Celebrity, Silhouette, November 1, 2014 - Transatlantic

[stjohn1]

For those of you who can't possibly pack light, check out this website: http://www.bags-free.com/

 

They will pick up your big bags, store them while you're traveling around Italy, and then deliver them directly to your cabin. Cost for pickup at airport, storage for 8 days and delivery to the ship is 92 euros. This is for 2 bags.

[donnatello]

Hey turtles06.....I see you've taken a number of cruises on NCL. We did one last year. It was without a doubt the WORST line I've ever sailed on!!!!! And between TA's and cruises I've been on, it's well over 100. Prior to that cruise, the last time we were on NCL was pre- "Freestyle". SOme folks love it, but that's the main reason we won't go on NCL ever again. Dining room menus choices, service, were so abysmal....never again! Even my hubby (of 21 yrs) who has been on 25 or so sailings now, has said it was pretty bad (comparatively) His favorites now are HAL and "X"....and I have to agree.

Edited May 29, 2014 by donnatello

[Turtles06]

Donnatello: Sorry you didn’t enjoy your cruise. We’ve found the “suite life” on NCL to be a great experience. We’re also fans of Freestyle dining and the casual atmosphere on NCL. Celebrity’s food, for the most part, has been better, but that hasn’t kept us from really enjoying our cruises with NCL. We actually have 4 cruises booked right now – 2 on Celebrity and 2 on NCL. And we’re looking forward to all 4 of them!

[Turtles06]

Five months till sailaway! :)

 

Looking forward to meeting you all.

 

Judith

[stjohn1]

Saw this on Meet Me On Board.

 

 

Members have been telling us they’ve been disappointed with Celebrity Cruises because of the way they promoted (or didn’t) the LGBT gatherings. Celebrity’s policy was to post gatherings on a bulletin board in the main lobby. Other cruise lines have a policy of placing notices like this in the newsletter distributed to all staterooms. Unfortunately, the Celebrity policy resulted in confusion about LGBT events and doubts that the events were even occurring.

 

Well boys and girls, we spoke and Celebrity listened!

 

LGBT mixer events aboard Celebrity Cruises will now kick off with a Happy Hour on day one of the voyage. The first-day event will be promoted in the passenger newsletter ‘Celebrity Today,” and thereafter on the bulletin board.

 

Celebrity told MMOB exclusively that the new LGBT events will take place in the Martini Bar or Sunset Bar (Solstice Class), with the first event hosted by an Officer, Cruise Director, or other shipboard staff member who will be available to answer questions about the ship, upcoming events and ports of call.

 

This new approach follows meetings between ************* and Celebrity corporate decision-makers. We shared with Celebrity our members’ concerns about the cruise line’s previous policy in regard to on-board LGBT gatherings.

[Turtles06]

John --- that's very interesting info, thanks for posting. I guess Celebrity figured out that gay people would be at the Martini Bar anyway. :)

 

Hey folks, on a totally separate note, and as you may have read on the main Roll Call --- United has just starting cancelling some of the late October non-stops to Rome (including ours) and rebooking passengers without any notice. Not only did they change our itinerary, they changed the DATE on which we were traveling. No notice!!

 

Fortunately, I was able to re-book today for the correct date. And we now have a connection through Brussels.

 

The irony is that I know enough to keep checking reservations periodically once they are made, as the airlines do make changes, and I had just checked ours last week and we were fine. Apparently, United made these changes on Saturday, right after I'd checked. Had I not seen the alert on our Roll Call, I would have been in for a huge surprise later this week when I checked our flight.

 

Anyway, a good reminder to everyone to keep checking your flights!

 

Judith

[stjohn1]

John --- that's very interesting info, thanks for posting. I guess Celebrity figured out that gay people would be at the Martini Bar anyway. :)

 

Hey folks, on a totally separate note, and as you may have read on the main Roll Call --- United has just starting cancelling some of the late October non-stops to Rome (including ours) and rebooking passengers without any notice. Not only did they change our itinerary, they changed the DATE on which we were traveling. No notice!!

 

Fortunately, I was able to re-book today for the correct date. And we now have a connection through Brussels.

 

The irony is that I know enough to keep checking reservations periodically once they are made, as the airlines do make changes, and I had just checked ours last week and we were fine. Apparently, United made these changes on Saturday, right after I'd checked. Had I not seen the alert on our Roll Call, I would have been in for a huge surprise later this week when I checked our flight.

 

Anyway, a good reminder to everyone to keep checking your flights!

 

Judith

 

Fortunately (or unfortunately as the case may be) we can't fly direct to Rome from the left coast so we're not affected. We have to change in London anyway.

[torjen]

awesome news on the role call and board posting.

When we were on our last TA in 2011 it was already an issue. They used to place "Friends Of Dorothy's" on the main buillitin board but cancelled that.

We (about 30 angry homos ) talked to the cruise director and to the people in charge and were able to bring it back for our cruise - but still it was an agony... That and the fact that we had a virus outbreak on the solstice - but that is another story.

 

United cancels flights and rebooks you without noticing you? That sure sounds scary. In Germany if even your departure or arrival times change by five minutes you have to be notified by the airline since you are eligible to cancel or rebook your flight at the airline's cost...

 

Hope you all have a safe and secure trip to Rome... Payment date is coming closer and closer...

 

Smiles from Berlin where it is Pride Weekened.

 

Love

 

Torsten

[stjohn1]

awesome news on the role call and board posting.

When we were on our last TA in 2011 it was already an issue. They used to place "Friends Of Dorothy's" on the main buillitin board but cancelled that.

We (about 30 angry homos ) talked to the cruise director and to the people in charge and were able to bring it back for our cruise - but still it was an agony... That and the fact that we had a virus outbreak on the solstice - but that is another story.

 

United cancels flights and rebooks you without noticing you? That sure sounds scary. In Germany if even your departure or arrival times change by five minutes you have to be notified by the airline since you are eligible to cancel or rebook your flight at the airline's cost...

 

Hope you all have a safe and secure trip to Rome... Payment date is coming closer and closer...

 

Smiles from Berlin where it is Pride Weekened.

 

Love

 

Torsten

 

Loved your pics from the pride festivities. Did you have a street parade as well as the boat parade? I've marched in the West Hollywood parade a couple of times. That was a hoot. Also loved the pics of the Germany football team. They caused a real spike in my blood pressure :)

[torjen]

Loved your pics from the pride festivities. Did you have a street parade as well as the boat parade? I've marched in the West Hollywood parade a couple of times. That was a hoot. Also loved the pics of the Germany football team. They caused a real spike in my blood pressure :)

 

I only took part in the river cruise pride event this year - the parade was in four parts this year because the gay community fought over the name of pride this year - so my decision was NOT to go at all...

 

I will again next year ...

 

T

[Turtles06]

I only took part in the river cruise pride event this year - the parade was in four parts this year because the gay community fought over the name of pride this year - so my decision was NOT to go at all...

 

I will again next year ...

 

T

 

Happy to hear that Americans have no monopoly on such foolishness. :)

 

Happy Pride weekend, month, etc. to all,

 

Judith

[Turtles06]

Hi everyone, I hope your summer is going well!

 

Only 4 months till sailaway; it's starting to feel real now! :)

[stjohn1]

I'm ready to go now. I even checked in online over the weekend!

[Turtles06]

I'm ready to go now. I even checked in online over the weekend!

 

I'm totally ready too! :)

[torjen]

less than four months... I have to renew my ESTA for the US - and we are thinking about doing another cruise in 2015 - Holy Land... They are offering a free Classic Drink Package - - - if you book until the end of July :)

 

Happy 4th to my friends in the US of A

 

Hugs

 

T

Edited July 4, 2014 by torjen

[Turtles06]

 

Happy 4th to my friends in the US of A

 

Hugs

 

T

 

Thank you, hope your summer is going well!

[torjen]

There has not been that much of a summer here in Germany. We had a few nice days in May and June but the nice dry and warm weather... not here yet.

We shall see.

.

On other news I am about to re-locate from Berlin to Frankfurt next months. After 25 years with my job it's time to do something new... Let's see how my new job works out to be. Good thing: I can still take time off in November for the cruise...

.

Smiles.

T

[Turtles06]

There has not been that much of a summer here in Germany. We had a few nice days in May and June but the nice dry and warm weather... not here yet.

We shall see.

.

On other news I am about to re-locate from Berlin to Frankfurt next months. After 25 years with my job it's time to do something new... Let's see how my new job works out to be. Good thing: I can still take time off in November for the cruise...

.

Smiles.

T

 

Congratulations on the new job, and I hope the big move goes smoothly. That's a major life change. Glad you'll still be able to join us for the cruise.

 

And I hope the weather improves!

 

Judith

[Turtles06]

Hi everyone -- I don't know how much attention you are paying to the main Celebrity board or the other Roll Call, but the Silhouette is experiencing some sort of mechanical problem affecting the ship's top speed, and this has prompted Celebrity to cut some port times on upcoming cruises, including ours. (Some folks have received notice of these slight changes on our TA, others haven't.) Here's what Celebrity posted today on the main board about the situation:

 

Hi all,

 

Celebrity Silhouette is currently experiencing a slight restriction on its top speed, which has required us to make modifications to nine upcoming sailings.

 

It is important for us to assure our guests that this small restriction on the ship’s top speed does not impact, in any way, the maneuverability of the ship or the safety of our guests and crew.

 

Celebrity will contact travel partners and guests should additional modifications need to be made to future itineraries. We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause to our guests.

 

Post 17 on this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2068449

 

Keeping fingers crossed that no more itinerary modifications are needed!

 

Judith

[stjohn1]

Hi everyone -- I don't know how much attention you are paying to the main Celebrity board or the other Roll Call, but the Silhouette is experiencing some sort of mechanical problem affecting the ship's top speed, and this has prompted Celebrity to cut some port times on upcoming cruises, including ours. (Some folks have received notice of these slight changes on our TA, others haven't.) Here's what Celebrity posted today on the main board about the situation:

 

 

 

Post 17 on this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2068449

 

Keeping fingers crossed that no more itinerary modifications are needed!

 

Judith

 

When we get there, we get there. I'm in absolutely no hurry on this trip :)

[Turtles06]

When we get there, we get there. I'm in absolutely no hurry on this trip :)

 

I agree, and air fares home from Florida are cheaper on Monday than Sunday ... :)

[torjen]

I agree, and air fares home from Florida are cheaper on Monday than Sunday ... :)

 

we are not arriving this much later,... are we? :)

[Turtles06]

we are not arriving this much later,... are we? :)

 

0h no, I was joking, since stjohn said he was in no hurry. Right now, they've just shortened our time in Palma and on Tenerife a tiny bit. (I wasn't kidding about the airfares from Florida, though. :( )

[torjen]

departure in 105 days....

 

:-)

[Kennyftlaud]

Hi everyone.

Ken and Don here from Ft Lauderdale Florida.

This is our second TA on Celebrity.

Arriving in rome October 26.

Looking forward to meeting you all on board.

 

 

Ken / Fort Lauderdale

Upcoming Cruises:

Celebrity Silhouette Transatlantic Nov 1, 2014

Allure of the Seas Transatlantic Oct 25, 2015