markeb

These are always fun threads… I actually think Celebrity is trying to target a lifestyle. Affluent young and young at heart who enjoy relaxed luxury. We can argue whether they’re truly delivering that product and how effective they are with their targeting. I think age is a proxy and advertising firms tend to operate better with traditional demographics than behavioral segments. They can’t grow market share targeting their current customers.They need new ones. “Modern music”? I don’t know that I’ve heard much of anything onboard that was released in the past 15 years. Most of it’s over 25 years old. The Beatles came to America 60 years ago, Hotel California is 47 years old and Nevermind is 33 years old. Adele’s 21 is 13 years old; there are very brave house bands that attempt Rolling in the Deep on each cruise. Some of what the DJs play is probably current but it’s not something I know. But it’s hardly modern pop music!

Go the first night and talk to your waiter. It's possible dishes can be prepared without the sauce. The vegetarian dishes are typically very good. On our last cruise in a Sky Suite the waiter voluntarily brought my wife an absolutely wonderful Indian vegetarian dish because we had talked about loving Indian food. They're not going to make steak au poivre without the sauce, because it wouldn't be steak au poivre at all. They may be able to hold a sauce or serve it on the side for grilled or baked meat dish where the sauce is added at the end. (And she might be surprised...)

Unfortunately, in their efforts (apparently) to increase plain language in their legal requirements, Celebrity (in fairness, probably across RCG) has made many things less clear. I've never known of anyone to assess a corkage fee at boarding. The security screeners work for the ports, not the cruise line. Each cruise line has its own rules. While I don't disagree that your interpretation is supported by the way the policy is written, it's not the way the policy has ever been applied that I'm aware of. I don't recall the reports you're noting, and that would have been a thread that lasted for days or weeks! The old policy was clear that corkage fees were only charged in public venues. That may well be clear somewhere else in current documents, but not here, where you'd be most likely to look for it.

There may be some Brugge only places, but of the traditional Belgian chocolatiers that have a presence in Brugge, my choice would pretty much be Mary Chocolatier. In Brugge at Katelijnestraat 21, 8000 Brugge, Belgium. It's one you're not likely to find outside of Belgium (never have; may not have looked hard enough). Their chocolate is pretty amazing. When I'd travel to Brussels for business, I'd buy Leonidas for the office; I bought Mary to bring home...

No one has started a tipping debate for a few days. There has to be something...

And since jeans are allowed, which was the question in this post, there would be nothing for staff to enforce.

Ah. I think JB's got you. We were taking you too literally! People separated by a common language! 😁

I don't think we understand your question. Yes, you connect to the service through your device's WiFi. There are wires on the ship connecting the WiFi access points to the ship's routers. The ship connects through its routers to Starlink, the low earth orbit satellite network. Exactly like your ISP at home, other than using Starlink instead of Comcast, Fios, or some other ISP. But there is no wired (ethernet) connection option from your device to the routers. Are you concerned about internet security on the front end (wireless) connection?

Where are you staying? This is (presumably) well rested at the end of your cruise, not exhausted after a day long flight? Agree with dropping your bags and exploring. Easy to do.

Not us. It was actually Royal, but they clearly weren't on a ship's excursion. We were on the second day of an overnight stay in Reykjavik. We were probably 30-45 minutes late departing already when a car came rushing up and what was clearly a 12 or so year old boy came running up to the still down gangway (everything else was in already). Apparently the family had sent him ahead to try to stop the ship from leaving them. Didn't work. The rest of the group drove up in a taxi 15 minutes or so later as we left the pier. This was after we'd watched a couple of other groups come driving into the parking lot and running with bags of shopping to the ship. They did make it, barely. Next stop was back in the UK two days later...

That'll do the "I turn the phone off and lock it in the safe" crowd a lot of good...

Post #209.

Again, all it says is “jean”. I’m sure the assumption is clean, but ripped and torn jeans are a version of fashion. “Designer jeans” is used for chic night, and not defined. A lot of high dollar designer jeans are ripped or torn. Sorry. Bored tonight and couldn’t resist…

No. Jeans are always allowed.

Where’s the fun in that? 😀

Yes.

I just checked. I'm past final payment on an AI Retreat booking. I have an option to buy a premium drink package (actually the classic as well). Even thought I have one. I'm with PTC DAWG. Give it time. You may just have to call. This is one of Celebrity's worst IT glitches, and really no excuse.

Boarding times don't apply to the Retreat. Unless something's radically different in Sydney, you can show up pretty much as soon as the previous guests clear, and they'll board you as soon as the ship is cleared for boarding, in most places that's been around 11:00, so you're good to show up at 10:30.

So you've just perfectly summed up the marketing quandary (almost failure) of Luminae on the E Class. The E Class was for all intents and purposes built around the Retreat. Luminae was designed to be the dining for the Retreat. There really is no true alternative. Their whole approach, market segmentation, targeting, etc., is for a Retreat guest who absolutely wants the menu offered in Luminae. There's no reason to have access to the MDR menu because that's not the guest their targeting. But the menu is somewhat adventuresome, and it's every night. Arguably there are plenty of choices for the guests they're targeting. But the actual guest isn't the guest on the storyboard. I'm not either, but I do like the Luminae menu. I can get steak, for instance, anywhere, and usually better. But sometimes you just want something to eat that's a little nice but not trying too hard. They didn't build that into the Luminae experience.

That I don't know. We've always been there 11:30-12:00.

Hours may vary by ship, but generally 11:30-1:30. Yes. The menu is available in the app. It'll be under "main dining" for most ships, and under "suites" for the Edge class ships I've looked at. If your sailing is well in the future, look at the current sailing of your ship.

That's actually delicious. I've ordered it. Hence my question. Luminae tries to be an upscale adventurous menu. The sauce on the lobster sounds interesting to me; I'd much rather have the choron sauce that butter, although I don't get excited about lobster in general. Much of what they serve in Luminae is French inspired and that means sauces. And I find the variety exciting. It's fine that you don't. It's a challenge with the entire Luminae concept. Upscale dining for their upscale Retreat experience, but sometimes you just want something simple prepared and served well. That's something they don't do as well.

Can you elaborate on that? Your tastes are your tastes, but what specifically did you not enjoy in Luminae and what specifically in the MDR was tastier?

I'd argue Luminae lunch on embarkation day is one of the best perks of the Retreat! Sit down lunch with table service. No wrestling in the OVC...

The only thing you gain checking prices after final payment is frustration. Just don’t do it.