singleflyer

I was on the August 2 sailing of the Edge too (though not in The Retreat).  I had one of the Single Staterooms with Infinite Veranda on Deck 6 and for the most part loved it.  

I agree that the ship was crowded!  Especially around 5:30 at the main dining rooms.  You are lucky you had Luminae and Blu as an option.  Our party of 8 was unable to get reservations and it was a scramble to get a table each night.  Fortunately it always worked out (sometimes we would send someone from our party to each of the four restaurants around 5:15 to get in line to see if we could get a spot).

Our group had three kids in it (7, 9, 17) with a lot of energy -- I apologize to anyone near us though I saw a lot of people laughing at our group's antics so hopefully we brought some joy to other passengers!

I did a post of some of my thoughts on the Edge as a ship, as well as well as the Single Infinite Veranda room.  

This was my first Celebrity cruise and I LOVED the ship!  Probably my favorite ship I've been on.  And I have to say, I am in the camp of loving the Infinite Verandas.  

The weather could not have been better (I'm from Seattle so know that it can be hit or miss this time of year)!  Even got to see the Blue Angles fly over on embarkation day in Seattle.  

Basic wifi on Edge last week was pretty horrible.  Definitely impossible to use FaceTime or any other streaming type app (in fact, those websites are blocked).  Even trying to update my New York Times app was hit or miss.  Think of it as 1997 dial up.

1 hour ago, SkiPro62 said:

On E class, the Eden Cafe is hardly ever open, but is worth a visit if it is. There are interesting things that the other Cafes don’t have like a carving station and home made potato chips. 

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So true!  How strange to have a cafe that is mostly never open. I’ve been on Edge and Ascent and have yet to manage a time to get there when it’s actually open. 

Just got off Edge to Alaska.  I found Eden Cafe open for breakfast every day (except disembarkation day), and open for lunch on sea days or days where you didn't get into port until afternoon.  

Just off Edge today.

There is a duty free alcohol shop next to the Edge gift shop.  There is also an Effy (of course), a watch shop, a Bvlgari, a Men's boutique.  I think that was about it.

I just got off a cruise.  Called in ahead of time and got $500 OBC to trigger Amex offer.  Didn't use any of it.  I was told that I'd be refunded the $500 to my credit card on file.  I had put my debit card on file to get the $500 back to my checking account.  Just got off today; expect I'll get the credit in a few days. 

On the Oosterdam now.  Park West used the former Lincoln Center space for their auction.  I haven't seen Crows Nest closed at all this sailing. 

21 hours ago, Crew News said:

It is my experience that Club Orange (CO) dinner food, with the exception of the special CO entree, is prepared in the MDR kitchen and picked up by the CO servers.  The CO provides sauces, rolls, and condiments. 

 

All breakfast items are prepared to order in the CO kitchen.

 

Here is the current Club Orange Breakfast menu: CO Breakfast Menu

 

Some photos of Koningsdam Club Orange:

 

 

 

 

Your 3rd photo down is actually Canaletto I believe.  

I've had CO on both Koningsdam and N Statendam and I am about to have it on Oosterdam (no separate dining room).  

Totally worth it to me for the upgraded room alone; though on my recent (April 2024) sailing on K'dam, CO dining room was pretty crowded and had to wait a couple of times for breakfast and dinner. 

The current Club Orange hosts (Cas and can't remember the other gentleman's name) are fantastic (though I'm sure they'll change by next summer), however my experience is the put the best staff in CO.  

Here is a more detailed post if you want to learn more: https://singleflyer.com/2023/08/07/holland-americas-club-orange-explained/

Booked $500 OBC over the phone.  Got my $100 back within a couple of days.

I stayed in 5048 on Nieuw Statendam (I believe it is the exact same as on K'dam).  I loved the room; but way more space than I needed!  I liked that it was at a slant so you could see to the side as well as in front of you.  

The extra window in the stateroom also was appreciated. 

https://singleflyer.com/2023/08/02/hal-nieuw-statendam-verandah-stateroom-review/

Ship: Edge

Length of Cruise: 7 nights

Cruise Sail Date: August 2-9 - Alaska - RT from Seattle

Date email offer received: None

Captain’s Club Tier: Classic

Booked through Celebrity Direct OR via TA: Celebrity Direct

Current Cabin: Single Infinite Veranda 

Bid?  Yes/No: No.  Booked a solo cabin; don't really need the extra space for just one.

Edge Villa: $2,550-$12,750 pp

Royal Suite: $2,500-$12,500 pp

Celebrity Suite: $1,300-$6,500 pp

AquaClass Sky Suite: $850-$4,250 pp

Sunset Sky Suite: $850-$4,250 pp

Sky Suite: $650-$3,250 pp

AquaClass Stateroom with Infinite Veranda: $250-$850 pp

Concierge Class Stateroom with Infinite Veranda: $100-$350 pp

Sailing appears completely sold out.

If you want true Beecher's Mac & Cheese, you can get it in Seattle at either Seatac or Paine Field airports.  Also their headquarters at Pike Place Market.

The stuff they serve(d) on Holland America is horrible in comparison. 

Did you eat at any of the speciality (upcharge) restaurants?  What did you think?

I'm going on this same itinerary in August.

Anyway to go the other way?  Status match my MGM level to Celebrity?  Currently I have no status with Celebrity.

10 hours ago, jenf22 said:

I did 3 orders that added to $500 on the 19th and the credit showed up today.

Did you do the $25 x 9 three times?  

https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-gifts/items-results?category=ONBDCR&collection=ONBDCR

Many AMEX Offers are targeted.  Meaning they have a profile on you based on your spending.  HAL then decides who they want to target.  It could be "target anyone that has never spent a dime on HAL".  Or "target anyone that has spent money in the past on Royal Caribbean".  Or "target anyone that has an Amex Business Platinum that has purchased at least three airline tickets in the past 6 months and has eaten out at least four times in the month of April".  

Yes, there is a limit to 100 offers.  In my experience, the cruise offers always go straight to the top and will bump down "lower" offers.  My guess is that is because cruise lines pay AMEX more to get their offers listed than say that strange hair care company you have never heard of.  So I doubt adding a bunch of offers is going to reveal the HAL offer.  If you find otherwise with this offer, please report back.

Sailing 6 weeks from today on Oosterdam.  Just got an email offering upgrade from Signature Suite to Neptune Suite for $749 per person on a 14 day sailing.  

Called and was told there are not upgrades available... Not sure why they would send us the email saying there was!  I was able to get on a waitlist.  It looks like our sailing is listed as sold out online, so maybe they just send that upgrade offer out to everyone even if there isn't space available.  

Had already purchased Club Orange ($210 per person) and laundry ($147 for the room), so assuming I could remove those, that would mean it would only be $466 per person for the upgrade.

Anyone yet tried purchasing on board credit in advance of their cruise to see if it triggers?  

Nearly double the cost as last summer, but still a good deal.  Especially with some of the transfer bonuses available.

19 hours ago, Oren said:

Check out the Port of Los Angeles Starting March/April 2026 Calendar for the possible secret answer to this mystery:

https://artifacts.portsamerica.com//wbct/pdf/2026-la-calendar.pdf

Moving on to Seattle for Alaska season on May 3, 2026...

16 hours ago, rcs931 said:

Note Pinnacle lunches are not listed in the daily program, so we missed all of them. Our fault, not well enough informed. 

Going to be on the Oosterdam this July.  Are Pinnacle lunches an up-charge or included?  What exactly is a Pinnacle lunch?

Scenario: Two adults sailing in the same stateroom.  Neither wants either of the alcohol packages.  

If one passenger wants Quench or Unlimited Coca Cola Package, do both have to get it?

There is conflicting info on the page.  The top part makes it seem like only if an alcohol package is booked do both people have to book it.  But then down below it says that all guests must book it.  

When I go to actually book it, it gives me the option to book for just one passenger, where if booking the alcohol package it forces me to book a package for both.  This makes me think I can book for just one passenger.  

1 hour ago, AV8rix said:

Hi neighbor.  No, that's on her.  They ALWAYS make announcements of the absolute deadline when you must cash in your chips or whatever it is the slot players have to do to redeem their cash.  No excuse for missing the announced cutoff time.

Hey neighbor!  I don't know the full story; what she said is that the casino was unexpectedly closed on the last night of the cruise (maybe an IT problem or a delay leaving the port?).  Definitely could have been on her -- don't know the full story.

I would also recommend you cash out most of your money at least two days before the end of the sailing.  I spoke to a passenger that didn't do that on a previous cruise; only to have the casino not open the final night and her money was "stuck" in the casino.  She had to fill out a bunch of paperwork online and is still waiting 6 months later to get a check.  

11 hours ago, Zippercat said:

You do have to have the cup to use the Freestyle machine.  I presume it reads a chip in the bottom of the cup?  
 

The cups are insulated so your ice lasts longer, which is nice.  I agree they’re a pain to lug about sometimes.
 

But on our Rotterdam cruise March 2023 the Freestyle machine only worked with Diet Coke for a few hours of the 10 days we were onboard.  We were sailing with friends who usually sail Royal Caribbean (their first HAL cruise) and they said the newer RC ships -known as “Apartment Buildings of the Seas” by some folks- have multiple Freestyle machines and almost always worked. 

Since the Freestyle machines were broken (and then removed completely half way into the cruise), there was no need to have the plastic cup at any time on my sailing.  Instead I just showed my "Coke" sticker on my room key and was given soda at the bars.  I did sometimes use my Coke cup, but often the bartenders wouldn't serve the drink in the plastic cup (probably because of germs) and instead would pour it in a fresh glass and have me pour it into the plastic Coke cup if I wanted to do so.  

I agree, if there were Freestyle machines all over the ship (or at least Lido and Promenade decks), it would be much better (and I would have carried around my cup).  I'm guessing you are right, there is probably a chip in the bottom of the cup.  I've seen much smaller Freestyle machines now so they could place them around the ship without it being an eyesore.  

Check out Cedarbrook Lodge if you want to stay by the airport.