Xport

Are you the guy with the Celebrity flag?

But I'd love to have that apartment; it's perfect for someone as cruise-addicted as I am [or I should say, we are]!!!

Actually, I'm top floor in a high-rise on the Intracoastal about five/six miles south of Port Everglades [longer by land given the westward, inland jog to get there] and the adjacent John Lloyd State Park... I'm fortunate enough to have some great views in all directions [i can, for instance, also see west to Sunlife Stadium and The Seminole Hard Rock, south to Aventura, and east to the ocean--but the unobstructed view due north--all the way to the Seventeenth Street Causeway--is the one that tends to get most of my attention by day...

Sorry, I believe that it's Constellation not Summit!

That is Constellation... Summit is currently sailing out of San Juan...

Five ships are at Port Everglades today... Others include Celebrity Equinox, Carnival Freedom, Cunard Queen Victoria, and HAL Zuiderdam...

Welcome back, Andy! I can see from my terrace--not in a Sarah Palin sort of way!--that Equinox is at Terminal 18...

One disappointment for me though was Sailaway. Our cruises always begin with being on the deck looking down onto the band area so we can watch the ship sailaway while listening to the music and watching the crowd's excitement and dancing.

 

Last December the band played, but with no enthusiasm about it being sailaway or encouraging the crowd to participate. Only two couples were dancing.

Some of the best sail-aways I've experienced have been aboard Equinox out of Rome and Fort Lauderdale...

That said, each sailing has a different social vibe/sense of fun among guests and I do believe that it can vary somewhat based upon embarkation port and even age demographic/length of sailing/prior cruise experience... Celebrity certainly promotes such events but it is not their style--and I happen to appreciate their lower key approach compared to other cruise lines--to hype guests into a sense of participation/anticipation [no doubt it's there but we all experience it/show it differently] when they're just not feeling it in that way...

With 22 Celebrity cruises down and six more booked, I've never participated in a Roll Call that didn't organize their own sail-away get-together [most often at Sunset Bar] and, though the band is not playing/participants aren't dancing, it's always been fun to "meet and mingle"--before the sponsored get-together--with those cruise mates with whom we've been sharing thoughts, planning, experiences, ideas and anticipation for weeks, months, and sometimes years on-line... If your Roll Call has one organized, you might consider participating in that as an alternative... And if none has yet been scheduled, you may want to consider organizing one--it is not a big deal--as I have on several occasions [set a time after muster, a place, post it to your Roll Call and remind your Roll Call members of the event periodically, and bring along some blank adhesive name tags and sharpies for attendees to write/wear their first names and Cruise Critic screen names; sometimes the organizer also suggests that participants wear something distinctive--Mardi Gras beads are alway popular--to identify themselves as part of the group]... It's a great way to come to know and recognize--and perhaps befriend--those with whom you will be sharing your trip early on during your time aboard...

Not just beverage and dinning. The top tier Suites on Celebrity (equivalent to Pinnacle Suites) get the following,

 

* Complimentary Premium Beverage package

* Complimentary unlimited Specialty Dining

* Complimentary unlimited Internet access

* Complimentary mini-bar stocked daily with water, sodas, beer

 

HAL should do more for their top Suite guests. Actually all of the Suite guests will have a private dining room for breakfast lunch and dinner, but can eat anywhere they want on the ship.

The benefits associated with attaining Zenith membership in Celebrity's Captain's Club [roughly equivalent to Five Star Mariner status with HAL (but I'll get there with fewer than 500 cruise nights by sailing in AquaClass and Concierge Class veranda cabins as I always have; it does help that--since last summer--Celebrity and Azamara have been doubling Cruise Point accruals for solo travelers paying full single supplement] are quite comparable--some gives/some takes--to those that have been introduced/are being introduced for Suite guests...

I'm very pleased with the Elite + benefits I have with Celebrity now [Four Star Mariner on HAL]; they meet my personal preferences [i am not much of a drinker] and I consider them generous... But upon attaining Zenith--I expect it will happen in late 2016/early 2017--I'll have the same access to Michael's Club that is afforded to top suite guests now, I'll have 1620 complimentary internet minutes and unlimited laundry, I'll have a complimentary beverage package of my choosing--all regardless of the stateroom I occupy--and, to commemorate the landmark, I'll be awarded a seven night cruise in a veranda cabin to the Caribbean or Bermuda [or the cash equivalent as an offset to the price of a cruise of my choosing]...

I won't have unlimited complimentary Specialty Dining [i have some discounts now, those discounts will become unlimited at Zenith] and I won't--unless I someday choose to cruise in a Suite--have access to the new Suite Dining Room...

Not bad given that I have been and--I expect--will continue to be extremely satisfied with the Celebrity product/experience... I haven't cruised for perks--they've just happened as I've pursued my yen for travel--but I must admit that they're now my "tie breaker' when I consider my travel options and find them increasingly difficult to discount/diminish...

I sailed my first Celebrity Cruise last fall. I have had RCCL stock for years. I was not able to get the Shareholder OBC credit because the cruise booking came with a free drinks package. To get the OBC credit, I would have had to cancel the drinks package. From what I could gather in communication with Customer Relations, Celebrity does not allow perks to be stacked. The cruiser has to decide what "perk" is most valuable to them and give up the rest.

 

(I recently got an email from Celebrity. They are reconfiguring their perks program this year. Since I have only one cruise with them, I didn't pay much attention to the details.)

 

I sailed a HAL Alaska cruise in June of last year. I have had CCL stock for years. I was able to get the OBC credit even though the cruise was part of the Explore 4 program.

Isn't that silly that you can't combine perks? I really don't see why people like celebrity so much. I guess some folks are impressed by a couple free drinks. I find very little appeal with celebrity after sailing with them twice.

And admittedly, it has become increasingly difficult to get the Shareowner Benefit offered by the Royal Caribbean family of brands [Royal, Celebrity, and Azamara] given their increased tendency to price with promotions that preclude stacking with the Shareowner Benefit...

That said, I happened to purchase shares of RCL stock [actually, twice the 100 share minimum associated with the Shareowner Benefit] on 2 March 2009 just before my first Celebrity Cruise... At the time, I paid $5.50/share for my Royal Caribbean stock... It closed yesterday at $84.71 for a gain of $7921 per 100 shares purchased...

If I'd purchased Carnival Cruise Lines shares on the same day at its average price of $18.21/share, that investment--valued at $46.12 yesterday--would have yielded a gain of $2791 per 100 shares purchased...

For the $5130 incremental increase in value per 100 shares [not including the value of Shareowner benefits I have earned with RCL/would have earned with CCL for the same cruises (actually, RCL's benefit is--when available--a bit more generous than CCL's benefit is for longer cruises) and dividends paid by both lines along the way], I'd need to claim/receive the $250 maximum [the limit is the same on either line] Shareowner Benefit from CCL twenty+ times to break even--based upon initially purchasing 100 shares of each and assuming that relative share pricing continues--with where I am at now with RCL [and could, if so inclined, sell my shares in RCL today to lock in that value; even after capital gains taxes, the disparity is still substantial]...

I wish that RCL's Shareholder Benefit were more stackable with other promos too... But I'm not confused about what has been--under my specific circumstances and given my good fortune--far more beneficial to me personally...

My DH and I just got off Equinox. We were Aqua Class although not penthouse. We enjoyed ourselves so much. Thought that Aqua Class was well worth it. Loved Blu and the staff there. Loved the Canyon Ranch Spa and the Persian Garden. The other thing we enjoyed was the Glass Show and the Lawn Club.

That the original poster was referring to the fact that they will be staying in an AquaClass stateroom [1645] on Penthouse Deck [Deck 11]... The ship's Penthouse Suites are also on Deck 11 [1611 and 1616] but those guests have different benefits/services [though they do have access to dine in Blu on a space-available basis (which I suspect is always the case for PH guests!); a new restaurant is being added for suite guests in April] than do AquaClass guests...

Original poster... I have completed thirteen cruises on Celebrity's Solstice-Class ships--six of those were on Solstice [Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and Reflection are all very similar]; twelve were in AquaClass--and have five more booked... So obviously, I think you've made a terrific choice for celebration of your anniversary and expect that you'll enjoy every moment of your time aboard...

Surely, there are enrichment speakers/opportunities aboard all sailings [varies with itinerary/available time; your trip is quite port-intensive] but, on Alaska sailings in particular, there is always a naturalist--an expert who will provide interesting/entertaining presentations about the area and narration as you do the scenic cruising to Hubbard Glacier... In my opinion, don't miss those to take maximum advantage of your Alaska experience! Brent Nixon, the naturalist aboard my Alaska cruise [on Celebrity Infinity; Solstice is now doing that itinerary], was exceptional [as, I expect, others would be]...

If time allows, it would not be uncommon for the Captain or a Senior Officer to do a presentation about topics ranging from ship operations, navigation or shipboard life from a crew perspective [likely on a sea day]... And if you are interested--especially if you are a first time cruiser--the Galley Tour [referred to as "The Heartbeat Of The Operation"] is always informative, entertaining, and fun... You will not lack for activities/fun things to do; a daily newsletter--Celebrity Today--will be delivered to your cabin each night and will include a schedule of the next day's events...

There will be some sort of entertainment in the theater--at two performance times--every night [typically, the first night will provide an overview of what to expect during your cruise and the last will provide a "Cruise In Review" theme with encore performances by some who otherwise entertained you during the week]... There will be two--perhaps three--production shows by an onboard troupe of singers and dancers [generally a Cirque du Soleil type show (very unusual/entertaining), a Broadway/West End song/dance revue, and a third loosely themed song/dance show]... On other nights, contract performers--ranging from musicians to singers to comedians to magicians to ventriloquists [not all on each sailing]--will be aboard to entertain you... There will be an array of guitarists/bands performing at the ship's bars and lounges at various times... And there are usually late night events--themed parties, "Dancing With The Stripes", "Liar's Club" [my favorite], and "The Not So Newlywed Game"--in Sky Lounge, the Atrium, and/or Celebrity Central--to round out the day... Part of the magic of cruising comes from having lots of opportunity to do things but doing as much or as little as you choose...

Celebrations? Solstice offers three Specialty Restaurants--Murano [generally viewed as the most romantic], Tuscan Grille [exceptional view of the wake], Silk Harvest--offering varied cuisines that are frequently reserved for special occassions [for some, just being aboard a cruise is a special occassion] at an upcharge; you can learn more about each/see sample menus at the Celebrity website... You might enjoy indulgent spa services; a couples massage is offered... And then, it occurs to me that some of the very unique shore excursions--different experiences than you are apt to find elsewhere--are celebrations in themselves... I found the floatplane trip to Misty Fjords [out of Ketchikan] to be beautiful/extremely memorable... The trip to the Yukon [from Skagway]--I took the one which used a bus northbound and returned southbound from the Canadian border by historic rail [you'll pass "Bridal Veil Falls"] provided magnificent scenery... And there are scenic flights to glaciers [particularly out of Juneau] that land/allow you to trek around a bit with some including a "salmon bake" dinner [not gourmet but part of the Alaska experience/tradition] with local entertainment along the way...

As another poster has noted you will learn much more by following this Cruise Critic forum and joining the Cruise Critic Roll Call [you will "meet" some of the cruise mates sharing your specific sailing in advance of boarding]... Other ideas for gaining further knowledge/inspiration include visiting the Ports Of Call forums here on Cruise Critic, using the search function on Cruise Critic, exploring the Celebrity website, and learning about things to see/do via web search [TripAdvisor--a sister site to Cruise Critic--is a great resource that can be mentioned here]... Researching/planning can be helpful and fulfilling to get the experience you want; as a bonus, it builds anticipation...

Congratulations on your anniversary and your choice... I suspect that you'll have a terrific and memorable time... Enjoy!

Celebrity topped my list right up until the recent elimination of the nightly Elite benefit in Michael's Club.

But they did change the venue when Michael's Club was repurposed as a full-time lounge for upper level suite guests [Celebrity Suite or higher] and Zenith members of The Captain's Club last year...

Fact is, Michael's Club had never been the only potential venue for the evening cocktail get-together before the recent change... Michael's tended to be used if the number of Elite and higher Captain's Club members aboard could be comfortably accommodated there... But if the group of potential attendees exceeded the capacity of Michael's Club [as, in my experience, it often did], the cocktail event would instead be staged in Sky Lounge...

On some sailings [particularly repositioning cruises; I've been aboard when more than 800 guests were eligible to attend the Captain's Club cocktail event], even the capacity of Sky Lounge--the largest venue on Celebrity's ships--has been insufficient... In those cases, eligible Captain's Club members are provided with three drink vouchers nightly that can be redeemed--during the same hours and using the same drinks menu--at just about any bar [sky Lounge is included; the Martini Bar and (on Solstice-Class ships) Molecular Bar are excluded] to alleviate overcrowding... Some guests actually prefer the voucher approach as it provides greater latitude to those who want to enjoy pre-dinner drinks with friends ineligible for the benefit... And as I understand it, Royal Caribbean is now experimenting with the same approach to alleviate overcrowding in their Diamond/Concierge Lounges [but are loading the three drink daily allotment--admittedly, there are no limits as to number of drinks consumed in the lounges on either line--to one's Sea Pass for electronic redemption rather than using paper vouchers]...

Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society and Celebrity's Captain's Club both--to my mind--offer very generous loyalty benefits but they do differ... At my membership level and given my cruise history [Elite + on Celebrity reciprocal to Discoverer + on Azamara (those two lines cross-accumulate Cruise Points) and--on a membership tier transfer basis--Diamond on Royal] and given things I most value, I prefer the Celebrity goodies... Your mileage may, of course, vary... But if you haven't looked at and assessed Celebrity's loyalty benefits in the context of your own cruise history since Captain's Club was redesigned in November 2013, you might want to consider doing so...

I had researched the number for last year's trip but recently confirmed that it is still valid via Azamara's website [it is; citation follows]... One number serves both ships [just as Celebrity has one number for all ships in their fleet]; I always leave the name of the ship I'll be traveling on--as well as my stateroom number--with my sister before I leave...

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Phone / Fax

Friends or family can reach you 24 hours a day via Azamara's Satellite Service. Your friends and family can contact the ship by calling (866) 459-8990. From outside the United States, they can call (732) 335-3297. The cost is USD $7.95 a minute and can be charged to American Express®, MasterCard®, Visa®, Discover® or Diners Club®. From outside the U.S., additional long distance charges apply.

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Have a wonderful trip! Travel safely and have fun! Best regards to you and Shel!

XPort, I give a thumbs down to the reduced internet minutes too. An odd move and the differential between levels is very small. The maximum of 150 minutes is low too.

 

Just a reminder that if you are in a suite you now get 235 free minutes per guest, regardless of loyalty level.

I am aware... But since I typically sail solo, a suite is a nice--but somewhat unnecessary--extravagance and, for the price increment, I'd rather sail more often for the same travel budget...

I truly enjoy the Azamara experience in terms of their unique itineraries, their destination immersion philosophy, their ability to port "close to the action" when the difference matters, and the friendliness/exceptional service orientation of their officers and crew... That said, some of their inclusions--most notably, alcohol--are totally lost on me... My unsophisticated palate doesn't place a whole lot of incremental value on their [in my opinion, sometimes] better food... And I do sometimes miss the entertainment and activity opportunities--whether I avail myself of them or not--that come with sailing on a larger ship...

By the time I return from my upcoming Journey trips, I will have amassed more that 300 cruise nights with Celebrity and Azamara in less than six years... And so I do find the cuts that LCV made to their internet allowance somewhat draconian/inadequate given that internet is important to me [i tend to do long trips requiring I keep in touch and my personal finances in order while traveling], given that I need do it with one allowance unless I "buy up" even when I pay 100% single supplement [Celebrity is no different], and given that my cumulative spend already exceeds--and will likely always continue to exceed--that of an occasional suite cruiser... For what it's worth, Celebrity is vectoring toward the same "suite preference" model too but, at least for now, it has not been at the expense of alienating those most loyal to them [and to Azamara, without restrictions such as those recently imposed in the context of LCV's new, most valuable benefit]...

The internet cutbacks on Azamara vex me but I can afford them even if I do find them philosophically offensive... For me, the tipping point is the inability to earn the totally unexpected LCV "free nights" benefit--ever; given the "50% Rule"--just as I was graduating to/gravitating to Azamara... I'll reach the 2250 Cruise Point threshold this year and, with--what I have booked--the 3000 Cruise Point threshold in October 2016... I don't sail for perks alone but they--along with things like fundamental respect and appreciation for demonstated patronage; no matter how mechanical/impersonal the administration [i'm not confused]--have recently entered into my equation [they have become my "tie-breaker"] when evaluating future cruise plans...

I'd have thought that my past guest demographic and future potential would have been highly appealing to Azamara but, clearly, they see it otherwise... That is, of course, their prerogative even if I am of the opinion that it was dismissive of the source of Azamara's initial following and potentially rather shortsighted in the context of the larger corporation... Whether a business, a business division, or an individual, it is an important reminder that we ought act in a manner that--on balance--seems right/beneficial in terms of desired outcome/experience and be prepared to live with the consequences of our decisions [which is not to presuppose that Azamara will ever miss me, others who are similarly situated, or new/infrequent cruisers who embrace the same mindset]...

As noted above, it is what it is and I am over it... I am doing my Journey journey next month with every expectation that it will be a wonderful, fun, and fulfilling trip... As to the future... Well, I'll never say never but we'll see... For now, I am inclined to patronize the "sister" that most seems to value my loyalty now and that holds the greatest promise--again, anything can change--over the longer term when all else, in my lexicon, is essentially equal...

Irons are not allowed but steamers are OK. A steamer can do wonders to wrinkled shirt, pants and suit jackets.

And will, like irons, be confiscated--for return during disembarkation--if detected during luggage screening...

Following is from the FAQ section of the Celebrity website...

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Q: Is my stateroom furnished with amenities that I don’t need to pack?

A: All stateroom bathrooms are equipped with soap, shampoo, conditioner and a wall-mounted hair dryer. All ships in our fleet have at least one North American and one European outlet in every stateroom. Millennium Class and Solstice Class ships each have multiple North American and European outlets.

Steamers or irons are not allowed onboard. However, there is a full laundry and dry-cleaning service available onboard for reasonable rates. Regular service, picked up before 9AM - returned next day. For same day service, picked up before 9AM and returned same day, add 50% express service surcharge.

All suites have a safe located in the closet. All staterooms have a safe behind the desk mirror or in the closet.

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This provision has been in place for years and I've both seen and heard of it being enforced...

Many thanks for your follow-up...

I have only the highest regard/highest respect for both Heike and Ryzsard--they are clearly all time favorites and I like them equally--but am sorry to learn that Ryzard was a bit short-changed as to role identification during the show...

I'm leaving for a back-to-back on Journey two weeks from now--with much to do and an extended jury duty commitment to contend with before I leave--but will surely attempt to view the Mighty Ships episode, one way or another--upon my return... I did attempt to access it via the Discovery Canada weblink, but with hope springing eternal that it would be easy [i suspected otherwise--as you did Christine--but it was worth a quick try], all I could access was four static photos from the show...

I really appreciate your both weighing in here... Many thanks again...

We sailed on the journey in October, 2014. We are Elite status on Celebrity and were given ample free minutes on the Journey. The service was excellent and frankly we could not possibly use all the minutes provided. If you sail fairly frequently on either Azamara and/or Celebrity the perks are rather generous.

That, as part of the revisions to their Le Club Voyage program as announced and subsequently revised last September, Azamara slashed it's loyalty-based internet allowance for sailings on/after 1 January 2015...

The 235 minute allowance formerly extended to each Discoverer member [equivalent to Celebrity Captain's Club Elite] is now a 90 minute allowance per member... That's not awful but it is a deep cut and is especially tough when one travel's solo as I do [only one allotment is provided regardless of single supplement paid] and/or does lengthy cruises [i have consecutive cruises coming up next month on Journey; the first is 12 days; the second is 18 days]... On a per day basis and given internet performance that I have experienced on Azamara; that's barely enough time to log on/off with little, if any, opportunity to actually accomplish anything online...

The LCV cutbacks at higher membership levels--Azamara Discover+/Celebrity Elite+ and Azamara Discoverer Platinum/Celebrity Zenith--are even steeper and, by comparison between the two lines, are now amazingly paltry... I read the LCV action--perhaps incorrectly/unfairly--as a means to discourage internet usage in lieu of making the investment to upgrade the onboard service...

It is what it is... But personally, I still don't like the change and it--along with other more personally substantive LCV considerations--have already influenced my future cruise bookings...

a "share" of a veranda does not cost 2000 pounds....more like .....850

You might want to look at the current pricing for the fourteen night Eclipse sailing to Iceland and Norway departing Southampton on 27 June 2015... Much of the ship is sold out [interior, oceanview, Concierge Class are fully sold out] but...

Several levels of standard verandah cabins are priced at $5237 to $5837 per person...

AquaClass 2 cabins--AquaClass 1 is sold out--are priced at $7337 per person... I booked an AquaClass 1 cabin back in March for $4013 per person...

That said, the only suites still available are Sky Suites and are priced at $13041 or $13341 per person...

It was in the U.S. a few months ago.

Your post piqued my interest as I couldn't imagine how a cruise addict like me could have possibly missed it [or the rest of the series for that matter]... And so, I did some research yesterday afternoon...

Turns out that the Azamara episode of Mighty Ships was indeed aired in The US back on 23 November... That said, the series is only available here via The Smithsonian Channel which is not one of the more readily available networks here [Discovery, which was apparently used in Canada, would have been a far better/far more readily available vehicle for viewing here]...

My cable television provider--by far the most prominent in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area--does not offer The Smithsonian Channel [i called yesterday to confirm what I found on their website] at any subscription level... And while a competing cable service offered by AT&T--using newer fiber optic technology--does apparently carry The Smithsonian Channel, my neigborhood has not yet been wired to support their television service [though fiber optic phone and internet service are available]...

Two satellite television providers--Direct TV and Dish Network--do apparently offer the channel... But satellite TV is just not a very good option here in Southeast Florida from a reliability/quality perspective given the year-round weather swings/extremes and, where I live, given the steel and concrete construction of the high rises that dot the beach area/coastline... Several neighbors dropped satellite TV--and reinstated cable--after a very brief and very unsatisfactory experiment...

Clearly, I'm not sure--here or in much of The US for that matter [smithsonian Channel is not available via cable at my other home in the New York Metro area either]--that this is a case, other than perhaps in terms of timing of the initial showing to a seemingly limited population [last night's episode in The US featured NCL Breakaway for those who could access it], in which it is the UK that needs to catch up...

There is another current thread relative to the same TV program... Wish it were airing in the United States...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2152157

I do not have personal experience of this, but I have read, particularly on the Princess forum, that if a ship leaves from one location and returns to another, they will have a shuttle bus to take you to the other garage.

But when I sailed Constellation back in April, we left from one terminal at Port Everglades and returned to another... At cruise conclusion, shuttles were provided to transport guests/their luggage back to the garage at which they initially parked...

Didn't need it personally but the shuttles did appear to be operating well and frequently...

My copy of "Pursuits" confirms my recollection that Journey docked at Naha Port/Tomari Wharf in Naha during our port call at Okinawa last 22 February... I seem to recall there was an earlier thread here--don't recall but perhaps one that you initiated--inquiring about ship shuttle service in Okinawa; the information that 2fromTO provided in response at that time was premised upon arrival at the same Naha location...

Sorry that I can't help with Manila; it's still on my "To Do" List!

Wishing you and Shel a safe/thoroughly enjoyable adventure, Sandy... Hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since we expected to sail from Shanghai to Hong Kong together... Still looking forward to sailing in your good company again; surely I'll be thinking of you as I return to South America and reexplore Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Punta del Este next month...

Be well; travel well...

--Mike

All the suggestions will only generate small revenue streams. I don't seek Celebrity's 10K have a line for pool chair rentals. The real savings is creating a highly functional website that thereby reduces the personnel needed to staff the 1-800 numbers.

You give corporate America too much credit. Too many companies look at the short term and are more worried about stock prices then making capital investments. The benefits to these investments do not happen immediately. I have worked in the IT field for years and it amazes how Fortune 500 companies hold on to computer systems that are 20 years old. With shared services, application outsourcing and the like, companies can achieve incredible long term benefits. You are just not going to see instant returns.

To my mind, yours is the ultimate voice of reason here... Over the years, it would seem that Celebrity has taken many measures, large and small, to reduce operational costs and increase revenues on board--and for the most part, have not alienated their clientele on an enduring basis for having done so--but has not yet made investments [at least successful ones; obvious to and appreciated by the customer while supporting their self-sufficiency] in the systems infrastructure/technology to significantly reduce administrative costs landside and aboard ship in virtually every function...

As pricing structures have become more complex, creative promotions have proliferated, and new revenue opportunities--even those require the support of robust purchase/accounting capability [that was already lacking in support of longer-standing revenue sources]--are identified, existing systems--and a less than stellar website as to functionality/content/accuracy--have been stretched far beyond the limits for which they were initially built/to which they have been maintained... The result of such short-sightedness is an increase in the number and complexity of calls to landside service centers/Captain's Club and onboard visits to Guest Relations--who also use similarly inadequate systems internally to their sometimes obvious frustration--for far too many tasks that should be easy if not unnecessary... It's a very expensive way to operate and--without creativity [beyond administrative outsourcing] and a willingness to devote significant financial/human resources to the task--will only serve to exacerbate the pressures placed upon the bottom line at an accelerating pace... In a short-term world the bottom line is never large enough but there needs to be recognition that a business must spend money--in this case, new ships builds are nice but they need capable, well-priced administrative capability to support the entire business--in order to make money over the long-term and then--just perhaps--influence cruise prices...

I'm not of the opinion that any of the "gesture items" mentioned in this post begin to offset--either by tangible cost reduction or new revenue stream--the fundamental need for quantum administrative reduction that is--I believe--at the core of meeting long-term financial goals, keeping pricing stable, and providing a continuing experience that is generally acceptable to all...

I recall getting an e-mail or seeing an offer a while ago (before we booked THIS cruise) where you got a discount (10% I think) if you booked all your shore excursions at once. And now of course I can't find it. Does anyone know of what I speak and how I can access it?

Last October--subsequently extended through the end of November--that provided a flat dollar Onboard Credit [$100 was the max; I believe it was per person but I took advantage of it for two cruises I'm doing solo] for tours purchased in advance during that period...

Can't recall if it covered all markets but I know it applied to Europe sailings this summer...

To the best of my knowledge, it's over...

Via the Cruise Critic search function as I remembered this subject getting lots of discussion in the past...

It appears that Celebrity discontinued the practice of having a Catholic Priest aboard every sailing on or about January 1, 2010...

We are sailing during Easter and I was wondering if they had anything on the ship, going TA on Constellation for the first time.

Was raised on this forum as recently as this past Saturday... You'll find a very thorough answer relative to the availability of Easter services while aboard Celebrity here...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2148496

Just shy of my 61st birthday after telling my physician [board Certified in Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Travel Medicine] that I was planning to visit Iguassu Falls... His decision may have been influenced by the fact that--just by virtue of being a Type 2 Diabetic as so many are--I am somewhat immuno-compromised... In any case, I personally experienced no untoward after-effects--other than an achy arm for a day or two, not unlike a typical reaction to an annual flu shot--for having done so... Your mileage may, of course, vary but--if my doc had any concerns--he didn't share them with me...

That said, looking forward to returning to South America next month!

In Fort Lauderdale [Port Everglades] and--like Celebrity--that's where Princess docks too [the Princess ships tend to be docked at the north end of the port (the area nearest the Seventeenth Street Causeway); the Celebrity ships tend to be docked at the south end of the port]... To the best of my knowledge, Princess does not currently use PortMiami for any of its sailings...

Following is a web link for Port Everglades... If you check the Ship Schedule several days before your departure, you should be able to tell--with relative certainty, last minute changes are always possible--the Cruise Terminal from which your ship will depart... There are also massive electronic boards at each Port Everglades entry which will provide you with the pier assignment for your ship as you arrive...

http://www.porteverglades.net/

To the best of my knowledge, "Free Nights'' are awarded at the thresholds you outline based upon one's combined Cruise Point accrual with Azamara and Celebrity if 50% or more of the combined total has been earned with Azamara... Not to reopen old debates, but given that I'll reach the 2250 point threshold [nice addition to LCV but worthless to me] this summer and expect to reach Discoverer Platinum/Zenith by late 2016/early 2017, that stipulation [which to my mind forgot Azamara's roots in attracting its earliest patronage and, at least for now, the core of its most loyal enthusiasts]--Celebrity has nothing comparable for it's "Free Cruise At Zenith" benefit--has certainly influenced my future bookings [as have Celebrity's other perks at Elite + and Zenith] as the opportunity to earn "Free Nights" with Azamara is--and likely always will be--statistically impossibile for me given my cruise history [i had exactly 1500 Cruise Points--with only one Azamara sailing--at Captain's Club conversion; my fate was sealed before Azamara announced it's LCV changes on a final basis last September [nine months later] and shortly after my travel tastes had matured/I'd started my anticipated "graduation" to Azamara in earnest to benefit from their more unique itineraries and destination immersion philosophy...

I think I'd be inclined to contact Nicole for a definitive answer... I know that she has provided interpretations and established practices/procedures that have sometimes run counter to guidance that was provided [and early on, done] after the LCV changes were announced but prior to her appointment and settling into her new role...

Hope it works out for you but, quite candidly, I can't imagine that they would use combined loyalty to establish your Cruise Point Accrual/LCV membership tier--and another; the November 2013 date at which Celebrity's Captain's Club was revised--to measure the ">= 50%" requirement... If not at 2250 points, it appears that at least you have the Discoverer Platinum threshold to look forward to if you stick with Azamara; it's a very nice benefit for those for whom it works...

You will find related information here...

http://www.celebritycruises.com/bonvoyage/cruise-spirits-wines/liquorpkg