Made the Celebrity leap - bit nervous

[leeselee]

Hello there.

 

I'm mainly a reader, not a poster. Love CC ;)

 

I have cruised quite a few times - the ones I usually mention are with RC - the unmentionable should really stay that way!

 

Our teenage daughter is doing her own thing this year and by the time she gets back and my nerves are torn to shreds - with that and waiting for her exam results - the cruise will be well and truly deserved.:o

 

We felt that a new cruiseline was needed as after five consecutive cruises with RC, we felt things were getting a bit stale (for us - not speaking for the rest of the population).

 

So this year we are doing a Greek and Turkey one week - we have been to Split, but not Dubrovnik - Is the Celebrity dock near enough to the centre of things or do we need to take taxis or arrange an excursion?

 

Is the Corfu dock with Celebrity in a similar place to where RC dock or completely different?

 

One more question - on RC we are only emerald level with RC but always travel in a suite so we get off first when tendering at Mykonos for example. As this will be our first time with Celebrity and we are in a Balcony room, there will be no concierge - what is tendering like if you decide not to do an excursion - hours and hours to get off the ship?

 

Thanks in advance for any help. very much appreciated.

 

We are very excited about this cruise :)

[CruisingGatorGirl]

Hello there.

 

I'm mainly a reader, not a poster. Love CC ;)

 

I have cruised quite a few times - the ones I usually mention are with RC - the unmentionable should really stay that way!

 

Our teenage daughter is doing her own thing this year and by the time she gets back and my nerves are torn to shreds - with that and waiting for her exam results - the cruise will be well and truly deserved.:o

 

We felt that a new cruiseline was needed as after five consecutive cruises with RC, we felt things were getting a bit stale (for us - not speaking for the rest of the population).

 

So this year we are doing a Greek and Turkey one week - we have been to Split, but not Dubrovnik - Is the Celebrity dock near enough to the centre of things or do we need to take taxis or arrange an excursion?

 

Is the Corfu dock with Celebrity in a similar place to where RC dock or completely different?

 

One more question - on RC we are only emerald level with RC but always travel in a suite so we get off first when tendering at Mykonos for example. As this will be our first time with Celebrity and we are in a Balcony room, there will be no concierge - what is tendering like if you decide not to do an excursion - hours and hours to get off the ship?

 

Thanks in advance for any help. very much appreciated.

 

We are very excited about this cruise :)

 

Welcome to Celebrity! We LOVED Dubrovnik. You can take a short taxi ride to the city center. From there I suggest "walking the wall" and finding the hidden Buza Bar (this is a magical and romantic spot!). Research online how to find the Buza Bar. There are 2, so make sure you find the right one ;)

 

I have a detailed review on our day in Dubrovnik with pictures, including the hidden bar:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1700095&page=9

 

Let me know if you have any other questions about Dubrovnik! Have a wonderful day.

[20pluscruises]

As far as tendering...we have never found it to be a long wait. But then again, we don't rush to be first off when the ship docks...so i can't speak for that time period.

 

Have never done an RC cruise, but I feel Celebrity may be a notch above RC. Have a wonderful cruise!

Edited May 7, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[helpthejuggler]

Hello there.

 

Is the Corfu dock with Celebrity in a similar place to where RC dock or completely different?

 

 

I believe so. We were there on Silhouette and other ships were there. Don't recall which ships, but doubt they would have 2 cruise ports in Corfu Town.

[leeselee]

Thanks so much!

[GaryT-UK]

If you are Emerald level on RC I think you can apply for reciprocal benefits for Captains Club Select status on Celebrity. Not sure if it gives you priority tendering as I'm still only at Classic, but there will be some perks!

[eyelovcrusin]

I doubt you will tender in Mykonos. We were on the Equinox last June and it docked. The dock area is a bit of a walk from the "town" area. Took us about 35-40 minutes and it was hot. Celebrity did have a shuttle bus, don't remember cost. I did see a place that was renting ATVs and scooters and if we return, I think I would do that.

Yes, they do give reciprocal benefits, but you do need to call Celebrity and let them know. FYI, you can't combine points between the two lines but they will give you the higher tier of either line.

[Lastdance]

I enjoyed Royal, but now, Celebrity is my choice. Have a great time at your ports and onboard; have a wonderful cruise! Any place in Europe for me is wonderful!

:)

Edited May 7, 2014 by Lastdance

[leeselee]

My TA who used to be with RC but went out on her own very kindly did some magic and enrolled me in the Captain's club as I am Emerald with RC and as I can see on the Celebrity website we are on Select level, which looks like one level above base level.

 

I must be honest - I don't live my life to go up rankings, but treat it like supermarket loyalty cards - nice when I get a voucher!

 

I assume they will give us a booklet or something like that. If I am able to legally queue jump then so be it! :D

 

Once we get to the payment date I know we are really nearly there!!!

[PinotBlanc]

Mykonos is our day to relax.

We walk off the ship and spend the day in town which is full of delightful finds.

 

Corfu is a good place to tour in the morning and relax in "little Paris" for the afternoon.

 

Dubrovnik is crowded but a must see. You can walk about the town on your own and avoid tour lines and huddles in corners while guides give comments to the groups. Usually, there is a boat that takes you back to the ship which docks close to the suspension bridge.

 

Your cruise is full of port days. Your time on board will feel like home away from home to rest in anticipation of the next tour.

 

Join the Roll Call for your cruise and visit the Ports of Call Forum.

I'm excited for you. Do write us again.

 

Penny

Edited May 8, 2014 by PinotBlanc

[leeselee]

Mykonos is our day to relax.

We walk off the ship and spend the day in town which is full of delightful finds.

 

Corfu is a good place to tour in the morning and relax in "little Paris" for the afternoon.

 

Dubrovnik is crowded but a must see. You can walk about the town on your own and avoid tour lines and huddles in corners while guides give comments to the groups. Usually, there is a boat that takes you back to the ship which docks close to the suspension bridge.

 

Your cruise is full of port days. Your time on board will feel like home away from home to rest in anticipation of the next tour.

 

Join the Roll Call for your cruise and visit the Ports of Call Forum.

I'm excited for you. Do write us again.

 

Penny

 

 

We have been to all the ports before except for Dubrovnik.

 

Sailing from Venice is so wonderful - we have been fortunate enough to have done this three times and each time I have been moved to tears - so stunning.

 

I love the contrast between the 'bling bling' of all the crazy expensive shops in Mykonos and the traditional Greek shops and cafes.

 

Turkey for us may well be a quick run around and then back to the ship as it will be HOT!!! and we have seen every single ruin Turkey has to offer I should think!

 

Corfu is one of the reasons we booked this cruise - having been there before on a very short day with RC - we felt we had to get back there and discover more - what a beautiful place.

 

:D

[GaryT-UK]

Corfu is a good place to tour in the morning and relax in "little Paris" for the afternoon Penny

 

 

I'm curious - I'm going back to Corfu this summer, but what or where is "Little Paris"? Sounds like a place to see :)

[HappyTvlr]

Tendering can be a bit of a nightmare if you do not take an excursion, and you want to get off the ship as early as possible. I experienced this once in Cabo. Since we did not have priority tendering we had to wait in an unbelievably long line the day before to collect a ticket. We got number 23, and it took almost three hours for us to get off the ship. They started the process at 1PM and it was nearly 4 when we got to land. Luckily we had no real plans, but we had just enough time for a taco lunch and a brief sit on the beach. Just make sure you get a ticket asap, and then be prepared to wait. We made the most of it, and enjoyed all that Celebrity had to offer and just laughed that there are far worse places to wait 3 hours. Enjoy your cruise!

[4774Papa]

I doubt you will tender in Mykonos. We were on the Equinox last June and it docked. The dock area is a bit of a walk from the "town" area. Took us about 35-40 minutes and it was hot. Celebrity did have a shuttle bus, don't remember cost. I did see a place that was renting ATVs and scooters and if we return, I think I would do that.

Yes, they do give reciprocal benefits, but you do need to call Celebrity and let them know. FYI, you can't combine points between the two lines but they will give you the higher tier of either line.

We have been to Mykonos twice. The first time we tendered on the NCL Gem. The second time we docked with the Celebrity Infinity.

This is one port were tendering has some advantages, since you tender right to the downtown dock, while the ship's dock is perhaps a mile from the city center. Celebrity had a shuttle, which worked out fine, but tendering was easy.

We have experienced some tendering negatives. We couldn't make it to Yalta because of the weather. We had a 2.5 hour tendering delay due to the incompetent or corrupt Bali authorities. Tendering in Punta Arenas, Chile and Cairns, Australia was way too long and cut into our shore time.

 

We did not experience major tendering issues in Med ports.

[PinotBlanc]

I'm curious - I'm going back to Corfu this summer, but what or where is "Little Paris"? Sounds like a place to see :)

 

 

You've probably been there. It's the avenue along the cricket field that is designed by a French architect to copy a street in Paris. You'll see many cafes and tables set w/umbrellas along the cricket field.

 

Let us know if you take a swim at one of the gorgeous coves.

 

To others, Corfu looks very different compared to Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos.

 

Penny

[upwarduk]

 

We did not experience major tendering issues in Med ports.

o get 30 of us too

 

You have been lucky!

It took us 3 hrs when we were 'Select' to get off the Eclipse in Split (2010)

The slowness was blamed on the 'Town' not providing a Tender.

All the tours were allowed off first.

I did as I was told, had breakfast first, then collected my Tender ticket.

I suspect many collected their tender ticket, then ate breakfast.

I have only tendered once since and arrangements were made by the activities staff to get 30 of us off on an early tender, for an private excursion in Maui.

 

I was very relieved when I became Elite as I now get priority tendering.

[upwarduk]

 

You have been lucky!

It took us 3 hrs when we were 'Select' to get off the Eclipse in Split (2010)

The slowness was blamed on the 'Town' not providing a Tender.

All the tours were allowed off first.

I did as I was told, had breakfast first, then collected my Tender ticket.

I suspect many collected their tender ticket, then ate breakfast.

I have only tendered once since and arrangements were made by the activities staff to get 30 of us off on an early tender, for an private excursion in Maui.

 

I was very relieved when I became Elite as I now get priority tendering.

 

Repeat post to get rid of un- intentional mistake at beginning.

[GaryT-UK]

You've probably been there. It's the avenue along the cricket field that is designed by a French architect to copy a street in Paris. You'll see many cafes and tables set w/umbrellas along the cricket field.

 

 

 

Let us know if you take a swim at one of the gorgeous coves.

 

 

Penny

 

 

I know where you mean now - didn't know it was called that though. I was planning on heading to that area too, so that's now on my to do list. I'll also be checking out the shops for a new bottle of the local Koum Quat liqueur :)

[PinotBlanc]

I know where you mean now - didn't know it was called that though. I was planning on heading to that area too, so that's now on my to do list. I'll also be checking out the shops for a new bottle of the local Koum Quat liqueur :)

 

We'll stroll the streets beyond the main avenue on our next visit.

 

DH likes to buy pastry, I prefer local toiletries and postcards..

Enjoy the new bottle of Koum Quat (is that like kumquat?) liqueur.

Ask a shopkeeper for directions to the liquor stores.

 

Penny

[GaryT-UK]

Enjoy the new bottle of Koum Quat (is that like kumquat?) liqueur.

 

Yes it is kumquat - a friend brought me a bottle back and that's how they spelt it. It's a (not too) guilty pleasure :D

[PinotBlanc]

Yes it is kumquat - a friend brought me a bottle back and that's how they spelt it. It's a (not too) guilty pleasure :D

 

I'll try it when we visit Greek Isles in May. The others Greek liquour (tried it in Mykonos) reminds me of tree sap, maybe it's a pine tree bark alcohol? I don't recall.

 

Presently, I'm hooked on Ginger Brandy as an alternate to my wine.

 

Penny