New to Celebrity

[CRUISING71]

Hello,

 

We are thinking of booking the Reflection but we have never sail with Celebrity before, only with Carnival and RCCL.

 

Is the Celebrity similar to Carnival? Like self service Laundry room? Pizza 24 and ice cream 24 hours? Robe in every stateroom?

 

What the difference between Carnival and Celebrity?

 

Thank you,

Tibbie

[johnb0529]

Most people here will tell you Celebrity is nothing like Carnival.:eek:

 

Carnival tends to have a younger crowd, more of a party ship.

 

Celebrity tends to be a little older group, quieter, looking to see the world, but do it in a more reserved fashion.

 

Everyone has different opinions/tastes but they are VERY different experiences and Cruise Lines.

 

I can probably draft a list of differences, but will come off somewhat negative toward Carnival ( or their customers) and i don't want to sound that way.

 

If you can give some insight into what appeals to you on a cruise, that will help...

[cheryl20772]

Hello,

 

We are thinking of booking the Reflection but we have never sail with Celebrity before, only with Carnival and RCCL.

 

Is the Celebrity similar to Carnival? Like self service Laundry room? Pizza 24 and ice cream 24 hours? Robe in every stateroom?

 

What the difference between Carnival and Celebrity?

 

Thank you,

Tibbie

 

We've done both Celebrity and Carnival. It's difficult to explain the differences. They have many of the same things, but Celebrity (from my perspective) does it a little quieter and nicer.

 

Yes, there is a robe in every stateroom (the quality of the robe depends on how much you paid for your room or what class it is). There is a pizza and an ice cream station, but it's probably not 24 hours. Our most recent cruise was on Celebrity Infinity and pizza was 12 Noon to 1 AM, Ice Cream was 12 Noon to 9:30 PM. Ice cream was not self serve as it is on Carnival. Instead, there's a waiter there to serve up scoops or cones plus toppings. Celebrity ships do not have any self service laundry rooms.

[johnb0529]

And no Self-Service Laundry on Celebrity

 

Buffet is open 24/7, but late hours is very limited on selection. Never personally ate at Buffet (but did walk through it a couple times), so cannot say what the assortment was after midnight, but my understanding from posts here is that it's very limited!

[CRUISING71]

We are not a party type. Even when we sailed Carnival, we don't hit the clubs.

 

Can you tell me how the deposit work on Celebrity? If we cancel before final payment, can we get our refund back? Or does Celebrity hold it for the next booking?

[Essiesmom]

If you cancel before final payment, you will get it all back (assuming you are from the US). Also, there is very limited smoking allowed on Celebrity. Smoking is not allowed in cabins nor on balconies. EM

[CRUISING71]

No problem with smoking...none of us smoke.

 

Tip is standard 11.50 a day?

 

Do they charge extra for room service after midnight?

[CRUISING71]

One more question...if the price drop, will we get OBC or whatever we book is it?

[johnb0529]

One more question...if the price drop, will we get OBC or whatever we book is it?

 

My experience, price drop before final payment, you can get reduced fare.

 

After final payment, there are no adjustments or credit.

[johnb0529]

No problem with smoking...none of us smoke.

 

Tip is standard 11.50 a day?

 

Do they charge extra for room service after midnight?

 

From the Celebrity FAQ:

 

For your convenience, Celebrity Cruises can add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard Celebrity SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion: $11.50 per person per day for guests in staterooms ($12.00 per person per day for guests in Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms and $15.00 per person per day for guests in Suites). These service gratuities are based on the following recommended amounts:

 

 

Restaurant Service* Per Person Per Day

Waiter $3.65

Assistant Waiter $2.10

Dining Room Management $1.00

Stateroom Service* Per Person Per Day

Butler (Suites Only) $3.50

Stateroom Service $3.50 ($4.00 for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms)

Alternative Service*

Other Service Personnel $1.25

 

Beverage Service personnel are acknowledged with a 15% service charge that will be automatically added to the bill. Additional gratuities may be added to the bill at your discretion.

[johnb0529]

No problem with smoking...none of us smoke.

 

Tip is standard 11.50 a day?

 

Do they charge extra for room service after midnight?

 

There is no charge for Room Service, although many people tip extra for the service

[CRUISING71]

I noticed there are a lot of specialty restaurants on the Celebrity.

 

I noticed Blu is free, but it requires for Aqua member. What is Aqua Member?

[CRUISING71]

Do I have to buy a jacket for a teenager boy for formal night?

 

For formal night, he usually wear a long sleeve shirt tugged in a khaki pant, very clean cut. Will this be okay for formal night?

 

For non-formal night, can we wear jean (nice and no hole or rip) in the Main Dinning room? How about capri pant in the dinning room?

 

Thanks,

Tibbie

[johnb0529]

I noticed there are a lot of specialty restaurants on the Celebrity.

 

I noticed Blu is free, but it requires for Aqua member. What is Aqua Member?

 

It's not really Aqua Member, it's that you book an Aqua Room. Generally they are a little more than a standard balcony, but often seem to be discounted to a similar price.

 

Lots of threads on here expressing pros/cons to Aqua and Blu. It's a very personl decision based on your taste in food! I would suggest a few searches to get a broad perspective on the experience.

 

You can only eat in Blu if in Aqua, or in a Suite, for $5 cover and based on availability (disclaimer posted to it doesn't require 20 people to point this out!)

[johnb0529]

Do I have to buy a jacket for a teenager boy for formal night?

 

For formal night, he usually wear a long sleeve shirt tugged in a khaki pant, very clean cut. Will this be okay for formal night?

 

For non-formal night, can we wear jean (nice and no hole or rip) in the Main Dinning room? How about capri pant in the dinning room?

 

Thanks,

Tibbie

 

again, there are dozens of posts on this topic, the search box will yelled wonders of insights...

 

this is VERY hot topic and will get lots of opinions. for the rules, check the Celebrity site and determine of you want to follow the policy. If you are looking for approval to skirt the rules, you will get approval and grief on here for anything that does not follow the rules.

 

Personal Opinion: Formal Night is Formal Night! Which means for men wearing a jacket. A teenager qualifies for wearing a jacking, young-men (under 12) can get away with slacks/shirt. But if a teenager, teaching them a little manors/culture isn't bad...they will be looking to date soon and knowing how to behave in public and dress nice isn't a bed thing to teach a young man!

 

As for Jean in the MDR, they are now allowed by Celebrity rules (again, see their FAQ for policy!) if clean, neat and not torn! So, if you feel jeans are appropriate on Smart-Casual Nights, go for it...

[cheryl20772]

I agree that a teenaged boy will need a jacket for formal night in the main dining room. If you don't want to get him one, then you could eat in a specialty restaurant or in the buffet.

 

I imagine teenaged boy will be just as happy in the buffet as he probably won't care to watch singing/dancing waiters and silly people spinning napkins over their heads. I don't know where the spinning napkin tradition comes from, but they really do do that. I have even seen them make the napkin into a hat and wear it thus; while they conga line around the room. Formal night seems to be filled with strange traditions...men in jackets is only one.

 

If you don't want to get him a suit, a navy blue jacket will work just fine and he'll possibly get more use of it for other things later.

[CRUISING71]

Thank you so much for all the insight.

 

We love to eat in the MDR, during the day the kids are out and about. We like to meet up for dinner to share our stories of the day.

 

I guess I will have to go and buy him suite. Prom is around the corner, so hopefully he still fit it for prom.

[mandream]

I guess I will have to go and buy him suite.

 

No need to buy him a suite. I'm sure a suit will be more than sufficient:D.

 

Welcome to Celebrity!

 

Mike

[eandj]

.

 

I guess I will have to go and buy him suite. Prom is around the corner, so hopefully he still fit it for prom.

 

 

Unless he absolutely is ready for a suit, I wouldn't make a special purchase for the couple times he'll wear it onboard. ;) A sports jacket would work. Or I have seen teen boys wearing just a suit vest with dress shirt, tie and dress slacks. They look well dressed and will be accepted into the dining room.