loosygoosy

You can watch the "show"  (projected on to your plates and table from overhead) before each course of the dinner. You can also watch the show online and save yourself some money!  Except for the bouillabaisse, all the other menu items can be found elsewhere on the ship for free.  It's a one time experience in my opinion and not worth the price.  It's a bad concept and they know it.  We did B2B cruises in January on the Reflection and the place was practically empty most nights and the staff was sent to work in other dining rooms. 

In all  honesty, LPC is not worth the cost.  Sure it's cute but you can see the "show" online. Other than one item, the bouillabaisse, the other menu items are offered elsewhere on the ship for free. Do it once and there is no reason to go back ever again, unlike Qsine. Celebrity already knows that they have a big issue with this concept. On our last two B2B cruises on the Reflection in January, the place was practically empty most nights and the staff was deployed elsewhere on the ship - actually in their LPC uniforms. Sad.  Celebrity has made a bad choice  here - much like "The Cellar". Another waste of space.... where they could expand the Martini Bar idea as it's difficult to even get close to that bar on most nights. 

You may want to try Grand Circle Travel at gct.com

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We are booked with Scenic and we received an email from our travel agent including our access link to our trip account stating that we had to pre-select some of the free excursions. She suggested we do it ASAP. This was 5 months prior to the trip date. I think your agent fell down on the job and may not want to admit it. Hope it all works out.

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Bravo to you.

 

I tend to take a bigger suitcase too, and a separate shoe bag. I can manage with 5 pair of shoes, not including the ones I wear traveling. I do take a pair of workout shoe since I tend to use them in the gym every day. Don't ever wear hiking shoes unless I am on the trail, likewise my gym shoes.

 

I have found that I can dress comfortably and fashionably but need my bigger suitcase. I can mange it myself so am unapologetic about it.

Good for you. This particular trip doesn't require us to move around our own luggage, but we have really good suitcases with four wheels that I can push along, even full, with just a minimal amount of hand pressure. My purse/bag pops right on top and off I go. Glad to know I'm not the joy one!

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Well, I hate to admit it but there is no way I can go on a trip with just a carry on - unless it's for a weekend. We will be river cruising on Scenic and doing befores and afters for a total of 34 days. I am bringing 2 full size suitcases as I loathe carry ons and they will never fit all my things. I believe in porters. I like to dress nice and I don't care what other people think. I also don't do laundry on vacation or wash out undies every night. I have at least now pared it down to 6-7 pairs of shoes. I used to take 10 minimum. It's my holiday and I should be able to wear what I like when I like....and I like choices and I'm willing to accept the consequences. I applaud those who can get along with a carry on. It's just not me. Now if anyone wants a packing list that covers the contents of 2 suitcases, please let me know. lol. [emoji6]

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We are sushi people and simply love everything in SO5! Wait until you're onboard. You won't need a reservation and you can ALWAYS get a discounted all you can eat price. We usually go at least 3 times on each cruise. Service is wonderful and it's never crowded. I'm not 100% sure (my memory is not that great) but it may be open on embarkation day. A great way to stay away from the masses at the buffet.

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Well my brother and his Wife and the couple they was bringing has had enough. I can't say I don't blame them. I tried to log in my self today and it sa the same thing every time. It has been like this for 4 weeks now. I have also called and called.

 

He pretty much summed it up like. If there service sucks this bad before I get on the ship I don't even want to get on.

 

This was going to be his first one also.

 

WAY TO GO RCC. WAY TO GO!

Why not go old school??? Pick up the phone and call the toll free number and get what you need directly from the horse's mouth. Have them set up whatever you need to do, etc., let them book it all or whatever and have them send you an email with the information. Much easier than getting yourself all upset.

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Firstly, let me say to the OP that I am truly sorry for your loss. I have been there. My husband became severely ill while on our 25th anniversary cruise to South America. We had sailed from Lima and were headed north. We called the medical centre in the wee hours of the morning and the medical staff immediately took action, doing batteries of tests, and after 2 hours I was advised that his condition was life threatening. He required immediate surgery. They also advised me that the Captain and head office administration had been notified and that arrangements were being made to have us set ashore and taken immediately to a really good hospital. The ship came to an abrupt stop shortly after, in a port of call which was not on the itinerary, the Staff Captain himself manned the lifeboat, and an ambulance was waiting on the dock and off we went. We were met by port agents and from then on began a roller coaster four days. Unfortunately, due to my husband's severe condition, he did not survive the ordeal. The rest of the details are not important to this thread. What I do want to say is that the cruise line did charge me for the medical attention my husband received on board - blood tests, ultrasound, X-rays, treatments...which is rightly so....and the total cost was around $2,000. I did have insurance so all the costs I incurred over the four days on and off the ship, were covered (except for translation fees). I was not charged anything for the ship having to stop, or for the transfer to the hospital by ambulance, or for the port agents staying with me 24 hours per day for 4 days, the cruise line must have covered all these costs because I never saw a bill for any of that. They also allowed anyone from the ship (there was still a week left of the cruise) who wanted to call me in Peru to call at no charge. My question would be: if your husband died instantly, what do the $9,800 charges cover? To try and shock him or administer a drug (assuming a heart attack or stroke)? Those charges seem excessive.

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That makes no sense. On European cruises they allow kettles in the room.

 

 

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Sorry. That was supposed to be e reply to the post about steamers being banned.

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I've been told by HAL and RC this one is fine and never had an issue. I am OCD about wrinkles and although my husband is a master packer, there will be a few wrinkles, so this is essential for me. It is convenient, fast and easy.

 

 

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That makes no sense. On European cruises they allow kettles in the room.

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I use a portable small hand held steamer. Works great!

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Since OP posted that to get it changed at the DMV you had to "prove it". Perhaps they have no other ID in that name? Why not contact the cruise line and see if they can change the name on the cruise ticket as it was an error?

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No, they charge even without those.

 

 

 

It is a fee to offset the loss of income from you bringing your own wine.

Finally, someone who got it right! It makes perfect sense for the lines to charge corkage fees. Would your local restaurant let you bring your own wine?? Of course not. If your wine is a gift that was sent to your room - no charge and bring the bottle anywhere. If you bring it yourself - corkage fee. All lines charge this fee. Some lines allow you to bring on more wine than others but they all charge. You can drink the wine from glasses (not your own glasses that hold a whole bottle, way too obvious) anywhere but leave your bottles in the stateroom.

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Not to argue any point, just in continuing the exchange of information, we are on Scenic - but we are not "touring" with them, we are just taking the river cruise. When taking a TOUR - yes, they only allow 1 piece per person which THEY handle. If you bring any extra pieces (which I have done in the past with GCT, for example) you must handle it yourself. Since ours is a cruise only trip, this would not apply. If the cruise line transfers me from a hotel and won't take my extra pieces, I'm willing to make my own way or pay extra. I'd love to see them try and not allow me to bring an extra bag on the ship! It would never happen.

In our case, for example, my husband is 6'6" and wears size 16 shoes. He has a hard time packing for a week in a regular suitcase, let alone a month. A carry on.....never! 2 pairs of shoes and it's full. Lol.

We all have different needs. I knew a very well seasoned traveller who never went anywhere without her framed photos of all her pets, even those that had passed on. To each his own. After all, it's not a competition.

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Well, I can't do without my shoes and clothes, so I am willing to pay and put up with any inconvenience. That's just me. I dress for myself and for me it's part of my holiday! Holidays are to make you feel good and I feel good when I like what I'm wearing - even if some may feel I'm either over or under dressed. [emoji6]

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It would be nice if we all could take enough clothes to change twice a day and have a nice fresh evening outfit each night for dinner. Packing restrictions and weight limits have made things very difficult to do that. We are now restricted to one checked bag and one carry-on, that makes it hard to pack all of that and be gone for three weeks! I certainly try not to come to dinner without freshening up, but you sure might see me in the same outfit a few times. Let's be reasonable, use the ship's laundry and if the weather is cool and we show up in the same clothes we came to breakfast in so what?

Why are you "restricted" to one bag and one carry on??? Perhaps this is what your flight includes, but you can always pay for more luggage if you so choose.

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I've ocean cruised extensively (34) and river cruised in Egypt and then in Europe (Grand Rivers).....and what I have learned over the years that it is all about perspective. As an example, on the Nile, after a week doing day trips on land, by the third day a man voiced what everyone was thinking....."oh no, not another temple". We all nodded in agreement and threw in a few eye rolls! Then our guide, a very wise man, reminded us that the similarities in the sites were expected and that to truly enjoy the wonders before us - we should look for the differences! Travel is about how YOU look at things.

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This site may be helpful. A lot depends on how comfortable you are with showing your curves! https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Big+Woman+Fashion&FORM=RESTAB

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Could you point out the long time cruisers.. ie more than 20 years that give positive remarks about the present product?

 

Perhaps long time is relative to those who have not been around as long..

 

 

 

I would like to know what is better now than it was 20 years ago or 15 or even 10.

 

The food?

 

The Service?

 

The entertainment?

 

The Captain's Club Celebration?

 

 

 

OK the perks are better, the ships are more spectacular.

 

The "Orchestra" is smaller,

 

There are now 4 or 5 sales staff rather than one.

 

Park West is back

 

Murano or it's equivalent is gone on M class

 

The cabin assistant is gone

 

The librarian is gone

 

the Harp Player is gone

 

the dance hosts are gone

 

the bridge instructors are gone

 

the priest/minister etc is gone

 

the good Filipino bands are gone

 

the activities staff has been cut in half

 

the ability to get a free, one category upgrade from concierge two to one is gone..

 

 

 

 

 

Just a few of the cuts that I remember...

 

 

 

oh but you can now buy a burger.. that's positive news..

I just checked the Captains Club for the list of perks, and it shows that upgrades are available from 11-A1, meaning that you can still go from a C2 to a C1. Where are you getting this information from??

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Our ship was right next to the one we got off so we just asked a porter and he walked us and our luggage over. Depending on how far you have to go and how much luggage you actually have, you could just walk if it's not too far. You need to find out where each ship is berthed. There is a website map of the Port.

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Our first cruise was by accident to be Celebrity and we loved it. We were very impressed and have been with Celebrity for 7 cruises. We have another booked for fall 2018, but will change it if the price does not come down. We wanted to go to Tahiti and didn't want to fly, so Princess has a round trip out of LA that we have a deposit on. I have second thoughts only because we know Celebrity and we will be 28 nights on Princess (what if we hate it). But I will give it a try. My driving force for cruising is price and designation. We have always had wonderful service and hard working people treating and acting like I matter. We have had some problems, but Celebrity has always come through to resolve the problem to our satisfaction. I don't mind the negativity, but do not like the people that criticize someone for asking a question or make it sound like it was a stupid question. I assumed this board was here to ask and hopefully get helpful information.

I'm an avid Celebrity cruiser and fan. I've been on 26 X cruises and have more booked. However, I'm going to try Princess in October. I'll post when we get back and let you know what I think.! We'll be on for 14 days.

I've tried a few others - RCL was OK, didn't care for NCL at all, Holland was OK but those trips were charters so I don't feel they give you a real picture, and I was not impressed AT ALL with the food on Silversea but enjoyed the yacht feel (also not much to do on board). Celebrity still reigns in my book.

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In my opinion, Celebrity would be the cruise line choice. My DH and I just returned in May from a transpacific on the Solstice from Sydney to Hawaii (18 night) and LOVED it. If you can afford a Suite, I would select the entry level Sky Suite. This cruiseline does not typically offer offer included Drink Packages on transpacific cruises unless you are in a suite. Right now, though, I only see April 2018 and April 2019 available - limited availability and costly. We chose a Balcony, paid for the drink package and it was wonderful. Good luck and happy travels whatever you choose.

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I could handle ANYTHING for 30 days to have 365 days of free cruising.

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My experience is ASK - it doesn't hurt - they aim to please.

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