krmnc

I booked a cruise for the reduced deposit of $20pp in Feb. 

1 hour ago, yorky said:

Very strange how we cruise the same month 23rd September on the equinox for us yet have different prices 

I know. I'm on the Reflection leaving 9/6. It's only a $25 difference, but for some reason that makes Specialty Dining less appealing. I'd rather purchase a discounted first night dinner and then take my chances on getting "deals" while on the ship for any other nights we want to pay extra for dinner.

Our price for a 4-night package for next Sep is still $149. Going to check on it periodically to see if it goes down. Would buy for $124, but not $149.

I will be on the Reflection next Sept w/ a similar scenario. What we've decided to do is take the Ship's Paris on Your Own excursion which is basically just transportation to/from Paris since it's so far from the port. Once in Paris we'll do the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour which takes about 2 1/2 hours to drive around all the sites with earphones providing a running commentary on what you're seeing. This will also give us some time to get off and walk around at various sites and maybe get something to eat. That way we can basically see the sites on our own schedule w/in the time constraints of the ship's transportation to and from Paris. If you decide to go that route, just so you know, we bought the excursion during a Celebrity sale for $99/person.

https://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com/paris/introductory-hop-on-hop-off-tour-of-paris_27146

It's more than just a case of crowd control, at least at some ports. Luggage is off-loaded from the ship by number. In some ports if you are number 38, and you go early, you may find that they are only up to number 24, and you'll be waiting around in the terminal for your luggage to arrive. Better to wait on the ship until your number is called.

We weren't told that we could go early until all of the luggage was off and lined up.

We were Concierge class on the Solstice in Aug. Our debarkation group was 38ish...we waiting in the Concierge lounge and the Concierge person would announce what numbers were able to disembark...different from the ones being announced over the loudspeaker. I think once our luggage was off we were told we could disembark even though for crowd control, it wasn't our group's turn yet...just our recent experience.

Last year we schedule a free walking tour for a couple of hours the afternoon we got in...figured it would give us something to do in the afternoon to keep us awake, then we could clean up and have an early dinner before going to bed. Ended up canceling it because our connecting flight was canceled and we got in too late, but I liked the plan...

https://freewalkingtoursbarcelona.com/en/

We stayed at the H10 Universitad last Sept. It was a nice hotel and was reasonably priced. We were able to take the Aerobus from the airport to the Plaza Catalunya which was just a short walk to the hotel. It was centrally located to Las Ramblas, subway stops and lots of restaurants. We stayed there one night pre-cruise and then took a taxi to the Pier the next day.

Click on gerelmx's link above

Agree with every word. It's now on our bucket list to spend a week in Paris followed by a week in London.

Yes...9/6 Iberian cruise. Really looking forward to it!

I did the week in London a couple of summers ago w/ my boys and we took the Chunnel for a day in Paris. Now get to go back for a day w/ my husband.

I saw that excursions are now marked down 20% so booked the Paris on your own tour just to get us there. Can always cancel if we change our mind. Looks like there will only be about 4 hours in Paris once there, so don't know if we'll do a HOHO or just meander around on our own. Thinking I might want to do lunch on the Eiffel Tower....plenty of time to think about it and figure it all out.

Thanks for your responses. I'm thinking of the transportation only excursion and then maybe buying a couple of HOHO tickets for me and my husband. Usually there are plenty of private tour companies that guarantee that they'll get you back in time and have lots of experience doing so, but not seeing that here. I've been to Paris, but my husband hasn't and really wants to see the highlights.

I bet we're on the same cruise, cltnccruisers....we'll be on the Reflection next Sept as well. Just looking early because it's fun for me and also so that if I do want a ship's excursion, I can take advantage of those times when they offer a discount. It will probably be an exhausting day, but we've got a sea day following it to recover.

Dee0307...that's what I worry about doing a large ship excursion...you're only as "fast/efficient" as the slowest member of the group.

I was wondering if anyone has taken a Celebrity excursion from the port in Le Havre to Paris. I usually try to book independent excursions, but given the distance from port and the concern of getting back on time, I'm looking at the Celebrity excursions. They seem to also be much less expensive than the private ones that do guarantee a timely return to port. But, the Celebrity excursions we've taken in my limited experience (one excursion each on two cruises) have proven to be the least enjoyable on each trip. I'm not asking whether we should even go to Paris from Le Havre, but whether anyone has experience taking the Celebrity excursions and how they were. Thanks.

I was on the same cruise as Carlsbadguy and we had also made reservations for various times ie. 6:30, 6:45. When I stopped by the MDR when we boarded to make sure our reservations were tied to the couple we were traveling with, I was told that if I planned on coming at 6:00 or 7:30 each night I could be sure that our table would be ready for us because they really have to work around who is dining and when they're likely to be finished. So, we told her to go ahead and put us down for 6:00 each night. Also knowing that if we were w/in 15 minutes late, they'd still have our table for us. Since the OP wants to eat at 6, they should be fine.

We were on the same cruise last week and I just have a few comments to add. Re the Tracy Arm Small Boat excursion, I had read on here several times that it was a not-to-be-missed highlight of the cruise. Our party of 6 couldn't disagree more. It was pricey (which would have been ok if we had loved it) and boring. We did get up close to the glacier...much closer than the Solstice could. But beyond that, it was basically following the Solstice in to Juneau...for five hours. Beyond the first 10 minutes closer to the glacier, I could have seen the same scenery off of the ship while doing other things at the same time. Would not recommend it. In addition, it was advertised to run from 8-1, but really didn't get in until 1:30, which made getting back to our cabins, eating something for lunch, and then getting back off the ship by 2 for our next planned excursion very tight and stressful.

We also did the Chilkoot bus and train out of Skagway, but in reverse. We were picked up by a bus at the ship dock at 8:30 and went as far into the Yukon as Emerald Lake. Had lunch just south of there where we also had a chance to take a dog-cart ride w/ dogs that train for the Iditarod and other races. Our driver was great! Tons of interesting information, took us to places where tourists do and do not typically go, and then brought us to the train where we took it back down to Skagway. He met us at the train station and then drove us either to be dropped off in town, or back to the cruise docks. I'd highly recommend this excursion. Did not book it through Celebrity.

In addition to the Chihuly Gardens in Seattle, which were great, I'd also highly recommend the Seattle Free Walking Tour (http://seattlefreewalkingtours.org/). We did the Seattle 101 tour, had a great, very engaging tour guide who unintentionally tied a lot of the information/stories we heard in Ketchikan and Skagway with history in Seattle.

There was food for purchase on the Tracy Arm Excursion. It looked like a lot of people were doing b2b excursions. I think if it were just me and my husband we would have scheduled something for the afternoon. You should be fine. We got back on board the ship around 1:30, and by the time we got upstairs she decided she wanted something to eat so we went to the buffet.

 

 

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Thank-you so much for the response!

Really appreciate your updates...so helpful.

Question re the day in Juneau. We're also doing the Tracy Fjord Arm excursion which I think is supposed to end by 1:00? We then have a Juneau tour scheduled for 2:15 (so we'll have to be out there around 2). Now worried that I may have booked us too tightly, but we're only going to be there once so wanted to take advantage of our time there. When you say your mom ate around 2, could she have eaten earlier? Does it sound like I've overdone it? Thinking I may have to arrange for room service to be delivered around 1:30 so we have time to change, sit for a minute and eat before going back out.

Thanks for indulging my mini panic-attack!

Glad things have settled down positively for you. Question...last year we did a Mediterranean cruise on the Silhouette and although not suit and tie, people dressed up a bit for dinner as if going to a nicer restaurant. I've heard that Alaska is more casual...how are people dressing for the MDR? Thanks

24 hours to go! Some more pre-cruise planning info- I received not one, not two, but three MoveUp emails from Celebrity. They came to my email but were addressed to my mom, who has never sailed on Celebrity. After the third one I figured, why not. I submitted a bid a week ago to MoveUp from a RS to a PH. The confirmation of my MoveUp bid came immediately, but I haven’t heard yet whether the bid was rejected or accepted. Still waiting Celebrity...

I use a TA who let me know that we’re eligible for a complimentary excursion through Distinctive Voyages. The only problem is our excursions were booked months ago. There is also a complimentary cocktail party onboard, which we’ll attend if we can.

So, for any Seattle natives, our plans for the next two days are to

1) Recover from an early wake up and long day of flying

2) Walk to the Purple Cafe and enjoy some wine

3) Enjoy a guided tour of Pike Market early Thursday

4) Aquarium, Space Needle, anything else?

 

 

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Just a quick "anything else". We'll be in Seattle for a couple of days also. Told that the Chihuly Gardens are fabulous. Located right near the Space Needle. The Purple Cafe was also recommended as a thing to do in Seattle by our local paper. Also, found this http://seattlefreewalkingtours.org/

We're on the ship the week after you...originally planned on taking our 20something boys, but instead now going w/ our 70 something parents. I look forward to following your review!

We have this excursion booked for our cruise in August. Reviews were good and we were able to use Chase points to pay for it as well...

https://www.viator.com/tours/Juneau/Juneau-Shore-Excursion-City-and-Mendenhall-Glacier-Tour-with-Seafood-Lunch-or-Dinner-on-Mt-Roberts/d941-5857SHXGLACIERSALMON

Thanks for your comments, Martincath...I am aware of the fine print, but since I used Chase Ultimate Rewards to buy our tickets we pretty much got a 33% discount and trip cancellation insurance if we're unable to use the tickets for some, covered reasons. I know it's a risk, but one we decided to take.

We've booked this tour from when we're there in August. Will get picked up in downtown Victoria at 6:30 and then returned to the ship, leaving the Gardens at 9:30. Good Trip Advisor reviews

http://www.islandtimetours.com/butchart-gardens-.html

We booked Choice Air to Barcelona for our cruise last fall. Much cheaper than Delta at the time. When I learned the morning of our departure that our connecting flight from Amsterdam was cancelled for high winds, I immediately got on the phone w/ Delta and rebooked us on another flight w/out any trouble or additional cost. Came to find out that Choice Air had also rebooked us on another flight w/out contacting us other than the email received telling us of our flight information. We took the flight I had booked through Delta and there were no consequences for not taking the Choice Air booked flight (I had called Delta to discuss the various emails I had showing us on multiple flights and was told that there wouldn't be a problem, just to take the one that had confirmed for me).

We stayed at the H10 Universitat in Barcelona and thought it was a great choice location-wise as well as reasonably priced. A short walk from the square where the Aerobus from the Airport dropped us off too.

https://www.h10hotels.com/en/barcelona-hotels/h10-universitat

I can't answer from my prior experience of being in that type of cabin, but can tell you that I switched from our Aqua class cabins to a regular Veranda one after realizing that we would be under the pool deck. I'm a light sleeper and want to be between cabins above and below me. I regretted giving up access to Blu, but figured that the money we saved by switching could be used for Specialty Dining if we wanted. To me, cabin location was a higher priority.

We used Google Voice and Facebook Messenger when we were onboard. Like others said, kept our phones in airplane mode w/ the wifi on. When we boarded, there were cards w/ the wifi password and instructions waiting in our cabin. Went to Guest Services for help setting it up when my husband had difficulty and it worked fine.