floatplan

If that is the case and not an oversight, we'll be cancelling the cruise. I just got a brochure from Oceania and they sail out of Miami on the same date Eclipse sails. Since our airfare is already booked at considerable cost, we'll be jumping ship and trying a new line after sailing Celebrity exclusively and being Elite +.

In the Carib you should try Oceania for sure. Food is very subjective but IMO you will get better food, and more importantly you'll find it open for much longer hours. Luminea (aka Mirage) does not open early on port days and is closed for lunch. On the islands it is easy to be back to the ship by lunch time and O will have all venues open. Be sure to try the pool side venue Waves, the coffee shop, and afternoon tea.

Since you have been sailing X for a long time you'll enjoy the change of specialty restaurant menus.

Be sure to try the dining room for breakfast. The service is better than L which is very good (if open). O have so many little extras they will bring you e.g. nuts. Try the breakfast special items. The baked products are better.

It's only a trifecta on Sea days when Luminae is open for lunch and it's only a trifecta during more limited hours than other lines. On port days its the "daily double" plus no L breakfast before 7:30am makes it difficult to use before a morning tour, yet being closed for lunch means L should be able to be open longer for breakfast. So in port with a morning tour I get L one meal. L lunch is open for JUST ONE HOUR on embarkation day, I watched them turning away people at 1:15pm.

Have you not noticed NCL? Haven suite dining open 3 meals every day and for 1 to 2 hours more than L. Open early at 6:30am on port days. I can easily eat 3 meals in the Haven every single day of my cruise. The butler can get room service from the Haven for suite guests and is top notch Haven food, the X suite room service does not come from L (that I have seen) and food is not as good as Ocean View Cafe :(

Luminea's menus offer better food than NCL and just as high of service, but if it is not open then I cannot eat the suite food.

Maybe Luminea should have the name changed to Mirage.

Starting next month, all Suite Class guests will begin to enjoy even more indulgent services and amenities. At the center of these is a “trifecta of suiteness” found on no other premium cruise line: personal butler service that ensures guests never have to lift a finger; an exclusive restaurant, Luminae, which serves up delicious meals only for suite guests; and a private lounge featuring a dedicated concierge.

 

Other new Suite Class perks include luxurious new Bulgari bath amenities to pamper guests from head to toe and a new, mouthwatering selection of Delectable Delights – created by Celebrity’s Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Gallagher – delivered daily. Plus, select suites now will receive a bottle of Perrier-Jouët champagne on embarkation day. These benefits will begin in January 2016.

 

And, Sky Suite guests will soon “join the club” – Michael’s Club, that is. Beginning on Dec. 16, 2015 onboard Celebrity Solstice, Sky Suites will join the rest of Suite Class with access to Michael’s Club, the exclusive lounge that offers complimentary cocktails, appetizers, and a dedicated Michael’s Club Concierge. The Suite Class experience in Michael’s Club is enhanced by outstanding service from a dedicated Michael’s Club Concierge. Recently, the first of Celebrity's dedicated Michael's Club Concierges has earned the Golden Key award from the prestigious Les Clefs d’Or Austria—the distinguished, international network of service professionals. Every Michael’s Club Concierge in Celebrity’s fleet will work toward earning their Golden Key awards throughout 2016.

Cafe al Bacio is a coffee house, sweet bites in the case, but no meals. These are free to all, the drinks are the charge, but seems like drinks are included with your suite.

For free Gelato try Bacio order an Affogato hold the coffee and syrup.

 

I'm getting a better feel of how this works. I also understand now about the airlines not liking if you buy a roundtrip and only use one leg of that roundtrip. Being inexperienced, I did not know this wasn't allowed, or, a good idea.

IMO the buy RT for one way is only a problem if you are a frequent flier on that airline (with a number accumulating mile) and are doing it regularly. They know who you are and track you. What can happen is they close your account and you lose your miles.

Just an update...my round trip airfare as of this morning has gone up to $759 for the round trip, so, the one way ticket for $714 is now a bit cheaper on Cruise Air.

When I run a May 13 FCO SYR one way ChoiceAir says

$426 AA one stop 14.5 hours

$465 Delta two stops 16.5 hours

I picked Jewel April 28 then one way. Premium econ $1051.

This is what I have seem in the past on ChoiceAir that one way is about half round-trip, not equal.

Going to IST is 2.5 hours in the wrong direction, it could add 4 to 5 hours to your trip.

Just got this this morning. I wonder if they will raise the prices for these new incentives? What happens to the people that have already booked?

 

OCEANIA CRUISES ANNOUNCES NEW ‘OLIFE ADVANTAGE’ EARLY BOOKING INITIATIVE

 

Early Booking Incentives Include Free Shore Excursions, Unlimited Internet and Pre-Paid Gratuities

 

MIAMI, Fla. (July 2, 2015) – Since its inception Oceania Cruises has rewarded guests who book early with the best possible fares, and today the line introduced a new innovative program called the OLife Advantage, which provides extraordinary additional incentives for guests looking to book their 2016 spring, summer or fall cruise vacations early.

Marketing must think customers are stupid or can't subtract. Probably that over time it will be the only price visible so no way to tell.

My cruise went up $400 and if I rebooked with OLife I would get 4 ShoreEx, I had all the rest. So much for "best possible fares".

Their ShoreEx are usually over $100 so maybe it's an ok deal ... if I wanted their ShoreEx ... probably break-even or worse :(

This is just a way to force more business to the ShoreEx department that must be not be profitable enough. Something I read here constantly is "do not book O ShoreEx as they are too expensive". No need for that warning anymore.

The Epic has the best Haven club restaurant with curving windows on 2 side, plus the outdoor eating area has open windows on one side. Its right above garden café so they can easily get you anything.

The Epic haven pool area is the largest but is like being in a prison yard with walls three decks high. There are vent vans blowing adding an unpleasant sound but its not that loud. The sundeck area on 17 that was fantastic has sadly been opened to the public. The Epic has a bunch of other issues that make me avoid it.

IMO the Getaway Breakaway are the best. The club has just windows on the one short wall. The outdoor area has no windows but it is open to blue sky. The pool area is smaller but the upper deck offers excellent chair area and sundeck that faces the pool and ocean.

The Jewel class is second.it is very small but serves 16-20 rooms. No dedicated club it uses Cagneys which is close and nice. No dinner service.

I'm done with NCLs Haven for a while, menus have not changed in many years. The food and service were excellent last cruise on getaway but I want something different and more exotic food. NCLs garden café has really gone downhill in choice, I eat there to do something different for lunch.

* I smoke and I smoke ONLY where I am allowed. Several times, NON-smokers came into smoking areas complaining about the smoke. Hello, if you see ashtrays, you are ALLOWED to smoke, so don't be waving your hands at me and complaining.

 

* Drunks: I saw A LOT -- and I mean A LOT!!! -- of drunk people throughout the week. People slurring, bobbing and weaving, being very vulgar with their language and even one guy in the casino that was so drunk and angry that he was losing started punching the machine (people complained and he was spoken to). Surprisingly I never saw anyone cut off.

 

Hello, if you see a bar, you are ALLOWED to drink, so don't be complaining.

You do risk parts of the ship not being complete or working. The crew may not be up to speed on the new ship. You are paying to be a beta tester. The Epic had no Haven furniture and lots of problems.

I understand, people paid a premium for the whole suite experience, and that included a full lunch in a separate dining room every day.

 

My question is, if Celebrity is changing their offer (as they can according to their contract) why are people not cancelling their cruise and taking their business elsewhere?

 

Why not exercise your options under the contract and cancel ?

A lot of effort goes into planning and figuring out how to put all are parts together, time off reserved, flights bought, hotels bought, etc. These are in Europe so more planning. I'm not quick to trash all that effort.

On NCL on embarkation day the suite lunch with a big Carney's shrimp cocktail, nice entrée and espresso brownie sundae is a wonderful way to start a cruise. I hope the X lunch experience is something like that and not snacks at noon.

I’ve been in NCL suites 20 times and during all that time they’ve had a special suite breakfast and lunch. On older ships it is in a specialty restaurant like Cagney’s, the newest mega-ships have a dedicated Haven restaurant that also serves dinner. I almost always eat the suite lunch. I enjoy the quiet, the smaller room, the higher service and the more premium food than is available elsewhere. It is a major perk that made me a repeat cruiser on NCL. Even on port days I think I do the suite lunch 80% of the time.

When I saw the new Celebrity suite perks with the special dining room for suites (3 meals per day) it sounded great so I booked two cruises in a Royal Suite. It is disappointing that Celebrity appears to have reneged on their advertised new perks that provide a suite dining room 3 meals per day. I hope they reconsider this both because it is what they advertised and as what their competition provides.

I’m still looking forward to my first Celebrity cruise and have no plans of cancelling. I’m paying nearly as much per day or two as some cruisers are paying for the entire cruise. For that premium price if I can get 3 suite meals per day then I will be more likely to rebook. I know at this price level I can get premium lunch meals every day on Oceania or SilverSea and even on NCL.

The deeply discounted one way TA fares are 1/2 the roundtrip fare.

Some agents are allowed to do that. In the USA one way fares usually carry only a small $20 penalty but to the EU they are more than RT so must buy from an agent that can buy half an RT to do a TA. AA allows booking one way awards so that's an option, USAir and others do not.

I have not used CA but would.

I've visited the Dlx OS and it is a small odd room that is not really a suite with a separate bedroom. It just has a table barely big enough for 4 to eat squeezed in. Its main feature is it is on deck 15 with a great balcony with hot tub and view of the pool area. IMO the regular OS is better and much larger, no hot tub, less $.

I have not sailed on Celebrity but have been looking at X suites. Their PH appears larger than the NCL OS. It also appears better decorated than NCL, but remember I've not been in it.

The only other option was for her to use more of her Advantage miles for a later flight or drive to West Palm and catch a flight from there.

It sounds like she bought her ticket with miles? Since the schedule changed she can get all of her miles back without the normal $150 restocking fee. Then of course she has to buy a flight.

We will be going to St Barts with Celebrity in Jan. I've read that beaches there are "nude" or "topless". We prefer to keep our tops on so can anyone suggest the best beach for us? Also, what will be the "one thing" to check out while there? THANKS

My first suggestion is to make your Title a summary of your request and not something useless, e.g. "St. Barts things to do and nude beaches". That will get more people that know to open your post.

On St. Barts there a few things that are an easy walk.

#1 walk to Fort Karl and up the stairs for great views

#2 Shell beach is close to walk

#3 Fort Gustof ditto

But you do get access to Posh, which is adult-only and has a bar. It overlooks the main pool, so you get to hear music, but it is not overly loud. This is where we spent most of our time.

Of course Haven rooms get access to Posh. I guess they sell a number of passes to non-Haven rooms.

IMO Posh has turned into a major smoking area and depending on how the wind blows you will smell/taste it all over. If you walk up the stairs to the deck 19 part there is no smoking, but again some vents blowing with a whining white noise. Posh is too small of an area to allow almost 1/3 of it to be smoking.

If you have occupied one of these suites on deck 17, could you please give your opinion for a "quiet" or "noisy" room number?

 

Feel free to add anything else you feel noteworthy.

 

The Haven 2 BR villas are some of the best rooms at sea, you will enjoy the master bedroom/bathroom.

Be aware that the Epic Courtyard (pool area) is far from quite with 2 big vents and some kind of motors in them running constantly. Plus you are in a prison yard like pit with walls going up 2 or 3 decks. There was a Haven sundeck on 18 facing forward that was quite and fantastic and gave Epic the best Haven in the fleet. That has been opened to the public so you are stuck in the prison yard. I would take a Jewel class Haven before I would go Epic if you prize quite courtyard chair time.

If you want a quite dinner in Le Bistro be sure to check the schedule and not book when the the Circus is going because that is on the deck above. A surprising amount of music noise comes through the floor as well performers jumping and equipment crashing.

The Epic has great entertainment, probably the best at sea, try and catch them all, even the Circus. The Concierge can make it easy to get great seats.

Barts is a great place to walk around and see the natural beauty. Walk over to shell beach. On the way back take the steps up to Fort Karl and see the great views. Just the foundation is left. A little farther is Fort Oscar.

The town can be busy with motor scooters but is still clean and very nice to walk around.

There is a vast difference in the Havens on the Jewel/Gem class ships and the new builds. Without doing the math, I would say that the Havens on the new builds serve at least four or maybe five times the number if passengers, and don't feel exclusive at all to me. There just isn't the demand for an entire restaurant just for Haven guests on the smaller ships, and in my opinion, there is no need for it - every Haven suite has the Haven with tables for dining on anything on the ship and has a table for dining in the suite. I much prefer the Gem/Jewel class Haven.

On Jewel class 18 to 20 rooms have Haven access (counting the GV as 3 rooms but they probbaly don't use it much), another 30 Suites have VIP breakfast/lunch but no Haven access. I would like to see a suites dinner resturant but I doubt they have room. The MDR is just ok vs the Haven club is much better.

The Jewel Haven is pretty small but big enough and enjoyable and quiet and relaxing. I think they should make it adults only although I've never had a problem.

I like the bigger Haven on Epic. Its easy to find some quiet space somewhere within the Haven complex. The fitness center is very usable versus Jewel's is like being in a closet.

The Haven room prices have risen enough to $400+/day/person that there are luxury alternatives to consider, you will give up room size and big ship features.

I have been reading this post and still do not quite understand what the issue is.

You had a mini-suite but were advised to go with a balcony and an inside room that was across the hall from the balcony room. The fact that the door to the inside room was not across from the balcony room was an issue which you were not aware of. You had requested a connecting cabin. It was your decision to say yes or no. To me many times in the travel industry, especially now, (TA, airlines, tours, hotels, car rentals) you really can't count on the person taking your money being knowledgeable. It really is buyer beware just like anything else.

 

The OP said this was their FIRST cruise. Until you have been on a ship and wandered around the halls it would be difficult to read deck plans and get a good 3D picture in your head. It takes a cruise or two to learn you want to study the deck plans and pick your room carefully. Look at what's on the deck above (no pool deck), and below, how close to elevators.

I want to thank the OP for making me aware of this, it is a surprising and undesirable configuration. Especially considering the route between the two rooms he was assigned.

PCC = Personal Cruise Consultant.

Consultant = "a person who provides expert advice professionally"

IMO the NCL PCC dropped the ball failing to provide 2 cabins within a short walk of each other for a family of 4. What seems like a very very common request, cabins near each other.

Hello, the new suite restaurant will be located inside the MDR. Thanks!

Will it be walled off or built so it will be small and quite?

I've done the NCL Haven on Epic and Breakaway. The Haven Club restaurant is a separate room that is wonderful, small, quiet and intimate. On NCL’s smaller ships suite breakfast and lunch is in a specialty restaurant that also provides small quiet room.

One other thing I would suggest your suites need is upgraded balcony furniture. At least 2 very nice chairs for sitting and reading (not for use at the table). Look at what Oceania uses, all wicker with cushions and an adjustable back.

Do you know if it is a Concept Two Rower?

 

Also, are there any "resistance" machines for strength-training and knee-flexion/extension? They are more osteoarthritis-friendly than free weights.

Riviera has one Concept 2 Model E. Marina probably has the same.

There are weight machines covering the major exercises. There was one stepper, but its not the gauntlet type. I think the brand for all is Technogym. Nice stuff.

The problem with your post is that it is a matter of how much money you have to spend and how much you want to spend.

 

So to answer your question, what am I willing to pay for a suite. Well frankly a lot because I have the money and wouldn't go on the boat as a non-haven guest.

Now that new NCL ships have 4000 passengers it changes some things for a suite passenger that wants to pay for the premium trip that they may find major negatives. NCL needs facilities to sell and profit from the 1000+ regular cabins first, the suite passengers must come second. They’ve got to fill those 1000 rooms every week. Things like 7-day itineraries that start/end on weekends. I want to travel more than 7 days and prefer to miss the weekend rush. They also must go to ports that can take 4000, so that limits things and means crowds on shore. They run the same exact itinerary every week so undesirable B2B. Outside the Haven the product quality and cost is based on the high-volume normal passenger, not the suite guest.

NCL’s new megaship Haven’s offer a much enhanced experience over the Jewel class Haven. The Haven 3 meal private restaurant is really nice making me not want to sail Jewel class. It seems like the price has gone up quite a bit to $350 to $500/day for a Haven room, $700 for the DlxOS. If they aren't selling well it’s frustrating to think I’m paying $6000 for a week for 2 and there are bunches of upsells paying $4000.

It’s not apples-to-apples but NCLs higher price competes directly with the luxury ships, but lux offers better quality in most all categories, especially food. Everything on the ship can be targeted at a passenger paying a minimum of at least $300/day and not $100-/day. Stuff like the towels at the pool are really nice, loungers with cushions, bedding, room towels. The lux ships lack some fun, entertainment and are more sleepy. For a family the lux is going to probably be too boring, but empty-nesters may prefer.

So not exactly on the plane as the OP but I’m wondering if at list price a $400/day Haven room is worth it on a ship and vacation mostly designed for 75% of the people paying 25% of that price. I’ve sailed a few times in the Epic Haven 2 BR and really enjoyed it. The 7 day schedule and ports of the Getaway and Escape do NOT look desirable. I’ll probably try it once, but at $400/day I’ll probably take a smaller room and have everything else better on a luxury ship.

There is recycling done below decks of trash.

I've had tours on other ships and seen the environmental department. All trash is hand sorted to separate the glass, aluminum, paper, plastics, etc. They have equipment to compress it into bales, and glass is broken and stored in bags. Other toxic things are separated like batteries. Food is ground and ejected as fish food. Some things are burned. If those bales really get recycled I don't know, they could end up in landfills. The Freewinds is known for off loading a lot of trash to landfills in Bonaire and Aruba, but it's not really a cruise line ... for the unclear non-thetan mainstream.

Saying never use wifi is crazy. Most of us use it in our own homes.

 

Security is about encryption. WPA2 is the best we have so far I believe. I would certainly do banking with this level of security. Not sure I would trust WEP, it's much weaker. In any case if I were to use a computer other than my own, I would make sure to clear the browser's cache when done. So far, I have not trusted Android with financial transactions--haven't done the research.

WPA2 is best for encrypting and securing the wireless part, then try to use HTTPS (note the S on the end i.e secure SSL) for your web mail e.g. http://httpS://mail.yahoo.com. That encrypts it across the Internet. Most webmail will redirect HTTP to HTTPS, yahoo does. You should also look for the lock icon near the URL as it is possible for https to not be secure, but rare.