RICCruisers

Boy oh boy! I opened this post hoping to read some fun stories about guests experiences in the Naughty Room and all I got was a pissing match from people trying to prove they were more right than the next person. You were so right @handbellplayer 

We have a family group of 8 on Beyond in July. I called Captains Club since the website wouldn’t allow me to book all 8 of us together even though all reservations were connected. They told me the only time and restaurant available was Tuscan at 5:30. I booked the space even though we may wind up not using the reservation each night. It gave me the peace of mind knowing we have it in our back pocket. 

3 minutes ago, cruise47 said:

What was the title? We have not received it.

From Captains Club

Your next Power Up Points activity. 

I continue to be amazed that the Captains Club discount for Specialty Restaurants is only available onboard. Even calling the CC does not get you the discount. The person on the phone has access to your loyalty level, but you still need to book it at the price that is available and then show your sea pass card to the Maitre D for a refund when you arrive for your reservation. 

2 hours ago, SFCAcruiser said:

 It would be helpful if you were to mention your particular cruise. My Millennium cruise later this month does indeed display the MDR menus.

Eclipse on Feb 8th and Beyond July 27. 
 

Interesting that the menus are back for Eclipse on Feb 9 but not for Beyond on July 27. 
 

The App is no longer listing the restaurant/bar menus. The only listing for most everything on the App is for Extra Charge items. Can’t even see the Room Service menus. If this is to allow time to update the menus that haven’t been changed in years I’m ok with that.

Anyone onboard now that can tell me if the App shows the menus for restaurants on your sailing?  

1 hour ago, FeliciaB said:

Those are for suite passengers too.  

I’m fine with that. It was Suite passengers on Chic nights only. The Premium Access is every night. The area reserved is at least twice as big as the area reserved for Suite passengers. 

I’m hoping Premium Access has gone away after seeing the number of seats being reserved in the theater on our last cruise. 

9 hours ago, seapad said:

Awesome, thank you so much. So, it really doesn't matter too much which restaurant I eat in, as I can order from the rotating menu if the specialty items at that specialty restaurant do not appeal to me.

Is it okay or allowed to order the unique specialty item from another restaurant?

Example, I am in Cypress, can I order one of the Tuscan items? Is that allowed or feasible? I don't want to put the wait staff to too much hassle. 

 

Thank you..

Yes, you can order any of the “Exclusive” items from all of restaurants. While that kind of takes away the exclusiveness, it allows you to stay in one restaurant instead of having to move around each night and keep the same waitstaff. 

14 minutes ago, seapad said:

I will be on the Ascent in January. I understand that all four main complimentary restaurants have unique items, but there is also a menu section that serves the same items in all main restaurants. Do these "common" items on the menu change daily? or are they the same very day? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

The “Common” menu items that are in all 4 dining rooms change each night. The unique items stay the same every night. 

Age of the passenger is irrelevant. If the passenger is sleeping in the room there will be a charge for the passenger. 

If you have Any Time Dining, it helps if you arrive at about the same time each night. You can’t expect them to hold your table if you eat at 6:00 one night and 7:15 the next night. If you are within 15-20 minutes you will likely get the same wait staff but it may be a different table within their assigned section. 

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Hopefully, I’m not missing some “fine print” issues associated with Premium Access, as I just checked our Jan 2026 10-day cruise on the Ascent and almost fell off my chair when I compared Wi-Fi package costs! I know at some point X is going to increase the PA daily charge, but this was just too good of a deal to pass up, especially since it’s booked with a Cruise Only fare. 😁

 

That is a surprisingly good deal. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a mistake made. The PA is priced at $30.99 per person per day for my February cruise and it must be booked for everyone in the cabin. I’d book it quickly before it is corrected. OR it doesn’t include the same perks associated with on PA on my sailing. 

Prior to the Premium Access Pass there was always a reserved section for Retreat passengers in the theater on Chic Nights only. Now it happens every night. This goes along with the New Ship Excursions they are selling for activities that were free of charge in the past. Does anyone remember going to the Tuscan Grill on S Class ships to learn how to cook the perfect steak?  How about on an Alaska cruise where they taught you the best way to cook salmon?  Those were all free. Now they are considered Revenue Enhancements for Celebrity. I understand the profit motive and that’s why X is in business. It’s just disappointing to me, not unlike the airlines adding numerous ways to increase revenue above the actual cost of your ticket. 

43 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

I'm complaining to Miami now why I will not be completing the booking for 2026 Iceland - Boston cruise on Silhouette that I put on hold Wednesday.  Absolutely won't risk it for a bucket list cruise.  Miami could simply repeat this utterly hi simpleminded management move in 2026, just like they've done and are continuing to do this year.  Even the chance that Miami would close the sky lounge ices it (cold weather cruise pun) that I'll be looking for another line instead.

We were on the Iceland to Boston cruise this year in August. Park West Had the exclusive use on several days. We sat at the entrance to the Sky Lounge and listened to the auction taking place. The opening bids on every piece of artwork was a minimum of $15,000. I’m not sure if many of the items were actually bid on, but I didn’t hear the auctioneer rattling off higher bids.  It’s amazing to me that there are people with that kind of money ready to spend it with a company that has a dubious reputation in the art world. I guess P.T. Barnum was correct (look it up and you’ll understand my comment). 
 

I hope the champagne PW was serving was higher quality than the stuff poured for the auctions they run for the common folks in the art gallery. 

We will be visiting CoCo Cay on our Celebrity cruise and are looking to rent a cabana at the water park. It’s a family cruise for 8 people. The cabana comes with 6 guests. Does anyone know if you can add 2 more people?  It’s a 50th Anniversary trip and likely won’t partake of many water slides at 74, but would enjoy viewing the others. 

24 minutes ago, oregand said:

I just received an email from Celebrity offering a full refund PLUS a transfer to another cruise.

 

Has anyone experienced this before?

 

I assume it means the cruise is completely oversold  - what happens if nobody takes them up on the offer?

Which cruise?

11 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

You have two people.  One with more money, one with less.   Maybe the person with the VIP pass worked overtime for a year to afford that once a year treat for their family while the person at the back of the line goes to three amusement parks a year?  Or maybe the person at the back is just happy to be there?  That used to be me.

 

On Celebrity what used to be free that is now an extra charge?  

We have done few Cooking Demonstrations on past cruises that were free of charge that Celebrity now has listed in the Shore Excursion category. Also, Painting Classes that were free but now that they have added a glass of wine they can charge for it. You used to bring your own wine. 

Revenue enhancements are the way of the world. Every business is looking for ways to either charge for something that used to be included or creating offers that make you feel like a VIP, sometimes to the detriment of a person or family that cannot afford it. VIP/Fast Lane/Skip the Line offers have been added to almost every theme park in the US over the past 15-20 years and Parks are making millions of extra revenue. Too bad if you saved money to go to a Park and couldn’t afford what many times cost the same or sometimes even more than your admission ticket. Just stand in line and wait your turn. 

Definitely a new way to fill up options to spend more money on a cruise. Why offer something unless you can make more money. I remember a “How to cook Salmon” demonstration on our cruise to Alaska. That was a Free class and we all got to taste the salmon at the end of the class and received a print out of the directions. 

11 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Why not? Will the panel not close if the window is open? That seems odd.

You can certainly have the doors closed while on the veranda, but you’ll probably have to have them facing each other. The veranda area is quite small and to face the sea would make you feel like a sardine being smashed inside of a can. 

Sounds to me like they are trying to get Lobster twice without paying for it the second time. 

I’m racking my memory but I think I might remember seeing it at the Mast Grill where they serve the hotdogs and hamburgers. 

20 hours ago, chisoxfan said:

Don't really need a new Rolex or more jewelry for the wife but the chance to travel is as they say 'priceless'. 

Maybe not, but you do need more starting pitchers and a better defense. Go Cubs!  LOL. 

6 hours ago, RK-NC said:

 

We were on Beyond 10 nights in April and thought the crew amazing too...several who were "beyond amazing"!  Did your stateroom have creaking, popping and banging? Ours did and if that were not such a big problem with the ship, we would book Beyond or another e-class ship without hesitation. I guess the smaller Celebrity ships are quieter/calmer? I think that's what we liked about Beyond - the energizing atmosphere. Eden was a nice quiet spot when we needed that. Cafe Al Bacio was relaxing and quiet in the morning. 

Which cabin was creaking. We sailed on Beyond with no issues but have another cruise booked on Beyond with 3 cabins on Deck 8. Hoping to avoid this problem. 
 

thanks for your reply.