dkjretired

4 minutes ago, davy jones said:

We're thinking about Aqua class cabins vs. standard on Summit.  The big selling points are spa access and Blu.

 

Is the upgrade worth it?  I'd like to hear thoughts on Blu vs the MDR.

 

How is the spa access?  What can you do that standard passengers can not do?

Depends on price, I enjoy Blu but if I can get a couple specialty restaurants for the difference in price, I go for standard. We once got Aqua for 100pp above an inside cabin, that was a no brainer.

Been to Bermuda several times and you never know. I never book port side since all the outdoor public smoking areas are port. Don’t want my veranda time ruined.

12 hours ago, markeb said:

I don't believe anyone on this board, unless they've worked as tipped staff on Celebrity, knows.

 

People have been told by Guest Services that if they add an additional gratuity by name on the gratuity form it goes to that person. Since outright lying is a really bad business practice, I tend to believe that.

 

Your fellow tipped employees have a way to learn you're not pooling money you're supposed to pool. And become very slow when you need help...

 

And honestly, what happens to the tip is between the employee and their employer. I assume all tips are pooled everywhere, land or sea. And if they're not and I gave an individual cash and they got to keep it personally, great. But once I've given them the tip, it's really none of my business...

I agree, don’t believe anyone on here knows the tipping policies. Many quote crew members and I don’t doubt what they write on this board but the crew members can tend to say things that are self serving.  

10 hours ago, Guppy99 said:

They do not allow children in the pool UNLESS the outdoor weather is inclement. Then they may allow families in for a specific hour. Generally on trips where it is cold outside they will not allow the children in because you would expect it to be cold. This is exactly what a group (not me) was told by the ship's officer responsible for the solarium pool. That seems to be true since on every cruise I've been on (and I only go on the ships that have a solarium), even when it travels to Canada and was bitter bold outside...they never once closed it for families/kids,

 

They do not all have rollers with bubbles or the pipes that send high pressure water down (such as on the Summit). Equinox for example, does not have either of those features.  No loss in my opinion.

It’s right on their website that they reserve the right to have children go in the pools at the solarium.

5 hours ago, LGW59 said:

This is true on E-class

True but the OP specifically asked about Tuscan Grill.

2 hours ago, bama4cruisin said:

When I venture away from my black Americano, my favorite hot beverage is the Aspen Coffee.  For a treat after a hot afternoon in port, (usually only once per cruise 😉) I love a Chocolate Iglu (photo)

Yes, love the Aspen, years ago before al bacio they used to serve them tableside in the MDR with a big show of fire. Great after dinner drink.

3 minutes ago, RMac713 said:

I just booked our first celebrity cruise (after 6 Disney)  in a Celebrity suite for the Equinox July 10.  I am a little confused about eating a meal at the Tuscan Grille.  Can I get that food in Luminae?  I was thinking of booking it on night 1 with my OBC but if I can get the food in Luminae I won't.  I have read that you can get main dining food in there but I don't know if it costs or not.  

Sorry for the newbie question.  I think I have figured most of it out.  

Tuscan is a Specialty restaurant and you cannot get their food in Luminae.

On 2/15/2022 at 6:26 PM, Momma Rene said:

Thanks for all the info!  As far as I can see, the Luminae menu on the second night is not so great (I may be wrong on that), so we will be in Murano.  The third night is evening chic and then there is the second chic night toward the end of the voyage.  

Evening chic does not apply to Luminae any night. Only the MDR.

31 minutes ago, canderson said:

My favorites were on Mercury/Galaxy/Century.

 

As for the 'bubble loungers' on M class, I find that it's worth totally soaking a pool towel to have it under your head if you want to spend some extended time on one, but you may need to grab a couple of the clips from the poolside loungers to keep things in place if you 'float' a bit, else the towel can escape.  Set up just right, they're pretty nice.  I find the bars under my head a little uncomfortable otherwise. 

Yes, they were the real T pools, the M class ships although nice are not the original t pools.

19 minutes ago, Dreamcruise27 said:

Thank you for your thoughts!

I should have clarified that we’ve been sailing only on Celebrity with our son since he was 2 and Celebrity is definitely more his style 🙂 

I was wondering if families who have sailed since the reopening felt things were the same/different than before.

FYI, save the sail cards for your son, he will get credit for all his cruises when he turns 18.   The reason I say save the cards is over the years computer systems change and info is lost.  I know because it happened to my kids and they were not able to prove they were on a couple cruises   Still, when they turned 18 they were Elite.   

2 hours ago, garyl62 said:

I think the reason why a Celebrity ship may fill up around the Spring Break time is not due to the kids on vacation, but rather the teachers looking for a cruise to get a break from the kids.  At least that is one of the things my teacher DW does 😄  It's always interesting to see how she can usually pick the teachers out too.  Seems like the first day she'll usually say "I think that's a group of teachers" or "She/he's a teacher" 

Have done both before and after depending on my kids school closures. Loads of families and lots of kids.

41 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

 

And when is it one hour more. will you pay for it?

We had the same argument where we worked, Union and management involved. Since it was a Police Dept with rotating days off they tried to make it a wash but it complicated because people were saying I was working last change and not working this time. Went on for twenty years.

On 10/16/2019 at 10:03 AM, Xport said:

Once revolutionized, my understanding is that Millennium and Solstice class ships will still not—unlike Edge—have a pool on the Retreat Sundeck.  Weight is apparently an issue and I believe the best one can hope for is installation of a hot tub in that area...

 

Following Edge design, Apex seemingly will have the additional pool at the Retreat Sundeck when she enters service next year...

Correct, we were on the Summit and the Sundeck only had a hot tub, there will be no pools on the M and S class ships.

3 minutes ago, keesar said:

Don't knock the Golden Corral if you have not eaten there.   Some of the offerings are very good.

I agree

Celebrity is suffering from the same ills as other parts of our country due to lack of workers. I just traveled twice in the last three months from Pa to Florida and dealt with closed Dunkin Donuts at 3 in the afternoon on Saturdays. Many other closures and delays due to lack of workers.  Going to be awhile before this stops.

51 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I wasn't comparing Celebrity Buffets with Golden Coral, we have never once eaten in the Celebrity buffet or any Golden Coral. I am sure the Celebrity Buffet is far superior to Golden Coral.

 

My point was after spending thousands to be on a cruise, there is no way I would eat in a buffet when I can be pampered and served fine dining in one of the sit-down restaurants. Even on port days, we do not eat in any buffet, if the Retreat facilities or even the MDR are closed, we do room service.

Each to his own, we usually do it once per cruise, it’s a nice break and sometimes my meals there are better than Luminae.

Pasta station in the buffet is excellent. Steaks in the grill area also good and cooked to order. No way can you compare Celebritys buffet to Golden Corral, way beyond that.

If doing a suite I would recommend either an E class ship or one of the ships that has been revolutionized. Due to Covid not all ships have all the retreat facilities 

We always eat at least once in the buffet for dinner, great choices, grill area and not a zoo like lunch and breakfast.  Also, many on this board order off the childrens menu. Never had it but reports are filet mignon on childrens menu is excellent.

Hasn’t been around for awhile but don’t dismiss it, been done a few times in my 30 years of cruising. If one line starts it, the rest will fall like dominoes 

, that’s the history.

1 hour ago, DirtyDawg said:

Chill fellow cruisers.

Celebrity doesn't pay for fuel when they pull up to the pumps like we do. They hedge their fuel costs with Swaps, Forward contracts etc. So most of their fuel costs are likely already fixed for 2022. Short term volatility in oil prices does not affect their costs in the short term. If prices go to $120 or $140, and stay there for awhile,  2023 fuel costs would be affected. So surcharges might come then. 

Of course, the cruise lines might try to plead poverty and impose fuel surcharges early. 😉

 

Frankly, I'd be more worried about a shrimp surcharge or a steak surcharge or a booze surcharge. 🤯

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/feb/16/off-the-charts-inflation-will-force-beer-prices-to-go-up-heineken-warns

 

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

New motto:  "Always Included; fuel surcharge extra"

Absolutely nothing new and under an existing Florida court order.

I was waiting for this to come up. Be advised that about 10 to 15 yrs ago Celebrity and other cruise lines entered into a agreement with Florida courts that will basically allow surcharges as long as we are notified in advance. Since that agreement it has been in the cruise contracts. What this means is they can raise the price with a fuel surcharge and we have no recourse .

Keep in mind that doing anything on your own can become a security issue.

Keep in mind you might get a better deal on board and can use OBC