johhnnyt

I usually budget ~$100/day for gambling, and mark it off as an expense as it usually is, but do enjoy it just like some enjoy the shows or the spa.

Luckily I think I'm about 40% / 60%. I think about 40% of the time I come home with more than I started with at the casino, 60% of the time less. It helps that I haven't drank in 20 years, as I still remember the days of using Vegas drinking logic of "well I lost $500, problem is I've been betting too little" .

One of my favorite voyages though I was playing roulette on the last night of a cruise. I think I was down about $500-600 for the cruise. A guy stood next to me curious about the game, so I explained the nuances of betting to him since he never bet before.

He bought $50 worth of chips and it was soon about $400. It was getting late and the casino was to close in an hour or two, so he suggested we both bet the number 36, which we did. I had bet $5, he bet $10, it wins, so I received $175 and he received $350. Well wouldn't you know it 36 came in 4 more times, and we both bet it in increasing amounts. I walked away with about $2500, he ended up with about $8000.

The Australian lady that was running table told me "See Mr Tolliver, it doesn't matter what happens all the other days, all that matters is what you leave the ship with, and you both can walk away right now with your bounty"

AND WE DID

The best bargains for Choice Air are one way international flights.

Agree just booked a JFK--->FCO (Rome) for $1100, Delta wanted $4K

They are good too with Refundable International Round Trip First /Business

We have one for February 2018 JFK--->EZE (Buenes Aires) in First for $3200 and it was refundable, American wanted $7200 for same flights

So many acts of kindness directed to us while on the ships, but this happened off the ship:

We were at Miami Airport waiting for a flight to Rome when we spotted some crew who were joining the ship. Alberto had been our Assistant Cabin Attendant on a previous cruise. Alberto and his wife are an absolutely wonderful couple. They ran over when they spotted us and greeted us warmly. Alberto insisted that he be allowed to carry our carry on bags to the plane and place them in the overhead bins. I tried to resist telling him that he was "off the clock", but to no avail. We've been cruising Celebrity for many years and many amazing members of the crew have become family.

What a truly beautiful gesture. It does seem like an almost familial environment sometimes. It's the little personal gestures like you mention is one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back.

Like many have said I have more than one.

One of my favorites was that I was sailing on Solstice one time (Croatia, Montenegro cruise I think) , and the ship was departing from Barcelona. I've always been a Pepsi fan over Coke and sometimes will bring my own stash onboard. After a few days in Barcelona, I had trouble finding my score of Pepsi to bring with me onboard (mostly a coca-cola town)

I arrived on Solstice and found this in my room, gave me the biggest smile I have had since I received a toy robot (from Lost in Space) when I was 9.

What was your most memorable moment on a Celebrity Cruise when a crew member or department went above and beyond their normal duties?

It could be something they arranged in your cabin? a dining venue? or just a non occasion when they surprised the expectation of just doing their job.

I imagine that has to be one thankless job. It's probably consists of listening to 50% of the people complaining, 25% seeking compensation, 20% seeking upgrades, and 5% telling you how much they like the Captains Club program

It is funny though to see 300 or so complaints on something that no one has tried. And although many are saying its not about the money, it is, since that what the complaint is about. It's not a complaint about the quality of the product since most all have not tried it, or even the loss of the free product (which is still available 5 minutes away).

If I were a betting man (and I am) I would think that since Pacific Coastal is a good revenue generating route that Eclipse will take that over and they'll retire(sell) one of the M class ships late 2018/early 2019

Was wondering what the consensus was on Celebrity Vacation Planners. I've traveled on Celebrity for about 20 years, sometimes booking direct and sometimes using a TA. This year though I got a call from my new Celebrity Vacation Planner, who gave me her direct extension, and offered to help me on any future cruises, shore excursions, beverage packages etc.

Only used it on a limited basis so far. The two times that I have though, I know she found me a better deal on a cruise than I had found (and applied my 1 category CC upgrade). Also found me better deal on internet and drink packages.

Just wondering what others thought about using Celebrity Vacation Planner, pluses and minuses

I'm booked on the Infinity 3/11/2019 now I don't see this cruise available to book on any cruise web sites(including) Celebrity. I also don't see it listed on cruisetimetables. How far in advance would Celebrity notify you. Also what types of options do they give you? This was a 5 night western booked for my birthday. I was able to snag an aqua class deck 11 aft with 2 perks for each of us for 1900..00 which you can't touch now . This is my first time getting caught in the charter game after 67 cruise. I guess my luck ran out! 🙁

You should be fine, if it was chartered normally they'll just move you to the next available dates and give you same cabin at the booked price, and sometimes even throw in $100 in OBC. So guessing they'll offer you the 16th or 25th sailings since same itinerary

I was on the reflection in January. They had the lawn grill where they had gourmet burgers for an up charge. The grill was full. It had an air conditioned enclosed seating area. The burgers were very good, but also had the poolside grill where the burgers were included.

 

 

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Agree, thought they were delicious and worth the $10 for the platter

Like anything else if you don't like it, you don't have to buy a thing. If it makes money it will stay, if not they can always try something new. I wish they would get rid of that terrible pizza at the buffet and put a real pizza oven out there. I'd gladly pay a dollar or two a slice for good pizza

I think it's like a political poll. You can always find one to support your candidate and knock the other, all depends what you're looking at.

To me it seems Celebrity's competition is Princess, HAL, and Cunard

Whatever Celebrity is doing they are doing it right, best quarter and year ever in its financials and stock price for RCCL at all time high

Yes it is a cumulative discount. I am Elite plus and just bought the package and was discounted from $249

-35% Elite Plus

-10% Pre Booking Discount

$142 net cost

I think you have to do with a customer service rep as the discounts don't come up if you try and do it online

I'm wondering if someone who has cruised one of the ships where the Kobe Beef Burgers are being sold can use the picture of the menu to file a fraud complaint with the Federal Trade Commission using their online form?

I've got to get one filed for Celebrity Cruises calling French Fries French.....most of them aren't you know

It's sort of like sex- the worst cruise I ever had was terrific!

 

 

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Too funny but so true:')

We are happy with Celebrity. Currently we have nine cruises booked - seven with Celebrity. We've never had a problem that couldn't be solved - with the exception of the web site but even that is being worked on :D While we enjoy the Solstice class, our favorite ship is the Connie. Maybe because it was our first Celebrity cruise a number of years ago. Long story short we are happy with Celebrity. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the good words. Done a bunch of Celebrity Cruises, have a bunch more booked, and can't say I really had any complaints of the last dozen or so cruises. Worst thing that happened was didn't have hot water for three days on one cruise, but all the Kings horses put their heads together and figured it out.

I haven't seen one part of the hospitality industry (air, hotel,cruises) that hasn't cut where they can and make certain things we've taken for granted an optional surcharge item (remember when parking or internet were free at hotels? when meals and snacks and seat selection and baggage was free on airlines?)

Cruises to me are still the most dollar wise investment of my leisure time/money, and thank geospyder for helping me remember that

If good burgers well worth it, I couldn't take the stuff they had before, it reminded me of my Navy days

Sadly, group charters are possibility of any cruise line, they are simply economics of the cruise business. I'm just grateful when they are done this far out before air has been booked. Happened to me once, wasn't happy, but its part of the contract that I agree to when booking a cruise. Luckily onlyonce in 28 cruises to me so although not a routine event, but it does occur, gratefully not too often.

Yes, they do that all the time.

 

http://www.detainedindubai.org/homosexuality-in-the-uae

 

My gay friends can't visit Dubai, Abu Dhabi and others places because of their marriage.

 

In the emirates they even can't kiss......

Yes, many of us take basic equalities like race,religion or sexual preference for granted where in other parts of the world they are unheard of.

Def looking at this cruise for the January of 2019, looks fascinating

Glad you all enjoyed the post, there are hundred more of small group themed cruises as well, you can see many of them here

Theme Cruises

It's not as well navigable as the other, but still a good resource

I think I have been on about 12 cruises that had groups of 50-500 onboard, never had a negative experience with any. Although my preconceived notions on three was initially negative (Biker group, German financial group ,and a Christian Music group), all three turned out to be wonderful people.

I think like anything a cruise is what you make it. Like I'm sure most of you have observed, you meet some people who seem happy to spend their time complaining, and you meet others that see cruising as a blessing that few others get to experience.

I'm guessing the buffet on the "10 Night Big Nude Boat 2018" isn't a pretty sight

I know this has come up quite often, but did some research and found this site that lists all the known full ship charters of the major cruise lines. I never realized how many of them, and the diversity there was

Cruise Ship Charters

You hit this one on the button. Not sure about your worst, but the art folks are some of the highest paid on the ship (in many cases they make as much as the captain) and they only work sea days to a great extent, on port days they can pretty much go anyplace they like. They are only responsible to the people they work for who are not on the ship.

 

The fact that they are selling a product which is a huge rip-off is inconsequential. They just have to learn to live with that.

If you google Park West salaries it looks like managers make ~$35K a year, I can't see the the auctioneers on board base salary more than $30K plus a small piece of sales commensurate with team sales performance (at least that's what I can see from their employment ads)

I did it when we were on Reflection last year. Booked a SA/Antarctica cruise for myself, and also reserved a cabin for my friend in the UK, and was able to get him the same deal .It was a great savings for him as it saved him about $1500 off of the fare plus we both got $250 OBC/Free Internet. Had he booked it in the UK, no OBC/Free Internet would have been available. All I needed to do is put the $100 down, and they took care of everything else.

As others have mentioned, just need their contact details, DOB and CC# if they have one

According to this 2015 Fortune article Celebrity Cruises charts a course for more growth (http://fortune.com/2015/04/09/celebrity-cruises-growth-plan/):

 

The second-largest cruise company by revenue and passenger-load is planning to add another two ships to its current fleet of 11 over the next few years, greatly increasing its capacity in anticipation of continued growth.

That growth will come from a variety of sources: a bigger focus on the Chinese tourists who are

driving

the cruising industry's boom, an even bigger focus on retail and culinary experiences, and, crucially, for an industry often associated with retirees, attracting the next generation of customers.

Second place in revenue and passenger-load sounds pretty healthy to me.

They never had a stronger quarter or stronger year, so I think whoever posted it was mistaken or misinformed