caviargal

Same.

I do understand and appreciate the point you are making. Aqua Class on Celebrity was a bit of that, as at least we could avoid the crowded MDR and buffet and have a quiet and good meal in Blu. We are headed to Alaska on Silversea in two days and then Regent in August for two weeks in Northern Europe and Seabourn (our favorite) in October. I am looking forward to all of them.

My tastes and preferences for travel in general have certainly changed over the years. For the price of the Retreat on Celebrity I can book the least expensive stateroom on a small luxury ship and that will always be my preference. Even the parking experience was a pleasure (almost) at Port of Miami on Regent versus the cluster we experienced at Port Everglades with Celebrity. I have no interest in MSC YC or otherwise (I sailed with them years ago before their mega monster shis) nor a return to Celebrity We simply do not enjoy crowds or kids nor do we need shows and casinos. Small ship cruising is our choice when not on a land trip (still my personal preference but my husband likes the convenience of a cruise). We enjoy Seabourn, Regent and Silversea. I am looking forward to Explora in January and trying a short 7 night cruise before I commit further. I am sure the onboard experience is infinitely better than their awful technology.

I've never understood the attraction of a "ship within a ship" personally. I sailed in Aqua class on Celebrity last July as it was the least offensive of the options when sailing with our extended family. We were able to avoid the MDR and buffet but the public spaces were still crowded and pool ridiculously loud. We stuck to our balcony and the library when on board. I know the Retreat has their own pool but the other issues still remain. Unless we decide to do another family cruise, which is unlikely as an all inclusive would be a better option IMO, we will stick with the ships under 1000 pax.

Hopefully VS will get their act together before we board but I am confident based on the past 3 weeks of trying to get this done.

This will be my 10th Alaska cruise. Weather is a crap shoot. For off the ship I pack layers, a hat and gloves for when we are out on glaciers or in small boats; waterproof thigh length jacket; puffer vest; waterproof hiking boots and waterproof sneakers. We do the more active excursions and my husband brings medium hiking pants - they dry faster than jeans and shed water better - puffer vests, hiking boots and hat and gloves.

Nova was my first Silversea cruise. IMO the ship is beautiful! The Arts Cafe was always busy and service was slow. It will be interesting to compare to the Muse in ten days, though reviews are concerning overall for this ship.

Exactly! Now if SS would understand their own programs it would be helpful. We sail in 2 weeks and are Diamond Plus on RCCI and Elite on Celebrity. They have yet to issue the loyalty match, no one knows why and I want my laundry for Alaska 🙂

The t's and c's state that the ONBOARD benefits are applicable after June 5. So frustrating!

I cannot find that information but so be it. The FAQ's and T's and C's say nothing about a date that the cruise needed to be under deposit. I have been trying to get the VS issue fixed for over a month now. I never get the same answer twice and am just over what a time suck this has been.

I used the nicely equipped fitness center on the Nova daily but did not notice the spin bikes. Sorry!

Important to note that, per Silversea, the status match only applies to bookings made on or after May 30, 2024. Therefore, any reservations deposited prior to that date do not qualify. Maybe I am missing where this is stated but that is what I was told yesterday, after several hours on the phone with SS over the last 4 weeks. For me, the loyalty match was not a simple process and still has not been completed. They told me yesterday to call RCI and of course RCI told me the issue is with SS. My form was submitted a month ago. Nothing has been done and they can't even figure out why I was not assigned a VS # after my first cruise with them in March. I was looking forward to laundry service in Alaska next month but it looks like I am doing my own.

MIA is a nightmare IMO. We just connected through MIA for the first time in years. Long and slow moving lines. No priority for first and business. TSA pre check got us a card so we did not have to remove shoes but we stood in the same awful lines.

You are correct that wailtist is not always possible.

The best laundry service at sea! It's like getting a present.

We are on this cruise and the options for flights were very limited. You should check with Regent to be sure but we ended up booking a flight to AMS and are overnighting there and then finishing the trip the next day. Our options from Oslo on disembarkation day was 9am to get us all the way home. I spoke with Regent and was advised not to book prior to 11.

It IS! While the self service laundry is great, we very often had to go back 4-5 x to find an open machine. I was most successful around 5:00am.

Sounds much like what Celebrity has done, undone and more than once. We took our family on Celebrity last year in Aqua Class. The inclusions we received are now gone. And it was a PITA to have EVERYONE show their individual cards in the lounges when we wanted to order a drink. It compromised service big time. It had been 14 or so years since my last cruise with them and I doubt there will be another as we prefer an all inclusive resort when taking the kids and grandkids. If this is true about SS, I would be shocked as well as disappointed.

Apparently the HD on Dawn is being replaced. I hope they did not hang her out to dry if this letter was another experiment by their home office that back fired.

We disembarked yesterday after the 10 night Barbados to Lauderdale run. It was our first on SS. I'm working on my review now. Some positives and some negatives (in addition to the photo shoot debacle). All in all, SB remains my first choice.

Wow! So much for their everything included policy! That reeks of RCI influence!

It was on Navigator, we just missed it according to our butler.

There does not appear to be a caviar consensus on this thread. We were in a PH on Navigator - never able to get caviar and we missed the Sunday brunch. Very disappointing as their competition offers it always and generously.

We saw similar and worse on SS this past cruise. I think the cruise lines are afraid of alienating anyone these days, and they choose not to enforce any policies.

We LOVED the entertainment on SB! Such talented musicians and it was FUN! Much more so than SS, which was far more sedate. Staff and crew on SB were exceptional as well.