sstamour

I'm 35, and I'm tethered to my devices (iPad and iPhone, with my laptop as another one at least part of the time). 

I run at least 3 businesses. It serves me well, in that I can work anywhere. It also means that I work anywhere, including on a cruise. It means I can pay for cruises at the level that I want to cruise at. It also means that I work during my cruises. For me, it literally is a difference between being on the cruise versus not ever taking one. I use headphones exclusively, step out when I need to speak on conference calls and can definitively say no one ever gets to hear the other side of a conversation I'm having. However, I do use my devices in bars, in restaurants and in my room, whether I'm cruising solo or cruising with others. I'm not willing to wait until I'm "retired" (whatever that means) to enjoy traveling and taking advantage of what the world has to offer, even if that means I have to work during vacations. 

On 1/9/2020 at 4:45 AM, Spif Barwunkel said:

For those folks who have become accustomed to the Suite life and/or the restaurants associated with same, could you and would you enjoy everything else about an X ship in a balcony cabin and the MDR? We always live in a veranda room, sometimes Aqua or Concierge. We have always been satisfied. We are not able to speak to Suite comparisons but will one day give ourselves the opportunity to do so....I think.

I've only been on 4 cruises, 3 of which have been on Celebrity. I currently have 2 more booked for this year; with those, I'll clear Elite+ status, but it will likely take significantly more to reach Zenith. The loyalty perks ultimately end up being insignificant given the way I cruise. I don't think I would be willing to cruise in anything other than an upper level suite, and I book Celebrity because of the combination of the food and the perks offered to suite guests. From my research, there are other lines able to come close to the suite experience (the Haven, for instance), but Luminae seems to stand out as the best restaurant among the group. I have considered the more luxury lines, but I tend towards the introverted side and prefer the variety of dining/bar options Celebrity offers over some of the smaller ships on the higher end lines. For now, it hits the sweet spot for me in terms of desire for my vacations. 

I've used this service every time I've cruised. I've found it to be extremely efficient, with the butlers never batting an eyelash at doing it. They're sensible about what should be hung up in the closet versus folded in drawers, quick and do a great job at fitting things back into luggage when it's time to go home. I wouldn't begin to consider not taking advantage of it, though I've traveled with others who prefer not to. 

Life definitely got a little crazy around here since I returned. I will be completing this, however, and I still have all my notes and papers.

To answer a few questions - I got the full four device package with the Royal Suite, which was very convenient. 

On 4/26/2019 at 6:17 PM, tomservo said:

 

Can I ask what industry you work in where you need 3 devices? I want to say social media and/or advertising. Is the ship internet meeting your needs? I’ve thought about trying to WFS (Work From Ship) but I’m worried that the latency/lag would make it unusable. 

I'm a business manager, property manager, and also own and operate a business that does short-term vacation rentals and other property related business. It's essentially around the clock. The ship internet mostly worked fine. There were times it ran a bit slowly, particularly on sea days when everyone was on it, but it never was unusable. I staked out my "office" in Michael's Club and was perfectly content to work (if perhaps attracting a few stares). 

On 4/26/2019 at 7:16 PM, guy999 said:

 

just guessing but I have a iphone, ipad and laptop. and it's annoying to have to login and logout all the time.

Yes, those are my three devices as well. Often, I'm working on something that spans multiple devices, so even logging in and out isn't really a viable option for me. 

On 4/26/2019 at 3:26 PM, guy999 said:

Hey can you go to sushi on five for the unlimited specialty dining?

Yes. I went there several times, and my butler would bring me food from there during the evenings as well. 

5 hours ago, edgreenberg said:

Looking forward to the blog. Also, I hope you don't mind, but I printed a copy of your dog's photo for my cubicle wall, along with several others. 

Aww. I'll let him know he's famous!

I woke up a bit earlier than expected when the group next door to my hotel room returned from their night out at 5 AM. They proceeded to recap the night in great detail and with vigor. I decided I didn't want to start getting ready that early, so I went back to sleep for a little while longer. 

Around 10 AM, I received a call from a Miami number. Celebrity called to confirm that we were at terminal G and asked me to look for the "Special Delivery" sign by column 11. Fairly straightforward, but I appreciated the information on where to go for the suite drop off. I hopped in an Uber from my hotel, and my driver was particularly confused by my answer of "Celebrity" when he asked which line I was cruising. "Celebrity? You mean the mouse?" No, not quite. We got it straightened out though. 

My plan was to be at the terminal by 10:30, and my Uber driver dropped me off right at 10:24. So far, so good! I never did get any actual boarding documents or luggage tags (and was never able to request them on the website), but no one was particularly phased by this. I dropped off my bag and was escorted into the terminal and immediately up to the desk to check in. The whole process, from drop off to being checked in, took about 5 minutes. They weren't quite ready for guests yet, so they asked us to sit in a roped off area by the escalators first. A few minutes later, someone escorted us upstairs where a table with water, coffee, tea and pastries had been set up. In less than 10 minutes, Saber, one of our Michael's Club concierges, came to introduce himself and escort us to Michael's Club. I was settled in with my champagne before 11 AM. Perfection. The restaurants wouldn't be open for a while, but they brought everyone plates of snacks, and several members of the crew walked around to introduce themselves. The specialty dining manager brought over the menu for the chef's table dinner, which based on the recommendations on this thread, I decided to accept. $199 is a fairly steep price ($279 for couples), but I thought it might be a fun experience to have. 

So my live blog has gotten off to a somewhat delayed start! Due to work, crazy travel days and utter exhaustion, I've fallen asleep immediately after dinner last night and tonight. That almost never happens. 

But no matter. We're back on track now. Thursday night I could not fall asleep. I knew I had an early morning, but it just wasn't happening for me. So after a rather restless night, I was out of bed at 4 AM. Blasto barely opened an eye and went back to sleep. I made sure the basics were handled (trash was taken out, dishwasher was started) and got his bag of food packed up. Because I was leaving for the airport at 5 AM, I needed to have him packed up and ready to go to his trainer's, even though he wasn't going to be picked up for a couple of hours. 

I caught my Uber right as expected and was at the airport at 5:20. Since the airport only has 4 gates, getting through security does not exactly take forever. The downside is I still have to pull out my electronics, even though I have TSA Precheck. But, the flight to Phoenix was quick and easy. Once I got to Phoenix, my departure gate was roughly 729 nautical miles from the gate I arrived at. At least my steps will look good for the day. 

Once I get to the general area of my gate, I have an hour or so before boarding, so I head up to the lounge. A couple of mimosas set the "vacation" tone for the morning! The lounge was insanely crowded, but the seats at the bar have outlets. Power and wifi is all I really need. I get some work done and check in on the pup (he's been picked up and is on his way to the trainer's at this point, happy as usual). I get settled in my seat without problems, and the flight attendant brings me a glass of wine before takeoff. My seatmate, of course, helpfully ensures that half of it ends up in my lap when he throws his stuff everywhere, but...I'm flying to go on a cruise, I can be zen. 

5 minutes before we're scheduled to depart, the captain comes on the PA system to announce that there's a full groundstop in Miami, no flights are getting in or out, and we won't be leaving until 10 AM (45 minutes after our scheduled time). He promises to keep us updated if it's going to be any earlier.

Around 9:50, he hops back on to say that the groundstop has been extended until 11 AM, and our crew may time out before we're able to get into the air. He lets us know the gate agent will be down shortly in case we want to deplane. The gate agent does in fact make the offer, but I decide to stay on the plane - I know the gate is going to be super crowded, and I have a power outlet and a glass of wine at my seat, so there wasn't really any incentive to get off.

About 10 minutes later, however, the gate agent returns, confirms that we're going to have to get a new crew and that everyone has to get off the plane with their luggage. They promise to update us every 10 minutes, so ask us not to leave the area. 

Surprising no one, that was the last update we got. An entire planeful of people is now milling around the gate, uncertain and checking their phones and travel agents for other options. Several people start to consider how far they are willing to drive, putting airports like Tampa and Orlando into play. The lines for customer assistance are hundreds deep with all the alterations, delays and cancellations. 

But, eventually we do get off the ground and into the air around 12:15. I hear many other worse stories, so a 3 hour layover really isn't a big deal to complain about. Of course, they didn't re-cater the plane before we took off, so the breakfast omelette they served was slightly less than fresh, but again, first world complaints. 

Once arriving into Miami, everyone heads to baggage claim to pick up our bags. And then we wait. And wait. And wait some more. The flight that landed an hour after us sees their bags come out. I've heard of losing luggage, but I don't think I've heard of an entire airplane's cargo hold going missing. Finally, more than an hour and a half after landing, I finally collect my one very small bag (should have carried it on!) and hop in an Uber.

I had planned to have a dinner somewhere quintessentially Miami, but after 13.5 hours of traveling, the hotel bar at the Conrad was all I could manage. Steak tartare, grouper ceviche and ham/manchego croquettes will do nicely for dinner. A couple glasses of wine, and it's all I can do to drag myself to the room and fall asleep.  

Next up, day 1 on the ship! That review will actually have pictures, too. 

We dine late as well and were never rushed. In fact, on one particularly extended night at Murano's, the wait staff was encouraging me to stay and continue to indulge well after 11 pm. I'm not sure about the MDR, but we also have shut down Luminae several times and not only were we not urged to move on, the staff continued to offer additional food and drinks until we were fully satiated. 

Are these tips always in cash, or can they be added in to the credit card on file for the on board account? 

On 4/14/2019 at 11:53 AM, jagoffee said:

The good news is that RS Internet includes four devices.

That will certainly be convenient! I'll report back on what I learn.

Only a few days out now. I have a big list of errands still to check off, mostly involving turnover of my previous place. The wires to the thermostats in my new place are apparently old and brittle, so they're not supplying power to the thermostats; hoping to get A/C back before temps start to get into the upper 80s here. I finally got my outdoor patio furniture in (everyone keeps asking if there's a bear in my backyard. I, of course, say yes), and I'm having a couch delivered on Wednesday. I think that'll complete what needs to happen, just in time for me to leave at 6 AM on Friday!

Speaking of the service bear, the challenge is always feeding him whenever I leave him! He'll eat 22.5 lbs of food over the 9 days I'm gone, and I try to always do what I can to make it easier on his trainer. That mostly means pre-packaged ground food (he eats raw, but I'm aware that most people aren't as sanguine about putting out a bowl of goose heads, turkey liver and salmon trimming). He requires more luggage than I do. 

Somewhat surprisingly, I've been contacted by the concierge at the hotel I'm staying at in Miami, but I haven't heard from Celebrity shoreside concierge yet. I'm guessing it has something to do with booking as late as I did. 

Unfortunately, the issue is that I do need internet on 3 devices at once. Perils of a working cruise, but I'll be working with good views!

On 4/9/2019 at 9:25 AM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

You're paying for both beverage packages and internet packages.  You will only be charged gratuities for one.  OBC is generally per cabin.

I'll be curious how this works. I booked without perks (at a discount after final payment), but there are perks that come with the suite itself. Specifically, I'm wondering how they'll handle the internet. I need it on three devices, so it'll be interesting to see if they require me to buy 1 or 2 additional packages. 

I'm momentarily dreaming about one of those around the world cruises that last for 170+ days and wondering how the cruise line would react when I requested an industrial size freezer to accommodate Blasto's food for that long. 

Thank you all for the responses!

I'm from the Los Angeles area (moved out here almost 3 years ago after living in the DC and Baltimore area). 

On 4/8/2019 at 9:56 PM, varoo said:

 

But it will require a lot of will power and restraint for passengers and staff alike to keep from wanting to come over and pet him or play with him. 

Honestly, this is the largest problem I've had with training! He's doing very well and is generally very good in public spaces, but he attracts more attention than I ever thought possible. I'm not good at saying no. Once we're settled, people don't always know he's there, but getting to that point can be a challenge. 

I'm definitely looking forward to checking out the Gastropub and the Martini Bar on the Equinox. I try to experience the atmosphere, the people and the bartenders at each bar on the ship at least once! I like to also do the specialty restaurants at least once, and Sushi on 5 was a staple for lunch. 

Hi all!

Trip/live reports aren't usually my thing, but I'm doing a solo cruise on the Equinox departing on the 20th. After really enjoying several of the recent reports, I figured it was time I tried to contribute to the community as well.

As an introduction, I tend to be rather verbose and not funny at all (sadly, I've accepted it as a deficiency), but hopefully there will be enough information provided to be helpful.

A little about me - I'm 34 and cruising solo for the first time. I've done 2 other cruises, the first I absolutely loved (Great Barrier Reef cruise in Australia, plus land trips at the beginning and end) on the Solstice in a Royal Suite with 3 family members.

The second was a disaster (Disney cruise to the Bahamas with the same family members plus extended family). Had that been my first cruise, I wouldn't be taking another one! I have a trip booked on the Edge in October with the family.

I wasn't really planning on this trip (I booked 29 days out!), but work has been particularly stressful over the last 3 months. It's never not - I work essentially the equivalent of 5 full time jobs, so I'm working 365 days a year, but I have the flexibility to do the work from anywhere with an internet connection and a cell phone data package. I got an email that the cost of the cruise in a Royal Suite was less than expected, and it seemed like a good time to get a change of scenery. 

I'm one of the ones that really appreciated the perks of the suite life when we took our Solstice cruise! I particularly like not having to make choices ("is it really worth stopping into Sushi on 5 for a couple of pieces of fish? How much is Tuscan Grille really going to be worth? Am I going to regret ordering this extra drink?") on my vacations. (The answer to the "extra drink" question should be "yes, but not because the bill was more than I planned for"). The RS, with the unlimited specialty dining, premium drink package and included wifi becomes really appealing for that reason. I then learned how much I absolutely adored Luminae and Michael's Club, so it becomes a no brainer for me.

So, I booked. I had plenty of miles to pay for the flights, and I booked a night at the Conrad Miami on points as well. Of course, once I had booked, I received an email letting me know my flight had changed. I didn't think much of it until I opened it and saw this:

We made these changes to your flight.
 
■    New depart time
■    New arrival time
■    New flight number
■    New aircraft type
■    Seat change

Well then. 

Not a big deal. They moved my flight earlier and the seats are slightly worse, but it won't impact my cruise. It does mean an extra night away from my puppy.

To answer the most common questions - his name is Blasto, yes, he's big, no idea how big he'll get, about 130 lbs right now, 11 months, Bernese Mountain Dog, not a St Bernard, he sheds very little, and yes, his food bills are generally more than mine. 

He's in training to be my service dog (mobility work, which is why he needs to be big), but he's not quite at the level where I'm ready to take him on an international cruise. He flies very well (first class bulkhead, I buy two seats/the entire row, otherwise he doesn't fit) and handles most public situations beautifully, but he's never been on a boat or ship before. Part of the tradeoff for leaving him and traveling solo is that I will probably not disembark at most of the ports, but I'm comfortable with that choice. And it means more ship details for everyone else!

I haven't yet done a ton of planning for this trip; I just returned from an 11 day, 3 city business trip AND moved during that time (I left one house and returned to a different one!), but I'm looking forward to digging in. I'd love to hear from anyone who has suggestions on solo cruising, on the Equinox or if there's anything I'm absolutely missing out on if I don't disembark in Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel or Grand Cayman. My primary focus is good wine, craft cocktails and the best food I can find. 

To all of you who read through this entire thing, thank you! I will try to be useful to you in return. 

I'm following this as well. I'll be doing a 7 night cruise on the Equinox as a mid-30s solo traveler in April, so I'm very interested in hearing your experiences!