phoenix_dream

I had 6132 on Connie. I actually take notes on all my cabins as I sail a lot and what to remember which I like. I do not remember any visual obstructions on the balcony, nor did I record any. So perhaps it is only some of them. Mine was on the hump, which might explain why no lifeboats below?

Understood. But much of what was shown in the picture, which is what I was referencing, was the gangway and it's surrounding structures. I don't care for Deck 6 either. I spend a lot of time on my balcony and while not all of it is looking down, I much prefer a higher floor so as not to have any vision interference.

You do understand that all that metal work you see is related strictly to boarding, and will not be there once you sail?

If you recently booked, then the only way you can book Aqua Class is as all included, which means you will get classic beverage package and basic Wi-Fi. On Celebrity, you have the option to upgrade your beverage package to premium, or you can pay the $$ difference for alcoholic drinks. You can either upgrade ahead of time, or wait until you are on the ship and make your decision then based on your needs. You also can upgrade to streaming wi-fi. It depends what you plan to use it for.

I guess I'm confused why you don't like S class ships, given your reasoning. They have a very nice, large forward facing lounge. And I'm not sure if you would call it a Promenade Deck per se, but they have tons of space where you can walk around the deck above the pool deck and see the ocean, as well as the aft bars. Not to mention your own balcony. I've spent hours on my balcony on every class of ship enjoying watching the ocean and relaxing. I agree that E class ships have lost a lot of what you speak of, but not liking S for that reason baffles me. I observed the Panama Canal transit just fine from the side railing, as well as from my own balcony. It was on Infinity, which I know is an M class ship, but the forward areas were too crowded and extremely hot due to no shade so I found plenty of other areas. And to answer your question - there are tons of reasons to cruise beyond "seeing the ocean". I'm like you - I love to relax and watch the sea. But not everyone is like that. Many cruise for the ports, the beaches, the bars and shows onboard, etc.. In fact it has been my experience when sitting out on my balcony that only very rarely do I see anyone else doing the same. They are either sitting out by the pool, or off in some inside venue. So not sure seeing the ocean is top priority for many.

And I've never gotten one! My son, who hasn't sailed in several years and rarely gambles, got one but I sail 8-9 times a year and gamble modestly and never get any. Oh well - hope it gets resolved for those involved.

I have a B2B booked for early October. We were going to spend a week after our first cruise in San Diego but when we saw some decent prices we decided to add a second cruise as well. We're in Aqua Class so the prices weren't rock bottom but better than on some other cruises we've looked into. We love these itineraries and just don't understand why they don't book up as well as, say, Caribbean cruises. I'm thinking people who live nearby just do land trips to see the various ports, and maybe others just don't realize what nice cruises these are. Maybe beach and snorkeling folks also don't find them as much fun (I am neither). To the OP - don't worry - the cruise will be great. Eclipse has not been revolutionized yet and is showing a tad bit of wear and tear, but we were on her last year and had a great time.

You're not wrong in your statement. At the same time, most of us pay full price anyway. I've bid on move-ups multiple times - never won one. Yes I could do a guarantee but I never would because some of the locations aren't the best. These days you are lucky to find deals - past final payment or not (not always, but not usually). So at the end of the day, this particular issue really isn't that big of one compared to those not needing handicapped rooms. As to how hard - have you dealt with Celebrity's IT talents???

Not referring to you - talking in general about people who book one way ahead of time not needed.

Yes, sometimes they are lax in enforcing the rules. But sometimes they are not - I have personally seen people turned away. Would not want to get there only to find out I was not permitted to join and would have to head to my cabin (which could be a long way away) to change shoes.

Thank you.

That's pretty rude. It's not a silly question. I've sailed extensively on Celebrity on all ships but one and am subject to motion sickness. M class does not handle rough seas as well as S or E. Still a big ship and generally smooth sailing but M class is definitely different.

I have heard it does but haven't tried it. I have had success using Facebook messenger

Can someone currently or recently on Eclipse give me some feedback on using OBC in the casino. Specifically: Do you have to go to the cashier? And if so, is there a minimum and maximum amount and do you need to use it all before you can cash out? If you can do it from the machine - same question as to whether you need to use all you've downloaded before you can cash out. I know this varies by ship but don't recall how Eclipse handles it. TIA

Different tastes for everyone. Not sure of the quality of singers on this particular ship, but Topper is one of my all time favorite Celebrity shows! Love the music options. Over the years (and many cruises) we've seen some great singers, and some just ok singers, but never bad ones. And having a live orchestra is great and being eliminated on many lines. I did not care for Amade either - once and done for that one.

Only 78, and it was last year. Seems a little small compared to some I am seeing! Sadly next year it will be less - just can't afford to cruise as often with the current prices.

You also are able to bring water onboard upon embarkation and in the ports. I have been in a couple of ports where there were signs saying people couldn't bring on water in plastic bottles, although truthfully I didn't see anyone enforcing that.

Unfortunately, there is nothing "typical" these days about fares going up or down as the cruise industry and travel industry in general are definitely not in typical times. My best advice if you want to risk it, would be to check the availability of cabins you are interested in. If there are a lot of open cabins then prices may drop after final payment is due. If the opposite is true, I would expect them to continue to rise. Right now many cruises are selling at capacity (and in fact, some at over capacity!). I'm not saying you may not find a deal somewhere, but they are rare. Prices are, overall, much higher than they have ever been. Lastly, some of the large cannot-be-named-here travel agencies have sales at specific times like Memorial Day, or 4th of July.

I was in a Sky Suite in January. Absolutely loved the bed! I also wish I could take it home with me. Firm enough to be supportive but soft enough to be comfortable. I believe they had upgraded the mattresses in all cabins, but I cannot guarantee that for sure of my own knowledge.

That is not completely true. Equinox was indeed upgraded partially. The full revolutionizing could not be completed due to some kind of issue in the port area which specifics I don't recall. I sailed Equinox on a back to back this January. Full disclosure - I was in a sky suite. I thought the ship was in great shape. She is, in fact, my favorite of all the Celebrity ships (I confess some of this is due to knowing several crew members from multiple sailings over the years). Silhouette does have additional restaurants and their Retreat deck has the bar and hot tub as you mention, whereas Equinox does not (I personally don't care but some might).

I don't agree with much of the OP's original post, but I wanted to respond to this point. I can speak from my own perspective only. I certainly don't let anyone's attire ruin my cruise. But I also don't like traveling with people who feel entitled - that rules don't apply to them - that they paid money for their vacation so they'll do whatever they please. IMHO there is way too much of that in this world already, and it seems to have multiplied exponentially since Covid shutdown. And where does it end? Is it ok to wear swimsuits to dinner? Can I wear a see-through top (heaven forbid LOL). How about a bikini? Yes, extreme examples perhaps but if anything goes what's to say that won't be next? To me it's not about the times they are a changin'. It's about respect. So I don't give a hoot what they actually wear, but I do care about the 'the heck with rules and the heck with how this affects other people' attitude. When one contracts with a company to take a vacation on their ship, they are agreeing to abide by the rules of that company. If you don't like the rules that's no problem - just find a place with rules you are happy with. And the ship should enforce the rules, but at the same time just because you can get away with something does it really mean you should? What's that quote about the meaning of integrity? And as one last point - while I will say again that what someone wears does not ruin or make my cruise, there is such a thing as ambiance, and that it part of what I am paying for when I book a Celebrity vacation. Ignoring the rules and dressing like you are going to a garage sale definitely impacts the ambiance of the ship.

As it happens, most often I do wash my hands on ships with sinks (and always if I have not just washed them), and always will use the sanitizer if it's available upon entering. But I don't like being judged as non-sanitary if I've just washed thoroughly and don't care to do it again. As it is, by the end of my cruises (and I usually do B2B) my hands are like sandpaper from all the washing and sanitizing. If you see someone licking their fingers and then picking up a serving utensil, then you know they are not being protective. But I just don't like people ranting and raving that anyone who doesn't stop to wash their hands or bypasses the sanitizer is necessarily unclean. There is no way to know that.

Exactly! My 6’3” hubby could not stand up straight in the tub/shower.

I don’t need to check those prices as I travel regularly and just booked three land trips with more on the agenda. I have seen some obscene hotel prices as well, but have been able to adjust my destinations and dates to those that are more reasonable. I also avoid the prime destinations you reference as they are indeed jammed and expensive. Luckily I’ve seen most of the US already so am happy to visit less crowded places that still offer some nice botanical gardens, arboretums, good restaurants, etc.. Not as much fun as a cruise but still very enjoyable and affordable.

I wish people would stop always assuming that people who don't use the hand sanitizer or wash their hands upon entering are unsanitary. Speaking for myself, I often use the restroom prior to entering dining areas and wash my hands thoroughly, and leave without touching the door (attendant opens or I may use an elbow). So I am just as sanitary as the hand washers inside. I also practice good hygiene when gathering the food, and always use some hand sanitizer before eating that I bring with me - always - whether in the buffet or prior to dinner in the restaurants. Sorry - it's a pet peeve of mine and I don't want, nor deserve the scowls I get from some. I also don't like the noro's on this ship; Covid's on that ship posts. I know, I know, I don't have to read them. But both viruses are here to stay folks. Do we have to keep reporting on them? It serves little purpose IMHO other than scaring people and making them tense about their upcoming cruises. I understand not everyone agrees with me, and that's ok. But that's my opinion. One should always be following good hygiene and beyond that, and avoiding anyone visibly sick, there is little else we can do about it if we want to travel.