mmsJack

My only concern is that it does come with some cautions about skin contact, so may have to use gloves to use the wipes, or at least wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after. So, may be a little inconvenient for some applications.

Great point Sammy1, I should have mentioned that we packed a few pairs of disposable gloves for use w/ these super-wipes which we'll only use in our room. Honestly I wouldn't go to this extreme if it wasn't for reports of noro outbreak on Reflection & my older mother traveling w/ us whom I want to doubly protect. (Not that any of us want/need to get sick :fever:)

Generally the every-day type of disinfecting wipes and some hand sanitizer are perfect to along with good old fashion hand washing <-- which is always the best defense. These Über-wipes may not be worth the hassle to some cruisers and aren't for every day...

Just as Sammy1 said, I'm not an authority (and I did NOT stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night ;p) so...

Per a suggestion from another thread about the norovirus (on another ship) I did buy some wipes from Amazon for our upcoming cruise. These are made for industrial use (so a different formula than those available in a local grocery) https://www.amazon.com/Saalfeld-30825-Disinfectant-Norovirus-Rotavirus/dp/B01M24FNAI/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1511803989&sr=1-1&keywords=norovirus They are also approved by the FDA for use in hospitals to fight the norovirus (as indicated per this link:https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/list_g_norovirus.pdf)

Here's a link to CDC page that offers information about Norovirus outbreaks on ships which is also available in many other norovirus threads: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm#2017 Reflection has not been listed yet but I have no idea how often this info is updated. The site indicates that ships are required to report if more than 2% of total passengers get sick I believe (unless I'm reading that wrong...)

Hand sanitizers seem to offer a limited abet important defense against noro but keep in mind that they should be at least 70% alcohol according to most. I've also read that the hand-sani used on cruise ships is a different and more effective than the stuff we, mere mortals, can buy over the counter. Not sure if this is true or not but out of an abundance of caution it may be wise to use the ship stuff on occasion (if you're not allergic) in addition to the stuff we'll all probably bring along? Also per another thread I bought this brand of hand sanitizer because it was reported that it's more effective. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the original thread which was the basis of this info so take this with a grain of salt. (No - I don't work for Clorox) This brand does have slightly higher alcohol content than Purell but honestly - there may be very little difference so apologies in advance if this is a bit of BS - BUT this item does state, "tested and kills norovirus" so there's that?! https://www.amazon.com/Clorox-Bleach-Free-Sanitizer-Moisturizers-Alcohol-Based/dp/B00DDZNSDK/ref=lp_9125405011_1_1_a_it?srs=9125405011&ie=UTF8&qid=1511806131&sr=8-1

Hope everyone stays safe, washes their hands often and has a great time!

She will be back at College at that time. We will probably just bring two bottles to our room that she can choose. I have never seen anyone checking IDs of folks walking into shows with a glass in hand.

 

 

 

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You may be all over this but just in case (I want your girl to be super happy on her cruise after all...!) If you plan to bring sparkling wine and won't finish the bottle the day it's opened, don't forget the sparkling wine stopper or the bottle will be flat after the first night.

If you don't have one, my fav is made by Metrokane (called Champagne and wine sealer) available on amazon for about $8 US. Keeps bubbles fresh for a few days (if you keep the bottle in the fridge - not that they would last that long in my house.. ;))

Took my 'almost' legal girls to an all inclusive resort few years ago, realize that's not a cruise but we were pretty discreet, & never had a problem getting them the occasional pina colada. We always take our insulated, vacuum sealed water bottles (no sweating on the outside of the bottle in the hot sun, no melting ice) so they used those and no one was the wiser. We didn't push it and would have used the bottles no matter what - they are AWESOME but just saying, it also didn't hurt that you couldn't see what was inside... They're not so ideal for carbonated beverages or a fancy glass of pre-dinner wine but they are great for poolside drinks ('spiked' or not) and to have cold water on shore excursions. Amazon has tons of options at various prices.

Hope you and your family have a great trip!

I know, I enjoy a decent quality single malt or XO Cognac in the Evening. These are either just not available on board or are utterly insane prices. When you holiday on land it's no issue to bring your own bottle with you. It would be nice if Celebrity relaxed the bring aboard rules slightl.

being very 'spirit open-minded' I completely agree with your excellent choices! (y)

Interesting discussion thanks to the OP for posting - happy to know the rules...

Work for European wine importer and love good wine, especially w/ dinner:wine-glass: Wouldn't feel the need to bring anything BUT several other CC posts detail the lack of consistent and/or quality wine on board. We all have our thing & to each their own, Me - I'm into nice wine (especially from Europe) so I'll bring some along (not saying how much tho ;).)

Maybe if Celebrity would address the wine quality/availability issue (and if price is a concern, I can guarantee that there are many, many excellent quality wines out there w/ in the classic & premium drink package price range), I'd happily forgo lugging my own stock - I drag wine all across the US every week for work so I'd definitely prefer a day off... :D

It's very hard to speak about the intention or veracity of the GR officer's comments concerning the vat tax - I wasn't there so can't say if they were 'judgie' or even directed at the OP for their complaint about frustratingly long lines (that CC probably should have anticipated?) If the OP feels a Reflection team member was rude which is NEVER acceptable PERIOD then, as many comments already suggested, why not just try to address it with the Staff Captain (especially if the OP is still on the ship?) Sometimes giving people the opportunity to correct a mistake is a very kind gift indeed.

The speaker issue is a non-starter (for me.)

No one should play sound aloud from any device in a public setting - this means ANYWHERE that will infringe on others, PERIOD. This, although becoming more and more common place is simply selfish rudeness. Most devices today have bluetooth. Wonderful quality bluetooth headphones can be purchased for around twenty bucks on Amazon. (Trust me, I've tried many brands as I am admittedly a loser of nice things... ;)) People affording a Celebrity cruise can certainly afford this small convenience. When I sit on a balcony on a glorious cruise ship that I've worked months to earn (and waited months to board) I want to hear those fantastic waves, not my neighbor's anything... In turn, I promise to be quiet and considerate too! (yn) Apologies for the hard line on this issue, sometimes posts can get pretty critical & cringe worthy which is not my intention so I want to acknowledge that this is just MHO...

And we have observed a guy making mean spirited and utterly useless posts. I gave up reading his comments as he was acting like a jerk, he certainly intended to spew nonsense. Thankfully most people don't post that way.

I 💛 you Gonzo

Crap - sorry... Attachment this time!

And what the heck, here's a link in case I mess this up again...

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/11026027_CEL_Beverage_Packages_Flyer.pdf

Beverage Packages Flyer 2017.pdf

does anyone have a bar menu so I can see what drinks are under $9. First cruise on Celebrity!!!

This .pdf doesn't really list specific drinks/cocktails but it does show a list of name brand spirits that fall into each category.

If you have a 'classic' drink package it's my understanding that if you request a specific cocktail (margarita, daiquiri, drink of the day, whatever) to be made with a liquor from the 'classic beverage' list OR if you don't specify a name brand liquor and your drink is made with the well liquor (with the exception of some specific cocktails already noted by others) you'll probably be good to go.

It seems like the bar menus and bar staff are generally cognizant of the 'Classic' vs 'Premium' packages therefore try to be clear about pricing.

This list has a date at the bottom of 04/2017 so it 'should be' fairly current.

Also Note: It does confirm the new policy of allowing Classic Beverage package holders to order more expensive drinks (over $9) and pay only the difference in price.

So Prost People 🍻!

thanks so much for your helpful reply.

I think you're incredibly gracious Laura.

It's a cruise - you've paying for the premium package. Not being 'clairvoyant' it may be somewhat difficult to know what the best tequila (or any other spirit) options are from bar to bar given that the options change both from location to location on the ship but also sometimes from day to day.

Asking for the 'best available' tequila in your Rita may be an excellent decision! ;)

(And perhaps those point out 'classy' should also have a little...?)