Celebrity Secrets they usually don't tell you about

[mr green]

And how DO they manage to remember your name so well? (haha, I don't buy the invisible ink on the forehead...!)

 

On Princess I understand that waiters and cabin stewards have 48 hours to learn the names of whom they serve. On one ship I was on we noticed the cruise director was busy one night talking to cruisers in the first two rows of the theater. Before the performance started, he compleminted the early arrivals, who filled up the front rows. He thensaid that he would thank them personally, and would they please stand as their names were called. In two minutes all 56 persons in the first two rows were standing! As I recall this was on the Dawn Princess. :) john taylor

[AFT_LOVER]

We get aboard & I head for the spa to sign up. Then to lunch at the buffet after we drop our carryons off at our stateroom. Then up to the spa for whatever as I have done an electrical stimulation that is to decrease cellulite & fat (doesn't work). A seaweed wrap in thick foil is another great relaxer, that they shot cold water to wake me up I was SO relaxed.

 

Many of the dancers are used also, so I befriended a few & got some great invites to stuff for DH & I.

 

 

Embark early and head for the spa. Volunteer to be a spa model for the tours that are offered the first day. Our last 3 cruises, my husband has had a free hair treatment (frangipani massage or something of the sort) and 2 different massages). You have to be willing to be 'on display' (that is the reason I have never done it), but if you don't mind that it is a great way to start the cruise.

 

Linda

[AFT_LOVER]

M Class has it on a sea day at about 11AM. We had filet mignon & martinis with Sudi demonstrating how he puts them together. Everyone got a small plate with a fork & filet & 2 glasses of martinis (Green Apple & Chocolate - to die for). So by Noon we were all pretty buzzed...........

 

What I really enjoyed was no books promote since the French chef that they follow his receipes has all the books for you to buy.

 

 

and you will pick up quite a few, like you can always order steakm chicken, ceaser salad and shrimp salad even if it's not on menu it's available every night. Although on your first cruise I would doubt there would be a night you would not find something to try. That's more for us that have done it many times. I would suggest trying the cold soups. Before X I would have never touched a cold soup, but I decided to try one on my very first X cruise and guess what? I loved them. Now, give them more than one chance, because every once in a while I find one 'off', but as a rule they are great. My favorite, which is a surprise as I do not like celery, is served at lunch in the dining room (which I highly recommend, less chance you'll overeat if it's served to you and cruises are all about being served!) is celery, apple and coconut! Out of this world! Dinner, the pear is good as is the black cherry and several others. Take a chance. If you don't like it, just push it aside! You won't go hungry! :)

[sugarking]

Can I bring an iron in my luggage on the Horizon?

[bandpthoma]

was the cooking demo on a recent millie cruise?

[AFT_LOVER]

were once a week on Connie & Infinity, so I guess all M Class have them. Sure hope Martinis are included on Summit next November............

[lindajeff]

Can I bring an iron in my luggage on the Horizon?

 

 

Nope

[canderson]

Nope

I'd have to qualify that "nope", since it's one of those things that in the end depends upon the responsibility of the user, and isn't checked. The shipboard AC outlets are clearly set up to handle these somewhat higher current devices.

 

Like hotels in Japan, discretion is the better part of valet -- or something along those lines. I have always done so in both cases, being a bit anal about wrinkles. Clothing for 4 in an inner FV closet set inevitably causes them. I have always exercised due caution, and stored the offending appliance after use.

[xanax]

There are REALLY good reasons that irons should not be used in rooms. I'm sure are guests would appreciate the gesture of not bringing one to maintain the safety of all.

[canderson]

There are REALLY good reasons that irons should not be used in rooms. I'm sure are guests would appreciate the gesture of not bringing one to maintain the safety of all.

So say the Japanese ... and yet many of the mid to better hotels (and quite a few of the others) in the U.S. have taken to providing irons and boards in hotel rooms these days. Europe (in any of the many countries I've visited there) and other Asian countries don't mind if you bring your own along. Can you recall the last time a fire was ever reported as a result?

 

There's reasonable precaution, and there's creating an inconvenience on the basis of the slimmest of odds (Cousin to the "If it would only save one life" syndrome).

[GATKLT]

I’m sure an outrageous amount of flaming will result from this post, as the subject of irons is always a hot one (no pun intended!) on these boards. I cannot, however, avoid putting in my two cents worth, as I keep reading the same controversy over and over again.

 

This controversy seems to be aggravated over the inability to make sense of the supposed prohibition on bringing an iron on board. It cannot be denied that an iron is a fire hazard – but is it enough of a hazard to prohibit it from the ship? If an iron is prohibited as a fire hazard, why do some lines designate ironing areas? If it’s a fire hazard on a cruise ship, why isn’t it a fire hazard on the 20th floor of a downtown hotel that provides guests with irons? Why are other activities involving a risk of fire not prohibited on board ship, such as certain electric curling irons, clothing steamers, candles, baked Alaska, and the number one cause of fire death in the US – unattended cigarettes? In fact, where in the X cruise brochure or documents does it even say that irons are prohibited?

 

These questions only make sense if you figure out the real answer – it’s not due to the risk of fire. As someone whose father was in the business, and who has a relative who is a marine architect specializing in passenger ships, the answer is that the average cruise ship simply does not have sufficient electrical generation capacity for over 1800 passengers getting ready for dinner to all plug in a variety of hair dryers, curling irons, electric shavers and steam irons all at once. My wife’s hair dryer is 1600 watts – probably double the wattage used by all the lights and other electrical devices in a typical state room, including the underpowered Celebrity built-in hair dryer. The lack of power of the dryer Celebrity provides in the room (well documented on these boards), and the fact that there is only one “limited capacity” outlet in the bathroom, is an attempt to limit the demand on the ship’s electrical capacity.

 

When I was about 10, my recollection is that on the RMS Queen Elizabeth there were NO outlets in the staterooms at all. On P&O’s original Arcadia and Oriana, APL’s President Roosevelt, and Matson’s Luraline, all of which we were on when I was a child, passengers were told no curling iron sets, hair dryers (which were really bulky then) or irons due to lack of electrical capacity. And I remember as a teenager, either on the Princess Carla or Sitmar’s Fairsea, my father and a couple of other passengers each received a plaque from the cruise director that had a frayed electrical cord on it – given in honor of having fessed up to being the one who knocked out the lights on half our deck while ironing a shirt before dinner! Did they confiscate the iron? No, they told my parents that the iron was technically prohibited, and if they insisted on using it to do so in “off peak” hours when others were not likely to be doing the same!

 

I think cruise lines do not want to say no to high demand electrical devices – probably due to the fact that a very significant number of passengers will ignore it or rebel at not having their favorite hairdryer. It’s downplayed and discouraged instead, and the “fire hazard” myth is tacitly allowed to continue as a way to discourage yet another high wattage electrical device. How could the cruise line justify prohibiting a 1200 watt iron as using too much capacity, while not similarly prohibiting a 1600 watt hairdryer?

 

Again, I do not dispute that an iron is a potential hazard. (And, I do not lug one around when I travel – nor do I want to iron on vacation!) There are, however, far more hazardous activities allowed on the ship, and we all have to behave responsibly. My point is that the issue of irons on board is one of wattage. Fire safety is an “urban myth.”

[canderson]

If they didn't supply a 2ND hairdryer in some cabins, I'd reconsider. As it is, I'll trade my AC current ration for that hairdyer for the small iron (actually, a good bit less power for the iron). Peak demand is right before dinner in any case -- largely due to those hair dryers.

[AFT_LOVER]

as you don't need a "board" to do the work.

 

Irons that are sold nowadays have an automatic OFF feature. If it gets too hot, is left face down, etc it turns itself off. So no fires!

 

I had written on a comment card that new ships should have laundry areas for folks to be able to transport 50# of clothes & be able to look good for 2 weeks, as many of us cruise.

[madforcruising]

This controversy seems to be aggravated over the inability to make sense of the supposed prohibition on bringing an iron on board. It cannot be denied that an iron is a fire hazard – but is it enough of a hazard to prohibit it from the ship? If an iron is prohibited as a fire hazard, why do some lines designate ironing areas? If it’s a fire hazard on a cruise ship, why isn’t it a fire hazard on the 20th floor of a downtown hotel that provides guests with irons?

 

No flaming from here and I can follow your agruments although I disagree on a few points.

 

I´m with you when you say it´s a fire hazard in a downtown hotel too. And I don´t like to see them there because of the risk, however I believe that a fire is the worst thing that can happen at sea and it´s much more dangerous on a ship/at sea then in a hotel. Even if it´s the same hazardin a hotel as on a ship the conclusion to allow it on a ship too is the wrong one in my eyes but you have to think about forbid it in the hotels. JMHO.

I´ve only ben on one ship with a laundry/pressing area. This area was competely built from metal. there have been no burnable things in there, they had a sprinkler system and of course multiple fire and smoke detectors. I think that´s the difference to allowing it in the rooms. If anything happens in these designated rooms it´s much easier to controll than in a guest room with many more burnable items in there.

Again no offend from here just my thoughts.

[tuggers]

madforcruising,

 

Totally agree. You make very good sense.

 

And for whoever said irons now come with auto shut off: Not all of them! And some times a travel iron is selected more on the basis of price than features just because people realize they won't be using it except on holiday.

 

New ships really do need an area where some laundry could me done. I'm not going to be doing a weeks worth, but the ability to do a load to pack less is definitely a plus!

[Bisous3]

Glad this thread is alive....

On the Millie there were 2 elegant teas that week. One in the beginning of the week for the people in suites, one for the rest of the passengers at the end of the week in the main dining room.

I went to the Olympic tea, and no one asked me for an invitation or anything.

This happened quite by accident (I wasn't trying to "crash" the tea- honest!) A friend was staying in a suite and asked if I'd be at the Olympic tea- she never mentioned the invitationthat was in her room until later on. I said I knew nothing about it. She insisted I meet her there for it, and voila...I had an "extra" elegant tea that week- one of my favorite things during the cruise!

Suzanne

[tuggers]

The tea you mentioned is for Select/Elite or sometimes just Elite. I've never had them check invitations but the SH (new CCH) is at the door or thereabouts and I have seen people turned away.

 

The Select/Elite cocktail party was definitely turning people away. You needed invite, sea pass showing your status or to be known by the SH. That's a real open bar where you can have what you want so I'm sure that's the reason they are careful!

[cechase]

Someone mentioned using the casino for tip money at the end of the cruise...

 

Can anyone tell me if Celebrity adds a fee to advances against your card in the casino?

 

No fee is added!

[stanjj111]

If you want to discuss ironing start another thread.

[GATKLT]

Some of the discussion in the last few posts was in regard to one of the Celebrity secrets they usually don't tell you about - that contrary to popular belief there is no prohibition on taking an iron onto the ship.

 

Lighten up stanjj111 - one of the great things about these boards is that if you're bored with one thread, relief is just a mouse click away!

[Shirley C]

Thanks for the great tips.

;)

[hcat]

There is a fee for Persian gardens. You can get a daily pass or a multi day. You can go as many times each day --they cross it off your little card. On Summit we pd $90 pp for 3 days. Each ship may be diff. Different rooms with diff typs of heat--dry wet, perfumed, nice music, color & showers--very humid--keep that in mind for your hair ladies! Also wear beach shoes--moist environment can lead to troubl;e... It is coed. we enjoyed it on Summit but on Connie I enjoyed the FREE dry sauna overlooking the sea that is located in the spa bathroom/shower room. That's a hidden secret most do not know about & it is not advertised at all. Shhhhh!

[newhips]

All these posts have been great hints as to what to do on our next Celebrity Cruise. I notice however most of them refer to what I guess is the larger or newer ships and suites, balconies, etc. We have beewn on RCCL 5 times before, but this is our first Celebrity cruise. We're going on the Mercury on 10-31-05. Has anyone been on this ship or does anyone have any tips about being on her?

 

(P.S.) Will definitely try the cold soups and the dining request tips.

[emcee207]

nice tip, been on the connie twice, just discovered the Persian Gardens this time. But, nice to know about the free sauna, thanks again.

[Luckyroot]

Will be taking our 2nd cruise, aboard the Century this April and would appreciate any "secrets" on this ship. Do they have a Persian Gardens? Our first cruise was on the Zenith, it's a small ship, didn't have much of anything "special" (not to say we didn't have a wonderful time though!) so I'm looking forward to a larger ship with more amenities. Heard already about the T Pool, and plan to make good use of it (we're in a suite so we won't even have to pay which is a nice perk!)

 

 

Anything else we should know?

 

TIA