NevadaCruiser2023

27 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I wonder if those increases are actually 100% going to the crew or to the bottom line?

Interesting question. Considering RC is a public company, I'd think the accounting for tip distribution would be available somewhere.  The US can't be the only Country that taxes its citizens on worldwide income, so tip distribution would have to be accounted for simply due to tax regulations.  

On 2/5/2023 at 9:26 AM, TeeRick said:

Just pack your George Foreman Grill, a couple of Prime Ribs, and maybe some Maine Lobster on ice in your carryon.  Then you will not be disappointed! 😁

Go whole hog, just pack a charcoal grill and do a barbeque on the balcony.  Just make sure you invite your neighbors so they won't complain.  

22 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Do you have paper boarding passes at the airport or your phone?  Do you have your ID in hand?  It's the exact same premise.  

Almost all of the airports I fly out of no longer require you to (*Show) a boarding pass.  Just show ID, they have it all on the computer. I asked the TSA guy recently when I was leaving Vegas and he mentioned that it's on their computer now linked to your ID.  We both have Trusted Traveler so we can use pre-check, I wonder if that's why? 

2 hours ago, Mark_T said:

If you both turn up at 12:00 they are not going to turn you away...

 

Another time make sure you use the option to check-in both of you at the same time.

I didn't see the "both at the same time" option on the App.  It was a tad irritating that I had to enter at for both of us, you'd think since we're on the same booking in the same cabin, it'd be linked in some fashion.  1st world problems I suppose. 

7 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

I grew up more or less in the South. Never really cared for biscuits and gravy. I have NEVER had or seen any form of biscuits and gravy in the UK. Don’t know what your server was smoking…

Fresh Biscuits and Pepper Gravy.  Yumm!

54 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Just looked at our sailing on Millennium for April and it's still the standard menu with the normal items, including the Huevos Ranchero's.

 

 I was born and raised in Alabama and what I was served when I ordered biscuits and gravy in Luminae was an offense to the meals name. 

 

That is exactly what a New Yorker thinks of when Biscuits and Gravy are mentioned. I haven't had good ones since I moved from Missouri. 

On my app, Day 2 was limited as the OP suggested, but went back to full breakfast options on Day 3 and beyond.  Now, it's back to all the options on Day 2. They must have a NASA reject Chimpanzee playing around with the App.  

5 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

CardCash has them at 14% off. Take a close look at the terms and conditions before buying.

 

Also note that travel insurance cencellation claims cannot refund money lost from purchases made with gift cards. So there's a slight risk in using them to help pay for a cruise.

 

https://www.cardcash.com/buy-gift-cards/discount-celebrity-cruises-cards/

Second that.  "This Certificate/Card cannot be used to settle any ship board charges, including but not limited to gift shop purchases, casino debts, shore excursions or gratuities. This Certificate/Card is not valid on any other cruise line, including any affiliate or subsidiary of Celebrity Cruises Inc".  What's the point of buying one? 

Shew! When I read your post topic, I thought Celebrity was cutting back on the oxygen served to passengers, to keep in line with their recent OVR dinner changes. 😁

35 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

The muster stations are not staffed during the first hour or so of boarding. I want to drop my bag in my cabin and acquire water and espresso during that period. 
 

I think people who don’t turn up at their muster station by the deadline should be thrown off the ship. 

Probably a little too draconian for my tastes.  How about requiring them to be last to board a lifeboat in the event of an abandon ship?

I think anything is better than the cattle call feeling of the old muster drills. 

4 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

I don't know... they seem to be able to keep jacking up the rates (suites, at least) with no apparent slow down in bookings. I was looking at a sky suite on the beyond for March two weeks ago. At that point, it was ~$5,900. I looked again today and it was $7,900. Sorry but %^$# them !

 

Tom

It's kinda bizzare.  I booked a cruise back in June of 22 for March of 23.  I did another booking for the same category (S1 SS) and the price is almost $7.4k MORE than what I paid.  I had to pull out the booking confirmation to make sure I was seeing it right.   I realize it's only 2 months out instead of 9 months out, but that's a heck of a price jump (and now it's supposedly 75% off the 2nd guest).  I thought you were supposed to be able to snatch "last minute cruise deals"? 

On 1/21/2023 at 9:24 AM, George C said:

I would get my money’s worth also, but I think at least in some cases it pays to book a sky suite since it normally comes with premium drinks, tips , WiFi etc . 

That's what we did.  After figuring out the cost of the PDP, Grat and Wifi were it to be purchased separately, it was worth it to pop the extra for a SS and get the Retreat. 

On 1/23/2023 at 9:17 AM, terrydtx said:

All of our cruises in the last 2 years have been in the Retreat with the PDP amenity and just for the wines by the glass darn well worth it. On the Reflection last year, I was also to get 12-year-old Mccallan scotch for the $15 per shot price. I love good whiskeys and the PDP has a nice selection compared to the classic offering. For just drinking vodka I see no reason to upgrade.

That almost sounds like you're saying Vodka is Vodka is Vodka.  Philistine! 

On 1/24/2023 at 8:26 AM, Glendakayself said:

Thank you. That worked! Without clicking on loyalty, I could not figure out how to delete Captain’s Club number!

Thank you.  That saved me time on the phone with that annoying hold spiel. 

@BermudaBound2014  Thank you for your trip report. It was probably one of the best I've seen.  

On 1/22/2023 at 8:52 AM, RichYak said:

They've basically given up. I feel bad so for the staff.

A lot of people are saying "this is the result of Covid", but I wonder if it's a convenient excuse? I can get behind the reduction of the buffet later in the night to reduce food waste and cost but be honest about it.  

Just now, Azulann said:

I cannot believe that Celebrity has chicken nuggets on their dinner buffet. FGS , that is McDonald fare.

In his early years, my kid survived on Chicken Nuggets.  It was like the heavens opened for him the first time I took him to a steakhouse (when he was old enough to understand the significance of a steakhouse steak), that is. 

On 1/19/2023 at 4:29 AM, navybankerteacher said:

True, but if you are on a ship carrying 4,000 or so passengers, getting to the gangway can be a mob scene if everyone wants off at the same time. Suppose there are two gangways and 3,000 people want off and it takes 3 seconds for each to swipe his sea pass it would take over an hour for all of them to get off.  

 

One reason to avoid mega ships.

That assumes that everyone will get off the ship. A great many people choose to stay onboard to enjoy the quiet time.  

30 minutes ago, kidz_rn said:

You are so right that this thread has deteriorated into nothing but complaining!

BTW, it's either "my 2 cents" or "my .02 dollars," not my .02 cents  😂

 

 Oh crap!  You started it now. 😃

Agreed fine Sir.  Some of the best food I've ever eaten were in holes in wall that would never have made a "top 1000" places to eat.   A little place on Isla Mujeres had some of the best fish taco's I've ever had and they were some ridiculous price, around .25 a piece or something like that. 

3 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

On the rocks is well understood in England, but in my experience rarely used. With an English accent it comes across as slightly pretentious which would result in the blank look, a look saying why are you trying to talk like an American. 

Actually, I rarely say "on the rocks" either, I mostly say "Vodka rocks", which is correct, with or without the comma after "vodka". 

4 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

😂 some things people can get upset about. If you asked for a drink on the rocks where I live you’d get a blank look too! Not everyone speaks American you know, us English would politely say “with ice please”.

Really?  I've been to several Countries in my day (except England strangely enough), and I've never been misunderstood. I thought "on the rocks" was a generic bar thing taught the world over.  Who knew? 

On 1/19/2023 at 9:05 AM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Here is the dinner buffet from last night. Only fresh station was pasta. I actually skipped dinner entirely because I had my first cheeseburger from the pool grill around 5pm and that was plenty for me. I’ve read that the burgers are now larger, but tasteless fleet wide. I found if you smother it in the caramelized onions they offer it’s quite tasty. :). 
 

Anyway, here is the buffet from night 5. This is the offerings in their entirety:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the menu from

the pool grill. As mentioned, the grilled onions added lots of flavor to the burger. Open until 6 pm. It would be SOOOOooo easy for them to keep this open a bit longer and add a few other items to grill fresh. Seems it would be a great compromise. Since food is grilled to order there wouldn’t be waste.

 

 

I just thought about this: If I was running an ocean faring ship, I would refuse to use the word "Iceberg" in any description. 

7 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

That would only be a minor inconvenience to me, I'd much rather have them ask me how to make it then for them to guess.  I hold a lot of weight if they're positive/pleasant

Except, if you put someone behind the bar, they should know at least the bare minimum about the job. Ordering a drink on the rocks and getting a blank look wouldn't fill me with confidence that the drink will be correct. Come on, man! it's not hard to run someone through a quick hit the basics power point slide show.