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Hi @abbydancer, I appreciate the information as we are on the 8/14 sailing and looking for as much information as possible with everything. We are flying in a day early too just to be safe and planning on testing Wednesday in order to fall within the 72 hours requirement. Can I ask about your testing and why you took an additional test if you already received your results and approval for St Maarten? I am wondering if I missed something where just the one PCR test on Wednesday for us will not work for Celebrity as well. Thank you and have a great cruise!!

On 7/18/2021 at 10:52 AM, 5:00_Somewhere said:

Wondering if anyone has any recent experience flying out of SXM on JetBlue and whether being in "Mint" affords any advantage where lines and check-in is concerned (bonus if it's the SXM-BOS flight).  🙂 Thanks for any info anyone may have. 

I would be interested in this information as well as we will be flying this exact route post cruise on August 21st.

Hello Chuck,

Thank you for the in depth information, it is very helpful. We are scheduled for the August 14th sailing and it will be our first Celebrity cruise, first time in St Maarten, and also our honeymoon so this information definitely helps ease the anxiety of sailing from St Maarten vs US ports. We are definitely looking forward to this cruise for a number of reasons (too many to mention here) but let's just say it's time!!

We are flying in a day early just in case and I have arranged transport with a local tour company to our hotel on Friday. Then on Saturday morning I arranged an island tour with him as a surprise for my "then to be wife" as we have a check in time of 2pm. I'm crossing my fingers all goes well. Thanks again for all the information you provided.

Perry

23 minutes ago, Seany527 said:

You’re very welcome. You will have a great time. 
 

I believe you paid $21 because you had not yet upgraded to the premium beverage package. 
 

Once you have the premium beverage package, which is $12 per day, then it’s only $9 per day for Drinks and more (which is what I paid). It’s essentially a wash in pricing. If you did over pay, it was by just a couple of dollars total. 

You are correct, I had the Classic package so that all makes sense. We are really looking forward to this trip as we have never visited St Maarten either so we are going a day early. I know it's not a lot of time but I have a morning island tour booked on the day we embark and chose a 2pm boarding time which will work out ok, hopefully. The only thing that is a bit nerve wracking is the testing and the changes that keep happening, just keeping track of it all. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will have all gone away by the time August rolls around!!! Thanks!!

Ah, good point. I believe it was the Classic package that is part of the AI promo.

16 hours ago, Seany527 said:

Omg. I’m so glad someone asked about this package. I didn’t want to start a new thread to complain, but this package was such a huuuuge hassle when I used it last week on the Millennium. 
 

The cost to upgrade for me was $9 per person, per day and included $50 per person in the casino. 
 

Day 1, our room steward had no record of this being purchased. All I had for proof was the billing receipt on my phone. He tried to tell me that although I upgraded to the premium beverage package, it didn’t include drinks from the mini bar. 
I tried to explain to him that it was a separate package but he didn’t understand. 
 

I went to guest services and they were able to confirm I had the package and they would relay the message to the department. 
 

So that was cleared up but then I was told that the water in the room was not part of the minibar and that I would have to pay for. I talked that out with guest services later and they were able to confirm the water was included as well. 
 

Next, although not a big deal, Pringles were suppose to be included and listed as an item in the minibar contents in the cabin. I asked the room steward about the Pringles, but he said they didn’t have any. Whatever. 
 

So next is a wine tasting that you are suppose

to be invited to. On day 3 I asked guest services when that would be and she said it was held on day 2, but they would be offering another one later in the cruise and the invite would be sent to my cabin. Guess what, the invite never came.  I didn’t say anything because at this point, I was over the whole package. Too much stress. 
 

The only silver lining was the casino credit, which I was somehow able to turn that credit into almost $200. 
 

Would I book the package again....no. The only nice part was always having water in the room, but that could have been accomplished by stopping at a bar and grabbing a few to take back.
 

I think the package is super unpopular and the crew just haven’t been trained with what it involves. 

Hi Seany, first off, thank you for all your postings from the Millennium, we are booked on the 8/14 trip (now Summit) so all your information was very helpful.

On to this subject, I wish I would have waited to purchase this package as I paid $21 pppd I beleive, total was $294 for 2 of us. I purchased the upgrade thinking it was a good deal considering all that was included and the regular price was $76 +/- pppd. I am hoping they get things straightened out prior to our cruise so we can enjoy it as this will be our first time with Celebrity. Thanks again, Perry

Ah, makes sense, thanks!

Here is another strange thing I just noticed when logging in again. Now there is no option showing to "upgrade" from the Classic drink package to the drinks and more package, only one price of $76 +/- per day pp. That totals over $1200 for 2 people but when I purchased it earlier today the upgrade option was available and it was $21 per day pp or $295 approx. total for 2, huge difference!! Not sure what's going on but I'm glad I purchased already, hopefully they don't change the deal on me.

FYI for everyone, I logged in to my account to check on things again and noticed the "smaller" print at the bottom of the image, so I guess this answers my original question.

16 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

This is the correct answer....upgrade at a bar/server/wine steward you think you will be frequenting...you and the server will appreciate it...

We are currently booked for the 8/14 (now on Summit) out of St Maarten and I was thinking of upgrading to the "Drinks and More" package. Would I be able to upgrade for the same cost on board,  which would help the crew member, as I can online now?

I have to say thanks for posting too, this definitely helps ease the anxiety a bit. We are on the August 14th sailing, now aboard Summit apparently, and flying in the day before staying at Little Divi Bay as well. If you want to share your hotel experience that would be appreciated too. This will be our first time in St Maarten and also our first time on Celebrity. Hope you have a great cruise!!

We're on the August 14th sailing and just received the same email as well.

We watched it as well and I agree, it was well done. It brought the reality to the screen of how this "shut down" has and still is affecting more than just the cruise lines themselves. CDC needs to wake up and get "on board" with resuming cruises out of US ports, it's time!! Ok, enough of that!

Has anyone been able to find a schedule for the next 4 episodes? It wasn't shown and I haven't been able to find a schedule yet. I'm looking forward to watching the others.

Hooray, another "Live" review from Sid, if it's anything like your Encore Live it will be great!! Thanks in advance for taking the time out of your vacation to share with us. I certainly appreciate it and it will give me some incite on what to expect on our May 2022 Bermuda cruise on Joy. We've been on Bliss and Encore so this will be the trifecta for the plus class!!

The US NCL site shows the same icon as well but I really think it is a mistake in their system because, as you mention, there is no indication of anything different on the exterior from photos posted. The photo I have attached was sent to me by the NCL rep I spoke with about this and as you will see it is definitely NOT the Joy but Epic. If the balconies they are describing as "privasea" were actually were on Joy they would certainly stand out in any exterior images.

privasea image.pdf

First question is where did you get the information that this was a "privasea balcony cabin"? I ask because I ran into this same issue when doing a mock booking for cabin 10296, (10208 is a mini suite in the same general area) the reservation had a warning in RED at  the bottom stating it was "obstructed view". I thought that was very strange since I had been on both the Bliss and Encore and all the balconies have glass panels. So I called NCL and the rep confirmed that it was showing the cabin as "privasea balcony" which, according to her, means there is a metal/steel plate surrounding the balcony with the viewing opening cut out, similar to a port hole but much larger (if that makes any sense). This response struck me as very strange based on (again) my Bliss and Encore experience as the ships are almost identical as far as balcony cabin layout. She was also very kind and sent me 2 photos of what her system was showing as the Joy "privasea balcony", however, knowing what the ship looks like these photos were NOT of Joy but what I believe to be Epic. I found photos of the exterior and there are no balconies fitting the description so it appears some of the information that is in the NCL system for Joy is incorrect. Although I am no expert and have not sailed on Joy yet (our first will be May 2022, hopefully), I do believe the balcony for cabin 10208 will be the same as all the others nearby.

I hope this helps.

Ours had a goos turn out, 50+ at least. I would recommend contacting the group rep at NCL for confirmation as things are always subject to change. Enjoy your cruise!!

We were on Encore 2/9-16 and the M&G was in the District with beer tastings and apps. Great time, well done by our new friends Diane and Mark!!

"First" Day!!

Totally agree, was just saying it differently, and FWIW, you can usually get a good sense of "these idiots" on the fist day!

The photo above is from Encore and the link in the post further down is from a UK news article regarding MSC Meraviglia, I believe on the Western Caribbean trip but not 100% certain.

I was on Encore 2/9 -16 and also experienced quite a few folks that had over indulged, which is easy to do when it's basically free. I enjoy my drinks as much as anyone but I also know my limits, as an adult we should correct? However being a bartender for almost 20 years there are a lot of folks that cannot control themselves when it comes to their level of consumption so it is up to the staff to do it for them. I realize the amazing bar staff on Encore does not want confrontation but there has to be a better way to control this type of behavior. My opinion is whoever started this mess gets dropped off at PR and find their own way home. Tough/expensive lessons learned.

14 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Hotels will store your luggage, go check in, your room most likely won’t be ready but the bellman will take your bags (tip).

That would be great, thank you!

1 hour ago, markeb said:

 

If you're coming in on Saturday and primarily want to see the WTC Memorial (and I'd add the museum as well), look for hotels in the Financial District. They're historically a better deal on the weekend. A further drive from the airport (which airport?????), but give you options. 

 

There is also a New York Fire Museum, should it interest you. Info here.

 

It's a pretty easy subway ride to Midtown from the WTC area, but there's a lot to see down there, including Battery Park, the Canyon of Heroes, Wall Street, Trinity Church, Brooklyn Bridge, etc. You can make an easy day of it if you choose to.

Excellent information, I appreciate it!! I'm planning on LGA but not really sure where that puts me since it will be our first time there. I would certainly like to fly in early enough so we can make a day of it just not sure what we can do with our luggage before hotel check in time. I'll have to look into that a bit more.

Thanks again!!

Thanks so much to all of you for the prompt responses. I have to provide an update though, due to a scheduling issue I called CAS line today to see if I could change our trip to the week before, October 25, instead. The gentleman I spoke with was very accomodating but told me I couldn't get the same cabin I had originally booked, 11854. So I asked about the possibility of the same location on another deck, he put me on hold, came back with "I found 10856, will that work?" I said perfect, that is the cabin we were just in on our Feb 9 cruise!!! Just thought I would share another great experience with CAS team. Not all have been great but the majority have been.

Based on the responses I will start looking for hotels to fly in pre cruise, I would love to visit the WTC Memorial site, as a firefighter (31 years) this would make the trip for sure. Maybe I'll look into a day after the cruise too make it all worthwhile!!

Thanks again and keep the advice coming, I'll take it all in!!