Sky suites 6145 + 6146?????

[bostom]

We are absolutely devestated...we found out yesterday that when our travel agent inquired about just the availability of a FV Stateroom, Celebrity didn't honor our 7 day hold on Suite #6145

Angrily,

B.J.

 

Kitycaty: I ask again - as I did in the other thread you have going about these cabins - which cruises you were trying to book: Spring 2006 or Fall?

 

Because if it's the Spring crossing, I think I might know a bit more about this than your TA is letting on. If it's the Fall, I know nothing (as Sgt Shultz used to say on "Hogan's Heroes") so do let me know which. It might prove helpful to you.

[Kitycaty]

First, to answer Kitty9's question, no, our 7 day hold period was at the 6th day when my travel agent notified me of the loss of Suite 6145. My travel agent told me verbatim that Celebrity would hold the cabin for 7 days, so I never questioned it! I called Celebrity today and spoke with a "supervisor" who now is trying to get us another Sky Suite, but it won't be as large, and there's a serious problem now, as most of the Sky Suites are booked either transatlantic or for the Baltic Cruise, so they want us to switch from one SS to another for each segment, which I refuse to do. Suite 6145 would have been ideal for us as being partially disabled, I need the extra space. So much for that!

 

This should answer Cruiserguy's question also. Cruiserguy, I only can go by what my travel agent told me. She's been in the business for 25 years, so she should know what she's doing, but anything's possible! She may have just screwed up, because when I spoke with the Celebrity "supervisor" today, she wouldn't tell me what the problem was. Could be that they wanted 3 people for SS #6145, as they get extra money for the 3rd person, and the suite has a sofa which opens up into a bed from what I've been told.

 

Bostom, we are looking at the 4-28th through 5-20th Spring

Transatlantic/Baltic-Scandanavian Cruise, fyi...

 

Hope that answers everyone's questions about the way we're being screwed over by Celebrity. :rolleyes:

 

Sincerely,

B.J.

[Kitycaty]

Also, for Cruiserguy's edification, the Celebrity "supervisor" confirmed to me over the telephone verbally today, that it is indeed Celebrity's policy to hold staterooms for 7 days without deposit. What happened in my case, she wouldn't tell me, which is why I think they simply sold the suite out from under us to a "threesome."

[Kitycaty]

Post Script:

AAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! :mad:

[bostom]

Because I booked (and desposited) that cabin more than a month ago. For the crosssing only. So your TA could not have had a hold on THAT cabin for that part of the trip. I booked it in mid-June, on-line. And per Celebrity's webpage, I have a confirmed reservation for which final payment is due in February.

 

For two. Because there are only (unlike Princess Di said of Charles and Camilla) two of us in our marriage, so there's no "threesome" involved.

 

I'm not sure who's backing and filling, but someone was (you fill in the blank) but let me suggest, in all honesty, that it wasn't Celebrity.

[bostom]

Of course, if our plans change, I'll let you know but I suspect not. We've booked both a land tour (the gardens of Cornwall) and return passage on the new Queen Mary May 17th, as well as begun the process of arranging visits with friends in Cornwall and London and to attend another friend's retirement ceremony at Cambridge University. So unless it's health-related (possible) or I lose my job (less likely but never say never) I expect we'll be going. Sorry.

 

But do direct your unhappiness at the TA as I expect - absent something we don't know - that's where the confusion lies...

[Kitycaty]

Many thanks for your honesty, Tom...I had a feeling that something wasn't right with this whole thing from the very beginning, but couldn't put my finger on it! I would appreciate your keeping me apprised of your plans so we could have first "dibs" on this suite, if for any reason, you can't go - (my agent told me we are "wait-listed" now for it -lol - wonder if we actually are)! This also explains why Celebrity's "supervisor" was totally non-commital today when I asked her "what went wrong!" Funny how things always seem to come out in the wash (lol)! Revalationary! (New malaprop?)

 

We are just back from a month-long double transatlantic/Mediterranean cruise on the new QM2 (month of May), and we had a wonderful time. We were in a Q-5 Suite, which was probably about twice as large as any of the Sky Suites available on the Constellation. How will you be traveling on her? Biggest thrill of the entire trip was coming back to our suite around 10:30 P.M after dinner, and passing the QE2 in the English Channel all aglow (as we must have looked to her passengers). Commodore Warick and the Captain of the QE2 kept exchanging horn blowing, and had we arrived back 5 minutes later, we'd have missed this wonderful moment, so if you have any questions about QM2, I'd be happy to answer them for you!

 

Again, thanx for playing square. It's appreciated. I'll speak to my agent tomorrow...it should be interesting to listen to her back-pedaling (lol)!

 

Gratefully,

B.J. (Kitycaty@aol.com

[Kitycaty]

Tom - would you mind E-mailing me your actual name so when I speak with my TA tomorrow, I can say to whom I spoke, so there's no credibility factor on my part. I would like to be able to say, I spoke with _____ _____ who booked this cabin in June, etc. Kitycaty@aol.com Thanx! :rolleyes: :)

[bostom]

Happy to see you understand what I was getting at. And sorry to hear that you've been mislead, if indeed that's what happened. Not being there, I can't prejudge.

 

And thank you, but with everything else involved, we will be returning in a QM2 guarantee rate inside cabin, which we found just fine when we were on her this past February in the Caribbean. Which was a surprise because every time we've been on QE2, we were in Queens Grill and thought we'd miss it more than we did. Frankly, there isn't as much difference from top to bottom on the new ship - to us - to justify the extraordinarily high cost. I suspect after the newness wears off the prices might come down a bit for the top end. And because she's so big (for Cunard, anyway: they have trouble filling it at list price) thus making the lower priced cabins a better bargain than ever when they're discounted. Maybe when we're retired we'll be back with the toffs...

 

You did remind me, though, of an earlier cruise - a leg of the QE2's r-t-w cruise in either '98 or '99 I think - when the QE2 overtook the then Vistafjord, later Caronia and now Saga-something, off the Pacific coast of Mexico one evening about 9 or 9:30 at night. Both were lit up, the horns were tooting and the searchlights flashing across the half-mile or so between 'em, and because I guess, like cars (but not British cars) ships pass on the left, the entire Queen's Grill (or so it seemed) was suddently standing over our tables on the starboard side to get a peek. It was a very memorable sight. And I do agree: when Captain Warwick is on the bridge you're in some of the best hands at sea. He's a good man and a great seaman and if he doesn't remember us, he does a terrific job faking it every time we meet. His wife's a love, too.

 

I would urge you, though, to do the preliminary (dates, routes, prices, cabins) research yourself. The lines (all but Princess, anyway) have good, easily accessible online booking engines that show - if not each cabin - enough to make you aware of the differences between them, even within a grade, and most - to my knowledge - allow you to hold something online for a period of time which you can then either deposit directly or transfer to your TA. If he or she can get you what you want for even less, let them have at it but I've found - the hard way after maybe a dozen cruises in the last seven years - that it's easier, in the long run, to do it yourself because you either know the answer to whatever questions you have or else have a way to find it.

 

BTW: are you only looking at suites? I ask as - last time I looked and for the crossing only - most of the incredibly spacious forward cabins w/o balconies - as big inside as a Sky Suite in category 4 with numbers 9000/9001; 8002/8003 and 7002/7003 and in category 5 with numbers 6004/6005 and 6012/6014 (which are reserved for handicapped passengers - a letter from your doctor is all you'd need unless they are still unsold at a certain point before the cruise departs in which case they don't require one) have almost as much space as a Sky Suite inside, albeit without some of the goodies but for a much lower price, like $750 for the crossing.

 

Frankly, I don't think we'll get much use out of the balcony in April and May, particularly on the North Atlantic. I haven't been in the Baltics in May but I was in St Petersburg in September of 1992 and it was already snowing; their summer is short. Likewise, if you can live without the balcony, I can tell you - from experience on a Connie crossing two years ago - that the Celebrity suites midships are incredible. Again, no balcony and while we did have good weather on what was a more southerly route (we left from San Juan en route to England via the Caribbean, Madeira, and Le Havre) we still thought it one of the nicest suite cabins we've ever had.

 

Do enjoy, though, whatever you decide.

[Kitycaty]

We agree with you about the Q-5 being overpriced, Tom. We would not do it again either. For what we paid for our month-long cruise, we could probably take 3 cruises on various other cruiselines!

 

Yes, we were looking only at suites, and at this point, if we can't obtain the other suite we're trying to book, I will most likely cancel the trip.

 

Oh well, there's always 2007. It's a shame, though, as the trip was in honor of my husband's 75th birthday, but he'll survive.

 

I take it that you don't want to let me know your actual name, as you didn't respond to that, and I can understand if you don't want your name mentioned, no offense taken.

 

Should be interesting tomorrow, as I have an E-mail from my TA dated 7-14-05 stating "that Suite 6145 is not sold yet and that they are holding back for a triple - so hang in there", she says... (lol)!

 

I would confirm this cabin again if I were you, just on the off-chance that something is going on with Celebrity regarding it. Better safe than sorry...

 

We were considering a Celebrity Suite without a terrace, and actually didn't use our balcony on QM2 for either of the transatlantic crossings as it was still way too cold, even in May to use it in the North Atlantic. Do you recall if the Celebrity Suites were in the same price range as the Sky Suites (we're still smarting from the recent QM2 voyage)! I'll have to check that one out on their website.

 

Thanks for all the good info, it's very much appreciated and I must say, that if we had to give Suite 6145 up to anyone, I'm glad it's a member of this great and very useful board!

 

...and on that note - I'm heading off to bed! :D

B.J.

[bostom]

Check your email.

 

and for the crossing, the SS was $1300 (now more $ and, um, less space) and the CS category was $1800 (still was last time I looked) with both prices, of course, being per person.

 

I have to assume that the cruise to Russia will be considerably more in either category.

[Kitycaty]

Greetings Bostom...

 

Good news! We decided to upgrade to a Celebrity Suite, (we'll be in #8106), so that's where you'll find us on the way over the pond.

 

We had so much trouble coordinating a flight back to the states, (the only decent flight is a US Air flight leaving from London-Gatwick Airport on the following day from our disembarkation, which would involve an overnight stay at a hotel at Gatwick Airport), that we decided to stay in London for 9 days after our return, and are now booked on the QM2 again back to the states, instead of flying back on the dreaded British Air "sardine can" afforded by Celebrity (Celebrity has a contract with British Air, which contract refuses to allow any upgrades other than to Business Class, which costs upwards of four grand per person). BA's allowed carry-on weight for World Traveler (Coach) is only 13 pounds (my Travel-Pro Carry-On weighed 7 pounds unpacked (lol)!

 

On our last trip, we begged and pleaded with Celebrity and BA to be permitted to upgrade to BA's World Traveler Plus class, which allows for a little more seating space and less crowding in the cabin, but were rudely refused. My husband spent literally hours arguing with BA personnel at the airport due to my carry-on being overweight with a BA supervisor's permission beforehand, (26 pounds - I carry alot of medical equipment with me), and they gave us the hardest time imaginable on the way over. On the way back, after he spent 3 hours arguing with them at the desk, they finally gave us a complimentary upgrade to World Traveler Plus, after they saw the way I looked (not so good having waited around Heathrow for 4 hours as our flight back was delayed).

 

Some people will do anything to avoid flying these days... :rolleyes:

 

All the best,

B.J.

[DrFUN]

THANKS to all above for the info about these two premium Sky Suites! We're booked in one of them for a January 2006 Caribbean cruise and the other for the April 30 (2006) transatlantic to Barcelona. We got a peek at them during our Inside Passage cruise this past May-June on Infinity, when we were in Sky Suite 6117, which was also nice. (We really enjoyed our bathtub on that Alaska cruise!)

 

However, as both these upcoming cruises are on the Millie, which we've never sailed, I'm now just a TINY bit concerned at what I've learned on this excellent thread: Lou33 above noted that there's NO BALCONY COVER on the Millie (only).... :eek: Can anyone provide details about what's directly above this open balcony and how that impacts your enjoyment???

 

It's of some import, as we really LOVE and USE our balconies, even when it's cold out there. (We had one of the those HUGE aft CC balconies on the 9th deck on our Connie cruise of the Baltic in May 2004, and we enjoyed breakfast out there every morning, even if we had to do it in our winter coats a few times! BTW: We never had a problem with noise above us, although once in a while we got a little spritzed from cleaners on the public deck up there hosing things down.)

 

Thanks so much! (Pix appreciated!!!)

 

Mary-Lou ("DrFUN") & Dave

Phoenix, AZ

[Parrotgirl]

We had a nearby suite (6137) on the Millennium and people above us could look down on the balcony. I much preferred the privacy of the sister ships. On the Summit, I took naps in the afternoon with total privacy. I didn't feel very comfortable napping on the Millennium and didn't have very much shade. I like to be able to choose whether to be in the sun or the shade. There were always people hanging over the balconies above us, which didn't jut out as far.

 

The suites, themselves, are great. My aunt sailed with us and was in 6145. The balconies on all of the rooms in the aft of deck 6 are teak and much larger than all of the other sky suites. 6145 and 6146 are decorated to go along with the PH suites in case they need an extra bedroom, as there is a connecting door.

 

It's really your personal preference as to whether the open balconies will bother you. The cabins are awesome.

[DrFUN]

Thanks, Parrotgirl!

[DrFUN]

Sorry--but the EDIT button is no longer showing and I forgot to click the response mode.....

[mconthehighseas]

Thank you FANC6 for posting these pictures! I have been searching high and low for pics of this cabin, and you came thru!