prmssk

Last November, we ordered from Sushi on Five to be delivered to our suite for dinner one night. Upper suites do have access to a few additional items on the breakfast room service menu otherwise I think the room service menu is the same for all suites. I have also heard you can order from the MDR menu during dining times but did not try it.

The only time there is an actual advantage is if you hear gratuities are going to go up. Prepaying locks in the current rate but that is something you can do at any point before sailing. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of cash flow what works best for your finances and whether you get peace of mind from having as much prepaid up front as possible.

@georgiaguy I'm with you on this. I spend less and less time on this board each day because I get tired of sorting through repetitive complaints about every little thing as if there is nothing good at all about Celebrity anymore. This board has lost any even attempt at balance. And no, it's not all the cruise line's fault. People choose to make multiple threads about things like cookies that last 15 pages long and choose not to spend time on threads about anything positive. I had a great cruise on the Eclipse in May. Celebrity is still in my rotation of cruise lines I consider each time I book (I've never been loyal to just one brand). But it may be time to walk away from this board for a while.

As elite, you do get happy hour drinks every night (except embarkation night) between 5 and 7 from a limited menu plus some specialty coffees/mimosas at the elite breakfast each morning which for some may play into your decision of whether you need a drink package. We like concierge class for the embarkation day lunch in the MDR but that really is only worth so much. Concierge class cabins are generally located in better areas. And you do get a few minor perks like a bottle of sparkling wine upon request, daily treats (these may be upon request now too), etc. Here's Celebrity's website with al list of all the perks. https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/staterooms/concierge-class-stateroom

1. That I'm not on a cruise right now. 2. That I can't hear and smell the ocean. 3. That I have to cook dinner tonight. Many things on this list might be part of re-evaluating what value I find in each cruise option I consider. So they might mean choosing a lower category, a different itinerary, or a different cruise line. But I'm not going to let them ruin one of my favorite things to do.

My husband and his mom both tested positive the day we got home. They were already feeling a bit off on our travel day back. So they definitely picked it up during the cruise. With how many sea days we had at the end, it probably was during the cruise but it is also possible they picked it up while in Victoria. It's hard to know for sure with COVID. I find it interesting that even though I was in such close contact with my husband, I never tested positive. Last summer it was the reverse when I picked it up during a cruise and never passed it on to him. Fortunately, for us, my mother-in-law had very mild symptoms. She never would have even thought to test if my husband hadn't tested positive first. My husband recovered in a few days.

Two of the three of us tested positive after our May Eclipse cruise. When you put that many people together in enclosed spaces like happens on a cruise plus flights to and from the cruise, the risk goes up. Hope you recover quickly.

Dropping people off a manifest has got to be a lot easier than adding them as I understand all names often get run through a number of databases to look for warrants, issues with documentation, etc. Years ago, you used to be able to book a cruise almost all the way up until sailing. Then something changed that I thought was related to immigration requirements with the manifest and they now close bookings about 3 days before sailing. I don't doubt your experience last year but personally, I wouldn't be confident it would be allowed every time at every port.

Which port? I suspect whether this is possible may vary based on when the authorities require cruise lines to turn over the official manifest.

I was surprised by how many port days they opened the MDR for lunch on our Honolulu to Vancouver cruise on the Eclipse in May. Hopefully it is open for you.

Late harvest - I haven’t seen ice wine on the menu for a while.

In May on the Eclipse, the dessert menu in the MDR had a few options. I remember enjoying a good port a couple nights. I think there also was a late harvest riesling. I do not remember the specifics though, unfortunately.

The only items you have to pay extra for are ones that in the past were not available every day in Luminae or the MDR, unless I am misunderstanding you.

It has not been open embarkation day on my last cruises.

Buffet, mast grill, possibly a specialty restaurant or two for a fee (like Sushi on 5) are generally your options. I don’t know if Edge class ships open the cafe in Eden for embarkation day lunch.

Lobster tail is currently on the MDR menu every night for an upcharge (which is fairly new) but it is still included without an upcharge on the formal lobster night in the MDR. Was it the formal night where lobster traditionally is served or another night?

These everyday upcharge items on the MDR menu are still quite new so I’m not sure any prior experiences would be helpful. I would be curious to know if on lobster night whether there are any charges to Luminae guests. Or if there are any charges for anything on the included menus.

Non-Retreat passengers with the premium drink package get charged for minibar drinks. Celebrity’s premium drink package specifically excludes the mini-bar. Any mini-bar inclusions come with the room not the drink package and if you look at Celebrity’s website, the only rooms that actually say the minibar is included are upper suites. I did not push on the times I was told no because I have not been able to find any advertising or written materials that actually say lower suites are entitled to anything in the minibar. Obviously, that hasn’t stopped some butlers from unofficially including those drinks but I’m pretty sure they haven’t been required to do so.

I have heard experiences like yours so I don't doubt it at all. It just doesn't match my Retreat experience (which have all been since the restart).

It was my understanding there might be a way to get an exception if you call and explain the situation. I do not know if they are requiring some sort of medical reason for the non-drinker. They may have you purchase the non-alcohol package for her. It might be worth a call.

It is my understanding, this was never an official perk of lower suites. Some butlers would do it and others refused. The butler my mother-in-law had in November said the mini-bar was not complimentary for Sky Suites and wouldn't fill it with anything. Our butler the year before very hesitantly put a few waters (nothing else) in ours when we asked but did not refill it when we drank those. So I am not surprised they are pulling back on something they never were required to do.

On my last cruise in May, all the way up until the week before my cruise, the app showed only desserts for dinner in the MDR and it showed all dining rooms closed the lsat few days of the cruise. I don't trust the app until you are just a few days from your cruise and then a final push of updates is done the evening you embark (and even that final push isn't always perfect).

Cellar Masters is still on a number of non-revolutionized M and S class ships. We sailed both the Constellation and the Eclipse in the last year and both had a Cellar Masters. It is unfortunate they have not continued to have a good wine bar on all their ships.

When I have ordered by the bottle (from the MDR or Cellar Masters) they have never substituted without talking to me. So it's not quite as bad as many bars that I agree will just pour whatever is open.

I found that the printed menu wine by the bottle menu on the Eclipse in May (which was supposedly a new menu that sailing) included lots of wines they didn't actually have in stock so I'm not sure I would trust a printed menu or the app. Maybe a recent Solstice cruiser that likes Chardonnay? But to be safe, you might want to bring two bottles.