shipshape sam

I have to admit that I used to love Celebrity. In recent sailings, we have found Celebrity to be less inspiring. We have not, nor shall we ever paid to become a first class passenger, specifically the Retreat program. Do not see us ever booking a suite either. Thus, we long more for the older days when you did get some specific benefits from sailing on Celebrity and being an Elite Captains Club status member. Due to the reciprocal status acknowledgment between Celebrity and Royal, we were Elite on our first Celebrity cruise in 2005 on Constellation. We do like the low key nature onboard, we did/do like a lot of the activities they used to have. Also, I am bummed about all the added cabins added at the expense of public areas. Those sailing now, may not even know of all the changes made over the years. We for sure do prefer Royal over Celebrity when we are taking our granddaughter and family. Lots of activities for kids where as Celebrity not so much. Hoping for some retro features like a real baloney on next class of ships. WE avoid E class ships with IV and with all the cabins added to M class of ships, we like S class better now. For sure this is personal and we are actually sailing on HAL Rotterdam next year as a throwback, at least IMHO. Wishing everyone a great next sailing on whichever ship you are sailing.

Rare that a thread can maintain a narrow focus. NOT sure this spread serves any direct correlation with getting PUP's, but It could and do not want to discourage the single mindedness of PUP's. We certainly got to Elite Plus quicker and hope it has helped many other cruisers.

Interesting about Lido buffet for dinner. We enjoy MDR with our traveling friends as it was a time to sit around and talk while enjoying some wine and meal courses. We did Half Moon Bar most nights for a pre-dinner drink and the bar staff was great and its location was close to MDR and not a lot of traffic either. Will for sure check out to options offered on our next Rotterdam sailing.

WE had Labadee and it was changed to Coco Cay. Read recently that the October 8th sailing of Adventure of Seas would go to Labadee. Not sure how it went and do not know if any more test sailings are planned. For me, it would be nice to get updates and the big question is reinstate Labadee for any sailing that has previously changed ports. For us it was a swap to another private island, but would like to see how Labadee is.

Thanks for posting lots of pictures. Getting to relive great times on our March 2023 sailing and look forward to our February 2025 sailing. If you like corn beef, the New York deli is very good. I did not find it till our 4th day onboard in 2023.

Good luck. Book early!

Duplicate post...sorry

A shame to have lots of problems with a promotional program to reward customers for spending time listening to travel new casts about ships/company. Hope everyone gets their point soon!

Looking forward to lots of pictures of the ship. Hope you had some great music in RS The live music most nights is what I am looking forward to on our upcoming February sailing.

Got my 3 points yesterday and it is a cheap way for Celebrity to promote new things during the year. Thanks Celebrity!😀

Many years ago we were on a sailing and they had a late night party on the pool deck followed by a Midnight buffet. Also been on sailing having a pool party as we departed from Acapulco, Mexico around 10 pm.

We loved the rock and roll venue with live music most evenings. We sailed on Rotterdam in 2023 and in large part due to live music, are sailing again on Rotterdam in 2025.

Beer choices are lacking. Love your pics of the food. Never seen shrimp like you had.

Any suggestions for Celebrity as to a PUP video/event?

I no longer kid myself, thus I bring one token book just in case. I do bring mp iPhone and EarPods for music. Wishing you no time on your next TA. 🙂

No need to end PUP's till people quit talking about them. Celebrity is getting the benefit of the hope that another morsel (PUP points) will be waved in front of us. Don't get me wrong, I have done many of the videos to get some PUP's. I am in mid 800's, thus no real help for me now with the rate they are now being offered...none. I am actually sailing Royal for our next 3 sailings, then HAL. No Celebrity sailings booked, but would like to plan one on S class.

We like Royal's plan where to my understanding,you can get one of your 4/5 drinks anytime during the day including 5 to 7 pm or later. Will find out in November this year. We enjoyed the get together, but also liked not having to go to a certain location. For myself, I can not find a beer in lounge I like when it was located at the same fixed location. I can now go to where the beer I want is and enjoy. Royal's selections were limited too. What this tells me, at least, is that everyone has a particular preference that Celebrity could not ever satisfy everyone. They did for a while have the lounge and still allow those of us to go where we wanted. Not sure why that stopped. Maybe a PUP video on the beers, wines, and spirits offered onboard ship(s)

Our experience was that they started doing some small things and pre prepping. It was not terrible, but it did look a little messy and for us did not interfere with using any part of ship.

I would think that feature would be a benefit to HAL( even nuts/etc. just promote them). We like to have a drink before dinner and do ask wait staff for nuts/etc if they have them. Not sure going too far afield on this might change many eating habits for MDR or other restaurant. I know I could over indulge in hors d'oeuvres and even eating my full meal, be stuffed. Back 0n the nuts, we eat some as I do not like to drink without eating something . On Celebrity Captains Club, we did enjoy some very nice hors d'oeuvres and I basically skipped most of it unless it was shrimp, then all bets were off. 😀 Captains Club was not available to most passengers too, so not as much cost to provide that benefit.

Are the real balconies the aft facing cabins and suites?

Yes I realized my error and deleted.

Thanks to all for info.

Wondering how long from leaving Tampa to go under the bridge. We have never seen the bridge and thought it might be nice to be on a top deck. Any help is appreciated.

We tend to cruise longer sailings as then our travel costs are spread over more days, lowering our cost per day.. Also, for us, our cabin is a place to store our stuff, change clothes, clean up, and sleep. We do like balconies, but are planning to try an oceanview cabin.