Celebrity Secrets they usually don't tell you about

[JAB8408]

Not such a secret, but something you'll want to be aware of...

 

In your cabin, there is a stationery folder, with two picture postcards of your Celebrity ship. The exact postcards they sell in the gift shop on board.

 

JAB

[Offtune Angel]

...I was thinking about medicines just the other day. We are traveling to the MED, and I want to bring some OTC stuff, dayquill, nightquill, benadryl, imodium etc and was thinking about putting them in little baggies with hand written labels instead of trying to take all the small bottles. I wonder if that would get me in trouble if I was the lucky one to get searched going thru customs.

I wouldn't want to chance it. Most customs officials want the original packaging. Check with your Foreign Affairs Department for their recommendations for the Med countries you are visiting or flying through/to. It is a good idea to have those OTC meds w/ you -- somebody always gets a cold and touches the elevator button just before you. :rolleyes:

Have a good trip.:)

[smiseel]

I've never seen Splenda, just sweetnlow and equal...:rolleyes:

[SheilaNC]

Never had a problem carrying medications - both in prescription bottles and not. Sometimes in original packaging and sometimes not. Just returned from Barcelona and although my meds AND Splenda were in plastic bags in my carry-on bag, it went through Security in several places and, one time, the bag was hand searched - nothing touched, nothing challenged. I do think that I had Splenda on my last Celebrity cruise but I can't be certain since I always put some in as baggie and bring with me.

 

Re: tux - we did this for DH on last cruise and it worked beautifully (included the shoes). Two shirts, studs, etc. included and certainly saved room when traveling with restricted luggage weight. Have a great trip.

[bythebay]

soda cards:

 

In the dining room you have to pay for the soda and the soda card doesn't work. Technically, you can only get soda (not a can but a glass) from the bars throughout the ship. The waiters can't get it nor can the wine stewards.

 

In therms of the buffets, if you have the special soda glass with you then one of the staff will get you the free soda, but be warned..they disappear for a long time. They have to walk to the aft of the ship to that outside bar to fill your glass. So best to sit in the rear of the windjammer.

 

Don't think I saw spenda; Don't take meds; never rented a tux.

 

BUT have totally enjoyed all my celebrity cruises...

 

Have a ball.

[cruisin'cats]

I have to differ with the above poster...our friends used their cards which are marked with something to ID them as having purchased the soda card and once our drinks gal, Mimsie, confirmed that they were holders of the soda cards, she automatically supplied them with their sodas at dinner in the main dining room for the entire ten days of the cruise. Since we were just on Mercury in February of 2006, I would say that my info is up to date, barring any sudden policy changes at Celebrity.

 

As for the special soda cups, our friends carried them around the pool all day and I, for one, thought that would be a pain in the butt. The friends didn't mind it, however. At dinner, no one carried that drink glass--at least no one that I knew or saw. Like I said above, once recognized as a card holding soda slurper, there were no issues with charging for sodas.

 

RE: MEDICATIONS-

I have always traveled with our medications, both of us are on Rx and OTC meds daily. My husband makes up packages for each day for us and puts them in sandwich baggies and then puts the whole thing in one big baggie. I carry it (or he does) in our carry on luggage. We've never been searched or questioned about it (Carib, Baltic, British Isles, S. America, Central Am.--multiple cruises to date). HOWEVER, we are going to Turkey to do an Istanbul to Athens cruise on Oceania in about 5 weeks and I have actually started saving the original Rx bottles as I get refills so that I can pack the Rx drugs back in the bottles if I research this item and feel it would be best. Husband feels that it would take up too much space, add weight, etc., and isn't worth it. Maybe I have visions of Midnight Express in Turkey or what in my head but I don't want to have to explain anything to anyone if it's not necessary. Most of the OTC stuff, like cold meds and allergy stuff, I usually carry in with the health and beauty bag that we usually carry on the plane with us. Mostly I leave that stuff in original packing materials. The suppliments that we take with our meds, however, I have carried in the above mentioned baggie system. I'd hate to have to start carrying around extra bottles for those items too--with weight restrictions and all, I'd like to have room for clothing.

Helene

[scubaran]

Hi,

 

On the Constellation last year they had Splenda in the buffet restaurant on the top deck. I brought some from there on my first dinner and my waiter made sure it was at our table the rest of the week (again, a case of just asking). I also used the soda card at dinner (had to have the wine steward get it though, not the waiter). As far as tuxes, renting's the way to go. My son and I always rent our tuxes and 9 out of 10 times it's in the room when we board, and the 1 time I asked the room steward and had it in 5 minutes. In addition, it's great when you're done, just tell the room steward you're done with the tux and it will magically disappear the next time you enter your room. As mentioned before, 2 shirts, cufflinks, commerbun, pants (adjustible waist for the 2nd formal night :)), bowtie and coat. Optionally you can get shoes, a vest or suspenders (braces for our UK friends). As far as meds, I travel a lot overseas and always carry them in the original bottles. Also I carry a perscription with all the meds listed from my doctor. It's overkill but if I'm ever asked, I have a script showing that they were dispensed from my doctor. Covering all the bases.

 

Randall

[safein]

I also disagree with bythebay. I've used the sodacards all over the ship, including the dining room. The only place I haven't tried to use it was in the specialty restaurant because we always have wine when we eat there. Believe me, they definitely pay for themselves very easily.

 

Anita

[Jujubee Cruisin']

Wow, what a lot of useful information! I went through all 45 pages and cut and pasted my own "Celebrity Secrets" email to send to the rest of my party.

 

I have just a couple more questions.

 

1) Last year, we cruised with HAL and every guest received a complimentary beachbag/canvas tote which we were allowed to take home. (The bag definitely got some use during the cruise, so I doubt they could have reused it anyway.) But I read on another thread that there is only a shopping bag (I don't know what kind of material) in your room which you can not keep.

 

Also on HAL, at every port, staff was handing out towels to the guests as they exited the ship for us to use on shore. This was great because we didn't have to take them from our rooms, and we could just drop off our dirty towels in bins when we boarded the ship at the end of the day.

 

On the same thread, it sounded like you have to use the towels from your room when you go to shore.

 

Is this true?

 

2) What kind of sushi is served on board (we are on the Infinity)? It sounds like they have nigiri since someone was able to get sashimi (which is very exciting to me!) but what kind of rolls do they have? It's it pretty much just limited to California rolls or is there more variety?

 

3) This is more just asking for your opinion... we are on a 10-day Mexican Riviera cruise which has 3 formal nights. I'm just trying to plan out my wardrobe and my dresses for formal nights vary a little in their 'formalness'. Which one do you think is the most formal? The first night we are on shore until 3, the next two are at Sea if that makes a difference.

 

Thanks again for all those who have posted!!

[cruisin'cats]

We did that same 10 day Mex/Riv on the Mercury in Feb. The first formal night seemed like the most formal of the formals but don't let that stop you. We saw more dark suits than tuxes (DH wore his tux, he owns it and da*m*it he's gonna wear it!). The women varied in dressy-ness but most were dressed nicely if not formally attired. I like to play dress up so I don't mind; however, my next cruise is on Oceania and there are no formal nights and I'm actually looking forward to packing lighter because of it.

 

Sushi bar in the lounge where they have buffets during the day was good. They had a variety of fish as well as the old Cal. roll. They even had Tile fish, which I'd never had, and it was good! They had miso soup which wasn't bad. They had a sushi chef who looked vaguely like the Eastern European waiter at lunch but who could make up a special request from the selections offered. I didn't go for this until the second to last night on the cruise because we had late seating and were usually getting dressed during the serving times (starts at 6 PM, or was it 5?). Also, once I knew about it, about half way through the cruise, I thought that eating this stuff before going to eat dinner just seemed like being a piggie. And then I broke down and went for it--after all, by nearly the end of the cruise the calories were already so tightly packed into my system that new ones probably wouldn't find a place to hang on for the rest of the trip. It was worth going for and I highly recommend it.

 

Enjoy your trip, esp. enjoy walking around Zihuatanejo. That was our favorite port--having never been there but having been to all of the others at least once (Aca) or two (Cabo, Maz., and PV) times before. It's probably the only place I'd like to go back to after three cruises on that coast.

[KathiSF]

... Last year' date=' we cruised with HAL and every guest received a complimentary beachbag/canvas tote which we were allowed to take home. (The bag definitely got some use during the cruise, so I doubt they could have reused it anyway.) But I read on another thread that there is only a shopping bag (I don't know what kind of material) in your room which you can not keep.

 

Also on HAL, at every port, staff was handing out towels to the guests as they exited the ship for us to use on shore. This was great because we didn't have to take them from our rooms, and we could just drop off our dirty towels in bins when we boarded the ship at the end of the day.[/color']

 

On the same thread, it sounded like you have to use the towels from your room when you go to shore..

 

We took the Mercury to Mexico last year. Celebrity us gave a bag that could be used for beach and/or shopping - one per cabin. We took ours home and I saw many people using them to carry stuff off the ship on the last day. Celebrity also had an umbrella in the cabin with a card saying if we wished to take an umbrella home to buy one. (Of course it was not written this bluntly.)

 

I don't remember them handing out towels as you got off the ship - but they had small, :D ice cold towels at Cabo where you wait for the tender. This was very nice! We're taking the Dawn Princess to Mexico in a couple of weeks - I just hope they have the cold towels too. I know Princess does not give bags.

[epbucky]

We took Summit to Alaska a few years ago and we got a fairly nice bag from X lines. Slightly bigger than the one we got from Holland. I believe all passengers get one from Celebrity.

[Joy2]

We were on HAL a week ago, in a suite, no bag! I was really surprised - we always get them on Celebrity -. Hard to believe HAL wouldn't have any bag of any description to encourage more shopping - hmmmm

 

We're doing Mercury in November - loved that cruise last November. Most formal night is usually the one with the Captain's Welcome Aboard reception - usually the first one - ours was not on a shore night the on the sea night the day after we boarded.

[MrLee]

We were on HAL a week ago, in a suite, no bag! I was really surprised - we always get them on Celebrity -. Hard to believe HAL wouldn't have any bag of any description to encourage more shopping - hmmmm

 

We're doing Mercury in November - loved that cruise last November. Most formal night is usually the one with the Captain's Welcome Aboard reception - usually the first one - ours was not on a shore night the on the sea night the day after we boarded.

 

Strange. We were on HAL in January/February and they gave us a canvas bag with the HAL logo. We also each got one from the casino.

[alfiemom]

Renting a tux is the way to go. My DH "varies" in size and really appreciates this. It's wonderful not to have to carry it around, too.

 

We've always gotten a cloth HAL bag one of the nights. Didn't get anything on X when we did a 12 night SF to Alaska last year.

 

Doing a Mille TA in November and will be renting the tux thing again. Actually, we're off on a "crossing" next week on the QM2 and he's renting one there.

 

Bobbie

[JAB8408]

Celebrity might not tell you about-

 

On the larger "M" class ships- your in-cabin safe is located in one of the closets.

 

On the "C" older ships- I couldn't find the safe for the longest time. Finally, my room stewart came to introduce himself. And pointed out the cabin safe is behind the large desk mirror. On the large mirror is a sticker that said "Safe located behind this mirror." Duh.

 

I seem to remember the Constellation required a four digit code. The Century asked for six digits.

 

 

If you leave the safe open too long, it will beep at you, and you need to reset your code. Yes, you can use your original code. The safe just thinks you're a new passenger.

[Scott Cyn]

Wow' date=' what a lot of useful information! I went through all 45 pages and cut and pasted my own "Celebrity Secrets" email to send to the rest of my party.[/color']

 

Jujubee, could I convince you to part with a copy of that "Celebrity Secrets" compilation. It sounds like it could be quite handy. And the idea of going through 45 pages to capture it just gives me the willies. If you wouldn't mind, the email is lecraws at mindspring dot com. Thanks a bunch.

 

Scott

[Jujubee Cruisin']

Jujubee, could I convince you to part with a copy of that "Celebrity Secrets" compilation. It sounds like it could be quite handy. And the idea of going through 45 pages to capture it just gives me the willies. If you wouldn't mind, the email is lecraws at mindspring dot com. Thanks a bunch.

 

Scott

 

You got it! It took me a full week of sneaking it in at work to get through it all. I wouldn't wish that on anyone! :p I'm sending it to you now. Let me know if you don't get it for some reason.

[beverland]

:)

 

Jujubee -

 

Would you please email me the list, as well? I've been thru this whole list, but wasn't as smart as you to cut & paste as I was looking through it.

 

beverland at msn dot com.

 

Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!! :D

[itsanita]

Me Too Please!

itsanita at msn dot com

 

thanks

[mrdorbert]

Jujubee - Can I also get a copy of the tips that you have? I agree with others... the thought of going through all these pages is overwhelming. If it's not too much trouble, my e-mail address is mdorbert@yahoo.com

Thanks

[Guest djdec]

You got it! It took me a full week of sneaking it in at work to get through it all. I wouldn't wish that on anyone! :p I'm sending it to you now. Let me know if you don't get it for some reason.

me too! please!

 

djdec@yahoo.com

[itsanita]

me too! please!

 

djdec@yahoo.com

 

Jujubee Cruisin',

 

If its not too long, I wonder if it would be easier for you to just copy and paste it here. You may doing a lot of e-mailing over the next few weeks!

[10july86]

me too, please. my email is: bsk0928@yahoo.com

 

thanks-Brianne

[getaway101]

I sure would be eternally grateful ........ dsmith6450@charter.net

 

Or maybe someone else who got it sent to them would be willing to forward a couple :)