kearney

I try to book Tuscan grill around sunset on evening. It is nice to sail out of Ft Lauderdale...watching the sun set with the Florida coast in the back ground. However, lately instead of doing this the first night... I look for a port where we are leaving near sunset...so that we can replicate this experience. I do prefer Murano... but you can't beat the view out the aft windows of the Tuscan Grill.

We just turned 70 and began sailing Celebrity about 6 years ago. It is a laid back atmosphere. They do have fun activities like silent disco... but it is not as active as a Royal or other cruise line...which is fine by me. During the fall school season we have seen very few kids.... There are some younger couples..but the age is generally older than Royal and families tend to be adult children with the occasional grandchild.... but I don't think that would have bothered me back when I was in my 30s to be with an older crowd.. I was never big into belly flop contests and doing shots...

There is some smoking on Dec 5 outside... can't recall if it is port or starboard... and by the Sunset bar on deck 12 or 14... You can't do it on the balcony and someone will report it if they smell the smoke. Also I am pretty sure the casino is smoke free... it is not really isolated from public areas ... so smoke would travel everywhere if it was allowed there.

My husband needs wheel chair assistance so we always bring extra cash for the pushers, porters, various drivers and tour guides and extra tips for room steward, wait staff and periodically type bar servers. I usually make a list and estimate needs... I am particularly mindful since most of the crew were without work for well over a year. You can always hit the ATM near guest services...there is a $6 fee to do so. I believe the gratuity money that is part of the AI package is spread out amongst the crew..

I am sure you will enjoy Celebrity...

Our first cruise was in '91 on the Constitution..one of the two ships of American Hawaiian cruise line. We flew in a few days early... spent one of those days at Pearl Harbor. The islands are so different..that a 7 day cruise of the islands is a great way to sample Hawaii without having to pack and repack every few days. In later years we came back on several trips spending more time on different Islands. If you want to see Hawaii and don't have the time or money to sail celebrity and spend additional time island hopping... the NCL is a great way to go. I haven't sailed NCL since our Noro experience...not that I blame them...but it does impact your view of a cruise line. Regardless of my preference for Celebrity... I like the island hopping that you can do with an American flagged ship.

We sailed on a post Thanksgiving cruise and for several mornings we woke up to more decorations... it was quite nice to see the ship decorations evolve. 

4 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We’re currently on the Princess Regal in the Med on a B3B. As are others, I’m always curious about how many passengers weren’t able to make it to the ship on their scheduled embarkation day, especially since cruising started back up.
 

So I checked with the Regal Guest Services the day before we arrived in Athens and there were 3,339 “booked” on the Athens to Barcelona leg (which we’re now currently on). I checked again with GS  the day after embarkation while anchored in Santorini, and there are 3,261 that are actually onboard. So for one reason or another, to include testing positive on a C19 test, 78 passengers didn’t board in Athens (according to Guest Services).

 

I think I’ll do the same thing on our upcoming Greenland/Iceland B2B on the Summit in a few weeks just to see what the difference might be. Of course, I won’t know the “why”, but at least it will be interesting to see if there is a significant count difference.

Given flight issues... some of the missing passengers might have been still sitting at an airport someplace... eg Amsterdam's airport has been a mess from what I have read.

I found this link a few days ago..it is a 360 degree view of one of the forward facing cabins with the square windows http://thecelebritycommitment.com/360/EDGE/Deluxe_Ocean_View/Deluxe_Ocean_View.html

Personally I think the Ensemble lounge is just what you want...they usually has a trio performing more quieter music than what you will hear in the Grand Foyer. Nice place for an after dinner drink. Before dinner we like the Sky Lounge which is also quieter than ..say the Martini Bar. But after the shows... I think it may have louder dance music... the Passport bar is not as noisy as the Martini bar...but the seats are more comfortable and a bit out of the flow of traffic... so you might also consider that..and see if the DJ music in the Grand Foyer, post shows, is too loud.  Haven't tried the World Class bar..but it is located in the main flow of traffic on deck 5 and the bar stool set up doesn't seem as conducive for a relaxing drink..but others enjoy this bar... so I defer to their judgement.

We too are close to D+ on Royal.. one or two cruises away... but switched to Celebrity a few years ago.. we tried for the longer itineraries and stayed because we really liked Celebrity. Not knocking Royal.. it is just Celebrity was just right. Anyway..if you are D+ on Royal... you will still be considered Elite on Celebrity. For that reason...we didn't bother to take the additional cruises.. and after a few years .. we are now a legit Elite on Celebrity. Likely won't be cruising enough to get to a higher status..but no matter. 

For our Aug 29th... right on day 45 on the dot

15 hours ago, keesar said:

 

When you are getting off the ship, there will be several tables of items confiscated.  I saw irons, knives, swords, handcuffs, weapons, etc.  I would be more worried about those items  on a ship.  People to smoke weed on the ship but most do it discreetly.

True and but something to consider... may not be a big deal to you... but could impact someone who thought they were being discreet.. Bringing weed on a ship

6 hours ago, JFontaine said:

Sure it does, as far as the passenger is concerned,  who doesn't find, read or care about the rules.  It doesn't have to be permitted for it to happen. Similar to the people who bring aboard irons, knives etc. despite the rules. 

 

 

An iron gets confiscated...but drugs... even weed can get you kicked off the ship and arrested... 

Looking at the latest 30% off sale..which technically works out to be the same as 60% the second guest... anyway.. for my 1A cabin the gross price..before discounts is up 62% vs what I booked it at in Jan and up 12% from last week's sale. the net is now up 43% from what I paid (factoring out OBC differences). So inflation impact is clearly seen here. Glad I locked in the Aug cruise when I did.

Do contact the CEO... this is the kind of thing she wants to nip in the bud...so to speak... I suspect the pot smoking is an even bigger concern for cruise lines than smoking..which is still a big deal. Having drugs on board a ship is a big no no.

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

But you also need to have a documented positive test for the current ongoing COVID infection too.  At least for the pharmacy-only program.  Of course you could get tested at the same pharmacy.

 

Actually in any scenario, if I had symptoms and tested positive, I would call my physician and discuss the situation and get a prescription if they agreed.  No need to go around the system.  My physician has all of my medical records and recent blood work.  And knows what other drugs I am taking and what my other health conditions are.

I started thinking about this when I realized that there were issues with 4 of the drugs I take... statin, blood thinner, anti-arrhythmic and calcium channel blocker. Some need to be stopped for a time and others the dosage needs to be modified and in any event I would have to be monitored. Based on FDA info and information from cardiologist. So my issues may be unique.

Talk with your doctor... not cc. They know your history and they know what adjustments should be made to your medication..if necessary. From what I read the initial studies done for approval were done on unvaccinated. So they assume the impact will be the same on vaccinated. I assume those tests are being done...The point I clumsily was trying to make is that Paxlovid is not Tamiflu and should not be treated as just something OTC you take at the first sign of symptoms. Once you are on the ship it is a bit late to discuss your options with your doctor.

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

This will be very confusing to cruise passengers!  It is not really an Over-The-Counter drug as we normally think about them.  No even close.  First off you must test positive for Covid.  Second you need to provide a lot of recent laboratory blood work to the licensed pharmacist to be evaluated for kidney and liver issues.  This program was set up to get Paxlovid into the hands of COVID-infected, eligible patients quickly and early in their infection.  Not for a just-in-case travel prescription. 

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-07-07/fda-allows-pharmacists-to-prescribe-covid-drug-paxlovid

I had a short conversation with my pharmacists about pharmacists being allowed to prescribe..not just dispense, Paxlovid. He was on a call about this...the pharmacists were not enthusiastic because it takes a lot of time to determine which patients can take it. Often the patients aren't that familiar with the drugs they are taking and as I noted earlier and he confirmed... with many Cardio related drugs the patients need to either stop taking their meds or in some case doses need to be adjusted and in all cases the patients need to be monitored..for what he called a small benefit. He told me that the pharmacists were concerns that the screening process alone would take all day and take the time away from the regular jobs. I just can't see this ever being handled on a ship.

I have a number of concerns about Paxlovid being given by someone other than the passengers physician. From what I have read there are significant drug interactions with many different medications...particularly those for Cardiovascular issues. For example it interacts with some statins, blood thinners, Calcium channel blockers, anti-arrhythmics among them. In some cases you need to stop the drug you are taking, in others the dose has to be adjusted..and in general the patient should be monitored while all this is going on. So do we really expect the ships physicians to be in a position to make the call for you on how to handle your other drugs? What really concerns me is that they are now allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid... When I first heard this... I wondered if pharmacists were worried about potential malpractice issues should something go wrong... Then I discovered that sometime in 2021 they passed a law protecting groups like pharmacists from liability associated with Covid treatment. So as a patient you should be aware of the issues associated with getting this drug. The irony is the intent of Paxlovid is to prevent poor outcomes among those at high risk... yet it is likely this group is taking a medication that has an interaction with Paxlovid. 

moved 

We ususally tip shuttle drivers, porters, two people who wheel DH onto the ship and off, excursion guides and drivers, periodically bar servers and coffee servers, even though we prepay gratuities a bit for hostess, waiter and assistant waiter. How much depends upon what is done and how long the cruise is... we bring about $350 and then hit the ATM on the ship...near guest relations for additional. the charge at the ATM is $6..  I try to layout my estimated needs ahead of time so I have an idea on how much to tip. Last cruise I also tipped the Maitre 'd .. and at dinner he poured us what I believe was a premium red vs the classic. I didn't give him much...but he appreciated the recognition. some people have suggested the staff in the rest rooms.. so I may bring a bit more next trip. These people went without work for a long time and many are still trying to make up for past loses.

I think that the more formal feel for Celebrity...may have more to do with the way the dining room is set up with nice table cloths and nice glassware. I haven't sailed other lines in recent years..but I thought some cruise lines dispensed with table cloths... does anyone know if this is true? I like the Riedel glassware they use with the thin edges vs the thicker types you often find...just makes the wine taste better. If you notice.. in the Ocean View the plates aren't plastic like on Royal..although the glasses are... but perhaps this is to avoid glass being carried out to the pool area.

That is a good question..with hard drinks DH usually orders a double.. and hasn't had a problem..but the is usually later in the cruise after he has been tipping the server. 🙂  They probably have to ring them up separately.... perhaps if he ordered one and when it arrives immediately order the second... hopefully someone has an answer based on experience.

Okay... I found another link which shows the inside of a forward facing cabin with square window..in this case bed is by the window...my guess would be that the cabins you are considering will have the bed by the bath.. just a guess.. Hope this helpshttp://thecelebritycommitment.com/360/EDGE/Deluxe_Ocean_View/Deluxe_Ocean_View.html

here is the link..where you can see what other categories look like inside http://thecelebritycommitment.com/360/EDGE/Edge.html

This link should help you get an idea on how obstructed various cabins are http://thecelebritycommitment.com/360_Millennium_Class.html

Boy this is an old thread

How about get it braided in a port and cut when you get back home 🙂 

I am not a parent..so my opinion may not be valid.. When I was young, my parents took us to Europe.. this was back in the 50s and 60s... there was no organized activities for kids..but we still had fun. I was probably 6 and my sister 3. I have distinct memories of driving in the Alps looking down at sheer drops off the side of the road of hundreds of feet and small villages in Germany. One memory in particular of watching a thunderstorm's lightening around a ruined castle on the Mosell river and screaming with delight at each strike. Remember kids often have more fun playing with the boxes the toys come in than the toy itself. The question is. how much fun will you have? You may not have much time alone. So you need to check with Celebrity to see if they have any baby sitting options..so you can go to dinner alone a few times. 

54 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

I think it is $25…..I have another question that I wonder if anyone can answer. There is no corkage fee for those with a drink package,  but what if one is sailing with no package? My daughter wants to bring some champagne on board and share it with me. She has a drink package and I don’t. Are they going to let me have some? Will they charge me a corkage fee if it’s her bottle? 🤔 

I doubt they would have an issue with who is drinking...by the way...you can have the wine in your cabin on your own..so no fee. That is what we have done...Alas I don't think the cabin attendant would have champagne glasses...but perhaps they do.