carolina_yankee

Does anybody have feedback on tuxedo rental on board? We are larger people successfully losing weight, but still need larger sizes. Because of the ongoing weight loss, buying a tuxedo makes no sense as we would only use it on cruises. We have dark suits and can use them just fine, but if we really want to get into the fun, a tuxedo makes the most sense. Are they good with sizing, measuring?Are they well stocked? Separates work for us, not standard sizes. We would have our own shirts, studs, cuff links, etc. Any tips on cost? It’s a 12 night cruise if that makes a difference. Not sure how many night they would be desired. Thanks!

Nov 12 Apex will be my first ocean cruise since the pandemic and we have a couple more booked on different lines in the coming months. Looking at the boards for the various lines, everybody is getting complaints about downgrades of service, etc. Every cruise line was 5 Star before pandemic and now all are failing if you read the posters! My only reference is Disney. I will be quite annoyed if it’s hard to get a beverage (never was on Disney), but I have to think it’s in Celebrity’s interest to help the guest get rid of their money. Not everyone is AI, so unless the drink servers are somehow only gong to the “by the glass” people I’m chalking it up to training and staffing post-pandemic more than cost-cutting. I’m very prepared to have a “less” experience than before because I’m having a “less” experience in nearly every entertainment / service-industry area of my life. I will not be happy if that continues, though, and becomes a sign of cost-cutting. Disney went that route. That’s why we’re cruising everybody else and having wonderful non-parks vacations. I’m quite happy to reward those who show they value the customer and ignore those who clearly could care less.

There could be a brief bus ride, but i would be surprised. If it’s a ship’s excursion, it would be part of the excursion - they would arrange it and get you on it. Still, most excursions like that leave from very close to the pier if not from the pier itself.

Since the description mentions Buck Island and Honeymoon Beach, I would expect the departure to be from the cruise pier. Celebrity will most likely gather you on board and then march you off the ship to the departure point. Lots of hurry up and wait until the excursion starts. The description also mentions “spacious” catamaran, which is code for “this is popular and we’ll put as many people onboard as we can.” You should still have a nice time, but some 3rd party excursions will have smaller groups and may also depart from or near the cruise pier if you do some research.

Thanks for the tips. I’m suspecting now most of it has to do with how far out we are. I’ll likely check every week or so to see if / how things change. Funny, I have a nice cruise in Ni ember and land trip in April, but this is what I’m excited about!

Thanks for the tips! Interesting to see if the steward would be willing to stock the fridge. As one said, doesn’t hurt to ask. Is it obvious on the keycard? We would ded8 Italy enjoy pellegrinos . Also, does X have Coke Zero or just Diet Coke?

I can definitely see things under those tabs, but nothing really specific to our booking except for the excursion ports with no excursions and the minimal details of our sailing that you can see in one of the shots above. I should note, too, that we used a travel agent to book, but I don’t think that would necessarily matter. I suspect I’ll see more things after Paid In Full and when check-in opens or booking windows open. It just is far less classy than I would have imagined. Even sister-line HAL has a much better organized and laid out “manage my booking” site!

Interesting - in the US we just get a description of the port and a boxed message saying that excursions are still being prepared! This is for the June 6, 2023 QV sailing.

At least on Disney’s ships we’ve found the coolers will get things cool enough after a day or so. It seems to work better with several items in there. As long as cooler than room temp, it’s fine from the can to us, and ice is always around for glasses.

Thanks. I should have added we are concierge class. Just sounds like each time we pass a lounge we ask for something until we’ve got what we feel we need. Also, good to know about the servers in the buffet taking drink orders. I was wondering if I would have to line up at bar for drinks with plates in hand.

We aren’t cruising until next June on Queen Victoria, but I’m shocked at how little information is available under Manage My Reservation or what one can do. Are these screens normal? They don’t even look formatted accurately. I’m using Safari on Mac and IPad. I’m particularly amused under dining that I must have a parent book for me. As a 57 year old “orphan” that just isn’t going to happen! All my details are correct in the confirmation. I cannot see an cruise contracts, view full cruise details, or even see the opportunities to make specialty dining bookings. Am I overthinking this and it’s all done one board or becomes available after final payment? Excursions also not listed, but I wouldn’t expect them to show up for awhile. When they do, will I be able to book online?

Our first Celebrity cruise is in November on the Apex. We have the premium drink package. What is the best (non-corny) way to build up a “stash” of sodas and waters in the room? We like to have a few cans in the room so we don’t have to run out every time. Do all bars and lounges provide the cans or glass bottles and could we get several or are we limited to a certain amount at a time. Not looking to secretly stash a dozen in an overcoat, but also not looking to run out every time I want something! Secondly, how does one get non-alcoholic beverages at the buffet - are sodas and juices self-serve or do you have to order from some place? Thanks.

If you can’t get the change through Dallas, the 1:42 connection time in Charlotte should be fine as long as you leave SFO on time. Summer storms won’t be a problem in Charlotte and it’s too early for winter issues to creep in anywhere. It should also be an adequate time for luggage transfer, but you could always pack a carry-on with essentials and a couple of days of clothing if you are worried about that. Your bags would eventually catch up with you.

I can understand that. I’m less of an introvert now, but I’m still more interested in genuine conversation or contact than forced.

Our recent river cruise was at 25% capacity so everybody had their own table in the dining room. We generally sat next to a family from Texas. They always managed to start up a conversation. 🙂 Actually, with a total of 39 guests, we developed a familiarity with one another that generally doesn’t happen on a cruise ship so it was less awkward. I, too, respect boundaries and tend to wait for others to start the conversation if they aren’t at my table.

Apex for our upcoming cruise is showing concierge lunch is only in Tuscan Restaurant, from 12 to 2. No other dining is shown as open under their hours except for Mast Grill, Pizza station, and spa Cafe, but we personally hope to find Raw on 5 open. Otherwise, we’ll be in the buffet.

I remember in the early ‘90s being in a theatre and watching a couple pull out books to read during intermission rather than talk to each other about he play. Very odd!! With or without technology, those who don’t like to socialize will find ways not to. We take our first Cunard cruise next summer. I’m debating if I want a 2-top knowing they will be close to other tables and we can chat with others if the circumstances flow that way, or to ask for a six-top so that we can know we’ll have people to chat with but it won’t be awkward if it’s just one other couple. This will be our first ocean cruise without friends to form our own group with.

Jeez, have we lost the art of conversation? Is this your first time on Cunard? Have you sailed with any other lines? Then a whole world of conversation opens up! Or else it’s, “Oh, gosh - this is my first cruise! My wife had to convince me to give up the private jet for our vacations.” Your table mates will never see you again and never know better. 🙂

That should work for you - keep printout or saved digital copies of correspondence verifying your need. They would either need to let you use your own fan after making sure it is safe or provide one. It's possible if they provide one that they will hold onto yours until the end of the cruise if they had any concerns but you would get it back at the end. It's a reasonable request, but I can also see why making advanced arrangements would make things smoother for everyone. In terms of luggage, if there is a way to carry your fan in the carry-on, that should avoid a "special tour" of administrative areas of the ship. 🙂

I”d rather they not serve tongue or cheek. I’ll stick with chicken if that’s the case. 😉

We ran into this with the excursion to the QE II Botanic Gardens and Pedro St. James in Grand Cayman. Celebrity is the *only* cruise line to work with an operator who caps the age at 70. We fought to get this waived or overturned, and nobody would budge. So, we booked directly with a vendor. While the operator does indeed set the limits, Celebrity is responsible for choosing to work with that operator. It is absolutely absurd they do so when other operators (and cruise lines) don’t. We’re quite happy to not give Celebrity our excursion money in this case.

I don’t know. We’re new to this, but our friends claim it has hot items with the implication that standard categories do not. We’re coming from the Disney experience where room service breakfast were only cold items and the lunch and dinner menus were basically a bad burger, a club, or dried out pasta with runny sauce. Me, I prefer heading up to the buffet to have a little bit of everything, but they are nesters.

I did, actually! Unfortunately, they don’t have the itinerary I need, though they do have a fantastic one. This particular cruise is linked with some family history, so there must be stops in Trondheim and Honningsvaag, Hammerfest or similar. We did choose Cunard, which matches our goals nicely with some better ports for the other stops than Rotterdam, and a Labor Day sale made the price less than 1/2. We will definitely be back at some point to a more traditional fjord cruise or something like a Viking itinerary that touches Norway, Longyearbyen and Iceland.

I’ll reach out to Hertz or Avis at the airport to see if the offer port drop off and can arrange it over email. Online, it’s certainly not an option. If not, we’ll see what we can do with a ship excursion or possibly a private tour if we can find one.

We’re traveling with friends who want the enhanced breakfast menu, otherwise I’m not sure it would be worth it except for the increased points. At the same time, I’m not grumbling becuase the cost differential was very little when we booked. (However, with the Labor Day sale, we could get a standard verandah for much, much less). Our friends wouldn’t budget. We might have thought it through a bit better if I had made the connection that Infinite Verandah’s can’t be shared, unlike standard verandahs. The ability to chat with my friend on the verandah while our spouses sleep. However, on the Apex, that doesn’t matter either as we would have been in a standard IV. Personally, I like the embarkation buffets because I don’t have to make decisions, and I’m not really a fan of the embarkation lunch menu. Now, if we can do embarkation in Raw on 5, that might be the best option for my sushi loving travelers. ETA: I just checked - Raw on 5 isn’t open until 6 pm on embarkation day unless they have some sort of walk-up only earlier.