St. Maarten cruise booked!

[ipeeinthepool]

Is anyone booking with groups from their TA for reduced fares?

[George C]

We are now booked on Celebrity leaving on 7/3 out of St Maarten in a royal suite.

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 hour 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.

In your TA's defense, they were told that they could start booking over the phone at 8AM. The rollout has been awful. My sister is a TA and she called around 7:45 in case the lines were held up and was lucky enough to book her client in their preferred cabin (AQ). There were very few mid-ship left and she expressed her frustration that they had opened at midnight. The Celebrity agent was frustrated too and said they were told the same thing regarding 8AM phone and 9AM web. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

12 minutes ago, Seany527 said:

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 🙂

I can't speak to the gratuities or the elevate charge, but that is normal for the drinks. If you booked Elevate, you have the premium beverage package. For some reason, the cruise planner will always show the packages available, regardless of the package you have booked. 

[George C]

3 hours 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? 🙂

I just opened up roll call for this cruise, join us.

[roniruffi]

Booked July 24 th through our TA . Concierge cabin and good place on the ship . Not unhappy with price - all

things considered. Just so happy to be cruising again and very happy with this itinerary. 
Like the Aqua suites but not worth the price difference— will just checkout the Persian Gardens and if it has been upgraded nicely will buy a pass as I do enjoy relaxing there when they are well done .

Edited March 25, 2021 by roniruffi

[davekathy]

Anyone doing or considering a B2B for the two different intinaries? 

[Fouremco]

9 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Anyone doing or considering a B2B for the two different intinaries? 

@Ken the cruiser posted on another thread that Celebrity is not allowing b2b.

[roniruffi]

12 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

In your TA's defense, they were told that they could start booking over the phone at 8AM. The rollout has been awful. My sister is a TA and she called around 7:45 in case the lines were held up and was lucky enough to book her client in their preferred cabin (AQ). There were very few mid-ship left and she expressed her frustration that they had opened at midnight. The Celebrity agent was frustrated too and said they were told the same thing regarding 8AM phone and 9AM web. 

I agree, I had called my TA at 8 but she was used to being called on my husband’s cell number . She did not expect Celebrity to start the booking so early either . I had put a reservation on hold while waiting to hear from her as I saw cabins filling up .  Fortunately I called her back at nine and she got me a much better room & I know that there will always be nice little extras when we get on board.  We have used her for 15 years - great TA and friend.

Think roll out was just mishandled.

[Host Anne]

35 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

@Ken the cruiser posted on another thread that Celebrity is not allowing b2b.

That's not what I heard originally. I'll see if I can get that confirmed.

[debbyma]

We have just booked for June 26.  We have a couple questions about the Covid testing requirements.  Our TA is working on answers, but we thought someone on this forum may have heard something

 

1.  The 14 day quarantine rules for St. Maarten are confusing.  If we fly in the same day as we board the cruise is this rule waived?  Can we enter St. Maarten the day before without quarantining?

2.  The US requires a Covid test 72 hours or less before you fly back.  Is this something the ship will do?

 

So excited to have booked this; sure don't want any regulations to get in the way.

[Fouremco]

18 minutes ago, Host Anne said:

That's not what I heard originally. I'll see if I can get that confirmed.

Here's Ken's post. It appears that Celebrity originally allowed it but then changed their minds.

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, Host Anne said:

That's not what I heard originally. I'll see if I can get that confirmed.

My Celebrity PVP called us this morning with the bad news regarding our B2B2B Millennium cruises after he had successfully put them on hold when the cruises first opened up for us this morning. If you hear differently from the appropriate Celebrity powers that be, please let us know.

[Host Anne]

15 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Here's Ken's post. It appears that Celebrity originally allowed it but then changed their minds.

 

 

thanks for the update.  Much appreciated.  I have a feeling there is still a lot up in the air.  I hope things get finalized quickly.

[Fouremco]

10 minutes ago, debbyma said:

We have just booked for June 26.  We have a couple questions about the Covid testing requirements.  Our TA is working on answers, but we thought someone on this forum may have heard something

 

1.  The 14 day quarantine rules for St. Maarten are confusing.  If we fly in the same day as we board the cruise is this rule waived?  Can we enter St. Maarten the day before without quarantining?

2.  The US requires a Covid test 72 hours or less before you fly back.  Is this something the ship will do?

 

So excited to have booked this; sure don't want any regulations to get in the way.

To what 14-day quarantine are you referring? Can you provide a link? The current travel requirements published by St. Maarten make no mention of such a quarantine. Perhaps you are thinking of the 14-day self-monitoring requirement for those originating from a high-risk country? 

 

SELF MONITORING

1. For travelers originating from a high-risk country, 14 consecutive days of self-monitoring of body temperature and possible flu like symptoms is mandatory. The travelers in this category will receive during 14 days an automated daily email alert providing a link for submitting the required information online. If you are remaining for a shorter term on the island, you will have to submit the information for the time you are on the island. Temperature measuring possibilities will also be offered in the lobby in most hotels and other lodging facilities.

 

Celebrity has indicated that it will provide COVID testing to meet US requirements for returning travellers.

[debbyma]

Thanks.  I guess I was getting confused about the difference between quarantining and self-monitoring.  

Happy to hear Celebrity is providing the Covid testing to get home.  

Your answers have reassured me!

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

@Ken the cruiser posted on another thread that Celebrity is not allowing b2b.

I hope that changes by March 2022. 

[Fouremco]

13 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I hope that changes by March 2022. 

Me too. We have a 12-night March 2022 Ultimate Southern Caribbean Cruise booked and have been considering adding the 9-night cruise immediately before or after. But the price has gone way up - quite a bit more for the 9-night than the original 12-night - so we're still mulling it over.

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Me too. We have a 12-night March 2022 Ultimate Southern Caribbean Cruise booked and have been considering adding the 9-night cruise immediately before or after. But the price has gone way up - quite a bit more for the 9-night than the original 12-night - so we're still mulling it over.

Agree. We've got a Caribbean B2B cruise booked with RC for March 2022. Well here's to keeping our fingers crossed, our glasses full and our rose colored glasses on. I haven't asked my Magic 8 Ball yet.  🤞🍷😍🎱

Edited March 25, 2021 by davekathy

[cruiserchuck]

I wonder if there are no back to back cruises since it would make it easier to determine if passengers come down with COVID during the cruise.  When I was potentially exposed to COVID (by a Doctor) last year, I was advised to wait until at least five days after the potential exposure to take a COVID test.  I was told that if I took the test sooner, I could get a false negative.  

 

With people on the ship only 7 days, they are less likely to test positive, even if they are exposed to COVID during the cruise.  With people on the ship for 14 days, they are more likely to have an accurate positive test. 

[Ken the cruiser]

31 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I hope that changes by March 2022. 

 

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Me too. We have a 12-night March 2022 Ultimate Southern Caribbean Cruise booked and have been considering adding the 9-night cruise immediately before or after. But the price has gone way up - quite a bit more for the 9-night than the original 12-night - so we're still mulling it over.

Our understanding is that the "no B2B option" we encountered this morning only applies to the Millennium cruise out of St Maarten. I could be wrong, but that was our understanding this morning. But like with everything going on now, that's always subject to change.

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, Ken the cruiser said:

 

Our understanding is that the "no B2B option" we encountered this morning only applies to the Millennium cruise out of St Maarten. I could be wrong, but that was our understanding this morning. But like with everything going on now, that's always subject to change.

That was my assumption. Thanks for the info. Agree. Moving target at this moment. 

[towel-animal]

We're booked for June 5th! Kinda bummed about the opening starting earlier than posted — our first choice of a Celebrity Suite was completely sold out when we called to book at 8:00 AM. So we're in two balconies instead. But we're so excited just to have this cruise to look forward to after so long.

 

Flights for us through Celebrity were a MASSIVE bargain. Close to 60% off the price if we'd booked direct. 

[Oldsweets]

Thanks for the reply’s and our Insurance questions simply had to do with the concept that Islands like St Marten have a Covid Insurance requirement and we may well see this requirement at other islands.  When faced with this sort of issue in Cuba the Cruise Lines made the process more seamless by including it as  additional fee.  We do understand the “current” St Marten process is payment upon arrival in country and will keep watching for changes.   

[ATXBecky]

Hi Everyone! Booked for August 14th plus I started the roll call. We are so excited to to get back out there and these are 3 ports we have not been to.