poffles

55 minutes ago, omeinv said:

While the terms make that allowance, it has never happened since the beginning of the program.  The offer has always been Power Up Points in multiples of ten, so the Captain's Club Points have been awarded in whole numbers.  10 PUP = 1 CC, 20 PUP = 2 CC, 30 PUP = 3 CC and 50 PUP = 5 CC are the only denominations I can recall.  The 20 PUP activities were early in the program, and I haven't seen those for a few years.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Yes and the 50 have become the scarcest of all.   It is so silly that the PUP are a 10x count relative to the Captain Club points when they really have no other useful value on their own.  All to make them sound like so many points when the math is the math in 'worth'.  The PUP don't provide any other gain unless I've missed a memo and these days even that is fading.

Not complaining though, they definitely helped me get to Elite!  🌻

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

The key is to declare.

 

To me an often mis-understood part of bringing beer, wine, or spirits into Canada is "limits".  The limits that are imposed - such as One bottle of spirits of whatever size - is what you can bring in duty free.

 

Now perhaps I am completely wrong with this but when I arrive back to Pearson airport and go through the Nexus line, I am only declaring that I have nothing above my limit.  So if I only have one bottle of spirits and it's size meets the allowed volume, then I do not need to declare. 

 

My understanding is that I only need to make a declaration if for instance duty free have a sale and I decide to bring 3 bottles then I have to say that I am over my limit and declare the additional.

 

In my understanding there is no top limit to what I can bring in as long as I actually declare what is above my personal limit for the length of the trip and be ready to pay the duty.

 

So the question begs to be asked, did your sister have more than her allowance for beer in the car?

 

Please set me straight here if I am not understanding this, otherwise I have defrauded my declaration at the Nexus Kiosk and then face-to-face each time I have returned to Canada when I have been brining in what is in or under my limit.

 

 

During my interview I was given a scenario where if I'm asked (by Nexus) if I'm bringing any food with me across the border I need to be sure I answer correctly.  I asked, sincerely, would gum count as that is usually the only thing i might have and he said (without a smile) if you can eat it then it's food, he was telling me gum counts.  He said it matters not if the food or whatever item is allowed, the question as asked needs to be answered for what it is, otherwise it can be viewed as not disclosing and it can be grounds to revoke Nexis.  

This might be extreme example but it certainly put it into perspective.  Since then I either never take gum with me and just buy at the gate or I am sure to tell them (even if they do a little chuckle about my answer.)

On 4/23/2024 at 4:32 PM, Haljo1935 said:

This should read "coffee" lovers; too late to edit.

 

Closing off the only place to get paid coffee is a problem. 

As I read this thread, this is what speaks the loudest to me.  It seems to not just be impacting an area but impacting a service.  I have not sailed HAL yet but looking at one in my future and I was already trying to convince myself that the Signature class ship with the specialty coffee venue being in this area (unlike what I see for the Pinnacle class) would be totally fine.  Reading stuff like this is a bit off putting.  I am looking at a Panama full transit so I ease my mind that it might be less likely on the longer cruise.

10 hours ago, MamatoJack said:

 

We finally got our new passes last week. We travelled twice with the expired ones. I believe there was an issue with renewals in the fall. I was very surprised to finally get them, I had planned to call in another week if they didn't show up. Now, of course, we have no trips planned. 

The issue seems to have extended past the fall, my renewal was submitted in Jan (2024) and almost 4 months later still 'Pending Approval' while the other person I submitted the same day (posted earlier) was approved and card received in two months. Good to hear of others with such varied experiences, almost seems like submissions hit different agent offices and luck of the draw what you get.

Oh well it's all good since the current one will not expire in the interim.  Meanwhile I am easily entertained by the process  😏

I am Elite on Celebrity, it has been my primary go to cruiseline.  What drew me to sail them the first time was their version of all in that included the drinks package, whereas my prior (few) cruises on Carnival and NCL did not do that so I decided to give it a try even though I was nervous it might not fit my relaxed style (ie formal nights and such).  Even better was that I had been watching prices and when the promo started the cruise cost did not change even by a penny so it was literally bonus perks (they increased weeks later).

I have sailed the three Celebrity class ships, Edge a couple times and Apex just last November.  I agree with so much being said here, the Celebrity itineraries and cruise lengths getting so short, the Edge class being nice but more glitz than comfort, the infinite veranda (really ocean view), weird transparency with drink pricing, and the crazy cruise prices. As a beer drinker I feel they play with that pricing a bit too much and things that used to be included in their equivalent to Holland signature package are now often priced just above so you have to pay out of pocket one way or another.  A major thing that has kept me sailing with them was zero smoking anywhere inside the ship, casino included but now I discover that some Holland ships do too.

I am here lurking because I have been very interested to try Holland for the first time.  Looking at Panama full transit sailing and likely do Early Booking Bonus HIA though right now it appears that the Early Booking cruise further out is pricier than one that has just lapsed that window so it does seem they are just padding that cost to that pricing to encorporate the 'bonus.  More research needed 🙂

20 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

Thanks for the info. Sounds similar to the one on NCL. Sometimes works and sometimes not.

Does it work with all types of phones? Android and Apple??

I have android samsung galaxy and the other party had iphones and same experience for us all.

The guest WIFI is free and enables one to use the features within the app as they state.  The WIFI is internet restricted so you only have access to internal use ... ie the app.  The chat with family friends is those that may be sailing with you and I would not consider it texting, it's chat feature within the Celebrity app.

My cruise Dec 2023 the Celebrity chat feature was not the best and we found it required one to actively be watching for messages and it was spotty.  We used it but would not rely on it, we also found messages to be out of chronological order at times, wonky.  We never did figure out a pattern to it's behavior, maybe it's improved in the last 4 months 🙂

Access to the internet or any other type 'external' communication would require purchasing a WIFI package.

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

The rooster (chicken?) part of this looks like a painting, especially the darker bluish feathers on it's back.  Love this picture!  I keep looking at it again thinking maybe you did actually take a photo of a picture LOL

So excited to follow along with you Jim, you do such awesome reviews. 

Interestingly I had just started considering this exact itinerary that you are doing, both cruises, in a few years (2027) when they release those dates as a retirement celebration trip. The flight still gives me pause from my far east location (2+ days) but the cruises look so enticing and it would bring me back to Canada at least a bit closer to home.  Meanwhile I will drool following and have a better idea what I could expect on this crossing, mine would be minus the lovely suite you have.

.

6 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

There are probably a couple threads a week on this issue.  Sometimes clearing the cache or using another browser works.  Other times waiting for a day.  The Celebrity website has a very long history of being wonky.

Not sure why you are pointing this out to me.  I know there are other threads on this, there are many thread on just about everything on Cruise Critic, but I didn't feel the need to point that.  I responded to what the OP was asking in the here and now, showing my current experience doing a fresh new login.  I definitely know Celebrity has many 'days', we go back many years.  I also work in IT (for too many years) so I know how both the user and the back end role play in the cause. Also have to consider that in this case it was the weekend when many organizations do backend maintenance.

1 hour ago, amevola said:

Has anyone been having problems logging into their Celebrity info?  Since yesterday, I cannot get in to see my reservations.  It doesn't reject me for the wrong password.  It says:

 

400 Bad Request

Request Header Or Cookie Too Large

 

Is it my problem or the website's problem?

 

TIA!

I just tried and was able to login without error, laptop using Edge browser.  Doesn't mean it still isn't a Celebrity back-end issue.  As others have said, I would definitely try clearing cache as that at least gives you a clean slate to retry login.

12 minutes ago, jmdlv1 said:

I used to get 50% off suites and free balcony cabins.

Now they offer free inside cabins.

So I stopped booking through the casino .Last couple cruises I booked through a regular TA and have been happy.

No pressure to put the hours in playing in the casino.

After sailing on the Apex two weeks ago ,they sent a voucher to my room for a free inside cabin.

No thanks!  

I'll pay and gamble when I feel like it.

 

When I've booked an offer through BCC, free or otherwise, I have never felt any pressure to spend any amount of time playing in the casino, they would not make me pay it back if didn't gamble on that cruise.  I've done so if i wanted to and the only gain aside from just wanting to play is perhaps getting future offers.  Is there something I'm missing?

That said, an inside or similar cabin with no perks becomes extremely unappealing on short cruises that (not Celebrity's fault) cost a fortune to fly to so that is my reason for not being so quick to jump on offers.

12 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

My other half gets mostly aqua class and concierge offers, I get inside lol.  If a sailing gives him a concierge stateroom am I allowed to take my inside and upgrade to aqua class?

The offers have some value which is known on 'their' end so this could be done based on that value and of course other things like availability.

I recently booked (subsequently canceled) an offer which somewhat mimics what you are asking.  My offer was concierge, my friends was ocean view (for same cruise/sailing) and I inquired with the BCC agent  who looked and said sure we can do that ... we got an aqua room.  The value of my friends ocean view must have been sufficient to bridge the 'current' difference in stateroom cost.

Similarly, I've inquired another time a bit further back when we both had lower class staterooms and it was not the same experience, an upgrade of any sort still resulted in difference in cost that would have been applied.

Definitely inquire if booking.  Even if you don't fully get a 'free' upgrade, the cost might be reduced enough to make it worth it to you.  Alternatively it might be better to utilize the other half's offer to do a B2B 😉  Happy sailing!

I extremely dislike Celebrity's use of 'Have It All' in recent promotions and also totally viewed it as pulled from HAL's use of this same verbiage (that they've used for ages).  Upon reading, it totally felt like bait and hook knowing that HAL uses it in the context of included packages and gratuities and such.  To use 'Have It All' in reference to 'why pick one beach, city, restaurant or even one pool' .. really????  I feel this one to be very confusing and misleading.

.

16 minutes ago, Cruiserkingman said:

Interesting topic. I had booked Hawaii to Sydney 17 days Oct 2024

 

Looking at the drinks packages but do I want to be doing that for 17 days? How are you being notified of the changes in prices for the packages or is it just luck that you are regularly checking? 

Thanks in advance for any advice. 

For me it's been watching closely, seeing someone share here that there is a sale, logging in regularly online to look if prices have changed, take note if Celebrity is promoting a sale, anticipating milestone sales like Black Friday and watching closer at these times.  I've never received an email specifically pointing out a drinks sale (that I recall) and if I have it's definitely not something I would rely on or you will surely miss one.

Let me share my current ongoing experience with the Nexus renewal process to show how varied one's experience can be.  Two people same household renewing ... I submitted online for both the same day literally one after the other.  Neither had any changes (ie address) within the five years so I anticipated and hoped no interview required.

Applicant 1 & 2 application date:  Jan 4, 2024

Applicant 1: Still pending review (March 22 as I write this).

Applicant 2:  Approval notification March 1, 2024 (no interview required)

Applicant 2:  Card received in mail March 8, 2024 😲

Interesting that the one I submitted first is the one still pending; clearly it's so random you can't rely on any experiences reported by others.

I have nothing booked so I'm not anxiously awaiting a new card so it's more interesting observation of processing times.  I'm also good knowing the current card is good until the new one is processed.

..

22 hours ago, Salt Lifer said:

Laura seems especially skilled at talking around any questions that is asked, all with a big smile.  I suspect that was her biggest qualifications for getting the job. 

 

Personally, I wish they would find a new host for these presentations that appeared more professional.  I didn't think it could get worse than her constantly overused valley-girl injection of "awesome" into every other sentence, but apparently she is now trying to balance that out by throwing "epic" into as many sentences as possible, as well.  

 

Here is the Cliff's notes of the video.

1.) The President's cruise will be both AWESOME and EPIC!!!

2.) Sorry Southamptoners, no additional ships in port for you.

3.) More awesome (and epic?) wine options will be available at an upcharge, allegedly requested by the "most loyal guests" so no complaining about the upcharge, okay? 

4.) Better say your goodbyes now to your favorite M-class ships....

5.) Hints that the RC, Silversea, and Celebrity points may combine, but of course no official confirmation.  Personally, this one would be a positive change for the guest if it were to happen.

 

You've voiced what I felt (this one and prior) about the overall vibe of these 'presentation-Q&As'.  Feels just too 'great' and the non answers just make that felt even more, all the talk of past and upcoming President's cruises .. going to wonderful ports 🙄 and such great things planned.  Questions answered by rewording the question(s) and explaining what it would take to do something and we are talking and discussing and then .. next question.  Wait, what was the answer ???  Even a timeline of when the 'assessing' will be done would be welcome.

I don't like to hate on things and have been happy to watch these to get the PUPs but I have often liked watching even if off the side of my desk.  This one and the prior few have been very disheartening.  Upon reflection, talk of the wine additions seemed to be the closest to something specific of all the things she spoke of, but I'm a beer drinker so whatever (low class 🙂)

14 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

I actually had Delta tell me it was my fault for booking so far in advance.

Laughing at this.  Did you respond to ask 'why do you make booking itineraries available so far in advance?'  Yep all your fault 🙃

9 minutes ago, hcat said:

Correct abt 30 items. Just write ELITE + on the receipt..keep your copy. Took a few days.  so  allow enough time.

 

sorry about ruined clothes !  We only send out undies, white tees and socks which hopefully  do not shrink..they use very hot water.  We prefer packing the  cleaner clothes but re wash everything once we get home!

 

It applies to Elite and up so + not necessary.  I just reached Elite before my recent cruises late last  year and this was a perk I was able to take advantage for the first time, was pretty nice to have clothing refresh.  I wrote ELITE on the top of the laundry list form.

As others have said, recent cruises the 'wine' was not waiting in my room and I just let the room steward know day/time I wanted it and it arrived sitting in an ice bucket. 

Opposite happened with canapes, they were horrible prior so I requested not to have them (ever) and still received them the first full day but then after that my 'request' must have reached someone as they stopped.  There is something about unidentifiable cheese sitting on a plate for heaven knows how long that is off putting for me. Maybe this could be a waiving of room delivery fee for x number of times/days instead .. Celebrity are you there?

This change kicked off Oct 2023.  This is still *noted at the bottom of an FAQ page.  As others have said, it was a go forward change to newly purchased (AI bookings) after this date.

Celebrity's All Included FAQs

.

Similar to what others have said.

If you are booking a new cruise on the Celebrity website, the prices presented on the front page are now (typically) Cruise-Only fares.  As you proceed to 'book', after you select your room you will be presented with a screen much like the one below (just a random 3 night I selected) and it will give you All Included option which will indicate the added cost.  This would of course vary based on cruise/length.

If you book Cruise-Only fare then you purchase a drinks package later.  Drink packages along with many other things are available for purchase when you log into your booking, much like buying excursions or specialty dining.

I did a (pre) pay one on Apex Nov-23 and it was similar to the way others have mentioned but clearly there are variations. 

Consistence is the predetermined bank of machines setup with a specific 'tournament' type game and your name will appear on the machine assigned to you for your round.  Rounds are based on the number that have registered to play so this of course would be unknown ahead of time.  The difference for the one I played, scores were captured overall for all rounds and think it was top 8 (or 10) scores qualified for the final round with a single prize of $500 casino credit to the winner. I got in the final round and was doing so poorly almost the entire time with many behind me focused on someone next to me, but the tables turned right near the end and I was suddenly at the top and won.  Not sure who was more shocked, me or them LOL.  It was fun but it was the only one I played during the cruise, the 'fun money' was an awesome take away!

They also had other 'free' tournaments during the sailing where I heard them announce $50 credit prize.  One day it was for Concierge guests, another was for first time Celebrity cruisers, thinking there were others but can't recall.

19 minutes ago, Oxo said:

I am not aware of this?

 

'As Diamond or above, you get 2 additional 50% off beers/wines/soda coupons as well..'

 

Is this something new? Is it on your Cruise Card?

 

TIA

It would appear the 50% off is not exclusive to Diamond.  First line item below.

Just did B2B Apex to Reflection in FLL.  Was terminal 25 to 28 (think it was) and guest services/concierge was able to accommodate this and it was complimentary.  There were 3 other 'rooms' that were doing this as well.  It wasn't the most seamless.

We were told all arranged, get off (the Apex) with the last disembarking number which I believe was 48 or something and grab our luggage from this area upon leaving.  Then to go to the transfer busses, the one identified as going to FLL Airport. This confused us but we were told it would be dropped off along it's route to the airport ... perfect.  Where it was a little annoying was when we got to the bus area we are asked our names and the guy looks at his 'transfer list' and none of us are on it. Another guy came over (seemed to be more the organizer of all the bus transfers) and no matter how we all explained what we were told he was adamite that this was not how it worked.  This went on for way longer than it should have but we finally got on a bus  (which said to Miami LOL) and were taken on our way.

So definitely go to guest services but if it were me doing this again I would ask for something in writing or something that can be proof of the arrangement.