maggipie
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Posts posted by maggipie
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washdcguy, thanks for your live review, looking forward to hearing more! Our family of 4 will be getting on June 5, and our 2 kids grew up cruising on Celebrity. This upcoming cruise is the first that DD will have aged out of the kids program, she'll probably have withdrawal 😱 We have always loved the family events with the kids programs, like scavenger hunts and bingo (we've seen grandparents there too); your DD will probably be thrilled you're all there with her at these fun events! I absolutely agree that all the Celebrity's kids' counselors we've ever met have been incredibly enthusiastic and engaging; on our first X cruise when DD was 3 (and DS was in utero), she didn't want to ever leave the "Fun Factory," as it was called back then, in part due to the counselors.
It sounds like the Retreat hasn't been overly crowded despite the number of suites on this ship. Can't wait to board ... just 70 more days!!
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Spicy Mango Tini from Sushi on 5 ... martini bliss ... and confirmed still available when Sushi on 5 morphs into Raw on 5 on the Edge! (Probably because it's actually made in the WCB.)
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Thanks! This is great!! Our favorite cruise so far (without kids) was Princess, so I am pleased to hear you liked their kids club! I am hoping for a celebrity opinion as well ;)
Hey there dana.carter17, here is your Celebrity opinion: We're a boring couple straddling 50 with teenagers who started cruising with Celebrity when daughter was 3 (and son was in utero); DD became instant Elite when she turned 18 this year (more free laundry for us!). The only other lines we have been on are Royal and NCL, so we have a limited comparison, but the food we liked most was Celebrity's, and our kids have always loved their Fun Factory/X Club. Celebrity seems to be trying to attract more family cruisers in recent years, but maybe a decade ago, there usually were not huge numbers of kids, and that seemed to make for a less chaotic kids program, with very attentive counselors. Not to say that there were no kids; there were some summer cruises we were on from US ports (vs Europe, Europe is always less crowded, think because school breaks are different) where there were so many kids in the program, son didn't like the crowds! When our daughter was going through a princess phase we considered Disney but the cruise fare convinced us otherwise. And if you are thinking Disney, maybe you should consider a sky suite on an S class ship. Cruising is our favorite family vacation, especially Medi/Baltic. A new place almost daily to explore without the packing and unpacking (because it won't be your kids doing the packing and unpacking!)
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Hi trvl_fanatic, my kids grew up cruising on Celebrity (both now teenagers, with my daughter becoming instant Elite when she turned 18) and loved the kids programs. Most of our cruises were in the summer, and there were many other children on board, especially the US based Alaska/Caribbean (vs Europe based cruises, which still had kids but less), so likely your spring break Caribbean will be similar. Some had so many other kids that my son decided to hang out with us because he thought it was too crowded! (Social butterfly daughter was fine.) Good news for your daughter: Celebrity seems to be offering more educational options for kids now than when my kids were younger. The camp counselors are enthusiastic, and we always had so much fun at the family events, like Family Bingo (not as stressful as real adult Bingo!) and Family Scavenger Hunts. I'm sure your 9 year old will have a blast making new friends!!
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My bad, no more Uber as of May, but Grab is still present, and seems several new competitors have emerged for ride hailing in Singapore as transport options in addition to taxis.
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Found this interesting so did some research; even though the article states "certain infectious diseases," it appears only applicable to yellow fever, and only if you are traveling from a high risk/at risk country. (That particular vaccination comes with a certificate for confirmation; I imagine it would get very complicated to confirm immunization status of those other CDC mentioned recommendations for all visitors.)
"Currently, people entering Singapore are required to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever if they travelled from at-risk countries. Those who did not have the jab may be subjected to vaccination, isolation or surveillance in Singapore, and travellers who refuse to comply may be returned to their place of embarkation.
Under the proposed changes, authorities will be given "discretionary powers" to turn back unvaccinated foreign travellers, without first offering vaccination, isolation or surveillance."
jaunarcin, in addition to hep A and typhoid as previously mentioned, the CDC also recommend ensuring measles immunity before international travel:
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I'm in Singapore now. Agree MRT is very easy and convenient, the cruise center is very near the southern start point of North South Line, which can take you to your POI's Marina Bay Sands, Raffles and Orchard Road. You might want to consider a visit to the iconic Singapore Merlion, but it's further away, via HarbourFront to Sentosa (the island location of the Trump/Kim summit). Clark Quay is a popular tourist area (though maybe more exciting at night). Bugis Street is a fun place to browse for inexpensive souvenirs. Newton Circus/Food Centre is one of the more famous hawker centers.
The Tourist Pass would be very handy (like hop on/hop off without the view since MRT is mostly underground), but only sold at particular locations (not Marina South Pier, though you can get your rental refund there), see this link for more info:
http://thesingaporetouristpass.com.sg
Uber and Grab are also available in addition to taxis.
You might already know, but it is almost always hot and very humid here, so walking any distance outside can become very taxing quickly if you are not used to this heat and humidity.
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Our family of 4 (two teenagers) have been very comfortable in a sky suite our last several cruises, and the perks are nice (kids especially loved parents' unlimited wifi perk). The larger cabin accommodates the additional bed arrangement nicely.
Luminae is great, confirmed by both food connoisseur husband and picky eater son.
School schedules obviously limit our cruises to summer, so whenever we've cruised, typically there are a fair amount of kids; your 13 yo may still be out roaming the ship/hanging out at the X Club with new friends while you, your husband and 3 yo are relaxing on your balcony in the evening!
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An S2 just seems a wider regular cabin. S1 is triangular, with an additional round window at the side. The S1 we were on was Silhouette's 1667 (deck 11!); when you walk in, the sofa is in front with the round window next to the sofa, and the bed to the left with the balcony beyond the bed. (There was a substantial support pole next to bed, but we didn't find it obtrusive.) And the corner balcony WAS nice!
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Ashnal, our family of 4 has been cruising in a single cabin since I was pregnant with the youngest (kids now teenagers). Our kids actually love being in a small room all together when we are on vacation (guess when we're at home, we're all spread out in separate rooms, and luckily, they're not repulsed by parents … yet. And actually, if they get to that point, we'll leave them at home, cheaper cruise for us :).
On the Constellation/M class, we had the drop down/pull out bed (aka upper berth) above the main bed (that was fun for the kids, but I recall if you are sleeping in the main bed, you need to not sit upright abruptly if you want to avoid a sudden headache); on the S class, it was the trundle bed from out under the sofa and that configuration did make it difficult to get move around/get to the balcony. We moved to a sky suite (though on S class only as 4 can't fit in M class SS) the last few years, and this is definitely better with two teenagers. We've considered 2 cabins vs suite, but the suite (with its benefits) has been winning.
I think at ages 10 and 7, one cabin will be fine.
Enjoy your Medi cruise with your family; many happy memories to be made!
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We did B2B Equinox June-July 2017; 1667 then 2155 (booted from 1667, someone beat us to that second sailing), both aft, but 2155 directly under Oceanview Cafe and definitely noisy with chairs scraping across the floor. 2155 also had a support bar in the closet/shelf area so a little less storage. And I agree that the S1's/corner aft are great! (That is, those below deck 12 … )
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I've scanned previous threads re: Solstice gym equipment, and kettle bells weren't available in 2014. Does anyone know if the ship equipped with kettle bells now in 2017.
Just got off Equinox last week, no kettle bells.
My favorite gym amenity: the cold towels!
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We just got off the Equinox last week, were in an aft cabin, and were streaming movies fine.
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maggiepie - if it is the same Vishal (from Mauritius) we had a year ago, he was absolutely awesome. He had an assistant waiter named Mervyn. Do you recall if Mervyn was also in Luminae? Thanks for the info.
WB57- Only Rakesh and Marie (not Maria, oops!) are from Mauritius; this Vishal is from India, and he was an assistant waiter. Nope, no Mervyn.
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Just got off B2B on Equinox this past Sunday. Kurt was our main waiter, luck of the draw where you sat first night it seems, but absolutely everyone was fantastic. Since breakfast and lunch are more open seating, we got to know all waiters/asst waiters including Serkan (still in the back section), Rakesh, Evica, Soner (aka Clark Kent, you'll see ...), Nixon, Vishal and Maria (she's going home soon). Red was sommelier (and did suggest wines based on chosen entree), maitre d was Aurelian and hostess was Olgica. Only bad (?) thing about B2B is the 7 day menu repeats.
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Was on B2B on Equinox, 1667 first leg, 2155 second leg (because 1667 booked)
Deck - 11
Cabin # - 1667
Class – S2/Sky Suite
Starboard or Port Side - Port
Bed near?(balcony or bath) – Bath
Quiet Cabin (With comments on problems. Note if connecting. ) – Very
Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Beautiful aft view
Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal
Was wind a problem? No
If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? No, even though no overhang
Any specific problems with this cabin? None, love this floor, too bad only two S2's on deck 11
Any other comments? No overhang on balcony also means very sunny and warm almost all the time
Deck - 12
Cabin # - 2155
Class – S2/Sky Suite
Starboard or Port Side - Port
Bed near?(balcony or bath) – Bath
Quiet Cabin (With comments on problems. Note if connecting. ) – NO!! Below Oceanview Cafe, lots of scraping chairs/trolley noise. Had an also noisy aft C1 years before, had been hoping for positive changes, but none have occurred, sadly.
Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Same beautiful aft view, balcony with overhang so able to stay out longer despite hot sun
Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal
Was wind a problem? No
If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? No
Any specific problems with this cabin? Noise above, also due to a support beam that was hidden in the closet, much less storage space. 1667 was directly below 2155, and in 1667, the drawers to the right of the desk were longer and the shelves in the closet were full shelves not halved as in 2155 due to the support beam.
Any other comments? Obviously 1667 was the better cabin!!
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Thank you all! Sounds best for me to relax and snicker … I can do that!!
(JohninDC, as a newbie, I didn't want to miss any Celebrity nuances.)
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Hi B2B experts! Looking forward to our upcoming B2B on Equinox, eastern then western; is it too much trouble to try to get off the ship in Miami for a few hours? Sounds like not enough time for an Everglades tour, but a quick speedboat tour seems doable. Has anyone done that during their B2B pitstop? Or is it better to just relax onboard and snicker at those who are being booted off ;p since we'll be in that position the following week :loudcry:
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Hi Danish Viking
Like everyone else, I am grateful for your advice and generosity with your time.
I'm arriving June 16 at 3 pm on on the Eclipse for a 26 hour stay, docking at Oceankaj. I have the Copenhagen card and would like to do the canal tour from Gammel Strand then Tivoli that first day (since all else on our list of to do's closes at 4ish, so those will on the next day). What's your recommended fastest way/stops from Oceankaj to nearest transit stop for Gammel Strand, figuring starting with the 25 or 27 bus, then any transport option since we have the card? (Then we'll probably walk over to Tivoli after our canal tour . . . it looks close!)
If you could get 10 kroner for every question you answered, you would be such a rich man!
Thank you!
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Taxi cost (Taxi Stockholm used for reference) would be about 21 USD, bus (2 adults, 2 people under 20) would be around 13-14 USD.
Don't know if taxis are easy to get, probably it would be preferable to book a taxi.
I don't have any personal experience but they are being investigated for unlawful taxi business.
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=6161475
"Official" taxis don't seem to like Uber here either . . .
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Wow, Desdichado62, thanks for your very amazing, very thorough post!!
I am planning our <9 hours in port on June 19, and appreciate your info that this day is actually Midsummers eve; looking forward to enjoying the celebrations at Skansen :)
It sounds like our only options for transport from Frihamnen is 76 bus and taxi. Given the less frequent bus schedule (but not as slow as the Sat/Sun!), do you advise taking a taxi instead? (For my family of 4, so taking into account bus fare for 4 vs taxi). Do taxis charge more during holiday periods? Probably taxis are easy to get from Frihamnen?
I saw Uber is in Stockholm, do you have any experience with Uber there? (Uber here in Northern California is fantastic!!)
Thanks in advance for sharing your time and knowledge!
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Another HUGE THANK YOU, Jenna, from one in your legion of "fans," so glad I found your post! Salivating over your pictures, which made me realize I need to start my "eat less (now at home) to eat more (later on board)" diet ASAP in anticipation of my June Baltic trip on the Eclipse (wonder what kind of local cuisine will be incorporated??). Like everyone else, I am so appreciative of the time and effort you took to post menus and reviews, thank you!! (And I was happy to see that my fave Elite breakfast mango smoothie is on the Luminae menu :) )
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This is a great thread, thanks so much! We are doing 6/11 RCL 12 night this year with our 9 year old daughter.
Scandinavia will be very kid friendly but St. Pete is making me nervous ... If it were just me and hubby I could do a pound the pavement 2 day deluxe tour, but with her in tow the pace would be too brutal. Am thinking of doing other ports DIY and saving that $ for a private semi-custom tour. Anastasia Travel showed a kid friendly itinerary on their site which I may check out ...
Hi PossiblyMaybe
We did a Baltic in 2007 with then 3 yo son and 7 yo daughter (Celebrity Century), most ports on our own, very doable. We did take the ship tour in Stockholm (to make getting to Vasa and Astrid Lindgren´s Näs easier) and used Denrus (took their Complete Deluxe tour) for our 2 days in SPB, which was super busy, but kids were actually fine (maybe because napping son slept through some of the tedious parts?). My daughter was into Heelys at that time which may have helped (and no one chastised her to walk, not roll, as they do at Disneyland, though she was careful not to roll around in churches/museums!)
Doing again in 63 (!!!!) days on Celebrity Eclipse, and booked a private tour with Anastasia. They are having a fantastic special now, 50% off private tours, supposedly because the dollar is so strong against the ruble, and kids even get a discount on top of that! I was able to book a 2 day all inclusive private tour for my family of four, at a price less than the deluxe group tour I had been looking at (with Alla and SPB). The only thing I was a bit leery about is I had to prepay, but they have great reviews and have been around for some time, and I figure I can always request Bank of America (used that credit card) to help recoup any losses if there is any trouble. My son is super excited that we'll be able to make a stop at the Artillery Museum, definitely not a site on the group tours!
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Berni,
Check out uber.com; my husband has been using them to/from SFO (we live ~15-20 minutes away) and has been impressed, drivers have been reliable and so far, cost is less expensive than a regular taxi (which is better than shuttle if you chose not uber, for a party of 4, and very easy to get upon arrival to SFO, just head out to the ground transport/taxi line). You need to sign up, but you can choose which type of vehicle and you can track where the driver is currently, who the driver is, and see ETA. They seem to be expanding so available in other areas too.
Enjoy your stay in SF and of course your cruise :)
Edge-Class Cabin Information Compilation - PLEASE - DO NOT POST CABIN QUESTIONS HERE!
in Celebrity Cruises
Posted
Date of Cruise:
June 5, 2019
Ship:
Edge
Cabin #:
11109
Deck #:
11
Cabin Category:
CS
Cabin Location:
Port Forward
Bed Position:
In bedroom space, far from the balcony
Balcony Type:
Traditional
Balcony/Window Size:
Good length (the length of the cabin) but felt a bit narrow for the size of our cabin
Balcony/Window View/Obstruction:
None
Balcony Overhang?:
None
Magic Carpet Issues?:
No
Noise Issues?:
No
Wind Issues?:
No
Connecting Cabin? Where Does it Connect?:
N/a
Suite Details:
Division between living and bedroom, with our two kids in the trundle bed in the living room. Our attendant left the beds out (vs transforming back into the couch), maybe because it was easier, and this was absolutely fine since our kids preferred to lounge when we were in our cabin anyway, but then this decreased the size of the living area, with us frequently banging our ankles on the rocker until we banished the rocker to the balcony. As others have complained, limited dining surfaces in the cabin: the desk, and a coffee table with one side that raises, barely adequate for 1! Though there is another table out on the balcony. There are two USB plugs to the left of the bed and an outlet to the right, in addition to the standard box on the desk. There is an outlet for the hairdryer in the bathroom, finally! There is great storage in the mirrored medicine cabinet in the half bath area, and it was nice to have a sink both in the toilet area and the bath area. Both sinks have nice sized drawers below. There is a half glass door for the bath, no curtain, and that glass couldn't keep all the water where it belonged, so the floor did get wet. And beware, this door is not fixed, it can swing out, so don't try to use it for support should you need to lean out to pick something up (as DH learned the hard way ... ouch!).
Advantages/Problems/Comments:
Having experienced noise in aft cabins from Oceanview Cafe above, I was a little worried about possible noise from Luminae, but there was none (carpet must help), and it was very convenient to be located just below Luminae, and run up just one flight for meals. This cabin was just a few steps from the forward stairs/elevator, which was good too, since while it was close to Luminae, it was far from the Martini Bar!
Would You Book It Again?:
Maybe (depends on how pricing changes) and if so, I'd choose starboard to get the view opposite of the one from Luminae.