angelwingsflys

Thank you everyone for your input. A lot of good advice given Cheers Deb

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

Look at the Family Cruising board for ideas of things to do with the grandchildren.

 

Also be sure to sign up for the Roll Call for your cruise to meet others who will be cruising with you.

 

Lurk a while and you will see lots of tips for your cruise.

 

Also check out the Destinations/Ports of Call boards for more ideas.

Hi cruisestitch ,

Thank you about the idea checking the family Cruising ,had been aware of that board .Will be lurking for a while .

I have already signed up for the roll call ,but only 5 on it ,so far .

Thank you ,

Cheers Deb

Welcome Deb

 

We tried other cruises but after going down to Antarctica last year with Celebrity we were hooked. Sure we have little niggles but they aren't even worth thinking about if I'm honest. As someone else said just lurk awhile & you'll soon pick up lots of tips on here.

 

Phil

Thank you Phil, I think I will do a bit watching of the boards and see what things I can pick up along the way

Cheers Deb

Longtime X fan here. Pleased they are now serving the wonderful Aussies. I suggest you get them some cruise books from library or bookstore so they will know what to expect.Agree with others; do not overplan. Its their trip. Just meet for dinner.

Hi zoncom

good advice thank you , I also have a cruise booked on the Century in FEB next year, I found the prices offered and the perks made a lot of sense to try Celebrity, looks like the trick is to not over plan everything,

Cheers Deb

Welcome to Celebrity Deb.

We sailed the Century in '96 & '98, so it has changed a bit and is in her farewell year:( We have sailed 7 diff lines, Celebrity is our first choice. We were on the Ruby in 2012, the Reflection last yr.

 

You will find Celebrity very much like your previous cruises as far as the activities on the ship. The difference, at least for us, is in the presentation and overall quality of the product, and the way it is presented by X.

Have a wonderful time with the family, you know they will be hooked!

EW

thank you wallie5446 I will have a wonderful cruise .this will be the first cruise solo ,hopefully the family will be hooked as you said .

cheers Deb

Don't over plan. Let each family choose the activities they would enjoy and meet for dinner to discuss the day and the plans for the next day,

Thanks Doris ,

Good advice about not over planning and also to meet up for dinner (or lunch) to see what everyone wants to do .

thanks Deb

In re-reading the post it looks like the OP is new to Celebrity, but not new to cruising or to Cruise Critic.

 

Can you be a little more specific as to what you want to know? There is a ton of information on these boards that can be searched, as you know as a long time Cruise Critic poster. But we would be more than happy to help answer questions if you could tell us a little more about what exactly it is you would like to know. Welcome to Celebrity - you will love it:)

Hi phoenix_dream ,you are correct only new to the Celebrity Line ,but not for cruising -I love to cruise myself. I just wanted suggestions to make the cruise memorable for my children and grandchildren,things like the ice cream and special little things that Celebrity has to offer ,and an assortment of different things to give them in the gift baskets .(I am pretty certain that I am going to love this cruise ,no matter what .I am spoiling myself this cruise ,am doing something I never thought I would do -living life whilst I still can ,doing things I had only dreamed about, so have booked a suite for the first time in my life ,all to myself ,but I am thinking that I will have lots of visits from the family .

Cheers Deb

Hi everyone,

I have my first cruise on Celebrity coming up in a few months .Have booked another for Feb next year.

I have done several cruises on Princess and P&O (18). I love cruising and I know that I am addicted..

Any hints or perks that you would like to share with me ? things that are available on Celebrity ?

But this will be my first family cruise -the plan is they will love the cruise so much that I can get them addicted to it too.

Details : Remembering none of them have ever been on a cruise ship at all .

My son and his wife and my little Grandson (4 years ). Inside cabin

My daughter and her husband and my other little grandson (3).inside cabin.

Separate ones for the grandsons .

What sort of things can I set up in a little gift baskets for each of them ?

Any suggestions.?

Is there anything on the Celebrity (Century) that I need to know, to assist me in mission ?

Thanks Deb

Hi Everyone ,

Need a little help here ,but I need to expand a bit here- so you know why.

This will be my first time cruising on Celebrity .

I have 2 cruises booked with Celebrity(Century) coming up in the coming months .the 1st one is a short Family cruise -my Son and his wife and my grandson (4) and my Daughter and her husband and my other little grandson (3).

They are all going on their first cruise -I am hoping to convert them to the love of cruising ( just like me.!)

What I need is ideas to enhance their cruise so that it is the best cruise possible ,also anything that Celebrity does different to the other cruise lines ? , what are the little secrets ,the things that make a cruise super special , I have started thinking of the little things they may need ,they all in inside cabins

Lanyards are the first thing that comes to my mind .

Thinking of making up like a gift pack for each family ,any suggestions ?

What other things could I put in them to make it more fun?

Any suggestions ?

Thanks Deb :)

Great work, enjoy.:D

thank-you ,MicCanberra I intend to utterly enjoy this cruise ,it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. :)

cheers Deb

Hi Everyone,

Just an update, agent emailed me . They had a flash sale on Friday night where certain cabins were reduced on my cruise..... She as able to apply it to my booking!

She has secured the penthouse for me !!!! For under $200 .With all the suite perks certainly worth it !

Checked the Celebrity site this morning ,yippee ! It is all locked in .

Expect a full review on the suite when I get back !!!

This is going to be my most exciting countdown ever.!!!!!!!!:) now to start packing!

Cheers Deb 💼

Naming that site is against Cruise Critic rules

Hi WestLakeGirl, Forgot about that rule ,sorry .

cheers Deb

If something looks great, grab it. And grab it NOW!

If this happens and you pay in full,receipt says paid in full,(while on the phone to Celebrity ,)can they then turn around and say that you still have $X amount left to pay since the cabin have gone up since you booked ? the amount is in the thousands of dollars !!!I always believed that you receive a quote and then pay in full then you have Paid in full.

Deb

Absolutely.

 

This morning I saw a cat W suite guarantee on =X= website for $2299. A few hours later I went to book it, and lo and behold it had jumped to $2699. I went to the website that monitors rates AND their history, and sure enough, the rate had changed in those few, short hours from $2299 to $2699.

 

If something looks great, grab it. And grab it NOW! :eek:

Hi Beav,you mention a site to website that monitors rates and their history,can you give me a clue where to find this please.

Cheers Deb

When we booked a guarantee we were given two rooms and then downgraded back to one :eek: I would keep quiet and hope for the best :p

Point taken everyone shhhhhhhhhhhhhh thank you Deb :D

Deb when you booked did you book a balcony guarantee or a suite guarantee, if you booked a balcony guarantee anything you get is not a downgrade as long as you get a balcony or higher

 

if someone else books and they have 4 people ,you could be disappointed and lose your suite as the cruise line can make extra money

Hi , My booking started as a balcony guarantee ,but when I was on the phone ,with the agent ,when she looked at the specials ,ie solo cruiser and senior offer that was running as well as the 123 Go promotion,she said that she would see if she could get me a suite guarantee at a similar price than the balcony , I have just reviewed all my emails ,then rang her back and she was confirmed that it was actually booked at the suite guarantee at the same price. So fingers crossed they don't move me .

cheers Deb

November is a very quiet month for cruising in Australia, so the odds look good that you wouldn't be moved.

 

I booked a cruise on Century late after final payment and paid less for a suite than I originally would have paid for an inside cabin.

Hi Everyone , To explain further , They have allocated me a suite :D,the penthouse suite which is the highest category:D ... so anything they give me will be a down grade , not an upgrade . So am going to ring and ask that I stay in the suite ,it certainly would be and big disappointment,was still getting used to a suite idea and dreaming .

Cheers Deb

Hi Everyone ,

I had a Balcony guarantee ,once they have allocated a cabin ,are they likely to move you again .

It is a 4 berth and I am sailing solo this cruise .

I love the cabin that they have given me :D

How do I make sure that I don't be moved ?

Cheers Deb:)

Hi Everyone,

Was wondering ,once you have been allocated a cabin ,balcony with a guarantee,are they likely to move you?

I am absolutely delighted :eek:where they have put me.;)

but it is 3 months till the cruise , as a solo are they likely to move me?

the cabin is a 4 berth.

Is there any way to insure they don't move me ? I don't want to move ! :D

Cheers Deb

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for all the advice, I have my children and their families going on this cruise, it will be their first cruise, so hopefully I can share my passion for cruising, this will my 18th cruise I have decided to keep it a surprise about booking a penthouse for the time being, my daughter says that I always spill the beans on secrets,, so am going to certainly going to surprise her when we board, they had already booked before me, I have only told them I have booked a balcony cabin.Not really a lie.it has balcony! I am booked into the PH as a solo ,but am sure I will have visits from the grand children and my daughter and son and the spouses ,when they discover which cabin I am in.

I intend to have a fantastic cruise, never had a bad one yet.

Just that it will be a very special one this time.!

Thank you.for helping me to decide to book the PH.

Cheers

Deb.

Hi Everyone ,

Just noticed ,on Celebrity website a great inside solo price for the 8 day cruise coming up 11th November 2014, I put in all my details (Senior) and it is so low that I thought I had better share -Occupancy: 1 Passengers $372.26 -fees and Port charges are $199, You also have to pay the tipping $91 , has to be paid in full , but still a great deal .$662.26 not bad for a single inside cabin , they are on deck 5 , they are going fast have watched them for about 10 mins and they are booking out fast , suggest you check it out fast.:D

Cheers Deb

The Penthouse suite is now booked,thank you for your replies.

Thank you, for your reply.. I have been allocated the penthouse suite on Century. So looks like happy hour in Michael's Club each evening.

Cheers Deb

Hi everyone,

Do suite guests have access to Michael's club at happy hour? This will be my first time on Celebrity, not in captain's club yet?

Cheers Deb

I can't say about the Century specifically, but have sailed in a penthouse on the Millennium before. I think it is a great choice for you. It did come with a bottle of scotch and a bottle of vodka and some basic mixers as bar service in the suite. The butler can take care of so much for you. Ours had coffee waiting for us in the butler's kitchen every morning when we woke up. In the afternoon, cappuccino and canapes were delivered to the suite. We took advantage of the course by course service in the suite dining room as well. One evening my husband requested some shrimp cocktail to be sent up after the show and when we looked in the refrigerator we had a whole platter of shrimp to share with our friends. It's a great experience I highly recommend!

Thank you for your reply ,just having the whole platter of shrimp sound incredible .I am swaying towards booking it .

Cheers Deb