Viveash

The availability of purchasing specialty dining packages with varying choices of multiple nights is no longer being offered.

We have a 15 night cruise coming up in October 2024 and can only purchase 5 night or unlimited specialty dining package. 
I checked this with the Celebrity onshore concierge, who confirmed this was correct.

On 1/6/2024 at 11:23 PM, miched said:

I see that you are from Australia.

 

There use to be a commercial in the USA 

 

Qustion.   How do they say beer in Australia?   Answer.  Fosters

 

On a cruise there were some Australians .  I asked them how they say beer in Australia?   They looked at me rather confused and like I was an idiot.   They said beer. 
 

I told them about the commercial in the USA.   They said we don’t drink that S****, we only make it and send it to the USA.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

🙂 Well I share their opinion in respect of that particular beer, but it seems to be popular in other countries, particularly the UK, from what I have seen in my travels.

I am in my seventies now and for many years, we really had little choice here in available beer styles, which were dominated by different, but similar lagers, brewed in the various Australian states. Good hot weather drinking beers.

Now, thanks to the explosion of craft breweries which have popped up more recently, there is an almost unlimited range of craft beer styles available. Many with higher alcohol levels than traditional lagers, which unfortunately come at a higher purchase price.
I don't drink as much these days as I did when I was younger of course and really enjoy these more tasty, often more potent craft beers. I think IPA's are my favorite style with their concentrated hop flavors.

I am looking forward to sampling some of the American brewed craft beers that are available on our upcoming Solstice cruise next week. 

On 1/5/2024 at 9:07 AM, mahasamatman said:

 

You've obviously never had many of the "beers" mentioned above. After my first Blatz, I wouldn't drink beer for another two years.

Well said..agree with you there 🙂

5 hours ago, cavaaller said:

Thank you for another fabulous blog. I admire your planning and your writing skills!

Another thank you for your informative and enjoyable live trip report. We are on Solstice taking the same cruise to Hong Kong Monday week, so your writings have been particularly helpful.

On 1/2/2024 at 4:28 PM, mahdnc said:

It’s hard for me to make an apples to apples comparison with food and dining service on this sailing because this is our first cruise dining at Blu.

 

However I found that I didn’t like the menu that much although the service was good. I ordered at least one course from the MDR menu during the six dinners we had there (we ate twice away from the ship and four times at the specialty restaurants). 
 

We ate several breakfast and lunches at ther Oceanview Cafe and MDR and I was fine with the food and service.

 

We ate at Murano and Tuscan Grill twice each and service and food were top notch. 
 

 

We skipped Le Petite Chef on this cruise. 

 

Thanks for your reply to my queries. Glad to hear that food quality is still as good as we remember it to be.

When dining in Luminae on previous cruises, we have also occasionally ordered a dish from the MDR menu.

Once again thanks for your overall trip report so far and pics along the way. It has been great to, in a way, "share" the experience with you.

Enjoy Hong Kong and safe travels home.

Many thanks for your detailed and interesting cruise report, which I have followed from day one, as we will be taking the same cruise in a couple of weeks.

I have read so many opinions on how the overall quality of food and service on Celebrity ships has fallen away in recent years and was just wondering what your experience has been, on this cruise?

We have sailed on around half a dozen Celebrity cruises pre-covid and never found that to be an issue.

We are on the same Singapore to Hong Kong Solstice cruise, but the later one departing Singapore on 15 January. Like you we booked the cruise a few years ago and waited patiently as it was delayed by covid etc.

We live in Perth, Western Australia, and it's just a five hour direct flight to Singapore, so we will take the morning flight up on the day and join the ship around 1pm. We have done that on a previous Celebrity cruise departing Singapore just before covid.

Anyway, look forward to following your thread and learning of your onboard experiences in particular.

Thanks again everyone for your kind assistance, in relation to my query on the subject.

2 hours ago, SmilingOctopus said:

This one perhaps gives a nicer overview of things.

And given that it was sent to me by Celebrity under a month ago, I'd assume it to be more or less up to date..

 

Beverage_Package_Brochure.pdf 987.38 kB · 10 downloads

Thanks Smiling Octopus. :)

Many thanks for your replies and comments. Much appreciated.

Certainly a good range shown on the menus. Will just have to wait and see regarding availability on the particular cruises. 

Hoping fellow Celebrity cruisers can assist.

My wife and I are Elite Plus Celebrity cruisers, but due to Covid and other issues, have not cruised since December 2019

from Singapore to Dubai on "Connie". Great itinerary by the way and thoroughly recommend.

We have a couple of cruises booked for 2024, both on the " Soltstice", but can't see how to view the premium package alcohol

menu or available drinks on the Celebrity website.

Would very much appreciate anyone being able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks.

Really enjoyed following your cruise and thank you for the time you put into it.

We have done 5 pre-covid Celebrity cruises and enjoyed tham all.

We have two more booked in 2024 and so looking forward to them.

I will look out for your review next month on the Infinity.

Thanks for posting that photo. It does look like a nice area.

Many thanks for your replies to my question about the club class dining area.

Also just wondering whether there are tables for two in club class dining area and if so, what is the separation like from adjoining tables? Thanks...

On 6/16/2022 at 1:33 PM, Cbtours said:

Yes no problem. 

How was the club class dining area separated from the main Bordeaux diming area, if at all?

We have an upcoming cruise on Coral Princess in a Vista suite.

We have an upcoming cruise booked on Coral Princess, so finding your reports very informative and helpful.

Do you think you may be able to take a pic of the dining room wine and beer list and post here? That would be most appreciated.

Also, have you tried the Bayou Steakhouse specialty restaurant and if so how much is the cover charge?

We are cruising on Coral from Fremantle in 2024 and have been trying unsuccessfully, to locate a beer/wine list so that I can check the prices. 

The main reason is to be able to decide whether purchasing the more expensive Premier Package Fare is worthwhile for us. 

Does anyone know where I can find this information on the Princess website or any previous cruise reviews, which included this information?

Thank you for a very informative and interesting review.

Thanks for the update. Good news.

Many thanks for your responses. Yes, I guess a general clean up and repair is what is likely to happen.

On 11/6/2021 at 9:34 AM, Definitas said:

On my last 4 celebrity cruises there have been woeful shortages of craft beer. I think they produce the list as wishful thinking and then only stock popular beers. It is also left to the judgement of each bartender what they carry up from the main store and they often don't bother carrying up the less popular ones and then say there isn't any when you ask for ones on the list. On occasion I have complained to the beverage manager who then ensures availability for at least the next day.  I find it intensely annoying. 

Yes, the same thing has happened with me on a number of different celebrity cruises and like you I found it extremely annoying.

I must say though, on a couple of occasions they actually went off for a while and returned a couple of bottles of my requested beer, which was good. 

I notice that Celebrity Solstice is currently on her way to San Diego, arriving later this month, after spending her Covid-19 non operational period, in waters near Singapore.

From what I can find, her next cruising season will be Alaska, commencing in May 2022, before sailing over to Japan, for a 2022/23 Asian season.

Does anyone know what she will be doing therefore, for the 6 months period between San Diego arrival and commencement of the Alaska cruise season in May next year?

I am hoping it will involve a refurbishment of some kind, because we are booked to sail on her between Hong Kong and Singapore on 27 January 2023

(fingers and toes crossed), but surely a refurbishment would not take 6 months.

I cannot find out anything online and so hoping Board members will either know or can find out for me.

On 7/17/2021 at 10:17 AM, TeaBag said:

We had an April 26, 2022 cruise from Tokyo to Singapore cancelled a few weeks ago.  Terribly disappointing.

May I ask which cruise line that was?

11 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

Hmm, I could have sworn the Tuscan Grille was an Italian restaurant that also serves steak 🙂 
My favorite dish is the Branzino. 

Yep, Branzino is my favorite as well. Just hope the Covid situation has improved enough by January 2023, when we are booked on Solstice, Hong Kong to Singapore. 

16 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

We did a great tour in Mumbai with Mumbai Magic Tours.  For Cochin, Goa and the other port we had great tours with Cochin Day Tours-Muziris Heritage.

 Lijo Jose was my point of contact and may have been the owner of the company. We met Lijo while on this tour.

Our tour was the Cochin Backwater Tour that included a peaceful two hour ride on a houseboat. We had a nice Indian lunch on the houseboat. We cruised the waters of Alapuzha, and then drove back to Ft. Cochin. Back in Cochin, we had an opportunity to shop and visit the Paradesi Synagogue. It is the oldest active synagogue in the British Commonwealth of Nations. It was constructed in 1567. The tour was seven hours and cost $75 per person.

http://www.daytoursincochin.com/cochin-backwater-tour/

Thanks for the helpful info.