marylander2

14 hours ago, flynn37 said:

 No Zephyrhills or Dasani or anything like that, because they sell that on board...

I apologize profoundly but they for sure DO NOT sell Zephyrhills on X ships! So I should be OK if I carry two 24x660 ml Z. cases on both shoulders??? (I can do that, at least through the security check!)

Ridiculous!

51 minutes ago, hcat said:

One help for non source cabins  is putting a rolled bath towel by the door bottom to keep the windy noise from getting through.

Not sure if  any of this will apply to open or partially open Veranda windows.

Ha ha ha this is classic - I hope you don't take it the wrong way...

I live in the SEAsean country, which is greatly affected by the "haze effect" created by the neighboring country that burns a lot of the old palm plantations... During haze season, the stench of burning palm oil is at times truly unbearable, and since a lot of high end condos in the city have a half inch gap beneath the front door (stupid design, but hey, they also do not build in the fans in their toilets, believe it or not...), the stench easily penetrates in the apartments.

So your solution is used religiously 🙂

I sure thing was using it during cruises, it works! This time I am thinking to bring with me - along with other useful inventive solutions by the Edgies - a roundish flexible "door sausage" that is sold in the colder states to prevent a draft under the doors during the winter lolol

5 hours ago, boscobeans said:

 

Maybe my wife and I are different than most others in that we enjoy the heat of the Caribbean in the Caribbean and not in our stateroom.

Same when visiting Florida in August, we enjoy the air conditioning in our hotel and the heat on our room's balcony.

 

You ask, "...what specifically was making your room extremely uncomfortable while leaving the door open?" 

Well simply put, what makes our room uncomfortable are temperatures that can easily reach or exceed 90 degrees with humidity to match when the doors are open. 

 

Whether leaving a veranda door open or not has been discussed to death on this and every other cruise line forum and the general consensus is that it affects the HVAC system in not only your cabin but in other areas and staterooms. 

 

I hope that answers your question.

 

Yes, to a certain degree 🙂

I guess it depends on how wide you are opening the balcony door - with a/c working and the two finger-wide split I would doubt that it affects the HVAC that much. I am not going to debate this, because I foresee plenty of angry CC members going after me for "affecting the airflow" in their cabins as well 😂 (I bet there  also will be plenty of those who are enjoying a whiff of sea breeze through the crack of door opening and the soothing sounds of waves outside while going to sleep...).

I just don't open it fully, thus it does not jack up the temp to 90 F inside, and does not increase the humidity. I manage to find an optimal width of opening, that is all. 

Earlier I asked those who already experienced the IV if it is possible to lower it only by a couple of inches, and most of the answers were "impossible" - it either stays fully closed or fully open.

When it is fully open, I am certain that having a/c working will affect the circulation - thus, Edge IV cabin is designed the way it is - a/c shuts down when the window is open...

But thanks again for your answer, appreciate it. Merry Christmas.

16 hours ago, PTKeil said:

I am now starting to book excursions and realized that our new itinerary the week later of 3/30 is distinctly different from what we booked for 3/23, and it seems exceedingly lower quality. Please tell me otherwise if I am incorrect...

I honestly feel that your saying "exceedingly lower quality" is totally incorrect. Of course, it depends on what are you personally would like to do while on Caribbean islands, but I was on all of the islands in both itineraries and vouch for a second in a heartbeat - Grenada and Dominica are great beach/snorkeling places, certainly more rugged than your St Thomas, but if you find a right spot you'd enjoy both islands a lot...

The new(er) itinerary is a good balance of swim-snorkel-beach experience and shopping meccas, so I honestly do not get it why did you call it as exceedingly lower quality. Today's Caribbean cruising is fixed to the point that it is hard to see the difference between the islands, with rare exceptions...

Hope you do not cancel 🙂

1 hour ago, boscobeans said:

In our experiences over those years leaving our veranda door open would almost always make our stateroom extremely uncomfortable to say the least.  

If I may kindly ask you, what specifically was making your room extremely uncomfortable while leaving the door open?
We have sailed for years with balcony, including Caribbean, and the only reason was that we love to open the door slightly while sleeping. Except a few very hot nights here and there (South Pacific, Indian Ocean etc.), it is a very pleasant experience, which we always enjoy...

21 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

 Edge will be changed and such changes will be implemented with the following Edge class ships, I would expect...

It is interesting to read multiple posts that express a firm belief in the Edge changing current stateroom setup, entertainment, etc etc.... All who say this, please recall and let me know how many changes (forget the drastic ones, such as change of the furniture pieces, for one...) were done on ANY of the X ships, based on the cry-outs of the cruisers. I am a devoted (Elite/close to Elite Plus) cruiser with X, and I can't think of anything of that caliber of change on S class ships. 

We write these wishes and we hope that X would read and take them into account and make changes that most here do wish for. I would say - HA HA HA.

They may change immaterial things like Edenists (I am saying immaterial in a sense that they are not flimsy veranda chairs or french doors etc.), but to change the stuff in the staterooms - throughout the whole ship, in over than several hundreds of cabins, or change the design of elevators or access areas - you wish... They will not add more bars, they will not replace chairs and tom-toms and flip-over coffee tables, because they have enough buyers - more so, with crazy-high prices! - for IV and for current itineraries overall... 

Whether these will be adjusted on Apex and the following E-ships - again, it depends on HOW MUCH it would cost to change the design flaw of any kind, because it would be silly to expect that X would fix the flaws on the next ships and leave them on the Edge.

4 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Trust me, being Elite Plus doesn't give you squat over what you get as Elite, other than the extra perks as advertised.  The one possible exception (and not even sure about this as I don't know everyone's status obviously) is that we have gotten invited to several sail-aways  on the helipad.  Never got any preferential seating in the MDR, Select Dining, or at a specialty restaurant - never.

This is true, sadly. 

However, I have a positive experience with Equinox a couple of years back, when we had difficulty with getting the Select Dining - the very first dinner that we had at MDR, we talked to the Assistant M'D at the entrance, and she accommodated us easily, more so, every time we had finished the dinner afterwards, we were reserving the time for tomorrow when exiting MDR - she was very sweet and helpful. Couple of time we reserved specialty restaurants with her the same way. 

That happened because, as she said the first time we've met her, we were Elite plus we were in Concierge class.

Go figure...

Sorry, while I was preparing a neat diagram :))), Kearney already updated on the elevator and its issues...

43 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Not sure, yet I thought someone in either this or another post indicated that there is elevator access to Edge's various levels. So if there is a mobility issue with 'steps' it can be used.

 

bon voyage

 

4 hours ago, Manitobeens said:

A question on the elite drink vouchers, can you get an premium drink by paying the difference, as you would with the classic drink package? Thanks  Gordon

This is a really interesting question... I have never seen bartenders doing that. But it may also vary from ship to ship, and depending on the number of Elite/Emerald guests, I figure. I am up to try this experiment in 3 weeks 🙂

4 hours ago, hvsteve1 said:

I haven't had time to read every single post on EDGE but has anyone mentioned the TVs have built-in chromecast and airplay?  If your computer has either app it will connect wirelessly to the TV.

I very much doubt that (I mean, that the Edge TVs have this option)... I've read before that people were struggling with HDMI hookups because TV's HDMI slot seems to be on the back and it requires a tiny and skilled hand to stick it in there.

However, only time would tell. I am buying a longer cord so far.

20 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

The breakfast was held in Tuscan on edge with exactly the same buffet menu as the other ships have, and the same drinks menu.   It’s a bright and pleasant room. The elite breakfast was a lovely way to start the day.

Great, thanks - looking forward to it 🙂

6 hours ago, dx052 said:

Can anyone know the difference between the panoramic ocean view and standard ocean view? is it too do with the size of the window.

If you are referring to the Edge, I believe that the POV has a floor-to-ceiling window, just like the infinite veranda, but it does not open (no sliding window panel) - hence there will be no "veranda furniture". "Standard" OV has your typical ~3x4 ft rectangular "picture window" with the window sill in front of it. These - on the Edge - are located on deck 3, closer to the water.

Anyone have already had CC Elite breakfast(s) in Tuscan restaurant on the Edge?
If the menu the same as on the other X ships??

One smart feature of new Edge design that I am quite impressed with is the airlock doors heading from OCV to the aft OCV section. Any other ship that I've been at, has a single sliding door that is operated by motion sensor. It may not seem to be like a big deal for some, but you know what I am talking about - when you seat inside the OCV, in the proximity of even good 50-70 feet away from these doors, and yet every single time when somebody goes by them (or pax going in/out, or waiters drag the trays etc etc), the wind tunnel effect is unbearable, especially in colder regions... It blows everything off, from napkins to wigs to salads!

48 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

I like that idea!

 

My idea is to take the removable veranda tray top to the OVC so that we can get all our food at once and then head to a table. I'm surprised that I didn't see others up there with their trays. 😉

...why not making even a bolder move? - I am thinking to sanitize it well and then use it instead of the plate! Imagine how much food I could dump on it!! And then I could take it down to my cabin - no spillage, no mess!!!

😂😂😂

I have perhaps one of the oddest reasons why ANY cabin of non-suite type would be a disappointment for me...

I am a movie junkie, I use my laptop hooked up to TV during the cruises a lot... There is NO PLACE to set the laptop in the close proximity to the TV in the Edge standard cabins. Older ships have countertops right beneath the TV console. Here, it just hangs on the wall - the moving vanity table is good 2-3 feet away. Yeah, I could buy a longer HDMI cable, just as much as I could buy curtains, folding chairs, large coffee table etc etc 

There also was an interesting comment from one of the UK guys - he says that, unexpectedly, the space inside the "thingie box" (outlet box) is too small for UK plugs... All of my plugs are of UK size (sorry if it sounds too personal 😂) - I am curious to see how this would work out.

And yes, I could use the universal tom-tom to set the laptop under TV, but it will block the way.

A few posts above, someone mentioned that the absence of the "standard size" (S/M chips) coffee table is a drag for the Edge cabins... We use the table a lot, actually, and for sure will miss the utility that it carries.

But what do you know, I am on the Edge in three weeks... Ha!

3 hours ago, buramiko said:

 ...It’s just hard to please both groups at the same time, just saying.

There is a substantial difference in terms of "pleasing" these two groups (millennials and X veterans).

Older cruisers are ALREADY here (Egde, S or M ships), while X is TRYING to win millennials so far.

Replacing traditional cruising features with something that supposed to TARGET a different population is a risky strategy; let's see how it would work out.

What is upsetting is that in the quest to win the new crowd, X is hastily getting rid of the things that are dear to the current devotees... and this seems to become soon a company-wide approach (Revolution).

Just now, B-Rizzle said:

 

Right? I feel like the entertainers are doing their job, and it is our job to play along and complete the concept. It wasn't fun for my Ex when he played Santa and my son stopped believing.  (though I think he had it coming!!! hehe)

Makes me wonder - would it crush the Eden actors if I tell them that Fairies are imaginary and do not exist...

4 hours ago, hcat said:

I was using the term from someone else who posted that this was who Celebrity was trying to attract...and to me that term and EDEN don't jibe!

I look forward to socialize with the Edenists. Maybe we could form a team to compete against the team of theater actors in bag tossing...

5 hours ago, kearney said:

I think it is difficult to go after a market that is into texting, instagram, video gaming and techno music while also satisfying a market that is either less interested in these or perhaps even hostile towards the whole internet of everything concept and electronic everything. So it will be difficult to attract new people and keep the old... you are going to offend someone... the question is can you hold onto enough while attracting more than you lose.  It will be interesting to watch this experiment. To be honest I am glad to be on an early sailing so I can see the original concept before it goes through further transformation. One thing I find interesting is getting rid of basketball... which involves people interacting LIVE with other people and essentially replacing this old school physical activity with those bikes where you interact online with people biking. Even the pool is designed for laps a solitary activity... vs volleyball.  So the technology oriented can come on a ship and still succeed in minimal interaction... and not miss a beat on their phones....   I wonder if there is a market for a non tech ship with no internet... expect perhaps for emergencies. ... where you have to interact....  Given the focus on technology..it is odd that they include sprites... seems that does not appeal to either end of the spectrum.. Well it will be interesting to experience

 

All good points, especially about games as a mean to connect people onboard. Wow, basketball... You are right, and I thought about the same once I have found out that the Edge is the first from the last ten or so ships by X that will not have the court! I just did not think about it the way you did - that it is one of the obsolete spaces for the "young refined cruiser", it should go away together with any other games (in your sense, with the activities connecting people). I personally have made a lot of good friends on the court, I play all my life, and have a good fistful of X medals for different challenges on the court (those with blue ribbons) - from tournaments on M ships where they had a full court, to really tough games on S ships (because of the odd location of the courts! Who decided to place them right above the bow?? Open to all and every wind...). It's just sad that the new concept is crossing out games and competitions whatsoever.

As to your generous comment "So it will be difficult to attract new people and keep the old... you are going to offend someone... the question is can you hold onto enough while attracting more than you lose." -- I very much doubt that X is doing this transition the right way. Edge is in each and every corner of the ship different from what the "old crude cruisers" like me got used to while onboard of X ship. I still am looking forward to taste it, as you all, and can't wait to get there. It could "revolutionize" my approach to cruising, because despite my passion in sports, I still am an introvert, oddly enough - so it might work for me... What is scary in the X approach, and this is what you perhaps are not taking into account, is that they want to administer the "edgefecation" concept (sorry again for made up word) to ALL fleet, and that in my book is not the right way of keeping the old while attracting the new. I am nervous about that. Luckily, this is not an industry-wide approach, and with X prices going up daily, I would easily take parts with it and switch to O or HAL or MSC. I wish the X and RC a ton of success, but I hate to be  handled like an old, scratched basketball that is tossed in the garage corner, because young refined kids in the family have got a brand new shiny one...

19 minutes ago, Jesseslola said:

A lot of my friends are in the higher level of the Celebrity/ RC status rating. Guess what, they get the BEST discounts available, allowing to go 3-5 times a year.

The younger cruisers in my group pay top dollars and are able to cruise 2x a year. They do not have loyalty levels because they do not stick to one cruise line. They try everything and not ready to be a “loyal” to one. 

 

This group is what I believe Celebrity is trying to attract.

 

It is not because Celebrity or any cruise line is trying to ignore their loyals, but that they need to pay the bills. The loyals are still very important to them, as we other passengers acknowledge that. Celebrity is trying to get new passengers to become loyals one day, when they current loyals are enjoying their even wonderful cruises in heaven.

Please ask your friends in the higher level with X or RC to teach the rest how to get the BEST discounts available 🙂

Apologies for perhaps sarcastic tone, I just believe that this is at least an overstatement - I wish I would have a chance to say the same, and I am a "loyal" with both X and O, but I can't seemingly get those BEST discounts you - or your friends - are referring to... As someone mentioned in one of the threads here: on the contrary, "loyals" are not going anywhere, they will buy and sail with their cruise line because of the perks more than because of supposed discounts... plus, the sport of catching a good deal has a little to do with loyalty programs, it is more related to a trusted TA or good word from fellow cruisers etc. ...  however, newbies - especially in the new markets/new countries - will definitely get better deals...  Once I sailed on O with a number of Asians and Russians who were in the same, or higher, stateroom categories and paid by 1-2K less for 10 day cruise on Nautica than we did with our loyalty program. I myself once have got a great deal on X Fiji cruise because X just started selling in my city-state in Asia, and they were literally throwing great deals left and right to win a new market - I've got that deal without even mentioning the loyalty program... so you are right, business is business, but under entirely different angle.

As to younger cruisers trying different cruise lines, this is just as correct as ANY other age category - it is a common practice for many beginners, regardless of the age. When we began cruising, we were doing the same, and we were not young, sorry to admit... We all know many people past 40 or even 50 who just started cruising, so age has little to do with trying different lines. 

Lastly, your statement about X not ignoring their loyals, but they have to pay the bills... I am sorry once again. Cruising is a multi-billion dollar business, I am not going to bore you with math, but trust me they do quite well, so skimping on a few perks for loyals while hoping that the "younger generation" would replace current loyals sounds like a strange business practice to me (if this is true), because X could very much loose far more current devotees than win the newer ones... At least it seems that Edge is not playing to the tune that X's PR campaign was setting it for.

I will sail on the Edge in January, and I will enjoy the cruise, the people, the food, and the service - this is what is always there, be it the Edge or Nautica or even a good old Windstar Spirit.

Once again, my apologies if you find my post too aggressive - my skepticism sometimes spills out far wider than it should. I wish you a happy cruising!

17 hours ago, kearney said:

Here is a review from someone who got a free two day preview cruise... so only 2000 on board... and free drinks etc... but interesting perspective from a non cruiser. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-6480143/What-like-sail-Celebrity-Cruises-Celebrity-Edge.html

 

"There are several parts of the 3,000-passenger ship that blew Samantha away, including Eden, pictured. It’s a stunning garden-themed restaurant, which offers an action-packed dining experience" - I am sorry but this is SOOOO PR'ed, I can't stop giggling.....

"Action-packed dining experience"!!!

"Garden-themed restaurant"!!!

On 12/13/2018 at 12:16 AM, CruisingTheWaves said:

...Point being, it’s good they’re trying new things. It’s good they’re trying to appeal to a larger demographic. I think they will find though that to keep their loyal cruisers, they will need to find that happy medium on all fronts, especially the changed aspects. This was an experiment, and they’re listening because they KNOW they don’t have it right just yet..."

Thank you for bringing up a definition of a LARGER demographic!

Saying that X wants - badly, if you consider experiment of a ....llion dollars worth (Edge) - to appeal to a YOUNGER demographic sounds too belittling to me, I don't know how about the rest of the devoted X cruisers... "Happy medium" is another very good description of what I would have expected from a company who won me over with the Solstice maiden voyage for good. 

It is nice to set up an experiment, but you better be damn sure before you start it that you would at least get some kickback from your money spent on it, otherwise you might end up like Renaissance. Their R ships were NOT the reason for a company going belly under, they are still in operation and doing darn well, almost two decades after commissioning ...

On 12/12/2018 at 8:03 AM, hcat said:

I get that times and demographics change,  but a younger refined cruiser  would likely be repelled by some of the EDEN  nonsense!

...and they already are, judging by several comments I've stumbled over. 

However, I am curious to learn what - in your view - defines a "young refined cruiser"? 🙂