phoenix_dream

Oops. Apologies. I was thinking of our recent Solstice cruise.

Also be advised that Eclipse is in the process of updating some of their balcony furniture. I don't know if it applies to all cabins, but we were in a suite in March and went out at the port and came back to different furniture. Nice looking but not as comfortable as what was there before. Not sure if they were doing all balconies or only suite balconies.

My days of sailing in suites are over for now (maybe ever). Just can't justify the prices. I was so spoiled the last couple of years - after sailing most of my 70+ cruises in everything from inside to Aqua (with the latter being the most often), we were able to book suites on all of our cruises (I've lost count of the number - more than 10 I think). We even tad one cruise in a Royal Suite for what we usually paid for Aqua Class (aaaahhhh those were the days). Now the suite prices are so, so high. But as long as they fill them that won't change. I have to think when some people start looking at their credit card balances the trend might change but that's just wishful thinking on my part perhaps.

Generally laundry is returned in two days, although sometimes in suites we have been able to get it the next day.

I agree with those who pointed out that the language has been there since restart. In most cases to date (those last two words being key), people were not disembarked they were quarantined. I have read of a few cases (usually prior to many days at sea like a TA) where people were in fact left in foreign countries due to Covid. It will be interesting to see how Celebrity handles this going forward and if they change their process. Hopefully not. As it is people are hesitant to report for fear of being quarantined. If they increase the disembarkations that would really cause an uproar so hopefully that will only be used in unique circumstances.

I can speak for myself. While I love the service and the less crowded dining space in Luminae (except for E class where Luminae is very crowded and very loud), I really don't care for the menu most nights. I like the Blu menu much better. On ships where I can get MDR dishes as well I will generally stay in Luminae. If not, I will sometimes head over to Blu. There are pros and cons to this. IMHO it is a rare (not never, but rare) case where a suite guest is denied Blu dining, especially for upper level suites. This can sometimes lead to Aqua guests having to wait for a table. On one Reflection cruise awhile ago, they were letting in several suite guests while there were lines of 10-12 people trying to get in, with waits of over a half hour. To make matters worse one large table of suite guests insisted on dining in Blu and ordering off the MDR menu, which required the waiters to go to a different kitchen. It was very frustrating for the staff and other diners. (and I'm not assuming any of this stuff - I heard the info directly from my waiter at the time).

And those of us lucky enough to be Zenith and who love to book Aqua Class are very frustrated that you can only get the all included. Wish they would go back to cruise only fares for all cabins besides suites (and for that matter, for the same reason I wish they would have suite cruise only fares as well - know it won't happen but a girl can dream).

A simple question and a lot of speculation as to what the OP actually means or doesn't mean. I'll do the same myself. If you are concerned about eating in Blu because you think it is too "healthy" or too fancy or whatever, let your fears be put to rest. It is neither of those things. The way they have described it on the website and advertising leads one to believe it is like eating healthy food at an expensive spa. It is not, unless for example you consider a wonderful short ribs dinner healthy. Unlike Luminae, it is more like what most people might consider "normal" everyday food, cooked very well with excellent service and a more intimate dining room.

So if you get Covid they can dump you in a foreign country (which may be a relatively unsafe third world country with limited medical facilities) with no assistance or resources and the part that concerns you is maybe you might have to wear a mask onboard?! Wow.

Too often on these boards people, usually innocently, report incorrect information because they assume all experiences will match theirs. So much varies by port, itinerary, sailing, ship, current personnel on the ship, and on and on.

I fat fingered the name. It's Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Sorry.

An alternative is to just walk over to the Carrillo Marine Aquarium right down the road from the Doubletree. It’s not huge, but it’s nice and it’s free! Check the hours I think it opens at noon. It’s a nice relaxing, at times scenic, walk there and it’s right next to a nice little local park on the ocean.

It all depends on the port, and even the security staff that day. I’ve brought on a few plastic bottles of water and Diet Coke (left over from our precruise stay) in multiple ports, even those with signs saying they are prohibited, on multiple cruises over the past couple of years. I agree some ports strictly prohibit it but not all.

If you miss the ship for any reason you can go to your country’s embassy and they will assist you in getting home if need be. It is more risky to carry a passport and risk it being stolen or lost. My opinion.

Respectfully, that proves nothing - only that you were at ports that didn't do it. I've had to do it a number of times.

Sorry for your stress. We used a local Alaska travel agent who put together a nice tour for us. Cost us a lot fewer $$ as well. Perhaps that is an option? We were able to use buses and the Alaska railroad, and had a nice tour of Denali. Or perhaps you can rent a car and do your own thing? it is the US after all, so you are familiar with the rules of the road, same side of the road driving, etc..

They are most often at 7 and 9, but I have been on Celebrity cruises recently where they were 7:30 and 9:30, 7 and 9:30, and even 6:45 and 9, and occasionally one show only at 9:00 or 9:30. I grant you it never used to be that way - it was always 7 and 9 for years and years. But these days there are exceptions.

IMHO all suite prices (at least those I've looked into) are sky high at the moment. On every sailing I've been on lately they are also fully booked. Until the price bubble bursts I don't see any suite bargains coming, through Move Up or otherwise.

I respectfully disagree with that sentiment. I regularly sail Celebrity (6-8 cruises a year post-retirement) and I've sailed in suites, and in lower level cabins, all the way "down" to inside cabins. I never once felt like a second class citizen. I get excellent service, and great food, and nice entertainment regardless of my cabin. There are plenty of places to hang out onboard both inside and outside. It's possible your favorite place to sunbathe may have been taken over, and I'm sorry for that, but they don't treat anyone like second class passengers. Do I get a little more attention and a notch better service when I am in a suite? Yes, I'd be lying if I said otherwise. But I regularly sail in Aqua Class or Concierge and never felt anything but special.

I agree that the Chic nights are generally night 2 and night 7 on an 8 night cruise, but it can vary based on the itinerary. They usually put them on sea days, but sometimes due to the actual itinerary there could be one on a port day. I have sailed a number of cruises where night 7 was a port day and they had Chic night that night, and on others where they had a sea day the night before so held it then. If it is a port day, they will not hold them on port days where the ship leaves the port late. Nor will they hold them if there is an overnight, on that night.

Equinox is my all-time favorite Celebrity ship and we have sailed that itinerary multiple times. In fact, we have a B2B booked on her next January for that itinerary. I personally love time on my balcony so I won't book Edge class except perhaps if I can afford a suite.

I have been asked for my ID with my seapass card at multiple ports in my 70+ Celebrity cruises. It depends on the port. It happens before you even reach the ship, where your photo does indeed pop up on the screen, at the entry gate to the ship areas. Some ports have that and some don't. You may have gotten lucky and not cruised one that required it. I agree about never taking a passport off the ship unless the port specifically requires it.

I am not sure if I totally agree with you. Hear me out. I do agree that the new ships have been sailing full or close to it for awhile. In my experience on one, the crowd was decidedly younger than the Celebrity crowd I've been used to. I know that is what LLP wanted. But I wonder, as I do with all travel these days, how long it will continue. Every trip I have taken lately land or sea has been a full house. Lots of families and younger people. Heck, just got back from Las Vegas and it was jammed, with a high percentage of families with young children (I'll spare you my opinions on choosing Las Vegas as a spring break wonderland for grade school kids). Anyway, my point is - when will it end? Credit card debt is the highest it has been in years (ever? not sure about that). Will this demographic have the time and the $$$ to continue to fill up the cruises as they are doing currently? I just feel the bubble has to burst after a period of time, once the "Covid is over so let's party" crowd gets a slap in the face by reality when the credit card bills come in and the stimulus money runs out. If that does happen (and maybe you don't agree) then I think Celebrity will wish they hadn't chased away all those 50+ passengers with comfortable retirement coffers who filled their cabins pre-Covid by doing things like taking away our nice, comfortable balconies. I guess time will tell.

No disrespect meant but this gave me a chuckle. A number of Celebrity ships had their revolutionizing postponed indefinitely due to Covid and someone is concerned about a relatively new Edge class ship being a little worn and torn? Wow. Any ship that has been used for awhile is going to show a little wear, and yes, they always will be doing some maintenance onboard for major issues. But to expect these new ships to get any major cosmetic type maintenance prior to the much older ships is really unrealistic I think.

I have had a couple cruises out of the US that did not even start disembarkation until 9:30 am. You wanna risk it, better have a good back-up plan as most flights these days are 100% full, or close to it. Enough said.