mk960072

I wanted to do the glass blowing but $200 for a fish, come on I can buy that in a store for a lot less.  Yes I know I would have made it but I guess the appeal isnt there for me.

9 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Are you suggesting they raised prices before they offered a 60% off discount?  😲

I think they did.  

On 6/8/2022 at 5:15 AM, Londoncruising1971 said:

I've not been on Edge, but I understand that Luminae on Beyond is bigger due to the increased amount of suites

i had read that too, that Luminae is bigger as they added more suites. 

On 6/30/2022 at 5:15 PM, HskrCrsr said:

It looks like Celebrity recently, and quietly, increased the discounts for drink packages and upgrades for various Captain's Club levels.

Old info:

 

New info:

 

The columns on the right are Classic, Select and Elite. Elite Plus also got a small increase.

 

There might have been other changes but this is what caught my attention. Peanuts perhaps but not quite nothing. It might not offset the recent price increase but dulls the pain, just like the packages themselves.

I called X today to buy the classic package pre cruise and when buying online X offered a 9% savings and was hoping to get the 10% for being a classic member in addition to the online savings being offered for this cruise, but the customer service rep didnt see the 9% savings when he looked.  Will call X again tomorrow to see if they can honor the Classic tier benefit on top of the 9%.  Crossing my fingers. 

On 6/25/2022 at 10:25 PM, jelayne said:

A drink with well brand liquor is likely in the $8-9 range.  Specialty coffees $5-6 without liquor.  Other than Beringer White Zinfandel no wine under $ 9 that I have seen.  Add a additional 20% gratuity to beverage prices.  
 

if you booked a cruise only fare you may want to do the math and add the daily gratuity and a estimate of what you think you would spend on drinks and see how that compares to the Always Included fare.  Sometimes the difference is less than it would cost to pay as you go for drinks.

on our sailing on Equinox in August there is a 9% discount on the drink package if buying pre cruise.  So this may be something to look at also.

On 6/25/2022 at 10:14 PM, dreamer321 said:

The app lists the price for fancy craft cocktails but if you want to know the price of a plain old gin and tonic (using the well brand gin) you are out of luck.  My best guest would be $8 or $9 per cocktail.

i was looking for the price of a jack daniels and had to look at every bar and restaurant menu using the app to finally find it.  Perhaps look a little more, hope you find it.

1 hour ago, Shawnkat said:

I used rapidtestandtrace for a trip a few months ago.  Was able to use some free test kits I had at home once confirmed they were government certified.  Very easy process and had the results within an hour.

did you use those tests to board a cruise or fly?

6 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

I agree on the MDR, we were on the Equinox for the 6.12.22 sailing and every meal in the MDR was excellent as was all our breakfasts and lunches in the Oceanview buffet.

if staying in a suite why eat in the MDR?  You pay to have access to Luminae and they have their own dedicated kitchen for that restaurant, menu items you cannot get elsewhere outside of Luminae and a higher quality of food is served in Luminae.  So why pay all that money to eat in MDR?

11 hours ago, 39august said:

I think you should try your suite assigned dining room, Luminae, before deciding on speicialty dining. Or at least limit your pre-cruise bookings to just a couple of nights in specialty. Luminae is very good. 

we sailed the Edge in july 2021 in a suite and loved Luminae.  We did eat at the steakhouse speciality restaurant and it was okay.  We also dined at Raw on Five and really like it.  The rest of the time we ate in Luminae as it was soooo good.

I would not bother with a suite upgrade on any of the ships outside the edge class.  You dont get the full experience since the older ships dont have pools or hot tubs in the Retreat.  Then again, if you are not going to utilize the pool in the Retreat if they had one, then a suite upgrade may be good for you.  I dont know if Sky suites outside Edge class offer a set up where the bed faces the balcony, but on Edge class ships you do have the option and it is soooo nice!!!   

Plus if you do choose to move up always check to see what the cost would be with your agent and check the minimum cost to bid on move up.  For example, move up wants $200 per person on Equinox for Aqua but I can book with my agent for $50 per person price difference.  Happy Anniversary!

We have cruised Oceania on Riviera and Sirena. We have cruise Celebrity on Edge in a suite and on Minimum in Aqua.  If sailing Celebrity in a suite it is comparable cost wise to Oceania in Balcony rooms.  Decor on Oceania is more stylish and upscale vs Celebrity.  Not that Celebrity is not stylish but Oceania is more upscale in that regard.  

Nightlife and shows on Oceania is not as lively.  People go to dinner, have drinks, may gamble and go to bed for the most part.  You will find a more well traveled cruiser on Oceania but people are nice and will talk.  We found passengers on Oceania to be a little older, no children in the household or empty nesters, and of course like any cruise line, certain itineraries and certain times of the year will attract younger crowds vs older.  

We found the food to be better on Oceania, not by a lot but better.  Someone mentioned all amenities are available to everyone.  If you are in a suite you get free access on Riviera to the spa deck which has outdoor loungers and a hot tub with a thermal pool.  Also, based on the category of room you are in determines how many times you get to dine in speciality restaurants and how far in advance you can book reservations in the speciality restaurants.  

Ports are more intimate and based on the experience since they can usually get to smaller ports than the bigger ships.  

Service has always been remarkable on Oceania.  We always buy the cruise without O life so it has no OBC, no drinks, and no excursions.  We like booking this way to provide flexibility. 

If you book Oceania with airfare they book your airfare with little choice in terms of times, departure city, and if you wish to fly in early or stay afterwards to visit areas, they dont allow for that I have heard.  My parents booked with O Life once and then went back and said they wanted to book their own airfare, Oceania credited them the amount and they bought airfare cheaper.   

I dont think you will be disappointed with any Oceania ship, but the larger Riviera and the other one are probably best to start on.  

We like Celebrity as a cheaper alternative to Oceania and have been with happy with the line thus far.  We are on Equinox in August and Beyond in November.  Good luck!!

On 6/25/2022 at 2:28 PM, Gracie115 said:

 

Isn't it true that only the "O" class, Marina and Riviera, on Oceania carry 1250 passengers?  Most of the others are half that size, which I believe would present a MUCH different experience.

that is true, but we didnt find the capacity changed the experience that much.  If you are in a concierge room you will find the smaller ships do not have a lounge to go to which I did miss.

12 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

Should apply to all cabins, not just suites.

I agree with you completely

13 hours ago, cruising sister said:

This is an older ship so anyone sailing on her needs to know that or don’t come on board. I find the common areas are in much better shape than the cabins. They have had some sprucing up. I knew my cabin would be different as it connects to the Penthouse suite and had different decor. It definitely needs work but luckily it is nothing that had impacted my trip to much. I am using FCC that was going to lose so don’t feel awful about the problems but still no excuse for what others are experiencing. 
 

if you want the suite life it is limited. We are enjoying the smaller restaurant and the pampering but the ship does not have dedicated space other than Michael’s Club and Luminae so be warned. This is my first suite experience in Celebrity I will be on the Equinox in September in a suite so I can compare. 
 

 

If you ever have the chance to experience suite life on Edge, Apex, or Beyond do it!  That is where you see the BIG difference in pampering, day to day service, decor, offerings, etc.  I hate that Celebrity has not found a way to provide in the Retreat areas a small pool or hot tubs for the other ships.  

10 minutes ago, Sam.Seattle said:

Answered your question?  Good or Bad?

 

Not yet, but watching closely.

Bad I am afraid.  The bathroom looks dreadful and needs an update.  They should have at least updated the suites in 2021.  For what one pays for a suite, Celebrity needs to do right by the paying customer and ensure the room is stylish, current and meets the same decor as other suites on other Celebrity ships.  

2 hours ago, IDL said:

I am on the cruise in Aqua class on deck 9.  My expectation was after 2.5 years I dry dock that the cabins would be made ready for passenger occupation this cruise but sadly not the case.  As mentioned the a/c is not cooling adequately, our veranda door was off the track, the garbage bin in the bathroom (strangely the only one in the cabin) is broken, the cabin steward informed us he does not empty the mini bar (day two and still waiting).   Registered complaints with cabin steward and called guest relations to no avail.  Ended up going to guest relations last night at 11 PM to get cabin issues address and they sent repair men (oh and by the way we were out of the cabin from 5 PM- 10:30 PM last night and the room steward had not even made the cabin up- bed not made, morning towels still on the floor, etc.).  We have cruised on Celebrity many times but not since the pandemic.  It will be an one and done on the Infinity for me- ship is ready to be retired.   Booked on Oceana next summer on the Vista out of London which I will start looking fwd to as the Infinity experience is lacking for me.  

I Love Oceania and cant blame you for the way you feel thus far on Infinity.  We have sailed Edge and Millennium post pandemic and did not have any issues.  Sad that after all this time with the ship not sailing that she is not in better shape to accept passengers.  Best of luck! 

On 6/25/2022 at 2:15 PM, cruising sister said:

We are on the ship!  We had 11:00 check in.  We stayed at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport North.  It is my first time staying there.  It is convenient but not very clean.  They have a shuttle that is $15 per person if needed.  I don’t think I will be staying there for my solo cruise in September.

 

Now back to the cruise.  Check in for the Retreat was quick and did not look busy for non retreat guests either.  Everyone and I mean everyone was super excited to see us.  They were cheering and clapping. The captain was personally greeting everyone. They really wanted to make it special for her first time back in service and she is the last Celebrity ship to get back to work.

 

I was on the Infinity in 2017 and she has had some work done since then.  The carpet in the common areas looks clean and newer.  The furniture in the lounges looks in good repair.  She may be old but she is looking good.  

 

We are in cabin 6145, it is a sky suite next to the Penthouse suite AFT.  It has some challenges and definitely needs an update.  There is only one electrical outlet for the whole cabin and very limited storage.   I knew this ahead of time and we brought only one carry on each. 

 

We ate lunch in Luminae (my first time)

It was very clean and bright everyone was super attentive.  We walked through the Ocean View cafe and it looked great. The desserts were outstanding.  The crew serves you and I am ok with that.

 

 I received a call from Celebrity as I was boarding the plane yesterday asking about our room preferences. I was panicked and told her no welcome wine, empty fridge, fresh ice and extra pillows.  Our Personal Retreat Host/Butler greeted us but did not seem to be to excited to do the few things I asked such as empty the fridge and keep us with fresh ice and take away the welcome wine.  I have read other threads regarding this so I asked about afternoon snacks and he told us to go Michaels Lounge.  We really don’t want the snacks but I thought I would ask.  I am keeping an open mind on this as my only other suite experience is the Haven on NCL.  Our room steward was very pleasant and I know she will do a good job.  

 

I will try to attach some pictures I took today. They are mainly food oriented as we were hungry. I will catch snaps of other parts as the cruise goes on. 
 

Thank you for the pics.  That answered my questions about sailing Infinity.  Regarding afternoon snacks, you can tell your Retreat Host what snacks you would prefer such as chips, olives, cheese, etc.  I dont usually care for the snacks they bring and after-all the Retreat Host is there to ensure your stay is delightful.    

On 6/8/2022 at 1:00 PM, Pushka said:

I’m confused. We booked a Sky Suite and nowhere did it state we were booking a cruise only rate. We expected Retreat and AI. On the paperwork it states Cruise Only. I’ve emailed celebrity and the reply is that it will take 8 weeks to respond. 
On the website it states suites are not bookable for Cruise Only. Any idea here?

You can book just the suite without the beverage package.  I have heard of people booking a suite with no perks and they go down to the concierge lounge and get free beverages/liquor there and then walk to Luminae with their free concierge lounge beverage and drink while having dinner.  So it sounds like it can be booked with no perks.  I guess you if you booked cruise only you can buy the classic package if that fits your needs, because when you buy AI with a suite you get the premium drink package, may be a way to save a little money, again if what you drink is accommodated with the classic package.

We sailed Celebrity twice and were fortunate to sailed with less than 50% capacity both times.  Sailing with fewer people was nice but I agree with others who stated the cruise line has to get back to 100% to stay in business.  What I wont like is after I paid for a beverage package at 100% of the cost and then the bars dont have liquor.  If the bars are running out of items then Celebrity needs to figure out a solution because people who pay the full cost for the package expect to get the drinks they desire.  

Which then brings up the question of, sail at 100% and with staff and supply shortages run the risk of customers being disappointed that they waited in long lines for food, certain liquors ran out, etc and have bad customer service reviews or sail at 100% and expect a forgiving public?   Not an easy answer for the cruise industry currently.   

22 hours ago, D C said:

Reflective of the wider economy, I suspect.  Tough spot for cruise lines trying to win back customers while dealing with rising expenses. 

That it is, and got a notification today that a cruise i was watching was $1200 pp and today price dropped to $999 on Celebrity.  Some days I feel cruise prices are like the stock market, rising and falling.  Pays to be a smart consumer. 

11 hours ago, abbydancer said:

I’m not sure about that.   I’ve read some live threads where the author would drink over 10 a day.   

having a drink package means you can taste test and not feel bad if you dont like and drip one sip.  Thats what I love about a drink package.  And better yet we booked a NOV cruise on Beyond and got a free upgrade to Elevate package!

On 6/4/2022 at 3:22 AM, mfs2k said:

Sorry to hear. Hope they get their act together. I have a res 5 months from now. 

I hope they get their act together too, as I am dinning in Nov.  

On 6/2/2022 at 5:19 AM, jojo1966 said:

Surely they cant charge that price for a 2 week cruise - never seen those prices before !! this is only for a lowest category verandah as well.....price is almost £4,000 less for the similar cruise on Princess so looks like i might be trying another princess cruise 😊

In the news recently in the US it was said that cruise lines will likely have to lower cruise fares in the second quarter as consumers pull back.  I guess we will wait and see.  

On 6/1/2022 at 4:51 PM, Peggy Tuten said:

We shall see if it ends up being a good deal or not.  The base cost for a concierge cabin on my cruise is up $ 278 pp from yesterday.  I look at every sale as I've paid in full and looking for a Best Price Guarantee refund in the form of onboard credit. 

i didnt find the sale to be just that, a sale.  Prices appear higher than before the sale.  sigh.....

On 6/5/2022 at 10:05 AM, poffles said:

Does anyone have any recent pictures of onboard drink menus (or know of a site that has posted recent menus)?  Just wondering how things are priced now especially seeing the increase in beverage packages and the offering of cruise only rates.  Mostly interested in beer, cocktails and premium type water but it would be good to see current pricing of anything for those without packages.

 

Oh and I've done plenty of searching already but so much of what can be found seems dated and sporadic, or so buried within a posting that it is proving impossible to pull it out.

 

Thanks ....!

I agree with you, finding a current drink price list for each drink vs drink packages is like looking for a needle in a hay stack.