tschwa2

6 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Do you remember how long lunch was?  We booked this as well via Celebrity on sale as well as a snorkeling morninv trip via a local company out to the Sapona.  We have zero interest in going out on the island as we have been there already and wasn't for us.  Just plan on going right to resort.

I think the lunch is just getting one of the options off of the $20 lunch menu which I would imagine you could do until at least 3pm.  https://rwbimini.com/bimini-beach/bimini-beach-menu-lunch/

My plan one was golf cart but then I decided it might be a hassle and might not be reliable.  So then I booked resort world when it was on sale for $29 per person.  Thought that might be boring and may not get a shady spot so cancelled that one.  Booked Reef Shark snorkel for $84 per person on sale.  10 days until the port so I think that is my final answer.  

When you log on and view the cruise in upcoming cruises and then plan my cruise, do you see the OBC at the top? If not did you just book.  Sometimes it takes 3-7 or so days before the OBC seems to attach to my cruise.  Once it is there and I go to book it will tell my I have $x and there is a box asking me how much of it I want to use toward the pre-cruise booking.  That is for OBC through Celebrity. If you are booking with an outside agent often they don't attach their promotional OBC until the day you sail and there is a little card in your cabin congratulating you on the OBC added to your account at least that is the way my TA OBC works.

14 hours ago, Sdancer said:

It looks like $2,678.57 is the total for two people, including taxes & fees.

It claims 75% discount of $3,265 but $3,365 out of $6,084 is 53.41%, not 75%.

Strange... it does not add up.

What is the total for a solo?

That is what it gives me as the cost when I price it out for 1.  My guess is if I priced it out for 2 it would be $159.57 more for the taxes and port fees.   So I guess it is discounting off of the 100% single supplement as the second guest.

4 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

An "inaugural" cruise is the first time a ship sails with paying passengers. If I am not mistaken, that would be November 22, 2023. What is a ship's second paying passenger cruise called? I'll take a wild guess, the second paying passenger cruise. Unless it's the first intended duty cruise.

The others are called preview nights.  It is the same as broadway or any theater.  Most opening nights have had one or two preview performances and the previews are not usually free.

1 hour ago, Sdancer said:

When Celebrity runs a special with 75% off for a second person, it is cheaper for a solo to book for two with a planned no-show for a second person.

Taxes and fees for a no-show person are refunded and the gratuities are not charged.

Not always.  I think they still the 32.5% discount off one.  At least when I priced out a single cruise they still listed 

I will be sailing on the Reflection the same day as the Ascent maiden voyage.  There are 5 ships total leaving that day from port everglades with 4 leaving at 3pm.  DH thinks the president of Celebrity will be there to send it off.  

40 minutes ago, GibbysMom said:

Is there a shuttle that runs from Port Everglades to the Fort Lauderdale Airport when you disembark - say on a regular loop or do I need to book one?   Similar question for airport to pre cruise hotel.  Haven't flown for a cruise to Port Everglades since 2009 and cannot remember how we got back to airport from the port.  Not interested in Uber or Lyft.  Any info is appreciated.

 

If you don't want uber or lyft, you can book through the ship or you can take a taxi.

They had it on my RC cruise a few years back.  With that one it explicitly stated that it also included lunch on days at sea but this offer only says a reservation can be made every night.

56 minutes ago, r2h2 said:

Can a person bring on more than a 12 pack of soda at embarkation? Can same person bring on more than a 12 pack of soda at a port stop?  If someone knows, please tell.  Thank you

I don't think they officially have a limit on non alcoholic beverages as long as it can reasonably be considered personal consumption. Not sure about the ports.  Again I am not sure if Celebrity has published a policy either way.  

I am a soda drinker and anytime we went past a bar we would get one until I had a little stock pile.  Every bar, el bacio, and the buffet had them and the wait was no longer than to get anything else  usually less than 5 minutes and often no line at all.  It is annoying the zero proof doesn't have 40-50% off sales.  Sodas are just under $4 by the time you add the gratuity. We had the all included or I would have brought my own.  

I would call to verify that it isn't needed, so you won't be surprised if they are charged or disappointed if you need to cancel.  I would assume however you booked has your children's age in the reservation but you might want to check that too.

This is what it says under the FAQ:  

Our policy requires that any guest wishing to purchase the Drink Package must do so for all other guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom. However, we will make an exception for the following:

Exceptions: 

• Children 12 years old and under: will NOT be required to purchase a Zero drink package.
• Teens – A Zero Proof drink package will be added
  • 13 -17 years old (Europe, Asia, Australia)
  • 13 - 20 years old (USA)
• Pregnant guests – A Zero Proof drink package will be added.
• Recovering alcoholic or medical issue that does not allow guests to consume alcohol. – A Zero Proof drink package will be added.

29 minutes ago, Pushkin said:

Can anyone tell me if you can take advantage of the Elite Plus 20% discount on drink packages when purchasing a drink package that is discounted through the current sale?  IOW - would I get 20% off of the Black Friday special drink package price?

You can call and see, but the answer I got was that captains club discounts don't stack on most other discounts.  So although they say sure they can when they quote me the price with the CC discount it is higher than what I can book for myself online.

2 hours ago, Rangerblp said:

I keep seeing shuttle options but they are $100 round trip for two people from FLL to the port of miami. Are there any better options? 

If you mean $100 total for 2 people round trip that isn't bad at $25 pp each way.  An uber is going to be $40-$50 each way plus tip.  Coming back into the port of Miami and going to FLL, It took about 30 minutes for an uber to accept and then show up.  Most uber's at the port of Miami only want to take fares to MIA rather than having to do a 30-45 minute trip back in traffic once they drop you off.

20 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I truly believe they have quit sending us emails once we reach a critical number of sailings or CC points. Looking for new blood. I even signed up under a different email address and don't get promotional emails.

Do you have a bank of america cc registered at the same email as your captains club?  My husband does and he got the email.  I do not and did not get the email.

They are using the orange X other places too.  This is in my cruise planner for Apex.  

13 hours ago, CruiserKris34 said:

I guess that never even crossed my mind.  I thought since it said 2 devices, that it could be each of our phones.  I thought that they were giving you a small deal for buying 2 instead of 1.  Good question.

When they do have sales the better sales are often on one device.  So keep an eye out for those.  When that happens getting 2 one devices are cheaper than a single 2 device option.  If you do get the 2 device option they would have the same log on.  

On board at the excursion desk, I think they would be able to keep it at the same price and cancel and rebook.  That would assume the new time is still available when you get onboard.

Yes.  Wouldn't that be nice.  

https://www.thestreet.com/travel/royal-caribbean-makes-big-possibly-controversial-dining-change

On 11/4/2023 at 11:57 AM, 1Virgo said:

The best rates portion was NOT locking in the rate available  onboard.   It has always meant you would get the best rate available when you actually booked

I repeat. Did NOT lock in the price that day!    
 

I don’t know how to make that any clearer

I think in the past the perks (other than the OBC) weren't locked in either, they just happened to be the same for those years.  You are locking in the rate and the perks associated with the rates  that are available at the time of booking.  

3 hours ago, Miss Studio said:

I'd like to book Specialty Dining on my upcoming Silhouette cruise.  The times that the website are offering me are too late.  We live in the EST zone, and the only options being offered are 9:30 for most nights.  If I book the 9:30 time slot (especially on night one, when a "first night" discount is being offered)--can I change the time to something earlier, once we are onboard?  Thanks, as always, to everyone that offers advice!  First time on Celebrity, but long time Royal Cruisers.  It's been fun to learn all about this new Line, and we are very excited to experience "X"!

You can change if it is available.  I think they hold some extras for the suite passengers to book once they get on board.  If you can't get it the first day, you can try everyday to see if there are any cancellation.  Celebrity has way more early diners than late diners and the earlier times book up sometimes months in advance. 

I thought the cover charges at the restaurants already assumed that you likely won't be eating in a dining room so have about $15-20 already built into the cost,  so the aprox $4 tip that would have gone for your dinner portion of the $18-23 per person per day and would have gone to the MDR or buffet's dining and culinary services staff, would also go to the servers in the specialty restaurant.  

13 hours ago, bikerunner said:

My cruise this month is same 18.99 but my TA next year in April had the special 6.99 deal for upgrades.   It’s understandable to me in that I’m locked in if I got it etc.   not upset in any sense as it’s part of the cost of cruising I factored in.  

You can cancel what you paid and book it again at the lower price.  You are not locked into any of the prices for items you buy pre-cruise.  If you used OBC, it should come back within a minute or 2.  If you used a cc it can take up to a month to go back to the card after being refunded with the cancel but it usually only takes 1-2 weeks in my experience.  I cancel and rebook when the promotional discount increases all the time.

So should I keep my 5 night specialty package for my 6 night cruise next month or cancel and try the MDR.  It was bad in August.  Tough lamb, bad steak, blah choices.  I would rather eat at 6:30 and have good food in the main dining room but will take 8-9p in the specialty restaurants if that means better food.