Oceangoer2

We didn't mind the Equinox sun deck...there is shade on the side of the ship where the 'sun don't shine'...LOL....and was frequently fully used. Our drinks arrived with ice and no melt, unless we let it sit. Lunch took a little time to deliver but that was expected as it comes from Luminae. We think booking the Retreat had value; have to remember, cost is less than E class for a reason.

We book our reservation as soon as we have our sailing confirmed in order to have our preferred time. This week I was checking the website for another rez and as you say, late only available in all specialty restaurants. Onboard you may have a chance with the times they keep open which are not showing online.

We had the opposite experience. 6pm reservation, arrived 5 min. early, all tables but one were in use by those who had arrived at 5:30pm WITHOUT reservations. We were told the line up started before 5:30 and it was so busy out into the Ensemble Lounge they opened the restaurant (Murano). We were not happy that our time wasn't honoured with a good choice of tables...however...we survived...😁. Food is excellent but getting a little too pricey so the poster who mentioned the MDR filet as being an option has a good point.

Maybe you'll be assigned business class as a good will gesture for all the back and forth confusion....🤞

Molly....PL...eeze steal from the X board re the new Apex sailing dates to be released tomorrow! That's if you can, I'd appreciate it.

And the balance sheet won't show results until it's too late....some of us may have had enough of the Royalization of X.

I suspect it's not peel and mash...most likely open box, pour, add water. (Not sure of this, I've never made instant mashed potatoes).

"Indeed the whole concept of " fine dining " is essentially an American custom where people are happy to pay a premium to be fawned over and eat off linen tablecloths." No...not British...just perhaps a reverse snob approach looking down on those who appreciate the finer ways of dining enjoyment. Why would I prefer a 'fish and chip' store experience over dining as I do at home?

Did you read the menus above for the Silhouette....? That's uniformly bland and a disappointment compared with our MANY past X cruises.

Will check the app for the Nov. Silhouette menu. The Luminae menu last Nov. wasn't impressive....couldn't get more so IMO.

We had a 'special' anniversary during our cruise and booked Murano. The next evening in Luminae the staff mentioned they had missed our anniversary. and celebrated it that evening with some nice touches and ended with a rousing Happppppy Annnniversary in chorus, with a second verse in their language. It was more special than Murano for that touch...but I agree with most...not especially impressed with the menu in Luminae and ordered most evenings from MDR menu.

It's easier to get the time you'd like to dine. You can dine anytime, but you might wait during the more popular times for a table. Most just walk in ANYTIME...😉.

In effect, all the longer cruises are toast (burned toast...lol), replaced by 7 nights around the Caribbean. Transatlantic is still an option for longer cruises but if they could find a way to hydro-speed across in 7 days they would! 🚀

My Apex web cruise face page still shows but the data beneath is greyed out and "unclickable", so they cancelled and I assume started the refund.

HAHA! I'd lose the bar fight but I'm not always partial to taking the verbal swings some throw especially when I'm in an ouchy mood. But Peace to All...😇

you're right....a rebook should be a replacement cruise at the $$s originally spent PLUS the OBC. However, should and will are two different things and we have no recourse.

Yes...$200 OBC offered for inconvenience...but we already had OBC...if we rebook, I wonder if that's gone the way of the dodo.

Let's stick to this subject....the butler who will (or has) probably lose his job is believable...the 5 kids, etc may not be. Most of us can read the tea leaves without a poster explaining how we're being 'taken in'. My birth certificate didn't note 'stupid' as my middle name.

Very much the case. We had a great cabin and location and a good price for a booking made when cost was reasonable. Now, to replace that cruise, it's almost a third more for a lower cabin category. Not happy right now.

I would take the word of a butler whose job/pay scale may be affected over the spin X can put on it.

Re Apex....our Nov. 21/24 cruise has been cancelled with full refund. Told it's 'safety'?? Part of our notification. So they're replacing with 7 night cruises? "At Celebrity Cruises, we are passionate about providing award-winning vacation experiences. With this goal in mind, and in accordance with global ship safety guidelines, Celebrity Cruises will be revising Celebrity Apex’s season schedule to include drydock for routine inspection in 2025, instead of 2024 as originally scheduled. As a result of this rescheduling, select Celebrity Apex sailings scheduled to embark November 9 & 21, 2024, and March 8, 2025 through April 26, 2025, will be cancelled."

We've booked this each time we sail from FLL over the years, pre reno and after. Have always recommended it, but we did have a high floor room with view of the harbour which is our preference to see the ships come in (early....5am ish) from our balcony. Haven't stayed in any other room so there may be different opinions. They have a good lobby, pool area, and patio restaurant. The traditional inside restaurant they used to have is gone and breakfast was offered in a meeting room...however, it was fine.

Could this be a pre-pandemic message? I understand there's no further renovations being planned for any ship.

Oddly enough, not sure, but did we talk about our 'locations' in past emails. Are you presently living in a small town south of London?

Thanks for the info...but not driving between US and Canada.