Lastdance

I am not talking about me...I am letting people know that the price keeps dropping in case anyone wants a great deal. My DH had a ski accident, so we had to cancel! He is doing well...thanks for asking...

Anyone want to book the Retreat on May 1, 2024 for Hawaii...Retreat MC for 3,000 or so pp? Book early and get a decent price, only to have it bottom out after final payment...how low will this one go?

You can always get the military discount because it doesn’t interfere with anything else. That’s what I was told, but of course, now I take everything with a grain of salt. It is sometimes so hard to remember everything when making a booking, especially onboard. The military discount seems to be a staple. I remember adding the shareholder’s credit and my cruise had added discounts that were significant. This happened several times. My TA was very surprised, as one was over 2,000. I do not remember anyone discussing this on Cruise Critic, but do remember my surprise when it happened the second and third times.

Is it the one on deck 11? Those are our favorites for TA’s/b2b’s. I had that one on a TA; it was perfect and I love the long walks to the Retreat, gym and spa. The only issue for those now and all the suites/SV’s is that Celebrity took away all the loungers. Hope you enjoy it❣️

We are older, but our December cruise was also more like “a floating home” too. Since we absolutely love TA’s and European itineraries, we were very disappointed. Furthermore, we had previously been on Beyond twice with wonderful experiences; however, this third time in the Caribbean and not Europe was such a different experience without the demographics and enjoyment we have come to love, and expect. I get a D- on doing my homework for a Caribbean 10 day cruise, on a ship that I loved. That was totally my fault!

This is “not" the same thing that you are thinking about doing, but I was told that if the price dropped, I could get the new price. Well, it dropped while I was onboard, but I was not allowed to get the reduction. I am sharing this example for you to make sure that what you are being told is actually correct. Get it in writing first!

Having an open-mind is always good; great for comparisons too. If the maiden voyage is important to you, you’ll have an excellent cruise on a brand new ship. Personally, we want it to be a little used before we take it to or from Europe, so thanks for doing us the break-in favor!

I agree; when you look at the bigger picture things do look so much better. We went through Covid onboard when it was a five day quarantine and Celebrity was great to us. We owned their stock, buying low and selling high. The memories made cruising are etched in our minds and found on our walls throughout our home. My glass is always half full, as is yours!

You need to share more information. I am assuming this is after final payment, or NRD, but your insurance only covers certain things written on your policy, so it depends on those covered items. So sorry to hear about your dilemma.

So, the price dropped 4,000 on your category and now it is down even more, but you are happy with your price? Did I read this correctly?

Several reasons: 1. We could have a price drop, but lose lots of OBC. 2. We had already paid a few days early, so would not allow us a price drop, losing even more OBC. Celebrity would not budge on anything with us; we were told there was nothing Celebrity could do to assist us except just cancel our cruise…my DH had a bad ski accident right after this discussion. Celebrity charged us extra money to cancel, even though we were booked under a different policy…they had our money, so we actually paid more. No options for us at all! This was from an individual who deals with suite customers! We have yet to receive our airfare which was first class and a great deal. My TA is working on this too, but time will tell…my DH injured both legs, but not even an I am sorry! This was a first and yes, I did something about it!!!

I booked Apex for 2025, along with the cruise before it. I was also on this Edge cruise, but my DH nixed that with a skiing accident. I booked both Apex cruises while onboard Beyond in the Caribbean. Edge was not doing Lahaina due to the fire; many did cancel due to that, so prices did go down after final payment. We had 2,200 OBC...we also were not allowed any price drops, even before payment! I also loved my cruise on Silly, so only time will tell, along with cruise prices, as time goes by. Life can change in an instant, but one just modifies and adjusts. Only time will tell about pricing, price drops and what happens. We wanted a certain cabin(SV) and suite, so for us it was worth it. I plan to do a MoveUp, but that plan may change...TBD. We loved our prior two Apex cruises, as Israel was open and Zakynthos was gorgeous!

Thanks for mentioning the elevator. Last December, there was no line(just a huge crowd),but we were told to go there. We always take the stairs and just suck it up with our luggage; however, helpers(hahaha)were blocking the stairs...finally, down the stairs we went, along with a few others following. Glad you were on your time and disembarked without incident. Had we known things would be such a crowded mess, we would have made other arrangements, as we have never experienced anything like this. I was sorry that I ever mentioned this on Cruise Critic, but hey, glad you did just fine and had a lovely trip! P.S. I am always very jealous of those small bottles of Evian water, as our last cruise had tons of the large ones🤗

Yes, this is a biggie for those of us who love the quiet of our own personal balcony, not to mention a lounger or footstool. Are other cruise lines following suit? Celebrity does so many things right, but everyone has a breaking point. I love a Sunset Suite, but not booking those anymore, nor am I booking SV’s. We all possess the skills to evaluate how our hard-earned money is spent, but remember that after you put money down on a cruise that is not refundable, or if you do not have insurance, things can change. Pay more with lots of flexibility, or less without much at all. Of course, paying for refundable is much more expensive than it used to be...lots to consider, as the changes continue. Embrace the changes or not is personally the call we all have to make.

So, I finally got through your review this morning; found it so entertaining and filled with lots of wonderful experiences. I have never cruised by myself, but you certainly make it sound like it’s not a big deal at all, though I know you miss your sweet Jeremy! My DH is recuperating from an awful ski accident injuring two legs, so I have a lot more reading time when I’m not being a full-time caregiver. Having a variety of experiences, both positive and negative sure add to the complexity of life, not to mention bringing people closer together. Thank you so much for taking time once again to share the best about cruising solo, not to mention having to split-up when things go awry. The stories you share onboard are so real and full of life, not to mention also entertaining. Thank you Charla! ~Safe travels home!

Unfortunately, no waivers either. We have signed waivers before, but those were due to Covid and staying onboard rather than having to depart in Azores. Yes, you, me and others can maneuver just fine, but those who cannot follow the rules are now making them for us.

Those tubs are a huge issue too; I am always very careful! If I were to fall, I have insurance.

I just received a call from the office of Laura Hodges this morning at 7:20. Footstools are being removed for safety issues, along with all loungers, even in the upper suites due to safety. There have been a preponderance of injuries among all age groups fleet wide, along with everywhere that Celebrity sails. The removal of these items has nothing to do with cabin/suite class amenities or features. This is not limited to Celebrity. We talked for about 10 minutes. I wanted her to know that it looks like Celebrity is cutting back on so many things, so foot stools and loungers just seem to be part of plan. I also said that it would be nice if Celebrity shared reasons for these items being eliminated, so cruise passengers would know rather than trying to guess the rationale behind removal.

You are making me so excited to return to Portugal by TA, renting a car and staying for a week+ in Lagos/Algarve in 2025, also our first Oceania cruise. I just want to relax, view gorgeous areas and enjoy the culture. This seems like the perfect place! We have been avid fans of everything Italy and Greece, but the extreme crowdedness has sent us to other beautiful places to visit...Algarve for one!

Me too...but my email also contained removal of loungers from cabins/suites with larger balconies, along with possibly sharing with the Celebrity Community the rationale. Why do we have to guess, prompting all kinds of responses...good, bad and ugly. All this does is continually start and embellish rumors!

I agree that having these items included may be worth the price to some, making them feel a little more like the “suite experience, but not.” The changes that keep happening, in many circumstances, are in the know for those who read Cruise Critic; however, things change in the blink of an eye, not to mention vary from ship to ship...one thing we can all count on is continuous change...

If it wasn’t for misinformation, people might actually understand cruising better, but then sometimes the purpose is just to use words to get someone to do, or like something. It is always difficult to tell the actual purpose of things written, but maybe that adds to the conversation. It is your money and your choice to use it to make you happy! Life is short!

Comparing different cruises, on a variety of ships, especially with various itineraries, IMHO, are almost always going to be different, not to mention some on the exact same category, of the exact ship and dates. Food is always subjective, along with the needs of cruisers. My DH and I loved Beyond for two cruises in Europe, but there are many variables involved. Everything changed totally while cruising the same ship in the Caribbean. There are so many variables involved...food/venues/price/room steward/crew/cabin or suite/itinerary/ports/expectations etc.

Also, you may want to have insurance to cover whatever you decide to put down, thus having a pre-existing waiver too. Book it right after your downpayment, or at least within your allotted days. Check your credit cards for possible insurance coverage too. No need to cover the entire cruise at all. If you wait until you board to book, you might decide that $200 is not a huge amount to lose. Just look at the big picture and evaluate the facts. Europe is wonderful with lots of educational ports, beauty, culture, history and...enjoy!

We absolutely love when there are a variety of nationalities onboard; makes the cruise much more interesting. Europe is our favorite place to cruise, but we decided to do the Caribbean, after several decades. Both of us said never, ever again, as it was mostly Floridians who stayed onboard and it seemed so crowded on certain decks. We had been on the same ship in Europe for a b2b and it was just the opposite...wonderful and full of different nationalities, not to mention culture, history and educational experiences. Our first cruise with Ocean is a TA on Vista. Our first time to try a smaller ship, so hoping that we’ll like it. Half the fun is trying something new while on your way to another country to stay and explore.