Jim_Iain Live - 2nd Half World Cruise - B2B Singapore to Down Under 11/25 – 12/21

[81Zoomie]

I read an interesting article yesterday about pricing in general.  Companies are reaching the limit of their pricing power and are turning to cutting costs.  It appears Celebrity is playing both sides of the equation.  However, a more price and quality conscious consumer may cause that strategy to crumble.  

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/29/companies-are-losing-their-pricing-power.html

[DaKahuna]

15 hours ago, expattraveler said:

It appears to us the new corporate strategy of 3 day, 5 day and 7 day cruises to corporate constructed “islands” thrust Celebrity in as just another Royal Caribbean/Carnaval cruise line. Unfortunate, but it is what it is. 

 

 I could not agree more.  If I wanted short cruises to a dedicate "playground" island, I'd book Royal.  This is not why we started cruise with Celebrity but may be why we stop. 

 

[terrydtx]

23 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I could not agree more.  If I wanted short cruises to a dedicate "playground" island, I'd book Royal.  This is not why we started cruise with Celebrity but may be why we stop. 

 

And doing them from Port Canaveral and Tampa, just like Carnival and Royal. For us a 7 day cruise is now too short.

[abbydancer2003]

2 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

And doing them from Port Canaveral and Tampa, just like Carnival and Royal. For us a 7 day cruise is now too short.

Agree, and if I want a 7 day cruise, I'll do Princess out of Los Angeles - a one hour flight.  

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, abbydancer said:

Agree, and if I want a 7 day cruise, I'll do Princess out of Los Angeles - a one hour flight.  

We did a 7-day Holland cruise of the California coast in November and loved it even if it was only 7 days. It was only a 3-hour flight for us to San Diego.

[DaKahuna]

26 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

And doing them from Port Canaveral and Tampa, just like Carnival and Royal. For us a 7 day cruise is now too short.

 

 7-days is too short -- We really want 11-14 or more days.  

 

 If I have to do 7-day, we'll look for a back to back. 

 

[abbydancer2003]

6 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 7-days is too short -- We really want 11-14 or more days.  

 

 If I have to do 7-day, we'll look for a back to back. 

 

That's what we're doing, more or less.  In January 2025, we're doing 7 days on the Sun Princess, then a night in a hotel, then 7 on the Ascent.

[terrydtx]

20 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We did a 7-day Holland cruise of the California coast in November and loved it even if it was only 7 days. It was only a 3-hour flight for us to San Diego.

This was a filler cruise in between our Sept, Apex cruise and our Edge B2B cruises next month. Also we used up a FCC that was going to expire tomorrow.

[DaKahuna]

12 minutes ago, abbydancer said:

That's what we're doing, more or less.  In January 2025, we're doing 7 days on the Sun Princess, then a night in a hotel, then 7 on the Ascent.

 

 We are doing 11 days on MSC Divina in February and then 13 days on Millennium in May.  No cruise booked after that so far. 

 

[expattraveler]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

This was a filler cruise in between our Sept, Apex cruise and our Edge B2B cruises next month. Also we used up a FCC that was going to expire tomorrow.

We also prefer longer cruises, but we also do fill in cruises when easily done. We did two 7 day cruises to the Mexican Riviera on HAL Koningsdam last year, and three 7 day Mexican Riviera on the Solstice early this year. We live in San Diego so these were all very easy with no flying. We actually walked across the street to board the Koningsdam cruises, and only had a  1 1/2  hour drive to San Pedro for the Solstice.  Taking another Mexican Riviera on Discovery Princess out of San Pedro in February to see the new Princess ship, and to also compare Princess against the "new" Celebrity product.      

[Jim_Iain]

I have to agree with all of the recent posters.    A 3-5 day cruise is just something we would not do.  Even if we were to book a number of them a B2B2B2B's etc.   Having to do turn around every 3-5 days would not be what I would call relaxing.

 

These private islands are really of no interest to us at all. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

@Jim_Iain  Jim, thanks for another interesting review.  When Celebrity starts to alienate loyal passengers like yourself, they are in big trouble.

 

One quick favor, can you publish a link to one your previous reviews when you sailed out of Rotterdam?  We'll be doing that early in 2025 and if I remember correctly, you had a lot of good information about getting to the ship in Rotterdam.

 

Thanks,

 

Al

[awhfy]

16 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I could not agree more.  If I wanted short cruises to a dedicate "playground" island, I'd book Royal.  This is not why we started cruise with Celebrity but may be why we stop. 

 

We have a b2b on Silhouette in February. First time since 1995 that we don’t have at least one Celebrity cruise on the books…

[lilghallinsf]

On 11/20/2023 at 4:52 PM, Jim_Iain said:

 

Thanks much.    It is hard to believe so my years have gone by.    We are like the Odd have say that he is first my Best Friend in the world.   Of course I am Oscar  (Jack Klugman).  

 

I never really came out .    I had fraught my inner self because I didn't want to be Gay.  Of course everything including ---- Oh NO Conversion Therapy.   Trust me it is the worst quack "medical/physocologic torture that could ever be done to and Individual.  

 

I finally figured out at 32 that with  3 kids I love dearly that I had to finally let my Wive of 12 years that I couldn't live a lie for the rest of my life.    The response was almost a mirror of the 1982 Movie "Making Love" with Michael Ontkean and Kate Jackson.

 

My wife was so angry she outed me to the world including my boss, parent and friends.   It was tough because  because I didn't yet know what it meant to be a Gay Man and also got fired from my job.  

 

I probably shouldn't be sharing all of this.   I met a wonderful hulk of a Guy that was 6'9"  he was my everything -  He Died of Aids 37 years ago today.   In those day there were no drugs or treatment and when diagnosed was a death sentence.   My next try at a relationship was also a failure -  He committed Suicide. 

 

I swore off relationships.    Eventually I met Iain after deciding to get my head back together and saw a Counselor for just 4 visits.   He was a very results only counselor and describing all my terrible relationships he gave me my assignment -  

 

Make a list of everything  of importance of Values, Character, Qualities and Things I enjoy   in your perfect mate.  Took me a full week to compile and I came back with the list.   He took the list and sealed it.    Now let's talk where you will meet that perfect person.  

 

I met Iain on what they called a Bulletin Chat Board.    I'm was not looking for one night stands nor was Iain.   We chatted and chatted for over 6 months and then finally met for a cup of coffee.   What can I say -   I already knew him and he was exactly as I dreamed and had everything on that list.   

OK i'm stubborn - I said I really like him and love our dating but for me I need to live alone for 6 months before committing to a relationship.    He was certain of what he wanted so he hopped in his car (and he can barely drive) and rented an apartment 3 blocks from my home.   

 

We almost made the 6 months but the Big Loma Prierta Earthquake hit the day his Concert Grand Piano was delivered to my house.    October 17, 1989 5:04PM. 

 

I spent 12 hours of terror -  He works in the city and was walking from the Federal Reserve to the Train Station at that exact time.    I started hearing of buildings collapsing on his route then on the highway collapses.     This was before cellphones and the few payphones had lines miles long to make a call .    I sat at the trains stations with no news and no trains until I saw a single engin coming down the tracks at 15 miles an hours checking the tracks and bridges.

It wasn't until early morning that the first train arrived.   We were in tears by the time we finally knew each other were ok.    

That became the day we moved in together.  

Thanks for sharing your story!!

[Jim_Iain]

10 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

@Jim_Iain  Jim, thanks for another interesting review.  When Celebrity starts to alienate loyal passengers like yourself, they are in big trouble.

 

One quick favor, can you publish a link to one your previous reviews when you sailed out of Rotterdam?  We'll be doing that early in 2025 and if I remember correctly, you had a lot of good information about getting to the ship in Rotterdam.

 

Thanks,

 

Al

 

Hi Al ---

 

Beware for what you ask.    The cruise was a combination of 3 cruises with a weeks break inbetween the first two segments in Amsterdam.

 

A big caveat  - we did not sail out of Rotterdam.    Due to restrictions in Amsterdam our first cruise ended in Rotterdam and we then spent a week in Amsterdam

 

To help sorting through the overly long Live - 

4/15-4/22   Caribbean

4/22-5/07   TransAtlantic, Ireland and UK ending in Rotterdam

5/07-5/14    Land Trip in Amsterdam

5/14 -5/25   British Isles out of Amsterdam ending in Rotterdam

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

9 hours ago, awhfy said:

We have a b2b on Silhouette in February. First time since 1995 that we don’t have at least one Celebrity cruise on the books…

 

I really enjoyed Apex.    They seem to have their act together.

[Ipeeinthepools]

@Jim_Iain

Thanks for the quick reply.  I remember it was quite the journey.

 

Thanks