tjunmin

1 minute ago, Thetis22 said:

Can we be sure that Singapore to Dubai and Dubai to Southampton aren't also sold out?

There are cabins in almost all categories available from Singapore to Southampton, therefore, logically there should be availability from Singapore to Dubai, or Dubai to Southampton. The fact that those two segments are not available seem to indicate that they've been removed by Cunard.

2 minutes ago, Thetis22 said:

But Hong Kong to Southampton has also been taken down, so not sure Dubai is the reason

I believe that Hong Kong to Southampton is not available because Hong Kong to Singapore is sold out.

My spouse is vegan, so I get my fair share of exposure to vegan food, and the challenges that vegans experience in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.

In our first cruise post-pandemic last month, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that the MDR now offers a vegan menu. This is a welcoming change, making it more inclusive and easier for passengers to enjoy traveling around the world, while having their dietary needs looked after.

In our sailing last month on the Connie, here are some of the photos of food served to my spouse in Luminae and Tuscan Grille [photo album], as well as a sample of the vegan-friendly options at the Spa Cafe.

In our personal experience, there is a wide variation on the range of vegan food offerings at Luminae, as the chefs have the latitude to exercise their creative minds crafting vegan dishes. For instance, in our last two cruises pre-pandemic in 2019, these were the vegan dishes served to my spouse at Luminae [photo album 1][photo album 2].

Happy (delicious) sailings to all the vegans out there!

I was in a Royal Suite on the Constellation last month, and the bed can be separated. See photo here [link].

3 hours ago, Winemaker_1 said:

Yes, really great photos.  How long ago were these taken?  Some of these entree are not listed on the Luminae menu these days.

Thanks. These photos were taken last month. The chicken adobo was a special request, and the Biko was a special dessert the chef prepared for us; the chocolate mousse was from the MDR menu; everything else was from the Luminae menu. 

Here is a photo of a Peloton machine taken last month on board the Constellation. It looks like it uses straps. Hopefully that will be relevant for your sailing on the Beyond.

11 hours ago, Ken52891 said:

We are sailing on our first Celebrity Cruise in a few weeks, and we're sailing in the Retreat, so we get access to Luminae. I've heard amazing things about it, but when I look at the menus on the App, I see very limited options (especially at lunch) for appetizers. And none of them sound good or something the people I'm sailing with and I would be interested in (The app says borscht soup, Prawn Ceviche, and Kale Salad for embarkation day lunch). We've sailed in Haven on NCL many times and love eating in the suite restaurant on embarkation day to get a lay of the land and meet the servers we interact with during the week. It's also a nice pace compared to the buffet on embarkation day. However, I'm afraid we will not be able to do that. Does Celebrity have classic options that I can order from that are not on the menu, or is the app 100% accurate, and that's all we have for options? 

Since this will be your first Celebrity cruise, here are a few photos of the Luminae offerings [photo album], so you have an idea what to expect. Please be aware that, based on my experience, there is usually a small variation on the dish preparation and presentation depending on which ship you are sailing.

Happy sailing!

Welcome to the Cunard board, @Jennifer Sandhurst.

I'm fairly new to Cunard myself. For my upcoming cruise on QM2, the prices Cunard Air quoted me were either the same as booking directly with the airline, or higher.

Reading the Cunard board, I gather that booking through Cunard Air offers the most savings for one-way fares on sailings between NYC-SOU, but I'll let the seasoned Cunard passengers share their experiences.

2 minutes ago, Austcruiser84 said:

It occurred to me that any changes must factor passengers’ ability to obtain visas. That will certainly determine the route and stops in any diversion. 

The sooner Cunard announces the changes, the longer people will have to adjust and get ready.

Historically speaking, how has Cunard behaved when it comes to itinerary changes? Have they been proactive and given passengers plenty of time to react, or have they waited for as long as they could and left passengers scrambling? What have been your experiences?

For clarification purposes, I believe that you are a Brazilian, inquiring about the need for a visa to enter Mexico.

According to the Mexican government Foreign Ministry website [link], you are correct, a visa is not required for visitors traveling on cruise ships that disembark at any Mexican port to visit the port and leave on the same ship to continue their voyage.

You should be OK traveling without a visa, but if you want to be 100% safe, get a visa anyways.

Happy travels!

On 1/15/2024 at 2:30 PM, sandij said:

We are Sandi and George from south Florida.  this is our first time on Celebrity and 40th overall.  Looking forward to New Orleans been to all the other places several times but like the idea of traveling down the Gulf.  Hope everyone has a great cruise.

Welcome to Celebrity, Sandi and George! Are you going to be on board the Constellation?

Wish you a fantastic cruise as well!

2 hours ago, lauriedun said:

Thanks for linking your review! Guess I'm wondering what bars offer the best nightlife/dancing, if there are any less known places on deck to hang for the day and chill, any main dining/reservation tips, etc

Debra shared many of my favorite spots on the Constellation.

For drinks, the Martini Lounge on deck 4 is a lively crowd pleaser. If you enjoy listening to live music with a drink/cocktail before dinner, the Rendezvous Lounge on deck 4 is a popular destination.

Quieter places on deck to hang for the day include the Rooftop Terrace on deck 12 aft, which has a large movie screen, loungers and cabanas, and the sundeck on deck 12 forward, with lots of chaise loungers for people who prefer to sunbathe away from the pool music.

Indoors, the Reflections Lounge on deck 11 forward offers expanse views of the ocean on sea days. There is a small library on deck 8 mid-ship, which was very popular during my sailing last week. A small space that is often overlooked is on the port side of the Grand Foyer on deck 4, behind the panoramic elevators; there is comfortable sitting by the oversized windows, where you can see the water go by as the ship sails.

Hope this helps!

What matters to you in a cruise? Which areas are you more interest in hearing about?

Here is my review of the Constellation [link], from our sailing last month.

14 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Two months?  My Cunard schedule shows QM2 transiting the Suez Canal in mid April. That's four plus months distant. That is a lifetime in world events and especially that region.

If Cunard decides to reroute QM2 around the Cape of Good Hope, the decision will probably have to be made by the time the ship leaves Singapore on March 23, thus the 2 month timeline I previously mentioned.

If Cunard waits until the ship arrives in Dubai to reroute around Africa to avoid the Red Sea, QM2 will be unable to reach Southampton by April 28.

Someone on CC floated the possibility of all passengers disembarking in Dubai, and QM2 sailing empty through the Red Sea and passengers reboarding in Athens on April 19. This option eliminates the passenger liability for Cunard, but in my personal opinion, QM2 is still at risk of being attacked.

I'm not sure if I should take this thread seriously, or if OP is just having fun pulling our leg.

I personally am not fan of the toilet paper on board Celebrity, but I'll stay out of this discussion. lol

15 minutes ago, cruiseluvva said:

For us, there are only a couple of new ports Penang, Phuket and Salalah. Everywhere else we’ve been to, most several times. But I can see it would be disappointing for some. We’ll still go if things are changed, as we’re staying with our son in KL first - which was the main reason for booking.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation as yours. I've visited most of the interesting areas in the itinerary between Singapore and Southampton. The new ports of call for me are Penang, Langkawi, Doha and Salalah.

I also would be fine if QM2 was rerouted through the Cape of Good Hope. I think it would be much safer for the ship and passengers. In my personal opinion, the QM2 is a British symbol, and is a juicy target for an attack in the Red Sea. But I totally understand that there will be passengers upset with the disruptions caused by a possible itinerary change. As I said earlier, there is still 2 months until QM2 has to sail those waters, and much can change in the meantime.

The Middle East is a very interesting region to visit. Here is a short video I created using photos I took from two cruises in the region: [video link].

14 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

Go back the way she came around the Cape of Good Hope, which would likely add days to the voyage. And that might cause a ripple effect on future voyages in 2024, or cancel some of the stops in South East Asia to be able to return to Southampton on schedule?

I believe QM2 would be able to take the Cape of Good Hope route without having to add days to the voyage. The QV will leave Singapore 3 days later than QM2, and both ships will arrive on the same day in Southampton, according to their original itineraries. QM2 could take the same route as QV, and still have 3 days to spare.

One issue with this itinerary change would be the passengers embarking and disembarking in Dubai and Athens. Other issues would include securing ports/docks and ensuring supplies to the ship along the new route.

There are still 2 months until QM2 leaves Singapore; a lot can change in that time period.

6 hours ago, Lastdance said:

 My issue is trying not to eat too much, but easier said than done, even with using the gym, stairs and walking from the aft of the ship...

I love food; it is one of my passions in life.

I still remember my first couple of cruises, when I would come back home 10 pounds heavier, and then spend the next few months slowly shedding the extra weight.

In my last cruise last month, I actually did not gain weight, despite eating well [photos 1][photos 2]. I basically skip breakfast, avoid overeating during meals, and do not eat anything outside lunch and dinner. On shore excursion days, I ate breakfast but skipped lunch. Every calory counts, so if I'm going to eat something and consume the calories, it better taste wonderful.

In another cruise many years ago, I actually lost weight on a cruise. My secret at that time was - in addition to skipping breakfast - going to the gym twice a day, 45 minutes before lunch and again another 45 minutes before dinner, when I would do cardio. I just wanted to make sure I would not gain weight, but 1.5 hours on the elliptical machines every day before meals made me actually loose weight on that cruise.

OMG! You are staying in our first ever suite on Celebrity, way back in 2009. I love that oversized bathroom and the same wood paneling as the penthouse. Wish you a wonderful cruise!

8 hours ago, Jamietravelstheworld said:

I am a very experienced cruiser but have my first Celebrity cruise booked for January 2025 on the Edge. Reading the posts here, everything is so negative. Should I cancel? Or are the people with positive things to say just not posting? No cruise line is perfect, and every cruise has made cuts due to budget, but is it so extreme on Celebrity. My favorite cruise line is Azamara and I often cruise solo. I also like Oceania but find there's not a lot to do on the ships. I like Princess too, but they don't do enough to engage the solo travelers or help them meet each other.

@Jamietravelstheworld, my personal take is to learn from the wealth of information available on this board. 

While some people see negativity in the posts here, I see passionate people who are generous sharing their experiences and knowledge.

I use everything I learn here to improve my experiences when I'm onboard.

I'd say, don't cancel your cruise; go and form your own opinion! If you don't go, you'll never know for sure how well Celebrity fits your needs. Wish you a wonderful cruise!

5 hours ago, Visa Questioner said:

2) I am going through VisaCentral to obtain my Oman visa in advance of the cruise.  Question: How long from the date of issuance does the Oman visa expire?   

Information from the Oman government evisa website FAQ page.

Depending on how the Red Sea situation develops in the future, we might not need to apply for those visas.

You are referring to the ship-within-a-ship concept, and many cruise lines have adopted it, such as NCL (The Haven), MSC (Yacht Club), Cunard (Grill Suites), Celebrity (The Retreat), Royal Caribbean (Star Class), Dream (The Palace) and so on.

Celebrity is actually playing catch-up with the E class ships, and retrofitting the older M and S class ships to incorporate the concept. I believe NCL, Cunard and MSC were at the forefront implementing this concept.

10 minutes ago, horseymike said:

It’s all about supply and demand.

It is shortsighted.

Loyal cruisers who have sailed Celebrity exclusively will now be exposed to other cruise lines.

When the tide turns and conditions change, and cruise lines have difficulty filling their ships, the cruisers who used to be loyal and only sail on Celebrity, will then have an array of cruise lines that they've sailed - and are comfortable with - to choose from.

What Celebrity is doing is short-term gain, long-term pain.

I find this pricing practice frustrating and outright greedy.

My spouse is no longer interested in traveling, so moving forward I'll be traveling solo.

I've been desperately trying to book solo cruises on Celebrity, looking for different destinations and ships, always being deterred by the outrageous solo pricing.

So unfortunately Celebrity has forced me to move onto a different cruise line. After 16 years of traveling Celebrity exclusively, all my most recent sailings being on suites, I'll be on my first Cunard cruise in 2.5 months.

Looking forward to Celebrity coming to their senses and coming back to my beloved cruise line.

@erniebernie the post you created earlier in this board has been moved to the Ports of Call board [link]. Hopefully someone will reply over there.

Currently the Ports of Call board is quite devoid of information for Samoa. I found this article on Samoa shore excursions [link] and this is what is available through Viator [link].

Hope this helps!