Can'tstopcruising

Which Royal Carib ship was it?

Do they always have a director?

I would consider a future cruise on a ship that offered duplicate with a director.

That's what got us hooked on Celebrity in the first place and that's how my DH got back to playing bridge!

The real problem is that so many, young and old, are addicted to their cell phones. It is like an appendage to their hand!

For some folks a table is much more comfortable than a pool lounger so sitting at a table for them is just like others who like to sit in a pool lounger. My grandparents spent a lot of time sitting around the kitchen table. That is where we socialized and spent time. It was more comfortable for them. The issue is the ship doesn't have a lot of places to sit outside at tables. I can see how its more comfortable for some older folks - I personally find the table more comfortable than a lounger and wish they had more available outside in the sunshine.

 

We also just ask to join others and have met some very nice people that way.

There is nothing wrong with using these tables for leisure most of the day, but it is wrong to sit at them during mealtime when eaters can't find tables.

If you are carrying your food tray/plate and looking around for a place to sit, only to find places occupied by pax who are not eating, it is annoying. I have mentioned it to staff and they merely shrug their shoulders.

I don't know how anyone can sit and read or play cards (or whatever) in good conscience when they see others standing with trays and not finding a seat.

Or it could mean, I'm ELITE PLUS and, unless they eat all their meals in the buffet, eating in the MDR, with the common people, is beneath us.

Or he actually may eat all of his meals in the buffet!

What's the difference.

If you want to read into things, you are limited only by your own imagination.

What has being Elite Plus have anything to do with eating in the MDR? Eating in the MDR has always been "dinner and a show".

I think it's just his way of saying that although he has been on very many Celebrity cruises, he has never eaten in the MDR. I wouldn't read anything else into it.

It may not be exactly the same, but..

We were booked on the Summit b2b Jan.2017.

Lo and behold they chartered it.

So, they offered us similar dates on the Equinox at the Summit price.

It was Take it or Leave it! We took it!

We prefer the Summit itinerary, but there was nothing else comparable.

Good luck!

Over the years, we have booked in US and in Can funds.

But we always paid with our Can. Credit Card in order to have the cancellation insurance included.

On at least one occasion, we booked in US and cancelled after our dollar had gone up. We were out the discrepancy.

Now, I find it much simpler to book in Canadian.

I have a BMO World Elite credit card which covers me. Before this I used a Royal Bank Visa Preferred, also with insurance.

The health insurance is good only until age 65, so we have an annual policy separately. But, in the past, we have been reimbursed for Doctor's fees, etc.

For the first time, I have a dilemma.

We are covered up to $5000 for cancellation and trip interruption. Travel prices have increased, but insurance coverage hasn't. For our winter vacation, we will have prepaid air, hotel and cruise, all of which will add up to over the $5000 limit. I called the cc insurance and they are asking over $400 to cover $1600, which I find excessive. I will shop around.

Does anyone have any suggestions for Canadian Cancellation policies?

For the World Elite card, you have to pay only a portion of the trip with the card. Hopefully, it will work for you. It's a good card. They give double points!

What fun!

That's what Celebrity needs...more fun stuff!

On the Millenium, years ago, the officers and staff did the Macarena going down the main staircase. It was such fun to watch (of course, many of them didn't quite know what they were doing!!!)

Once on each cruise, we would have the sushi. They used to serve it one afternoon at a party (I forget which party!). When they stopped, we would have it at the buffet.

On principle, I wouldn't pay for it. Good-bye Celebrity sushi!

On Crystal they have containers on the wall, just by the restroom door, with small paper towels to use to open the door when leaving....great idea.

I notice that in local venues that have relatively new ladies' & mens', the entry is doorless. So clever. Now, when I go somewhere that has new facilities with doors, I am surprised. (Of course, I mean entrance doors, not stall doors!) Same with self-flushing toilets.

Something for Celebrity to think about for their new builds.

Exactly! Thank you.

I like Celebrity and cruise primarily with X, but I have to say that quality and variety of entertainers are going down the hill for some time now.

Now during my 10 or 14 days cruise - only half of the shows I liked.

A lot of times - bands are not so great either, and DJ plays in more places then ever. So, there are not too many choices of musical entertainment on the ship after dinner. What had happened to classical quartets that used to play in Cafe AlBaccio and in MDR on formal nights - O! - no more formal nights! I guess classical music doesn't go with modern chic.

Maybe this is the way for Celebrity to message us - spend more money shopping or gamble - what else to do if nothing good playing....Just MHO.

We have friends who have cruised on most of the other lines. Last year they tried the 14 day Eclipse and complained that there was no entertainment before of after dinner. We used to have quiet music time as Isabella mentioned. Some were very enjoyable. On one cruise, there was a guitar player and pax were actually dancing in the aisle!

If, by "down market" you mean lower class pax, I doubt it.

With so many people on each ship, you will find some from most walks of life. This is what I have observed on most of our cruises.

We are boarding on Sunday. Hoping for a better experience.

 

I have to say we liked the Elite breakfast better when it was originally a buffet and did not like when they changed to just bring out those pre-made plates.

 

We will test it out and see if it's any better. Also we will not have a drink package and we have never had one.

 

Thanks for sharing and posting your thoughts.

I vote for the elite buffet also. I much prefer to choose what I wish to eat!

The reason being people don't want to pre-pay tips since they want to use any OBC they have on their account for tips. If they book Tradtional Dining tips are not added until you are on the ship. Then once they get on the ship they change to Select dining, tips are added to their account and they can offset with OBC.

 

Big difference.

OK Thanks!

I had also heard on previous cruises that people booked Traditional Dining because they didn't want to pre-pay tips and when they got on the ship they then switched to Select Dining.

 

So not having to pre-pay tips for Select would eliminate this problem.

We always book select and prepay. I can't see the difference. Whether we prepay or pay as we go, we still pay the same!

What I don't like is the18% added on to the already inflated spa prices.

Just FYI, if you get paper coupons and don't use them, please give them to a favourite bartender/server as they do submit them for tips.

Is that a fact?

I learned something new today!

I always throw them in the wastebasket. I won't do that anymore.

Thanks for all of the replies. Not sure what we will do. I think I would prefer to try a Med cruise while dh wants to stick with the land vacation.

If you have only 10 days total (including travel), maybe you would be better off at one or two destinations. Save the Med cruise for when you have more time and can spend extra days at the beginning and/or the end.

Wish they'd reinstate it!

We love cruising and love visiting Europe (land vacations only) so wondering if we would like a Mediterranean cruise.

 

For those of you that have sailed a Med cruise, did you feel rushed? Did you regret missing the evenings in the wonderful European cities since you had to get back on the ship?

 

We only have 10 days total this time so are looking at a 2017 Equinox cruise from Barcelona to Athens. A 10 day land vacation in Europe will not get you to very many places while the cruise will give us the opportunity to visit more places in a short amount of time.

 

Would love everyone's advice. Thanks,

The difference is spending a short time in a lot of places and spending a lot of time in a few places.

I prefer cruising in the Caribbean which is very relaxing.

In Europe, I liked the Adriatic cruise because in each port, we were close to the town. I don't like the idea of driving two hours to get to Rome or Florence.

In Copenhagen, for example, there is a new port that is in the middle of nowhere. We had to pay for the shuttle and to make matters worse, we had to wait 45 minutes for the bus. Nobody was happy.

Fabulous for a cruise, would be the Norwegian Fjords. That's the way to see them!

I have sailed in the Adriatic from Venice to Rome and don't recall anything about a Vat tax. We did go to Montenegro and Croatia and Malta, so perhaps our cruise was exempt????

In 2010, We left Barcelona on the Century. If anyone recalls, that cruise lasted one day. We did order wine the two nights on the ship, but I think I would remember if there was an added Vat. Perhaps this is a recent addition?

At any rate, I would be very careful not to book a cruise on which I had to pay a Vat. (Or I just wouldn't spend any extra $$ on the cruise!!)

You are very lucky then. I have had numerous items spoiled by ships laundries by either too harsh chemicals or too hot a wash. I had one item which was lost, never to be found :mad: Many items I take with me cannot be tumble dried (and potentially spoiled). And what about ironing? Perhaps you are at a level whereby you get lots of free ironing too but in my experience the bags of laundry are limited to certain items and they don't come back ironed.

 

I'm not risking many of my nice clothes in a ship's laundry - even if it's free

I agree 100%.

I will not give anything that I care about to the laundry. It's fine for my husband's socks, underwear, old pajamas and some of our older t shirts.

The Montreal International Jazz fest will be on. Definitely a crowd scene. You could buy tickets for one of the concerts at Place des Arts, rather than attend a free street concert.

f you don't like crowds, a Sherbrooke Street hotel , the Omni, Ritz, Sofitel would be a good choice. Just remember, Sherbrooke is a very long street and you want to be in the section that is right downtown.

Excellent imagination!