First timers!

[turtleash]

So I have been on several Cruises and lines this is the first with Celebrity. We are going on the Summitt out of San Juan in late March... any suggestions on things to do and not miss out while on board?

[neverbeenhere]

Celebrity stuff you might want to know.

 

 

4) Chef's Table

5) Treats/pastries are free at Cafe' al Bacio

6) Passengers can carry on 2 bottles of wine per stateroom at initial embarkation

7) Cases of water/soda at embarkation - attach a luggage tag, leave with porters

8) Ask and generally you will receive a discount on Specialty dining

9) Cash out non-refundable OBC at Casino less 5% (while it lasts) Unused Refundable OBC should be credited back to your credit card.

10) Your stateroom television has your account information on it

11) Pillow menu is available to all staterooms.

12) A lot of Room service items are included in your fare. (tips appreciated)

13) Need ice, water or extra towels for your room, ask your steward.

14) The MDR and all restaurants will accommodate most dietary needs.

15) You can switch out sparkling wine received for a white or red wine. or credit towards a more expensive wine.

16) Unless you are in AQ or a Suite you cannot eat in Blu, one thing Celebrity actually enforces. This includes ie: you are in AQ and kids in another cabin, they can't eat there.

17) Blu is anytime dining all the time.

18) Solarium is Adults only except Celebrity reserves the right to open it to children in inclement weather

19) Cruise critic hosts (Andy, Wally, etc) are volunteers, not paid. - not really Celebrity thing.

20) The walls of your stateroom are metal. Pack a few magnets and you hang pages of info

21) Aqua Spa cafe is free for all passengers.(not all items are free)

22) MDR Dinner and lunch menu is available from room service during regular MDR hours. No Luminae or BLU menus available for room service.

23) Country Specific “newspapers” are available by the guest services desk daily

24) Specialty coffees are available in the MDR, ask your waiter.

25) If you want something special from room service, hand write it in on the card.

[wallie5446]

So I have been on several Cruises and lines this is the first with Celebrity. We are going on the Summitt out of San Juan in late March... any suggestions on things to do and not miss out while on board?

 

Welcome to Celebrity! As a seasoned cruiser, yet 1st timer with Celebrity, please post about your cruise when you get back.

 

Here is a great post from Feb 2014, by Heather, who did this sailing for her 1st with Celebrity. Should give you a lot of great ideas! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987902

EW

Edited January 8, 2016 by wallie5446

[turtleash]

Great tips! Thanks! Anything else welcome.

What do people like to do aboard Celebrity Ships?

[neverbeenhere]

Shows

Dancing til dawn

Drinking

Evening games with the activities staff

Comedians

Drinking

Late night comedians

Drinking

A number of activities that will be listed in the daily

Drinking

Trivia

Music listening

Movies

Drinking

 

Did I mention that many folks like drinking?

[helen haywood]

Go to the Roll Call boards and find your sailing and join up with fellow cruisers.

[llarsen]

We also took our first Celebrity cruise on Summit, Thanksgiving weekend out of San Juan.

 

It was a great cruise. We had the Classic drink package as a perk and it was fantastic.

 

Just be sure to check your onboard account on TV or at guest relations if you have any OnBoardCredit. We checked our OBC balance half way through the cruise and realized we were shorted $125.00 that was given by the travel agency.

 

Luckily I had printed both documents (cruise confirmation from Travel Agent) and Celebrity check in documents. They were able to see we had received the $125.00 on our travel agents confirmation, as it did not show up on the Celebrity documents.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[RNCheryl]

If you are in San Juan for a day precruise, check out Flavours of San Juan. It is a walking history and food tour. Most entertaining.

 

http://www.sanjuanfoodtours.com/

[wallie5446]

Great tips! Thanks! Anything else welcome.

What do people like to do aboard Celebrity Ships?

 

We have sailed on 7 diff lines and enjoy Celebrity for the main fact it is very laid back.

Last Nov we would spend hours sitting at the GastroBar on the Equinox talking and getting to know fellow passengers. The Martini Bar is the happening spot on the Summit.

[fleckle]

Great list above from neverbeenthere !

 

Reading it reminded me of a couple of things to add.

 

10) Your stateroom television has your account information on it

 

You can also order shore excursions from your stateroom television and the tickets will be delivered to your cabin, so you don't need to go down to stand in line at the Shore Excursion desk.

 

 

18) Solarium is Adults only except Celebrity reserves the right to open it to children in inclement weather

 

This is not an ordinary solarium.

It has a special therapeutic warm salt water thallasotherapy pool, great for aching joints. There is metal pipe seating on the sides where you can lie back and rest while the water bubbles up under you.

 

Also, the men's and women's changing rooms nearby each have a free sauna with a big window looking out to sea.

 

 

If you like outdoor movies on a big screen, they are now offering them at night up on the top of deck 12 at the back of the ship.

On days when they are offered, they should be listed in the daily schedule you receive, called Celebrity Today.

 

In the past, they used to leave beach towels in our cabins to take ashore on port days.

But the last few cruises, they just told us to take pool towels.

They provide handy bins where you drop them off upon returning to the ship, so no need to carry wet, sandy towels back on board with you.

 

Another nice touch is that Celebrity provides a station near the gangway at each port with a sitting area, cold washclothes and cold drinks on hot weather cruises, or heated washcloths and hot drinks on cold weather cruises.

 

Even if it is your first cruise, you can sign up to join the Captain's Club and become a preview member. Do chat with the Captain's Club host or hostess on board, who will be happy to answer your questions and give you suggestions.

You will be extra lucky if Ashley is still the Captain's Club hostess on the Summit for your cruise, as she is wonderful, very friendly.

 

There should be a copy of Celebrity Today waiting in your cabin when you first board that gives the times for the free guided ship tours being offered that day.

 

As a first timer, you may want to take one, and also a tour of the spa areas. You can walk around the ship and locate everything on your own, but the advantage of taking a guided tour is that you have the guide right there to answer questions as you go along.

 

At the buffet on deck 10, take an initial walk all the way around to see everything that is available before deciding what you want.

There is a nice open deck with tables at the back, a great place to enjoy a snack or a meal when the weather is nice.

 

If you like ice cream, don't miss the ice cream station at the entrance to the buffet area on the starboard side. Several different flavors each day in addition to the standard vanilla-chocolate-strawberry; choice of hard packed (freshly made on board), sugar free, sorbets, soft serve as well as cookies and toppings.

 

One of the best things about it is that the ice-cream is served to you, so you don't have children trying to lick the spout or put their fingers in it, as we have seen on some other cruise lines where it was serve yourself. :eek:

 

Edited January 9, 2016 by fleckle

[jsf]

I've always considered that the cruise out of San Juan shows you the real caribean. There are many fine ports and lots of different things to see and do. We have done that itinerary many times and always enjoy it. If you have the time in San Juan take a self walking tour of the forts that guard the harbor.

J.

[20pluscruises]

Hopefully, Jack will be Ken Mills assistant on board. We really enjoyed his dry quick wit! He does the trivia and karaoke. We loved his humor so much we actually went to trivia a couple of times during our recent cruise on the Summit. A first for us with over 20 cruises.

Edited January 9, 2016 by 20pluscruises

[turtleash]

Thanks all! I am looking very forward to Celebrity and the time is going to get here before I know it! Now that our november cruise is over and the holidays are over time to think and start planning this cruise. Going to spend the evening looking at shore excursions! FUN, FUN

[Quitwhin'n]

Shows

Dancing til dawn

Drinking

Evening games with the activities staff

Comedians

Drinking

Late night comedians

Drinking

A number of activities that will be listed in the daily

Drinking

Trivia

Music listening

Movies

Drinking

 

Did I mention that many folks like drinking?

 

Dancing til dawn and drinking (if you mean late night) has proven difficult on the Celebrity ships I've been on as they pretty well shut all the bars down before 1am, earlier on most occasions. You might find the casino bar open if you're lucky. With the popularity of the beverage packages, the longer the bars stay open, the more money they lose. If Celebrity is trying to attract a younger hipper demographic, they won't keep them for long if they're bored.