Covepointcruiser

Never had any laundry problems; T and golf shirts, shorts, etc, all came back nicely folded and unwrinkled.....DH longer golf shorts were actually on a 'hangar' as well as short sleeved shirts on a hangar. But, it won't be like home where spots are treated and wash water best temperature. So...I wouldn't send nice dresses or fine fabrics, but everyday sportswear came back very satisfactory.

My husband has never had problems with his cotton undies or socks. I would not send anything that needs special treatment, womens underwear or workout clothes you care about. The elastic, latex does not stand up well to their “one temperature” suits all laundry. We were in a RS and it made no difference for delicate clothes. It was okay for men’s clothes and slacks. Great to hear that CS can get the same benefit that RS pays thousands more for.

 

They'll be 13 and 15 when the time comes. Thanks.

 

Viking Ocean is advertising No Children. I am not sure what age they consider a child. You may want to look at another cruise line.

In Southampton, we enjoyed the Spitfire museum that’s not far from the port. One time we took the train to the Royal Navy Museum and had a delightful day. Both of these can easily be done on your own.

I wasn't on the cruise but I think the offer is very fair, but I'm not impressed with how NCL handled this. I don't think they would have done anything better than 25% until the media got a hold of it. This leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

You were on the cruise, how many passengers disembarked at the first available port? If I was concerned for my health and safety, I would be off the ship ASAP! Children should sue their parents for keeping them on this ship under such conditions.

Obviously, Celebrity did go to great lengths to offer a special meal to the Jewish Clientele for Passover. Was a Rabbi present? So sad that the Easter Brunch was held for additional cost in a Specialty Restaurant. I know they sometimes have a Catholic Priest on board but I have never seen a clergyman for the other Christian Faiths. On Cunard, the Captain or another senior officer leads a non denominational service every Sunday morning no matter the season. Services were also conducted for other faiths.

What you were charged is a quite a bit less than in a Good Georgetown Salon. You can get highlights and a haircut with wash and dry at Great Clips for $85 , tip not included. That is the lowest price in the DC or Annapolis area. I would only get a wash and dry from an unknown stylist, that way there can be no permanent damage.

There is no distinction any more between CS or SS. A few years ago there was a distinction but now only the RS and above get additional perks. Even as RS, we boarded at the same time as other Suites. Our suite was also available at the same time. With all Suites sharing the Michaels Club you no longer get personal attention. Usually a few people monopolize the Michaels Club host.

My husband is also very hard of hearing. He has not used one of their devices. However, very few concessions are made for hearing disabled people. One thing that always irked us was the lack of closed captions on the TVs. There is no excuse for this and we have complained in person and on our reviews. I would also like to know about the devices you can use in th theater.

I have severe (anaphylactic) food allergies including dairy, gluten, shellfish, and nightshades (potato, tomato, all peppers, eggplant, spices including paprika and chili powder, and more). It's a long, challenging list.

 

Celebrity is fantastic when dealing with food allergies. I give them my list before sailing. Onboard, I speak with the each restaurant the day before dining and preorder my meals. I've never had a reaction onboard. A huge plus is that the chefs still season my food with pre discussed ingredients so that my meals are not only safe, they actually taste good.

 

I've sailed on many cruise lines. Celebrity and Disney have been the best at combining safe food with flavor, but all cruise lines have gone out of their way to accommodate my allergies.

I have a nephew who is also severely allergic to all nuts, shellfish and countless other items. He always has a backpack with his epi pens. His parents are very careful with his diet. Because of his severe reactions, they only travel by car or in their RV. They stopped traveling by air when the airlines stated there was no way they could insure that no allergins were on the plane. The crew would announce he was on board and his sensitivities. They would not guarantee other passengers did not have peanuts or that the seats were free of allergens. If he uses an Epi Pen he must immmediately go to a hospital. The hospital on a cruise ship would not have the appropriate facility. You take your life in your own hands when you travel outside of a controlled environment. Most people would not risk an allergic child’s life to take a cruise.

They post pictures of passengers in top suites, Zeniths ad designitated VIPs on boards in the crew quarters. MCC receives pictures of all those who are entiled to use MC.

I wonder if they do this on cruises where there are 100 or more Zenith passengers? There would be a lot of photos. If they use the one taken when you board, the photos would be frightening!

I was happy when you posted the photo of the broken tinder window. From your first description of passengers being cut, I thought Celebrity had put not approved for use non safety glass. From your photo I do see that they had installed safety glass that shatters into pellets and not into shards. I am so glad that Celebrity does follow the regulations!

Nothing has changed there for many years. Fort Lauderdale immigration authority has a reputation for being pathetically (some say deliberately) slow, especially for cruise ships which are not registered in the USA. Without a doubt, countless thousands of potential day trips have been ruined by their ponderous inefficiency They have long since ran out of excuses and therefore Port Lauderdale is a port to avoid if at all possible.

Are there any ocean cruise ships registered in the U.S.? I don’t mind the security checks and delays, I allow enough time so I don’t need to rush to catch a flight. I also try to be kind to the TSA folks as they have terrible jobs and are only paid a minimum wage.

I haven't taken my first cruise yet, but part of the appeal of Cunard is the formality of it; a throwback to another era. I like the idea of dressing for dinner, even for an informal night, and have been looking forward to it. It would be a shame if "smart attire" means that jeans will be allowed after 6pm.

If Cunard dumbs down the dress code perhaps they will allow “designer” jeans and shirts with sleeves. Even this is deemed too dressy for many. Hope Cunard retains its dress code!

Good luck,with this! What happens if you miss the flight?? Hope you payed full fare for your first class seats, then you may have better options when you miss the flight. This airport wants you there 3 hours before

flights especially to the US. There is an extra security check for those going straight to the US. We also flew first class (an upgrade) and went through the same security lines as all of the business and elite fliers, a longer line at times than regular security. Just think of priority boarding on Celebrity, doesn’t get you much. Just saying, have backup plans.

The Captain will avoid truly bad weather with heavy seas. We missed a couple of ports when we took extra time to get around storms. On a transatlantic the ports can be more fluid so don’t have your heart set on one as you may not make it to that port.

For seasickness, my doctors recommends Bonnie. It does not make your sleepy and has fewer side effects. Take it in advance of rough weather. If you do it should last 24 hours.

Suite passengers are generally dining in Luminae. The sommelier will take care of your wine needs, no need to go to Michael's for a refill.

This is only true if you have a beverage package. You can order wine in Luminae, but you will be charged. If you are in a Royal Suite, Signature Suite or Reflection Suite, a premium beverage package is always included.

Not necessarily the case in the Celebrity Suite or in one of the many Sky Suites.

That is wonderful news! They would not lower the volume of the rock music on the Quest. Glad to hear it is possible!

I find it surprising that so many think the missed drinks are too weak on the QM2. We had the various drinks in the Commodore Club, our favorite spot on the ship. The drinks were most often too strong. When asked for a drink with less alcohol I was told they could not reduce the standard pour. I had to leave a few drinks untouched as they were much too strong.

If TK is to be a truly luxury dining experience they will turn down the rock music. It is played loudly while you eat and try to have a conversation. It is definitely not music for dining. The food is good although the portions were large and wasteful. They do try to up sell special cocktails and wines.

We loved the Porch on the Reflection. Everything on the menu is included in the $30 cover charge. You can also exclude some of the seafood on the tower and ask for extras of what you like, i.e. shrimp and lobster tails. We also enjoyed the white sangria served there. We even asked for the sangria when we ate next door at the Lawn Grill. The Porch has great atmosphere and the wait staff is excellent.

We are considering a Viking Ocean Cruise. What concerns me is the stampede towards the buses at the end of the “christening”. I would not have expected this from passengers on Viking, sounds more like Carnival!

Doesn’t even need to be a reasonable amount. Just put luggage tags on the cases of water and soft drinks. This is the only way to avoid paying for water and soft drinks on the ship.

Seabourn provides soap powder but it you use laundry softener bring dryer sheets to use when you dry your clothes. I als have no problem taking no clothes out of the washer and placing them in a basket. Someone probably forgot and got involved in a game, conversation or fell asleep. Be sure to double check the washer to make sure all of their items are removed.

We always bring a bar of our favorite shower soap with us. My husband does not like shower gel and deteststhe tiny bar soap. It’s not much added weight and it makes your suitcase smell great.

There are no themed parties on Celebrity. They do have 60’s, 70’s, disco parties but they star after 10 pm. They should also have a silent disco which is fun. You wan’t see anyone dressing differently. It is a casual line at best and many nights people dress as though they are going to a neighborhood store. No jackets, no dress shirts, you are lucky if the men wear shirts with collars. Many folks enjoy the casual vibe. You can dress for dinner but you will be in the minority even on chic nights.

I also start packing ahead of time for a cruise and have a dedicated packing room. Enjoy your cruise!