The "new" Celebrity Secrets thread

[RiciRicardo]

I don't remember any problems with luggage. It was a great trip.

[exercisemama]

Mare,

I noticed that you have sailed on the AOS a ew times. What would you say you really liked about that ship?? I am not sure to book the Summit or the AOS. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am also from NY! Rochester.

Thanks,

Eileen

[rupertfrog]

Mare,

I noticed that you have sailed on the AOS a ew times. What would you say you really liked about that ship?? I am not sure to book the Summit or the AOS. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am also from NY! Rochester.

Thanks,

Eileen

 

I love the route we've had on the AOS ... did the Barbados route twice. Each time we've cruised on the AOS we have met absolutely wonderful people who we now keep in touch with & several of them have cruised with again.

DH is very comfortable with the design/layout of the AOS .... We enjoy the Royal Promenade including the pubs for some evening socialization.

We feel this is a "good size" for a ship ... not too big or too small. There are options depending on your interests. In fact, I've been looking at the Explorer since that would be similar and provide that same comfort factor for us!!

We are going to be on the Summit 3/9/13 .... so far that thread is sounding like another great group. OK must admit there are a number of us who booked while on the AOS and are sailing together again!!! I guess the AOS just creates a great bonding opportunity. Well it is just my opinion.

I was in Rochester the weekend of 3/30-31/12 for a Mary Kay Cosmetics conference at the Hyatt & Convention Center. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time (had just returned from the AOS on Monday) to stay & enjoy the area ... plus DH was at work Friday so I travelled alone.

[jveevers]

Yes

[Choozin Croozin]

Mare,

I noticed that you have sailed on the AOS a ew times. What would you say you really liked about that ship?? I am not sure to book the Summit or the AOS. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am also from NY! Rochester.

Thanks,

Eileen

 

Not to butt in, and let me preface this by saying I have not yet sailed on a Celebrity ship, but let me add a few things to what Mare has said. I have been on 3 voyager class ships, though the AOS only the one time. I think it all amounts to what you like to do. I get the impression from the endless reading I have done, that Celebrity is a "notch" above RCI. The service and food are a bit better and it is a little more low key (not as many activities). Maybe a little "classier" if you will. If you want more things to do (the climbing wall, mini golf, Johnny Rockets etc) and if you have children then AOS might be the way to go. Personally, I love the promenade in the AOS, especially the cafe promenade...and the coffee is superb, BUT in saying that this past cruise it was just a bit too crowded at night. They move all these sale tables out and got too crowded for me. I do not remember that on our last 2. I don't think you can go wrong on either. Celebrity is usually a little more expensive so that might be a determining factor too. Both have great itineraries.

[Muushka]

Not to but in ;) but do you really think Celebrity is a little more expensive that RCI, particularly the Oasis class?

Maybe we have been lucky with the prices we paid for Celebrity, I thought RCI was a tad more.

[MikiSunshine]

Mmmmmm!! It sounds like I might be gaining some weight on this cruise. Where do you get them?

 

Fancy seeing you over here. LOL;)

 

Where do you find the calories? Probably everywhere. LOL This is my first cruise in over 25 years! I knew about it in January and went on Jenny Craig. Lost 25lbs and now don't care if I gain back 5. I am going to enjoy this cruise, food, drink and fun!

[BettyCruiser]

Not to but in ;) but do you really think Celebrity is a little more expensive that RCI, particularly the Oasis class?

Maybe we have been lucky with the prices we paid for Celebrity, I thought RCI was a tad more.

 

 

Most often I find Celebrity to be less expensive than many equivalent cruises on many different cruiselines including RCI and Princess when comparing cruise fares. Then when you include the savings we get for buying the drink package the savings is even more.:)

[jenniebnyc]

1.) If staying in a suite, you can ask your butler to get your canapes from Cafe il Bacio each afternoon. We also asked for "artisanal" cheese instead of the standard cheeses and a baguette instead of crackers!

 

2.) You can ask for your wine to be served in Riedel glasses when dining in Blu and most other dining rooms on the ship. It tastes so much better that way :))

[Choozin Croozin]

Most often I find Celebrity to be less expensive than many equivalent cruises on many different cruiselines including RCI and Princess when comparing cruise fares. Then when you include the savings we get for buying the drink package the savings is even more.:)

 

Not to but in ;) but do you really think Celebrity is a little more expensive that RCI, particularly the Oasis class?

Maybe we have been lucky with the prices we paid for Celebrity, I thought RCI was a tad more.

 

First off the person that was asking was asking about the Adventure - and yes, when I have checked X was more. Now we were fortunate enough on this past AOS cruise to get a great deal on the Summit, so in the case no. I need to find out how you get your deals!!:D

I am still not convinced that the drink package is going to save me $. I just wished the RCI credit card points were good on Celebrity so then I could let my OBC pay for the package. Still thinking about it though.

[Muushka]

First off the person that was asking was asking about the Adventure - and yes' date=' when I have checked X was more. Now we were fortunate enough on this past AOS cruise to get a great deal on the Summit, so in the case no. I need to find out how you get your deals!!:D

I am still not convinced that the drink package is going to save me $. I just wished the RCI credit card points were good on Celebrity so then I could let my OBC pay for the package. Still thinking about it though.[/quote']

 

Oops Allure of Seas, Adventure of Seas....AOS!:eek: Sorry!

 

To answer your question about how to get deals, I check the internet daily once we have chosen a cruise. My part-time job!:p

[phoenix_dream]

1)

Just a couple comments:

 

3) If you are concierge of above, you can ask that instead of the afternoon canapes, you get cheese or shrimp cocktail. Note: they will only deliver the canapes if you are in your cabin...frankly, it's no loss if you miss them, but that's just my opinion

 

Our experience has been that they will deliver them whether you are there or not. We order ours directly from room service and ask them to be delivered at the same time every day (we order the cheese plate). This can actually be done with a number of things, but we happen to like cheese (although as you say it is nothing to write home about)

 

11) If you are elite, you are welcome to drink as much as you want at the function, but you may not take drinks out of the room (to your cabin, to dinner, to anywhere). This applies to both breakfast and the cocktail hours.

 

Don't disagree, but we have found that if we stay until the end (we are late diners) we can generally walk out with however much of our drinks are left and no one stops us. This of course could vary by ship. We have found some of the Captains Club host/hostesses to be more guardians of the door than the customer service ambassadors they should be.

[MrsNancyG]

Sorry, but as a new member of Cruise Critic, I find myself a little confused. What exactly does b2b mean? I've figured out most of the others, but this one really has me stumped!

 

Thanks and happy cruising!

[Azulann]

MrsNancy,

b2b means back to back cruise. For example you book two 7 day cruises on the same ship back to back. The same ship might have two different itineraries on each of its 7 day cruise.

[MrsNancyG]

ahhhhhhhhh...would LOVE to do that someday! Many thanks!

[Denny01]

I didnt see this info on the thread, or the compiled list:

 

For B2B:

1. Many get the same SR so they dont have to move, but if you have to move, all you have to do is pack up the stuff in the drawers and your Steward will bring a clothes trolly for your hanging stuff and you luggage to move to the next SR.

 

2. Depending on the port (Rome for example), the turnaround port may be treated just like a port of call. They give you a new cruise card and close out your old one the night before, and all is done. In US ports, you have to go through Customs which is a hassle, but thats it.

 

3. the alcholol you buy on the first cruise and stored for you (buy at the shop or in port and taken for storage) is returned the night before port entry, and you get to keep it....meaning you get to use it on the next cruise!

-----

For Concierge (and above?), you get a more extensive breakfast list for room service, that includes a great parfait. But for standard SRs, we wrote it on the card and got it! Could just depend on luck though.

 

the Bistro on 5, it is open on Depature day and is a great place to eat ($5pp) if the Buffet is crowded.

 

The ships now have an iPad walking 'tour' of the art onboard. we got it at the Service Desk, checked it out for the day and it was very interesting. Gave you good info on the art and displays around the ship.

 

Medical:

By the way, for those on blood thinners, such as Coumiden(sp?), it cost an arm and leg to get my wife's checked because it varied so much right before the cruise and her Dr wanted it checked during the cruise....had to twice and it was expensive, and I never got reimbursed. So now we have a portable Alere blood checker that we will now use for cruising and just email the results, if needed.

 

Den

[J18ktleo]

You can bring aboard your own soft drinks and bottled water. Stop in at a store on the way to the cruiseport to buy some twelve packs or so-- you don't want to try lugging them with you on a plane because of the weight and because of what might happen in a depressurized cargo hold. Bring a roll of duct tape with you and tape the cases together, then put a luggage tag on it. It will be delivered to your cabin for you.

 

 

Wow, this is great!

Thank you GHStudio (!), I am so glad I took the time to read this.

 

Something not mentioned, at least on Infinity at back of breakfast buffet (on one side) they make made-to-order eggs Benedict/ poached eggs...loved this! And for lunch, at the back made to order Panini's.

 

Re: buying six packs of soda, never thought of this. So we can buy a case of coke, put a luggage tag on it and check it with bags? If so, Awesome!:D dh will love this!

 

Also, if you watch the prices I've paid less on Celebrity than I'm paying on Allure/Oasis, all depends on when the cruise is...timing is everything!:rolleyes:

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I didnt see this info on the thread, or the compiled list:

 

For B2B:

1. Many get the same SR so they dont have to move, but if you have to move, all you have to do is pack up the stuff in the drawers and your Steward will bring a clothes trolly for your hanging stuff and you luggage to move to the next SR.

 

2. Depending on the port (Rome for example), the turnaround port may be treated just like a port of call. They give you a new cruise card and close out your old one the night before, and all is done. In US ports, you have to go through Customs which is a hassle, but thats it.

 

3. the alcholol you buy on the first cruise and stored for you (buy at the shop or in port and taken for storage) is returned the night before port entry, and you get to keep it....meaning you get to use it on the next cruise!

-----

For Concierge (and above?), you get a more extensive breakfast list for room service, that includes a great parfait. But for standard SRs, we wrote it on the card and got it! Could just depend on luck though.

 

the Bistro on 5, it is open on Depature day and is a great place to eat ($5pp) if the Buffet is crowded.

 

The ships now have an iPad walking 'tour' of the art onboard. we got it at the Service Desk, checked it out for the day and it was very interesting. Gave you good info on the art and displays around the ship.

 

Medical:

By the way, for those on blood thinners, such as Coumiden(sp?), it cost an arm and leg to get my wife's checked because it varied so much right before the cruise and her Dr wanted it checked during the cruise....had to twice and it was expensive, and I never got reimbursed. So now we have a portable Alere blood checker that we will now use for cruising and just email the results, if needed.

 

Den

 

Thanks for the tip on the iPad art tour! Will try that on the TA with all the sea days. Is it on their iPad so no fooling around loading it on your own iPad?

[Tiggertastic]

If you ask for the mini bar emptying to put your wine in, when you find it empty, search under your bed. The steward can't take it out if the room,if they do they are financially responsible for it. Search under your bed, it will be hidden in a bag or box until you leave. no good to anyone who actually want it removed completely.

[zither]

I have several aluminum water bottles that I use for the gym. The bottles are lightweight and take up very little room in a suitcase. I fill them from the tap for excursions and keep one in the cooler as well.

 

I have no problems with the tap water on the ship. It's reverse osmosis treated, making it no different than bottled water, which is nothing more than reverse osmosis treated tap water.

 

:) What a great idea, we have some of those bottles too. Does anyone know if the coolers on the Eclipse are big enough to hold bottled water. Sorry if this question seems silly but this is our first ever cruise so please bear with us.

 

There are some fabulous tips on this thread, I hope they have M&Ms on the Eclipse.

 

Let us know what your sky suite was like.

[zither]

I have several aluminum water bottles that I use for the gym. The bottles are lightweight and take up very little room in a suitcase. I fill them from the tap for excursions and keep one in the cooler as well.

 

I have no problems with the tap water on the ship. It's reverse osmosis treated, making it no different than bottled water, which is nothing more than reverse osmosis treated tap water.

 

:) What a great idea, we have some of those bottles too. Does anyone know if the coolers on the Eclipse are big enough to hold bottled water. Sorry if this question seems silly but this is our first ever cruise so please bear with us.

 

There are some fabulous tips on this thread, I hope they have M&Ms on the Eclipse.

 

Let us know what your sky suite was like.

[esther e]

Not sure about Celebrity, but my husband tried to buy a pack of gum from a shop on a ship this year and they don't sell gum! It seems kids were dropping it from their mouths and making a sticky mess on the carpets.

 

As an aside, Orlando airport is totally gum-free purchasing but because of security -- seems people are able to stick a wad of chewed gum in a door. They didn't go into detail, but I got the point.

 

So, if you're a "courteous" gum chewer, best bring your own.

[Lois R]

:) What a great idea, we have some of those bottles too. Does anyone know if the coolers on the Eclipse are big enough to hold bottled water. Sorry if this question seems silly but this is our first ever cruise so please bear with us.

 

There are some fabulous tips on this thread, I hope they have M&Ms on the Eclipse.

 

Let us know what your sky suite was like.

 

Hi, M&M's? As in the candy? Never seen them on any of the ships.

[BrusselsGirl07]

Hi Lois, the M&Ms are at the icecream counter, I have seen mini ones, peanut butter ones and the ones with the nuts in the middle. Yum!

[Lois R]

Hi Lois, the M&Ms are at the icecream counter, I have seen mini ones, peanut butter ones and the ones with the nuts in the middle. Yum!

 

Oh........ok...you can tell how much I have been there LOL:eek:

 

I was thinking candy in a dish...like peanuts at a bar or something;)