Eastern Caribbean on Silhouette. So overwhelmed!

[zofiava]

Hello everyone, this is my first post, although I have been reading nonstop since we booked our cruise. You all seem like a wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful group, with a nice array of opinions. We leave in 2 weeks, and I am feeling completely overwhelmed with options, so please bear with me. I need a sounding board! I'm hoping I can tell you all my "best laid plans" and you can tell me if I am nuts or not.

 

This is not our first time on a cruise, but it's been 8 years, and we were on Princess the last time. I think this trip will be completely different. It's our 10 year anniversary and we want it to be special!

 

We did a bit of research and decided on an aquaclass cabin because it seems to "fit" us. I do yoga every day, and there is a yoga mat in room etc. I like the "healthier" options of Blu, although I think we will primarily eat lunch there.

 

I am planning on getting the 5 night specialty dining package, because we tend to go to the specialty restaurants primarily - last cruise we ate in the MDR just once.

 

We got the premium drink package (this seems like it will save us a lot of money!)

 

Are alcoves worth it? I love the idea of it, but not sure if it's worth it.

 

We are going to port at San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. This is where I am most confused. I have read (and printed!) the wonderful port guides that are on this site, but I was wondering some of your opinions.

 

In San Juan, I really want to do the bioluminescent lake thing, because I have never seen anything like it! Is it worth it? Is there something better?

 

As far as St. Thomas and St. Maarten, I am hoping to see some culturally interesting things (not so touristy) and also squeeze in some visually amazing things. I love the idea of being active, kayaking, hiking, but also want to enjoy the little things that makes these places special. Do you have any "must do" ideas for these ports?

 

I am afraid that booking excursions through the ship will eat up a lot of time in these ports. I want to make the most of every minute and don't want to spend a lot of time waiting around.

 

Formal Nights - since we don't plan on eating in the MDR, I suppose this isn't necessary, however, on formal nights, is everyone walking around all dressed up? I don't want to stand out if I am not, and I don't mind dressing up once or twice, but just wondering what the expectations are.

 

Is there anything I am not thinking of that we "must do"?

 

Thank you all so much for any advice you can offer!

[Lois R]

Hello everyone, this is my first post, although I have been reading nonstop since we booked our cruise. You all seem like a wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful group, with a nice array of opinions. We leave in 2 weeks, and I am feeling completely overwhelmed with options, so please bear with me. I need a sounding board! I'm hoping I can tell you all my "best laid plans" and you can tell me if I am nuts or not.

 

This is not our first time on a cruise, but it's been 8 years, and we were on Princess the last time. I think this trip will be completely different. It's our 10 year anniversary and we want it to be special!

 

We did a bit of research and decided on an aquaclass cabin because it seems to "fit" us. I do yoga every day, and there is a yoga mat in room etc. I like the "healthier" options of Blu, although I think we will primarily eat lunch there.

 

I am planning on getting the 5 night specialty dining package, because we tend to go to the specialty restaurants primarily - last cruise we ate in the MDR just once.

 

We got the premium drink package (this seems like it will save us a lot of money!)

 

Are alcoves worth it? I love the idea of it, but not sure if it's worth it.

 

We are going to port at San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. This is where I am most confused. I have read (and printed!) the wonderful port guides that are on this site, but I was wondering some of your opinions.

 

In San Juan, I really want to do the bioluminescent lake thing, because I have never seen anything like it! Is it worth it? Is there something better?

 

As far as St. Thomas and St. Maarten, I am hoping to see some culturally interesting things (not so touristy) and also squeeze in some visually amazing things. I love the idea of being active, kayaking, hiking, but also want to enjoy the little things that makes these places special. Do you have any "must do" ideas for these ports?

 

I am afraid that booking excursions through the ship will eat up a lot of time in these ports. I want to make the most of every minute and don't want to spend a lot of time waiting around.

 

Formal Nights - since we don't plan on eating in the MDR, I suppose this isn't necessary, however, on formal nights, is everyone walking around all dressed up? I don't want to stand out if I am not, and I don't mind dressing up once or twice, but just wondering what the expectations are.

 

Is there anything I am not thinking of that we "must do"?

 

Thank you all so much for any advice you can offer!

 

Welcome to Celebrity and Happy Anniversary:)

 

I want to only post one thing so you know it early...Blu is NOT

opened for lunch....breakfast and dinner only. There is a venue

called "The Aqua Spa Cafe" that is delicious and healthy...sounds

like you would enjoy it. It is located in the Solarium pool area. Check

it out:)...I love the food in there and they have some marinated

fruit that is really, really good:D

[zofiava]

Well that's good info! Thank you so much! Learned something important already!

[HopefulCruiser123]

Our experience is that people were a little nicer dressed every evening and on formal nights most people were well dressed or fancy dressed. I felt a noticeable difference on formal nights. Lots of gowns and tuxes, but also some dressy pantsuits, cocktail dresses and sports jackets. It was really nice. We liked to spend a little time near the centrum and the atmosphere was very elegant on formal nights.

[Lady Arwen]

If you are in an Aqua class cabin, your designated dining room is Blu, which is not open for lunch, just breakfast and dinner. If you intend on eating in the specialty restaurants alot, you might not need to have an Aqua class cabin, unless of course, you love that particular cabin/location you have in mind. I'ts usually a lot more for these cabins and really the extra amenities are usually not worth it. Unless you intend on dining primarily in Blu.

 

The "hump" cabins have large balconies and are often less money, so I would be inclined to book one of these instead of Aqua. Just my opinion, of course.

[Karen@Steve]

I've done a bioluminescent bay tour but it was based out of hotel. We kayaked to throught the mangroves and spent quite a bit of time in the water. It was definitely worth it. Since you'll need to time it perfectly to get back to the ship I would recommend you go with the ships tour. Good luck!

[zofiava]

Well it's already booked, so there isn't much I can do about it! I don't mind anyway.

[zofiava]

Thank you Karen@Steve! I think for sure since the timing of this is weird (being night) that I should do it through the ship! Thanks for confirming that!

[librarylady19]

I've never seen a yoga mat in aqua class - perhaps you have to ask for it. I love Aqua class - we are huge fans of Blu, for both breakfast and dinner. Fantastic food and service!!

[urkidn]

Bioluminescent Bay is best on a cloudy or moonless night. For the price you pay, I wouldn't bother going if there is a full moon. You can google bioluminescent moon calendar to see how your date works.

[zofiava]

librarylady, that's what my travel agent told me, but she very well could be wrong. I read somewhere about aquaclass having special wellness and yoga programming in the room (like on the TV) so I thought having a mat would make sense. I'd hate to have to pack mine, but I will if I have to. Thanks for the heads up!

 

And thank you also for the info about the full moon! Never would have thought about that!

[steveweese]

"Formal Nights - since we don't plan on eating in the MDR, I suppose this isn't necessary, however, on formal nights, is everyone walking around all dressed up? I don't want to stand out if I am not, and I don't mind dressing up once or twice, but just wondering what the expectations are. "

 

We have quit doing formal nights as we eat in the Specialty Restaurants. Alot of people are dressed up on those night and my wife wears a nice sun dress and I wear nice slacks and a long sleeve shirt. Don't seem to have bothered anyone and there are lots doing the same.

 

One reason why is I had to pay the Airlines for luggage and we go for 8-9 nights with 2 carryones and a large.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Sheffie]

I've done a bioluminescent bay tour but it was based out of hotel. We kayaked to throught the mangroves and spent quite a bit of time in the water. It was definitely worth it. Since you'll need to time it perfectly to get back to the ship I would recommend you go with the ships tour. Good luck!

 

From what I have read, if there is a full moon, you won't see a lot of the bioluminescence. Just an FYI.

[Orlandocruiser]

I'm really not sure how you could do yoga in your cabin - there really is not that much floor space. ( perhaps your TA was thinking of the Holland America " spa" cabin class where there is a yoga mat - again even there I think most cabins sizes do not lend themselves to a good yoga practice.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Well it's already booked, so there isn't much I can do about it! I don't mind anyway.

 

You can actually switch cabins after you book. In my view, paying for an aqua class cabin and then paying for specialty restaurants is overkill. The high price charged for AQ already includes dining in a specialty restaurant--Blu.

 

If you're after final payment, the only way you can switch is to upgrade and pay more. And, of course, it depends on what inventory is left.

[wallie5446]

The main thing I would offer is to not worry nor fret about thinking you need to do so much. We cruised the Eastern last Nov. and are going back this Nov. The ships have changed so much since our 1st in 1987. This cruise will just make you want to do another one, then another and so on!

 

One thought, in St Martin book a tour with Barnards, he is local and will customize your stops for you. We have used him a number of times and will prob do so again this Nov.

 

Have a berry berry wonderful time, kick back, and enjoy :)

[wallie5446]

ps: St Martin, Maho beach, one of those bucket list things. Do a Internet search.

[north49th]

If you're looking for visually amazing things, on Sint Maarten you should check out Maho Beach. You can lay in the sand and watch the big jets fly feet above you as they land. The runway is literally next to the beach. It is a world famous spot for plane watching. It has to be experienced to be believed. Many years ago an Air France 747 came in so low the rear landing gear tore down the fence. The locals refereed to Air France as Air Fence for years afterwards :D

 

If you're the adventurous type, you can could also check out Orient Beach on the French side. You'll definitely see some visually "interesting" things at the south eastern clothing optional end of the beach :eek:

[Pushkin]

Welcome to cruise critic and your first cruise on Celebrity! Based on what you have written, I think you will really like the Solstice class ships. Regarding the yoga mat, I have sailed in Aqua Class cabins many times and do not remember seeing a yoga mat. (Maybe you have to ask your cabin steward.) Regarding specialty restaurants, I would suggest you try Blu before you book 5 nights of specialty restaurants -- we think Blu is great and really don't eat in Specialty restaurants much. As far as ports, since ship gets into port so late, we usually just walk around, drink, eat, shop, go to one of the Forts. You might want to look into ferrying over to St. John when you dock in St. Thomas. A lot of people do this to enjoy the less crowded (and extremely beautiful) beaches. There is a couple of ship excursions that get you there via ferry, then you can just go off on your own. Since you are AC, make sure to visit the Persian Garden and Relaxation Room! Have fun!

[aquaclass]

We did a bit of research and decided on an aquaclass cabin because it seems to "fit" us. I do yoga every day, and there is a yoga mat in room etc. I like the "healthier" options of Blu, although I think we will primarily eat lunch there. Aqua Class cabins are very nice. Yoga was offered most days on our last 2 Celebrity cruises for a small fee ...... sometimes in the morning (7:00am) sometimes in the evening (4pm). Some yoga instructors were better than others. If you were looking to do some yoga in your room or on your balcony, I might suggest taking (borrowing) one of the mats from the fitness/yoga area and brining it back to your room to use during the day.

 

I am planning on getting the 5 night specialty dining package, because we tend to go to the specialty restaurants primarily - last cruise we ate in the MDR just once. In our opinion, there would be no reason to book the specialty dining package. Blu is your dining room for the evening and is fantastic. Excellent "healthier" food, superior service in a quiet intimate atmosphere.

We got the premium drink package (this seems like it will save us a lot of money!) Remember you drink package covers things other than alcohol ..... bottled water, smoothies, special coffee, etc.

 

Are alcoves worth it? I love the idea of it, but not sure if it's worth it. Probably best to look at it first, then decide if you want to book.

 

As far as St. Thomas and St. Maarten, I am hoping to see some culturally interesting things (not so touristy) and also squeeze in some visually amazing things. I love the idea of being active, kayaking, hiking, but also want to enjoy the little things that makes these places special. Do you have any "must do" ideas for these ports? Cindy did the hiking/yoga excursion on St Maarten (I think). She loved it

 

Formal Nights - since we don't plan on eating in the MDR, I suppose this isn't necessary, however, on formal nights, is everyone walking around all dressed up? I don't want to stand out if I am not, and I don't mind dressing up once or twice, but just wondering what the expectations are. Smart Casual every night in Blu.

[jackdiamond]

There are no lunches in Blu.

[aquaclass]

In San Juan, I really want to do the bioluminescent lake thing, because I have never seen anything like it! Is it worth it? Is there something better?

 

I don't know your specific cruise schedule, but most Celebrity ships sailing the E. Caribbean when they stop in San Juan, they arrive around 3pm (scheduled) and depart around 10pm. If the seas are calm, nice weather, etc they often arrive an hour or two early. What this means is sometimes you have rather limited excursions since it gets dark in the winter around 5pm. Touring Old San Juan (fort and city) can be fun. It is also an option to eat dinner somewhere in San Juan ..... great food options like The Parrott Club.

[SuperTrooper00]

Welcome to cruisecritic. First, you will love your cruise and it will be wonderful no matter what you decide to do. So don't put too much pressure on yourself. We have cruised several times, and on many different lines. We are booked on Celebrity this Fall for the first time. Like you, we have done tons of research as well. My wife and I just celebrated our 10th year anniversary, so I know how much pressure can be on that important mark. However, I found that I put way too much undue pressure on myself, as my wife really just wanted to spend great time together. You booking a Celebrity cruise is already special, and you going with your hubby will make it even more so.

Based on that, here are some of my thoughts on your post:

 

We did a bit of research and decided on an aquaclass cabin because it seems to "fit" us. I do yoga every day, and there is a yoga mat in room etc. I like the "healthier" options of Blu, although I think we will primarily eat lunch there.

I am planning on getting the 5 night specialty dining package, because we tend to go to the specialty restaurants primarily - last cruise we ate in the MDR just once.

 

As others have stated, Aquaclass seems to be the best of all worlds. You get to eat breakfast in dinner in Blu, which is a pseudo-specialty restaurant. I highly recommend you to eat dinner in there at least once before purchasing any type of specialty package. Assuming you enjoy Blu, I would do a Specialty like Qsine on just one of the nights since it is such a completely out of the box experience.

 

We got the premium drink package (this seems like it will save us a lot of money!)

 

We did this as well, and cannot wait to try the beers in Michael's and the Molecular Bar. This alone is worth much of the cruise cost and will make for a very special and fun time.

 

Are alcoves worth it? I love the idea of it, but not sure if it's worth it.

 

We are pondering this as well, and can only tell you where we have arrived at. We are going to wait until we get onboard and see how our week is going. If they sell out our week, we are fine with that. The concept seems like a good one, and I certainly know why it seems to be "Special" to you. But, the furniture looks a tad uncomfortable to me, and I think it would be money better spent if you had another couple with you. We never sit by the pool on a cruise anyway, so are not concerned with crowds there. We are excited to find a quiet and sunny spot on deck, lay on the padded loungers on board, or use our cabin/balcony to relax in during the day. Also, because you are Aquaclass, you have access to the Relaxation room as well. With all of those options, we have chosen not to book an Alcove on our cruise.

The only thing I can compare it to was a Cabana my wife and I rented on HMC on a Holland America cruise we did. It was wonderful, but we both left saying it wasn't worth the money. We just didn't need it in order to love our time there. We expect it to be the same way on Celebrity.

 

We are going to port at San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. This is where I am most confused. I have read (and printed!) the wonderful port guides that are on this site, but I was wondering some of your opinions.

In San Juan, I really want to do the bioluminescent lake thing, because I have never seen anything like it! Is it worth it? Is there something better?

As far as St. Thomas and St. Maarten, I am hoping to see some culturally interesting things (not so touristy) and also squeeze in some visually amazing things. I love the idea of being active, kayaking, hiking, but also want to enjoy the little things that makes these places special. Do you have any "must do" ideas for these ports?

I am afraid that booking excursions through the ship will eat up a lot of time in these ports. I want to make the most of every minute and don't want to spend a lot of time waiting around.

 

I totally agree on ship excursions. We find them to be more expensive, and more time-consuming. We also prefer to get away from the herds. I understand why people do them (peace of mind, ease, etc), but they just don't work best for us.

As far as San Juan, we are planning on doing the bioluminescent adventure as well (weather permitting). It is the best option, because the ship arrives at 3pm, and it is an evening event. It also would satisfy your desire to do a kayak adventure.

For St. Thomas (which we have done before), we never miss the chance to hop over to St. John and see Trunk Bay. Its one of the nicest beaches in the world, and getting there is half the fun for us.

St. Maarten has tons of options, and you will have to find what suits you best. Based on what you have said, I would recommend you save your money on the Alcove and Specialty package, and instead use money on St. Maarten for a special snorkel or sail adventure. There are even private ones that sound wonderful. You could even take one to one of the other islands close by. Very beautiful.

 

Formal Nights - since we don't plan on eating in the MDR, I suppose this isn't necessary, however, on formal nights, is everyone walking around all dressed up? I don't want to stand out if I am not, and I don't mind dressing up once or twice, but just wondering what the expectations are.

Our experience on other ships is that it is worth doing it at least for one of the formal nights. Life doesn't offer a ton of chances to "dress to the nines". Go ahead and enjoy it that one night. In fact, I would either eat in the MDR that night (just to experience everyone else) or do a Specialty (just to go with the evening) that night.

 

Is there anything I am not thinking of that we "must do"?

My biggest piece of advice has to do with how you start the cruise. Make sure and fly in at least a day early. To me, that first day can make a good cruise great. And we think Ft. Lauderdale is a beautiful and romantic city to visit. My advice is stay in a Hotel close to a water taxi stop (I think being close to the cruise port is a bit overrated myself). We love the Il Lugano. It is a beautiful hotel located right on the intercoastal waterway. It is in a bit of an odd location, but we loved it. There is a water taxi stop a short walk away (at a nearby restaurant), and we took it to the Casablanca Cafe. We loved that restaurant sitting right across the beach. The food was delish and it is a very special spot. The water taxi was like a mini-tour of Celebrity homes and yachts. Just beautiful. We slept in, ate at a nearby cafe for breakfast, stopped into a Walgreens just a walk away to grab wine, and then went to the ship. To us, that makes a cruise 10x better. It felt like we were on vacation before we even left, and coming from the West COast, helps us adapt to the time change as well.

Sorry for the rambling, hopefully some of that helps.