SSFrance69

We love two beaches there. Tobacco Bay is great for snorkeling. Our last visit we went to Jobson's Cove and loved that. The water is calm, shallow and clear, thanks to the big rock formations that shelter it from the sea... but there is a larger beach next door to it called Warwick Bay Beach. It's an easy public bus ride from dockyard. Not sure where Insignia docks. I don't think it's dockyard though.

Booked on Oceania Vista next year. Based on the reduction of food quality and choice on Celebrity, I would only sail in Aqua for Blu (did that last month) and since the new prices for Aqua are about on par with standard veranda or french veranda (depending on Vista or Riviera) staterooms on O, I would chose O over X any day. On Celebrity our only good dining option would be dinner in Blu. On Oceania, food is wonderful everywhere on the ship and it's ALL included. Also I would not book with Celebrity again unless it was not only Aqua but a good last minute deal, because you never know what they are going to cut back or take away, from month to month it seems. I'm also looking at trying Princess for a future cruise.

How does one of the smaller ships like Insignia handle high seas? I understand the crossing from NY to Bermuda can be dicey. We just did the crossing on Celebrity Summit, and it was fine, but that is a larger ship and the seas were fairly calm. We are O converts after our Riviera cruise last March, so just curious about the smaller ships as well.

Is it Aqua De Palma or Parma? I did a search and apparently Louis Vuitton owns Aqua De Parma. From google: The company was acquired by multi-national LVMH in 2001, and is now headquartered in Milan. Sounds like it is still a high end brand. Hopefully it smells good! 😁

Yes. Just came back from Summit earlier this month. We were in an Aqua cabin and were told "no more canapés". I used to order a cheese plate in the afternoon before sailing in Aqua, but could not do that either, since they decided to start charging a fee for that delivery as well (not worth it). We ended up having dinner earlier than we normally eat (I will say Blu was excellent), because we were hungry not having any options for food before dinner. We didn't want to fight crowds at the buffet. The thing I loved about our O sailing on Riviera last March is that when you sit and have a drink at say the Martini bar, they bring out snacks, so you're not drinking on an empty stomach. We are long time Celebrity loyalists (going back to Mercury and Century). We are going on Vista this February and won't be looking back at Celebrity any more.

Enjoy your sailing in October. If it's not too much trouble I'd love to see what the nightly menus in the GDR look like if you are willing to snap a photo (specifically what Jacques specials are offered each evening). If not, no worries. I'm sure I'll find some online eventually. I have until our Vista sailing in March to get my appetite revved up!

Don't give them any ideas... they might just implement them! 😂 Seriously though, we just had a nice time on Summit, but had it not been for Blu I think I would feel very different. It's a shame that they are doing all of this and destroying the brand. We have Oceania booked for next year and I'm afraid we won't be looking back at Celebrity, unless something spectacular happens to them in the future.

We are long time Celebrity cruisers and tried Oceania last March. We LOVED it. I was just on Summit in Aqua earlier this month and loved the food in Blu... but honestly the experience can't compare to O. The main dining venue on O is larger than Blu but the food is every bit as good and then you have the specialty dining, which is included. Pricing from what I've found is about on par with pricing for Aqua. Also O has a lovely afternoon tea every day, with small sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, etc. Soft drinks and water included. At a minimum you get a basic drink package but you can upgrade. Also the bathrooms on the 3 larger ships, are quite large (largest I've had on a ship), even in a standard verandah. You can get surf and turf every day, along with a variety of delicious juicy burgers at the grill, which in the evening turns into a lovely pizza cafe, where they make really good pizza with burrata cheese and other premium toppings. I could go on and on. Oh and you can bring 6 bottles of wine on board PP! Next year we are booked on O again, on the brand new Vista ship. Looking forward to it.

I will also be getting on as you are getting off. I hope the seas aren't too rough. Did the captain say how high the waves were expected to be? I know there is a tropical system developing down in the Caribbean expected to move up, but hopefully not too close to Bermuda.

If one wishes to upgrade to the premium wifi (have basic included in my rate), do both passengers in the stateroom have to take the upgrade?

Loving your live report. It looks very relaxing. Just out of curiosity, are you able to post these photos using the basic ship wifi, or did you have to upgrade?

No worries! I'll just have to find out for myself in less than one week! 😁

I almost forgot to ask. How was the sail away from your veranda? Did you get good views of the statue of liberty as the ship sailed around it? I ask since I'm in that same stateroom and was wondering how the views are from the aft since I was planning on doing sail away from there, unless you don't get good views that is.

Thank you! I'm glad you had a fabulous time! I'm looking forward to trying that lavender lemon drop martini, as well as the raspberry one. Looking forward to all that yummy food in Blu as well! I started packing today. It's never too early. haha

Thanks for your awesome live review! I'll be on board and in your stateroom one week from today!

Just out of curiosity, are you able to post and upload these photos using the wifi that comes with the Aqua stateroom package, or did you have to upgrade to the premium wifi?

One thing I forgot to ask is how is the temperature in the room? I like it nice and cold when I sleep. Hopefully the AC works really well. 😁

The food looks amazing! I'm hungry now. I'm gonna have to try that lavender drink too! What a gorgeous sky. Can't wait for those views!

Good to know. Thanks for the tip! I wonder will the phone's cord reach out the door? I could take it out there with me and call for rescue if I get stuck. lol

My daughter 27 year old daughter and I are on the same sailing (mother/daughter cruise)! Join the roll call if you so wish!

Enjoy the cruise. We are in the same cabin at the end of this month. Good to know about the door. I was planning to spend sail away on our balcony (even if we get a helipad invite), since I'm sure the views will be amazing. I wonder if there will be an acoustic guitar player at the sunset bar there. There has been in the past. Of course I suppose if it's raining that option would be out too. A nice spot might be the lounge at the very top of the ship. That's where we usually enjoy our sail away. Enjoy Blu. I'm looking forward to trying it out for the first time. I'm spoiled by the food on Oceania now that I've tried it once, but I bet the food in Blu is excellent as well.

Those are the shows they have on Virgin cruise line from what I understand. Sick minds alike. lol

Since Oceania calls it a buffet right on their menu, I am fine calling it a buffet. Or if you want to be really specific, call it the "Terrace Cafe", which is the name of the venue. Also see the post above this one with a proper definition broken out. 😉

Wow that's a really great deal! I hope to try a TA one day. What does SHC mean? Have a wonderful cruise!

It was $362 PP per night for a standard verandah on a Caribbean sailing. That includes the taxes and port fees, a basic drink package (we upgraded to premium for $30 per day) and specialty dining. I don't think I've seen any recent Celebrity cruises for $100 per night. Maybe for an inside cabin on a good deal. I find O to be a good value when you consider the level of food and all the extras that are included. For our upcoming Summit sailing in an Aqua cabin to Bermuda, we paid 306 PP per night, also including taxes, port fees, basic drink package... and that was with a discount on the second passenger.