New With Questions!

[AzureLaRoux]

We just signed up on the May 27 to Bermuda on Zenith. We'll be in 1071 a RS room. I have sailed once, about 10 years ago as a guest to my GMIL and never on celebrity. Hubby and 2 kids have never sailed.

 

So on with the questions...

 

1. How does the kids program work? Boys are 4 and 11 at the time of sailing. Do they have to pre-registar? Can they eat there? Does CCI provide childcare while parents are on shore (excursions etc.)? If so how does that work? There are few things that we would like to try but know that the kids would find it boring or not fun. I'm not entirely sure that I'm comfortable with leaving them on ship while I'm not there but I want to know my options.

 

2. This will be our 16th anniversary. Does CCI do anything special? How do you plan that? Do you have to ask for a special package? I've heard that most cruise lines will do something but I don't know the right way to go about asking.

 

3. We're going out of Bayonne and plan to drive to the port. It's only a 3 hour drive. The ship is due to depart at 4:30pm. How early should we get there? How early can we board? Will there be food available if we board around lunch time? My husband is worried that we should stop somewhere for lunch before boarding in case they don't have food available until dinner that night.

 

4. Another food related question. When I called to make the reservation (1800 number, no TA) they never asked about food allergies. I didn't think of it at the time. My husband is allergic to poultry and is concerned that dinner is a one entree choice in the dining room. I know from reading the boards that you can also order Salmon but I'm curious as to the set up of the menus for dinner (more than one entree, same choice every night, children's options, etc.)

 

5. How do you know how many formal evenings you will have? I want to pack accordingly. Do children also need a tux for formal dinner? I know that children can eat some nights at the kids room or room service but I'm just trying to get all my options together.

 

I've been reading everything I can get my hands on now that we're signed up to go.

 

Thank you for any tips or information.

[joelmarj]

Welcome, I'll try to answer some of your questions:

 

Kids Club - I've not used Celebrity's but usually when you board they will have a desk with information. There is usually a welcoming orientation the first night. You should sign them up when you board and they will be assigned to a group based on their ages. I'm not sure about their policies regarding times and when they will watch them for ports

 

 

If you booked with a Travel Agent, she should let them know it's anniversary. If you booked directly with Celebrity, call them and let them know. I think they will usually send you a cake to your table. You can also order a package from their website. They have an Anniversary package with champagne and such.

 

Don't eat lunch before you board! Usually you can start boarding around 11:30 - 12, unless the ship is late for some reason arriving from the prior trip. The documents will say 2:00 but they always start earlier. There is a lunch buffet and you can go there and get your fill. The staterooms are usually not ready before 1:30 so they ask that you go to the Lido deck for lunch then.

 

You will find that the menu always has at least 3 choices for a main entree. If his limitation is only that he can not eat it (unlike peanuts, where he may not even be near it), he will certainly find other choices. There is always a pasta on the menu. Additionally, salmon and steak are available every night even though it is not on the menu. Thre are also childrens menu's as well. They have all the kid standards like pasta, burgers, grilled cheese, etc. They won't go hungry and again if yo have preferences or special requests you can also let your waiter know.

 

If you go to the Celebrity website it will tell you how many formal nights, based on the number of days of your sailing. I believe your's is a 7 night so you will have two formal nights. They are usually done on Sea days. As for the children, it's not necessary to rent them tuxes, but they should certainly dress in a nice little suit or sport jacket and tie. The kids may get away with a little more lattitude, as getting them to wear tie's could be a pain. You could rent them tuxes if you want. There is an online company that Celebrity deals with and it is very reasonable considering they give you enough (2 shirts) to wear it the two formal nights. Might make for a great family portrait. http://www.cruiselineformal.com/

 

Hope this helps. I'm sure others will add more useful information as well. Enjoy your cruise

[WatchHill]

If your husband has food allergies, I would not rely on what's stated on the menu because something such as chicken broth may be used as a base for flavoring for a "meat" soup or sauce. Since you are not using a TA, I suggest you contact Celebrity directly to explain your needs and when you board speak with the maitre d' to review menu selections.

 

No cruise line provides child care per se. There are children's programs, by age group, while you are at sea, but most families do things together once they are at a port. Some times crew can "sit" in your room at night, for an hourly fee, but personally I'm very uncomfortable with this.

 

Bermuda is a beautiful island, great beaches. Enjoy.

 

Darcy

[dkjretired]

As someone stated you can sign up for the childrens programs when you board. Usually there is an orientation meeting the first day, be sure to attend, you will meet the counselors. They will then send your kids a sheet for their daily activities. Since there is such an age difference they will get one for their own group. They run the programs while in port and I would have no problem leaving the kids since the ship is basically in Bermuda for three and a half days.

 

You will have two formal nights and they will be Sunday night and Thursday night. Sunday is a day at sea and Thursday you leave Bermuda early to head home so plenty of time to dress, etc.

 

Many of the other items you have your TA handle, the anniversary and the allergy request. If no TA, just call Celebrity and they will switch you to the proper individuals. Remind your waiter when you get on board however.

 

 

One other quick point about the menus, the lunch and dinner menus are posted outside the restaurant several hours before meals are served. I always like to check it early in the day and start thinking about my meal.

[AzureLaRoux]

Thank you for all the great advice. I don't know that I'll leave the kids on board or not. It will depend on how comfortable I am with the counslers after I meet them. We do plan to do several shore excursions with them however there are a few that we might want to do alone.

 

I'll planned on mentioning the allergy to the waiter/Matre'd when we boarded anyway. As long as he has other options he'll be fine.

 

I tried calling the 1800 number back but was directed to their "Romance and Wedding" planner. She could only offer me the $450 "package". I wasn't really looking for a big thing like that. It's purely coincedence that our anniversary will be during the trip. I may try to contact them again later and see if they can just but a note in our reservation.

[dkjretired]

Thank you for all the great advice. I don't know that I'll leave the kids on board or not. It will depend on how comfortable I am with the counslers after I meet them. We do plan to do several shore excursions with them however there are a few that we might want to do alone.

 

I'll planned on mentioning the allergy to the waiter/Matre'd when we boarded anyway. As long as he has other options he'll be fine.

 

I tried calling the 1800 number back but was directed to their "Romance and Wedding" planner. She could only offer me the $450 "package". I wasn't really looking for a big thing like that. It's purely coincedence that our anniversary will be during the trip. I may try to contact them again later and see if they can just but a note in our reservation.

 

They will try to sell you everything, usually they will just give you a nice cake one day during the cruise. Similiar to getting a birthday cake and singing happy birthday.

[Arubalisa]

We just signed up on the May 27 to Bermuda on Zenith. We'll be in 1071 a RS room. I have sailed once, about 10 years ago as a guest to my GMIL and never on celebrity. Hubby and 2 kids have never sailed.

 

So on with the questions...

 

1. How does the kids program work? Boys are 4 and 11 at the time of sailing. Do they have to pre-registar? Can they eat there? Does CCI provide childcare while parents are on shore (excursions etc.)? If so how does that work? There are few things that we would like to try but know that the kids would find it boring or not fun. I'm not entirely sure that I'm comfortable with leaving them on ship while I'm not there but I want to know my options.

When we sailed aboard the Galaxy in December registration/meet and greet for the Kid's Club was held during Embarkation 1 pm - 4:30 pm and then again 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm. There were activities held that first evening at sea.

 

The four yo will be a "Shipmates" age group 3 - 6 and the 11 yo will be an "Ensigns". The "Ensigns" are able to "sign themselves out for lunch", but the "Shipmates" must have a parent come and pick them up to sign them out.

 

During the cruise the kid's club hours were basically 9 am to 1 am. Typically activities were held 9 am to Noon with a 2 hour break for lunch, resume 2 pm to 5 pm, and then the evening session 7 pm to 10 pm.

 

Days at sea, from 12 Noon - 2 pm, lunchtime, Shipmates had "afternoon chill" in the teen disco and the Ensigns had a "movie matinee". In other words, the older kids could check themselves out to eat lunch, but the younger ones had to wait for a parent to come get them. Evenings, with pre-registration, from 5 pm - 7 pm there were "dinner parties" which included free play and dinner at the buffet. Dinner parties had a fee of $6 per hour, per child.

 

On days in which you are in port the kid's club staff, for a fee of $6 per hour, per child, will watch the kid's (Ensigns & Shipmates) for "free play" and take them to the buffet for lunch.

 

Every evening from 10 pm to 1 am there was a "slumber party" with a different theme. Again, this carried a fee of $6 per hour, per child. Babysitting in cabin was also available. Sorry never used it.

 

If you have any other specific questions, please feel free to email me. I have all of the listings of each day's daily activities for the Cadets (7 - 9 yo) and some for all of the others from our 12 night cruise on the Galaxy in December.

 

Just 2 add another note, we felt that the Celebrity staff treated our dd with the outmost of care. She is a special needs child, though not visibly so and the staff (most if not all had college degrees) was extremely capable. We had no reason to, but we would have felt extremely safe leaving our children with these folks. I cannot say the same for the kid's staff on HAL.