RCI D Plus going on Celebrity soon. Current perks? Other opinions?

[PhillyFan33579]

14 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

Thanks for the info....was able to get my CC# online for what it's worth. I don't think the Concierge class would be worth the price difference (around $500 for 2 of us) for me anyway.                                                Be interesting cruising a "new" line and a "newish" ship (Apex it looks like). Half excited about it actually! lol

Apex is a great ship. It might be different since this is your first cruise on Celebrity, but I have never had to tell them my status with RCI. I cruise on Celebrity 2-3 times a year and they have always updated my status to Elite without me ever saying anything. 

[davekathy]

14 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

Thanks for the info....was able to get my CC# online for what it's worth. I don't think the Concierge class would be worth the price difference (around $500 for 2 of us) for me anyway.                                                Be interesting cruising a "new" line and a "newish" ship (Apex it looks like). Half excited about it actually! lol

We like the differences and similarities of Celebrity and RC. Just as an FYI, Celebrity dose not have a dedicated lounge like the DL for their top three tier levels for their evening HH. 

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Apex is a great ship. It might be different since this is your first cruise on Celebrity, but I have never had to tell them my status with RCI. I cruise on Celebrity 2-3 times a year and they have always updated my status to Elite without me ever saying anything. 

No biggie just to verify, especially for the first cruise whether it's Celebrity or RC. Going forward I agree. No need too. 

[lovetotravel06]

Well, ended up on Apex currently. Much different that RCI imo so far. Haven't "discovered" everything yet but the ship is for sure nice. Crew, etc all very nice. Much more friendly and welcoming as I kind of expected. Buffet seems hands down better. Haven't been on long enough to check everything out yet.

Interestingly enough (surely not the norm) but has to be close to 20-25% of people on board are male couples. "Not that there's anything wrong with that" of course! lol Close to zero kids as well.

 

Have some more exploring to do today as you definitely don't know where everything is on X! As a D Plus on RCI the ship it's quite different and for sure "up" a notch or two more than anticipated. 

Not sure what the deal is with all the aforementioned couples? 

[barbeyg]

22 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

Not sure what the deal is with all the aforementioned couples? 

Thanks for the heads up on your impressions of the ship/line. We cruise next week on Apex and are really excited. Found this in answer to your question.  Many cruises have groups sailing, and this is one of the groups aboard currently : 
 

https://www.purplelightvacations.com/package/2022-post-thanksgiving-gay-group-cruise-on-the-celebrity-apex-pied-piper/

[lovetotravel06]

37 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

Thanks for the heads up on your impressions of the ship/line. We cruise next week on Apex and are really excited. Found this in answer to your question.  Many cruises have groups sailing, and this is one of the groups aboard currently : 
 

https://www.purplelightvacations.com/package/2022-post-thanksgiving-gay-group-cruise-on-the-celebrity-apex-pied-piper/

Wow. LOL  What are the odds?! 🤣 Thanks for the info. I figured it about had to be something like that. I could care less but as a straight guy it probably wouldn't be at the top of my list of choices for my 1st Celeb cruise ever.  

 

I don't want to come off "wrong" but ladies around the pool during the day and all dolled up in evening is more my speed. 

 

Shaking my head and laughing out loud (literally). What else can ya do?! 

[lovetotravel06]

At least it's not nearly full!! lol

[lovetotravel06]

Question...at the stop in Key West they were completely nuts in that you needed a picture ID and your "Sea Pass" card. In all my years on Royal I don't think I've EVER took pic ID with me off the ship. ???

[davekathy]

11 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

Question...at the stop in Key West they were completely nuts in that you needed a picture ID and your "Sea Pass" card. In all my years on Royal I don't think I've EVER took pic ID with me off the ship. ???

Were just glad to be able to stop at Key West. No biggie showing both forms of ID. We've had to show both at a port or two before. Not a RC requirement. 

Edited November 27, 2022 by davekathy

[barbeyg]

6 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

Question...at the stop in Key West they were completely nuts in that you needed a picture ID and your "Sea Pass" card. In all my years on Royal I don't think I've EVER took pic ID with me off the ship. ???

We have had several ports where photo ID and cruise card were required to get back thru the port security before boarding after a day out on land.

[lovetotravel06]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Were just glad to be able to stop at Key West. No biggie showing both forms of ID. We've had to show both at a port or two before. Not a RC requirement. 

This WAS an RC (Celeb) requirement. People were pretty annoyed having to go all the way back to their staterooms to get photo ID's. Apparently a lot of others like me who've NEVER had to do it. 

 

I have brought my passport with me before on my own because it's not the worst idea in the world but have never been ORDERED to get photo ID and "sea pass" card before. 

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

This WAS an RC (Celeb) requirement. People were pretty annoyed having to go all the way back to their staterooms to get photo ID's. Apparently a lot of others like me who've NEVER had to do it. 

 

I have brought my passport with me before on my own because it's not the worst idea in the world but have never been ORDERED to get photo ID and "sea pass" card before. 

Like the old saying goes, there's a first time for everything. In our experiences, the requirement has been random. Even year to year at the same ports. Even when RC or Celebrity advises us we are to have a picture ID and our Seapass cards both aren't always requested when leaving the port area.  RC, Celebrity are only following the requirement from the ports. Just go with the flow. 

[lovetotravel06]

34 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Like the old saying goes, there's a first time for everything. 

Isn't that the truth! lol  1st time after 30 plus cruises on RC we try Celebrity. 1st time ever on a "special" cruise like this one. Lastly, 1st time ever been told to have photo ID or you weren't getting off! 3 firsts on one cruise! 🙂

[PhillyFan33579]

23 hours ago, lovetotravel06 said:

This WAS an RC (Celeb) requirement. People were pretty annoyed having to go all the way back to their staterooms to get photo ID's. Apparently a lot of others like me who've NEVER had to do it. 

 

I have brought my passport with me before on my own because it's not the worst idea in the world but have never been ORDERED to get photo ID and "sea pass" card before

 

I have always taken a photo ID with me when leaving the ship for any port. I just looked thru several dozen Cruise Compasses I have saved (I use to save them every cruise but stopped doing it recently since now I use the app for everything). Anyways, every one I looked at had the following wording on the first page on port days under the heading SeaPass Card and Photo Identification. 
 

Guests will not be permitted off or on the ship without the SeaPass Cars and Photo Identification (Government Issued). 
 

I have been on 54 cruises and like I mentioned, I always take a photo ID with me at every port. From my experience it has been about 50/50 if port staff check your photo ID. I know on several recent cruises they checked my photo ID every time at Key West and the one time I got off the ship at Nassau they checked my photo ID too. They also checked my photo ID at Belize a few months ago. However, they didn’t check my photo ID at Jamaica and I don’t recall ever having to show a photo ID at Coco Cay or Labadee. I have been to several other ports earlier this year (Southern and Eastern) but I can’t recall if they checked photo IDs at any ports. 
 

 

[lovetotravel06]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Guests will not be permitted off or on the ship without the SeaPass Cars and Photo Identification (Government Issued). 
 

 

That's really something. Odd actually. I don't doubt the compasses say so either.

 

  Without looking I'm thinking over 30 cruises for me, D+ (rarely suites/double points, etc) and I've never once had it happen to me (being told/ordered to bring photo ID or you don't get off the ship). Good idea actually so whatever. I don't really care but it was slightly annoying to have to go back up to the cabin and retrieve my passport. One passenger after the next was just as perplexed as me as most of us were headed back to the elevators to go get our ID's. Sea pass card IS an ID to me. You don't get a sea pass card or board the ship without ID! lol

No big deal, I found it interesting is all. 

 

In other news...Celeb continues to impress in almost every way. Ship included.

[PhillyFan33579]

8 minutes ago, lovetotravel06 said:

That's really something. Odd actually. I don't doubt the compasses say so either.

 

  Without looking I'm thinking over 30 cruises for me, D+ (rarely suites/double points, etc) and I've never once had it happen to me (being told/ordered to bring photo ID or you don't get off the ship). Good idea actually so whatever. I don't really care but it was slightly annoying to have to go back up to the cabin and retrieve my passport. One passenger after the next was just as perplexed as me as most of us were headed back to the elevators to go get our ID's. Sea pass card IS an ID to me. You don't get a sea pass card or board the ship without ID! lol

No big deal, I found it interesting is all. 

 

In other news...Celeb continues to impress in almost every way. Ship included.

Glad you are enjoying Celebrity. 
 

I have never really understood why you need an ID since your picture shows up on the ship’s computer when they scan your card. Even if I lost or someone stole my card at a port, I don’t see how someone could use it to get on the ship, unless security didn’t pay attention to the picture, which they seem to always do (or make it look like they do). 

[Sea Viewer]

On 11/27/2022 at 1:46 PM, lovetotravel06 said:

Question...at the stop in Key West they were completely nuts in that you needed a picture ID and your "Sea Pass" card. In all my years on Royal I don't think I've EVER took pic ID with me off the ship. ???

Just got back on the Vision in San Juan. As always at this port needed to show ID and Seapass. I remember that id always is required at Nassau also.

[Sea Viewer]

1 minute ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Glad you are enjoying Celebrity. 
 

I have never really understood why you need an ID since your picture shows up on the ship’s computer when they scan your card. Even if I lost or someone stole my card at a port, I don’t see how someone could use it to get on the ship, unless security didn’t pay attention to the picture, which they seem to always do (or make it look like they do). 

This was required at Port security not getting on the ship, only Seapass there.

[davekathy]

The few times we've had to show our picture ID was requested by the ports security before we left the port area not by the ships security to board the ship. 

[Sea Viewer]

St Kitts today required ID leave the port area to return to the ship. When I got my passport renewed last time I I also got a passport card that I use for ID. Don't like to take my driver's license as it is a pain to replace if it's lost.

[coaster]

Doing a Celebrity cruise end of March on Constellation. Had Vision booked in March, but ended up cancelling. One extra day over Vision for 11 instead of 10. Price was only around $100 more total plus $400 obc and none on Vision.  Only second time on Celebrity with our first 20 years ago on Zenith. Looking forward to the change and using Elite status thanks to being Diamond on Royal. Going to Columbia, Panama and Costa Rica will be new to us also.

[LinRon3]

Ah, love this topic and cudos to OP for making it to D+.  We're getting there, but a long way to go for us, ha [only 120 points so far[.  We're budget cruisers and only started cruising in late 2016.  We do mostly balconies and a few interiors.  We've only done two Celebrity Cruises and loved it; would do Celebrity much more if we could afford it.  The latest was the Equinox last March and yes, as others have said here, you are ELITE status [even us Diamonds get that, so RCI really a great cruise company].  As Elites' we even attended a meet the officers champagne soiree and got to meet some top dogs of the ship [mano a mano chit chat kind of thing].  Very interesting and informative.  Our bet is you'll love Celebrity; has a real 'premium' feel to it.  Best of luck to you.