Returning to Celebrity with ????

[Cruise Raider]

We have cruised a lot with Celebrity but then our cruise was canceled more than once for charters and then several times for Covid.  One more cancelation for changing ships is the last few months so think this upcoming one is a go.  Just hope they don’t charter it out again … 

So now, we are booked to go in a few months and I have a lot of questions for recent Celebrity cruisers.  I think our last Celebrity cruise was in 2017 and I’m sure a lot has changed since then. 
 

I see there is a app to use now.  We’ve cruised extensively on Princess since the restart so, the use of an app is of no concern to me.  It is more that I was wondering if we needed to scan our passport info into the app or is that all taken care of on the website.  Any tips on their app would be most appreciated.  
 

Does Celebrity still have the Coffee House breakfast for Elite and above?  What about the evening cocktail hour?  
 

Can we upgrade to the premium package onboard using OBC?  If so, what is the charge to do so?  
Are there any decent wines available with the classic package?  What is the limit for wines in the classic package?  
 

Is there still an Apple store onboard and do they sell iPads (mini, large?)? 

Most of the other questions are things we will just figure out once onboard.  

Thanks in advance!  

 

[jelayne]

The app makes check-in easy.  The app will scan the bar code on your passport, you take your own photo all very fast/ One change is that when you do check-in ( which opens at 45 days pre cruise) you select a boarding time, no more priority for Elite, Aqua, etc.  Only suites can board at any time.

 

Yes the coffee house breakfast is still alive and well.

The Elite Happy Hour is now unlimited drinks from the Elite HH drink menu between  5 - 7 at most bars, no longer the event in the Sky Lounge.

 

Yes you can upgrade the beverage package on board, however there is a Discount for Elite if you upgrade pre cruise by calling X.  The price of the packages just increased and I upgraded just before the change so maybe someone else has the current cost.

 

The limits for the beverage package are now $10 for Classic and $17 for Premium.

 

One change that has been very positive IMO is that when arrive at the pier you do a quick check-in and board the ship.  You then go directly to your cabin where you will find your sea pass cards in the mail slot.  You can drop off any carry on luggage and put things in the safe.  Unless you board after 1:30 the cabin will most likely not be completely serviced so you drop off your things and then can go grab lunch, a drink or just hang out.   Now with staggered boarding and being able to drop off luggage there aren't  people in the Oceanview cafe trying to get food with backpacks and luggage in tow making less congested.

 

[DCPIV]

Checking in is much easier to do on the app than on the website, and you can select your arrival time on the app without doing anything else.  You can go back and take care of the rest at your convenience.

 

The Elite breakfast still is there, and it's typically in Tuscan Grill.  The "happy hour" no longer is in a specific place, but you can have free drinks from the CC happy hour menu during from 5-7 at most bars on most days.

 

You can upgrade on board with OBC at any bar (and you also can do so before boarding).  The cost has been the difference between the package amounts plus 20% gratuity.  Honestly, someone else will need to chime in as to what that amount is as I have not been following it.

 

Whether there are decent wines on the classic package is a matter of your taste and the ship's availability.  As you may be aware, selections have been far more limited lately, and it will vary from ship to ship and cruise to cruise.  You might just have to wait until you get on board to find out, or maybe you can find (or ask for) a report from someone who is or has been on board shortly before your cruise.

 

There are Apple stores, but their inventories have been very limited and, by all accounts I can recall, rather old.

 

Another thing that has changed is the way muster is conducted.  You watch a video on your app the day you board, and then you go check in at your muster station with your room key.  That's it.  If you would like a live demonstration of how to put on the life jacket, they will oblige.  It's quite nice.

 

Happy cruising!

[NutsAboutGolf]

15 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Does Celebrity still have the Coffee House breakfast for Elite and above?

Yes

16 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

What about the evening cocktail hour?

Yes

16 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Can we upgrade to the premium package onboard using OBC?

Yes

16 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 If so, what is the charge to do so?

It's in your cruise planner and varies by your status and obviously the duration of the sailing

[DCPIV]

Just now, jelayne said:

The app makes check-in easy.  The app will scan the bar code on your passport, you take your own photo all very fast/ One change is that when you do check-in ( which opens at 45 days pre cruise) you select a boarding time, no more priority for Elite, Aqua, etc.  Only suites can board at any time.

 

Yes the coffee house breakfast is still alive and well.

The Elite Happy Hour is now unlimited drinks from the Elite HH drink menu between  5 - 7 at most bars, no longer the event in the Sky Lounge.

 

Yes you can upgrade the beverage package on board, however there is a Discount for Elite if you upgrade pre cruise by calling X.  The price of the packages just increased and I upgraded just before the change so maybe someone else has the current cost.

 

The limits for the beverage package are now $10 for Classic and $17 for Premium.

 

One change that has been very positive IMO is that when arrive at the pier you do a quick check-in and board the ship.  You then go directly to your cabin where you will find your sea pass cards in the mail slot.  You can drop off any carry on luggage and put things in the safe.  Unless you board after 1:30 the cabin will most likely not be completely serviced so you drop off your things and then can go grab lunch, a drink or just hang out.   Now with staggered boarding and being able to drop off luggage there aren't  people in the Oceanview cafe trying to get food with backpacks and luggage in tow making less congested.

 

 

Live, and in Stereo! 🤣

[NutsAboutGolf]

Remember you can use OBC a the casino and cash it out; at the moment you cannot do so on the Reflection but can on other ships

[Cruise Raider]

Thank you all for your most informative and quick responses.  
That is all so very helpful!  

We have a LOT of OBC and so will upgrade to the premium beverage package once onboard.  I will also scour the Apple products first thing but won’t be expecting too much.  
I got my first iPad on the Solstice and it finally died on me.  It was heavier than the iPad Air I bought at the Apple Store about a year ago but this new one is nothing like the one I got while onboard.  That one was the best!  
 

I love the Coffee House breakfast so I’m very happy that still exists.  I will miss the fun times we’ve had up in the observation lounge .. they had such yummy appetizers up there and sometimes, they were a great substitute for dinner.  It was such a nice atmosphere to meet new friends and visit with old friends.  I will survive!  
 

thank you all again!  Your answers are invaluable to me!  So happy about being able to drop off our carry on luggage!  

[chamima]

51 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Thank you all for your most informative and quick responses.  
That is all so very helpful!  

We have a LOT of OBC and so will upgrade to the premium beverage package once onboard. 

 

 

You can upgrade your beverage package pre-cruise and use OBC to pay for it and also get a discount for your Captain's Club status. Just call Captain's Club.

Make sure to ask for an email verifying your upgrade. I did it a couple of weeks ago and just printed out our boarding passes - they still say CALL. So I've printed out my verification and will take it on the cruise and straighten things out at Guest Services.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Are there any decent wines available with the classic package?  What is the limit for wines in the classic package?  
 

In my opinion no, but I didn’t care for the wines in the premium package either. 

[Mimiya11]

2 hours ago, chamima said:

 

 

You can upgrade your beverage package pre-cruise and use OBC to pay for it and also get a discount for your Captain's Club status. Just call Captain's Club.

Make sure to ask for an email verifying your upgrade. I did it a couple of weeks ago and just printed out our boarding passes - they still say CALL. So I've printed out my verification and will take it on the cruise and straighten things out at Guest Services.

 

Clearly you got a better Captain's Club agent than I did today. 

I was on hold forever and even when she put me on hold again to clearly ask someone else, the agent was not able to tell me the cost to upgrade with my elite status.  I was told to check back on line in a few days and would be able to do it then.  And if that didn't work I should call Captain's Club back

Apparently some computer upgrades being worked on?  mmmm  

  

 

 

[LB_NJ]

FYI, depending on the drink upgrade cost it may take a lot of high-cost drinks to justify the upgrade.

 

Also, because of recent changes to the drink packages no one really knows what is going on.

[Mimiya11]

27 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

 

Also, because of recent changes to the drink packages no one really knows what is going on.

Clearly🤦🏻‍♀️   One would hope that Celebrity agents knew.  

[LB_NJ]

2 hours ago, Mimiya11 said:

Clearly🤦🏻‍♀️   One would hope that Celebrity agents knew.  

I would highly doubt that.  I tend to det the correct answer on 1 out of 3 calls.

[mtnlvr53]

9 hours ago, jelayne said:

The app makes check-in easy.  The app will scan the bar code on your passport, you take your own photo all very fast/ One change is that when you do check-in ( which opens at 45 days pre cruise) you select a boarding time, no more priority for Elite, Aqua, etc.  Only suites can board at any time.

I think I missed this: where do you scan your passport on the app/Thanks

[chamima]

6 hours ago, mtnlvr53 said:

I think I missed this: where do you scan your passport on the app/Thanks

 

I also didn't see a place to scan but i did put in expiration date and passport number.

However, when I did my husband's info it didn't ask for that. I had to go back and use the link in the email to put in his info.

Celebrity IT is awful!!!!

I have said this forever but Princess is able to store our basic info (phone number, address, passport number, etc.) so why can't Celebrity figure this out?

We have a  B2B2B2B coming up - will I have to enter all of our info 4 times????????????

[dgparent]

We sail in March, and if Covid was good for one thing it is got to be the Muster drill being cancelled.

 

I have not done the new process yet, but pre-covid I hated that drill. You get on the ship and feel like you are on vacation, then they shut everything down and you go to your muster station and sit there for what seemed like hours until that was over and then there was a mad rush for the elevators and the Sunset bar would be jammed. 

[Cruise Raider]

14 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

In my opinion no, but I didn’t care for the wines in the premium package either. 

Oh no!  I sure hope they have something better this year.