letsgogogo

Several questions from experienced Celebrity cruisers who have used move up.. 1. Is it typical to get the MoveUp invite email this far in advance? If not, why do you think this is? I ask because this sailing is about sold out except for a few inside an ocean view cabins. Summit on 10/3/22. 2. Have any of you gotten bids accepted this far out, at 73 days! 3. Have any of you had a bid accepted for say a veranda, then later received another move up offer for a suite at a later date? I’m guessing this just does not happen. I booked an inside cabin because that’s all was available when I reserved. My move up offers were for all categories except for suites. Curious if a sky suite would be offered at a later time for a second move up bid. I entered a bid for all categories, offering something in the “strong” bid range. Fingers crossed. Trying to gauge if I might get a bid win sooner rather than later. I realize it can come as late as 48 hours before the sailing.

We booked e bikes through www.pedegobarharbor.com. Never have ridden an e bike but both experienced riders here. Admittedly out of shape the last several years but leisurely riding is no problem. If it’s raining we will rent a little electric car from this place called Acadia Gem. All of these book up so best to reserve and cancel later if needed.

Totally agree about Ensemble. I haven’t been on solstice in years but if we are talking about lounge that leads into all the specialty restaurants, that’s the one. After dinner service closes, this bar is quite relaxed with a softer vibe. Live music later here is a chill vibe rather than party vibe. The other poster regarding cafe Al baccio…also a great idea. Honestly, nightlife on solstice Alaskan sailings, outside of the disco, it’s all pretty mellow. Except perhaps on the evenings on sea days.

Martini bar on any celebrity ship. Any where from 6 - 8:00.

I am booked both ways and find the TA much better than calling Celebrity. Ridiculous hold times to get someone on the phone, and you have the buying power of just yourself. TAs, especially those that specialize in celebrity cruises, are able to buy rooms in bulk and often offer incentives that you won’t get directly from the Celebrity because they are booking hundreds…thousands of rooms, not one. It sounds like you have a terrible TA. None of this answers to the question you asked 😒

This is a selling point for me. I have always wanted to do a Scandinavian cruise on X but never booked as I refuse to visit Russia and I’m not up for wasting a port visit on a ship.

All of the reasons you mentioned about princess. I have not cruised princess but I know people who have and they say Celebrity is quite similar but with a more modern twist. All that, plus the food, service, etc.

Find the gays on the ship the first night (or any night) at the Martini Bar around 7-7:30. Tell them about sleepy husband and you are a bachelorette for the evenings. You’ll be adopted.

This most common on Caribbean cruises, especially on shorter sailings. More common on RCCL than on celebrity. Alaska sailing on celebrity was not like this at all.

This exactly why I would not book in aqua class again unless I got a reasonable MoveUp. My very first cruise at all was in aqua class on solstice. Met so many wonderful people and we formed a little social club. One couple were in a suite but the rest were in regular cabins. We ate most dinners in the MDR by choice to enjoy everybody. All that up charge just for the option of dining in Blu is not worth it. I had a couple spa treatments but that doesn’t require aqua and they allow use of the Persian gardens for a window around your appointment. I didn’t use it any other time.

I have always understood it to be 2 per cabin and this is what’s stated in the FAQs on the Celebrity site. But I have heard and read posts from others suggesting this has changed. If so is that official and documented anywhere? Or just lax enforcement?

Yes. Login and use the Cruise Planner. From there select specialty dining, pick your place and dining time, and at check out you can opt to use your OBC.

Sushi on 5 is lovely. It’s great on embarkation day when the buffet is chaotic. Quiet, relaxing, and excellent food. Yes you pay a la Carte but prices are far reasonable compared to a similar quality sushi spot in a major city.

And to clarify… when I call out Bordeaux and Burgundy above, I’m not referring to classified growths or village wines. Some examples of what you might see on premium package options would be things like Louis Jadot Bourgogne blanc/rouge or perhaps Macon. Cru Beaujolais, Spanish Crianzas or Reservas or Italian sangiovese that would retail for $12 - $18, Seghesio (entry level) Zinfandel, etc. It's not going to be coveted California cabs, no Village level (let alone above) burgundy, no Priorat. If you have your heart set on enjoying some really unique wines, you sure can. Celebrity is prepared for you. But those will be by the bottle, at what I found to be lower prices than you’d pay at typical restaurant. Be realistic about what you’ll get for your “premium” bev package. And if you have a bev package they give you a discount on wines by the bottle.

The wines available on the classic (basic) drink package are not bad wines. Rather they are high quality inexpensive wines from large, high volume producers. Celebrity is well recognized for the excellence of their onboard wine programs. That said, I’d be curious what you are wanting to bring onboard. If you are looking to enjoy more import wines…burgundy…Bordeaux…better quality Italian bottles, etc., plus more unique (lower volume production) wines poured by the glass in the main dining room or more so in the speciality restaurants, then the premium package is a must. if you ONLY drink wines, won’t avail yourself of the martini bar, and want to order more unique bottles than you’ll find on EITHER drink package, then I’d say skip the drink packages altogether and order wines by the bottle. You absolutely may order wines at the bar and bring to enjoy with your room service. And you can order bottles in the restaurants and then take any unfinished wine back to your room. The main purposes for bringing 2 bottles onboard are: 1 you have a very special bottle you wish to enjoy during your cruise. 2. You are not buying any drink package and you want to offset paying for wine on the ship by bringing your own. 3. You want to enjoy wine in your cabin and don’t want to have to visit the bar to get it and don’t to pay for it through room service.

I would not book an aqua class in the future after having done it for my first celebrity cruise. If I can upgrade for a small cost, perhaps. The cabin is the same. On a typical seven or eight night sailing, by the time you enjoy one or two specialty restaurants, and eat in the main dining room on occasion in order to spend time with friends who are not an aqua class, you are then paying to eat at Blu a handful of times. If you intend to take all your meals there, that’s different. I have cruised in both aqua and concierge class. I don’t think either are worth it. Access to the spa… book a spa treatment on a sea say and you get access anyway.

I’m super picky on wines and other half only drinks IPA beers, nothing else. Well except the martini bar. Need a premium plan to cover any of those. Separately it’s nice not worrying about how expensive a tab might run. Easier to just plan for it and forget about it.

This a trend in restaurants too. I heard an industry expert on NPR explain this. It’s very deliberate. The louder it is, the less people can speak and they tend to just drink more instead. Higher bar revenues. The next piece doesn’t really apply to cruise ships, but also… the deliberate use of hard surfaces to amplify volume levels. Tables turn more quickly..higher revenues.

I have never cruised in a suite class cabin. However, on embarkation day, on first meet up, I tip our cabin steward $40 -$50 and thank them profusely in advance for making our vacation great. Other than serving an in suite meal, I can’t think of anything on this thread that our stewards did not handle. They handled ice multiple times, tracking down IPA beers (we had bev package), snacks, reservations. Hot water carafe each morning to brew our own pour overs. They cover a lot of cabins so being patient is key but I felt spoiled and taken care of. Even if you’re not in a suite, a generous tip up front plus some kindness can get you nearly suite level service. And I reward great service again at the end.

We did this same sailing in 2016, that same week. It was fantastic. The gays all congregate around 7 or 7:30 at the Martini Bar. You will meet lots of great people and the scenery is phenomenal. One of our most memorable trips.

Joel and Cory here in Houston. Just booked this sailing! We have sailed on 2 cruises previously, both on Celebrity. Alaska on Solstice in 2016. Eastern Caribbean on Equinox in 2019. Met so many nice people before and during the cruise. Looking to connect with others booked on this trip.