2Long2NxtCrz

I just want to chime in for the person(s) who are skeptical about private tour companies guaranteeing that you'll get back to the ship on time or they'll get you to the next port on their dime. It happens. Good tour companies know their area, know the travel, and have sufficient staff to assist them in case anything goes awry, as @European_CruiseGirl demonstrated. We had a private tour in Rome and there was a huge accident between Rome and the port and our driver was constantly in contact with his dispatcher to find the best route and to get us to the ship on time. We made it, barely, but actually beat all the ship's busses by a long while. But, he was very clear that if we hadn't made it, he was driving us to the next port himself. That was doable in Italy, of course, but the point is the company stands by that guarantee. Any reputable company would.

Also, thank you so much @Ashlynkat for all of the "on the spot" information.

This is really interesting and made me more aware about bringing medication with us as we usually don't have our daily meds with us. Other than that, we're well prepared with CCs, passports, etc.

1 hour ago, rheathslc said:

The cost difference between Plus and Premier is $20/person per day and you can upgrade online or with your TA or Princess Cruise Vacation Planner if you have one.

 

I really like Premier for cruises that are 7 days or fewer. For me and what I like to eat and drink it makes sense financially for shorter cruises. Once you get beyond 7 days the extra cost might or might not be worth it dependingon what parts of the package you'llmake use of. I made a calculator using google sheets to check because I'm an accounting nerd.

 

I would probably still get Premier for an 11 day cruise even though it might be a little more expensive in the end than paying a la carte because I like not having to worry or think about how much I'm spending on board, especially now that they added the charges for casual dining. Before that change I might have gone with Plus for anything over 7 days.

 

Casual now includes Alfredo's/Gigi's Pizzeria, Ocean Terrace sushi, Salty Dog Gastropub (or Vines depending on the ship). I think that covers it but others can correct me if I missed any. 🙂

Thanks for all of that, especially what is casual dining.

That $40/day for both of us might be too much. Since it seems like it's not a time based thing where we cannot upgrade if we wait, I'll deal with that math once we're closer to the day.

Just now, Thrak said:

 

Yes, you can upgrade if you like. You can do it in advance or when you board the ship. The cost is the daily difference between the packages. Plus is $60 per day and Premier is $80 per day so just multiply the number of days in your cruise by $20 (each) and that is your cost to upgrade. Princess is more than happy to take your money for the upgrade.

Thanks! Now I have to do the math to see if it is actually worth an extra $480. Ouch. Maybe not.

I'm glad I read these boards as I wasn't aware that the "casual" dining now included a fee. We've only been on one Princess cruise and I just booked a cruise on Enchanted Princess for November 2025 and only got the Plus package because I didn't think the Premier made sense, but now I might be re-thinking that since we loved Gigi's and ate there more than a few times.

Can I still upgrade to Premier? Any idea what that costs? Our cruise will be 12 nights so the unlimited "casual" dining and a couple of specialty dining nights might make a lot of sense for us. I also like fine wine and that was the one place where Discovery Princess let me down.

Last question, is there a list somewhere of what is included dining, what is "casual", and what is considered specialty? Since things have changed it would be good to know what's what.

Thanks.

17 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I just read my own post and it really is allover the place, What I am trying to say is find local talent who will be the core cast for your entertainment venues, add some extra acts that rotate around the ships in a given market and quit paying licencing fees for brand names.

Find local talent. Absolutely. Still by far the best music we've ever had on a cruise was on the Serenade of the Seas way back in 2014. It was out of New Orleans and was just after Mardi Gras. So we got all of the talent that had just finished. Absolutely amazing.

I also agree that there is no need for "branding". Fabulous musicians are everywhere and most would love to have a steady gig on a cruise ship. There was a cellist from Ukraine (I think) when we were on Beyond back in December 2022. She joined the other musicians for group sets, but she also played solo. Incredibly talented. And on the Discovery Princess, they have a dedicated jazz lounge. We spent every night there.

Hubby and I love live music. And, to be honest, our Alaska cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam disappointed on that front. We still enjoyed the cruise and the ship so we're giving HAL another try (especially because the itinerary is fabulous). But, you're right HAL is losing out by not taking advantage of the talent that is out there and making sure there's live music all around the ship at all times of the day.

Our favorite was Cyprus. When we were on the Beyond we had a terrible experience in Tuscan, but Cyprus was fabulous. We enjoyed both Cosmopolitan and Normandie equally, which I was surprised as I fully expected Normandie to be my favorite. Actually, I expected Tuscan to be my favorite as Italian food is my favorite foods, but it didn't work out.

For our upcoming cruise, I booked all of the dining rooms, including Tuscan once. But now I'm learning that I can go to the same one every night and order from any of the menus specific to the other 3 restaurants? If that's the case, then I'm tempted to pick Cyprus and shift all our reservations to that one so that I can have the same staff. It's almost like fixed dining, except at a reasonable 6:30pm instead of earlier than 6pm.

We're flying out of MIA, not FLL, and now our departure is 11:20am. It's not a direct flight back, but there was a direct going so that's why MIA. And we're flying AA, not AC, so I think that makes a world of difference with how many flights. But, it's Spring Break and the fares are astronomical and most flights are full.

So many variables to consider. For myself, I hired a car to make sure we get to MIA on time, just because it's a Friday during rush hour. If we're delayed, I hope hubby's status will help us change things if necessary. Again, everyone's comfort level and stress tolerance is different.

I do wish the airlines were better about keeping their schedules consistent, but I guess the flux is something we have to live with now.

We did that tour back in December 2022 after getting off the Beyond.

It was on a large bus and toured us around a few sites mostly waiting for our time to board the boat to cruise the canals and see all the mansions.

We were the only ones on the tour going to MIA so they dropped everyone off at FLL and then took us to MIA. Pretty funny to have this giant coach for two people, but that's how it worked out.

We enjoyed it, but I wouldn't do it again. The double decker boat wasn't anything special (you're sitting on folding chairs) and it's a good idea to make sure you get under the shade on the top deck. Also, once I've seen the mansions and the ostentatious displays of wealth I don't need to see them again. It was not that much more than regular transportation so worth it. We did the Everglades tour once and enjoyed that more.

For our upcoming cruise on the Beyond I hired a car to get to MIA since this time our flight leaves at 11:20 am. We could probably make it with an Uber, but I didn't want to chance it since we disembark on a Friday morning.

I hope that helps!

I thought it was just my particular cruise for this August on the Volendam. I assumed it was sold out but they weren't saying it was. I was just trying to price check, but obviously a sold out cruise is not going to be cheaper than it was a year and a half ago.

55 minutes ago, Oliver6144 said:

Hi,  We did the southern route.  There are many stops along the way to snorkel.  You won’t miss them.  The beach we loved was Sorobon, it is pretty much at the end of the island.  There are several beach bars, one of them being Sebastian’s.  The water is the most beautiful I have ever seen.  It took about an hour to get there on the golf cart, we did stop along the way for a few minutes here and there.  The ride back is only about a half hour if you follow the map they give you to get back.   They told us about this beach at Bonaire cruisers, so. You could always ask them also.  you will love it there!  We wish we had gotten there earlier so we could have stayed longer!    Have the best time!

Thank you so much! That sounds perfect!

On 2/10/2024 at 4:01 PM, Oliver6144 said:

Our favorite Island was Bonaire.  We rented golf Carts and found the most beautiful beach we have ever been too!  The water was crystal clear and you walk out forever and only be waist deep.  

 

Bonaire is one of our ports for our March cruise and we've also rented golf carts. Do you mind sharing what beach that was? I've heard there's great snorkeling, but didn't have any idea where to stop.

Thanks!

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review! Work keeps me from CC, so I don't always get to read on here, but your reviews are always such a delight! We may not be able to control everything, but a positive attitude always helps when things go awry and you have the best attitude and a great smile! Also a great husband! What a trooper to stay with the animals so that you could get the break you needed.

1 hour ago, scubagal44 said:

 

dbacuna [AT] curacaorenaissance.com

Perfect! Thank you again!

9 hours ago, scubagal44 said:

Ok, Renaissance (Infinity Beach Club) was great! 

 

First thing I would say is to definitely have a reservation. We arrived at around 9:45am and they were turning away everyone without a reservation. 

 

Secondly, the email will say that the beach club opens at 10am, but that's a little misleading as you can definitely get into the beach before 10. The restaurant and service don't start until 10, but you can definitely get there earlier. When we got on the beach around 9:50am and there were still good spots under palapas, but plenty of people were already there and looked as if they'd been there for awhile. I wish I had known this. 

Overall the vibe is super chill, quiet, and relaxed. It never felt crowded, which I believe to be the result of tightly regulating the numbers allowed in. 

 

The beach service was very friendly, and our guy Emerson was always there when we needed something. You can go order at the bar directly, but we were never wanting for anything because Emerson came around often enough that we never lacked a drink or anything. 

 

The food was really good, esp for beach food. We had the bitterballen and nachos, and I'd have either again in a heartbeat. 

 

There's the beach, and also a pool. Towels were provided of course. 

 

Highly recommend this spot, and I'll for sure go back the next time I have a Curaçao port day! 

 

The cost was $40pp, which included a $20pp food and beverage credit. 

 

Thank you so much for the information! Our plans for Curacao have fallen through and this looks like a perfect option, but I am a bit confused because there were two emails floating around this thread.

Can you confirm which email you used to reserve your spot? We'll be there on March 18th.

We like them but we know what we're getting. We had a large balcony on our HAL cruise in Alaska and honestly it was too cold, too windy, and too wet the vast majority of our cruise to enjoy that space. The IV would have been wonderful for that.

The big drawback for me is that it isn't a truly separate space. I cannot get up early, grab my macchiato, a pastry, and settle in to read while hubby sleeps. But, the Beyond (I haven't done any other E class) was such a beautiful ship with so many public spaces that I didn't miss reading on my balcony. Especially in the Caribbean, it can be too hot and humid to sit for long past sun rise.

I think it entirely depends on each individual's preference. And clearly they must have been popular enough that RCG added them to the Icon of the Seas.

As long as Celebrity doesn't get rid of the S and M class ships, there's something for everyone.

You'll probably have better luck asking this on the insurance forum here at CC.

We paid less than that for our Alaskan cruise, including the 5 days of land I booked afterwards. I always buy from third parties and get everything covered including air fare, hotels, excursions, and trip interruptions as well as medical evacuation. You have to shop around and compare features, pay outs, restrictions, and always make sure that you're purchasing from a reputable company.

Thank you for this great post and suggestions with photos! We ate at the Old Market the last time we were in Curacao and really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the information! We were on the Beyond back in December 2022 and didn't watch any of the Production shows, just the magician so didn't notice an issue, but we'd like to check out the shows so I'll keep this in mind as to where to sit.

I booked our upcoming March cruise almost 2 years ago and it came with all the perks (grats, classic dp, wi-fi, and OBC). When checking, the pricing was never great to upgrade the drink package or anything, but I did book specialty dining as soon as I could. I finally booked a ship-based Panama Canal excursion last October because I learned that was the only way to do that excursion.

Then during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale I was able to upgrade to the Premium dp for $6.99/person/day (+gratuities) and my internet for $3.99/day (only mine). The excursions were also much cheaper and I canceled the Panama Canal excursion and rebooked it and bought a half cabana for a day and broke even.

But the specialty dining was not less expensive, so if you want specialty dining book it early to get what you want.

You have to keep checking, as you never know, but in my experience, the biggest sales are over Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

The rooms definitely don't feel like a real balcony, but the Beyond is a gorgeous ship, so we're going on her again.

Someone pointed out that if your SO and you have different wake up schedules then it doesn't work that great. But if you generally wake together, it's fine. To explain, I wake up much earlier than hubby and usually run down to Cafe al Bacio for a macchiato and a pastry that I enjoy on our balcony which watching the sun rise. Can't really do that on an IV as opening the window requires opening the blinds and turning off the A/C, which means waking hubby. Not what I want to do.

The public areas are beautiful, though, so I just take my coffee to Eden or the Sunset Bar area. There are so many beautiful spaces I never missed a real balcony. But you have to decide what's right for you.

Thank you so much for such a detailed and well balanced review. While we're not Retreat guests, your observations still apply to the dining venues and bars as well as the general service.

I somehow missed this when you originally posted, so I'm very glad it got another reply.

This is an amazing tool and had to take a lot of hard work. I really appreciate it! Thank you!

20 minutes ago, doghog said:

I didn’t quote you as the OP.  Not sure why you assumed I was "irked" by your whinging. Just expressing our experiences and how we would handle if not what we paid for. For clarification since this is a Celebrity forum stick to only Celebrity  issues. Other cruise lines experiences is irrelevant.

Wow. Had no idea that no other cruise lines could be mentioned here. I assumed you were irked because you called my observations "whinging", which what? Seems like something's gotten you in a foul mood. There's no need to continue this "chat".

I will continue to treat my cabin stewards as people who work hard and should be treated with respect and kindness.

36 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

You did say chatting and getting to know your steward.  Seems more like a social ocassion to me rather than asking for service/assistance.

Interesting take on my comment. I feel like it is rude to just ask for something without actually knowing their name and introducing ourselves, that quite often turns into a short conversation. So, yes, I consider that "chatting" as I'm not just making requests.

12 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Celebrity is still doing 2x cleaning, unless you elect to participate in Go Green.  Then you get a full cleaning once a day and turn down service including fresh towels..  Chatting was never part of the job and is something that many of them are not comfortable with.

I am aware. I was merely making an observation that things are not the same and the stewards are clearly working much harder than in the past.

It was never about "chatting", but about being able to make eye contact and ask for things you need instead of phoning or grabbing any random crew member in the hall. I do think it's courteous to get to know the name of my room steward and to be able to let them know in person how much I appreciate their hard work.