tuffy0317

Date of Cruise: 22 Nov 2023                                                                                     

Ship: Ascent                                                                                                                                  

Cabin #:  11159                                                                                                                                               

Deck #:  11                                                                                                                            

Cabin Category: C1     

Cabin Location:  Mid               

Bed Position: By door                                                                                              

Balcony Type: Standard Edge class                      

Balcony/Window Size:   Standard Edge class         

Balcony/Window View/Obstruction:  Yes - significant overhang from deck 12

Balcony Overhang?:    Yes - significant                                                                   

Magic Carpet Issues?:  No                                                                                   

Noise Issues?:    No                                                                                           

Wind Issues?:   No                                                                                         

Connecting Cabin? N/A

Connect?:  N/A

Advantages/Problems/Comments: Very quiet; sometimes window did not work to lower (buttons would stick)

Would You Book It Again?: yes

Photos or Photo Links: 

We just went on our 14th cruise, and our first WIndstar cruise. Previously I would have told you Celebrity has the best food at sea, but I'm now giving that title to Windstar. If there was anything I didn't like, it is because I ordered wrong, not because the food wasn't good. Breakfast and lunch was downright excellent. My standards are incredibly high and they were exceeded throughout our trip. 

On 4/20/2022 at 11:25 PM, neverlaysup said:

We have primarily sailed Celebrity over the years. Our first Windstar experience was last month on a 14 day cruise. It was a completely different experience than the big box cruise lines. Upon embarkation, the Captain (Simon) and Hotel Manager (Andreas) met us at the gangway to welcome us aboard. The Captain even took our bags and carried them on board for us!! With less that 150 passengers of our first 7 days and about 170 the next 7, the ship was uncrowded and super peaceful. We were able to sit and have coffee and conversation with the senior officers on a daily basis, it was fantastic. No two pages of activities each day, no casino....just plenty of loungers and open space to sit and relax if not on shore. I still like the big ship experience but for the most part, we are going to move over to Windstar and other small ships.

I could have written this post (we were probably on one of the same sailings!) This was our 14th cruise, totally different than every single other one... and so much better. We were also worried about a lack of balcony, but with all the open deck space, we felt like we had the place to ourselves most of the time we were there. It will be very hard for us to go back to a huge ship after this experience. 

We just got back last week from the Caribbean. They only offered testing the day before (by appointment, made at reception, NOT well publicized!). Guests staying in SXM another night were all going to a local place on the island to get tested. 

Just off Wind Surf and wanted to provide an update on 244: it is right next to one of the watertight doors, which is closed while entering or exiting port. When the doors are being closed, multiple bells go off. So for our Caribbean sailing, this meant a chorus of bells at 6am most days. Also a detour to the room (with no elevator access) while the doors are closed. 

My husband and I are sailing on WS on the Wind Surf for the first time at the end of March for a milestone birthday. We've spent so much time hand wringing over COVID, that we've decided to focus now on getting excited! This will be our 13th cruise, but all the others have been on large ships (our favorite being Celebrity's Solstice class ships). We're very much looking forward to a smaller ship, with fewer people and a more laid back vibe - after a challenging 3+ years, we just want to relax and enjoy being somewhere warm. 

So my ask to the seasoned WS cruisers: what are your top tips and hacks? Tell me everything from your favorite coffee drink to dessert to hidden place to sit and read on deck. Thank you!

I like the port side because you can see the rebuilt Sonesta resorts and also the airport terminal as you land. But I'm an airport and plane nerd!

Here's a view from a friend who just flew there: 

To be honest, it doesn't really matter as it's mostly over water until the last few seconds. 

Info below from the June 30th sailing of Celebrity Equinox. At the end of July, Maarten will be taking some time off before joining Edge and Damian De Lorenzis will be taking over for him as CD. Damian was our CD when we cruised Equinox in 2012 and was great! Whole crew was wonderful and seemed to be extra friendly and in high spirits on the voyage.

Master: Captain Dimitrios Manetas (Kate McCue will be back at the end of August)

Chief Engineer: Evangelos Salliaris

Staff Captain: Kyriakos Matragkas

Guest Relations Manager: Julie Sherrington

Hotel Director: Niyazi Korkmaz

Cruise Director: Maarten Breuls

Food and Beverage Director: Vlado Momiroski

Executive Chef: Alexander Capello

Bump - wondering this as well

FYI - Celebrity will be ending its engagement with Corning Museum of Glass (transition was happening sometime in May). According to Corning (a friend runs their marketing), another glass company will be coming on board. So they may not offer the same - but I'm guessing it will be similar.

We've done the glassblowing at the Corning Museum of Glass in upstate New York and it's very cool!

We are doing the same cruise in August. Also going kayaking with Southeast Sea Kayaks, Also spending the weekend after at Inn at the Market, also having dinner at The Pink Door! Glad to hear you enjoyed all of those things!

Have an amazing time! I promise it'll be great, even if the weather is soggy (but I will wish for sunny skies for you!)

Sorry about your room steward and other crew experiences. Seems unexpected.

Thanks for your feedback!

It was definitely unexpected and I'm hoping it was just a fluke! Maybe it was the soggy weather :)

-the photo booth no longer wastes all that paper to print out the pictures ... you pull them up on the screen to now order your prints

I've seen people in other reviews not like this, but I LOVED it! Such a streamlining of resources!

Any dinner recommendations for Seattle or "must see"? We only have 1 1/2 days, sadly!

My favorite restaurant in Seattle is an unmarked pink door in Pike Place Market called "The Pink Door." Awesome Italian with a lovely patio (if the weather is nice!).

If you like art, we finally made it to the Chihuly Gardens and Museum this time and it's spectacular! It's also at the base of the Space Needle, so you can knock two touristy things off at once :) Take the monorail over from downtown for a nice day.

If the weather is especially nice, a ferry ride over to West Seattle or Bainbridge Island to walk around and get some lunch is a great way to spend time outside.

SHIP: Solstice

CABIN #: 9243

DECK #: 9

CLASS: Concierge Class

AREA: Mid-to-Aft

QUIET?: No - but only because of the kids on both sides of us

BALCONY VIEW: At the beginning of the hump, so no forward view; excellent back view

BALCONY SIZE: Larger because of hump, easily fit two chairs, two footstools and a table, with room to move around

WIND A PROBLEM?: not at all

SOOT A PROBLEM?: no

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: No issue, other than with our cabin steward who wasn't quite up to par. Cabin is located five cabins in from the aft elevators and stairs, but noise wasn't an issue and would be convenient for those who don't want a long walk.

Just off Solstice and wanted to note that Steve has been swapped out for Damian as Cruise Director. It's our second cruise with Steve and we love him, but I know many people love Damian, so wanted to flag.

And don't worry: the hilarious Captain Tasos remains!

My only observation was that they (and our stateroom attendant) seemed very anxious about the Celebrity survey and the implication that anything less than full marks has a significant impact on their gratuities.I thought this was a shame and very evident that they really rely on tips

I'm just off Solstice in Alaska (our fourth Celebrity cruise) and felt the exact same way.

It was a mixed bag for us:

The weather was pretty soggy the whole trip (except in Seattle before and after when it was gorgeous), but that didn't stop us from kayaking in Ketchikan (with Southeast Sea Kayaks - they are awesome!), taking the ship's private excursion to the glacier before Juneau (plus because we got to see a glacier and the ship had to turn around in Endicott Arm, minus because it was a bit long), whale watching in Juneau (where we saw an active pod of orchas) and going on an epic 8 mile hike in Ketchikan in the pouring rain (booked through Celebrity, run by Packer Expeditions, and was awesome). In Victoria, we went to dinner and just wandered around the charming town.

We were in concierge class and for the first time in 9 cruises I can say our room steward was not up to par. Our room was actually dirty (coffee stains, clumps of hair, the last guest's medicine bag, stains in the bathroom) when we arrived and that set the tone for the rest of the cruise. We were also surrounded by kids screaming, slamming doors and running up and down the halls, which was so different from our previous Celebrity experiences. The ship just went through dry dock in October 2016 and some parts were in great shape, while our balcony railing was actually chipped and much of the wood on the ship needed a good coat of varnish.

The crew, other than our steward, didn't seem quite as perky as usual (I actually got snapped at in the Oceanview for requesting a wine glass), but the captain was awesome, hilariously funny and more than made up for it.

We're nerds and enjoyed the nature talks by Brent Nixon and the cultural talks by Miss Amanda and just hanging out and looking for whales while we were on the ship. Food was top notch, as always, and especially enjoyed Silk Harvest.

We had two full days in Seattle before and after, so happy to make recommendations (we stayed at the to-die-for-location-not-at-all-budget-friendly Inn at the Market).

Let me know if you have questions!

I was on your sailing too - such a soggy time! It definitely didn't get us down though. We were also on the small boat glacier excursion and felt the exact same way: glad we went because we got to go to a glacier when the rest of the ship didn't, but those last two hours were a snooze (I think I actually took a nap!)

And yes, the Captain was awesome :)

So what's wrong with asking the room steward to bring you one? That doesn't seem too difficult a burden.

In our case, every time we asked him to come open a bottle (because he wouldn't leave the corkscrew) there was a 20-30 minute delay because he was busy. Now I know to bring one!

FYI - we were told by our cabin steward on the Solstice cruise we just got off that corkscrews have been removed from cabins for "safety reasons." So now you have to call your cabin steward when you want your wine opened in your cabin or pay the corkage fee in a public space. So bring screw tops! I'm really hoping our steward was just wrong and that this isn't their new (awful) policy.

They should be in your room, but we had a hard time getting our cabin steward to replace ours with clean glasses.

Also, note that corkscrews have been removed from cabins "for safety reasons" and you now have to call your cabin steward to open your wine for you. So bring screw tops because the new policy is ridiculous! (I'm hoping it's not actually policy and our steward was just wrong...)

We are thinking about taking our 16 and 12 year old grandsons on an Alaska cruise next year. Any advice if Celebrity has any activities for teens or if w would expect other young people on Celebrity?. It would be a June sailing, so school will be out.

I know RCL usually has more teens, but we are loyal Celebrity cruisers and Celebrity ships and service are, IMHO so superior to RCL.

The cruise we are looking at is the Solstice, which I understand has been recently refreshed, although it will be 10 years old by next year, and the RCL on the sailing we would be taking is over 20 years old.

Any thoughts from people who have taken teens on a Celebrity cruise?

Thanks

Robin

We were shocked at the high number of kids on the 4th of July Alaskan cruise we just got off. Kids on both sides of us in Concierge Class, including a 16 and 17 year old in a cabin by themselves next to us (!). Based on the amount of noise from giggling coming from next door, I think they were having a nice time :)

Haven't cruised with Celebrity since March 2016 from Santiago through the Panama Canal to Miami in the early days of the 'evening chic' dress code changes. Certainly by the final 'evening chic' dinner the tuxedos and ladies gowns outnumbered the casual dressers, almost as if people were waiting for others to take the lead in wearing formal attire.

However, as time has passed and we are soon (October) to take a Southern Caribbean cruise from Miami on Celebrity Equinox I was wondering if the dress sense is even more relaxed now??

I for one, like the formality of 'dressing for dinner' but don't want to walk into the MDR and be mistaken for the Maitre d'!!!

Has anyone got any recent experiences to share please?

We just got off a 4th of July Alaskan cruise on Solstice and this was our experience: no one dressed up. I wore a professional dress (like I normally wear for work dinners) and my husband wore a suite and tie and we were in the minority, which was disappointing. We actually had people coming up to us and commenting. Previously my husband has always taken his tux, but he's glad he didn't for this cruise. We were surprised how casual everyone was and that X now considers "designer jeans" to be an okay thing for formal night (which doesn't really work, since my definition of designer jeans may be very different from someone else's...)

I just read a post that indicated Concierge class cabins receive a bottle of sparkling wine. Is this correct? I thought only Aqua and suites did.

This is correct; however, we never received ours on the cruise we just got off of (clearly wasn't a big deal, since we asked twice and then gave up).