What was your experience in a Club Class mini?

[Aussie Gal]

We left the Emerald this morning. We first of all went to the Club Class dining room and had a leisurely breakfast. It was open from 6.00am to 8.30am.

 

We then collected our carry on bags from our mini suite and went to the Michelangelo Dining Room where Elite, Suites, Platinum and Club Class could wait. Before we went in, I asked the lass at the door if it was running on time. She said that they were already up to White 6. We were White 6 and we weren't due to pick up our cases until 8.25am and it was only 8am. So we immediately left the ship, picked up our cases, handed in our immigration forms and caught the lift up to the 3rd level where we immediately caught a taxi to the airport. All this only took 10 minutes!

 

We were at Sydney airport well before 9am where we had 2.5 hours wait for our flight home. It was the quickest exit from a ship that we have ever had.

 

With regard to tipping in the Club Class dining room. We had a discussion yesterday with other Club Class cruisers. Some were going to hand one envelope over to the Head Waiter and ask him to distribute the money whereas we only had two different waiters plus their two helpers who looked after us for both breakfast and dinner so we decided to give separate envelopes to the four and one to the Head Waiter as he had been fantastic. It is hard to know what to do when you do have a variety of wait staff. They were most appreciative this morning when we handed the envelopes to them. I don't think they expected anything so it was a nice surprise for them.

 

Jennie

Edited February 1, 2017 by Aussie Gal

[Nashna]

Thank you for your great reporting. We are getting very excited about sailing in Club Class. We will follow your lead in tipping the individuals who serve us. We did something similar when sailing in Agua class on Celebrity.

 

 

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[JudithLynne]

We left the Emerald this morning. We first of all went to the Club Class dining room and had a leisurely breakfast. It was open from 6.00am to 8.30am.

 

With regard to tipping in the Club Class dining room. We had a discussion yesterday with other Club Class cruisers. Some were going to hand one envelope over to the Head Waiter and ask him to distribute the money whereas we only had two different waiters plus their two helpers who looked after us for both breakfast and dinner so we decided to give separate envelopes to the four and one to the Head Waiter as he had been fantastic. It is hard to know what to do when you do have a variety of wait staff. They were most appreciative this morning when we handed the envelopes to them. I don't think they expected anything so it was a nice surprise for them.

 

Jennie

 

Does anyone know if tips stay with the CC dining staff or is the staff required to put tips into the pool that is given to the entire MDR staff? I would sure want to know the answer before tipping beyond the gratuities on our ship bill.

[OCruisers]

Thanks Jennie and others reporting back!

We're booked in a CC mini-suite on an upcoming cruise so are appreciating the posts.

The mid-ship mini-suites on Dolphin deck are our favorites so we'll be no farther than halfway to/from anyplace on the ship.

Very nice to know we'll be able to share a table in CC Dining. :)

LuLu

[Aussie Gal]

Our tipping was completely different to when we cruise out of a foreign port. Here in Australia, if a ship leaves from an Australian port and returns back to that port, we do not have any tipping at all on board. In other words, gratuities are not taken out each night. The tips may of course be included in the overall fare that we pay but that is not mentioned when we buy the cruise. Therefore, we didn't need to worry about those who received a tip having to work out if those passengers had taken off the tips or left the tips on their account.

 

We are so used to tipping the staff as we have mainly cruised out of Australia so we definitely felt that they deserved a tip. We did not see many other people at breakfast, tip yesterday morning. We knew only of what three other couples had decided to do and that was to give one envelope to the Head Waiter. I wasn't happy with that as how does he decide how much to give each person, hence we did the 5 separate envelopes.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Thanks Jennie and others reporting back!

We're booked in a CC mini-suite on an upcoming cruise so are appreciating the posts.

The mid-ship mini-suites on Dolphin deck are our favorites so we'll be no farther than halfway to/from anyplace on the ship.

Very nice to know we'll be able to share a table in CC Dining. :)

LuLu

 

 

Lulu,

 

We loved the position of those mini suites and we also loved our open balcony. We had hot weather but even so, we could find shade for a few hours each day as we were going in a north easterly direction going up and returning on a south westerly course. Whilst we were on the Emerald, our carpet was replaced even though it was in great condition.

 

The reason was that the whole of the ship's carpets in the staterooms will eventually be replaced and they were starting with the mini suites. We had to be out of our cabin for 2 hours one morning. Not a big deal at all.

 

Jennie

[Nancyquilts]

Just off the Grand today.

Embarkation was right after Elite.

We were traveling with another couple, so only ate in the special area of the MDR for breakfast. Loved the fresh orange juice, and omelettes were available most days. It was great to have breakfast the last morning there without crowds.

The bed was comfortable, pillows were huge so didn't like those. There was a top sheet, and the duvets looked new. Nothing else seemed changed. The sofa looked pretty old.

Disembarkation wasn't an improvement. We had asked to leave just after 9, but were given a time of 9:50 which we were able to change. They let all the groups go early, and there was over a half hour of being in line until arrival at immigration. Previously, leaving was steady walking and less than 10 minutes.

[Floridapenny]

Thanks for your reviews. I just upgraded to Club Class Mini Suites for my May Alaska NB cruise on the Star and my SB cruise on the Island. I chose to pay the upcharge to be mid-ship.

 

Based on what I have just read, I made the correct decision.

[Aussie Gal]

Just off the Grand today.

Embarkation was right after Elite.

We were traveling with another couple, so only ate in the special area of the MDR for breakfast. Loved the fresh orange juice, and omelettes were available most days. It was great to have breakfast the last morning there without crowds.

The bed was comfortable, pillows were huge so didn't like those. There was a top sheet, and the duvets looked new. Nothing else seemed changed. The sofa looked pretty old.

Disembarkation wasn't an improvement. We had asked to leave just after 9, but were given a time of 9:50 which we were able to change. They let all the groups go early, and there was over a half hour of being in line until arrival at immigration. Previously, leaving was steady walking and less than 10 minutes.

 

We too loved having our breakfast on the last day in the Club Class dining room. We then collected our hand luggage and went to wait in the lounge set aside for Platinum, Elites (which we are), Suites and Club Class.

 

We were only there a minute when our colour was called early! We were supposed to be getting off at 8.25am and it was only 8.10am. From then on it was just so easy. We walked off the ship, picked up our luggage, handed our cards into Immigration and we were in a taxi a few minutes later. We were out at Sydney airport before 9am so we had a 2 hour wait for our plane. It was the easiest leave taking of any ship we have been on and on the day of embarkation, that was also the quickest we have ever had getting on to a ship. Sydney or the Emerald have certainly go their act together and we are hoping it will be the same when we board the Sea Princess in four weeks time.

 

Unfortunately, as the Sea Princess won't be getting Club Class until later this year, and there isn't Anytime dining, we are back to late Traditional once more at 7.45pm.

 

Jennie

[chamima]

We left the Emerald this morning. We first of all went to the Club Class dining room and had a leisurely breakfast. It was open from 6.00am to 8.30am.

 

We then collected our carry on bags from our mini suite and went to the Michelangelo Dining Room where Elite, Suites, Platinum and Club Class could wait. Before we went in, I asked the lass at the door if it was running on time. She said that they were already up to White 6. We were White 6 and we weren't due to pick up our cases until 8.25am and it was only 8am. So we immediately left the ship, picked up our cases, handed in our immigration forms and caught the lift up to the 3rd level where we immediately caught a taxi to the airport. All this only took 10 minutes!

 

We were at Sydney airport well before 9am where we had 2.5 hours wait for our flight home. It was the quickest exit from a ship that we have ever had.

 

With regard to tipping in the Club Class dining room. We had a discussion yesterday with other Club Class cruisers. Some were going to hand one envelope over to the Head Waiter and ask him to distribute the money whereas we only had two different waiters plus their two helpers who looked after us for both breakfast and dinner so we decided to give separate envelopes to the four and one to the Head Waiter as he had been fantastic. It is hard to know what to do when you do have a variety of wait staff. They were most appreciative this morning when we handed the envelopes to them. I don't think they expected anything so it was a nice surprise for them.

 

Jennie

 

Glad to hear Club Class was so nice but we love the very aft cabins (which are now designated deluxe balcony) so it looks like we won't be experiencing it any time soon.

 

Can I ask who your Headwaiter was?

We sailed with a gentleman named Petros over New Years on the Pacific and he said that after his vacation he was being assigned to the Emerald.

We have a fall cruise scheduled on the Emerald and we are REALLY hoping he'll be there!!!

[Aussie Gal]

Glad to hear Club Class was so nice but we love the very aft cabins (which are now designated deluxe balcony) so it looks like we won't be experiencing it any time soon.

 

Can I ask who your Headwaiter was?

We sailed with a gentleman named Petros over New Years on the Pacific and he said that after his vacation he was being assigned to the Emerald.

We have a fall cruise scheduled on the Emerald and we are REALLY hoping he'll be there!!!

 

As we were in Club Class we only met the Head Waiter of our small area who was hands on for every meal. He was very personable but I cannot remember his name. It certainly wasn't Petros. As we cruised in January your gentleman would have still be on his vacation. I think ours came from either Slovakia, Serbia or one of those old Eastern bloc countries. The Club Class dining room was his baby and he was very keen to make it work. Sorry I cannot help.

 

Jennie