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goofysmom99

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  1. For sure a raincoat/poncho of some sort. I've been rained on a whole lot during/after Spring TAs and it's usually too windy for an umbrella (and umbrellas are a hassle anyway). But all the gardens are glorious at that time of the year!
  2. So many of the M&Ms/Connections I used to attend devolved into folks making announcements about their private tours = a rude slap in the face to the folks who put on the gathering since those folks obviously cared about selling Celebrity's tours. And even though Cruise Critic lists Meet & Mingles as "paused," in light of the current revenue-producing frenzy occurring within all the RCI fleets, I don't see M&Ms ever returning.
  3. They got plenty of feedback from me after a cruise earlier this month. No beverage package on my room key (bartenders knew black card should have it, though) and I was charged for room service three days in a row. Three trips to Guest Relations. At the Zenith lunch, I fussed to CC concierge about the charges and she actually said she'd have to check on if it was free. I chose not to complain about it to HD who was seated next to me. Later I got a call that "Miami" said free room service was OK. Ya think? I can't possibly have been their first zenith not in a suite! Oh, and also haven't received double points after my last six cruises; waited for the two most recent to post so I'd only have to make one call (yesterday). Yup, I sure feel "special." One X cruise remaining in November then 2025/6 are all booked elsewhere. And they didn't give me Suite/Zenith luggage tags.
  4. The Hotel Abruzzi (Albergo Abruzzi) is exactly next door to Albergo del Senato. I've stayed in both and actually liked the Abruzzi better. If you're able bodied (stairs) and it's available, their annex room was my all-time favorite. It's one story up, not in the main hotel, and it was utterly delightful to hang out the windows and watch the goings-on at all hours. BTW, they'll help you with your luggage. I can't manage a flight of stairs anymore so have had to settle on the main hotel (elevator). Late October is my favorite time to visit Rome. Have fun!
  5. I wouldn't count on outrage making a huge difference. The CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, Jason Liberty, moved to that position from the CFO side of the house, not hospitality. His emphasis is and will always be on the earnings/shareholder side of things. As a stockholder, I'm pleased; as a passenger, not so much. Love him or hate him, he's the golden boy of the cruise industry which is why he was named chairman of CLIA in January. My guess is they'll use the photo op to try to rein-in some of the pax who are bailing on overpriced Celebrity suites. I'm one of them. As a solo, 18-night 2025 Silver Moon Panama Canal transit was $6650 less for me than a 16-night Summit sky suite. For two people, SS is still $3400 less than X. I guess I'm making Jason happy by staying within the Royal family for this cruise. I also think he knows SS has heavy competition.
  6. I've cruised Celebrity for many years and for the past twelve months or so, every after-cruise survey has included something to the effect: "Which of these cruise lines are part of the Royal Caribbean Group?" Same question on the after-cruise survey I completed just a few minutes ago. Ditto on a couple of Celebrity marketing surveys, too. Evidently not enough people know SS is part of the Royal Caribbean Group. I was disappointed but unsurprised to read that SS is doing the 3-ship photo op with such insensitivity to the disruption it causes their customers. My take is that RCG (Jason Liberty = bean-counter central) is calling ALL the shots for all three lines. I doubt it's coincidental that Celebrity no longer has a CEO, but a President. Celebrity has made equally bone-headed management moves since early 2023. That was why I decided to widen my horizons to SS (and RSSC & Oceania). Since it looks like RCG wants to Royalize all three of their lines, maybe SS won't be a good fit for me, but I'm going to give it two tries.
  7. And I've received no-show double points. Guess it depends on who answers. Lately I've had to call almost every time to correct from single to double points. Usually corrected within a day or two. Most recently, took two calls.
  8. I'm currently on Summit. First leg, I was charged for room service (always wrote Zenith benefit). The other seven zeniths were in suites so they weren't affected. It took two trips to Guest Relations and one to the CC concierge before it finally got straightened out. I don't even want to remember the boarding screw-up in Miami (they apologized). All is well now.
  9. Whenever I've taken port intensive cruises like Med, Baltics, etc, I've been so tired after dinner, entertainment never mattered. TA/TP = maybe.
  10. If you want something lighter, order 1-2 turkey clubs w/out bread and 1-2 salads. You can construct a decent chef's salad. Chicken skewers also make good salad add-in.
  11. OK, while I was enjoying lunch here on the Summit, I decided to compare Panama Canal transit cruises on Summit and Silver Moon for TWO people, rather than just myself. April 2025, Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles, Panama Canal transit. Summit, built 2001, refurbed 2019, 2218 pax lower berth, max 2599, 91000 tons, crew 999 16 nights Aqua A2, all included price including gratuities: $15,535 Cabin plus balcony 232 sq ft (191 + 41) $486 pp/night Sky Suite S1, including gratuities: $18,927 Cabin plus balcony 308 sq ft (251 + 57) $592 pp/night Silver Moon, built 2020, 596 pax, 41000 tons, crew 411 18 nights Veranda Suite, $15,500 (port-to-port), all inclusive (and excursions) Cabin plus balcony 390 sq ft (325 + 65) $431 pp/night Celebrity IS more expensive - an A2 cabin for 16 nights costs the same as a full suite for 18 nights on Silversea! Blu is good but not THAT good. And those prices are as of about two hours ago. BTW, cabin furniture on Silversea looks comfy, like a real leather chair and sofa, not a dorm room style hard-as-a-rock futon or silly chair-and-a-half (on which I'm sitting as I type). But that's just incidental to the price disparity.
  12. Holy cow, David! And here I've been worried about Aqua Class price creep. 🤑
  13. Since they're in a PH, no problem with them having you join them for dinner in Luminae. Dinner is $36 pp ($30 + 20%). Either party can pay and a bill will be presented.
  14. If you don't have a printer, log into celebritycruises thru browser on your phone, pull up your cruise, then boarding pass, and take a screen shot. Looks just the same as thru the app. No printer needed.
  15. Silversea's single supplement (25-50%) is making it a better deal for me. Although SS price has increased since I booked, at the time, Summit A2 for 16-night Panama Canal was $11,100 and $17,600 for S1 (still is). Versus an 18-night Silver Moon suite for $9800 which includes butler, gratuities, OBC, bevs, excursions, etc. And the Moon is a 19 yr newer ship, too. Nicer cabin, newer ship, two days longer, all inclusive, and $7800 less....hmmm, not a difficult decision to jettison my Summit $100 deposit.
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