What are the "latest" (tips) secrets onboard Celebrity?

[eadien7]

I think "gelato" is an Italian term, not an American one. I think it's made slightly differently than ice cream, but mostly the different terms are for marketing. Similar to why California has to call their product "sparkling wine" rather than champagne now-a-days.

 

Actually Californians (or anyone who makes sparkling wine anywhere but the Champagne region of France) can't call their sparkling wine Champagne. Only wines from the Champagne region call call it Champagne.

[PS90]

Actually Californians (or anyone who makes sparkling wine anywhere but the Champagne region of France) can't call their sparkling wine Champagne. Only wines from the Champagne region call call it Champagne.

 

Right. That's basically what I said, I think. The point was that the only reason for the alternate naming is for marketing purposes. The sparkling wine-makers from Champagne want to be able to market the word - the product is the same. Generally (other than little differences in the blending phase) ice cream and gelato are very similar - but the term gelato is used to make it sound "fancier".

[cinbeach]

Glad to know you will be on the Solstice and finishing in Barcelona. That Spain city is super wonderful. From the below live/blog posting you can see lots and lots of large pictures and details on the Solstice and Barcelona, etc. How much time will you have in Barcelona at the end of your cruise? It deserves and merits a full day or two or more. So much charm, history and great architecture there. Below are a few sample pictures for some of our favorite areas on the Solstice, plus in Barcelona.

 

For Speciality Dining Photos/Tips,check this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1434523&page=2

 

Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It is very helpful.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Hi Terry in Ohio

 

What fantastic pictures you have taken again. I have seen your Posts before on the Silversea board. I would love to know your thoughts and comments about how you felt your Celebrity Cruise was compared to your SS. I have only exclusively sailed SS but tried the Solstice last year and loved it and now am off again on the Equinox in October in Europe with my family. However I will be on at least two SS next year as that is my favorite line.

 

Thanks Cindy

[dmk]

Dumb question from a non-american : is gelato something different from ordinary ice-cream and should I be intensifying my pre-cruise diet to accommodate my forthcoming gelato consumption?

Lyndon

 

I wished I had dieted. I love ice cream and I love the free on board stuff. But when I tasted the Gelato, I was in heaven. I didn't miss a day without going. My favorite flavor was Cappuccino.:)

[tomcruiser1234]

Buy your specialty restaurant before September 1 and you save $5 for cruises less than 6 months in advance. $35. Vs. $40

[2SeaWithMe]

I think "gelato" is an Italian term, not an American one. I think it's made slightly differently than ice cream, but mostly the different terms are for marketing. Similar to why California has to call their product "sparkling wine" rather than champagne now-a-days.

 

This will give you the science of it. It's not "marketing" but a different frozen product. i.e. like sorbet, semifredo, frozen custard; etc....all different products.

 

As I said, it has less air whipped into it, but milk fat content and sugar ratios are also highly different from ice cream.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelato

[Traveling Library]

Free ice cream, made on the Millie, was available every afternoon in the buffet. Right at the entrance. I had to go daily for "quality control" purposes only (of course).

[SusieV]

My best tip- don't sweat the small stuff. Relax and enjoy- you're on vacation!

[dkjretired]

Find the secret circular stairway....

[Sloop-JohnB]

My family is from Deep French Quebec. We never heard of this poutine till the 90's when it came out for tourists..we used to joke about it as places that served it called it an "old French Canadian tradition".

We had curds(would give anything to have some of St, Joseph's cheese), as this was where I grew up. We used to eat them with beer or by themselves.

And always "fries and gravy", was on any menu...but fries, gravy, and curds is a new thing!!!

Not an old French Canadian tradition

 

Here is what wikipedia has to say about the origins of poutine:

"The dish originated in rural Quebec, in the late 1950s. Several communities claim to be the birthplace of poutine, including Drummondville, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Victoriaville. One often-cited tale is that of Fernand Lachance, from Warwick, Quebec, which claims that poutine was invented in 1957.[7] Lachance is said to have exclaimed ça va faire une maudite poutine ("it will make a damn mess"), hence the name. The sauce was allegedly added later, to keep the fries warm longer."

 

Being born in a small town between Drummondville and Victoriaville in the 1960s, I can assure you that it's been around all my life. A vast majority of restaurants serving fries in that region would and still also serve poutine. It might have been brought to the attention of tourists in the 1990s though....

 

Anyhow, I wouldn't call it traditional Quebecois cuisine as "tourtière" and "ragoût de pattes" would be...

 

TO NAN-L and LINEL,

 

Another Quebecer checking in !!

 

:):)

 

Interesting observations… I grew up in the same timeframe.

 

My area of the Province… we certainly spent our teenage years consuming French Fries & Gravy (a notable Quebec Cuisine item in its own right)… BEST when it wasn’t JUST Chicken or Brown Gravy… but actual BBQ Gravy… ala St Hubert style.

 

NEVER did I see Cheese Curds added into the mix until I was an Adult in the 1980s or 90s. And I spent a fair bit of time as a child / youth in the Monteregie & Eastern Townships Regions of the Province summering with relatives (although to be fair, they'd be primarily English Speaking Relatives... Valleyfield - Ormstown - Havelock - Hemmingford - Lacolle - Napierville - St Hubert - Chambly - Mont Sutton)

 

As stated… and Wikipedia confirms it... Poutine is NOT a long standing Quebecois Cuisine item… from all accounts it looks like it only has been around since the late 1950s or 60s.

 

Lol, compared to Quebec’s incredible history of 400+ years (the oldest settlement in North America)… at just 50 Years or so, Poutine can hardly be called an OLD French Canadian Tradition by any stretch !!

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes: (Double Rolling the Eyeballs)

 

We appologize for the interuption... and now return you to regular Cruise Critic Programming ;)

Cheers!

[FunCruiser56]

When you board have a relaxing lunch at the Bistro on 5 instead of the crowded buffet. We did this on Equinox and thought it was just a great way to start our cruise.

 

Bev

[Richard&JohnSTX]

When you board have a relaxing lunch at the Bistro on 5 instead of the crowded buffet. We did this on Equinox and thought it was just a great way to start our cruise.

 

Bev

 

When we boarded Eclipse last Oct for the Inaugural TA Aqua Spa Cafe was open and nobody was there - heaven for free!

[thepeacha]

OH wow my Dh was raised in Montreal we adore St. Huber and I wish desperately for some fresh curds... Dh wants Montreal smoked meet, we are swooning! (You may respectfullt keep your suace Poutine but if any Kind Canadian is willing to mail us St. Huber BBQ gravy we have quite run out, lol!)

[timcar]

Fried calamari in the MDR.

Extended room service menu is available for anyone.

 

Is the fried calamari available every night? What are the drinks that are available for free all day?

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry in Ohio. What fantastic pictures you have taken again. I have seen your Posts before on the Silversea board. I would love to know your thoughts and comments about how you felt your Celebrity Cruise was compared to your SS. I have only exclusively sailed SS but tried the Solstice last year and loved it and now am off again on the Equinox in October in Europe with my family. However I will be on at least two SS next year as that is my favorite line. Thanks Cindy

 

Appreciate, Cindy, the good follow-up question. On the question of . . . larger versus smaller ships, there are pro-con factors . . . both ways. Trade-offs is another way to put it or offer as an analysis.

 

Pro factors for larger ships such as with Solstice are more/better entertainment, lower price per day per person, better financial "value", more ship programs, options, variety, more dining places, etc. The down-side is that it harder to get to know/see some of the other passengers, key staff, etc. Smaller can be much more “personal”, but that sizing has its limits too.

 

Open seating is another factor to consider. We loved that with Silversea we could just "WALK IN" to dine when it fit our interests, schedule, such as around 7:30 pm. That early or later MDR dining time "lock in" with Celebrity/Solstice was not perfect for our varied personal and port schedules each and every day. We did a number of uses of the speciality dining places and the Oceanview Buffet in order to smooth out those timing/schedule mis-matches. BUT, how much more in cost is that evening dining "flexibility" worth to pay?

 

Silversea has drinks and tips included. Nice, but in reality, you pay either way. Silversea builds it into the higher base price you pay in advance to your cruise. You pay it at the end with Celebrity, but you can easily figure those costs out and put it into your "value", cost-per-day comparisons.

 

We have been very happy with all four our cruises. Much for us has been about which exact ports we would be visiting, timing to fit our schedules and who we might be traveling with. I agree with you that SS is very good, but we enjoyed the Solstice experience and would use them again. A big if on Solstice would be where/ports, plus any friends might be traveling with us to enjoy the adventure.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 28,853 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silversea's Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 48,449 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[bob brown]

Find the secret circular stairway....

You've got me intrigued....is it the one between decks 11 &12 at the Spa on the 'S' class ships?

Are there others?:)

[DLTcard]

So they charge for Gelato on the ships that have it? I guess I was under the illusion that all food was free save the specialty restaurants.

[Lois R]

So they charge for Gelato on the ships that have it? I guess I was under the illusion that all food was free save the specialty restaurants.

 

Hi:)yes there is a charge for Gelato. 2.00 or 3.00 per cup (if memory

serves)depending on how many scoops. It is reallllyyyy, reallllyyyyy

good though:D:D:D

[Kancruze]

The pictures were wonderful TLCOhio. What a nice surprise Terry.

 

One quick question if anyone knows: Does the library have any books worth reading or are they mostly for decoration? I love to read and because I'm only bringing a carryon, I need every bit of space for clothes not books. And if we're going to be spending 6 or 7 days at sea, I'd better have something to read or I'll be grabbing books off the chair hoggers' loungers!! lol

 

And just to let you ice cream and gelato lover's know, I've started on a strict diet already. Thanks for you help, I will be prepared. ;)

 

As for the poutine, I think we've all received a good background about it from all the good people who posted. I don't consider it to be highjacking my thread at all...heck, I might even try it.

[smtcan]

The libraries on the Celebrity ships I have sailed on have been rather disappointing. The books tend to be old, and selection limited. Sometimes I found a paperback left by another cruiser, and when I carried books I left some behind. Now I have switched to an eReader. This is just about the only complaint I have about Celebrity ships, and forewarned is forearmed!

Sheila

[Jade13]

Will Celebrity have a book club on the transatlantic (longer) sailings?

 

We just got off of HAL Maasdam and enjoyed the book club. The librarian had 40 paperbacks ready to be signed out and we met a couple times per week.

[CaptData]

My family visited Quebec in the late 50's and early 60's. Expo 67 had potine but only in one small area. We use to make it at home ourselfs. I was living in Ontario at the time. In the 90's it got into the mainstream tourist areas and became known as the Quebec thing. Just like Buffalo chips in Western Canada.

[TLCOhio]

The pictures were wonderful TLCOhio. What a nice surprise Terry. One quick question if anyone knows: Does the library have any books worth reading or are they mostly for decoration? I love to read and because I'm only bringing a carryon, I need every bit of space for clothes not books. And if we're going to be spending 6 or 7 days at sea, I'd better have something to read or I'll be grabbing books off the chair hoggers' loungers!! lol

 

smtcan: The libraries on the Celebrity ships I have sailed on have been rather disappointing. The books tend to be old' date=' and selection limited. Sometimes I found a paperback left by another cruiser, and when I carried books I left some behind. Now I have switched to an eReader. This is just about the only complaint I have about Celebrity ships, and forewarned is forearmed! Sheila[/quote']

 

Agree with Sheila that our library selection on the Solstice was fairly marginal. Below is a more detailed picture on that nice-looking area of the ship. But, some of the higher-shelf books are fake. The others are "there", but it is not the ideal or very desired collection. Checking out books is on an "honor" system. You know what that means!!! People grab what they want. When and if it gets returned is questionable. I doubt that much money was spent on buying and updating a really good and current collection based on what I saw. In part, that is understandable.

 

"Real libraries" cost money, require continuous work and carefully management, etc. I was on a large library board for a number of years and good collections involve serious efforts and money. It is still a nice, inspiring "look" on the ship and maybe you'll get lucky and find some books of interest. Maybe.

 

Appreciate the super nice comments by Kancruze on my pictures. It's fun sharing these views from these great places.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 29,048 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

This is a view of the library area on the tenth floor that overlooked the central, open core area of the ship. Not a great book selection here, but it is a nice looking area with a quiet reading hideaway.:

 

[bob brown]

I agree that HAL libraries, while not as flashy looking, offer more substance. I think HAL demographics might account for the higher utilization of their libraries. They also offer free online limited access to the New York Times on their adjacent internet cafe.

The best library at sea is far and away that on the QM2 with over 8,000 volumes, professional librarians attending, and a nice accompanying bookstore with a particularly excellent collection of maritime material.

 

My avatar shows me in my favorite corner of that library.:)

[pete_coach]

redundant