bbappel

It means you could fit 4 people in your room if you wanted to do so. In our experience it has meant nothing. Since we don't use them, we have never been affected by their presence.

On Millennium class ships, it may matter if you have a connecting cabin (a little - sign between two cabins) because there is a door that may allow noise but on Solstice class ships, that isn't how they connect so it doesn't.

You should be able to enjoy your cabin.

Beth

I know the OP was talking about being on ship when the issue happens, I worry more about being ashore and not immediately surrounded by ship personnel

While I was writing about being on ship because that was what happened to us, being prepared is good for everywhere. Thanks for the tip about phone-graphing the Port Agent number.

Thanks for everyone's contributions. I like reading how other people manage, even the people who are so well-prepared that they make me envious. I intend to be organized, then the cardinal stops by the bird-feeder, or a friend calls, or I see the book I've been reading whispering my name, and there is the computer. All distractions and ones I'm not so able to ignore.

Project_gal: We had no choice to leave stuff behind. We were essentially removed from the ship with all our belongings because the medical staff didn't know how soon or if we could be reunited with our belongings. I think at that moment, my husband just wanted to go home anyway. Once we were back on ship, he was very glad we made it back and could finish our trip. I had about 15 minutes to get everything packed, maybe less, and the "help" of two stewards. I think I could have done it myself in 20 minutes since I wasn't packing for an airplane and I would have known where everything was, but it was nice to not be doing it alone. Mixed blessing.

Beth

"Nothing excellent can be done without leisure" -- André*Gide

You are the only one who knows whether or not the inside cabin will be OK with you. I shared an inside cabin with my grandson and I could manage it. My husband could not have done so. For this reason, we always book a veranda aka balcony.

In doing the calculations, comparing drink package with OBC or tips, you only need to drink as much as the lowest offering in order to break even. It isn't just the alcohol, but also the delicious non-alcohol drinks, like mint lemonade, and on our last cruise I often ordered an alcohol-free mojito - I called it a nojito - because I loved the mint-lime combination but wasn't drinking much. I still feel I got my money's worth but I wasn't considering the added cost of the better cabin since it is what we book.

I enjoy the drink package for the freedom to try new drinks without the worry about if I like them or not. Also I enjoy having a white wine with the starters and a red wine with the entree.

Whichever choice you make, please put it behind you and totally enjoy the cruise. That is the most important thing. The rest is just window dressing. (an old family saying).

Beth

Thanks for the comments. I do hope this helps others in this situation. I feel like I should have known to prepare for something, since we are both over 70. But we feel fine, so we don't think about it.

It will be my goal to get this part of our life organized. I'm like ClaudiaB in that I grew up in a cluttered environment, but not like her in that I continued the practice, to my dismay. I've been improving after retirement but still have a very long way to go. My husband tends to be the organizer. Oddly enough, I'm really good at organizing computer stuff for Roll Calls. Thank you Claudia for not making me feel bad because I'm not so good at this. You resisted the temptation to be "holier than though" and that is really really helpful, because those of us who are cluttered don't want to be, but can't get it together to change.

I used my phone (I have a 4s iPhone) for some things, and fortunately had activated it to use in Europe. Some people don't do that and it can cause problems. One problem with everything being on the phone was that I hadn't paid attention to how charged it was. Luckily there was enough for most of the phone calls. I will see if we can store some of this info on my husband's phone since his is password protected. Mine isn't. I'm going to try to put most of these suggestions into practice.

Thanks again.

Beth

I am unclear about that but on the Constellation last April we were killing time with a barman and he told us he gets paid $US1500 per month plus any gratuities he gets in his hand (cash), which for many third world people is a lot of money, considering his only costs are any monies he spends in the crew bar. Everything else is met by the company.

 

You can take from that comment what you will. My take on it is that a barman / waiter gets paid a flat salary based on wages paid by the company plus pooled prepaid gratuities.

 

With so many prepaid packages on board X ships a lot of which are "perks" it is probably the only fair way that a barman/waiter can be fairly compensated. Whether or not $US1500 per month tax free is considered a fair wage is another argument all together.

 

If what my friendly barman told me was "gospel" you can make your own decision whether or not to pay an additional tip on a per drink basis. Either way you are going to be right because X in their own publications say if one prepays gratuities nothing more is required.

 

My anti tipping culture says no extra is required , your tipping culture may dictate otherwise.

First, your "third world" statement is totally offensive on several levels, not least that not all the workers on a ship come from third world countries. AND they aren't working in a third world situation, so they deserve a wage commensurate with the world they are working in. Also your presumption that he doesn't have costs other than bar costs is a mistaken one. Most call home regularly, that isn't free. They have personal clothing care costs, computer costs, snack foods, and lots of others that I can't think of at the moment. I agree that we should pay people a reasonable wage so tipping isn't needed to augment salaries, but that isn't the reality of the day.

Finally, your anti-tipping culture is fine, and in New Zealand, if I'm ever fortunate enough to make it there, I won't tip, but on board a ship, you aren't in New Zealand.

Beth

Our on-board agent booked a "place holder" cruise for us because we wanted to book a 2018 European cruise but none were available, so she booked a 2018 Caribbean cruise. She wasn't willing to book us into the exact cabin we would like (probably because it is a great cabin) since she didn't want to tie it up, but otherwise it was no problem. She chose one that we could take, that was the length we would wish to change to. We lose the 1/2 off the second person in the cabin if we change since that was a special deal but keep the other perks. We think.

Beth

This is a follow-up to my "Celebrity Shows Its Strength" post. I'm inviting those who have been forced to disembark due to a medical emergency and those who are highly organized and sensible to contribute to this thread.

What did you do? How do you wish you had prepared? Did it go smoothly?

What would you do? How would you prepare?

My idea is to prevent the kind of panic I felt due to my need to pack the cabin with the help of room stewards and find the important papers and all that while my husband couldn't help me. [Celebrity handled their part wonderfully but I was not a calm, cool, fall-apart-later person. I was crumbling then and there. Always thought I was an independent woman, I've got to work on that.] Our emergency turned out not to be at all serious but at the time, I didn't know that.

Things I wish I had or did have:

• Passports in the safe, ready to go
  
• Medications in a bag, ready to go
  
• Lists of regular medications for each person
  
• Emergency phone numbers (health insurance, travel insurance, doctors at home, the port agents)
  
• Where everything you've unpacked is located in the cabin (maybe a list? photos?)
  
• An organized list of the private excursions you have planned with the phone numbers for the people you are with (I didn't have this and wasn't sure what I could do to deal with the excursion and transfer I had planned if we didn't continue). Not everyone reads Cruise Critic Roll Calls when they are on board.
  
• I was just hoping we would be back on the ship by the next port or so if not that night.
  
• A guide book with simple phrases in the languages of the ports. Amusingly, I did do this for the Roll Call, but I never printed it for myself and in an emergency, you can't go fooling around with your computer. I'm printing these lists soon to add to our Next Cruise file.
  

What would you do?

Thanks,

Beth

One other thing that would have made our lives easier and I could kick myself that we hadn't done and will do now.

Find out before you leave what your credit cards will do to help. The card you use to pay for your cruise may have benefits that would have included the translator/interpreter that Celebrity provided for those who find themselves having to stay longer, since I'm not sure how long we were "given" our translator. If he had been hospitalized, I have no clue what could have happened. I'm reviewing credit card information right now, since it isn't something one can do while leaving the ship and hopping in a cab. In the future, we will include this information, as well as some other pro forma health information so we have it handy. Ken had a 3x5 card with his medications listed so it was easy to tell the doctors. I don't think I do, so I have to fix that. And other "what if" stuff. I'm even wondering if I should research hotels in each port so I know where I would want to go if necessary. That is probably my OCD kicking in and is a step too far. It is just that I know I was not thinking clearly and it seems ridiculous in hindsight because all turned out so well, but we had already "lost" one of our Roll Call to a medical emergency in our first port and I think that contributed to the "panic" factor. I think he is doing well also, though he wasn't enjoying the non-air-conditioned hospital the first few nights.

Maybe we need a new thread, "What you need in a medical emergency on a cruise" and someone who is good at handling this stuff could start it, since I am certainly not an authority.

One thing I think I'm going to look into are the light weight zipper totes. My mind would have been more at ease if the stuff that was thrown into the Celebrity bags had been zipped closed. I am sure I can find these, and they would be good for toting stuff around the ship or on shore - and wouldn't advertise that you were on a cruise like the X bags do. I have one really good X bag, maybe from our Concierge class cruise. It folds into a pouch which becomes an inside pocket and is plain navy with leather trim. It is sturdy too. It is a little heavier than I'm considering though. Every ounce counts.

Thanks for all the comments.

Beth

Hi Beth. What are these? I'm always happy to hear of easier ways to pack and unpack.

It is a little off-topic but then again, it fits into the "what if" category. I use some Eagle Creek packing "cubes"

There is also a "hanging thing" that simplifies packing. I tried to find a link to it and failed. I'm not even sure where I saw this but I remember the video and it looked very organized. You take clothing on hangers and put it in this "thing" and then remove it from your suitcase and hang it in the closet.

I do not believe I can become the person who travels with a carry-on only because I get bored with only one color or even two. I am going to make the effort to become a bit more organized in my checked bag, and resist stuffing one more thing in the corners. By writing this here, I hope I will more committed to doing it.

Oh, also, my husband has improved so much you can't even tell his eye looked like a bloody mess.

Beth

Thanks for the kind comments. I love hearing from people with whom we've shared cruise experiences. Thanks Marie & Anne Marie. And those with whom I expect to - Thanks Jacquie.

One more thing - I was just reviewing my notes. They said this:

In the future, we should pack and unpack in such a way that it is easy to just repack in a hurry if needed. All things in safe in a single plastic bag. All pills ditto. And we should develop a procedure to do it if needed.

This is because the packing was an ordeal - I don't deal with emergencies well - I would love to be the person who falls apart after everything is handled, and I swear next time I will be, but then the next time comes and I am a mess. So as the ship stewards were trying to pack our bags, I was trying to remember where I was putting our money from the safe, our pills so we could get to them, and on and on. It certainly didn't reduce the stress. I left behind my "valuable" wall hooks so I have to be on the look-out for new ones because they were gone when we returned. I'm going to use the suitcase packing devices for over the bed. It will make unpacking easy and repacking even easier. I hope we never need to do this again, but on our cruise, there was a much more serious emergency in the first port. Because it was the first day, I hope they hadn't done all their unpacking.

I tend to be one of those people whose suitcase sort of explodes. The guys couldn't get everything back in the cases despite their best efforts since time was a key factor, so had to substitute Celebrity bags, the light ones, not the nice zippered Concierge ones; some of our stuff was just tied in these bags. We arrived with 2 large cases, 2 rolling totes, a back pack and a regular tote. We left the ship that night with all of those plus 4 Celebrity totes just tied in a bow. Luckily the Clinic in Cadiz was able to secure all our stuff when we went on to the hospital, and retrieve it when we were going back to the ship.

Has anyone else any sure-fire solutions to preparing for this sort of emergency? I'm thinking about it, that's for sure.

Beth

We often focus on the food, the cabins, the entertainment, because after all, it is a cruise. When something unexpected happens, though, this is when Celebrity shows its strength.

The strength is caring for the passengers in important ways and caring for our safety. This puts in perspective any criticisms we might make. Which would you want, a ship where you find nothing to criticize but if you have an emergency, you are on your own OR Celebrity, where you are well cared-for.

Short story about what happened & how Celebrity helped.

My husband and I were in Cadiz on the 7th night of a 12 night Silhouette cruise, a Friday night (the ship was staying until 11:00 PM). We had been out in the earlier part of the day to explore our options for a nice Spanish meal. Back on board, getting ready to go out, my husband was trimming his eyebrows and dropped the scissors, cutting his eye causing the eye to internally fill with blood and alarm us.

We dashed down to the Medical Facility just before they closed; the nurse and doctor on staff examined him and felt he might need immediate surgery and weren’t equipped to diagnose nor to do the surgery. We speak no Spanish beyond gracias and cervesa. With help from Celebrity’s staff, we were disembarked with our luggage to get medical care in Cadiz (first at Clínica La Salud, a private clinic, and then at the public hospital to determine if he needed surgery--he didn't). Celebrity provided us a medical-interpreter/liaison from the area, Salim, who stayed with us until everything was resolved, communicating with cabs, and even loaning me his cell phone. Celebrity personnel in the US kept in contact with us and when he was declared fit to travel, Sherry, in Miami, communicated with the Bridge, who agreed to wait for us. Captain Kefatzis later said, with his typical humor, that we just made it; he saw the cab pulling up and hoped it was us, since he could not have waited longer. We have been able to enjoy the cruise thanks to Celebrity personnel.

It was an aha moment for us when we realized that Celebrity's strength is in their protocols for caring for passengers whether in the health area or in safety, and that is what is most important. We are grateful that Celebrity's priorities are what they are.

Beth

Getting off the ship may depend on who is the captain. We were required to be out of our cabins by 7:00 am. Bags were out by 10:00 pm the night before (though if you self-disembark that isn't an issue).

Another issue is traffic. We disembarked from Silhouette at about 8:30; on our trip to Rome there was an overturned and jackknifed tractor trailer blocking the traffic heading toward Civitavecchia. Luckily for us, we were going to hotels, rather than FCO because it caused delays in our direction as well. Accidents happen. While it is impossible to prepare for this, it is something to keep in mind. We found a similar issue in New York recently. We were headed to the airport to do our TSA Pre-check application and it took us nearly 2 hours more than expected and we had allowed ample time to get there. Then due to that we allowed extra time to get to the airport when were were flying for the cruise and sat at the airport for quite a while.

It is admittedly frustrating to be ready and waiting for hours. At the same time, the level of stress caused by cutting it close would destroy my vacation high. That said, you know yourself, and you may handle stress very well. You may find it energizing.

Another possibility (depending on time and finances), one of the couples on our trip booked a hotel near the airport and flew out first thing the next morning. This alleviated their stress; they booked a car service that took them on a tour of Rome surroundings, along with a couple traveling with them but flying out the same day on a late flight. This way the first couple was stress-free and the other wasn't spending time waiting at the airport. From what I remember it was only a little more than the airport transfer.

Good luck, whatever you decide. It is one day in a life.

Beth

Is anyone just back from Rome? We read about a garbage strike and wondered if it was being managed. We had visions of garbage mountains in the September heat.

Beth

penultimate means the one before the last one. ultimate is the last one. I learned this recently and I'm 71 years old.

I think you have two different opinions but probably not facts. They both seem reasonable. Maybe a tentative arrangement is done ahead of time but near to the cruise, they know how things are working out.

Just my opinion, a third one.

Beth

We did the Alaska cruise at the end of June on a RCCL ship, Explorer of the Seas. I would have preferred Celebrity because 1) the pool is neither warm nor covered, and 2) there are more places to see outside, in addition to our balcony.

In Juneau we took a shuttle into town and booked (privately) a bus to Mendenhall Glacier where we took a hike and lots of photos. We had all done the train before and were traveling with a 7 year old and an 18 year old. It was a relaxing day. At the end of the trip, we went to Tracy's Crab Shack where we had a bucket of king crab. It was delicious. Luckily we had select dining so we were able to enjoy a late lunch and just have a late dinner.

In Skagway we took the ship tour to Liarsville & Salmon Bake with Goldpanning. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like kitschy humor and entertainment and the food was much much better than I expected. The salmon was fresh and perfectly prepared. The sides were sort of "pot luck" sides but also tasty.

The panning was fun, especially for the 7-year old. The people at Liarsville helped her isolate her gold. They didn't do it for her, but made it easy for her to do. They got high marks from me. You don't get a lot of gold but it is exciting to see that glitter in the bottom of your gold pan. Later the 18 year old and his dad (our son) went zip-lining. They said it was very very much fun.

In Victoria we had considered going to Butchart Gardens but decided instead to simply walk around and enjoy the area near the port. We took cabs to the Empress and then walked and walked. We visited the Welcome Center, all picked up decks of cards and tote bags from the Casino representative, figured out what we could do, and then just walked, and walked. We then had a snack and a beer at a restaurant overlooking the water.

Enjoy, our first cruise was a one-way Alaska cruise with a post-cruise tour from Anchorage to Fairbanks on Celebrity Summit. After that, we were hooked with spending time on a cruise - unpack once, see lots of places.

Beth

As I read posts like these, I try to self-evaluate and see if I'm guilty of anything that upsets people. Much like "GottaKnowWhen" I arrange tours for my husband and myself on some cruises, he usually spends a great deal of time figuring out what we would enjoy seeing. Then we ask if anyone else wants to do that too. We are a little flexible but not a lot because he has really researched. I never ever make money on the deal or get a break, just the satisfaction of planning a fun tour. There have been times when the tour we've arranged is more expensive than some other tours. We aren't making money on that tour, but we are using a tour company that we have found satisfactory in the past. The first time I might have price-shopped and maybe wasn't able to get the cheapest tour, but after that, when a tour provider has been excellent, I quit price shopping and go with what I know. I usually explain that when I'm looking for others.

I feel like maybe there is a low level of paranoia going on here, because I know one of the guys on our cruise has arranged 3 vans for one trip because he kept being asked if he had room, well after his van was filled. He is just plain kind.

This happened to me for a tour in Slovenia. We filled the van but there were more people who really wanted to join us, so the provider suggested getting a second van. We did that. I didn't get anything from this but knowing I didn't leave someone out.

I do the Roll Call stuff partly because I'm an organizer who likes to plan things, and partly I'm someone who likes to bring people together. There is a personal benefit in the satisfaction of seeing people meeting together in something that I feel I facilitated. I don't want anything from them, not even recognition. For instance, if two couples who joined up on a tour are later having dinner together, I smile to myself. Seeing people connecting just makes me happy.

My guideline is this: Is the tour a price I'm willing to pay? Does it go where I want to go? Do I get a good vibe from the provider? I also check Trip Advisor reviews and Cruise Critic reviews. Then if someone else is doing the tour, I'm willing to commit and if they are getting a reduced cost for arranging it, well as long as what I'm paying is fair to me, I don't even think about it. Reliability is the key factor for me, rather than the cheapest one I can find.

Beth

Please please don't let the experience of people who met a few bad apples make you quit participating in Roll Calls on Cruise Critic. There are some people in the world who aren't quite stable and that includes here but the vast majority are good people who are trying to connect before the cruise, whether to make friends, or to plan excursions and shipboard activities.

I've been involved in several "private roll calls" within the context of the CC Roll Call. I've encouraged people to share information because I'm a person who focuses on building community. It is a fine line, I want everyone who wishes to participate included, but I don't want anyone to feel pressured. And sadly, it is in the mind of the other person to feel welcomed or pushed. And I live in NY so sometimes it seems pushy even when I'm trying to channel my Midwestern inner self.

These private roll calls (ones where I've done the work) use files within Dropbox where we may share information that we might not wish to share in a public forum - such as cabin numbers and e-mail addresses. This reduces our vulnerability. I've never participated in one that has an open link posted here on Cruise Critic. That worries me. We are vulnerable to a small degree but the only way to access this Dropbox is via e-mail to me. There is some trust involved in that it isn't possible to see who has received this link from others. I do share my e-mail and so far, knock wood and all the other superstitions I can think of, it hasn't caused problems.

Although privacy is an illusion these days, we do have to use judgment in what we share with whom. At the same time, worrying about it is probably futile. I don't put my seriously private information out there. I don't list my town just an area, but unfortunately my Cruise Critic ID is too close to my name, and I'm reluctant to change it because in the past 6 years of cruising, I've met so many great people and if they end up on another cruise with me, I want them to know it so we can connect. Heck, I just realized I don't always share my full name with these people. Not trust, just unimportant.

The biggest issue to me is that since we can't see the other person when we are writing a post, we sometimes write something that is misconstrued and then another person takes offense and their post is misconstrued and you have personality issues that would never happen face-to-face. That hasn't stopped me from trying to be honest and straightforward in my posts, but I have sometimes been misunderstood. Ah well, it happens.

That said, I have in my "stickies" the CC name of a person with the caution -- "Do not go on cruise with XXXXX-obnoxious" since I perceived him to be pretty nasty. Maybe he thinks the same of me.:p The X list is mine, I didn't name him because maybe it is just my perception. I also have listed "try to go on cruise with lsimon" since he is very kind and helpful, but I haven't seen him lately. :( I hope he didn't have a bad experience that has reduced his posting. Maybe I'm reading less.

Beth

We have 2 large groups who have scheduled to be on our cruise. I have no objection to groups per se, but I'm curious how this has affected the sea day activities on other cruises. Maybe my concerns are foolish. Are there still art classes, and interesting lectures, and napkin folding, and cake decorating? What about trivia challenges? We enjoy knowing these activities are available on sea days whether we participate or not.

I like to kid myself that I could and will do all the activities, but then we are chatting with someone over lunch and that is more important than learning how to fold napkins. I do usually attend art classes if they are available but they haven't always been. I know I will still thoroughly enjoy my cruise because my husband and I can have fun just about anywhere, but it could affect my perception of the possibilities. It adds to the pleasure when you have lots of activities to anticipate, even if you don't do them.

One of the groups is a Medical Seminar at Sea for Cardiologists and the other is an Abraham-Hicks group. So as I said, it isn't the people themselves, it is whether the ship will offer a full range of sea day activities.

Thanks for your comments.

Beth

Thanks - any luck in anyone asking for the footstools who aren't in concierge?

We have not had luck, but we have used the safety vest bins under the bed upside down as foot stools. They work well. Even better with the vests on top of the bins as cushions.

I like some items from the Vegetarian menu, though I'm not a vegetarian. My favorite is the Israeli couscous entree. It is well worth it and I don't miss the meat though I am a carnivore.

If the chef is good, the Moroccan dishes are good. If not, they are bland and boring (because not everyone likes Moroccan spices).

Enjoy.

Beth

There are tips - but you have to set your search to any date, not the default which is either 6 months or 1 year.

The attached hints & tips were collected in 2012 and updated in 2014. If you would like, you can copy and paste them into the CC website because they came from the website. I added some fancying but didn't change anything. I think I gave credit to the people posting.

Beth

Best of Silhouette Tips from Cruise Critic Members.pdf

We disembarked from Explorer of the Seas today after an Alaska cruise. Diamond Lounge (and card) drink hours were 4:30-8:00 p for this cruise. Maybe because set dining was early at 5:00.

It was a delightful perk. Waiters came to know what we liked, even on a 7-day cruise. I like a gin mojito - basically muddled lime & mint, gin, and seltzer. I also like a gin martini. No problems except the first day when the waiter didn't realize it was OK. He later became very helpful.

We didn't go to the Diamond Lounge for drinks because we were traveling with family who didn't yet get this privilege. We preferred to meet them in one of the bars pre-dinner. This made RCCL's policy much better than Celebrity's. On Celebrity when we are traveling with friends who don't get this privilege we just give up on the free drinks.

Beth

We had a similar situation when we were on a Caribbean cruise. We were leaving from Fort Lauderdale late so we rented a car from Hertz since they had a pick up van from the port (disclaimer: I don't know if Hertz picks up at the port in Seattle, but it is worth checking). Then we had a place to store our luggage while we drove around, had a nice lunch, visited a park, and chilled.

This might mean exploring outer reaches of the Seattle area rather than the city itself. Just a thought.

Beth

Have you signed up with your roll call? sometimes people share e-mail addresses and then privately share cabin numbers.

...There's a large part of me thinking about booking my own flight separately and letting everyone else figure it out for themselves.

I think if you go ahead and change your flight, the others will follow suit. If they don't, you will at least be on the ship well before them, if they make it. We try not to fly in the day of boarding the ship. I'm risk averse. Once we did when we were flying into Stockholm and left home the night before arriving in the morning; the ship was staying in Stockholm overnight.

What is the first stop on your itinerary? Can you get there if you miss the ship?

Beth