AKJonesy

Was on a cruise right after drydock and it was a cluster.  It was obvious whatever was not done in dd was going to be done on the sailing.  We had MANY workers on the ship.  Half of the promenade deck was closed.  The Sea View pool was closed for half the week.  The workers were sanding and sea view pool deck.  Some kind of chemical being used on the deck was infiltrating cabins on the promenade deck.  After quite a bit of complaining and MANY photos, we got a decent amount of credit.  I vowed NEVER to do that again.  

15 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

So you needed greater priority than carrying off your luggage?

It's not about carrying off my own luggage in the first group.  As a loyal HAL customer, through my benefits, I have earned priority embarkation and disembarkation and same for tendering.  I didn't get to get off with the first group and there was no priority disembarkation because they were disorganized sort of like the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.  So no, we were not able to get off in the first group and there was no priority given to anyone and on top of that, the customers also did not comply, so it was a shxt show all the way around.  Also, if HAL states through their CO program that priority is given, then it should be given.  It's not a one way contract, but sometimes it seems like it.  

On 6/1/2024 at 2:48 PM, CruiserBruce said:

When? Many ships allow self assignments of disembarking tags now.

Japan crossing Westerdam.  No priority disembarkation.  Very disorganized.  We were counting on the priority disembarkation because we had a flight earlier than 11am.  When I asked, they just pointed to the long line.  I brought this up to one of the of officers, and he just said, well you had priority tendering at one of the ports didn't you?  If you want to get off the ship early, get in line early.

Everything.  All of our luggage.  Ours was lost on board twice and obviously recovered, but since then, we bring everything with me.  We realize many people won't do that or are unable, but that is what we do. 

@CdnCruiser2024  Here is the link:  

Don't look at the date the original poster started it; look at the title, and then scroll to most recent pages.  Some people get these Roll Calls started very early and conversation doesn't often pick up until it gets closer to sailing.  There are a number of people talking about excursions on your sailing.  Also notice, that the Original Poster mentions that the roll call covers two overlapping itineraries.  

Did anyone in your roll call mention hotels they were staying at?  I know most do go to Rome before heading to ship, but it might be worth asking in your Roll Call.  At one point a year ago, we were planning a cruise from Civitavecchi and I looked on google maps so that I could see how far an accommodation was from the train to the hotel to the port, and I got it all figured out but we didn't end up going.  So check with your Roll Call, Google Maps, then check the Trip Advisor Forum board where you can also ask specific questions.  I did a search on Civitavecchi on TA and here is that link:  https://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?ff=20&geo=187768&scope=2&q=Civitavecchia&pid=34633&s=D

There are two online websites that I use for booking cruises.  Those two sites show inventory, BUT most likely, the inventory they are "allowed" to sell as a discount cruise company.  I have been using them both for at least a dozen or more years.  Unfortunately, you can't mention them.  

I don't stay in any cabin that is attached to a big open area which indicates a crew area.  That cabin is up against one big area plus appears to be directly underneath the kitchen.  

Lido is the worst for lunch.  The Dutch Cafe can be very slow at lunchtime also, but at least more pleasant to sit while you wait.  Gelato, Tamarind and Nami Sushi are why I like the Pinnacle class.  There are always nooks and crannies where the masses don't congregate.  Once you find out where the crowds are and at what times, you can adjust and have a more enjoyable sailing.

6 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

Fairbanks, Alaska is not located in SE Alaska.  Alaska itineraries give us a great opportunity to visit a very different part of our large state.

 

Yes, we've been to SE many times and wouldn't be interested in an Alaska itinerary.  There was a FB couple on our crossing from Yokohama to Seattle and didn't remember their handle, so when I saw you were from FB, thought it could be you.  I'm not considering a particular itinerary.  We've done 300 cruising days so we've been on many places in different parts of the world.  Where we haven't been by ship, we've been on land trips over decades.  I was interested in just starting with some basics and then after doing a bit more research now, I can come back and ask more questions later.  I got exactly what I was asking for at this point.  Thanks for all of the information.

Wow. Thanks to all. This is exactly the beginner information I'm looking for.  I've taken notes and as I research more and hone into the sweet spot, I will check back for more Celebrity specific information.💯

4 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

I am curious -- do you have a specific re-positioning itinerary you are considering?  If so, which ship?

 

Celebrity does have a kid's program but Celebrity is not filled with children.  There will be more kids on itineraries which are family friendly, such as Alaska, but that is an exception.

I've been on a number of repositioning with HAL, and one way itineraries. We don't do Alaska as we live here. I can figure out the itinerary stuff. I was more interested in getting to understand Celebrity more. No, I'm not doing TAs. There is a wealth of information on these boards and from well heeled Celebrity cruisers.  Weren't you on the Japan reposition with us from Yokohama to Seattle?

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

Suggest you seek out a reliable Trvl agent  familiar with Celebrity ships.

Will assess your wish list & compare to ships,  cabin type, itins, schedules etc.. 

 

Looking through the Celeb website and CC reviews  may also be helpful!

I find that asking well healed cruisers is better than trying to find a travel agent.  Either way, I'm starting from scratch.  I am looking through posts here and the various classes, etc.  Based on my OP, I am seeking glaring advice.  That is, I don't want to sail on anymore dreary old ships but don't need to be on the most brand spanking new ship either.  

1 minute ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Here a link to Celebrity ship , E-class - Edge  class etc 

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/12030112_CEL_FleetGuide.pdf

 

we have friends that sail both lines , they prefer HAL because of Rolling Stone Room 

Thank you.  I will look at the pdf.  Not interested in entertainment.

We are 4 star Mariners on Holland.  We are growing tired of the old ships in the fleet and keep hearing about Celebrity being a bit more upscale? than Holland.  At least that is what we've heard from other cruisers that we have sailed with.  

As you may know, Holland is a bit more older crowd and we certainly like that.  I would not want to be on a ship with a lot of children.  I am considering a repositioning cruise and I could be wrong, but thought this might be a way to see a reduce number of school age children on the ship.

Saying that, I'm not familiar at all with Celebrity and where to start looking, but want to have a good experience.  My husband cruises for the rest, food and exercise.  I like the down time, good food, exercise and ports...in that order.  Ports are nice, but it's not the goal.  On Holland we've been in every class except Pinnacle and that is just way out of our reach.  We mostly sail in staterooms that are moderate in price...looking for value over a lot of amenities.  Certainly a few good upscale restaurants would be nice and entertainment is at the bottom of the list.  I don't want to be on anymore dreary and well worn ships but don't need to sail on the biggest and sparkly ships either.  

I'm not familiar with the classes (M class, etc) and what that means.  Also, what is included and what is not included would be nice to know.  

I know it's a big ask, but if you could chime in with some ideas that would be great.  I'm not looking so much at itinerary.  Instead, I'd like to have a first good experience on Celebrity and want to pick a decent ship.  Thanks for any info.

Yes, you will hear the carts moving back and forth.  

Well thanks everyone and I just booked Neptune Suite 4184 off the back of the ship.  Thanks also for the CO info for breakfast and dinner.  Good to know before getting on board.  

Also, regardless of which way we go, do we have to be onboard to make a CO reservation time, or can that be booked in advance like the other restaurants?  Is the CO for breakfast just a walk in, or does breakfast require a reservation as well?  Thanks for all the great responses.  

12 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

@cbr663, did I miss something? Was the OP asking about those cabins? They are definitely great cabins...but apparently not available to the OP?

The SB and SC cabins are less expensive that SA.  As mentioned in my OP, we are basically value cruisers, but want to at least dip the toe into Neptune and see how the others live...LOL.  Since we are 4 star we have some benefits already but never tried Club Orange.  So, I am either booking a Neptune on KDam to get the CO benefits or, I am going to stick with my standard Verandah cabin and purchase CO.  I've been on KDam before and like the restaurants and thought it would be nice to eat in the CO Dining room instead of in MDR and Lido.  My concern is that...like flat bed first class, once you try it, you usually don't go back!  😆

I think what it comes down to whether I want the larger room, the CO benefit and the Neptune Lounge benefit, plus perhaps the CO party or champagne.  However, I have NEVER used Club Orange and I think dining in CO would be nice for BF and dinner vs MDR.  I mean, I just want to try a Neptune Suite once, but I know myself and I don't really care about that bigger deck.  Last year, I was on a lower class ship in a SS, and that seems to look almost like the Neptune Suite on the Pinnacle ships.  That Club Orange dining room does look nice on the Pinnacle class ships.  Hmmm.

6 minutes ago, Gigi1977 said:

I would not choose one on deck 11

Is that due to motion?  Also, yes, the other specific staterooms are AFT cabins.  Don't care about the walk to the Neptune Lounge so being on 7 isn't an issue.  

Well after reading the discussion on the forum about the K'Dam, I'm a bit skeptical right now to book.  My last K'Dam cruise was very nice, but that was before the push for the 3/4 persons.  We've never been in a Neptune Suite mostly because we are value cruisers so I don't know what we are missing.  

Saying that, I'd like your opinions, both pros and cons on the following Neptune stateroom choices:  SC11005, SB4184, SB5217, SB5196, SB6229.  I've already looked at halfacts.  Also, are there benefits beyond the Neptune Lounge?  For example, can you eat in the Club Orange dining room without having Club Orange, etc.  Thanks for your feedback.  

On 5/17/2024 at 7:19 PM, monkey@cruise said:

 

Bus accepts touch payment by credit card (Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Discover), no need to queue at a ticketing desk.

 

Note to others although monkey@cruise mentioned the above, I was told that the busses can be full.  Two stops after our HND pickup and I believe at Terminal 1 we picked up passengers that filled our bus.  There was no queue at the ticket desk and it was nice the "know" exactly what to expect and that is why I mentioned it. We "booked" our transfer for a specific time departure.  Also, if you can avoid to transfer with luggage at YCAT or the train station is Yokohama, I would do that because we were told by others that it can be very busy and hauling luggage isn't easy.  This advice is based on what was easiest for us but it may not be for you.  Osanbashi Pier is a hop skip from Shinko Pier.  I'll try to find the Yokohama things to do map source that was given to me which had a lot of information and if I can, I will post it.  

I was one of those on the Westerdam crossing from Tokyo and we missed the Inside Passage.  We were compensated fairly well, so I was happy about that PLUS we lucked out on the outside of the passage with "fairly" calm waters.  If anyone has traveled up the coast, you know it can get rough.  I was a bit suspicious about the whole thing because in the morning, I went up to get coffee in Crow's Nest at Explorations Cafe and noticed on the monitor we were heading to the OUTSIDE of the island. Many hours later, we were somewhat along the outside of the island and the Captain made an announcement around 2pm that we would NOT be going on the inside passage.  What?  They didn't know we were coming?  LOL.  OK so jk but the reasoning sounded strange and I did think "bait and switch" also but was happy we were compensated.  I had been on the inside passage before, so for me it wasn't a huge deal.  Yes, I agree there seems to be more and more itinerary changes.  We also missed Key West, Barbados, St. Kitts on other recent sailings.  These WERE NOT due to medical emergencies.  What I don't like is the standard, "operational reasons" excuse.  It's a good thing we are pretty low key cruisers, but it "seems" there is something more going on.  IMHO.  

We recently returned from our cruise from Japan and I thought it might be helpful for some to share my research and experience.  I started out actually watching some you tube vids of the airport because many people have shared their "how to dos" so that was very helpful.  

MY CHOICE for how we navigated and where we stayed was based on the fact that right now, I am using a cane due to a hip replacement so I have about a 2 mile max walking limit per day before I get tired out, so keep that in mind as you read on.  Also, WHAT TIME YOU ARRIVE will influence choices for transportation into the city or Yokohama.  More on that. 

We ordered some YEN in advance from our bank.  We inquired as to the exchange and when we compared it to what we were going to be charged using credit or debit card, it was fair.  So, we arrived with YEN in hand, but in the end, we didn't need ANY.  More on that.  

We arrived in Haneda HND at 8 pm and had no idea how long customs and immigration were going to take.  It was quite a walk from arrivals to customs and immigration.  Walking at a very fast pace (with a cane - lol),  it took about 15-20 minutes.  There were 3 arrivals around the same time so the lines became long very quickly.  Since we hustled, it took about 15 minutes through customs and immigration AFTER walking the 15 to 20 minutes.  But, if you walk more slowly and if there are other flights, then the queue could get long.  So, you have to consider this when arriving at night.

Considering the arrival time and unknown regarding customs and immigration, we opted for one of the hotels at the airport.  Also, some of the you tubers mentioned that busses and trains are limited later in the evening and taxis are also more expensive.  It just wasn't worth the guess.  Also, at the time of booking a hotel, we still didn't have confirmation from Holland of which pier, so that influenced the decision to stay at hotel in addition to most likely being very tired on arrival. We stayed two nights right at the hotel.  No, it wasn't one of those airport hotel experiences where you heard flights coming and going.  I guess the word was "serene".  We stayed at the Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda.  In addition, the hotel's Onsen was included in our price which was about $185 per night.  An onsen is a hot spring with many pools and separate for men and women.  OMG, the experience of this was like a luxury spa.  You are provided with spa clothes and slippers in your hotel room and instructions.  There are hot pools, cold pools, outside hot spring, inside hot spring, showers, sleeping rooms, hot slabs, and more.  I would do this again in a heartbeat.  In addition, the hotel had a wonderful breakfast.  Ours was not included but I believe it was about $22-$25PP and worth it.  They had everything and we leisurely had our breakfast.  For lunch or dinner, we went to the Haneda Garden (mall) attached to the airport.  BTW, everything is inside on the unsecured side of the airport.  The food was beautiful and fabulous.  You could get just about anything you wanted.  There are drug stores, shopping stores, and more.  Watch a YT vid of the Haneda Garden Mall.

Transportation to Yokohama - On our cruise day, we checked out at the last minute.  This was intentional because we didn't want to experience the rush of all those people who like to get to the ship first.  Plus, we are 4 star so we got priority boarding anyway.  But, I do suggest from the number of people to get there later than earlier.  Many people were sitting down in what appeared to be groups awaiting boarding.  We checked out late then took the Keikyu Bus which was the best option to get to Yokohama for us.  I had already known from watching YT vids that there was a manned bus ticketing counter at the airport, so we didn't have to fiddle figuring out how to buy the tickets.  The counter is right when you come out of arrivals after clearing customs.  We paid with cc and opted for the YEN price vs USD (better rate).  The cost was $6.60 each.  We took the elevator down one floor to #8 bus stand.  The bus stand attendant took our tickets and put our luggage under the bus.  We did not have to handle it as you would on the train.  (A downside to the train was having to transfer at the big station and we didn't want to do that, nor take a taxi from there to the pier as many did).  We were dropped about 100m from the pier and it was easy to roll the bag on the sidewalk.  We got on board all said and done around 2pm and left the ship to walk around Yokohama (much to do there) until dinner time.  Our ship departed at 8pm.  Keikyu Bus:  https://www.keikyu-bus.co.jp/en/airport/h-yamashita/  NOTE:  As mentioned, trains become limited later in evening and prices for taxis go up.  Plus, we did not know how tired we would be when we arrived and all of this worked out perfect.  Keep in mind that trains have limited space for luggage; another reason not to use train and I did NOT want to do a transfer either for train or bus because the stations are huge and walking around with luggage was not going to be fun.  

A few more things.  In the end, we never needed any Yen because we were able to pay with CC for transportation and food.  However, in saying that, there are many mom and pop places in Japan and they don't take CC.  So, I still advise getting some Yen.  We had about the equiv of $200 and we brought about $100 home.  On one of our stops we decided on a picnic, picking up some beautiful food at the grocery store and using Yen to pay for it.  We will use the remainder on another trip.  No tipping is done in Japan.  Don't sweat the small stuff; you'll figure it out.  There are many people to help you.  We filled out the forms for custom and immigration in advance and got the QR code, but don't panic; you can still fill out the paper form they give you on the airplane.  Some people mentioned on this forum that the QR code was faster.  We ended up just handing the paper form and we were never asked about the QR code.  PRESCIPTION MEDS - Make SURE you understand which drugs are allowed into Japan.  Don't make any assumptions.  Please be advised that you should apply for the Yunyu Kakunin-sho at least two weeks in advance of your travel date to Japan. We had to get approval for my husband's Vit B 12 shots and syringes.  Some people said it could take a bit to receive the official form in return.  We got ours back in a few days.  I also inquired in general regarding vitamins and they replied that those could be brought in without the form.  I didn't use original bottles; I used the daily pill plastic containers.  DO NOT BRING in any narcotics.  If you have a scipt for that, you have to use the official form and get that approved.  Website:  https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/bringing-medications-to-japan.html