Justalone

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Come for the food (be it as it may) and stay for the indifferent customer relations.

It sounds like you are a well seasoned cruiser.
I am new to cruising, and considering Oceania, Princess,  or Celebrity for  my first cruise.   
Is Oceania, on  both counts, as bad as you say?

And, in your opinion,  if not Oceania,  would you recommend Princess or Celebrity  cruise line  for a first time cruiser?    For me,  I consider good healthy food quality,  preparation, and cleanliness of food service,  to be high priorities.   Best for food, service, entertainment, and value?

Thank you.

55 minutes ago, Peter118 said:

We have not been on our first cruise yet with Celebrity but will be on the Summit in 3 weeks. Of all the cruise lines that are available we feel Celebrity is the right one for us and we want to stay loyal to. Especially since we appreciate what they have done to rectify the Valentine booking we had with Tuscan and chose not to hits us with a cancellation and the new $119 price tag...:).

 

So we booked the Connie for October out of Venice to Rome. We booked this thru United Cruises since we were able to get 7 miles per dollar spent. We earn and use a lot of miles each month so why not get another source to participate at 7 miles per $.

 

So being a rookie at this I have frequently seen topics that include once booked to transfer to a travel agent? Which we do not have nor do I know why we would do this transfer thing.

I have also seen topics on waiting to book "on board". Not sure why but we are on the Summit in 3 weeks. Is there any advantage to cancelling and rebooking once on board?

 

Any thoughts from those with experience, or simply just have the knowledge, as to what we should do if anything? We are ok with just leaving things as they are but I will like to avoid a "rookie" mistake.

 

Thanks...

 

 

New to cruising.  What is/who is The Connie?

Thank you.

On 1/11/2020 at 3:25 PM, Jancruz said:

For the first time we are flying in early April to Fort Lauderdale we usually stay at Embassy suites..does anyone have a B and B or Boutique Hotel to stay at there its for 4 nites??

Thanks

Jancruz1

When in Ft. Lauderdale, my hotel of choice is Riverside Hotel, 620 East Las Olas Blvd. First class accommodations and service.   Moderately priced.   Great location.

Good luck.

21 hours ago, seamac29 said:

Hi everybody this will be our first time on Oceana we are going in October 2020 in the Mediterranean I just got a notice that the airline has moved up our departure time by an hour and a half so it now is departing Lisbon at 12:15 the Riviera is scheduled to be in at 8 o’clock in the morning on a Sunday we are staying in a concierge veranda suite I don’t know how fast one departs off the Riviera we have been on other cruises in the past and depending on what type of accommodations we were able to get off earlier at times Any thoughts on should we push back the flight if possible or will be OK and making it to the airport and getting on the plane  Thanks for any help

Are you doing early walk off with your luggage?   Or first group to disembark?  You should have plenty of time.  The airport is not too far from the cruise port.  Only about 15 minutes or less away, and little to no traffic on Sunday mornings.  Traffic is horrendous in Lisbon on weekday (workday) mornings.

Good luck.

I am new to cruising.  

I read that there is a Curtis Stone (celebrity chef) restaurant called Share on Princess ships.

How is the food?   High end quality?

And are your required to share a table with others?

Thank you.

On 12/9/2019 at 8:38 PM, Peregrina651 said:

Airplanes full of tourist arrive in Israel everyday.

 

 

 

Jerusalem is inland; Ashdod is the port where the ship will dock.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m interested in this itinerary as well.  So rockets will not reach Jerusalem or Ashdod?  No worries about suicide bombers in those cities?

Also,  does Viking have armed security guards on their shore excursions?

Thank you.

New to cruising.   Is Kosher available?  Dining room or at the buffet?

New to cruising.

Do you know of any cruise lines that serve Kosher?

Thank you.

5 minutes ago, mafig said:

Has no one who has had dinner at Fine Cut ordered the lobster?🤔

Is the lobster cold or warm water lobster?   How big?

10 hours ago, slanik said:

We are sailing on the Summit next month - 2/15.  I was checking out the menus on the Celebrity phone app.  I don't see lobster on any of the nights at the MDR.  Has anyone sailed recently on the Summit to know if Lobster tail is still served in the MDR?  It used to be on the last Chic Evening.  Thank you.

What kind of lobster?    Cold water or warm water lobster?  How large is the lobster?  Quality?

Thanks.

On 1/7/2020 at 2:52 PM, raverski said:

We are booked on the Legends to Lagoons cruise starting in Papeete on March 15, 2020. All flights appear to go through LAX with a substantial (6 hour) layover. Our flight on Air Tahiti Nui is scheduled to arrive in Papeete at 10:25 pm. By the time we pick up our luggage and arrange transport we will likely get to the ship (Regatta) just before midnight. So we will have lost the better part of the 1st day, including meals and settling in, just traveling. This is a day we have paid for and Oceania is unwilling to compensate us in any way for this situation.

It would have been helpful if Oceania had provided us with travel options. For example we could have been asked if we wished to fly on March 14. We know there is a deviation charge but this could have been waived under the circumstances. In addition we would have needed overnight accommodation on the 14th. Surely that could have been offered at a reasonable rate. 

We have cruised with Oceania 5-6 times before. We have always accepted their package including air fare. The travel issue with this cruise was unknown to us. But it couldn't have been unknown to Oceania.

We are extremely disappointed with Oceania at this time. It puts further cruises in doubt.

I wonder how many others are finding themselves in this predicament.

 

Sounds unreasonable that Oceania would not give you some compensation.

Good luck.

20 hours ago, njsweetie said:

Very good question which I’d like to know the answer to because @Peter118 and I have an 8:30 reservation on Valentine’s Day on the Summit but for the regular $45 pp. I made the reservation quite a while ago and both $45 pp and $119 pp were available. I recently saw a post on CC that somebody else had a similar situation and Celebrity apparently didn’t realize it was Valentine’s Day and told them they needed to pay the $119 instead of $45 and I believe it was for the same menu. I did not get any notice yet but am prepared and will probably eat in the MDR that night if Celebrity is going to charge $119 pp simply because it’s 2/14. We already have reservations at Tuscan  for the first night at my birthday on 2/11.

Wow.  I think you got a great deal @ $45 pp.   Their loss, your gain.

Enjoy your special meal!

18 minutes ago, farmermark said:

Just bought my first tux (first owned tux) and the beautiful lady who will be on my arm is now wanting to look nice but wear what most of the ladies will who dress up on the cruise next week.    Black cocktail dress is going; she wondering if there will be a lot of floor length dresses worn or more shorter dresses and skirts.  And she gets no good advice from her color blind husband whose job is tending to 700 acres of solar panels that produce food (classy way to say dirt farmer).    

Sounds very classy.   You and many others dressed to the nines?   Would she consider wearing a formal full length gown?  And, be sure she brings a lot of sparkly diamonds to wear with her outfit.   😶 

Enjoy your cruise!

56 minutes ago, Expat Cruise said:

Princess does something like this still in Singapore. They invite past guest onto the ship for lunch. They seem to do this a couple times a year and send a email with the offer. I believe also offered in Hong Kong, we did once in Singapore have never got the Hong Kong offer. We did not pay a fee to Princess but they did try to sell us future cruises and most purchased.

 

OP here.   How about people like me who have never cruised with Princess?   I am in USA.

10 hours ago, Daniel A said:

I did the Bon Voyage Experience (BVE) a couple of times before it got discontinued last May.  As I remember, you would pay $40/pp and get a four course lunch with a glass of wine, a ship's tour and free time to explore the ship.  You had to get off the ship by a certain time, but it was a wonderful thing to do in Fort Lauderdale if you had a free day.  You had to book it in advance - just like you were booking a cruise including entering Passport info into their system and showing that passport at the cruise terminal.  If you were going on with a passenger booked for the cruise leaving that day, you and your passenger friends got 'super priority' boarding so you and your friends could maximize your day on the ship.  The money you paid for the BVE could be used against the fare for a future cruise as long as you did it within a year.  It's a shame that the program was discontinued.  It was a fun day.

Thank you.

New to cruising.    Can anyone tell me about an introduction to Princess Cruises called BVE?

Thank you.

On 8/23/2019 at 9:48 AM, don731 said:

Best hotel to stay in the night before embarking?  Biscayne hotels are pretty expensive in February. 😀

How much do you consider is expensive?

That might help filter out hotel recommendations that are above your budget.  And not to waste your time looking at.  Yes?

Is it with bone or boneless?  And what grade of beef?

Thank you.

New to cruising.  Considering Oceania mainly because of reported excellence in cuisine.

I saw that Oceania serves Waygu beef.   Is it Japanese A5A?   Or American Kobe? And is it available in the Grand Dining Room,  or  just specialty restaurants only?

Thanks.

New to cruising.  I am solo traveler.   Can I request a  table for one in Anytime Dining?

Thank you.

Thank you!

14 minutes ago, voljeep said:

was just joking about the visor in the mdr on formal nights … sorry

 

but yes as to the black echo sandals and yes the New Balance are  NB813 black uppers and black lowers ( all black, no white ) leather lace ups … really can't tell the difference from regular dress shoes except for the laces … both were rec'd by my foot doctor ...

 

I've never owned or even wore a paid of crocs … just not my style 

Thank you.  Very helpful information.  

New here.  I am still trying to separate serious replies from sarcastic humor on this forum.    😋

Regards.

11 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Face the competition?  Formal night is the least of problems facing the competition.  How about staterooms that can accommodate a chair and table, a shower to accommodate the average size adult, balconies with enough leg room to face forward. What separates them from the competition is price and itineraries.  Now they are jumping on the free drinks, wifi and gratuity offers like the other lines. Yes, I know they aren't free but they aren't free on Celebrity or NCL either.

Have not cruised yet, but considering Princess, Celebrity, or Oceania as my first cruise.

I am surprised Princess has no chair in the staterooms?   How can that be?  A small sitting chair is shown in their brochure and website for a balcony room?   Also shown is a small desk chair.

Besides Princess, I am considering Celebrity, and also Oceania.

Thank you.

New to cruising.   

Does Oceania provide a complementary tote bag in stateroom?  

Can one take it home at the end of cruise?

Thanks.

43 minutes ago, Justalone said:

 

Yikes!  Is your experience typical of Celebrity cruises?  

I’m new to cruising, and I am considering my first cruise this year.  Thankfully, I am not handicapped.   You mentioned “old crotch men and obese ladies seemed the rudest”.  What did they do to you that was their rude behavior on your cruise(s)? 

And,  can you be more specific that “the rudest folks are from two locales”.  What locales might that be?   Do you mean passengers from a specific area of the US?    So I can know who to avoid!

And, may God continue to watch over you.

Thank you.

Please disregard my previous post.

I attempted to delete my previous post but time had expired to delete it.

My questions were answered in previous posts.

Sorry.