Baynanno1

Have a good look at your bill after your appointment - in addition to the already added gratuity, there will more than likely be a space to add another gratuity.

Check out this roll call for next week's cruise on Solstice : Plenty of information and helpful hints. You will need the visa to board your cruise.

There has been a lot of smoke and mirrors this year! 🫣

We will be on Solstice next week. Menus were up yesterday, but one night was missing Dinner!

A question for @tigervixxxen or anyone else currently on Solstice : Looking at pedicures for the next cruise, Sydney to Singapore, a Spa question : The only nail polish mentioned is Shellac, which is very drying for the nails - does anyone know whether traditional (non-drying) nail polishes are still available? Thanks in advance for responses.

I hope they were in more hygienic locations than on an open toilet!

I would be horrified to find my towels on the seat of a toilet. They would be straight on the floor to get washed! Towel animals on a bed are nice, but this picture almost makes me want to throw up it is so unhygienic!

Old fashioned air conditioned, along with open windows! 😃 Great photos.

My apologies for digressing from the subject of pre-paid gratuities. My apologies also for the underlining of some words which I am unable to remove. Royal Caribbean International (RCI), previously known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organised as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997. Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a global cruise holding company incorporated in Liberia and based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & plc. As of January 2021, Royal Caribbean Group fully owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.[8] They hold a 50% stake in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, also the now-defunct Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France

It seems I was under the misconception that this thread was about new menus!

I am allergic to shellfish & crustacea and I let the shoreside concierge know prior to boarding Eclipse in December 2022. We went to Luminae for lunch after boarding and found the Maitre d' and our waiter for the whole of the cruise to be fully informed as we met. I was very well catered for throughout, pre-ordering lunch and dinner the day before and am hoping for the same in a couple of weeks on Solstice. I cannot comment on prep areas in the kitchen, nor can I comment on the Edge.

Not surprised . . . upset, a bit annoyed, cynical, waiting and wondering what the inevitable next "change for the better" will be.🙄

Or fifteen . . . I don't even eat them more than once a week at home!

. . . . until it isn't included any more! 🤔

Like you, we got a very good price on a March 2024 cruise, Singapore to Sydney, with all the inclusions and generous OBC and unless our cruise in a couple of weeks is a total disaster, we will do it. On 3rd October the same cruise was priced higher than we paid, at $6,000 per person, with the same inclusions and OBC. On 4th October it was a little lower, but when adding the missing gratuities and OBC was around $1,500 more per person.

Neither of which I can eat due to allergies. Not looking forward to Caesar Salad or French Onion Soup for 15 nights! The entrees are not much better for me and we have more variety at home. And before somebody tells me to stay home, I had expected the same or similar to what we experienced last December.

Thanks for posting the menus. Uninspiring and quite limited for one with food allergies.

And keep an eye on your account each day to ensure you are not being charged again for the gratuities included in bookings made prior to 4 October.. Have a great cruise!

FireShot Capture 026 - Celebrity Cruises - www.celebritycruises.com.pdf

I suggest you go right through a dummy booking. The dummy booking shows : The Retreat Premium WiFi Premium drinks There is no mention of gratuities anywhere on the final page prior to payment.

No. At least not when comparing yesterday's pricing with today's pricing in Australia. A cruise we have booked for next year was priced at A$16,000 yesterday. It included as does our booking - Premium Drinks, Premium WiFi, Gratuities and A$1200 OBC (converted from US$800). That same cruise today is priced at A$15,200. It includes Premium Drinks and Premium WiFi. It does not include Gratuities at US$23 per person, per day. Nor does it include any OBC. So base price difference A$800 less. But and it is a big but - the removal of Gratuities and OBC equates to A$2218, an actual comparative price difference in A$ of A$1418 more than yesterday's price!

Thanks for your informative posts. Following along, as we are on the next sailing out of Sydney. What is the onboard temperature like? Is it fairly constant, or are there warmer and cooler areas?

It would be interesting to read a report from you after your cruise.

I definitely wouldn't arrive any earlier than 10.30. We don't usually arrive until around 11.30, as we keep in mind the previous cruisers do not have to be off the ship until 09.00 and the ship is (presumably) thoroughly cleaned before opening up to board the new cruisers.

We had a great cruise on Eclipse last December and have lowered our expectations for our cruise this month. We do not appreciate paying for amenities and having them removed whether with or without any suggestion of compensation. We will pack a cooler bag to transport our own drinks from the Retreat Lounge to our room, as it seems that is now also required. We have five more booked . . . . decisions will be made during or after this month's cruise. @DaKahuna apart from access to the Retreat Lounge and Luminae, it seemed from the video above that Aqua Sky Suites received better attention than a corner Sunset Sky Suite.