LB_NJ

It needs to fit through the security scanner. The ships all do what looks like airline security screening. Also, we usually do a backpack, what the airlines call carry on bag and a large suitcase. We check the large suitcase. If you only have a backpack and one bag that will fit through the scanner should not be a problem.

I will carry on some wine however, there is only so much I want to deal with at embarkation. Plus, with the corkage fee it might be easier to just buy a bottle or 2 from Celebrity and if they had bin ends plus as someone once told me it is easy to get a good bottle of wine if you spend a lot of money however it is fun to get a good bottle at an inexpensive price, like a treasure hunt.

I guess I had not really been paying attention to my reservation. When we made the reservation (in Brittania) I think we only had the choice of early or late and we chose late since it is a port intensive Alaska cruise. Now I log on and see that there is an option for Open Dining. We like the idea of sitting at the same table every night with the same waitstaff and not having to line up (queue up?) and get a table assigned, etc. With the new option, since we chose fixed late seating do we get the same table and waitstaff each night?

On some ships they may have miscellaneous bottles of this and that wine. So in order to clear the last bottle of a wine and not having to keep inventorying it they just let it go for less. I know Cunard does this and Oceania has done this in the past.

I thought QG was anytime dining with fixed tables. How do you do large tables? Just curious as I previously said we do a 2 top to avoid the issues and we booked Brittania. I do have a friend who will be doing their first real cruise on the QE in QG and they prefer a table for 2.

That's simple.

I will be on a 10-day cruise so there is still a requirement for a COVID test. I am thinking of doing an at home test the day before boarding the plane. Has anyone done this? How do you show the results before boarding?

However, you can't drink the bourbon from the duty-free shop on-board. I assume that if you buy a bottle of wine at a silent auction you can drink it onboard. Also, whether you buy at a silent auction or off the menu is there a 20% gratuity added? I am guessing yes.

How was it?

Anyone try the World Wine Tour this year?

Does Celebrity do wine bin ends at a reasonable discount?

Are bin ends typically the higher priced wines or also the under $100/bottle?

Would the QE have similar (although perhaps a smaller list) of single bottles?

If I bring a bottle onboard and bring it to the MDR ($25 corkage fee?) or buy a bottle at dinner and do not finish it will they store it overnight for dinner the next day?

Once, upon entering a terminal for embarkation they were handing out notices showing 2 ports had changed.

Does Celebrity do Black Friday sales on drink packages? I know Royal typically does.

I understand you have already booked however, the QM2 is really the ship for a TA cruise.

Where is the smoking section on Celebrity Constellation? Don't want to book a veranda anywhere nearby.

The experience has definitely gotten worse. After the restart tried Royal, twice. Never again (bad food, too crowded). We also tried Celebrity Summit and it was OK. Nothing great however we enjoyed ourselves. Good enough that we booked a cruise on the Constellation. If the cruise on Constellation is as good, we will continue booking Celebrity. We will also try Cunard. If not, we will try Oceania (our favorite) before we give up cruising altogether.

We normally try to get a table for 2.

This year I traveled on Celebrity once and Royal twice. I have 2 cruises booked on Celebrity and will never travel on Royal again.

The blog on the Celebrity site says "All your basics are covered with the Classic Non-Alcoholic Package, like fresh-squeezed juices, premium coffees and teas, and bottled water."

I looked at it but decided against it because you can't pre-choose the wines. Wine by the glass (what is in the drink package) may or may not be to your liking. Wines by the bottle gives you more choices. Really only makes sense if you are into wine. In which case you are probably better off bringing on your own wine and paying the corkage fee. A GOOD wine shop is likely to have a much better choice of wines at a better price then what they have on-board.

So, some of the days 9PM was available?

Trying to decide if I should buy the classic non-alcohol drink package (we don't drink enough for the alcohol package). Current price is $14 + gratuities per day (pre-cruise). To me it is just a matter of $ as I will buy what I want on-board and the pre-cruise purchase is just to save a few dollars. My estimate is 2 (single expresso shot) lates or cappuccinos per day, 2 bottled waters per day, and maybe 1 soda a day plus a fresh juice every other day. We will be traveling on Constellation in January out of Tampa if that makes a difference.