alexandria

You want a bunch of people you don't know to convince you that you won't regret going on a cruise in the cabin you selected at the price you paid? Seriously? 🤨 Only you can decide whether the cruise line, cruise itinerary, ship and cabin will meet your vacation needs and desires or not. Just decide...cancel or cruise. It isn't rocket science nor is it a matter of life and death. It's just one of many vacation options. 🙂

I commented on this in the related thread you recently started. 🙂

Check insuremytrip or similar websites to compare insurance options for your trip. Even though you paid for your cruise months ago and sail in eleven days, you won't have any trouble getting travel insurance with medical, evacuation and such. But check the limits of coverage for trip interruption and travel delay, considering you only paid taxes and port fees and travel insurance limits on those is often about half what you actually paid in trip costs, those coverages may only amount to a few hundred dollars. But it is probably worth it for the medical and evacuation coverage. Don't worry about prepaying gratuities. They'll end up on your onboard account and will be charged to your credit card just like they would be if they were prepaid. The only difference is when the charge appears...now or in a few weeks when your cruise is over. Enjoy your trip.

Seabourn doesn't have "butlers", instead they have what they call a "Personal Suite Host, which their website describes: One of your suite’s most gracious, charming amenities is your Personal Suite Host and Suite Attendant. They perfectly personify Seabourn’s attentive, yet unobtrusive service, dedicated to ensuring that everything is always exactly as you wish. You’ll find they possess a cheerful, genie-like intuition about what might delight you. After they welcome you with a warm smile and glass of Champagne, they may suggest drawing you a Pure Pampering℠ bubble bath, or help you arrange an in-suite cocktail party. Their skilled, thoughtful care may well prove to be one of your fondest memories of your voyage. What you may appreciate most is your Personal Suite Hosts and Suite Attendants, whose thoughtful, unobtrusive service is delivered with care. Experience Seabourn’s luxury with our Personal Suite Host and Suite Attendant. Your Personal Suite Hosts and Suite Attendants Will Welcome you with Champagne and canapés Personalize your nightly turndown service Assist you with any special requests Manage your laundry service needs Replenish your ice and bar setup Draw you a Pure Pampering℠ bath In searching for future cruises, I have found that for similar itineraries, both Silversea and Seabourn generally offer better pricing than equivalent size cabins on Celebrity and include much more in the base cruise fare. Of course, Celebrity ships carry between two to five times as many passengers so if you prefer the larger ships and their amenities, the smaller ships of these luxury lines may not be for you.

Perhaps you missed OP's update posted earlier and quoted above? Dronabinol comes in liquid and capsule form, not gummies, and as an FDA approved prescription medication, Dronabinol is dispensed by a pharmacy upon a written prescription, not obtained from a medical marijuana dispensary with a medical marijuana card. Organic Remedies is a cannabis product and is not FDA approved.

Why borrow trouble from tomorrow??? I suppose I don't understand the point of this thread. Do you think Celebrity has ignored all of the posted reviews you reference but your thread will garner their immediate attention and as a result they will mobilize an army of workers to resolve any of your anticipated concerns before you step onboard? Why not just relax, stop worrying about what you have read from others, and enjoy your cruise? If there are things about your sailing that trouble you then let Celebrity know. What others notice may be unimportant to you and your experience may differ from what you have read in some recent reviews. In my decades of cruising I have often found that one person will describe what an awful cruise experience they had when another person on the very same sailing will report that it was the most glorious trip of a lifetime! It appears that with the exception of one or two cruises, you have sailed extensively, and exclusively, on Celebrity over the past ten years. If you haven't noticed any issues then that should tell you all you need to know! Enjoy your cruises! 🙂

I haven't flown TAP yet but I booked flights in their A321neoLR business class during their Cyber Monday sale for an upcoming transatlantic cruise. For not much more than an economy ticket, my wife and I were able to get two of the "throne" seats (rows 2 and 4 have those). From watching some video reviews, it looks like those seats have more storage but the foot well when the seat is flat or significantly reclined is a little more narrow. Neither of us are large folks, so that won't be an issue for us. The seats in rows 1, 3 and 5 have less storage but a wider area for your feet. The A330 has a different layout so you'd want to check the configuration of the actual aircraft for that route. There are quite a few good videos online showing the product and service. I don't know the current pricing and how it compares to business class on other airlines, but when we booked, the price was a steal so it didn't take much thought before pulling the trigger!

Unless the law has recently changed, Florida law provides that possession of the substances identified by the OP is a felony unless they are possessed by a qualified patient (which requires that one be a Florida resident) who is authorized to possess those substances and when those substances have been prescribed by an authorized Florida medical provider and dispensed by an authorized medical marijuana center. There are no exceptions for out-of-state residents, visitors or tourists who may be authorized to possess those substances in their home state. Those persons are subject to arrest and prosecution. Just the process of an arrest and retaining an attorney, even if that attorney is successful in having the charges dismissed or deferred, will cost thousands of dollars and will cause the OP and/or her sister to miss the sailing (for a reason that most assuredly would not be covered by trip insurance). It is also a federal crime to transport those across state lines. I'm not suggesting that the OP or her sister would take such a risk and face the potential of severe consequences, instead this reply is in response to those who recommend taking the risk rather than finding a legal alternative solution (which may, unfortunately, include postponing or cancelling the planned cruise). If the OP and/or her sister are contemplating following the advice of some posters and bringing those substances to the cruise terminal, they would be well-served to consult with an experienced Florida attorney before making that decision. 🙂

Great points, thanks. I was able to find another area of the website that allowed me to reserve a dining time. And there was very little availability for our preferred "earlier" dining time (most nights only had 8pm or 8:30pm open) so I appreciate the suggestion of making a reservation now as a placeholder as we are now assured of one evening there during our preferred time. Our sailing of eleven nights only permitted one reservation but that should be sufficient with all of the other dining options on board. I'm sure there will be no shortage of quality meals during our journey! 😁

I don't believe there is any holding/reserving excursions without paying. That system would be problematic as excursions would quickly become "full" with passengers who just "reserved" a slew of excursions while they decide what to do and thus preventing passengers who are ready to book and pay from signing up for their selected excursions. So if one wants to book an excursion, they need to book it and make the appropriate payment. Just read the cancellation policy very carefully and book and pay for just those excursions you think you will take. If, after talking with your travel companions, you need to cancel one or two of those bookings for a refund in accordance with the cancellation policy, no big deal.

Those "medications" will not be permitted on board and should she choose to bring them anyway, she could face adverse legal consequences. It is also, to my best understanding, a crime in Florida to possess those "medications" absent a Florida medical marijuana card. At last report, Florida does not recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards to permit possession of those "medications" by tourists. Glad she is improving and her condition is stable. However, your sister may want to really think through whether a cruise is the right/best vacation option for her at this point in her treatment considering the side-effects she is experiencing. If she is unable to be prescribed an FDA approved medication that will have similar therapeutic efficacy and as a result does not have relief from certain chemo side-effects, then being on a ship with any attendant motion sickness may serve to worsen her symptoms. And if she is feeling poorly and suffering from significant nausea, will she really enjoy the cruise, including the dining? You and she may wish to look at the provisions of your travel insurance that might cover cancellation if her diagnosis occurred after booking (or if she has coverage for pre-existing conditions) and consider postponing until she is further along in her treatment and no longer requires such medications. But only she can decide whether she is willing to "tough it out" on board and face the very real potential of spending much of the cruise being sick in her cabin. That could be a very long and miserable 21 days for you both. Best wishes.

The way I'm reading the post and follow up, the OP didn't book through Celebrity and transfer it to their TA. It reads as though the fact the OP booked while on board is irrelevant and just where the OP was located when they arranged future cruise bookings with their own TA via phone and email. If I am misunderstanding, perhaps OP can clarify.

Exactly. Anyone who thinks that on any cruise they sail they can expect to have their own dedicated personal butler who is devoted to serving only a single passenger or party and who is standing by to anticipate and meet their every whim and desire is simply delusional. All of the angst over this issue is frankly pretty laughable and pitiful, all at the same time. It makes many other first-world problems look like third-world problems by comparison. O h, the humanity! 😧 Those who desire their own personal and dedicated butler can always bring their own staff. I seem to remember one or more Love Boat episodes where a passenger did just that. 😃

I'm unable to book Solis for a late March cruise on Quest (which I understand will be the first ship to convert from TK to Solis). It still shows Thomas Keller and the "RESERVE NOW" button does not function. I am curious...how do experienced Seabourn passengers decide what night(s) to book? I've always preferred to book any alternative dining after I've seen the MDR menus and can see if there is a night or two whose menu is less appealing than others. Also, does anyone have information on the expected capacity of Solis on the Quest? We'll be on for eleven nights with a sailing that is currently at about 60% full so I'm wondering whether it is even important to book in advance of sailing.

Starting your cruise vacation by confronting onboard Celebrity staff (who are not the decision-makers and don't send out the emails) with a copy of that email seems (to me, at least) like a miserable way to start the week for both you and the unfortunate Celebrity minions who will be the recipient of your displeasure or the displeasure of those who follow your recommended course of action. Not to mention disingenuous for those who have spent the last four months or so in this thread discussing the elimination of "dedicated butlers." But perhaps your comment was tongue-in-cheek. It is what it is and the best option, IMO, for those who are dissatisfied with Celebrity's decision and the manner they have implemented it is to vote with your wallet and cruise another line! Fair winds and following seas to those who are sailing in 2024! 🛳️

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't out to get me! 😁

You might also consider the Brightline train and book Premium tickets (about $32 each). The Premium ticket includes an Uber ride from the Miami cruise terminal to the Brightline station in Miami, lounge access at the Miami station with complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, snacks and light sandwiches, one checked bag per ticket (you can also carry on luggage if you prefer), train travel from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale in the premium car, and an Uber ride from the Ft. Lauderdale station to the cruise terminal (as long as it is within five miles of the Brightline station...I show it to be about 4.5 miles away). So it would probably cost $64 for two persons. Just book the train ticket for the arrival time closest to your Ascent boarding time and wait in comfort in the Miamia Brightline lounge until the train departs! We did it on a recent cruise out of Miami (stayed in West Palm the night before) and we found it to be a great option to get to the ship from our West Palm hotel. https://www.gobrightline.com/

Has your sister reached out to Celebrity to ask? If her medication is FDA approved, I'd be surprised if Celebrity would prevent her from bringing those on board. However, if this marijuana based "medication" is not FDA approved (and they have only approved Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros and Cesamet, none of which are approved for treatment of cancer symptoms or side-effects), then it is likely she will be prohibited from bringing those onboard. Celebrity cannot approve possession of a controlled substance or marijuana if it would be in contravention of federal law, the laws of the countries visited and/or the laws of the state of embarkation/disembarkation. While it is unlikely to occur, if she did bring unapproved "medication" on board, she could potentially face adverse legal consequences, including arrest in a foreign country. This may be helpful: https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/traveling-with-cancer--7-questions-to-ask-your-doctor.h00-159621012.html Best wishes to your sister for a full and complete recovery.

I try to avoid attributing to malice that which can be explained by incompetence. My DW and I have been married for over 30 years and have dozens of cruises under our belt but when we embarked on our first Celebrity cruise last month, the Celebrity terminal check-in person insisted that we had to produce a copy of our marriage license! It took a supervisor to explain to her that such was not required and we were finally permitted to board after she apologized for the delay. As a parent of two adopted children, I am curious why you would need to carry a binder full of paper as evidence of adoption. In Georgia, a certified copy of the court order (often a single page) would be the only "proof" necessary to establish that fact. I'm not suggesting that Celebrity was justified in their actions but perhaps you don't need to carry an entire binder full of paper with you just in case. 🙂

Just checked Nevada District Court...nothing there either. In fact, as of 7:30am this morning, I can't find any filings in any US District Court involving Celebrity or their parent company since a personal injury case filed on December 22 in the Southern District of Florida (Glick v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, 1:23-cv-24865). 🤔

I did. Couldn't help myself. As of 5pm today, I found nothing filed this week on PACER in the Southern District of Florida involving Royal Caribbean Group or Celebrity. The most recent filing involving either entity was on December 22, 2023 and it is a personal injury case. 😯 But perhaps my PACER search skills are getting a little rusty...😉

So within a single business day during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, you (a resident of Nevada according to your profile here): 1. Found an attorney willing to take your case who is admitted to practice law in the Southern District of Florida, 2. Retained said attorney, 3. Paid said attorney to litigate your complaint against Celebrity, 4. Provided said attorney with all of the evidence you possess, 5. Discussed your complaint in detail with said attorney. And then, all within that same single business day, this attorney you retained: 1. Reviewed your complaints and evidence along with applicable statutes and caselaw (if necessary), 2. Determined what cause of action(s) were supported by the facts and evidence you presented, 3. Elected not to send a demand letter to Celebrity's general counsel, 4. Elected not to otherwise engage Celebrity's general counsel in any settlement discussion, 5. Decided to bear the financial and other risks of non-compliance with the applicable mandatory arbitration provision, 6. Drafted and reviewed the lawsuit and any other pleadings, and 7. Immediately filed the same in US District Court in the Southern District of Florida. What will be found if a search of PACER is conducted to find any new civil actions against Celebrity or Royal Caribbean Group that were filed in US District Court yesterday? Will a lawsuit such as you describe be found? My sincere apologies if I am off-base, but this simply doesn't pass the smell test. Of interesting note, if "the 'contract' will be deemed Null & void" as you claim, what is the basis for your complaint? You knew the product you would be receiving before you cruised and yet you cruised anyway, thereby accepting the product then being offered. After all, if the contract was "Null & void", you could have simply received a full refund. One cannot, having foreknowledge that the product or service will not be as expected, decide to accept the product or service as is with that foreknowledge and then be heard to complain that it was "bait and switch" or they breached a contract (that you now claim was "Null & void"). You simply did not rely and act upon any alleged misrepresentations by Celebrity. By the way...if your attorney actually told you that the contract WILL BE DEEMED NULL AND VOID, then your attorney is a fool (or worse). Of course, any attorney who has so few clients that they have the free time to act in the manner I described above and treats the litigation as though it is a critical life and death matter is not an attorney I would entrust with even the most trivial of legal matters. Edit to correct spelling and grammar.

If I wasn't going to accept a case, I would never agree to send a letter or take any other action where it could be inferred that I had undertaken representation of the aggrieved party (or that even had the appearance of such). Nor would I send such a letter unless I had investigated the allegations, reviewed the applicable statutes and cases, and determined that there was a legitimate basis to support the legal position that is being asserted. An attorney who would send a demand letter to a potential defendant without being engaged to represent the potential plaintiff and without doing sufficient due diligence is asking for trouble. Additionally, a client who has unreasonable and unrealistic expectations about "their case" and only wants to pay you a few hundred dollars to send a letter is a red flag for a potential bar complaint when that letter fails to achieve the client's desired results. Nothing good can come of that for an attorney and I don't know of a single attorney that would agree to such a request. But, I suspect there are some lawyers out there who are so desperate for a fee of a few hundred dollars, that they would be happy to send a letter to Celebrity. The likelihood that a letter from such a lawyer would generate anything other than a boilerplate "go pound sand" reply from Celebrity is very, very slim.

Retired trial attorney here. What, exactly, do you contend would be your measure of damages? In other words, what is the monetary value of the benefit(s) you allege that Celebrity failed to provide in violation of this "contract"? I am not admitted in Florida, but I would likely charge you $750/hr plus expenses with a $15,000 retainer (to be applied to the billable hours until exhausted or any unearned retainer amount is refunded). Unless Celebrity offered a "nuisance settlement" that you were willing to accept, you'd need to be prepared to spend well in excess of the retainer amount to achieve any significant result (if such a result were even possible). Litigation against a large corporation is not quick and inexpensive, rather it is time consumer and costly. And no attorney worth hiring would ever accept a case such as yours on contingency. Consumer litigation almost never pays off for the consumer. If the actions of a company are egregious enough and impact enough consumers, class action litigation might be a course that is taken but in that case, class counsel (the lawyers) are the winners and the consumers involved (other than a few named class representatives) generally only receive a modest refund or discount (in this case, probably a token amount of FCC). Even the named class representatives only end up with a modest cash settlement. Sorry you were disappointed in your experience with Celebrity (with dozens of cruises under my belt since the 1970's, I sailed Celebrity for the first time a month or so ago and wasn't very impressed). If you came to see me about your situation, I'd caution you that hiring me to litigate this would be penny wise, pound foolish, and encourage you to vote with your wallet and find another cruise line to patronize. At the end, if you insisted on pursuing a legal claim, I would politely decline to take your case. Just based upon what you have posted, you simply don't have a case. Best wishes.

Even though that's not a Bulldog, as we say around here... That's a damn good dog!