gabbygrrl

We have a 7nt cruise booked for late 2024 on the Apex. It will be our first Edge class ship. We have a sunset balcony (which we love) and the classic drinks/wifi package. We are also Elite. (Cross posted)

My question: Princess, which we have never sailed, has a great price on a similar 7nt in a Premium Deluxe Balcony with the “Premier” package included, on their new ship, the Sun.It would save us about $1000 (that includes the ship gratuities that Celebrity does not include).

We love to gamble but it seems like the Princess casino is quite small-and allows smoking-which is a HUGE negative! We are torn over the savings vs the downside of the casino. 
It also seems like the Princess package includes a lot more, like dining and room service where you can use the drink package. So those are positives. 
Any feedback? We keep going back and forth and are hoping for some insight or opinions. I can think of a lot of ways to use that $1000 but the thought of all that cigarette smoke makes me cringe. Help!

We have a 7nt cruise booked for late 2024 on the Apex. It will be our first Edge class ship. We have a sunset balcony (which we love) and the classic drinks/wifi package. We are also Elite. My question: Princess, which we have never sailed, has a great price on a similar 7nt in a Premium Deluxe Blacony with the “Premier” package included, on their new ship, the Sun.It would save us about $1000 (that includes the ship gratuities that Celebrity does not include).

We love to gamble and it seems like the Princess casino is quite small-and allows smoking-which is a HUGE negative! We are torn over the savings vs the downside of the casino. 
It also seems like the Princess package includes a lot more, like dining and room service where you can use the drink package. 
Any feedback? We keep going back and forth and are hoping for some insight or opinions. I can think of a lot of ways to use that $1000 but the thought of all that cigarette smoke makes me cringe. Help!

If you are vegan or simply enjoy Indian food, mention it to your server.  The menu they have for the staff always includes Indian dishes, which they are happy to serve you on request in the dining room. We have had some of the most amazing matar paneer and butter chicken!! It changed each night, and we were asked if we wanted a side or full portion. Delicious!

6 hours ago, tert333 said:

I guess they will start decorating at the beginning of your cruise so that it is done by November 27.   We are on the Summit from Nov 22 - 27.   They said the ship will be decorated November 25, so I assume that means that it will start at the beginning of the cruise with the intent it is done by the 25th.

As someone else mentioned, the decorations come out overnight. I sailed a few years back and woke up to a completely different ship! 🎅

We always stop by "Bocce-ball" (our shorthand) in the afternoon for an iced coffee with Bailey's or Kahlua. 

They are delicious.

Also I had a bartender at the Sunset tell me that the perfect Bloody Mary was made with Belvedere Vodka. So he had me try that, and then each morning made it with different brands...and he was right, Belvedere for the win! 

15 hours ago, micruiser2002 said:

The problem is this says "Should" not "MUST" get tested.  A lot of people keep saying the cruise lines are doing what the CDC has mandated and I would just like to see where it has been mandated.  If it is the cruise lines that are requiring this then they should be transparent about that.  With the holidays coming up I believe it is going to become very difficult to get a covid test within 2 days of sailing.  Even the at home tests are limited and the ones I got expire in mid December and that is with a extension.  I only see 1 company who has the allowed at home testing which also makes this more difficult.

I believe the testing requirement being reduced from 3 days prior, to 2, is because you can now get tested with results available in as little as an hour.  Therefore, testing prior to sailing should be fairly simple. With Walgreens, CVS, airports and private companies all offering a 24 hour or less turnaround time, even the holidays should not present an issue. The at-home kits with emed are 24/7, 365, so no issues there either.

Hi all, we just saw the new Covid protocols and are very impressed with what they offer.  We are now thinking of taking a cruise before the end of the year.  We are both fully vaccinated and with the at-home testing options, it's super easy to test 24hrs prior to sailing.  However I can't seem to find out if everyone needs to test at the end of the sailing, in order to get off of the ship.  Does anyone have that info?

We are scheduled on the Connie for a 10 night in November.  It was the only option last year, when we needed to do a lift-and-shift.  It is an amazing rate, given with how high some cruises have been pricing.  Now I'm reading that the Connie may leave the fleet, so what do you think the process is if we need to select another ship/sailing? Will it be 125%?  Or will they just make us start from scratch, applying our deposit and not transferring the benefits?

I know it's only speculation, but I have never been booked on a cruise that was canceled, and I have benefits attached that no longer exist.

TYIA!!

On 4/19/2020 at 7:05 PM, phoenix_dream said:

First of all, who in the heck would want to cruise at all with all these restrictions?  Not me.  If I wanted that much regimentation I'd join the Army (or would if I was not over 65 years old😉).  And what good do all these restrictions do if you are sitting next to people in lounges, riding with them in elevators, swimming with them in pools and on and on.  There is no way to social distance on a cruise ship - period.  Certainly some other precautions will take place, but until we can sail without needing to social distance the ships will not sail.

I disagree with you a bit here.  I have been cruising for decades and I have always employed my own "social distancing".   I'm a bit of a germaphobe.  My only struggle used to be eating at a table with others, but those days are gone.

Now, we have a table for 2, lounge by the pool but do not swim (I can't count the number of people sucking down drinks but somehow never getting out to use the restroom 😱), sit away from others in the lounge or at a show, spend a ton of time on our balcony, use the hand sanitizer machines VERY often in the casino (and even when walking through the casino to go elsewhere) and never, ever eat in the buffet.  One of the reasons cruising is so relaxing for us is that we can drink, enjoy fantastic food and a variety of destinations, all while feeling like we have the ship to ourselves.  I don't know how it will return, or when, but even before all of this, cruising had the ability (for me) to be as safe as staying at a resort.

22 hours ago, mnocket said:

Another option you might consider is to take a Twizy tour.  If you aren't familiar, Twizy's are small narrow electric vehicles where the driver is in front and the passenger sits behind.  One thing we really enjoyed was that the tour was guided - while each couple drives their own Twizy, you all follow a lead Twizy driven by your guide.  You will pull over at numerous places where your guide will explain the local sights and history.  We really enjoyed it.  If you're interested, here's the link to the company we used

I second this!  We had such a great time and saw so much of the island.  We still talk about this excursion.

I agree with the other comments. If you are looking for a busy day and music/dancing at night, go with RCCL. Celebrity is fantastic, but it's more "refined" with an older crowd (but still fun!). We made the switch mid-40's after getting tired of the belly-flop mentality with kids running wild all over the ship. The no-smoking on Celebrity is also a huge deal for us (wife has asthma). Now we're able to gamble and breathe at the same time :o)

First, the lobster in Halifax or St John is NOT the same as the lobster you'll get in Bar Harbor or Portland. It's ok, but it's not Maine lobster! Same with the cruise ship lobster-it's Caribbean and if you're used to Maine (I live outside of Portland), you can't be bothered with it. There is a big difference in flavor and lucky you, with many stops this week you can try them all and make your own decision.

In Portland, pass by the DiMillo's Floating Restaurant (tourist trap) on the waterfront and hit the Portland Lobster Company. Or for a truly local, no frills experience with some of the best lobster and chowder around, try Gilbert's Chowder House (waterfront, opposite direction from PLC). This is where the local businesspeople and tradespeople have lunch.

Happy Cruising....and eating....and drinking.....

For 3 Card Poker, can do they have a "pairs plus" bet? And can you only play that bet, and not the Ante?

TYIA

Thank you for this fantastic thread, full of information!! It is very much appreciated.

Enjoy your vacation!

I believe it is Elite and higher that offers that benefit.

If you select Sushi on 5 for a lunch or dinner option, are all of your selections free? Or do they set a $$ limit that you can use?

As mentioned, the #1 reson we switched over was the non-smoking policy! It's wonderful to play in the casino or walk around inside and not be covered in smoke.

Once we tried X, all of the other added amenities made us realize it was the perfect line for us.

Thank you all for the information and taking the time to help! Much appreciated!

Hi All,

We have booked 9296 on the Equinox. I'm excited about the balcony size but not thrilled that it's a connecting cabin.

Can you tell me-does it connect like a hotel room, with a shared door midway in the cabin? Or is it the type that "connects" outside in the hallway? There was only 1 post in the S class cabin list and it did not mention the type of connection.

We have had bad luck with connecting hotel rooms and noise. I'm wondering if this will be the same.

Thank you for your help.

Can you pre-book a dinner for a specialty restaurant prior to boarding, and then cancel it once onboard if they are offering a discount?

The first night of our sailing is my birthday, so I don't want to get on the ship and find out Murano is booked. On the other hand, 30% off sounds great :)

Although we are not sailing the Equinox until next September, I wanted to comment on Cafe al Bacio-with the drinks package, the "spiked drinks" are included. Every afternoon we'd stop by the "Cafe Bocce Ball" (as we call it) and grab an iced coffee with Baileys. The Cafe is always a highlight when sailing Celebrity!

Let me take a different direction-you can buy Cucumber Vodka (made by several brands) and stir it, with ice, and a top off of Dry Vermouth. You can also float a sliced cucumber on top.

I prefer not to shake and I don't care for Gin. The Martini Bar makes a mean one of these, either shaken or stirred.

Not that you asked, but you can also make a Cucumber Saketini. Just replace the Vermouth with your favorite Sake. Make sure you are not driving anywhere after :p

As others have said, I would highly suggest getting one of the "newer" Oceanview cabins on deck 3 of the Summit.

Here is a link to my post, with pictures, of 3114. Hope it helps!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=50200802#post50200802

As mentioned previously, there is no consistency.

On our recent Summit cruise, we stopped at the Martini bar each night. I had the Classic package and ordered a Dirty Martini each time while my wife had the Premium and ordered the same thing, but with Belvedere Vodka. We enjoyed a few drinks after dinner each time, on our way to the Casino. Regular sized glasses, no issues.

On the third night, the bartender put my Martini in a giant Margarita glass that he had set aside. He thought he was funny, as did the other guests! I gladly accepted it and walked to the Casino. Technically, I only had 1 drink that night :p

We recently returned from a Summit Bermuda trip and stayed in cabin 3114 (one of the restructured Conference Room cabins). Prior to sailing, I tried to find pictures of the cabin to no avail. So I thought I would post a few here, to help anyone else looking for more information.

The cabin was very comfortable for the 2 of us. There was no hallway noise, since no one really walks by this area unless their cabin is here. There was a slight hum of the engines but after the first night, we got used to it. It was never an issue.

The location was perfect for us. We use the stairs most of the time, so to our right and one deck up was the casino and the Martini Bar. Two decks up, the Cafe. If you leave the room and go left down the "private hall", the back bank of elevators are there. It seemed like no one ever used those. We could take the stairs up to dinner or the elevator up to the buffet. They open right in the middle of it, which is also close to the Sunset Bar end. Perfect!

If you have any questions about the cabin, I will try to answer them. We were not in there much but we really loved having the big window and being so close to everything that we liked to do. For an ocean view cabin, it was great!