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

[dani negreanu]

20 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

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.

 

It's been several years now that we travel only with carry ons. Since our son is a flight attendant, we can afford business class, so no problem with bags and weight. It's the "schlepping" part that we don't like....

 

I'm "down" with just one "theme" color - blue, and everything that goes with it. Blue shoes, blue pants, blue sneakers, etc.

I'm doing some washing in the sink, use the free laundry, and own several silk blouses which I switch from one day to another.

 

We also travel only in balconies, which helps with the drying....

 

At the airports, we don't wait for the bags, and always do self-debark😁

 

[Paulras]

My favorite phrase on embarkation is "since everyone has priority, no one has priority". I get priority as Elite, Aquaclass, and use the suites line from the casino. But still seem to always get through check-in at the same time or later than our friends we cruise with who have no priority. Really just a way to make people feel special. 

[dcac2]

On 1/12/2020 at 6:15 AM, upwarduk said:

No one has mentioned the Elite coffee break.

We usually go on a Sea day, Speciality coffees, mimosas and plated continental breakfast is served. The attached photo shows the Ultimate platter, which I had shared with my husband, he had also had the cheese, as I am Dairy Intolerant. You can also choose a fruit platter.

It is held in the Tuscan grill.

Does anyone know if this breakfast buffet is available on the Edge or Apex?  We will be sailing on the Apex at the end of April & would love this!  

[cruisestitch]

It might be a buffet, it might be a plated continental breakfast but there will definitely be an Elite breakfast on those ships just like all the other Celebrity ships.

[baldilocks]

Question....we are Royal D+ which translates to Celebrity Elite level. On Royal we get three free drinks each in the early evening. Does Celebrity do the same thing or is there another drink perk?

[davekathy]

26 minutes ago, baldilocks said:

Question....we are Royal D+ which translates to Celebrity Elite level. On Royal we get three free drinks each in the early evening. Does Celebrity do the same thing or is there another drink perk?

With Celebrity you will receive unlimited drinks on your Sea Pass cards to be used during the CC HH from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. You can get the CC HH drinks at most bars/lounges during that time. Unlike RC the CC HH drinks loaded on your SeaPass card cannot be used in any of the dining venues. Also the CC HH is held in the Sky Lounge (M&S class ships) and the Club (E class ships) from 5 to 7 PM except the first evening. No CC HH drinks loaded on your Sea Pass card for the first evening either. No dedicated  24 hour lounge like the DL. 

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by davekathy

[ClaudiaB]

We are elite+ and ever since we became elite we have still gone to many of the elite gatherings in the evenings - not for the cocktails but to meet others.  We like the sky lounge at sunset.  We have a beverage package usually so when we go we order what we want instead of the captain's club offerings.  

[twoflyers]

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.

Just off a five day Infinity cruise.  Never received a single voicemail from the Captain's Club host.  Friends we were traveling with,(Diamonds) did not receive the list of the Diamond amenities in their cabin.  Ours had our names on it, theirs arrived a couple of days into the cruise, just generic, no names. 

 

[travelpeon]

14 hours ago, cangelmd said:

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.

 

I suggest taking some things you like but don't cherish from your closet and using a kitchen scale to weigh them.  Yes, a little odd, but you might be surprised at what "travel clothing" weighs.  Watch the shoes, toiletries, and accessories as those can eat a lot of space and weight even after you've declared victory on your clothing.

 

Cotton tends to take longer to dry than polyester or wool.  A small usb powered fan can help get air moving which helps indoor clothing dry a bit quicker.  I've used that trick for a rainy transatlantic.

 

Sarah Murdoch (guides for Rick Steves) has some great youtube videos on packing light.  When she means light, she can actually get it to the low cost carrier/EU/AU 7 kilo (15 lbs) mark or 10 lbs if needed.  I travel light but I don't think we like to travel quite that light for cruises without access to self laundry.

Edited January 15, 2020 by travelpeon