twobluecats

Beasts. It sickens me to see European culture dying in front of our eyes.

Wife and I did a private excursion to Haleakala for the sunrise. We had to meet our tour at 2:30am I believe. The tenders in Lahaina on the Solstice ran on 30 minute intervals all night. .......we had a couple late nighters ask us what in the world we were doing sitting on a bench at 2:15am!!!!!

Thank you, thank you! Just what I was looking for! Happy New Year!

Theresa

Thanks to you both. Regrettably, I’ve sought info on both suggested pages with no luck. And, oh how I wish the Celebrity site was correct; however, it is not. There is no docking in Lahaina. Funny though, not only is the site wrong, but the info when I log onto my own cruise page it’s them shows even different information on docking and tendering.

Hi! We are on the April 29 Solstice Hawaii to Vancouver, and we really want to do a sunrise excursion from Lahaina. Can anyone who has recent Hawaii trip experience let me know if Celebrity runs tenders overnight in Lahaina or at least very very early morning?

Many thanks!

Theresa

Offensive? Oh good grief. Loosen that corset Maudie, before you die of the vapours. Did you even bother to listen to what they were planning there? You're really offended that badly by an interactive space that combines relaxing, dining and entertainment in a new, modern and experiential format? Or are you simply getting your bloomers in a twist because you took those three words literally? Because we all know that advertisers ALWAYS intend every word to be taken literally. :rolleyes: Refusing to sail on a ship because of 3 words used in an ad? Unbelievable.

"Loosen the corset?" Thanks for the kind and friendly dialogue between fellow cruisers that SHOULD be found on Cruise Critic. I don't take ANY words literally. In fact, I spend every day of my professional life editing words, so I'm pretty clear on the use of of the English language. My opinion, which is all it is-and I believe I noted all would not have the same one as I-is a marketing campaign around "sin" just doesn't seem to be what I have come to expect from Celebrity. I am also clear on the concepts for the new ship- we were booked on the inaugural voyage (as we were on the Solstice class as well) until we changed it recently for a different itinerary. And, your "disbelief" in my "refusing to sail on a ship" is your own fiction, because I did not say anywhere in my post that I would refuse to sail on Edge or Celebrity in general.

All in all, we enjoy Celebrity. We do, indeed, cruise on other lines as well. We have genuine friendships outside of our cruise experiences with several Crew Members. My observation and, admitted "offense" to sin replacing modern luxury is it should be an interesting study in the impact of marketing to see how the current Celebrity Customer base embraces the shift. Obviously, I don't mean just because of the use of a few choice words in a marketing campaign, but of the overall shift in what Celebrity deems important to the cruising public.

Here's to finding your bit of happiness in today!

I am certain many will not feel as I do about Celebrity’s latest promotion about the Edge and the area called Eden. However, as an Elite Plus (translate LOYAL) Customer onboard 56 days this year alone, I believe promoting their product as sinful in an effort to appeal to people is just incredibly sad and indicative of a marketing ploy gone wrong. Maybe my Celebrity is fading away into oblivion considering their target audience based on conceptual drawings also includes nobody over the age of 30. I am a huge proponent of raising the bar, setting high standards, growth, and innovation. That said, I simply don’t consider “sinful” to be something I seek or strive for when vacationing or otherwise.

cannot say enough good things about our island adventures at the onset of our Seattle and Alaska adventure. The route proposed was just perfect as were dining options. Loved Mukilteo and the Harbour Public House in Bainbridge-need to spend more time there next time! The evening skyline on the ferry back-magical!

We arrive back in Seattle tomorrow and decided to rent a car and tour Boeing at 1pm-got tickets. Thinking maybe Mukilteo for lunch at Diamond Knot. Any thoughts on afternoon/evening adventure and dining after Boeing? We are tempted to try either up to Deception Pass via mainland or Chuckanut, but we really have no clue about how long or traffic considerations. Returning car late late and overnight at airport hotel for 8am departure.

Thanks again, Gardyloo! We are very excited to see a part of Washington we've never visited. I'll be sure to report back!

Good morning! Just a quick note of appreciation as we prepare to head to Seattle tomorrow morning. Gardyloo, we are taking your advice to the "t" and tracking to Triple XXX Root Beer Drive In for lunch (we will be hungry coming from Texas!). Then, on to Snoqualmie the route up and over to Mukilteo for the evening. We will be at the Silver Cloud overnight and then on to Whidbey (dinner at Ivars probably), over the Coupeville bridge, Port Townsend and down to Bainbridge ferry and back to Seattle on Thursday.

We booked the 2:45pm ferry Coupeville to Port Townsend, and I so appreciate the advice to book early as several were already full! We DID NOT book for the Mukilteo/Clinton or Bainbridge/Seattle ferries.

Do you think if we get on the 9am Mukilteo ferry we will have enough time on Whidbey? I figure about four hours for Langley up to Coupeville, lunch in Coupeville and get in line at 2pm for the ferry? I know that means around 3:45 arrival in Port Townsend, which I don't love, but it it what it is. I want to have plenty of time to stroll around Port Townsend, Poulsbo and dinner in Bainbridge before the ferry (and waiting out the Seattle traffic).

Anyway, thanks so much for the information. We are so excited!

I am also curious about the service from this location this year. We are on Celebrity Solstice, so we are at the AJ Dock. Avis has told me they are literally across the street. Anxious to hear if this is in fact the case and how the experience was for those going before us.

We just got the same early 7:15 update for our September 1 cruise on Solstice. It will be an awfully early start and also early return to Juneau as the ship doesn't arrive until 1:30. My understanding is Allen Marine is required to return us to the ship instead of letting us roam.

That's just it - you "took advantage" of a crew which was already under a tremendous amount of strain. The fact that the cruiseline allows it to happen is immaterial. It's wrong.

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Origianal poster here. This comment is just ridiculous. We all have opinions, and to suggest yours supersedes that of others and telling some they "took advantage" of people is simply a demonstration of poor character.

We admittedly spend more time with crew members than guests (mostly because of attitudes we see much like this). With 3-4 cruises annually and most European and extended, we now have crew friends we regularly stay in touch with from around the world-Hotel Directors to bartenders and cabin stewards. That said, my experience and their opinion on such matters doesn't equate to others being "wrong." That said, we've been told by many crew friends that, beyond the cabin stewards really preferring that guests abide by the stated cabin departure time, most of the rest of the ship if operating "business as usual" on disembark/embark day.

Geez. Why is it so difficult to chat without being mean to others?

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Well, at least you all were able to actually see pricing and book--I can't get the 11/26 Eclipse to even show cabins available.

I would be embarrassed to call myself a company, but I feel like we may be living a "Disney" situation here. They are making money hand over fist, so who cares about the Customer experience.

Original poster here. To date, I still cannot access shore excursions effectively for my cruise. And, even better, on the 11/26/17 14-night Eclipse, it returns "no cabins within this refinement." Just awesome. So you literally cannot purchase or price this cruise on their site. Not sure about any others. Good thing there are travel agents out there to sell their cabins for them.

We are Elite and Elite Plus next cruise, but I have to say my patience with Celebrity is fading. Meanwhile, the Royal Caribbean site is actually amazing. It makes no sense at all!

As usual, I cannot access anything worthwhile from their site. I can select a cruise, but it shows no cabins available, regardless of the cruise. Sad.

Gardyloo-

THANK YOU so very much for what sounds like an amazingly scenic and varied itinerary! This sounds positively perfect for what we could get into our brief time in the region before setting sail. I can't thank you enough for your taking the time to respond and share your knowledge and passion for the area. I promise to pay it forward and also report back!

Theresa

Hoping you all are still hanging around as I have a new question :D.

Sadly, we won't do the Boeing gig this trip as the other couple traveling isn't interested (I am! I work for an all-Boeing airline!). So........

Arrive Seatac noon Wednesday:

What are your thoughts on driving to Fairhaven via Chuckanut-will need a lunch option closer to Seatac learned that last noon arrival-as its a few hours before your are in the "charming" Bow Edison area?

Spend the night in Fairhaven with dinner somewhere up there. I did find a B&B to consider.

Depart Fairhaven Thursday morning and head to Whidbey via Deception Pass. Lunch on the Island, ferry to Mukilteo with dinner there before returning car at Seatac and dropping everyone at airport hotel (shuttling to port following morning?).

I'm still totally open to original way to drive up to Whidbey and not married to Chuckanut at all. Just thinking if we don't do the Boeing tour, arrival and overnight in Mukilteo will result in wasted Wednesday hours.

In fact, I already reserved Silver Cloud for Wednesday, so I'll need or cancel if we alter. I will say the other couple does driving trips a lot, so extensive driving for scenery and cute towns won't be an issue for anyone.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

BTW, we plan to shuttle to airport hotel upon a Friday rerun from cruise and light rail back for super casual Pike Market visit.

You all are great! Thank you for the info. For the life of me I couldn't think of the program name, so my search was fruitless. Bummed it's not available here in the good ol' USofA. But, we will just do something different for a few hours!

Cheers!

Theresa

hello! Hubby and I just recently completed a B2B transatlantic and Norway on the Eclipse. I noticed folks had the option to pay a fee to stay onboard enjoying the amenities until one hour prior to sail away. Now, we are planning a cruise for November, and this could come in handy.

Does anyone have more details on this new ancillary up charge option? Can't find a thing with Celebrity, and I'm wondering if it's an option on all sailings. Any insight much appreciated!

Theresa

Some of my reservations are with agents, but several are also booked with Celebrity. It pulls the reservation number--and that is it. I can't see what the reservation is for or any of the details. It just surprises me that they can operate with such poor technology.

Few things rattle me, but the inexcusably pathetic online "tool" Celebrity provides is ridiculous. I can't effectively access my account, my reservations, or plan shore excursions. They should be embarrassed by their online presence-nothing modern or luxurious about it. I sure hope they don't pay their technology department standard wages-they don't earn it.

HUGE thanks to all for the detailed and helpful suggestions. This is just what I was hopeful for in order to make some good plans for a fun pre-cruise adventure.

Hello! We've cruised to Alaska several times, some from beautiful Seattle. But, we are bringing friends who have never cruised and never been to Seattle or Alaska. Seattle hotels are quite expensive (and I hesitate to use my Hyatt points when they have to spend $300+ per night there). So, in my wisdom, I was thinking we would maybe spend one of the nights elsewhere as part of our planned sightseeing anyway.

We will have a car, and I was already thinking of driving the scenic route to Fairhaven after we arrive (around noon) and then maybe the the next full day do a ferry/island trip. Would it make sense to just skip Fairhaven and ferry to an island on arrival and spend one night--come back next evening and stay one night in Seattle to be ready for cruise? Any recommendations on which ferry/island. I'm pretty clueless with that. Thanks for any and all advice. We will be staying in town and visiting the Market and surrounds the return day. Thanks!

I, too, am on this Sunday Eclipse departure doing a b2b with Norway. A bit worried by the reports of bumps, I contacted the Captain's Club to ensure I was still confirmed with our original (and carefully selected) cabins. The original Representative was unclear on my request or of any possible way there could be a "bump" on Celebrity. She placed me on hold, and when she returned this was the info she shared from the "resolutions" department. She said, "we never simply tell someone they no longer have a cabin. We offer compensation and an alternate solution. If the customer is not interested or capable of making a change, they keep their cabin and we move to someone else." Obviously, this stands in contradiction with what our fellow board members have experienced. We cruise extensively with Celebrity-four more this year. I'm disappointed that they have not provided clarity on this matter here on cruise critic where dialogue from some of their most loyal patrons takes place. Missed opportunity considering the current spotlight on travel-related involuntary bumps.

And, not to be a grumpy goat, but I will say it is incredibly frustrating when you pay for the cruise-length Persian Garden pass or expensive spa treatments, and you literally cannot even take a shower in the "free" showers because the wait is upwards of 45 minutes or more because of folks using this area for their daily showers/get ready for dinner routine. My last two cruises on S class ships have revealed a real issue with this in the women's bathroom.