CruisinShips

It's hard to tell since no one can see it. 😉

I don't use this term often, but what a tool! 😉

Agree...just kinda grossed me out. I'm not a germaphobe, but hot tubs really skeeve me out even more lol.

On one of our cruises on an Oasis class RCCL cruise, we saw them close one of the two side by side pools to drain and refill it (not sure why, and it was probably best that we didn't know why). We were sitting in a chair on the suite deck which was above and overlooking the two pools. As they refilled the one they drained, the color difference between the two pools was significant...the one the refilled looked clean and clear....the one they didn't had a very murky look in comparison. I haven't been in a cruise ship pool since. 🚿

Just to be clear, the Elite happy hour perk is irrelevant if you have a premium drink package (and/or are staying in a suite)....correct?

Have this same cruise booked for next year...following!

Make sure your hair is combed, and most importantly, make sure you use the correct fork for your salad....lest you adversely impact the dining experience of someone sitting 5 tables away!

I can never understand why others care what type of pants someone else wears to dinner on a cruise ship. It's mind-boggling to me. Respect the venue enough to not be a total slob, but other than that, focus on yourself and your table-mates.

Call me a bleeding heart, but most of these ship workers seem like such lovely people with big hearts, who work in difficult conditions for supposedly not such great wages...many of them speak of sending their money home to help support their loved ones...I can't imagine not supplementing their incomes with some additional tips. No, it's not required, and I don't expect everyone to feel the way I do, but if I can afford a suite, I can afford to tip those who positively enhance my vacation experience.

Forgive me for this newbie (to Celebrity) question...is a Celebrity Suite (on the Equinox in my case) considered and "Upper suite", or no?

We cruised HAL once, in 2018, in a Neptune suite on the Zuiderdam. The itinerary was the key for us...it was the "partial" Panama Canal and Southern Caribbean. The ship itself was kind of "blah". Old school cruise ship with an older crowd and not much going on during the days especially. The crew was very pleasant, the food in the specialty restaurants was good. The MDR was a bit rough by cruise standards...if you did anytime dining (or whatever they call it) you normally have to wait and the experience was a little impersonal feeling...lacking that little extra warmth we used to see on cruises. My take is always that the ship is more important on Caribbean itineraries and cruises with lots of sea days, and it's less important on those itineraries where you are off the boat early nearly every day (like a Mediterranean itinerary).

Great and timely topic for me! We are Diamonds on Royal and just booked our first Celebrity cruise (Equinox in 2023). Our last several RCCL cruises have been just the two of us in Crown Loft suites on Oasis class ships. We loved the accommodations, loved the more private suite areas and the perks, and loved the ability to avoid the masses and what we deemed to be increasingly mediocre food in the MDR. After three successive Oasis class cruises, we realized (slow on the draw as we may be) that it's silly for us to spend all of that money for a ship on which we try to avoid the parts that most find the most appealing...all the kids activities. We then went to what I deemed to be the other extreme and booked a suite on a Holland America cruise (Panama Canal and southern Caribbean). While it was a great cruise with great ports, it was a little old for us and a little boring on sea days (we are both in our early 60s). So the next one will be Celebrity, and this thread has really sealed that deal for me. Thanks to all for the great info, and I look forward to participating in the forum going forward.