shopping is fun

Final update: we had pretty much given up and forgotten about this when a couple of days ago, our refund appeared on our credit card! Took 4 months...🙂

They told us it would be back to the original form of payment, since we made the reservation pre-cruise.

They charged our credit card, and there was no mention of OBC upon our cancelling the reservation. I agree a check seems very odd.

We had pre-booked a specialty restaurant before our cruise on Discovery in January. We then cancelled our reservation on board. Since then, we have had quite a run-around trying to obtain our refund--multiple calls, emails, completion of an online form, etc. Each time they assure us our refund is coming within various timeframes ranging from 10 days to 3-4 weeks, (yet say they have no previous record of us contacting them, even though we have confirmation emails related to our claim/request)! Today, we called again (general Princess number), with no success and very long hold times. Finally, we selected the prompt to book a new cruise, and they answered right away. The rep said he saw no record of all of our previous requests, but he would pass it along and it would be 6-10 weeks for our refund by check. We said that delay was unacceptable, so he gave us a number for the "Refund Department" that was not a working number. Does anyone have any suggestions for resolution?

Hank, hope you are still reading comments on this topic! We will be traveling from the Milan MXP airport to Bellagio, with 6 adults and LOTS of luggage! Do you have any insight on transfer services (availability and price range) all the way to Bellagio (and back 6 days later)? Would it be possible to rent a vehicle large enough for our group as an alternative, and would driving on the inland road be manageable? We do have parking available where we are staying. Thanks!

Also did walk-off disembarkation from Equinox last Thursday (4/6), with a 7:25 am time specified for those doing walk-off. We waited about 15 minutes for an elevator around 7:15 am, only to then see hundreds of people already in line. The line wound around into other venues and did not move for at least 30 minutes. It was 8:30 (at least) when we finally exited. Apparently, they expected around 200 people to walk off, but around 500 showed up. (It seems like there should have been a way to pre-determine this!) Anyway, we did breeze through customs, waited about 10 minutes for an Uber, but did not arrive at the airport car rental spot until around 9:30 am. Making a very early flight would have been impossible!

How about the Rodney Bay area for a multitude of activities, plus a bit of beach time? Recommended?

I see mixed reviews about Pigeon Beach...we are not hard-core beach people; instead, we'd like a pretty spot to sit in some shade for a couple of hours, read a book, have a snack, and have some amenities (restaurant, restrooms, maybe a shop, etc). Would Pigeon Beach be the best spot for this or some other beach? Thanks!

Does anyone have a picture of these?

On the deck plan maps, it appears the Sunset Veranda cabins have a symbol that might indicate they are all connecting rooms. Is this correct? Are these cabins more desirable due to the aft location/view and possibly a larger balcony? Any soot issues? Thanks!

Can you get fountain sodas (diet coke) at the bars without a drink package? How much is a diet coke (not a can, just a fountain drink)?

Has anyone attempted to cancel beyond final payment and have Celebrity waive the penalties? Seems like we purchased a product that is no longer offered. These OVC changes, coupled with no longer being able to get the basic soda package, are quite disturbing for those of us who prefer casual food and drink options!

We are just a few days past final payment on our first Celebrity cruise and quite frankly would have seriously considered switching back to Royal Caribbean, given these reported OV changes. We absolutely LOVE their buffets for dinner, as we have carb and dairy restrictions, plus we prefer the casual atmosphere. (It also allows for social distancing with the ever-present possibility of COVID!) As others have said, the set menus in the dining rooms do not appeal to us. If I want a plateful of cauliflower or broccoli, with a dab of other foods, I am free to do so at the buffet. I can select something that is not swimming in sauce or butter. That said, I am wondering if anyone has had any direct feedback from Celebrity if they posed this as a major issue, impacting their desire to sail with Celebrity, but being committed since final payments were made. Does Celebrity offer any exceptions to cancellation policies, or have they offered OBC to eat at Specialty restaurants (these don't interest us either, as choices are even more limited!) Have they said they would review these cutbacks and perhaps restore some food choices in a few weeks, or perhaps some other complimentary venues might stay open in the evenings, or... are they sympathetic at all?

What is the temperature on board the ship--in public areas, theaters, restaurants, etc? Some ships are just too cold!!!

Looks like some websites sell advance Tren Soller tickets a few days in advance. Is this recommended or is same-day ticket availability never an issue? If time is not a concern, is it recommended to do the train/tram/train bundled ticket vs train/tram/bus? Thanks!