Ready to book 1st time on Celebrity advice needed

[cleob]

We have always sailed on Royal but are looking for something different. We’d like to cruise out of San Juan with the route that includes Aruba. Looking for cabin and perks suggestions. We want a regular veranda cabin so looking for suggestions on cabins and best decks. Also which two perks do folks suggest? We’re thinking the drink package and tips. Any suggestions welcomed.

 

 

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[cleob]

Sorry should have specified we’d be on Celebrity Summit.


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[39august]

Tips are good on longer cruises. $300 OBC is better on shorter cruises. Do the math. Hope you enjoy. We are Pinnacle on RCI and will not be going back since our first X cruise!

[hiccups]

We like cabins on decks between two other passenger decks so we aren't above/below common areas, and we book midship or aft, depending on what's available and the price.

If you book through a travel agent, they may throw in another perk, or  give you OBC.  I'd go with drinks and the $300 OBC, because for a 7 day cruise, gratuities are $203 for a veranda.  You can pay the gratuities and have $97 left for something else (wifi, specialty restaurant, shopping, excursion, etc).

You should also look at the cruise price with and without perks and weigh whether they're worth it to you.

[jelayne]

Or look at booking with a on-line TA which will get you another perk or refundable OBC.

[Kmangel]

If smoke is a concern to you book a balcony on the opposite side of the ship from where the public smoking is.  On the ships we have sailed (Silhouette) the public smoking area was on the fifth deck on the port side, so I chose a balcony cabin on the starboard side.

[NateUpNorth]

On 9/20/2019 at 7:52 PM, 39august said:

Tips are good on longer cruises. $300 OBC is better on shorter cruises. Do the math. Hope you enjoy. We are Pinnacle on RCI and will not be going back since our first X cruise!

 

I've been looking for a basic X vs RCL thread as we're contemplating moving a current reservation over to X from RCL. It would be our first X cruise. (It would be Freedom to Reflection)

May I ask what made your choice for you? 

 

With the current sale and the 2 perks to cover grats and a drink package the value seems to be head and shoulders above our RCL booking.

[Big_G]

1 hour ago, NateUpNorth said:

 

I've been looking for a basic X vs RCL thread as we're contemplating moving a current reservation over to X from RCL. It would be our first X cruise. (It would be Freedom to Reflection)

May I ask what made your choice for you? 

 

With the current sale and the 2 perks to cover grats and a drink package the value seems to be head and shoulders above our RCL booking.

 

We sail both lines but we tried Celebrity once we learned they had reciprocal loyalty benefits. They're different experiences. Celebrity is a slower paced, relaxing and slightly more refined and mature. Contrary to popular opinion, the sidewalks don't roll up at 10:00pm. We just like to change it up now and then.

[billslowsky]

On 9/20/2019 at 7:52 PM, 39august said:

Tips are good on longer cruises. $300 OBC is better on shorter cruises. Do the math. Hope you enjoy. We are Pinnacle on RCI and will not be going back since our first X cruise!

 

This is true, just don't pre-pay the tips.  They can come out of the the $300 OBC and you'll have a little bit left over.

Edited September 27, 2019 by billslowsky

[atlgators]

On 9/20/2019 at 7:44 PM, cleob said:

Sorry should have specified we’d be on Celebrity Summit.


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Another thing to consider about veranda cabins on the Summit.  Concierge cabins on the M class (Summit is an M class ship) are larger than the standard veranda cabins and have a few extra perks, the value of which is often debated.  We almost always book Concierge on M class voyages and regular veranda cabins on the S class ships. We really like the extra size.  We consider the bottle of sparkling wine and the other additional perks a little bonus.  Enjoy your cruise.

[MightyMike]

The Classic Beverage Package is the most expensive of the four perks to choose from--but if you don't drink, other perks might be personally more valuable to you.

 

One week of tips for two in a standard cabin are $203. Since onboard credits can be used for tips, it usually makes more sense to choose $300 in onboard credits instead of prepaid gratuities on one-week cruises.

 

If all you want is a standard veranda cabin (no Concierge Class, no Aqua Class), consider the first eight balcony (category 2C) cabins on either the starboard or port sides on deck 6. Search for the phrase "sweet 16" in this forum for details. Those 16 balconies are twice as deep. Usually cabins 6030 and 6035 sell out quickest because many (including myself) consider them the best of the best. I have a review of 6030 on the Summit from April. I have reserved the same room in 2021.