cherylroslyn

We plan to pretty much pre-book / pre-pay everything we need on the ship, so I don't expect a huge bill at the end of the cruise.

 

But I know that the ship runs a daily pre-authorization of a certain amount on the credit card to cover for incidentals.

 

As I'm using a debit card, I was wondering how high that daily amount is that is being reserved on the card.

 

Also, if it is not used one day, do they just roll it over to the next day or do they add a new "reservation"? For example, if they would reserve $100 and I don't use any of if, would I only see $100 blocked on my card for the duration if the week or would it raise by $100 each day, so have $500 blocked on day 5, if the reservation for the first few days haven't been removed by the bank until then?

I have a lot of experience with this. My recommendation is to put some cash on the account and settle up the last day with the debit or the cash. If you have paid all of your tips and everything like drink packages beforehand I would put like two hundred and then the last day go settle it.

The multiple duplicitous "authorizations" have really messed me up a few times. One time I left a cruise on another line and paid the bill, but because of the outstanding "authorizations" almost all of my money was tied up for seven days.

This is my first post so please be kind.

 

On Monday I booked our cruise on Explorer for myself, hubby, DD 13 and DS (who will be) 12, and the MIL and FIL - 9 days in the South Pacific in the January school holidays. Our second ever cruise (the 1st about 6years ago)but the in laws have cruised loads around the med and the Caribbean.

 

For the past 5 days I have been trawling the forums and interweb to work out if it will be worthwhile pre-purchasing the drinks packages. By all accounts, there are some very divided opinions - I was looking at delux for me and the hubby and refreshment for the kids.

 

It’s not made any easier by the fact that the packages on my planner are quoted in AU$ and includes gratuity and the bar menus I’ve found on the web are quoted in US$ and then you have to add 18% on top! (As I understand it).

 

I’ve tried to imagine how much I would drink over the course of a day. Don’t get me wrong, I like to relax on my hols and am partial to a nice wine and a few cocktails after dinner. Both me and th OH sometimes over indulge (and these days it gets harder to shake off the foggy head the next day!) But I am wondering if we can sustain that for 9 nights straight. Plus you would drink less on shore days. Of which we have 4. Also as we have 3 rooms, that’s 6 bottles of wine we can bring onboard.

 

The in laws would probably not go for a package as, although FIL likes a tipple, MIL would probably have max 3 drinks and they would both have to purchase as in the same room.

 

Then there is the refreshment Package. As my kids are teens I am thinking that the plain Soda package would be too limited - the refreshment package is the next one up and 3 times the price needing around 8 drinks a day to be drank, so would it really be worth it?

 

 

 

 

I know people talk about the prepayment and convenience factor of not having to worry about it during the cruise, but at the current price 2 x delux packages and 2 x refreshment packages works out at just over $AU 2,300- I reckon there would be a bit of worry either way - if I buy the packages if I’ve wasted money, or if I don’t, the massive bar bill at the end of the cruise.

 

So I’ve got a plan: put simply I’m going to overpay my credit card.

 

I’m not going to get the packages and I’ll put the $2300 away and just before we go I’ll transfer this money onto my card. Then I get to not worry about our bar bill at the end of the cruise, if we spend more than that, well we only have to deal with the balance. I’ll get the kids the soda package to give them the independence of getting their own drinks and load a few dollars on their seapasses so they can buy the odd milkshake or whatever and I’ll keep an eye on what they are spending. I suppose I could potentially upgrade them i need to (or cut them off lol!)

 

Sorry I’ve rambled a bit, but that’s my plan - I just need to make sure I don’t spend my barbill money over christmas!!

 

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Just my opinion but I'd just get them the generic soda plan which is a good jumping off point, and tell them they can have a few other drinks here and there...….

I'm doing Croatia, Montenegro and Greece in August....just about thirty days!!!! Thank you so much for this review!!!!! I am very excited for this trip and there is not a lot of talk about the Rhapsody on these boards because it is not a newer ship. This comes at a great time, and your English is great!!!!!:D

Thanks all; after we return I'll post how it worked out along with a review of our transfer service.

That would be very appreciated JohninDC!!! Enjoy your trip!!!

Welcome to the boards! :D

 

We'll be on this itinerary later this month; I will try to post copies when we return.

I would appreciate that as well JohninDC.

I hope you enjoy your cruise. We are doing this Itinerary on August 18, 2018.

I love your review! It is awesome! I started it last weekend because I wanted a good creative review of a Solstice class ship in anticipation of my Solstice cruise that I am boarding on April 29, 2018.

I am about to pull the trigger and join the Olympus T5 club. I am wondering about the fish eye lens that you all are talking about. I googled a fish eye lens so I have some idea about what it is. Can you tell me if I need training to use it? Is it easy to just switch lenses while out and about? I think this camera is really a good idea for me, but I wanted to make sure the fish eye is something I will be able to use, if I pay more for it.

Thanks again!!!

There are a comments out there saying that Celebrity's MDR food is turning inedible, and I've heard good and bad from peeps on board Oasis. Is this from cutbacks or are people not liking changes to the menu? We didn't love all the dining on RCCL either which owns Celebrity, but the Windjammer was great and we like having Johnny Rockets and the Dog House onboard for lunch. I hear folks talking up Celebrity like it's hot tickets but there plenty leaving for Viking Ocean and Oceania and Princess for better dining.

Celebrity's main dinning room and food is as good or better than that of RCCL. IMHO

Excellent review and pictures!!!!! I was also very interested in the Hawaii information as I head there to meet the Solstice at the end of the month and am staying three days in Waikiki prior to the cruise.

I learned a lot and thank you! I look forward to more!!

The same thing jus happened on my Hawaii cruise for the end of this month. Its not just Bermuda. I think they want to encourage people to book early.

HELEN,

I too book and pay for all our cruises, yet my husband got all the emails and snail mails. Then he became my EX and I got the emails; they are addressed to HIS NAME but at my address. Physical and email addresses.

Now, once again I book and pay for all Celebrity cruises, and my BOYFRIEND gets all the emails and snail mail!! Chauvinistic much?

I have almost the exact same story.....except everything was addressed to my daughter's boyfriend who I treated for a cruise with my daughter, and now everything is to my boyfriend who never went on a cruise until he met me.....

I'm leaving from Hawaii and headed to Vancouver. Can someone tell me when the casino will open? Is it when we leave the Hawaiian islands on day six?

What are the Persian Gardens? I don't remember seeing or even hearing about them aboard the ship .

Persian Gardens is a beautiful relaxation area that differs depending on whether you are on a Solstice Class Ship or a Millennium Class Ship.

There are nice steam rooms, and heated tile loungers or heated tile benches depending on the ship class.

Its a very nice private area to relax. The rooms are like Turkish steam, and Sahara Dry, and Eucylyptus scented....and there was a rain shower. I'm describing the rooms on the Summit, they may be different on other ships and the Solstice may be different as well.

Thanks for the info. They just didn't list those two things on Celebrity's website in the Aqua class description so I assumed we didn't get them. We brought two bottles of wine last time & didn't even finish the second bottle. We had the premium drink package & will have it again but we don't drink that much so by the time we're finished with our wine at dinner that's usually enough for the night. I just like the idea of the bon voyage toast.

Some people have been saying that the wine was not in their room recently and that because of the dominance of the drink package that sometimes they are letting the wine slip and see if anyone notices and they bring it if you ask for it.

Thank you for responding to my question!

And I really like the tag teaming with Suzanne. This thread now has something for everyone :)

The Doubletree debacle sounds like a play right out of my playbook. Thankfully not much of a debacle at all. I am anxiously reading about this tendering process as I am on the 4/29/18 Cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver, which is another 12 night cruise with a couple of tender ports.

At our first stop in Maui my group booked an elaborate excursion that includes a drive and a helicopter. As it turns out it takes off from the opposite side of the island. The only way to get the group there is a rental car and I have to get off the ship as soon as possible to pick up the rental.

Obviously this is not a Celebrity Excursion and in fact Celebrity offers nothing like it as this is also a cruise that only happens twice a year.

Some people have said being Elite might help with the tendering process, I did not remember that having any effect. I assume they accommodated you because of the mix up the day before or is this something you think would be worth looking into on the first day?

Great review!!!!! I literally feel like I'm on the trip with you and your family!!!!!

I switched to a an Aqua Class Guarantee today for no additional money and they gave me the second perk that I did not have, so I chose to have the gratuities with my drinks as this cruise is 12 days and that makes the most sense. I was hoping for the possibility of getting something more but alas....it wasn't meant to be and I was assigned my A2 within four hours of booking the guarantee. I'm still happy because I get access to Blu and Persian gardens Blu for breakfast is great when I mange to get up early enough to have breakfast.

Still happy regardless.......awesome feeling.

5 more days until we will be sailing on Freedom,been counting down for a year! I get my hair and an occasional manicure/pedicure at the salon but I’ve never been to a spa, thinking of treating myself to a massage or facial and am looking for suggestions. I’ve seen the workers selling spa packages all over the ship, wondering when is the best time to purchase and what specifically should I look for? My husband won’t do a couple’s massage so it’s going to be all about me, woohoo. Would love some input.

Just since you say you have never been to a spa I would assume you have not had certain treatments either. I would advise that you do the facial some day at home, not on a cruise. Facials are great for the skin, but they can be uncomfortable at times and they can cause redness and irritation that can be exacerbated by the sun. They also can cause an increase in pimples or other issues temporarily immediately following the treatment and that can last a few days. So I don't think its a good time to be stirring up problems in your skin that are laying dormant. They are also not relaxing in my opinion at all.

Massage on the other hand is, and I think massage is the way to go.Possibly even a hot stone massage. They are really nice. I think the quality and the atmosphere in a ship spa is really very nice.

Be sure to arrive early as rushing to a spa appointnment is the worst!!! And they pressure you to sign up for very early appointments in the beginning of the cruise, they do that because nobody wants those appointments. If you are an early riser and like it.......go for it, but don't feel pressure, they have plenty of other appointments. Also, prices are better on port days so if you know you are staying on the ship,or you know you are getting back early you can save by booking on the port day. And like the other ladies said, don't buy the products. I think the products are pushed more on the facials, because they play on our insecurities, and the desire to look younger....... but even if you fell in love with a product you can get it on land or the internet cheaper.

We will be sailing on Grandeur of the Seas in April. I like a few Adult Beverages, but my wife is a 1-2 drinks per day drinker...maybe. The full drink package is a waste for us if we have to buy two packages. In fact, with the sale rates we just received we would almost pay more for the booze package as we did the cruise.

 

Is this 10 drink package available on all RCI ships?

It was available on my August sailing this year on Grandeur.

That was a pretty full sailing so if it was available on that sailing it likely will be available on a less full sailing in the month of April. No guarantees but I think the chances are good.

I was wondering, does anyone know if there are child locks on the doors to the Courtyard in the Garden Villas even though it's not technically a balcony? We're traveling with a 4 year old and two year old and wouldn't mind a little security - beyond moving a chair in front of the door...;) I am thinking of picking up a couple of travel door alarms just in case though...

I've stayed in that room and the door is not a sliding glass door. I believe there is a lock but I definitely know the door is very very heavy. The trouble I would worry about if they got out is the hot tub and there is a sauna type thing. Your might want to ask me f they can lock the sauna. We really never used the sauna the whole week. Sometimes we kept the door to the courtyard open all day but we were all adults. I'd definitely be worried with kids if the doors were not so heavy. I doubt the four year old could push the door open by himself.

I will be bringing my 8 months old and 3 years old to Bermuda too. Don't forget to bring the sunscreen for your baby since she is 6 months old she can use it, and natural insect repellant. I would suggest bringing an umbrella stroller with you I heard the buses in Bermuda only allow umbrella strollers not the regular one. I will bring a vegetable peeler for peeling the apples , pears to make baby food. Just cut them into small pieces add some water and put it in the microwave to cook it. So we can make our own apple and pear sauce. Don't forget to bring some baby medicine like Tylenol benadryl thermometer , etc. Bring a bottle brush and soap, baby lotion and body wash. I would also bring a baby carrier it is so much easier to travel around with it and doesn't take up spaces. It is ok to eat in the restaurant on the cruise ship even the baby is fussing you don't need to feel bad about it . The ship welcomes people of all ages and kids friendly.

The staff can arrange to puree the baby's food. All you have to do is ask, they will be very accommodating from what I have been told. Not sure where you are finding a microwave on board?

I'm going in three days with a 10 month old. I'm going on Royal Caribbean so I will try to check back.

Heloo, thanks for all of this information to all of the posters. I have a question I have been wondering about a lot this week.

I am sailing with a ten month old next Saturday on the Grandeur. I am doing late dinning, do you think they will put us at a table alone or with other people?

I think it could be a lot of pressure to be at a table with a lot of other people, Not everyone likes kids.

What do you all recommend? She is really pretty good in restaurants so far.

Separate from your wife when going through security. Its done all the time......

I'm trying to remember when I originally made that frito quote. Was it it one of your reviews?

I was trying so hard to remember too. I keep bringing it up ...lol I even did a search of the word Frito, which turned up nothing.....grrrrrr

Thanks as always Yorkvillain, I can't even tell you how much fun I had reading this....as always.

You CLR and the rest make cruising and waiting between cruises so much more manageable......

I will wait in suspense until the next time......

I sail this itinerary on August 19, and although I've done a dozen or more cruises to Bermuda, you make it so fresh, and appealing.......just listening to your rhetoric and sarcasm gives me a huge chuckle......

Hopefully Courtney will let you move your bed over for the last night.....lol.

.

I hope this corn chip discussion doesn't go into Fritos and toenails.......:)