LADinCT

$2475 for service charges for a 7 day cruise? I have prepaid drink & food service charges already so this is on top of that. I don’t understand. 
 

On 6/24/2021 at 9:26 AM, SpainAlien said:

If you pre-book online for Teppenyaki and Moderna using free at sea and then Cagneys and La Cucina you wouldn't have to pay anything up front but can you then swap it around when you get onboard? I want to use my free at sea for the two a la Carte restaurants and my obc fior the two set price menus but I want to book them in advance

 

Please explain to me the difference? I booked Cagney’s & Le Bistro with my free 2 nights. I was going to purchase 2 more specialty dining nights & then book La Cucina & Brazil Steakhouse. Does this make sense.

Also can you change the date online? Booked a 7:00 & we have a 9 PM departure so thinking that is too early. 

What line/ship is offering a great deal for Greek Isles in Sept/Oct 2021. It's so hard to compare online without actually putting in all the booking info. NCL has BOGO air & 30% off. I would do HAL, RCI, Celebrity, or NCL. 

But now they have a premium beverage package. Is there a list of brand in the regular package? We drink a lot of Aperol & Campari, not sure if these are classified as premium. Do they have wine packages you can purchase onboard as opposed to the beverage package?

If you only get refunded the service charge, I guess it's not worth canceling it.  

I read the linked article with the laundry & other minor perks, but that doesn't seem to be worth the $500+ upcharge from the regular balcony unless there is something else like - priority tender or shore excursions.

Which suites have that perk?

With only 1 sea day on my Greek Isles cruise don't think Haven is going to be worth it.

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Definitely no smoking on your balcony unless you what ship security showing up at your door.

Great, I don't smoke and get really sick from it.

Club suite - are there any perks like tender priority? NCL agent said better bedding/mattress but that was about it. May downgrade to regular balcony if there isn't any thing worth while. Sailing on Jade, Greek Isles in Sept.

Beverage package - it seems this has been downgraded since I sailed in 2018, as they now have a premium beverage package. We are not huge drinkers but like to have a cocktail and a bottle of wine with dinner. My husband drinks bottled water which I see is not included. I drink iced tea which I think I can pick up in the restaurants all day. Do I get a price reduction if I take it off? I see a Bev. Service charge on my statement. 

so no smoking on your balcony? especially with those petitions I wouldn't want it to waft over?

On 4/22/2021 at 4:45 PM, njhorseman said:

I'm reading about a lot of false negative results with this test, ugh. I've got issues so I was excited for a fully vaxed cruise. I know it's not a 100% and there are chances of catching it in port.

 

Per the link NCL is doing antigen testing, which as of now wouldn't be acceptable to many...maybe almost every country...as adequate evidence of being COVID free. Normally PCR testing is mandated.

Note the last sentence: "Guests are also responsible for complying with all local health and safety requirements which may include additional testing."

 By the way here's the link to the NCL US/Canada web page as opposed to a European page:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFE

 

I booked a Greek Isles trip with BOGO air - so basically, one ticket free. Are we sure they just don't price it into the cruise fare? It's very hard to compare. I used a random NCL agent. I usually book on my own but I couldn't find all the info I needed easily so I figured it didn't cost any more.  I can't get a price without going  through all the booking info & they won't email me any pricing, they had to call me to give me a quote. Plus my cruise on 9/26 isn't even listed as available to compare.

NY to Athens, hoping for direct but a EU transfer would be ok, it would break up the flight. I saw earlier in the thread they had someone connect in Montreal which would def. suck. I know you can choose seats and upgrade but would the airline let you switch flights?

Totally worth it. Everything is far, it would be very difficult for to do on your own.

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Have no fear - I have used Alla Tours on several trips (both cruise and land) and her tours are fantastic.

Yes, I second that Alla is amazing. We also used them for Estonia as we got a big discount after the 2-day SPB. SPB is a nightmare, we had A and we were still in the terminal for hours, luckily they waited.

Just got off the Breakaway Baltic which was fantastic. I was a big Royal Caribbean cruiser but I liked the Breakaway so much more. I’m all about the specialty dining & the thermal suite spa. I don’t gamble or do shows. Plus the included drinks were great.

Thinking about the Jewel for an Australia/NZ Cruise in Jan. How does it compare? It doesn’t seem to have the large amount of specialty restaurants? Does it have the thermal suite spa & package?

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Thanks, both of these options sound better than Wallabies & Wine shore excursion in Aus.

Then hopefully we could get back for a nice dinner in downtown Auk.

Not sure what happens to my post. Thanks for your help,

Not going to Napier, I don't see any winery shore excursions except for Melbourne- Wallabies & Wine- Yarra Valley & Healesville Wildlife sanctuary.

We have one day in Auk so perhaps could book something- any ideas for tours or wineries somewhat close by.

Do we need to prebook Reidel thing for $89pp

We both have to work on our 12 day Solstice in Feb so hope it is running by then particularly after paying $500+ for 2 people to use it.

I came across a page on their site about "The celebrity wine experience"

specialized tastings, wine packages, wine dinners on board the ships. I am very interested as we are doing a Solstice sailing to Aus/Auck & H is in the wine biz. We won't have time to go to any wineries which he isn't happy about. But really, how many vacations have I spent in dark basements of estates with wine barrels. There may be excursions, but the site isn't' cooperating.

Can't click on anything. Did I mention X's website is terrible? It just spins for hours when you click on wine package. I saw a promo for specialty dining & it wouldn't let me add that to my cart either. This site thing could be a deal breaker, I should have known when it was impossible to book. I've had to call the every day this week with some other stupid question that I could have answered on the site.

Does anyone have any details on the "Celebrity Wine Experience"

Spending one day/night in Auckland. We were going to fly right back but seemed a shame. We've never taking this much time off work, H is in a panic already. Any ideas- is there a nice Marriott? H spends 50 or so days in these a year. I'm thinking we tour the city, go to dinner? What else?

Hmm posted from my cell doesn't seem to have gone through.

Yes booked the Solstice. The free gratuities and internet got it down close to the Ovation price which was the lowest I was looking at. I priced everything but Carnival.

H will like the smaller size rather than Ovation.

It is mega expensive but most of the Australia/NZ sailings were unless you went during shoulder season. It's the most expensive vacation I've every taken, but hey we're worth it- ha ha. Needless to say I've purchased the insurance.

Final payment is due the month my only daughter gets married. I will be sorely regretting it at that time, but not in January :cool:

Yes I called Celebrity directly and they had some verandas they weren't showing online. With the perks of free gratuities & free internet that got it down close to the ovation which was the lowest I saw & I priced everything but Carnival.

But yes it is expensive, most expensive trip we have ever taken & longest. So kind of scary there.

Seems to be the kind of ship that would be best for us. H won't be happy that there are restaurants or a lounge he can't use (those for suite passengers), but he'll have to get over it. And there are so many other choices.

So I called and they only had concierge available & you don't get the 4 perks, just 2 for Go Better. I don't think it's worth it for that. You don't get a special restaurant or Michael's lounge & it's $1500 more pp.

I booked directly with Celebrity yesterday with Go Better & they said my gratuities would show as owed for up to 10 days.

I want Go Best, that sounds better. Is that with a Suite? They don't have any available for my cruise, only concierge which doesn't' seem to be with the difference from verandah.

Is S class the least expensive suite?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm out of the country and X's internet isn't cooperating. Plus they are showing only insides available for my date (which isn't quite true) so I can't see prices and what they are,

New to this ship and booked a 2B 7 aft deck for Australia/NZ cruise. I don't understand the suites, v concierge, aqua class etc. except they are more money of course. Trying to see if they are worth the extra cost. Not having access to one of the restaurants may irk the husband ha ha. And 12 days is a long time, we've never taken a trip this long, cruise or no.

I booked Go better (which is the free gratuities) and the free wi fi (which sounds like the slow one which is a problem as we will have to do some work)?? Seems that the higher classes have speedier internet? I think they come with all the Go's.

The drink package doesn't seem to make sense as we will most likely order a bottle of wine with dinner, maybe a cocktail prior. Do they have iced tea available all day in the buffet? That is all I drink, plus hot tea. I can't see the husband drinking that much in bottled water.

We only have one Celebrity prior cruise so that doesn't get us much in captains club- do we get any perk? I notice the X agent didn't add it to the rez, so will have to get that added.

Don't understand the dining either, it says Celebrity Select dining which seems to be anytime, but it's listed at 8:30.

Thanks the advice is appreciated.

Cruise critic member review rating = 52%

The big complaint seems to be the lines and everything being booked before you even get on board.

Seems they are doing away with those special suites that have the perks as of Jan. 17 the booking site said (For Feb cruises)