Lastdance

Maybe off topic, but... Wasn’t AI taken away because people preferred to have a choice, but all Celebrity did was raise the pricing on many categories, but suites in particular? Why must one purchase a suite with everything but gratuities if they do not drink alcohol? Yes, please be Laura when you answer.

Definitely need to put the exceptions in red!

My DH and I are not doing any drink package, but have ordered and are bringing water onboard for our next trip. This will be our first experience without the premium package, so a new experience for us, but directly related to Celebrity. Not sure how it will work, but it is definitely worth a try.

I am fine with AP, as I do not drink mineral water; I am a no-gas type of girl, so as long as it is premium the majority of the time, I am fine with that. Remember, you commented on my post with your own set of expectations, so stop with all the "what do you expect dribble,” as what I expect is a premium water substitution and not just the ordinary. That wasn’t available, so for me, that was not what I had paid for at all with the premium package. Even yacht charters can have issues with anything, so try to understand that some of us do not get 99.9% of what we ask for on our package with substitutions. like you always do. That is all that I am saying...not higher than normal expectations, but at the very least, a choice of premium water with no-gas. Instead of asking me specific questions to clarify what I was saying, you wanted to provide your own scenario of me to justify your own comments for some unknown reason. I bet if I met you on a cruise, you would just be charming and get me a premium water?

Well, happy to hear that. Last time we were on a b2b in Europe, Evian, in the small bottles, were completely out on the ship. Even talking to my suite concierge, along with asking at different places the answer was the same. I guess you will need to be on all my booked cruises and get the water for me🤷‍♀️...can you do that?

We do not drink very much at all, but have trouble with getting premium water onboard unless we are okay with the large glass Evian water bottles. Much of the time we cannot even get these onboard. These comments, IMHO, are very valid and need attention!

My last cruise on Beyond found those people working when disembarking were very rude too, not to mention blocking the stairs. Definitely some need more training, along with being very seasoned in FLL. My expectations changed dramatically from two former European cruises to one in Caribbean all on Beyond. No more Caribbean for me, as my cruising experiences were totally different, but mostly due to clientele onboard, not the crew at all! They were fantastic as always. I do think your expectations were a little too high, but that’s just a guess. Thanks for sharing!

It is a little too scary having a mini-you? For anyone else maybe, but I doubt it is for you! Yes, I certainly understand the “space” issues, but knowing you it will not be an issue! 🎊Have a wonderful cruise and fantastic birthdays❣️

Looks like you are already having a very interesting journey, not to mention dodged the bullet from Crowdstrike too. Nowadays with travel, anything can happen, so being prepared does definitely help when things do go wack-a-doodle. Hope once you get onboard, you can unpack, relax and get the cruise vibe going.🤩 Thanks for sharing!

Okay...I am not trying to disagree with you. I know you can find deals, price-drops etc...🤷‍♀️There are always exceptions based on the algorithms, timing and luck... but generally speaking was what I was saying. I have never had an IV, so I cannot speak to those or pricing. On my Ascent TA, the SV’s have been gone for a very long time; in fact only suites are available. Sounds like you have everything figured out. I am sure you also have their stock too! Have a good day!

I was answering the question above(OP)which was about Prime Concierge. Celebrity touts those a prime due to where they are located; I only book suites and SV’s because I have to have a balcony! I totally agree with your information! The issue now is that the SV’s have gone up in price, go quickly and are very desirable...🥰IMHO!

Location, location...location.

Thank you for your very kind words. Nothing bothers my DH, so I will have white noise from my phone if needed. Just another third world problem that I may or may not find as an issue for me🥰

I was told by corporate that Vista is having some soundproofing put in this summer; also that allure will have it due to all the concerns! Now, take that with a grain of salt, as I cruise Vista in May for her TA.

We did that many years ago and it worked out just fine!

I have been on Apex in Europe twice; once in an SV and in a Sunset Suite. Of course, I prefer the Sunset Suite because it has a huge balcony, but the Sunset Veranda was wonderful and so much less. I only cruise with balconies; however, on Ascent for this fall’s TA, I had to book a concierge guarantee, so have the IV. The price was a great deal. So, next fall I have a b2b with an SV and suite(TA part). These are on Apex again! Maybe you and your hubby should book a suite on Ascent in Europe, as many of the ports are just excellent; it is a new ship and sounds like you have the money. Also, book a dining package that includes Eden+ and Daniel B(special fee) since you are foodies. If you are not happy with all those perks, maybe consider an EV for an upgraded suite. Then all your dining comes with the suite, not to mention a wonderful butler to attend to your every need!

SV’s/sunset verandas

Well, my first O cruise on Vista isn’t until next year, but it will be fun to critique the different venues with my DH, along with our own subjectivity. Whether I post about our experience is unknown, but both of us enjoy new experiences. We are not big foodies, nor are we big drinkers; however, isn’t everything subjective anyway? If I like something and my DH does not...so what. I definitely will not be upset if he doesn’t agree with me. I am my own person at this stage in my life, so it just doesn’t matter.🤷‍♀️

I bet that was amazing to be a solo in an EV. Honestly, I would have to be thrown off the ship😛.

@Tedferg, I was on Apex in a suite and SV for a b2b. The 4 main dining rooms did not need a reservation. The post above (#3) is about Edge. It describes a different situation with the four main dining rooms, which I have not heard of, but most likely could happen depending on time, restaurant, number of people in family etc., not to mention cruising in the summer which I do not do. Personally, if Celebrity said that I had to take late dining(this was actually in writing and a change,) I would not book the cruise, but again, I have never had this happen to me onboard any E class ship. I am on Ascent with late dining, but will be eating early. It has been mentioned over and over again that Ascent has basically “anytime dining” on many different sites besides Cruise Critic.

Your hikes remind me so much of South Island, NZ. We did a 34 mile hike into Milford Sound with some snow, an avalanche into the gorge ahead of our trail, along with some chilling winds. I went from shorts to long pants and back to shorts. I really want to make it to Norway and compare it to NZ and AK, but no doubt Norway will be absolutely awesome! Pulpit Rock looks amazing, not to mention a must-see. My girlfriend just came back from three weeks driving everywhere a car could go with all the nooks and crannies! Your photos are lovely, along with your commentary. Thank you so much for sharing your family’s adventures!

I don’t understand why you could not eat dinner anytime you wanted, as you really do not need reservations for the 4 main dining rooms. Rather than FB, why didn’t you inquire about this on Cruise Critic, as that, IMHO, is a much better source for important information due to the plethora of long-time cruisers. I am sorry that you did not know this ahead of time, but I read a lot of false information on other sites. Thanks for your report!

It is all about perception!

My home; visitors get the same quality that I pay lots more for to share🥲, but I don’t want to be a cheapo...🤷‍♀️

Well, if it is on Vista, I’m game!🤑