Jump to content

ChiGal1962

Members
  • Posts

    501
  • Joined

About Me

  • Location
    Downers Grove, IL
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Celebrity, Princess
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Mediterranean

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

ChiGal1962's Achievements

Cool Cruiser

Cool Cruiser (2/15)

  1. Thank you @travellingnana! That actually worked for me.
  2. I'm trying to change my website password, not the app one (and they are different, which is ultra confusing!). My current website password is an old one that doesn't even meet their password criteria. But every time I try to change it, I get the "technical difficulties" message.
  3. I've been getting the same message for weeks. I just keep trying.
  4. Thank you for posting this! I impulsively booked a cruise on the Ruby Princess this week (16 nights r/t Hawaii) and was starting to question whether I made the right decision. I booked Premium mostly because Alfredos was my favorite place on the Regal last spring, only to find out they didn't have one on Ruby. But your review was very encouraging. And that Caymus dinner looks amazing!! I'll have to search that out - hopefully it's offered on my upcoming cruise. On another note, I did a full transit of the Panama Canal years ago (through the original locks) and found it absolutely fascinating. Glad you got the chance to see it. I look forward to doing that again some day.
  5. I'm considering booking a sailing on the Odyssey transatlantic next spring. I have Elite status on Celebrity, which would match to Diamond on Royal. According to the benefit chart, there is some sort of discount on balcony rooms. But when I try to book on the RC site, it doesn't appear to recognize my status match. So do I need to call? I will also be traveling with my aunt, who does not have status on either line. I assume she does not benefit from my match, right? Like the daily drinks, wine discounts or internet time?
  6. Ok, that makes some more sense. They listed the early on as 5:45-7:30 (or close to that - I don't remember exactly) and the late one as 9:30 (no range). But you're saying that it's likely that there are three - 5:45, 7:45 (ish) and 9:30. I imagine that middle seating will be the most desired, but we'll try. And if not, well, it's early dinner, I guess (ugh). Thank you!
  7. I’m a frequent cruiser, but I’ve never sailed MSC. I have preliminarily booked a cruise on the Meraviglia this fall. I’m quite confused about the dining particulars and the drink packages. Here’s the situation. A friend and I are both booked on this cruise. Two separate cabins – she booked an inside cabin on the Bella experience, and I booked a balcony on Fantastica. She doesn’t really drink at all (maybe 2 glasses of wine a month), and let’s just say that I drink more than that - I have never regretted buying a drink package on a cruise. There also may be a 3rd person (friend of my friend) also booking a room (or maybe sharing my friend’s room – not sure). Now to the questions: How do the dining assignments work? We each requested the early dining time, which I think was listed as between 5:45 and 7:30. Does that mean we’ll be assigned a time in that window, or can we go any time in that window? As we are both solo travelers, will we be assigned tables by ourselves, or assigned a table with a group of other solo travelers? When will we see those assignments? I’m assuming we can request a change once on board (we would definitely like to sit together) – how common is it that to be accommodated? I thought I read somewhere that with the Fantastica experience, I get some sort of priority choice of dinner sitting. Is that true, and if so, when will I be asked? Or is that already part of the early v. late thing. I really really really don’t want to eat dinner at 5:45!! I prefer eating later, but the late seating was listed as 9:30 – that’s a bit much. I believe the official policy is that if I have a drink package and she doesn’t, then they won’t let us dine together. First of all, that just seems very weird to me. Secondly, if they do assign solo travelers together randomly, I can’t imagine they enforce that, do they? If I have to pay as I go, that’s fine, but it’s just more of a hassle that I’d like to avoid. Are there separate dining rooms on the Meraviglia? If so, is there any material difference? Just for grins, how formal are formal nights? Appreciate any and all insight. Thanks!
  8. I almost always travel solo. I can choose to eat alone or eat with other people. I go to the shows by myself. I can hang out by myself in the corner of a lounge, or with other folks at the bar. Cruisers are a pretty friendly type. I always have a book with me in case there aren't other folks to readily chat with. I don't think anyone else really pays attention.
  9. I booked directly with Celebrity, and it was after CWC ended. Plus, with airfare already booked, I'm happy to go. Just don't know why/if I really owe this extra $75. I've been trying to call, but they aren't picking up (still on hold at over 1 hour this time).
  10. I booked a cruise to Alaska in August to use up most of my last pandemic-related FCC as it was supposed to expire at the end of the year. Final payment was due May 31st. Last weekend (on May 29), I called to take advantage of the Memorial Day sale. In a 5 minute call, my price was reduced by $75 and I received an additional $125 OBC. Awesome. Later that day, I went online and paid the rest of my balance due and received an confirmation that my cruise was paid in full. Apparently, on June 1st, I received an email from Celebrity that I had a balance due of $74.50. I didn't see the email until today. The invoice that was included showed all of the same information as the May 29th confirmation, except that the amount paid was reduced by $74.50 and that was shown as an outstanding balance. It is now past final payment date, so I'm concerned, to say the least. I called Celebrity this morning and after 95 minutes on hold, I gave up. Tried again just now, and it's 36 minutes and counting on hold. Not really how I want to spend my Friday night 🙂 Trying to decide if I should just pay the $74.50 now and try to sort it out later or take a chance and try to call again on Sunday. Frankly, I'd just as soon cancel the whole thing now that FCC doesn't expire, but I've also already bought my airfare, so I'm rather stuck. Which also means I really don't want them to resell my cabin! Thoughts?
  11. In general, I prefer the "on my own" approach. Smaller groups, less shopping 🙂 I will book through the cruise line if what I want to do is far away (~2 hours), if I think there is a safety concern or if I really don't care what I do, but I want to do something (applies to a lot of Caribbean ports, which may just entail a beach day).
  12. 1969. SS Raffaello. New York to Naples. My extended family (including grandparents and aunt/uncle) were going to spend 6 weeks in Europe that summer. We took the Raffaello over and flew back home from London. I was 7. The swimming pool had salt water and I thought that was the coolest thing in the world! (Random related memory -- right before we left, the paper boy came to collect. Mom was 10 cents short. She looked at me and said "Remind me when we get home that I owe Val a dime." Six weeks later, literally as soon as we walked back in the house, I said "Mom, you owe Val a dime." She looked at me like I was an alien. What kind of 7 year old remembers that stuff!)
  13. Me, too, although I cruise in 2 weeks, so I'm guessing I'll be on my own. I have had great experiences being seated with other folks at traditional dining and getting to know them over the course of the cruise. Yes, I've had a few clunkers, but one trip to the maitre d' and my table was changed to one far more compatible! Maybe I'll luck out and run into some fun people to hang with. Otherwise, I always have a stack of books to occupy myself!
  14. Enjoy your cruise! I have found cruisers in general to be super friendly, so have never had a problem finding people to chat with when I wanted. And nice score on the "discount"!
×
×
  • Create New...