phoenix_dream

After reading this thread all I can say is wow! It amazes me how much $$ people are willing to spend to gamble on the ship, where the odds generally are horrendous compared to land casinos. As has been said, there is no "free" cabin of any sort. You are definitely paying for it. That said, if I could gamble $10,000 or so and know for sure I would be offered a Sky suite I would go for it as booking one outright definitely costs more than that (assuming the offer is for a couple - not clear on that point)

I've been on a couple. The advantages are usually some extra events. Also, you will likely find the best live entertainment on these cruises as they want to impress the higher ups. Service will also likely be spectacular - a step up from what is already excellence. We also got a nicer tote bag noting the occasion. Years ago (not happening anymore) we got a little gift of some sort in our cabin every single night.

It is EXTREMELY rare these days. If you are a first timer, there is a slight chance it could happen to you. Anyone else, forget about it, unless you luck into some kind of special circumstance where they ship needs your particular cabin for some reason. It happened quite a bit during early sailings after restart for people who were booked in the quarantine section. Those days are past thank goodness. Once Move Up started, the upgrade fairy went on hiatus never to return. Even in the olden days when it happened with some frequency, it generally only happened to people who were brand new to Celebrity, or nearly so. I've sailed 80+ times since 1992. It has never happened to me.

This is likely exactly the issue. They built these new ships with no helicopter pads - better I guess to have more income producing areas than to prepare for a passenger or crew emergency. Anyway............I'm guess that's the issue.

I don't know the exact itinerary but I can describe my many experiences on Alaska cruises. The only really rough seas we've ever had were crossing the bay of Alaska - I don't think you do that on this cruise? The Inside Passage has always been very calm. Occasionally the seas might be a bit worse than calm heading up/down from Seattle, although honestly we have yet to find that to be the case.

Not sure why you had to shout it, but you are not limited to embarkation day for soft drinks. You can bring them on at any time while in port. I have not cruised extensively outside of US ports or Caribbean, so perhaps a particular port may have a different restriction, but generally speaking you can bring on soft drinks or water any time

Lately, there are many more kids on Celebrity, period, as they are trying to attract a younger crowd. Will definitely be more on shorter cruises.

I do have kids - three of them, now grown into fine young men. I was always a very careful, watchful parent. Actually probably over-diligent. But sometimes stuff happens. If you had kids you would know this. Off the top of my head I can think of three instances where despite "watching kids" if not for a very quick interruption very bad accidents could have happened. So scary I remember them to this day and they were NOT due to negligence or lack of being a caring parent. Parents are human and even with extreme care and careful attention all it takes is literally a split second for things to change. No one, no matter how careful, no matter how caring or diligent, can ever 100% 24/7 every single second of the day ensure no accidents happen. Please don't preach to parents until you have been one.

Actually, from what I have been told numerous times, including by staff members I have come to know and sail with many times, you are incorrect. Marking the food as poor definitely has a negative affect on the staff. I do agree with you that the best approach is to address the situation promptly with the correct senior staff person. And in response to some of the other posts on this thread advocating answering honestly or why answer at all - yes, normally I would agree with that. But not in this case. I 100% refuse to allow a great, very hardworking employee to suffer because of situations out of their hands due to the unfortunate way that Celebrity designs their surveys. I honestly don't think Celebrity really wants to hear anything about improvement. If they did there would be a question (like there used to be years ago with their written surveys) about how they can improve things. There is no such question. The only place to add comments is written such that it is asking for compliments. I always use that space to specifically name and extol the great employees who served me on my cruise. That is the one and only reason I bother to do these as those mentions definitely get management's attention. If I have any issues I address onboard, and if they are not resolved and are serious I follow-up with Corporate.

I hesitate to agree with the whole be honest philosophy. Why? On more than one occasion I've had wait staff tell me that they get dinged if you say anything bad about the food as it is their responsibility to ensure you are happy with the food. Doesn't seem fair or even logical for that matter but more than one person has said that to me. Personally I would express any concerns of that type by an email to corporate. If you give a lower grade but put notes in a comments area is that enough to mitigate the damage of a bad rating? Honestly I don't know.

Agree. If they can remove footstools and loungers from balconies claiming they are hazards, how come they allow (or encourage) people to dump their dirty dishes in the hallway!!

same here. It seems so simple, and yet..............

I don't use a scooter but I totally agree. Sometimes people leave them sticking out so far in the hallway they are a tripping hazard for everyone.

Actually, at least on some ships, higher level cabins have an even more exclusive brand of toiletries, whose name escapes me at the moment but when I researched them on Amazon they were very expensive and very nice. I've only been able to afford to sail a higher level cabin once, but as I am also lucky to be at Zenith level sometimes they will let us use those as well (and sometimes they claim they can't - consistent inconsistency as is common on Celebrity)

I guess a lot depends on how you would quantify a lot of spring breakers. As I mentioned, my two cruises had around 500 kids of various ages each. Definitely less than on lines like Disney or Royal, but to me it was a lot. We will specifically be avoiding any March cruises next year unless we could find one with more than 7 or 8 nights. Wondering if you have sailed Celebrity recently, particularly on E class? I am finding the age demographic even on non-spring break cruises is definitely not like the Celebrity I have come to know and love for 30+ years and 80+ cruises. I am honestly not trying to be argumentative. Just talking about how different things are than just a few short years ago. So I think there is already a lot of "catching up" sad to say.