LIVE! -- Dragon of the Seas goes to the Beyond and Back, October 26-Novemeber 4

[DragonOfTheSeas]

2 hours ago, mfs2k said:

An ambulance came and they took someone off the ship. We left as soon as the ambulance departed. 

Thank you I knew there had to be an exclamation.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

It is a beautiful sunny day. Lots of people are on the outside deck. We went out there right after breakfast. But we had to come in and cool off a little. It’s 84° and a stiff wind at 30 kn. There are a few white caps today. Just enough to be picturesque. 
 

 

I don’t notice any motion. But some others must have because in his morning briefing the captain mentioned the stabilizers. He said they come out 18 feet in either direction (underwater) and anytime the ship is in motion they are out.

 

We are headed back to Fort Lauderdale. The captain is cruising. he said in his briefing that he was going 21 kn.

 

 

 

We are headed for the passage between Jamaica and Haiti. 

[RichYak]

17 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

We had planned to reserve a day pass at a hotel using Resort Pass.  We have used them before on other islands.  [our most recent was Margaritaville in Nassau, Bahamas] We had picked out a hotel on Eagle Beach.  It was only $25 pp.

May I ask which hotel on Eagle Beach sells day passes for $25pp? I'll be in Aruba in March and am researching resort day pass options.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

3 hours ago, RichYak said:

May I ask which hotel on Eagle Beach sells day passes for $25pp? I'll be in Aruba in March and am researching resort day pass options.

The Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino [Eagle Beach] and the Radisson Blu Aruba [Palm Beach].  Both are listed as starting at $25.  That was the price for the day we were in Aruba when I looked.  Both mention a complimentary shuttle.  I am sure different days are priced differently. 

 

We are going to be in Aruba again in May and plan to book a day pass.

 

I sat with someone last night that had a day pass at Flamingo Beach. [on Renaissance Island] That is not part of resort pass.  But it sounded very cool. I looked it up this morning and it is $125 pp. 

 

Here is a link.  I am not sure I am up for spending $250 [for 2] for a beach day--even with Flamingos.  

How to Visit Flamingo Beach Aruba: Day Passes, Cost, & Tips for Your Trip (gringajourneys.com)

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

After I thought about it I realized that I took a picture of an advertisement for flamingo beach. Here it is. 
 

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We have been on the ship now 8 days so I feel I can make a few comments about the ship and comparisons between this ship and ships I have sailed on Royal Caribbean.

 

This will be the first of 2-3 comparisons.

 

The first thing you notice on the Celebrity Beyond is the stunning décor.  The grand plaza, Eden, the rooftop garden, and the pool deck are beautifully decorated and thoughtfully designed.  There are lots of little out of the way seating areas if you want to find a quiet spot.

 

There seem to be plenty of elevators, and they are fast.  I have already mentioned I like the red and green lights to tell you which elevator is arriving and which direction it is going.

 

One thing that has gotten some negative feedback has been the infinite verandas [IV].  These cabins have a folding door that opens to allow access to a space with 2 chairs and a panoramic window rather than a traditional balcony.  The top of the window slides down.  These were touted as a way to make the cabin bigger and are not much different than a balcony.  From the comments on FB and comments I have heard, I do not think they are getting much love. 😊 

 

Sitting beside an open window is not the same as being outside.

 

I am told there is not enough room to easily walk between the folding door and the side of the bed when the door is closed. Also, when the weather is rainy/iffy the Captain has a control to close all of the windows.  I understand the need for this.  You would not want someone to leave a window down when it rains.  

 

We have had rain frequently on this cruise and fog/mist on several days.  Passengers said they would have used a traditional balcony on many of these days.   However, their IV windows had been frequently locked.  You just must keep trying.  If the window is open the air conditioning stops and the cabin gets hot.  Never fear, there are regular verandas available, too.

 

I feel the only fair comparison to Royal Caribbean would be with the Oasis class.  [we have not sailed on the Quantum class] The Beyond is classier.  It is designed for an adult and well-heeled clientele. RC seeks that same demographic, but also appeals to families.  [I was told there are currently 5 children on the ship.]

 

I feel the Rooftop Garden area has a much better design than the Central Park on the Oasis class.  The Rooftop Garden is bigger and gives views of the ocean.  However, I would rather have an Oceanview balcony on RC than an Infinite Veranda on Celebrity.

 

Also, the hallways are very narrow.  You must turn sideways to pass the attendant’s cart. . . and I miss some of the bells and whistles on RC. I guess I am just too blue collar.  I like the vibe on RC better, too. 

 

I have heard several guests say as beautiful as the ship is they would not book this class again.  They prefer the S class.  I agree.  We sailed the Equinox last and I would book that class again.

 

 

JMHO

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Next, I would like to comment on the food/restaurants/cafes. 

 

The food on this ship in the complimentary restaurants is excellent.  It is prepared well, served hot and although many dishes repeat every day, there is enough variety.  I am not sure about variety if on a B2B.  We have repeated meals on a couple of evenings already.

 

We have eaten in all four of the dining rooms [breakfast and dinner], Eden [for breakfast], the Oceanview Café [buffet breakfast and lunch] and the mast grill [lunch].  Service is not always the best.  One night we waited so long for the waiter to take our dinner entree dishes away and distribute dessert menus that we just left and went to Café Al Bacio for dessert.  I feel this is due to many new staff on this voyage.  It may work out in time. This is a problem everywhere now.

 

 

I love the Cafe al Bacio coffee.  It is my guilty pleasure and the pastries/cakes there are great. 

 

Dinner seating is one of the most controversial aspects of this cruise.  The cruise booking process allowed passengers to sign up for traditional early and late seating or select [open seating].  When they boarded the ship, they realized that the ship only has open seating.  It caused some angst for a few days. 

 

Celebrity could have saved themselves the criticism by emailing passengers and telling them about the dining situation.  There should be a way to remove the tradional seating options for Edge calss bookings.  

 

For food Celebrity is by far better.

 

 

[ecslady]

Enjoying your review and comparisons to RC.  Since I go back and forth between RC and Celebrity, and have had the "pleasure" of staying in an IV on Edge. I agree with you.  It's a cabin with a window.  I also was on Apex, and stayed in an aft cabin with a traditional balcony - much better, plus they are larger.  That's the way to go if sailing on a Celebrity Edge class ship if you are not in a suite.   I did enjoy the 4 dining rooms on Edge & Apex, and the theatre almost in the round.  I actually enjoy the M & S class ships of Celebrity better. But then again I enjoy my RC cruises as well.

[morpheusofthesea]

What kind of UFO/UAP is that in the upper left corner?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

7 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

What kind of UFO/UAP is that in the upper left corner?

Ha Ha Ha-- that is so funny! 🤣 😂

 

I took this picture out of the window in our cabin.  That is a reflection of the light on the ceiling of our cabin. 

[bandp407]

2 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Next, I would like to comment on the food/restaurants/cafes. 

 

The food on this ship in the complimentary restaurants is excellent.  It is prepared well, served hot and although many dishes repeat every day, there is enough variety.  I am not sure about variety if on a B2B.  We have repeated meals on a couple of evenings already.

 

We have eaten in all four of the dining rooms [breakfast and dinner], Eden [for breakfast], the Oceanview Café [buffet breakfast and lunch] and the mast grill [lunch].  Service is not always the best.  One night we waited so long for the waiter to take our dinner entree dishes away and distribute dessert menus that we just left and went to Café Al Bacio for dessert.  I feel this is due to many new staff on this voyage.  It may work out in time. This is a problem everywhere now.

 

 

I love the Cafe al Bacio coffee.  It is my guilty pleasure and the pastries/cakes there are great. 

 

Dinner seating is one of the most controversial aspects of this cruise.  The cruise booking process allowed passengers to sign up for traditional early and late seating or select [open seating].  When they boarded the ship, they realized that the ship only has open seating.  It caused some angst for a few days. 

 

Celebrity could have saved themselves the criticism by emailing passengers and telling them about the dining situation.  There should be a way to remove the tradional seating options for Edge calss bookings.  

 

For food Celebrity is by far better.

 

 

DragonOfTheSea- thank you so much for this amazing review & comparisons to RC Oasis Class! We love the S class ships too as well as the Oasis Class! We sail the Beyond on Nov 27th in a sunset veranda. It will be our first “E” class. I booked well over a year ago. Getting an SV going forward is nearly impossible with crazy prices if even available. DH absolutely will not sail in an IF , so this may be it for us!! While we love Oasis class as you do, agreed the food on Celebrity is far better! 
 

I am sorry your weather was not great , but 🤞🤞that tomorrow will be a beautiful sunny sea day!! Glad you enjoyed the cruise! 

 

[lola2013]

29 minutes ago, bandp407 said:

DragonOfTheSea- thank you so much for this amazing review & comparisons to RC Oasis Class! We love the S class ships too as well as the Oasis Class! We sail the Beyond on Nov 27th in a sunset veranda. It will be our first “E” class. I booked well over a year ago. Getting an SV going forward is nearly impossible with crazy prices if even available. DH absolutely will not sail in an IF , so this may be it for us!! While we love Oasis class as you do, agreed the food on Celebrity is far better! 
 

I am sorry your weather was not great , but 🤞🤞that tomorrow will be a beautiful sunny sea day!! Glad you enjoyed the cruise! 

 

Enjoy the SV. I have sailed in a SV on Edge twice and it is amazing.  Also booked for next year on Apex.  I book far, far in advance of sailing before the prices skyrocket.  You’ll love the view of the wake from a true balcony.

[bandp407]

14 minutes ago, lola2013 said:

Enjoy the SV. I have sailed in a SV on Edge twice and it is amazing.  Also booked for next year on Apex.  I book far, far in advance of sailing before the prices skyrocket.  You’ll love the view of the wake from a true balcony.

Thanks much - we are looking forward to it!

[IsItTimeToCruiseYet?]

5 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

What kind of UFO/UAP is that in the upper left corner?

Reflection of the cabin ceiling light. That happened to me as well.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

On embarkation this locket from the EFFY jewelry store was left in the cabin.
 

 

The cabin attendant did not include the instruction sheet with it. I went to EFFY the next morning to ask about it. I had read on another thread that people collected mini charms. 
 

There is no charge for the charms. They are at the jewelry store promotion. 

 

Here is the finished product.  It is about the size of a half dollar. 
 

Edited November 3, 2022 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Ipeeinthepools]

17 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

On embarkation this locket from the EFFY jewelry store was left in the cabin.
 

 

The cabin attendant did not include the instruction sheet with it. I went to EFFY the next morning to ask about it. I had read on another thread that people collected mini charms. 
 

There is no charge for the charms. They are at the jewelry store promotion. 

 

Here is the finished product.  It is about the size of a half dollar. 
 

 

This solves a mystery from our last cruise.  We also had a package in our cabin without any instructions but we didn't do any additional investigation.  It ended up in the cabin trash when we left.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Ipeeinthepools

[DragonOfTheSeas]

21 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

This solves a mystery from our last cruise.  We also had a package in our cabin without any instructions but we didn't do any additional investigation.  It ended up in the cabin trash when we left.

Glad I could help. 😁

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Entertainment:

 

Entertainment on this cruise is excellent.  There is live music in venues around the ship and shows/events in multiple places each night.  We have attended mostly the music headliners.  I have heard rave reviews regarding the evening production shows. 

 

They are artistic, musical, and somewhat similar to Cirque de soleil. The performers come down the aisles and through the audience.  The use of lights and the screens adds to the shows. If anyone has pictures of these shows, please add one.  

 

I understand last night's show was especially good.  I had planned to go.  We went to dinner at 7pm and we were not finished until 9:20pm.  So, we missed both the 7 and 9 show. Service was very slow. 

 

Royal Caribbean has excellent entertainment on the Oasis class also.  Their productions are Broadway shows, ice shows and aqua shows.  

 

I think Royal Caribbean as a parent company does an excellent job with entertainment.  You can't go wrong on either Celebrity or the Oasis class on Royal Caribbean. 

[mfs2k]

On 11/2/2022 at 9:23 AM, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I knew there had to be an exclamation.

That exclaims it. 😂😂😂

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Internet: 

 

I got basic internet as part of the All-inclusive package with our cruise. The internet has been adequate my purposes.  I have posted text and pictures on email, FB, and Cruise Critic. 

 

I was unable to access a video our DD sent of our DGD. However, I could see videos on FB that other people posted. 

 

A fellow cruiser described the basic internet package as "basically useless." Ha Ha 🤣  

 

To upgrade to premium internet was $189 for the cruise.  [or an additional $21.day] For me the basic has worked out.  It can get a little glitchy on sea days when everyone is on at the same time. 

 

If you plan to work from the sea or stream videos you will need premium. YMMV

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Our Lady Valentine gave a matinee performance today in the grand plaza near the martini bar. It was well attended.

 

 

 

I moved around a bit to get a better vantage point and a martini. The place was rocking when they did their final song, Sweet Caroline.  🎵

Edited November 3, 2022 by DragonOfTheSeas

[dlh015]

Thanks for this great review! I have been following all the way...such nice pics!

[KKB]

23 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

 

The food on this ship in the complimentary restaurants is excellent.  It is prepared well, served hot and although many dishes repeat every day, there is enough variety.  I am not sure about variety if on a B2B.  We have repeated meals on a couple of evenings already.

 

 

I'm confused by this. Just pulled up Beyond & Oasis MDRs.

Every line has an "everyday menu"--several common appetizers & entrees that one can order nightly.

Beyond shows 4 appy & 3 entrees; Oasis shows 6 appys & 4 entrees.

 

Then each day the menu changes.

Beyond has 5 of each; Oasis has 4 appys & 5 entrees.

 

E class adds to this with the restaurant specific menus in each of the MDRs.

EACH of the 4 dining rooms offers 3 appys & 3 entrees unique to their region.

(NOT sure the "region" of Cosmopolitan...😊)

Oasis has nothing like this addition.

 

"Many dishes repeat every day"

Yes, the "classics" ALWAYS repeat on every line.

And the special menu for each restaurant does not change. 

BUT it is different in each of the 4 MDRs.

AND there is ALSO a changing daily menu as with other lines.

 

I just want to be sure those who have not sailed Eclass to realize there are MORE choices collectively than on other lines, such as RCCL. (and Celebrity has fewer classic choices, which means even more variety).

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

6 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

On embarkation this locket from the EFFY jewelry store was left in the cabin.
 

 

The cabin attendant did not include the instruction sheet with it. I went to EFFY the next morning to ask about it. I had read on another thread that people collected mini charms. 
 

There is no charge for the charms. They are at the jewelry store promotion. 

 

Here is the finished product.  It is about the size of a half dollar. 
 

SUPER COOL

[DragonOfTheSeas]

14 minutes ago, KKB said:

 

I'm confused by this. Just pulled up Beyond & Oasis MDRs.

Every line has an "everyday menu"--several common appetizers & entrees that one can order nightly.

Beyond shows 4 appy & 3 entrees; Oasis shows 6 appys & 4 entrees.

 

Then each day the menu changes.

Beyond has 5 of each; Oasis has 4 appys & 5 entrees.

 

E class adds to this with the restaurant specific menus in each of the MDRs.

EACH of the 4 dining rooms offers 3 appys & 3 entrees unique to their region.

(NOT sure the "region" of Cosmopolitan...😊)

Oasis has nothing like this addition.

 

"Many dishes repeat every day"

Yes, the "classics" ALWAYS repeat on every line.

And the special menu for each restaurant does not change. 

BUT it is different in each of the 4 MDRs.

AND there is ALSO a changing daily menu as with other lines.

 

I just want to be sure those who have not sailed Eclass to realize there are MORE choices collectively than on other lines, such as RCCL. (and Celebrity has fewer classic choices, which means even more variety).

 

 

 

I hope I understood what you are getting at.  It seems you feel there is more variety on the Beyond.  . . . and that may be true.  I have not sat down and counted each dining room vs the Oasis class. 

 

However, I do know that some meals from the beginning of the cruise on Beyond are repeating.  For example, the Prime Rib on night one and tonight.  

 

I guess the issue of searching out each of the 4 dining rooms and comparing the menus is a little more onus.  

 

I agree the food is better on the Beyond.  There is no question.  

 

It is interesting to note that the Royal Caribbean Quantum class had dynamic dining at the beginning. It was a four dining rooms choice/rotation.  It was generally criticized and eventually abandoned.  Many liked it; many didn't.  I see the Beyond dining model as an evolution of this. I feel it is here to stay on the Beyond.  Passengers will need to get used to it.  If not the need to book the S-class. JMHO