letsgogogo

@KenTheCruiserDo you know how late Blu seats for dinner? We’d likely do the early show then head to dinner.

Ever have waits for breakfast in Blu?

I love sushi on five. It’s our embarkation day lunch tradition. Zero crowd, quiet, relaxing, fantastic food, and reasonable prices.

This threaded prompted me to email special_needs@celebrity.com. I emailed yesterday with my confirmation number to ask for an extension cord for my cpap and got a response within 24 hours stating that this, plus distilled water would be placed in my cabin at check in. I wrote back to thank them and let them know I didn’t need the water, just the cord. Easy peasy.

I think I wasn’t clear. What I mean is, if they are refusing to serve anything other than classic package wines and you paid for a premium package…pressing for their opening up options on the bottle list to pour by the glass for your package as a substitute. I totally get it’s not the staffs fault regarding availability. But if celebrity is going to sell “premium” they need to flex and open “extra premium” wine if they run out of premium…. Or proactively refund the price difference between classic and premium.

Whoops. Got it. What I am hearing is that for these super full itineraries, moveups are done the last few days. Since there’s no availability, they wait for all the cancellations last minute to roll in before they start reviewing bids and upgrading from suites on down.

Best idea ever! Done!

On Summit? Same here. On pins and needles. My first time with MoveUp.

We are hearing stories from those in aqua on this fully packed Canada sailing that waits for Blu are running 45 minutes for dinner unless you show up when they first open. I have lofty MoveUp bids for this similar itinerary on 10/3 and I’m second guessing.

I think you answered your own question. That said, I have been in Aqua in for a sold out cruise and Blu was always available, no wait or minimal. I think what you are describing is a symptom of the understaffing on ships currently. Most of that issue is no fault of the cruise lines. There are still major barriers for would-be employees to getting work visas in many of the countries whose citizens staff cruise ships. Fewer cooks. Fewer dishwashers. Fewer servers. All this results in mealtimes running slower for every party. Tables don’t turn as quick as usual. I have read about this issue consistently for pax in all classes, from inside to suites. Many new staff who are new to the ships and new to cruise hospitality altogether. And fewer managers to train them. I think cruising for the near future will continue like this. We are going to have to be patient, reasonable, and skip cruising if we can’t be comfortable with these realities.

For sure. But for me, someone is delivering me breakfast in bed…at no charge…I’m not going to quibble about whether I can get kiwi. This is where the “is it worth it” question really is so personal.

All passengers can bring 2 bottles per person, regardless of a bev package or not. The only difference is those with no bev package will pay $25 per bottle to enjoy that bottle in any dining venue. Open in your own cabin, no fee. Those with a bev package get corkage waived for wine they bring into a dining venue. I think maybe what’s confusing you… yes, those with a bev package sometimes bring their own wine, which facially seems counterintuitive since you’re already paying for unlimited wine. I bring special bottles that I have been aging, or want for celebrating. So I have the bev package as it covers water, coffees, martinis, and the ships wine on some nights, I still like to bring my own splurge bottles to be poured in dining venues, no corkage fee.

That’s my approach when on celebrity. With a water package or any drink package, you can grab a couple bottles at any venue at any time. So I just do that throughout the day and then stash them in my room for later.

Am I missing something? What paperwork? I got the app, scanned in our passports, and uploaded pics of vaccination cards. Other than reporting entry 72 hours in advance, I’m not understanding.

Me too. Leave room for other goodies.

You’ll have missed nothing. That was the right choice.

Sushi on Five is our embarkation tradition. No crowds. Relaxed. Table service. Outstanding food for fair prices.

No Murano on M class ships. Tuscan Grill is their best option. Alternatively, Sushi on Five.

I have the same dilemma. I have a MoveUp bid for Aqua, and I’m bidding fairly high. At the same time, I really don’t want to end up with a cabin under the pool or under the buffet. Taking a chance and hoping for the best.

Unfortunately not. Read the fine print very carefully before your moveup bid is accepted. No turning back and no input into what they assign. Match the same as with booking a “guaranteed” room. You were getting a discount in exchange for the flexibility for a celebrity to put you where they want. With MoveUp, you aren’t getting an upgrade potentially for less than you would have paid for that class of cabin, downside is the same. No input into where you go, and no changing your mind afterwards. If the ship is under sold, it seems unlikely they would give you a bad room. If there’s lots of open availability, you could potentially visit guest services upon check-in and see if they can accommodate you, but realize they may have filled those unobstructed verandas others who bid higher than your winning bid.

It is now two bottles per person. It changed recently.

How was it? How many others?

The BEST on embarkation day. Relax, avoid the crowds.

I do think many people forfeit a chance to discover other interesting* and wonderful wines by insisting on the specific bottle they want. Decoy wines…. Very nice but nothing unique about them. They are high quality mass produced wines in a very popular style. But the ship is full of so much variety. Surely it’s a matter of asking and pressing. I have read tons of celebrity reviews this summer where the somm opened something typically sold by the bottle to pour by the glass on the premium bev package.

100% agree. I love a good steakhouse when someone else is buying. Otherwise there’s nothing in a steakhouse that I can’t make at home just as well, on a Tuesday night. I’d rather enjoy things I’d not enjoy elsewhere or that I wouldn’t prepare myself.