Aralim

3 hours ago, hcat said:

Hope we can focus on Summit....please!

Sorry, @hcat, I'm done now. Promise. 😊

15 hours ago, Aralim said:

And as weird as it may sound, the choice of typeface when used in that context really doesn’t help to change our minds. It’s fine for a wedding invitation or fancy ball, but not a cruise board forum. (not leastwise because on a smartphone in particular it is very hard to read!)

Sorry to drag this back out again, but I need to explain and retract this sentence I wrote. I finally have seen some of Olive's posts on my regular desktop computer instead of my phone. On the desktop, that typeface comes out completely differently than what the mobile site shows.

@Olive1950, just so you know -- the Font option you are choosing (Comic Sans MS) comes out looking like the comic book typeface on a desktop computer or a laptop. But if you look at your postings on a smartphone (maybe this is even limited to iPhones), possibly on a tablet / iPad as well, the typeface changes to a very thin-lined script; that is what prompted my "wedding invitation or fancy ball" comment.

I have no idea why the mobile version of the site does that, but it really does make your posts incredibly hard to read because of how light / thin the type is. I have to take off my glasses and hold my phone a few inches from my face to be able to read it (I have really bad nearsightedness combined with presbyopia). I've taken a screen shot to post here so that you can see the difference in display; the picture is sized to match the width of my phone, so you can better understand the problem with reading it on those devices.

So I fully retract my comments about your choice of typeface from my earlier post, as I'm guessing you had no idea this was even happening and you certainly weren't trying to come off in a particular way with the font selection, given how it appears on desktop.

5 hours ago, Schmoe38 said:

Commentary aimed specifically at fellow cruisers based on ZERO facts is not helpful, and I struggle to understand why someone would think it is appropriate to put those comments in print, especially when it is a person or persons they have never met.

 

Perhaps it is best to not try to understand it.

Maybe this will help to understand. All that the vast majority of us here can gather about what a person here is like, is how and what they write. So when we see a majority of comments from that person (or any other) in a single thread that focus on the money they spend and what they expect to get for it, and how dare the cruise line deviate from what they have done before, it is very hard to see that as anything but being pretentious, snobby, and / or entitled. And as weird as it may sound, the choice of typeface when used in that context really doesn’t help to change our minds. It’s fine for a wedding invitation or fancy ball, but not a cruise board forum. (not leastwise because on a smartphone in particular it is very hard to read!)

The other element I think she’s failing to consider is how a lot of us may perceive the fact that she’s effectively bragging about how she’s not just able to sail in the penthouse suite, but do so regularly. That’s a total “the 1%” kind of thing to point out, and I’m not afraid to say I find it condescending and elitist in the extreme, and fair or not it colors my judgement about her. I doubt I’m the only one.

Olive may very well be a kind, funny, and generous person. I would love a chance to find out if that was the case. But the way she has written her comments has left me feeling anything but that about her. In a medium where words are your only way of conveying yourself to others, and you will likely never meet more than a half dozen in real life, it’s imperative to conduct yourself well if you don’t want to be taken as something you know you’re not.

Instead or talking about how for $20,000 per stay in the Penthouse Suite she doesn’t expect toned down decor and design, why couldn’t that have been phrased as something more to the effect that she found the old decor and design not just appealing, but even energizing when she stayed in the room? Or that it conveyed a sense of elegance and refinement that she finds sorely lacking in the concept art and photos that have been posted, without inflammatory rhetoric that does nothing but get our collective backs up? Comments like those invite discussion and far less negativity than strongly worded sentiments about how five expensive cruises will be canceled if Celebrity doesn’t do something to rectify their grievous mistakes. Maybe she won’t get the statements of agreement she’s hoping for, or as many as she’d like, but at least the discussion stays civil in tone.

Civility is something I feel is becoming a more and more precious commodity as we live more of our lives online. Written words don’t convey facial expression or tone of voice, they don’t tell you clearly on their own if someone is being sincere or sarcastic. Even emoji only help so much with that. So I don’t think it’s at all out of line to ask Olive and everyone in general to please just read what you’ve written back yourself, think for a moment about a very wide audience who you don’t know might interpret that, and reword or even totally rewrite it if you think it could be taken for anything besides what was originally meant.

And at the same time, I’m not saying that everyone has to be milquetoast in their discussions here. The two most utterly subjective things in life are probably food and art, and this refurbishment is in a lot of ways about nothing but those. So have opinions, just don’t expect everyone to agree with them and don’t talk about them in a way that suggests anyone who doesn’t is a plebe or a moron (or both).

13 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I was becoming frustrated by someone flogging a horse to death.    Sorry if I offended you or others.

9 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

I'm with you and wish that those who are doing nothing but complain would start their own thread.

 

Negative comments are really exhausting.

@Jim_Iain and @PhoenixCruiser, count me in your corner as well. I'm fine with sometimes-heated debate, especially with a topic as personal and oftentimes polarizing as decor. And I get that someone who's cruised the line a lot and gotten used to particular offerings on particular ships is going to be upset if one of those things is changed or even removed, when it was something they really appreciated or even loved about the ship.

Heck, I'm only sailing Celebrity for the very first time next year, and I was a little nervous when I first started reading about some of the changes; it seemed like there might be some spaces I was hoping to try out (e.g., Cellar Masters) that were going bye-bye. But I've followed the thread and waited for real photos and real passenger feedback, and I'm feeling a lot better about things now.

But if all you're going to do is complain about it and try to bring everyone else down with you, and put on airs while you do it, please... just take your ball and go home, or find some other playground to hang around. I've got enough negatives in my day-to-day, I'd appreciate it if a message board about something fun in my life can stay reasonably free of that.

11 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

I got a flyer in the mail, claiming "complete your vacation now, pay later".  Completely misrepresenting themselves.  Imagine if you're uncomfortable with coach on a transatlantic flight?

10 hours ago, Shadow9612 said:

Really?  I thought the whole benefit would be to lock in the rate?  Why book early if the rate isn't protected?

Here is the original topic thread:

I've re-read it and will amend my earlier statement about prices not being locked in. That was the personal opinion of one of the posters, not something confirmed by direct conversation with a rep or direct experience. But there was enough circumstantial evidence from other postings in that thread that I do believe it to be the case. Here's the relevant quote, emphasis added by me:

"I spoke to Celebrity this morning and during the course of the conversation, the agent mentioned that they have some new options regarding air bookings.  The one that applies here is that they now have the option of using a refundable air fare instead of just nonrefundable.  A refundable fare does not have to be ticketed immediately but I would assume be subject to change until ticketed.  Once ticketed, the fare is locked in.  A nonrefundable fare needs to be ticketed immediately.  In days past, the nonrefundable fare is usually less expensive."

15 hours ago, cruiseerf said:

Lastly, Celebrity choice air now allows you to hold business class refundable airfare until final payment.....without paying......so there is now another option........

Be careful with this. The option was discussed in another thread at some length, and it was confirmed that while the seat is held it is not “ticketed” with the airline. As such, you have no lock on a seat until you actually pay; only then will you be able to get a seat assignment, and if you wait too long you’ll just have whatever dregs are left. If you require adjacent seats or anything specific like an exit row, be sure to pay immediately and early so you can get your choice.

And the other factor with waiting is that the price is not locked in. So you could end up paying a lot more by waiting until final payment date.

Hi @Tangakid. My family and I are on this sailing as well. We won't be staying in Dublin for a couple of weeks (I don't have quite that much vacation time), but do plan on staying for at least a few days before flying home to NJ.

Here's a link to the roll call: 

If there's a get-together on board for the CC members, will look forward to meeting you there!

11 minutes ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

We did a promenade cabin on Navigator 5 years ago and loved it.  Didn't love the food, and sounds like things haven't gotten any better, so we're going to do a dining package this time.  I agree that the verandas are the best value, but we get those all the time, and rarely sail RCCL.  The 24/7 view makes it different treat.

Just keep in mind that those in the Promenade, plus anyone in the cabins across from you, can also see in to your room. You'll want to close the curtains before taking a shower or going to bed, or else plan on doing all dressing / undressing in the bathroom. Heard more than a few stories of folks who accidentally put on a bit of a show for the passers-by! 😅

2 hours ago, justcrusn said:

So, just remember that prices can also RISE and booking early sometimes is the best price and you get first choice of cabins.

Definitely this. I'm booked on the Summit Iceland & Greenland sailing in August of 2020, and while the prices of interior, OV, and Verandah rooms aren't really moving at all, and CC / AQ cabins are maybe a smidge higher, the prices of suites are skyrocketing! I booked in January, and at that time a Celebrity Suite (my original "reach" room for the four of us; now not even an option as it's been reclassified to only triple occupancy) was running about $5k per person. Now it's almost $10k per person! 😳

Now, this sailing is still a little over a year until final payment date, and prices may drop on those non-suite cabins since I still see a lot of available inventory. And I sincerely hope they do, since I'm booked in a pair of insides right now and would love to upgrade to a balcony! 😂 But it would appear that the suite cabins are selling out fast, driving the price spike as demand outstrips supply.

An alcoholic beverage package on a transatlantic is going to be very expensive, even if you can find a decent sale price for it. I'm booked on the Aug 2, 2020 Iceland & Greenland transatlantic, and right now all beverage packages are standard pricing ($69/night for Premium alcoholic beverage, $59/night for Standard, $22/night for Premium Non-Alcoholic, etc.).

For 14 nights, even the Premium Non-alcoholic package is going to be costing me $363.44 per person after 18% gratuity is tacked on. This is most likely all that I'll get, so we can all get our daily lattes / cappucinos, bottled water, Pellegrino / Perrier water, etc. Just one Premium alcohol package on that trip would be $1,139.88 after 18% auto-gratuity, which is way more than I'm willing to lay out; especially when I consider that I have only 6 sea days on this trip, so "keeping up" would be really difficult.

If your transatlantic is the more typical kind with a ton of sea days, an alcohol package might work out better for you, but it's still a big up-front expense. Might still be better to go with a non-alcoholic package and pay for your cocktails and wine/beer a la carte.

39 minutes ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

Our cabin was right across from the elevator and stairs and I never heard any noise from the hallway.  I think you'll like deck 7 better.  The balconies on deck 9 have a big overhang from the pool deck above that blocks the view a bit.

Thanks for the feedback! The two cabins I moved my family to are actually the newly installed interior rooms, just a lateral move from the interiors we had on deck 9 mid-ship.

The only question mark to me will be if the cabins are any smaller than the existing ones, and if as new cabins they might have some small feature that’s not in the others. Would love a virtual balcony like they have on many of the Royal ships, but it doesn’t seem like X is moving in that direction. Which is kind of surprising, given how much they’re liked by people who’ve sailed in them and that X and royal are owned by the same parent company.

The new deck plans are now shown if you go to do a mock booking on Celebrity's site. I was checking the pricing on my 2020 Iceland & Greenland transatlantic, and saw the new Interior cabins on decks 6, 7, 8, and 9 where the iLounge, Acupuncture, and Library spaces used to be.

I actually emailed my TA and requested a transfer to 7903 and 7905 on deck 7 where the Acupuncture room used to be. Wasn't totally thrilled with being right under the pool on deck 9, even without noise complaints, just because it's a bit higher up than I'd like to be. Now we're basically dead center on the ship (maybe a bit aft, but close enough), with passenger decks above and below. Yes, they're right where the elevator bank is but I'm OK with that. Been close to the elevators on Royal ships and never had sound leak problems through the door, so not particularly concerned with this case. Just glad I could snag that before anyone else might!

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Is this essentially the same thing as "The World", which is served as a standard dessert in Wonderland on Royal's ships? I did Chef's Table on Freedom of the Seas last year and they served that for dessert.

I was going to book Chef's Table for my Iceland and Greenland cruise on Summit next year, but I have to say that as I'm seeing the price other people are quoting for their Chef's Table on Celebrity, I'm having second thoughts. I'm a major foodie and love good wine, and I understand that the meal also includes a galley tour that I didn't have with my experience on Royal... but that price is more than double the cost per person of the CT that Royal offers! Yes, X has a premium price over Royal, but that's one heck of a premium! 😱🤑

Big thanks to everyone who have posted pictures and provided commentary on the new design. I’m definitely liking what I see and it has me looking forward to sailing on Summit next year.

One thing I haven’t seen discussed is whether there were any changes to the on-board entertainment to go along with the changes in visual design and decor. For those who sailed her post-Revolutionizing, have you seen any changes in the main stage production shows or regular live entertainers in the various venues? I seem to recall that the cruise lines often use these refurbishings to put in new production shows that require new set pieces or other large props, given the difficulty of moving those thing on and off the ship. Just wondering if this was the case or if you’re still seeing the same (tired?) shows.

I have to say that none of us are big fans of Vegas-style Broadway revues. We’ll watch them if that’s all that is available, and I know M-class doesn’t have the space or crew for a Broadway / West End production like bigger ships can give. But I do hope they have a varied set of shows that have been “freshened up” with the chance offered by such a massive refurb.

9 hours ago, SuzeCruz1 said:

We'll be on the Sept. cruise this year - the last one of the season to Bermuda and, it appears, the last one with the 3 day stop there .

I was looking at 2020 Bermuda itineraries on Summit just last week, when the 20-20 sale started. While Summit doesn’t have 3-night stays in the sailings towards the end of the season, I did see that there are still itineraries with that option in the high season (June / July). The addition of the two transatlantic sailings (I’m booked on the Aug 2, 2020 TA) appears to be the main driver in cutting off those 3-night stays for next year.

If you are like me and prefer to go in September / October for both lower rates and a chance for a warm-weather getaway as fall is well along, then we may be out of luck for 2020; we’ll have to see what is announced for 2021, but I do appreciate the new itineraries and a chance to see new (for me) destinations.

13 minutes ago, 4cats4me said:

 

What THE....?

 

Huh? Are these the standard new chairs in the MDR? 

Can’t read through 43 pages. OMG 😂 

No, these chairs appear to only be in a few of the centrally located tables in the lower floor of the MDR, based on photos posted earlier in this thread.

51 minutes ago, Alushar said:

Our iPads pro fitted and a normal IPad at an angle so all locked away safely 😀

Thats awesome news! If I can ask, what size iPad Pro do you have? My younger daughter has the larger 12.9" 2018 model (narrow bezels), and I’m sure she’ll want to bring it with her to do sketching and other art work when we’re on our TA next year. Hoping that will also fit. 

14 minutes ago, cynt said:

What's in this blank space I highlighted in yellow on the Millie on deck 8?

Generally, blank areas like that are spaces for some kind of crew-only access. It could be cleaning supply closets, service elevators, luggage storage, or even crew cabins in some cases.

3 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

I don't want to be Debby Downer, but there is NO way that Daniel Boulud is going to lead and host a Chef's Table - maybe once at the Inaugral event, for the captain, CEO and upper execs, but not for us peons.This is a lend your name and review the menus thing - and Celebrity will likely take the suggestions under advisement.

Yeah, I didn’t think it through all the way. But even if they just have a guest chef (even if one from another ship in the line) come on board for a spell and just run CT, it would be interesting and a way to break up the experience for any repeat cruisers who go to CT with any regularity.

My family and I aren’t particularly fans of ballet, so that part of the announcement is just “meh” for me. That said, I’ve only seen one ballet live (The Nutcracker) and as something new to try on a longer sailing I might give it a go for something different to pass the night a bit.

The new chef partnership is hugely interesting to me, though. A genuine chef’s table run and hosted by this chef would be a fantastic experience in my view. Did CT once on Freedom of the Seas and had a fantastic time, can only imagine what it would be like when elevated by a Michelin-starred chef.

Hi @Cruisegirl6! Full disclosure, I have yet to take my first Celebrity cruise (in August of 2020), but I've asked some of the same questions as you to my Facebook friends and on another site, and I'm happy to share the answers I got.

Regarding question 1 (average age) -- it's not as old as you (or I) think. While it's older than Royal, I've been told by several who've sailed X, as well as a sales rep (who I'll grant may have a smidge of sales bias 😉) that it's more low- to mid-50s and up. The sales rep I spoke with also told me that X is actively working to draw in more folks in their mid- and upper-40s. Impression I got from that last is that X is trying to position itself as the line for folks who have "outgrown" Royal Caribbean and are looking to make a step up.

For question 9, X revamped their program to the Blue Chip Club (see this article here on Cruise Critic for a very light overview, and this page on Celebrity's site for tiers and benefits). Some of the folks I know who are members of  Royal Caribbean's Club Royale casino loyalty program reported a month or so back that they got emails from X indicating that they may be instituting a cross-loyalty policy similar to the passenger loyalty programs (Crown & Anchor / Captain's Club); this person is mid-tier in Casino Royale, and the email they got indicated they were being classified at the same mid-level (Amethyst?) in Blue Chip.

2 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

There's always craps..I wonder if they limit the odds on the pass line etc...I'm guessing yes.  

On Royal Caribbean (sister line) you're limited to single odds on the pass line unless you bet $25 minimum. Just a SWAG, but X probably has at least the same policy, may also require $50 to get 2x odds in the same vein as blackjack payout.

16 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

Comparing a 2020 TA from Rome, I find the Royal C cruise for the same cruise as X is 60% lower than X.  This is one with no price bundling.

Meanwhile, I compared a Royal TA on a Brilliance class from Copenhagen to Boston in April, 2020 that visits nearly all the same ports in Iceland, Greenland, and Canada as the Celebrity TA on Summit (post Revolutionization) from NJ to Dublin in August, 2020. Even though the Royal itinerary is in shoulder season and the X itinerary is in peak, X's prices were the same or slightly lower, depending on cabin class (I only looked at interior, OV, and balcony since that's what my budget would allow). Since X lined up much better with my timetable for doing a full family sailing, and was also sailing out of my home port (only one flight to buy instead of two), booking with them was a no-brainer for such a killer itinerary.

Is it higher than I'm used to? Yup! (list price at time of booking was $160 pp pn for an inside cabin)

Is it still a price I'm willing to pay to experience these ports and this new cruise line? Yeah, I'm OK with it. Especially since my TA was able to save me some money when I chose to replace getting any OBC from him with a lower up-front price.

Do I consider it exorbitant or out of line? Ummm, no. This is a higher-tier line that's pricing this itinerary the same as the lower mass-market sister line with a near-identical itinerary, so I actually feel like I'm getting a bargain.

It's just going to vary from sailing to sailing and line to line. Like @ABoatNerd said, just need to do your research and find what's on offer that works for (a) the price you're willing to pay, (b) the experience level you expect, and (c) what works for your time and travel capability. I'd love to try MSC, their pricing is seriously competitive and the experience looks pretty good as long as I go in with eyes wide open that it's not going to be the same as a typical American cruise; but they only offer a tiny handful of sailings out of NJ (seems limited to fall foliage sailings) and for the time being, that's where I have to sail from (my home port) so that my vacation budget doesn't get blown out of the water every time by airfare.

Just want to thank everyone who's been posting pictures of the updated cabins and public spaces. I'm liking the new look, doesn't seem as stark as the concept art pieces (not surprising). Just showed my wife the pics of the interior cabin and MDR / lounge areas, she's liking that a lot more than the look we saw on recent videos of Summit.

Definitely going to enjoy our first X sailing on Summit in 2020! 

59 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

The problem I have with Celebrity is that thee will be no options of ships for a 7 day Caribbean when the Apex comes on line. 

The S class will only be for longer cruises, and the M class for shorter cruises as they are now.

Sorry, but statements like the above bring out the spreadsheet analyst in me.

I just did a check of all of Celebrity's offerings of M-class sailings to the Caribbean between now and May of 2021, which is the furthest out I can currently look, and I'm not clear how you're claiming that M-class is only going to be for shorter cruises, or that that's how it is today. Assuming a similar November-ish launch for Apex as was done for Edge, what I'm seeing for this time period of almost two years is:

• One 4-night itinerary
• Ten 5-night itineraries; four of those after a presumed Apex launch of Nov 2020
• One 6-night itinerary
• Seventeen 7-night itineraries; nine of those after a presumed Apex launch of Nov 2020
• One 10-night itinerary
• One 11-night itinerary

So 31 sailings in total, and 17 of them (55%) are 7-night offerings. All of the 4-, 6-, 10-, and 11-night sailings are pre-Apex; and out of the sailings that are after Apex is expected, they're dominantly (69%) 7-night sailings.

If I look at M-class offerings worldwide, it skews much more heavily into the longer sailings over the same period. Out of 185 itineraries available between Feb 2019 and May 2021:

• 22 (12%) are less than 7 nights
• 32 (17%) are 7 nights
• 66 (36%) are 9-13 nights
• 65 (35%) are 14+ nights

Granted, the bulk of these are not from North America. But in the 7- to 10-night set you'll find the above Caribbean offerings, a bunch going to Alaska, plus sailings to Bermuda and the Bahamas.

So tell me again how M-class is only going to be for short (less than 7-night) sailings after Apex comes to town?