is handled now on most ships. Maybe Virgin can pioneer a new system to thwart the 6am towel game:')

8. I have to respectfully strongly disagree with you on this point. The "banquet hall" feel of the MDR has very little appeal to me, and I would love if they introduced several smaller, more intimate venues included with the base fare. In addition to this, I would like to see those venues have changing menus (or at least specials) each night (not just a static menu like a specialty restaurant does). In addition, I would be VERY shocked if there is not at least one full plant based eatery on the ship (or at the very least, vegan options in all venues). Richard Branson has both spoken out on this topic as well as invested in the future of plant based foods, so I fully expect to see that included in some way on his cruiseline.

9. Yes! I would love to see a new private island, and itineraries that branch out from the standard East/West ports of call in the Carribean. :) Although, if their target market is new cruisers, the itineraries may not need to be very exotic to attract first timers.

Overall, I think they are in a great position to do some of the things people wanted to see on Celebrity Edge, but that Celebrity could not do without alienating some of it's older/long time clientele (understandable). Can't wait to see what's in store!

Ok thank you, the main thing I was trying to clear up was the cabin size issue, glad to hear that they are identical and the deck plan is just inaccurate :)

In terms of the balconies, if they are different does anyone know which of the two would be larger? Thank you again for the help! :)

Hello everyone! I am seeking some help interpreting the deck plan to decide on a cabin (Specifically, the mid ship hump area on Deck 12, S class ships). Cabins 2108 (2nd off hump) and 2112 (4th off hump) appear to be sized differently on the deck plan (2112 being slightly larger). Is this simply a byproduct of the deck plan being not exactly to scale, or is there actually a difference in the cabin interior square footage? I was under the impression that all balcony/concierge/aqua cabins had identical interior sizing.

Additionally, will the 2nd and 4th cabins off the hump have a similarly sized balcony? I am aware that the 1st and 3rd are the largest, but is there a difference between the 2nd and 4th cabins off the hump? IIRC I remember hearing that the 4th was the smallest out of all 4.

As great as it would be to have a celebrity ship in Baltimore, it is impossible for the Edge due to it's size. Ships leaving from Baltimore must pass under the Key Bridge, which has a low clearance. The two ships that home port in Baltimore (Carnival Pride and RCL Grandeur of the Seas) are significantly smaller ships than the Edge will be. Additionally, they must also adhere to strict guidelines related to fuel and pollution of the Chesapeake Bay.

That being said, I think Bayonne would be a good choice for part of the year!

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Super fun video to watch, TY for posting! Has me excited for our next cruise even though it's 253 days away :P

MVP- Thank you for the information and pictures regarding Sushi on 5! It never occurred to me that we might be able to use a night of our specialty dining package to dine there. DH and I are avid sushi fans at home and we avoided Sushi on 5 on our last cruise ( I wasn't a fan of the old free buffet sushi and assumed Sushi on 5 would be a similar style!) Your lovely pics have changed my mind, we will definitely check it out next time! [emoji3]

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Thanks for the replies! Glad to know we can book specific restaurants now and not just one of each! While I wish we could book the times in advance, I will settle for trying to get to the ship early to get our preferred restaurants.

Hey everyone, I have a few questions regarding the specialty dining packages! I logged into the cruise planner today to book a specialty dining package for an upcoming cruise, and noticed that the description now includes : "Book different restaurants for lunch and dinner, or revisit your favorite restaurant over and over again… the choice is yours. " The last time I booked a 4 night specialty dining package it included one dinner at both Murano and Qsine, and two dinners at Tuscan Grille. Am I correct in interpreting the new wording to mean I can now dine at Murano for each night purchased if I wish? That's what it seems to indicate now, so I was just wondering if anyone has been able to do this successfully! Secondly, does anyone know if there is a way to pre-reserve specific specialty dining times in advance, or must this still be done onboard? I was hoping to pick specific days in advance so I could reserve select dining times for the remaining nights. Thanks in advance for any assistance! :beer-toast:

No, have not done this yet. Did the coastal cruise 2/2016 and enjoyed it. Will be in St. Lucia again 1/31/2018 on the Silhoutte so planning ahead. If you decide to book snorkeling beneath the pitons through Celebrity I would be very interested in your experience. Most interested in how much time you spend at the beach. Spencer Ambrose has an excursion similar to this one but like I said I would like to use up some nonrefundable OBC.

Hi Tartan Cruiser! We took this exact excursion a few months ago in December from the Summit. It was the first time we had ever booked a ship excursion. We chose to book this excursion to use up some of our OBC, and also to have shorter relaxed port day ( we were on a very port heavy itinerary).

The excursion was supposedly 4 hours in duration, but about 20-30 min of this were spent organizing the group at the dock, filling out waivers, etc. (I'm guessing this is a regular occurrence with ship excursions). The boat ride to the Pitons was nice, very scenic with lots of photo ops! We stopped midway to the pitons to drop off about half the passengers on the boat who were going on an entirely different zip-lining excursion ( we stopped to pick them up on the way back as well). After arriving at the Pitons, I'd estimate we spent around 1.5 hours at the beach. I wouldn't really classify this as a beach day, I spent most of the time snorkeling. There really wasn't enough time to both snorkel and lounge on the beach. Overall, it was a nice day, and a nice way to see the Pitons for the first time. DH and I agreed that while it was nice to do using OBC, if we were paying out of pocket for an excursion we'd probably book Spencer's excursion ( It seems like you get much more time at the beach this way.)

On a side note, we will also be in St. Lucia on 1/31/18 on the Silhouette cruise! We are currently debating either the Spencer Ambrose beach break, or spending the day at an AI resort.

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We were in the exact cabin (7166) you mentioned on the 12/10 sailing! We really enjoyed this cabin! It's really close to the stairs/ aft elevator, so very convenient! It was also very quiet. The room was in good shape, the only thing we noticed was that part of the balcony railing wood was warped ( no biggie). The balcony had an angle to it, so it was slightly larger than the standard size. I will note that the room itself is definitely noticeably smaller than the standard balcony room on the S class ships, but this is reflected in the square footage in the room category description so we were not surprised. However, the storage in the M class room is far superior so we made the most of less space and it worked out just fine!

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I was on the Summit the week before. There was an issue w/ some passengers being sick and they handed out a questionnaire on the last day to see if anyone in the cabin had an issue. I did see the crew spraying down the halls & stairways in the middle of the night so maybe a deeper cleaning after passengers disembarked in the morning caused slightly longer lines for the next sailing.

 

However I found once we got thru the doors everything else went rather quickly and I was onboard w/ a drink in my hand within 10 minutes. I never had a problem w/ the service, food or anything else on the ship. They did have people coming around the pool asking if you needed a drink more this sailing than what I've seen before on my previous sailings on the Summit. And if not there are plenty of bars where you can go up to yourself and get a drink. Taking a few extra steps while on a cruise isn't always a bad thing, work off some of the food and drink you are consuming.

 

Maybe I set my standards too low but when I'm on vacation it would have to be some sort of a disaster for me have a bad time.

We were also on the 12/10 sailing, and I agree with Snyniew's comments. We experienced great service onboard, especially in the MDR and from all the bars. There were plenty of waiters circulating around the pool, as well as mobile bars selling beer/water/soda. In fact, bar service was noticeably faster than our previous Silhouette cruise. There was no shortage of hand sanitizer, as employees were always present with it upon entering the buffet area on both sides. Additionally, we noticed hand sanitizer available at every other food venue, as well as each time you re-boarded the ship. The only real issue I had on this cruise was that the first few nights were a little rocky, and I had difficulty sleeping. Take this observation with a grain of salt though, I am extra sensitive to motion and I am sure others may not have even noticed it! This has nothing to do with Celebrity, as it was simply a result of some high winds.

We too received the questionnaire in our stateroom on the last night asking if we had experienced any gastrointestinal symptoms (fortunately we did not). The next morning on debarkation day I noticed an increased effort in cleaning. An employee came by and wiped the ledge behind where we were seated in the Oceanview Cafe no less than 3 times while we were eating breakfast.

Another vote for the Boatyard, especially if you are the only ship in port. We were there last week on the Summit and it was nearly empty. The cab ride is very short, and only 5$pp from the port. The admission to the Boatyard is 20$ pp and includes chair, shared umbrella for 2, and a welcome drink (choice of a beer,water, soda, or select cocktails). It also includes a free ride back to port, and there were plenty of shuttles leaving at 15-30 minute intervals all afternoon. Additionally, it includes a quick snorkel trip (10-15 min) via boat to see the sea turtles. We plan to do the exact same thing on our next cruise as it was such an easy and enjoyable day! (As far as the beer goes, we paid 18$ for a bucket of Carib.)

Update- it was indeed Crown Bay!

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