Celebrity Reflection - Nov 1, 2013

[sdbart]

Sounds nice. I did a large suite on the Norwegian Pearl for my 40th. My absolute favorite perk was the cappuccino machine located in the dining room.

 

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I'm surprised you guys want to associate with the unwashed masses like us, ;-)

[Oliver2309]

On the RCCL Adverture of the Seas westbound TA, one of the ship bars was heavily focused on Champagne and specialty cocktails. I particularly liked that bar in the late afternoon. Also, our cruise friends Jonathan, Randy, and Russell spent time there before dinner.

 

I'm probably quite likely to be found in many different locations around the ship as the moment strikes me.

 

Hey Walter, J & R and I spent time there (Imperial Lounge) because we could drink all we wanted for free! ;)

[vulcan1971]

Hey Walter, J & R and I spent time there (Imperial Lounge) because we could drink all we wanted for free! ;)

 

Why didn't you tell me sooner??? I could have made regular appearances. Guess I will be hanging out more with all of you! :-D

 

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[Oliver2309]

Why didn't you tell me sooner??? I could have made regular appearances. Guess I will be hanging out more with all of you! :-D

 

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Well, as you know, I'm the newbie...but as far as I know J & R were able to enjoy this perk, due to their RCCL status...I jumped the line because I booked an OS...I think this is the 'splanation, as Desi Arnez would say. I seem to recall that you only joined us there occasionally? J...R...please comment :))

[Oliver2309]

Well, as you know, I'm the newbie...but as far as I know J & R were able to enjoy this perk, due to their RCCL status...I jumped the line because I booked an OS...I think this is the 'splanation, as Desi Arnez would say. I seem to recall that you only joined us there occasionally? J...R...please comment :))

 

AND, I sure hope that you hang out with us as much as you like :)

[vulcan1971]

Well, as you know, I'm the newbie...but as far as I know J & R were able to enjoy this perk, due to their RCCL status...I jumped the line because I booked an OS...I think this is the 'splanation, as Desi Arnez would say. I seem to recall that you only joined us there occasionally? J...R...please comment :))

 

After this cruise, I will have 9 credits toward Elite status on Celebrity and once I am Elite, that is compatible to Diamond/Diamond+ on RCCL. :-D

 

Definitely looking forward to spending more time together. ;-)

 

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[vulcan1971]

I'm surprised you guys want to associate with the unwashed masses like us, ;-)

 

I am comfortable intermixing in all sorts of groups... having a suite is not typical for our accommodations when cruising. However, they are nice and sometimes hard to come back away from the "abyss" of luxury. :-P

 

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Edited October 10, 2013 by vulcan1971

[jb_yvr]

Randy -

 

I deliberated on this topic for a long time. I was inclined to delay getting the package until I was on the ship and maybe purchase after Tenerife. Then the "Celebirty Cruises" representative came on to a thread here on cruise critic and posted some information that indicated that it would cost more if you waited to get the package on the ship. After several weeks, the "representative" came back and made a new posting to correct some mis-information originally posted... the new information indicated if you have a Classic package and want to upgrade to Premium that this can be done pre-cruise or on the ship for the same price ($10 + 15% gratuity) per person per day.

 

Since I did not have a drink package as part of the promo, I bit the bullet and went ahead and purchased the Premium package for all 15 days. If you buy the premium package, here are the prices:

 

pre-cruise: $54 + 15% graturity = $61.20 per day, per person.

on board ship: $59 + 15% gratuity = $67.85 per day, per person.

 

Not sure what you drink preferences are, but maybe it would be worthwhile for you to buy the classic package (pre-cruise) for all 15 days and decide if it makes sense for you to upgrade to the Premium package during the course of the cruise.

 

For me, I like champagne and wine by the glass and the selection below $8 is not very wide ranging. I like the occasional martini and so the premium package will cover most or all drinks I would select at either the Martini Bar or the Molecular Bar. If the drink is more than $12, I only pay the difference. Also, if I decide to buy a bottle of wine or champagne, there will be a 30% discount if you have the Premium package. My one disappointment about the beverage package is that it does not allow for you to try wines at Cellar Masters from the dispensary. I hope that is the only restriction and not all of Cellar Masters.

 

 

 

You guys are wonderful and generous! :D

 

I have not really had time to think about a drink package and I am not sure I would get it because I always want what I cannot have - but thanks for the info esp about different price beforehand and the discounts - I am currently limited to 7 inches whilst lying on my hotel bed and thus I am having a sub-optimal research experience - so I will be sure to check it out later.

 

:thumbup:

 

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[vulcan1971]

I have not really had time to think about a drink package and I am not sure I would get it because I always want what I cannot have - but thanks for the info esp about different price beforehand and the discounts - I am currently limited to 7 inches whilst lying on my hotel bed and thus I am having a sub-optimal research experience - so I will be sure to check it out later.

 

:thumbup:

 

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Darling!! So nice of you to join us tonight. :-D

 

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[vulcan1971]

Walter, friends were in a Sky Suite two years ago and we stopped by one afternoon for afternoon snacks. In our AQ2 cabin, our room attendant brought Bob shrimp cocktail every afternoon. Our friends' butler brought sandwiches, cakes, pastries, coffee and tea. He brought them cappucinos in the morning, too and if I remember correctly, room service meals were served course by course. I think they only did that once, though. We had no complaints with our room attendants; they smilingly fulfilled all our requests. I just left post-it notes on the mirror and it was done!

 

I really like the idea of using post-it notes to leave a message for the butler or room attendant. I also thought the idea of having a candy dish full of miniature chocolate bars was also good to reward the staff... especially with a single bill wrapped around it for room deliveries. :-D

 

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[jb_yvr]

After this cruise, I will have 9 credits toward Elite status on Celebrity and once I am Elite, that is compatible to Diamond/Diamond+ on RCCL. :-D

 

Definitely looking forward to spending more time together. ;-)

 

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Elite gives Diamond on RCCL - Diamond plus will take a longer journey to get.

 

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[Schplinky]

Elite gives Diamond on RCCL - Diamond plus will take a longer journey to get.

 

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A good reason to book the Quantum.

[sdbart]

I really like the idea of using post-it notes to leave a message for the butler or room attendant. I also thought the idea of having a candy dish full of miniature chocolate bars was also good to reward the staff... especially with a single bill wrapped around it for room deliveries. :-D

 

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Last cruise, our room attendant and his assistant were really great. They each received a big fat envelope for going that extra mile for us. I like the chocolate idea, too. BTW, as someone on the main roll call posted many pages ago, the cabins are all metal. I'm bringing a couple of refrigerator magnets to use to hanf stuff where we can see it, like notes to ourselves, etc.

[AndersonIslander]

If any of you have dined in your stateroom or suite while on a cruise, I'd be interested to hear what comments you have had (positive or negative). Also, if you have used a butler before on Celebrity, I would like to hear your thoughts.

 

I have experienced butler service on Norwegian (in a Haven suite) and it was quite nice. The butler on our Norwegian cruise was part of a team of butlers that provided servcie in the Haven and the service was excellent. Until recently, I did not know that for each suite on a Celebrity cruise ship you have a dedicated butler for your suite. If you have knowledge or experience with that, I'd enjoy hearing your comments and perspectives.

 

 

Walter

 

Hey Walter, I've had a few suites. Took my Mom to Alaska in a Royal Suite (had to short-circuit her insistence that she was doing to drive by herself after dad passed away to Alaska in the RV!) and we enjoyed the course by course dining in suite a couple times which we could order from any of the restaurants. I've been tempted to, but never have, asked the butler to pack/unpack, but it's one of the things they will do. The specialty coffee delivery gratis is also nice.

 

On my Reflection TA in May, I made quite a large group of new gay friends (and their admiring women) and I was the only one in a suite, so I threw several parties for up to about two dozen people. I would just call my butler (Elvis!) and tell him about how many people I would be entertaining at such and such a time and he would arrange fabulous jumbo shrimp platters and lots of canapes and snacks, plenty of wine glasses, and wine buckets for our wine (I'd supply a couple of bottles and some attendees would bring some as well ) The catering provided was great, and I really expected to see it on my bill, particularly as I did this four or five times, but never did! Needless to say, I left Elvis and the attendants a very generous tip (including my uncashed casino chips as well! LOL) at the end of the cruise.

 

My suite on that trip was the aft starboard corner on the penthouse deck, and I'm just a couple doors away on this cruise with the very center aft-facing deck CC stateroom, so hoping Elvis will be around for me to harrass and I hopefully will also have the same great stateroom attendant and assistant that I had on the Eastbound TA this spring. Would have loved to get that same suite again...totally loved the wrap around balcony and the enormous round window but it was not available and besides, it's rather hard for me to justify the expense when I always travel solo and thus pay double. (only time I traveled with a companion was the time with my mom!)

 

Butlers can sometimes make things happen that you can't accomplish otherwise too, just ask. They're great at arranging a bridge tour, for example, if that interests you. The butler's objective is to NOT have "no" in their vocabulary!

 

Randy

[AndersonIslander]

Oh Walter ...one more benefit to suites is a more extensive room service menu. The door handle hang cards for breakfast come in four separate varieties. One for suites, one for Aqua, one for Concierge Class and the fourth for the rest of the staterooms. It will be interesting to see if you get the suite one or the Aqua one...lol.

 

I like the suggestion about wrapping the tip for room service around some chocolate... what I usually do is go to the bank before the cruise and get a bunch of $2 bills as I was told by someone that the crew really get a kick out of them...

 

As regards the 30% discount on wines, whenever you purchase a bottle onboard make sure you point out you're entitled to the 30% because of your premium package, as my experience is that the discount will often not be rung up unless you remind them. (On the May cruise I'd always go down to cellar masters and get a couple bottles for each of my in-suite parties and learned that apparently they have to manually put in the discount.) I also was not aware of the difference in price between pre-purchase and onboard...I was pretty sure I was getting the same price onboard...like on my most recent cruise, I didn't purchase until the second day (after I looked at my $90 tab for the first day&night..lol). I of course had to pay the $90 (and there are no elite cocktails on embarkation day) but they only charged me for the remaining 9 days of the 10 day cruise when buying the package. I wonder if this is a new thing. This cruise is also a day shorter than the Eastbound TA this spring was, so a little cheaper for cocktail package and one less formal night. (3 as opposed to 4 on my 16 night cruise.) But I'll undoubtedly purchase the Premium alcohol package..I have ever since they instituted the packages. Then I drink my money's worth in Grey Goose Martinis! (we here in Washington state have the highest liquor taxes/prices in the country...as a trade off for no state income tax)

[vulcan1971]

Randy -

 

Thanks for your insight.

 

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[rockmartian]

On our last TA, a couple of the guys were wine drinkers. They had one of the drink packages, but didn't like the selection of wine by the glass at most of the bars. They used to go over to Cellar Masters and have the bar tender there pour them wine. They said it was not only much better wine than was available in the bars, but the glassware was superior, too. it was only a few steps to Cellar Masters from the evening gay gathering in the Martini Bar.

 

Thanks Bart! That's a great tip. Kim and I both got the Premium package and mostly drink wine and Martini's (lethal combination:D) but like to try all kinds of other top shelf drinks since as we see it....they are free at the time.

We will definitely drop by cellar masters for some pours.

 

I agree the Martini bar does get stuffy sometimes and roaming from bar to bar is kinda fun!

We tried out the Molecular bar on the Solstice in 2010, but the guy pouring took forever and talked our ears off about all kinds of things. That kinda turned us off so we never went back. We will definitely give it another try on this TA.

[AndersonIslander]

Thanks Bart! That's a great tip. Kim and I both got the Premium package and mostly drink wine and Martini's (lethal combination:D) but like to try all kinds of other top shelf drinks since as we see it....they are free at the time.

We will definitely drop by cellar masters for some pours.

 

I agree the Martini bar does get stuffy sometimes and roaming from bar to bar is kinda fun!

We tried out the Molecular bar on the Solstice in 2010, but the guy pouring took forever and talked our ears off about all kinds of things. That kinda turned us off so we never went back. We will definitely give it another try on this TA.

 

Yes, the selection in Cellar Masters is much better! And Molecular bar is a hoot! Assuming the same bar staff is on our cruise as was in May, be sure to try one of the off the menu specialties of one of the male bartenders there...it's a strawberry-jalapeno martini concoction with liquid nitrogen! :D

[jb_yvr]

Hello kittens!

 

OK - seeing that I rarely say no - I just got us 2 premium drink packages.

 

Was a bit of sticker shock at first with the Celebrity Canadian Dollar premium pricing making it nearly $2,000 for 2 people. I am going to drink THAT MUCH?

 

Now I will have to find other creative ways to spend my OBC.

 

I am actually really looking forward to having drinks with smoke coming out of them at the Molecular Bar - is the FOD held in that bar? According to the website the musical mood is "fresh from lounge to house" - sounds perfect.

 

I will be doing a bit of a trial pack this Thanksgiving Monday seeing that I am dealing with all new luggage for this trip. I am going as light as possible - which is ironic seeing that I can take 3 x 70 pound suitcases.

 

I have already reduced my load by one pair of shoes by NOT taking patent leather shoes for the tux. :D

[Schplinky]

The FOD usually gets slated for their at first and then migrates to the martini bar. I love both. My favorite so far was a margarita with chipotle foam. They are not speedy drinks but they are tasty drinks.

 

I'd be happy if the FOD cycled between the Martini, wine and molecular bars. I like variety. That said, we rallied the troops the last time and arrived at the wine bar with 20 people and it took a full hour before folks all had drinks. That guy was overwhelmed.

[sdbart]

The FOD usually gets slated for their at first and then migrates to the martini bar. I love both. My favorite so far was a margarita with chipotle foam. They are not speedy drinks but they are tasty drinks.

 

I'd be happy if the FOD cycled between the Martini, wine and molecular bars. I like variety. That said, we rallied the troops the last time and arrived at the wine bar with 20 people and it took a full hour before folks all had drinks. That guy was overwhelmed.

 

On the Solstice TA two years ago, the Molecular was always empty; I never saw more than 2 people in there and they looked bored. Cellar masters was pretty dead, too. The crowd from the Martini Bar spilled out into all the adjoining spaces, with the entire forward half gay men and their friends

[vulcan1971]

The FOD usually gets slated for their at first and then migrates to the martini bar. I love both. My favorite so far was a margarita with chipotle foam. They are not speedy drinks but they are tasty drinks.

 

I'd be happy if the FOD cycled between the Martini, wine and molecular bars. I like variety. That said, we rallied the troops the last time and arrived at the wine bar with 20 people and it took a full hour before folks all had drinks. That guy was overwhelmed.

 

I suppose if the mood strikes us we can have our own impromptu pub crawl. When and where do we start? :-D ??? :-D

 

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Edited October 12, 2013 by vulcan1971

[AndersonIslander]

On the Solstice TA two years ago, the Molecular was always empty; I never saw more than 2 people in there and they looked bored. Cellar masters was pretty dead, too. The crowd from the Martini Bar spilled out into all the adjoining spaces, with the entire forward half gay men and their friends

 

It's been my experience that Martini bar is often a gay hangout, but it varies...on the Reflection TA in April/May this year, we took over Sunset Bar, on Solstice America's Cup cruise last month it was Michael's Club. These were not the respective venues that the Ship posted on their info board outside customer relations, we just kind of migrated. In any event, I'd love to see us support Molecular bar some as I think it's way cool and never seems to get the business it deserves. I also bemoan the lack of Quasar on Reflection as it was always the late night gay hangout.

 

Also, I posted a notice about this on the main thread but think it bears repeating here, If you have any desire to visit the Vatican Museum and/or the Sistine Chapel, DO go online and purchase and print your ticket voucher now...the lines to purchase a ticket are absolutely horrendous at the Vatican and dates/times sell out. The website is:

 

http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=26&step=2

Edited October 12, 2013 by AndersonIslander

[rockmartian]

Just to make sure I didn't miss any requests from way back when we talked about going to Carambola Resort on St Kitts, here is the status as I have reserved with Liz so far.

 

Carambola is reviewed here on Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147375-d2481096-Reviews-Carambola_Beach_Club-Basseterre_St_Kitts_St_Kitts_and_Nevis.html

 

The list of 14 people currently planning on going to Carambola as a group are:

 

· Ted and Kim

· Lee and Mike

· Bart and Bob

· Walter and Iain

· Randy, Jonathan, Bonnie, Lissa, Russell

· Craig

 

The cost of the ride from the port to Carambola is $10 per person CASH ONLY! This is a round trip fare to and from the resort.

Liz will meet us at 9AM after we exit the Arrivals Hall with a sign that says "PERIERA TOURS". She will be standing in front of the "Smoke n Booze" shop.

 

Please let me know if anyone else would like to join us and I can update Liz before we leave for Italy.

[Schplinky]

I suppose if the mood strikes us we can have our own impromptu pub crawl. When and where do we start? :-D ??? :-D

 

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I kind of like the idea of a pub crawl, maybe on one of the first few nights. It seems that on every cruise, I discover the bar I like best toward the end of the cruise. Even on the solstice class ships, it seems that all of the bars have their own personalities, depending on the sailing.