Feeling the heat on the Beyond: Review of 10 day Italy, Greece and Croatia Cruise 7th- 17th July

[Scottishclover]

15 hours ago, Ski Mom said:

Beautiful photos! Fabulous review! Your daughters are lovely and so is mom! I love their style! I will be on a Celebrity cruise in late September. I have limited mobility and will probably be seeing Naples in either a transport wheelchair pushed by DH or a mobility scooter I will be renting for the cruise could you please recommend an activity for us to do in Naples?

Thank you 😊 Regarding Naples I would definitely ask the question over on the Italy Ports of Call board. Someone will have experience of tours for people with limited availability. I think food tours are quite popular in Naples. Celebrity offer accessible shore excursions too. 

[Scottishclover]

14 hours ago, AllRightJack said:

I’m new to cruise critic but have been following your blog with real interest. I was also on the Beyond at the same time and it’s so interesting to read your thoughts on the experience. Wonderful pictures. Do you think you will cruise the Artic Circle next year after cruising two years in succession? DH can’t be so mean if he signs off on three cruises in a row😀

I hope you enjoyed the cruise as much as we did. We’ve been discussing the Arctic Circle Cruise this morning. Prices have went up since I started this review😭 We may go back to our usual hiking holidays in the Austrian Alps. Saying that for 2 weeks in a similar standard of hotel as The Beyond, there is not much of a difference in price. Prices for hotels everywhere have really skyrocketed recently. 

[BettyPC]

Thank you for such a great review!  We have not done the cities you cruised to.  We will be on Beyond in 2025 - 40th wedding anniversary.  

 

Betty 

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, Scottishclover said:

 Prices have went up since I started this review

Cruise lines are closing the gap that developed between land vs. cruise travel that developed during the pandemic.  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/cruise-operators-plan-hike-prices-163304794.html

[ILgirl]

Thanks so much for your great review!  While I enjoy and appreciate all reviews on CC, it seems that a majority are posted by members traveling in a suite.  I travel solo and I know that will never be me so the pictures of meals in Luminae and talk of what the butler situation is on “Beyond” is beyond me, ha ha!  You have a lovely family.  So nice to be making these great memories!  Thx again for all of the time and effort you put into the review!

[Lastdance]

I totally enjoyed you writing style and photos; thanks so much for sharing.  My DH and I took Beyond’s TA and following for a b2b.  We had a wonderful time, but since she is now “only Caribbean” status, we will visit her again in December and hope Ascent is as wonderful in Europe.  What an awesome family cruise that all of you shared full of memories...happy hiking!😍

[chemmo]

Just a quick thank you for a wonderful vicarious cruise! For a variety of reasons I am not at sea this year so I have enjoyed the detailed reviews of others all the more!

 

I loved the balance of sightseeing, family life and factual information…There seems to be a lack of reviews from those in inside cabins but, as you say, if you are only using the cabin to shower, sleep and dress in then they really are an affordable option. I think there is also a lack of family reviews too, I hope your review inspires other families to try a cruise!

[AllRightJack]

22 hours ago, Scottishclover said:

I hope you enjoyed the cruise as much as we did. We’ve been discussing the Arctic Circle Cruise this morning. Prices have went up since I started this review😭 We may go back to our usual hiking holidays in the Austrian Alps. Saying that for 2 weeks in a similar standard of hotel as The Beyond, there is not much of a difference in price. Prices for hotels everywhere have really skyrocketed recently. 

Thank you @Scottishclover. We must have so much in common. I also enjoy hiking in Austria. I particularly like saalbach-hinterglemm and Neustift. My youngest daughter goes off to University soon, so not sure how much longer she will come on holiday. Might be more affordable then😀! I’m sure our paths will cross in future. DH is a lucky man.

[weacat]

Thank you so much for your review!  I’ve enjoyed following along especially as we start to plan for a similar cruise next summer.

[Scottishclover]

On 8/5/2023 at 3:11 PM, BettyPC said:

Thank you for such a great review!  We have not done the cities you cruised to.  We will be on Beyond in 2025 - 40th wedding anniversary.  

 

Betty 

I’m sure you will love the Beyond. It’s such a classy ship and will be perfect to celebrate your anniversary. We are a little behind you. We celebrate our silver wedding anniversary next year. 

[Scottishclover]

19 hours ago, ILgirl said:

Thanks so much for your great review!  While I enjoy and appreciate all reviews on CC, it seems that a majority are posted by members traveling in a suite.  I travel solo and I know that will never be me so the pictures of meals in Luminae and talk of what the butler situation is on “Beyond” is beyond me, ha ha!  You have a lovely family.  So nice to be making these great memories!  Thx again for all of the time and effort you put into the review!

As much as I enjoy the reviews from Suite guests ( most of whom have lots of experience with Celebrity), I think it’s good to read reviews from lots of different perspectives. I think as a family we are pretty easy to please on board and are just grateful that we can visit some lovely places.

[Scottishclover]

16 hours ago, Lastdance said:

I totally enjoyed you writing style and photos; thanks so much for sharing.  My DH and I took Beyond’s TA and following for a b2b.  We had a wonderful time, but since she is now “only Caribbean” status, we will visit her again in December and hope Ascent is as wonderful in Europe.  What an awesome family cruise that all of you shared full of memories...happy hiking!😍

Yes, I am a bit disappointed that next year The Beyond will be in the Caribbean. I’m pretty sure we are not Caribbean cruise people. We have done Key West and the Bahamas on Disney quite a few years ago but we are definitely more mountain goats than water babies.

[Scottishclover]

6 hours ago, chemmo said:

Just a quick thank you for a wonderful vicarious cruise! For a variety of reasons I am not at sea this year so I have enjoyed the detailed reviews of others all the more!

 

I loved the balance of sightseeing, family life and factual information…There seems to be a lack of reviews from those in inside cabins but, as you say, if you are only using the cabin to shower, sleep and dress in then they really are an affordable option. I think there is also a lack of family reviews too, I hope your review inspires other families to try a cruise!

So glad you enjoyed the review. I’m sure we will continue to cruise insides unless a we get a very good deal on a verandah. I agree there is a lack of reviews from families. Our girls are pretty easy going and just really go with the flow. They don’t really socialise much on board  - even when we sailed a few times with Disney they never set foot in the kids club! They both enjoy visiting new places and that is the appeal of a cruise for them.  Celebrity Edge class is a good fit for them - it shatters the stereotype that most of their friends probably have of cruising. 

[Scottishclover]

3 hours ago, AllRightJack said:

Thank you @Scottishclover. We must have so much in common. I also enjoy hiking in Austria. I particularly like saalbach-hinterglemm and Neustift. My youngest daughter goes off to University soon, so not sure how much longer she will come on holiday. Might be more affordable then😀! I’m sure our paths will cross in future. DH is a lucky man.

I hate to tell you but your children will keep tagging along as long as you are paying😂 It’s the only way they can afford to go on holiday. 
 

We have very similar tastes. We have been to Saalbach- Hinterglemm 3 times and Neustift once. Fantastic hiking and great adventure trails, mountain coasters and play parks for families. For active families, Austria in summer is a great choice. 

[Scottishclover]

2 hours ago, weacat said:

Thank you so much for your review!  I’ve enjoyed following along especially as we start to plan for a similar cruise next summer.

It was a good itinerary with options to do lots of different activities. I think I preferred the ports on our Scandinavian cruise last year though. We absolutely love that region and the whole Nordic way of life. 

[Scottishclover]

DEBARKATION

 

The last morning on a ship is always very glum. We had a debarkation time of 7:30am ( I had forgot to provide our details on the App🤦‍♀️) and our shared shuttle wasn’t booked until 9 am.  We loitered a little on the seats outside Eden and then headed off the ship. It was all quite organised in the terminal and we had no issues finding our luggage. There were plenty porters going about if required and a few seats for waiting both inside and outside the terminal building. 

Trousers and long sleeves at the ready for the Scottish weather. This is the crazy corridor that connects Eden with the rest of the ship. 
 

Our shared shuttle was very prompt

( shame some of the passengers weren’t😖) but the van was a bit of a ramshackle compared to the transport we got to the port. Our very long layover at Gatwick was cut short due to a Baggage Handlers issue in Rome - I could have single handedly loaded the luggage into the hold quicker - and we once again found ourselves sprinting through Gatwick to catch our Edinburgh connection. We really need to stop doing that.
 

We eventually landed at Edinburgh around 10 pm, where temperatures were around 30 degrees cooler than Rome. On the 40 min drive home, our temperature gauge actually dipped to 7 degrees at one point!! It must’ve been just what the doctor ordered though as when they stepped out the car at home, both girls chorused, “Aahh, fresh air!” 😂

Our cruise was BEYOND our expectations and we had a fantastic time making family memories together. 
 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

What made our cruise great:

1) The amazing crew. Always so friendly and accommodating. In particular our stateroom attendant Sharon was amazing and waitstaff in coping with the whole vegan/gluten free hassle. 

2) Oceanview Cafe. I know a buffet is not for everybody but the variety and quality of food was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the many healthy options that were available.

3) The array of entertainment and activities on board. It’s not all bells and whistles and in your face but there really is something for everyone. We were especially impressed by the production shows and ship musicians. 
 

What would have improved our cruise:

( just a few minor niggles)

1) A different level of air condition. We found the ship to be too cold in parts. Cafe al Bacio and Grand Plaza were the biggest offenders. Bear in mind we are not used to extreme air conditioning though.

2) A couple more vegan options. DD2 has noted there’s better vegan breakfast choices in her student halls at St Andrews than on the ship. 
3) Less people. This never affected the level of service or our ability to get a seat but at times the ship felt very busy. A good example of this was on silent disco nights.

 

All in all, we had a brilliant cruise and Celebrity will continue to be our cruise line of choice IF we still perceive it to be value for money for our summer family holiday. 
 

I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this and that my review helps others in the planning of their future trips. 
Happy Cruising😎

Jane x

 

[irvington]

Love your reviews! Your review for last summer inspired me for the Baltic trip I'm taking with my sons this summer, similar age to your daughters. Always good to know what will be fun for that demographic! This review brought back happy memories of a similar itinerary we did on NCL when my oldest graduated high school (down to the extreme heat)!

[PurpleTraveller]

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I have thoroughly enjoyed following you and your lovely family on your travels. I am returning to the Med next year on Constellation and Infinity for two cruises and I really enjoyed reading of what you did in each port and about the Beyond. Thanks again and happy future cruising! 🛳️

[md9]

Italy, Croatia, & Montenegro, Mediterranean Rome to Rome on Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Cruises Cabin Details: Sky Suite 1, Cabin Grade S1 Fare Code: K8293541 . Duration: 10 nights Embark 7th Jul 2023, 17:00, Returns 17th Jul 2023, 06:00 ((Cruise Only)) $800 On Board Credit Adults 2, Children 0, Infants 0 Date Name Arrive Depart 7th Jul 2023 Rome   17:00 9th Jul 2023 Olympia 08:00 18:00 10th Jul 2023 Corfu 08:00 18:00 11th Jul 2023 Dubrovnik 08:00 23:00 12th Jul 2023 Kotor 07:00 18:00 14th Jul 2023 Sicily 07:00 18:00 15th Jul 2023 Naples 07:00 17:00 16th Jul 2023 Florence/Pisa 09:00 19:00 17th Jul 2023 Rome 06:00

€14365.00

 

	Includes Pre-Paid Gratuities
	Includes $800 On-Board Credit		$800.00
		Final Price
Total		€14365.00
Per-Person (2 people)		€7182.50

Kind regards

 

Hi All, this is what my agent charged me. He claimed he had given me a great price and rebated 2/3rds of his commission. I found out on board we had significantly been overcharged. It was 1 adult 1 child no alcohol, but we were booked as 2 adults with alcohol, he said no price difference. 

Does anybody have any supporting evidence from your own experience to show me how much he over charged us, or alternatively if you paid similar and feel this was a great price, please do correct me. It was booked in March 23.

 

Many thanks for your help

 

MD