DesertPesce7751

Voila! You have ALL your cruises posted in your signature. How did I know? :rolleyes: Is that bragging? Me thinks so.

SDT

Okay, I know that one wasn't directed at me but I've never thought of the signatures as bragging. Actually, I only put mine in the signature because those are some of my most cherished memories. The first cruises I took were with my aging grandparents and I miss them every day. Cruises helped us be together on vacation nearly worry-free. The next few have been markers of holiday between times of incredibly intense workloads at school and work with my mom, who's also my best friend that I don't get to see often enough.

Sometimes, I get private messages about specifics about the cruise destinations, ships, cruise lines, seasons, and ports based on my signature. Also, I've actually had my memory jogged about some people I've met on board when reminded that I'd met them based on their signatures.

I'd like to hear from everyone on this. If it looks like bragging, surely I want to reword it. I'm not a braggart. For the record, I don't have Elite or Diamond or Platinum or whatever...

from a previous post on another thread: "we were in port for 37 EXTRA hours! if my family and/or I were able to leisurely take cruises or planned to stay on the ship the whole trip, I wouldn't have a problem! BUT I was charged for 4 days of work (approximately $800) to go on this Western Caribbean Cruise to Key West AND Cozumel! Since that trip didn't come to pass, as was "contracted", do you think I could be reimbursed for my missed days? My husband, son and I have been planning this cruise (my son's 1st cruise AND his High School Graduation gift) for YEARS! he has been interested in geography and history since he was little... we had planned AND PAID to visit the Coba Ruins (the ones you can actually touch/climb AND the ones they are supposed to stop people from touching within the next few months).... we can't just drop everything and (on a teacher's salary) sign up for a replacement trip! you're damn right we are entitled to some sort of compensation! in fact, we have an adult trip planned with 20+ of our friends next year... my husband and I are the ones that SUGGESTED that we cruise Celebrity.... we have been loyal customers since 2005... if they don't make this right, next year's cruise will be our LAST with them! we're not asking for a free cruise or anything, but leaving it like this is unheard of!"

 

we paid full price and reserved as soon as the cruise became available! we didn't get the last-minute bargain either! I'm not debating that Key West is beautiful and fun and exciting! I agree that every staff member we had contact with was helpful and friendly... before AND after the incident! I don't expect ANYthing for myself! I could be left on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean for weeks and be perfectly happy... I think some who have "been there, done that" forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for others! at least provide some sort of opportunity for them to experience the FULL cruise that they signed up for! in my line of work (teaching young children), when a field trip is rained out, we bend over backwards to make it as fun for the kids as possible (which the Celebrity staff did)... THEN we reschedule the field trip for another day! sometimes it costs the teacher a little extra $ and a LOT of extra time and effort to fulfill the promise to the kids...

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

As seasoned cruisers, this family really should have thought about the gamble they were taking. I know someone whose entire Asia cruise's port itinerary was pretty much scratched because of typhoons. I wish that poster were here on this particular thread because I'd have a ton of suggestions to help make it better. If there's a specific port or attraction you REALLY want to see, it's best not to gamble with it and bank on the cruise ship being able to get you there. That family likely wouldn't have seen much of Cozumel or the ruins they chose anyway because it was raining and ruins can be dangerous in the rain (actually, they pose injury liability all the time--that's why many have been constricting what visitors can and can't touch, climb, and explore).

There are a ton of Mayan ruins throughout Central/Meso-America. As a student of Anthropology here in the Southwest, I had a ton of exposure to just how vast the ruins are in Mexico, Guatemala, and the rest of our little quadrant of the world. Lodging is EXTREMELY cheap on Lake Atitlan and they could have gone to Tikal to see some incredible ruins. Heck, you could go to Cancun and see Chichen Itza, the Mayan pyramid where you clap by the pyramid and it echoes back to you (very cool stuff).

The fact is that teachers have students for a contracted period of 185 (give or take) school days per year while a cruise ship only has you for the tenure of the given cruise. They state all of their terms up front and, between the countless moving pieces of the ship, the chance that a selfish cruiser will lie on the disease form and board with a contagious illness, the variable weather in the Caribbean and everywhere else, etc, there's a reason the contract and terms are listed the way they are.

My mother (and frequent cruise partner), a 40-year-veteran (now retired) public school employee (special education teacher and then school & clinical psychologist), always had a tighter salary than she deserved for all the work she did but I resent this poster's implication that it should warrant Celebrity employees (many of whom, on ship, make far less money than an entry-level classroom teacher's aid) bending over backwards to compensate her for an event whose dealings-with were totally reasonable.

She teaches young children? Here's one beautiful thing about young kids--when they fall, they often just jump back up with resiliency. Many times, when they get upset, it's because they're following an "adult's" lead. Let's take a play out of the toddler playbook here and roll with the punches. If you express your real disappointment about missing out on ruins but then are an optimist and enjoy the Bahamas, your son's present wouldn't have been ruined.

If her school district works like most, she shouldn't have been docked any pay because she'd have both her personal days and her sick days to grab from. However, the $800 a day that she took a hit on would have been spent really well on accommodations ON LAND near the ruins she desired to see.

In fact, I myself was bummed about missing the ruins (remember, anthropology major back in school) but we took the opportunity, with all the free access to our data-plan from having more time ashore, to research Nassau. We had a great time at the beach, got to know local wood carvers, paid our respects to the slaves who suffered during that terrible time of our history, and even learned from our cab driver all about the alarming process by which the Chinese are buying the Island and its government.

If you're really that upset at what happens on a ship, your best bet is to approach Guest Relations calmly and thoughtfully with a REASONABLE suggestion of what could make it right. If I could play armchair quarterback for a moment, here's what I'd have done: Go go guest relations without your son. Explain that he's really crushed about missing Mexico but he's still passionate about it. Ask if the mexico lecturer on board might be available to meet up with your family and help keep your son engaged and give him more information about ruins he might want to see in college. Usually, if something like this is possible, the ship will arrange it. Since he's underage, in lieu of drink vouchers, they'd probably set you up with gelato vouchers or Bistro on 5 vouchers for the arranged get together. This type of accommodation, when solicited with poise and respect, is one of the places where Celebrity ALWAYS shines. If you talk AT them and not TO them and all you're doing is demanding money, don't expect much.

They're there to make your holiday memorable--let them know how they can do that with the resources they've got. If you just saunter up to guest relations and talk at them about how devastated you are and convey that nothing will make this cruise positive in your book but that monetary compensation might make it a little less bad, they really can't do much. Lots of people run to guest relations looking for money so you have to understand that it isn't their policy to go handing it out.

Sorry for the rant here but I think I know who this was and I didn't like the way they talked to the nice guest relations staff.

Next time we cruise together, realize that anyone with me and that I deem to speak to is the Top Class......everyone else is Lower Class. Its that simple!

 

Don't you just love it.

 

Den

The nerve! The nerve!

With limited outlet space, we found that purchasing the small, cheap, lightweight European outlet converters at an electronics or travel store can double our outlets space--very big plus, especially in staterooms with limited outlets.

Thanks to those who recommended that we use the showers in the locker room--they were FAR superior to those in the cabin. We found several lockers to be broken, the steam room was prematurely turned off several days, and the hot tub on the private spa deck was nice but the deck itself wasn't well tended to. The cigarette smoke tended to seep into the fitness room so we didn't work out much while aboard (oh well, vacation, right?).

I don't think you need to worry. When we were on Connie last week, the crew handled the detour incredibly well and we were sailing smooth both to and from the Bahamas. Guest relations was incredibly patient with those passengers who needed to vent their frustrations and they were very polished in how they dealt with the last minute change. There were even free drinks on the night we left Key West for the Bahamas!

When we were on the Infinity almost a decade ago, we stayed in Montevideo overnight instead of going to Punta Del Este due to two cargo ships colliding up river from us. They handled that one very smoothly as well.

In speaking to staff, they made it clear that they will absolutely never set sail without full backup measures functioning properly. They saw how disastrous another line's situation was when a ship lost power and people were stranded for multiple nights.

Celebrity has shown it can be trusted and knows how to roll with the surprises very well.

My mother and I have become frequent cruisers and our two most frequent lines are HAL and Celebrity.

ON HAL, we've had an inside cabin, veranda cabin, and suite. On Celebrity, we've had an inside cabin on a century class ship, a concierge cabin on a millennium class ship, an aqua cabin on both a millennium class ship and solstice class ship, and an inside cabin on a millennium class ship (in that order). We've found consistently high-quality service and friendly fellow passengers at all "levels" of service.

Celebrity passengers and crew alike have all been pretty fantastic and no one runs around on the public decks inquiring about your "status" in captains club or your stateroom "level" before sitting down for a game of trivia or waiting at the bar for a drink.

Caveat: If you're in an inside cabin (or any cabin, really), my best advice is to run to the store before you go and get complimentary outlet adapters. We found that the inside cabins on the millennium class ships didn't have enough outlet space and the only one close to the nightstand was a European-style one. I'm glad I brought my converters so I could charge my phone and dry my hair at once.

So, relax and have fun and enjoy your cruise!

I've been thinking of the diminished capacity plea scenario...is it possible that, upon return from summer holiday, the defense attorney will change his plea, citing the now lengthy documentation of Schettino's delusions of grandeur?

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We're cruising on 5 August and would like to know more about the spa. First, if you've had any treatments, what were they and did you enjoy them? Second, for those of you who either had a suite that came with the spa pass or purchased one, did you find it to be enjoyable? We usually cruise Celebrity and either book Aqua or purchase the spa pass for the duration of the cruise and want to know if we should on the Regatta as well.

We usually leave the tips as they are in the prepay on cruises. However, we always communicate every positive experience we have on board with upper management. On Celebrity, they're called "attention to detail" cards. While most people might choose to complain about things with these cards, we always use them for positive notes about stateroom attendants, servers, or any other staff on board that really impresses us. The positive feedback gives the staff more of a chance for a promotion or internal company award and keeping people's supervisors happy helps staff have a better experience at work on the ship.

Regarding cash: a cash tip only goes as far as the actual employee. A note of commendation will earn the staffer far more in the long run and your compliments do get back to them!

Ziplock bags to bring snacks on excursions.

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Has anyone tried to re-create a dish from on board while home? If so, hat was it, from which line, and were you successful?

Are there any dishes you'd love to know how to make at home?

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Where are the good house shows? We will be in Vancouver for three days and want some good live music.

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Yes

Yes

Lots - look at their website

You're already *in* the city - unlike most ports, Vancouver's main cruise pier is right downtown.

Thanks for confining my research!

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Extremely convenient for cruisers

Is it nice? Safe? Amenities? Ease of getting into the city?

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How do you feel about the Pan Pacific joined to the cruise terminal?

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Well, I personally would never, ever, EVER smuggle on ant alcohol as it is against the rules but I do bring holy water in secret compartments. Here's how I bring my "holy water": Cosmetics & toiletries.

Get opaque liter shampoo & conditioner bottles, empty & clean them, fill with holy water. Seal and pack.

Mouthwash: get a jumbo mouthwash, empty it, fill with holy water, and add a few drops of food coloring to match the shade of mouthwash (or buy a clear brand).

Contact solution bottles and the like work well too.

The best tip? Pack your clean, empty bottles to take on the flight so you account for the space but don't sabotage your weight limit. Then, fill them before boarding the ship and know they'll fit! When you're ready to go home, simply toss the bottles and there's your space for whatever you purchased onboard! The weight you're adding to the suitcase should be balanced by the depleted weight of any *actual* toiletry & other items you used whilst away!

You're welcome.

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I'm on a cruise right now and it is after midnight somewhere between Bari, Italy and Corfu, Greece. I was sleeping on the balcony and awoke to the sounds of the lovebirds next door knocking the proverbial boots! I usually cruise with my mother (and before that, my grandparents) but I guess if I were here with a date, I might consider it...but up until now, it never crossed my mind. They're still at it and I can't go inside for fear of making noise and I don't want them to feel uncomfortable passing me in the halls for the rest of the cruise. Next time I crash out on the veranda, I guess I'll bring my headphones...

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It would have to be a tie between the gigantic Mayan shrimp in Monterrico, Guatemala (a taxi drive from the port) and the nationally renowned sausage in Kotor, Slovenia. After going to the caves, it was a wonderful, warm meal.

Edit: and a cute little place called The Tapa Bar in Trounce Alley in Victoria, Canada. Amazing sangria and tapas to bring our Alaskan cruises to a close--we go back every time Victoria is on the itinerary!

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Hi all, we're going on an Alaska cruise that starts in Seattle and ends in Vancouver. We've never been to Vancouver before and want some hotel suggestions.

1. Safe place for two women (26 & 60) to stay.

2. Non-smoking rooms available (what's the smoking policy in BC anyway?)

3. Fairly urban--we love a city feel.

4. Clean.

We enjoy boutique hotels, fairly quirky places, and luxury hotels. My mom has a real skill at finding bargains (ie: we stayed at Fairmont Olympia in Seattle last year for $40 a night!) so feel free to suggest ritzy digs. ;)

Cold lettuce soup. It was on the menu in Blu on Celebrity. Nearly all of the food in Blu was outstanding but lettuce is for salad, not soup. Like a lawn mower tried to make baby food...