funcruzer1

We have never been to Sydney or Australia and we have begun to look at Sydney hotels for a 7 night stay prior to our March 2024 cruise. We have read many reviews/opinions on where to stay and the quality of the many options. Thinking we will do the major attractions as well as do a day trip to blue mountains. Prefer to be within walking distance of many of the attractions.

We have narrowed our focus to the following hotels and wanted to get opinions on these given some of our plans: Radisson Blu, The Langham and The Four Seasons

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

We just got off the Splendor on Wednesday and we had never experienced so many lounge hogs! They were out very early and then disappeared for hours at a time with books, etc on the loungers. I do hope that Regent really does enforce a time policy!!!!!

same issue I am having

I tried to call Regent this morning about our options for our January 13 cruise but they are closed so have call in to our TA. I see that the new NCL cancellation policy (NCL owns Regent but do often have different policies) allows future cruise credits for cancellation and those credits must be used by end of 2022.

We just returned from a Celebrity cruise that had similar testing requirements. Yes it caused some stress but we used the Abbott online monitored test and it worked well. Due to our concerns about a false positive we also scheduled a Covid test later the same day at Walgreens and then canceled it when our at home test was negative. Our next Regent cruise is before January 17 so we expect some long waits at the terminal for necessary testing. Will probably use Abbott at home test a few days  before we head to Miami.....

One issue that did arise with the home test was that on the box the expiration date was actually a few weeks before our cruise date. I contacted the place where we got the test (Optum) as well as Abbott and was told that the FDA had extended the expiration date by 6 months......confirmed on line and by cruise critic boards.............

Date of Cruise:     November 4, 2021                                                                                                                                            

Ship:     Apex                                                                                                                                                

Cabin #:      9209                                                                                                                                                       

Deck #:  9                                                                                                                                              

Cabin Category:    S2                                                                                                                                                          

Cabin Location:   midship but slightly aft                                                                                                                                              

Bed Position:     Facing Balcony                                                                                                                                              

Balcony Type:    Traditional                                                                                                                                              

Balcony/Window Size:       Standard sky suite size                                                                                                                                           

Balcony/Window View/Obstruction:      Column coming up through balcony around 3 feet from front divider that made it so cannot truly utilized entire space                                                                                                                

Balcony Overhang?:      Normal                                                                                                                                                

Magic Carpet Issues?:     No-Opposite side from Magic Carpet                                                                                                                                              

Noise Issues?:     None                                                                                                                                             

Wind Issues?:    None                                                                                                                                              

Connecting Cabin? Where Does it Connect?:       None

Suite Details:     Sky suite                                                                                                                                               

Advantages/Problems/Comments:      Column on balcony only issue                                                                                                                     

Would You Book It Again?: Probably not due to balcony issue

Seems like Celebrity cruise policy is better as no need to engage with insurance:

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/ITK/Healthy_At_Sea_Policy_Cheat_Sheet_2.pdf

We had back to back cruises booked from Dublin for May 2020. We canceled shortly before all the cruises from Dublin were canceled (but after our final payment). We were told by TA that could not get all cash refund just partial and rest in FCC. When we went to book a single cruise using the FCC we were told that we had to apply to two separate cruises since the FCC came from two separate cruises. Now this stream seems to indicate that Celebrity is now allowing FCC's to be applied to a single cruise in this case??  We have asked a few times about getting cash refund for all but told no......has that changed?  Thanks

Canceled back to back May cruises on March 7 and suppose to get some FCC and some credit back to credit card.  Few days ago received the card credit equal to one portion of cruise. Nothing on the other cruise at this point. TA seems overwhelmed at this point so I have reached out directly to Celebrity but no reply yet

Explorer suite review. Feb 2020. Cabin # 712 and Category F2. Very Quiet once air whistling through balcony door was fixed the second time. One bathroom with tub and shower and 2 sinks.Enjoyed cabin and would recommend other than being relatively forward in ship and one night was pretty rocky. Would probably go toward midship next time. Very nice balcony!

Have been looking at other celebrity board posts concerning change in cancelation policy for some cruises. Have call into my TA on this

On 3/4/2020 at 1:48 PM, rainie99 said:

 

 

Thank you for posting this information. I am taking 6 seniors from the family for a supposely nice and relaxing cruise but they are now really concern about the virus outbreak. 

 

I called celebrity yesterday and they confirmed I can get full refund on my 5/20 sailing but will need to cancel thru. my agent. 

I called the agent this morning and she, as well as her celebrity agent on the line both are not aware of this new policy. They said becuase I already paid in full I would not able to get full refund. 

 

I emailed them the link to this poster and my agent called me back saying she is now able to process it with celebrity. 

 

I also booked my air thru. Celebrity and that's not refundable. They said they can keep the credit for one year. 

 

Now i am crossing my fingers until I get the money back in my credit card. 

 

Hope this information help anyone else wanting to cancel their trip. 

 

 

Thanks for this. We have already paid in full for out May 18 & 28 Reflection cruises so waiting to hear back from TA on options at this point. Booked air through celebrity.

SHIP: Silhouette

CABIN #: 1641

DECK #: 11

CLASS: A2

AREA: aft

Bed near: Bathroom

QUIET?: Very quiet.

BALCONY VIEW: Fine

BALCONY SIZE: Normal

WIND A PROBLEM?: No

SOOT A PROBLEM?: N/A

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Quiet and we did not mind walk to elevator. Liked overhang above which shielded some of the sun.

SHIP: Equinox

CABIN: 7344

DECK: 7

CLASS: Veranda

AREA: Aft

BED NEAR: Closet

QUIET: 4 times heard scrapping metal on metal sound around 5 am for 10-15 minutes. Never determined origin of sound. Also had relatively loud flushing sounds in bathroom area from above.

BALCONY VIEW: Straight down is blue roof from Silk Harvest but outward no issues

BALCONY SIZE: Standard

WIND A PROBLEM: No

SOOT A PROBLEM: No

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Due to noise issues would not risk this cabin again

SHIP: Silhouette

CABIN #: 1594

DECK #: 11

CLASS: Aqua

AREA: Mid

BED NEAR: Bathroom

QUIET?: Normally quiet but a couple mornings around 6 we heard them moving chairs above but only for few minutes.

BALCONY VIEW: Good view. Beams to left and right but did not bother us. Cover from above so no sun on balcony most of day which we liked

BALCONY SIZE: Standard. Two chairs with foot stools, and round table was large enough for meals

WIND A PROBLEM?: No

SOOT A PROBLEM?: No

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Mid-ship location was good and not that far to steps. We like the cabin and would book it again.

CABIN #:7100

DECK #:7 (Vista)

CLASS:2A

AREA:

BED NEAR:

QUIET?: Yes. Was concerned about crew door opposite but no issues

BALCONY VIEW:Straight out good but lifeboats two decks down

BALCONY SIZE:Two chairs and small table and not crowded

WIND A PROBLEM?:No

SOOT A PROBLEM?:No

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: In relatively good shape and enjoyed shower space and balcony. Crew service door opposite but no issues during the 7 days

Royal Caribbean's much-criticized flexible-dining concept Dynamic Dining is here to stay, according to the President & CEO of the line.

Michael Bayley told reporters at a press conference onboard the line's newest ship, Anthem of the Seas, that Dynamic Dining is “the future” for cruising and was proving popular among first-time cruisers.

After Carnival Corp bought Cunard in 1998 they merged Cunard and Seabourn. In 2002 Seabourn was put under Holland America but with separate operations center in Miami. In 2011 the Seabourn operations center in Miami was closed and operations transferred to Holland America headquarters in Seattle.

Would be interesting, but do not think short term realistic, if put Seabourn back with Cunard after not working last time.....

We have avoided Seabourn for years due to their smoking policy but we finally decided to take a "chance" and booked the Quest for September Canada/New England. Will post a review when we get back and hopefully the smoking will not be an issue for us......

But we still cannot believe that Seabourn continues with such a relatively liberal smoking policy!!!

Have never been on Seabourn but we are considering them for a trip next year, which will probably be about 25 nights.

I have no problem with smokers having their own area to go to but I have a real problem with being able to smoke on the balcony. Can you see booking a 25 night trip only to have the person next door smoke on their balcony the entire time?? We just can't.

So no Seabourn for us.

We have also looked at Seabourn many times but also passed for same reason

Cabin # -8342

Class – SV

Starboard or Port Side - AFT

Bed near?(balcony or bath) – Bath

Quiet Cabin (With comments on problems. Note if connecting. ) – Generally so but could hear people talking on balcony next door and above

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Great views

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - One of the smaller ones in SV category. Only about 10-15% of balcony is covered so can hear all conversations around you and little protection from elements

Was wind a problem? no

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? Yes it was an issue.....nothing like enjoying a drink on balcony and you see several pieces of soot in your drink.....

Any specific problems with this cabin? Only ones noted

Any other comments? Enjoyed it mostly but would probably not do it again. We enjoyed the long walk to the steps but some people might not like that