Ipeeinthepools

Jim, I hardly ever doubt you, but are you 100% sure this is true? I would like to tip my room attendant extra but if he just turns it into the pool, I may change my mind.

I saw a couple cabs and Ubers at the cruise terminal exit. I suspect any available cabs were taken by the people waiting in line. I don’t know the details about price but you may have better luck by calling your own cab. All I can tell for sure is that for at least for the few couple of hours in port there were long lines waiting for the shuttle.

Hi Jim, I’m looking forward to your review. It will be interesting to see your comparison of Celebrity’s suite class vs a true luxury ship. Enjoy

Since you aren’t getting off the ship, I’ll chime in. There are free shuttle buses but the line is tremendously long waiting to get on the buses, probably a couple hundred people. They promise more buses are coming but if it were me, I’d plan on taking a cab. Nothing exciting for me today, just a walk along the shoreline at the port.

in the event of an actual emergency, i choose to believe that there are enough experienced people working the critical jobs of loading the lifeboats, lowering the boats and sailing them away from the ship. I doubt that we’ll all be in our assigned lifeboats and they will load them with whoever is by the lifeboat entrance. This isn’t because of any crew errors but because I don’t believe the guests will be following directions. If many of my fellow passengers cutting in front of me at the buffet, I suspect that they will do the same if we are sinking.

I guess it depends on your definition of traditional. I equated going to the theatre with bringing your life jacket and standing on deck. I had forgotten about the older standing on deck packed together like sardines. It’s probably been at least 20 years since I’ve experienced the standing on deck. But upon further review, sitting in the theatre, dining room or anywhere else indoors is a lot better than standing on deck and seemed like an improvement at the time.

I guess you just need to make your own beer and wine tasting and order the individual beer and wines.

Check out the rest of the thread and you’ll see the reason.

Never said muster drills went away, but traditional muster drills have gone away. Yesterday’s muster drill was not as you describe, it was sit in the theater and listen to the Captain talk while you watched crew members try to put on their life vest.

I’ll keep you company every step of the trip

Now that I have experienced the 6 month muster, it is definitely for the crew. Some crew didn’t realize they needed to scan every guest to confirm attendance, some crew standing on stage didn’t know they were supposed to demonstrate how to wear the life jacket and no one seemed to know when it ended. The passengers just decided to leave. No guidance from the Captain or Cruise Director.

I think you’re correct. The room steward just told me they have to do it every 6 months and I just got lucky. 😔

Idk. I can’t find any video to watch and they say they will give us details later. In any case it appears we will have everyone going to their muster stations at the same time

We’re leaving in just a few hours on the NS and we are having a traditional muster drill were everyone needs to report to your muster station. Maybe I missed it, but this is the first I’ve heard about HAL having a traditional uster drill. Is this happening on other ships?

Sorry we’ll miss you on HAL, but I hope you enjoy Oceania. It’s a far better deal than CO

Thanks for the feedback. We usually do the Self-Assist and I was hoping to find some way to avoid the line.

Does anyone know how if there is Priority Disembarkation for people do self-assist with Club Orange? I was hoping there is a waiting area and someone would escort you to the front of the line.

Yea you did, but you just didn't get it.

I'm not sure PW could pay me to go to one of their events (ok, maybe if they comped the cruise). I live about 3 miles from PW headquarters and I've never even considered going there for a visit much less spend some of my vacation time with them.

I think you got your answer from @cruisestitch. But I'll suggest that Eden looks better than it actually is for watching an aft view. Most of the space is on a ramp and you are sitting sideways on a hill and I don't find that very comfortable. Add to that you are sitting in some silly Hoppen-designed chairs not the lounge seating in the Sky Lounge.

Now you know what's it's like to sail on the E-class ships. The Sky Lounge was eliminated in favor of the Retreat area for the suite guests.

CO does sell-out, so hopefully it is still available for your cruise.

I'm ok if they stick with Pinnacle size ships for all new builds.

Just out of curiosity, which plan did you purchase? Standard or Platinum. The standard policy does not offer anything after boarding.

That's not the case for my two April 2025 sailings on the NS. There are no dining options are bookable for either cruise.