The Fun Researcher

59 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

There used to be an email for the executive office but I don't see it now.   Here is another contact at a senior customer service level to try.

 

Jennifer Morales
Director, Celebrity Engagement Center
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
jennifermorales@celebrity.com

Thank you!  I've sent the email to Jennifer as well.

Worst case he can't go but that would be a bummer after all this effort. 

I know for certain if we were travelling on our own, we have the correct customs info for him to leave the US, visit Cozumel and Bahamas, and return from the countries to enter the US.  I just need Celebrity to confirm as well so we don't have issues at the pier.  Also need to have in writing that they are o.k. with our cabin setup.  Doesn't seem that it should be this difficult to reach the right people.

13 minutes ago, hcat said:

maybe he or they should skip the trip..too many issues.

 

(.Post say he's  been in US since 2018 as a student...That's kind of a long  time for a basic  degree)

Thanks, but not helpful.  If we can make it work we will.  He's been here since freshman year in highschool and in his second year in college

Anyone have a phone number or email contact at Celebrity (besides the main one on the webpage) that could help me?

I've sent emails on Wednesday to both cec@celebrity.com and LBethge@celebrity.com with no response.

Thanks in advance,
Dan

1 hour ago, bretts173 said:

A fellow CC poster on the Australian forum posted a letter after his just completed Brilliance cruise where he didn't have hot water. Asked politely at guest services for a room change which they couldn't accommodate and was told they would let head office know.

 

Received the letter on departure giving a full refund and 100% cruise credit. Way more than he expected. Unfortunately positive stories don't interest many people.

Wow, that’s very generous. Especially considering… can’t anyone use the showers in the fitness center/sauna on most ships?  I mean, that’s an inconvenience for sure, but not the end of the world. I would love free cruises if I had to shower in the fitness center lol.

One Royal exec to another...

"Hey Bob, you see that folks on social media are blaming that Quantum boarding issue on Covid?  Christmas must be early this year.  Let's let them run with that!  Better than trying to explain what really happened!"

...and yes, I'm speculating about that conversation.  🤣🤣😅

44 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

As this isn't the usual being a last minute CV issue they were not able to follow usual Script. PR issue, nah this is minor. Besides as stated earlier Royal was never been consistent with Compensation

You say this as if it's fact.  It's too convenient to push the "easy button"... "It was a covid issue"  How many cruises do we think sail now with a low number of illness or covid cases afterward?  Very few. This covid excuse is nothing other than pure speculation.

Where has Royal stated this was a covid issue?  Or maintenance issue?  If I missed an announcement by Royal please forgive me.

What we do have proof of the actual document provided by Royal to the poor cruisers they left stranded at the cruise pier with very poor options to compensate.

1 hour ago, iscruisingdunzo said:

Lol. I have been entering pools via jumping for 40 years. Don't know how it is anything but safe nor would I ever understand another method of entering. The ladder is only for exiting the pool for the people who are not physically capable of exiting another method. But let's just not allow people to do another thing in the name of "safety"...

 

Once again, the pool is supposed to be a place to have fun. The RCL lifeguards make it anything BUT FUN. 

C'mon.  The ladder is used to enter as well.  You can also sit on the ledge and then slide in.  Do what you want at home, but on the ship follow the rules.

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Odyssey (coming to Cape Liberty Nov. 2024) deletes indoor pool (same pool but no cover) and adds one two level dining room.  Also adds Playmakers.

Love the addition of Playmakers and also love the single large dining room. I question the loss of the indoor pool and hot tub area especially sailing out of Bayonne. We did the Anthem in March and it was in the 30’s when we got on the ship. No one used the outdoor pool deck for half the cruise due to cold weather in the northern half of the itinerary until we got close to Florida and the Bahamas.  It is what it is though I guess.

18 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I would suggest that you look into the visa requirements for Chinese passport holders who plan on visiting Mexico, and the other Caribbean Islands your ship will be visiting.

I provide a lot of information in this thread, so it is easy to miss, but I did mention earlier that we did confirm that he, as a Chinese citizen, does not need a visa to enter Mexico, or the Bahamas on a cruise from the US

10 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Maybe I am old and lazy but I'd be tempted to tell my daughter to find a new boy friend as this is sounding like it is a whole lot of time and trouble.     🤣

 

Good stuff. Love the sense of humor. Made me laugh out loud.

Great to hear about the MDR quality.

Agree that the WJ on the Quantum class ships are busier than that of Freedom and Voyager classes.  It's somewhat on par with Oasis class IMO.

My order of busiest to least (on the classes we've cruised so far)

1. Oasis class
2. Quantum Class
3. Freedom Class
4. Voyager Class

There are plus's and minus's with all the classes and there are enough great things with the Quantum class to keep us happy.  We particularly like the Solarium, 270, indoor pool area, Music Hall.  We miss ice skating, one grand dining room, large promenade (it's o.k. on Quantum class, but barely)

It's a shame it took blowing this up on social media and contacting executives directly to get this resolved appropriately. 

Be more fair and understanding the first time Royal.

Dan

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Yes and this may be a case were it would help to direct at the executive office.  They have a team of experienced customer service people respond to inquiries.  I would just outline what you have confirmed with the reservation agents and request a confirmation in writing.

 

LBethge@celebrity.com

Thank you so much for the contact!  I was going to ask if anyone knew of a contact that could help validate this for sure.  Very much appreciated!!  I will email them this afternoon.

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Like @Essiesmom said, look into whether your daughter's BF needs a visa.  I do check-in for Alaska cruises in Seattle, and if this was an Alaska cruise (with a stop in Victoria, BC Canada), unless this young man had a Canadian visa, he would be denied boarding.

 

Also, have him check his US visa to see if he has multiple entries. 

So...  He has a valid passport, He has a valid I-20 with approval to travel.  He has his I-94 record.  His F-1 visa expired since he's been in the US for so long without leaving.

However, there is a provision for this regarding travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands (including the Bahamas).  It's called Automatic Visa Re-Validation. See below.

So complicated.  I have an email in with Celebrity about the basic question if he is able to sail with us based on age, connecting rooms, valid passport, and proper documentation.  Even if they say it's o.k. it looks like I'll have to get into the nitty gritty with this Automatic Visa Re-Validation question as well.  Want to make sure we have ALL the t's crossed and i's dotted.  Don't want him denied at port.

Automatic Visa Re-Validation

Returning from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands
You usually must have a valid visa to return to the U.S. from abroad. However, there is a special provision called Automatic Visa Revalidation that applies to some travel. If you are in F-1 status and your F-1 visa is expired, you may still return to the U.S. from a trip to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands even with an expired visa, if you meet all of these conditions:

• your passport is valid
• you have a valid I-20 with a valid travel signature (if you are on OPT, the signature must be signed within the last six months)
• you have your EAD (OPT) card (if you have graduated and have applied for OPT)
• you have an expired F-1 visa
• you only go to Canada, Mexico, and/or the Caribbean islands (except Cuba) and do not stay outside the U.S. for more than 30 days
• you do not apply for a new U.S. visa while abroad (otherwise you have to wait for it to be approved and use it to reenter)
• you keep your I-94 card or record (print this at the Customs & Border Protection website) when you depart the U.S. (i.e., don’t give it up)
• you are not a citizen of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, or Cuba

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

Certainly the safest way to book this cruise would be to put you and wife each in one cabin and then split the kids up any way. You can exchange all the room keys on board and people can sleep in the same arrangement you have today. 

In many cases we've done just that with Royal Caribbean, however it didn't work for this cruise.  When we originally booked, my wife and I wanted the "all in" package, and the kids not.  This meant she and I in one cabin and kids in connecting cabin.  It wasn't until later that that we decided to allow our daughter's boyfriend to join.  So, we booked our 22 year old daughter solo in her own cabin, since that's allowed.  We then replaced our 22 year old in the connecting cabin with daughter's boyfriend.  No red flags were flown when we adjusted the occupants in the connecting cabin.

56 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Like @Essiesmom said, look into whether your daughter's BF needs a visa.  I do check-in for Alaska cruises in Seattle, and if this was an Alaska cruise (with a stop in Victoria, BC Canada), unless this young man had a Canadian visa, he would be denied boarding.

 

Also, have him check his US visa to see if he has multiple entries. 

He does not need a Visa for the ports we are stopping at, Cozumel and Nassau.  That we have confirmed, however we are checking now on his i20 and getting the appropriate signatures for departure and reentry to the US.  I have to say this is WAY more complicated than I expected, and I'm typically a big planner.  🙂  Hopefully we can get this sorted before our cruise in a few weeks, but if not, it's not the end of the world.  He just won't be able to go (which is a bummer) and we'll be out some cost for his portion of the cruise but that's life.

41 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Why not email Celebrity and ask for confirmation in a return mail that you are good to go and take a copy of it with you. Much better than getting to the port and ending up with staff  discussing the situation.

 

Whilst we have never been in a situation like yours if ever there is anything we feel could be a reason for dispute in terms of cost or provision of service we never rely on a phone call, we always ask for an email.

Excellent suggestion, having the written confirmation to have on hand at the cruise port.  Thank you!

24 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

What kind of visa is he here under?  Does it allow leaving and reentering the US?  EM

Thanks for asking. We are checking on it.

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

Not to Celebrity

 

 

This is not defining an adult as someone 21 years or older.  

7 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Since you are the actual parent of the other two, the connecting room shouldn't be an issue for them.

Thanks for the suggestion. 

My wife and I have the "all in" package for our room including the drink package, Wi-Fi and gratuities, so I can't transfer a minor into our cabin.  The connecting room does not have the all-in plan since it would have added a significant cost and mainly gone unused.

We have sailed many times with our kids (when they were minors) in the connecting cabin.  An adult didn't need to be booked in the kids cabin since the rooms are connecting.

31 minutes ago, Shiba_Lover said:

I'm not implying he needs a "guardian" or that he is not a great kid. According to Celebrity, he's not an adult, he's a minor. Yes, he can sail in an adjoining room.  You will likely not be asked for any documentation at all regarding you being guardian.  He is likely not to need any onboard medical care.   If he does, you may be asked to act as the "guardian" for him (and then you MAY need a document).    In the world outside Celebrity - yep - adult/makes own decisions.  In Celebrity's world - it's different.

 

 

Yeah, I just threw in the part about him being a good kid.  Didn't mean to suggest anything having to do with the travel requirements. 🙂

Celebrity does not consider him a minor.  A minor is under 18.  This I verified with Celebrity.  In the same way, Celebrity doesn't wait until someone is 21 to consider them an adult.  A minor is a minor (<18) and an adult is an adult (18+). Celebrity just makes their own rules on the documentation requirements and ability to cruise alone based on age segments.  The problem is the 18-20 category is more nebulous.  

In the case of a minor, the requirements are very clear and does have to do with the text you highlighted.   However, he is in an adult, just not able to sail in his own cabin.  Celebrity needs to be more clear for those ages 18-20, hence the whole discussion.  Celebrity says I'm good to go when I asked specifically about this (because he's 18+ and in a connecting cabin.)  I should believe them but the representative and her supervisor just didn't exude confidence to me.  🙂  Hence just seeing if anyone has experience.  I just don't want to get to the cruise terminal and have a surprise. 

15 minutes ago, Shiba_Lover said:

Not commenting on any visa requirements, but typically, guests must be 21 to occupy their own rooms.  Under 21 is fine if they are sharing a connecting room with parent or guardian.  If you are acting as guardian, you are within the policy.  I suspect you would be totally fine, but just in case - if not a big deal, you may be best to have his parent(s) send over a note that says you are acting as guardians for the trip.  Reason - usually involves medical care if needed.

Thank you.  That’s exactly why it gets so confusing.  He’s in that middle zone 18-20 years old.  Not a minor but not able to sail alone.  
 

Do 19 year olds need a guardian?  Doesn’t he make his own medical decisions now that he’s 19?  I know cruise lines make their own rules which is the only reason I’m asking.

His parents are in China so it’s not super easy to get something signed.  He’s a super kid.  Been dating our daughter for four years.  Very “Americanized” by now 😂.  We finally caved and allowed him to start coming along on some of our vacations. It’s nice for him to experience some of the wonderful things we get to see and do on our vacations 

15 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

I agree, but go after the big offenders first.  Both airlines and hotels are notorious for substantially overbooking with the expectation that there will be no shows, allowing them to collect double revenue.  They ruin trips, too.  The number of incidents where cruise lines overbook seems pretty low compared to others in the hospitality industry.  

Difference is, there is a lot more flexibility last minute if you have a flight or hotel overbooked.  Much easier finding an alternate flight or hotel than a cruise.  There is NO option for a cruise last minute.  I agree that it shouldn't happen in any case.

Sorry if this post seems excessive, but I just want to feel sure of our plans...

I just called Celebrity and they said that we are good to go,  but... I just don't want any surprises when we arrive to the port. They said the fact that he's 19, and in a connecting cabin to ours, solves any issues.

We have (what I consider) and pretty unique situation and just want to ask you experts.  I trust Celebrity, but want to verify if any of you have had a similar situation.

My daughter's boyfriend has been in the US as a student since since 2018.  He is 19 years old and a citizen of China.  He has a valid Chinese passport good through 2033.

Our cruise next month is to Cozumel Mexico and Nassau Bahamas, leaving from Ft. Lauderdale.  We have verified that no visa's are required for him.  He is booked in the connecting cabin to my wife and I.  He (19), my daughter (19) and son (16) are in one cabin connected with my wife and I.

Do 19 year old's in connecting cabins require any sort of notarized signature from the parents?  I know there are requirements for minors... but he's 19.  It just never occurred to me that we may have an issue.  I just wanted to run it by you good folks to confirm what the Celebrity rep told me that we're good.

Seems to be gone now, hopefully it stays that way.  I'm using Chrome BTW.

Essentially, nothing.

Signed out and back in, cleared my browser history, cookies, etc... and I'm still getting this annoying popup every time I click into and out of a thread!  Anyone else seeing this:?

Seems worth the $100 to me especially if it includes the beer and 2 apps. 

When Navigator was first Amped spring of 2019 we used that space a lot but it was after Football season.  It was first come first serve and free.  Had a huge Jenga set on the table.  Only downside is that the Jenga set scared the crap out of everyone every time it toppled because it was so loud.  🤣  Loved the wings, games, and TV's in that section of Playmakers!!

Regarding Rogers... IMO you are better off without him.  We was a cancer to the organization, with an ego that has become unbearable.  Just my opinion of course.