Buyer's Choice Cruises by Big Box Store

[Sandy1975]

I searched on the forums but could not find anything so I thought I would ask.

Has anyone taking the "Buyer's Choice Cruises" that are offered by one of warehouse stores (the one that has company headquarters in WA)?

 

I am interested in reading what they are like. The one I am looking at has 2 private "customized events" (whatever that means) and 2 private ship tours along with a welcome aboard reception and luncheon.

 

I am wondering what these customized events could be and what are the ship tours that are been advertised. I was told they would have more details as the sailing date approaches but Final payment is on Sep 1 (theirs is Aug 18th).

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide!!!

Edited August 2, 2015 by Sandy1975

[cle-guy]

I searched on the forums but could not find anything so I thought I would ask.

Has anyone taking the "Buyer's Choice Cruises" that are offered by one of warehouse stores (the one that has company headquarters in WA)?

 

I am interested in reading what they are like. The one I am looking at has 2 private "customized events" (whatever that means) and 2 private ship tours along with a welcome aboard reception and luncheon.

 

I am wondering what these customized events could be and what are the ship tours that are been advertised. I was told they would have more details as the sailing date approaches but Final payment is on Sep 1 (theirs is Aug 18th).

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide!!!

 

My guess on the private tours is going to be a Bridge Tour and a Kitchen tour. These are fairly common to let groups do (I sail with groups occasionally, and so far these were what we did - though not with your particular provider). ONCE we got a tour of the theatre backstage.

 

Customized events, I have no idea, but just thinking out loud, perhaps could be a Wine tasting in cellar masters, or a Helipad Sail-Away gathering. Again, on my group cruses these were things we had offered to us.

 

Likely, the things being offered to you come about via the GAP - Group Amenities Program, where group coordinators earn "points" to exchange for gatherings and events. Here's a couple link's to Celebrity's GAP program.

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/11025626_CEL_GAP_List.pdf

 

http://www.cruisingpower.com/content/PDF/Cel_New_GAP_08010528_Cel_GAP.pdf

Edited August 2, 2015 by cle-guy

[Sandy1975]

Thanks. The one Im looking at is Called Buyers Choice Culinary cruise so going along with your ideas, the customized events might b related to food / tastings.

 

Im hoping one of the tours is not the kitchen. I think i have done at least 3 galley tours in the past!

[kathynorth]

We have booked on several of these cruises. Our next cruise is a Buyer's Choice Spirits cruise. The TA books at a group rate during the early booking period, which often provides excellent pricing. Some passengers book just for the rates and skip the events, but we always seem to make friends with fellow attendees and haven't missed an event yet. There is OBC, lunch in a specialty, plus the other listed events. On each of our cruises the tours have been galley and backstage. The events are: Welcome Reception usually scheduled for 5pm on embarkation day. 2 tasting events- not sure how this will be for spirits. For the wine cruises there was a vertical tasting one day and horizontal the second. These were very informational. On the last sea day there's a lunch pairing in Tuscan. On one of our cruises the Celebrity rate dropped below what we booked at. We called the TA and they adjusted our rate accordingly.

[cle-guy]

 

Im hoping one of the tours is not the kitchen. I think i have done at least 3 galley tours in the past!

 

I agree, I had done the one that they advertise in Celebrity today, and then our group had one, so assumed it would be more in depth, but it was the exact same one, but just our small group so we could go "slower" as if that was gonna make it better.

 

Any idea how many people will be part of your group?

[Sandy1975]

I agree, I had done the one that they advertise in Celebrity today, and then our group had one, so assumed be more in depth, but it was the exact same one, but just our small group so we could go "slower" as if that was gonna make it better.

 

Any idea how many people will be part of your group?

 

I have no clue and not sure if i can find out. The price for a 1B cabin with the bev package and all these other little things is really good so these are just bonus. The "added value" is supposedly from $245/person.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Sandy1975

[kathynorth]

I believe these are a 50 cabin group if they sell out. We had planned to book a Nov BC cruise while onboard a Celebrity ship in April thinking there was plenty of room on the cruise itself, but the group was sold out by the time we arrived home and attempted to transfer. We ended up moving our reservation to the Dec BC cruise.

Edited August 2, 2015 by kathynorth

[Sandy1975]

I believe these are a 50 cabin group if they sell out. We had planned to book a Nov BC cruise while onboard a Celebrity ship in April thinking there was plenty of room on the cruise itself, but the group was sold out by the time we arrived home and attempted to transfer. We ended up moving our reservation to the Dec BC cruise.

 

The one Im interested in have 25 cabins left and it is in Nov of this year. I looked into the spirits one but we have been to the ports in many occasions. The one in Nov will have 3 new ports for Us.

[LabGuy64]

Not sure how it is done on Celebrity but the galley tour we took on the crown princess (as part of the chef's table) was one of the few standouts on the cruise....the maitre d' and head chef had a great banter and made steak tartar and other foods before dinner in the galley for us to taste with sparkling wines...was very cool

 

 

I agree, I had done the one that they advertise in Celebrity today, and then our group had one, so assumed it would be more in depth, but it was the exact same one, but just our small group so we could go "slower" as if that was gonna make it better.

 

Any idea how many people will be part of your group?

[cle-guy]

Not sure how it is done on Celebrity but the galley tour we took on the crown princess (as part of the chef's table) was one of the few standouts on the cruise....the maitre d' and head chef had a great banter and made steak tartar and other foods before dinner in the galley for us to taste with sparkling wines...was very cool

 

NOTHING like this. It takes all of 15 minutes.

 

Gather in MDR, chef does a brief talk abbot how much food used, number if meals served etc. Then group walks thru the MDR kitchen, it's a U shaped tour, see the salads get plated, see the meat cooking see the dishwasher and back to the dining room. There was a glass of sparkling wine offered on arrival.

 

No lessons or food tasting.

 

I do think there MAY be a version you can pay to go on, that includes Lunch in a specialty restaurant sometimes.

Edited August 2, 2015 by cle-guy

[BuddyR]

The one Im interested in have 25 cabins left and it is in Nov of this year. I looked into the spirits one but we have been to the ports in many occasions. The one in Nov will have 3 new ports for Us.

 

My daughter and I have booked this culinary cruise to celebrate her birthday. My husband and I are doing their December wine cruise to celebrate our anniversary, but I have no prior experience with these special cruises to be able to comment specifically on the events. The agency, though, is very good to work with.

 

Laura

[ozark74]

I searched on the forums but could not find anything so I thought I would ask.

Has anyone taking the "Buyer's Choice Cruises" that are offered by one of warehouse stores (the one that has company headquarters in WA)?

 

I am interested in reading what they are like. The one I am looking at has 2 private "customized events" (whatever that means) and 2 private ship tours along with a welcome aboard reception and luncheon.

 

I am wondering what these customized events could be and what are the ship tours that are been advertised. I was told they would have more details as the sailing date approaches but Final payment is on Sep 1 (theirs is Aug 18th).

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide!!!

 

We have done three of the cruises. All three were beer sponsored cruises. The special events were tastings and pairing foods with the beer. The tours varies kitchen, backstage, or bridge. The luncheon has been in Tuscan Grill pairing each course with a different beverage. The welcome reception is always been at 5:00 pm in the Sky lounge the first night. We have a few drinks and meet the sponsors and fellow cruisers.

They have all been very good.

 

Steve

Edited August 2, 2015 by ozark74

[Sandy1975]

We have done three of the cruises. All three were beer sponsored cruises. The special events were tastings and pairing foods with the beer. The tours varies kitchen, backstage, or bridge. The luncheon has been in Tuscan Grill pairing each course with a different beverage. The welcome reception is always been at 5:00 pm in the Sky lounge the first night. We have a few drinks and meet the sponsors and fellow cruisers.

They have all been very good.

 

Steve

 

Great info!!! Thanks!

[kokopelli-az]

We were on a Buyer's Choice Spirits Cruise in Feb 2015 on the Silhouette.

 

All the "seminars" served super premium alcohol and the host, mixologist Dustin Haarstad, was excellent. Many small batch, very limited reserves were tasted. I should say you actually get bigger servings than a just "tastings". Our last day (at sea) included a "four course cocktail pairing luncheon". The luncheon was nothing like anything else on the ship and was also excellent.

 

While on-board we ended up (there were four of us) booking another Buyer's Choice Spirits Cruise on the Reflection departing May 16, 2016 (Europe). When we got back home we told some other friends about how much fun we had on the Silhouette and they also booked the same Buyer's Choice Spirits Cruise for next May (so in total, 8 of us booked the May 2016 Buyer's Choice cruise).

 

We have been on about 25 cruises and the Buyer's Choice cruise we took in Feb 2015 was probably the most fun we have had on a cruise.

 

Highly recommended.

[kathynorth]

ozark74, thanks for giving us hope that we'll someday be invited to a Bridge tour!

 

kokopelli-az, thanks for posting about your experience on a Spirits cruise! We've been on 3 Wine + 1 Beer and are hoping the Spirits cruise will be as much fun!

[BuddyR]

What about the culinary cruises? Has anyone been on one?

[cle-guy]

ozark74, thanks for giving us hope that we'll someday be invited to a Bridge tour!

 

Try this...

 

Determine which deck the Bridge is actually on from a deck plan. at 11 am on Sea days, gather at the forward elevator lobby, and see if a group forms. If so, likely a bridge tour is on, and they will come by look at your seepass card and give you a sticker to join the tour, I haven't found them to be too rigid about checking invites.

[kathynorth]

Try this...

 

Determine which deck the Bridge is actually on from a deck plan. at 11 am on Sea days, gather at the forward elevator lobby, and see if a group forms. If so, likely a bridge tour is on, and they will come by look at your seepass card and give you a sticker to join the tour, I haven't found them to be too rigid about checking invites.

 

cle-guy, as always, you are so helpful! This is a great tip!

[Wine-O]

Try this...

 

Determine which deck the Bridge is actually on from a deck plan. at 11 am on Sea days, gather at the forward elevator lobby, and see if a group forms. If so, likely a bridge tour is on, and they will come by look at your seepass card and give you a sticker to join the tour, I haven't found them to be too rigid about checking invites.

 

That's not correct. Don't tell people that. The last two bridge tours that I have taken were by invitation only. You didn't have to bring your invitation to the meeting place, but they had a preprinted list of the attendees names and stateroom numbers, and checked them off.

 

If you want to get a tour of the bridge, go down to guest services and request one.

[Wine-O]

cle-guy, as always, you are so helpful! This is a great tip!

 

That is not helpful information. Celebrity is very strict with regard to bridge and engineering room tours.

[cle-guy]

That's not correct. Don't tell people that. The last two bridge tours that I have taken were by invitation only. You didn't have to bring your invitation to the meeting place, but they had a preprinted list of the attendees names and stateroom numbers, and checked them off.

 

If you want to get a tour of the bridge, go down to guest services and request one.

It's definitely a YMMV thing. I have brought uninvited guests, they just hand wrote their name and seepass number at the end of their list on the clipboard, and issued the sticker.

[Wine-O]

It's definitely a YMMV thing. I have brought uninvited guests, they just hand wrote their name and seepass number at the end of their list on the clipboard, and issued the sticker.

 

Yeah, do you think because you were traveling in a PH or RS that maybe that had something to do with it? :rolleyes:

[cle-guy]

Yeah, do you think because you were traveling in a PH or RS that maybe that had something to do with it? :rolleyes:

 

Possibly, but I was able to do this as well when I sailed Aqua Class to Bermuda last May, so that's not necessarily the only way. I met a couple people who were not part of our group, and they came along, by adding name to the list.

 

End of the day, all they want is a log of names of people who pass thru the door for their logbooks.

 

My 1st sailing in PH, I was able to bring friend in Concierge cabin as you suggest.

[kathynorth]

That is not helpful information. Celebrity is very strict with regard to bridge and engineering room tours.

 

Thank you for your words of caution and suggestion!

[Wine-O]

Possibly, but I was able to do this as well when I sailed Aqua Class to Bermuda last May, so that's not necessarily the only way. I met a couple people who were not part of our group, and they came along, by adding name to the list.

 

End of the day, all they want is a log of names of people who pass thru the door for their logbooks.

 

My 1st sailing in PH, I was able to bring friend in Concierge cabin as you suggest.

 

The invitation distinctively says not to mention it to anybody, so you had the moxie to do it anyway? Imagine if everyone did that? :rolleyes: