Elite Happy Hour

[zuggie]

We're both D Plus on Royal Caribbean and Elite on Celebrity. It's been awhile since we've sailed on Celebrity and are trying to recall how the Elite Happy Hour works. Is it like on Royal where they have the evening lounge plus the 3 drinks loaded onto your card, or is it one or the other depending on how large the Elite group is on any one sailing?

[CruisingChick]

No, it's nothing like RCCL's Diamond Lounge.

 

First there's no dedicated lounge on Celebrity. If there are not too many Elites on your sailing they will designate a bar/lounge from 5-7 to hold the event. There is a set menu of drinks you can order from and light hors d'oeuvres passed around by servers.

 

If the number of Elites and above are great, they will issue 3 dated coupons per person per day to be used in most bars or lounges. They cannot be used in The Martini Bar or the Main Dining Room. They are good for the same drink menu that is up in the lounge.

Edited June 9, 2016 by CruisingChick

[El Crucero]

It depends! on how large the Elite group is and whether the designated lounge might be booked for another activity. On our cruise last month on the Infinity, the Elite gathering was from 5pm to 7pm, each day in the Constellation Lounge on deck 11 in the forward part of the ship - beautiful views out the forward facing windows. The cocktails and appetizers kept flowing for two hours. If you didn't have a beverage package, drinks were limited to house beer, house wine, and about 3 or 4 cocktails - Sidecar, Appletini, Manhattan, and Cosmopolitan. If you had a beverage package, then your choices were expanded.

 

Your experience may differ on your cruise.

[4774Papa]

We love the Elite happy hour. When coupons are not issued, you can drink as much as you like. Not that I guzzle, but I can usually take in 4 glasses of wine in two hours. It is a great place to meet your new cruise critic roll call friends before dinner.

[Bruin Steve]

We've never had the three coupon situation--I think that happens most often on Transatlantic sailings where they tend to have an overwhelming number of Elites for some reason...

 

As to the limited menu, it's a bit less limited than has been mentioned...

Yes there is a selection of beer and wine and a limited number of standard mixed cocktails...but there is also a selection of house liquors (scotch, bourbon, rum, vodka, etc.) and you can have those mixed as you want as well...

For example, I typically drink Jack Daniels and Diet Coke...but, unlike the RCCL Diamond Lounge--where Jack IS the house whiskey--on Celebrity, it's Jim Beam...So, if I don't have the all-inclusive drink package, I just adapt and get Jim Beam and Diet Coke...no problem...

But, overall, it's really not anymore limited than the menu of available drinks at the RCCL Diamond Lounge...

 

The only real differences are:

1) The hours--only 5-7 versus 5-8:30 on RCCL

2) The appetizers are passed around rather than sitting on a buffet on RCCL

3) The use of an otherwise public room for the limited hours rather than having a separate dedicated lounge.

4) No vouchers in addition to the drinks served in the lounge.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[El Crucero]

As to the limited menu, it's a bit less limited than has been mentioned...

Yes there is a selection of beer and wine and a limited number of standard mixed cocktails...but there is also a selection of house liquors (scotch, bourbon, rum, vodka, etc.) and you can have those mixed as you want as well....

 

Interesting! On our last cruise, last month, we were told that only the 4 standard cocktails were available at the daily Elite event (which is different than the once a cruise Captains Club event). We were told that any other cocktails or mixed drinks required a beverage package, which fortunately we had.

 

So, I guess, "it depends."

[Bruin Steve]

Interesting! On our last cruise, last month, we were told that only the 4 standard cocktails were available at the daily Elite event (which is different than the once a cruise Captains Club event). We were told that any other cocktails or mixed drinks required a beverage package, which fortunately we had.

 

So, I guess, "it depends."

 

Are you sure you are not confusing it with the once-per-cruise Captain's reception--where they bring out trays with limited cocktails? (Of course, I always ask the waiter and he gets me what I want anyway--maybe it's because the bar waiters know me...)

 

We were just on the Silhouette a couple of months ago and it was the same menu--like the ones I posted the photos of...

[El Crucero]

Are you sure you are not confusing it with the once-per-cruise Captain's reception--where they bring out trays with limited cocktails?

 

No, not confused, that is the once per cruise "Captains Club" event. I am talking about the daily Elite event. We did not attend the Captain's Club event on our last cruise.

 

We were just on the Silhouette a couple of months ago and it was the same menu--like the ones I posted the photos of...

 

We had no menus at the daily Elite event of any kind. They did bring around trays of the limited 4 pre-mixed cocktails. We just ordered whatever we wanted with our beverage package, as were most guests. Service was a bit slow, but it was a big crowd. So we started going in at 6pm when a lot of people were going to early seating dinner and the lounge started to empty out. Then service was prompt.

[basil1]

I hope this doesn't divert from the topic but why can't you leave the lounge with a drink ( I noticed it said that on the menu posted)? If you haven't finished your last one and would like to take it to dinner or a pre-dinner show? Just curious.

[Bruin Steve]

I'll be back onboard--this time the Constellation--in about three weeks. I will be shocked to see it any different than I am accustomed to or than it was on the Silhouette a couple of months ago. It won't matter all that much to me as I'll have the drink package--though I love just ordering from the Elite Lounge list so I don't have to mess with my card each time.

 

For the record, I am Elite Plus--so I have been on a large number of Celebrity cruises as Elite or better and I have never been on a cruise where there has been what I would consider a "big crowd" in the Elite lounge...and I typically arrive right at 5:00 and stay until around 6:30-6:45--or later if I am really having a good time...The service has always been great...The waiters all remember what I order and come and refill my drinks as soon as (sometimes before) I'm finished with the last. I've never been served a "pre-mixed" drink off a preset tray.

 

I hope this doesn't divert from the topic but why can't you leave the lounge with a drink ( I noticed it said that on the menu posted)? If you haven't finished your last one and would like to take it to dinner or a pre-dinner show? Just curious.

My guess is that they don't want you carrying free drinks out of the lounge to share with your non-Elite friends outside...

But I have actually carried drinks out several times--since they keep bringing me new drinks as soon as I'm finished...even right at 7:00 or when I'm just about to leave for dinner.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Bruin Steve

[CruisingChick]

I will be shocked to see it any different than I am accustomed to or than it was on the Silhouette a couple of months ago.

 

Steve we just disembarked Summit on Sunday and Elite Happy Hour was the same as hit has been in the past. You could order any of the drinks listed on the menu or any other mixed drink using the vodkas, gins, etc. on the menu. I would drink and Absolut and Tonic each evening with a lime. My husband would get Bud Light and shot of Jim Beam on the side.

 

Totally off topic - I hope you were not near that horrible wild fire they had out there last week.

[cruisestitch]

when the Elite happy hour event first started, there were passengers who abused the system, carrying out drinks to their non-elite friends waiting at the door. So they began watching for this. I have also sometimes seen that at the end of the event, they let you bring your unfinished drink out with you, but sometimes there is a "gatekeeper' who politely reminds you to leave the unfinished drink behind.

[Bruin Steve]

 

Totally off topic - I hope you were not near that horrible wild fire they had out there last week.

 

Within a mile or so...You could see flames from our house (neighbors told me--I didn't go outside due to my Asthma)...But, luckily, the thing pretty much spread south and east (and we are west of the starting point). There were about 5,000 people evacuated from their homes, but we were not among those.

 

It does get a bit scary around here when these things start as we are quite a ways up into the mountains and surrounded on 2-3 sides by state and national park land--all densely vegetated with Scrub Oak and Chaparral in pretty rugged and largely inaccessible terrain. We owe a lot to the local fire departments and the helicopter pilots who really know how to handle these things.

 

Thanks for asking...

[El Crucero]

For the record, I am Elite Plus--so I have been on a large number of Celebrity cruises as Elite or better and I have never been on a cruise where there has been what I would consider a "big crowd" in the Elite lounge...and I typically arrive right at 5:00 and stay until around 6:30-6:45--or later if I am really having a good time...The service has always been great...The waiters all remember what I order and come and refill my drinks as soon as (sometimes before) I'm finished with the last.

 

Again, the Elite event was held in the Constellation lounge, one of the larger venues on the Infinity. Arriving at 5pm, there were few, if any seats available or being "saved" for friends. It was very irritating to see a couple saving 2 to 4 chairs for "friends" and two hours later those "friends" never did show up. Very inconsiderate and selfish. Consequently I guess I wouldn't want to sit with them anyway.

 

It was difficult for servers to remember what your drink of choice might be since there were so many guests. However there was one server at the Elite event who worked in Blu for breakfast, where we ate. He always remembered us, always sought us out at the Elite event, always remembered what we were drinking, and frankly gave us special treatment and service that he may not have afforded other guests.

 

Steve perhaps we will cruise together at sometime in the future and we can discuss the pros and cons of bruins and the bears at the Elite event. Goooooooo Bears!

Edited June 9, 2016 by El Crucero

[hcat]

The buffet and Diamond cockrptail party on Oasis was awesome compared to X. (probably more like what the suites get)..but other perks are better....including the internet minutes,,,

Edited June 9, 2016 by hcat

[cookiersmom]

Within a mile or so...You could see flames from our house (neighbors told me--I didn't go outside due to my Asthma)...But, luckily, the thing pretty much spread south and east (and we are west of the starting point). There were about 5,000 people evacuated from their homes, but we were not among those.

 

It does get a bit scary around here when these things start as we are quite a ways up into the mountains and surrounded on 2-3 sides by state and national park land--all densely vegetated with Scrub Oak and Chaparral in pretty rugged and largely inaccessible terrain. We owe a lot to the local fire departments and the helicopter pilots who really know how to handle these things.

 

Thanks for asking...

 

Steve, My family lives very close, I grew up there, and went to UCLA too! Wondering if we know each other???

[Sandtrap328]

I have been on several Celebrity ships and the Elite Captain Club happy hour has always been in the observation lounge (Constellation Lounge, Sky Lounge, etc).

 

There is always the drink menu on the tables and if you want something different, you will either have a drink package or have it charged to your room. I have been on a few cruises with the three coupons that can be used in any bar except Martini Bar.

 

Give a nice tip to your cocktail server after your first drink in the observation lounge. They will remember it and you will get great service. Of course, a nice nightly tip is expected.

[Bruin Steve]

Steve, My family lives very close, I grew up there, and went to UCLA too! Wondering if we know each other???

 

Always a chance, Laurie...

We live in Calabasas Park Estates...I was at UCLA back in the 70s...

[WAVTAM]

Just off 28 day run on Solstice and the drink menu albeit limited can get very exhausting. A little $10 tip goes a long way in ordering any drink you want.