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skyung001
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I just committed to a cruise for 2 adults and 1 child (sunset veranda on Celebrity Eclipse) for Alaska sailing from Vancouver in Aug 2019, and I'm feeling a bit queasy. Money is part of it -- because it's quite a bit (a little over $5,500) -- and also because I keep hearing how horrible and dime-n-nickling cruiselines are now, compared to when I cruised over 15 years ago on Carnival. And that is not a good feeling to have when just the cruise (inclusive of all fees and taxes) is over $5,500 for seven nights. We could spend that much and spend 2 weeks in Phuket or Danang in a 5-star resort, inclusive of resort, air and food.

 

I honestly have no clue what to expect now. And some of the unflattering reviews about Celebrity and Eclipse aren't helping. (We picked Eclipse leaving from Vancouver because it has 2 days of inside passage v. Solstice leaving from Seattle which has only 1 inside passage and 2 days at sea...)

 

I REALLY hate it when I'm confronted by people trying to upsell me or get me to buy stuff from them all the time constantly. I feel like for that kind of money for 7 nights, I'm entitled to some peace, warm hospitality and good food.

 

Any advice for an anxious and not-newbie-but-might-as-well-be-newbie? Are cruiselines so horrible now, like domestic airlines? And is food really that horrible too?

 

And does filter water that cruise lines offer (for free I presume) taste bad?

 

Seriously wondering if I should just book a land tour of Alaska instead now... >.<

 

(My friends are trying to make me feel by telling me I can cancel and get all my money back until next May...)

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I just committed to a cruise for 2 adults and 1 child (sunset veranda on Celebrity Eclipse) for Alaska sailing from Vancouver in Aug 2019, and I'm feeling a bit queasy. Money is part of it -- because it's quite a bit (a little over $5,500) -- and also because I keep hearing how horrible and dime-n-nickling cruiselines are now, compared to when I cruised over 15 years ago on Carnival. And that is not a good feeling to have when just the cruise (inclusive of all fees and taxes) is over $5,500 for seven nights. We could spend that much and spend 2 weeks in Phuket or Danang in a 5-star resort, inclusive of resort, air and food.

 

 

 

I honestly have no clue what to expect now. And some of the unflattering reviews about Celebrity and Eclipse aren't helping. (We picked Eclipse leaving from Vancouver because it has 2 days of inside passage v. Solstice leaving from Seattle which has only 1 inside passage and 2 days at sea...)

 

 

 

I REALLY hate it when I'm confronted by people trying to upsell me or get me to buy stuff from them all the time constantly. I feel like for that kind of money for 7 nights, I'm entitled to some peace, warm hospitality and good food.

 

 

 

Any advice for an anxious and not-newbie-but-might-as-well-be-newbie? Are cruiselines so horrible now, like domestic airlines? And is food really that horrible too?

 

 

 

And does filter water that cruise lines offer (for free I presume) taste bad?

 

 

 

Seriously wondering if I should just book a land tour of Alaska instead now... >.<

 

 

 

(My friends are trying to make me feel by telling me I can cancel and get all my money back until next May...)

 

 

 

"Snap out of it."

In the grand scheme of things, $5500 for a family cruise in a good balcony location on an upper end mass market line sounds about right.

As for your Danang comment: the only problem with comparisons like that is that, once you step outside of that Danang hotel, you're still in Danang (and not in Alaska).

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I just committed to a cruise for 2 adults and 1 child (sunset veranda on Celebrity Eclipse) for Alaska sailing from Vancouver in Aug 2019, and I'm feeling a bit queasy. Money is part of it -- because it's quite a bit (a little over $5,500) -- and also because I keep hearing how horrible and dime-n-nickling cruiselines are now, compared to when I cruised over 15 years ago on Carnival. And that is not a good feeling to have when just the cruise (inclusive of all fees and taxes) is over $5,500 for seven nights. We could spend that much and spend 2 weeks in Phuket or Danang in a 5-star resort, inclusive of resort, air and food.

 

I honestly have no clue what to expect now. And some of the unflattering reviews about Celebrity and Eclipse aren't helping. (We picked Eclipse leaving from Vancouver because it has 2 days of inside passage v. Solstice leaving from Seattle which has only 1 inside passage and 2 days at sea...)

 

I REALLY hate it when I'm confronted by people trying to upsell me or get me to buy stuff from them all the time constantly. I feel like for that kind of money for 7 nights, I'm entitled to some peace, warm hospitality and good food.

 

Any advice for an anxious and not-newbie-but-might-as-well-be-newbie? Are cruiselines so horrible now, like domestic airlines? And is food really that horrible too?

 

And does filter water that cruise lines offer (for free I presume) taste bad?

 

Seriously wondering if I should just book a land tour of Alaska instead now... >.<

 

(My friends are trying to make me feel by telling me I can cancel and get all my money back until next May...)

 

I haven't sailed Celebrity so I can't offer specifics on that line or your ship, but I feel confident in stating that you will always find people complaining about almost everything.;)

 

I suggest you spend some time reviewing Celebrity's web site and verify what is and isn't included in your fare. If you are satisfied that you can enjoy your cruise (and likely you can with the right attitude) with what you have booked then relax and have a great trip. You will probably be offered up-sells on board, but a polite firm 'no, thank you' works for most people. If the crew don't ask then they are less likely to make a sale, but they understand that many passengers will say no.

 

Most cruise line I've had (CCL, PCL, RC, NCL) food is good, but not great. The buffet is a buffet, but better than many land buffets. MDR is a banquet hall, with many pre-made meals rather than cooked to order. It is usually better than most banquet style meals I've had on land, but I've often had better restaurant meals. I've never gone hungry on a cruise, have had some dishes I didn't enjoy and some that were excellent. Keeping expectations in check helps. If a higher level meal is important at least once during your trip then you might want to budget for a specialty restaurant. You might have a better experience budgeting for something special in port though.

 

I've never had an issue drinking ship's tap water, but I'm not very picky and I am usually thirsty:D If you notice an off taste you can request lemon for your water or maybe bring on concentrated drink drops (like Mio) to flavor your water.

 

I hope you can enjoy your cruise. If you don't think you can then you should probably cancel sooner rather than later, but be sure to check your booking agreement for cancelation fees/penalties.

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I haven't sailed Celebrity so I can't offer specifics on that line or your ship, but I feel confident in stating that you will always find people complaining about almost everything.;)

 

I suggest you spend some time reviewing Celebrity's web site and verify what is and isn't included in your fare. If you are satisfied that you can enjoy your cruise (and likely you can with the right attitude) with what you have booked then relax and have a great trip. You will probably be offered up-sells on board, but a polite firm 'no, thank you' works for most people. If the crew don't ask then they are less likely to make a sale, but they understand that many passengers will say no.

 

Most cruise line I've had (CCL, PCL, RC, NCL) food is good, but not great. The buffet is a buffet, but better than many land buffets. MDR is a banquet hall, with many pre-made meals rather than cooked to order. It is usually better than most banquet style meals I've had on land, but I've often had better restaurant meals. I've never gone hungry on a cruise, have had some dishes I didn't enjoy and some that were excellent. Keeping expectations in check helps. If a higher level meal is important at least once during your trip then you might want to budget for a specialty restaurant. You might have a better experience budgeting for something special in port though.

 

I've never had an issue drinking ship's tap water, but I'm not very picky and I am usually thirsty:D If you notice an off taste you can request lemon for your water or maybe bring on concentrated drink drops (like Mio) to flavor your water.

 

I hope you can enjoy your cruise. If you don't think you can then you should probably cancel sooner rather than later, but be sure to check your booking agreement for cancelation fees/penalties.

 

Thank you, pacruise804. So I guess some upsells are unavoidable, but as long as they aren't constantly and not terribly pushy, I can probably live with those. I really didn't notice any upsells when I cruised once over 15 years ago. I actually remember it being very pleasant in general. And food being pretty good (but then I was eating college dining hall food until then so... lol).

 

And thank you for sharing your recent experiences. I just got a bit nervous when people said you won't have good experience unless you're willing to buy / accept the upsells on board, or you'll be treated badly and food is inedible in their reviews. And I booked Celebrity specifically because I read it's nicer than other cruises, which I understood to mean better service and nicely prepared food included in the fare.

 

I'm really doing this for my family more than myself, esp. our kid, who can identify all sort of sharks, dolphins and whales by just glancing at pictures. So if they're happy, I'm going to be fine too (provided no annoying pushy sales tactics and inedible food).

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What you spend on the ship will be up to you.

 

Some people feel they must try every extra charge restaurant. Others are happy with the included meals.

Some buy every picture. Others buy none.

Art auctions some buy others stay away.

 

And so on thru all the choices on the ship.

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To prevent over spending on upsells, trinkets, etc. make a budget for extra spending and know that that is all you will allow yourself. Makes it easier to say no.

 

I thought it funny when we were in the Caribbean, a seller in the port had a beautiful hammock for sale. Price was $140.00 usd. By the time I walked away from her stall she was willing to part with it for $30.00 usd. I didn't buy it because I knew it would blow my luggage weight with the airline.

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Just curious - were you "pressured" into this vacation/sailing? I mean, how did you come about deciding on taking this particular cruise?

 

Only reason I ask is that if this was decided on your own, it certainly sounds like you possibly didn't do much, if any due diligence before booking due to the concerns that you are raising. If an Alaskan cruise is something you really want to do, just do your research and make sure that you are comfortable with it while you can still cancel

 

And just as an FYI, cruises in Alaska are much more alike than different and JMHO, but you shouldn't choose a cruise based on the line or ship as much as on the itinerary/port times

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Just curious - were you "pressured" into this vacation/sailing? I mean, how did you come about deciding on taking this particular cruise?

 

 

 

Only reason I ask is that if this was decided on your own, it certainly sounds like you possibly didn't do much, if any due diligence before booking due to the concerns that you are raising. If an Alaskan cruise is something you really want to do, just do your research and make sure that you are comfortable with it while you can still cancel

 

 

 

And just as an FYI, cruises in Alaska are much more alike than different and JMHO, but you shouldn't choose a cruise based on the line or ship as much as on the itinerary/port times

 

 

 

Glad you said JMHO.

IMO, choice of ship (actually the cruise line) is extremely important. After all, it is where you eat, sleep, get educated/entertained/served with or without many ports and/or sea days.

If all that mattered most were itineraries, there wouldn't be industry segments.

So, while I agree that itineraries are important, I look first at my preferred cruise line(s) for the itinerary and ports I seek. And, fortunately, I always find something terrific.

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Alaska is beautiful and expensive and huge! A cruise is one way to see several parts of the state in a week.

 

I don't want to be negative Nelly, but you will want to consider the cost of shore excursions on your cruise. There are many things to do, but most are not at the port, and some are very expensive. We took a flightseeing experience out of Juneau over glaciers to Taku lodge, complete with salmon lunch and bears hanging around. It was fantastic and worth it, about 10 years ago $360 per person for us and our two children.

 

There are other, not as expensive, excursions, but in general you will have to pay to get out of town to see more of Alaska. These are not technically "upsells," but are certainly not included in your price.

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My mother and I were on the Celebrity Infinity on a Alaska Cruise last August. Overall, it was a great cruise until we got "under the weather". Beyond the usual "Check the Alaska and Celebrity" boards, here are a few items on my list:

  • This was my first cruise in twelve and a half years. Previously was on Carnival, and they kept pushing the tanzanite. I felt no sales pressure beyond the inserts in the daily program.
  • I'm not a drinker, so I took the premium non-alcoholic package. Got to try some drinks which I would have screamed "too expensive" in real life.
  • Our room steward, Astral, was top notch. We ended up sending a letter to the CEO singing his praises.
  • Please arrive one day early in Vancouver. Traffic can be a mess!
  • Also, please be aware that you will be passing through US Customs and immigration both when boarding your ship and prior to breading your flight back to the United States.
  • Make sure you pick up some Dayquil, Nyquil, and Vitamin C prior to boarding the ship. Alaska is known for it's changeable weather, so dress in layers. Temperatures can be in the 60s, and expect rain.
  • My biggest complaint was on Day 3 in Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska. We had booked both a wildlife and whales excursion. We got back to the ship right near the 9:30 PM check-in time, but by then, the buffet was shutting down.

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You can get a cabin for 3 for much less than $5,500 if you're concerned about money and feeling queasy. That will free up money for shore excursions and other onboard spending. I've never been treated badly on a cruise or served inedible food because I didn't buy the drink of the day or didn't make a reservation at a specialty restaurant.

 

An Alaskan cruise should be something to look forward to, not approach with dread. Celebrity is a good cruise line, you'll be fine.

 

Roz

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Does the $5,500 cover flights? And for 1 or 2 rooms. That seems a bit excessive for 7 nights unless that is including your flights or for 2 rooms.

 

 

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Just the cruise. No insurance or flights or excursions. One cabin since our kid is going to be 8 when we sail

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You can get a cabin for 3 for much less than $5,500 if you're concerned about money and feeling queasy. That will free up money for shore excursions and other onboard spending. I've never been treated badly on a cruise or served inedible food because I didn't buy the drink of the day or didn't make a reservation at a specialty restaurant.

 

An Alaskan cruise should be something to look forward to, not approach with dread. Celebrity is a good cruise line, you'll be fine.

 

Roz

 

I wanted an aft balcony and nobody really had it for less than at least 5k for refundable deposit rate for Aug of next year. Carnival had it cheaper but no refundable deposit and only $50 OBC.

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Alaska is beautiful and expensive and huge! A cruise is one way to see several parts of the state in a week.

 

I don't want to be negative Nelly, but you will want to consider the cost of shore excursions on your cruise. There are many things to do, but most are not at the port, and some are very expensive. We took a flightseeing experience out of Juneau over glaciers to Taku lodge, complete with salmon lunch and bears hanging around. It was fantastic and worth it, about 10 years ago $360 per person for us and our two children.

 

There are other, not as expensive, excursions, but in general you will have to pay to get out of town to see more of Alaska. These are not technically "upsells," but are certainly not included in your price.

 

 

Thanks. I don’t consider them an upsell since they’re sort of extra something to do. I’m budgeting about $500/port for 2 adults and 1 child. I think that should cover it but if I need to fork over more for an amazing excursion I didn’t know about I’m willing to fork over more.

 

I initially budgeted about 7k for the cruise and excursions. But I feel like I should bump it up closer to 8k based on the fare.

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What you spend on the ship will be up to you.

 

Some people feel they must try every extra charge restaurant. Others are happy with the included meals.

Some buy every picture. Others buy none.

Art auctions some buy others stay away.

 

And so on thru all the choices on the ship.

 

Thanks.

 

My mother and I were on the Celebrity Infinity on a Alaska Cruise last August. Overall' date=' it was a great cruise until we got "under the weather". Beyond the usual "Check the Alaska and Celebrity" boards, here are a few items on my list:

[list']

[*]This was my first cruise in twelve and a half years. Previously was on Carnival, and they kept pushing the tanzanite. I felt no sales pressure beyond the inserts in the daily program.

[*]I'm not a drinker, so I took the premium non-alcoholic package. Got to try some drinks which I would have screamed "too expensive" in real life.

[*]Our room steward, Astral, was top notch. We ended up sending a letter to the CEO singing his praises.

[*]Please arrive one day early in Vancouver. Traffic can be a mess!

[*]Also, please be aware that you will be passing through US Customs and immigration both when boarding your ship and prior to breading your flight back to the United States.

[*]Make sure you pick up some Dayquil, Nyquil, and Vitamin C prior to boarding the ship. Alaska is known for it's changeable weather, so dress in layers. Temperatures can be in the 60s, and expect rain.

[*]My biggest complaint was on Day 3 in Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska. We had booked both a wildlife and whales excursion. We got back to the ship right near the 9:30 PM check-in time, but by then, the buffet was shutting down.

I was on Carnival too when I cruised over 15 years ago! I don't remember them pushing the tanzanite, but then I didn't read a single paper they left in my cabin. (I'm pretty bad about those inserts and stuff because I call them all "trash.")

 

I plan to arrive on Saturday for our Sunday embarkation. Also staying one extra day after the cruise b/c we have an international flight back to Asia actually. (for work assignments)

 

And thanks for the tip: Dayquil, Nyquil, etc. I'll definitely bring those along w/ some Advils.

 

Was the Ciy Strait Point excursion worth it?

 

And finally -- I think you left from Vancouver and had 2 days of inside passage (I think they have Eclipse to do the itinerary next year). If so, did you find the inside passage days worth it? We can also start from Seattle, but it only has 1 day of inside passage and 2 days at sea.

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Just curious - were you "pressured" into this vacation/sailing? I mean, how did you come about deciding on taking this particular cruise?

 

Only reason I ask is that if this was decided on your own, it certainly sounds like you possibly didn't do much, if any due diligence before booking due to the concerns that you are raising. If an Alaskan cruise is something you really want to do, just do your research and make sure that you are comfortable with it while you can still cancel

 

And just as an FYI, cruises in Alaska are much more alike than different and JMHO, but you shouldn't choose a cruise based on the line or ship as much as on the itinerary/port times

 

I chose it because a few of my friends said they loved it. But I felt a bit freaked out when I saw negative reviews of the ship and the cruiseline I chose after some research.

 

We sailed Eclipse in February and had a great time. Amazing captain and staff, lovely ship and not much upsell (a simple “no thanks” was easy). Would sail again on her in a heartbeat.

 

That's great to hear. If you don't mind sharing, which cabin did you get? Thanks.

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I chose it because a few of my friends said they loved it. But I felt a bit freaked out when I saw negative reviews of the ship and the cruiseline I chose after some research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's great to hear. If you don't mind sharing, which cabin did you get? Thanks.

 

 

 

If you are satisfied with the price you pay then let your worries go. Celebrity is a great line. We have cruised with them before and have another one coming up in a few weeks with them. (If it’s awful I’ll come back and update this).

 

Yes, they will have tables set up selling drink and dining packages, like they all do, but I don’t ever recall feeling hounded by upsells on any cruise. I’ve certainly never felt like I got worse treatment for not spending extra on drinks/dining. Don’t forget that whole thing where a happy customer tells 1 person and an unhappy customer tells 10. Reviews are often disproportionately negative because many of the people who go out of their way to write one want to let everyone know how unhappy they were. I’m guilty of that myself, if I have a negative experience I’ll almost always write a review on yelp/amazon/trip advisor. And only occasionally write a review after a positive experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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If you are satisfied with the price you pay then let your worries go. Celebrity is a great line. We have cruised with them before and have another one coming up in a few weeks with them. (If it’s awful I’ll come back and update this).

 

Yes, they will have tables set up selling drink and dining packages, like they all do, but I don’t ever recall feeling hounded by upsells on any cruise. I’ve certainly never felt like I got worse treatment for not spending extra on drinks/dining. Don’t forget that whole thing where a happy customer tells 1 person and an unhappy customer tells 10. Reviews are often disproportionately negative because many of the people who go out of their way to write one want to let everyone know how unhappy they were. I’m guilty of that myself, if I have a negative experience I’ll almost always write a review on yelp/amazon/trip advisor. And only occasionally write a review after a positive experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thanks for the reassurance. You’re probably right about negative reviews. I’m an odd duck because I either write a super glowing review or a super scathing one everywhere after my trip. If my experience was just average or just met my expectation, I tend not to write anything.

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You can drink the tap water! The only other cost you HAVE to have is the daily gratuity (~$13-15/person/day depending on room type and cruise line). Go easy on drinks, skip the casino and specialty dining and your bill wont be much higher. Switch to an interior room if you're really concerned about overall cost; verandah rooms are a bit pricey. And how much time do you really expect to spend in the room!?

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While I think the price sounds quite high for three, I haven't been pricing Alaska cruises lately--ours was some time ago--and I realize it is an aft balcony, which would be great.

 

Did you book through Celebrity? I would definitely check out some online agencies to see what they can do for you; you can transfer your booking to them if the rates are better. Also, since your cruise is so far in the future, keep checking on prices; they often go down, way down, and sometimes up; if prices change, a simple call to Celebrity or your TA will get you the better price. Do take into consideration if re-pricing will change some of your 'perks'.

 

Don't forget to take into consideration if a travel agent offers things like free gratuities; can save you hundreds of dollars.

 

Not on Celebrity, but our South America cruise went down $500 per person this year; heard about on Cruise Critic, called my travel agent and got the great price reduction with the same room and perks. It lasted only about a day. Some travel agents watch for price drops, but most of the time you have to be checking yourself. You have lots of time for a 2019 cruise to have many ups and downs in price.

 

We've sailed Celebrity several times, including the Eclipse and have never had a bad experience. The idea that the food is 'inedible' is ridiculous, and we never eat in specialty restaurants unless included.

 

We have never been bothered by the 'upsells' or so-called nickel and dimeing either; we are adults and aren't particulary vulnerable to being swayed by all the extras that you can, but don't have to or need to buy. We just ignore things like art auctions, drinks of the day, etc., spending money only on what we want. It's really not a constant bombardment of sales.

 

It was smart to find a refundable deposit. Also for travel agents, find one that doesn't charge fees for cancellation or changes. Relax, have fun, it will be a wonderful cruise.

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First off, relax! Cruising is an amazing experience still. Some things are different. Some for the better. Some things for the worse. The "nickel and dime" complaining is so overblown. I don't know where you think you are going to go, and someone isn't trying to sell you something more. It's really not stressful. It's super relaxing! Especially once you get there!

 

Now Celebrity is a nice cruise line. Alaska is a nice itinerary. They both come at a premium price. Chances are, you might want to do some extra excursions. I might budget for a little more.

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The ship's water is better than what's in those pricey bottles you buy (and then throw away)...don't worry about the water! Your food is made with that water, as is your ice and beverages. It's fine. If it wasn't, many, many folks would be dead from bad water by now! It's H2O...water. Simple and good.

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