Phxazzcruisers

3 minutes ago, txflood33 said:

 

Would you be in a position to suggest the current sliding scale for tipping a butler. I have pre-paid tips but always give a little extra to the ones that stand out. I worked in the service industry so I am well aware there is a lot going on that we don't see.

 

This is my first suite so I've no idea where the starting point is...$5/day? $10/day? 10 day cruise=$100? I do understand that this number is up to the passenger tipping. Is there a standard like at a restaurant in the states of 15%-18% for a tip?

There are many threads on tipping.  Many have offered ideas, some tip extra generously and some do not tip extra at all.  It is all up to the individual and depends on what you ask the butler to do for you.  We usually do not ask for much, do not eat in the room, and once in a while have a party in the room, especially if we are in the penthouse.  We usually tip our butlers about $5.00 per day extra if they are attentive, friendly and responsive.  Again, extra tipping is completely up to the individual, as was mentioned above $4.00 oer day per passenger is what they receive in the auto gratuities.

It is not at all uncommon.  Supply and demand makes prices fluctuate.  If there is great demand, they will increase prices to what the market will pay.  When sailing time gets closer, they will gradually reduce prices to fill the ship.  

2 hours ago, john1970 said:

I just wondered what happens to the surveys that we complete after the cruise? If you are a top tier member in a suite do they scrutinise it or do they want to really know what first time Azamara guests think. Has anyone had someone from Azamara contact them after the cruise to talk about the survey? Had anything ever changed due to the feedback? 

Yes, all of they surveys get read and then sent to the specific ships for attention.  We know this because on several B2B2B's we were thanked by the various crew members for our comments about them.  We have also noticed subtile changes after comments were made. 

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Surprised to hear.  We have never been turned down.    I don't deny that Celebrity is consistently inconsistent.   We use to just leave it in our room at the end of the cruise before we learned that it could be exchanged (at least for us). 

 

 

We always book Suites so our butler was always happy to exchange.  However in talking with people not in Suites we found this not to be the case.  I no longer talk about this with fellow cruisers on board just in case they are not able to exchange theirs...

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Also if you don't like the bubbly or wine that came with our room you can either have is swapped by you room steward or bring to dinner and the Sommelier can give you a credit against a more expensive bottle.

This is not always true.  We have ben on several cruises where others have tried unsuccessfully to do this.  It is another of those Celebrity things.....It depends on who you ask.

14 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Can you send it in anytime prior to your cruise?

It seems you can send it in anytime for a future cruise.  The deadline mentioned above is the latest you can apply for the benefit 

1 hour ago, Arubamoose said:

We are doing the Eclipse that overnights in Buenos Aires.  We will have no means to get wine before we board the first day as we are coming from the airport.  

 

Can I bring on my two bottles on the next day?   

According to the rules, NO.  There are always exceptions to the rules, but for the most part, this has been enforced.  I wouldn't try it, as I would not like to be stuck with the 2 bottles waiting for me at debarcation and having to pack them to take them home.

31 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

Question how do they check for the 2 bottles, say for example I go on 1 hour before my travel companion goes on. i take 2 bottles of wine, then my travel companion goes on 1 hr or more later, and has another 2 bottles.  Wonder how they check.  Just wondering.  I have never seen it recorded when I go thru security they have just verified I had 2 bottles.  

They do not check.  They have no way of checking.

have a great time and a wonderful cruise !!!

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Glad others have corrected me apologize for my misleading reply..   I've never personally taken wind aboard.  

 

Celebrity Cruises Alcohol Policy. Bringing Alcohol On Board - Embarkation Day: No beer or hard liquor may be brought onboard for consumption. If you wish to bring personal wine onboard with you on the day you board your cruise, you may do so, limited to two (2) 750ml bottles per stateroom.

 

I know no one would ever cheat the system but if each of two passengers in a room arrived with two bottles and were not in the same security line, how would they know you brought too much wine aboard.   Just curious. 

No one would ever know and people have definitely done it before.  

43 minutes ago, NJ Gal said:

What was the cut-off date?

For bookings made after June 1, 2019

16 minutes ago, ts548 said:

Hello. Booking our first Celebrity cruise in quite a awhile. I know we get reciprocity in status as we are Diamond Plus on Royal.

My question is...Cocktail Hour and what is included at the Elite level. Is it like Royal with free drinks from 4:30-8 in a designated area? Are you limited to the amount of drinks you

get? Any help would be appreciated. We are booking the Equinox.

 

It is actually 5:00- 7:00 and unlimited drinks from a menu,.  Any drinks not on the menu are at a cost.  It is usually in a designated area unless there are too many CC members on board.  If so, they usually just load your seapass with three drinks per day from any bar.  Enjoy

47 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Will be interested to see the outcome.    I'm going back to the rejected cruises to see if I might have transferred a reservation booked prior to the cut off to the new booking.  

That may be it.  Check your invoices for invoice 1 and make sure you are looking at the actual first booking date.

They will charge a corkage fee if you bring the bottle of wine to dinner and you did not buy it on the ship.  Other than that, you are free to enjoy it in your stateroom

that is something very new. It is interesting, but probably just too much food !!!!

Thanks for the post.  We love Millenium, so glad to hear you had a great time

14 hours ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

Sorry, what is "drinks and more"?

OK..  Found it.  It was on my planner for our November 2020 cruise

Not me.  WE have a B2B2B in June and we will be on it !

Sorry, what is "drinks and more"?

We were in a Sky Suite on a B2B on mast month Solstice and received a pencil on the first leg.  We do the sudoku's and love the pencil.  On the 2nd leg we got an actual, nice Celebrity pen.  Happy with either, but really think the pencil is a great idea.

1 hour ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

We book using one credit card and use the same for our on board account.

 

However, bookings are made for two people with two LCV numbers quoted and we both receive points.

Exactly

1 hour ago, Lookyboy said:

 Sorry - lost my post! Apologies if it appears half written and badly punctuated / with unfinished punctuation!

 

We have only ever been given one set of points per balcony or suite stateroom. I have previously queried why a single person would get double the points, when we (a couple and both registered with LCV numbers) only get one set...............with no satisfactory answer from Azamara. It has taken us ever so many cruises to attain our current loyalty level...... and I have always wondered about this.

When two people are in a Stateroom, each cruiser gets points for the cruise.  If a solo travel pays anywhere from  125% to the usual 200% for the stateroom they get double points.  it is equal.

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

I don't believe any ships under the RCI umbrella have self service laundries. Cunard is under the Carnival umbrella.

Azamara has a self service laundry

Flowers are absolutely fine as long as they are not planted in soil.  I would not bother with fruit, give it away before you board,  all the fruit you can possible eat will be on board.  Enjoy your honeymoon cruise !!!!

3 hours ago, Belfastman said:

Not true. I have cancelled a cruise with another cruise line a few days before sailing and still got the full loyalty points. The cost of the cruise was refunded through my travel insurance.

Then you are very lucky.  I checked with all of the major cruise lines and none of them would award points unless the actual cruise was taken.  See reply #12 above for their reasoning.