chemmo

Thanks for the response…I will look out for your updates. We were on Summit just before her revolution. We had a fantastic cruise but she did look in need of an upgrade and we had a bathroom issue they struggled to fix and air conditioning that seemed to have a mind of its own…Much as we can ignore a bit of ‘old fashioned’ I really don’t like sitting on soft furnishings that look well past their best. I am nostalgic for an M class experience but I don’t want to board and feel I am having a second class experience.

Like you, I love following the fun posts… Thanks, zitsky!

Really enjoying your review (as always)… I am looking at some Infinity options at present. I am aware she has not been upgraded for a long time, just how dated/worn is she? I don’t mind a bit of rust on the rails but hope carpets and furnishings in restaurants etc are not shabby…

Look at the activities sheet for the absailing activity (at additional cost), I believe there may be a discount for pensioners and Elite and above guests. Squeegee hire extra.

I must confess there is a lot I am dithering about at the moment! My son and his fiancée are going to be cruising with me so I hope to be a ‘semi-solo’ if there is such a thing! We will want some family time but I hope to do things on my own too. I know my next cruise will be hard in some ways but I know I will enjoy the memories of many past cruises and start to make some new ones. They keep telling me ‘it is up to me’ where we go but for me I am more bothered about enjoying the ship. One bit of me would like to give Edge class a go but another bit of me wants the tried and trusted S class and a final nostalgic bit wants to return to the M PH… At least I am getting lots of entertainment following CC live posters and their opinions!

Thanks for your responses we are presently looking at booking a ‘something’ for next year and are dithering between ships and itineraries…

Enjoying following… Is Reflection showing her age or standing up well? Have you missed not having a Retreat deck? What are your balcony furnishings like? We cruised on her some years ago in a RS…I know Reflection hasn’t been upgraded but simply wondering if the ship and the room are still in good shape.

So enjoying following your journey…my go to read every day with morning coffee. Please keep it coming!

I strongly recommend Sushi on five. Yes, it is pay for but most people don’t want a massive lunch as they want to save some appetite for dinner. You only pay for what you order so no set price. If you do a search you will find the menu so you can work out how much it will cost. There is a lot more than sushi on offer. It is a calm relaxing place, not usually over busy. You can simply order a few items to share and their cocktail menu is wonderful…I can’t remember its name but the mango one is wonderful!

Do you think they will deliver this to the UK? Next time we cruise the Caribbean and enjoy a villa stay first I will give it a go…In the meantime next time we have a bbq I will buy some quality beef and have a go!

We have noticed the quality of burgers can vary by ship and by the day… I can never get worked up about a burger…It is a quick snack, a something to fill a gap between breakfast and dinner… As long as it is warm, cooked but not shrivelled and served with some nice condiments it will do for me! Some people (like me) are simply not ‘real’ burger lovers. I remember going to Johny Rockets on a RC ship and everyone raving how good the burgers were…to me they were just big and fatty…

Order one night for the next…You can either choose an item and ask for it to be modified to your needs of simply say something like ‘Can I have something pork based’ and see what surprise they bring you. One of our friends has complex food issues and her husband always complains her food looks better than his. Just a comment re eating elsewhere in the ship….The Retreat lounge has snacks, don’t assume every waiter will be perfectly clear as to what is safe for you. Also in the buffet if you ask the main servers they should be able to answer your queries but be specific. Re your butler, he will be able on sea days (when Luminae isn’t open for lunch) to pre order a lunch for you from room service. My friend with significant allergies carries a few business sized cards with her. They have her name on and a list of things she is allergic to. She finds it easier to hand these to the M’D of restaurants (both on land and at sea) than constantly repeating….Definitely easier if you are liaising through a third party like your butler.

Totally agree about the prices. We have always found price per night from Southampton more expensive than the Caribbean but suites in particular are (in my opinion) too high. RS for two guests, 13 nights £28,000. I guess the market will decide if I am right or wrong…

Hi Wendy, The Edge Villa misses our brief on two counts. As you have already guessed one aspect is my mobility issue. The second issue for the villa is it doesn’t allow two true separate sleeping areas and if I am cruising with my son and his GF that is a must. We happily cruised as a four in the S class PH and have cruised zillions of times as a three in a RS. The layout and balcony size meet our needs in both suites. Much as I am reassured by many on the E class RS I sort of feel I am paying more for less if that makes sense….Another option is to fly to cruise and stick with S class or return to the M PH. My husband and I cruised both Millie and Summit in the PH and always planned on doing one again much as ship wise we prefer the S class. Time to get browsing… Funny how time changes. When we first started cruising it was all about itinerary and visiting new places now the ship is more important. I may just let my son and GF choose an itinerary and then go with the flow on the ship and room….

Now all those outlets just are not important to me! Just goes to show what impresses one person doesn’t another!

Thanks, much relieved by your comments. I guess what is/isn’t important to one guest is to another. After your comments I am more likely to consider giving one a go next year…

So is the RS worth the $$$? We have friends who sailed in one and said never again. Their criticism was… Bathroom sink looked nice but was impractical. Incredibly uncomfortable seats in the ‘sun’ area of the room. Very small balcony with large overhang meaning no sun or star gazing. Would love to get your opinion. With E class coming to Southampton next year we need to decide what to book. Iconic and PH both too big and out of our price range, Edge Villa layout not practical for me…

Enjoy! If you get time visit the museum of fire engines and the archaeological museum in Barcelona. Not on the major hit list for the city but we really enjoyed them both…

Agree with others that veggies can often be lacking in quantity. We have found this particularly true in Luminae where they often seem a ‘garnish’ rather than an integral part of the meal…

No, it is only a chiller. However, your butler/room attendant should be able to bring you ice as often as you want. Mixed experience on your butler freezing your gel packs for you. One cruise, a few years ago, our butler did this then a couple of cruises later the butler told us he couldn’t do this owing to health and safety rules which I totally understand…

Coming from the UK our cruises are always non refundable but if you are Elite or above you can swap your cruise at no cost and for others they can swap for an administration fee of £75. This has meant on the odd occasion we have had to change a cruise we can without needing to use our insurance. Much as I understand people’s frustration with none refundable deposits I do understand why the cruise line introduced it. I remember cruising a few years ago when we would chat to people on Celebrity and find they had booked 4/5 cruises during high season with the intention of only taking one which they felt would suit them best at final payment date. Cruises would be nearly fully booked then at final payment lots of cabins would open up. Agree.

TAs sometimes block book a number of cabins. This could be the explanation. After final payment some may come back up as the TA releases them back to Celebrity. Alternatively it could simply be a glitch on the site and some may reappear tomorrow….

Both! A lot of my value comes from non alcoholic beverages too although on cruises I do drink more alcohol than I would normally. Just as ‘normally’ I rarely eat desserts, cruises are a time for me to enjoy a drink or three I love the nice coffee, constantly sip bottled water, enjoy long relaxing icy pool drinks, sometimes alcoholic sometimes not. With dinner I will enjoy two glasses of wine and sometimes a liqueur with coffee at the end…I probably break even on a drinks package most cruises but I do find the package useful for another reason to, I like to enjoy trying new drinks on board. If I was paying drink by drink I would stick to things I knew I liked. With a package I can try new wines, cocktails and martinis and if I don’t like them I can try something else. For those who don’t drink and those who are happy with standard coffee then enjoying a cruise with no drinks package is perfectly doable. To me the drinks package is a treat to myself I am happy to pay for.

I had the same teacher experience in Thailand! There I was on a tiny tropical island snorkelling when I heard “Hello Mrs…”. I didn’t mind the teenage girl so much as her mother trying to discuss her daughter’s difficulty with algebra whilst I was trying to enjoy a drink at the beach bar.