FBrew

Does anyone know what is the earliest flight you can have from Fort Lauderdale using luggage valet? If this question has been asked before I apologize. I tries the search button and I still couldn't find anything.

Thank you

I purchased an unlimited dining package for my 4 night cruise on the Silhouette. On embarkation day do you go to any specialty restaurant and make your reservation for the 4 days or do you have to go to each individual restaurant? I haven't been on a Solstice class ship since before the pandemic.

Thank you,

Phyllis

I booked a Princess Transatlantic Cruise November 1,2025 2 weeks ago it is a brand-new ship.

On 3/5/2023 at 4:22 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Strenuous is very subjective. There is a wide range of ages and fitness levels on cruises. I would say that the tour will likely involve significant periods of standing and walking, as well as perhaps getting into and out of boats to travel between the villages. If there is free time, exploring the towns on foot will mean uphill and downhill walking, sometimes steep. The tour should state whether any hiking is involved, but most of these tours use the train or boats to go from place to place.

 

 

 

Thank you.  I found a tour that is a minivan and no boats.  I will start doing outside walking next month. I will train for this excursion.

Have a great trip to Japan!! Thanks again.

Phyllis

On 2/8/2023 at 7:30 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

La Spezia is the best port from which to see the Cinque Terre ("five lands" or villages). Have you been there?  Worth looking into, but can be very crowded in peak season. You can go from village to village by train or by boat.

 

https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/

 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/planning-visit-cinque-terre

I am interested in taking a tour of Villages of Cinque Terre at the end of October.  Would you consider this to be a strenuous tour?  I am looking at booking with Italy tours.  

Thank you,

Phyllis

3 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

Looks like a funny price on the Ascent Fall 2024 TA. Aqua Sky  Suite about $4000 per person, while Regular Sky Suite is $5800 per person. Celebrity Suite is only about $200 more per person than SS.

 

So, of course I had to book it 😉😉.

Thank you. After you posted this, I went and put an aqua suite on hold. It is 4100.00 with taxes.  I just checked now it has been corrected it is over 6000.00 per person now.  Thanks again.

33 minutes ago, CruiseFan94 said:

2024-2025-europe-itineraries.pdf 5.72 MB · 3 downloads

Thank you very much.  It will be easy for me when I book my TA tomorrow. 

On 11/23/2022 at 7:17 PM, Treacher1 said:

Booked this cruise about a week ago - friends wanted to join us - can you believe ALL retreat suites are totally sold out??? Or do you think some are held and will have to be purchased AFTER the 75 % off second guest in cabin?  Just surprised all sold out already for 2024.

There is a S1 sky suite available now.

The Eclipse will be doing the Bayonne to Bermuda sailings.

58 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

The other day @jelayneposted a pic of the retreat lounge bar on Beyond. I didn’t see much of a bourbon selection. 

Has anyone ever had any luck with special requests?  
 

If you see certain brands in other bars onboard, would they order them for the retreat lounge and make them available for the duration of your cruise ?
it seems this would be a nice way to “go above and beyond” for suite guests. 

 

When you go to the retreat lounge and if they don't have the bourbon, you like ask them if they can get you some. They are very accommodating. I know if they don't have the wine, I like I will ask them for the brand I like.  See you on board Wed.

Phyllis

43 minutes ago, NJ Gal said:

FBrew--What yearly policy do you buy?  Since this is our 3rd cruise this year, maybe an annual policy would have been better than three separate ones from Celebrity?? As we are getting older, a good medical policy is always something to consider.  

Anyone else have an annual policy?  Which ones?urance

Allianz All trips premium plan. You know as you get older your travel insurance premium goes up. The yearly premium doesn't go up because of age. The amount I get is 10,000.  There are different amounts you can purchase. It covers everyone in the house up to the 10,000. I have medicare plus an advantage insurance plan.  The advantage insurance plan covers me when I am out of the country. I still like my travel insurance. 

Phyllis

8 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

TRAVEL INSURANCE 

 

Yes.  I always purchase it.  I should look into a yearly plan since I purchase it a few times a year. 😉

 

I always say it's better to have it and not need it then the other way around.  I just consider it a trip cost.  When I look at the overall cost of the trip, the insurance is probably one of the least amounts I spend. 

 

I used to get it through the cruise line but then one time I thought I would look for something myself.  I pay less and have better coverage.  My credit card provides coverage for things but I purchase it for the Medical Coverage and Transportation.  Again, I hope to never need it.  Peace of mind. 

 

✈️🚢🧳

I am on this sailing.  I purchase a yearly insurance policy.  I find it cheaper as I get older. In this day and age, I wouldn't leave home without it. It covers everybody in my household.  In April Jet Blue cancelled my flight Fort Lauderdale to Boston. The only flight we could get was from Miami and the flight was $900.00 insurance paid.

8 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

🍹

49 minutes ago, jelayne said:

They have had the Cattier champagne which was out of stock for some of our earlier cruises.  We have let our sommelier pick most of our wines and they have been excellent.

Is the sommelier giving you premium wines? Do you drink red or white? We are on the Beyond for next cruise 9 days. I would think with this brand-new ship there wouldn't be problems. After the Beyond we go on the Summit for 5 days maybe I will pick wine and bring it with me. How is Luminae?  If you go to the retreat pool deck could you please find out who the bartender is at the bar? How is the Butler? Enjoy the rest of the cruise. We are on the TA for next year.

Thanks,

Phyllis

3 hours ago, mfs2k said:

Do you think Celebrity should have the option to limit specialty dining to one reservation per restaurant on a sold out cruise so more people have the ability to experience high demand restaurants?

No because I am going on the Beyond Oct. 26th and I booked my 2 specialty restaurant back in February.  I have also booked my specialty restaurants for the October 23 Beyond transatlantic and March 2024 partial Panama Canal.  

2 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

That's great you got the credit. How long did it take?  I just do disputes through my credit card company and let them hash it out with the vendor.

It took my 45 days.

On 6/2/2022 at 1:37 PM, jelayne said:

Sounds like it was the same one.

I just received the credit for the mini bar on my credit card today.

22 minutes ago, lmklimmek said:

Chip was our butler on the summit San Juan on a December cruise in 2018. He was wonderful and is the main reason we continue to cruise retreat class. I believe he was from Romania and I know he preferred the millennium class.

 

I was wondering whether or not anyone knows who I am referencing and whether or not he is cruising. 

We had Chip the butler on the Summit in November of 2018.  We were on  Summit in January 2019 an Chip was in charge of the pool deck. He told me he got a promotion but, I can't remember what his title was.  I was on the Summit in May and he wasn't in charge of the pool deck. 

15 hours ago, jelayne said:

Yes we were.  I think it was done by our Butler who we had asked to be replaced.  He was visibly upset and kept angrily  muttering at me every time we passed in the hall.  I know at least one other Suite asked to have him replaced.

I called Celebrity today and spoke to Captains club they have escalated the mini bar credit to accounting. The rep. told me as soon as it is finalized, he will call.  We asked to have the butler replaced also and I believe we had the same butler.

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

It has been 40 days for a refund of a erroneous mini bar charge of $100

Were you on the April 16th cruise on the Apex?  We were also charged $100.00 for the mini bar.  I called Celebrity on April 24th and spoke with someone at Celebrity and they got approval to refund the charge on my credit card. On 5/1 I called Celebrity again and was told that it would take 30-45 for the credit so far I haven't received it. I think it is time to call again.

28 minutes ago, jenlock21 said:

I am currently on the first part of a B2B on the Summit. There are less than 400 passengers on board and service for the most part has been amazing. This is one of the best dinning room experiences we have had….from the sommelier, our room attendant, to the server and even the bartender in the lounge and the concierge have been top notch. The problem I am having is with the retreat host aka the butler. Background: this is only our second celebrity cruise. The first was on the reflection and our host was amazing. We don’t ask for much but we didn’t have to. He brought our coffee every morning, snacks in the afternoon, found us several times during the day to tell us about events or to see if we needed anything. Before that we always sailed on the NCL haven about ten times and the butlers there were unbelievable every time. This cruise for the first half we are in a CS. We did not see our host at all day one. Day two was our anniversary and he apologized for day one and put a few balloons in our room. Aside from that we have only seen him once in the morning to bring us coffee and fruit (we fill out the room service card and he collects it and is prompt). We move to a royal suite next and I do not want him to go with us. I will leave him a great tip even though I am not happy with the service but I do not know if I’m being unreasonable, am expecting too much,  or if we have just been VERY lucky on our last 11 cruises. Any thoughts? 

I would speak to the retreat concierge and tell them what has happened. I was on a back to back cruise on the Apex disembarking April 23rd. The 1st week the butler was okay. On the 2nd week Saturday morning we placed our dirty glasses on the end of the table went to the pool for the day.  Came back dirty glasses weren't removed, no ice and didn't refill the diet coke.  We go out for dinner come back every and everything was the same. The next morning my roommate saw the butler in hall and told him.  His answer was it was turn around day.  So we got no clean glasses, ice or diet coke. We didn't even get champagne. I went and saw  the retreat concierge and they gave us a new butler.

I am on a back to back next week.  They are 2 7 day cruises. I got $50.00 off the price of the cruise each week. I know on the 7 days you get $50.00 off the cabin each week. I have done several back to backs.

8 minutes ago, The Flying Pirate said:

When we got back to Fort Lauderdale, we had all day to kill before our flight. In the past we have booked a ships excursion that takes you and your luggage, you go do whatever and they drop everything off at the airport. Easy. 

 

This time there was only one option, the Everglades Air Boat Tour. We have done it in the past and didn't have a need to do it again and it was the only option. So we found a day room. If you are in this position I recommend getting a resort pass. There are several websites out that sell them, we used resortpass.com. It allows you to have the use of all the hotel facilities, pool, beach for a fraction of the price of renting a room. It is a good alternative for a shore excursion especially if you have a big family. 

We are in Fort Lauderdale all day after we disembark the Apex. We would like to get a day pass.  Which hotel did you stay for the day? How far was it from the airport?   Thank you

On 2/9/2022 at 4:38 PM, ncgolferette said:

Dinner Reservations are now open on the Beyond for Le Voyage at least for the maiden voyage.  It is $75 pp.

Thank you for posting about Le Voyage.  I was able to make a reservation for the October 26th sailing and I was able to get 7:00PM.  Prime time dining I am excited.  Thank you again.

I am in cabin 6019 on the Summit in May.  When I was looking for window cabin people had suggested this cabin as being a larger cabin.  

5 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Do not know Jerome or any bartender outside the Retreat (social distanced during entire cruise). Bartender in the Retreat Lounge ( Luminae hostess Bianca's husband) both were removed after lunch on Sunday, missing at dinner time. On Jan 1 we were in Retreat Lounge at 1:30 with Kumar (future cruise agent) and Jonathan. Jonathan told us a story about his father in the merchant marines and how he just received a flu shot two days prior ( we are counting the days from our encounter). Jonathan also told us he was leaving for vacation in February and after vacation will be on Apex. (Interesting side note; Jonathan said the worst thing he encountered working on board the Equinox that made him 'jump ship' to the Apex, was when a friend aboard the Apex sent him photos of the crew laundry room displaying a bank of brand new washing machines "and they all work !" Apparently there are 12 ? crew washing machines on the Equinox and only 2 are still in working order.) Next day Jonathan is isolated complaining of headaches, but we were told he tested NEGATIVE. Could be from FLU SHOT ? Because his closest cohort is Yulia who was on duty the last day escorting us off the ship from the Retreat Lounge. Luminae hostess Bianca and her husband Retreat bartender plan on leaving Equinox and starting a business and family back home.

Thank you for the update on the crew.  I will be on the Apex in April for 2 weeks so hopefully I will see Jonathan.  In Aug. I spent my days at the pool and somedays it would be 9:30 before any other passenger's came up to the pool. I guess I am a chair hog, but my chair is never out of my sight except when I go to lunch and then only a 1/2 hour. I know all the martini gentlemen, so I guess now you know where I spend my time.  I have decided this cruise at the martini bar I will keep my mask on lift it up when I want to take a sip of my wine. We don't go to shows. We have quite alot of OBC so we might have to go to the casino, and we don't usually go there.   Thank you again I have enjoyed all your post on all your journeys.