kidz_rn

11 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

Not really alliterative: soft C and hard C. 😉

Agree!  Celebrity Solstice is alliterative, despite different 1st letters. Celebrity Celestial would work

9 hours ago, cwayne said:

Drifted???!!  😵 More like it flew off the rails!!

A discussion on a CRUISE Critic Board has "flown off the rails"?  Hysterical mixed metaphor. Maybe this comment should've been on the AMTRAK message board?

4 minutes ago, Missus_Aitch said:

Thanks for the detailed review.  Very helpful!

 

How long does dinner take in the four main dining rooms?  If we have 6:00 dinner, can we make it to 7:30 shows?

Maybe, but the theater could be 90% filled by the time you walk to the other end of the ship, especially for the production shows. If you're seated at 6:00 and skip coffee & dessert, you'll make it for sure. You can always get coffee & dessert after the show at Al Bacio or OVC 

RE: 3100 guests:  The chair hogs were out in full force poolside, early on the morning of Day 7 -- a warm and sunny sea day. All pool deck lounges were reserved  by 8 am. Even the ones on the decks above 14 were gone by mid-morning. Meanwhile, the pricey poolside private cabanas were empty as usual -- as they were the entire cruise. 

8 hours ago, RichYak said:

Celebrity Descent would work. 😁

Haha. Very good.

How about Celebrity Fleece?

13 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Just to be clear in an IV room you NEVER go out to your balcony because it's not a balcony but just a portion of your inside room. So even if have the window down and the frosted bifold doors closed you're not outside, you never left your room. All you did was open a window and closed a room divider. It's impossible to be outside in an IV cabin. 

Just to be even clearer, we can play semantic games with the definitions of "go out" and "never left your room" but my take is that with the window down and the frosted bifold doors closed, you ARE outside as in hearing the water rush by, inhaling the salty air, and feeling the humid sea breeze. It's no different than leaning over the railing in a TB (traditional balcony). And with the window closed, you're in a climate-controlled sun room, with a floor-to-ceiling window to privately relax, read a book, gaze at the water, or whatever.  To each their own / to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to

On 2/1/2023 at 4:50 PM, The Traveling Man said:

Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."  - Paul Simon

From "The Boxer," one of Paul's most outstanding efforts (from S&G's 1970 final album as a duo, Bridge Over Troubled Water). Another lyric quote from Paul (and something to worry about especially while onboard a cruise ship):

"Everything Put Together, Sooner or Later Falls Apart"

On 2/10/2023 at 2:01 PM, zitsky said:

Could customer service do something about the motion? I didn’t pay for that.

 

I always eat at Blu on Celebrity because I didn’t pay to get my own food in the buffet.

Best laugh I've had today! 😂

Reply to: OP (mizLORInj):

We (also from NJ) were on the same Beyond cruise as you (week 2 of a b2b), and also had a first-time infinity veranda (IV). We read all the reviews pre-departure, a mix of positives and negatives, maybe leaning more toward negatives. I am happy to say we came away with a very positive experience. With the window closed, the shade raised, and the bi-fold doors open, the cabin size increases by 21%, with 2 chairs, one table, and an outstanding, climate-controlled, floor-to-ceiling view.

I think we opened the window 4 or 5 times over the two weeks, mostly to occasionally feel and smell the fresh sea breezes and hear the wave sounds and to take sunset photos. This was mostly because (as others have noted) with the window down, the room became too warm very quickly, even with the bi-fold doors with the frosted glass closed.

We had several issues with Beyond (like below expectation MDR quality, exorbitant speciality restaurant pricing, and more, but enjoying the IV was not among them.

MoodyCruiser44: Interested in the source of your screen name . . . related to the Moody Blues?

5 hours ago, shellunderwater said:

There are many headwinds the cruiselines are facing.  

 

First, they all are very close to bankruptcy.  Varying degrees, but the debt load and recent past losses are tremendous.  They need to increase revenue and/or cut expenses.

Second is the world-wide inflation that is affecting us all.  Nearly everything is more expensive.  And just like in your personal life, if things you use get more expensive, you stop using them or need more income to have them.  Fuel, food, drinks, labor, all of this.

Third is the worldwide labor issues.  Makes it harder to get workers, harder to keep workers.

 

I don't defend them, because I haven't cruised and have no point of comparison.  But am confident I can say pre-covid, it wasn't like the Love Boat days and it isn't like it now.  Things have to change.  Will always be the case.   And as more seasoned Celebrity cruisers move on for whatever reason, noobs like me come along and aren't upset there isn't a chocolate on the pillow.... cuz I've never had the chocolate on the pillow........  (a generalization for generalization purposes).

All your points are well-taken  << sigh  >>

Cruising was, still is, and hopefully always will be the best bang-for-the-buck (value) for your hard-earned vacation dollars. Issues like out-of-control inflation, labor shortages, supply chain bottlenecks, etc. affect ALL other vacation options too. So, unless you're planning a 'staycation' to 'porchville', those of us who love cruising may need to swallow hard, suck it up, and -- as the British say -- Keep Calm and Carry On  😌

I'm waiting for X to impose an egg surcharge on all ships  😟

13 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Dear Lisa,

 

Please disregard the billions in crippling shutdown debt, labor shortage, and surging cost of all goods. I booked this trip specifically to eat all of the expensive lobster I wanted. I refuse to pay for it as you specifically advertise it no where. If you do not immediately change back, I will be taking my business to the numerous free lobster options. My loyalty is far more important than being financially solvent.

 

Signed, your best customer

😂   😂   😂  Best laugh I've had in a long while!!

7 hours ago, lexmiller said:

That’s my .02 cents.

You are so right that this thread has deteriorated into nothing but complaining!

BTW, it's either "my 2 cents" or "my .02 dollars," not my .02 cents  😂

21 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

@mperrizo - Would you let us know what time you arrive in Costa Maya ? I’m on this itinerary on 2/29 and the app is completely different to the published port times and our original timings .

If you're on this itinerary  on 2/29, I hope you mean next year (2024) because there is no 2/29 this year 😆

Am I correct that Celebrity does not require guests to sign out pool towels? I know Royal C does, and I never understood why the difference between the sister cruise lines. Demographics?

Where is the best location to watch NFL playoff games?

On 1/8/2023 at 3:05 PM, Arizona Wildcat said:

So far the cutbacks have not decreased bookings.  Pretty much everything has gone up in price.  Our various preferred monthly rentals have gone up in price by several thousand dollars a month.

Seems pretty soon the old timers that post on CC will go away and younger cruisers who are new to cruising will take our place.  They never experienced Modern Luxury. 

Totally agree. We love cruising; as aging Baby Boomers, we are not interested in land vacations with all their associated headaches (and gigantic price increases as you mention). The cruising demographics are definitely changing too (Hello Millennials and Gen Z), as someone mentioned here earlier. We have done one Oceania cruise (Alaska 2014) and it was very enjoyable -- only 750 guests onboard! I will have to check out the Oceania board, as someone recommended. 

Sailing in 2 weeks on Beyond, b2b. First X cruise since the pandemic. I will go with a glass half-full attitude and see if it fills up all the way  😊

7 hours ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

They have never been called rules. Just suggested attire. Suggestion being the operative word.

Okay, Formal Night attire is a suggestion, not a rule. How about throwing a book on a poolside lounger at 6:30 am but not coming back until 4 hours later? 

(I suppose this discussion belongs in another thread topic!) 😀

Why have rules if they’re not enforced? Chair hogs are the worst!!

If you know what a "First World Problem" means, this thread is a good example

This thread reminds me of the punchline to an old joke: Waiter at a crowded restaurant checks in on one of his tables mid-meal, where the patrons there seem to be arguing or complaining and asks: Is ANYTHING alright?

We stopped going after the first 2 or 3 times cause it got silly, repetitive, and out-of-control. I suppose there's a direct correlation between guests' alcohol consumption and Quest enjoyment 😂

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Same with me, plus theater and sporting events. I haven’t even gotten a booster yet. But I have to by next month to go to Spain. 🙄

The way I see it is if some feel better masking up, then they aren’t hurting anyone. I will continue to live my life as I always have. I prefer to get some germs. Helps with my immunity.

I sure hope you get the right "germs" to help with your immunity and not the wrong ones ☺️

2 hours ago, lovescats5 said:

Why do we always have to hear about getting covid after a cruise.  Have people gotten covid after going to the grocery store, how about work.  You will get covid, if you are going to get it, where ever you are or where ever you have visited.  Cruise ships are no different.  First we complain about having to wear masks, then testing before a cruise, then not everyone wearing a mask although it is not required.  Covid is here to stay as is the cold or flu.  Can we just move on.  So tired of all this.  If you don't want to take a chance then stay home.  And no, I don't need a lot of judgemental people telling me what they think I need to do.  We will be on Quantum Sept. 19 and if we feel sick when we get home I can say we will not test.  Yea, I am one of those.

Why do we look both ways before crossing a street? If you’re going to get hit, it doesn’t matter. 
 

You don’t say if you are vaxxed and boosted. 400 are still dying every day and thousands hospitalized — virtually all unvaccinated. If you are not, then good luck when you do get it.