CruisinShips

I'm just here to comment on the interesting use of exclamation points! 😉

sadly, I think the cabin issues are just "luck of the draw". We were on the Eclipse earlier this month and thankfully had no issues (except the "premium Wi-Fi" in our cabin was horrible).

Then it sounds like they can implement that when they feel the need, and those who show up too early can wait.

That's when it's time to pull out the "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" card! 😉

As I said, if I (along with the hundred(s) of others that arrive when they choose) am asked to wait, I will wait. Since check-in isn't based on the honor system, and there are people checking you in, it's up to them to enforce it. If those people who do the checking in aren't instructed to enforce boarding times, then it becomes a suggestion, and not a mandate. Have you ever been on a cruise where boarding times were enforced? I have not.

I'm sure they are and I respectfully urge you to abide by yours if that's how you feel. But when they aren't enforced, that reason seems to be of less importance. As I have said...I prefer to show up when I am ready to show up. If they make me wait, that's fine and the wait time is on me. If they let me on, then my cruise begins earlier.

I guess perhaps they think my pointing and laughing at the color of their seapass card while I have my suite colored card taped to my forehead is bragging?

Someone posted about this email on a Celebrity FB page I follow, and much of the discussion turned into talk started by one poster about how they will no longer sail Celebrity because of how the Elites and above onboard would always rub everyone's noses in their status and they were tired of being made to feel less than. I've certainly never seen anything like that myself...curious if anyone here has experienced it. Frankly it came across to me as that posters' own insecurity, but maybe I am in the minority...

If you don't want to pay for premium wifi on the ship, perhaps your best plan is to wait until you're in port and go on cellular (most cellular providers have day passes).

The moral to the story:

It happens. Usually people show up when they choose and there are no real issues in my experience.

Show up when you want...you will be far from alone in that...either they let you board, or you wait a little while.

That sounds exactly like us, lol. We could hang together. 😉 The only issue I'd have with a small ship is we do like to wander around the ship and people watch and check out the different bars and cafes...and I would think the smaller ships would be a little more boring from that perspective.

I heard they are testing out a new policy where Sky Suite passengers will be required to get morning coffee and beverages for upper suite guests.

I just googled starlink and VPN, and it said VPNs DO work with Starlink....

I LOVE it! Charge me even more, please! But seriously, it likely depends upon how much one uses the butler, and the drop-off in service they experience as a result. I pay for suites based on other things that are personally more impactful to my experience than not having a dedicated butler...the Retreat amenities (the larger cabin, Luminae, the Lounge, the Retreat sundeck). The caveat there is on older ships like the Eclipse (which we just sailed on)...Michael's club was a boring dark room, and there is no Retreat sundeck, so we did appreciate the butler more (sailed in a CS).

Apple watches are connected to your iphone via Bluetooth. So if your phone is connected via wifi, your watch just piggybacks off that, and thus won't be counted as a device. Just make sure you have Bluetooth enabled on your phone. Caveat...this assumes your watch isn't one that's connects via cellular.

For those who have been tracking this for a while...on a "typical" cruise booking, does it seem like a noteworthy % of cabins come back immediately before final payment dates, or not really? I know it must vary of course, but what have you been seeing?

My recent Eclipse sailing was sold out (or VERY close to it). My upcoming February Apex cruise seems to only have a couple of cabins left.

That makes sense....thank you!

Yes, I noted that I knew that...it didn't answer my question. I know the difference in the restaurants, but my lack of clarity is that the Celebrity video about APEX dining venues states it (Tuscan) is one of the four free MDRs, but it also says it features Italian foods (and it says Normandie has French food, and Cypress has Greek dishes). But responses here indicated the four are all pretty much the same food.

I'm reading conflicting reports...some are saying Tuscan is just like the other 3 "MDR" venues, and the Celebrity videos and other video reviews call it the Italian venue with pastas and Italian offerings. Maybe someone who has recently been on the Apex and dined in Tuscan can shed some light?

That video makes it look so easy. Problem I had was my internet was so weak on the Eclipse, at one point I got sound and no picture...and that's when streaming worked at all. Additionally, my Youtube TV wouldn't work because it knew I was out of the country. I've since learned some VPN tips on here that I'll try next time, but beware some of the streaming services block you when you're out of the US.

Thanks for sharing that...I wish I had thought to do that during our recent cruise on the Eclipse.

Thanks. So bottom line is there is no Italian food venue on Edge class ships. Thanks for the feedback.