freshjive1479

We will be there!

Hi Peter! I'll be on this cruise with my partner, Chris. Our friends, Terry and Cameron, will also be joining us as well. It will be my 4th time on the Summit and Chris' second time. This will be my first cruise over 7 nights in over 20 years and I'm looking forward to all of the sea days!!!

-John

I normally sail in AQ with a PP beverage upgrade on all of the ships but we got a fantastic deal on a SS on the Solstice for our next cruise and didn't hesitate to book it. X then offered a very reasonable Move Up to a CS which we bid on and won. I have zero regrets and certainly won't be upset about missing the Retreat Sun Deck. It's really up to the individual and what is important to them. Cheers!!

Kafetzis and Kafetzis...

22 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

RichYak, 100% correct. Your knowledge is evident. Interesting history about Celebrity. When Celebrity first started in early 1990's, I was on the inaugural of the Zenith. At that time Celebrity's product was not mass line, it was the only premium cruise line, a step above the mass lines, rather the Oceania of the day. The product was vastly superior to the RCL, HA of the day. Celebrity served afternoon tea in the forward lounge almost identical to Oceania's current afternoon tea service with wood trollies etc. There was no Oceania, Azamara etc at that time, there was a big jump up to the luxury lines, Cunard rather straddled the divide.

Over the decades Celebrity abandoned this level of all inclusive quality and went downwards into the mass market courtesy of RCL. Celebrity went big ship, mass amenities, started into the class apartheid, nickle and dime, art auctions and onwards. In the interim Renaissance went under and Oceania started up and picked up the small R ships a while later RCL built the premium Azamara with R ships. All the while the premium lines were building, Celebrity was getting bigger and more mass, despite using the bull s line of "modern luxury", not. 

It was only in the 1990's where Celebrity would be considered premium, since that time, just another mass line, albeit, the highest level of the mass lines, and becoming more mass - reheated frozen casseroles every day.

 

I fondly remember the Zenith days back when X's only other ships were the Meridian and Horizon. It really was a fantastic product, regardless of what type of cabin you were in.

We are also heading to Mazatlan on our cruise in early February. Definitely seeing how this will play out.

Thank you for sharing your story and I'm sorry for your loss. I'm planning a burial at sea for my aunt on an upcoming cruise and your story has helped put my mind at ease.

Haha! Thank you so much for posting that link. I guess I should have searched a little more. Taking my first ever December cruise so I wasn't sure how soon they made it festive. I'll keep it a secret from my partner as it will be a nice holiday surprise for him!!

Any insight on when they begin to decorate the ships for the holidays? 

I took my first Celebrity cruise when I was 14 and I'm almost 44 now and still enjoy it. I do go to the Silent Disco but I'm also perfectly happy listening to acoustic guitar at the Sunset Bar or the entertainment in the Rendezvous Lounge. I enjoy dinners at Tuscan Grill but I also like the buffets at Oceanview Cafe. I stop by the Martini Bar daily but I can also sit and enjoy a nice glass of wine in Cellar Masters.  I've already been on the Apex and Equinox this year and had a great time on both and I'm sure I will have a great time on Summit next week.

Bottom line is I 've grown up with Celebrity Cruises and I still enjoy because I can find various things for the different moods I may be in (or I can sit on my balcony and do absolutely nothing at all).

On 11/15/2022 at 12:40 PM, Rmyoung said:

Question about Hilton. We are staying there also. Was there any breakfast areas close by? Second this may be subjective but is it safe to walk at night in area? Never been to this area just wondering 

I’ve stayed at that Hilton many times with work. There’s a place called Bites in the courtyard behind the hotel. It’s adjacent to the 24 Hour Fitness. They have breakfast sandwiches, etc. There’s also Omelette Inn on Pine St. which is a 10 minute walk or so.

I’m Elite and my partner is not. Never had a problem with him accompanying me to any events I’ve been invited to. It’s a very nice perk of the program.

Thanks for your review. My partner and two of our friends have booked a Sky Suite on the Solstice for a February Mexican Riviera cruise and are looking forward to it. I really hope they have that same massage/facial special onboard for that week because I know we will all book that!!!

Thanks for the informative, well-rounded review! I have my first cruise on Solstice in February and I'm looking forward to it.

I live on the East Coast now but got an amazing deal on aft Sky Suite for a Mexico cruise in February on the Solstice. Combined with an astonishingly good deal with Flights by Celebrity, I didn't think twice about booking and making the transcon flight. I figure after a few glasses of champagne on my balcony all of the windows will appear cloudy anyway. Cheers!

49 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Won't be accepted at the port - you must have the official doc with the barcodes. Paper version preferable to just having it on a smart device.

Thanks. I understand that and have already spoken to Celebrity. I have both the COVID pass on my phone and the paper version as I travel internationally weekly for work. I was just specifically referring to the Celebrity app and downloading documents.

I took pictures on my phone of the vaccine card, both front and back, for my upcoming Apex cruise on the 19/2 and it was accepted on the X app. I guess the whole process is just random?

Hello all,

We have a small group of 8 of us meeting up for this Western Caribbean cruise. Anyone else onboard?

-John

2 hours ago, ricflyer said:

@freshjive1479 I leave at 11:10am to CLT #248. It was warm here today. Hope you have a great flight over the pond.

Thanks! The flight is pretty empty. Only 65 or so total pax. That’s a rarity these days!

I’ve seen! The weather has really been all over the place. That means that it should also be nice and warm when we get to Florida!

We are flying into Dulles from Heathrow on Tuesday then driving to my house in North Carolina. I was eventually able to find a very reasonable one-way rental so I’m now also flying out of RIC on Friday. It’s much closer and less hassle than getting back up to DC.

I know my friend is taking Spirit but I’m hoping to get on jetBlue lol. What time is your flight on AA?

This is great! Thank you so much for your detailed review and information. We are on the Eastern Caribbean cruise on February 10 so this is definitely whetting my appetite!

On 1/31/2019 at 6:26 PM, ricflyer said:

@freshjive1479 when are you flying down to FLL for the cruise??? I am leaving on Friday, Feb 8 on AA.

The three of us are on separate flights but two of us are flying down on the 8th as well. I’ll be at RIC dropping my friend off as he’s on the Spirit nonstop to FLL. Unfortunately I will have to return the car to Washington to avoid a ridiculous drop charge so i’ll likely be flying out of DCA. I’m flying standby so will be taking whomever has seats available.

Where are you staying? We rented an apartment in Wilton Manors just off Wilton Dr. 

We’re expecting snow here in the UK this evening. Nothing like what the US is going through now but they don’t handle it as well, especially in London. We don’t even have central heating in most homes here! My apartment is only 4 years old and we still have radiators. Lol

I just came back from a work trip to Miami. It wasn’t hot but definitely warmer than here! I saw some ships leaving and was excited to know that it will soon be our turn.

ricflyer - My vacation has unexpectedly been extended to the whole month and I’m going to be in RVA the week before the cruise. Small world!

Hello, guys. Not long now!