poffles

A few Holland ships, though don't look fully non-smoking interior there are a few that do not list the casino as allowed.

https://hollandamerica.cruiselines.com/smoking_policies.cfm

Referring to this notable on their site.

Designated Smoking Areas
Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam

• Sea View Bar area
• Oak Room (Noordam only, including cigar and pipe smoking)

https://hollandamerica.cruiselines.com/smoking_policies.cfm

On 6/19/2023 at 1:27 PM, jelayne said:

Maybe this opens the door for a new Captains Club benefit:

 

Elite 1 free lobster tail on a night of your choice

 

Elite Plus - Choice of 1 free filet mignon or lobster tail on a night of your choice

 

Zenith - 1 free surf & turf on a night of your choice.

 

More likely discount ... 10%, 15%, 20%

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On 8/19/2022 at 7:05 PM, dlh015 said:

Yeah, I use Google for that, too.

 

I guess I have to go to Guest Services when I board to register a credit card for my onboard expenses?

 

With Princess and Cunard I was able to add a credit card to my account prior to boarding...thought I would be able to do that for X...

 

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear about what my goal was 😉

This can be done online in a browser window (or app).

In a browser, after logging into your account you view your booked cruise, then select under Manage Trip (can select from top right) and this will bring up another view.

On this view you can see midway down on the right the Check-in option.  My cruise is too far out so it shows unavailable but as you can see on mine below it indicates the date it will open and it is within this check-in process that you can add a credit card for use for everything onboard.  Believe 45 days before sail date is when this is made available online.

The alternative of course is to wait until boarding day which I've never done.  I don't think you will  make it to guest services (on the ship) to do this as this is something done prior to boarding so it would be done at one of the check-in desks in the terminal.

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On 6/15/2023 at 8:32 AM, cruisestitch said:

No one knows if they are winding down or not.  As long as they are still featured, and prominently, on the website, there is always a chance for more.  

I wasn't implying this was ending.  Clearly I know nobody knows that (except maybe Celebrity) but based on history from when these started they are 100% fewer and further between so that is evidence of winding down even if they wind up again 🙂.  I have recorded every one since the beginning so it is not just imagining. 

Completely ending, now that is for a crystal ball to decide.

.

Got my 3 points!  I was really watching for these ones as they moved me to ELITE !!!!!!!!!!! 

It is very unlikely I will ever move beyond this tier but I am a happy camper with all the PUPs that have fast tracked me to Elite.  I think this might be lucky timing for me as it appears these might be winding down.

I am noise sensitive too and blessed with hearing things others often don't.  I was among those  that mentioned hearing when neighbours would open or close their blinds/windows.  I found it annoying more because I felt it is just an unnecessary sound but it did not annoy me from a sensitivity perspective perhaps because I get more 'annoyed' by constant recurring sounds with no perceived end like the boom boom bass of music without hearing the actual music.

I did not hear this often, it seemed many just leave their windows closed so it was more rare than I would have expected and it was more about being able to actually hear it than it actually being  obtrusive.  Within my own stateroom, opening/closing the blind was annoying, it is like the sound of an electric can opener.  I seemed to hear more from the stateroom below than beside but I suppose it could be just because they opened more, but again it was not often and really not that bad but more just that it was sometimes noticeable.  As someone else mentioned, my recall is it was only when I had my own window open.

I do not recall hearing any sound coming from the staterooms next in this stateroom but they might just have been quiet neighbours.  I've had prior rooms on other Celebrity ships that I could hear sounds, one I could hear fighting next door and not much you can do to avoid that.  Not what you asked but I think the worst noise for me is the sound of a neighbours stateroom door slamming, you know the ones that could care less about others. Midway into my recent cruise I ended up becoming that person too just to show them what it was like, they were totally oblivious and it was at late hours that should have warranted a little more thought, my lack of thinking ended up being 6am 🙂

While I've had Concierge and not taken them up on this 'perk' it is not right for things to be listed as 'pluses' and not offered.

I think what is most disheartening reading stuff like this is if it becomes more normalized for 'Celebrity' to shrug it off.  The practice of not delivering on what is promised, no matter the perceived worth, is not okay.

Managing expectations 101.

1 hour ago, bigAWL said:

Perhaps.  But checking the same drink at the Club on the current Edge sailing says JD Neat costs $10, and so it should be included in the classic package.

If you are looking in the App I would not trust this but this all shows there is no certainty.

My cruise in April on the Edge (2 months ago) showed different prices for like things in different bar menus in the app.  Stella was $10 in one menu and $11 in another, which do you think they charged.  If you guessed $11 (even at the bar that showed $10) you would be right, that is what the bartenders would see on their register and the $1 would apply in this case for Classic upcharge with grat/tax.  It seems the hit and miss is for things that are repriced (increased) and they just don't manage content well ... I know we are shocked by this 😉

I guess in the end, be prepared for an upcharge, pick the highest price you see here or anywhere, and be happy if/when it is less or included in your package.  Oh and if your cruise is off in the future nothing is stood in time.  Happy cruising 🙂

13 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Still hoping to find the answer (not more guesses).  All help appreciated.

 

If someone has a classic package, how much more will they have to pay to get Jack Daniels.

18 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Just took a look on the App -  Apex -  The Club Bar Menu -   Apex is currently in Europe if that makes a difference.

 

Jack Daniels Neat -   $12.00  plus Gratuities

Doesn't Jim answer the question here?  What you pay is the difference Classic to Premium so charged $2 plus the gratuity/tax.

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I think this is so hit and miss ... clearly by the responses here.

On my recent cruise (April), my birthday was noted by my travel partner as 'special occasion' and a date was selected to represent, my actually birthday was not during the cruise but shortly after.  I didn't go expecting anything.  Nothing actually happened in any restaurant on 'the day', we had a dinner at Eden and it was like any other day which was fine.  I was surprised, however, to have a bottle of wine appear in my stateroom (can't recall what it was but it was pink and not champagne) with a note wishing me happy birthday and I think it was from guest services.  Was a very nice gesture and totally unexpected, I'm sadly not a wine drinker so it went unopened and perhaps passed along to the next celebration 🙂

For reference I was in an Infinite Veranda on Edge, not in a suite.

I agree with others that this really should not be asked as it might lead to expectations.  I had none but that's because I live on Cruise Critic LOL.

Get it at the Cafe Al Bacio the coffee shop.  Have not seen this in Sky Observation Lounge.

1 hour ago, JC3389 said:

I am hoping they revert back to being genuinely 50% off, but not holding my breath lol

Wise decision 🙂

4 hours ago, njsmom said:

It makes booking a suite in The Retreat more palatable. 

Maybe this is more strategic than we think.   🤔  Nah ... likley not.

12 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

I'm officially getting old..."Back in the good old days", going through my notes, my very first X cruise, an Alaska 7 night sailing, was booked last minute over memorial day 2019 as there was a sale.  The delta between no perks to the four perks of $150 OBC, tips (at the time $101), wifi and the PREMIUM drink package was $621/person all in, or an effective price of $370/person since you would need to pay service tips anyways and by deducting the OBC

... and I must be getting even older because the only reason I first tried a Celebrity cruise was because of the 1-2-3 Go promotion which was free drinks, grats and OBC.  I had been watching and pondering a specific cruise and had been reading the promo was about to start (again) so I waited before booking.  When the promotion finally started, to my surprise the price of my cruise did not go up a single cent ... it was totally complimentary (their words) and boy did that I snatch that up.  Fast forward a few months and this did not seem to be the case as the prices shot up but boy was I a happy camper.  I had never had a drinks package before and it was like having a balcony, hard to go back to not having it but I certainly will at these prices!

The irony in all this, I got hooked on Celebrity and only sailed them since so really they gained, sometimes the win is not so directly in your face.  Boy have times changed LOL

15 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

Yesterday, the pricing was actually 50% off of the normal price. The cost of a Premium package was $54.99 yesterday and now it's 50% more. This is absolute BS on the part of Celebrity, it's not like we didn't know the "normal" price to begin with. Congrats everyone, Celebrity thinks it's customers are stupid as well!

Ya I looked yesterday (same cruise in November) and seen that as well which makes this even more hilarious.  I looked for curiosity like most here and thought hmm not a bad deal, but I have the package included and only an upgrade 'discount' would be enticing.  So funny and sad.

Wow, this is a new twist on increasing base cost to offer a 'discount'.  The before 'sale costs' that I now see (USD$) are a joke!  Their system is clearly bonkers.

My go to at the Cafe was the berliner ... another RIP as I have not seen them for a long while.  You can see them looking so good bottom right in my first pic (2015). 😞  The second pic is still pre-COVID (2019) and the berliners I recall were 'missing' then but I thought maybe just a different ship thing.  I have been finding that may items there now are just variations on the same thing.  

2 hours ago, catgirl411 said:

The more I read Live Reports, the more I realize that everyone looks for something different from their cruise experience. Some people want to lie in the sun and drink, some want to party all night, some want to gamble, some want to go on excursions, some love trivia and game shows, some love music and production shows, some love good food…etc, etc. you just have find what fits for you. And that probably has little to do with the relative age of the crowd.

This ⬆️  Says it all really and it has taken me years to recognize that what I think I am missing out on, or even not participting in, is not really missing for me at all.

7 hours ago, WyKnott said:

I wish I could tell you it was, someone who cruises HAL more often could say better. All I know is it was that way on the Zuiderdam when I cruised it.

Thanks ... found my answer ... some ships no smoking others (not the case on the newest ships).

HAL Smoking Policy

8 hours ago, upwarduk said:

I think they’ve run out of topics.

I sit here thinking you could be right but one idea ... maybe have someone do an onboard restaurant experience.  Literally have them do a dinner sampling of a specialty restaurant or two... then do another one or two ... and so on.  Not just a flash of pictures but an actual dining experience of sorts and have it longer than a flash of a scene.  Just an idea as it might entice me to try one that I might not consider and it's a money maker.

21 hours ago, njsmom said:

In December, we did a holiday cruise on the Norwegian Prima. I told this one couple, in their 30's and who loved to drink and lay by the pool all day, that we were going on our first Celebrity cruise to Alaska this summer. 

They were quite derogatory about our cruise, saying we should cancel and cruise on NCL instead. The reasons they said we should cancel:

 

—You'll be cruising with a "bunch of boring old people in their 50's and 60's" (we're 51 and 55)

—All you'll do is listen to lectures and have to learn about history and educational things (sign me up now!) 
—It's boring and no one does anything at night (sensing a theme here)
 

Of course, I ignored them and kept my cruise and I'm looking quite forward to it. Just thought I'd share because I found it rather funny. And insulting. Coming from an "old person" in her 50's. 

As someone else said, wonderful to have choices.  I think when I was in my 30s I was ready for the early to bed early to rise so I guess I'm boring 😉  I guess I partied enough in my 20s.  That said, on the occasion I'm up 'later' there are many (old LOL) Celebrity cruisers that don't read the memo that they should be in bed instead of kicking it up on the dance floor LOL.

I have sailed Carnival and NCL and I still have times pondering sailing on NCL again (Carnival not a thought) and then I read others reviews and see their pictures of long lines at guest service, crowds around the pool, lots of families (read as lots of children) and I stop pondering.  I sail for the ship and just the calm of sailing, not for the party so it really is to each their own.

I love the adultness of Celebrity and that I can go to guest services almost anytime and walk right up, or that even with pool chair games I can always find a chair and place in the pool.  I love the calmness of it ... that is it's charm.  Also no smoking anywhere inside the ship, not even the casino  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On 4/3/2023 at 2:35 PM, WyKnott said:

I was on Zuiderdam for a Panama Canal cruise in November and their casino was non-smoking, I was pleasantly surprised. Downside for HAL, it wasn't very crowded but I sure liked it and spent more time there. I was able to get a seat at the roulette table any time the tables were open. It got so the pit boss recognized me and asked if I was playing whenever I walked through the casino.

Is this normal for all HAL ships, was it every night?  I thought I read differently for HAL so I didn't realize their casinos were entirely non-smoking, I thought Celebrity was the only mainstream (large ships) that did this.

I am among the happy ones here as this officially gets me to Elite before my next cruise. Likely the tier I will remain 🙂  The video played fine for me even though, as always, I had to get the email invite forwarded to me but I'm over that LOL

I will not dare complain about getting 115 club points from PUP since it started with 3 more from this webinar.  Thanks Celebrity for amusing me when I can only long for my next cruise!

.

3 minutes ago, oreilly76 said:

That is unfortunate. I prefer Celebrity, but enjoyed ‘earning’ a free cruise!!

Never know, you may have such an offer waiting or in your future for Celebrity.  Your play definitely matters.

2 hours ago, oreilly76 said:

Hello,

We have previously sailed several times on Celebrity. The last being last June. This year we tried Royal Caribbean because we have our young adult children with us. I enjoy the casino and while at a table on this cruise learned about free cruises for playing. A fellow gambler at the tables let me know and told me to check with the Casino Host. When I did, I had enough points for a free cruise. 
I didn’t know about this last time I cruised. I am sure I would have spent even more on my Celebrity cruise (as it was longer). Is it too late to find out if I earned points?  Do you have to do it in person on the ship?  Do you not get notified automatically if you do earn one?

 

Thanks!!

There is no guarantee of being notified of anything you might be entitled to with BCC.  Offers are mailed out randomly, if at all, so the best advice is what Fly and Sail mentioned above which is to call BCC and ask if they have any offers showing for you, also good to ask what they show for points earned towards tier status.  They will look you up based on your Celebrity Club ID.

Celebrity Casino - Blue Chip Club

More often recently I have 'offers' they can see but nothing mailed/emailed to me.  It ranges from discounts to free cruises, discounts are often not as good as they might seem as they base them off rack rates minus any ongoing promotions. 

Good luck !