chemmo

There is the clear list of drinks…I guess you could ask for any of the alcoholic ones minus the alcohol but I wouldn’t then really call them mocktails…Best bet is to look at the menu and then discuss with the waiter…At breakfast I don’t know if they have none alcoholic sparkling wine…Again worth asking… Re Persian Gardens…On S class we have occasional used the perk if we have either enjoyed an ‘empty ship day’ in a port we have visited before or we have got back from an early excursion. It is a nice place to enjoy a sauna of one type or another and lie down and watch the world go by. On M class we never bother, quite simply we don’t like the area…

Thanks to you all. I wonder if they cancel it if they don’t get enough interest? I seem to remember it was quite pricey…Can anyone let me know what the present cost is? This is my concern…I remember reading of others this has happened to. Re your experience. How long was the tour? How big was the group? In what venue did you have the meal? Did it include the produce the Chef bought? Was your meal as you returned to the ship or during the evening? Sorry to ask so many questions!!! I am thinking now that prior to my cruise I may mention it on the roll call and see if anyone else is interested… Just how much walking and standing is involved. With two knee replacements I am wondering now if it would be too much for me…Ditto all the questions I have listed above! Definitely have a ‘plan B’ we have spent 2 x one week stays on Phuket and there are some lovely places to visit and some really nice boat trips but not the place to just head into town or to one of the very commercialised beach areas last minute. If I were you I would check a few days into your cruise at excursions about the likelihood of your trip happening…I will certainly be doing that. We also have an embarrassment of OBC!

I have posted this morning on your other thread with some sympathy. It is annoying when you are elated to get something for nothing to then see the bubble pop. It does worry me now though that you are finding it hard to let go. If you get bitter it will spoil all the pleasure of the wonderful cruise you should be looking forward to… Celebrity have given you some OBC. Sometimes it is time to ‘Let it go…’

OP, I genuinely understand your pain. It doesn’t happen very often in life you get something for nothing and you were happy about it then cross when it was taken away. I would have felt the same too… In all our years of holidaying we have only ever had one free upgrade. We checked into the MGM in Las Vegas and were upgraded to a high rollers suite…As none gamblers to say we were surprised was an understatement. My husband was nervous at check out the next day in case we suddenly were presented with a high bill charged to our card… I am glad Celebrity offered you some OBC…Try to celebrate that and put your disappointment behind you now… Re using Flights by Celebrity or any other third party flight company we stopped using them long ago… Quite simply we have found the money saved hasn’t outweighed the difficulties when there has been a a problem. If everything goes according to plan then, yes, you can save it is when things don’t go to plan there is an issue. Over the many years we have been flying we have been affected by strikes, weather conditions, flight time changes, pre booked seating jumping around. When we have booked direct it has usually been an easy sort, when it has been through any agency (not just FBC) it has been bedlam and chaos. Each blaming the other for not being able to rectify a situation not of our making. Re airlines themselves some are definitely more customer friendly than others. In our experience Virgin has been wonderful, BA absolutely rubbish (even when booked in business). To our surprise AA was excellent when bad weather wrecked our flight plans. I say to our surprise as AA didn’t have the best reputation at the time…Lufthansa, rather inflexible and as for some of our UK budget airlines….

Fabulous looking meal….drooling…. The roast chicken I have just put in the oven for dinner suddenly feels very bland…

When we next cruise I really fancy experiencing this. A small group excursion that involves a walk around a local market at one of your ports of call with one of the executive chefs. The chef will purchase of some produce and then in the evening it will be part of a special meal for the tour group. My only knowledge/experience of this tour was some friends of mine thoroughly enjoyed it Pre covid…. So… Is it on your excursion list or advertised once on board? Have you done this? What was your experience? I would be grateful for any feedback.

Great… Sometimes we can overthink issues that simply disappear once on board but we, like you, like to have as much sorted as possible before we board. Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

My son visited one evening at about 10.30 pm to grab three slices for us to enjoy on the balcony. How could we once again be peckish after dining at 6pm? The station was really quiet and he offered to make a fresh one to our son’s specifications…He declined as we really only wanted one slice each but a nice option. I guess they can be more accommodating when quiet or if you are willing to wait a short while…

Yes, you can or ask your room attendant. Remember you can also ask your room attendant to deliver ice to your suite twice daily and you can ask him to put your white wine on ice. Champagne counts as wine so you can board with fizz if you want.

Sooooo enjoying your epic tale, calling it a review doesn’t do it justice. Your comments on the cushions had me in fits. We cruised on Equinox after her partial refit in a RS…can you imagine the number of cushions Kelly got rid of from her surplus shop in there? First evening we squashed as many as we could in the walk in wardrobe so you could actually lie on the bed and sit on the sofa. We went to dinner and they were all back out again. Next day we instructed our room attendant to leave them in the wardrobe for the duration. In typical fashion the new balcony furnishings didn’t have a cushion between them and the numerous inside ones were the wrong shape and size…We ended up getting our butler to ‘borrow’ a couple from the suite deck… C’est la vie!

Hi there, Firstly as others have said the M’D usually will try to accommodate exactly what you want even if it is not pre arranged. With three children I would imagine the restaurant would want your family of five on a six top on early seating…It clearly seems the obvious. However, as you are presently on open (which I assume is select, I would assume WL is wait listed) I suggest you email special needs on Celebrity stating a member of your party has dietary issues and request that you are allocated to early seating to ensure you have the same wait staff each night. Whilst special needs cannot change your seating they will forward your request to the ship. Take a copy of your email with you and reply if you get one. On boarding if you are still on select head to the M’D with your emails. If the M’D genuinely can’t swap you to early seating he can liaise with Select to arrange a regular table in Select at an early time.

Hi, when cruising you are best taking everything you think he might want/need with you. Not only are there very few suitable books on board there are no real toys or books available in the on board shop. At most port shops world wide there is also a lack of ‘top up’ purchases available for children. Generally the ‘toy’ selection is buckets and spades in the Caribbean, straw donkeys in Mexico and absolutely nothing for kids in the Mediterranean! If you load up his tablet to save space with some of his favourite authors I would then recommend you look for some sticker, puzzle, activity books to supplement. On a positive note most people (children included) take books, puzzle books etc on board and only read a fraction of what they take, they are too busy enjoying ‘cruise things’. Your son will, I am sure, enjoy the children’s club, excursions, time with you…

Just as I said, Marmite suites! We cruised one once and wouldn’t do again…

Don’t give them ideas!

Generally there are not shared tables in Luminae. If you arrive as a two or four or larger family group that is how you will be seated. If you want to dine with others, the best thing to do is chat to others in the Retreat lounge and if you meet any like minded people simply go as a four or six to the restaurant and they will seat you together. If you want to dine as a group bigger than six I would recommend 2 x 4 not a table for 8. I simply recommend this as there are no circular tables so talking across table becomes difficult and can also end up being noisy for other guests. Another way to organise dining as a group can be through your roll call. Ask if there are any fellow suite cruisers who would like to dine with you one or two nights. If some none suite guests would like to experience Luminae you can speak to the M’D who will try to organise this for you. There is a charge and generally this is paid for by the suite guest but I am sure that the none suite guest could arrange to pay.

Celebrity suites on S class are ‘marmite suites’ you either seem to love them or hate them! We cruised in one on Equinox which I believe has an identical lay out to Reflection. If I remember correctly some CS have bigger balconies than others. Hopefully someone can confirm this for you. The bedroom has no view, to all intents and purposes it is an inside room. Great if you like sleeping in the dark, great if one or the other of you goes to bed earlier than the other or one of you is an early bird as you have the separate living room. Not good if you like lying on your bed looking at the view… The lounge is a reasonable size but in our opinion didn’t seem as airy as the SS. This is simply because a significant portion of the total suite space is the separate bedroom. Big coffee table but no dining table so not ideal for dining in suite. However, our suite did have a table on the balcony. The bathroom is Jack and Jill. Good if you are a party of 3/4 as both sets of sleepers can access the bathroom without disturbing the other. The bathroom is quite small, shower over bath, not easy for someone who is small as the bath height is quite high or someone who is quite tall as the shower head height isn’t that high. Difficult for anyone with mobility issues. Perks the same as SS, no extra, they start at RS. As I said, marmite suites…

For special cruises that only run once/twice a year (like the TP) we book as itineraries come out. Partly because we book RS and PH and they book up fairly quickly. Also any left at one year out will be much dearer. On our Norwegian cruise by one year out people were paying more for a RS than we had paid for the PH….These tend to be cruises we really want to look forward to as well and probably will add on land stays to… Cruises that run regularly we are more likely to book at about twelve months out. Suite prices are more static. We rarely book last minute. The one time we did spot a bargain last minute on Summit when we priced up getting over the pond and it was horrendous! If we do have to miss a cruise for unforeseen circumstances we tent to simply shift the deposit to another cruise rather than cancel or try to claim on insurance.

Remind me not to share flights with you…You must be lucky in love with such unlucky travel experiences…

Agree…

I am sure you will have a fantastic time! Dining with friends in your suite or on your deck will be fantastic. One final comment. The M class is made for entertaining. Sailing away from any port is simply wonderful on that deck…. Sounds like your itinerary is fantastic too!

Hi there, Please note this is my reasoning and others may feel different… Firstly the S PH is mid ship so less likely to be uncomfortable in bad weather. I am motion sensitive and didn’t struggle at all in the RS (next to PH) on an S class TP cruise despite high waves. We were at the edge of a storm in the Millie PH in the Caribbean and I definitely needed some meds… On the S class, with the balcony only being a few feet wide and the windows being enormous mean you are close to the sea and can easily look out. In bad weather you can huddle in the covered area outside the bedroom with blankets unless the wind is driving. Alternatively you can sit inside and enjoy the great big window views. The PH balcony on M class does have a covered section (outside bedroom) so it is possible to sit out with blankets under cover even if the weather is a bit inclement. However, if it is bad enough for you to need to stay indoors you have the full length of the deck before the wake. It still is a good view but you do feel more distant. We do have a real soft spot for the M PH, we have booked the Infinity for next year (Best of Greece). I guess what I am trying to say they are both beautiful but different. If you have a cruise with iffy weather you do miss the crowning glory of the M PH…A magnificent enormous balcony to enjoy the sun on, to dine on, to watch the world go by, to watch the stars on late at night…I honestly don’t know enough about your cruise and weather in August to advise, hopefully someone else can. Nor do I know if these things are important to you. We have cruised in the Summit PH but pre revolution so I can’t really comment on the room now. Re tips on the PH. The phrase I tend to always keep using is talk to the butler and let him/her know exactly what you want. For example, we are intending to dine in the suite more on our Infinity cruise (owing to limited choice of specialty restaurants) and we will, in advance (to give the butler chance to organise) be clear about what we want. For example, one evening we may ask for an Indian selection to be served family style. I will be happy for this to be from the buffet selection, I will just want to eat it on my balcony or in my suite rather than in the buffet. With the much bigger and more efficient fridge in the butlers pantry it is also possible to ask for better stocking. If your weather is likely to be challenging then plan for it so you can still enjoy that wonderful space! As always, layers being the key. If you have calm seas the views over the wake are fantastic! I hope this all makes sense…Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

Is it just me or does that seem ridiculously expensive? One course only so no special starters or desserts no different venue…I would rather book a speciality once a cruise for a full experience than do this on two occasions in the MDR.

I have cruised a few times pre or post surgery and I know how hard it can be to find suitable tours. Sometimes we have simply enjoyed an ‘empty ship day’ when options off ship simply sounded like too much hard work. In all the ports you mention there are numerous little cafes and bars where you can break up your walking. I think you will also find lines of taxis at each port so even if you decide not to do too much you can always pick one museum or one church etc to direct a taxi to then go from there. The only other comment I would make is that waits for the HOHO buses can be quite long and there are rarely benches. If he struggles to stand as well as walk a walking frame with a built in seat could be an idea… We are on Infinity next September, let us know how you enjoy your cruise!

Many guests see it as an option to chill out, breakfast late, have a siesta in the afternoon….I think this is especially true on a longer port intensive cruise. Many guests will spend a lot of time in their cabins. Looking out of your window and watching big waves is almost mesmerising. As long as it isn’t too cold and the wind is not driving on the windows we will enjoy sitting out on the balcony in all weather. We have enjoyed a few happy sessions in bar’s during stormy days with people vying to give the most dramatic version of “I remember when we were on the xxxx the waves were….”. Most usual activities continue. The Solarium will be busier. We did visit one afternoon on a wet day, there were no empty beds but an empty pool. We simply plonked our wraps and sandals on a side ledge, enjoyed a good swim then dripped back to our room to shower and dry off. Sushi on five or The Porch (on ships that have one) can be good options for lunch on any sea days but especially inclement ones. We have lunched in the Porch on a wet but not stormy day and it was nice to hear and see the rain. We were perfectly warm and dry inside. The buffet can seem busier on a wet day as not only are people not rushing to get back to their sun beds those who normally would be playing cards outside are now needing an inside space. Just as a ‘by the way’ if bad weather is expected I automatically take sea sickness tablets, no point waiting until you feel ill… Sincere best wishes that your itinerary doesn’t get altered too much.

Hi, I haven’t done your cruise itinerary but have visited all named ports either on a cruise or as a land stay. Firstly, I must say uneven pavements and cobblestones pretty much all ports. Also by the end of October I would expect a few damp days and this can make the cobbles slippery too. Has Celebrity advertised shuttle buses into the town centre as they don’t always do this? Usually once you are off the boat either you access a booked tour, get in a taxi or walk to where you want to go to. The only times I have seen regular shuttles are when you are moored in a container port. I do suggest you click on Celebrity excursions first and look at the tour ratings as mild, moderate…It will give you an idea as to how much your husband will be able to access. My personal recommendations for each port are as follows. Barcelona. As you have been before and probably done the obvious there is an archaeological museum, very interesting and not very big. On the HoHo route. You could combine this with a tapas lunch. Valencia, I seem to remember we did a couple of hour city tour with a few stops for photos, one church (can’t remember which but it was beautiful) and then a visit to the local market. The market was lovely full of local produce including lavender in pretty little bags. You could either look at doing this as part of a tour or simply see if you can taxi from the port. Celebrity sometimes does a chefs market tour, this includes a walk around the market with one of the executive chefs followed by a dinner later incorporating some of the produce bought…Might be worth seeing if this is available on your cruise. Years since we were in Malaga, I seem to remember it being busy, busy. I would think most people head out. I seem to recollect you can get to Alhambra, Ronda, and Nerja from there. We visited all these sites on a weeks stay outside Malaga. Alhambra is beautiful and as much of your tour is inside it is pleasantly cool but it is big! Ronda has ups and downs but if you research you could work out if it is doable. Nerja also nice but includes caves…unsure if that would be suitable for your husband. If there was a coach tour that incorporated Ronda and other sites with photo stops this could be a good option. Hopefully someone can advise more on choices here. Palma. Look up the train excursion from Palma to Soller. You could do this independently and just get a taxi from the port to the station. As you are sightseeing the mountain regions on a train it is ideal for those with mobility issues. If you do decide to do this independently I suggest you give yourself plenty of time to get back to the port. Cadiz, we did a walking tour, about two hours. It was lovely but tiring. I honestly think it would be too much for your husband. I would suggest that maybe you look for a brief city coach tour. I seem to remember one RC option (we were on an RC ship when we visited this port) was a coach tour of both Cadiz and Jerez…If this is available it could be worth considering. Jerez is one place I have always fancied visiting. These type of tours tend to be mainly on the coach with photo opportunities so could suite you. If they offer ‘time on your own’ at the end you could simply enjoy a nice drink at a bar… Porto, it would be rude not to book an excursion to one of the numerous vineyards and port distilleries. Usually coach trips available that include a trip through the valley and a light lunch with port, obviously! Lisbon does have lots of up/downs and cobblestones. It is beautiful but hard to walk. There is a HoHo bus…You may decide to simply circuit if you have limited time. I seem to remember there were short river cruises offered too. I just checked and there is a HOHO boat…That could be an easy option for you. Obviously I haven’t used myself but I think I would if I visited again! Looks like it is just under €50 each… Have you joined the roll call for your cruise? Some fellow guests may have already done the on line searching and have arranged tours where there are still places available…I do suggest, however, that you are honest and open about your husband’s limited walking ability as he could end up on a tour that exhausts him or he could end up slowing down the rest of the group. Sincere best wishes for a lovely cruise.