Solstice AQ - Priority Tender?

[Mysticks1]

Can anyone who has sailed in Aqua Class verify if you had access to priority tender tickets. I had read on one thread where someone state that AQ cabins received that but when I emailed customer service to ask how you obtain them I was told that AQ didn't qualify. :confused: Can anyone confirm one way or the other?

[celebrityoctober]

I haven't cruised yet, but would be really unhappy if we didn't get the priority departure/embarking as that was my understanding when I booked AQ and it's listed in the Indulgences of the Aqua Class shown below:

 

AquaClass Indulgences:

•Welcome champagne•Daily fruit selection•Fresh-cut flowers•Daily hors d'oeuvres•Unlimited access to the AquaSpa relaxation room and the Persian Garden•Complimentary daily bottled water and iced tea•Special programming and wellness classes•Menu of pillows-Conformance, Body, Goose, and Isotonic®•Duvets and pillow-top mattresses•Leather key holder, personalized stationery and a tote bag, Frette bathrobes•Hansgrohe® showerhead•VIP invitations to events•Early embarkation and debarkation•Dining and seating preference•Preference on shore excursions•Express luggage delivery•Shoeshine service

 

This was copied right off the Website. Maybe your customer service person was new and answered incorrectly (I hope so). I noticed when I called not long ago with a question the customer service person wasn't really interested in answering my question and it took some work on my part to get her to even talk to me about my cruise. She must of been having a bad day, it happens;)

[cb at sea]

Unless you have an extremely early excursion, what's the rush? If you wait 30 min. or so, there will be few lines...and you'll be off the ship in no time!

[hajekfam]

I haven't cruised yet, but would be really unhappy if we didn't get the priority departure/embarking as that was my understanding when I booked AQ and it's listed in the Indulgences of the Aqua Class shown below:

 

AquaClass Indulgences:

•Welcome champagne•Daily fruit selection•Fresh-cut flowers•Daily hors d'oeuvres•Unlimited access to the AquaSpa relaxation room and the Persian Garden•Complimentary daily bottled water and iced tea•Special programming and wellness classes•Menu of pillows-Conformance, Body, Goose, and Isotonic®•Duvets and pillow-top mattresses•Leather key holder, personalized stationery and a tote bag, Frette bathrobes•Hansgrohe® showerhead•VIP invitations to events•Early embarkation and debarkation•Dining and seating preference•Preference on shore excursions•Express luggage delivery•Shoeshine service

 

This was copied right off the Website. Maybe your customer service person was new and answered incorrectly (I hope so). I noticed when I called not long ago with a question the customer service person wasn't really interested in answering my question and it took some work on my part to get her to even talk to me about my cruise. She must of been having a bad day, it happens;)

 

The OP was asking about priority tender tickets which aren't on your list. It just lists priority embarkation (which is sailing date) and priority debarkation (which is the end of the cruise).

[celebrityoctober]

The OP was asking about priority tender tickets which aren't on your list. It just lists priority embarkation (which is sailing date) and priority debarkation (which is the end of the cruise).

 

 

Oh....I'm new to cruising and do not yet know all the various terms for things and didn't realize that embark and depart was specific to sailing date and end of cruise. :)

[ellbon]

I have been in AQ class and never saw a VIP invite for anything:(

[beachseeker]

We were in AQ and did not have priority tendering. The tendering process for Labadee went very quickly, much faster than when we cruised on Carnival or Princess.

[hajekfam]

We were in AQ and did not have priority tendering. The tendering process for Labadee went very quickly, much faster than when we cruised on Carnival or Princess.

 

Maybe it got too out of hand with those that got priority tendering - suites, Aqua Class, conceirge class and Elite captains club - that could be almost half the ship - so maybe they are limiting it just to elite captains club now. If so - a "real" perk for captain's club.

[Gerrym]

Unless you have an extremely early excursion, what's the rush? If you wait 30 min. or so, there will be few lines...and you'll be off the ship in no time!

 

 

I guess you have not tendered in Santorini then!!

 

I am not looking forward to that. I thought I was going to get a lie-in on that day!

 

 

 

Gerry

 

:)

[Mysticks1]

I guess you have not tendered in Santorini then!!

 

I am not looking forward to that. I thought I was going to get a lie-in on that day!

 

 

Gerry

 

:)

 

Santorini is the port that I am wondering about. There was a report a couple of days ago that the tender ticket process was a mess and that you had to be up and in line by 8 AM to get your preferred time for tickets. And we have 3 large ships in port with us that day - Splendour Of The Seas, Royal Princess, MSC Musica . That is the reason I am a little worried about getting off in a reasonable time to allow us to do what we wanted to do that day.

[OregonGal56]

The OP was asking about priority tender tickets which aren't on your list. It just lists priority embarkation (which is sailing date) and priority debarkation (which is the end of the cruise).

 

My 2009 Celebrity Europe book lists benefits under Concierge Class as: Priority debarkation and embarkation at every port.

 

That statement was the only real reason we paid extra to upgrade to the cc class cabin, so bummed to find out that it didn't really mean squat!

 

I will be bringing that on board, if while I won't make a huge fuss, and realize lots of people are in those catagories, they should follow through with what they publish! Mainly this applies to the Santorini stop for me.

[Histrionix]

Can anyone who has sailed in Aqua Class verify if you had access to priority tender tickets. I had read on one thread where someone state that AQ cabins received that but when I emailed customer service to ask how you obtain them I was told that AQ didn't qualify. :confused: Can anyone confirm one way or the other?

 

We were on 3/15 Solstice Caribbean and were under the same understanding that AQ got priority tender (in addition to embarkation/debarkation - which, actually, was great). At Labadee the tendering process was announced and there was no real direction stating that AQ had priority tendering, so we called the AQ Concierge who said, when asked if Aqua Class did have priority tendering, "Well, not really." Didn't get a definition of what not really meant and we weren't sure if it was because we were late getting to Labadee, but looks like it's not one of the perks.

[celebrityoctober]

Would it be accurate to say you would have priority tender if you booked a Celebrity excursion in Santorini? The excursion's in Santorini are not that expensive anyway and leave plenty of time to wander on your own. Just a thought...

[Mysticks1]

Would it be accurate to say you would have priority tender if you booked a Celebrity excursion in Santorini? The excursion's in Santorini are not that expensive anyway and leave plenty of time to wander on your own. Just a thought...

 

We don't normally take ship excursions due to the size of the groups (and the slow pace involved) and there are only 4 ship excursions available - none which appeal to us and the cheapest is $66 pp. A little much for me just to pay to get off.

We don't arrive until 2PM is the reason I wanted to try to get off ASAP to possibly catch a cab for a quick tour around the island, visit a couple of the wineries and wander around a little before dark. I will ask the concierge about priority tender tickets and if available will take advantage of that, if not then we will make do as we can.

[hylasgirl]

Would it be accurate to say you would have priority tender if you booked a Celebrity excursion in Santorini? The excursion's in Santorini are not that expensive anyway and leave plenty of time to wander on your own. Just a thought...

 

I wouldn't take a ship excursion in Santorini... NO WAY!!! This place is too gorgeous to have someone else telling me how long I can stay in each place. PLUS, it is so easy... unless all you are looking for is a bus ride, why pay them to take you anywhere???

 

Actually... I don't know why I warn anyone about taking a ship tour here. If everyone did, they could let them all out at the one stop and leave more room for us that want to explore this beautiful island at the last stop. OK... I take it back... EVERYONE TAKE THE SHIP TOUR!!!:D

 

Hopefully they get the tender situation worked out there... I will camp out for tender tickets if I have to. This is one port where you want to get up on the top as soon as possible. At least we won't be fighting another ship for the cable cars.

[hylasgirl]

We don't normally take ship excursions due to the size of the groups (and the slow pace involved) and there are only 4 ship excursions available - none which appeal to us and the cheapest is $66 pp. A little much for me just to pay to get off.

 

We don't arrive until 2PM is the reason I wanted to try to get off ASAP to possibly catch a cab for a quick tour around the island, visit a couple of the wineries and wander around a little before dark. I will ask the concierge about priority tender tickets and if available will take advantage of that, if not then we will make do as we can.

 

Donna... we are sailing with some friends in AQ, I will let you know what happened here when we return.

 

When we stopped here on the Brilliance, we really didn't have many problems. It was a little wait in line coming back down on the cable car, but nothing was bad here in Santorini.

[Mysticks1]

Donna... we are sailing with some friends in AQ, I will let you know what happened here when we return.

 

When we stopped here on the Brilliance, we really didn't have many problems. It was a little wait in line coming back down on the cable car, but nothing was bad here in Santorini.

 

Thanks Steph - I am looking forward to your review when you get back. :) Are you the only ship in port that day? What I am worried about is the crowds with 4 big ships in port - I will have to go back and look at the time of arrival/departure for those other three. Hopefully they will be pulling out around 5 and the majority of the crowds will be leaving as we are just getting started.

I want to find a great little cafe/restaurant with a view of the sunset to have dinner/bottle of wine and relax. I have seen photos of sunset and want to experience that wonderful view!!

[hylasgirl]

Thanks Steph - I am looking forward to your review when you get back. :) Are you the only ship in port that day? What I am worried about is the crowds with 4 big ships in port - I will have to go back and look at the time of arrival/departure for those other three. Hopefully they will be pulling out around 5 and the majority of the crowds will be leaving as we are just getting started.

I want to find a great little cafe/restaurant with a view of the sunset to have dinner/bottle of wine and relax. I have seen photos of sunset and want to experience that wonderful view!!

 

I think we are there with about the same amount of ships as you... but the times are all staggered. We shouldn't be competing with anyone that is just arriving. Also, everyone will be gone when it's time for us to come back down from Fira.

 

I will definitely post a review and if you have anything specific you would like me to check on, I would be more than happy to do it.

 

:) We leave in less than a week!!! FINALLY!!!

[CruisinNewb]

Thanks Steph - I am looking forward to your review when you get back. :) Are you the only ship in port that day? What I am worried about is the crowds with 4 big ships in port - I will have to go back and look at the time of arrival/departure for those other three. Hopefully they will be pulling out around 5 and the majority of the crowds will be leaving as we are just getting started.

 

I want to find a great little cafe/restaurant with a view of the sunset to have dinner/bottle of wine and relax. I have seen photos of sunset and want to experience that wonderful view!!

 

Donna:

 

When I had looked into it awhile ago, the Solstice was the only ship that arrived in the afternoon. Most of the other ships were out by 3 or 4 PM and all were out by 5 PM.

I would think this is the only way they could handle that many ships (stagger the arrivals and departures) as the cable cars can only handle about 600 passengers per hour.

 

I am sure Stephanie will give us all the details we need when she comes back.

 

Enjoy.

 

Ron

[Mysticks1]

Donna:

 

When I had looked into it awhile ago, the Solstice was the only ship that arrived in the afternoon. Most of the other ships were out by 3 or 4 PM and all were out by 5 PM.

 

Ron

 

Yes, that is correct. I went back and updated my list of ships in port and we are the last to arrive and the last to leave. I attached my list.

Solstice Ships in port.pdf

[hcat]

We have always been offered priority tender for CC class in tender ports & in busy places like Gr Cayman it does make a difference--esp. as the size of the ships increase.. I guess Elite & suites get it too (?)

 

We are taking an excursion in Santorini so we can get off first & skip the cable car at least one way--that's worth it for us-- there will lots of time to explore the things we want to see afterwards.