Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter

Enjoy your burgers and diet drinks.

If they're delicious I plan to.

The suite prices on this Summit cruise still seem like a good value. We actually booked this same December 2019 sailing while we were on board the Summit December 2018 sailing. Why, because we had the choice of S1 suites, extra OBC from booking while-on board, extra OBC because on-line TA was having a sale, all combined with a very attractive base price. Got all 4 perks* at an unbelievable price w$100pp deposit.!

 

*Drink package, free gratuities,free internet, $300obc (not to mention Butler service ,Luminae dining, Michaels Club, Priority embarkation, disembarkation, tendering).

That's what I'm seeing it is an even better deal for a suite than our Summit cruise. Maybe we'll see you onboard.

Love M-Class. Smaller and yes older, but both ships have what I think is the best at-sea inside pool. Food quality and choice was fine and varied.

Good to know. It sounds more consistent than Carnival. Many of us know what to expect by choosing the Sunshine or Triumph. Thanks for all your suggestions and tips folks. Since it is just a few months out I think we'll wait until we're onboard and book next year's cruise for the perks.

IMHO the best deal is to book early, Book on board as you get a reduced deposit, additional OBC and last month we got an additional perk. Then after booking you have 60 days to move your booking to a TA which should get you some refundable OBC or another perk.

Thanks Jelayne. You are probably right about the best deals early out - plus there will be more cabins to choose from. More perks I'm all in if we like Celebrity. Even if Cindy's family can't make it we can always meet them for dinner. They live in Bonita Springs so it is not that far of a drive.

We've got our first Celebrity cruise coming up this Fall on the Celebrity Summit. It looks like they're pretty much the same ships? If we like it Cindy wants to invite her cousin's family on the Infinity in Dec 2019. Is it better to book on board or with a travel agent, or wait until last minute? The prices are already pretty reasonable. We're in AquaClass this time but that's not a bad price for a more upscale suite and see what folks are talking about with the Luminae Restaurant.

Inside $399 USD

Ocean View $419 USD

Veranda $589 USD

Concierge Class $659 USD

AquaClass $709 USD

Suites $959 USD SAVE $200

I am curious; back in February you posted this on the Carnival boards:

“I've never cruised before but we're going to give the Royal Caribbean Brilliance one shot.”

 

So how many years have you cruised Carnival?

Folks, I would like to keep this thread about freestyle pop. If you ask me this again I'll just send you to a link back here - or print it out and frame it for all I care.

2006 was our first cruise - 10 year anniversary with the ex wife. I went several years without cruising lately until I went with a "friend" on Oasis. Cindy tried the Carnival Vista this last spring and wasn't happy so we changed our minds on trying more fun ships until we figure this all out. The Summit Ship this Fall has a decent price I told Cindy we'll give it the benefit of the doubt - caused by all the complaining you fans do in the forum - before opening our wallets to upscale lines like Crystal and Viking Ocean.

Love these machines with all their choices and much prefer fountain soda to cans and bottles. It’s a great option for those who need avoid sugar like my diabetic husband or want to keep calories in check; there are many more sugar free and calorie free options with these machines than the cruise line offers with canned soda. Hope they get added!

 

 

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Exactly. Cindy loves La Croix with all various flavors. She wouldn't drink enough normal club sodas to be worth buying the package. At least with the machine she can get Lime Dasani and other vitamin waters. It doesn't matter as much for me but I like the different Coke flavor shots.

I second that suggestion and would add that perhaps Celebrity is not a cruise line that they should EVER sail on. Their first problem was hamburgers, now this.

WOW!

No I am going to try out Celebrity on September 21st I already have the airfare booked. Some of you folks are going to have to get over the fact that not everything is or will be perfect - constructive criticism from an outsider is the most sincere - along with compliments too. I come from a unique situation having had sailed Carnival for years and looking at what Crystal Cruise Line has to offer. Carnival and Crystal have their pop and burger situation dialed in and Celebrity just has to copy or be in the middle. Folks have dietary needs and want more variety in drinks more than the cans - even Holland America is stepping into the 21st Century.

A half can of flat pop doesn't sound like modern luxury to me - especially when you buy a drink package for it. Doesn't this look like a modern device on a modern ship?

The idea of having to carry around your own cup all week is not my idea of a good time. It's certainly not a "modern luxury" experience.

It would in the 50's when everything was bottled and self service drinks were modern technology yet to come - especially freestyle. Celebrity folks want cans I'm ok with that too . I'm just saying that fruit is usually available all hours of the day and at every meal - but I have to hunt down someone to help me get a can of pop. Wouldn't it make more sense to have a bucket of iced pop in your room instead of fruit?

I think the machines are great as long as they sell a re-usable cup for them. It would save so much money on washing all the glasses and save a lot of straws being used, when we don't need them.

 

I don't drink soda, only fizzy water/sparkling water so maybe others may not like it.

If I had it my way we would have the freestyle machines in every cabin that ordered a soda package - few on each deck. Better yet fill our ice buckets or refrigerators with these cans of pop. I don't care how they do it but the more convenient the better. I recently upgraded my balcony to eat at Blue - and if I can choose my own fruit, let me choose my own fizz. :champagne-toast:

Folks we don't need help from the bartenders grabbing a piece of fruit from the buffet.

On the Solstice we were advised by the Food and Beverage DIrector that cans if not already on all ships would become the norm because of the inconsistency of soda machines

That's true - right on. Some places water down their soda machines and it really ticks me off.

I much prefer cans to fountain sodas, so I think it's a terrible idea to go to the Freestyle machines. It doesn't take long to go to a bar and ask for one.

 

Gratuities are included in your package, btw, though I know you added that sentence to try to get a rise out of people.

Ok if they have chilled cans handy that's not as bad as I thought. Royal Caribbean is adding the freestyle machines onto their ships.

I just read that you have to go to the bar to get pop on Celebrity. If we're going to pay $9 a day it would be nice to have an easy refill station without flagging someone down or feeling like we owe a tip. Royal Caribbean should add the freestyle machines on all their ships and lines. Why not? Carnival's Bottomless Bubbles program is at least easy to use and only $7.50 per day. Neither of us drink heavy sugar drinks anymore, but I like my Diet Coke and Cindy mostly drinks the fizzy flavored water.

Any of you folks with me on this?

There is no similar system on Celebrity. You need to go to a bar for your soft drinks.

WOW! It is easy to get in on Carnival and Royal Caribbean even has the freestyle Coke Machine.

Feb 2019 for Summit. There is a trial cabin of the new design on Connie that has been shown on CC ;).

No luck for me since we sail in the Fall. :(

There's a lot of inconsistency at the buffet. Some sailings have featured a cake day with a dozen varieties on display. Have also seen cupcake day and chocolate fountain. My favorite was last fall on Equinox - warm apple pie a la mode day. And then sadly there are the sailings where you just get same old desserts. Guess it comes down to ambition level of the chef.

I hope the Summit has Themed dessert days. That way you get to choose different variety than normal.

Nope I'm not paying extra for specialty dining. The most I've done is about $10 for Johnny Rockets. We thought about upgrading to suite class for our Summit cruise but if I need to spend that much I'll trying Crystal or Viking or Oceania. I got an aqua cabin for Cindy because it was inexpensive on our cruise - but I won't play the class system or specialty restaurant game typically. I'll see what folks onboard say about the MDR and learn more from the buffet and poolside munchies - hopefully we'll be pleasantly surprised.

When you start looking at the upgrades for suites on the mid range cruise lines, you are better off going with a more upscale luxury line for the same money. If I am going to pay extra I want everything superior too not just the room and the MDR.

And the ice cream in the buffet has tons of toppings - M&Ms, crushed cookies, sprinkles, etc., etc. I think they might have toppings in Il Bacio but we only get our free plain Captain's Club scoop which is fine with us.

Yummy! I like real ice cream over soft serve - especially with those toppings.

Um, no. That wasn't what the PP meant at all. The take away was the second sentence, not the first. Cruisers on any given line are not a homogenous lot, but individuals. You are going to find both slobs, germaphobes, and everything in between on every line. Only the proportions may differ.

Yes the proportions may differ but that's why they wrote the first sentence too. I expected this to decrease while you moved up the lines, not the other way around. Go figure.

What I don't understand is why people who don't like Carnival- either never did or don't anymore- come to the Carnival thread to bash it. I had to camp in tents as a kid and college student. I didn't hate it then but I do now. I don't go to camping forums and explain to everyone why I prefer not to camp in a tent anymore. I don't go to camping forums, period. They no longer apply to me. To others who camp I say nothing at all, but if I did, it would be "Camp on wit' yo bad self. Enjoy!!"

 

I come here to tell people why I like cruises and to answer honest questions for people trying to research. Including telling people who only stay at Mandarin Oriental properties that Carnival is probably the wrong choice for you.

You camped decades ago, it hasn't changed much, but you have no interest in it anymore. That compares to me having sailed Carnival a few months ago, it has changed in my and other folks opinion, and we're still cruising. Just give me a few more months until my knowledge isn't current anymore.

Got news for you, dude … you will see this on "better lines" as well … some of the worst offenders we have seen in this regard were on our Oceania cruise. People engage in this unhygienic behavior no matter where they are …

:eek: If that's true then the folks on Crystal might be worse than the ones on Oceania!

If the issue is with Carnival then write them a long letter and don't cruise them anymore. Maybe they will change. I apologize for going on. Can't help it lol

But people who used to like Carnival when they were sort of poor and couldn't afford better move up in their means and upgrade to a fancy line and then come back to tell the rest of us why we're not allowed to like it anymore because they upgraded. Okay we get that you want Carnival to cease operations now that you have moved on.

We've already decided like many folks to not cruise with them anymore. Part of it is I remarried and my wife wants a more upscale experience like she always imagined cruising should be like. The reality is that Carnival used to be more like that 10-15 years ago. We haven't just left Carnival because I make more money - it left us by cheapening out in many areas. That doesn't mean I wouldn't pay someone to drop a Guy's Burger down for me from their balcony. :p

Ok....I've been reading the tail end of this and I have a statement and a question (considering I'm fairly new). I am in customer service and have obviously been a customer. If I have had a horrible experience like dirtiness, rudeness, disregard for policy or dangerous conditions then I complain to the business I have an issue with in hopes that I will be compensated for my bad experience and to make sure the appropriate people are aware in case something should change.

My question is....why do people come to a website to simply give their negative opinions about policy changes? I don't see much in this post about somebody actually being treated badly.

I don't like getting my sail & sign card at my room. The pizza leaves a little to be desired if you ask me. The casino is smokey. Blah blah blah. I THINK listening to our complaints is what friends are for. I THINK if you want something changed then contact the company. Maybe I don't know the real meaning of a review or the purpose of these websites. As much as everybody is entitled to get what they pay for, the delivery of these complaints sound like demands and ungratefulness.

 

I'm just saying...

Some of us like to compare notes with other folks and see if it is just us or a fluke - or an issue that others are seeing.

When you say "self serve" ice cream I think of the soft swirly stuff out of the machine - is that what you want, or real scooped ice cream? I can't believe a ship let people scoop their own ice cream.

 

Celebrity has free ice cream in the buffet and gelato at Bacio (for a cost), neither of them "self serve".

Yep the soft swirly out of the machine. I wouldn't have any more problem with folks scooping their own ice cream out any more than anything else in the buffet. I saw a woman once sneeze into her hands and then grab food without the tongs from the buffet. That is part of why Cindy wants to move on and try better lines.