floridacruisers

  We both love the braised short ribs and lamb. There's not much we don't like on the menu. You can always get the always available items, certainly escargot. The cheesecake is always spot on.

      Phil............floridacruisers

HAL DID sail out of Port Canaveral since we were on the Zaandam when it did. We went  January 2004. I don't think they came back in the fall.

         Phil...........floridacruisers

  Yes, cruising IS essential!!!!

  Phil.....floridacruisers

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

Booked on the Rotterdam October 2021.......We have been diagnosed with a severe case of cruise ship withdrawal syndrome (CSWS) and not sure we can wait that long....Can one go this long without a dive in burger, hydro suite pool or a 12 noon update from the captain?  We shall see. 

 We are booked on the Rotterdam for Oct 10-24, 2021 on the trans Atlantic. Is that the one you are on? The only concern we have is it is still in hurricane season here in FL. We'll chance it to go on the new Rotterdam. Were originally booked on a canal cruise on Zuiderdam in March 2021, but since that could be questionable moved to the Rotterdam. There's only one cure for CSWS!

  Phil.......floridacruisers

. 

 S.S. Volendam November, 1979. That all it took for us to get hocked on cruising...

  Phil........floridacruisers

We travel on both HAL and Celebrity with each having strengths that we like. The folks over at the HAL site are having the same problems with refunds. We have one ourselves. Just have to be patient regardless. Good thing we always use a credit card.

  Phil.....floridacruisers

 The only cruise I have currently booked with Celebrity is a T/A on the Reflection next year. It is a non refundable deposit so the most I could be out is $200.00. Not happy about that, but I can live with it. In the meantime, I do have a cruise booked on HAL which is refundable up to 90 days before. Will hang on to the T/A as long as I feel there's a chance that the virus will have burned itself out by then. If not, oh well. As my mother would always say.."and this to will end"....

   Phil......floridacruisers

skylane,

  Thanks for posting about the Veendam. My daughter Carol, and family (spouse and two teenage boys) are on the ship with you. They don't have internet and you are our only link to what's happening on the ship. Very much appreciate you keeping us informed.

      Phil..................floridacruisers 

 We're also booked on the Reflection 2021 TA in AQ1 class. Got it for $2479 each with insurance and taxes. Now it's $3479. We booked while on the ship so got some OBC and gratuities. Don't really need the drink package as we are Elite+ and do not drink that much. It was $2279 before we got on the ship so I booked as soon as I got onboard. Feel as though I got a fair price for the cruise. Just have to watch the price before final payment because you never know what  inventory control will do. Next hurdle is airfare from AMS to Orlando without being crammed in like sardines.

  Phil......floridacruisers

How about "duck and cover"!  Bert the turtle told us what to do in case of an attack by Russian bombers and missiles...fallout shelters stocked with stale crackers, nasty water and Spam... 

 We were on the same cruise as you on the Reflection. We enjoyed the cruise. Since we were AQ we did have most of our dinners in Blu and enjoyed them. We also ate in Tuscan and the LCG. Like your experience they were wonderful. After 25 Celebrity cruises I thought we would be jaded. Nope, had a ball. Loved the live music in the atrium in the evening. We booked the April 2021 trans Atlantic while on the ship so how bad can it be. 

    Phil.............floridacruisers

Thanks Quartzsite Cruiser for the info. Just goes to show that sometimes the smaller ships have something going for them that

the larger ones don't.

 Phil......floridacruisers

 Can you get to the Observation deck on the Lido deck on the Veendam during departure and at sea. Also same question for the Veranda deck  forward?.

 Thanks,

   floridacruisers

 As the OP I should have said lagging behind Princess in my text instead of slipping. My bad. Here's my take:

...We're Elite Plus on Celebrity with 25 cruises and 3 stars on HAL so I'm familiar with those products. Tried Princess a few times and didn't bother again. Celebrity and HAL are better IMHO. 

...With that, I think Celebrity should be ahead of Princess and close to HAL. All I did was report what was written.  I think HAL and Celebrity are close but different lines.

... Am going on Celebrity Reflection this winter then HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam in the late fall. Like them both for different reasons.

...Haven't done Edge because I think it is way overpriced. Not sure if that's part of the issue here with the rankings. With such modern beautiful ships as the S class I'm not sure I want to spend the extra big bucks for Edge. Haven't been on any revolutionized Celebrity ships which is why we're on the Reflection..

  Phil...........floridacruisers 

 In the most recent Conde Nast Traveler readers choice awards, Celebrity is slipping behind:

Large Cruise Ships (2500-4000)

1. Disney 91.77

2. Cunard 90.39

3. HAL 89.55

4. Princess 88.00

5. Celebrity 86.44

6 Carnival 83.57

7. RCI 83.18 (excluding mega ships)

Medium Ships (500-2500)

1. Crystal 97.27

2. Viking 94.47

3. Seabourn 93.35

4.Regent 91.28

5. Cunard 91.16

6. Oceania 90.55

7. Azamara 90.35

8. Silverseas 87.82

9 HAL 87.75

10 Celebrity 82.84

11 P&O 82.30

12 MSC 81.43

13 Princess 80.86

14 NCL 80.50

I would love to be a fly on the wall when LLP trys to explain this.......

 Phil.........floridacruisers

Our first cruise was on the S.S. Volendam out of Miami to Jamaica and Haiti November, 1979. We were hooked. Did have to pay an extra $40.00 each for fuel surcharge due to the situation in Iran. It cost us $350.00 for the both of us (plus the surcharge)for a 5 day cruise. Here we are soon going on our 45th cruise on Celebrity's Reflection and after that HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam. I guess you could say we like cruising.........

  Phil......floridacruisers

 Dig the Jefferson Airplane song(I have it on vinyl from when it came out).... would like to know what they're smoking these days in Miami so I can have some. Like....wow.... I'll need it in order to book my 25th Celebrity cruise!

   Phil......floridacruisers 

 If HAL is getting rid of the YYM they might as well change the company name to "Generic Cruise Line"!!!!

  Phil.............floridacruisers

 The M.V. Zenith came into Celebrity's fleet in April, 1992. We were on the third sailing April 18-25, 1992. It was our first of many Celebrity cruises. I was fortunate to have video taped our entire cruise with my new 8 mm Sony camera. Looking back at it makes you long for those days. You are right.

Who needed a veranda with all the great food and service we experienced. The MDR food, IMHO,  came between Blu and the specialty restaurants of today. Guess I was a very early foodie since I taped almost every meal. Also, my ears weren't assaulted by loud obnoxious music everywhere we went. We had plenty of good disco music, but where it belonged, in the disco.

The shows were fun and well done. At least I can look back and say "The good old days". Do miss them......

  Phil.........floridacruisers

Going on Reflection this winter. Last Celebrity trip was TA in 2017 on Silhouette and the burgers were included. What's the status now???

Thanks,

   Phil...........floridacruisers

I know that Apex is the next one out the door. I think the next three Edge class ships should be named MOE, LARRY and CURLY...

JMHO.......

P.S. We'll go on the Edge as soon as the price is closer in line with the "S" class ships.

 Phil.....floridacruisers

Have to make more suites for all those millennials clambering get on the Edge and soon the "revolutionized" S class...😒 

  Phil......floridacruisers

Phil.... when I first saw the" Lanai cabins"  it made me think of the red light district in Amsterdam where you could look in windows to  see a "show"      I wonder, at night can  non lanai passengers turn the chairs around and watch the cabins going-on 

Might be better then the theater shows. 

Hawaiidan......Now that you mention it, it does sort of look like Amsterdam's red light district. However, given the average age and looks of HAL's passengers, I don't think I would watch the goings on. Something once seen can't be unseen

 Phil........floridacruisers

With the lights on inside the lanai cabin and dark outside, can you see anything in the cabin from the outside? The mirror is supposed to block out all view of the inside of the cabin or are they translucent vs opaque?

  Phil.............floridacruisers

Incredible beauty of a ship. Nothing like that around today. I wonder if she hadn't burned and sunk would she still be around.

  Phil.....floridacruisers