pbrady

We are getting ready to book but I want to be clear on something first.  If Guest 2 cancels after the booking but before final payment & Guest 1 is still going & paying the single fair,  does Guest 2's deposit just get moved to Guest 1 or do they lose the deposit?   Also asking if getting Celebrity insurance makes a difference in this situation.  I get that you lose the deposit if you cancel w/o the insurance but Guest 1 will essentially be paying the entire cost of the cruise for 2 except the port taxes for Guest 2 (which doesn't go to Celebrity anyway).   Anyone come across this situation?

One more thing - Is the insurance of $600 per cabin (shown for an 11 night cruise) decreased for a single passenger?  

Appletini on the rocks by far unless they put triple-sec in it & ruin it.  It should be just half Mr. Boston sour apple & half vodka.  Believe it or not, for me, even a different sour apple ruins it.

We are Elite Plus on Celebrity & just got back from Vegas - stayed at MGM Park.  Priority check-in at MGM hotels is Platinum and up only.  Free parking in at MGM properties is Platinum & up only.  The only perk for Gold at MGM Park (assuming its the same at all MGM properties) is no resort fees on your hotel room.  I wonder if Celebrity cut their match to MGM Members??  Do all levels of MGM Rewards now get Celebrity Select? 

RCCL/Celebrity has a partnership with MGM casinos.  It appears recently the level exchange has changed.  Elite plus on Celebrity was always given MGM Platinum  level. Now Celebrity Select to Zenith is only given MGM Gold (their 2nd lowest). I can't imagine anyone on Celebrity being thrilled with a gold MGM status (no perks at all).   Anybody know why this all changed? 

Thanks MBP1 - I was hoping since waiting 6 or 7 hours longer for the next flight was not a pleasant thought.  And, yes, we do have TSA pre-check.  Our last cruise was the first 10 days of March 2020 so I'm ready!!!!

We have cruised a lot pre-Covid and when cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale we could easily make an 11:15 - 11:30 flight (out of FLL) which was great since the next flight was usually 5;00 - 6:00pm.  We are getting ready to book our flights for our 1st post-Covid B2B - can we still easily make the 11:- 11:30 flights out of FLL? ?  Just wondering if paperwork or other requirements delay leaving the terminal. 

The Bakery is/was Sarafina's French Bakery & it was right across the street from the taxi stop in downtown Marigot.  They were ruined in the hurricane a few years back but apparently reopened at the Marina Port La Royale, Marigot.  I'm not sure if it is still there but Sarafina's comes up in google at the original location saying 'Permanently Closed'.  It may take a little digging to find out or ask when you get to St. Martin.  You do have to take a taxi to get there.  Or ask if you are on a private tour that it be a stop.  If they are still around, their pastries are amazing & the showcase of selections is worth several photos. 

We have had 5 different trips cancelled so far - not all cruises.  We are presently trying to reschedule one of them for the end of August & we have every intention of being on our B2B in February 2021.  

Before our recent cruise I tried to find info on a good tour guide & did not have much success.  We ended up taking a chance & lucked into one on the pier.  "Albert" - he joked 'like Albert Einstein' - took the four of us on about a 3 1/2 tour showing us both sides of the island, he was really knowledgeable of the history, the present status of crime, gangs, drugs..... and we got a great insight into the people. We also asked him to stop at a grocery store because we always like to see unique local things.  He helped us with any questions we had.  The 4 of us did a private tour & we paid $25 or $30 per person (sorry I'm getting tours mixed up but it was one of those) .  If anyone is interested, his email is kingipa@hotmail.com 

We only do private tours & if you get Stan, JNJ's owner, his tours are fantastic.  We've used him many times.  Just make sure the tour is with Stan.  We've had not-so-good tours when he hands us off to another guide.

Thanks TeaBag but we are on the Silhouette Feb 14 to March 6 - hoping to book this while on board

Thank you for all the information!!  I hope to book this shortly.

We used Stan for years (probably 4 or 5 times) & he does an excellent tour.  However, last year we had new people with us & we booked JNJ again.  He had 2 groups & he passed us off to someone else  & he was not good at all.  The tour was a huge disappointment.   I suggest if you book with JNJ (stands for his 2 daughters whose names both begin with "J") make sure you confirm Stan is doing the tour & keep the email. 

We love Philipsburg & have been there many times.  Without having to buy any drinks, here are a couple options  - There are casinos in both directions off the main pier in the center of front street.    Walking off the water taxi & going left on Front Street there are 2 casinos  (one on each side of the street) that are not very far.  One is really new since the hurricane & has a door right to the beach.  The one on your right is older & is sometimes short of toilet paper but clean.  To the right on Front Street off the main pier, the casino is all the way to the end of Front street & just around the corner to the left.  However, 1/2 way there on your right (the Bay  side) there is a store that sells liquor, jewelry... & actually has a sign in the window that says they have a free bathroom.  It has always been clean when we've stopped there. 

Hope that helps -

Thank you!

I appreciate the responses & the bit of extra info.  Our Plan is to stay a few extra days at both ends of the cruise.  The empanadas sound wonderful - thanks for the tip!

On the cruise from Buenos Aires, Argentina to San Antonio, Chile is there a better side of the ship to book?  Seems the starboard side will face land the entire cruise & port side will face the ocean.  Does anyone know if one side will have better views or any other reason to book one side over the other?

Thank you for any input!

I just heard (yesterday) from friends in Phillipsburg that the Minister is closing everything on the Dutch side on Christmas day.  There are 4 ships in port all day & the store owners are not very happy.  I feel bad for both the store owners & the passengers.  That is a long time to sit in a port with nothing to do & when the ship is in port almost everything on the ship is closed too.  I'm also pretty sure the stores could be missing a lot of customers.   I hear the business community is still trying to change this but nothing yet.  Has anyone heard anything different?

You both go to guest relations together & the one that presently has more OBC just "gifts" whatever amount to make it even to the other.  No need to merge accounts. 

I'm sure it is on here somewhere but my search didn't find it.  If I transfer the earned shipboard credit to our on board account for our upcoming cruise, can that OBC be taken out in cash?  We have a lot of OBC already so I'm guessing we won't need it but we want to empty some off the credit card account.

Thanks -

We have done several tours with Rose of Rose & Jim's Taxi - everyone was fantastic.  We book Rose each time we take someone new to St. Kitts knowing they will enjoy every moment.   They are reasonably priced & will custom the tour to whatever you like - or give ideas if you are unfamiliar. 

Has anyone taken one of these power strips on Celebrity?  They are not surge protected & are advertised as "Ship Approved"  Just google "Cruise Power Strip with USB Outlets" if you aren't familiar.  Just wondering if they really approve.

Six of us cruise together for 21 days - 9 night + 12 night or 7 night + 14 night, whatever works.   I usually head up the research & print the possible itineraries for discussion.  The Celebrity web-site does not allow for this anymore.  #1 why on earth do they use white typing on a black background?  &  #2 the way you have to scroll left to right you cannot see the entire itinerary at one time.

Does anyone know a good site to view printable itineraries?   

The best one we have found – when you get of the water taxi at the center of town, walk to Front Street (1^st street you come to).  Make a right and it’ll be down about 3 to 4 blocks – between Pasyorie Steeg & Old St. on your left.  I cannot remember the name but there are liquor displays right at the entrance & usually one of the young women standing right in the doorway inviting you to come in.  If you don’t find this place – just pick one liquor & check that price in several stores.  They do vary quite a bit.  Also, some stores will deliver it to your ship if you buy by a predetermined time.  FYI – we have found St. Martin cheaper than on the ship (by far) & a lot cheaper than St. Thomas.  Have fun – St. Martin is great!!  It is the only place we’ve bought jewelry in the last 20 years – love our jeweler there too.

We had 2 in our group do the class.  Very disappointing after seeing the professionals from Corning.  My husband even did a glass blowing class here locally ( near our home ) & said it was so much better.  It may have been the specific teachers but it appeared they did not have nearly the training as the Corning people - - our thought was anything to make a buck. 

I was only Amethyst on a 7 night on the Silhouette followed by 14 nights on the Eclipse but we (2 of us were Amethyst) had nothing but issues. On the Silhouette the Casino Host was filling in for the normal host and not being a host, had no idea about anything. We finally got the Specialty Dining but that was it. On to the Eclipse. This time the host was called away on a family emergency so they passed us off to the Casino Manager. He had no idea about anything. We did produce the sheet in our room that said we were to get the Specialty Dining but again - nothing more. Needless to say we were not happy. When I got home I emailed the Blue Chip Club & they told me it was all a mistake & I shouldn't have even been Amethyst because I was sharing an account with my husband - - I don't even know what that means or how it is possible. Also, he was Opal. It was all pretty unbelievable & we never got any straight answer. Needless to say, since I was getting nothing from Celebrity I stopped gambling on board & gambled on the Islands if I felt like hitting the slots.