bighairtexan

DITTO what Jim just posted above when I check things for my 9/3 Equinox.

Also after updating, it still shows menus etc for 7 days (11 day cruise)

I hope this is effective across all the RCCL brands. I'm sorry but the dippy dog in the baby stroller and the "support dog" being held by the casino hostess while the owner gambled... just ticks me off. Service dogs are working "heroes" and those that need them, NEED THEM.

PS: when I'm at the tables or a slot machine, feeding it $100 bills, I NEED a support animal but somehow I survive!

If this is my least healthy behavior/food choice while I'm on a cruise, I'm GOLDEN!

I totally agree with Hank. ESPECIALLY the way the website has been for a while now. It can be an exercise in futility. Multiple ways to access your account and a different result on each one. And that's WHEN/IF you can get into the website in the 1st place.

I too use a large volume TA and I just call and ask THEM to forward me an invoice with the correct information. I make a copy and bring it "just in case." The old saw about "giving up control?" well I AM a control freak I admit it. But sometimes, especially when IT issues like this exist, I'd rather relinquish control AND the headaches and let the TA fight my battles. (AND get a substantial OBC in the bargain!)

I used to enjoy going into my account and checking it out as the cruise got closer. Now I totally ostrich it and avoid my account. It gives me HEARTBURN!!!

My experience w/ the 1 sailing I'd done prior to dry dock *not Celebrity I will add* was very much like Constantcruiser's. The service was noticeably lackluster, there was some construction already started, and the ship was very WORN looking. That was in the day before internet so I had no idea when I booked it.

Just a guess b/c I'm too lazy to look on the X FAQ's and "what can I take on board etc". I'd guess NO and that there's a decent chance they may confiscate it IF they see it. The wording is something about if the item "generates heat".

A few years ago they went to Lavazza coffee in the dining room and buffet (probably room service too). That's decent. If I can't find my coffee of choice at the store I'll buy Lavazza.

Also if you have a beverage package at all, you can get all sorts of very good coffee at Cafe al Bacio included in your package.

At home I have both a Nespresso and Keurig and I find the X coffee even in the buffet just fine. FABULOUS? NO. Fine. Yup.

OK I HAD TO FIND IT:

what not to bring:

• **Coffee Makers, Clothes Irons, & Hot Plates
  

And even a plastic water bottle has a PLASTIC bottle cap so this should be quite a bit less... JUST the cap.

At around 45 days out you'll get the information that you can NOW go online and print them. If you don't get notification, start checking at 45 days. SOmetimes it cuts as close as 35 (that's the closest to sailing date I've had the ability to print them anyway). And if you never print them off, it's not a huge deal as indeed the porters can take care of it at the port. ME? I like to take care of it in advance.

haha well CLOGS and CAROLE.... you don't understand. FOMO is my driving force lately! At least since the advent of Move-up!

Whatever and whenever the outcome I WILL be back to let everyone know. I keep reminding myself... WORST CASE SCENARIO! I'm cruising. On Celebrity. With one of my very best friends. In a Royal Suite. SO this goes beyond first world problems I guess.

ERF: What I thought was funny was there was a minimum bid on the slider (which would have put my total for the PH for $5799pp) but the MAXIMUM (VERY STRONG BID) would have put the price WELL OVER what one could book it for on the Celebrity website. I thought... who would do that? haha Maybe those folks on NCL?

haha ME TOO DUTCH. I also get emails with discounts on beverage packages etc and I'm... Nope I'm covered TYVM.

LINDA: Yes I'm so ready for this cruise, and PH or RS I'm going to be happy (just fractionally HAPPIER in the PH, I won't lie! :D ) Judy and I should host a little CC get together. Celebrity does such a good job with that ... better than I ever could.

The SKY SUITE is more or less similar in size to a Princess Jr. Suite.

I usually book suites on whatever cruiseline I'm on. While Celebrity is my 1st choice, I do have a Ruby Princess (vista suite) booked for next year.

While there are some perks on a Princess full suite I like (mini bar set up and bkfst in specialty restaurants) I feel the perks on a Sky Suite and above are much better. The use of Michael's Club w/ included drinks and ESPECIALLY Luminae which is a separate menu and a real separate room rather than Princess' version Club Class which is a separate area w/ maybe a couple of extra menu items.

THe lounge (Michael's Club) isn't a restaurant. Just a drop in place where they do serve limited food (Afternoon tea, pre-dinner canapes etc) so yes you just show up any time you want. It's more of a "Lounge feel" in that there are sofas, club chairs and coffee/cocktail tables rather than a table for 2 etc.

Luminae is a full service restaurant and since it's basically only for suites, you don't have to make a reservation, but you come when you please and most of the seating is for 2.

There seems to be no rhyme nor reason for the move ups that I can see. Perhaps what you paid for your cabin for starters? And then THEY decide which categories you're eligible for. I booked thru a TA but the entire thing was handled between me and Celebrity via email. One of the only times you can negotiate ANYTHING with Celebrity directly. I clicked on their link and it was an easy straightforward process. AFAIK you cannot ask to be contacted. Some people who booked directly were notified and other direct bookers were not. Same w/ TA bookers. Celebrity Move Up folks obviously have their "secrets" as to who gets the nod.

OTOH I think from other threads here... VERY VERY few people are able to actually move up. Not many bids overall seem to get accepted if Cruise Critic posters are any indication (hmmmm does that mean NEW cruisers may have an advantage?)

And yes since X will send you invoices and emails to "buy shore excursions now" etc... they've got your email.

FWIW I'm in a Royal Suite. They do give you a minimum you have to meet to be able to bid. The minimum bid for me was $700pp to move up. I exceeded it and still got the WEAK BID on this little Bid-O-Meter thing.

I feel like I need a 12 step meeting for Move Ups. I've only checked the availability 3 times today so I'm on the way to a cure! Hello. I'm Sharon. I'm a Move-up-a-holic. (not minimizing anyone who go to 12 step programs. My mother was a regular attendee, but I don't want anyone getting prickly with me). But honestly my spare time was "move up" driven the first few days until I set my own parameters of when and how often I could check. Sad huh? Maybe I need to spend the money and BUY A LIFE!

Gamification. FOMO. Whatever. They found the right sap... I mean cruiser in me.

PS: PETER. I'll take ANY kind of rooting I can get!:eek::o

Thanks for the good wishes.

Just a thought here. My son is VP of Global IT for a Re-insurance company and insurance is all about risk, profit, analyzing who and what is "the best bet" more or less. So for the move up. Who gets the letter? Who gets the move up acceptance.

His take is it's the "Gamification" (application of elements of gaming) that kind of can suck a person into the whole process. Who doesn't like a good game. I WANT A LETTER! I want to try. I want to see the bid-meter go into the green! Even the X process w/ the SLIDE for your bid and the meter going from red to green as your bid gets stronger. Gamification.

What is taken into account? Loyalty? Do they reward loyal X cruisers? OR...... NEW CRUISERS! They know we're repeaters but if I were able to cruise in a PH on my first cruise on a "bid"? I'd be forever an X cruiser. New cruisers also tend to do more ship excursions, buy more in the gift shops and spa. So do they reward loyalty or hook a new customer?

What about gambling? Is that part of the algorithm? Is favoritism given to one that spends in the casino? IN THAT CASE I"M GOLDEN!!! :D :D :D

He also said he can't imagine why Celebrity would be likely to let anyone know other than the 11th hour (72 hours before sailing). What do they have to gain by telling us sooner? They can have everything in place for any eventuality. Once final decision is made at at the top of the food chain, then just click SUBMIT and one click puts all the move ups into order...so they don't need tons of advance notice.

The entire thing is fascinating. And it's made me OLD BEFORE MY TIME! I can't stand the suspense. I have AGITA I tell ya! I'm verklempt. CAVALO.... and ... OY VEY and all that!

I got mine 1 month exactly for my 9/3 cruise which has almost NO inventory showing up other than the PH and an occasional guarantee at different levels.

PS: I"m the aforementioned PH stalker. But I'm down to checking the PH status ONLY 2-3 times/day. Down from about 10 times the first few days. The PH is on for 6499pp then it is gone. Then it's ON then it's gone several times a day and I was driving myself crazy. At last check the ONLY thing offered for sale on this cruise is the PH..... at... 6499pp.

PPS: My move up bid wasn't the dead minimum but it was still deemed "Weak" on the "bid-o-meter." :( But since I'm already in a R.S. it was obviously the only thing left for a bid up offer.

The suspense is killing me (and WWCruisers with whom I discuss this several times/day). :D

Thanks for the review.

FUNTEXASCRUISER we're also on the October 7th (I'm in Frisco!) . See you aboard.

There aren't "dozens' of spots any more in ST. M. GO on tripadvisor and most of the current info is that they're still not started up. There are some food trucks and ppl renting chairs but the lovely restaurants and bakeries are mostly non-existent.

CL is now labelled the Suite Lounge and is for Grand suites and above and Pinnacle.

Diamond Lounge is for Diamond and above.

2 different venues. But just a reminder that the CL on Liberty is no more. It's Suite Lounge I know I know... a rose by any other name. However the old CL allowed D+. The newly renamed SUITE lounge is no longer allowing D+.

I won't pay a penny extra in order to get Blu access.

I'll pay MANY pennies extra to get Luminae access.

And hence, many many pennies extra to get Luminae with the other suite perks.

I'm NOT a Blu fan (3 tries on 3 ships, that's enough for a decent sampling) but am very happy with Luminae.

The interesting thing for my "move up" 9/3/18, is that there IS a PH available (apparently the ONLY suite available for quite some time). So people get emails for move up to CS, RS, Sky b/c of that domino effect. If a Royal bids and wins the PH, then they can fill that Royal. If a Celeb suite wins the bid for THAT suite, then someone else has to move up.

The other thing is this 1 "available penthouse" goes on and off the website as available, sold out, available, sold out.. MULTIPLE times a day. So just b/c it APPEARS there are no suites available, I don't believe that is necessarily the case.

Luckily I had just checked the price before I got the email, b/c the Move Up "BID-O-METER" a STRONG bid would have put it WELL above the current asking price by like $1,000 pp! Who in the world would pay that much more when all they had to do was BOOK the dang thing at a lower price? That part I don't understand.

I have sailed where the PH was empty on sailing so they raffled it off at Bingo. (A cruise critic person won it!!). I guess revenue management has to determine if they can make more by doing the MOVE UP vs the RAFFLE.

I find the entire process fascinating. We'll be extremely happy in our Royal Suite assuming our WEAK bid won't win. (safe assumption). We'd be even HAPPIER in a Penthouse, but only at a price point with which we'd be comfortable.

Long before we got our Move Up email we were coveting the PH and we both were joking "Gee I wish we could call Celebrity and say "Will you take $XYZ for the penthouse?" Well in effect, Celebrity is giving us that option. Which we actually appreciate, since no one is FORCING us to bid anything. We realize we're somewhere in "slim to none" territory but there is still that TINY EMBER OF HOPE. :D I'm just so impatient. Like DUDE put me out of my misery! :D

I wonder if EVERYONE gets a move-up email if they're offering the on that particular sailing. I also gone one (as did others) on the Equinox Sept 3. (OK obviously not the PH but everyone else?)

They say they can take until 3 days before you cruise to let you know.

Has anyone done a move up and had it take that long?

I know what happened! The took the "e" from Blue and gave it a suite upgrade.

LOVE IT!

Did you notice of there's a Global Entry kiosk? TIA

I love your enthusiasm. It's contagious; Makes me more enthusiastic for the Equinox 9/3. Thanks for the review.

Karen (I can't recall her CC name... maybe ArkansasTraveller???) asked about this on RCI's social media page and the Royal Caribbean Social Media rep stated unequivocally that the UBP DOES cover milk shakes in Johnny Rockets. Several people came on to say that they had issues with it. I took a screen shot of the dialogue from that page and will bring it with me, just in case.

Maybe you can check on that page and do the same.

Linda,

The ship is in port from 10 until 6.

Silvermoon cats leave at 9AM. Unless it's an afternoon cat which returns at 6:45.

But there IS availability on all of them! :D :D