Advice for all first time Celebrity cruisers

[Alakegirl]

Its pretty easy to delaminate your key card but the Guest Relations staff can replace it pretty quickly

[ScottC4746]

4 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Based on observations from recent cruises on M and S class ships😀

may not be relevant to other cruise lines or e class ships

 

please let people OFF the elevator before you start to get ON

OCCUPIED stalls in the restroom have red showing on the locks

elevator “dings” tell you which way the elevator is going — 1 ding for up, 2 dings for down

also the elevators have arrows showing you which way they are going

the Cafe al Bacio has table service.   Form a line (queue) for takeaway

if the stanchions are up, they aren’t ready to start serving lunch so don’t climb under them

don’t shout out answers in trivia or sing out answers in music trivia — it’s a game!

don’t use your phones in trivia even if the host forgets to tell you not to

no smoking inside includes e-cigarettes

 

I'll add some as well from my experience on Solstice.

1. Don't be a table hog in the Ocean Cafe.  It's okay to hold a table while the rest of your party is grazing through the buffet, but don't sit and read while having coffee.  

2. Don't take up a table in the Ocean Cafe to play cards.  Really this happened during a busy sea day lunch.

3.  When using the public loos, do let those trying to exit first, exit.  Some of them are pretty small.

[ICANTWAITTOCRUISE]

8 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

I'll add some as well from my experience on Solstice.

1. Don't be a table hog in the Ocean Cafe.  It's okay to hold a table while the rest of your party is grazing through the buffet, but don't sit and read while having coffee.  

2. Don't take up a table in the Ocean Cafe to play cards.  Really this happened during a busy sea day lunch.

3.  When using the public loos, do let those trying to exit first, exit.  Some of them are pretty small.

My husband and I  had a difference of opinion about the card playing at lunch in the buffet. Several tables were during very busy Sea days (also bad weather sea days). It bothered him but I thought it was ok. There’s not many things like that that we disagree on so I thought it was interesting that we had different opinions. I guess my thinking is no different than somebody eating for hours.:)!

[Tipsy252]

42 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Damn, I wonder what they have been serving me if not black coffee every time I order a cofee americano?  Taste just like black coffee to me but then again I guess it's not.. 

 

Yep and Espresso is also black!

[Pinboy]

6 minutes ago, ICANTWAITTOCRUISE said:

I guess my thinking is no different than somebody eating for hours.:)!

Respectfully---- I'm with your husband.

The OVC ( Slugfest on 14 ) IS for eating--- no time limits , no limit on the amount one eats and/or wastes.

Taking up a table during lunch to play cards while other folks can't find a place to dine is just rude--- 

There are other places to play cards--

 

 

[dlh015]

1 minute ago, Pinboy said:

Respectfully---- I'm with your husband.

The OVC ( Slugfest on 14 ) IS for eating--- no time limits , no limit on the amount one eats and/or wastes.

Taking up a table during lunch to play cards while other folks can't find a place to dine is just rude--- 

There are other places to play cards--

 

 

THIS! A thousand times THIS!

 

Respectfully of course...

[ICANTWAITTOCRUISE]

Are you my husband:):)?

[EatonDoolittle]

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

I really wonder if people come from such small towns that they have little or no experience with elevators.  The same with escalators……i see people in airports who have no idea how to get on and off escalators

 

This has always been my theory.

Same with the "one bell up, two down". It is the same on all cruise ship elevators, always has been.

Just pay attention, people. Listen for the dings, or look at the arrow.

No need to ask "going up?" every time the elevator door opens. 

Edited November 15, 2022 by EatonDoolittle

[IBookHePays]

Re: elevators:

My husband has often said, "Wait! let them come out, first!" to the folks waiting for an elevator, as they rush to the one with the door starting to open. Rude! What's the hurry?!

 

A good tip on cruises generally, don't touch the handrails unless you really need to! 

 

If you are on a ship with the glass blowing class, go and watch, it's very cool. Going to try it out for myself in January.

 

 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, ICANTWAITTOCRUISE said:

My husband and I  had a difference of opinion about the card playing at lunch in the buffet. Several tables were during very busy Sea days (also bad weather sea days). It bothered him but I thought it was ok. There’s not many things like that that we disagree on so I thought it was interesting that we had different opinions. I guess my thinking is no different than somebody eating for hours.:)!

The big difference is it's a restaurant not a game room. Your husband, @Pinboy and @ScottC4746 are correct. 

Edited November 15, 2022 by davekathy

[apierson23]

My only item for 1st time Celebrity cruisers is to bring more business casual clothes then you would on other cruise lines.  I got turned away from the main dining hall since I was wearing nice cargo shorts and shoes.  Pants are required in the dining hall and not just the fancy nights (I had no problem wearing a polo and cargo shorts on Royal and Carnival)

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, ICANTWAITTOCRUISE said:

My husband and I  had a difference of opinion about the card playing at lunch in the buffet. Several tables were during very busy Sea days (also bad weather sea days). It bothered him but I thought it was ok. There’s not many things like that that we disagree on so I thought it was interesting that we had different opinions. I guess my thinking is no different than somebody eating for hours.:)!

It’s a cafe so there for people to eat or drink, it’s not a games room. Simple.

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, EatonDoolittle said:

Just pay attention, people. Listen for the dings, or look at the arrow.

OR-- If ya see feet first-- it's going down

OR-- If ya see heads first-- it's going up

Or-- If ya don't see nothin -- it means " your choice" -- unless the last person on pushed all the buttons to take you for a ride. 

 

[C4HCG]

6 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Based on observations from recent cruises on M and S class ships😀

may not be relevant to other cruise lines or e class ships

 

please let people OFF the elevator before you start to get ON

OCCUPIED stalls in the restroom have red showing on the locks

elevator “dings” tell you which way the elevator is going — 1 ding for up, 2 dings for down

also the elevators have arrows showing you which way they are going

the Cafe al Bacio has table service.   Form a line (queue) for takeaway

if the stanchions are up, they aren’t ready to start serving lunch so don’t climb under them

don’t shout out answers in trivia or sing out answers in music trivia — it’s a game!

don’t use your phones in trivia even if the host forgets to tell you not to

no smoking inside includes e-cigarettes

 

So you had a good time then? 😉none of the above really matter to be honest.

[39august]

Don't sit in Al Bacio playing cards or reading a book. If not eating or drinking, please move on. Look at the elevator arrows. They point up or down. 

[helen haywood]

I absolutely agree with this about Cafe al Bacio!!  People sit there for hours reading!!  It’s a cafe!  There are plenty of other areas to sit and read.

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

I really wonder if people come from such small towns that they have little or no experience with elevators.  The same with escalators……i see people in airports who have no idea how to get on and off escalators

I had to think about this for a bit.  The place where I grew up wasn't exactly small, but we simply didn't go to places that had elevators or escalators.  There were two stores that were big enough for escalators.  Elevators were for high rises and government buildings - two places where we did not frequently go.

 

And the city I live in now is not much bigger and doesn't have many more elevators or escalators that I visit.  There's one store with an escalator that I'm not sure I've been in in this millennium.  Elevators are still for high rises and government buildings - and residence halls.

 

I think I do OK with both of them these days.  I've learned along the way.

 

48 minutes ago, IBookHePays said:

A good tip on cruises generally, don't touch the handrails unless you really need to! 

I vehemently disagree.  Those handrails aren't for decoration; they're for balance.  I usually give them a light touch, but if the ship's wobbling or I miss a step, I'm not ashamed to grab hold and hang on for as long as I need to.

 

Source:  Someone who has used the stairs on cruises a time or two. 🙂

[Beachlover1989]

26 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I absolutely agree with this about Cafe al Bacio!!  People sit there for hours reading!!  It’s a cafe!  There are plenty of other areas to sit and read.

I agree as well!  There are so many times I would like to sit down and have a nice beverage and pastry, but there's no space because so many are reading without eating or drinking a thing!

[IBookHePays]

4 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

I vehemently disagree.  Those handrails aren't for decoration; they're for balance.  I usually give them a light touch, but if the ship's wobbling or I miss a step, I'm not ashamed to grab hold and hang on for as long as I need to.

 

Source:  Someone who has used the stairs on cruises a time or two. 🙂

That is why I said "unless you need to". Obviously, rough seas or a slip would require you to grab the handrail. It's not embarrassing, just a way I like to stay healthy on a cruise ship!

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Based on observations from recent cruises on M and S class ships😀

may not be relevant to other cruise lines or e class ships

 

please let people OFF the elevator before you start to get ON

OCCUPIED stalls in the restroom have red showing on the locks

elevator “dings” tell you which way the elevator is going — 1 ding for up, 2 dings for down

also the elevators have arrows showing you which way they are going

the Cafe al Bacio has table service.   Form a line (queue) for takeaway

if the stanchions are up, they aren’t ready to start serving lunch so don’t climb under them

don’t shout out answers in trivia or sing out answers in music trivia — it’s a game!

don’t use your phones in trivia even if the host forgets to tell you not to

no smoking inside includes e-cigarettes

 

 

1 hour ago, IBookHePays said:

Re: elevators:

My husband has often said, "Wait! let them come out, first!" to the folks waiting for an elevator, as they rush to the one with the door starting to open. Rude! What's the hurry?!

 

A good tip on cruises generally, don't touch the handrails unless you really need to! 

 

If you are on a ship with the glass blowing class, go and watch, it's very cool. Going to try it out for myself in January.

 

 

 

I cruise monthly and have seen this many times.  The general issue is the person standing in the way often has some mild form of ADD and/or "tunnel vision".  Often they don't mean to be burden, its just once they hear the elevator "ding!", their brain tells them to rush forward

[helen haywood]

It’s not just tunnel vision.  I had a stress fracture and rented a scooter once…I could be first in the elevator area…people would come along after me…and rush past me…filling up the elevator!!  It was very depressing.  I was glad I only needed the scooter temporarily.

[charleysmom]

3 hours ago, TMLAalum said:

If you follow me as I get on an escalator, you'd guess I came from a small town and you'd be wrong!

Maybe it's a leftover fear from riding those old wooden escalators in Macy's NYC!

 

When I was a kid, I had on rain boots and got the heel stuck in a similar department store elevator. Horrible! 50-something years later I’m still a little skittish! 

[NutsAboutGolf]

To-Go coffee/paper cups, why are they so popular?  I see people hanging out at the beverage station apparently waiting for the crew to restock them.  Most ports don't allow you bring coffee off the ship, a mug does a far better job of keeping the coffee hot and you can leave the empty mug just about anywhere on the ship although the best places for it is on a table or outside a stateroom hallway.

 

I was on the 15 night Millie Panama Canal sailing and saw something I've never seen before, on the first morning at the buffet, she had with her a huge sleeve of coffee/paper cups.  Someone asked her if they could join for a game of flip cup, she stated she does it because often they run out of cups and it can take a while to find a staff member who's able to restock them.

[NutsAboutGolf]

I'll go in the other direction and share some money saving tips...

 

1)  You can bring on non-alcohol sealed canned beverages either during embarkation or when returning from a port.  This includes energy drinks (which are expensive on board) or flavored seltzer water

2)  If you plan on taking a taxi, find out ahead of time if uber/lyft is available in port and if it is, find a way to utilize it (pay for an international day pass or find a nearby cafe that offers free wifi) as it not only could save you a boat load of money but also a lot of frustration dealing pushy drivers

3)  Drink/Internet packages or upgrades are prorated by night, while you miss out on the preboard discount, you can still save a bundle if you wait a few nights to upgrade or add an additional internet device

 

[cruisestitch]

Here’s another Celebrity specific tip. I don’t know if other cruise lines use the aluminum bottles that are so hard to twist open. Hit them sharply upside down on the floor and it will loosen the cap so you can twist it more easily