Elite Happy Hour Bar Limitations?

[handbellplayer]

We are booked on the Beyond in the fall.  On our last cruise on Edge, we had the basic drink package.  It included the simple wine and drinks that we usually drink, so the HH menu will be fine for us too, I'm sure.  We are planning to only use our Elite HH benefit this time and pay for drinks outside of that time frame.  Our pattern on the Edge was to have drinks and listen to music in the Martini Bar before the production show, go to the show, and then have a late dinner.  I have read mixed messages on this forum as to whether the Elite HH is available in the Martini Bar.  This is a big deal to us since that's where we went every night during those hours.  Can someone recently off the Beyond (or another Edge-class ship) report whether they were able to get HH drinks in the Martini Bar?

[kwokpot]

16 minutes ago, handbellplayer said:

We are booked on the Beyond in the fall.  On our last cruise on Edge, we had the basic drink package.  It included the simple wine and drinks that we usually drink, so the HH menu will be fine for us too, I'm sure.  We are planning to only use our Elite HH benefit this time and pay for drinks outside of that time frame.  Our pattern on the Edge was to have drinks and listen to music in the Martini Bar before the production show, go to the show, and then have a late dinner.  I have read mixed messages on this forum as to whether the Elite HH is available in the Martini Bar.  This is a big deal to us since that's where we went every night during those hours.  Can someone recently off the Beyond (or another Edge-class ship) report whether they were able to get HH drinks in the Martini Bar?

No problem getting Elite HH drinks at the Martini Bar on the Ascent. My experience on all four E-Class ships is there isn't a problem. Furthermore the excluded bars are clearly listed on the Elite benefits sheet (see attached photo) in your cabin and I have never seen the Martini Bar listed as an excluded venue. Having said that the issue some people may be having is the Martini Bar on E-Class ships only seem to have large martini glasses and the martinia that are part of the Elite HH are served in smaller glasses.  So you have lazy bartenders that don't want to make and serve Elite HH included Martinis in their existing barware. 

Edited January 21 by kwokpot

[tomcruiser1234]

Also give them a cash tip. It really helps. 

 

Since your not doing the drink package be sure to bring a bottle of good wine each. 

 

That and happy hour goes a long ways. 

[handbellplayer]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

No problem getting Elite HH drinks at the Martini Bar on the Ascent. My experience on all four E-Class ships is there isn't a problem. Furthermore the excluded bars are clearly listed on the Elite benefits sheet (see attached photo) in your cabin and I have never seen the Martini Bar listed as an excluded venue. Having said that the issue some people may be having is the Martini Bar on E-Class ships only seem to have large martini glasses and the martinia that are part of the Elite HH are served in smaller glasses.  So you have lazy bartenders that don't want to make and serve Elite HH included Martinis in their existing barware. 

Great!  This is exactly what I wanted to hear.  The martini thing on the Classic package seemed to confuse the issue on Edge as well.  I only drink one martini a day - a chocolate martini is my end of night drink - and I'll be drinking it in the Martini bar long after Happy Hour is over!

 

Edited to add:  The reason I don't know the answer to this fairly simple question is that this only our third cruise on Celebrity.  We are Elite because we are D+ on Royal.

Edited January 21 by handbellplayer

[Kirsten T]

We just went totally "no package" on Silhouette and were completely satisfied with just our Elite Plus perks. My husband doesn't drink alcohol and I don't drink much, so it was way more cost-effective for us. We picked a bar (Sky Lounge) and went there each night, which seemed to be what a lot of people did because we saw the same folks most nights. The staff filled up my wine glass basically to the top every night so I had dinner wine- it was laughable - and would hand out unopened water, soda and beer when asked. They also made really fun mocktails for my husband, no charge during the happy hour. It worked really well for us.

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, handbellplayer said:

Great!  This is exactly what I wanted to hear.  The martini thing on the Classic package seemed to confuse the issue on Edge as well.  I only drink one martini a day - a chocolate martini is my end of night drink - and I'll be drinking it in the Martini bar long after Happy Hour is over!

 

Edited to add:  The reason I don't know the answer to this fairly simple question is that this only our third cruise on Celebrity.  We are Elite because we are D+ on Royal.

Just remember to look for the Elite information sheet which will list the events and benefits you qualify for. If the sheet isn't there just go to the Loyalty Ambassador and ask for it. 

[jayoldschool]

14 hours ago, Kirsten T said:

and would hand out unopened water, soda and beer when asked

 

Hmm, I never thought of asking for an unopened beer. This is genius.

[Oxo]

I know this is Celebrity CC. I am cruising on the Beyond in July. I am Elite + on Celebrity.

 

However, I think that RCI has a much better perk than what Celebrity has done to the new Happy Hour since they cut the number of nights they have HH. 

 

Here is what RCI does as you all may be interested. If you don't drink, then it does not apply to you. Just like if you don't cruise, this does not apply to you.

 

The RCI Crown Lounge:

They have a good free coffee & cappuccino machine which is open from very early in the morning and all day .

There's continental style buffet breakfast, pastries, breads, ham, cheese, cereals etc. 

Happy Hour, between 4-8, there's a hot and cold hor d'oeuvres buffet, but if there's a lot of Diamond and up members on board they sometimes exclude Diamond during these hours. 

In the old ships where its in the Viking Crown lounge it's a nice quite place (except during HH) out of the sun to sit and watch the sea go by.

There's a concierge there to help with any problems or queries  like a mini guest services.

Most people use their Diamond and up free drink vouchers so no $$ spent at most bars, lounges, MDR and Specialty Restaurants anytime during the day/night.

The ships officers often come by to chat during HH  which can be interesting.

Finally as in any lounge you can meet interesting people 

[handbellplayer]

44 minutes ago, Oxo said:

I know this is Celebrity CC. I am cruising on the Beyond in July. I am Elite + on Celebrity.

 

However, I think that RCI has a much better perk than what Celebrity has done to the new Happy Hour since they cut the number of nights they have HH. 

 

Here is what RCI does as you all may be interested. If you don't drink, then it does not apply to you. Just like if you don't cruise, this does not apply to you.

 

The RCI Crown Lounge:

They have a good free coffee & cappuccino machine which is open from very early in the morning and all day .

There's continental style buffet breakfast, pastries, breads, ham, cheese, cereals etc. 

Happy Hour, between 4-8, there's a hot and cold hor d'oeuvres buffet, but if there's a lot of Diamond and up members on board they sometimes exclude Diamond during these hours. 

In the old ships where its in the Viking Crown lounge it's a nice quite place (except during HH) out of the sun to sit and watch the sea go by.

There's a concierge there to help with any problems or queries  like a mini guest services.

Most people use their Diamond and up free drink vouchers so no $$ spent at most bars, lounges, MDR and Specialty Restaurants anytime during the day/night.

The ships officers often come by to chat during HH  which can be interesting.

Finally as in any lounge you can meet interesting people 

Thank you, but we are very familiar with RCCL perks as we are D+.

[Oxo]

35 minutes ago, handbellplayer said:

Thank you, but we are very familiar with RCCL perks as we are D+.

I posted this for those who may not be aware of RCI Crown Lounge. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, Oxo said:

I posted this for those who may not be aware of RCI Crown Lounge. 

The last RCL ship I was on had a very dark and depressing Diamond lounge with a machine that never work and a lot of mean and angry people in it , not a happy place 

[doghog]

12 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

The last RCL ship I was on had a very dark and depressing Diamond lounge with a machine that never work and a lot of mean and angry people in it , not a happy place 

All the RC ships we've cruised on (nothing larger than the Freedom class) the DL now CL are not in very dark depressing places. Ceiling to floor windows with some that have an outside sitting area. Can't speak for the coffee machines as my wife never uses them and I don't drink coffee. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

28 minutes ago, doghog said:

All the RC ships we've cruised on (nothing larger than the Freedom class) the DL now CL are not in very dark depressing places. Ceiling to floor windows with some that have an outside sitting area. Can't speak for the coffee machines as my wife never uses them and I don't drink coffee. 

This was September 2022 , on the Voyager of the seas , you got to  look at the life boats from the window 🤣

Edited January 22 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Oxo]

Where is the HH held on the new ships such as Beyond, Apex & Ascent?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

18 minutes ago, Oxo said:

Where is the HH held on the new ships such as Beyond, Apex & Ascent?

Just about any bar 

[kwokpot]

29 minutes ago, Oxo said:

Where is the HH held on the new ships such as Beyond, Apex & Ascent?

The NEW, Elite & Above Cocktail Lounge, which is the formal name for this event, is held twice on a seven day itinerary on the Ascent in Eden.

 

Edited January 22 by kwokpot

[helen haywood]

Yes, but the HH is every day except embarkation in most every bar.  The exclusions are listed on the Elite letter.

[doghog]

1 hour ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

This was September 2022 , on the Voyager of the seas , you got to  look at the life boats from the window 🤣

Just saying all CLs aren't created equal.

Edited January 22 by doghog

[baljaffray]

We were on Apex recently, yes got the captains club drinks in the martini bar, bar staff  we felt grudgingly gave us our small glass drinks, and newer staff were clueless.  I always just said xxx from the captains club menu there, but no issues in Eden.

 A few times  when I paid for drinks ie G& T Martini bar charged for my tonic, because I asked for it separately , so had to get bar manager to remove charge and speak to his staff.