ianmcleod99

I have to agree, we were in Kusadasi yesterday and it looked like most people who normally get off the ship did. We got back around 13.00 and got 4 deck chairs at the pool ( which is normally harder to find). I would go as far as say there were no obvious security and we didn't feel threatened in any way. I was talking to a few shop owners and they were telling us that over the last month the cruise ships have dropped from around 150 to just 12 which has obviously had a major impact to them. Rome was by far the greatest security presence so far with armed police and soldiers at each major attraction. We have just docked in Rhodes if anyone wants me to find out anything just let me know.

I will post the BBQ menu tomorrow from the lawn Grill get together

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The mini bar is above the premium drinks package, you pay for what you drink from it, but remember you can bring onboard 2 x bottles of wine for each state room

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Carol, the lawn club does offer a BBQ, were attending it in Santorini and its 70 euro if you have the premium drinks package and 89 dollar if you don't

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Wine-o, I'll ask her next time she walks past. We're in Mykonos today and she's walked past twice already.

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Hi guys we are currently onboard the Reflection for the next 7 days if anyone wants me to find anything out for them just drop me a line and I will try to find out

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Please remember one thing, whether you tip or not, always say please and thank you, as my mum always taught us,

" Its nice to be important, but more important to be nice".

We flew to Venice in April, and the airline asked if we were going on a cruise, due to the amount of traffic they see for cruise lines in Venice. When we told them that we were, they marked our luggage " Do Not Remove - Cruise Line Passenger", this they said would ensure that our luggage would not be removed if the flight was overweight.

I might put my own label on the outside for my next cruise.

Were the same, we always tip early in the cruise, at the pool bar. DW likes her Pina Coladas made a certain way, and we find this helps.

Last month on a Costa Cruise, I was shocked, after I tipped a waitress, and she acted like it was the first cash tip she had ever received, so I guess it doesnt happen very often on there.

Can anyone advise if you get bathroom scales in Aqua? DW seems to remember we had it previously in Aqua, but I honestly cant remember.

Without Karaoke, how will I manage to embarrass my DW?

In the past its been down in Quasar, and I must admit to a few songs.

Hopefully they still have it on the 19th of Aug

We are on the sailing of the 19th August on reflection. Interesting looking forward as there seems to be no plans of yet to change our itinerary. We have no stop at Bodrum, just Kusadasi, and already stop at Sicily (I was in the same port on the Azamara in September (Messina) and totally unimpressed) so we are watching this very carefully.

Cruiseyorkshire, I'm on the same cruise as you on the 19th Aug, and agree with what your saying. I was in Messina in April, and didn't care too much for the place, however it was the rest of the ports that I picked the cruise for. Looking at the itinerary, I would suggest it would be an additional Greek island between Mykonos and Rhodes, or a lazy day at sea. They cant change the cruise about too much as people have private excursions booked at most stops, including Kusadasi.

We took a last minute Costa on the Costa Diadema in June, and found it to be really good value for money. The below is my opinion only:

Pros: Cost of Crusie, Cost of Premium Drinks Package, Entertainment (from 18:00 - 01:00 in at least 5 locations).

Cons: Didn't like the intake of new passengers each day, resulting in boat drill each day. Very ineffective drills (considering the Concordia, lesson still to be learned). Due to intake of new passengers each day, meant that someday room wasn't made up until late afternoon!! Almost no British, Americans, etc. Tanoys in multiple languages multiple time throughout the day (some lasting for over 10 mins).

Food in MDR was poor, which resulted in us eating in speciality each day.

That being said it was very good value for money, and we would probably do another Costa Cruise as a filler.

Sandy, It must have been the Scottish in me that concentrated on the drinking alcohol. That being said, I have taken 18 and 19 year olds as friends of my family before and never had an issue.

Have a good holiday

18yo is an adult in Europe, and as others have said you are allowed to drink alcohol on these cruises. However depending on the ports and the ship, you may need to sign a waiver for your Grand Daughter as she is under 21, as we have had to do on several occasions, but she will be allowed to drink once this is signed.

Glad your having a nice cruise.

Were on for the TA back to the UK in April and was wondering how the entertainment has been. Not so much the shows, but the House band, Guitar Solo etc. Of course I know this can and probably will change prior to the summer season in Europe.

We had in our opinion very disappointing entertainment on the Equinox last summer, and just hoping for an improvement.

We were on the Allure for New Year, and the entertainment was ok.

If you could maybe post who's on board, that would be appreciated.

Thank you and hope you have a lovely end to your cruise

Leo,

Thank you very much for the reply and advice, it's appreciated

MikeBTN,

If you get a chance could you maybe post regarding the onboard entertainment. I'm interested in the shows, but also if you thought any of the acts were worth seeing. Also if you don't mind could you post who the house band and solo onboard entertainment are.

Thanks very much in anticipation

Can anyone tell me if there is an open Who's on board page for the Allure.

Failing can anyone advise me, who the various entertainment are/will be for the New Years cruise.

Thanks in advance

Crafting

I don't enjoy crafting here at home, but on

Princess, there was a free beading class & I made bracelet and earrings -- lots of fun. Truly I am all thumbs

 

This would be an inexpensive entertainment to mix it up. There had to be scrap booking on Celebrity but I never caught the class. Making other things like nautical picture frames would be fun.

 

Also, classes in photography, standup comedy, etc.

Classes in photography would be really interesting. There are so many photographers trying to take your pictures with ships wheel, life ring, some stranger dressed up, there must be a better use of the photographers.

I’m all for any sort of live entertainment, you cant replace a band with a DJ, but the music has to be diverse. My mum just came of the Constellation yesterday and said the entertainment was really good, with someone playing live around the pool every day, so goes to show Celebrity can still do it.

I’m all for crafts and I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but neither are rehashed game shows.

I was talking to a few other passengers on recent Equinox sailing, and we all pretty much agreed that the entertainment (production shows and guest performers largely aside) and activities had deteriorated or stayed stagnant for the last 40 + years. I am not sure if this is due to cut backs, or lack of imagination. I for one am feed up with rehashed 70s game shows, like family fortunes, Liars club (call my bluff) Mr and Mrs. etc. I also don’t particularly find the activities, shuttle board, boules and baggo up to much. That being said, I also don’t think a Miami DJ and switching on a Wii is particularly inspiring. Now I understand there are guest who like the before mentioned activities and entertainment, but I think that to continue to attract new customers/cruisers that cruise companies have to adapt.

What suggestions does anyone have to improve the entertainment and activities that they may have seen on other cruise lines?

I so disagree, Eddie Jenkins was CD on our June Icelandic cruise and in our opinion we believe that he is currently the BEST cruise director on the Celebrity fleet. He has a very savvy and intelligent sense of humour and was very passenger friendly. I am unable to comment on the entertainment on the Equinox but on the Eclipse it was outstanding with refreshing new material. Most shows had a full house and one show was standing room only. We are seasoned Celebrity cruisers.

Once again, it just goes to show, it all comes down to individuals opinion, and I respect yours.

I understand that Eddy was new to the Equinox, and maybe this was part of the issue, but I previously sailed on the Equinox in 2012, and the entertainment was to a much higher standard, and the Cruise Director was involved at the poolside, and with all the entertainment all day.

When I book with Celebrity it’s because it’s my cruise line of choice with the complete package. The itinerary, the Ship etc., the entertainment is a bonus. That being said I have sailed with Celebrity and had some fantastic entertainment, truly world class, singers and dancers for the production shows. This year however I felt after the second day that the entertainment was slipping and by the 4th day I put a comment card into the guest relations. I know its hard to please everyone, but for me, I like to hear live music, whether it be at the pool, sunset bar, etc. I am not a fan of DJ music on a cruise ship, although to be fair the DJ this year wasn’t as bad as the Miami DJs we had last year. The party band (Air band) didn’t play at the poolside until 22.30 on day 4!! When they did play they were very good, however they rotated the same 16 songs at each performance with Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley making up most of the set. When they played in the foyer, the music they played was not what proper dancers liked, again however, I got up each night to dance to try and get them going. The Limelight ladies (duo) were ok, but very animated and annoying in my opinion, but again, I spoke to others who enjoyed them. The jazz guitarist wasn’t my thing and going by the small numbers each night watching, I wasn’t the only one to think this, but I can appreciate how talented he was. The jazz quartet, again very talented if you like jazz.

The stage singers were very average, the dancers were largely out of time, and when they attended interactive party nights, they would only stick around for 2-3 songs, and as soon as the public got up to dance, they left!!

Eddy Jenkins was largely invisible around the ship, in fact we bumped into him more often off the ship than we did on it. We discussed the entertainment and he was largely uninterested, saying he would look into it and palming us off. It may just be me, but I don’t think rehashing 70s game shows, Mr & Mrs., Family Fortunes, call my bluff etc. is entertainment for 2015. We asked for more entertainment around the pool, maybe quizzes, singers, anything but we were left disappointed. On the last sea day, the entertainment completed at 14.30, and between 13.30 and 14.30 it was the DJ. I really could go on and on but as I said before I didn’t book the cruise for the entertainment, although I found it to be the lowest standard I have had in 9 years of cruising.

All this being said, I will probably book Celebrity again next year and hope for a different Cruise Director, fingers crossed.

I have just came of the Equinox last Friday, and it was the first time I ever complained about anything in a cruise. The complaint was the entertainment and the CD, Eddy Jenkins who in my opinion is in the wrong job. I love celebrity and have had many cruises with fantastic entertainment, but like others have said, I will give them one more chance before choosing another cruise line.

Dont tell them - we will never get rid of this goddam code red - 6 days now.

 

Just had a look at the bug. Think it is just a flying ant. Not a problem.

Was most certainly 2 cockroaches, but 2 weeks ago now, so not a problem anymore.