Happy Cruiser 6143

20 hours ago, CruisinRoxy said:

St Maarten is lovely! Why didn’t they change ours to there instead of Nassau. Ugh. 

Because it's tough to scramble for last-minute port berths.

16 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

We are just off the 4 night sailing this past week in Aqua. Booked because it was half the price per day it is on most Celebrity sailings.Absolutely LOVED Blu !!! First night had filet mignon and the second night rack of lamb. Celebrity has eliminated both from ALL MDR menus !!! Third night was Tuscan (Murano was sold out) and last night was Lawn Club Grill. Absolutely amazing dining experience !!!

I just tried AQ for 8 nights on Reflection.  It's my new go to since suite prices have headed to the stratosphere.  Loved it!

I actually prefer the unrevolutionized PH on M class.  Comfortable furniture and that gorgeous lobby.  Absolutely go for it, but hurry--it won't last long.  Those are the best cabins at sea.

Hi, Lois!  Looking forward to hearing how your return to Celebrity goes.  I'll be on Eclipse in November, so will also be interested in what you think of the ship.  I haven't been on that ship for quite a while.

4 hours ago, 39august said:

Does anyone have information about local tours? I would love to tour the island. No X excursions showing yet. I know a couple who honeymooned there a few years ago. They loved the island. 

Do not book with Island Trams or Doug Fenimore!  I booked their entire tram with a group from Cruise Critic.  When we arrived at the appointed meeting place, he was nowhere to be found.  When we finally tracked him down out of the port area, he had solicited people on the beach and had filled our time with others.  I had confirmed with him two days prior to the tour.  Very unethical.  Actually, I would be surprised if he is still in business given his dreadful customer service, but thought I would warn everyone.

19 hours ago, Liao said:

I’ll trade you Nassau for Turks & Caicos! 😁

Sorry, Nassau is definitely a stay on the ship day for me.

I just got the email for my November cruise--we're going to Turks & Caicos instead.  Not fond of that, but it is what it is.  I'm sorry for the poor locals who were able to earn some income at Labadee.  I wonder if Haiti will ever manage to rid itself of all the crooks and charlatans who have been running it into the ground forever.

I recently did Blu and Aqua Class on the Reflection.  I liked the ability to order from both the Blu menu and the MDR menu.  Even when I'm dining in Luminae, I many times order off the MDR menu.  The service was just as good as the service I've experienced in Luminae.  My last experience in the MDR was dismal from a service standpoint.  Aqua Class seems like the new sweet spot for me since suite prices have gone astronomical.  

5 hours ago, CruiseDad-NYC said:

It is hard to say, because I wasn't in the other cabins and wasn't aware of similar cabins until I looked up from the dock and took this picture.  I think my cabin was somewhere in the middle of the cabins with exhaust fans that I circled in my picture.  I would be wary of Aqua Class cabins 1630 - 1646 since I am sure the noise would be heard by cabins just past the first and last one.

Thanks.  It looks as if those are all AQ2 cabins.  I'm in an AQ1 forward.  Had the same location on the Reflection and it wasn't an issue.

It's not at all difficult to give someone a great review mid cruise.  Go to guest services and either request an attention to detail card or some Celebrity stationery and envelopes.  I always address the envelope to the hotel director.  I've received thank you letters back from the hotel director.  And thanks from the crew members.  It only takes a few minutes.  It's the least I can do for people who are working so hard to see that I have a wonderful cruise.  And, yes, I give additional tips, but I think the written recognition goes a long way.

2 hours ago, CruiseDad-NYC said:

I have attached a picture of the vent over 1642 and a picture showing the row of Aqua Class cabins on deck 11 I would definitely want to avoid if this noise would be an issue for anyone.  If people don't make much use of their balcony (which I believe many people do not), it would not be an issue and you cannot hear it inside the cabin.  But, if you want to have breakfast on your balcony or sit out on it and enjoy the sound of the water, you won't hear it because of the fan.

 

I mentioned the water to the cabin attendant who suggested that it was from cleaning, but it clearly wasn't and was there the whole time.  We tried to just deal with it and ignore it for the first couple of days.  We already had to move cabins in a few days for the second leg of our B2B and didn't want to have to pack up and move twice.  If I had to do it over again, I definitely would have moved on day 1 or day 2.  It took me a bit to figure out what was going on and to realize that it was going to be nonstop instead of intermittent. 

 

It didn't ruin our trip, but it made our balcony experience (something that is important to us) not enjoyable.  I mentioned it in the cruise survey, and I am going to write to Celebrity about it.  I don't expect them to do anything about it, but I really didn't think this was right for any cabin, and particularly Aqua Class.

Could you provide the cabin numbers which are affected by this vent?  The picture is not really useful without that information.  Thanks.

6 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I don’t believe this is true.  I booked a solo Sky suite yesterday with only a 75% solo subsidy.  Two days ago I booked a solo infinite for two cruises in November 2025, but I did check out other categories and they also came out at 75% more.  For one cruise there was a ridiculous price (more than double), but I put that down as a computer glitch.  
 

If charging double the per person rate PLUS an extra fee, Celebrity would be crossed off my cruising list.

 

If you didn’t actually call Celebrity or your TA for the correct fare, how do you know this is a new “policy”?

I now always check the price for two vs. the price for one in a cabin.  Mostly the price for one comes up as way more (sometimes as much as $1500 more) than two people would pay to occupy the same cabin.  I've looked at 15 different cruises lately and they all came up with that pricing.  Needless to say, I did not book any of them.

So be grateful for what you found, but don't deny that this price gouging is going on.  It is.

Thanks for the tip!  It was a great webinar--makes me want to go.

How do I feel about this new policy?  It sucks.  Money grubbing, pure and simple.  I will not book with those rates.  Now when I am checking out a cruise, I check both the fare for two people and the fare for a solo.  If the solo fare is more than 2X the other fare, I won't book that cruise.  Am looking at other cruiselines with more rational booking policies.

I sail solo all the time.  Celebrity usually has a solo meetup the first night around 5 or 5:30 if you are interested in meeting other solos.  Check the Daily which will be in your cabin when you board.  The other place you may meet solos is in the Retreat Lounge.  I'm just off the Reflection.  I met a woman in the Retreat Lounge and we had dinner together one night in Luminae and one night in Blu.

I don't understand why people are saying that the insurance company will reimburse the cost of the spouse's fare.  The OP will now be traveling solo and solos typically pay the price of two in the cabin.

3 hours ago, billc23 said:

What does Celebrity charge to cancel a cruise? I know if I move a sailing there is a $100 per person fee.

Celebrity does not charge a cancelation fee if one cancels many, many months in advance as I did.  Your being charged a fee probably means you booked at a nonrefundable rate.

Condolences on the loss of your spouse.

I wouldn't say anything to Celebrity at the moment.  When you arrive at the pier, if someone asks where your spouse is (and chances are they won't), tell them that your spouse died.  They probably won't ask and I doubt that the pier checkin personnel have the authority to reprice cruises.  I think it's best to be honest.  If at some point, Celebrity attempts to reprice your cruise higher, then it's time to make a claim with the insurance company.

Just go and enjoy the time with your family.

I had a reservation on this ship which I had to cancel.  I was charged a $200 fee to cancel.  I've heard good things about their ships, but that cancelation fee put me off.

You absolutely cannot beat the PH on the M class ships.  The balcony is fabulous and I love the butler's pantry with its separate entrance and full-size refrigerator.  And the reason they recognized you everywhere you went is that they were given your picture prior to your boarding.

We had a waiter quite a few years ago named Gede.  He was promoted shortly after that.  Seems to me we had a discussion with him about the significance of his name.  My memory is pretty wonky these days, but it was something like Gede was the name for the third son?  Did you get into that at all with your cabin attendant?

Glad to hear you made it back to California and that Iain apparently survived his encounter with the security folks.  Thanks so much for doing another great trip report; I appreciate the time and effort you put into these reports.  Looking forward to your next adventure!

Good question.  The bartender in Michael's Club introduced me to this on a cruise in April, although there were only two versions.  I did not see it listed on the drinks menu in the buffet.  I suspect it may be something new.  You could certainly inquire at the Elite Happy Hour.

3 hours ago, Keys Kathy said:

Yes, the price has gone up, but the food has gotten better, and we had great entertainment in the lounge in Feb.. It is a better deal than X, that's for sure.

 

As far as Diamond, just reapply with your X status. Oh, and you still get chocolate, but it is no longer a ship :(. 

 

We tried VV twice. It was interesting, but we are over it. The food is the same every day. I can't imagine a long cruise with the same food every day. The food was better than Luminea.

 

Virgin was definitely different!

Interesting.  My understanding was that one could only do the match once.  Have they changed that?  Maybe I'll have Frank look into it for me.  I did always love the entertainment in the lounge and that lounge definitely has the Retreat Lounge beat.  And I do love their private island.  I must admit those chocolate ships were a bit over the top.  Beth brought me a bottle of prosecco from her last cruise with them.  Just wish they had more interesting itineraries.  Maybe one day I'll get over my hate for the Miami freeways.  😃

19 hours ago, Keys Kathy said:

Me too! Are they just ignoring the past guests? After all, we know what they are doing with pricing and the fact that X is just not that attractive anymore. 

 

You'll find us in MSC Yacht Club, but that is going up, too. At least they offer something for the higher price.

Kathy, my problem with MSC Yacht Club is that the price has increased a great deal, I've lost my diamond status due to not cruising with them for 3 years, and I absolutely hate driving to Miami!  For you, I realize that's not an issue.  I did enjoy their private island.