Jim_Iain

Also smoothies are not what I and many expect. They are generally offered in the Spa Cafe and and not the icy kind I would have expected. They are generally mixtures of seeds and kale etc. I believe you can ask them to add ice to them. As other said you and get many icy slushy smoothies as a mocktail just tell the bar tender you wish.

Hope you will post pictures of the excursion. The Cartegena one was the one that was cancelled on us. I had booked it 6 months in advance so was really disappointed when cancelled.

I really believe it depends on what you enjoy on a cruise. When booking if getting a Suite you currently don't have a choice and will get the all inclusive - If in Aqua and Below I believe you can still book without any perks. If you don't really use the drink package or Internet it might make sense to book No Perks. If you want to find the sweet spot - pull out Excel and enter the price per day for Internet premium and Basic, Drink Package Premium and Basic and Tips per day and often the additional OBC and calculate the cost. Now compare it to the Fully Inclusive - I generally find all inclusive would be a better deal. I'm a Zenith and get Free Premium Drink Package and Internet bu traveling in suites we loose the benefit and have to pay for it. Would love to be able to book without perks but that's the way it is so we accept it.

We did Silhouette TA it in April of this year. You could look up my Live and get a better feel. The weather was very nice and the pool was in use and sunbathing popular for most of the cruise. If we had any rain it was just a shower or two. We had to divert Madeira for a medical evacuation putting us into the Azores about 6 hours late. After the Azores it started cooling a little but weather perfect. Even when we got to Southampton (b2b) we took a B2B tour to Windsor and it was a perfect spring day. Tulips still in bloom and nice shirt sleeve weather. No jacket required. We have done about a dozen TA's most being Westbound. Weather similar to other Southern and Mid-Atlantic crossing and much much nicer than most of our Northern crossings. Of course weather is variable but that was our most recent crossing and will do another this year on Apex into Amsterdam.

Yes they list it under excursions. It is not always offered. You go to the markets with the chief and then you return to the ship and they have a Chief's Dinner where he prepares a special meal served in one of the specialties.

You do it when On Line Checkin begins at 45 days. You can changed it at any time even once on the ship.

Suite guests can dine in Blu on a space available basis. I've done it many times. As a courtesy I check with the Maitre 'd in advance and what time might work best. I've always been been welcomed. We sometimes also travel with friends in Blu. We often invite them to Blu and pay the cost but when we join them in Blu we are welcomed at no additional cost.

You could also call Celebrity. Their best price guarantee may work and they would match their price. I did this recently but told him I found a better price (about 1,000 less) on AA.COM and he matched it. Now whether he had Celebrity Match it or just had his agency do it, I don't know.

I was scheduled on one on our April B3B. It was expensive at about $500+ for the two of us. They cancelled it about a couple before the excursion with no reason and left us scrambling to spend $500 NR OBC with only 5 days left of the cruise. Makes it difficult when you are in a RS and all specialties included.

Yikes... you wouldn't have known. It seemed there were more cases on the two previous but I did hear of a number of cases.

Definitely take the one on 6. I have been in both and prefer 6104. We were in 6106 on our 3rd leg and if you wish take a look at my live reports. I have pictures of the cabin. I have been on 9 before and can confirm there is noise from above. It is directly under the Pool Grill and you will hear early morning carts as well as moving tables and chairs for cleaning. re: wifi as reported above I had a wifi repeater in our room 6106 decent speeds compared to what we had in a SS

I find this curious as more than once when initially checking in they want to swipe my credit card even though on my check in and sometimes retake our photo. Other times it automatically just passes over and we aren't requested for anything. I found it interesting that when i did check in on a recent cruise using my PC when I went to passport information all my data came over from my first but Iain's said he was traveling with a driver's license (where that comes from is beyond me). I used the app to scan in his passport. Also my Credit Card details automatically came over from my first cruise.

Yes After all the guest are off the ship except B2B. They process the B2B's You tag off they give you a new card and then you Tag back on. Sometimes on ship sometimes in port depend on where immigration is done. You also have to do Immagration

Definitely book your cabin that yo want now. If indecisive if you will actually take it use either refundable deposit or know the penalties for changing or getting a FCC after $100 pp penalty Many love the views from aft and they are sought after. Some report they feel the ocean and hear the pods ... Something to consider.

Many use the patch and swear by them. Early when I had a problemsI tried them once. They really dehydrated me and made me loopy, I had to rip it off after about 8 hour and throw it away.

Good to hear. I really don't understand why there are some spots (mostly while in ports) that the Wifi is flaky or just doesn't work at all. Ensenada was like that as well as Catalina Island - We could even see LA in the distance.

It definitely was a long time ago. Luminae was new and like I said it was before they let SS's into Michaels Club. At the time it was limited to CS , Royal, Signature and Penthouse. We were in a Signature. As you know we are late diners and do not go to dinner until just before 9. It really is no big deal. I guess many have had a bad experience in an otherwise nice restaurant and had such a bad taste that it leaves a sour taste they wont' try it again. That's kinda where we are at. I never say never so who knows. If it was the only ship on an Itinerary - say South Africa (LOL) I would probably book.

@WeBcruisingMN posted this picture of the Lobster Casserole - I love Lobster claws Their full review can be read here

Here's the menu - Thank You Points Guy You can see the full menu including Appetizers at https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/first-look-celebrity-apex/

As you said one real advantage of a B2B is that is something goes wrong in a port you have a second chance. Livonia is such a beautiful city. I hope you get to see it next cruise.

I always do but it isn't required. It has come in handy a couple times. We were on a B2B tour to Windsor out of Southampton. One of us forgot to bring the Transit Passes (I won't point fingers). To get through the terminal door the needed a Transit Pass or a Boarding Pass. Since I didn't have the Transit Pass I flashed the Boarding Pass and we were in and then just joined the other B2B's to pick up our new Sea Passes. I think I do it for the feel good anticipation of a cruise. Also I then use the app to do our safety briefing.

I'm guessing the decision was a financial one - Increase revenue from the extra cabins and not increase size and take it away from revenue generating areas of the ship.

Really good point C-Dragons. Blu while not as large as the MDR is also another smaller venue. Also then you have to dig deeper and ask about the Ocean View and the Specialties. I guess we opened a real bag of worms.

Thanks for the explanation. Interesting to hear how they will handle dining. I can now understand how they can handle it. Have they indicated whether there would also be protocols for the Theater and Casino? I'm having a hard time understanding how only segregating unVaxed in the dining room will have any influence risk of spreading covid.

Thanks. Our next is going to be a B2B Dec 3 and 11 on Solstice out of LA. It will be the Mexican Riviera