BosoxI

We would never go on MSC except in the Yacht Club, as we don't care for the design of their ships. We love YC but even there, we were disappointed with the food, which we found quite ordinary, surprising for an Italian ship

On a warm weather cruise, I have the laundry starch my shirts s heavily as possible and fol them. They travel compactly, and as long as I don't eat spaghetti, I get multiple use from them. A couple of hours for dinner and then reuse it three days later, etc. With the starch they look very fresh for days on end at two or three hours a night. Polo shirts during the day. I don't use tee shirts except for exercise. I especially don't like old men with stupid sayings on tee shirts. :) :) DW is the opposite. If there's space in the suitcase, she'll fill it with things she won't ever use.

Our next cruise is an eleven nighter. Our guarantee veranda got us an excellent 2A, which I pretty much counted on when we booked, as so many were available. Our cost is $1800 less than the Aqua which has remained constant since we booked.. If we buy a five night specialty package, the cost for two will be $318. Blu is the only Aqua benefit we use and it cannot compare in quality to the specialty restaurants. As I have noted more than once, a good veranda plus specialty dining can be a great deal.

What a horror story, davekathy. I would have given them until 10AM and then found other means. But when previous experience is good, it's hard to make a move, sometimes. Once burnt, twice wary

We had a similar experience in Rome but without the pressure of a missed flight. Our pre-arranged driver never showed. I spent an hour walking the terminal looking for him before we finally got wise and grabbed another ride at greater expense and time lost.

We were going to Civittavecchia for the next day's cruise, so lots of aggravation but no real problem.

I received an email from the transfer company chastising me for skipping out on them. I let them know what happened in no uncertain terms. Now we have booked another Rome cruise but my wife is nervous for no good reason, I maintain. I bet every frequent traveler can tell a similar story

Uber/Lyft will run somewhere around $40 between FLL and POM for a standard car suitable for 2 people with reasonable luggage.

But don't bet the farm on it. Due to an airline error I had to make the round trip from MiA to FLL to pick up my luggage. Uber's original quote was for $104 one way. I refused that wonderful offer but reconsidered an hour later and the rate had dropped to $63. I wound up paying $124 for the round trip, ending at my hotel in Miami. Believe me, I was thankful as it was by that time quite late in the evening and at least we had all our luggage. But Uber rates fluctuate depending on time of day and how busy they are. Stands to reason.:)

We've had 1110 several times and it is excellent. But just a few cabins further aft lie 1114 1nd 1115, I think, and their balconies are larger. 1100 and 1101, I think, are by the doors to the deck and should be avoided, Hope my memory is right

Catch the train from Livorno to Lucca, one of the most magical towns in Italy.

Excellent advice. It is a delightful town and not overrun with tourists, as Florence now is. We did a ship's tour and it was excellent, but perhaps not always offered. BTW Lucca has always been known for its olive oil. The small can I bought has been sitting for years. Betcha it's really good now.

Don't feel badly, Aqua Class cabins get one small bottle of water in their room on embarkation but don't get any more during the cruise. That's gone the other way...when first introduced, one of the features of aqua cabins was that you got daily bottled water...a reasonable expectation since the cabins are, after all, called

Welcome to Celebrity......

Maybe they should change the name to Secca Class. We get the Elite Lounge barkeeps to give us a bottle or two when we need them

I am sorry so little space was devoted to the quality of the food. Service is important but I come to eat, not to make friends.

And as Gracie mentioned, I, too, am tired of being asked what wine I want before the menu has been presented. As a corollary, I don't want my food served before I have finished my cocktail. This is not solely a Celebrity problem, either. Regent sommeliers do the same.

I am not sure I understand how the speciality restaurants package works...

 

Do you chose yourself which restaurants you want to go to?

Can you go to the same restaurant more than once if you book a 4-nights package?

What if you don't like the restaurant you are assigned on day 1, can you change it when boarding? Like we couldn't care less for Silk Harvest. If we're assigned that restaurant on day one, is it very difficult to have it changes?

 

We have already booked Murano at 30% for the first night. Can we be reimbursed to book the 4-nights package or once it's paid for, it's final?

 

Many questions... ��

We booked Murano on the first night at a time of our choosing, figuring with the likelihood of a 50% offer to Aqua patrons the restaurant might fill up. We then decided to add a dining package, as the cruise is quite long and my wife doesn't care for the barn known as the MDR.

I called the CC and the rep advised we could either cancel the Murano reservation and substitute the package. Or we could keep Murano and add a package, which is what we did. It might not be the most cost effective, but it ensures our desired first night restaurant and time. So, yes, you can be reimbursed. Incidentally, the rep had to check with someone else to make sure all was possible, so this is not necessarily a common question.

There are some good deals but frequently not on Celebrity. The MSC Yacht Club is great; Regent is spectacular (and expensive) but we get what we paid for and with fellow passengers we enjoy. We have expanded our cruising horizons and it's been great. As was noted, for what Celebrity offers, their prices are too high in many cases.

I agree. This explanation was great, and I don't even think any more comments were necessary. End of discussion. lol.

 

I'm going to start some new threads:

 

Are planes safe?

Are cars safe?

Is running with scissors safe?

Is swimming after eating safe?

Are eating eggs safe?

Are elevators safe?

 

I need to know all these things before I get on a cruise ship!

I'm sure your new threads will be fascinating, but what effect do they have on cruising? Specifically, what effect do they have on stowaways on board?

Will you smuggle me aboard? I would do my best to blend in, especially if I could pack a few items of clothing in your suit case too! :D

 

bon voyage

Maybe if they hadn't complained about the food quality in the buffet, they would have been better off

OP, you sound like the Joe Blptksp of Little Abner fame. Would you mind posting your future cruises when you book them so the rest of us can avoid that ship? :)

Some posters here seem to enjoy cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

I don’t understand why Delta would not help you. It was their change not yours.. I would call and ask to speak with a supervisor. You booked thru a third party but payment went to Delta. They are responsible to rebook you.

The contract is with Choice Air, not Delta. When I deal with any contractor, I do not address problems with a subcontractor, nor do I expect the sub to deal directly with me. That's the prime contractor's role.

My problem with Delta is not their fault. It's the lousy weather we so often encounter going through Atlanta. We are accustomed to rain, snow, wind, ice and sleet. We go through there frequently and always expect the worst and are pleasantly surprised when the weather is good, as it was just two days ago.

Interesting -- I've been monitoring this cruise. I've noted the giving and taking away calculations you mention. Marketing must be working as the remaining 10-12 concierge cabins disappeared overnight, and now Concierge, Aqua and suites are showing sold out.

Yup I've been tracking the September 3 Equinox. Eleven days and $1899 for an Aqua. No thanks. A veranda guarantee is now $949 plus $109/125/159 for specialty restaurants for 3/4/5 dinners. There's the deal.

Nobody drools or dribbles as much as was on that one pillow. Pillows are used for things not related to sleep. Don't you remember?

...

The fact that stowaways (even if they’re harmless ) were easily able to board a cruise ship is extremely disturbing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I can't say I am extremely disturbed, but I do wonder how they got on board without help from some quarter. I am hopeful no crew member was involved and I trust Celebrity and the authorities will do a thorough investigation.

All taken care of.

Two weeks ago we booked Murano on the first night on an upcoming cruise. Now we are considering a dining package on the same cruise. Will we have any problem concerning that first night? We certainly don't need two reservations ;p

Yes, we have been able to book different restaurants each night...

Thanks, but do you mean specialty restaurants or anytime dining which is what I am curious about

Are Select Dining assignments being made? Four couples have made bookings on four different Edge sailings but none of us has been assigned Select. We are all wait listed. Coincidence or intentional?

The key words here are definitely "in theory". In almost all cases, when "free" perks are suddenly added due to a sale or something, the prices rise exponentially from what they were before the sale. There is no "free" when it comes to perks, it's really that simple. It is purely a marketing trick that obviously works for many people. There are rare occasions where what I said might not hold true, but that is the exception rather than the rule. People are just so darn gullible - they see the word "free" and they believe it to be true. I see that a lot when people are talking about suites and the "free" Go Best. Compare the price of those suites before Go Best started, add the cost of all the "free" perks, and I will bet you in almost all cases you are actually paying more than you would have before. (and in many cases you would never have purchased all four perks anyway). But you will hear people time and again on these boards talk about what a great deal suites are because of all the "free" perks. As WC Fields said, there's a sucker born every minute. Don't get me wrong - I love suites (albeit I can rarely afford them), but don't be fooled that because you get all the perks it is such a great deal. Book 'em cause you like them, but a great deal they are not. (in most cases)

We just booked a cruise and the banner in the upper left hand corner clearly states a "FREE" perk is included. And indeed a perk is included to the tune of $400 or $500. How does Celebrity get away with it?