chemmo

Enjoy your cruise…I hope we get some cocktail suggestions from you!

Come to think of it a cruise ship isn’t the best environment for those looking to eat healthier…

On S class the ambiance is definitely enhanced by the wake view… First morning after boarding everyone wants that extra hour in bed…So nice to actually feel at sea eating some nice light food sipping a Bellini knowing a substantial lunch will follow…

Ascent is newer and the cruise is longer… But having a new port adds spice, And having a balcony is always nice… With a free cruise, you are a on a winner whatever you choose! Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

So lovely to see a live post from you. You remain one of our ‘go to’ sources for factual information…I particularly remember your list of how to spend OBC! Looking forward to following you experience on board. It is several years now since we were on board Refection…The only real question I have is about maintenance. A few recent reviews on different ships have reported rooms and areas as being more shabby than chic…How would you rate the decoration, fixtures and soft furnishings on Reflection? Is she still in good condition?

We are confessed wipers of every surface too…

Whilst we usually get rid of stuff as we go sometimes our travel wallet has arrived home intact and been left for a while…When sorting out a few weeks ago it was lovely to find our TP cruise wallet from 2014 complete with cruise documents, hotel bookings, Pearl Harbour trip booking and our Australian hotel bookings and even details on our restaurant bookings and a bus timetable on how to get to Bondi Beach! Brought back some happy memories…

Us too. I also take paper copies on board of the correct final invoice and copies of any bookings, pre purchases etc. We did some years ago pre order and pay for an in room bar set up which they had no record of…Simply getting out our printed sheet saved a lot of conversation…

But according to recent reviews it doesn’t have good fish to go with it…

I think most of us understand the reasons for the delay in the full upgrading program but it seems that a bit of money needs to be spent ‘patching the cracks’ in the meantime…There have been a few posts in recent days about general lack of maintenance and ‘shabbiness’… After the Second World War in England a cheap white paint called distemper was in great demand. People were living in properties that needed some serious work but in the meantime people made them as fresh looking as they could… Perhaps Celebrity could learn a bit from this attitude…

I can’t deny seeing the pyramids is a real bucket list sight….We did a Nile river cruise some years ago and it remains in my top three holidays ever and it had serious opposition! Perhaps you could look start browsing something for next year or the year after. Seeing Cairo from a sea cruise isn’t the best way to do it… Much as I understand your disappointment with the Greek Islands they are always wonderful. Santorini remains one of my favourite spectacular spots on the planet. I never tire of visiting the wonderful little archaeological museum and then sitting in a white and blue bar thinking of the Minoan civilisation and its sudden catastrophic demise and the legend of Atlantis….Across the caldera the ‘New Burnt Island’ sits threatening future eruptions… Hopefully as you adjust to the changes you will find plenty to look forward to…In the meantime buy that lottery ticket, you must be deserving of a bit of good luck. Who knows your next cruise could be in the Iconic Suite! If you win I expect an invite!

Unfortunately one of those sad occasions where you can’t see what else they could do… Mark, you and the family don’t seem to be having much luck at present…try buying a lottery ticket. I hope despite the disappointment re itinerary you can still enjoy a fantastic cruise…

I thought exactly the same! Personally I think all these new management and board staff should have an induction of six weeks visiting all three categories of ships… Week 1…Room attendant/poolside/entertainment Week 2…Assisting in the MDR and bars also with time in the kitchen Week 3…Assisting in guest services. Week 4…Experience life as an incognito standard veranda guest Week 5…Re-board one of the ships and spend the full week finding out ‘how it works’. Listening to middle and senior management staff, those who actually know… Week 6…On the telephone answering queries and complaints from those who have asked to speak to a manager… It seems to be a growing trend in all aspects of life that ‘high flyers’ can zoom into any industry and almost immediately know what needs doing and how to do it! Utter rubbish in my opinion…There is a lot to be said for employing from the ranks…I think most of us would feel more secure for the future if some experienced Captains were on the decision making boards… Grump over….

I was just thinking the same….we have spent three weeks in total in Egypt and there really is so much to see and do. I hope that Celebrity has the time to put some extended itineraries together…

Much as it is always disappointing when an itinerary is changed having seen the news this morning I can’t see the ship stopping…

They don’t particularly fit small people well either…the sleeves were too long on mine!

Hope you enjoyed! We certainly are enjoying our break. Our weather is gorgeous too! I must confess I am enjoying the simple things like not thinking what to cook for dinner and simply walking around a large buffet with a big plate….

Enjoy, please make sure you let us know about your Regent experience….We had two different pairs of friends cruise Regent last year and two totally different sets of feedback. We would value yours… At this time of year we would normally be enjoying a crash out cruise but with cruise prices as they are…I simply couldn’t justify booking a cruise when all we wanted a crash out so we are enjoying a break in Turkey at a fraction of the cost of a cruise…A sign of the times…Our cruising days aren’t over we are simply becoming more selective….

We have cruised in the PH on S and M class. Last PH cruise was over a year ago and things are changing so I hope you get more recent responses… In our experience we have usually known what day and time we have wanted to cruise in suite. It is an occasional not a regular request. Usually it has either been a sea day lunch or an evening as we are leaving port. We have discussed with our butler options available and have been offered items not on any menu…I particularly remember one spectacular Indian ‘family style’ buffet. We have always request at least 24 hours early and we ‘ask’ not ‘demand’. Technically the PH is only entitled to the standard room service menu.

For many years my husband and I did book suites partly to assist with his growing health issues and my varying mobility issues…Being able to pick things up and take them to your room is a ‘perk’ of being healthy and mobile…many Celebrity cruisers (including us two) are not… The choice of a suite for many cruisers has been part driven by the desire to remain as independent as possible. A butler doing simple things like bringing a plate of fruit is something that those of us who would loose half the grapes before we got to the lift is something many of us haven’t taken for granted! I guess we will just have to be more vocal now and simply explain that trying to tote produce will result in some tottering guests! I do try to see the comedy of increasing disability rather than get cross with it! If there are things next cruise I can’t manage but are no longer on a suite service job list I will find an appropriate person to ask (F&B manager) perhaps?

Wineoclock, it has taken me the best part of six years to acknowledge that my mobility is below par despite not being wheelchair bound…It has taken me until last year to finally start asking for help with some of the smaller things in life both from family and services. We are presently enjoying a holiday in Turkey and I accepted the lanyard which fast tracked me through check in and security and at the hotel when the receptionist asked if I needed help with my luggage the answer was ‘Yes’….I have also accepted help getting my plate to my table at the buffet restaurant! Regardless of room category or butler changes I am totally sure if you explain to any staff member your issues your fruit plate will be delivered daily!

Celebrity changes aside I think we are all just being a bit more ‘canny’ with our cash and making sure our vacations (cruises or otherwise) meet our expectations… We all had an enforced break from cruising owing to the pandemic and it did make us value our leisure time more and our opportunities to cruise…The reverse side of the coin was we expected to return to a world unchanged and it isn’t…. I think the wise amongst us will go with the flow…we will do our research, read reviews, reflect on what we want out of a vacation and book accordingly….We will make no wild statements of sticking or moving from Celebrity we will in the next year or two perhaps book a few new adventures but perhaps with our eyes more wide open than in the past…

We have always had named contacts to make our bookings with and to follow up any issues/concerns. Are you suggesting that Celebrity UK as a contactable source for UK cruisers may go?

Sadly a sign of the times. My heart goes out to those who have lost their jobs. I hope my UK contacts are safe… I guess if this is the case we will get loads more ‘basic’ question on CC as unknowledgeable reps encourage new cruisers to spend their cash….

Very little…I contacted Celebrity direct. The dry dock is routine maintenance and they are rebranding the old family verandas as suites so I assume they will receive some upgrading of furnishings. We have the PH booked for our cruise and not expecting it to be upgraded. I specifically asked about whether or not a sun deck would be fitted and was told a firm ‘no’. On the positive side, most reviews on the Infinity say she is in good shape. I am expecting her to be a bit like me…Past her best and having a few wrinkles but still elegant and good fun to spend time with…