terrydtx

This was our experience on the Apex in September. We had a noon flight to Santorini, we got off the ship at 8am and took our hired transportation to the airport. The lines at the airport were long and check in took over an hour. We were at our gate by 11:00 but it can be longer for international flights.

Like my suits and sportscoats, my dress shoes went bye bye when I retired. I wear comfortable casual men's shoes with lot of cushioning on any night on a cruise.

Then why do you read posts in this forum?

Earlier this month we cruised on the Koningsdam and loved Billboard Onboard and went every night. They do 45 minute sets and then take a 45 minute break which is the best time to find seating. Also many couples will sit at a table that accommodates 4 or more and we just ask if we can join them at their table which worked every time.

After multiple disappointments with Celebrity specialty restaurants, the only one we would book now is Eden. On the Apex in September, we had a terrible experience with the Roof Top Grill and it was so bad we refused the offered comped meal another night by the manager. Our view is we pay a hefty premium to cruise in a suite and we should stay with Luminae for our meals. We have 22 nights on the Edge Retreat in January and do not have any specialty restaurants booked.

We saw the same on the Apex in September from Amsterdam. After the first day they ran out of Cherry Pie Pino Noir and by the end of the cruise most of the better PDP wines were gone and no substitutions were offered. I asked why the wines were not loaded in Amsterdam and was told that supplies from the US did not arrive in time to load. Makes no sense why Celebrity doesn't source more wines locally.

That looks like the exact same menu we had on Apex in September, I was hoping for a change in Luminae menus for the Edge when we board in January. I tried the grilled beef sirloin, and it was so tough and inedible. I should have tried the cod and will if this is our menu in January.

After we were dropped off by the Uber everyone had to go through the same security screening check point for carry on luggage. After security we were directed to the priority check in line.

Prices to Australia have been crazy all over the place for BC, I saw Qantas Rt from DFW to SYD one time over $20K pp. Now most are between $10 - $12K pp.

We used Uber to get us from our hotel to the cruise terminal on Nov 4th, he was allowed in the gate and dropped us and our luggage off at the point where the luggage was collected. When we returned the Uber was allowed inside the gate just like taxis. We had Club Orange and we were directed to the same line with Neptune suites and 4 and 5 star Mariners. All others had to go into the general boarding lines.

Happy Birthday Jim, great way to celebrate on a cruise ship. We did our last 2 Anniversaries on a Celebrity cruise, so far no birthdays. Have you been able to confirm that the full-service bar in the Retreat lounge did not happen in dry docking last month? It a shame that it didn't get done as we were told by the Retreat manager on the Apex in September. We got a great Black Friday present from American Airlines when they sent me an offer to upgrade our LAX flight to Sydney in January to Business Class for only $1200pp. Previously their best offer was $2800pp. After reading your posts we are even more excited about our Jan 13th B2B cruise on the Edge.

Mexican food in Singapore, just doesn't seem right. I remember in the late 1990's while on a business trip to Beijing our Sheraton Hotel had a Mexican food night and the food was just nothing close to real Mexican food.

We only use a TA and never had any problems booking FBC air ourselves on the Celebrity website. We used FBC for our PE flights to Australia in January and saved over $2000pp vs booking direct with American Airlines. Today I was able to upgrade the LAX to Syd leg from PE to Business Class for $1200pp. The Upgrade was handled on the AA website and part of a Black Friday deal.

Jim, i have to agree it is a very touching story and I am so happy for you and Iain. Hope someday to meet you both only missing you in Australia by a couple of weeks.

OMG that menu is unbelievable, I hope it all tastes as good as it sounds.

Jim Beam is Kentucky swill too. BTW on our HAL cruise a week ago Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve and Bullitt were all on their standard beverage package, $11 and less per cost. Buffalo Trace on the rocks was $8.

Jim, I have heard many good things about Singapore Airlines. Their BC is one of the top rated in the world. Will be interested to read your experience.

Following, I always follow your cruises, and this is special as we will be getting on the Edge on January 13th for an Aus/NZ B2B.

If you have already paid FE for the flights, call FE and tell them to issue immediate payment to the airline, they will do that within 24 hours. Otherwise, they will wait until 30 days out. I always pay the flights prior to final payment and have FE immediately pay the airline and issue the tickets. FE will still allow changes and flight cancelations up to final payment without penalty. AA will not confirm seats until the flights are ticketed, several other airlines like British and Quantas do the same. When they are ticketed the AA site will show the date ticketed like this:

I guess I have been doing that spelling in many of my posts, I will try to remember it is Koningsdam going forward.

The Pianists do 45 minute sets and then the Rock and Roll Venue next to Billboard will do a 45 minute set while they are off.

We were on the Nov 4th Koingsdam cruise and washed our hands and used the hand sanitizers when we passed them. We still came down with old fashioned head colds the day before we departed. We tested when we got home, and we were both Covid Negative. It took us 5 days post cruise, to get over the colds and these colds were a lot worse than the cases of confirmed covid we got last year on the Oosterdam. It's not just Covid that you can get on a cruise ship. But it was the 5 days of isolation on the Oosterdam last year for covid, that paid for this last cruise with the FCC we got in January.

They still have 2 players and they play off of each other but they do music that the HAL demographics like us enjoy. No fighting and the 2 on the Koingsdam acted more like friends that adversaries.

We enjoyed Billboard on the Koingsdam this month and spent every evening there, Like it so much better than any of the theater shows. Billboard also has a great bar, and we did go there in afternoons for a quiet drink. BTW Billboard was packed every night but people gladly shared tables.

Here is a picture of the delicious Prime Rib with wild mushrooms we had on the HAL Koingsdam a week ago.