AidenL

43 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Did you  get the email today about 35% off sale 

I didn’t! Is it for specific cruises?

Anyone have any idea when the next sale will be?

2 hours ago, Southseid said:

YES - That is what I paid! I mistyped and couldn't figure out how to correct it!...When they billed me they added a 20% gratuity so I paid a total of $117.32 for the two of us to upgrade from Classic to the Premium drink package.  

I got that today too.

2 hours ago, John Bull said:

Taxis get more than their fair share of negative reviews cos for such a trivial thing it's only worth writing a review when it goes belly-up. But it's slightly worrying that reviews aren't as good as they used to be.

 

As @gumshoe958 has posted, there are normally plenty of taxis lined-up at the cruse terminals - usually a line for taxis later in the day but normally OK early.

Mebbe belt and braces, book West Quay if it's not pay with booking and jump a cab off the rank if they don't show on time.

 

JB 🙂

Good plan, I might just do that. 

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

No need to prebook for such a short journey, just jump in a normal cab outside the terminal.

Will there be spares looking for fares? Id have thought they would all be well booked up on a morning when a cruise disembarks? 

Hi all,

Just wondering who would be the most reliable for an airport transfer on the return leg, from port to Southampton airport.

West Quay Cars was the service I was familiar with, but the reviews on Tripadvisor are a bit worrying. 
 

@John Bull can you chip in, you have the most accurate local knowledge in this area. As we are tight on flight times, I’d be happy to pay a bit more for certainty.
 

Thanks in advance.

On 7/10/2023 at 4:11 PM, John Bull said:

Ships arrive in Southampton around 5am to 6am, unassisted disembarkation is normally under way by 7am.

Unless HM Customs feel your collar there's no delay in disembarking, and no line for taxis altho you might prefer to pre-book one.

No commuters on a Saturday., so to the airport in 20 minutes comfortably.

So you should be at the airport by 8am.

It sounds like you know that Southampton is a little one-terminal airport, departure lounge right by the main hall, no long lines, no long walks or airport buses.

 

Without any significant delay I think you'll be fine with a 9.15am flight to Belfast.

But it's your time & money, not mine. 😏

 

JB 🙂

We are banking on that and going to give it a shot. 

We are going to take a chance on the 9.20am flight back to Dublin, with self disembarking, taking our own cases off and hopefully grabbing a taxi for 7.30am.

On 7/2/2023 at 9:37 PM, Trixie21 said:

Thats where my thinking is , to be honest.

I like to have everything carefully planned and not having to rush off the ship like a mad thing sounds much more appealing lol.

Might even book a hotel in Southampton for overnight and see a bit of the city.

All the times we have cruised from Southampton and I have never seen anything other than the port area.

 

What did you decide to do? We have the same situation, 9.20am back to Dublin.

I’m sure you can walk off at 7am, take your cases with you, book a taxi and make it easily to the airport for 8am? That’s our plan anyway. 

We were on this cruise also. Great and accurate review. Looking forward to more posts.

1 minute ago, mayleeman said:

 

Doesn’t Oceanview have self-serve water?

Yeah I guess it does, but we had ordered sparkling bottles to go. I get the principle of self service in a buffet, but I guess I’d expect if there is someone taking drinks orders that they would get them in a reasonable amount of time, and also,bring everything asked for?

So had a great meal with super service last night in Prime Rib. 
 

Really good service in the MDR for breakfast. 
 

Had the same issue with drinks service in Oceanview today, took 25 minutes for drinks after sitting, we were finished the food, and even then forgot to bring water. Sea day at 2pm admittedly so a lot of demand. For me therefore, the Oceanview service is the weakest link at the moment. 

We are on Beyond at the moment. 
 

I know it might be first day craziness, but I’m finding the drinks service to be lacking, couldn’t get served in Oceanview or Sunset, did the bar trip in both myself, which I didn’t mind, but I do remember service being better previously. 
 

When I did get a server to take an order in he took 25 mins, came back with a bottle of beer with a cap on which he popped off with a knife and had a Perrier for my wife with no glass and no ice. 
 

Found the previous cabin occupants clothes in a drawer in the stateroom also. Handed those to the room attendant, that’s a first for us too. 
 

Will see how it goes for the rest of the cruise, I know the first day isn’t normal. Booked a future cruise today when we boarded for next year, hope we don’t regret that. 
 

Love the look and style of Beyond and really like the infinite veranda cabin we are in, so can’t fault the surroundings. Hopefully what we experienced today was glitches. 
 

I'll ask when we board if there is any way to get the booking for 6.30pm instead of 7.00pm which we have booked. 

29 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

Eden is about enjoying a meal and allowing time between courses. Sometimes more than 90 minutes. It is a culinary and - given the right company - social event. All dishes are freshly prepared and take time.

The following is meant simply factual and not snarky: If you want to rush it, save the money and don’t go to Eden. It would be a waste and shame.

I wanted to make sure it wasn’t rushed for us. 
 

I see the shows don’t start till 9.30pm anyway, so seems we have loads of time. 
 

All good!😀

We have Eden booked for 7.00 pm. 
 

Will we have time to make the 9pm show? Most restaurants take 90 mins for service, but does Eden take 2 hrs, I think I recall seeing that somewhere?

I’m planning to try some new and different drinks on this cruise myself too! 👍

8 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Contact via Social Media.  Very quick replies in UK.

I have had no response on Twitter, over a week now.

I emailed Celebrity 3 weeks ago, still no reply.

Deleted.

I had 4 calls this week to make a change. 
 

Every agent I had spoken to messed the booking incorrectly.

No reply to any email in the past two weeks.

Id have to say Celebrity has among the worst customer support.

I hope the onboard experience hasn’t deteriorated in proportion.

I had 4 , 30 minute calls this week to make a simple change. 
 

Every agent I had spoken to either deleted OBC or got the deposit paid wrong. Last one finally corrected all.

No reply to any email in the past two weeks. No response to two posts on Twitter either. 

Id have to say Celebrity has among the worst customer support I have ever dealt with, in my experience.

It has become worse.

I hope the onboard experience hasn’t deteriorated proportionally. 

1 hour ago, yorky said:

I’ve not even bothered phoning them after our cruise was cancelled and simply sent an email, they usually get back in around a week.

I sent emails last Monday week, still no response.

Have spent hours on hold this week also, mainly due to a change I made which was applied incorrectly three times. It’s become really frustrating and very hard to get speaking to someone.

15 hours ago, Worldsurfer said:

I am fond of the Albergo del Senato, on the Piazza della Rotunda where the Pantheon sits. The rooms are old style - good enough, the building lovely, the breakfast heavenly - but the secret of secrets is that the rooftop bar overlooks the Pantheon and much of the city. Our first evening in Rome with a late drink, olives and tapas overlooking the Pantheon and the piazza is an experience that stands out in my mind as one of the best of my life. 

Just booked it myself for us pre and post cruise for August and September 2022 ! 

I received mine today too.