Georgia_Peaches

I’ve read reports that the walls on Grandeur are paper thin. So much so that neighbors can be heard talking on the phone or watching their televisions. What has been your experience thus far?

Ok, now that is impressive..

Completely agree, hcat! The deposit was $900 or around 22% of the total price. In the event that we need to cancel, we will pay the $100 pp change fee. I was actually surprised at the deposit amount. I haven't paid that much for a NRD since booking a Royal Suite on Solstice for our Mexican Riviera cruise last year. This category is for a Deluxe Ocean View on Beyond.

Thank you for the clarification...that would explain why I was able to use both devices. @RichYak, you remembered correctly! 😁

I'm using a new TA (new to us, that is) and I'm having difficulty understanding the promotion codes shown below. My concern is that we do not have the All Included package. It says All Included but when I look in my cruise planner to purchase a drinks package upgrade, the only options aside from the zero proof package are to purchase either a classic or premium package...no option to upgrade from what we already have. It hasn't been 10 days since we confirmed our booking but other perks are already posted in the planner. I've reached out to my TA for clarification (no response yet) but I remain skeptical because the cruise fare is quite a bit less than the fare posted on the website. I'm afraid I got a cruise only fare...

We had 2 per person in a sky suite on ascent back in November. I could be misremembering but I used my phone and my laptop.

And yet, no prosecco or champagne in the embarkation lounge...like with YC. This is a score in the YC column in my book.

Huh...I guess it's the little things (maybe not so little?) one becomes used to. I am disappointed to read this...

Hmmm, I will have to take a look. Is this new? A while back I upgraded to the premium package during a flash sale. I don't recall seeing the elite discount and I seem to remember there was discussion about not being able to stack discounts (so I didn't call). I believe it was a thread created by @RichYak. That sale was at 50% off and then quickly changed. So if the current upgrade sale has a greater % off than the elite discount, which one appears in the planner?

We sailed on Ascent in a b2b when the ship first debuted. The first leg was in a Porthole Deluxe cabin and the second was in a Sky Suite (Retreat). We got hands-down better over all service on our non-Retreat leg. We are Elite so we enjoyed all the perks that go with that level. In addition, we boarded the ship on embarkation day faster than any recent suite embarkation. None of our ports required tendering but in the past, while in a suite, priority tendering is a perk. We absolutely loved Ascent and would sail on her again in a heartbeat. There are plenty of quiet places on the ship...little nooks on the deck that are off the beaten path. We especially enjoyed the outdoor area outside of Eden for a quiet place to view the water. It's also a great way to escape the crowd after an evening show. Exit the side door and walk a ways and then re-enter...you'll have left the show crowd behind. Regarding other questions: We've stayed in a Sky suite to Royal suite and have never been escorted to the theater by the butler. A concierge or butler has made dinner reservations for us with no problem...regardless of suite category. dining packages can be purchased ahead of time and are detailed in the cruise planner. On S class, upper suites beginning with Royal suite, get unlimited specialty dining (I believe this is true for E class as well) so no need to buy a package. wifi is 2 per person freshly squeezed juices are available in the spa cafe and perhaps, Luminae....we aren't usually up in time to go there for breakfast. You can also get fresh squeezed juice and smoothies brought to your room via room service...which can be prearranged the evening before...

Good to know, thank you! How very inconsistent of Celebrity. In order to get the Elite discount on the drinks package upgrade one has to call and have it applied...but not so with dining. SMH

Is it possible to call and make your reservations over the phone and get your discount?

Rules won't let me name the site but search around for sites that allow multiple TA's to vie for your booking. The one I use now allows me to put my desired booking out there for TA's to bid on...for lack of a better word. They will tell you their pricing and also how much OBC they are offering. Often the pricing is the same from one TA to the next so the savings is in the OBC. I just booked a 10 night cruise on Beyond. The list price for the category we chose was going to be just over 5K with classic drinks and basic wifi. Not a bad price for 10 nights but the TA I ultimately went with offered a group rate of $3800 and also included basic wifi and Classic drinks. Their OBC offer was $350..so a little under 10%. It was a site I stumbled on when just doing a random internet search for TA's that specialize in cruising.

The only OBC I'm getting these days is from my TA. And my usual go-to TA has reduced the amount significantly...to the point that I now shop around much more than I did in the past. It's out there, you just have to find it.

Completely agree! In fact, we just booked a deluxe ocean view room on Beyond for a 10 night southern Caribbean in November. I'm not a fan of the IV category, the PV was booked and the Retreat prices were ridiculous! We looked at YC but could only find a 7 nighter...

I would not cough up the dough to cruise Regent in the Caribbean. I prefer a larger ship with a less stuffy (?...I don't really know if it's stuffy..) atmosphere...and if on MSC, it's definitely going to be in the YC. Having said that, we are booked on the Grandeur for next April in a very port intensive Med cruise embarking in Venice. The fact that the fare included business class air and ports not usually accessible by larger ships, not to mention included excursions...it seemed like a no brainer to give them a try. My guess is, since we will be off the ship more than on, I will not miss some of my usual hang out spots available to us on our go-to cruise lines. I understand the casino is quite small...hopefully I will be too tired from the day's activities to miss it! I am very much looking forward to your report on the Grandeur! Bon voyage!

What class of ship? If e class there is no set dining time. Reservations can be made but are not required and there’s often a short wait despite the reservation time. If S or M class you either have early, late, or select. If select, you don’t make a reservation…you show up at desired time and they seat you as seating becomes available in the Select area of the dining room. Assigned dining is 6 or 8:30, I think…we usually do Select. Also, you can check in with the M’d on embarkation day to sort out your time.

Raw is definitely open for lunch and in my opinion is more of a lunch venue than dinner…though dinner can certainly be had! It’s a la carte so you can order as much or as little as you like if trying to stick within your obc budget. Having said all that, I agree that Eden is worth considering as the food and dining experience is simply amazing.

No parental consent needed for 18 and over. You're good to go.

Thank you for this review! We just booked a 10 night Caribbean cruise for November. It will be our first Ocean View category and it's nice to hear that the stewards are attentive, regardless of category. Does Beyond have a World Class bar overlooking the Martini Bar like Ascent? It was one of our favorite places to hang out.

Hair dryer is in the desk drawer. It’s the kind that you have to hold in the button while in use. The shampoo is in a wall dispenser in the shower. I think there is also conditioner in a different dispenser and body wash as well. I usually bring my own hair products and dryer.

I booked on line via the planner.

The discount is 5% whether you book ahead of time in the cruise planner or when on board as a Captain’s Club perk. Something to note is that the price you pay in the cruise planner is entry level, meaning it covers the least expensive item(s) available to make…a paper weight and maybe something else. The price increases with the complexity and size of the item and therefore, there may be an up charge depending on what you decide to make. In my case I made a vase. I was up charged the difference for the vase but given a 5% discount on that difference.

Thank you for this explanation. Really appreciate it!

Yes, they do demos and you can either sign up for a class ahead of time in your cruise planner for a 5% discount or you can sign up on embarkation day. Time slots fill quickly. The first time we sailed on Equinox I poked around and didn't get a slot. I made sure to sign up early on Solstice last year. Well worth it!