dopeyngrumpy

Are you onboard? Did you cancel? If not then you do not have all of the information, nor do any of us. Last I checked no cruise line or other company has a functioning crystal ball. Good luck with your future (non NCL) cruises.

David


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We were told that they were sold out on our 5th January sailing

David


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Based on my 5th January cruise...

Plenty of good things , entertainment is top notch, shows and bands and soloists.
Vibe crew great but it lacks the atmosphere of the smaller venues.
Cabins nicely appointed

Things they need to sort,

Lack of deck space for free
Hot tubs cool outside,
Mojito bar, very small and seriously one seat per table, who thought that was a good idea
Service in Cagney’s
Lack of toilets and signage to them
General fit and finish, snagging perhaps but on a new ship all toilets should flush, door handles should not fall off
Officer visibility , just not anywhere as often as on other ships on the line
Single use cups outside , just stop it, and definitely not those advertising a bar ashore somewhere or another
Public areas all feel a bit IKEA with cheap pine and plastic
Noise levels in Ondo and elsewhere too many shiny surfaces perhaps

Would not avoid the ship but will only sail it again if it happens to be on an itinerary I want to particularly do.

Happy to answer questions

David





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We ate at Onda. Given the choice between Onda and Teppanyaki, we would pick Teppanyaki. 
 
Onda was ok. Better than Cucina. We have another Encore Cruise booked and will probably eat at Onda again. But it is not the best food on the ship (in our opinion). 

It was at The Social for the first few sailings then they moved it to Q... they may or may not change it again. 

8 hours ago, JohnIreland said:

There is more outdoor space on the Jewel class ships.

Absolutely, I cannot tell you how disappointed I am by the lack of imagination shown here, especially no outdoor viewing space, observation longe great, but who wants to do sail in on a warm weather cruise indoors for goodness sake. 

I can’t live without a go kart at sea said no one ever , especially I would suggest after they have done it once, meanwhile physical activities we are all meant to encourage, gone.  

In the evening as well, howl at the moon packed on every sailing I have ever done, gone.. sigh

David

About time they teased us with some of the tba internal facilities 

David

There is a lot to do. As someone said the new (and gorgeous museum) ... I could spend a few hours there alone. Corinth and just exploring the city as well are great options. And I hate to break it to you, but just about every cruise line stops there. So, if you don't want to stop there don't go on a cruise or just don't pick an itinerary that goes there. I'm not too happy that Istanbul has been canceled- but nothing we can do. There are plenty of terrible ports with oil refinery like conditions, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Ft. Lauderdale, st. Petersburg, most places in South America- and CHINA. Ending the law of gravity would be easier than stopping in Piraeus.

 

 

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Thanks - I know there are things to do for a day - but it's nowhere to spend an overnight. As to the other ports you list - thanks for the warning, last visit to St P. they'd improved it dramatically.

David

Open note to Celebrity Cruises -

Please stop spending days and nights in the smelliest, least friendly of the Eastern Med ports - Piraeus.

If anyone's not been to Athens then read this sentence and stop - It's a lovely place, some really interesting sights but it's lost a lot of greek character away from the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus etc.

Still here - good. We had the misfortune to cancel Istanbul overnight - no complaints, I get it - safety first and if I were responsible for all of those souls I'd probably have done the same. However someone decided overnight in Piraeus would be a good idea.

There is nothing in Athens worth a second day and no evening atmosphere to speak of, especially when there are so many gorgeous islands - pick any! - which would offer many more options for guests. I can only presume it's cheap to go there otherwise why do Celebrity insist on doing this.

We arrived in the port, planning a day out to another island- Greece was in a transport strike - no guarantees on ferries so no trip for us.

We opened the balcony door and closed it - if I wanted a holiday (vacation) in a chemical plant or oil refinery I'd book one and it went downhill from there. The chemical smog did not disperse for the whole 2 days. Did I complain on board - no - the ship crew could do nothing about it after all. The second day was the same - except the ship was packed, I lost count of how many times I heard people saying there was nothing to go and do - of course it was a port day so no entertainment to speak of until late afternoon.

My wife has asthma- by the end of our time there she was as ill with it as I've ever seen it - 36 hours of refinery smog will do that to you but at least we got to sail away - some folks have to live in it!

If I can I will post a photo of our sailaway - the yellow smog clearly visible in the evening haze. This was not an isolated incident - every time we go to Piraeus it's the same depressing mess and smog.

So come one Celebrity - lets start a campaign - no more heavily polluted ports and definitely no more Piraeus

(I know but a man can dream).

David

We're serial cruisers , mostly on Celebrity and I have to say the one thing that tempts me to go elsewhere is the on board entertainment - not just the productions shows which I've always found so-so - depending on the quality of the singers and dancers and their enthusiasm for the day.

1) The amount of live music around the ships has definitely fallen significantly

2) Poolside entertainment (on sea days particularly) does not even get going until 1pm

3) House bands with indifferent singers and drummers who cannot keep time

4) Onboard DJs trying to do 45 minute sets in 3 locations rather than setting up for the evening

5) Main atrium "parties" that spend more time setting up and breaking down (see 4) than keeping it going

6) Singers gone from Sunset sailaways

7) Clock watching!

I do get the different strokes argument - hence I rarely complain about theatre shows, some enjoy them - I don't and nobody (except Mrs) makes me go along - but when she starts telling me they are weak then I sit up and listen as she loves this stuff.

Come on Celebrity - Luxury is a good sound system, a variety of music in all the venues and so on - perhaps my next trip I'll try to find out who does the scheduling and planning - never know whether it's the CD or some ivory tower wizard in Miami.

David

Thanks. Exactly what I need to know.

 

 

 

I figure if I have any lira left on the way back to the ship I could always buy a few bottles of water or cans of soda. :D

Forget the ATM plenty of exchange places all over the place at great rates, walk in with a 10 , 20 or more and leave with lira!

David

What a shame for the great people there and Piraeus is a glorified container port, no substitute

David, on Equinox now so already lost our overnight

Just had is a tanned Russian onboard cut down menu , day by day according to the bartender !

Tickets

 

Clothes

 

Camera

 

Money

 

My darling wife

Passport,

Credit card,

Boarding docs

Best buddy, (Mrs)

Only need 4

Thank you - we only really drink wine, (white) and it looks very limited on classic, so think we will need it to get a decent Sauvignon blanc! :)

Remember to check out Cellar masters - they often have some that are not listed and are within the package :)

David

Then you will be fine, there aint none of that going on!

Hmm... that does rather depend on how much drinking responsibly has been taking place.

David

I saw from another thread that the "rituals" are $18 and "not included in any package" so they are the full $18 and not $5 if you have the premium package, correct?

No , this is not correct - on my Eclipse sailing earlier this year I can confirm they only charge the difference on premium package - and it wasn't $5 , classic packages I believe have to pay the full amount.

I enjoyed the drinks, they were novel if perhaps they did not feel as special as some of the Molecular ones, that said - it was a first cruise so it takes some time for the staff to find their flair with these things and the Ice Ball maker was very cool

David "Easlily pleased"

Just to add to my previous comment, the selection at the Molecular Bar was so sparse, in my opinion it would have been better to close it. People were disappointed and the staff were frustrated.

Now you have me thinking ... yes that would be even more annoying, thanks

Ack, I hope they are not doing it during the charter that is on before us, thanks

David

I too would like to know whether the molecular bar has been replaced yet on Equinox by the New World Bar as due to sail this Sat from Rome.

If you see this when you get back please do tell us, I do like the world class but I really loved some of the specials in the Molecular! We don't board until 24th August

David

I am looking forward to my trip to Greece, the problems there are not entirely of their own making and it is definitely not the fault of every day folks who deserve our help, take 25% out of your town or community and see if you will vote for more

My wife

My coffee cup

My kindle

My credit card

Embarkation paperwork, the rest is optional and I can buy everything else with my credit card

My other half - or it wouldn't be worth going

Credit Card - or it wouldn't be worth her shopping

Our smiles and sense of humour

Splitter cable for ipod, so we can be romantic and share the music

And our slimmed down waistlines to make way for the indulgence

we've lost 24lb between us in the last 4 weeks and still got a month to go

Where to start

the announcements 'could mr and mrs x please pick up a red phone' cue to everyone to lean over the side an clap in the last people back onto the ship

The silent but not silent horn to announce coming into shore (learning to sleep lightly so you don't miss it)

Getting coffee, food, anything you want, no matter what the time is

Leaning over the side and letting the wind whistle through my hair (that took me an hour to make it look good) and ruin it in 30 seconds

Sitting on the promenade deck with a book mid afternoon, with your feet hung over the side of the ship

I really look forward to the newsletter each evening so I can get excited about the next day!

We even look forward to hand gel - we may work in healthcare but there's nothing like hand gel on ship

Rituals

We race for the gangplank and try for an honourable draw

Then explore

Get a drink and food and unpack

Always do sailaway on deck - atmosphere is brilliant (apart from Thomson Celebration when they were 2 hours late starting and the excitement had waned a little)

First sail into shore, i'm woken at 5.30 by the Mrs who drags me onto deck and motivates me with coffee while she takes a 1000 pictures. Next month I'm taking the biggest thermos mug I can find with me so I can have a huge cup.

Not long now until my early morning drag out of bed!