late2cruisin

9 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

No, I chose 417 for its size. 

OMG, 417 looks HUGE! Do you need an accessible cabin or did they just let you book it?

So I guess I won't be getting the huge cabin! Great location though, right next to laundry and elevators- very convenient:)

7 hours ago, gnome12 said:

For what its worth, you'll be near me.

Did you get assigned? Or are you waiting like me? Half the Vista suites are accessible cabins. All are connecting cabins. Yes, if we're both unlucky, we'll be neighbors:)

We are in the same situation- we board the Dawn on June 15 and have a Vista GTY also. In our case, the ship seems to be sold out except for the Royal Suite, so I keep thinking they'll start assigning cabins any day now...I've been checking our booking almost every day, which is probably not a good idea. I'm trying to look at the bright side of being in a Vista cabin (near the restaurants and the SALT bar!) but I know I'll be a little let down if we don't get a veranda.

We were near the elevator on Nova (deck 9). No noise at all, and very convenient.

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Sorry, you aren't aware of the context.  I was referring to a post OP made in another thread, complaining that in 2023 the white wines on Oceania's wine list were all 2017 or earlier.  [I don't think he meant Ausleses...]

And I'm assuming this Auslese wasn't on the included list!

8 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Yes, but for my cruise, also departing June 15 but on the Dawn, there are NO bowties showing yet, even though restaurant reservations are available. (And more important for us, because they haven't changed the dress code on the Dawn as they have on the Nova and Ray.)

Yes, I was hoping they would change the dress code on our Dawn cruise before June. I'm assuming formal nights will mostly be on sea days...

10 hours ago, jbcallender said:

Realize that with the beverage packages, you must pay additional gratuities on the beverage package, so its not exactly "free at sea".

It sounds like you are thinking of Norwegian, which calls its bundle "free at sea" but charges extra for gratuities on the beverage and dining packages that are "included". Celebrity doesn't do that.

23 minutes ago, Chewbecca said:

We're boarding Silhouette today and have the Classic package.

I was browsing the wine lists and everything that used to be $9 now seems to be $11 - prosecco and french rose for e.g. I can't see any cocktails either.

 

Is anything available on the Classic package without paying an upcharge any more?

You are sailing out of Southampton, yes? The sailings out of the UK include gratuities in the menu prices. Therefore, your Classic package will cover the $11 wines and cocktails.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

2 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I agree with all of this, yet you chose to quote and try to school me, not OP's dubious claims. I didn't even compare O pricing to Retreat because there aren't any Retreat cabins available. I wish I could have, in present time. I only said that it was Retreat passengers making general value comparisons.

OK, you win. I shouldn't have quoted you before making my comment. 

7 minutes ago, RichYak said:

So you're comfortable with comparing Oceania to a standard mass market balcony cabin with 11 month old pricing?

What?? I didn't say that. I merely said that if you are going to compare, you have to compare cabins that are comparable and amenities/perks that are comparable. I agree that pricing comparisons should be from the same time frame. I also agree that Oceania is considered to be slightly higher than Celebrity- comparable to Azamara or perhaps Viking, but not to the true luxury lines like Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal...

34 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I read post 1. The people you refer to are saying that Oceania is a better value than Celebrity Retreat. Then you stroll in with standard balcony pricing from last June to refute. You're comparing apples to oranges to support your silly argument.

Comparing Oceania to Celebrity Retreat is not apples to apples, unless you compare an Oceania suite and add in the other things that are not included in Oceania pricing (gratuities, alcohol, etc.)

10 hours ago, SSFrance69 said:

Do you have the loyalty club status with RC? If so it transfers to Celebrity. Not sure if it transfers on the very first sailing (can't remember), but worth asking. Depending on loyalty tier, you may be able to get complimentary specialty coffee at Cafe Al Bacio, as well as other perks.

Complimentary specialty coffee perk doesn't start until you reach Elite Plus. The highest level you can get by matching RC status is Elite.  But as Elite, they will get free bag of laundry, 5-7 happy hour, Elite breakfast (where you can get your free latte/cappuccino) and a few other things.

17 hours ago, JiggeryPokery said:

 

 

 

I wonder if any wines from the Cellar Masters wine bar are included?

 

 

 

Yes, they are. Same deal- included if up to $10, if over $10 you pay the difference  plus 20% of that.

I have seen it on the lunch menu several times, on various ships, in the MDR.  I'm pretty sure I ordered it at least once, but I can't remember what was in it.

12 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

No drinks on first because they don’t offer it , plan and simply 😁

for coffee https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/things-to-do-onboard/eat-and-drink/bars-and-lounges/al-bacio

you can get cappuccino at Elite breakfast , 

 

You can also get your cafe mocha at the Elite breakfast, every morning from 8-10. Outside of those hours, you'll have to go to Al Bacio. Elite breakfast also serves mimosas, bellinis, and bloody Marys. And smoothies. Enjoy!

7 minutes ago, gkm said:

Welcome aboard everyone. I look forward to meeting all of you at 4:30 at the Sunset Bar on Deck 18 aft.  I hope you enjoy the ship as much as I have on the last cruise.  We have a wonderful staff on board. 
 

Garry

Sorry we won't get to see you on Deck 18 aft. We'll be on Deck 10 at the Sunset Bar!😀

54 minutes ago, stellarose said:

can you really get small martinis for the classic package price? wow.

Yes, but not the "fancy" martinis at the Martini bar. 

43 minutes ago, SLOTheta said:

We will also be on this cruise. I’m new to Celebrity and also have this cruise through BCC (via MGM). Our original deal came with a free room, but we paid for an upgrade to Veranda. I was thinking of trying the MoveUl Bidding option. When I saw the aqua class rooms, it said they come with free wifi and classic package. Since you have a cruise only fair, does that mean you didn’t get these when you booked? I wonder if you get them if you bid for it 

 

 

We can’t wait for our first cruise on Celebrity! 

It's my understanding that, if you move up from a successful bid, you don't get the extra perks (wifi, bev.pkg.) only the amenities that come with the cabin (so Blu and Persian Gardens for Aqua.)

13 hours ago, tiercel said:

Of all the drink packages offered Celebrity's is my favorite.  This is simply because it includes Cafe al Bacio.  I no longer sail on Celebrity unless it is included, and now it is!  I have never felt the need to upgrade, but my taste is simple.  Wine at dinner, maybe one cocktail during the day, and always some cappuccino.  

There are other drink packages that include the ship's equivalent of Al Bacio. Princess, for example. And I believe Royal Caribbean, though I've never had that one.  There was one package that we had some years ago that didn't include coffee drinks- I think it might have been NCL but not sure.

As another poster said, it doesn't seem like you really need the alcohol package with your drinking habits. And remember, it's only "included" when you pay a higher fare...

7 hours ago, C-sea said:

Hi All,

Does Captain's Club Elite receive a discount on the drink packages, I thought I read, Elite Plus and above?

No, Elite gets a discount and so does Select (but less, supposedly)

25 minutes ago, prmssk said:

How recently?  That is what it used to cost with the loyalty discount but prices went up in the last couple months.

I upgraded a couple of weeks ago and that's what I paid too.

1 hour ago, landlocked12 said:

What does it mean when they say at the bottom of the brochure that a “service charge is added to each check”? I haven’t sailed on Celebrity before the pandemic but I do not remember them adding any service charges to drinks that were covered by the beverage package.   

That service charge is only if you're paying individually for the drink, not if you have any beverage package. If you have a beverage package, you won't get a "check" when you order a drink.

8 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I remember when we could get sushi at OV around 5pm 

Our group would get a couple of plates of snack and head up to Sunset Bar for HH 

Yes, I used to enjoy this too. They discontinued it when they turned "Bistro on Five" into "Sushi on Five". Why give free sushi when you can charge for it?😁

9 minutes ago, UniPac said:

 

Thanks. Was cruising every year but seems I still missed that haha.

So with Classic, anything above $9 on the menu will be charged the difference to $9 only.

 

Yes, the difference plus the 20% gratuity on the difference. So a $12 drink would cost you $3.60. This applies to beer, wine, cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. It doesn't work for premium bottled waters (Evian, Pellegrino), smoothies, flavored waters/energy drinks, etc.

2 hours ago, UniPac said:

 

Is that really the case? I thought this only works for the Premium package, not the Classic. If Classic limit is $9, a $10 drink will cost $10 and not only $1.

Premium limit $15 and a $16 drink will be $1.

That used to be the case years ago. They changed it so that the Classic works like the Premium. For many people, less incentive to upgrade...