nunuc2000

Hello... Not having been to Norway before, I'm really hoping that those of you more experienced with some of these ports would be able to give me a little guidance. We don't want to do scheduled excursions for all of the ports, but maybe just a couple of them. We typically enjoy walking around ports that have interesting culture, a nice pub or coffee shop, museums or scenic walkability. Of the ports on our upcoming cruise (only the Norway ones - we're familiar with the Scottish ones) which of these would you say are great for walking around the port area, and which ones are a "must do" for booking an actual excursion? Any particular ports that you felt were the highlight of your itinerary, and which types of excursions you might recommend for those? We are both healthy and fit, enjoy scenic views, food, beer, wine, animals, interesting history, etc. Wouldn't want to take a strenuous hike up a mountain, but can definitely handle stairs and a good amount of walking. Thanks for any helpful advice, including tips to make the most of this cruise that might not necessarily be totally focused on what to do in those ports. 🙂

Just repriced ours for $71US/per day for our 8 day Symphony March cruise... and with just 2 port days, (plus Labadee which we can use our package on), all those sea days mean we will definitely make use of it! 🙂

Hey y'all... Hubby and I are cruising with sis-in-law, her hubby and her son. They have a check-in time of 12:30... ours says 1:30. Can we still check in with them? We all have the same category and would prefer to stick together and be able to get lunch earlier than 2pm. Thoughts?

No, sorry... I don't recall seeing that, but it wasn't something I would have noticed as it wasn't really relevant to us.

As we had booked the AI package, we already had unlimited wi-fi included, so I can't answer that.

We are on the Grandeur for a B2B, Dec 27 to Jan 5, and Jan 5 to Jan 14. We originally booked an oceanview, same room for both legs. We put in a minimum bid for RoyalUp for a Junior suite for both legs, and were notified last week that we were successful for the second leg. We're fine with moving, especially since the family members we are travelling with on the first leg who were booked in the two oceanview rooms next to ours are leaving on the 5th, so it's just hubby and I moving up to the Junior suite for the second half. The biggest thing for us was getting to enjoy a good sized balcony for a lot less than we would have paid upon booking earlier this year. Surprisingly, the junior suite they gave us does not have the dreaded pole, so that's was a score haha! I know Grandeur doesn't have Costal Kitchen, so that's one less perk, but what perks can we expect? Also, are there any advantages loyalty wise in this upgrade? Do we get additional points or anything for the upgrade?

Thanks 🙂 I've met Dev before, but not sure of the others.... I'm sure they'll be really good too... most of them are 🙂

Cricket... cricket...

Wondering if anyone who is currently on board (or has been in the last couple of weeks) might know which Martini Bar staff are working? Boarding in a couple of weeks, and there are a few favorites we have come to really enjoy over the years... hoping we might see them again 🙂

Ya, it sounds like I got off very easy compared to many others! LOL!!

I eventually was able to book my cruises... but even after doing so, it's been hit or miss viewing them.

Is it just me, or are others having difficulty too? I can access a few basic parts of it, but can't get it to load ANYTHING for "planning a cruise" from my computer on wifi, and when I try on my phone using data, it will load the cruises, but every single one says a blurb about "pricing not currently available for this date, blah blah blah" It's been like this for over an hour now.

Very specifically, trying to determine if the balconies can be opened up between 7135 and 7137 on the Silhouette?

We've done the same thing 4 times now, using EZair and the Celebrity cruise equivalent, and had part of our flight segments through WestJet - there is a workaround, but it involves calling WestJet directly. Because it's a Delta flight operated by WestJet, there's a weird glitch in their systems that don't allow the Delta locator numbers to work on the WestJet site, so you need to speak directly with a human at WestJet who can then assist you. It's a bit of a convoluted conversation each time, as the WJ agent will have to search for your confirmations in a round-about way, (Your Delta locator won't cut it), and I think it's the booking number that Princess uses if I recall. But anyway, there is a way to do it... just explain to the WJ agent that you just wanna book your seats, and that Princess and Delta told you that you need to go through WJ directly... they'll figure it out eventually for you 🙂 There will be a charge for your seats, but at least you'll be able to secure the seats you want without having to wait to be assigned to a couple of middle seats in random spots on the plane.

Congratulations to your hubby!! Good to see Celebrity posted the winners list… but it seems to be short a name?

I wrote them on Monday... the same guy I had been dealing with on the phone previously... and then I got an auto-response indicating they might get to my email in 30 days... good grief.

I haven't heard peep... but as @beautygirlsmom indicated, sounds like the winner she knows has only just established being declared a winner... so it has to be assumed that Celebrity is sure taking their time, and obviously not adhering to their own official rules around notification, etc.

Hubby says when it comes to issues like this, I’m basically a pitbull with lipstick 😂

You enter 100 contests per day?! That's not a hobby, that's a full time career!! LOL! Congrats on all your winnings... sounds like a potentially profitable way to spend idle time... and nothing to lose if it's done online and doesn't require any financial commitment, like postage or purchases of unwanted items. Maybe you'll be one of the winners on this contest too!!

At this point, the ball is in their court... now it's up to them to follow through on publishing the winners list. If after another week or so of monitoring I see that they still haven't complied with their own rules, wellllll... release the kracken!!! I'm nothing if not incredibly tenacious, and I have all kinds of time on my hands since we don't cruise again until this fall lol!!

Oh hey!!! I finally managed to get them to send me the "official rules" document... and wouldn't ya know it, right there in paragraph 6, sentence 3, they clearly state that potential winners are required to sign a publicity release. Soooo... I kept Rev on the phone while I read through this, and when I brought that to his attention, AND that the potential winners have 4 days to comply and respond (and that time line has since passed by the way), he put me on hold for 5 minutes, then came back on the phone to say "My advisors have told me that the winners list will be published after all, and they're waiting to hear back from notified potential winners" I asked him why they changed their tune about "privacy laws preventing us from publishing winners names" and he didn't respond. Huh... go figure. For those of you following along so far... paragraph 14 does indeed still have the active link to the page where the winners list will be published - should have happened already according to their own rules... but we'll cut them a little slack on that timeline... keeping in mind that they had trouble even making the graphics on their "wonderverse" move without huge issues, maybe mastering a calendar is a bit much for them at this time 😉 Soooo.... I'll be watching that page... good luck to all of you who actually managed to get through on the original contest... hope your name shows up there! Pretty sure mine won't... in fact I'm thinking they're going to file a restraining order against me if I keep this up HAHA!! For any of you intereseted in reading over those rules.. here ya go: Celebrity Cruises Wonderversesm Sweepstakes Official Rules NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. 1. Eligibility: Celebrity Cruises Wonderverse Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are at least twenty-one (21) years old at the time of entry. Employees of Celebrity Cruises, Inc., Surreal Holdings, LLC., Merkle Inc., and their parent and affiliate companies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations and is void in Quebec and where prohibited. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules. Sponsor’s, Administrator’s and Prize Administrator’s decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 2. Sponsor: Celebrity Cruises, Inc., 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132. Administrator: Surreal Holdings, LLC, 92 Milton Avenue, Suite 300, Alpharetta, GA 30009. Prize Administrator: Merkle Inc., 3000 Town Center, Suite 2100, Southfield, MI 48075. 3. Timing: The Sweepstakes begins on March 20, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on March 26, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET (the "Promotion Period") and is comprised of seven (7) independent “Daily Entry Periods,” each beginning at 12:00 a.m. ET and ending at 11:59 p.m. ET. Administrator’s servers are the official time-keeping devices for the Sweepstakes. 4. How to Enter: During the Promotion Period, visit the Wonderverse website at celebritycruises.com/wonderverse (“Website”) and take the following actions to earn entries. You may take each of the following actions one (1) time each Daily Entry Period to earn an entry, to earn up to two (2) entries each Daily Entry Period. • Register or login to your Wonderverse account ("Account"). o Register: To register for an Account on the Website, follow the links and instructions to register, including providing your first and last name, a valid email address, your birth year and check the box agreeing to Sponsor’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. In order to participate in this Sweepstakes, you must also check the box that certifies you are twentyone (21) years old or older, a legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec) and you agree to these Official Rules when you register. Upon valid registration and agreement to these Official Rules, you automatically will receive one (1) entry into the Daily Entry Period drawing associated with the date and time you registered. Or, o Login: Each day during the Promotion Period, except for the day you register, login to your Account and you automatically will receive one (1) entry into the Daily Entry Period drawing associated with the date and time you logged in. Limit: One (1) entry per Daily Entry Period, excluding the Daily Entry Period in which you registered for your Account. • Locate the daily hidden object (“Daily Easter Egg”): Each Daily Entry Period a Daily Easter Egg will be hidden on the Website. Explore the ship on the Website to locate the Daily Easter Egg. There will be a clue posted in a pop-up box that appears when you navigate to the ship’s deck on the Website each Daily Entry Period containing a hint to the Daily Easter Egg’s location. The Daily Easter Egg will also emit a glow from its hiding place. Locate the Daily Easter Egg and you automatically will receive one (1) entry into the Daily Entry Period drawing associated with the date and time you located the Daily Easter Egg. Limit: one (1) entry per Daily Entry Period. Limit: Each entrant may receive up to two (2) entries per day into each Daily Entry Period drawing. Nonwinning entries do not roll-over into subsequent Daily Entry Period drawings. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same email address. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than two (2) entries per Daily Entry Period by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods is prohibited and may void that entrant's entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any registration, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being an authorized account holder. 5. ALL ACTIONS TAKEN TO EARN AN ENTRY ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY ADMINISTRATOR, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING. NEITHER SPONSOR NOR ADMINISTRATOR WILL ACCEPT SCREEN SHOTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF EARNING AN ENTRY IN LIEU OF ITS VALIDATION PROCESS. ANY ACTION TO EARN AN ENTRY THAT OCCURS AFTER THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED FOR ANY REASON IS DEEMED A DEFECTIVE ENTRY, IS VOID, AND WILL NOT BE HONORED. 6. Grand Prize Drawing: Prize Administrator is an independent judging organization whose decisions as to the administration and operation of the Sweepstakes and the selection of the potential winners are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Prize Administrator will randomly select the potential Sweepstakes winners from all eligible entries received during each Daily Entry Period on or around March 28, 2023.The potential winners will be notified by email. Each potential winner will be required to sign and return a Declaration of Compliance, Liability Waiver and where not prohibited a Publicity Release ("Declaration") which must be completed to Prize Administrator’s satisfaction, and received by Prize Administrator within four (4) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim the prize. If any potential winner is a Canadian resident, they will be required to answer a time-limited skill-testing question, without assistance, in order to be eligible to receive a prize. A Canadian winner also will be required to complete an IRS Form W-8BEN in order to accept the prize. There exists an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is a contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. By accepting the prize, winner and winner’s guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19. If a potential winner of any prize cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the Declaration or provide any other requested information within the required time period, or the prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits the prize. Receiving a prize is contingent upon compliance with these Official Rules. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason or forfeits the prize, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Only three (3) alternate drawings will be held, after which the prize will remain un-awarded. 7. Grand Prizes: SEVEN (7) GRAND PRIZES (One (1) per each Daily Entry Period): Each winner will receive a certificate (“Certificate”) redeemable for a 7-night Celebrity cruise for the winner and one (1) guest to anywhere Celebrity travels (excluding sailings to the Galapagos Islands) in a Veranda stateroom (single room, double occupancy), subject to availability and blackout dates, as well as additional terms and conditions listed on certificate. The Certificate must be redeemed at least 30 days before selected travel dates and travel must occur no later than 3/26/24. Each winner and travel companion are responsible for complying with any COVID-19 requirements set forth by Sponsor (See https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-atsea/us-travel-requirements) at the time of the prize redemption, as well as airlines or other vendors offering services in connection therewith. Prize also includes round trip, coach-class air transportation for the winner and one (1) guest from a major airport near winner’s home in the U.S. (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) to the applicable port location. Prize does not include ground transportation. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $8,000. Prize Taxation: If a winner is a resident of the United States, they will receive an IRS Form 1099 and will be responsible for all taxes associated with acceptance of the prize. If a winner is a resident of Canada, Sponsor will gross up the prize value in an amount to satisfy the 30% withholding requirement. The withholding amount will be submitted to the U.S. taxing authority the Internal Revenue Service as required by law and each winner will receive a U.S. tax form 1042 from Prize Administrator reflecting the total value of the prize, including the gross up amount, and the withholding amount submitted to the IRS will be noted separately. For All Prizes: Trip must be booked at least 30 days prior to departure. All travel must be round trip and is subject to availability and blackout dates. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. If in the judgment of Sponsor air travel is not required due to a winner’s proximity to prize location, ground transportation will be substituted for round trip air travel at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Travel is subject to the Official Rules, and those set forth by the Sponsor’s airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract. All expenses and incidental travel costs not expressly stated above, including but not limited to, onboard purchases, shore excursions, travel insurance, ground transportation, incidentals, gratuities, passenger tariffs or duties, airline fees, surcharges, airport fees, service charges or facility charges, lodging, security fees, taxes or other expenses are the responsibility solely of winners. Winner will be required to provide a major credit card upon check-in, and all in-room charges will be charged to the credit card. Any damage to the room will be the responsibility of the winner. Unless child or legal ward of a winner, travel companion must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older as of the date of departure and must travel on same itinerary and at the same time as the winner. A winner traveling with their child or legal ward who has a different surname from winner will need to provide evidence of relationship. Married couples who do not meet these age restrictions may, at Sponsor’s discretion, be permitted to sail. Travel companions must execute liability/publicity releases prior to issuance of travel documents. Winners and travel companions must sign Sponsor’s passenger ticket contract prior to being allowed to board the cruise Winners and travel companions are solely responsible for obtaining valid passports and any other documents necessary for international travel. If a winner elects to travel or partake in the prize without a guest, no additional compensation will be awarded to such winner. Travel restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated, or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates. The actual value of the prize may vary depending on point of departure and fluctuations in the cost of air transportation. Winners will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitution will be made except as provided herein at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor bears no responsibility if any event, element or detail of a prize is canceled, postponed or becomes unavailable for any reason. Should any event, element or detail of the prize become unavailable, the Sponsor shall have no obligation to the winner aside from providing the remaining portion of the prize, minus any unavailable event, element or detail. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable Daily Entry Period. Limit: One (1) prize per person. Prize is not redeemable for cash and is void if sold for cash or other consideration. Prize has no value except when redeemed in accordance with these terms and conditions. Prize cannot be used in conjunction with any corporate program, promotion, coupon, discount or special offer. Total ARV of all prizes: $56,000. 8. Release: So far as permitted by applicable law, by receipt of any prize, winners agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Administrator, Prize Administrator and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parent companies and each such company’s officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. 9. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes each winner’s consent to Sponsor’s and its agents’ use of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. 10. General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Sweepstakes, if any fraud, technical failures, human error, or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, or any event or cause beyond Sponsor’s control (e.g. events such as natural calamities, national emergencies, wide spread illnesses, declarations of war, acts of God, acts of terrorism) interferes with any aspect of the Sweepstakes, including but not limited to fulfillment of the prize(s), as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance and may modify the prizes offered herein. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. 11. Limitations of Liability: To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; (5) late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen mail; or (6) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. If for any reason an entrant's entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another entry into the Sweepstakes, if it is possible. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. 12. Disputes: Except where prohibited by applicable law, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan or the appropriate Michigan State Court located in Oakland County, Michigan; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Michigan or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Michigan. 13. Entrant's Personal Information: Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy: https://www.celebritycruises.com/privacy-policy. 14. Winner List: For a winner list, click HERE. The winner list will be posted after winner confirmation is complete. 15. Promotion Emails: By participating in the Promotion, you agree to receive emails related to the Promotion. 16. Unsubscribe: To opt out of future marketing messages from Sponsor, click here. © 2023 Merkle Inc. All rights reserved.

The plot thickens... I've actually reached out to Celebrity over the last couple of days, and the first 5, yes FIVE, people I spoke to had absolutely no clue about the Wonderverse, let alone the free cruise sweepstakes that they hosted. It was after the 5th person that I insisted I was not going to let this go, that I wanted to speak to someone who actually had a clue, that they placated me by saying they would call me back. "Rev" called me back from the Captain's Club (which is where the initial sweepstakes announcement email originated from) and was hoping to make it a very quick call, stating "I was advised there will be no announcement of winners due to privacy reasons"... and was just getting ready to hang up when I chimed in with "But ahhhh... your official rules clearly stated that you would publish the winners after they were drawn 'on or about March 28th', so now you're changing the official rules? Pretty sure you can't do that. I now wish to receive a copy of the official rules and your terms&conditions, because even you must realize this looks like Celebrity decided the contest was a failure and has reneged on it's obligations." After a very deep sigh on his part, he said he would call me back again once he had that info... that was yesterday morning, and radio silence is all I've heard so far. Time to call back again. Not sure about US legislation regarding the announcement of winners in sanctioned contests, lotteries, sweepstakes, etc., but in Canada, that whole "privacy of winners" excuse doesn't fly - the winners names are a matter of public record to help prevent possible fraudulent activity by providing transparency. Does anyone familiar with US policies around this sort of thing know for sure? In Canada, the only way to protect an individual winners name from being published is by having that legally granted for extenuating circumstances, i.e. abused domestic partner avoiding identification from accused; law enforcement personnel in undercover/surveillance role; etc. I really wanna see this through... Celebrity is charging an obnoxious amount of money for us loyal cruisers to continue to cruise with them, and some of those charges are supporting the gongshow that is their attempt at fully digitizing their newest flagship, the Beyond. At the very least, I think they should be held to account for the terrible launch and running of the sweepstakes that accompanied that "wonderverse/wonderfiasco", and they should address it. Surely they can't be sitting in meetings high-fiving each other and clapping each other on the back saying things like "WOW, what a huge success! Congratulations to all of you digital geniuses who did such a great job on this project!!" Anyway... I rather hope that more of us loyal cruisers will contact them wanting to know the same things I've outlined here: Who are the winners? Why can we not see ANY trace of this anywhere on your website anymore? Why can we not even see the official rules anymore? Why does virtually no one on your end even seem to know that your "wonderverse" exists? Do you not feel any sense of obligation to provide transparency to us loyal customers about this whole thing?? Eager to hear from any of you who decide to pursue this as well... and I'm curious if others will receive different answers than I have received so far...

Ya... noticed that.. and virtually impossible to find any mention of the entire contest ANYWHERE on their page... no hint of it, no rules or T&C's... nada... zip... zilch.

For us, we felt that Ernest was just meh… we are very social and out and about all the time, but literally only interacted with him one time, and only because we initiated it… And we were left feeling rather underwhelmed by his presence. But cruise directors, and the way people feel about them, can be a rather subjective thing, so perhaps others have enjoyed his role more than we did.

Yes, please do!! I'm committed to seeing this to the very end!! HAHA!!!