WpgCruise

An interesting quote, FWIW

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.

James A. Michener

I have found that going into a new opportunity with an open mind can result in a wonderful experience.

Anybody who scoffs at traveler's checks has never had the opportunity of standing in front of an A.T.M. that does not work.

Traveler's checks may not be cutting edge but they are dependable.

I really hope you don't take offense as I'm only trying to help address the questions you raised, and keeping in mind the written word can appear harsh, here's my thoughts.

I read your previous posts to try and get a sense of what it is you are looking for in a cruise vacation. I see you have tried different cruise lines and that food and entertainment are priorities and unfortunately your expectations on the cruises you have taken have not been met.

We have cruised many times, on many cruise lines including the ones you have tried. Our tastes are all different, what you may prefer, I might not, and having said this on every cruise we have always found food we enjoyed, sometimes we've had to look a bit harder than others, but we've always been satisfied with the different options.

The same with the entertainment, some we like, some we don't, but we've always been able to find enough to do to keep us happy.

For us Celebrity meets all of our cruising needs, but ........and here's where I hope you don't get offended...... from reading your previous posts I have to ask if perhaps cruising on any mass market line can really meet your expectations?

Your dining expectations haven't been met on your other cruises, and I doubt given your expectations if Celebrity will meet them either. I keep in mind the menus are designed for the mass market, most people won't care for food too spicy, too much sauce, too rich, too bland, so the middle ground is the one chosen by the cruise line. This may not be what you are looking for.

The same with entertainment, bingo, casinos, trivia, reading, spas, sunning, shopping, exploring the ports visited are what most people want on a cruise, and if those entertainment options aren't what you are looking for then Celebrity or any mass market cruise line may well not be for you.

I hope I haven't offended or sounded harsh, but in conclusion given your previous posts on what you have said about your previous cruises, and what our experience on Celebrity has been, cruising may well not be for you.

Whatever you choose, I hope you have an enjoyable vacation.

Thanks for letting us know your decision.

In addition to the ITA site mentioned, Kayak is a good source of flight information. Kayak also has a little window on the left which predicts (not sure how accurate) if the costs will go up or down.

For comparison, we booked with United for a January flight from Winnipeg-Chicago-Fort Lauderdale at a ticket cost of just over $700 each.

We have a 2 1/2 hour connection window on the way down, and the same on the way home. We're flying in 2 days before the cruise, and leaving the day after the cruise is over. That's tight connection times for us, but should something happen we have time and full fare economy tickets on our side.

Best of luck to you

I keep coming back to this thread hoping the O.P. has changed her mind and is rearranging flights.

So, here's my contribution to the decision making process for what it's worth.

Some excellent points have been made and I'll reinforce them along with adding one not yet made:

-If your flight needs to be de-iced you are looking at a half hour at YVR at least. Even without de-icing when was the last time you saw an on time push back, or on time arrival? Remember in the airline game an on time arrival is not when the plane is at the gate with people getting off, it's when the plane lands at the destination airport.

-The suggestion of a "Plan B" is great but given how full flights are now days, getting on the next flight is problematical given load factors. The issue of the class of ticket also needs to be understood when forming a "Plan B".

-Choice Air does a real poor job of explaining this, but their tickets are not regular economy tickets. Instead they are "Consolidator" tickets meaning they are not transferable to another airline, and in the priority que of the issuing airline are at the bottom of the priority list. There is excellent information available on this site and I encourage you to read it. What this means is if your flight into SFO is delayed, and you miss your connecting flight, the airline will accommodate you only after the needs all full and discounted fare paying passengers have been met. They will not put you on an American or Delta flight, they will only put you on their brand on a space available basis and you could potentially spend days waiting for seats, once again given the load factors of flights. If you think Choice Air will help, if the connection is missed, their help may well be to say "work with the airline, we can't help"

-There is no way I would take the flights the O.P. is considering the risks are simply too far out there. Weather, Delays in leaving YVR, Delays in landing at SFO, Delays in getting a gate assignment in SFO, Delays in getting off in SFO, the risk of the connecting gate being at the far end of the airport, all are the factors to be taken into consideration. Then the issue of the "Consolidator" tickets issued by Choice Air has to be taken into consideration.

-Having said all this, we all have different risk tolerances and all I offer is an opinion, please come back and let us know what you decide.

Thank you Cruisegirl1 for a well thought out post.

I too wonder just what it is that some want/expect/need from a cruise and have come to the conclusion that Celebrity nor in truth any cruise line just can't be every thing, to every one, every time.

It isn't the perks that keep us coming back, but rather the Celebrity cruise experience. I really doubt you'll ever hear us complain about a perk as we consider that just to be the icing on the cake, not something we paid for and deserve.

Thanks for your report Andy, it helps manage expectations, which for some of us lowers the level of frustration.

I agree that it appears Celebrities short term answer is to move the 2 week itinerary to Miami, which only time will tell, is better or not. We've had some not so pleasant disembarkation experiences at POM.

I wonder if Celebrity fully considered a schedule change for their 2 week cruises, having them not leaving and returning on a weekend. It appears to us the people who take 2 week cruises tend to have fairly flexible schedules. A mid week departure/arrival may have seen Terminal 18 available.

The long term solution is probably RCCL and Port Everglades working together on another terminal along the lines of Terminal 18 but until that happens we'll have to manage our expectations and react accordingly.

Please let us know how that law suit works out.

If I were to have contacted a company numerous times by phone and e-mail and not had a response that satisfied me, I would probably reach some conclusions.

They could be that:

The Company does not consider my complaint valid, have said so and consider the matter closed.

The Company knows the issue, but because of the return on investment to address it as I want, is not prepared to invest the resources.

Perhaps I might have a personal bias towards a senior executive who is not responding as one might wish, therefore the entire relationship is clouded.

There could be probably 30 more reasons why they are not prepared to enter into a dialogue. Perhaps one might be that some times no matter what the complainer wants no answer will satisfy them. i.e. the suggestion offered by the customer is not in the best interests of the business.

At the end of the day, I would have to consider if I wanted to continue to do business with the company.

The choice would be mine, as the Customer I decide who I do business with

Bu that's just me and we all know it takes all kinds to make a world.

I have never seen cabs at the car rental facility at FLL.

After dropping off the rental we take a shuttle back to the airport to catch a cab to Port Everglades.

And FWIW when taking a cab from the port to the car rental facility they

have dropped us off at the Rental Return entrance and we haul our luggage through the garage to the rental desk.

We too live in Canada and have found both traditional and on line travel agents much less able or perhaps willing to provide perks. I don't know why, but that's just what we have learned.

We have found that by booking through U.S. based T.A's some are prepared to provide perks. On our upcoming 2 week Eclipse cruise they are pre paying our gratuities. We have had cash payments as well on different cruises in the $250-$350 range depending on the cruise selected.

I don't know what the options are for Celebrity and the issues with Terminal 24/25 at Port Everglades.

I do know that providing commitments that won't and can't be met which Lsimon shared by way of pdf is not helpful.

We've been through the process at Terminal 24/25 twice and both have been a trying experience, a miserable end to a great cruise.

I don't fault Celebrity for the Terminals and shortage of Government officials, but do ask they treat us with respect, be honest about the issues and support us as we adjust expectations.

We'll adjust our expectations for our January 25 Eclipse cruise by staying over in Fort Lauderdale and catching a flight out the next morning.

If we know what we will be facing, we can plan accordingly and at least make the best of a bad situation.

The O.P. is on their honeymoon.

I really doubt the option of a suite with a 16 year old daughter is the best solution;)

Might kind of put a damper on things.

The suggestion of booking the 16 year old with an adult and the other adult as a single is a good option, however there then arises the question of security for a 16 year old alone in a cabin.

It's never easy is it?

I think Miched has offered great advice.

If your hubby thought a Greek Isle cruise was boring because of the sea days, a Caribbean cruise will have him miserable. After one or two every island can look to some to be the same old same old and get boring pretty quick.

It has also been suggested that a family conference to discuss everyone's vacation needs would be a good idea, and I also encourage this.

Cruising isn't for every family and a vacation should be something everybody enjoys, not some being happy, others being miserable.

Get an all inclusive resort in Cancun. There are plenty of snorkeling tours, take a trip to "Chicken Pizza" to see the Mayan Ruins. Lay on the beach all day. Swim in the ocean or hotel pool. Hubby will be happy because there won't be any sea days.

 

 

I can't see where anyone "dissed" him, can you provide a link?

I for one am excited to see Perry for the 1st ever time in February. I watched 1 Youtube video but really have no idea what to expect - other than I better get myself there early to get a seat! I really can't believe the back on forth on this discussion - you either like an entertainer or you don't - if you don't then you don't attend as there are many other entertainment options. Discussing a person is not the same as discussing say buffet food - why personally insult someone? Just isn't necessary.

Good Grief, are we maybe taking things just a little to seriously?

I'm just wondering how many of us are having a really slow day.............

I agree with those who support adding the TIP to the cost of the cruise.

Yes, the cost for a family of 4 will increase $350, but the people providing service to that family of 4 for a week will be paid for their work.

The system allows cheap people to take advantage and stiff the service staff, which is not right. How would they like it if they worked for free for a week?

The system used to be cash in envelopes at the end of the cruise, it worked until too many people cheaped out, then the system evolved to what it is today. I hope it will continue to evolve and the TIP is added to the bill which is paid before the cruise starts.

Star Princess leaving Port Everglades

Amsterdam in Aruba

Island Princess leaving Cartagena Columbia

And not a cruise ship but one I really like because while not smoking is important, not sinking the ship should be the number one priority

I think the O.P. should cancel.

They mention they would feel uncomfortable every time they passed "their" cabin during the cruise, and that it would be a source of irritation from now forward.

Why put yourself through the misery?

The cabin is gone, maybe because of the cruise line, maybe the travel agent, who knows but the prime cabin is gone and hoping to get it back will only be an exercise in frustration.

Cut your losses, move on, find another cruise with a cabin you want.

Just a note: I would be very, very careful saying negative things about employees on these public boards. Why risk hurting someone's career by posting unkind and sometimes unfair remarks? Just a thought.

Very wise words Orator. I agree completely.

We've only had towel sculptures on 2 Celebrity cruises, and while a cute addition I don't miss them when they are not there. This is one we had on DW's birthday several years ago on the Constellation.

Would you put 6215 on the Solstice in the red category? When we booked it was the only 1a available. No way to change now as we are in there for 4 consecutive cruises. Starting to feel bad about this.

We've been in 6215 on both the Solstice and the Equinox

What we liked about it

-Extra large balcony, great views forward and out the side

-Close to the mid ship stairs elevator

-Only 1 flight of stairs to the shops and entertainment on 5

-Only 1 flight of stairs to the promenade deck 5 in case we wanted to see what was on the "other side" of the ship

- 2 flights of stairs to the dining room (we were on deck 4 for early seating dinner on both cruises

What we didn't like

-Not much. There is a Stewards service closet adjacent, but that only meant the Steward was often close to greet us and open our door.

Truth to be told we booked the same stateroom for our Eclipse cruise this winter.

So.......... we like it enough that we'll have been in it 3 times on 3 different S Class ships.

We all have different opinions, and YMMV, but it is one of our favorite staterooms on the S Class ships because of the reasons mentioned.

I hope you have a great cruise, and please come back and share your opinion of the stateroom

Leaving San Diego

On the way back to Miami

Leaving Acapulco

I just can't remember...........and didn't label it.