*twinkle*

Thanks everyone.  Our return flight is from Barcelona with Vueling.  They are under different booking references, so completely separate.  We have already checked in for our Vueling flight.  We can't check in for Lufthansa until Sunday.  So I think we will be OK there....

I'm just concerned that FbC will be "worried" about us not showing up, and assuming we have missed the flight.  Incidentally, we have received zero confirmations of our flights from Celebrity.  I have emailed their flight department, but got absolutely nada.  Thankfully, I noted the booking references when I made payment.

@rslrhu How are we supposed to let them know on the day?  They take over an hour to answer the phone!  A complete time-waste!

@doktor71 Yes, we have been through Frankfurt for a previous cruise, but booked flights ourselves for the day before.  We missed the connecting flight to Rome, so stayed in Frankfurt overnight.  No problem really, just had a super early flight to Rome the next morning.  I would have been happy to change this flight, as I just feel it's too risky.  Our itinerary means that we would likely miss the first 4 days of the cruise, and it's just not worth the worry.  I'm happy with the Ryanair flights, and if there are any problems, our Plan B is still the Lufthansa option.

We have booked Flights by Celebrity to Rome via Frankfurt.  I have realised the connection is a bit tight, and their on-time ratings are awful at the moment anyway.  I called Celebrity and Lufthansa to try to change to the day before the cruise, but nobody could help.  Celebrity couldn't find any flights the day before, and didn't seem interested that I thought there was a good chance we would miss the cruise.  

Lufthansa could see flights the day before, but couldn't make any changes.  They needed my TA (Celebrity) to request the change.  

So, we decided to just book our own direct flights (at extra cost, obviously) with Ryanair. 

I won't be calling FbC again, it took in excess of one hour for them to answer the phone last time, and weren't exactly helpful.  We are in the UK, and our call centre is even worse than this!  Was quoted a cancellation fee of $200 USD per person as well. 

We will just leave the Frankfurt flights booked in case of any unforseen  difficulties, Ryanair might let us down too, so Lufthansa will remain our back-up plan.  Where does this leave us with Flights by Celebrity?  We will likely be a no-show - will this cause any problems?  I'm imagining that FbC might actually do some form of tracking to make sure all their passengers/flights are all running to schedule?  

19 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Hi Twinkle.  I have followed your instructions and have now got the we are validating message.  Has this now cleared for you as checked and if so how long did it take.

 

Thank you.

I have just checked, and I am still waiting for validation.

Oh no! That's been loadsa hassle @sgmn.  I see lots of US passengers are using tests that are supervised online.  That maybe would have been a solution, rather than relying on pharmacies here/in Italy.

If you have a CoR does that mean Celebrity will test you at the pier instead?  Or no test required at all?

At least we won't need to test to get home! (at the moment anyway)...

On 5/17/2022 at 1:53 PM, sgmn said:

Same here (cruise on a Monday) @dani negreanuhas sourced some pharmacies in Rome that are open on a Sunday. Hopefully she will pop by and advise.

We are going straight to Civataveccia on the Sunday and pharmacies will be shut by the time we are there. We are planning to test at the airport on arrival and have pre registered with the Rome airport website. The only problem is I'm not sure when to prebook our transfer for as don't know how long it will take.

 

Our hotel has said that pharmacies are open from 0800 am on the Monday as an alternative 

 

Lots of into on the Italy ports pages of CC

Could you not test in UK before you fly out? I've had a quick google, and "observed" tests are approx £20.  I've not bought mine yet, as always hopeful rules will change again.

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

On vaccination: I'm trying to check in.  As a UK resident I have the following problems, can anyone help/advise please?

 

We have been told by Celebrity to complete the next stage of our check in which is to provide vaccination records. All sounds easy - not!

 

Question 1 they ask who is the manufacturer?  I'm mixed vaccine - doses 1 and 2 Astra Zeneca, dose 3 Pfizer.  Which do I put - it only let's you enter one on the app.

 

Question 2 they ask for the date of the final jab.  That's my Pfizer one in November I assume I put that.

 

Next step is to photograph your vaccination records.  This due to style of UK records would be three photos, one for each jab record. I assume I post page 3 as it has the barcode but again it will show Pfizer.

 

Any help greatly appreciated as I'm not allowed to go any further on check in without completing this. I did get through to Celebrity but was passed to a US agent who had no idea about UK records unfortunately.

Hi @Megabear2 I have literally just done my online checkin (I'm UK too, but Scotland, so paper record may be slightly different).

Question 1: Vaccinaton - enter your last vax details (not booster, so probably your 2nd vax).  Upload photo(s) of your paper letter.  It allows you to take more than one photo.

Question 2: It actually says "Booster" - enter booster details.  Upload photo(s) as above. 

My app is now validating the Vaccinaton section.  They must have people checking the paperwork matches the data input.

You definitely want to make sure your Booster is registered.  This makes you "up to date", which is preferable to "fully vaccinated".

Fingers crossed!

Thanks all. I didn’t think the airport transfers would be included, but can’t find them on the website to purchase. 
 

I have checked junk/spam.

I’m in the UK so phoned customer service here. Was in a queue for over an hour. 
 

I will wait til Monday, and have a look again. Cruise has been paid in full so hopefully everything will be sorted. 
 

fingers crossed 🤞🏻 

Thanks for the responses. 
 

I booked the cruise through a TA yesterday. I booked the flights myself via Celebrity website this morning. After payment, pop up states that an email confirmation will be sent. Nothing received!

So I know the cost etc, but concerned that I don’t have an actual confirmation of the flights, hence me trying to call them. 
 

I actually don’t know if my airport transfers are included, hoping the email confirmation would give me more info. 
 

I will wait til Monday, maybe my drinks packages will be on the website by then too!

Didn’t get a confirmation email. I’ve tried calling, and was on hold for more than an hour. Disappointing!

Also, tried to get prices on airport transfers, but can’t find them on Celebrity website. Unless we get them included  because we’ve booked flights now?…

We’ve got the drinks etc included, but that isn’t showing online either. In fact, it would allow me to book drinks/wifi packages so I’m a bit confused why that would even be an option. 
 

@baron9 hope you are having a lovely time. Can I ask what the drinks package prices are onboard? We are thinking about booking for 24th July departure. 
 

thank you 😊 

I am just trying to decide what time to book an airport transfer....

We have a late flight home, so in no rush to leave the ship, going direct to airport, and want to spend as little time there as possible. 

What time will we be thrown out of either the Elite or Concierge Lounge (or is it just a holding area) on disembarkation day?

Thanks all!  I called, and it's all sorted now. 

I was quoting the correct numbers, so not sure what was happening, but not got time to worry now!

Flights, hotel and transfers to book now! Helllllp!

I have just booked a cruise which departs on Friday (eek).  I tried to do online checkin, as there are only 4 days to go, it won't accept our Captain's Club numbers?  The error message is that the number does not match my name and DOB (my husband's didn't work either).

Haven't cruised with Celebrity since 2014, so perhaps things have changed?  I want to make sure my Elite status is recorded, and I'm running outta time!

Any help/advice anyone?

Just now, wolfcathorse said:

RCI has been doing ghost charges for years. I first saw it in 2006. Finally, after tiring of calling to have it removed we decided to do cash account. FWIW, cash account is the only way to sail.

Yes, I agree. I think this is 3rd or 4th time this has happened to us. We are sailing again on Wednesday, so will make it a cash account. Hadn’t thought of that. Doh!

Update:

I called the C&A number kindly provided by Grapau27 above, and was told to call this number:

01932 834119

Have now found out it was a drinks charge in the Windjammer.  We had a deluxe package, so it is obviously incorrect, and will now be refunded.  It was fairly straightforward to get done.

Yes, this happens frequently to us now.  Always a charge for towels or drinks or minibar that need refunded post-cruise.  Just a little extra $$ bonus for RCCL.  So if they do this to every cabin, that's 6000 x $20.  That's quite a lot of extra revenue for nothing!

6 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

We didn’t bother, since it was a small amount, but maybe this is a new strategy. 

I'm sure that's what Royal are banking on.  It is a small amount, and most people won't bother/won't notice.

Not sure, as they weren't on our final invoice on the last morning. 

thank you, but I'm in UK - is there an email address?

They have actually been charged to my credit card.

So, just got my cc statement, and have some post-cruise charges that have been added after departure.  Can someone let me know who I should contact? 

Many thanks!

We've just returned from our Oasis of the Seas cruise, and I was really pleased to see that my son's were using their grandparent's "welcome aboard" gift of a lovely RCCL branded hanging toiletries bag circa 2006. Grandparents would have been Diamond members back then.

This made me think.... we have been Diamond for a few years, and never had a gift of that calibre.   Of course, I realise being Diamond is no big deal anymore.... We got a plate of cookies, a can of Sprite Zero, and some chocolate strawberries mid-cruise on Oasis.  

Has anyone had anything decent (in the past or present), as a welcome gift from RCCL?

Just now, cruisegirl1 said:

Those signs have been there for YEARS. 

Well, my first thought was that it was OLD signage, but with this thread originally mentioning Wonderland being a future possibility, I assumed I had got it wrong.  

We were on Oasis last week, and were looking at the deckplan beside the lift.  My husband noticed "Izumi Diamond Lounge" on deck 4, but we knew the DL was on deck 11.  So we had a look at the deck 11 details, and it said "Wonderland" where the DL is currently. 

So the signs are already in place for Wonderland.  I wish I had taken a photo now!

3 hours ago, uksimonusa said:

No it's not

 

It is a good substitute, which I would recommend if you don't like bacon with lots of fat running through it (like American streaky-type bacon).   

I didn't realise D+ got a discount off the Deluxe package - I'm only D at the moment, but something to look forward to... Does this only apply to onboard purchase, or do you get a discount via the cruise planner tool?