Cirdan

In the past we had to sign, also in case of a drink package, but recently it seem no more the case.

Sometime using the RC numbers is also a good way.

And on contract you may have an other land line number. I'm cosmopolitan on where I book with Celebrity (but never used phone for captain Club stuffs), but so, I tend to use the free number also if I should use the number in the contract. In any case all lines go to the same telephone exchange.

I think we already noticed that CelebrityCruise is not so good on shore stuffs: website, phone, brochure. Did you noticed that the description map of cabins, on UK brochure are mixed? Or nonsenses on Italian brochure? Or getting captain club newletter with promotions already expired?

11 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

They are as it is a contact number for customers to contact the company. 

 

Only sales lines are exempt. 

 

Celebrity has the same for calling about your cruise. 

 

At 55p per minute plus from a mobile phone it is wrong. Might be slightly cheaper from a land line, but still way above what the law allows. 

On the website I find:

52 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

UK & EU law states that you must offer an 01x 02x 03x or 0800 number to any customer who wishes to contact the firm. 

 

Sales numbers can be at a premium rate if required. 

 

If a premium rate number is advertised to customers then a complaint number must be shown alongside it. 

 

That law came in around 3 years ago. 

But CaptainClub contacts are not the customer service.

6 hours ago, DebInAntigua said:

What is the Beverage Hospitality Desk where we supposedly go to pick our wines by the bottle.? Never heard of that.

I assume it is the desk used to sell drink packages one see on first few days of a cruise. Probably the reminder will tell us exactly where and when the desk is located/open.

If you stay just one day and you are not an Israeli national, you get a pink card when you exit the ship and you should give it back, as "1 day visa" replacement. The ship will pay the visa fees.  If you are staying more than 24 hours in Oman, all things could be more complex, possibly you need a visa.

If you are Israeli national: ask! In Middle East the rules are special for them.

Note: there is a special section of this board about port of call, one for such part of the world. There you will find better information.

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Easy for you to say but it is a wee bit unsettling for those of us going there in the near future.  

I think that in few days all will settle down (considering the reason of the riots). But it you are worried, consider the wine valleys (from Santiago to Sant'Antonio), and try to get transportation to port city early: an other thing Chileans seem to hate are the toll booths on highways (and as I have read, sometime Chilean block them, if they find service is unsatisfactory).

It should not be a big problem for cruisers. it is just riots against government (about prices), so very local stuff, not much political (e.g. against communist or liberalism, which tend to target also citizen of the "enemy" countries).

On the other hand, you cannot use the metro, which is very handy to go from one place to an other in Santiago, and possibly there are restriction to be near the presidential palace, but this are also not so seldom.

From what I get, Hong Kong and Barcelona (and Ecuador) has much worse situation [mostly because the larger crowd].

I would feel save: the tourists seems not to be the target. Just avoid riots and were there are too much people. The victims seems to be "incidents": never directly attacked, just on wrong place (on a building in fire).

Chilean have good hospitality, just avoid to speak about Pinochet if you are not well informed on arguments both side (else you can get good discussions, just don't be the dumb person which argue facts without knowing them, just because you read one paragraph on history books).

Maybe avoid Santiago, and go to nearby wine regions.

It is an Offer You Can't Refuse!

8 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

I don't think I've ever put something on a survey form that I've not already relayed to the individual concerned, so I have no problem with them seeing my comments.

 

The problem is with the perception that good enough = 10

 

 

I think they should get our comments, but they should not know who did the comment. As original OP, it will be weird on B2B cruises.

11 hours ago, Terre said:

I believe there is also a dentist on board as well.  A friend of ours had to see the dentist on a cruise.

For sure, there are also more dentists (and doctors)... as passengers.

The comments are given to the crew, and it seems that they like to receive positive comments: it gives them motivation.

But I'm really unhappy that the comments and notes are not anonymous.

About the scores: CD repeats often that we should adopt "American" style: 10 = I'm happy with service, and not the "European": 10 = perfect (no margin to improve) [which is nearly impossible, we can all do better].

So it seems that the survey (and celebrity) is just looking to find the "good enough" (with lesser effort), not really to search for the perfection.

On past we were able to buy postcard and stamps (look on Wikipedia, if the two terms are not familiar to you 😉 ) from the flag country, and send them from the ship. Unfortunately on recent cruises, this was not more possible.

About the country: this is complex. You are on the ship, and different country rules could apply (and that changes also during navigation). If you are in port, the territory is from the port country (also if it is outside custom and immigration, like the "international part" of an airport, but many laws of flag country are valid (and not on the territory rules). Additionally, some rules do not apply. Work hours are usually not the same as in flag country (e.g. not Malta [so European] rules).

Remember: a country has not a single border, but many: one physical, one for immigration, one for customs, etc. On sea you have the area you can have control, and the area you have exclusive control for economic resources (but you cannot forbid other country ship to enter).

Note: The last UK brochure include a page with a similar list (but only for alcoholics).

14 hours ago, mom says said:

Thanks for the fact checking Fouremco. I'm more interested in X's comparative movement from year to year than a single poll

On the Berlitz cruising & cruise ship (Douglas Ward), I have noticed that M-classes are losing many points every year. Partly it is also normal: ships are becoming old, so with "old" standards, but in my opinion too much compared other lines, and this on all categories.

[Interesting, the 2020 edition has publication date 29 october 2019, but I altrady got my copy on book shop.]

On the other hand, we are in CruiseCritic (on on cruises, or both), so we know better about quality 😉

If it is your first cruise (in general or on CelebrityCruises), there is an advantage: you know which document you need (and hopefully you will bring in the hand luggage).  It gives you also some time to thinks about which is the best credit card to use (fee, points, but also one, or split accounts).

I do it, the preparation of the cruise is worth half cruise. (books, atlas, and internet are better then such bureaucratic procedure, but still ... one small step less).

I was in Arabic sea and India last year (with Connie) and I loved it, and the ship was full, so reading about Summit, I hope there will be no troubles.

But, reading the comments, maybe it is better not to do the last cruise before dry dock: the Suez Canal: there is also not many docking ports on such cruise, for "emergency" resupplies.

28 minutes ago, kearney said:

As an old marketing person.... I sometimes imagine what is going on within a company's marketing department. In the case of Celebrity... I imagine a guy named Fred who came up with the initial idea of a beverage package. Wow what a great idea Fred! Great way to make extra money, here is your promotion. Fred moves on a legend in the marketing department. Mary replaces Fred and is told about the legend of Fred and asked, how are you going to top that! Well Mary, not to be outdone comes up with the idea... 'lets have a premium beverage package! This will not only cover cost of higher cost items... but will make even more $'. Hurray Mary... a promotion for you. Well the pattern continues, Susan gets promotion for specialty dining packages etc. Poor John comes on board... hears the stories of those who went before him... but what can he do... dessert package... naw.. that will never go over.... well how about a separate charge for beverage gratuities... Yeh thats the ticket. Will he get legend status? Only time will tell.

Glad I am out of the corporate rate race.... 🙂 

So they behave not like IT people: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. Changes are bad for users and for companies.

32 minutes ago, Buckeye94 said:

My Express Pass says CLNA?  I bought the Premium Plus package and sail in 11 days.  Any ideas?  

 

Celebrity Lost Needs Addressing

CLassic Non-Alcohol - Ack! 

Cocktails and Libations Never-ending Access

 

Julie

 

Chair Lounges Never Available

I was recently on Connie, and I had not problem with her. You will see maintenance here and there.

But I'm more worried about lack of maintenance on last few cruises because they will remove/replace stuffs.

As the title say, I was thinking to book short term an Asia-India-Arabic sea cruise, or a Suez canal cruise. It seems that just after that, Constellation will go to dry dock for the "Revolution" retrofit.

Constellation is also old, so I do not want to see half broken ship (lack of maintenance), or to have some public parts being closed and taken apart.

What do you think? It will be a standard Celebrity cruise or I should expect annoying stuffs? How it was cruising just before drydock on Millennium and Summit?

This is somewhat weird, but I'm fascinated by the logistic of ports.  Do you know some ports which allow you to visit operations (and having some explanations): pilot, tugboat, but also all cargo operation (container/ bulk). It seems very complex, but also very organized.

I hate this thread 😈. We already use in this forum CC for CelebrityCruises, for Captain Club, for CruiseCritic, and now we are using in the same forum also for CreditCard.

In any case, it is nearly better to have own cruise company to do currency conversion (which I would not write it as CC), or just nearly the same (so better to stay on the rule). There are few cases, mainly for banks on marginalized economies, or when the local currency in a marginalized currency, where further research is needed.

But you should call your credit card to get better insight (and to know how are the real fees).

Yeah, also this winter Constellation will do just Dubai. Dubai to Abu Dhabi is in any case near, for a shore excursion. Dubai is also more convenient for flight (I flew to Dubai and went with taxi to Abu Dhabi for embarkation, last winter)

I think there were not much demand, so also cheaper cruises.

14 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I don't know if it should be a blanket never. I know someone who did put their home address on their luggage which got lost and three months later when it was found it was sent back to their home. It turned out to be pretty handy and they didn't have a business address to use. 

 

A lot of airports are run on the bare minimum so I do wonder if luggage handlers would have time to be reading and recording all the addresses to find the best one to rob, especially with the added hassle of luggage coming from all over the country and at international airports all over the world. Does anyone know of cases where airport workers robbed or organised the robbery of a property? 

But tags get damaged, so do not rely on them.  I put full address and mobile phone inside the luggage, in a visible place (and often hotel address on departure trip).

On the tag I usually have only the name (first name), if the tag do not fold (so cover the address).

I do not think thief could take advantage of the address: to go home it will take a lot of time (but if you live very near to airport), and nobody know if there are other people in the house, alarms, etc.  Stealing luggage is in my opinion more rewarding, so I would check not to have super-expensive luggage or something that make people thinking there is much value inside (which it is not my case)