poffles

As others have said, Mast Grill on Apex definitely has self-serve soft ice, I think on Reflection too but can't swear to that as I didn't get one there. They rotate flavor (think just one flavor at a time) so it's luck of the draw it's one you'll like, I think sometimes it's a swirl of two flavors. Also, I know the Apex had a soft serve machine at the Gelato station, though availability was not the best when I went there as I was told couple times the machine was off for cleaning or ice cream was too soft. I got it there at least once.

Wasting money is subjective, some might say that a balcony is a waste of money. I am not one of those people as I definitely like my balcony but equally for some of us the math can work to not make the drink package a 'waste'. I guess I do a lot of drinking, not to be assumed as primarily alcohol which is often the only thing people consider when valuing the package(s). I will agree prices are outrageous, but outrageous prices are not isolated to drink packages. Great to have choices!

I just reached Elite before my recent two cruises in November. The first one did not include any package, the second 'included the Classic package. I was so excited AND adamant that we were not going to pay for a package on the first cruise and just do the hustle of coffee at Elite breakfast and drinks during HH. Well when a sale on the drinks package came out at 50% off I could not resist. I like my coffees and drinks when I want them so I was the hustle without a package had me consumed with the thought; buying the package just settled my mind. We even bought the Premium package AND upgraded the Classic package on the other cruise, we are weak LOL. So all this said, I go back to thinking next cruise .... just wait till next cruise I will do it different. I think for me it will depend on the itinerary. All of my cruises have been in the Caribbean so we are now often staying on board and for us drinks are part of that experience. An itinerary where it is new discovery and more time in ports would be a different story so we would rethink for sure, thinking if we do a Europe itinerary one day. Oh and we went to Elite breakfast for first hand knowledge of what it would be like (even to grab a coffee) and it was sit down and be served, taking a coffee out was not so much an option. They don't serve a 'full' breakfast which also doesn't work for us and we ended up mostly giving this a pass. Even without a package I'm not sure we would want to resort to this every morning for our coffee. All this to say I like my drink package but I will admit that the cost hits hard and with CAD exchange on top of that OUCH. I have no cruises booked right now so I can't say what I will do next time but the Elite hustle is always in my mind 🙂 I wish Celebrity offered drink coupons like Royal so at least a person wasn't trapped into a timeline/venue for usage but it is what it is.

I know right! I think that stood out more given we literally had all just stepped off, but ya I guess here it is witnessed even in live reports. It just shows how things can all be so different which is proof we have to do a bit of shading on what we hear or read and then consider our own expectations along side it all. Easier said than done I guess the more we read and hear between time on board.

I don't sail as much as some others do, but this past year I have been fortunate enough to sail three cruises with them and since my first sailing with them on the Summit (2014) I have not gone back to sail anything else. My cruises this year were all that I expected but I do find myself now thinking of looking around at other cruise lines but it's more to have something new to experience. Could even be a royal cruise to utilize status matching. For me personally, Celebrity service has been excellent and I personally have not experienced any change in that area. The food, well I am a buffet person for most meals and I cannot cheerlead that because it has definitely changed, especially for dinner/supper and the MDR is very limited in choices. I was on Apex/Reflection B2B in Nov/Dec 23 and I can't say I recall much difference in this area so don't think it's new vs old ship. Interestingly going from Apex to Reflection I found myself loving the Reflection more, especially for it's more comforting feeling in the public areas. When I think of other cruise lines I get reminded of why I have stuck with Celebrity and think of my comparable experiences prior. NCL last sailing (Epic) was terrible, the service just pushed me over the edge, Carnival was...well it was Carnival but it was a long time ago so to be fair maybe it's improved 🙂. I will agree with others though that the cost still has to align with product/services rendered and there is definitely a point where a person has to ponder value to them. I am not a suite passenger so I can only speak to my experiences sailing in a veranda or lower stateroom and clearly these are two different products and clearly two different costs 😉 Long story long ... on my first Celebrity sailing on the Summit we were at the airport at the end of the cruise waiting in long line to check in and we got talking to a couple behind us and it ended up they were on the same sailing as us. Well they definitely viewed/experienced things differently than us, the woman could not stop going on with complaints and I was dumbfounded. Apparently it was their first Celebrity too (not first cruise) and they sailed based on their sister hyping Celebrity but clearly it didn't live up for them! Again, dumbfounded and afterwards me and my travel partner kept saying to each other how we could not believe we were on the same cruise. It was a perfect display of how you can't paint a broad brush on what your experience might be as there are so many factors in play. For them it was never again, boy was she mad, for us it was OMG that was the best with thoughts of 'they even serve you coffee at your table at the buffet' LOL

Having done the hump and now recently finally did SV on Reflection, I will be going back to a stateroom along the side. I realize, that while the wake was awesome, I really love to see more than just the rear view when sailing. I also prefer staterooms on the starboard (right) side of the ship because I love watching the motion when arriving and leaving a port dock. The people coming and going, mooring the ship, I find it all entertaining. I can now finally say I've sailed in an aft but I will take a hump veranda over the SV. Isn't it nice to have options, though sometimes choices can make one crazy 😉 .

This may all be said but I just spoke to Blue Chip to ask about my current points thus far during the current 'earning period' that ends December 31, 2023. These points then determine my status during the next period which I asked and confirmed to be an 18 month period as it was pre-pandemic so it would be January 1, 2024 thru June 30, 2025. During that time you have to earn points again to retain that tier level for July 2025 forward (assuming to be July 1, 2025 thru Dec 31, 2026). Also, I have also asked in the past about dropping to bottom tier status if enough 'points' aren't earned to retain (ie Amethyst), they said you do not drop to the bottom, you only drop one level down. So if you are Amethyst you would drop to Onyx. Don't quote me on any of this 😉 but this is what I was directly told by Blue Chip (some verbally and some in email). I am anxious for January when they remove the blurb on the website about the extended earning period and update with regular detail.

My bad .. thanks for calling it out so 'nicely'.

Leave for someone to answer about the seminar. If you are referring to FLL departure the concierge sits among everyone else, no special room for this (been there done that) unless you are referring to a suite booking? Eclipse is Solstice class. Did this up for my own reference.

I have sailed on a few Blue Chip offered cruises and much like the OP I've never received a Move-Up email. I realize you can call and request because I've read here of others doing so, but many would not know this. I have been content with my rooms so never pursued. Seems to be a bit all over the place in recent times with the Blue Chip experience. I have gone months and months with no offers but then I call in and they've listed some for me. Fast forward to last month and I got NINE Blue Chip email offering a list of cruises all within the next 6 month period. They mostly repeat the offers but it's blowing my mind a little. So far November I've received four email. Not complaining at all but one extreme to the other, I really like getting the offers emailed. Assume others would be seeing this same thing.

Ditto Jim, though I still try just to be sure 🙂 I've also found that many tasted all the same no matter how different they looked. I really liked the Berliner donuts they used to have a (few years ago) but sadly have not seen them around anymore.

Double taxed 😉

No not for what I am seeing. The price is not presented as a popup so would not be in play. It's just Celebrity 'fun'.

It is even more interesting that it isn't even the same price within a day. Recent days my cost (as others have also witnessed) has gone from 12.99 in the morning to 8.99 in the afternoon and that was over serveral days and think it's still happening. Before this last week it has never changed from the 18.99. Have yet to ever see the 6.99 others have seen but 8.99 is a win. Mine sits at 8.99 as I write this. Interesting algorith. 🙂

There is no Premium NON-alcohol package so assuming you meant alcohol. Their non-alcohol package is called Zero Proof. Yes the Premium (alcohol) package includes San Pelligrino. It increases the 'up to' limit for alcohol drinks but also adds in the Zero Proof package items. This is more often the reason I upgrade since it isn't in the Classic. Straight from the Celebrity site description when you go to order the Premium package, this is the last bullet of included items Zero Proof: Acqua Panna water, Evian water, San Pellegrino, Premium coffees, Red Bull & Editions, Sodas, Premium teas, Vitamin water, Bottled Iced Teas, Aqua Spa Fresh Juices, Zero Proof Cocktails Frozen & Non-Frozen .

Ditto ... I'll add that I prefer the check-in process on the app as it can scan a passport and auto fill the detail and also presents the ability to take a selfie for the ship photo which I really like. I have a (Samsung) Android and no issues with the app. Ironically I find myself looking at the app more before the cruise than I do on the ship as I don't often carry my phone around onboard. I can more easily watch for sales for things such as excursions or packages since my phone is an extension of our arms now 🙂. If you plan to carry your phone with you on the ship it would definitely be handy to look up what's happening, venue hours and what's open/closed, menus, etc when outside your stateroom. I will even browse a current sailing for my ship as it will present more than it does for a future sailing. As others have said, not required but definitely handy for information if nothing else. Have a great cruise!

I checked this morning (online) after reading this thread and mine was sadly still $18.99 USD. This evening seeing this thread still going (many hours later) I thought I'd check my November cruise again and OMG .. ... $8.99 !!!!!! The $8.99 shows both online and in the app ... sold! If at first a sale doesn't show KEEP CHECKING as it can pop up any random time for any random sailing !

Assume Spell Check error and you meant Guest Relations. This was what I used to do up until a time I went and they said they no longer punched a hole in them, not sure why the change but perhaps they were finding this causing problems with the cards? I never had any issue with my punched card. So today they may or may not punch a hole in your card if asked.

I've had them and they were no charge with the Classic package so they should totally be included with the Zero Proof package since it's a step above Classic with regard to non-alcohol beverages. I think they would likely call it a Frappuccino if it wasn't a trademark name of Starbucks, it is definitely a spin on that type drink but with WAY less flavours 😉 .

Ditto .... I got similar for an inside stateroom on Edge for March within it's first year which I was totally happy about. I also received recent offers similar to others for some sailings the rest of this year and into March 2024, some OV and some Veranda and Ascent is among them. Gotta love algorithms.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Where are you seeing the 33 points? If logged in online you can view Points History which might break it down for you to see ... assuming that isn't where you are looking. Some mentioning maybe you were Concierge but even that math doesn't work as that would be 35.

Very interesting ... would definitely be an unusual change that ultimately results in less $$ to Celebrity but they could surprise.

What (or why) do you think might be different? The drink packages remain the same base cost so the upgrade should also remain the same. Assume by 'new pricing scheme' you mean the dropping of the gratuity in AI but that shouldn't impact this? Oh and to the other question... the $20 does not include gratuities, that is added to that. Also, discounts are added to the base ($20 in this case) and gratuity (tax) is calculated after. You can confirm this by going through the motions online as if to purchase and add to cart, it will then present the real cost charged (you can remove from cart after). Edit (too late I now see that you called and got answer). Their answer is what I would have expected that the FAQ and everywhere is confusing drink gratuity with gratuity/service charge. This reminds me of when they more recently changed the packages and introduced the Zero package and the all the package descriptions were messed up and it was sounding like the zero stuff was included with Classic which made no sense whatsoever.

OH ... this might totally explain why I was similarly presented with noon as the earliest time for my Nov Apex cruise as it is the first one after it's transatlantic crossing. Hmmm now I'm wondering if selecting the noon check-in time was a smart idea with the chance of delays. Oh well, it's wait there or wait somewhere else 😉