"LIVE' from Celebrity BEYOND - April 12th, 2024 Sailing: 10-night Ultimate Caribbean!

[Stem to Stern]

8 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Oh no!  Not that I'm a cruise ship captain groupie but was looking forward to seeing what all the hype is about.  Will she return to Beyond?

This is my understanding.  
There has been nothing to indicate she won’t continue a typical captain’s schedule of three months on and three months off.

I am no groupie either, but having experienced a sailing on Equinox with her I found nothing about her typical and everything delightful.

I am optimistic she will be at the helm when we try Beyond later this year.

Edited April 5 by Stem to Stern

[Ciaranaman]

Following along for some warm-climate vibes.  So so tired of winter!  Your itinerary looks wonderful!

~Bernadette

[Schmoe38]

1 hour ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I'm looking forward to your review.  I've not sailed on E class yet.  I have Beyond booked for a holiday cruise--it was booked back when prices were semi reasonable and included gratuities and OBC.  If I were to book it today, it would cost $10,000 more, have no OBC, and not have gratuities included.  Yikes!

Hi Linda

 

We are fortunate to be sailing with PinkSandGirl on this itinerary. We will get a chance to meet each other face to face on the Pre-Sailaway get together.

 

Hope she still talks to us at the end of the cruise.

 

Randy

[Schmoe38]

23 minutes ago, hcat said:

I think we are overdone with St Maarten..Been there so many times...both sides of the island..land and sea.. We do like the Greenhouse, if still there..

 

While Barbados is lovely..we have been  there quite a few times as well and did not like the bus terminal used for tours. But we like the shops in the port area..and the flower stall if still there!

 

We Love Antigua, great beaches, arts and crafts,  and  find St Lucia very natural  scenic (Pitons a must)  St Kitts is a favorite... The excursion to Nevis in January was an  amazing day.. 

Can't wait to hear what you do at each of them.!

Sorry to hear you have lost the love for  St Maarten. We have always, and continue to look forward to visiting this island. Eventhough we may go through similar travels each time we visit, we continue to have a soft spot for the people of St Maarten, and the memories that have been created each time we are there.

[Stem to Stern]

10 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

We are fortunate to be sailing with PinkSandGirl

All of us Cruiseaholics seem to find each other or run into each other at some point or another.😂🤣😂🤣😂

[PinkSandGirl]

1 hour ago, Cap_D said:

On our sailing last week the map that had been on the website when booking was actually wrong.  We hadn't noticed until we referenced it during our trip.  I won't post it here to avoid confusion.  Have a great cruise.  It may be Captain Kate's final cruise on her current contract based on her Instagram vlogs.  

 

Yes.  That's what we're thinking.  Her 90 days will fall during our sailing.  

 

Thank You!   =).

 

Nice, you were did the same itinerary.  

 

🍹

[PinkSandGirl]

19 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

Hi Linda

 

We are fortunate to be sailing with PinkSandGirl on this itinerary. We will get a chance to meet each other face to face on the Pre-Sailaway get together.

 

Hope she still talks to us at the end of the cruise.

 

Randy

Hopefully you still talk to me at the end of the cruise.  🤣  hehe

 

I like the countdown updates you post with the animals.  I am an animal lover so I think we'll get along.  🐈🐈‍⬛

 

Looking forward to meeting in person. After all this time on the Roll Call, it's nice to put faces to the CruiseCritic names.  😉

 

I will be posting my update later with my shirt details. 🥳

 

🍹

[hcat]

1 hour ago, PinkSandGirl said:

 

 

 

We have a private tour booked.  I'll post all the details and who we're using.  

 

Quick Overview:  An island tour with multiple stops/highlights (Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley's Lookout), a taste of the famous black pineapple, a beach stop (go in the water, food, bathrooms, chairs), etc...

 

It's a 6 hour tour, just us in an air conditioned van.  I was able to customize it.  We're being picked up at the port. 

 

🍹

sounds nice 

Aside from cruises,   we vacationed there yrs ago. Those tour stops  are good highlights. Antigua has some of the best beaches..great island foods!  

[PinkSandGirl]

44 minutes ago, hcat said:

I think we are overdone with St Maarten..Been there so many times...both sides of the island..land and sea.. We do like the Greenhouse, if still there..

 

While Barbados is lovely..we have been  there quite a few times as well and did not like the bus terminal used for tours. But we like the shops in the port area..and the flower stall if still there!

 

We Love Antigua, great beaches, arts and crafts,  and  find St Lucia very natural  scenic (Pitons a must)  St Kitts is a favorite... The excursion to Nevis in January was an  amazing day.. 

Can't wait to hear what you do at each of them.!

 

Gotcha.  Totally understand.  Some places you enjoy going to over and over. Others, not so much.  

 

We've explored both sides of St. Maarten/St. Martin.  Haven't been there since March 2017 - before the hurricane hit that did so much damage.  There was a great French Patisserie on the French side, Serafina's.  That location isn't there anymore (after the hurricane).  They now have a tiny little spot somewhere else. 

 

Barbados.  Ooh.  Flower stall. I love flowers. 🌺🌷🪻🏵🪷   It's ashame you can't bring them onboard.  I just want to take the colorful flowering bushes, trees, vines, etc...with me when in tropical climates. 😉

 

I will post details and pictures for each of our ports.   Something different at each port.  I like to mix it up.   3 ports are planned to a tee.  2 are loosely planned but with ideas/plans and we will see where the day takes us at times. 

 

😉

[PinkSandGirl]

1 minute ago, hcat said:

sounds nice 

Aside from cruises,   we vacationed there yrs ago. Those tour stops  are good highlights. Antigua has some of the best beaches..great island foods!  

 

There are 365 beaches, one for each day of the year, and so many look lovely.  🏝   The beach restaurant has local food and gets good reviews.

 

🍹

 

[Shellyd22]

I will be getting on when you will be disembarking! Can’t wait and will follow along 

[PinkSandGirl]

20 minutes ago, Shellyd22 said:

I will be getting on when you will be disembarking! Can’t wait and will follow along 

It'll be 'Yay' for you and 'Grrr' for us.😂

 

Joking. Hehe

 

As the cruise ends, as sad as that always is, it is always nice to go back home...and then also plan the next one. 😉

 

Along the way, if you need any information, just ask.  

 

🍹

Edited April 6 by PinkSandGirl

[PinkSandGirl]

4 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

 

Yes.  That's what we're thinking.  Her 90 days will fall during our sailing.  

 

Thank You!   =).

 

Nice, you did the same itinerary.  

 

🍹

 

Spelling correction. 

[PinkSandGirl]

Retreat Pre-Cruise Personalization & Shoreside Concierge 

 

At least 2 months ago I started to receive e-mails to personalize the cabin.  I also received an e-mail from Shoreside Concierge about a week ago.   My dad also received the e-mails for their cabin.  

 

I didn't receive this type of communication the last time I sailed on the Beyond.  Same cabin type this time as last time, Sky Suite. 

 

Here is the e-mail (not the shoreside one - it seems to have disappeared from my inbox), the questions asked and then what showed after I submitted the form. 

 

🍹

 

 

 

 

 

[PinkSandGirl]

I would like to Welcome anyone from the Roll Call to feel free to contribute as well, if you'd like.  The more the merrier.  🥳

 

If you aren't on the Roll Call, keep the banter, questions and comments flowing.  🤗

 

I enjoy the commraderie these 'Live's' can form.  🥰

 

I admit I sometimes tend to read and follow along but don't necessarily always comment.  I appreciate everyone before me and currently - to share your cruise experiences.   I used to think  everything I do during a cruise, that's what others did as well but that's far from true.  We all have our 'thing'.  I have found it very interesting to learn what others do/don't do.  

 

🍹

[hcat]

 We  were allowed to bring on flowers. ..from Port Ev, Hawaii, Barbados and sunflowers from France..just not  back into US..

Have rules on that changed?

 

Wish we could still buy  flowers from X.  I did get a beautiful b day  bouquet on ASCENT from Cap Club.

( it was a big  b day cruise!)

Edited April 6 by hcat

[hcat]

7 hours ago, Schmoe38 said:

Sorry to hear you have lost the love for  St Maarten. We have always, and continue to look forward to visiting this island. Eventhough we may go through similar travels each time we visit, we continue to have a soft spot for the people of St Maarten, and the memories that have been created each time we are there.

We feel that way about Tortola....so happy to see the recovery from their last  devastating storm!  Never a lack of places to enjoy.. We'll be back again next yr!

 

We all have our fav ports! Love St Kitts too.

[PinkSandGirl]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

 We  were allowed to bring on flowers. ..from Port Ev, Hawaii, Barbados and sunflowers from France..just not  back into US..

Have rules on that changed?

 

Wish we could still buy  flowers from X.  I did get a beautiful b day  bouquet on ASCENT from Cap Club.

( it was a big  b day cruise!)

 

I never really thought about flowers not being allowed but read this in the app today. (Posted below)

 

I have brought shells and rocks back.  Yikes!  Never got pulled aside for those.  I was given a grasshopper at a restaurant in Cozumel made from palm once. I still have it.

 

Aww, how nice. The bouquet 💐 is lovely.  Cheerful.   Happy Birthday.  It's OK to continue celebrating. 😉

 

When I went to Maui (land vacation) I bought bamboo that's in lava rock.  They sealed it and it had all kinds of documentation, stamps & seals so I could bring it on the plane and back into the continental U.S.A.   I still have it and it has grown to be tall and has taken on a very unique shape. ❤️   Got it in 2001.   Stays indoors and not in direct sunlight.  Sorry for the side story. 😅

 

🍹

 

[hcat]

Hmm..Guess no more bouquets at the ports! I'll bring some cheerful faux flowers..I like them on the lighted  E Class niche to warm up the cold HOPPEN decor schene. Real is better but some  lively color is good too 

 

And we still get the Cap Club Rose and a two stem item..in AQ.  (not sure about concierge)

 

 

[PinkSandGirl]

Lists have lists.  Today and tomorrow are full on 'Get ready for the Cruise' days.   I have been doing things and checking off my lists but this weekend...some serious prep work has to be done since we fly on Wednesday and my To-Do List still has many things that need to be checked off! 📑

 

🍹

[Cap_D]

10 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

Retreat Pre-Cruise Personalization & Shoreside Concierge 

 

At least 2 months ago I started to receive e-mails to personalize the cabin.  I also received an e-mail from Shoreside Concierge about a week ago.   My dad also received the e-mails for their cabin.  

 

I didn't receive this type of communication the last time I sailed on the Beyond.  Same cabin type this time as last time, Sky Suite. 

 

Here is the e-mail (not the shoreside one - it seems to have disappeared from my inbox), the questions asked and then what showed after I submitted the form. 

 

🍹

 

 

 

 

 

None of our preferences were implemented when we boarded Beyond two weeks ago.  It was as waste of our time to complete the form, and moreso the options presented and other Retreat amenities are not clearly spelled out when on board.  To those booking Retreat, be prepared to repeat your requests.  

[Tyler414]

13 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

None of our preferences were implemented when we boarded Beyond two weeks ago.  It was as waste of our time to complete the form, and moreso the options presented and other Retreat amenities are not clearly spelled out when on board.  To those booking Retreat, be prepared to repeat your requests.  

The same is true for the bed configuration (apart or together) I request it to be apart and it never is on arrival.  Last Beyond cruise I was on it also took three reminders to the room stew to finally separate them.

[Shellyd22]

25 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

None of our preferences were implemented when we boarded Beyond two weeks ago.  It was as waste of our time to complete the form, and moreso the options presented and other Retreat amenities are not clearly spelled out when on board.  To those booking Retreat, be prepared to repeat your requests.  

I never got an email for my sky suite booking 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

17 hours ago, Schmoe38 said:

Hi Linda

 

We are fortunate to be sailing with PinkSandGirl on this itinerary. We will get a chance to meet each other face to face on the Pre-Sailaway get together.

 

Hope she still talks to us at the end of the cruise.

 

Randy

Well, try and behave.  😁  Let me know if you figure out anything interesting for Antigua.  Carolyn & I are off on Reflection in two weeks.  Looking forward to her Zenith party.

[RK-NC]

2 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

The same is true for the bed configuration (apart or together) I request it to be apart and it never is on arrival.  Last Beyond cruise I was on it also took three reminders to the room stew to finally separate them.

 

19 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

None of our preferences were implemented when we boarded Beyond two weeks ago.  It was as waste of our time to complete the form, and moreso the options presented and other Retreat amenities are not clearly spelled out when on board.  To those booking Retreat, be prepared to repeat your requests.  

 

Thank you for sharing. We're on this Beyond sailing and excited but we have drastically lowered our expectations. It seems that reality does not match what Celebrity promotes, especially regarding extra service to suite passengers. We're just glad to get the true picture ahead of time.