simon stingray

I think you would get loads of complaints if you removed the band on Caribbean cruises. I just wish they would bring back the bands that play island music with the steel drum bands.

We also agree with this.

Perhaps we should start a petition and send it to new CEO Lisa-it worked with the pillow chocks:)

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this.

It was great to give my brother and his family a glimpse of a ship we have actually been on (they still think ships are like the love boat and cruising is just for old ladies who sit around drinking tea with the Captain all day).

My niece & nephew were mesmerized watching it and now want to take all their holidays with us:D

The itinerary in that programme (around Australia & Bali) was my dream cruise-something I have to do.

Not sure if this has already been posted on here but I see that X have revealed that the Suite class restaurant is to be named "Luminae".

As posted on X's facebook page: Starting this April, Suite Class guests will be indulged with a new and exclusive restaurant—Luminae. Offering complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Luminae is a culinary experience of modern, eclectic cuisine and extraordinary service that will remind you (and your taste buds) that there’s no better way to vacation than as a Celebrity Cruises Suite Class guest. Luminae offers a deliciously exclusive dining experience like no other.

I just wonder where exactly this will be located and will it replace an existing venue:confused:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-restaurants-luminae?sf7085026=1

Anyone else seen this-Constellation to be based in Abu Dhabi.

Be the first to experience our brand new cruises from the magnificent Abu Dhabi,as well as new and inspiring itineraries for 2016/17 across India, Asia and the South Pacific.

What's more, for a limited time you also get our fabulous 123go! offer*

http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/cruise-deals/on-sale-now-captains-club.aspx?ecid=5430400&rid=649229619&lid=Indian_sailing_title&emsc=UKCELDEC14TUESOSNEMCC

When we're on S class I want to go on M class-I miss the T pool.

When we're on M class I want to go on S class-I miss the sunset bar and Lawn.

Oh well I just keep booking more cruises:)

it appears that in order to get NON-alcoholic drinks as well (specialty coffees), you have to get BOTH the alcoholic and NON-alcoholic packages.

But speciality coffee INCLUDES alcohol-that's what makes them SPECIALITY coffees. Otherwise they would be just coffees.

So why do you think you would need a non-alcohol package:confused:

Hi Gordylad,

 

Do be aware that cancellation policies are different - not as flexible - in UK and Europe.

 

Carole

This has been our experience when booking onboard.

The onboard sales team will create a reservation in the system and pass on your credit card details to the UK office. The UK office will then charge the deposit to your card (in GBP).

You are then stuck with UK T&C's which don't allow deposits to be refunded and any assistance has to be directed through the UK office.

And when I asked, the reduced deposits were not applicable to UK guests.

We decided to eat at the buffet one evening whilst on our Infinity Norway cruise last year. We had been ashore for the day and had lunch very late when we returned to the ship, so we really did not feel like the MDR.

Whilst we thought the buffet was fine for lunch, we really did not enjoy our dinner there.

The food choices were very limited.

There was no kind of roast meat available.

There was stir fry available but we really didn't think it was great.

There was beef curry which was very good, but I took the last small portion and when I returned to ask if there was any more available I was told that it is all finished.

There were also very few other (adult) guests eating there. There was a LARGE group of teens who were hanging out there. They weren't doing anything wrong but they were quite loud (as teens can be) and it wasn't really a relaxing dinner which we had hoped for.

The only other people eating there were crew (officers).

We wished we had gone to Bistro on Five and would do so in future if we don't feel like the MDR.

The windows in these "new" oceanview staterooms are not floor to ceiling but are very large.

This thread has pictures:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1628023&highlight=m+class+oceanview

You will have no problem getting a table for 2 on select dining.

You could either ask to make a reservation for a table for 2 for the same time each evening, or you could could just turn up at anytime during dining hours.

If you just turn up, you will be asked if you wish to dine alone or if you would be willing to share. If you ask to dine alone and there are no tables for 2 available immediately, they will take your name and stateroom number and ask you to have a drink and they will call you when your table is ready.

The longest we have had to wait is about 20 minutes, but we always go at the busiest time (8.00-8.30).

We have decided we are going to go for it-our first Transatlantic.

We are planning a couple of nights in New York City pre-cruise (We have been wanting to return since our first trip there back in 2002) then down to Fort Lauderdale to join Eurodam.

I will return here to share our experience next April.

Thanks for the replies.

Simon:)

Not necessarily, b/c port charges will vary, so a shorter cruise may cost more depending on the ports

Until we see the itins though, that can't be said. Everything else being equal, it should be cheaper.

"New" sailing with prices now listed on X website.

Inside: $749*

Ocean View: $1099*

Veranda: $1999

Concierge: $1849*

Suite: $2599

*Prices are with Captains Club $300 Discount.

Prices almost the same as previous sailing to Rome with the exception of Concierge Class which was selling at $1649 just before they pulled the cruise.

On our Silhouette sailing this past March, IMO, the drinking was a lot out of control.

Was it just 1 passenger who was "out of control" or the whole ship?

Were they fighting? Throwing the furniture or were they just drinking more than you would drink?

And did it really affect your cruise?

Sorry to ask but I have never experienced anything "out of control" on a ship.

The only time I witnessed anyone really drunk was on a RCCL ship BEFORE they introduced the beverage packages. The passenger (who was sailing solo) clearly had a problem and would drink to excess if he had a package or not (and he did):D

He started drinking at 9.00am at the pool bar (we passed him on our way to breakfast). By mid afternoon he was very drunk and at 5.pm he was passed out in the Schooner Bar. We then saw security escorting him away-presumably to his stateroom.

Did it affect our cruise-no of course not. We found it amusing to watch him in the beginning and then we felt a little sorry for him.

I just wonder things were really "out of control" as you describe on your cruise:confused:

Anyone sailed Transatlantic on HAL?

We love Celebrity and are considering a Transatlantic sailing but the dates for Eurodam work much better for us with our work schedule.

We are just concerned that we may feel out of place-we're 46 & 36.

Are there likely to be others of a similar age? Many LGBT passengers?

I've looked at the general roll call and there's not much happening-it's very quiet.

I fail to see how an hour drive from the Civitavecchia port to the Rome airport is "better" than a 10 minute ride from Port Everglades to the Fort Lauderdale airport.

 

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

Not many international flights departing from Fort Lauderdale so not much use to many of us.

Direct flights all over Europe as well as many long haul destinations from Rome:)

On our Infinity Norway sailing from Harwich last August the meeting was also held at 09.30 on the first morning after boarding (also first sea day).

After months very early mornings due to work, then a very early morning due to travelling on embarcation day, there was no way that we were going to be getting up that early on our first day for a meeting/party.

We heard from others on one of the excursions that attendance was very poor.

I wonder if some of the crew onboard realise the importance of these meetings from a marketing/business perspective.

I just booed my first Guarantee this monday for an inside on Summit for $499 pp sailing Aug 31. I got my cabin assignment yesterday.

From a PH on the Eclipse to an Inside on the Summitt:eek:

Prepare yourself Curt, prepare yourself:D

We now use a US cruise agent for our X bookings-cheaper and we get OBC which seems to be unheard of here in the UK.

Last year we were going to book a transatlantic with HAL. We love X but we liked the itinerary on the Nieuw Amsterdam and the dates were perfect for our work schedule. Unfortunately our agent informed us that HAL would not allow non US citizens to book through a US agent and the cost of us booking in the UK was almost double the US price.

We obviously didn't book and they eventually dropped the UK price in line with the US shortly before sailing-it seems there were many cabins unsold but by then the airfare had become too expensive.

We were in 3112 on Summit from July 14-21 and loved it. When we first got on it was very hot, but once we closed the curtains, and asked our cabin attendant to keep them closed so the sun didn't heat the room, the a/c worked fine. My husband said he heard a hum, but honestly I didn't and it didn't seem to bother him. The location is awesome and we are booked in the same cabin again in December.

 

Here are some pictures:

 

 

Has anyone sailed in one of these "new" large window Oceanview cabins on M class ships recently?

With some of the reports relating to maintenance issues and mould in showers on M class ships, I was wondering if these staterooms still look and feel "New".

Rather than lugging cash around can I just deposit physical cash in the onboard account and then have them dispense it in the casino? Or would I have 5% deducted for accessing my own cash?

In a recent thread, a poster was asking about travellers cheques. I don't know if they are still available but if they are then perhaps that is an option for you if you are concerned about carrying too much cash with you.

On previous occasions I have brought travellers cheques in USD on cruises for my gambling. There was never a problem cashing them at the casino cashier and there were no fees for doing so.

As others have stated, the casinos on all Celebrity ships (regardless of where in the world they are) operate in USD. The tables use USD chips and the slots take USD banknotes. The slots give a voucher for any winnings which is exchanged at the cashier.

You either have to bring USD with you or you can take a cash advance from your onboard account, although there will be an additional 5% charge for this.

All winning as paid out in USD.

At the end of the cruise, any USD cash which you have leftover (hopefully more than you started with) can be used to pay off some/all of your onboard account at Guest Relations. On our Constellation cruise, I was lucky enough to win enough at blackjack to settle our onboard account for the entire cruise and still take home some $ which I saved for our next cruise:cool:

When we were on Infinity to Norway last year, the dealers WERE changing € banknotes into $ chips at the blackjack table. They had a card which had the conversion amounts ($1, $5, $10, $50 etc). However the games were all still played in $ and winnings paid out in $.

I do remember one of the players at our table commenting at the poor exchange rate Celebrity were using.

There is also a ATM I the casino which dispensed USD although there is a $6 fee per transaction.

An article about homophobia in Jamacia has been published in one of our UK national newspapers today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2713495/The-Gully-Queens-Jamaica-How-gay-community-one-homophobic-places-Earth-sought-refuge-filthy-STORM-DRAIN.html

I knew things were not good there but I didn't relise just how bad it was.

OK, I'll expose my ignorance here: what is the difference between a "European style" roulette wheel and an "American style" one? And how does going from European style roulette to American style make the casino LESS American and more British?

I'm sure they have got this wrong-the article states:

The American-style casino will become more "British" with 12 new British-themed slot machines, and American-style roulette wheels will replace European-style ones.

If the roulette wheels with a 0 & 00 are "American style" and the ones with just a 0 are "European style", then surely it is the other way round and European-style roulette wheels will replace the current American style ones.

All of the Celebrity ships which I have been on have "American style" roulette with both 0 & 00. If they are changing Eclipse to "become more British" then they must be introducing "European Style roulette" with just a 0 as British casinos only have European style roulette-we do not have roulette tables in UK Casinos with 00.

:confused:

Does anyone know if Christmas Day and New Years Eve will be formal nights?

I know formal nights are usually on sea days but wonder if it will be different at Christmas?

I booked a cruise through Opodo a few years ago and my booking was actually with a large UK based cruise agent.

I think they must have had some kind of joint agreement on cruise sales.

Possibly worth checking if that is the case as you would then be able to deal with them directly.