rose6

Just curious if there are retractable clothes lines  in the Allure balcony cabin showers.

I have learned over the years that if a travel agent is offering  no or little per centage of the cost of the cruise back,  it is best to switch to another agent.  Take the time to search online, call different agencies and ask fellow passengers on your next cruise who they prefer to use.  We are not allowed to recommend agencies on this site.

Yes, this was after final payment. 

I gave you my suggestion to contact Celebrity  directly.  It is rude and offensive  to suggest that anyone participating  in this discussion is intentionally being vague or misleading.

Please refer to the article on today's cruise critic web site for cruise news.

I still suggest you call Celebrity  as they might have better information than anyone here on the discussion boards.

A few weeks ago I  noticed that the price for my cabin had gone down about $300 per person, l called my travel agent who spoke with royal rep.  Royal refused any compensation or obc and would only consider category  upgrade.

You should call Celebrity and ask them.  I read today that several major cruise lines are cancelling their China cruises.  We don't  know if other Asian ports will be affected. 

If it is after final payment they may not drop your price.   However, you might be able to get an upgrade if you find a cabin in a higher category for at least $1 more.  Always call and do not attempt to do this online. 

You are better off than you may realize.  Now you can go to dine at an early time, and you don't have to worry about the children having to wait for the late seating dining time of 8 or 8:30.  Also, if one day you wish to eat at a little later time you will be free to do so.  Try to appreciate the my time dining and you may discover that you even prefer the flexibility it offers.

Why are you limiting yourselves to 4 or 5 day cruises?  You might want to consider a 7 day cruise on one of the S class ships.  The atmosphere on the longer cruise is different from the shorter cruises.  

If booked in a balcony on deck 8 near the aft elevators do you have direct access to Central Park?  It appears that the location of the rising tide bar may mean there is no direct access from the elevator area.  Would someone who is familiar with the Allure or is currently sailing on her please answer this question.  If one must use the stairs to get to Central Park, how many stairs are there? 

When I checked availability on the Allure March 1st sailing a few days ago, all categories but a few suites were sold out.  $800 per person for a balcony was a good deal, and you may find only higher price rooms available if someone should cancel.  Unfortunately, you may have missed your opportunity for a good deal and now you may be faced with limited or no availability for this cruise.  I  think the moral of the story is when you see a fair price book the cabin.  In your effort to save a few more dollars it may have cost you the opportunity to get on this sailing.

Better luck next time.

I would like to make a couple of helpful suggestions.  In the future, you might be better off working with a reputable travel agent rather than dealing with the cruise line directly.  Travel agents will often offer you on board credit or a big box store cash card.  The travel agent may have more clout in dealing with the cruise line because of the volume of business they have with them.  They will request that the cruise line honor what they have offered.  

Also, cruises usually do not sail from London.  Southampton is the port and it takes two and a half hours to travel from London to Southampton.  Please keep  this in mind when considering your cruise line options and travel arrangements. 

My Celebrity fjords cruise was one of my favorites (We have done 10 cruises on Celebrity).  

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Before you "forget this whole thing" I suggest that you or a family member that belongs to the crown and anchor loyalty program contact them and ask them if they can do anything to remedy the situation. 

If you did your booking online, it may be better next time to call and explain your needs and preferences to a live human being . Or, as others have suggested work with a reputable travel agent.

Another general rule of life is do not make financial commitments under pressure from family members, or anyone else for that matter.  To most of us a thousand dollars is a lot of money.  My best wishes for an enjoyable cruise with the family and remember not to book online next time.

We did the 12 day Hawaii to Vancouver  cruise April 29, 2018.  As you leave Hawaii  it becomes increasingly colder, but my husband  swam or used the hot tubs almost ever day.  We enjoyed  the cruise and would consider doing it again.  You need to dress in layers as you will need warmer clothing near the end of the cruise.  As your cruise leaves one week earlier than ours you may find it a bit colder.  Good luck making your anniversary plans.

Is your cruise on the Eclipse a repositioning cruise?  If not, you can possibly get a perk option with a drinks package if you book ocean view or higher category.  We need to know more about your booking in order to offer you opinions and suggestions. 

I offer you a suggestion in the kindest spirit.  Why don't  you consider giving up the cigarettes and with the money you save each year you might be able to afford another cruise.

Wondering if you are trying to cancel booking on line.  I  suggest you call and actually  speak to a live person.  Tell them if they do not cancel immediately  you will dispute  the charges with your credit card and/or file a complaint  with the better business  bureau in their area.

If you want to benefit from finding a good deal you have to do your own research.  Continue to search for itineraries  that interest you. The perks often fluctuate from promotion to promotion.  There are also seasonal deals that you can find in the cruise critic news listings.  The deal you got on your last cruise seems more generous that what I have recently  seen on offer.  How long ago did you actually book that one?

As you are relatively  new to cruising, I wish to offer you some advice.  First, never judge a cruise by your experiences  on the first day.  Change over days are hectic and demanding for the crew.  A bottle of champagne not arriving as expected is a minor inconvience in the great scheme of things. Give the staff an

Opportunity to correct any errors that you feel might have been made.

You may believe you did your research, but obviously from your confusion about what was included in terms of drink packages and who would receive them, your research was inadequate.  To achieve the best cruise experience you need to be fully informed and knowledgeable about what you are purchasing.  You were critical of guest relations because they did not offer to accommodate your request for your 14 year old daughter to be given some type of drinks package.

They were probably not at fault here and your dissatisfaction was a direct result of your failure to understand what you had purchased, and your disappointment at not getting them to agree to your request.  You should learn from this experience and always have a copy of your invoice with you, whether you have booked directly with the cruise line or a travel agent.

Cruising is a learned skill set. The more cruise experiences  you have with a particular  cruise line the more you will be better able to arrive at that good value for the dollar determination that you claim to be seeking.  Celebrity is a good premium mass market cruise experience. 

Please do not receive these comments as criticism, as they are well intentioned and hope to enhance the enjoyment of this and future cruises.

You are two months out from this sailing. You are past final payment date. If the cruise is so popular that all balconies and suites are sold out you should not count on a cancellation. If you want to go on this particular ship and itinerary then consider booking the ocean view. We have had the experience of doing a 16 day transatlantic in an inside cabin. We not only survived, but enjoyed ourselves.

You should be worried about inventory. In my experience, ships sail full. You need to contact the specific cruise line and ask what their policy is about upgrading after final payment. Also you need to find out what the availability would be for suites on the cruise you have booked.

The gratuities cost $14.50 per day per person, so the value is $28 times 7. If you plan to spend more than $14.50 a day per person on alcoholic and soda and coffee beverages the drink package would be the better value.

How long is the cruise? Are you eligible for elite drink benefits? We can't help you calculate without more information.

Thank you Brian for responding to my question. I am still not clear if the larger shower room in the gym will have individual showers with curtains, or is a locker room style shower with little privacy.