Sascol

Have you ever sailed during spring break?  In addition to the obvious, current issues that would make me nervous as well!  Interested to hear your thoughts on that.

To each his/her own. We have taken 25 cruises. 23 with balconies. We did the Edge this past fall with an IV.  Best of all things. 
 

1- With the divider open and the glass up it is an extension of the room.
2- You can leave the divider open and lower the glass for “window” type experience. BUT

3-  If you close the divider, open the glass you have what to us felt exactly like a standard balcony. How anyone would feel like it didn’t is beyond me. 
 

Only minor annoyance is when the bridge closes the glass due to weather but for us those were mostly at times we would not want to be on the balcony anyway. 

Sailed Edge in November (Transatlantic).  Did not run a speed test (I usually only do this if I am having issues) but we had zero issues watching Netflix, YouTube or anything else while relaxing in the cabin or by the pool.

Just now, grandgeezer said:

How about the people in the MDR, getting their moneys worth out of their drink pack, and talking so loud, that it's more like a sports bar, not a place to enjoy a meal? Noise is noise, it makes no difference what's causing it.

I would not disagree with that statement at all.  Electronic noise is just an amplified version of what you are referencing except it has the added bonus of sharp, tinny sound that cuts through the air like a knife. 

23 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

If you want to spend a cruise on your phone that's your business, sad, but your business. I do however object to people (on vacation or not) speaking on their phones with speaker on. I don't want to listen to your calls or facetime. People tend to talk loud when doing that.  It is rude and I don't like it. Want to facetime cool...do it in your cabin or find a place where other people will not be bothered. Want to speaker your call...same.  Other than that....put your face in your phone 24/7....it's your life.

LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE LIKE!!!

One clarification though (and Floater this is not specifically aimed at you, it just seems like an appropriate place to mention this).... 

Many of us generalize that when we see a lot of people on their phones we think they are all on their phones all the time.  While this is true in many cases, when there are 3000 people on a ship and you see 100 people on their phones, it may seem like 'everyone all the time' but it is a relatively small percentage. 

This being said, many people are on their phones way too much and those that use the phone speaker to facetime, call or watch videos with no regard for their surroundings need to find a secluded place to do that.

For the record, mine is chocolate chip!

Might help to put what you're referencing in the title of your thread.  Without opening, one might conclude that you're asking what our favorite cookie flavor is!

37 minutes ago, bizeemom4 said:

 

Because the volume at which the Facetime conversations are held is always louder than a standard face-to-face conversation. Regular discourse isn't projected through the speakers of a cellphone. Person yelling into the phone and child yelling/squealing/singing back is my usual experience, unfortunately.

Yes, 100% true.  Facetime conversations are MUCH louder than a typical face to face conversation and one end of the conversation is from a small, tinny speaker that cuts through the air like a knife if the person on the device is not using headphones (which, let's admit is at least half of the time).  Last cruise we were on there was a woman talking into her iPad by the spa pool.  Several passengers went over to her and asked her to lower it.  I was on my way over to do so as well when one of the pool attendants got to her and asked her to turn it off or turn it down.  She was completely clueless to her surroundings. 

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2020 at 9:55 PM, Pushka said:

 Although I do object to people conducting activity like watching movies etc, without earphones. 
 

And I think Nokia were the first. 

Oh my goodness this is the WORST.  If you are using a device anywhere outside of your house, have at it but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use headphones of you are watching a video, listening to music or using facetime.

2 hours ago, justcrusn said:

I’m just curious why your luggage would weigh a different amount on the way home?
We usually purchase a few souvenirs, some t-shirts or coffee mugs, my wife a purse or something, but if our bag weighed 40 pounds on the trip there, it shouldn’t be more than a pound or two more on the way home. Are we not shopping enough lol?

At 40 pounds true.  If you're pushing 50 to start with you're on the edge of being over already.  A pound or two makes a difference. 

No way. You’ll need a vacation after the vacation. 

Just curious - why post this under the title of 'hot topic in US right now' as opposed to 'Question about CDB oil and cruising' or something like that?  This way you'd immediately get the attention of people with knowledge of the subject. 

Recently off the Edge - I do not recall seeing a "Grand Plaza Café".  You may be looking at an old diagram.  I recall that area being Martini Bar seating. 

On ‎7‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 5:42 PM, MISTER 67 said:

You must have had a miserable time on the Edge. 

We haven't sailed on the Edge yet but I have to agree with you on the Magic Carpet, one of the dumbest things I've ever seen for a cruise ship.

Why was this a dumb idea?  The original concept was to better serve tendering with more room for improved tenders and to speed up the process.  It serves this purpose perfectly.  They later added to the concept that makes it multi function as a restaurant and a bar.  Don't like it?  Then don't use it.  It could not possibly impact you otherwise.

We sailed the Edge transatlantic a few weeks ago.  Months in advance we signed up for a wine blending/tasting.  It was held one afternoon towards the end of the cruise in one of the dining rooms.  We got to the event and as it turns out my wife and I were the only two that had signed up for it.  Almost 3000 people on the ship and we were the only two - go figure.

Anyway, based on the low interest I think Celebrity would have been warranted to cancel it and refund our money.  To their credit, they did NOT cancel it and we had our own private session.  It was very nice and we appreciated it.

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Did you select the 4 perk bundled package? If so as you know that comes with the PBP and is not subject to the $14.00 PPPD charge when you booked your cruise.

We did, yes!  Whew!

5 hours ago, davekathy said:

Effective 10 October 2019, all passengers who choose the bundled BP perk will be charged $14 PPPD. Celebrity offsetting the cost of the bundled BP perk.  Any cruise you've booked prior to 10 October 2019 will not be charged the $14.00 PPPD for the bundled BP perk.

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Beverage_Pkg_Perk_Price_Increase-Field-Trade_One_Pager.pdf

confusing!  What if our perk is the PREMIUM package?

2 minutes ago, wpgcycler said:

Outstanding! Give that man a door decoration! 🙄

Touché

15 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Or waive the new $14.00 PPPD charge for the bundled BP perk. We also always get the bundled BP. 

I am not familiar - what is this $14 you mention?

As Elite (and soon to be Elite+ after our next cruise) we find the free laundry bags and the internet packages the most beneficial.  None of the perks are so great that we'd say that's what keeps us as customers. We book our cruises based on many factors, of which only a small % would be the elite benefits. 

As noted earlier, the happy hour benefit is lost on us because we usually get a drink package as a perk when booking.  In these cases, to make the 'elite' status more meaningful I think they should consider offering a separate benefit to those in our situation.  Nothing crazy, but if you are elite and have a beverage package, how about maybe one free dinner in a specialty restaurant?  That probably costs them less than the drinks we'd consume if we participated in the happy hour.

My opinion - since the 3 couples got a bargain (less than a regular room) for Aqua by booking early, you are not really 'losing' any money (premium) that would normally have cost you extra for Aqua.  Just plan on mixing it up a few nights and plan to dine outside of Blu with them....either all together or on an alternating basis.  I'm sure you'll work out a plan and all involved should understand. 

We have Aqua for our scheduled Apex cruise next fall and we got the deal for less than a concierge cabin.  Blu can get repetitive on a 12 night cruise so we are planning to eat in the MDRs on a good chunk of those nights. 

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

You know have "5 likes". 

On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 8:40 PM, wpgcycler said:

 

 

I have an opinion too but I'm wise enough to know that no one cares about it.

Got 4 'likes' on my opinion so someone cares about mine!

Curious - unless it is a gift for someone else, why would one buy an onboard credit for their own account?  Why not just pay your cruise expenses on your credit card rather than going through the hassle of putting a credit on your account and then worrying about getting it back after the fact?  I am sure I am missing an obvious answer.

Door decor.  Kinda tacky, kinda silly. IMHO.  Cruise hallways need not look like the isle at your favorite craft store.