zitsky

At work they took out the Coke vending machine. I like Coke. I can’t even get a Pepsi. It’s only diet or zero. Really. If I listened to you I would quit. But my husband needs the health insurance. Would you people PLEASE stop telling me to pick another cruise line because they ran out of cotton towels in the bathroom? ”I didn’t like the wine in Tuscan last night.” ”Maybe you should pick a different cruise line?” 🙄

So instead of bothering you the kids should bother me? Do I want the poor, starving, freezing minions to press their face longingly against the door as I’m fanned by palm fronds in 85F heat and fed grapes? No. Children are “seldom” going in the pool? Are you kidding me? Was I the one who decided the Solarium is adult only? I have a great idea. Since it’s selfish to dedicate a space to adults only we’re going to let the kids use your cabin for two hours to warm up. I’ll be in the Solarium.

You asked me how I could get cheaper fare to Tokyo than you think is possible. I answered because I just booked a longer flight at a lower cost. If you don’t believe me, I don’t know what to say. I am traveling RDU-Tokyo-SIN in December 2024. I am CONSIDERING traveling to Tokyo and/or Seoul in April 2025/2026. I do not know what price airfare will be at that time.

What do you suggest I compare between Celebrity and Regent? I paid $4500 pp for business class RDU-HND-SIN. I do not know the cruise schedule in Japan in December. I’m cruising Bali to Singapore. If you do not believe a random stranger, please give me your phone number and I will have the CEO of Japan Airlines call you. I’m not an expert on cruise prices but I have done enough research on flights to know a good deal when I see it.

If I understand your question, what we like to do is a city tour before a late flight. Leave the ship at 8-9am, do a tour all day. Let the tour guide handle the luggage, preferably in some secure way like having a separate driver with the van/car holding the luggage while we tour around. Then get to the airport a few hours before your flight. In December we have a cruise Bali to Singapore and we'll do a city tour on the way to the airport. I know, there's too much to see in a day but our entire vacation is already pretty long. What I will not do again is a Celebrity last day excursion to the airport. We did that in Buenos Aires along with maybe 20-30 other people. We put 2-3 bottles of wine in our luggage and found it at the end of the day OUTSIDE the terminal in 85F heat. The wine was OK, I think, but at least one of the corks was slightly pushed out. The terminal was only 10 feet away and they could have stored the luggage inside.

Could you please tell me what cabin you are looking at on Regent and what cabin on other cruise lines?

🙄 I’m trying to answer with a straight face. Do I like kids? Yes. Do I live in an adults only HOA? No. Do I still cruise on Viking? No. Do I think kids should be allowed in an adults only area designated as such by the cruise line? No. And for the yahoo who told me to go somewhere else, I think I have as much of a right to be on a ship as you do. And more of a right to use an adult only area than kids do. I’m not joking when I say both the hot tubs and pool were completely unusable during family time on my last cruise. You think that your kids have a right to go anywhere? Disney is right over there. Maybe kids should be allowed to drink alcohol when the bar is not busy.

I can see the cabin category on the website. But when folks say “compare Celebrity ABC to a STANDARD Regent cabin, well, what is standard? As to how I paid $4500 for round trip business class RDU-SIN on AA/JAL, well I booked directly with JAL. For travel in Dec/Jan. I compared all the airlines. My husband kept saying “wait a few months I’m busy with taxes”. So I waited a few weeks until he said “ok I’m done and your job is project management. Maybe I should ‘allow’ you to book the flights now.” (Before they go back to $6000 pp.). 🙄 The best part is it looks like we paid for the old 777-300ER from JFK-HND and we may be getting the new A350-1000.

I appreciate the comments and advice. You say “I don’t need a butler, I do everything myself.” But I could equally say “we don’t book cruises”. We can plan our travel ourselves. The benefit of Celebrity is the butler in suites. Yes after being in an Aqua cabin on Celebrity it’s nice to have one contact for everything. We didn’t ask for unpacking or a bubble bath but I liked seeing the same face. And no I don’t want my stateroom attendant to do everything.

Maker’s Mark? I know I’m supposed to like Woodford Reserve, but I don’t. My entrepreneurship professor in business school turned me on to MM when he found out I was a scotch drinker. (And no, no one ever anywhere should drink Jameson’s.)

No. For the last time, no, we are not asking for kids or families to be kicked off the ship. Stop saying that. We want families and kids to be considerate of others when using a shared resource assigned as adults only. You have families taking over entire hot tubs and a pool you can’t use because they’re full of kids. I find it relaxing to use a quiet adult only area before dinner. I guess I’m a jerk for expecting an adults only area to be quiet and relaxing? And if I read one more person saying “But adults are worse”, I think I’ll stop cruising. Yay! I sometimes go past a specialty restaurant on board that’s not full. Should they invite passengers in for a free meal if there is room? It’s what they do in the Solarium.

I thought Eden was very nice on the Beyond a few months ago before it got so expensive. Great view, lots of light. I think they have some performances and/or music there but we didn't see or hear anything from where we sat. Maybe there was music going. The food was good but honestly I don't remember it much! Having done it before, I'd do it again but based on the prices, maybe just once a cruise.

How do you compare a Sky Suite to Regent? What do you compare it to? I mistakenly thought I should compare suites with a butler which gave me the quote for $49,000 for a Penthouse Suite on Regent. I can tell you for a Celebrity Sky Suite for a 12 day cruise Bali to Singapore in December 2024 I am paying $14,500 total for a Sky Suite plus $9,000 total for business class RDU-JFK-HND-SIN (plus $500 SIN-DPS) for a total of two passengers. Thank you.

Over on the Celebrity forum, they tell me that Regent is less expensive. Many people saying that book suites. I did a comparison with a veranda cabin. I'm trying to figure out what I'm missing. I know some Regent fares are all inclusive. Here is what I found on just one comparison. I recently had a quote from Regent on a similar itinerary for a Penthouse suite (very different) at around $49,000 total. Like to like comparison between Celebrity and Regent April 2025 12 day Japan cruise Tokyo roundtrip Celebrity Aqua class cabin 202 sq ft + 42 sq ft balcony Cabin only $9,000, Business class flight $9000 Total $18,000 + maybe $3,000 for excursions = $21,000 Regent Veranda Suite H 307 sq ft Cabin only $21,798, with airfare $34,398 I based flight info for Celebrity on my own recent experience booking Business class on JAL. Even if you add $3,000 for excursions the Celebrity total price only comes out to $21,000 for Aqua class and business air compared to Regent at $34,398. So I don't see how Regent is less expensive? What am I missing? I see something about a credit if you book your own flights? How does that work? I would think you just pay out of pocket?

Yes. Why didn’t you post it already? I think 3 hours is excessive. You know the kids will be sitting in the hot tubs for all 3 hours.

I drink scotch AND dry Belvedere martinis, with olives not dirty. And rum is what we give to 5 year olds in my family.

Which drink package do you have?

Ok thanks for clarifying. The number one answer on the internet is “Why didn’t you google?” We could eliminate this entire website if we just googled everything.

I hear they play baseball in Japan….

What would you like to see? We are thinking to go to Japan in a year or two.

I’ve found a new way to make money. Just book a cruise and cancel it then demand the OBC be refunded to you. And the loyalty points too.

Yes I can use Google. I just thought if someone brings up the subject I would ask them.

Do TAs normally transfer OBC to another sailing if you cancel? Or give it to you as cash?

Jameson’s smoother? It tastes like turpentine to me. Don’t ask how I know.

Could you explain what you mean in more detail please?