New to Celebrity and First Europe cruise - Help Please

[ama]

This will be our first time cruising on Celebrity and our first European (Italy and Adriatic) cruise! We are very excited to try a new line (we typically sail Princess or NCL) and will be sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette.

 

1. We have booked a 2D veranda cabin for 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids - 4 & 7). Does anyone know how the bed configuration for the kids will be? I think its a trundle, so I'm assuming one child sleeps on the sofa, the other sleeps on the trundle? Does anyone know?

 

2. Pool Question - how crowded is the family section of the outside pool? Can anyone tell me more about the "Wet Zone," (described on CC review as a rectangular rubber deck space that offers randomly firing water jet) - how large/crowded does this get?

 

3. Fun Factory - are pagers given to parents? During the sea days - does the club completely close from 12-2pm, 5-7pm? Or can you drop them, but there are no organized activities running? I will not need staff to feed them, I'm just wondering if we have an early meal, would we be able to drop them during this time.

 

4. Are there Kids Menus in the MDR? Is there ice cream available all the time at the buffet area then?

 

5. Internet Package - We received an internet package for the 3rd/4th passenger. Can my husband or I use it then instead (obviously my kids are too young to use)?

 

6. Movies? I read that you have to pay to watch movies in the cabin. Is this for all movies? Are there any kid channels on the TV?

 

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)?

 

Thanks!

[CathyCruises]

This will be our first time cruising on Celebrity and our first European (Italy and Adriatic) cruise! We are very excited to try a new line (we typically sail Princess or NCL) and will be sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette.

 

1. We have booked a 2D veranda cabin for 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids - 4 & 7). Does anyone know how the bed configuration for the kids will be? I think its a trundle, so I'm assuming one child sleeps on the sofa, the other sleeps on the trundle? Does anyone know?

 

2. Pool Question - how crowded is the family section of the outside pool? Can anyone tell me more about the "Wet Zone," (described on CC review as a rectangular rubber deck space that offers randomly firing water jet) - how large/crowded does this get?

 

3. Fun Factory - are pagers given to parents? During the sea days - does the club completely close from 12-2pm, 5-7pm? Or can you drop them, but there are no organized activities running? I will not need staff to feed them, I'm just wondering if we have an early meal, would we be able to drop them during this time.

 

4. Are there Kids Menus in the MDR? Is there ice cream available all the time at the buffet area then?

 

5. Internet Package - We received an internet package for the 3rd/4th passenger. Can my husband or I use it then instead (obviously my kids are too young to use)?

 

6. Movies? I read that you have to pay to watch movies in the cabin. Is this for all movies? Are there any kid channels on the TV?

 

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)?

 

Thanks!

 

I'll take a stab at the ones I know about.

 

2. I don't think there's a wet zone on Silhouette, only the older S class ships.

4. Ice cream all day at the buffet, free. Gelato also on deck 5, there is a charge.

5. I'm sure you can use the internet minutes. Keep in mind it is very slow so don't expect to do much.

6. Good selection of free movies, we never even look at the pay movies list. Always something to watch.

7. No shuttles in Venice for sure. Your best bet is to get vaporetto passes for the time you think you'll be using them. This is a public water bus system. Mostly we walk in Venice but it's fun to take the #1 or # 2 up and down the Grand

Canal. You can also take the vaporetti out to the glass blowing island of Murano or lace making island of Burano

 

Hope this helps!

[Essiesmom]

You cabin will have a couch for one child, and above it will be a pull down bunk for the second child. In this picture of 7272 on Silhouette, the bunk is still recessed into the ceiling, you can see the outline of it above the couch:

 

Yes, there is a kids menu, and children can order off a combination of kid and adults menus. Adults can also order from the kids menu.

Just create your own ID and password using their accounts.

EM

[Lastdance]

You will love Dubrovnik! Yes, you can take a shuttle from the ship. Walking the wall is so much fun, and the views are fantastic! We even paid a taxi driver to take us up to a great viewpoint for photos.

We did a private tour on Malta, but the ship may have something interesting for your family to see in one of there tours. Malta, IMO doesn't have the wow factor like Dubrovnik.

In Venice, the ship did provide for a boat shuttle to take you to the square, and you can do a lot of walking from there. On our second day, we took the boat shuttle two different times and enjoyed the ride/view. We bought our ticket very early and paid $15 per adult; children were a few dollars cheaper. The first day we did on our own, and Burano has such gorgeous painted buildings. Do some research and you can comparative shop with the different water transportation - vaporetto etc. The ship was just convenient because we wanted to go back and forth!

goitaly.about.com/od/transportation/qt/vaporetto.htm‎

Edited February 6, 2014 by Lastdance

[IRENE AKKANE]

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)?

 

Hola Ama,

Te hablaré un poco de Dubrovnik.

El barco atraca a 35minutos andando. Se puede ir en autobus aunque hay que pagar con KUNAS. Si no teneis, frente al puerto hay un kiosko-tienda de recuerdos se puede comprar algo pequeño allí y devuelven el cambio en KUNAS, moneda del pais, (yo llevaba euros € y me los aceptaron) Compramos los billetes para el autobus en otro kiosko que hay a pocos metros en la parada.

MONEDA: 1€ = 7.618 kunas / 1 kuna = 0.131€ (cambio del dia 03-11-2013)

PUERTO: El puerto de Gruž está situado a 2 kilómetros del centro histórico de Dubrovnik. Junto al puerto encontrarán la oficina de Jadrolinija, bancos, cajeros automáticos, tiendas para cambiar dinero, un aparcamiento, un supermercado de la cadena Konzum, los grandes almacenes Srđ, un mercado, el hotel Petka, varias agencias, centros de alquiler de coches y la oficina de información de la Agencia Turística de la Ciudad de Dubrovnik. Hay una oficina de cambio de moneda en la calle principal fuera de la terminal de cruceros y la oficina de correos también intercambian dinero.

Para llegar al centro histórico en bus unos 10 minutos, se pueden utilizar las líneas de autobús 1a, 1b, 1c, 3 y 8. Los billetes cuestan 12 kuna si se compran en el autobús y 10 kuna si se adquieren en el kiosco.

Los conductores no tienen cambio para devolver en el autobus. Solo importe exacto.

Los billetes de autobús son válidos para realizar un número ilimitado de viajes en un periodo de una hora posterior al momento en que se marcan.

 

Hay un Cable car TELEFÉRICO. Los billetes se compran en la estación inferior del teleférico de 09.00h a 17.00h. L-D cada hora y media hora. Billete de ida y vuelta adultos 94 kunasr

Arriba hay un mirador, un restaurante con vistas de 360º y una tienda de suvenirs. Bonitas vistas.

 

Yo viajé con Royal Caribbean y el Shuttle de Royal del puerto a la ciudad costaba 14$.

 

Espero que te ayuden los datos.

[dodger1964]

I need to find used Rosetta Stone program

[TeaBag]

I need to find used Rosetta Stone program

Are you looking for Spanish or will any language do?

Maybe OP speaks Spanish.

[IRENE AKKANE]

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)?

 

Hola Ama,

Un poco de Venecia,

En el puerto hay un shuttle gratuito que lleva hasta los vaporetto-taxi y hasta el tren que por 1€ por trayecto, lleva a la plaza de Roma.Es un trayecto muy corto aunque andando hay que dar una gran vuelta que no recomiendo.

En vaporetto el trayecto dura unos 30 minutos hasta la plaza de San Marcos. El billete sencillo cuesta 8€ y el de ida/vuelta 15€ desde la terminal de cruceros a San Marcos.

 

 

Para ir a BURANO : línea 12 de vaporetto desde Venecia unos 45 minutos.

Es una de las más bellas islas de la laguna, una Venecia en miniatura, donde todas las casas están pintadas de colores brillantes. Existe la leyenda de que las casas son de colores porque los marineros las pintaban así para poder llegar hasta ellas los días de niebla. Burano es famosa por su labor de encaje, un arte llevado a cabo desde el siglo XVI y que es famoso mundialmente.

En la calle principal se suceden tiendas y puestos que exhiben mantelerías, abanicos, sombrillas...

En la plaza se encuentra también la Iglesia de San Marino, donde se encuentra el "Crocefissione" cuadro de Tiepolo con un campanario inclinado.

También es aconsejable entrar en una pastelería para degustar el famoso buranelli bussolai (galletas de mantequilla).

[IRENE AKKANE]

Hola,

Soy catalana pero aqui hablo en español.

Se puede traducir la página entera facilmente en el mismo http://www.google.com

[TickledBlue]

I need to find used Rosetta Stone program

 

Google translate works well enough to understand what was said. I found it to be pretty informative -- well worth the cut-and-paste effort. Here is the translation:

 

Hi Ama,

I'll talk a little Dubrovnik.

The boat docks at 35minutes walk . You can go by bus although you pay with KUNAS . If you have no overlooking the port there is a kiosk , souvenir shop you can buy something small there and give change in kuna currency of the country ( € euros and I had accepted me ) We bought tickets for the bus at another kiosk there are a few meters at the stop.

CURRENCY : 1 € = 7.618 kunas / 1 kuna = 0.131 € ( rate of the day 11/03/2013 )

PORT: The port Gruž is located 2 kilometers from the historic center of Dubrovnik. Along the harbor you will find the office JADROLINIJA , banks , ATMs , shops to change money , a car , a supermarket Konzum chain department stores Srd , a market, the Petka hotel , several agencies , rental cars and the information office of the Tourism Agency of the City of Dubrovnik. There is a currency exchange office on the main street outside the cruise terminal and the post office also exchange money.

To reach the historic center by bus about 10 minutes, you can use the bus lines 1a, 1b , 1c, 3 and 8. Tickets cost 12 kuna if purchased on the bus and 10 kuna if purchased at the kiosk .

Drivers do not have change to return on the bus. Only exact amount .

Bus tickets are valid for unlimited travel over a period of time at a later time are marked .

 

There is a cable car CABLE . Tickets can be purchased at the lower cable car station 5:00 p.m. 09.00h . L -D every hour and half hour. Roundtrip ticket adults 94 kunasr

Upstairs there is a gazebo, a restaurant with 360 ° and a souvenir shop . Nice view .

 

Travelled with Royal Caribbean and the Port Royal Shuttle to town was $ 14.

 

I hope you help the data.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

This will be our first time cruising on Celebrity and our first European (Italy and Adriatic) cruise! We are very excited to try a new line (we typically sail Princess or NCL) and will be sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette.

 

1. We have booked a 2D veranda cabin for 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids - 4 & 7). Does anyone know how the bed configuration for the kids will be? I think its a trundle, so I'm assuming one child sleeps on the sofa, the other sleeps on the trundle? Does anyone know?

It is the pull out sofa and there is a bunk above the sofa.

 

2. Pool Question - how crowded is the family section of the outside pool? Can anyone tell me more about the "Wet Zone," (described on CC review as a rectangular rubber deck space that offers randomly firing water jet) - how large/crowded does this get?

The pool deck will get crowded on sea days but the wet zone isn't going to be really a problem.

 

3. Fun Factory - are pagers given to parents? During the sea days - does the club completely close from 12-2pm, 5-7pm? Or can you drop them, but there are no organized activities running? I will not need staff to feed them, I'm just wondering if we have an early meal, would we be able to drop them during this time.

They do not offer pagers. The fun factory does not close during sea days but they ask you to pick your child up sometime between 12 and 2 to feed them lunch. This is because the youth staff does not provide food for the kids in the Fun Factory. The kids dinner is offered on port days and sea days. If they aren't signed up for the kids dinner- the Fun Factory is closed to them from 5-7PM. Fee for the dinner is $12 per child. It is in the buffet and is limited to items from the kids menu. The children are not permitted to serve themselves from the main buffet. My son liked it and wanted to go all the time but pizza, spaghetti and chicken tenders are fine with him.

4. Are there Kids Menus in the MDR? Is there ice cream available all the time at the buffet area then? Yes and yes- there is ice cream from 11:30- dinner time. It's good. There is scoop and soft serve.

5. Internet Package - We received an internet package for the 3rd/4th passenger. Can my husband or I use it then instead (obviously my kids are too young to use)? I'm sure you can- ask for help in the computer room.

6. Movies? I read that you have to pay to watch movies in the cabin. Is this for all movies? Are there any kid channels on the TV? They will have movies on in various languages and there are things that kids will enjoy. Bring a laptop though- you can use your DVD's on there or download movies and tv shows prior to sailing.

 

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)? We tendered into Dubrovnik when we were there and it drops off right in the historic walled center. It's easy. I can't speak for Valletta. In Venice- there is a ship shuttle. You can buy the roundtrip shuttle tickets on board the ship. This takes you to St. Mark's Square. You can also buy one way and roundtrip tickets at a kiosk in the port. Celebrity transfers are $20 for adults and I think $10 for kids. The Celebrity shuttle is good- I've used it twice.

Thanks!

 

Have a great time!:)

Edited February 7, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[ama]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate the help! Also - it's interesting to me that some of the replies were in Spanish. I actually don't speak Spanish. My last name (from my husband) is actually of Filipino heritage. So I appreciate the poster who translated for me. Thanks!

[d4m]

This will be our first time cruising on Celebrity and our first European (Italy and Adriatic) cruise! We are very excited to try a new line (we typically sail Princess or NCL) and will be sailing on the Celebrity Silhouette.

 

4. Are there Kids Menus in the MDR? Is there ice cream available all the time at the buffet area then?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, there are children's menus in MDR, but they can also pick and choose what foods they want from both menus.

 

Also, on our last cruise, ice cream in the buffet was available from noon until 10 pm (most of the good stuff was gone before then!) The ice cream area also offers different kinds of candies for topping if one wants. We also saw a man getting ice cream in his soda & he said he had a float each day:)

 

If you have not found your roll call yet, it would be good to go on that forum, as those posting are on your direct sailing. Many have researched ports etc and are usually very helpful

 

Have a great time!

[IRENE AKKANE]

Hola Ama,

LA VALLETTA, MALTA,

Aquí no hay problema, el barco atraca justo delante de la ciudad amurallada. Muy cerca de la puerta de entrada. se puede ir andando, incluso con niños.

[TickledBlue]

Hola Ama,

LA VALLETTA, MALTA,

Aquí no hay problema, el barco atraca justo delante de la ciudad amurallada. Muy cerca de la puerta de entrada. se puede ir andando, incluso con niños.

 

FYI...here's where you can translate from virtually any language to any other language:

http://translate.google.com/

 

Translation again:

 

Hi Ama,

Valletta, Malta,

No problem here, the ship docks right outside the walled city. Very close to the door. You can walk, even with children.

[TheWren]

7. For those of you that have visited Dubrovnik, Valletta/Malta, and Venice - does celebrity offer any shuttles to get into the main area of town? What is the price (for kids and adults)? We tendered into Dubrovnik when we were there and it drops off right in the historic walled center. It's easy.

 

Perhaps this varies depending on how busy the port with other ships (ama - check the cruise itinerary - it'll say whether you'll dock or tender).

 

Two of my cruises stopped in Dubrovnik and both times we docked (in Gruz harbour, which is not in the city), that was 2013 & 2012.

The ship's shuttle bus price was $12.

There was no child price, but the leaflet said : "Children under 4 years old are not required to have a Shuttle Day Pass".

[Jenna109]

Have a look at tomsportguides dot com. We found them extremely useful when planning what to do in ports particularly Venice