misterkevin

As we embark in a Celebrity Suite 1620 on the Equinox, we've noticed that the footstools are not eliminated. 

On 3/6/2019 at 10:45 AM, BeeMinor said:

Without further ado . . . 

[...]

Fitness Classes

Note that all prices have an added 18% gratuity (because you normally tip fitness instructors?) which makes a $19 class $22.  I've been a spin instructor for years and have yet to be tipped with anything other than thanks, a bottle of water, or a healthy snack.

[...]

"Mystery yoga" isn't my thing so I didn't take the class,

[...]

Whatever that class was, it was not barre. 

Thanks so much for the useful information and making me laugh!

It's noticeably better than it was last year. It's not as seamless as its major competitors, but the login issues have largely disappeared. They're obviously working to fix it all the time.

It's too bad the OP didn't know they booked a non-refundable fare, but that's not Celebrity's fault. The nonrefundable fare trend has exploded in the last two years across the major cruise lines. It's happened with hotels as well lately. There are often two prices for the same room with the nonrefundable price being lower.

As for the costs of specialty dining, they too have increased, but they are discretionary after all. Celebrity's prices for specialty dining and drinks are a bit higher than HAL, Princess, RCL, Carnival, and NCL, but it's a more premium product in my opinion.

The race for shareholder value means there will be more shaving of services and ways to charge more in order to extract extra revenue from a basically static revenue source. Short of adding additional cabins (which they are, in fact, doing with the Edge Revolution makeovers), the only way to make more money is to charge more. Based on the last few years of RCL stock performance, there's no evidence the company is in bad shape.

This is an interesting use of OBC. I'll have sufficient OBC on next week's Equinox cruise for discretionary tipping. I just got off the phone with the shoreside concierge who said this isn't possible for butlers, attendants, or bartenders.

When you say you went to guest services, did you mean the general one in the main lobby, the suite manager, the retreat concierge? I guess it's not such a bad idea to have extra cash, but I'd just as soon not carry it if it's not necessary.

As late as October 2018, you could also go to guest relations and get a form on which to specify staff members to receive additional tips over their portion of the daily tips you've paid.

This thread discusses that.

1 hour ago, LEESRE said:

We are also sailing in 3 weeks and I cannot print either luggage tags for e docs. Just like you it says PENDING.

I had the same problem. I called Celebrity. After 3 calls, they fixed it. If you're cruising in 3 weeks, your documents should be ready. It's a technology problem. 

I like both lines for different reasons. I'm in agreement with most of the previous comments comparing the two lines. Carnival is more of a fun, activity and entertainment based ship; whereas Celebrity is more laid back, with better food and service. These are differences I've noticed between the types of people who choose to cruise with them. I mean no disrespect to anyone. I get along with all kinds of friendly folk, regardless of ethnicity or physiology. I have had wonderful experiences on both lines. Moving forward, however, as I've aged, I prefer the quieter atmosphere of Celebrity with fewer children.

2 hours ago, GastroGnome said:

You can ask for anything!  (Well.. more or less....).  We ask for the bed linen to be altered (We have single duvets to avoid night time battles...)  If the bed can be split we usually ask for that too - but sometimes it can't.  Also for both Luminae and MDR menus in the room in advance (so we can plan additional specialty nights)  If you have a birthday or anniversary you can tell them (remember they have your passport if getting creative with birthdays!).  Although we don't ask for different pillows / mattress toppers etc if you ask the shore side concierge it makes it easier for housekeeping as they can make the room up in advance rather than having to come back once you have boarded.

Thanks! I like the idea of getting the menus in advance. I'll definitely request that. 

What kinds of things can you arrange with the shoreside concierge pre-cruise? We sail in two weeks in a Celebrity Suite, and I just got the email below.

The room doesn't come with the extra bottles of liquor or a stocked fridge, and I've already got my specialty reservation made for the first night. I might want another reservation, but I usually make others on the fly based on the menus.

Can I ask for special pillows or mattress toppers, or is that a butler/attendant question? Anything else people have requested?

Dear Mr. Novak:

The Celebrity Cruises family is delighted you have chosen to sail with us. We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Equinox soon. 

As your vacation is just around the corner, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Zoe and I will serve as your dedicated Shoreside Concierge. I work hand in hand with the Retreat Concierge onboard to make your Celebrity experience as carefree as possible, and I am happy to assist you in any way I can. 

Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns regarding your upcoming sailing. In preparing for your arrival there are a few items that I would like to notate in your file. Please provide the following information so we can make sure all of your needs are planned for:

Expected arrival time
Preferred departure time
Day of sailing phone number
Number of bags you will be traveling with
Are you celebrating any special occasions?

Arranging for your dining plans before sailing will give you more time to relax and enjoy the Celebrity Equinox.  Below I have included a brief description and the pricing for each Specialty Restaurant. Kindly note, you will always be able to dine at Luminae should you wish as this is exclusive restaurant for our Suite guests. 

Murano- $50 per person
Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, gorgeous crystal, and exquisite china provide an elegant backdrop for this magnificent specialty restaurant. A delectable blend of Classic and modern continental cuisine is freshly prepared in multi-course meals, as exquisite European-style service attends to your every need.

Tuscan Grille- $45 per person
This lively, contemporary steakhouse serves a succulent selection of pastas, seafood, steaks and salads. The atmosphere is graced with a hint Italy, making it both rustic and sophisticated, and the wine follows suit with a variety of the country's best.

Le Petit Chef - $55 per person
We are bringing your tabletop to life in Le Petit Chef - an animated character who appears beside your plate and shows you how each course is prepared before you are served the actual dish. It's an immersive, mind-blowing fusion of entertainment and dining like you have never experienced before! We offer two select dining times for this venue, 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm.

Please note, boarding begins at 10:00 am and ends promptly at 2:00 pm. Upon arrival to the pier, please make your way to Terminal 25. Once inside the terminal you will be able to enjoy our VIP lounge which is an exclusive embarkation area for our Suite guests. From there, you will be able to board the beautiful Celebrity Equinox! For your convenience, I have included the port information below for Port Everglades.

2025 Eller Drive
Terminal 25
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

As always, please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of any assistance. My office hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm CST. If you have an urgent matter and I am unavailable, feel free to call our Concierge Desk at 1-877-XXX-XXXX seven days a week between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm CST. One of my colleagues will be happy to assist you.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Equinox!

Sincerely,



Zoe Wright
Shoreside Concierge
Celebrity Equinox

Take a look at this brochure from the website. It lays out the perks by suite type on all Celebrity ships post revolution. Additionally, it shows floor plans and square footage.

https://widgety-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/2017/12/05/12/17/06/2b54d698-df20-4aaa-a7d2-5843766803ea/Suite Class brochure.pdf

On 6/26/2019 at 7:34 PM, wrk2cruise said:

 

Right but if the cruise is not offering those "Discounts" then I don't see a way to book a suite without perks.  For example:

 

You can book Sky Suites and Celebrity Suites without perks. Royal Suites and above include all 4 perks as part of the fare.

On 4/24/2019 at 6:01 PM, hvbaskey said:

CELEBRITY MOVE UP TRACKER (effective April 19, 2019; but can back-fill data, if available)

• Ship:  Equinox
• Length of Cruise: 7 days
• Cruise Sail Date: 7/27/19
• Date email offer received: 6/7/19
• Captain’s Club Tier: Classic 
• Booked through Celebrity Direct OR via TA: Booked onboard, transferred to TA
• Current Cabin: 2124
• Bid?  Yes

If YES -  Bidding Details:

• Cabin Category: CS -1620
• Bid Offer: $500
• Notification Date: 7/8/19
• Accepted / Rejected: Accepted

General Comments (offer details, etc.)

Moved from Sky Suite guarantee-W to CS. Minimum bid was $450 per person. Keeping all 4 perks, plus an additional $1200 in OBC offered from Celebrity and my TA. 

Our Move Up offer from a Sky Suite guarantee to a Celebrity Suite on the Equinox 7/27 sailing was just accepted this morning.  I bid just a bit more than minimum of $450 for $500pp, which is still less than half of the price to book this cabin with no perks— although it's not available as the suites are showing sold out. This is great news for us because we keep all 4 perks and the additional $1200 OBC we're getting between Celebrity and my TA. It's almost better than a free upgrade because $800 of my OBC is refundable. Net/net, I'm upgrading for $200 for 2. No complaints here! 😃

12 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

You’re welcome! Happy to have been a help. Which vendors did you use that I had mentioned?

You can send messages to each other privately now on Cruise Critic by visiting each other's profile page. 

3 hours ago, critterchick said:

But the food and wines were terrific, for $279/couple, which included the gratuity (I hope the upload worked). I’d do that one again in the blink of an eye. 

Aren't most of those items already on the Murano menu?  

On 6/16/2019 at 10:41 AM, jelayne said:

If the Suite guests use the Retreat Sun Deck there are that many less people trying to get seats at the pool.  

The Equinox only has 66 of 1426 total staterooms which are suites. That's less than 5%. While it will make some difference, it's not large. Plus there's no guarantee that suite passengers aren't going to want to be closer to the pools and hot tubs and take up deck chairs in the open space. 

I wouldn't count on much reprieve from the chair stalking. 

14 minutes ago, colliercruiser said:

 

Anyone remember the time when this Equinox Revolution thread was about the significant upgrades intended for Equinox, those which could not be accomplished due to the shift in dry dock and the final result?  I never realized that some items, such as table sizes on the veranda and whether a bottle of so-so sparkling wine was found in the cabin, are of similar significance.  😕

I do remember that. Similar significance is a matter of opinion. However, everything matters to people here. Sometimes I wonder why people want to know who the bartender is at a particular bar, or why they want to see the entire daily plans on the ship for their itinerary, but these issues matter to them or they wouldn't ask.

I think it's relevant to talk about how the Revolution for the Equinox has changed any experience that is associated with the ship. Some of these things may not be due to the Revolution and had been scheduled. In any case, I've only been cruising on Celebrity since 2017, and the types of changes, whether they be upgrades, updates, or cutbacks, are significant when I look at them in their entirety.

If you've cruised in Aqua Class since the new, revolutionized dry dock on these ships, I would like to confirm some things I've been reading about changes to the perks in Aqua Class.

1. Were your foot stools on the balcony gone? 

2. Did your balcony chairs recline?

3. Was your table in the balcony large enough to eat breakfast for two?

4. Was there a table in the cabin large enough for two for room service for two?

5. Was the sofa in your cabin large enough for two people?

6. Did you get priority embarkation?

7. Were there slippers in your room?

8. Did your attendant leave the upgraded canvas Celebrity tote in your cabin?

9. Did you have upgraded toiletries in your cabin?

10. Did your pillows smell?

11. If you've cruised Celebrity in Aqua before, did you notice any other perks missing since the Revolution?

22 minutes ago, ezemoney said:

did the ship get  rf bands to enter your stateroom?

 

later,

ezemoney

No, but you can use the Celebrity app on your phone to unlock your cabin door.

23 hours ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

 

Got to agree with you on that one.  I think my main hang up is if Carnival can do a 12 course fantastic experience (with drinks) for $95pp, why is Celebrity charging over $250pp for a 5 course meal.

 

insanity

Celebrity is certainly pricing themselves out of the market with this 5-course menu and wine pairing which comes to $235 per person when you add the 18% tip. 

I've experienced the multi-course degustation menus on Carnival in the fancy private dining rooms in the galley. They were a gastronomic tour de force.

This menu isn't varied enough and just doesn't float my boat. 😂 I wouldn't pay that for a Michelin starred restaurant on land, either. I consider myself a foodie; I'm sad about the missed opportunity. 

16 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Saturday 

 

Well the lack of a dining table in Aqua is changing our patterns.   We have ALWAYS had breakfast in our room.  We are now going down to Retreat for breakfast each morning.   Really not that bad as I often had a full breakfast even though we never have a large breakfast at home. 

 

Retreat at has a beautiful beautiful buffet layout.    I have been having fresh berries and Greek yogurt.  Best yogurt I have ever had. 

We always enjoy breakfast in the room at least a couple of mornings and didn't have access to the Retreat Lounge (née Michael's Club) because we were in an Aqua Class cabin and only discovered wonderful Celebrity last year. Do you think it's possible to have the cabin steward get a table so that nice perk isn't completely gone?

It's not common on Celebrity, but not unheard of. If you want to do it, no one will stop you.

This thread has the most exhaustive information about the Equinox Revolution/Refurb

I have experience on Carnival, Princess, and Celebrity. Between them, Celebrity is by far the overall best, especially Blu main dining for Aqua Class and the fresh options at the Horizon Buffet.

However, there are specialty dining highlights at each of them:

• Chef's Tables on Carnival are spectacular.
• Fahrenheit 555 steakhouses on Carnival are also very good.
• Share by Curtis Stone on Princess is excellent.
• Murano on Celebrity is the best dining at sea I've had yet.