Finally Made It To "Elite"...Have A Few Questions

[PBTravelBug]

Just now, kathynorth said:

 

I'm not sure of hot vs cold washes. We only send items we won't cry over if they are damaged, but haven't had any issues with shrinkage. We tend to send shorts, tshirts, pjs, socks, etc. 

Not sure of the wash temperature. We did what Kathynorth mentioned - socks, undergarments, pj's, t-shirts etc.. Only items that I normally place in the dryer at home. The bag of laundry was processed & returned quickly with everything coming back to us.

We have also used a new strategy for travel - we travel light (each with a small carry on & a back pack) and we bring things that we will not bothered if it is damaged or lost.

[TeaBag]

7 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Love the idea of a free bag of laundry but have read that they wash everything in hot water.  Is this true or can you specify?  I'm afraid all my clothes would come back too small to wear again.  Maybe good for underwear and gym clothes?

Yes, it's true.  I would never send out anything I treasure.

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Love the idea of a free bag of laundry but have read that they wash everything in hot water.  Is this true or can you specify?  I'm afraid all my clothes would come back too small to wear again.  Maybe good for underwear and gym clothes?

 

I've sent out laundry, but limited to undies, PJs and exercise clothes - has anyone out there sent out "real" clothes and had a bad experience. We also just reached Elite, and did it to limit our beverage cost, but when we start doing longer cruises, the laundry becomes a real perk.

 

Also, we are traveling at the end of year with another couple who are ?Diamond? on RCCL - whatever level gets them Elite bennies on Celebrity. Will they get all the onboard benefits of a Celebrity Elite? We will be in Sky Suites, so it may not matter, but I'm curious.

[Fogfog]

We have sent out jeans, mens khakis, shirts, undies/socks, Tshirts. All came back fine

 

We have also had the steward press dress shirts for DH when they are wrinkled from packing. 

[dani negreanu]

1 hour ago, cangelmd said:

Also, we are traveling at the end of year with another couple who are ?Diamond? on RCCL - whatever level gets them Elite bennies on Celebrity. Will they get all the onboard benefits of a Celebrity Elite?

 

Yes, they will.

When I reached Diamond in RCCL, I sent Celebrity's Captain Club my C&A #, and in less than a week I was Elite.

Took advantages of all the perks, sent out laundry, but only garments that, should they be damaged, I'll be OK.

Ironing too was OK.

We travel light, so this perk is very useful.

 

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, cangelmd said:

Also, we are traveling at the end of year with another couple who are ?Diamond? on RCCL - whatever level gets them Elite bennies on Celebrity. Will they get all the onboard benefits of a Celebrity Elite?

Yes. Diamond equals elite on Celebrity. For a CYA have them contact the Captains Club (1-800-760-0654) and have your friends provide their Crown and Anchor numbers to the CC. They should already be in the CC system, but better safe than sorry. The CC will provide them with their CC numbers. 

[Fogfog]

OK has this changed with Celebrity?

I thought that RCCL folks enjoyed the benefits of their status with Celebrity but were not given a status match into the category. Meaning the points they earn sailing with Celebrity stay with Celebrity.

 

The same holds for Celebrity folks sailing on RCCL. They get to enjoy that status  on the ship but the points earned stay with their RCCL number and don't transfer to their Celebrity status.

 

And only for a limited time does one sailing Azamara earn points on both their Azamara status and Celebrity but NOT RCCL

[davekathy]

22 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

OK has this changed with Celebrity?

I thought that RCCL folks enjoyed the benefits of their status with Celebrity but were not given a status match into the category. Meaning the points they earn sailing with Celebrity stay with Celebrity.

 

The same holds for Celebrity folks sailing on RCCL. They get to enjoy that status  on the ship but the points earned stay with their RCCL number and don't transfer to their Celebrity status.

 

And only for a limited time does one sailing Azamara earn points on both their Azamara status and Celebrity but NOT RCCL

RC and Celerty's  tier levels are reciprocal. Since we are talking diamond and elite, diamond, diamond plus and pinnacle equal elite on Celebrity. Elite, elite plus and zenith equal diamond on RC. You will be given CC and C&A numbers for each Celebrity and RC. Cruise points don't cross over. You can be a diamond with no cruise points on RC due to your elite or above tiel level on Celebrity. You can be elite on Celebrity with no cruise points due to your diamond or above tier level on RC. Cruise points start with the completion of the first cruise. Reciprocal starts with select (Celebrity) and platinum (RC).  

Edited January 14, 2020 by davekathy

[ChiGal1962]

On 1/12/2020 at 6:56 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

3.  What is the process for priority embarkation/debarkation for Elite and up?

 

My last cruise was my first as Elite. I assumed there would be priority embarkation (that was one of my most looked-forward-to perks!). There was not. Only for suites and Elite Plus/Zenith. I asked a few times just because I thought I wasn't communicating right, but the lovely people in the Miami terminal snipped me to the regular line. 

 

So I'm guessing, "it depends". 

 

Debarkation wasn't done on a priority basis, but you did have a separate area (close-ish to the gangway) that you could wait in. 

[Fogfog]

8 minutes ago, davekathy said:

RC and Celerty's  tier levels are reciprocal. Since we are talking diamond and elite, diamond, diamond plus and pinnacle equal elite on Celebrity. Elite, elite plus and zenith equal diamond on RC. You will be given CC and C&A numbers for each Celebrity and RC. Cruise points don't cross over. You can be a diamond with no cruise points on RC due to your elite or above tiel level on Celebrity. You can be elite on Celebrity with no cruise points due to your diamond or above tier level on RC. Cruise points start with the completion of the first cruise. 

How do they determine on RCCL where an Elite lands?

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/exclusive-offers/loyalty-reciprocity-program

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

How do they determine on RCCL where an Elite lands?

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/exclusive-offers/loyalty-reciprocity-program

By being elite you are diamond and by being diamond you are elite. It's just that simple. The attachment you provided makes it very clear. 

Edited January 14, 2020 by davekathy

[Fogfog]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

By being elite you are diamond and by being diamond you are elite. It's just that simple. 

 

Did you see the chart-- ???

by being an Elite you could also be a Diamond PLUS or a PINNACLE...

 

 

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

 

Did you see the chart-- ???

by being an Elite you could also be a Diamond PLUS or a PINNACLE...

 

 

Yes. I've seen the chart many times and it is very clear how the program works. You are apparently reading the chart incorrectly. Read the chart left to right. You've provided two different charts.  I believe others,  including myself has had this same conversation with you in the past. What I explained to you is correct and follows the chart exactly. 

Edited January 14, 2020 by davekathy

[Fogfog]

Just now, davekathy said:

Yes. I've seen the chart many times and it is very clear how the program works. You are apparently reading the chart incorrectly. I believe others,  including myself has had this same conversation with you in the past. What I explained to you is correct and follows the chart exactly. 

I dont know who you are and I have not had this conversation with you or anyone else...

Perhaps its too late in the evening for you and you have been overserved

 

[hurwitz5]

On 1/12/2020 at 9:02 AM, hrhdhd said:

The Captain's Club host will leave numerous voice mails for you to remind you of events. That will be in addition to the letter you'll get on the first day.

Some Hosts will leave you a message on your phone about Elite events, but in our experience, most don’t.  

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

I dont know who you are and I have not had this conversation with you or anyone else...

Perhaps its too late in the evening for you and you have been overserved

 

OK, my apologies for that assumption. Do you now see how the reciprocal programs works? 

Edited January 14, 2020 by davekathy

[Moby Jones]

6 hours ago, ChiGal1962 said:

 

My last cruise was my first as Elite. I assumed there would be priority embarkation (that was one of my most looked-forward-to perks!). There was not. Only for suites and Elite Plus/Zenith. I asked a few times just because I thought I wasn't communicating right, but the lovely people in the Miami terminal snipped me to the regular line. 

 

So I'm guessing, "it depends". 

 

Debarkation wasn't done on a priority basis, but you did have a separate area (close-ish to the gangway) that you could wait in. 

 

That Is unusual. On our last two cruises which departed from Southampton and Rome there was priority embarkation for suite, aqua class, concierge class, zenith, elite + and elite during check in.

The system can be a bit of a joke because I've checked in under the Elite line with no queue when there were several people in line for suites etc where we would have normally checked in so headed for the Elite / Elite + line instead. 

Or are you referring to embarking when in port? 

 

[villauk]

16 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Yes, it's true.  I would never send out anything I treasure.

 

 

Totally agree with this.

[Georgia_Peaches]

11 hours ago, ChiGal1962 said:

 

My last cruise was my first as Elite. I assumed there would be priority embarkation (that was one of my most looked-forward-to perks!). There was not. Only for suites and Elite Plus/Zenith. I asked a few times just because I thought I wasn't communicating right, but the lovely people in the Miami terminal snipped me to the regular line. 

 

So I'm guessing, "it depends". 

 

Debarkation wasn't done on a priority basis, but you did have a separate area (close-ish to the gangway) that you could wait in. 

  I just looked at the tier benefit descriptors and it actually says Priority Embarkation, where available.    Hard to believe that it wouldn't be available in Miami...our embarkation port as well.  In the past, I have found the check in lines to  be pretty short and quick regardless of status.  I am a little more concerned about debarkation because of flight times.  So debarkation lounge offers no real priority?   Just a nice place to sit until one's group is called?

Edited January 14, 2020 by Georgia_Peaches

[Dunmore2]

I’ve had items shrink, and was told the washers use warm water and the dryers are “hot”. Now we send just my husband’s laundry  such as socks, tshirts, underwear. The majority of my items are washed in the sink and hung to dry.

[ChiGal1962]

4 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

 

That Is unusual. On our last two cruises which departed from Southampton and Rome there was priority embarkation for suite, aqua class, concierge class, zenith, elite + and elite during check in.

The system can be a bit of a joke because I've checked in under the Elite line with no queue when there were several people in line for suites etc where we would have normally checked in so headed for the Elite / Elite + line instead. 

Or are you referring to embarking when in port? 

 

Glad to hear it was unusual! As I said, it was my first as Elite. And yes, it was regular embarkation out of the Port of Miami. The priority check-in line clearly stated Elite Plus and up. Wasn't a big deal, as I always get to the port super early, so the regular line was fairly short. 

 

Hopefully it will be different on my next one out of Southampton!

[ChiGal1962]

18 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

  I just looked at the tier benefit descriptors and it actually says Priority Embarkation, where available.    Hard to believe that it wouldn't be available in Miami...our embarkation port as well.  In the past, I have found the check in lines to  be pretty short and quick regardless of status.  I am a little more concerned about debarkation because of flight times.  So debarkation lounge offers no real priority?   Just a nice place to sit until one's group is called?

 

Might have been a quirk of that particular cruise? Really wasn't a huge issue - I ended up checked in through the regular line pretty quickly, too. 

 

My understanding about debarkation is that assigned times are based on your flight, not your status, so you should be off the ship in plenty of time. If you are truly concerned about time, you can always self-debark as soon as the ship clears by carrying your own luggage. 

[cangelmd]

28 minutes ago, Dunmore2 said:

I’ve had items shrink, and was told the washers use warm water and the dryers are “hot”. Now we send just my husband’s laundry  such as socks, tshirts, underwear. The majority of my items are washed in the sink and hung to dry.

Yep, its my clothes I'm worried about, and of course I'm the one who always spills something on myself!

 

We are experimenting with packing light on our next 2 cruises - I predict mission creep and ultimately utter failure.

 

We pretty much only fly Delta and we have one bag each free, so, outside of flying somewhere that we have to schlep our luggage a lot, we have little incentive to pack light. We are working toward some long trips after I retire, and for those trips light luggage will be important, so I'm slowly developing a cruise/travel wardrobe. I'm looking for blouses that won't shrink, could fade a little and still be OK and will dry fast.

[cangelmd]

23 minutes ago, ChiGal1962 said:

Glad to hear it was unusual! As I said, it was my first as Elite. And yes, it was regular embarkation out of the Port of Miami. The priority check-in line clearly stated Elite Plus and up. Wasn't a big deal, as I always get to the port super early, so the regular line was fairly short. 

 

Hopefully it will be different on my next one out of Southampton!

The one time we cruised out of Southampton there were at least 3 separate lines - suites, AQ and regular and people got priority based on CC tier (Zenith, Elite, etc), but I think those lines were combined so that there were still only 3 lines. This was a TA, the lines were very long and slow as compared to Miami or FLL, and there were lots of Elites, so very little perk in terms of embarkation.

I think the non-TAs out of Southampton are very different.

[Moby Jones]

10 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

 

I think the non-TAs out of Southampton are very different.

 

From walking through the door to the cruise terminal I've regularly been onboard in well under 15 minutes. 

Never done a TA so can't comment but I suspect you're right.