meechee341

2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

We were on this exact same cruise this past April. No noticeable SB reveling issues. Be sure to keep an eye out on Easter weekend for various Easter-related food carvings and other decorations, especially in the buffet!

 

 

That's actually kinda scary looking!  😁

20 minutes ago, Gordoncruickshank said:

I have never been on a ship with Silk Harvest on it so I really cannot comment. We have had the odd good meal in Tuscan but over 20 Celebrity cruises the bad ones outweigh the good once several times over.

I never got a chance to try Quise.  Now that they are being replaced, I'll always wonder how good the food was there.  Hate I missed dining there. I'll miss Silk Harvest, but maybe I should give Tuscan another go.

17 hours ago, Gordoncruickshank said:

We gave also had issues with Tuscan over the years. We have mostly done cruises on the Eclipse and the Silhouette but over 20 cruises we have had the very odd wonderful meal there but too many times we have been totally disappointed. 
 

We no longer are prepared to pay good money for what is a repeatedly bad experience.

I'll never understand why they got rid of Silk Harvest and left the Tuscan Grill.  We went to the Tuscan once and I thought the food was too salty.  I've never seen anyone in there (no crowds at dinner time at all).  Luminae, however, is excellent!  Even if nothing appeals to you on the menu, they are willing to cook you whatever you like.  Some dishes may require more time and they'll tell you that.  I missed having the artichoke soup when it was on the menu and asked about it.  They told me they'd have it for me the next time I dined in Luminae and they did.  All around great service!

5 hours ago, royalcruz said:

We tried our first MSC cruise recently on the new Meraviglia, after 60+ cruises, mostly Celebrity, Princess, and RC. We were in a regular veranda stateroom, so we weren't able to experience the Yacht Club. It wasn't  a good fit for us.

 

It was just so noisy: frequent and long P.A. announcements, loud live and recorded music at the pool and on the promenade. We couldn't even hear each other in the specialty restaurants because the live music sound carried down the promenade. The dining room was too bright and noisy and we weren't able to move to the quieter dining room, because no one could find the only person who could arrange that. The food was mostly bad, although the baked goods were excellent. I.e.- food served room temp in steak house and Japanese restaurants, mushroom soup tasted like gravy, spring roll hardly had anything inside, blackened fish had so much pepper that I couldn't eat it without coughing, etc. We sent food back during most meals, which is something we rarely do, and the staff reaction wasn't helpful. We ate most meals in the buffet, so we could try to find some edible food ourselves. There were always very long lines at the customer service desk. Staff around the ship were not trained to greet passengers upon passing by...basically they ignored us unless we greeted them first, and they had a very difficult time communicating in English. The

saving grace was that the production shows were the best we've seen, and the bartenders were very friendly.

Your issues with MSC are repeated over and over by many other passengers who have tried the line.  I don't think MSC or the MSC YC should be compared with Celebrity since X is a premium cruise line and MSC is really better compared with NCL or even Carnival IMHO.  There are quite a few who rave about MSC, but there are also a lot of people as well who have had awful experiences with the line.  Most of the reviews on CC mention the food, long lines at guest services, rude passengers and so forth.  I think it's great there are those who have had wonderful experiences with MSC.  I'd be curious to see where the line goes in the future.  Hopefully they can improve on their problem areas.

24 minutes ago, Swordfish1949 said:

Supply & Demand is definitely in play. We booked Aug-2020 Canada/Greenland/Iceland/Ireland  in a Celebrity Suite 13 months ago. Looking today, that a CS is available but for over $16000 more!

I guess booking well in advance pays dividends.

 

I book all my X cruises when they first come out for the best price.  I booked my Hawaiian cruise two years ago and the price has gone up as the cabins sell out.  The top suites and best cabins go quickly, so it's always best to book what you want well in advance.  It also gives you a chance to pay over time.  I can also get a great deal on my excursions when I book my cruise at least a year out ahead! 

7 hours ago, ghstudio said:

tripinsurancestore.com squaremouth.com insuremytrip.com 

 

All will give you an idea of costs and the tradeoffs between policies....the question you should be asking is "what insurance coverage do I need...given my medical conditions, other coverages, etc.  Do NOT assume that insurance from your cruiseline is right or even adequate for YOU....and be careful about the insurance offered by TA's...it may be great, or maybe not FOR YOU.

 

Remember that "Cheap isn't always good and good isn't always cheap".  

Add to that, be sure that you check the insurance that comes with some credit cards.  That as well isn't comprehensive and it may not be adequate as well.  You want insurance that is comprehensive and a primary policy that includes emergency evacuations.  

22 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

I can't comment on the other categories because I haven't tried them and don't plan on it. As far as reviews, someone famous once said, "Believe nothing you read and only one half of what you see".

While I think that's a great euphemism, by that logic a site like Cruise Critic has no business ever being created. And for that matter, why would someone even believe YOUR review of MSC YC if we shouldn't believe what we read?   That's how we learn about what we may like or not like, by doing extensive research based on the experiences of others.  Cruises, like other vacations, are very expensive.  Lots of people would rather learn from the stories of others to help them make more informed decisions.  I'd rather do my research, listen to others (especially when people start repeating the same problems and issues), and take note of wise advice than to refuse to heed the warning and end up wasting my money and being trapped on a ship I won't enjoy.  I have no problem with anyone who enjoys MSC, Carnival, Royal Caribbean or another other cruise line.  But I'd never tell someone to ignore what they read or see on websites such as this and go headlong into disaster.  I appreciate all the people who review their trips with both the positive and negative information they provide.  Their reviews help me make a more informed decision and feel that I am getting the most for my time and money.  

37 minutes ago, CruisersTimesThree said:

They work very hard, and I know they are available till around 8-9 pm in the evening, but I have never bothered any of our butlers once they deliver our snacks around 4ish.

Me either!  Plus those afternoon trays of sandwiches, fruit and dessert samples (only the good desserts) are a life saver!  Those sandwiches are just killer! 😁

4 hours ago, ECCruise said:

Having talked to many of our butlers, yes that is the goal. But trust me, there is a limit. You will never see it in the butler's demeanor but that doesn't make it right. They can very quickly become over committed in their effort to be helpful. 

Our philosophy is pretty simple. If we can do it ourselves, we do it. If not (like room service breakfast) the butler does it. 

That was what I learned as well.  My last cruise on the Equinox we stayed in the PH.  We returned early from an excursion while the better part of the passengers on the ship were still in port.  We wanted lunch, but made it back to the ship during that weird time when the buffet hadn't opened just yet for lunch and the grill on the upper deck was just getting set up.  We ordered room service and we were shocked to see our butler show up with the tray.  He said that when the suite passengers in the rooms he attends are off the ship and he has down time, he's required to help out in other areas of the ship, such as with room service.  I would agree with what some others have said, please be considerate of their time when you think of handing them a list of your needs.  They want to see you have a great trip, but you are not the only person they have to deal with.  You'd be surprised how demanding some passengers are.  That's not to say you can't make requests and ask for things you want or need.  I just try not to be outrageous.  I would always demagnetize my room card and my  butler was kind enough to always want to run down to Guest Services to get me a new one.  I told him that he'd be better off telling me to stop being such a goober and quit demagnetizing the dang card in the first place. We both had a good laugh over that one!  I thanked him for offering, but we were on our way out the door for an iced coffee anyway.  Why make him do something that didn't take me two seconds to do??? 

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Le Petit Chef was a nice experience- also the food- while not the great Qsine menu, was very good.  The M class ships still have the good old Qsine.

Nope...those are leaving M class as well.  The Summit now has Le Petit Chef.  I really wanted to try Qsine.  I hate they got rid of Silk Harvest too!

4 hours ago, tkline said:

OK, not all suites, but the really expensive ones.. on the photos on the Celebrity website there's pictures of a piano in the living room area.. why? I mean, do people just suddenly feel like playing the piano? Or can you call down to the front desk and ask for a piano man to come up to the room and sing for you? Just seems like a waste of space to me, why not have a nice super comfy recliner or 2 in it's place?

They're something nice to put a drink on or hold articles of clothing! 

41 minutes ago, Life Buoy said:

I guess they're in the PH because they can't fit into an inside cabin.

LOL!😏

On 12/29/2019 at 8:50 PM, KW Cruisers said:

We sailed on MSC in the Royal Suite recently on the Seaside. The suite itself was nice (tons of space), everything else was horrible! The only thing that was consistent, was that we could depend on inconsistency of service. The food was HORRIBLE in the Yacht Club restaurant (however I did enjoy the Tappanyaki specialty restaurant). I don't think you can compare MSC Yacht Club at all to luxury lines. Regent and Oceania have far superior service and food. Azamara and Celebrity (suite class) are well ahead MSC too. And the smoking on MSC?? And the muster station drill in the smoke filled casino?? That was a joke! I'll stop there.

 

We tried MSC because it was such a good deal and people seemed to rave about the Yacht Club in comparison to other lines. I wonder how many of them have cruised in suites on higher-end lines. We will never go back to MSC - I don't care how good the price is.

 

My two cents...

 

PS. - I love Murano on X! We used to love Normandie on the Summit!! - Wish they hadn't removed that to put another Tuscan Grill.

 

Shawn

From what I've seen and read, there are lots of people who have sailed on MSC in both regular rooms and the in the YC who hate the line and wouldn't sail with them again.  I'm currently watching guy on YouTube who is sailing on the MSC Armonia.  He has admitted in the comments section that he'd never recommend MSC to his friends and family.  He also said the food was horrible.  He's been doing a great job documenting every aspect of his trip.  Hopefully the people who leave Celebrity lured away by the better deals and cheaper prices will have better experiences.  If the reviews I've seen are any indication, I wouldn't hold out much hope....

4 minutes ago, davekathy said:

The person I quoted was probably one of them. 🤣

LOL!  Lord knows cruise ships these days are full of them!

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

On your next MSC I mean Celebrity cruise go down to GS and remove the gratuities and tip according. 🙄

You should check out the MSC boards.  There's a thread there where a cruiser was asking how hard is it to go to Customer Service and have the gratuities removed.  As the conversation progressed, someone noted how many Celebrity cruisers often hit up Customer Service to have their gratuities removed. My butler on my last X cruise told me that the ship's staff prefer sailing the US ports or with mostly Americans on board because (for the most part), Americans are more willing to tip (and often tip better than those from other countries).  As more and more people begin to complain about X's increasing prices, I wonder how many will begin refusing to tip as a way to save some money???...🤨

57 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

When you go on a cruise, do you just show up, ask for a cabin and pay for everything at the end, as you would in a restaurant? Of course not, they operate on two very different business models. Trying to make comparisons of this nature is a silly exercise at best.

 Excellent point!  

Glad to hear you had a good time!  It's nice to hear someone discuss how much they enjoyed trying a new ship and a new cruise line.  Nothing is perfect, but the few less than stellar issues didn't outweigh your ability to enjoy your vacation! 😀

How many people continue to go to WDW at very high prices?  I think they are at record attendance levels now and the hotels re sold out all the time at very high prices  

X, and others, are looking at those land vacation people and trying to get them on board.  Ships are resorts that move.  Believe me, a week at any Marriott resort with food and drinks is expensive for a family - probably in range of a cruise.  That is X target market - people who are already spending the money on land.  They aren't looking for the $100 ppd crowd moaning about free movies.

I think this quote really sums it up.  Celebrity is gearing their product towards a market who can afford their product.  The Four Seasons, The Waldorf Astoria and other high end hotels aren't targeting the Holiday Inn people.  It wouldn't make sense to stand in the lobby of those hotels and complain about the prices (and yes, their prices have gone up over the years) when you can go to a hotel that better fits your budget.  People want clean ships, great service, good food (which is subjective), solid entertainment, top notch liquor (if you drink), a nice stateroom with the latest amenities, and other perks.  People also want to see the staff earn a decent living.  The problem is, many people want all these things as long as we don't have to come out of pocket for anything extra.  Traveling is EXPENSIVE whether by cruise or land.  We're almost at the point where a vacation of any type is now a luxury.  Celebrity isn't the only ship raising prices.  Carnival just raised the prices on their drinks packages.  There's a reason why Carnival's prices are lower as well.  If you read their message boards, you'll see people who frequently cruise with Carnival complain about the rusted out state of their ships.  People who cruise Carnival understand and accept the trade-off:  a cheaper cruise fare to sail on ships that sometimes aren't well maintained.  On MSC cruisers have complained that when sailing in less expensive rooms, they don't get Kleenex in their cabins.  Many have expressed dismay over having to deal with a one-roll-of-toilet paper allotment each day.   The issue isn't so much with Celebrity as it is with my budget. They have a right to price their product at whatever price they think their ships are worth.  I have a right to walk away, without complaining or demanding cheaper rates, and find a vacation that is better suited to my budget. The price of absolutely everything is going up next year.  Lots of people will be priced out of their once loved cruise lines and other vacations (I'm looking at you Walt Disney World).  This is the new reality.

Oh dear Lord thank you to everyone who posted pictures of the plugs in the staterooms!  I was trying to choose an adapter and seeing those pictures from the rooms helped so much!  I can't believe that someone would have the forethought to snap pictures of the plugs!  This is helping me prepare for my upcoming cruise.  Thanks to everyone for the feedback on this thread.  This info is so timely! 

Personally, I've booked all my cruises on Celebrity through their website and I have NEVER had a problem at all with them.  Every time I make a deposit, make a payment, book an excursion or add any extra, I always get an immediate email with my receipt and updated cruise documents.  I can even reach someone through chat with no problems with Celebrity.  I'm not sure if any problems people are having is due to them being outside the USA, but I've never had problems with Celebrity's website throughout my years of dealing with them.

I just go online and cancel my excursions every time the price drops.  You can save a lot of money if you're on top of things.  It's easy to do.  Like others have said, just make sure there's still space available on your excursion before cancelling.  

Twodaywonder, I think you missed the point.  Colorado was taking a fun jab at the way you spelled necklace!  

4 hours ago, drakes2 said:

I also now book with celebrity directly as they matched the obc from the TA plus got additional with 4 perks and 2 bottles of wine.  In all honesty I don't find my local TAs very knowledgeable. 

You know honestly, I've found the same thing.  I mean maybe the TA's in my area just aren't that great.  At least the Celebrity TA's are knowledgeable about the ships and how everything works.  I try to work with one TA in particular and she's great.  She keeps a running file on the things that I like in my stateroom,  dinner reservations I may want, and anything else she thinks may be important.  She'll make sure to have everything arranged for me and by using one of their TA's, I KNOW X has my information and I'm not dealing with a middle man.  

23 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Do they automatically rebook you when the price goes down?

I've never had a chance to deal with that one.  I've always booked far in advance and, as it turns out, the price I get when they first open the booking window has always been the cheapest fare for me.  Expect one ONE time I booked an 11 night caribbean cruise about a month before the sailing and ended up in a suite for less than half price.  They are more than happy to reprice your cruise for you whenever you like though.  The TA's with Celebrity have always been great and they do send me advanced notice of sales and other information.  Plus right before it's time to cruise they can add on any special requests I need before boarding.  But again, if you can find an outside TA who can give you a better deal or more OBC,  go with that.

I always book directly with Celebrity.  From there I'm always contacted by one of their Travel Assistants.  I like working with them since they are well aware of the ins and outs of Celebrity.  Whenever I call the Celebrity TA with a competing offer from a local TA, Celebrity not only matched the local TA offer, but they went further to beat the offer.  The local TA offered a nice amount of money in OBC for my cruise.  The Celebrity TA, however, offered more OBC and offered the same credit for ALL the cruises I currently have booked with Celebrity in the future.  I'd encourage anyone to check them out and bring competing offers from local TAs.  Unless you're really sold out to your TA because you've worked with them in the past and you like their service, I'd advise anyone to at least give Celebrity a call to see what they can do for you on their end.  Celebrity let me know up front that they wanted to keep my business in house.  I appreciated the service.