CruiseMelissa

23 minutes ago, CruiserByHeart said:

Not a silly question at all 😃

 

We enjoyed the culinary creations of the quirky small guy onboard the Reflection a year ago. Before the dinner show started, or server asked if we wanted the set menubor substitute any dishes. DW opted to substitute some of the dishes. We just asked right there and no problem getting the substitutions, which were all in an alternative menu offered. Only drawback was that the video show did not reflect the substitutions so the dish prepared by the little star chef before or eyes did not match the dish served by his IRL assistant in the galley.

Thank you!

Can you mix and match from both menus on any given night?   Or do you have to do all four courses from the menu you choose? 

20 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

We have only sailed in suites since the change to once a day service, so our upcoming cruise in a balcony will be interesting.  We plan to ask the steward to leave us two sets of towels each when they do their daily cleaning.  If we need anything, we plan to ask them when we see them in the cabin corridor, just like we always have.  I will also bring my barrel to them to empty if it is overflowing.  Once a day service is not an issue for us at all and don't expect it to be a problem.  

This is exactly what I had thought going into this, but there were days where the room steward couldn't be found.  I think it could be the case sometimes that now that they're doing more cabins, they're spread out more and aren't as easy to find.  I also realize, writing this, that he didn't give us a business card with his name/number on it the first day when we met him as we had received on all of our other cruises.  Maybe an oversight?  Or maybe this is gone too?  We've never used it, it felt so intrusive, but now that the housekeeping line and app don't work to get extra towels, it might be handy?

7 hours ago, bayportkat said:

If using the app to request towels, or ice, etc, do you have to wait around the room for someone to bring them like in a hotel?  That will be very frustrating if that is the case. We like fresh towels on vacation for every shower (or they are still wet from the previous shower!). 

Great question but I haven't seen anyone yet say that the app request was actually successful so I'm curious if you'll get an answer.  I called for towels and they never came so I didn't even bother with the app on Explorer.

14 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We were on the Iceland / Greenland cruise last year    On the particular sailing Elite and above were about 80% of the ship.  

 

They had Elite and above meet in a specif place and Suites in Retreat.   When tendering began they had two locations -  one forward that were tendering Shore Excursions and Mid-ship for General Tendering.    When first began Suite Passengers were escorted to the front of the line for tendering.   Same was the procedure for Elite or above.   It went fairly quickly.

Thanks, this is very helpful.  I really enjoyed reading your write-up on last year's cruise and even booked the excursion you took in Akureyri based on your experience.  It was such a great recap of your adventure!

8 minutes ago, RTShaker said:

Sometimes  it is not available at all with the exception of suites, and you just end up waiting in a meeting place instead of the tender area.

Got it, thanks!

2 hours ago, keesar said:

 

Agree with the above.  When the numbers are high, it does not a benefit.  If the numbers are ''typical', then you will be told where to report and you will be escorted to the  tender area.  Sometimes, we went down a secret staircase!

3 hours ago, RTShaker said:

The tender priority is dependant on the number of Elite and above passengers. When the numbers are very high then it becomes a moot point.

Just to clarify... if the numbers are high, is it not offered at all?  Or, are you saying, if the numbers are high you wind up waiting a long time with the other "elites" and it's really not that great of a perk?

Sailing on Summit next month to Iceland/Greenland with two tender ports.  For the Elite and above priority tendering, do you get a special ticket you have to retrieve beforehand?  Show up to the tenders and just show your room card?  

And in the benefits list it says "tender priority service, where available".   Does that mean some ships won't offer priority tendering for Elite and above?  Or just saying that sometimes tender boats aren't used on a cruise?

Thanks!

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

I often told my steward once a day please. I dont like the intrusion. 

 

I am solo I admit, but not once have my trash cans overflowed lol. As far as visiting my steward in the halls I can still do that, dont see the difference.  I must be super neat.  

I didn't realize how much trash we accumulated either before with two cleanings but this time it was noticeable.  We have kids, and kids can be big trash producers, so that could be a cause?  Again, nothing that had me running to cancel our future cruises, just an observation.

1 minute ago, gumshoe958 said:

I doubt very much that your second attendant spent her evenings relaxing.

 

Knowing Royal they hadn’t yet replaced your first attendant so when he left the second had to service his cabins in the morning, then hers on another deck in the evening. 

I honestly hope she did have time to relax, that they all do.  I didn't mean that in a snarky way... in any job, if you find a more efficient way to do what you're asked, and you get it done early, you should be able to have extra time to yourself.  We were fine with switching to a morning clean, I'm just sharing caveats others that are "team 1x a day cleaning" may not have thought of. 

And our new one started the day he left and was a direct replacement for him.  She flew in that day and had to jump right into his routine which seemed like a big ask.  He gave her great notes and it was a pretty seamless transition for the most part.

When RC announced going to once a day room servicing I kind of shrugged it off and bought into the whole "well, that's what hotels do".  

I just got off my first cruise since the change and now I want 2x a day back as much as the original protestors.  

A few main reasons:

1. It was one of the things that made cruising more special than land-based vacations.  

2. I didn't realize how much I loved the interactions with my cabin attendant twice a day when they were in the halls around my cabin.  Some knew our names, all greeted us and wished us a great day, etc.  Now that they're spread out over many cabins, these interactions aren't as frequent.

3. Cruise cabins are MUCH smaller than hotel rooms and feel dirtier so much quicker.  Yes, we don't spend much time in there, but the time we DID spend felt more claustrophobic with the beds unmade, towels on the bathroom floor etc.

4. "You can always call and ask for more towels, etc." - tried it, asked for bath towels, they never came.

5. The garbage cans are teeny tiny in the cabins and I didn't realize how quickly we accumulated trash and had it overflowing.

We had an interesting experience with having two cabin attendants on a 7 day cruise as our first one left mid-way through to head back home.  He was excellent, asked when I wanted my room clean, was easy to find during both of his "shifts" if we needed something extra, etc.  The second seemed to clean all of her rooms in the morning and was never seen in the evening at all.  I don't know how normal this is, but it wasn't something I had heard of before.  More power to her, if you can get your work done in half a day and relax the other, why not?  It just meant that people that preferred evening cleans and/or needed to find her in the evening, couldn't if that's important to you.

I know this is a divisive issue and "Royal needs to make up for the money they lost in the pandemic", I just thought I'd share some insight on my flip-flop.  It won't stop me from cruising Royal which is what they know and why they did it, I'm sure.

1 hour ago, irishgal432 said:

how did you get 900 am tickets?  I just put them on my reservation but dont see the capability of picking a time. We dont sail untilSeptember

I meant the RC shuttle from Venice to the port. I booked the transfer through my travel agent, we had the choice between 9am and 11am.

On 6/11/2023 at 3:38 AM, JessyCruises said:

And now back to your regularly scheduled cruise programming…

 

We got to the bus station a little early for the next bus which was at 8:05. It came promptly at 8:05.  As soon as the doors closed I realized I had forgotten my travel wallet on the bench.  This is not like me.  I hit the stop button so I could run back to get it and wait for the next bus while Paul continued on with the bags, but the driver would not stop, even at the next bus stop.  I luckily had our passports in my purse, but our nexus cards and some other documents were in it.  Desperate, I called the hotel and ask that someone run out to the bus stop and see if my travel wallet was still there.  Hallelujah it was!!  I asked that they hold it for me until we check in next Sunday as I did not have time to run back to the hotel to get it and we did lot really need anything in it for this cruise.  Fingers crossed it is still there as it will be a pain in the butt to replace birth certificates and social insurance cards.

 

The bus ride was short, but I think we got off a stop too late as what I thought was supposed to be a 9 minute walk to the Tronchetto People mover turned into a 20 minute walk.  Along the way, the wheels of one of our big roller suitcases broke so hubby had to basically drag it for 10 minutes.  What a morning - Is it beer o’clock yet?

 

We were supposed to be at the shuttle by 8:30 for a 9:00 departure but we ended up being about 10 minutes late and arrived at 8:40.  That was five as there was a big line of folks waiting to board the busses.  When you arrive, it is hard to tell where to go and there is no signage, but if you go through the few market stalls and around the corner to the left, there is a representative with a yellow safety vest and a clipboard checking names off and then you get in line to wait to board the bus. It is good they had the list, my passes are in the travel pouch I left behind.  If you do not have Royal Luggage tags with your stateroom number on your bags, they have some there and will write them up for you.  

 

There is no toilet on the bus for use.  There is a pay to use one at the meeting place.  It was €1 and only took a €1 coin.  There was an attendant that can provide change. 

 

After boarding the bus, we were told in about 1.5 hours there would be a stop if anyone needed to use the bathroom and that the total ride should be about 2.5 hours. The bus pulled out of the parking lot at 9:07. I  am currently on the bus now.  They do have bottled water available if you need a drink.  There is no charge for it.

 

So aside from losing my travel pouch, breaking a suitcase and a 20 minute walk with two 50lb bags in the heat, it’s been an ok morning.

 

I am really going to need those five Diamond+ drinks when I board 🤣
 

At least the drive has been nice so far…

LOVING this review, we're doing this sailing on 6/25.  Did you get a feel at the shuttle bus stop that busses leave as soon as they are full?  We also have 9:00 tickets and I'd love to get to the ship as early as possible, wondering if the earlier you get to the People Mover area, the earlier bus you'll get on and can depart?

Keep the updates coming, it's fantastic!

I have more tender questions...

1. If you get to the distribution and they're currently handing out group 4, can you ask for a later group like 12?  Or do you have to take the next availabile?

2.  Somewhat similarly, when they call those with tender ticket 8, does that mean anyone with tickets 1-8 or just 8 and if you had an earlier # you are out of luck? 

3 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

Your flight is considered domestic, so ignore the sign for PASSENGERS WITH DIRECT FLIGHTS TO USA.   If you have no luggage to check and have a boarding pass, you can go directly upstairs to SECURITY.

What time is your flight?  I've flown out of VCE several times (always domestic, never w/checked luggage) and it's usually chaos.  Even their website says to arrive 3 hrs prior.  I've been ok with 2 1/2 hrs tho.  Having said that, in Oct I had a 6:20am flight to London on a Monday morning .... I was thru security and at the gate within 45 minutes. So perhaps the time of day and day of the week make  a difference. Afternoons are probably bogged down by busloads of cruise pax.

12:35 on a Sunday, in the summer so most likely one of the worst times to be there, lol.  Do you still think 3 hours to just get through security?  That's a good piece of info to have....

Flying from Venice to the US via Paris on Air France.  We'll have carry on luggage only.  If we check in on the app, can we bypass the check-in counter and go right to security like we would for a domestic flight in the US?  I'm trying to gauge how early we need to get to the airport. We've taken many international adventures but never had the luck of only carry-ons so this is new to us,

10 hours ago, sowhat said:

We are on Explorer of the Seas  now and have a 19.55 flight booked with cruise line including  transfers
The cruise  automatically  assigned  the last transfer bus from the ship at 09.45 .
All arrangements  could alter  because of the flooding  in Ravenna
They have mentioned  we could  disembark at another port.

I've seen the news on that, I hope you get back home safely!

Did you get the feeling if the flooding wasn't an issue you would be able to change your transfer time if you wanted to?

10 hours ago, klfrodo said:

Have you ever flown out of Marco Polo airport in Venice.

As of a couple of years ago, it's not like any airport I've ever been to.

It's so small, (how small is it?), that there are very few check-in counters. Airlines don't have dedicated counters. They all share the limited number of check-in counters. Once Airline <Name> Flight number XXX is completed check-in process, then they clear out and a different carrier takes over and starts their check-in process.

If I remember correctly, if your airline wasn't checking passengers in yet, security wouldn't let you inside the terminal.

 

Caveat - This was my experience a few years ago.

Well that's an interesting scoop, I'll need to look into that!

Taking Explorer next month from Ravenna and booked our flights with Air2Sea.  We also booked a transfer to Venice airport when we embark the ship.  

I assume because we used A2S they know what time our flight is and will assign us a transfer time based on that?  I also know they really, really pad your departure time because they don't want to be responsible for you missing your flight.  Is there any flexibility there?  We are checking in for our flight online and won't check bags so I'd much rather sleep a little later and not wait at the gate for four hours.  

Yes I know things happen, better to be safe than sorry, etc. etc. 🙂  I'm just asking if guest services will let us take a later bus if we ask or if it's set in stone based on flight departure time.

1 hour ago, TequilaJane said:

I am in the same boat. I have celiac disease and my world travel is often limited to cruising. I have never gotten sick on a cruise.

This is why we're booked on an August 2024 Japan cruise on Celebrity,  Japan isn't easy for celiac travelers!  If anybody does this cruise I'd love to hear your gluten free experiences!

14 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

We used the Holdur branch of Europcar, which is a major rental agency in Iceland and Europe in general. The Reykjavik branch was a full-service location: toilets, coffee, etc. The prices were significantly better than Budget/Avis, and the cars were better as well. 

 

We also rented from Europcar in Akureyri and Isafjordur, but these were satellite locations. Akureyri was in a shipping container near the port that was unmanned when we arrived (they thought we came in on the Princess ship earlier and had left when we didn't pick up the car). We had to call and wait for someone to come out and give us the contracts/keys. Isafjordur in a hotel lobby a block or two from the tender pier: we told the front desk we were here for a Europcar rental and a guy showed up with keys and a CC machine. 

 

Pro tip: rental agencies provide a booklet about driving in Iceland when renting. I'd highly recommend reading and processing before driving, especially regarding one-lane bridges, roundabouts and livestock. 

Thank you!  Europcar wasn't on my radar, it looks like there is one that's a 33 minute walk from the cruise terminal (Europcar, Skútuvogur, 104 Reykjavík, Iceland).  Is this the one you are talking about being full-service?  Or the one downtown?

Great tip on reading the manual!

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

For Bookings after March 4, 2023 - NRD -   Yes you can change for $100 pp

 

Please see   https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_2_23_23_FLY_Non-Refundable_FAQs_Trade.pdf

 

8. What is a change fee and when will it be charged?
 

A change fee of $100.00 USD per person will be charged on all bookings made if booked under a non-refundable deposit fare at the time of changing ship/sail date. Please ensure your clients are aware of the non-refundable deposit terms prior to booking.
 

9. Will my clients be charged a change fee each time there is a change to a ship/sail date?
Each time clients change a ship/sail date, they will be charged a $100.00 USD per person change fee prior to final payment. After final payment, standard penalties will apply.

Fantastic, thank you!

I can't find anything on the Celebrity site.  I saw an old thread that said you can book a cruise and then change your mind (before final payment) and use your deposit towards another cruise by just paying a $100pp change fee.  Can anyone confirm that?  Can you point me to where it would be on Celebrity's site?

On 1/16/2023 at 5:11 PM, AstoriaPreppy said:

We did the NJ-Iceland leg of the sailing this year.

 

Most of the Celebrity shore excursions were not worth the price in Canada. Halifax and St. Johns were very walkable, with a lot of the excursions just being a ride with a guide to a location that was walkable/quick taxi ride from the ship.

 

Qaqortoq was tiny. The cruise ship excursions were mostly wandering the town with a guide, or visiting someone's home. They're not really set up for tourism like a typical port. 

 

Iceland was a bit different. The excursions were plentiful, and generally well packaged, but were limited in scope. For example: in Akureyri, instead of taking a town tour and stopping at Godafoss, we rented a car and drove to Godafoss, saw the steam vents and thermal features at Hervir, and finished out at Dettifoss. This cost less money than an excursion, and maximized our time. 

Also, there's lot of different thoughts on doing this as a B2B, but we really enjoyed spending a few days post cruise in Reykjavik with a rental car, which gave us the ability to do the south coast (which this cruise skips entirely). 

Can I ask where you rented your car in Reykjavik?  We are doing the same this August, there looks to be a Budget and Avis that are a 30 minute walk to the port, I'm wondering if there are any options closer or something I'm not thinking of.

It's a FANTASTIC way to travel with kids, unpack once and see the world!  We've did Italy/France/Spain when my kids were 6 and 8, Baltics 11 and 8 and we're doing Greece and Montenegro on Explorer this summer, they'll be 10 and 12.  There are definitely less kids on these itineraries but there are also a bunch of kids from all over the world which my kids LOVE.