Tom-n-Cheryl

For our recent B2B (7 nighters) on the Reflection, I managed a Blue Chip Club rate of just over $5,000/wk for a RS. I was looking at the Edge for Feb (a 10 night) and a S3 was going for $11k (the RS, $19k). The folks at Blue Chip knocked down the $11k to $6.5K, but obviously I'd be missing out on a couple of perks. I had it on hold for 24 hours, and let it go -- when it popped right back on their website, that same S3 was now over $13k... with the "75% off second guest, blah, blah,...". I ended up going with a 7 night aft corner excel suite on the Mardi Gras for $2,500 which includes CHEERS. Yes, the experience will be a different one - but I think I can manage, especially with all the balcony space that suite has (daybed, loungers, jacuzzi tub, etc). With our recent Reflection sailing, I just passed 1,500 tier credits. With the price of their suites of late, I'm not so sure now that I'll ever make Zenith (or really care, lol) ! Tom

Yep - I've been burning through those (10%) gift cards !! Tom

I hadn't noticed this until you mentioned it. I booked a cruise on Wednesday and went ahead and set up 6 of the nights in the Steakhouse (2) and Rudi's (4). It was listed as $48 pp each on the specialty dining page. It came to four hundred something and I just paid it. However, after reading this thread I decided to go back in and look more closely. It's good that I did, as I see that one of my reservations was only for 1 instead of 2. I've rectified that situation now, and am also happy to report that all of mine booked previously, and the correction I just made, all processed through at $42. THANKS Carnival (particularly your IT team)!! 😄 Tom

Crazy good !

I'm awaiting points for my second leg on the Reflection (11/27, 7-nights, debarked this last Sunday). How long does it typically take to post? It's been 5 days now. What's odd, I logged in and found the following "points pending" image (link takes me nowhere) -- and, I'm not yet sure what I'm doing in the year 2039 !!! : Tom

Thanks! Yep, for a 3/4 nighter, we'll check 1 large bag (no terminal scanner for that bad boy), and it's probably 70-80 pounds! It would not be worth it to have them open it up and scour though it - I take great care/pride in my packing skills, and don't want it all unraveled there, trying to get everything to fit back in "in a rush" ! Tom

We were lucky enough to have booked the Mardi Gras for what ended up being her second sailing (8/21). It was definitely touch/go there for a bit! In the future, if there's a new build I want to be on early, I'll make sure to plunk down refundable deposits on the first couple months of cruises - just to hedge my bets! I'm glad that Ticketmaster isn't able to grab up all the rooms !!! Tom

Does anyone know if these jacked up in-room liquor prices were also accompanied by an increase to the onboard prices of wine/champagne (for example, the wine list prices in the steakhouse)? On Carnival, it's been customary for us to enjoy a bottle of Dom on the first night in the steakhouse - when they offer bottles at 50% off. Bringing down the price from something like $225 to $112.50. That is a rather good deal, particularly onboard a ship (and I'd say that does not occur at any land based restaurant ON EARTH). On our last Celebrity cruise, we forwent the first night Dom, as they have it listed for something like $325 ! I recently "discovered" the AARP Carnival gift cards where $450 gets you a $500 card... and you can buy lots of these, something like 25 a month! I just paid for the Mardi Gras sailing I booked yesterday with those, saving $250 right there! I was looking at the Carnival site and noticed that you can pre-purchase Cruise Cash Bar ahead of time. I can use the gift cards here too, so that would kick down the Dom closer to $100. A penny saved, is a penny earned so they say! For that matter, I guess I could get the regular Cruise Cash as well and essentially shave 10% off other onboard purchases (limit on both is $500). Tom

Nice itinerary - that would bite !! Tom

On a shorter cruise, I could manage dragging our 29" (packed to the gills) suitcase up the gangway onto the ship. Not so much for longer sailings!! Tom

I thought you couldn't bring anything onboard which would not fit through their (carry-on size) scanner in the terminal? I'd like the thought of lugging ours on - if only to avoid waiting for the bag to be delivered to our cabin, all the while wondering if it had been mistakenly routed to the naughty room - which has happened SEVERAL times. Edit -- OH, enjoy a MDE chicken sandwich for me ... and a Muffaletta (at Emeril's)!! Tom

A couple decades ago, when I would still reluctantly venture onto the dance floor, I got burned while dancing thanks to a careless woman out there with a lit cigarette. She was oblivious to it, oh well. I've heard of "light up the dance floor", but not light up ON the dance floor!! Glad that's a thing of the past. 🙂 Tom

I'd pick between the two solely on WHERE it sails from and WHERE it sails to. (well, with price and cabin availability factored in) ! Tom

OK ... then get ready... 😁 (and just in case some of you have the munchies) The Signature Burger is probably the best burger I've ever had - I tried it once in February, and twice this last trip. Hope you're OK looking at a RARE burger !! I've never been a fan of bacon on a burger, but this moist/fatty pork belly ain't no bacon !!!

What the market will bear, apparently. Other lines are really sticking it to people as well (they all have different approaches, but all share the same goal). Since we're just off the Reflection, I was looking at a 10 night sailing on Celebrity Edge earlier this week for February with great ports. They had two types of suites remaining - an $11k Sky Suite (lowest level suite) and a $19K Royal Suite (lowest "Top level" suite). I called their casino department (Blue Chip Club) and was given a reduced rate of $6,500 for the Sky Suite, and put it on a courtesy hold. All suites come with a premium beverage package, pre-paid tips, streaming internet (4 devices), and several hundred OBC. I decided not to pull the trigger for a couple of reasons, and saw that it was back on the market this morning, now for just over $13k. I just looked again, out of curiosity, someone already grabbed the Sky Suite... *poof* Instead, I went with a Carnival casino promo and booked an aft corner excel suite on the Mardi Gras for ~$2,500 --- which includes CHEERS! Granted, I'll need to purchase WiFi and cover my own tips, but.... WOW.... I'll be smiling as I tackle my first MDE chicken sandwich of the week following embarkation! We'll probably stay on the ship for the entire cruise, as the ports are not worth the effort, IMO ... Nassau, Grand Turk, Amber Cove. At this point, out of Florida, we mainly cruise for the ship. Tom

(I updated my post with a couple of pics... it posted too soon!)

I think you'll really like it! Things not to miss: The Porch - Dinner or lunch (lunch only on sea days) The Lawn Club Grill specialty burger menu at lunch... go for the Signature Burger !! If you go there for dinner, get the warm cookie dessert. Le Petit Chef - two menus offered during the week. Go for the one which has the ravioli !!

Yeppers

On the Reflection a couple of weeks (just off Sunday) and there were very few smokers - I don't think I ever saw more than a dozen or so at the Sunset Bar (port=smoking side), and a few around the Mast Bar. I love the Solstice class ships, and the smoke free casinos on Celebrity. Tom

Is there any OBC which is "refundable" ? Tom

Yep - I was amazed (link) ! Tom

I guess it's too late to claim that you stole the idea from me, huh? 😉 BTW, I don't mind the smell of pot smoke (in all its variants), it's cigarette smoke which really gets to me. Tom

I'd never heard of Engine Ice ! Tom

On the Reflection recently, over two weeks time, we had every night booked prior to the sailing through the shoreside concierge. We were able to get all our times, but swapped a couple of nights once onboard and had to kick one out 30 minutes from our requested time. Tom

Darn it - I guess we missed a day. Gani didn't tell me !! Tom