turtleash

Well if they put it at the bottom of a martini glass there is a good chance I will find it.

Haha I like the way you think! If this is something on the ship we are going to play a game. Who ever finds it first everyone in the group buys that person drinks!

THANKS everyone! I am gathering just from what I have read Carnival Ships are on the outside deck areas and not in the same location, and people go around looking for them. If I run across Captain Katie on the Summit I may have to ask her if Celebrity puts them in places that can be found or viewed.

So I have recently found something new out on cruise ships well at least about Carnival Ships and curious is this all ships all cruise lines. So aboard somewhere, there is a cruise coin with ship name and date. I like the idea of it being a secret so you can find it while aboard and have some fun with it. Anyone know if this is a Carnival thing or all lines? If it's all lines I will be on the Summit at end of March and want to search for it!

So I have recently found something new out on cruise ships well at least about Carnival Ships and curious is this all ships all cruise lines. So aboard somewhere, there is a cruise coin with ship name and date. I like the idea of it being a secret so you can find it while aboard and have some fun with it. Anyone know if this is a Carnival thing or all lines? If it's all lines I will be on the Summit at end of March and want to search for it!

Not sure how you missed the news but no formal nights for several months now. There is usually lobster on either or the last two nights. Absolutely no reason to book the specialty restaurants ahead as discounts as likely to be larger on board and availability is only limited by the time slots filling.

This is our first celebrity cruise been on other lines just the first with celebrity. And in march was our first Holland Cruise so lots of research going on and didn't hear that's all.

Thanks for the other information, any other Celebrity tips other that what I have asked is welcome from anyone

So this is our first time on a Celebrity, leaving March 26th out of San Juan. We want to book a specialty dining one evening and wonder does anyone know when or if they do lobster or any special seafood on any particular night. Would like to go to MD for that.

Also how many and what days a formal nights?

Will be on the Summitt in March. Is there any have to eat speciality dining places?

Thanks all! I am looking very forward to Celebrity and the time is going to get here before I know it! Now that our november cruise is over and the holidays are over time to think and start planning this cruise. Going to spend the evening looking at shore excursions! FUN, FUN

Great tips! Thanks! Anything else welcome.

What do people like to do aboard Celebrity Ships?

So I have been on several Cruises and lines this is the first with Celebrity. We are going on the Summitt out of San Juan in late March... any suggestions on things to do and not miss out while on board?

First time traveling Holland was earlier this month and it was on the Eurodam. Absolutely LOVED the ship, people, staff and cruisers! We would travel Holland again and look forward to it. I would probably pick itinerary, then ship, unless I really wanted to go on a specific ship. You may want to read this post, my boyfriend has been putting our experience from our first holland journey on this thread. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2282433

We just got off the Eurodam the 15th of November and we had 30 kids on board said cruise director Sarah. I bet alot had to do with them still in school, it was really NICE, and the ones we did see it was rare. It is also nice Holland makes a certain pool area for adults only.

Wow what a tough call! However I ALWAYS go back to St. Lucia. I have been twice on 2 different cruise lines and did 2 different things, but both included swimming. The first time we went to the volcano hot tub and did a mud bath (pretty awesome) then to the waterfalls and finally we went to the beach had lunch, swam, drank and the pitons were right there. Pretty awesome feel! The 2nd time we had a private beach that a guy owns on the other side of the pitons and soufriere. He cooked us a authentic lunch, we toured the garden and swam and relaxed! Spectacular. I would go back to St.Lucia time and time again. If you go, wake up early you will pass the pitons coming into port that morning (usually, both cruises we did) well worth the early wake up!

OK so if I had to say another island it would be, Aruba has great beaches. We did not relax on them cause we rented a motorcycle and explored the entire island.

Antigua has 365 beaches they say 1 for every day of the year. Great place we did go to the beach and hang out for awhile.

Dominca Republic had a great excursion that took us to a private beach we had lunch, drinks and relaxation on the way back to the ship we stopped at a show low location and found star fish. Gourgeous water and location!

Sure wish I was on one of these beaches right now! Expecially thinking about all of them! Tough call but whatever you choose will be perfect I'm sure.

Today was the Mariner’s brunch, which was really nice. We arrived quite early and got a table for two at the stern. We could actually see the program for a change. The cruise director on this ship, Sara, is really great and did a nice job welcoming all of us and making us feel special. Captain John Scott spoke next and then introduced the First Officer so that he could tell us more about the rescue of the Cubans. He piloted the rescue craft, so he was able to share quite a few details. The most amazing was the the Cubans had built a catamaran of sorts out of a couple of pieces of wood and a bunch of styrofoam block, held together with string. Their boat was starting to fall apart by the time we got to them and they were really hard to see in the dark, the rain, and the choppy water. He said that he circled several times to scope out the situation and it became pretty obvious that they were people who needed some help. He also said that if we hadn’t found them and rescued them, he did not think they would have survived the night. Many of us had tears in our eyes and everyone was so proud that our ship and crew had saved these people.

 

The Mariner’s brunch menu was nice - I had a seafood cocktail following by peppercorn-encrusted swai, then a strawberry millefuille desert. There were two glasses of champagne, too, and our waiter brought us our tiles with the new Eurodam design.

 

After brunch we stopped at the Photo Gallery to see about collecting our pictures for later selection. We were told that they wouldn’t hold them unless we paid up front for a package. We still want to buy some, but found the pre-pay arrangement off-putting, so we put the pictures back until we can decide what we want to get.

 

Another trip to the Spa, then off to the highlight of the afternoon - the Captain’s talk/Q & A. He’s a charming man with so many stories about his life on the sea. I always like to go to the Captain’s talks and we were really happy to have attended this one. When he took questions from the audience, he was asked about the refugees and shared even more details. There were two other ships in the neighborhood (Carnaval and Princess) and many people, including us, had wondered why they didn’t do anything. It turned out that our ship was closest and we waved off their offers of help because our crew had it covered. He was also asked how they were notified about the refugees. It turns out that one of the crew on watch noticed their light from a small flashlight. It was a strange light, so they called the Captain, so he went to the bridge and determined that they needed to look closer. Our ship then circled them a couple of times before deciding to send out a fast rescue boat. In answer to the another question, he said we could see the fast rescue boats in front of the lifeboats on each side of the ship.

 

The Captain also talked about the upcoming dry dock in December. He said it would be thirteen days and that about 800 crew stay on board and they all work like crazy. They will be ripping out the showroom, casino, piano bar, and Explorer's Lounge, then creating a new dueling pianos lounge and a Live from Lincoln Center performance area, as well as a revamped casino and showroom. He also talked about taking several suites out so that they could put new equipment in the engine room. One the equipment is in place, they rebuild the suites. It sounds like it will be quite an upgrade overall.

 

The talk concluded with the Cruise Director giving a plug to a book that the Captain’s wife had written about life behind the scenes on the ship. It looks like a very good book with lots of photos, so we bought one and had both the Captain and his wife autograph it.

 

We finished the afternoon at Happy Hour in the Crow’s Nest - such a beautiful view from there and a lovely place for a margarita!

 

Dinner was festive, with surf and turf. Our table went crazy for lobster, with each of us having two tails. Everyone was very happy with their meals and the service, as always.

 

Following dinner, we stopped by the shops to pick up another watch for DH - a Lamborghini this time, again at a good price, a little below market. I am joking with him that he needs to build a garage for his new watches! He’s also adding a few Tommy Bahama shirts and we are so glad that the ship is carrying them.

 

Another good dinner, more after dinner drinks (I have three of the little souvenir glasses now - well on my way to a collection!), and then off to our very comfortable bed to get our rest. Are you sensing a pattern in our days?

Do you know the title of the book that was written by the captains wife?

Thank you for the information. I will probably just try it out and have a backup conditioner!

Ok, so its about that time I start to THINK about packing we leave the 8th of November. We are staying in a Neptune Suite and wondering if Conditioner is one of the Amenities in the room?

Thanks

Thank you everyone for suggestions! What a difficult decision, and my mind is still not made up! Ughh and only 39 days left, it might just come down to literally a coin toss!

I have asked this question on the ports page and also on the roll call and not getting any advice, so that's why I thought I would give this forum a shot. Falmouth is a fairly newer port and seems as everyone does the norm, Dunn river falls and the blue hole. Just thought I would see if anyone else who has maybe been here could give advice. Thanks for those suggestions though!

IMO

 

what turns many people off in Jamaica is the 'culture' that makes most shopping a barter event requiring 'negotiation' and negotiation in Jamaica typically includes raised voices & arm waving.

 

US folks think they are being attacked ..... to Jamaicans this is just doing business.

 

My first visit to Jamaica was 1974 and I've been back many many times both work and vacation. Have taken the family many times and never had a problem . . .

 

On the other hand, Montego Bay is not my favorite port on the island. DC beach is a good choice or a river rafting trip. these are not 'white water rafts typically, but a bamboo raft with a slow ride down the river

 

In JA ... if approached and you are not interested, a firm "no thank you" with eye contact is all you need to "shut it down"

 

BUT, if you show ANY interest, you have started the negotiation process and it is DIFFICULT to turn off! The OFF is to walk away ...

 

See the conflict? To most US folks, a casual look is courteous .... and walking away is rude . . .

 

cultural differences . . .

Can you give me some information on the river rafting you have done and who you did it through? We are going to Falmouth at the beginning of November and I have been looking into this but having a hard time making a decision.

So its about time I push the panic button! I am such a procrastinator and starting to feel the crunch. My boyfriend and I are going on our first Holland cruise November 8th, (that's right around the corner) we have both been to Jamaica but never Falmouth and I am having a really hard time on deciding what to do. Does anyone have suggestions on what and who to go with. I have but something on the port page but not getting any feedback, thought I may have better success here. We are both into nature, history, culture and local cuisine and the way of life. We are both up for new things and adventures. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, Thank you!!!

So its getting to the point of almost pushing a panic button with nothing scheduled to do in Falmouth Jamaica in November. I am looking into Martha Brae River Rafting but would like it with something else since we are in port from 10-6. Anyone have any suggestions on who to book with or any other suggestions?

We're doing Eurodam in November, not that it matters to your question, but I felt the need to cheer.

 

Look at Hollywood Beach for cottage style on the beach. There are so many choices that are rated highly on tripadvisor and other places. There are some that have bicycles for their guests to use on the broadwalk. There are also many bicycle rental shops that have tandem and other neat bikes.

 

Hollywood Beach is very close to the beach and has many affordable places to choose from to stay. We wanted to do the new Margaritaville, but they're all booked up. So, we're just zooming in on Google Maps & Earth to see exactly where we want to stay & what will be nearby.

When are you going? we leave the 8th

Thanks everyone for your in put! Sometimes its just good to hear recommendations.

You probably won't find a cottage style accommodation on the beach. Would a smaller hotel work for you?

Sure I'm really up for anything ..... still on beach?

Suggestions needed... My boyfriend and I will be staying in Ft. Lauderdale a couple days early prior to heading out on the Eurodam in November. Have stayed in Florida a TON but never around here. I have done some searching but anyone have any places they love and want to suggest. I would love to stay in a place that is more cottage style and right on the beach, you know, open door beach and water right there. Not sure if fort Lauderdale has that type.if not any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated, Got airfare booked tonight so moving right along!