Celebrity, cabin blocking and Antarctica

[cangelmd]

I purposely put this on the Celebrity board rather than Antarctica, because of cabin blocking.

 

We are looking at booking an Antarctica cruise for 2024 on the Eclipse - Hi Ken! We are traveling with another couple.

In doing mock bookings, we were trying to book 2 cabins together, and noticed that pretty much every cabin that had a sofa bed or an adjoining inside was booked and the regular cabins were not, which made it impossible to get 2 rooms together, Sunset Verandas and Sunset Concierge were free.

I'm thinking that there are a lot of real bookings because Celebrity hasn't been to the Antarctic in 2 years and people think 2024 will go, but given the pattern, I'm very suspicious that Celebrity has blocked some cabins? Is there something about the sofa bed cabins I'm missing that make them more popular?

Why are the Sunset Veranda and Concierge going last - I suspect it is because people are concerned about seasickness, but is there anything about else the cruise that would make you not want to be on the back?

 

Our friends are on the Edge in a few weeks, and they are planning on doing an onboard booking for both of us then and moving to our TA.

[sippican]

Call. You'll have no problem whatsoever.

Not every available cabin is showing on the booking site on most Celebrity ships.

 

FWIW, the itineraries are up for speculation. At this time, no one knows what impact the Polar Code will have on future sailings, and if the Falklands will lift the ban on large cruise ships.

Edited February 12, 2022 by sippican

[omeinv]

You'll likely see unavailable cabins turn to available if you change your mock booking to 3 guests rather than two.  If that's the case, you can likley get one of those rooms if you call.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Arizona Wildcat]

You can also call a TA.  I can think of three that have blocks of veranda cabins in the 25-50 number each.  Obviously have no idea how many are sold, but TA group cabins are always refundable until final payment with my TA.

[Ken the cruiser]

8 hours ago, cangelmd said:

Why are the Sunset Veranda and Concierge going last - I suspect it is because people are concerned about seasickness, but is there anything about else the cruise that would make you not want to be on the back?

Hi there!! Why we like an aft-facing cabin, let me count the ways. 😂😂

 

1. When looking from the balcony, you can see on both sides of the ship as well as directly behind you. When cruising in either Antarctica and Alaska waters, or cruising through the Panama Canal or even through the Norwegian fjords, the views are extremely awesome especially when looking for wildlife, beautiful scenery or simply watching the PC gates open and close or to see what ships are loading up in the locks behind you. Our first time going through the PC in an aft-facing cabin, there was a huge car carrier in the left lock and a Tall Ship in the one right behind us.
 

2. When leaving a port in most cases the sail away views are super cool, day or night or better yet at sunset!!

 

3. Then there is the weather aspect. It is definitely less windy when the ship is moving. But I would also recommend getting an aft-facing balcony more close to the center rather than on either side, not only to avoid most windy situations, but in many cases to avoid the radiant heat of the sun by moving your chair to the “shady side” of the balcony, unless it is directly behind the ship.

 

The below picture, which is not all that awe-inspiring, is from a corner aft-facing cabin on the Reflection that we’re on right now. You have to blow up the picture, but there was a large bird following the ship on the starboard side and far in the distance the Symphony of the Seas was crossing between the two land masses off in the distance. But picture this was in Antarctica, Alaska or Norway and there were beautiful land masses on both sides, or you were leaving a port in the evening and the buildings were all lit up.

 

 

Anyway, if you can still book 2 of those aft-facing cabins on the Eclipse on the 2024 Antarctica cruises you’re looking at, I’d say do it ASAP as their prices will only go up. But them I’m partial to aft-facing cabins  … 😂😂😂
 

Edited February 12, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

Here’s an aft-facing balcony picture of Miami after leaving Port Everglades about a hour ago. Just imagine what it would have been like 30 minutes ago with the sun setting. Unfortunately, we were eating dinner, so we missed it. OK, I’ll stop now. 😂

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Redking]

12 hours ago, cangelmd said:

I purposely put this on the Celebrity board rather than Antarctica, because of cabin blocking.

 

We are looking at booking an Antarctica cruise for 2024 on the Eclipse - Hi Ken! We are traveling with another couple.

In doing mock bookings, we were trying to book 2 cabins together, and noticed that pretty much every cabin that had a sofa bed or an adjoining inside was booked and the regular cabins were not, which made it impossible to get 2 rooms together, Sunset Verandas and Sunset Concierge were free.

I'm thinking that there are a lot of real bookings because Celebrity hasn't been to the Antarctic in 2 years and people think 2024 will go, but given the pattern, I'm very suspicious that Celebrity has blocked some cabins? Is there something about the sofa bed cabins I'm missing that make them more popular?

Why are the Sunset Veranda and Concierge going last - I suspect it is because people are concerned about seasickness, but is there anything about else the cruise that would make you not want to be on the back?

 

Our friends are on the Edge in a few weeks, and they are planning on doing an onboard booking for both of us then and moving to our TA.

Aft aquaclass in the Beagle Channel and Chilean Fjords. Why wouldn't you. Admittedly this was M-class not S-class. We did hear a few cruisers down at the sunset bar comment on what great balconies we had (our two sons were in neighbouring cabin).