wallie5446

We've done Aqua class the last two cruises and loved it but alas we are in a regular balcony cabin on the next cruise to save $ for the cruise after that (lol)--we are doing the 3 specialty restaurant package bought with OBC but I think it will be so hard to not be dining in Blu! Has anyone else survived this change?

Yup!

Tho Blu was nice, after trying it, we found nothing overall special except the smaller room. You will be fine.

Quick question. We have the premium drink package for the 9/15 cruise but my better half wonder do you only get to drink up to the $65 per day and pay extra or is it all inclusive? First time on a cruise

We get the same package, you done good!

Everything liquid served on the ship will have the first $14 of the price covered during your time on board, ( except any delivered by room service, and the little bottles in the fridge in your cabin ) if you want the 22oz bomber @ $35.00 of Rogue double chocolate stout in the GastroBar, it's gonna cost you $21.00. If you want a glass of wine that is $14.50 like my wife, it is gonna cost you .59 cents.

But the $12 Dogfish 60 IPA your good to go as long as you don't spill it on your neighbor :')

Morning speciality coffee, juice, bottled water, beer, wine, liquor, champagne toast when you hit the jackpot in the casino, all paid, inc the 18% tip by your Premium Bev pkg!

Step outta the box, try stuff you would never waste your money on at home, don't like it, set it aside and get something else. We found out cucumber martinis are very tasty.:D

Hi, thanks for sharing your vacation time with us. Do you know what day & time the meet & mingle for the cruise critic members was scheduled?

 

 

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There is normally a card on the bed when you first get in, with the M&M info.

On our last 3 cruises, it has been on the first Sea day at 10:00am.

Additional question.......where are you supposed to pack wine? In your carry-on or checked bags?

We have done it both ways with no issues nor problems.

We will pack our better wine in our checked luggage in a wine skin, never had a break. We have also bought at a Publix or Total Wine and carried on.

But here is what you can do with your drink pkg,

Bring a small kitchen funnel, keep a couple water bottles when finished, one time during the day when going back to the cabin, order a double, and put it in the empty water bottle. Presto! You can then make your toddy while getting all spruced up for dinner.

Or as others mentioned, just take a stroll to one of the bars and bring one back freash.

We are joining ship in Miami on July 16th, first ever cruise and really looking forward to it. We have a Classic drinks package but do we need to upgrade?

 

It is our 25th Wedding Anniversary and we will do one speciality restaurant, which would you recommend?

e

Welcome to Celebrity!

Drink's are like food, depends on taste. We upgrade as the wifester likes the red wines on the Premium, and I the 35+ craft beer selection, oh, and both of us the chocolate martinis at the martini bar.

25th, Murano.

We have only done royal caribbean ....this will be our first celebrity cruise. booked an aqua class room with access to the blu restaurant. Just wondered if anyone has tried this type of room and what their thoughts were.

:D

Welcome to Celebrity!

Our 1st RCCL was in 1989, Celebrity in 1994, our last 3 and next are with Celebrity.

Blu is your dining room, a smaller more get to know those you are rubbing elbows with at the table next to you:D Small tweaks to the menu from the MDR, no set time, all come when you want. There can be a wait when a lot show up at the same time.

As to the cabin, all balcony cabins, regardless of category, ( except Suites ) are the same size and design.

FYI, make sure and call C&A and have them get your Celebrity Captain Club set up. If you are Diamond you will receive the Elite level member perks.

We bought the pkg a couple of years ago. Came home with over 200 sheets of pictures. Had many taken with new friends from the Roll Call group, and gave around 100 sheets away.

Had an amazing time interacting with the photographer's.

They enjoyed taking many shots not normally done. When we told them we had "The Package" :Dit was like a sense of relief.

Apparently those burgers and fries are gone unless you pay extra for them.

 

 

 

 

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They have been moved to the Oceanview.

Opposite ends of the taste spectrum.

This member feels the buffet has gone downhill, while on this thread, http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2518660

the member felt it was the MDR that went down, and went to the buffet where they felt the quality was better.

Call the Capt Club desk, just as you would the C&A desk.

If you have ( or get ) a Hotel branded credit card, they come with a free night every yr.

2 choices here, sit in an ever emptying lounge with nothing provided, or sit in an airport lounge where you can at least watch some 'fake news' as you realize the real world didn't go away ;) and get a stiff drink!

Just as we all want to get on at the start ASAP, so do those following us.

Yes, but there are always 'off menu' bottles.

And as always there will be 4-5-6 diff tea bag's at the self serve station in the Oceanview.

Did you go to the GastroBar? If so, how were the selections? We are also back for our 3rd time in Nov!

Thanks for feeding the bears :D

EW

Thanks Terry!

We will be back on the Equinox for the 3rd time in Nov, have you tried the GastroBar?

EW

A poster on a different board on this website said that Celebrity is having trouble filling their cruise ships. I normally would dismiss these comments, but this poster allegedly works as a TA and says to have solid information. I won't name this poster. But I would like to get your thoughts on this manner.

 

Thanks

All you need do is look at one of the quarter reports that list pax numbers. Also that there have yet to be any 'flash deep discount' sales, and fares are going up n up.

We just received an email from Celebrity thanking us for our recent sailing and offering an OBC to book another cruise,

 

Is this new?

Most times it seems to be $100, but last year during the Endless Summer promotion we received the $100 plus an additional $125 'Loyalty Promo' discount on the price.

So, NO, it is not 'new'.

Interesting that the link lists Premium at $65 and Classic at $55 yet the upgrade is $11.80 per day!

The $10 difference plus the 18% grat on it, = $1.80 = $11.80 total.

I am finding that the good beer is only available with the premium package, I guess I am spoiled. I live in a town that is saturated by craft breweries! Thanks for the info!

 

 

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We sailed the Reflection in 2013, when Michael's was still open to the masses and the 30-40 'craft' selections were there. 10-12 real craft brews.

We switched to the Equinox in 2014 & '15 when Cellar Masters was redesigned into the GastroBar, what a great craft beer bar! We are back on this yr. The selections are a bit better, Dog Fish 60/90 the best IPA's and a couple Rogue boomers that are way over priced.

No Firestone Walker, Cigar City, Trillium, Prarie, Wicked Weed, etc.

There are only 3-5 that fall under the $9 Classic, most are $12-18. 2 beers where you pay a $5 overage and you would have covered the price to upgrade to everything Premium, which is what we have done and will again in Nov.

On the other ships it is hit n miss, but the selections seem to have been stocked at the Passport Bar by Guest Relations.

Also, the 'added cost' small plate offerings are excellently paired with the beer selections. On the Equinox they do a beer food paring a couple times during a sailing, and it is well worth the $20 cost.

One can only dream about having a Todd the Ax Man IPA on board! :D

EW

Main diff is the size and pass capacity of the ships.

Expeditation Has a 100 hundred pax capacity so as to be able to obtain permits to sail into protected areas. Nothing like a mass market cruise experience.

How common is it to book an inside guarantee and get a chance to upgrade to aqua. Seems like a huge upgrade.

 

 

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Agree but be proactive and look for deals. I checked every week one cruise and went from an inside to Aqua for $100 pp, just the right timing. It was not a guarantee.

Timing is everything. We have to 'keep an eye out' on the price, as there is no email offer nor phone call.

Well there is a program where a call comes, but it seems to be few and very far between.

Not an offered 'upgrade' but the other cabin categories have a price drop, and you can move on up to the East side :') by paying the difference.

And it also depends on what time of the day you dock. Most time you have to get up before dawn. Then you can also end up in a cargo area which has no view of interest.

What did you find last year? We are going in 3 weeks. Looks like Michael's used to have a decent selection but they've moved any speciality ones to the cellar masters. Seems like you can find DFH 90 and anchor steam included on the premium drink package but looking if there are other options with or without an up charge. I'll definitely be bringing a couple of 750s as my two allowed "wines".

FYI

On our Roll Call I have met some great beer lovers from all over. We each bring a couple local bomber's and do a share on one of the sea days.

I have learned that there is indeed a difference in how IPA's are made on the East n West coast.

Trillium from MA and Jai from Cigar City in Tampa! Oh they should put them on ship! 😋