baggal

3 hours ago, McDMan said:

Can someone please explain the debarkation process for Club Orange cruisers? We have a 11:20am flight out of Ft. Lauderdale Intl. We are hoping to be one of the first off the ship at 7:30am. Is this a realistic time to be off the ship (will be bringing luggage with us). Also, is it easy to call and Uber or taxi once we are outside the terminal? Or should we arrange a private car service scheduled to pick us up around that time.

 

Thanks in advance, 

 

Charles

Whether you are Club Orange or not, you should have no problem getting to and through the airport (two separate issues) to make your flight at 11:20. Actually no need to carry off your luggage.  Just select the first available debark time.  There will be taxis available or use Uber or Lyft.  The airport is about a 15 minute ride.  Getting through the airport check-in and TSA security line can be more of a challenge, especially if there are other ships in port, but making a 11:20 flight is entirely doable.  We do it all the time.

MDR lunch on the Rotterdam is open to everyone and is the same menu as it is the rest of the cruise on sea days.  Only catch is that its open for a limited time 12 - 1 or possibly 1:30.  Its a very lovely, civilized way to start your cruise.  Check the Navigator App for the menu.

1 hour ago, baggal said:

I'll try to make my response brief but you need a little background.  We were on a Med. cruise on the Apex in October 2022.  About 5 days before we were due to disembark in Civitavecchia to fly home my husband came down with Covid and felt pretty ill so he contacted the Medical Center.  They transferred him to an OCEANVIEW on Deck 3.  I tested negative so I was allowed to stay in our Infinite Veranda cabin on Deck 7.  He was still testing negative on the day of disembarkation and we were informed by guest services that the Italian government would not permit any passengers testing positive to disembark in Italy.  So we had no choice but to stay on the ship until we reached a country that would let us disembark. In this case, Spain, in 2 more days.  Unfortunately, I had to leave my cabin because the next cruise was beginning and the cabin was booked.

 

My liaison in Guest Services said the only available cabin for me was an inside cabin.  I offered to pay for a better cabin but I was told no.  I didn't then and still don't believe that there wasn't a better cabin considering no cruises at that time were sailing full.

 

Which leads me to answer your question.  They put me in cabin 7070 and if you're looking for quiet then that is the one.  Its a basic inside, not deluxe, and in my mind its a glorified broom closet and shouldn't be used for paying passengers.  Its difficult to describe but you enter the cabin through two doors - one from the corridor and then there's a tiny area where there is a door to a mechanical/electrical room right in front of you and then the door to your cabin to your right.   I never heard any noise at all while in the cabin.  

 

I checked the deck plans before responding.  The Ascent has the same cabin.

 

 

Correction:  he was tested positive on the day of disembarkation

I'll try to make my response brief but you need a little background.  We were on a Med. cruise on the Apex in October 2022.  About 5 days before we were due to disembark in Civitavecchia to fly home my husband came down with Covid and felt pretty ill so he contacted the Medical Center.  They transferred him to an OCEANVIEW on Deck 3.  I tested negative so I was allowed to stay in our Infinite Veranda cabin on Deck 7.  He was still testing negative on the day of disembarkation and we were informed by guest services that the Italian government would not permit any passengers testing positive to disembark in Italy.  So we had no choice but to stay on the ship until we reached a country that would let us disembark. In this case, Spain, in 2 more days.  Unfortunately, I had to leave my cabin because the next cruise was beginning and the cabin was booked.

My liaison in Guest Services said the only available cabin for me was an inside cabin.  I offered to pay for a better cabin but I was told no.  I didn't then and still don't believe that there wasn't a better cabin considering no cruises at that time were sailing full.

Which leads me to answer your question.  They put me in cabin 7070 and if you're looking for quiet then that is the one.  Its a basic inside, not deluxe, and in my mind its a glorified broom closet and shouldn't be used for paying passengers.  Its difficult to describe but you enter the cabin through two doors - one from the corridor and then there's a tiny area where there is a door to a mechanical/electrical room right in front of you and then the door to your cabin to your right.   I never heard any noise at all while in the cabin.  

I checked the deck plans before responding.  The Ascent has the same cabin.

If you really want to visit the Statue of Liberty come to NJ the day prior to your cruise!  Its very easy to take the ferry from Jersey City to the Statue.  You can also visit Ellis Island as well.   That being said, I was on the Summit out of Bayonne last July and the Captain did a wonderful job getting close to the Statue.  It was a beautiful clear day and even this jaded, cynical native New Yorker who has been to the Statue on multiple occasions had a tear in her eye.  I hope you get there.  

We were scheduled to sail on a cruise to Norway and Iceland in July 2020.  While researching private excursions companies in Iceland I came across a company that said only they could make a determination whether to issue a refund in case the ship didn't make the port.  They went on to say that in their experience cruise ship captains were overly cautious and sometimes didn't make the port even though they could have.  Really?  This was the first time I ever encountered this situation.  I was going to book the excursion with the cruise line but then COVID happened and the cruise was canceled. 

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I always go to the closed side.  Someone recently stated it was such a big deal for them to do that.  I'm not the most agile person in the world and it's a small price to pay for less people.  I'm all about that.

Don't hold me to this that it still happens -but I have seen on occasion a server or other crew member carry a plate for passenger that needs some assistance.  

36 minutes ago, MUD said:

Have booked on Rotterdam for the first time. We have most of our experience on the Volundam/Zaandam/old Rotterdam ships which we have enjoyed a great deal. Worried the Rotterdam will feel crowded. Any advice from persons with experience of the two ship sizes?

It won't necessarily feel crowded but it will feel BIGGER.  For instance, its a longer walk from the MDR to the entertainment areas.  And depending where your cabin is located you might have a longer walk to the Lido.  Its just a bigger ship.

7 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

We were just on the Rotterdam from 4/3 to 5/6 for the 150th anniversary crossing, 5 day Scotland, 5 day Oslo/Copenhagen and 7 day Norway cruises (B2B2B2B) and had late fixed dining for all 33 days at the same table for 2. Late fixed dinning was at 7:30 pm for the entire cruise. 

Thanks for the info!  Its exactly what I was looking for.

Can anyone currently on the Rotterdam (or recently while the ship is in Europe) tell me what the fixed dining times are?  Its been my experience that dining times are somewhat later than what we had on the Rotterdam in Caribbean.

I currently have Any time dining but would try to switch to fixed if the first seating isn't too early.

Thanks. 

18 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

I've been thinking of taking $2 bills to use as small tips aboard, merely because half as many are required as a stack of $1's. Has anyone else done that?  They're so unusual, I don't want people to think they're being duped. 

 

Thanks!

I can't imagine that bringing a stack of $1 bills would be such an inconvenience to you.  Since you brought up the subject, how much were you planning on bringing?

Italy must have changed their rules.  In October 2022, my husband came down with COVID and was put in quarantine.  He was initially fairly sick but then improved quickly.  We were supposed to disembark in Civitavecchia on day 5 in order to fly home from Rome the next day and he was feeling better but still tested positive.  At the time, according to Celebrity, Italy was not permitting anyone testing positive to disembark.  So Celebrity "generously" allowed us to stay on the ship until it ported in Valencia, Spain two days later.  It was a little bit of an adventure finding flights to fly home to the U.S. but in the end it all worked out.

OP, please contact whoever you are dealing with in Guest Services ASAP and have them confirm that you will be permitted to disembark in Italy even if you test positive.  Once you feel confident about the rules you can make better decisions.  Good luck!

59 minutes ago, Love the beach said:

Thank you for taking us along!

 

Right now in NY it is cloudy.. and 55 degrees.....tomorrow will be cloudy as well with a 60% chance of rain and an expected high of 77!

Also a line of thunderstorms expected to come through in the late afternoon.

OP, have you been to a supermarket lately or bought gas for your car recently?  This is 2023 and not 2019. 

Book the cruise (especially if you need a handicap cabin) it or leave it.

We have stayed at both.  The AC is a little less expensive and its fine for one night.  We waited over an hour at the airport for the "free" shuttle.  Would definitely take a cab instead.  We used an Uber the next morning to go to the port.  The rate was very reasonable.

Did you try disputing the charges with your credit card company.  They may reimburse you and then try to get payment from HAL.

11 hours ago, heatherkh said:

Thanks, everyone. Lesson learned. I'll be honest, this is not the greatest introduction to this type of vacationing, and I hope it doesn't cloud the trip.

 

I'm surprised there isn't more concern from cruisers over what, to me, seems like a shady advertising practice. First-time cruisers aren't necessarily going to be aware that it can't be taken at face value. It certainly wasn't clear to me, and I was definitely not assigned "best" as stated (quite the opposite, in fact). That is my major issue with this.

 

Harris, I'll watch for your reply - thanks again!

It seems to me the problem is with your travel agent, not Celebrity.  Part of their job is to explain your options in booking a cabin and the relative costs. 

2 hours ago, AmberCascades said:

I'm sorry for your loss.  Fortunately I've never had to test this out.  We do check our email nightly in case anyone wants to get us for any reason.  

Thank you.  Yes, by checking my email when I returned to the cabin I was able to get updates from home.  

2 hours ago, AmberCascades said:

 

I found this on Celebrity's website under FAQs.  

 

For all Celebrity ships:
• Dial: 1-877-266-1020(applicable country code)+1-321-953-9002 (outside the United States)
• Dial the appropriate number above. 
• The caller will be asked to enter the credit card number and expiration date. 
• The system obtains a real-time hold for $79.50 ($7.95 x 10 minutes) and initiates the call to the ship. The $79.50 hold is the maximum that will be held. Actual charges will be calculated based on the number of minutes used on the call. 
• A voice prompt directs the caller to the specific ship. 
• The call is connected to the ship. 
• The call rings through to the designated department onboard (Radio Station or Purser Desk). The call is then routed to the guest's stateroom. 
• The PBX monitors the call. If there is no answer, the call will ring back at the designated department onboard (Radio Station or Purser Desk) and a written message is taken for delivery to the guest's stateroom.

Um, not quite true.  While on the Apex, there was a death in my family and my daughter tried to call to let me know but I wasn't in the cabin and never got a written or verbal message about her call.  Its not a foolproof system. 

55 minutes ago, BigAl94 said:

How anyone would like that for dinner on an expensive "luxury" holiday escapes me, but each to their own.

The fact that someone else shopped, prepped, cooked and cleaned up afterward is enough for me.  Food is very subjective.  A good meal is in the eyes of the beholder.  

20 minutes ago, Balboa1978 said:

 

We did get the FCC letter. We have no intention of sailing HAL again and asked to have it applied the the crew appreciation fund. After numerous follow ups the president of HAL has agreed. We have become buddies… lol. The FCC paid to the crew will be at least $1500.00 more then what we would normally paid and will be more until my wife tests negative. I have a letter from the president.

That is very kind of generous of you to do that for the crew.  

OP, given all your concerns, I would investigate using a cruise ship's pre-cruise hotel package that also includes transportation to the hotel and to the ship.  Yes, it will be more expensive but most of your travel issues will be taken care of.  Keep in mind that you are arriving at the beginning of Christmas break and to put it mildly, the airport arrivals area will be bedlam. The ship's representative will be at the baggage claim and will be able to assist you.  I would not rely on a hotel's shuttle.

57 minutes ago, 0106 said:

The Yum-Yum man is gone.  
 

I was in the Rotterdam in the beginning of February.  The two sea days in the beginning of the cruise were very rough, probably because it was so windy.  I was sitting at the Seaview Pool one evening watching the water cascade over the sides of the pool.  I left when my jeans were wet almost up to my knees.  If you are prone to seasickness, bring the remedies that work for you.

I was on the same cruise, and yes, it was rough.  My advice is to take a Bonine in the morning BEFORE you board.  If its rough leaving Ft. Lauderdale, as it sometimes is, then you'll already have it in your system.  Hopefully, things will smooth out as the cruise progresses.

On 2/10/2023 at 8:14 AM, Florida48 said:

Right my mistake, Jan 29, 2024.  Thanks for your input.

We're on the same cruise!  We have done the partial transit once before about 7 years ago and stayed on the ship which afterward we thought was an error in judgement on our part.  At the time, many of the reviews I had read about the excursion to Panama City by bus and train (?) were negative - too long and too hot. But when people returned to the ship they made it seem as though we really missed out.  So now I'm back here trying to get some feedback.  

2 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

Except for HAL's private island, we've been to all these places on Celebrity.

Additionally, Celebrity has two private islands (RCL and Celebrity stop there) that they visit: Labadee in Haiti and Cococay in Bahamas. So I'm not sure I understand this post.

Almost every, if not all, Caribbean cruises on HAL stop at Half Moon Cay.  Not every Celebrity ship stops at Labadee.  Yes, Celebrity had practically the same itinerary that I did a few weeks on HAL with the exception of a private beach stop which made for 4 at sea days on Celebrity vs 3 on HAL.  And I'm pretty sure that Cococay is a Princess property.