goofysmom99

I don't.

No balcony and a bit too bijou for me. Guess I'm stuck with continuing to pay double or occasionally finding a decent single supplement, although those are becoming rarer.

I've paid double for over a decade. Thought I'd hit the jackpot in 2013 when I got a 150% supplement. It used to really frost me to pay double for tips, wifi, and bevs and only receive the use of one wifi. Then about 5 yrs ago, they started giving double-paying solos both of the wifis. Big woo. Finally now, with sail only rates, I only need to pay double for the cabin. Of course, that eliminates aqua and suites altogether. However, since aft-facing cabins are my favorites, I can live with that.

Yes, they were. I was on the Summit in 2003 when the sign on our deck 9 cabin door was switched to Concierge during the cruise. We'd decided we wouldn't choose that deck, mid-ship again due to noise. I stayed in 9096 on the Summit in 2022 to finish off the points I needed for zenith. Aside from its awful bathtub, and noise, the two deck 9 CS cabins have almost zero wifi and (no-go for Roku). Same suite on Deck 6 was excellent. The sky suites on 9 have zilch privacy from the glass elevators (I know this first hand). I wouldn't book a cabin on an M-class on Deck 9. Period. I know some of the ones forward under the spa are OK, but they're forward. So back to my original point, when you have a bunch of anything that's a tough sell, you have to create a need, and an either real or perceived benefit. I was in a marketing job in my second career and I totally respect and admire a good "sell." X did it in spades for Aqua and then did the same with suites. I well remember when we all dined in the MDR in the RS and PH. We only got 3 points for our 14 night cruises in them, too (3 points converted to 90). Times change.

X introduced Aqua class on M-class ships for standard veranda cabins that were a tough sell. It worked.

Aqua class (formerly undesirable cabins below the pool deck) is a true marketing triumph.

Good luck with that. I haven't found any solo specials for new bookings I want.

I'm sure glad I receive wifi and bev package from X now because the difference between cruise only and AI for a solo for my next TA is whopping $1834; gratuities are only $288 of that. No way slow internet and classic bev are worth $1546. I don't think it's worth it for two people with CC happy hour and free fast minutes either. Will no longer even consider suites due to bathtubs and the double charge for AI that I already receive. (Luminae and Retreat are very nice but not worth ~$7K.)

I used Luggage Forward when I was traveling around Europe by train before a TA. No way I could handle a cruise suitcase solo so it made sense for me. And I believe the airline Delta used was KLM. They're a Delta codeshare.

I really resented the AI until X finally allowed cruise only rates again for solos. But even if I traveled with someone, I'd skip AI. I used to get lots of waters during happy hour. Always gave a Passport Bar bartender a pretty good tip in advance and he'd have them ready, usually 3 or 4, when he'd see me get off the elevator. He'd also have my glass of wine right next to them. The tote was handy for that. I brought wine aboard, too, and would also buy a couple of bottles in the MDR for dinner. I don't drink much hard stuff these days, but paying for a decent scotch now and then was definitely more economical for me. Oh, and I always bought faster wifi with the captain's club discount.

The seats are low and the table is fairly high so card players reminded me somewhat of Kilroy.

Cruise Critic's link: https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/celebrity-constellation-272/michaels-club-203246/michaels-club--v10415181/

Ironically, so did I, including 5 points for Go Green.

Nearest flight option is Bologna (BLQ) which is just under an hour to the pier in Ravenna. You can book Celebrity's transfer from the airport for embarkation day. From Venice (VCE), it's a 3 hour bus ride to the port via X's airport transfer ($45). They also offer one from Piazzale Roma in the city on embarkation day, too (still 3 hrs). You overnight in Ravenna. There will be some local ship's tours available for day 2. You won't be going back to Venice on day 2 . If you want to spend time in Venice, fly in a few days early, see the sights, and take an X transfer. It's a long, gruelingly slow ride on 2 lane road that's almost solid trucks.

My travel agent is a zenith. She's never used her zenith cruise because she's also a top Blue Chip tier. In fact, she's aboard several B2Bs right now until Dec sometime (internet and wifi calling make for seamless business-at-sea).

From my point of view, I spent a whole lot of money to get there, especially factoring in how long I cruised paying double for cabin but receiving single points.

It's a great location. The big plus is their massive balconies. Room for a party. Remember, there are aft elevators/stairs on M-class ships so it isn't the long trek to get to the food. 😉

Before you even get to the door of the terminal, just say you need wheelchair assistance. They'll get you one from luggage drop off. If one isn't there at that moment, there will be a place to sit until a chair and pusher show up. They pull my rollaboard along, too. Shoreside pushes you to the gangway where a Celebrity crewmember takes over. Disembarking, go to The Retreat or the Martini Bar, whichever is closer for you (Retreat concierges want you to go to the Retreat but on M-class, Martini Bar was much closer to my cabin). A Celebrity crewmember will roll you off the ship to the terminal where a shoreside pusher will take over. I've always been rolled to luggage area and then the chair pusher and a porter take me to the cab stand (or in Miami, right to my car = big tip).

Safe travels. Thanks for all you did for us. And thanks for all your photos.

Can't speak for Infinity, but the Connie beds are firm and I just now realized I haven't had my chronic morning back and hip pain for weeks aboard this ship. I do think a new mattress will be in order when I get home.

I'll be disembarking Constellation Sunday after 24 days. Have decided I like good old M-class so much, I cancelled an upcoming 7-night Apex cruise for 10-nights on Connie for roughly the same price. I miss Murano and Lawn Club, but I'll manage, especially since I found out this cruise I can get the Tuscan limoncello cheesecake gluten free. 🤗 Life is good. 🤓

I'm on Connie. We definitely have had covid. Pax quarantined in their own cabins. A forced disembark in Azores occurred for non covid illness. Some B2B covid positive pax chose to disembark in Civi prior to TA. In both those instances, they were the right decisions. They did have to make their own way home.

I don't know if it's fixed, but I got in on Chrome on my android phone using a VPN and incognito. It does make slow shipboard wifi even slooower.

I've always been asked by Retreat concierge if I would like to bring a guest, even when they knew I already had friends (couples) traveling in suites. I've never brought anyone, but I've been asked.

I'll write more when I get home but two of the silliest mistakes were offering me bread after I specifically told them I was GF, but then not providing the usual GF bread option. Next, omitting the caviar from my sea bass crudo, evidently thinking it is shellfish. That one made me LOL and I corrected them so then the chef came out and carefully added it to my dish there at the table while the others waited. Remember, there were only 4 of us and it's a $235 meal. Those might be first night MDR mistakes but really amateurish mid-cruise at the priciest meal on the ship. (And there were several others.)