BosoxI

High Airfare, less perks can occur, plus poor cabin location. GOOD LUCK

Fewer perks as in no perks, but on a recent cruise on X, we got an Aqua guarantee for $1,399 p/p. We were assigned an A1 cabin, the price for that cabin at the time we booked was $3,800 p/p. So, the total for two was $2,800, as opposed to $7,600. That's a savings 0f $4,800, and believe me, without that savings we would never have taken the cruise.

The downside? We had to pay $336 in gratuities (how terrible), making our total $3,136. To be completely honest, we are Elite+ and not heavy drinkers so we didn't need a drink package and we survived using the Elite+ internet minutes. No airline problems for we were already on board from the prior cruise.

We were assigned cabin #1551 which some people complain about because of the window washing equipment., That would not have been a problem for us in any case, but I kept checking and eventually was able to switch to 1562, which is one of the best A1s in my book.

We were very lucky, as the stars aligned in our favor. That is not always the case with guarantees and they are certainly not for everyone. We will gladly tolerate less than perfect situations to board a cruise we would have skipped under normal conditions.

Hi, does it show how many "gty" cabins are still available? If so can you tell me how to see that, thanks

 

 

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It will show how many cabins are free in the category, any one of which could be assigned to a guaranty customer

Booking after final payment may lead to lower prices but only if cabins exist, so waiting can be risky if the cruise is a "must do". As has been noted, prices don't always go down.

Vibration could be the biggest problem.

As you claim "you could care less". you'll fit right in.

While I'm really grateful that these two (poor) decisions have been re-thought and cancelled , I'm afraid I have to agree about the lack of forethought when the decisions were originally made.

 

The 7am out of cabin time was destined for disaster not only because we complained but because, since people couldn't get off the ship any earlier than before, it would only lead to unsafe crowds of people milling about with their luggage. I figured that out right away - why couldn't the person who made that decision?

:confused: *** :( *** :confused:

I wonder how many of Celebrity's land based employees have ever cruised at their 0wn expense. Do they have any idea of what it is like on a ship, especially at disembarkation?

The best way is to pay for it. Twenty six cruises with X and we've never had an upgrade, although we have been given the best available cabin when booking a guarantee. Princess has given us real upgrades-oceanview to balcony and balcony to full suite. Cunard has done the same, but these occured some years ago, so I don't know what would happen today.

We're Elite+ but we'll never make Zenith. Becoming Elite was the big plus, anything more is of modest importance, considering the time and money it takes to reach the higher levels. Twenty six cruises with X and we are actively investigating other lines again. Honestly, after having taken sixty five + cruises, the bloom is off the rose. And you know what? If we never take another cruise on X, they won't miss us one bit.

That's outrageous! No one should have to tolerate such treatment. I wouldn't stand for it, if it happened to me!!! :D:D:D Unfortunately, it has never happened to me. Darn

Excellent review. We have taken only one MSC cruise and I can agree with much of what you say. The key to MSC is to book only the Yacht Club which we found to be simply wonderful in almost every way. Strangely, we did not care for the food. But we surely would return to MSC for the right itinerary, the right price, and the Yacht Club.

You would be better off buying from a reputable jeweller where you live. Anything recommended by the cruise line gives them a kickback and inflated prices.

I could tell you so many stories of shopping for jewelry in the Carib. My wife has gotten some reasonably good pieces, but six years ago she wanted to upgrade her engagement ring and that meant 5 carats and it had to be GIA certified. We looked high and low in the Caribbean and found nothing. We knew we didn't want DI because of a terrible experience there years before. (I let my ego govern the purchase. My fault. Huge mistake). We couldn't find anything, so we returned to SW Florida where I found a jeweler with excellent pricing and a GIA certificate. Plus, he mailed the ring to our home, saving us another $4K in taxes A very happy ending to the story, proving what Casper has noted.

On a recent trip to St. Martin, my wife found an excellent price for a ring in Dazzling Gems on Front Street. I must confess, however, that I have become a fan of Gem Shopping Network on our cable. I like the fact that I can and have returned items easily in the mail, something that might pose a problem with a Caribbean shop. Live shows are available on the internet. Take a look.

 

 

I also find it fascinating that people seem to be uncomfortable with people "dressing down" when they're dressed up, but there isn't a similar issue with people who dress up in a situation that's more casual. What's the underlying motivation for this attitude? It can't just be about wanting everyone to be similar/participate, because then there would be dress code threads about how "those people in their gowns and suits need to stay out of the buffet".

I believe that the old rule of thumb is that it is better to be underdressed than overdressed. So, on a semi-formal night, it would be better for a man to wear a suit than white tie formal. Of course, most men don't know this or care about it. Times change and not always for the better.

The obvious but harsh reality is that when a guy has to route his belt under his belly, rather than across it, "chic" is not the term most would use to describe the situation. Couple that with a tee shirt emblazoned with "World's Greatest Grandpa" and socks worn with sandals plus a baseball cap which is never removed, even in the dining room, and I'd say we're ready to rock and roll. :)

Woodford Reserve neat

Why give an extra gratuity for this? He's just preparing menu items.

Uh-oh. Here we go again

Congrats! We booked a Suite Gty and got what we expected a S2. Maybe next time;)

Don't book a guaranty based on the apparent lack of cabins in the category you paid for and the surfeit of cabins in the higher categories. We regularly book guarantees and have done very well with them but somehow Celebrity always came up with a cabin in our category, even when none was showing when we booked. If the OP got an RS, he is luckier than we.

We have taken 26 cruises on Celebrity, and although we do cruise on other lines, I suspect Celebrity counts us in the "Hooked" column.

Wow. It's not the food that adds the pounds.

I want to thank those of you who list the things that have changed for the worse on Celebrity. I usually don't notice them unless they are truly obvious. I know in the past a list of such items has been published; I hope someone in the know has the time to provide a new one. Apparently, I need help in being agitated. One thing I did notice on a recent 12 day trip in Aqua was that our cabin was frequently not made up until late afternoon. That is upsetting.

For those who ask is Princess becoming the new Celebrity, I would argue that would be a downward move in certain areas, particularly dining. Princess' food has always been better and I always enjoyed their main dining rooms with low ceilings, head waiters, and a general feeling of intimacy found in land based restaurants. My wife no longer can tolerate eating in the barn Celebrity provides, and that means paying for Aqua or even Luminae. Ugh.

...

On twentytwo days of cruising on the Eclipse just last month we went through five Chic nights. I noticed very few men in tuxes and many of them weren't really fully "tuxed", as they were not wearing dress shoes, cummerbunds and studs. Celebrity has killed the tradition, and though I'm a bit sad to see it go, I sure am glad I don't have to pack the paraphenalia any more. I can sit at home and look at our dress up pictures from past cruises. :) Lord knows we have plenty of them.

Nuts. Definitely my favorite specialty restaurant on any ship I have ever been on. I haven't eaten in Tuscan in at least two years, probably more, and Qsine is OK for a change every 5 cruises or so. Muranos is nice but not in the same league as OL. Maybe there really is something to the decline of the Celebrity product other than no water in Aqua cabins.

The one thing that annoys me about the soup is that it's hit or miss whether you get any onions at all. I have had bowls with almost no soup...all onion, but recently, I get only a very few pieces of onion in the bowl.

 

Very little onion and even less taste, but on the Eclipse at least it wasn't salty. The onions must be caramelized multiple times and the broth has to be rich. I doubt this is done on cruise ships, but I am happy some are pleased with it.

This is a no brainer for us. Time to look elsewhere. Boarded Eclipse 11/27 and did b2b2b thru 1/2/17. Since 2010 the first yr. for the Eclipse and Celebrity for us, we have sailed atleast four wks a yr. and have come away wishing not to leave. This yr. I was ready to leave after the second wk. still had three to go! Like others, the list is too long to make, and explain how this is now a ship in crisis.

We did the last two of your three cruises. and we, too, were ready to come home but only because we had already spent too much time in the Caribbean over the years. We've been on the Eclipse for at least two cruises in December for the last six years. In 2017 we'll do just the pre Christmas cruise for which we got a relatively low price with four perks plus extra OBC from Celebrity. The Christmas cruise is ridiculously high priced and we won't pay that much for a Celebrity cruise. The product does not warrant it. But many people will foot the bill, apparently. We did the 2016 Christmas cruise only because blind luck got us a steal for an Aqua guarantee cabin. I don't expect lightning to strike twice.

I hope it's not the same tasteless mush they serve in the MDR. Campbell's is better.:)

We used it three times on two Eclipse cruises in the Caribbean just last month. I didn't take a count on the number of items, but we got everything returned on the afternoon of the next day. Service was excellent and nothing shrank.

I had a stain on a light colored linen jacket I had asked to be cleaned. I received a call saying the stain had not been removed with normal cleaning, would I care to have them try more aggressive procedures? I hesitated because I preferred a slight stain to a possible white patch or worse, but then I figured "what the heck" and had them try again. The jacket was returned with no hint of a stain, but the cuffs had not been properly ironed. Back it went and this time it was perfect. I am really impressed with the laundry and cleaning service on the Eclipse, at least. I always hesitate to send better quality clothing to a ship's facility, but the people on the Eclipse are as good as any cleaner in my town. Thanks, folks

How do you (and why would you???) purchase trip insurance AFTER SAILING?

Maybe because it's cheaper if the insurance company knows you didn't need it