momofmab

There was no set early or late dining times when we were on in early January (despite having to choose one or the other when we originally booked).  Unless you like dining after 8pm, I would advise making reservations before you board.  Otherwise, there may be a wait if you go during the popular dinner hours.  And yes, you can pick whatever one you want for dinner.  

47 minutes ago, jules181 said:

Entertainment, NCL hands down, there's no question. On celebrity it's just the theatre. No duelling pianos, no nightly comedy club. No production show. There weren't even a lot of musicians/singers in venues around the ship. 

Agree with this.  We were a little bored at night on Celebrity.  Not that we are "Burn-the-House-to-the-Ground" partiers but most of the after 9 social scene on our cruise centered around the martini bar and a few singers, who I couldn't figure out whether they were paid singers or karaoke.  There were some late-night performances in Eden that we didn't go to (you had to go super early to get a seat), but they were located in a secluded restaurant in the aft area of the ship.

I did like that no one bugged me about photos on Celebrity.  I didn't see any cheezy set ups for photos getting onboard or off at the ports with costumed characters, like you see on other lines.  The photographers were around on the "chic dress" nights, but they weren't bugging anyone.  Also, no solicitations for drink packages or specialty dining, like I'd see on RCCL. Those things are pluses for me!

Neither is "better" - it really depends on what you are looking for in a cruise (itinerary, ship size, etc.).

We just cruised Celebrity for the first time on Beyond (Caribbean itinerary).  Previously we've cruised NCL (on Sun, Spirit, Dawn, & Jewel - upper suite class on all) and Royal (Liberty, Freedom - suite class & Oasis) and in my foolish youth, Carnival.  It's possible that I have nowhere near the number of cruises under my belt to be qualified to have an opinion, nonetheless you may find some of the below useful.

My observations about Celebrity:

An older demographic.  This is not a bad thing, necessarily, but it's something to keep in mind.  We're in our 50's and were on the young side for our cruise.  Someone in their 30's might find Celebrity a little "sleepy".

Ship design was more refined, less like a traditional cruise ship.  I personally loved the more modern, neutral color palette.  There was no single "wow" factor on Beyond (except for maybe the elephant sculpture at the pool) but everything was tastefully designed - lots of incredible art installations all over the ship.  It felt more like we were on a superyacht, rather than a cruise ship.  Beyond (and all Edge class, I believe) are designed with 4 smaller dining rooms, rather than the multi-story main dining on most NCL/RCCL ships.  My husband prefers the multi-story dining to Celebrity's design.

Things to do. I didn't mind it because I love just reading & relaxing by the pool with a drink in my hand, but others may find that there's not as many activities during sea days on Celebrity.  Kids would get bored quickly (even my 20-somethings would get bored).  I loved that Celebrity doesn't have crazy waterslides and rock walls and racetracks hanging off the ship, but if you have kids, Celebrity is probably not the best choice.

Food is subjective, obviously.  I loved mostly everything I tried on Celebrity.  I have a sweet tooth and felt that they excelled at their desserts and pastries, when compared to other lines.  NCL in particular for me, always has great looking desserts that end up tasting bland.  Pizza on Celebrity was the best I've had, compared to NCL & RCCL.  We dined in 3 specialty restaurants - the steakhouse concept is comparable to Cagney's.  I've always loved Le Bistro on NCL and their teppanyaki restaurant.  Celebrity, I would say, has less eating options outside of the main dining and buffet.  We did get a little bored with the options on Celebrity after about the 5th day.

Both my husband and I loved Celebrity and said we'd sail it again, but maybe 5 years from now.

Can't wait for the review!  We were on Beyond in early January (albeit in a lowly Concierge IV) and loved her!  Captain Kate is a gem!  Do try to follow her (and Bug) on Instagram, as she posts pictures and videos from each voyage, as well as reposts pics that passengers post.  She is very approachable and does a Q&A, trivia and comes down to the terminal on disembarkation day to say goodbye to everyone.

Make sure to bring a deck of cards and any board games you want to play.  We forgot cards and the ship was sold out of the few decks they carry.  There's no "card room" on Beyond, but many places to play. Cafe Bacio was a popular place.

Enjoy the Villa!  Looking forward to pictures!

Hello!
 

We are trying to sample different cruise lines now that we’re finally empty nesters!  Previously, we’ve cruised NCL, RCCL and most recently, Celebrity (Beyond).

I was wondering if any of the Princess ships have the “ship within a ship” concept where suite passengers have a separate restaurant and pool area?  I’ve been looking at the Sky Princess and from what I can tell it appears to have a special area of the main dining room that’s reserved for suite guests but not a separate restaurant or pool area?  Is the Sanctuary just a place to reserve a lounger or a cabana, or is it also a separate pool?
 

For anyone who has been on Princess in a suite and also in the Retreat/Haven/Yacht Club how would you say Princess compares to those concepts?
 

Thanks for the help!

48 minutes ago, cmaleblanc said:

Just one thing for everyone (including the OP for future cruises). You can ask your room attendant for a different pillow. the concierge and above get a "pillow menu" to select different options. But during my last cruise, I just asked for a stiffer pillow, and he had one for me that night. I understand the "origami" explanation all to much with those pillows. The stiffer one was much better and I used that for the remainder of the trip.  

I thought I had read that somewhere, but we never got around to asking.  Thanks for confirming that concierge + can indeed ask for better pillows.

Not sure about the Classic package and Perrier, smoothies, etc.  Maybe someone else can answer?

I think they used it for customs.  The pictures that they used when we swiped our sea pass cards are the ones that we uploaded when We did the online check in.

When we disembarked, got our luggage and headed to the exit, we had to stop and stand at these iPad-like screens, which took our pic again, and I think they matched it to the picture they took at embarkation.  I think all of that is linked to our passport/ID info that we provided in the online check in.  That’s my theory anyway….

Yes - specialty coffees are included in the classic package!

Hello!

Just back from our Beyond cruise (Jan 8-15).  mperrizo has done a great day-to-day review of the same cruise but nonetheless, I thought I would do more of a general review of Beyond, since this was our first time on Celebrity and give a review on a different stateroom category.  So here it goes:

About us:  We are 55-year-old empty nesters from NC.  We've cruised probably about a dozen times or so on Royal Carribean and NCL, in everything from balconies to junior suites and up to owners' suites.  Out last cruise was Christmas 2020 on RCCL Brilliance with a large group of extended family.  With the exception of the Christmas cruise, we've been limited to cruising during the dreaded Spring Break weeks in order to accommodate our daughters' school schedules.  Now that our youngest is settled in at college, we've been excited to try different cruise lines and try cruising at times other than super busy holiday weeks.  First order of business was to try Celebrity.

Embarkation:  We drove down from NC two days before (stopped in St. Augustine for their holiday lights festival - so fun!) This was our first time boarding a cruise at Port Everglades (usually we leave from Port Canaveral or Miami).  We dropped off our bags with the porters and parked in the Palm garage, which is the closest to terminal 25. Our boarding time was 12:30-1, but we arrived earlier since we weren't sure how long everything would take.  There were no lines and we painlessly checked in (very quick - they check your boarding pass & take your picture, which I think they use for customs on disembarkation day.)  We were onboard by noon.

Cabin:  Concierge Infinite Veranda - Deck 11.  Before sailing, I read the many threads on here debating the IV's on the Edge Class ships.  I realize I am in the minority, but I liked the IV concept.  It makes the room seem bigger and you can put the glass down to make it feel more like a traditional balcony.  I liked that the space was clean and climate-controlled when the window was up as opposed to many balconies I've had that were wet, rusty or dirty. The only time I really used traditional balconies was when we were in port - spending a little time to sit and take in the views.  I'm not one to read on a balcony because I like to read AND people watch at the same time, so I tend to do that by the pool. I also liked that you have privacy from neighbors on their IV's. Drawbacks were not having a place in the outside air to dry your bathing suits and you can hear when your neighbors put down their windows but no one around me was doing it at midnight, so that wasn't an issue. The chairs on the IV are not super comfortable but in my experience, none of the balcony furniture ever really is.  I noticed maybe twice that Captain Kate locked the windows when it was windy out or we were sailing at a higher rate of speed (a message pops up on the wall control by the bathroom to let you know that it's locked).  I would definitely not hesitate to book an IV again.

More on the cabin - I loved the decor, there is PLENTY of storage for 2 people, the lighting is flattering (Yay!) and a huge "Yay!" because there is a plug IN THE ACTUAL BATHROOM that we women can use our blow dryers with!! The cabin also comes with its own blow dryer.  It looked like a quality one, but I brought my own and didn't use it.  Bed was comfortable but the pillows were terrible - flat feather ones that you have to "origami" into shapes in order to sleep on.  We longed for our own pillows!  A lot has been posted about noise in the cabins - we were located on deck 11, not perfectly centered - more aft than forward.  The cabin was very quiet except for the last night, when the seas were a bit rougher than we had seen and the wind was blowing pretty hard.  On that night we did experience some creaking and banging that sounded like it was coming from the outside wall of the ship.  We were able to sleep through it but noticed it when we were awake.  I hope they are eventually able to solve this issue!

We booked a Concierge level IV but wouldn't spend extra to do it again.  Being new to Celebrity, I wanted to experience what their Concierge level had to offer but none of the perks, in our opinion, was enough to justify the extra cost.  We did go to the embarkation day lunch in Tuscan - it was good but nothing over the top.  Apparently, there were a lot of Concierge level guests because the lunch was crowded. We did not go to the disembark lounge for Concierge guests (in Normandie) because we just got off the ship when we were ready.  No need to congregate in a special place.  I hope to be able to experience The Retreat on a future cruise because those areas of the ship looked amazing!

Ship:  I absolutely LOVED everything about this ship - from the contemporary design, the neutral, modern colors, to the awesome art that is everywhere you look!  I definitely felt that I was on a higher-end cruise.  At night, every space is lighted beautifully!  The rooftop garden is great - we watched football there (I do wish it had more shade structures).  Even the public restrooms were very spa-like and there were attendants cleaning constantly.  In fact, this was the cleanest ship I have ever sailed on.  Staff was always around picking up and wiping down.  Hats off to the hard-working staff on Beyond!  There are enough elevators and we never had trouble getting one except on departure day when everyone is packed in there with luggage.  According to the head waiter in Tuscan, the ship was about 85% full.  It definitely did not feel overcrowded to me at all.  Even when the Ocean Cafe was bustling, there was good crowd-flow.  We had relatively calm seas until the last day/night when the wind was blowing and it was a bit choppy (hats off to Captain Kate for choosing an inside passage back, so it was less rough than it would have been taking an outside route).  I remarked to my husband that the Beyond was the smoothest cruise ship I had ever been on.  I barely felt movement at all, especially in my cabin.

The staff, as I mentioned earlier were great - very friendly, always smiling and asking what they can do for you.  Every staff member that we encountered asked us about our day, what did we do, etc.  I don't think we came across anyone who didn't engage with us in an enthusiastic way.  The Beyond staff are definitely some of the best at sea!  It was a thrill to sail with Captain Kate - she is entertaining and is happy to engage with the passengers.  Celebrity is lucky to have her!

Food/Dining Venues/Classic Drink Package:  I loved the four separate main dining room concept, each with its own theme.  My favorite was Tuscan, least favorite was Cosmopolitan. My husband, on the other hand, missed the grand, multi-story main dining room concept that we see on ships like RCCL.  There were some hits in the main dining rooms (Pumpkin salad, a definite hit!  Lobster night was good as well, with the lobsters cooked perfectly), and some things that were just okay - but nothing that I would label as "terrible".  For us, main dining on Celebrity was slightly higher in quality and variety than what we've had on RCCL & NCL. We also dined at Fine Cut, Eden and Raw on 5.  Eden was our favorite - a must-do!  Fine Cut was delicious as well.  Raw on 5 was fine but the bill adds up quickly, as everything is ala carte.  We have good sushi & raw bar options at home so I probably wouldn't pay to do Raw again.  We looked at the menu for the Rooftop Garden Cafe (I think that's what it's called) but $45/pp seems steep for the type of food they offer there - we passed on that. Husband ate breakfast in the Ocean Cafe each day (he's a big breakfast person) and loved the variety, especially the made-to-order egg stations. We both enjoyed the hamburgers at the Mast Grill and thought the pizza was the best "cruise ship pizza" we've had!

The Classic drink package was included in our fare and worked out just fine.  We aren't heavy drinkers in general and we don't know anything about wine, don't drink scotch or bourbon.  Tito's is not my favorite vodka, but it was fine for a week in mixed & frozen drinks.  I found a New Zealand wine that I loved and was told on the first night that it was not part of the Classic pkg. I was fine with paying an additional $3.60 (I only have a glass or 2).  I had it on subsequent nights and was never charged again after the first night. If what you order exceeds the Classic package, they will let you know and give you option of choosing something else if you don't want to pay the difference.

Entertainment:  We saw the three main shows with the ensemble cast and thought it was the best we had ever seen on any cruise.  The set design, costumes, special effects, acrobatics, dancing, singing were all amazing! Hopefully they are staying on for future cruises so others will get to see them.  We did not get a chance to see the comedian, although we wished we had.  The theatre on Beyond is a bit small as far as cruise ship theatres go, so get there early to get a good seat.

Shore Excursions:  We did the Great Bay Beach Escape in St. Martin.  It was OK - not a great beach (we were elbow-to-elbow on lounge chairs) and there were many salespeople walking by trying to get us to buy stuff, get massages, etc.  not very relaxing.  The food and drinks were good though.  I would to a beach on the French side of the island next time.  Did a catamaran snorkel in St. Thomas - very fun!  We ended up staying on board in Puerto Plata and relaxing by the pool.

Disembarkation:  smooth and uneventful.  We walked off a bit earlier than our assigned time and waited a couple of minutes to be let into the numbered section where our luggage was.  Had to wait a few turns of the elevator in the parking garage (odd that these elevators are so small when they are servicing cruise passengers and luggage).  There was an attendant, making sure the elevator lines ran smoothly and orderly.  At most we waited 10 minutes.

Overall impression:  I loved our week on Celebrity Beyond.  There were a bit less activities than we're typically used to on a cruise ship but first and foremost I was there to relax and enjoy a beautiful ship - so mission accomplished! In our quest as newly minted empty-nesters we hope to try several cruise lines/ships/itineraries that we've never been on before, and we'll definitely be back on Celebrity again!

Thanks for reading!

Thanks everyone for responding!  Very helpful 🙂

4 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

On the page where it shows all the options there should an "Offer Received" button for each of the categories you bid on.  It is in the "YOUR OFFER(S)" column.

 

What happens when you select that button on each of your offers?

 Yes, thank you - that link allows me to change or cancel either of them, I just didn't realize it was an actual link.  Mystery solved.  Although I was hoping that it was some sort of sign 😃

This is me trying to spend some of the nervous energy I have waiting for answer on my upgrade bids 😉

I searched and read through several recent posts on this topic but didn't find a definitive answer (maybe there's not one?)

I have bids on two different room category upgrades on an Edge class cruise that leaves in less than a week.  Both say "Pending" but only one gives me the option to modify or cancel (the lesser category of the 2 bids).  Even if I click on the link that takes you to the page with all the available bid categories for my cruise, it shows both my bids as being received, but there is still no option to modify or cancel the higher room category bid.

Could that possibly mean that the higher category bid was accepted?  Is it too much to hope for or am I setting myself up for disappointment?

Also, posts on this topic reference an expiration "ticker".  I don't see time ticking down anywhere.  Am I missing it?

TIA 🙂

How do you upgrade?  Can I do it through my cruise planner or do I have to wait until I am onboard?

It was mentioned on the Apex review thread that the Solarium on that ship is airconditioned.  Is it the same on Beyond?  Thx!

14 hours ago, ETHTrader said:

 

I am in one of the suites with noise issues. Constant creaking noise all night, but that's nothing compared to the banging noise within the walls all night long. Retreat concierge has list of more than 10+ suite rooms with similar issues and they told us that they will provide some kind of monetary compensation to the guests impacted. They are also offering alternative rooms for guests to sleep in and providing ear plugs. Every time I visit the retreat lounge, there's someone complaining about the noise....

Very nervous about this.  I have 2 Move Up bids in on suites and I'm worried that I'll get a noisy room (currently assigned to an IV on Deck 10). Do you mind sharing your cabin #?  Also, where are the rooms that they are giving you to sleep in?  Do you have keys to both rooms so you can leave stuff in the 2nd room?  Is your suite noisy during the day? I'm actually considering canceling my bid as I'm feeling pretty confident about the lack of complaints on Deck 10.

Glad to hear your positive review of the IV.  I've also read all of the negative reviews but like you, my take on it was that it would make the room seem bigger and I could always lower the window to make it feel more like a balcony.  Barring any cabin noise issues, I can't imagine that an IV would ruin a cruise for anyone. I'm always excited to try new cabin types and if I don't like them, I make a different decision next time (like the neighborhood balcony on Oasis - I'd rather have the sea view. It felt strange and disorienting no knowing where we were until I left the cabin and found a window).

My cruise is Jan 8th (our first on Celebrity) and I'm happy to hear that you loved yours.

I'll be on this cruise in January - looking forward to your review!

Hi everyone-

First time Celebrity cruiser here 🙃

Wondering if it's too soon to find out which terminal at Port Everglades that the Beyond is sailing out of on January 8th?  The P.E. website appears to only give the schedule a week out.

We've never left from there before and from what I'm reading, some of the terminals are quite far from the parking garages and require a shuttle. If that's the case, I'm considering parking off site.

Thanks!

1 hour ago, JFontaine said:

If you don't need to be near the pool, head to the upper deck where you will have plenty of chairs and much more breathing room and peace.  Walk around up there  for lots of nooks that are quiet and lovely. Bring your own drink because bar staff might not come around, but that's why it's so pleasant.  There's also a large section offering shade if your husband feels like it.  

Thanks for the tip - I will check it out!

7 hours ago, Taylor2018 said:

I was on the Beyond as well.  I believe we were around 75% capacity.  Plenty of elbow room.  Chairs adjacent to pool were usually “claimed” by 9am on sea days.  There were plenty of chairs a row or two from the pool that were available till 10 or so.  Lots of options both in full sun and in shaded spots.  I hate chair hogs but it’s just part of the deal when you have 3000 people.  I was happy with the abundance of options.  Think they said there were only 13 kids on the ship.  

Thanks for responding!  I am used to the insane practice on other lines of people getting up before sunrise to put their stuff out on chairs (and then go back to sleep). I only need one chair because my husband doesn't sunbathe, and I don't need to be right next to the pool.  It sounds like I will be fine 🙂

I appreciate your comments. We will be on Beyond in January and are first-time Celebrity cruisers also, after having cruised on many of the same lines as you.

Was your cruise sailing at full capacity?  If you lounged by the pool, was it hard to get loungers? I have chair hog PTSD after having to sail on numerous spring break cruises with my kids 😄 

Forgive me if I missed it, but did you utilize the thermal spa at all on your trip?  Trying to determine whether a move-up to Aqua class is worth it 😊

I appreciate your review of the IV (good to know about the bugs and the noise with opening & closing it).

I agree with others that your food pics are incredible!

I am enjoying your review - thank you for taking the time to do it!

I was wondering if you knew how late Blu serves breakfast.  

Also, I'm not seeing the Bistro as an option to reserve for my January cruise (your food pics from there look delicious!).  Do you know if it's only reservable once onboard or is it only in the app?  Do they serve lunch & dinner there?

Thank you!

Loved your review & pictures!

You and your DS absolutely NAILED the fashions - both on the cruise ship and portside!  Can you share with us where you shop? I'm planning a land trip to Italy next year and was very inspired by your outfits!

Also, the views from your summer house look fantastic!  Enjoy!