Celebrity Secrets they usually don't tell you about

[janetmojo]

You guys are cracking me up here! So does the Summit have these Gardens spas thingys?

[flobee]

On M class, there is a no fee sauna in the men's and women's locker rooms.

 

Regards

 

I was wondering about this because last year on the Princess Star, I went to the sauna in the women's locker room almost every day. Also they had nice showers there, much larger than in the regular cabins with spa shampoo packets etc, so I often took my shower there too.

 

Do you know if you can just walk-in or do you have to stop at a desk and tell them what you are doing?

[dmarch@islc.net]

If all you want is a sauna and shower, I would not check in up front. I do, to get a locker key.

[mregis]

Did ypu know that the members of the staff that you name in your compliments (we never have complaints) are given "brownie points" which add up to extra days off, good assignments and promotions? My DH puts a piece of the stationery from the cabin in his card case with his ship card and when we meet someone who is especially nice he makes sure to write the name down. At the end of the cruise we sit down at breakfast on our veranda and go over the list. I then go to the computer lab and type in a page or so of comments naming all the folks who were so wonderful to us. (There were a bunch of people in the lab doing the same thing). I then print a copy to put with our comment card and a copy to take home to put in our album to help us remember all the great folks. On the last formal night we make sure to take pictures with the wait staff, bartenders, etc. we have befriended so that we can it them into our album also. On our last cruise we were in the champagne bar after the first seating and the 4 chefs were in there waiting for the Baked Alaska parade (even when we were in Chille -- they still did baked alaska!). My DH took a picture of me with them -- I call it "My 4 Chefs"!!

[mregis]

You guys are cracking me up here! So does the Summit have these Gardens spas thingys?

All the M class ships do!!

[rowdylibrarian]

Anybody have any Century secrets? Especially about food? (That's why I picked Celebrity, by the by.) This is our very first cruise! Thanks!

[tuggers]

and you will pick up quite a few, like you can always order steakm chicken, ceaser salad and shrimp salad even if it's not on menu it's available every night. Although on your first cruise I would doubt there would be a night you would not find something to try. That's more for us that have done it many times. I would suggest trying the cold soups. Before X I would have never touched a cold soup, but I decided to try one on my very first X cruise and guess what? I loved them. Now, give them more than one chance, because every once in a while I find one 'off', but as a rule they are great. My favorite, which is a surprise as I do not like celery, is served at lunch in the dining room (which I highly recommend, less chance you'll overeat if it's served to you and cruises are all about being served!) is celery, apple and coconut! Out of this world! Dinner, the pear is good as is the black cherry and several others. Take a chance. If you don't like it, just push it aside! You won't go hungry! :)

[Luckyroot]

If you don't like it, just push it aside! You won't go hungry! :)

 

I have to agree. I tried lots of things I'd never had before. I tried frogs legs, but decided they weren't for me. As soon as I told our server to please remove it, he wanted to know what he could bring in its place. They are very accomodating, and you can have pretty much anything if they can find it.

 

My sister ordered shrimp cocktail every night for her appetizer, even though it was only on the menu the first night. I had been in the Martini bar prior to dinner one night, and had brought with me a delicious specialty martini (Raspberry flavored). I requested a refill, and initially, the server told me she could not accomodate with specialty drinks from the martini bar. But she was back in 5 minutes, telling me she got permission from her supervisor, and I had my martini in about 15 minutes. My nephew is a picky eater, and they provided him with a grilled hot dog 3 nights out of the 7.

 

Don't be afraid to ask, they really do want to make you happy, and do whatever they can to make it happen.

[NiniB]

what happened with the champagne???? it decked him??? ROTFLMAO...and i thought i was CUCKOOO.......:p

 

 

Hey STANLEY,, (?) maybe you didnt get that grapefruit cause you didnt give the GUY a CROISSANT....... :D

 

YOU guys need to stay outa them GARDENS........:eek:

[rucruisn2]

My 2 cents worth: fly in the day before your cruise and rent a car. Check into the ship early, get rid of your luggage, leave your carry-on in your cabin, have lunch on board and then get off the ship and explore your embarkation city, expecially if your ship sails at night. Return rental car as late as possible. When you get back to the ship, no need to wait in lines as you've already done the picture routine, you can just re-board and go to your cabin. By that time your luggage should be waiting for you. Also, everyone else is right about order anything and everything at dinner you want! They'll do mashed potatoes too!

[shofer]

We always ask for extra breadsticks and a cheese and fruit plate which is really a dessert before dinner in the dining room as an appetizer. Never a problem and it was there every night.

[nealberk]

Out of this world! Dinner, the pear is good as is the black cherry and several others. Take a chance. If you don't like it, just push it aside! You won't go hungry! :)

Ditto on both cold soups being fantastic. And if you don't know if you will like them, ask the waiter to bring you a tasting of the soup along with whatever soup you would normally get. You will get two bowls of soup, but what the heck!

[Kami's pal]

I had never tasted cold soups before. Now I make them at home!

 

I have a lactose intolerance. I order yoghurt every morning. Not only do I get a healthy dose of calcium, but the bacteria that make the milk into lactose are helpful for warding off mild tummy disorders.

 

I ask my assistant waiter to de-bone fish or shell crab, lobster. Saves me embarrassment.

 

When you give last day tips, include a short note, perhaps commenting on a specific service you enjoyed. Add your email address. I've been fortunate to receive notes back. Now that's graciousness when one remembers how few free hours the crew have.

 

I leave coin change (Euros, US, CND etc. which my bank won't convert) with last person, likely the cabin steward, and a prepared note explaining why I'm handing out coins! They can use it if they get a chance to go ashore. That makes my money belt more comfortable.

[suzziecruisie]

On our honeymoon Oct. 2002, Mecury, we were joking with the waiter about how dinner had filled us up and that we could never finish dessert. That what we needed was a middle of night chocolate fix. He knew by the second night that we were major chocolateholics and the chocolate chip cookies were aweful, as mentioned before in other posts, so the waiter had 2 extra chocolate desserts sent to our room every night for the rest of the cruise. They were right there when we got back to our room. Even our cabin steward knew about the chocolate, so he left us extra chocolate mints and a bag of them at the end of the cruise.

 

Also another good idea, not secret though, was from another couple that went with us on the ship's shore excursion of ChichenItza. Our shore excursion had a boxed lunch included which was terrible. The other couple had ordered room service subs and fruit and had brought them with them to eat. We copied the idea and brought the wrapped subs off the ship disembarkation day and ate them in are car on the long ride home from Miami to Atlanta.

[limboman]

The reason the box lunch is so bad in ChichenItza is that the Mexican government has very strict rules on what food can be brought on shore from the ship... I don't know if other destinations have such restrictions, but bringing your own sack lunch from the ship - especially fruit - is probably a bad idea, especially at ChichenItza.

[springtxbill]

It is also a very bad idea and illegal to do when getting off in the States. Customs does not take it lightly.

[suzziecruisie]

then I am glad it wasn't me that brought in food into Mexico and just the other couple. :)

[fredhanson]

Kami's Pal and I certainly can't be the only passengers with lactose tolerance problems. However, on the last 2 cruises on Constellation and Infinity it was like pulling teeth to get Lactaid or a similar product at breakfasat and lunch. It sometimes took 15 minutes for a glass to appear and, of course, it wasn't advertised as an alternative for other passengers. The staff at the Spa by the Thalassotherapy pool were much better about serving the milk, I'm happy to say. Give that the "pull date" on containers of Lactaid are usually 2 months away there is no reason not to have adequate supplies and to make it available.

[cat616]

What a great to tip Walter. I will be using this one on my next cruise.

 

Any idea how long you can delay? I am guessing that they will make a Last Call at some point?

 

 

Cindy

[brigittetom]

I know we all cruise Celebrity for many reasons and one of the reasons is because of the wonderful service. It still amazes me to see how many people have their waiters and cabin attendants jump thru extra hoops. One voice says that they all work too hard, another says that if you want it, just ask for it and they will be at you beck and call. We live the simple life at home and certainly wouldn't treat the staff on the ship as our personal servants.

[ajpack]

I drink Lactaid all the time at home--had no idea it was available on the ship. Is it available on all the Celebrity ships?

 

Anne

[Kami's pal]

Never thought to ask for it. I substitute yoghurt on cereal, almonds as a snack. I'm afraid that even if the waiter is able to understand and intercept lactose (milk), it might have been used by cooks for sauces or something. So I skip all possibilities. The menu is varied enough that I don't miss it.

 

Almonds also contain calcium.

[JackieB]

I tried the chilled soups last week on Century because of recommendations I saw on this board. I thought they would taste too much like dessert just before my meal, but they were different. Kind of like a "dry" wine, they were "dry" sweet. Try 'em you'll like 'em.

[fredhanson]

We've had Lactaid (or some lactose-free milk) on the Infinity, Millenium, and Galaxy, although it ran out on one of the ships midway through the cruise.

 

Perhaps notifying Celebrity a few weeks before departure of your need for this milk might ensure a more adequate supply.

 

The other problem we had was that the milk was never available in the cafeteria area, and the delay from requesting it to its delivery was often longer than the duration of breakfast. However, the manager of the Spa food service on the Galaxy was very helpful in getting lactose-free milk quite rapidly.

[dmarch@islc.net]

After two weeks you learn where they keep "the good stuff". When they serve casual tea in the alternative restaurant every afternoon. Look in the cabinets below the dessert table, it's refrigerated. They have regular milks there, maybe yours too.