Jim_Iain Live - 2nd Half World Cruise - B2B Singapore to Down Under 11/25 – 12/21

[DaKahuna]

@Jim_Iain  Thank you for posting the new menu's.  I see some favorites as well as some new things.  I have lost track of your meals and wanted to know if you had tried out the new Daniel Boulud menu yet, expecially the dessert?  

[jelayne]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

NEWS FLASH -  From very reliable source who wants to be anonymous as they are unauthorized to speak on the subject. 

 

Laura Hodges Bethge will be boarding in Sydney for the Final Leg of the Cruise and the Inaugural Sailing of Edge out of Sydney. 

 

She will be staying in the Iconic.    I suggested they should put her in a Sky Suite and see how effective the Butler Team Concept is working.

 

She will really be slumming it.

 

 

 

Unfortunately even if she was in a SS her experience would not be anywhere close to what most experience in a SS.  

I doubt her Retreat Host would tell her they could only deliver 2 bottles of water a day and for other beverages she can stock them from the lounge.  

Should she the Host ask about an afternoon cheese plate I doubt she would be directed to call Room Service. 

For a problem with her onboard account would she be directed  to stand in line to speak with a Concierge in the Lounge.

When the bar setup she purchased doesn’t show up would her Host tell her “ I asked about that and they can’t find a order, try the Concierge.

Would she only see the Head Butler once, on embarkation day. 

 

IMO, to get the real experience a couple of unrecognizable members of the staff need to be in Sky Suites and not in any way associated with her or her entourage. 

 

[chemmo]

30 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Unfortunately even if she was in a SS her experience would not be anywhere close to what most experience in a SS.  

I doubt her Retreat Host would tell her they could only deliver 2 bottles of water a day and for other beverages she can stock them from the lounge.  

Should she the Host ask about an afternoon cheese plate I doubt she would be directed to call Room Service. 

For a problem with her onboard account would she be directed  to stand in line to speak with a Concierge in the Lounge.

When the bar setup she purchased doesn’t show up would her Host tell her “ I asked about that and they can’t find a order, try the Concierge.

Would she only see the Head Butler once, on embarkation day. 

 

IMO, to get the real experience a couple of unrecognizable members of the staff need to be in Sky Suites and not in any way associated with her or her entourage. 

 

I totally agree…

 

It concerns me at present that so many guests I ‘know’ from CC as reliable and truthful are posting less than good and no where near excellent experiences. 

[venicecruiser]

Jim - Hope you are feeling better!  Keep drinking the water!

 

Claudia

[catgirl411]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

I totally agree…

 

It concerns me at present that so many guests I ‘know’ from CC as reliable and truthful are posting less than good and no where near excellent experiences. 

Seems like for her to have the “real” experience, it would have to be like the TV show Undercover Boss!

[Covepointcruiser]

We always take those small bottles of MIO exercise blend.   We just add it to water and it doesn’t have the sugar we don’t need.   Do they make vitamin water without sugar?  We were surprised to again have fresh orange juice.   The must have found oranges in Terre de Haut.

[goldsmip115]

Jim,

 

A tip for you regarding Anu.  He collects refrigerator magnets for his children so when he gets home he can share all of the places that he has been. Often he is not able to get off the ship.  We bought magnets for him in port and gave them to him as a gift. He was so appreciative of that.  Trish

[goofysmom99]

2 hours ago, chemmo said:

I totally agree…

 

It concerns me at present that so many guests I ‘know’ from CC as reliable and truthful are posting less than good and no where near excellent experiences. 

I had a far below standards Constellation TA this month, wrote a long review genuinely trying to emphasize the positives, and after rereading it, decided to leave it unpublished.  It was too depressing.

 

Edit:  Just now decided to send it to the home office instead.

Edited November 30, 2023 by goofysmom99

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Jim, I will be interested to hear what you think of the new chocolate pill.  I finally remembered to try it.  It was good, but not anywhere near as good as the raspberry vacheron.  We did not eat in Luminae every night, so did not see some of the new menus.  

[Jim_Iain]

21 hours ago, mchell810 said:

Iain knows when to let his temper loose, .... glad he wasn't charged.

 

It worked.    After talking to Anu, our Butler it was on board.    They found 2 bottles on the ship and said they would check further tomorrow.

[Jim_Iain]

20 hours ago, CardowMD said:

Belated Happy Birthday Jim! Just got home from the 3 day Ascent shake down cruise. Look forward to following this trip of yours!🎈🎂🍾Carole

 

 

Thanks Carole -  Hope you enjoyed the Ascent.   Been hearing and reading many good comments.

[Jim_Iain]

19 hours ago, cruisingaussies said:

Not to mention a chair like that is the worst thing to sit on if you have a bad back.  

 

Surely you jest!   

 

Have you tried to sit on the Sofa.   It is Hard -  the pillows are also so thick or sofa is so deep you are forced to get a pillow from the bedroom just so I can sit here and type.    Still my back aches after a bit. 

 

At least the changed the desk chair and now it fits under the desk/makeup area vanity.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, BOB999 said:

 

For us it was a much bigger issue.  We had been quietly tipped off the first day of the second leg that 4-6 pallets had not been loaded in Dubai and stuff would start running out soon.

 

First thing to go was the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, next was the Decoy cab. One of the Luminae sommeliers would wave and say "last bottle" as they went.  The next day both the Hasinger (sp) and Montadon champagnes were gone.  I also heard of Pinot Grigio and some Rose's going dry.

 

They tried to field replacements, though they weren't to our liking.  We expressed our disappointment at the situation and that our options were to drink the wine we didn't like or pay ~$80 a bottle for wine that isn't much better than what would have been included in the Premium package.   Our concerns were escalated and we had nice conversations with the Cellar Master.

 

He indicated all alcohol sourcing occurs via Miami and they ship to home ports for loading.  He said India was a nonstarter due to customs.  He said they ended up getting a little bit in Sri Lanka (mostly beer).  I will say after that it got better, champagne and French sparkling reappeared (a different label) and the Rebellious red blend was also decent.  I will say that I was quite pleased how they handled us.

 

Good news...  They had Decoy back in Luminae and Le Crema.    Iain and David only drink Chardonnay so not sure of the others. 

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

Hope you feel better soon Jim! No Vitamin water or Gatorade on the Apex TA and they ran out of several of the premium wines so this seems to be a shipwide problem.

 

The VitaminWater is starting to work but can still feel the dehydration.    I guess it took 7 days to get so dehydrated so will take awhile to re hydrate.

[Jim_Iain]

17 hours ago, bjahil47 said:

I believe it’s Bring Your Own…one bottle wine each person.

 

Feel better Jim!  

 

Iain brought one bottle aboard with him.   In Singapore they stopped all passengers with wine and inspected the bottle and label to make sure it was Wine. 

 

Another warning to anyone that Vapes -     It is illegal to posse, carry or use vaping devices in Singapore.      Iain was caught with one on the second screening (was in his pocket) they confiscated and destroyed it.

[Jim_Iain]

15 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

I could not find it…. I searched in Al Bacio, OceanViev, in sugar selection on the table in MDR. None….
If I have some sugar in my coffee, I never use white sugar. It’s only brown sugar. 

 

Same with me.   I like to sprinkle it on the top of a Dry Cappuccino and get a little crunch.   White sugar just doesn't work.

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, Cap_D said:

Good move to remove. The chair is a magnet for stubbing ones toes day and night.  It did make for a good clothing rack when I returned to the room after my wife and child were asleep in the evening.

 

Jim, hope you feel better.  As you know, there's plenty of flavored syrups and mixes at each bar if you find yourself needing to make your own vitamin water or slushy with added salt.  The vitamin water zero will blend okay if you don't mind them adding a bit of neutral sugar base, or a splash from a carton bar mix that matches the flavor to help with the emulsification.  Using carbonated water gets one closest to a Slurpee.  

 

I've had good results with the QR code, too.  It cuts out a lot of the game of telephone, voicemail message in the room with the light, notes on the dresser, and so on. 

 

 

 

Just tried and --- YES  -  the form is working again   I have a book market to it.

 

forms.office.com     -   You have to be on the ship's WiFi  Intranet for it to work. 

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

Jim:  Your news flash has been fairly widely discussed for the last 48 hours.  Our table discussed the rumor, which was broadly hinted by one of the stripes, at the Zenith gathering this am.  I also think she should stay in a Sky Suite to evaluate the “team” butler concept.

 

This ship has felt “off” since we boarded on October 30.  Some situations the crew can not control, such as having to do a full face to face immigration in Mumbai.   Celebrity offered to pay for Indian immigration folks to board at a prior port and then have days to conduct the immigration while sailing to Mumbai, but that offer was declined.  That day in Mumbai was a mess, and was compounded by  the Edge crew not returning many of the collected Indian evisas.  Not only did we have additional printed copies we also had them on our phones, but a surprising number of folks did not.  It was a mess for some.  
 

We leave the ship in Sydney.  If this series of three cruises had been our first on Celebrity they likely would have been our only.

 

Gerry

 

 

 

Thanks Gerry for your comments.   You are so articulate.    I hadn't mentioned it yet but I agree.   I have mentioned the same to Iain.    Things just feel off.  I just didn't know the correct word.

 

Lot's of little things.    Most of the crew are friendly and some have in this short time been very engaging.   

 

The vibes in Retreat for me is just flat.    At this time I can't even put my finger on what it is.   It feels like an Airport Lounge where you pass the receptionist at the front desk you never see the host unless there is an issue.

 

We are on Day 7 -  the halfway point of our cruise and we have never been approached by any of the Retreat Hosts, with the exception of Danny coming over to tell me the issue with my discount had been resolved.    Not even an,  I'm sorry we let you down but we have taken resolved the issues.    I hate to say it but heard many calling them the Robots in the Retreat.

 

David and Roberts say their room attendant is marginal,  unlike normal says the towels aren't even neatly stacked in the bathroom and are sloppily placed,  cleaning is half a$$ed.  I said you should call and complain and he said maybe after the cruise he doesn't want his toothbrush to be used to clean the toilet in revenge.

 

I hate to ask -  What was the Zenith Gathering yesterday.    I'm not big on reading the mail and missed the Top Cruiser Event.    Usually there is a phone call from the CC Manager.   Have not received even received the regular call -  Wanted to welcome you aboard and look forward to meeting you.     Maybe with so many Zenith's they have not felt compelled to do so.

 

Even my "Attention to Detail Letter"    I have not had any response from the Hotel Director or even Customer Service.    In most businesses you expect a form letter reply -  Thanks you for your comments.

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, Cap_D said:

Ummm is that the leg when @terrydtx joins up with the ship, too?  I can't recall.   

 

 

I would love to meet Terry but I don't think he is booked on this cruise.   I believe he is booked early January.   I'm sure he will pop in and let us know.

[Jim_Iain]

11 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

 

Jim that's really a Great Ide! 

And as @Northern Aurora says.... she should indeed test her own product. 

 

In the survey for our b2b last cruise, I added a link to my live and said that they should consider to read it for closer information on what's going on in real life... Particularly how you meet and greet people. And that the first impression is something we really were not impressed by in SS. 

 

I hope she gets the "warm" and cosy welcome we had🤣🤣  

 

Will be interesting.     She may get an ear full if she has a Q&A like her past visit aboard another ship.   Last time -  Not sure if it was just a Photo Op, but she and here executive staff claimed to work alongside staff from the MDR, aL Bacio, the MDR restaurant.

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, goldsmip115 said:

Jim,

 

Please tell Anu that we said hello from Trish and Karen.  We sailed in the PS with him for 10 nights as I recall.  He is a gem.

 

 

Trish -  I  have to agree.   He is incredible.     He is truly a gem. 

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

We were also on the first two legs of this cruise and experienced all of those difficulties without the benefit of the Retreat Team solving many problems for me and my only recourse was to stand in the long lines at guest services or to try and find someone to print replacement documents for me.  I'm sure LHB will have a great experience in the Iconic suite.  If she really wanted to experience what the other 90 percent of the passengers experience, she should stay in one of the IV balconies.   Let her experience the overworked stateroom attendants, the lack of seating in the Oceanview cafe, the Eden Cafe or the Mast Grill, a reduced selection of dinner options in the Oceanview Cafe for dinner, and the lack of staff in the MDR.  If @Jim_Iain and @Norwaylady experienced poor service in the Retreat just imagine how the rest of the passengers feel.  Then perhaps she will be able to understand that there are many longtime customers like me, that do not have a future cruise booked on Celebrity and have no interest in sailing with Celebrity anytime in the future. 

 

Appreciate the comments -   I will start steering this thread to  the Joy's we are having on the cruise.   I'm usually not a negative type and see the world through rosy glasses. 

 

I have to say that after a rough start in Luminae that they have taken a 360  and with the exception of the wine issue have a waiter and assistant waiter that are impeccable.   Iain and David's wine glass has not gone dry and the full staff is incredible.

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I don't board until January 13th.

 

I was thinking it was Early January....  I guess those brain cells aren't dead after all. 

[Jim_Iain]

7 hours ago, hcat said:

thanks for menus..they seem better?  but heavy on corn soup and doubt we would pick oxtail or pigs feet,,??

 

I do like oxtail.     Pigs Trotter's may be good but just can't get myself to try.    Iain being from Scotland where Haggis is a treat loves all kinds of stuff like that.    Finally in Amsterdam I forced myself to try Sweet Breads at an Michelin Stared Infusion Restaurant.   They were beyond incredible. 

[81Zoomie]

When we sailed Apex in Dec 22 as our Edge Class shake down cruise, we enjoyed our MC SS verandah with 2 sitting chairs and 2 lounge chairs.  This worked well for us and we look forward to the same cabin and location on the Edge in the spring.  That is, without all of the amenities that were included when we booked the cruise.  Could someone onboard now tell us if there are still 2 lounge chairs on the MC suite verandahs?  We have heard differing reports. The Hoppin upright chairs are not very comfortable to sit in, and we loved the loungers.

 

Jim, I hope you have an opportunity to speak with LBH and that she takes your comments to heart.  We were shocked to learn that on the Reflection some room stewards/retreat hosts service up to 22 cabins.  I give these folks credit for being able to be so gracious to the passengers while working so hard.