gerif

I always pack some protein bars for excursions (packing right now actually) or maybe some packaged peanut butter crackers.

That would be okay but the group I’m going with this trip wanted to do early fixed dining that starts at 5:30 (I prefer late) so I agreed. At least the group included the basic drinks package so I don’t have to worry about spilling a glass of wine on the way to the dining room.

Such a first world problem.

Exactly. And if you have early dining you are pretty much SOL with respect to HH.

My friend and I will also be on this cruise. We are both widows and are going with a group of about 50 seniors. This will be my first cruise since my husband passed at the start of the pandemic and I’m definitely looking forward to it. Going to start packing this weekend.

You can’t on Celebrity either. I’m going on my first Celebrity cruise in a number of years soon and my cabin mate will not have my elite benefits (I’m elite by virtue of being diamond). Doesn’t really matter since their happy hour is only from 5-7 and I have early dining.

I’ve had the experience of calling room service to remove them and been told to leave them outside the door, so definitely not a newbie thing.

My exact thought. And forget about relaxing and socializing, not going to happen.

I know this happens in hot tubs (that I avoid), urine isn’t a big problem. Fecal matter, even in swim diapers definitely is. Water flows through resulting in fecal tea which is definitely a problem.

I’d do it to become diamond on an upcoming longer cruise but not to become elite. Going on my first Celebrity cruise in many years and will be elite by virtue of my Diamond status on Royal and was appalled by the lack of perks included. Free drinks only from 5-7 but not in the dining room so since I was talked into early dinner by my travel mates I would have to find a bar and carry a drink to the dining room. Would probably spill it on the way. Been cruising since around 1990 on several lines and never felt the need to have laundry done (or do it myself on those lines that offer facilities). But it was a really good group deal that included a lot so I’m fine getting virtually no loyalty perks.

So, yes, you must book an adult in each cabin BUT once on board no one cares who sleeps where. You can ask guest services for extra keys. On the upside, if one adult wants the drink package, the other adult doesn’t need to purchase anything.

Same here. I used to mix mine with ginger ale. To this day I only drink white wine.

I actually remember one trip where I had forgotten to purchase the flavored rum I use in my rum cakes until right after breakfast the morning of the last full day. Apparently a lot of people wanted to make liquor purchases that morning because there was a long line with only one frazzled clerk who was letting everyone just take their purchases with them. Could have had quite a party that night.

Maybe because I already had a CC number (very low status) but as soon as I turned Diamond I got an email from Celebrity welcoming me as an Elite member.

Check in and boarding are not the same thing. If you all want to board together, then the passengers in the JS can certainly board with those in the balcony cabins when they board.

First of all, please accept my condolences for your loss. My husband passed four years ago and I will be sailing to Bermuda in June for the first time since he passed. I’ll be going with a friend who is also a recent widow but I think I would be fine on my own. Normally I would suggest just having your husband be a no show but my concern is that some insurance policies require that a cruise be canceled in advance in order to collect. You might want to check your policy. Have a great trip.

I might be mistaken but I believe club soda has a higher sodium content.

No, you cannot. Either fixed seating or MTD. You cannot switch from one or the other as you please but you can eat in the buffet whenever you want. What I am unable to understand is how someone can endure service that is so bad that they can justify removing tips without making any effort to fix the issue. Poor waitstaff? Talk to the head waiter (that’s their job). I’ve done it and gotten good results. Unhappy with the room steward? Talk with the head of housekeeping. To just remove everyone’s tips is just looking for an excuse to be cheap IMHO.

Aside from the fact that you are asked to not leave anything on the balcony, if a rainstorm hits the bedding would be a mess.

I agree. Will be sailing X for the first time in many years soon and I was very disappointed in the Elite perks. We are doing early dining so would need to go find a bar to grab a drink and carry it to the dining room. Never used the laundry service on any cruise, never even used the laundry room on lines that have them. We had cruised a couple of times on X but as soon as we turned Diamond received an email welcoming us as Elite, so they knew.

So your point is that you would like to have the food without having to pay for it? Good luck with that.

Been on many cruises with the longest being two weeks and never felt the need to have laundry done. Others may appreciate it but it’s a wasted perk to me.

Good to know. I’ll check into that.

I’m at an age where I have no interest interest in all of the bells and whistles that RCI has to offer (my rock climbing, flowrider, etc., days are long past), so I do like the X product. Since my husband has passed I will be cruising with a friend who doesn’t have status this time so I probably won’t be attending the special breakfast or the other events but we’ll see.

I witnessed this as well except that there were three or four of them. Never a parent in sight.