cruisers5

Booked Bella guarantee, got Aurea Balcony (not perks of Aurea, just the location).

We're booked on Equinox out of Port Canaveral on January 4, 2025!

We booked a guarantee cabin on Equinox. I wanted a different cabin and called our travel agent we booked through. He told me he couldn't do anything to change it as it was assigned from Celebrity. I called Celebrity and they were able to change it for me.

I'm looking at the Ultra Deluxe Cabin (at front of the ship on Celebrity Equinox) that has the two bedrooms in it. My question is, for the master bedroom it says there are no plugs by the bed and it doesn't look like there is a vanity in the room with plugs. My husband uses a CPAP at night, so does that mean I have to have a very long extension cord and plug into the vanity in the living room and then keep the bedroom door ajar?

I booked a guarantee cabin on Celebrity Equinox (through our travel agent) and was assigned a cabin within a day. I noticed on the deck plan that the couch didn't make into a bed, so called Celebrity and explained I needed the couch to be converted to a bed in the evenings, the agent asked what cabin I would like. I gave him the new cabin number and was able to change the cabin immediately.

You have to wait until you are onboard to book. It was $12.95 for a kids menu, plus the 18% gratuity, (kids are 12 and under) for each one of my granddaughters for Butchers Cut. Not sure what the charges are for other restaurants.

When I was on Seashore a few weeks ago, for the free dinner for Diamond Members this time you had a choice of Butcher's Cut, Hola Tacos and the Teppanyaki Restaurant. We ate at Butcher's Cut (using the special menu you get for being Diamond member, it was excellent). We have booked another cruise and was wondering if there is a set menu for the Hola Tacos Restaurant if you are receiving the free dinner? Also anyone know the cost to add extra persons? (We paid an extra $12.95 each for 2 children at Butcher's Cut for Children's Menu.

Is there a charge for room service during regular hours? I've seen no charge, $4.95, $9.95? I've watched videos on You Tube and it ranges from no charge to the $4.95 (over night) to $9.95.

I was just wondering what may happen to our Canada/New England cruise next week if the government shuts down. That have been announcing on the news that TSA agents, border agents and air traffic controllers most likely won’t be paid, so will “slow down” (or call in sick), so was wondering what happens when we cross from the US to Canada.

I would have to have a very large industrial fan in order to drown out the snoring! *L* I do like the idea of the all you can drink package....he may have to move to another cabin then because of my snoring! *L*

I know this is a bit of an usual question, does anyone know the size (in inches) of the queen sized beds, my husband is a bit "fluffy" in size, snores and uses a CPAP. We have separate bedrooms at home. If the beds are separated, so we each have one, he really can't move around in bed as there isn't much room for him. From what I've heard from Holland America their balcony cabins that have a sofa (love seat) in them do NOT pull out to a bed. In order for me to have a place to sleep I either have to book and pay for 3 in a cabin and have a "no show", or book a suite (then I'm looking at about $2,000+ more for the same cruise). Just trying to figure out if we can "fit" comfortably on the beds, or if I have to worry about my husband falling off the bed if he turns over during the night. This is for Nieuw Amsterdam.

Be careful using gift cards. I paid for a cruise (on MSC) using gift cards I had received doing various surveys online. After I paid, I threw out the gift card, knowing it no longer any value to it. Covid came along, and our cruise got canceled, I had to fight with MSC’s for almost a year to try to get my money back. They kept saying they had returned it to my gift cards, I kept telling them I no longer had them, and if I did have them, the expiration date had expired on them ended up getting back some of my money, but lost about $400 because I couldn’t find where all the gift cards were from.

My daughter (Canadian citizen) and myself (US Citizen) sailed on the 4 day Divina last week. We flew down to Orlando and used GoPort when we arrived at the airport. We stayed at LaQuinta hotel (could use some updating, but was a nice place). We boarded a bus the next day and arrived in an hour at the cruise terminal. We showed our passports and our cruise documents. FYI, my daughter HAD (according to MSC) get Covid insurance (and have proof of it) or not be allowed on ship (according to their website and any agents I talked to on the phone). They never once asked her anything about insurance. There was no Covid tests taken at the port. We did have to show our vaccination cards, proof of a negative test taken within 2 days. Our pictures were taken, we were given our keys and were onboard all within about 20 minutes after getting off the bus. I had booked a Bella Balcony Guarantee room and we were upgraded (within 3 hours of booking) to an Aurea balcony room (Cabin 12175). The buffets are now self serve again (we were on Divina in March and everything was served to you). We didn't eat in dining room for first two nights (checked menu and wasn't thrilled with it), we found plenty to eat in the buffet. They do need to have salt and pepper packets available. Breakfast in the dining room was great. The omelets are fantastic. Eggs Benny - so-so. We had lunch in the dining room one day. My daughter ordered the spinach dip and asked if she could have vegetables (ie, carrots, peppers, etc.) with it instead of the tortilla chips. Our waited said it wouldn't be a problem. When it arrived she got the dip and then a plate of cooked green and red peppers and onions. We laughed and said she should have specified - "raw" vegetables. We did have dinner one night in the dining room - Italian night. Chicken parm was good. Waiter service was so/so. We had our dinner, dessert was served and then they left. They never asked if we wanted and tea or coffee. We did eat in the Sports Bar (chicken wings - 7 flat wings for $5.95 - you can't go wrong with that). The cook time was about 45 minutes per order as they were having a problem with their deep fryer and could only make on order at a time, but well worth the wait. Had tons of drinks in there, try the Kahlua Milkshake! Their private island is very nice. The food at buffet could have been better. They had hot dogs and hamburgers out. My daughter doesn't eat meat and they happily cooked up a veggie burger for her. French fries were good. Potato salad - tasted like they boiled the potatoes too long - they were mushy, pasta salad was bland. No dressing on it (used some mayo from the burger condiment bar to get some taste into it). The pasta salad from the food truck the next day was much better and had more veggies in it. We had dinner at Butcher's Cut the last night. My daughter had the tomato soup, she said it was really good, the chicken (liked it) and the cheesecake for dessert (said it was "different"). I had the beet and burrata salad (excellent) and the strip steak - it was juicy, tender and delicious. Unfortunately I couldn't eat it all, I was so full. I also had the bitter chocolate lava cake and ice cream for dessert (always room for dessert!) Excellent meal. Would highly recommend eating there during your cruise. We did the early walk off the next morning, got on the GoPort bus and was returned to the Orlando airport. There were 980 passengers on the ship, which was great, no line ups, easy to get seats in buffet and theater and on their island. Overall it was a great cruise, first on MSC for my daughter. Worst part....coming home and finding out I have to cook my own meals and make my own bed! *L*

Is a tip required with dining in Butchers Cut? Do they add a “service charge” to the bill, or is it at my discretion? What if it’s a “free” meal, with being diamond?

We haven't sailed in Yacht Club (yet). We have explored it, and love all the features of it, except my husband has looked at the menus and doesn't really find anything he likes on it. (He's more of a meatloaf and potatoes guy, than a "gourmet meal guy"). If you do sail in Yacht club, can you order the meals from the "regular" dining room, or ask (a day or two ahead of time) to have something made for you. I don't want to pay for the YC experience, then spend my meals times at the buffet so my husband can find something he likes!