WhenIam64

You have been lucky, then. Out of somewhere around 18 cruises, I have had two butlers, one on Celebrity and one in the NCL Haven, who really didn’t give a hoot. Normally, I would let those chips fall where they may. I’m still on a cruise and having a wonderful holiday. Their tip at the end would reflect their level of service. But this is different. Most likely my friend never will cruise in a suite again. I am willing to be a bit “tacky,” as you described it, to insure she gets the best experience.

Speaking to the retreat manager is an excellent idea, if necessary. I also usually tip on the last night. This time, I plan to tip at both ends of the trip. I must confess, I am more excited about my friend having an amazing time than I ever have been about my own experience. I hope it’s everything that I know a Celebrity cruise can be!

Other posters “opened” this old thread a few days ago. There were 5 or 6 new comments, so I felt comfortable posting as well. Frankly, I suspect the community as a whole would not appreciate me starting a brand new tipping thread! 😱😱😱

I also usually avoid tipping threads, but I have a bit of a unique situation on my next cruise, so I thought I would share my thinking and encourage feedback. I have worked with a personal trainer for the last five years. I have a health condition that makes this necessary if I am going to continue to enjoy good strength and mobility. This trainer has been wonderful to me, so I am treating her to a cruise in an 8-day EV on Beyond. This woman has had it kinda rough the past few years. She takes care of everyone else, but nobody takes care of her. I want her to be pampered and treated like the wonderful person she is by our butler and room steward. I am a generous tipper because we usually do ask a lot, especially from the butler. I likely will ask a lot of both of them - keeping beverages stocked, keeping the plunge pool hot and clean, breakfast in the suite every morning after she puts me through my paces in the gym, perhaps a small cocktail party if we meet some nice folks. I would even hope for a towel animal or two to delight her! I was thinking that I might tip both the butler and the room steward at the beginning and the end of the cruise, discreetly, without my friend knowing. At the beginning, cash in a note that tells them how very much I want my traveling companion to feel special and valued. I would tell them both that I also intend to tip generously at the end of the cruise, but that the initial tip is my gesture of good faith in the hopes that they will help me insure she has the time of her life. I know that in-suite service varies from one cruise to another. I just want this one to be the best! Do you think this approach is appropriate or over-the-top showing off? It has never been so important for me to have a cruise be the ultimate luxury experience, for her more than for me. Please be kind but honest in your feedback.

I am cruising on the Ovation with my sister and a dear friend in July. We will have a two-day stop in Malta. The first day, we are at the island of Gozo until 3 pm, then we sail to the main island of Valetta. We want to schedule services in a Hammam spa in Valetta on that late afternoon/early evening when we arrive in Valletta from Gozo. We must book these services in advance. So my question is how long is the sail from Gozo to Valletta, so that we can book our reservations for the hammam for about 90 minutes after our docking in Valletta?

I am doing a cruise to the ABC island with my personal trainer. She says we have to hit the gym every day! 🫣 I thought I might turn the tables on her and sign her up for a class or private training session. 😎 Does anyone have any info on fitness classes/training sessions that are offered? I know about the gym itself, but having difficulty finding anything about classes.

Thanks for the straight story. Really helps with our decision-making.

Good heavens! I certainly won’t waste time staking out a front row seat if some rude passenger is going to stand in front of me! What a way to harsh my mellow!

We were on Ovation during the summer of 2021. It was our first Seabourn cruise and we loved everything about it. That said, we did think that our suite furnishings looked somewhat dated and there was the occasional tatter here or there. It wasn’t so pronounced that it harshed our mellow. But we are returning to Ovation this summer and we were wondering if she has been in dry dock for a wash and brush up in the past two years. Anyone have an answer for us?

Sorry. Liao, not Liam.

In the EV, you will have no problems with reservations at any restaurant you want to dine in. When shoreside called me, I had a list prepared, she took the requests but also said, you don't need to worry, your butler will take care of everything for you, changes, additional res' etc. and he did. They will greet you by name as soon as you walk up to be seated and in many other locales as well. You are in for a heck of a treat! Now THAT is the comment I was hoping to read! In the past several years, we have had to forego the joys of a Celebrity suite because we were cruising with children and grandchildren. My last Celebrity cruise was when the Solstice was a new ship! This will be only our second “adult” cruise in many years. My prior suite experiences on Celebrity were more like what you are describing, Liam. Indeed, last summer we cruised in a large suite on Seabourn, an “ultra-luxury” line. While we had a great time, their expression of high service was not up to the standards we had become accustomed to in Celebrity suites in decades past. I am relieved to hear that we might experience that again on the Beyond.

Thanks for the replies so far. We will be in an Edge Villa on Beyond. I was hoping that we could avoid having to pre-plan when we had dinner in the various specialty restaurants and could just go with our mood each day for dining. I think I am hearing that I shouldn’t count on the onboard concierge being able to accommodate that and we should book in advance with the shoreside concierge. Oh well, I suppose we still can manage to find some way to enjoy our lovely suite and the retreat. (Please find the ironic humor in that last comment.)

The last time I cruised on Celebrity, there was no Retreat. So I have a few questions for those of you who are Retreat veterans. 1. Is there a pre-cruise concierge? Will that person be more likely to contact me via phone or email? 2. Is it best to reserve dining in advance or will there be tables available “the day of” for retreat guests? 3. Can the onboard concierge book you tables or seats with a good view for shows/entertainment in the various venues (the theatre, Eden, etc.) or is it necessary to snag a good spot an hour or more before the entertainment begins? Thanks for your advice.

It has been several years since I was on a Celebrity ship. When I was, in a Royal Suite, I was disappointed to learn that the king bed could not be twinned. This was on a Millennium class ship. Is that still the case for Celebrity suites? What about for the ships that are newer than Millennium class? TIA