sunlover33

43 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Anything extra, especially if given to a bar tender before service, is bribery

I completely agree, tips given before any service in the expectation of better service is bribery. But to me it just illuminates there is still  a massive cultural divide between different countries on this issue. And round we go again. 

Has anyone had any problems boarding in Rome  using a certificate of recovery instead of a negative antigen test? We both have certificates of recovery and we’re planning on getting antigen tests 2 days pre cruise, but if there is no problem boarding with COR then we won’t waste our time and money. 

You also need to consider if you want a large chain hotel or an independent. Quite a few hotels in Rome especially closer to the centre  are boutique style, loads of character but have quite small rooms  compared to hotels in the US. I would recommend you check the website so you know what to expect. 

14 hours ago, Purplsmurf said:

Would be great. Unfortunately, they aren’t offering “z”. They used to, but didn’t on our cruise last month and people were getting pissed!

Or not as the case may be!

9 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

We always give a few dollars to the person who brings our breakfast- except if in a suite, we tip the butler at the end of the cruise.

We are in a suite next cruise. Would it be incorrect to tip the butler each time he brings breakfast, coffee or afternoon snacks. Do most people just tip him/ her at the end of the cruise?

On 6/13/2022 at 2:49 PM, upwarduk said:

I am from UK and hopefully will be checking in for our cruise tomorrow.

I preparation, I have today sent for my COVID vaccine record via email and was sent an email which contained our names and a QR code ( downloading the PDF didn’t generate records with either the QR code or our names ).

In all there are 4 records for each of us, as we have both had both boosters.

Can anyone tell me how many of these I need to upload to prove we are ‘Up to Date.’

If you upload your original 2 vaccine dose information either by the nhs pdf forms or a photo of your vaccination cards and the same for one of your booster doses you will be fine. The app now asks for booster information, but as booster dates don’t expire it shouldn’t matter which you use. Saying that we uploaded all ours two weeks ago and it’s still showing pending. It’s not been rejected ( yet! ) but the systems very slow. If it won’t upload I will just submit my docs on embarkation. 

28 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

Sure there might be other things that can be done to protect people on-board but why stop something that is finding a lot of people?   Isn't it a good thing to keep infected people off the ship?

Where is your evidence that pre cruise testing is finding “a lot of people”? If you consider  the majority of people will test 48 hours pre cruise and then for the next 48 hours mix with thousands of strangers at airports  and on the airplane and then get in the ship confidant they are safe as they tested negative 48 hours pre cruise. How many of these passengers   are already incubating and then go on to develop covid? They may or may not be symptomatic, but either way they have spread the infection before they could be re tested if they even report any symptoms. Pre cruise testing in isolation is ineffective unless you follow up with mass testing 2-3 days in to the cruise. The cruise companies will not release this information, so no one knows how effective or not  it may be, but it will lull people into a false sense of security. Either make testing effective or scrap it altogether. 

4 hours ago, Mark_T said:

It is the assumption that you will find 'most' of the infected people that seems ill-founded, when it is likely that most of those infected will have become so during their travel to the ship and so will not be picked up with that test.

 

It just feels like if the test is worth doing 2 days before boarding because of the people it would detect, then it is worth doing it again 2 days after boarding perhaps?

 

So why do one but not the other, if the aim is to detect those who are positive?

 

It looks like Viking have taken the next step and stopped pre-cruise testing for non-US departures, and will deal with those presenting with symptoms or positive tests as they occur during the cruise.

 

It will be interesting to see if other lines follow...

 

 

Absolutely agree, you just saved me from replying to I pee. I would be an interesting comparison to see how many people are positive in the pre cruise test opposed to mid or end of cruise test. 

1 hour ago, Mark_K said:

You can be contagious before enough time has elapsed for a test to show a positive result.

Which makes utter nonsense out of pre cruise testing. 

13 hours ago, rachiem said:

The testing isn't a problem but you have to isolate between 24 to 48 hours before you have a result (either way) just because you were sat next to someone in the restaurant as they can't distance the tables at 100% capacity.

Why so long for isolation when a lateral flow test (rapid antigen)  literally takes 15 -30 minutes to get a result and is accepted to board?, Are they doing PCR tests, in which case it will catch many people out if they have had covid within the last 90+ days as they can still test positive. Glad we obtained Certificate of recovery as we would be caught out with this if we were tested onboard next month. 

Just seen this on a cruise critic e mail regarding mask wearing from Norwegian cruise lines. 

The cruise line also highlights that, while docked in Greek or Italian ports, local authorities require all guests to wear masks indoors onboard the ship.

I haven’t seen this mentioned on any cruise reports from Celebrity or any other cruise lines. Is this a new requirement and enforced ? Anybody currently cruising any of these ports can enlighten us ?  

I would be interested in anyone experience of using them in European ports recently. 

On 6/10/2022 at 10:06 AM, Tony UK said:

Many will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms that they put down to other things, like hayfever!

Because the protocols cannot protect people fully, especially when passengers and crew are going ashore independently there is likelihood of Covid infection and spread especially with Omicron. 

Especially with the new variant omicron BA.5 which is now on the increase and  apparently is even more infectious,  even if you have had omicron BA.1 and 2. Although still not thought to be a concern re severity and hospitalisation. My husband and I have recently had this variant and genuinely thought we had hay fever initially, so I can see why people don’t report or report when it’s too late and have already infected others. 

10 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

There is no such thing as Emerald with Blue Chip. You have to tab your card on the machine whenever you play in order to track your activity. Same for table games. Although the tracking at the tables and the conversation to points is sketchy at times, the machines track entirely accurate.

I do realise that, I was just being facetious! Seriously though we both play the tables, never the machines most nights when onboard so I would have expected to be higher than pearl. 

Just viewed this post as our x press passes say elite pearl.  We should be at least emerald! With the amount of money we have put through the casino over various cruises, the problem is we always use cash so they have no idea who we are. Is this a new thing? 

I read somewhere they do testing in Rome FCO for in-coming as well as outgoing flight’s but no idea what the times are. Maybe worth checking the airport website. 

Wonderful video, 5 weeks till we go on Reflection again, love this ship. 

7 hours ago, mskitty22 said:

Thank you all for your answers.  We have cancelled the bus and hired a car. We truly appreciate you sharing your expertise.  Now the only thing we have to worry about is navigating the airport.😃

the drivers know which terminal each airline departs from, you just need to find your check in desk. It’s a busy airport but well signposted. 

18 minutes ago, minster123 said:

Yes I intend to do that as well but thought I needed to do it on the app now

We did it yesterday,  uploaded photos of vaccination cards for my vaccinations and booster and for DH photo of vaccination cards but nhs travel doc for booster as he didn’t have a card for his booster. Just waiting for validation. 

We are also looking at this with interest. We both had covid middle of May and cruising from Civitavecchia middle of July. We paid for PCR tests so we can obtain  a COR. The way I read the information from Celebrity suggests a certificate of recovery is acceptable to board so long as you can provide vaccination status. We are fully vaccinated and  boosted.  I have also been advised by a Celebrity representative that we need to take an antigen test pre boarding. That doesn’t correlate with what is written. I’m wondering if anyone in here has successfully boarded in Europe with just a COR? 

I would recommend Rome Cabs for airport transfer, they have the advantage of knowing this route inside out and backwards ( as have many other cab companies) the benefit being they will also know of any short cuts if there is a delay. Large modern cars ( usually Mercedes) and professional drivers. Cost about €130 to airport. We have walked off from Civitavecchia many times and they have always been waiting to pick us up for airport transfers. 

48 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

If your coughing, the right thing to do is wear a mask. I didn't, but I wasn't coughing. I hate wearing masks, but will if needed.

I suppose it depends on the reason for coughing. My DH coughs with asthma, nothing to do with covid or being infectious. I was just wondering about the percentage of passengers wearing masks as we are on Reflection in a few weeks. 

56 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

heard a few coughing also, and not wearing masks.

Are you suggesting they should be wearing masks because they were coughing or masks per se? 

July - Reflection 

I have been reading about the shortages of some wines from the wine list recently. I love a good full bodied red with dinner. Any recommendations from recent cruisers of any decent full bodied reds currently available on premium package, or to buy by the bottle? We are in a suite so will be dining in Luminae if that makes any difference to the selection available.