FinelyRetired

On my last NCL ship, I think it was around 10pm.  

I have load of arthritis. I go in the evening. I use the Thalassotherapy Pool first for quite a good while limbering up everything.  And, then relax on the stone loungers  for 1/2 hr. Then sraight back to stateroom, take a quick shower and hop in bed.  Works a treat every time for me and makes the following busy day a great day.

Great topic. I will be in a regular Balcony.  How far out from cruise date can I purchase a Thermal Suite Pass.  Would use it most evenings on a uropean, port heavy cruise. Thanks.

I noticed in the online booking process for a cruise I was interested in, the overall stateroom category description for Oceanviews had a picture of an oceanview cabin with the doubled bed horizontal up  against a large circular (oversized porthole) window. Nice!  Rather like the Panoramic Oceanview Cabins RCCL has  reconfigured on older ships like Explored or is it Voyageur.  But, moving forward after selecting Oceanview, you are presented with the usual options/pictures NONE of which is pictured like  the one on overall Oceanview Category sales representation. You've got to watch these cruise lines. Let the buyer beware.

Maybe Celebrity has also reconfigured bows of some of their ships too? If so, which.  I'd consider as a Solo.  I've taken at least 15 cruises and always used a balcony.  Wouldn't mind  booking an Oceanview if large window is beside the bed instead of at the head of the bed behind you.  I also like the looks of the Infinate Veranda

Update.  Pleased to say I called this AM around opening 9am.  Got the "4min approx wait time" message yet again and after 40 minutes a lady answered!  Very knowledgeable and she resolved the 2 reservations that had been set up. The confusing refundable/nonrefundable deposit explanation for a new Celebrity cruiser as well as the "perks all included" explanation takes time to consider, explain, compare etc. I'd never seen either sales approach on other lines. Rep was one patient soul, but the call about those and other questions took up a lot of her time.  I didn't go there about the new pricing promotion angle they started right after I booked.

Thanks for everybody's help.

3 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

I use a TA. No hold times. 

 

Den

I travel Solo, so hyper $$$ conscious. Unless your TA is your BFF or cousin, they wont check often

enough online to catch price drops or find a better deal like I'm prone to do. Did try one when a friend

booked thru a TA and I decided to use hers to book one. Happily, I found us both a price drop.

10 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Try calling early in the morning or around 5:30 - 6:30 pm.

They just announced a new promotion so in addition to staffing shortages the call volume goes up when a new promotion is announced.

 

If you share the things you want clarified it is quite possible someone on here can help.

Thanks. Do you mean 5:30-6:30AM?

Yes. #1My booking number problem.... is now resolved. I had 2 & 2 cabins. I just called Celebrity Air      and got immediate response. I asked them to plug each in and had the rep plug in both, all set.

         #2  I included beverage and internet?  What I'd get? I don't drink, but use phone daily for pictures

                to grandson who follows me on cruise mapper. Can I cancel beverage and get $ off. ? 

                 I might have expresso (a specialty in afternoon) and do they keep on board non-alcoholic

                beer and wine?

            3.     How does the overnite in Ravenna work?  A true overnite or does ship anchor off Venice?

                   I haven't found any other Venice itineraries coming up that have this to check a Roll Call.

             4. How many days out does Celebrity post shore excursions so I remind myself to call about 

                 one listed in the general port destination area on the website that is low capcity I want to

                 be sure to get. 

Correction: I'm using 1-888-751-7804.

Booked cruise with them recently.  Have cruised with 5 other lines. I'm Using: 1-888-533-7803.

Just need a few items clarified, but hold times the last 3 days have

been 1 hour, 40min, & just now 40minutes when I gave up. Each time the automated person has said

high volume, go online or hold on with expected 4 minutes wait time?

Do I have the wrong number?  

On 4/11/2022 at 12:43 PM, brillohead said:

Nellie's Beach or Columbus Cove. 

My personal preference is Columbus Cove.  Take the tram all the way past the vendor area to the end.  There's food there and a huge beach with mostly sand (very rare rock here and there) and lots of room to spread out.  Nellie's is a smaller beach and more crowded.

Are there chairs and/or shady spots at Columbus Cove?

On 4/23/2022 at 8:14 AM, Orianababes said:

You may be helping them to understand there are different currencies,  but you are not teaching them good economics, which is to minimise exchange rate charges by using a credit card that does not apply extra charges for foreign exchangetransactions.

 

TerrierJohn, you make a good point on alternatives but only one grandchild old enough to have a credit card

They ALL might like to use a little bit of foreign currencies for something small, ice cream or candy. And get coins back in change as souvenirs. 

12 hours ago, DeanoNorthPerth said:

Exceptional for O or for cruise lines in general?

Exceptional compared to the only cruise lines I've used: Holland America, Princess, RCCL, Viking River. Don't recall much effort made by any of them, except HAL does have a Solo Lunch on a sea day.  I pick the ports I want first; then compare to other similar itineraries and go with best value to meet my interests. This time I'll be on Oceania for the first time. 

On 12/8/2021 at 11:15 PM, PhD-iva said:

I wanted to let you know that O does a GREAT JOB taking care of solos! We had an associate cruise director, Cristina Hill, who hosted our Solo Traveler get togethers. The first one was early in the cruise and she hosted us 4 or 5 times throughout the cruise. We’d get together in Baristas at 6:30 and talk (open bar, but limited to barista’s limited alcohol). Cristina would organize our GDR table(s) for 7:15 and most would stay w the group to eat dinner together

This is terrific news.  Have sailed solo for many years and what you describe is exceptional.  Thank you for your post.

I always sail in a balcony(cheapest I can get for the itinerary I want)so fortunately room size not an issue.  Most often I keep bed queen, unless the itinerary is jammed packed with ports AND the particular ship I'm on  has no loveseat in their lowest $ balcony rooms.  Then I go twin and at night layout on the other twin next day's clothes, essentials, guidebooks shore bag etc. I may need for a full day on the other twin......so I'm sure I have everything I may need.

6 hours ago, Ashland said:

I'm sad to say I believe the restaurant I suggested has closed. Please double check back when you're ready to sail for any updates. I think we'll see many changes as to what places have survived once sailing starts again to this port stop.

Thanks for the heads up!

On 12/15/2019 at 6:30 PM, Ashland said:

RCI always day ports at the Old San Juan pier...Walk off the ship and cross the street and you'll be in Old Town.

Walk to the Milano Hotel the rooftop restaurant has amazing food and drinks...I believe they open for happy hour at 11:30am.

Thank you.  Am older will not do too long a walk in OSJ.  Would be a nice addition to my walk to have lunch with a view of the area.

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

What's the thermal suite like on HAL ships? I loved NCL's version with the therapy pool, sauna, salt room, and heated loungers. RCL Quantum class doesn't seem to have any equivalent. Solstice has Persian Garden, which doesn't look quite as interesting as the Edge-class version but hopefully it'll be relaxing for that long cross-Pacific crossing.

 

Sadly, I must update to say that my booking stroke of luck turned out to be a website error as confirmed by customer service this morning. But that's okay, I still have a Solstice Aqua cabin in a better location than my original booking and the low (in context) price leaves plenty of funds available for beverage and wifi packages.

 

Last January,  HAL's Zuiderdam had, along with the heated tile loungers,  a large  Hydro Pool with w. in pool stainless loungers, just like NCL..  If there was aromatherpy I didn't look for it.  cruisedeckplans dot com shows a similar set up on HAL Eurodam I booked for next March.  

Never saw these on any RCL ship I've been on, but I took a hiatus from cruising '16-'18 during family illnesses and haven't been on RCL since.  Sad to hear new builds on RCL haven't put these in.  Then again, my favorite thing about them is that in my experience they are remarkably under-utilized, and of course quiet places.

But like you said, NCL's version on the Gem which I was on to Bermuda last summer was the best, most compact version I've seen. Some years ago, I fell in love with the few stone loungers that popped up here and there on ships.  But I never cared for hot tubs.  Too hot for me and because they always warn about staying in too long, makes me uncomfortable. I love the cooler hydro pools and the "stations" for various things and the waterfall jet back massage!

On a port intensive cruise I usually just rest in cabin after a long day and do late seating MDR.  Love to chat about everyone's day.  On an easier cruise I do early seating or even buffet and the Thermal Suite area  is my evening entertainment.

Going back to the thread topic:

First post-covid cruise for me will be early March 2021 aboard Eurodom.  Have never been to San Juan and will wander the old town and go to St John's out of St Thomas port another.  I'll skip a port I don't care for,  take a very long walk on HMC beach one day.  Several sea days & thermal suite in the evenings before bed. (Last Jan I changed my usual pace and did my 1st restful  (carib) cruise. Loved it.  Loved the thermal suite, nice Roll Call for sea day games, )

Next summer 2021 will do 14 day B2B on Celebrity with 5 stops on Dalmatian coast.  Loved Croatia & will now get to Slovenia, Montenegro and B-H. My first time aboard Celebrity. 

Hope I like Celebrity as I'll be on Apex  1/2022 in carib 1wk and on Solstice 24 days 4/2022 for Japan and TP back to US.

So far, I've always sailed solo in a balcony cabin.  I almost always ask for the queen configuration.  Except Princess, which does not put a small sofa in their regular balconies on the ships I've used. Then I ask for twins so I can lay clothes, etc. for the following day.

58 minutes ago, mef_57 said:

Take a look at photos from the infinite balconies again. The outside edge is all glassed in. So a sunroom, not  fresh air balcony. Ships dissuade fresh air flowing into a cabin as it messes with the AC for you and your neighbors. There are always reminders to keep the balcony doors closed for this reason. So I doubt they will design one to allow it.

 

Yes, a bulkhead is like a Carnival cove.

Hi mef-57:  I've got the solo infinite balcony on Apex, Jan , 2022 on deck 6. Looks high enough for no splash,  & I think the top half of window does open and I understand when you open it, room a/c shuts down, since you don't have door closing  behind you into room? Take a look at the ones on Edge at cruisedeckplans dot com.  HAL board will answer the open window question for sure! It can be a nice space either way?

In either event by taking out the cabin door/or slider it makes the balcony part open to the cabin space & cabin should appear larger - and  "balcony" area usable in rain. I think this is similar to our small 2 br Florida condo, where years ago we removed a triple slider door that went the full width of the back of our LR/DR going to a waterfront lanai. Our screened lanai is now part of the a larger open space.  We love the open "feeling" of space it gives.  (We moved the sliders to the outer edge to close in cool weather and so able to use Lanai even on a cool or rainy day.)( With a ceiling fan on lanai ceiling our unit's central A/C's capacity  is sufficient for the add'l space under air.)

What I'm not looking forward to is not having room for 2 in the closets, etc. All my cruises, except the 1st two have been solo in a balcony stateroom and I'm spoiled! But I think I'll be sitting "on the balcony" more! 

Well, this is a good time! Thanks for doing this.

You've been having a great "cruise" so far.  I'm sure you and Beth will sleep peacefully tonight.  Esp, since you did not

say your day in Valleta included a stop at St Johns to look at  Carvaggio's  "The Beheading Of St John."

Exceptional.  Thank you all.

8 hours ago, SteelMagnolia9 said:

 

Thanks, Steel Magnolia,  for clarification re: phases# correction and your  reminder that a few parts  Miami/Dade of East Coast are lagging rest of state.  Many more areas of  F la, are open for business: In Lee, I frequented: restaurants in & out dining, non-essential small and large: eye lash, nail, hair salons open, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, libraries, had routine medical tests 3 weeks ago before I came back.  Many months of hot weather between now and Jan. when I plan to getting back to cruising for me to

feel confident to book and feel I can be safe to do a S. Carib cruise  out of Tampa that I am able to drive to on my own.

Next booked cruise for me is mid-Jan 2021, Veendam S.Carib RT out of Tampa. Pretty hopeful it will sail and if so I will  not only be more than ready, but also confident to cruise.   Winter in Florida and they were in Phase 4, fully open when I came back North 3 wks ago. Masks and distance in stores remain, of course. 

I enjoy HAL's smaller ships.  As Veendam's  plans show a classic promenade deck, I booked a lanai cabin with reserved deck chair this trip.  So I can enjoy fresh air and be more inclined to take a couple of good walks each day than I would on a reg balcony I'm  not inclined to leave.  Deck plans show ample wide open spaces on upper decks to get a bit of sun too.  

Thank you for doing a live review.  Will on board the 25th and I'm thoroughly enjoying your upbeat and candid review. 

Enjoy your retirement!