St. Maarten cruise booked!

[CoG72crewz]

Woo hoo!! Our TA booked us on the July 3, 2021 cruise out of St. Maarten in an aft cabin. Apparently the bookings opened early (not on the website) because I received my confirmation early this morning.  Sometimes it's challenging for me to turn over control to our TA but this is one of the reasons why I do it. We had reservations on Crystal for the same time period but would rather sail with Celebrity.  

 

Who's going with us? 🙂

[wrk2cruise]

I've been looking at them on the website for about 1/2 hour.   Were you able to get any details regarding safety protocols?   Was air included in the pricing?  

[CoG72crewz]

Air was not included and I haven't asked for the specifics yet regarding safety protocols. My TA said that fares are increasing already.  For example, she sent my confirmation around midnight and the fare has gone up by $800. 

[wrk2cruise]

Fares are more than I'm willing to pay for a 7 day sailing on Celebrity.

Edited March 25, 2021 by wrk2cruise

[39august]

Agree. Fares too high and apparently no air is included. 

[HS2BS]

We’re booked also, but on the June 5 cruise!  The booking time was 12:27am this morning. Not only did our ta book us but is going on the same cruise. As above, the air was not included, but will have more info later today.

 

Hal

[Host Anne]

We booked as well, for the August 21st cruise.  Booked a regular balcony and if you take what would have been the old base cruise fare and add the cost of the classic drink package, gratuities and wifi, I didn't think the pricing was that high.  I believe the earlier cruises are more expensive but the only time we could go was in August.

 

I couldn't get any combo pricing with airfare but I did check flights by Celebrity and the flights I booked yesterday direct with Delta were $100 less than what is showing on Celebrity's site right now.  

 

I do wish they would provide an FAQ sheet like Royal has done.  Deposits aren't due until Sunday so hopefully we'll have an update on protocols, etc. before then.

 

Be sure to participate in a roll call for your cruise.  If there isn't one already, start one!

 

 

[micheleg]

We played cabin roulette as well this morning.  Prices just too steep, especially when you have to add Business Class air.  Also, the sailings didn't push all the way out to Labor day, so the earlier sailings didn't work for us.  Hard for us to have to pay air for a 7 dayer when we're used to just stepping on the ship at Fort Lauderdale or Miami.  We'll just wait for our April 2022 Apex 14 dayer which is essentially paid for from our 3 previous cancelled sailings and save our money for a 2023 blow-out cruise!

 

Happy sailing for everyone that is going to go in June/July!

[CoG72crewz]

24 minutes ago, Host Anne said:

We booked as well, for the August 21st cruise.  Booked a regular balcony and if you take what would have been the old base cruise fare and add the cost of the classic drink package, gratuities and wifi, I didn't think the pricing was that high.  I believe the earlier cruises are more expensive but the only time we could go was in August.

 

I couldn't get any combo pricing with airfare but I did check flights by Celebrity and the flights I booked yesterday direct with Delta were $100 less than what is showing on Celebrity's site right now.  

 

I do wish they would provide an FAQ sheet like Royal has done.  Deposits aren't due until Sunday so hopefully we'll have an update on protocols, etc. before then.

 

Be sure to participate in a roll call for your cruise.  If there isn't one already, start one!

 

 

We also booked airfare yesterday and used our Skymiles. The airfare is already quite a bit higher this morning. 

[Host Anne]

5 minutes ago, SWKcruise said:

We also booked airfare yesterday and used our Skymiles. The airfare is already quite a bit higher this morning. 

If I had booked air on Tuesday when I first checked it out, it would have been even less, but considering what airfares typically cost to fly to the islands, it wasn't bad.

[silkismom]

I could have booked my cruise on line at 7am in about 5min. but NOOOO I gave the info to my TA so she would get commission. Still waiting to hear from her an hour later, yesterday I told her I would be getting up early to do it. All she had to do was roll out of bed and turn on her laptop.

[Zigster]

We booked 6/12 sailing in a Royal Suite.  We thought that pricing was comparable to what we usually pay.  In checking air first class out of Atlanta prices seemed steep, (although I've never checked island pricing) increasing $1000 more every other Saturday.  
UPDATE - Since I checked airfare this morning with Celebrity Air they have increased.  Booked directly with Delta for a better fare.

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Zigster
Update added

[TeeRick]

Have any of you started a Roll Call for this cruise?

[Jamesatgsu]

I'm still trying to decide between this and the Royal options. Ugh.

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, silkismom said:

I could have booked my cruise on line at 7am in about 5min. but NOOOO I gave the info to my TA so she would get commission. Still waiting to hear from her an hour later, yesterday I told her I would be getting up early to do it. All she had to do was roll out of bed and turn on her laptop.

Of course, you could have rolled out of bed at 7am, made the booking yourself and later transferred it to your TA. 😇

[silkismom]

I didn't know I could transfer it after deposit made------#@$%

[George C]

1 hour ago, SWKcruise said:

Woo hoo!! Our TA booked us on the July 3, 2021 cruise out of St. Maarten in an aft cabin. Apparently the bookings opened early (not on the website) because I received my confirmation early this morning.  Sometimes it's challenging for me to turn over control to our TA but this is one of the reasons why I do it. We had reservations on Crystal for the same time period but would rather sail with Celebrity.  

 

Who's going with us? 🙂

Very cool , we will have to consider this we love Celebrity suites and 7/4 is a big birthday for my better half so we need to celebrate.

[gerelmx]

Not available in Mexico, in the USA site Cabin Rate without taxes $235 PPPD in 2C

[George C]

Are you talking about the Millennium ? Royal suite price isn’t too bad.

[Oldsweets]

We are now booked on 5 June as well and found the process seamless although Celebrity could have done a much better job with accurate information in advance of today’s rollout.  Airfare played absolutely roll in today’s offer and found booking flights direct with airlines was best for us.  Told that an e-mail will b e forthcoming with details from Celebrity now that we are booked.  We are going in a few days early as we always do and will be interested in seeing how the testing comes along going forward.  Celebrity had no response to our questions about the Insurance requirements in St Marten and will just wait for the changing answers as we proceed.  Clearly, we will see an ever changing process.  Lastly we learned that the ship will not depart Sr Marten until 10pm with all aboard by 8pm.  Should help those flying in that day tremendously.  

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, Oldsweets said:

Celebrity had no response to our questions about the Insurance requirements in St Marten and will just wait for the changing answers as we proceed.

What are your questions? There has been a good amount of information posted here, albeit scattered across several threads.

[Host Anne]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Have any of you started a Roll Call for this cruise?

I started one for the August 21 cruise.

 

And to Oldsweets and Fourmeco ~ I want to know if the covid insurance requirements for the islands means we have to purchase that from the islands we visit, or can we purchase our own insurance, or does the insurance Celebrity is offering meet those the requirements?  I really hoped Celebrity would have answered question like this by now, but my TA hasn't heard a peep on most of the questions that were asked earlier this week.  

 

Hopefully more answers will be forthcoming and I will try to post a complied list if it's not provided by Celebrity.

[Seany527]

I’m new to Celebrity so I just wanted to confirm a few things. 

 

I thought gratuities were included and yet they are showing as a booking charge. 

 

I thought drinks were included but when I go to packages and deals in my account it says to buy the classic drink package for $59 a day. 
 

During the booking process I upgraded to the Elevate package which covered drinks up to $15. It was at a cost of $30 per day and included $300 in credit for sure excursions. How come they on my bill it says $30 total instead of the $210?

 

Thanks everyone 🙂

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, Host Anne said:

I started one for the August 21 cruise.

 

And to Oldsweets and Fourmeco ~ I want to know if the covid insurance requirements for the islands means we have to purchase that from the islands we visit, or can we purchase our own insurance, or does the insurance Celebrity is offering meet those the requirements?  I really hoped Celebrity would have answered question like this by now, but my TA hasn't heard a peep on most of the questions that were asked earlier this week.  

 

Hopefully more answers will be forthcoming and I will try to post a complied list if it's not provided by Celebrity.

I haven't looked at the other islands to be visited, but for St. Maarten, if you are going to arrive a day or more early pre-cruise or stay a day or more post-cruise, you must purchase insurance directly from them when you apply for your health authorization to enter the country.  https://stmaartenehas.com/travel-requirements/ So even if your normal travel insurance covers you for COVID-19, you still need to buy St. Maarten's if you will be overnighting.

 

 

 

[DaCruiseBug]

If you're looking at booking air travel to some of these Caribbean islands for cruises i'd say give it a few weeks to book since the airlines will be adding flights to those destinations once they get it all sorted out with the cruise lines as far as schedules and needed capacity etc.

Edited March 25, 2021 by DaCruiseBug