smtcan

Wrong thread

Regular gratuities do not include bar tenders. Their gratuity is added to the cost of drinks when purchased individually, so presumably the amount allotted to drinks in the all inclusive package includes drink gratuities. Some people add an extra tip to bartenders, some do not.

The rules are confusing. We are just about to book the ten day Caribbean prior to our Silhouette TA as B2B and I am wondering about testing for the TA. We are fully vaccinated and boosted, including the bivalent shot, but would like some certainty about testing. Sheila

I think most cruise line specials, Celebrity included, are smoke and mirrors. They alter prices and give promotions, but the end result is that you pay pretty much the same. I am not anti children in any way, but one thing that bothered us was when our favourite ski resort offered Kids Stay and Ski Free all season. Their overall prices went up considerably, so we felt as if we were subsidising other people's children. We found another resort.

Quite true. You can bring two bottles of wine pp when you board. Your cabin steward will bring glasses. Theoretically you should drink in your cabin, but no one knows or cares if your glass was filled at a bar or in your cabin.

Japan travel is very easy. Just before COVID we took the Vancouver to Yokohama transpacific cruise then toured Kyoto, Nara, Mount Fuji and Tokyo independently. We were in our mid seventies, so not adventurous youngsters, but we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We travelled by train and had our luggage shipped from place to place so we had only small bags to carry. The shipping cost was about $20 per case for same day service. I would not worry about public transport in Japan. It is safe, with good signage in several languages including English and always on time. Even local buses have signage, just be sure to sit where you can see it.

We haven't cruised for a while, so haven't spent much time on these boards. Now we have booked a cruise so I am checking frequently. It certainly seems to me that these days posts have more emphasis on the suite experience than pre covid. We choose our cabins based on itinerary and weather. We have had balconies and insides, and will probably never sail in a suite because we are very moderate drinkers and low internet users, so paying for these inclusions isn't worth it for us.

We checked the price of our Transatlantic booked in the Black Friday Sale. We got $400 OBC. In this sale we would get $450, but the price went up by $50.

The best comment that I heard on a TA was from a lady who said that it was a pity there were so many sea days together. She thought the cruise line could have spaced them out better.

Agreed. A ship is not where I would try a massage. My daughters in law bought me a spa day in a local facility and I loved the facial, manicure and pedicure but hated the massage. I don't know if it was the fault of the operator, but it felt really invasive.. My health plan covers massages by a registered practitioner, but I have never wanted one again.

Our longest cruises have been 28 or 30 days. These have been B2Bs in Europe or Asia, where no ports were repeated. Favourites have been a port intensive Mediterranean cruise followed by a relaxing Transatlantic and a Vietnam & Philippines cruise followed by a cruise through the Suez Canal. The ports keep us interested and we enjoy planning independent tours. I could not imagine doing B2Bs in the Caribbean and the thought of a world cruise leaves me cold. I would forget where we had been!

We grew up in UK, (home of the full English breakfast) but now live in Canada. Eggs and bacon (not crisped dry stuff) are an occasional weekend treat. Other times we eat moderately, and the Elite breakfast suits us fine. Once during a cruise we will go to the buffet and have made to order eggs Benedict. Then we will have a salad for lunch, or skip lunch entirely.

I have not sailed on E class, but the impression I get from this thread is that suite guests love their facilities while non suite guests are not so happy. Since we will probably never book a suite, particularly since the price increases and the fact that drinks are included, which is not value for us, I think we will stick to S class. After more than 30 cruises with Celebrity, and one more booked, I feel as though it is time to look for another line, maybe one that provides us with more value for money. I appreciate that everyone has their own version of value, but we cruise for destinations not just to be on a ship.

We stopped sailing Celebrity when AI was the only option. Now we can book sail only and use OBC for the few glasses of wine we order over and above HH drinks and the coffees we get as an Elite+ benefit. We usually take port intensive cruises, not Caribbean where we might consume more juices and water.

Eventually. You will probably find out sooner by checking on line.

I was waiting for that to come up. Obviously if a person who needs an accessible stall is waiting they get priority, but no need to leave it empty just in case someone who needs it comes along. Not exactly the same issue, but ....

June is a better time for Europe than July or August, which are hot and crowded. Try to spend some time before and after your cruise in Barcelona and Rome which have so much to offer.

We had 30+ cruises with Celebrity pre pandemic and at that time there was a priority line for Elite and above boarding. This line was often longer than the regular line. I was aware that this had changed, but I am sure many people were not, hence the mention of status. Most of our cruises are in Europe, so we book a hotel the night before. Check out time can be 10 or 11 am, so hanging around with our luggage until mid afternoon isn’t an appealing prospect and I am sure it is even less appealing to those who have arrived from an overnight flight.

They actually spend a lot of time with their grandparents and we have travelled together many times. The last time we cruised together they were all under age (pre COVID), but we are ready for another whole family trip in the coming year. Luckily there are options other than cruises.

I understand the rule, but three of our grandchildren are 19and 20. They are of legal drinking age in their home countries. I guess they won’t be joining us on a cruise for the next couple of years. BTW they are responsible kids, but enjoy a beer by the pool and a glass of wine with dinner.

I would definitely choose to see Rome. My choice would be to fly in early, spend time in Tuscany then a few days in Rome before boarding your ship. Rome is definitely worth more time than just a shore excursion and it is quite a distance from the port. Paris and London are wonderful cities, but not well served by cruises because of their distance from the ports.

I can see your point about extra key cards for the connecting doors, but for cruisers who don’t want connecting cabins the set up is preferable. When the outside door is open you might as well be in a regular cabin. No connecting door in the wall so no noise from next door.

This thread has strayed a long way from the original question. Many of the remarks are not particularly helpful to the original poster and may make them unnecessarily apprehensive about their cruise. In many cruises with Celebrity and other lines we have never had to call on security. I know it is a possibility, but definitely not a common occurrence, Sheila

I don't think that is an appropriate comment. Many people are apprehensive in unknown situations, that doesn't mean they shouldn't experience them. Asking for advice is never wrong. In 40+ cruises, mostly with Celebrity I have never had anything stolen although I am reasonably careful. I keep my passport and wallet in the safe, and my phone and Kindle are the only 'valuables' I carry around the ship.

Prices do seem to have risen considerably, but each person has their own idea of what represents value. We have two categories of cruise. The first is a Transatlantic to see our family. We would be going there anyway and going over or back on a ship adds to the experience and maximizes the value of air fare. The second is itinerary driven. We want to see new places around the world. Luckily we have been to many parts of Asia, because the prices now seem astronomical. Australia and NZ are similarly high, so I doubt if we will go back there. These are the kind of cruises we will cut back on, since last minute deals do not combine well with long distance flights. Before COVID we took four or more cruises a year, often B2B, but I fear those days are past. We could afford to cruise, but the value isn’t there for us.