ccqueenanne

3 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

Agree with cruisestitch.   You must be Aqua class to dine or have breakfast in the Blu.    They do get to know whose who quickly as your facial ID comes up quickly with Cabin number.   

On our April/May cruise, a woman tried to bring in someone to Blu that was not Aqua.  The Maitre D did not succumb to her rants and demands.    Each person is entitled to what each has paid for

That's sounds awful - we definitely won't attempt it!

I am booked in an Aqua class cabin with my (disabled) mother. We have other family booked in Aqua as well. My husband is booked solo in a regular cabin, with late dining.

1) I'd like to dine with my husband in the MDR (for the whole cruise). Would we, upon boarding, be able to talk to the maitre d' and see if he could be assigned to a 2-top where I could join him? (My mother would be dining in Blu with her siblings.)

2) My mother will use room service for breakfast. Would I be able to bring my husband to breakfast in Blu in her stead, since she isn't using it?

In retrospect we should have paid for my husband and me to have an Aqua cabin and I'd request an extra key for my mother's room. That ship has sailed - Aqua is s/o, as is the whole sailing. So I'm just looking for creative dining solutions at this point.

Personally, I'd cancel the shuttle back to the airport and self debark with your luggage. Grab a cab instead of waiting for a bus to fill. If you don't have TSA pre-check, you can make an appointment (free) for the security line at SEA, that will help you expedite. 

2 hours ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

Sneaking this question in, and hoping for your kindness..

 

We have the classic drink package from an AI offer a long time ago - rebooked to Sept this year.

 

New to Celebrity .  I probably drink more diet soda than alcohol.  Do I pay an upcharge, or full price for say a Diet Coke?

And yes, I will probably bring some on board myself.

Diet Coke/soda is included with the classic drink package - there's no need to bring any onboard yourself.

Am I correct in thinking that if I bid on a MoveUp to Aqua on a cruise only fare, I'd get access to Blu and Persian Gardens, but NOT the drinks, wifi and gratuities? Thanks

12 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

You can certainly do that on board

Thanks! Any idea of what the price would be?

Is there a way to upgrade my included wifi package so that I can have 2 devices? I don't see that option online, but feel like I've seen folks talking about 2-device plans. I need to have 2 devices on simultaneously - logging out of one and into another won't work for my needs. Thanks!

2 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Do a lot of people still take a covid test when they get the sniffles? 

Certainly! Although my case would likely be mild, I'd feel awful if I were positive and infected somebody else who might end up with a more serious case. If I have Covid, I'll isolate. If I test negative, I'll still take precautions like masking in public, but won't lock myself in at home. I hope others would take the same care for their community.

I was on VV on a 5-night Caribbean sailing, which in my mind would have more party people than a longer Med itinerary. I think VV wanted to be a cool party for a younger demo, but that isn't how it panned out in reality. I'd say there was a bell curve of ages - a few in their 20s, many in their 30-50s, some 60s, a very few 70+. You didn't see the larger numbers of scooters, walkers, wheelchairs that you'd see on X. You do feel the difference with no kids (in a good way).

Food on VV was on par with specialty restaurants on X (or better). It was really VERY good, and included. The dining scene isn't at all confusing - at least not for CC regulars who research their cruise lines beforehand. Make your reservations in advance once they open for booking on the app, done and done. There is no drink package, though on a Med itinerary you'll be off ship a lot, so paying per drink may make sense.

Here are the potential issues with VV:

- the one pool is very small - that may matter to you or not

- the entertainment isn't cruise traditional, it is more progressive and edgy at times. If you aren't comfortable with LGBTQ+, if a drag show doesn't appeal, you would be more comfortable sticking with X. 

- the standard cabins are a bit Ikea, but that won't be your experience in a Rockstar suite.

I'd also note that what makes for a good TV show or advertisement rarely reflects what being onboard is actually like. It isn't a non-stop party, and everyone isn't beautiful. We spent our time onboard much as we do on X - playing trivia, board games, eating good food. Unlike on X, we also went to shows because they were more interesting than what X offers, and we went to the disco (once) and it was hopping. We did drink less, since we didn't have a package.

I have sailed on both lines within the last year and would eagerly sail either again. That said, from the west coast, having to fly to Miami to join VV will be the limiting factor for me. I can sail from home (Seattle) with Celebrity, that is hard to beat.

For me, the fun and edgier vibe on Virgin are the better match. The shows are more original, I enjoy a drag performance, I appreciate crew being able to show their personality via tattoos, etc and I appreciated how queer forward the line is. I certainly enjoyed the adult experience sans children. I didn't have to compete with kids in the free arcade. While I missed the traditional trivia, I appreciated that winning teams got a round of drinks on VV vs a few tickets to be redeemed at cruise end on X. I also found the un-traditional trivia made it easier for us to meet new friends on VV. VV definitely skewed younger than X - I felt average ages were 40s/50s vs 60s on X - there were noticeably fewer walkers and wheelchairs on VV. The disco/club on VV was so much more lively than on X. The live music on VV was geared younger, which made it more fun for me. VV guests would probably love a silent disco like they have on X (though when I attended on X, the music on all channels was not good and kids dominated that particular activity). I talked to a few cruisers on VV who said they strongly preferred the "traditional" cruise they could get on other lines. 

Overall, the food on VV beat the food on X and it was definitely more interesting. I prefer the X buffet to VV's Galley food hall, but outside of that, most dishes I ate on VV beat most dishes I ate on X, or were, at minimum, on par with Tuscan Grill and Murano. I didn't get the fast casual vibe at all on VV in the majority of the dinner options. VV options were certainly more creative and current. I definitely drank less on VV since I was paying per drink. The free coffee on VV was not good. There was some great mixology on VV, but I did very much miss having a drink package.

I don't disagree with the comments that VV cabins have an Ikea feel. It didn't bother me - cabin decor doesn't make or break a cruise for me. I was prepared for a lack of storage but we found there was way more storage than we needed, other than in the (very small) bathroom. The bed was fine. The bathroom had almost no counter space and they didn't build any shelving along the mirror, which would have been an easy add. The shower in a standard cabin was nicely spacious and had a good rack for personal items.

The pools and hot tubs on VV were too small and too few. X wins by a mile here.

If both lines cruised from Seattle, I'd likely choose VV most of the time. But I also really enjoy X and have a cruise booked for this summer already - and I'll enjoy my drink package for sure!

Although the app isn't showing this new charge for our August Solstice cruise, this has me really bummed knowing it's likely to change. I booked this for my mobility impaired mom knowing that she'd be ordering a lot of room service.

I can't speak from personal experience yet, as my first Virgin cruise is a few months away. But everything I've read this far, and I've read A LOT, makes me super excited for it (other than lack of a drink package, and no west coast sailings). And this is from somebody who likes Celebrity plenty - it's probably my favorite mass market line.

15 hours ago, chemmo said:

I agree with your suggestion to look at getting or hiring a scooter. I cruised whilst needing a wheelchair post op and regretted it.

Mom actually had her own Travelscoot that she used on a couple of cruises and it made a huge difference. But now that she's even unsteadier/weaker, she feels like the Travelscoot is too unstable for her. The standard Pride rental might be more manageable in her current/future state. I might see if I can find a local store where she can give one a spin. There's definitely something to be said for the independence gained by a scooter compared to a push chair, even with an escort.

Thank you all so much for the photos, advice and experience. I will proceed with booking an accessible cabin - there are still a few available for the cruise next year. This also gives us the option of renting a scooter, if Mom is up for it.

I'm actually booking myself into the cabin with her, but will actually stay in a nearby cabin with my husband and child (booking two doubles instead of a triple and solo). Mom values her privacy and lives alone now, so I'm confident she will be safe rolling around in an accessible cabin. I understand I can ask for a keycard for the "family" room, even though I'm technically booked elsewhere.

Mom's plan is to enjoy her balcony and the scenery and "hold court" with family members coming to visit. And we'll have the chair and/or scooter for trips to lunch or dinner, trivia and cocktails.

Thanks again for the advice!

I've been doing my research on balcony cabin options on Solstice for somebody using a rollator (full time, must use it in the cabin at all times). I know about selecting a cabin where the bed is closer to the balcony. However, I can't tell from watching youtube cabin tours - is there enough space along the foot of the bed, where the wall is punched out, to use a standard rollator to access the balcony? 

I'm trying to determine if we need to book an accessible cabin or not. It's critical to be able to roll all the way to (and onto) the balcony. Mom does have the dexterity to lift the walker over the lip of the balcony slider. She can also lift it onto a curb, so I'm assuming lifting into the bathroom would be fine, if a rollator fits in there. She can also step up into a shower - a roll-in shower isn't required.

We will also bring a transport wheelchair.

I don't want to take an accessible cabin out of inventory for somebody even less ambulatory. But if the rollator can't roll past the bed, a standard balcony will be a non-starter. Mom will be solo in the cabin (I'll be aboard, but in my own cabin) and her ability to enjoy her balcony alone will make or break the trip. Thanks for any advice!

On 9/21/2022 at 2:19 PM, greatestvalue said:

If you dont mind, how is the entertainment compared to other lines if you have any to compare to?

We aren't fans of productions shows, so can't really compare. We enjoyed trivia in the Sky Lounge. The area for games (Entertainment Court) was awkward, so we didn't stay for games we'd normally enjoy like Yes/No. The ship band was good, though the only time I saw folks dancing to them was 80's night. The music at the silent disco (all 3 channels) wasn't to our taste, which was a shame as we really enjoy that usually.

I was on Solstice in August. The only thing that bothered me were the cloudy windows. It didn't feel as shiny and new as some other ships - sure there is wear and tear, but nothing seemed in egregiously bad shape, or dirty.

It was dinner only on our Alaska cruise in July.

Christmas on Scarlet Lady? Yes please!

Scarlet Caribbean Holidays

December 22-27, 2002

https://virg.in/orZz

4 hours ago, aring75 said:

I’m going to try that 25th anniversary martini. It’s an extra dollar (plus tip) but I’m willing to make the sacrifice. 
 

Again, you’re welcome. 
 

 

My husband had several of the 25th Anniversary martinis a couple of weeks ago. He never got an extra charge (though he was also a regular cash tipper). YMMV... enjoy!

I enjoyed the specialty dining on both Princess and Celebrity, but did find the high prices on Celebrity hard to swallow for similar quality (Crown Grill vs Murano, Sabatini vs Tuscan Grille). The discount for the first night on Celebrity helped, as did our generous OBC balance. Had we not had so much credit, we might have limited ourselves to just that first discounted dinner. 

We really enjoyed Solstice a couple of weeks ago, and didn't find the ship in bad condition. Yes, there were only the two desk outlets, but we knew in advance and packed extension cords, which worked fine. We enjoyed the food and thought it a step up from Princess, especially the buffet which we didn't care for on Discovery and quite enjoyed on Solstice. We found the temperature in Murano unpleasantly warm, which put a bit of a damper on the meal there. Staff were friendly throughout the ship. I wouldn't hesitate to sail her again.

Just off Solstice - I was surprised to see a few newer releases for free: The Lost City, Cyrano to name a couple. Not summer releases, but not so old either.

I'm local too and like to arrive about 10:45. It's before the long lines, but not much waiting to board. Given that you are also local, you can plan your luggage so you have minimal "carry on" of just essentials like meds, money, etc. No need to shlep a larger carry on around the ship until rooms are ready. I generally have a smallish beach bag and my husband a backpack.

I used Affordable Car Rentals a few weeks ago and would do so again without hesitation. The pricing is less than Avis, I was able to pay $10 to have the car waiting for me in the parking lot in the port (vs walking into town), which let us get on the road more quickly and return the car to the port lot at the end of the day - so convenient. We had a Ford Escape. It wasn't the latest model, but it was spotless and ran great.