DaisyGirl55

I am cruising in 9 weeks (yes, single digit weeks!) and my group of 16 is planning on starting our cruise in The Steakhouse and ending the last night of the cruise in Cucina del Capitano.

My questions for those who have booked the Steakhouse the first night is this: usually due to luggage delivery and such not always completed by the first seating, is the dress code a little more relaxed the first night in the Steakhouse too? None in the party are planning on wearing shorts, but we were not planning on getting too dressed up the first night (dresses and suits). Is smart casual okay to wear? Or should we plan on getting a bit more dressy like we do when we usually eat in the Steakhouse mid-week.

We just don't want to be "that group" that people will talk about! :p

I read your other post regarding your grandson, and hope you can get it all settled and that he heals quickly.

So nice that you came back to CC and posted a review showing that despite the beginning, you guys all seemed to have a great time and made some awesome memories between grandkids and grandparents.

Sailing on the Breeze in a couple of months, and looking forward to seeing the ship and enjoying the shows as well.

whereeee did you get that cruise bucket list? I totally want to do that for our trip next month!

me too!

Hard to pinpoint. If you get there early - say between 10:30 and 11:30, you sometimes have to wait until the ship has been cleared to board. Usually though, the wait is minimal and you should be through check-in and on the ship within 30 minutes or so.

Like another poster stated, the later in the afternoon and the closer to the cut-off time it can get CA-RA-ZY in the terminal. :eek: Long lines, waiting, and lots of angst.

So, bottom line - if you want a smooth boarding, try to get there before noon and you should be good to go!

Hi Sleepless! My DH and I are also booked on the Solstice next year on July 8. I don't believe there is a roll call set up yet. I tried, but no takers yet.

Maybe we can start one together when we get closer!

I am also sailing on the Solstice next year to Alaska. Definitely click on the ship name above the posting...lots of reviews and other information there.

Depending on the category of cabin you booked, you may also be able to find some tips there as well. And don't forget to check out the Alaska Board in the Ports of Call section of the main CC menu.

You may be sad that your cruise has ended, but I am sad your review is over! One of the most fun reviews I have read in a long time.

You need to put this all together and get one of those books printed (like Mixbook or something similar) so you can enjoy it over and over. I did that one of my family vacations and I live my creation!

Thanks again....ciao for now!

I always take a picture of the bench with the ship name on it, and one of the life preserver ring with the name on it. It is usually what I use in my photo albums to start and end my picture book.

Happy to see that this was a fun post because I really loved sailing with Wee Jimmy and hated to think he truly did something to upset someone!

Good one....kind of like the kid's game: Made Ya Look! :p :D

No worries! I loved the Splendor, as did many others on this Board. There are so many things that give this ship such personality, and I would sail on this ship again in a skinny New York Minute!

I always read the reviews and have learned to take them all in stride. Not every cruise is perfect, but I have never had a cruise that was as bad as some people make them out to be. Like anything else, you get what you give.

The crew on this ship was fantastic, and I think you all will have a fantastic time!

Cassandra,

...There are lots of secrets for booking a balcony on Celebrity ships--many cabins have oversized balconies (like the Sweet 16 on the M-Class or the slant cabins on the S-Class), but insides are basically the same...I think you will enjoy Celebrity...

Have fun...

What is a slant cabin on the S-Class?

How far out does Celebrity start posting shore excursions? I am guessing that since I do not cruise until next year, shore excursions for my cruise will not be available until around the first of the year.

Sound about right?

There is an excursion that I heard about for Tracy Arm Fjord that is very limited and fills up quickly. I would rather not miss out due to timing.

Usually bring some pretzels to munch on while reading out on the balcony, and bring a box of weight watchers lemon cakes to enjoy with my coffee at night as I generally do not eat the desserts on the ship.

Some great ideas being posted!

Love the idea of warm pretzels and the wings. Mostly though, I would love to see real pastries, and not the packaged kind that by the end of the cruise are so dried out and crumbly...yuk! I am also not too crazy about the fruit desserts that all have a glaze of some sort on them, and I don't like the abundance of gelled type desserts in the Lido restaurant.

Give me fresh donuts, and cinnamon rolls, and fruit pastry. Please?

We just returned on Friday from an Alasaka cruise on the Solstice. Some of my tips are specific to the Alaska itinerary, while others are more general:

 

* If you're interested in trying a specialty restaurant, they offered 50% off on the first night of the cruise. (We got a notice in our stateroom...unfortunately it was delivered AFTER we returned from dinner in the main dining room.) Also, they occasionally opened a specialty restaurant for lunch on sea days. On our cruise, Tuscan Grill was open for lunch during the Tracy Arm Fjord cruising day (since we arrived in Juneau after 1pm), Silk Harvest was open for lunch on our last sea day, and Murano was open for lunch on the day we visited Victoria (which was pretty much a sea day since we didn't arrive in port until 6pm). We didn't dine in any of the specialty restaurants this cruise, and I didn't see lunch prices listed...so I'm not sure if/how much of a discount they offer for lunch.

 

* When you have dinner in the main dining room, you can request to see the next day's menu. So if you're considering specialty dining but don't want to miss particular dishes in the MDR, you do have the option to preview the menu the night before.

 

* If you're sailing the Alaska itinerary, don't miss the the talks from the onboard naturalist, Brent Nixon -- they were outstanding. (He's a bit hyper, but it keeps his talks interesting...they're definitely not the dry lectures you might expect!) If you do miss them (they scheduled several of his talks at noon, and MDR lunch only runs 12-1:30), check the TV...I was able to catch a couple of his talks during a later airing (channel 5, I think).

 

* When cruising Tracy Arm Fjord, we found many of the open decks were mobbed with people. But the uppermost level (Solstice Deck) had far fewer people, and it's narrower...so we were able to easily dash back and forth and catch the views from either side of the ship.

 

* The Sunset Bar is a great place to take in the views, particularly at sail-away. Our roll call had an informal meet & mingle right after the muster drill, and we had amazing views of Seattle as we departed.

 

* If you have a beverage package, try all the bars to discover your favorite...each one has its own attractions. We were fortunate to have the Molecular Bar open during our last cruise, though it will soon be replaced by the World Class Bar. At either of those bars, they ONLY serve premium drinks...but other cocktails can be ordered from Cafe al Bacio around the corner (which many people don't realize, assuming they only serve coffee drinks). I had upgraded to premium while my husband stayed with the classic package; so while I was enjoying Molecular cocktails, he was able to get a Jack & Coke or Manhattan from Cafe al Bacio -- he ordered at the counter, but they brought it over to him at the bar when it was ready. The Passport Bar (across from Guest Relations) has a relaxed feel, and they offer free snack mix. The Martini Bar staff often make their drinks with "flair"...so you get some entertainment with your drinks. Sky lounge offers great views, even on rainy days. And check the "Daily Pour" on the back of "Celebrity Today" for the drink of the day; they have a footnote indicating which drinks are available on classic vs. premium.

 

* All of the pastries/cookies at Cafe al Bacio are complimentary. And their drink menu is much more extensive than just espresso, cafe latte, and cappuccino. As previously mentioned, they can do cocktails as well as coffee drinks with liqueur, and they also do a wide variety of teas (both hot and iced) plus a frappuccino-like "IGLU" drink that was delicious. :)

 

* Be sure to check out the "Hot Glass Show" near the lawn club. It was really interesting to watch them make glass pieces. It can get a bit chilly out on the open deck, but they provide fleece blankets. They also have a small "museum" around the corner from the glass studio (port side), which is worth a peek. (It's open 24 hours.)

 

* There's interesting artwork all over the ship, from the stairwells to the lounges. So be sure to explore the entire ship!

 

Those are all the tips I can think of off the top of my head. Enjoy your cruise!

 

~ Shay

Wow! This is awesome! I printed out your post so I would have it when I sail next year. Thank you! :):)

As others have said, your room will be open between 1 and 1:30. Be mindful of your non-checked luggage (carry-ons) as they can get cumbersome to lug around as you eat, explore the ship, go out by the pool and so on. It is great to board early, but not so great to have to walk around all of the suitcases.

Dinner is definitely casual your first night in the MDR - shorts, flip flops and so on are the norm...so much so that even if your luggage does get delivered, many folks will just stay uber-casual the first night.

Enjoy your cruise, and relax somewhere quiet on the ship until the rooms are ready works out for the best. Then you can drop off your stuff, and go off and explore and have a drink up on the deck. Your luggage will get there soon enough.

No theme nights. As far as I know, they are a thing of the past. I see you have 3 Princess cruises booked...do they do theme nights?

I remember doing this on the NCL Norway: 50's/60's, country and western, Caribbean were some of the more memorable. I loved dressing up with a theme, but as hard as it is to get people to wear something a little dressy on Cruise Elegant nights (don't call them Formal nights!), I think it would be near impossible to do a theme night.

Fun when we did it, but don't think I will ever see them again on a ship.

Sailing on the Breeze in October, and I have been reading all of the reviews I can find! Love your style of writing! I feel like we are sitting down together, enjoying a drink, looking at photos and just talking about your cruise!

Thank you to everyone who replied! We have only cruised Celebrity one time, but we enjoyed the difference in a Celebrity cruise compared to our normal cruise choices. Every line has a unique quality to offer, and we enjoy them all for the differences between them

In talking it over with my DH, we are keeping our room and the location we have on the hump. Between the premium drink package, the prepaid gratuities and $550 OBC we got for booking this cruise we will stay where we are.

If I have any more questions, I know where to go! You guys are great :)

When I cruised to Alaska in 2007 on Celebrity Mercury we did so in a Concierge Class cabin. I loved the flowers in the bathroom, the fluffy rug, and my afternoon plate of cheese and fruit. (I requested cheese and fruit instead of the pastries, and they were delicious!)

We are booked on the Solstice next year, returning to Alaska for our 40th anniversary, and are once again booked in a CC cabin.

Have there been any changes to this cabin class? Upgrades or cutbacks? Just wondering if I should keep this cabin type of perhaps look at a different class.

I called my PVP regarding making a reservation for Cucina del Capitan as we are a group of 10 sailing on the Breeze in October. She gave me the following email: brcucina@carnival.com

I sent them an email, and my reservations are made! And we were not yet paid in full, so I don't believe that is an issue.

We are starting off our cruise in the Steakhouse on the first night, and ending with the Italian restaurant on our last night.

We always prepay our gratuities. Makes it easier to budget my onboard spending. Sometimes we do it when we book, but most of the time we just call our PVP before our final payment to have them added.

If I can pay for some of my charges ahead of time, that is a good thing for me!

What an awesome listing of the new menu offerings! I have never had a problem finding something delicious to eat before, but in looking at the new choices I am really looking forward to my cruise on the Breeze in October!

Living in Florida, we cruise quite often on the weekend cruises. Having done so many of them, I already know what I am eating each evening...:rolleyes:

Like so many have said already...thanks! From the bottom of my tummy!

We have sailed this itinerary on another Carnival ship, but it was so great to be able to see your pictures and relive my experiences! So glad you were able to figure it out!

Can I make reservations at the Tuscan Grille before I get on the ship? Sounds like a completely lovely way to start my cruise. In fact, we now usually go to a specialty restaurant on our first night and on our last night.

Starting out, we know we are on vacation. Ending at a different specialty restaurant gives us the chance to sit back, think about our week, and indulge one more time before we get kicked off the ship the next morning.