Thejuggler

Once it gets to an hour from ordering its time to consider leaving, advise staff you have been waiting a long time and if food doesn't arrive within 15 minutes you will leave.

Certainly at airports there have been lots of changes.  Our local airport now has a shoe checker you need to stand on.

I did so and it decided my shoes were suspicious, they were welted commando sole brogues.  I was there for about 10 minutes while I was asked to step on and step off, scan, rinse and repeat.  I then had to remove shoes and they were sent through the scanner,

After all that the security guy told me all the shoes of that type fail!

Off ship, black cab to Liverpool Street, Elizabeth Line to LHR.

On 8/9/2024 at 6:38 PM, 39august said:

Doesn't "Select"and "Anytime: mean the same thing? No fixed time?

Despite what others say no it doesn't.

Select is the included dining option, which can be early, late or anytime,

https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/celebrity-select-dining

There is so much confusion around what select dining is on Celebrity.

Select dining isn't Celebrity's name for anytime dining.  Select is the name they use for the restaurants which are included as part of the fare.

You can be allocated select early, select late or select anytime.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/celebrity-select-dining

11 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Unfair.

And even more unfair if you live in UK 🇬🇧 and have to pay for an international phone call!🙈

Use a mobile using wifi calling and there is no charge.

I've cancelled a drinks package recently and rebooked at a cheaper rate.

Enjoy your trip.  For info a relative was off Virtuoso on Saturday, they self disembarked and were in the car for 7.30am.  No delays to exit the car park. 

A relative was on this trip and whilst they enjoyed it, they felt the ship was far too crowded with the almost full complement of passengers.  

Like any of these cards if you are going to buy one you need to structure your days around maximising the benefits.

We bought one in Rome because it covered everything we were visiting anyway.

However we didn't in New York (despite many saying you really should) because it would have meant spending each day dashing around and still spending hundreds of dollars to get the discounts.  There's enough free stuff in NYC we took advantage of.

The ship excursions are now very expensive, they weren't on our last visit to Iceland with Celebrity about 10 years ago - circa £90 for half day £120 for a full.  We have booked an independent trip this year which cost £100, cruise ship price about £300 for half a day.

However as OP has found the cost of cruising hasn't increased much if at all.  The price we have paid this year isn't much different to what we paid on our first cruise in 2009.

The code in the thread you quoted or the correct one in the thread below?
 

I've just tried ABPMSC24 on their website and it reduces the cost by 15%.

Correction.  Code is ABPMSC24

MSC use APB at Southampton which beats any others hands down for convenience.

Park alongside the ship, luggage is collected from you at the vehicle, you walk to the ship, car is where you left it on return and we have never had a queue leaving the car park.

Code for a 15% discount is APBMSC24.

At some time in the future I'm sure P&O will catch up with other cruise companies and let passengers choose their own boarding time. 

Having just gone through this and taken advantage of the 40% discount it will either be Cookies or bad timing as it was 40% last week, but is now 35%.

When we booked Edge the default was as expected - fixed at 8.30pm.

Now we are a few weeks out and everything is confirmed it has changed to anytime with the option of fixing the time at 5.30pm or 8.30pm if this is preferred.

Drinks menus in this thread.

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2996575-2024-celberity-cruise-drink-menues-with-prices/

You need to do some maths based on how many drinks you will have a day then compare to drinks packages prices, bearing in mind discounts you will be offered - currently 40% on the trip we are taking.

The 12 nighter, but going to Bruges rather than Bergen or Stavanger sells both trips short.

There is some misinformation in the first post.

Sevenrooms isn't a third party, its a restaurant booking software system similar to Top Table, togo etc.

The hotels use this platform rather than run their own booking system.

Pleased you enjoyed Sky Garden.  Definately worth visiting and the food in the bistro is also excellent.

Elizabeth line is a cheaper option and if staying in central London you can use your savings to pay for a black cab from the nearest Elizabeth line station to the hotel.  Far more convenient than changing tube lines and then walking from tube station to hotel.

Whilst not full of tourist attractions there is some interest.

About 15 years ago we had a week in Menorca in Binibeca on the south coast, not far from Mahon.Binibeca Vell is quite an interesting village/town as it was designed and built in the 1960s causing some controversy, but we liked it.  Very likely any island tour will go there.

Fornells on the north is a lovely seaside village, famous for being the last King of Spain's favourite place to lunch when he was staying at his villa in Majorca.

Mahon and Ciutadella are the main towns, both very similar.  Cuitadella is the old capital and has more history.

Definately apples and oranges.  We have stayed at the Royal Savoy ( a few years ago - the Palace wasn't built) and whilst its a nice enough hotel its not anywhere close to being as exclusive as Reids Palace.

Having visited the Med in mid October it was perfect.  Comfortably warm, Mid to late 20s during the day.

You can carry all your luggage if you want, but with porters on hand to take your bags from drop off to your cabin why would you?