Eclipse, 10 May 2016, Iceland, FOD

Hello,

It me again, and I'm first again.

Any more family on this one that's prepared to come out the woodwork before the Martini Bar event?;)

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Rabbits, Rabbits, RABBITS!

It's the first of a new month so this is to give the thread a bump-up.

Hmm - sounds a bit rude.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

Not only first of the month, but first day of a New Year too.

This should raise our profile and hope more family sign-up to this cruise.

Regards,

Cublet

Hi,

We are looking forward to our first cruise. I have cruised before, but not at sea ;)

Hi,

 

We are looking forward to our first cruise. I have cruised before, but not at sea ;)

Hello,

Ahemm.....moving swiftly on.

Fareham eh? I was at uni at Portsmouth.

Any questions please fire away.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello Cublet,

Have you been to Iceland before?

Hello Cublet,

 

Have you been to Iceland before?

Hello,

Yes I was there on the Eclipse in August 2012.

Regards,

Cublet

Hi Cublet

I wondered if drinks were more expensive on board or in Iceland. I realize exchange rates vary.

Regards

Jostman

Hi Cublet

 

I wondered if drinks were more expensive on board or in Iceland. I realize exchange rates vary.

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

I would put drinks prices generally on a par with the ship. If you find a 'happy-hour' in some bar then it would most likely be a bit cheaper.

Do you not have the Drinks Package on board?

Regards,

Cublet

Hi Cublet,

No drinks package. :( I think it would cost over $1400 for 12 nights (two of us) By my reckoning that's like £38.00 a day, each. We will want to drink ashore and there are only 4 sea nights. I thought we would try to spend less than $1400 on drinks on board. My partner likes a bottle of wine a day. I like real ale in pubs, so will not drink many bottles of beer on board. Will we manage? I value your experience. Also I guess you have a drinks package?

Regards

Jostman

Hi Cublet,

 

No drinks package. :( I think it would cost over $1400 for 12 nights (two of us) By my reckoning that's like £38.00 a day, each. We will want to drink ashore and there are only 4 sea nights. I thought we would try to spend less than $1400 on drinks on board. My partner likes a bottle of wine a day. I like real ale in pubs, so will not drink many bottles of beer on board. Will we manage? I value your experience. Also I guess you have a drinks package?

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

Are you in an inside cabin? If not then you should have the drinks package under the 123Go! promotion. If you are in an Ocean View or above then you need to get back to whomsoever you booked with to find out what's happened. I'm not a beer drinker but quite a few are available on board but very very few (if any) on draught. Wine is available on board by the shed load with starting prices in the low $30s - heavy on Californian.

Your partner is going to be disappointed if he expects Icelandic wine. Ignore what I said in an earlier post about prices being on a par the with ship (for wine anyway) as all wine is imported therefore at a costly premium to anything home produced (like beer, vodka etc). You will be well served on real ales - Iceland isn't big enough to produce anything on these lines that are 'unreal'. You won't find many 'real' pubs. Most places in which people drink in the evening started the day as a cafe or coffee shop and slowly morphed, or even try hotel reception areas.

Regards,

Cublet

Hi Cublet,

You are correct, we have booked an inside cabin. When we chose an inside cabin we thought the extra cost for a window was a lot. However, if we get a window and drinks are included we will have to think again. I can not remember how much more the next grade of cabin up was. I will ring our travel agent and ask.

My wine drinking partner is happy to drink most reds. I don't think he expects Icelandic wine (doesn't sound good).

Regards

Jostman

Hi Cublet,

 

You are correct, we have booked an inside cabin. When we chose an inside cabin we thought the extra cost for a window was a lot. However, if we get a window and drinks are included we will have to think again. I can not remember how much more the next grade of cabin up was. I will ring our travel agent and ask.

My wine drinking partner is happy to drink most reds. I don't think he expects Icelandic wine (doesn't sound good).

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

If you book an Ocean View or Balcony, you get TWO of: Drinks, $300 OBC (per stateroom) or Free Grats. If you book Concierge you get all three.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

 

If you book an Ocean View or Balcony, you get TWO of: Drinks, $300 OBC (per stateroom) or Free Grats. If you book Concierge you get all three.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

Hello,

I have phoned my agent. They will email me in the morning with upgrade prices. If you were to choose two of the three offers, which two would you choose and why?

Regards

John

Hello,

 

I have phoned my agent. They will email me in the morning with upgrade prices. If you were to choose two of the three offers, which two would you choose and why?

 

Regards

 

 

John

Hello,

Well $300 is a 'known known' and is worth $300 per stateroom or $150 each. Grats are $11.50 per day per person or $138 each. The Drinks package is a 'known unknown' - it will depend on how much you thrash it. If your partner drinks a bottle per day (you cannot order a bottle on the package - you have to order glasses but you can get 20% off a bottle) then say 5 glasses at $9 x 12 nights = $540. So in theory, the best bang for the buck is to go for OBC + Drinks ($150 + $540 = $690).

And the Drinks includes all specialty coffees, teas, fruit juices, bottled water, beer up to $6, cocktails/ spirits up to $8 that all mount up. I would go for Drinks plus OBC.

A new booking today has a OV at £400pp more than inside or approx $600 so the value of the freebies exceed the extra cost of the cabin on the above assumptions - drink more and it will be even more so (a coffee is $4 alone).

Regards,

Cublet

Hi Cublet,

Thank you for all the info. It will be £740 for the cabin upgrade. We have chosen to do this. I hope I can drink enough. I don't drink tea and only about 4 espressos a week.

Now that drinks are sorted (ish). Would you buy a meal upgrade? I think three nights costs around $100 each. We will have a couple of celebrations during the 12 nights although one of these could be in Belfast.

Thanks again for you advice.

Regards

Jostman

Hi Cublet,

 

Thank you for all the info. It will be £740 for the cabin upgrade. We have chosen to do this. I hope I can drink enough. I don't drink tea and only about 4 espressos a week.

Now that drinks are sorted (ish). Would you buy a meal upgrade? I think three nights costs around $100 each. We will have a couple of celebrations during the 12 nights although one of these could be in Belfast.

Thanks again for you advice.

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

I hope the £740 is for two of you.

There are three specialty restaurants: Tuscan Grill which as an OK Italian with very good steaks, Murano is superb whatever cuisine it calls itself and Qsine which is pretentious asian/eastern nothingness whose sole USP is ordering via iPads. Ask on the main Celebrity notice board to see if anyone has any menus they can post.

I think you have a set number of sittings in nominated restaurants that you cannot vary so if it was me and my money I wouldn't go for the package. I would skip Qsine, maybe go to Tuscan Grill but put all my digestive effort in Murano. On embarkation day, go to Murano and book a place for Afternoon Tea - they only do one per cruise and is on a par with Reid's Hotel in Madeira.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

If you have not already done so, you should register with Celebrity's "Captain's Club" here:

http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/why-celebrity/captains-club/benefits/preview/

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

 

I hope the £740 is for two of you.

 

There are three specialty restaurants: Tuscan Grill which as an OK Italian with very good steaks, Murano is superb whatever cuisine it calls itself and Qsine which is pretentious asian/eastern nothingness whose sole USP is ordering via iPads. Ask on the main Celebrity notice board to see if anyone has any menus they can post.

 

I think you have a set number of sittings in nominated restaurants that you cannot vary so if it was me and my money I wouldn't go for the package. I would skip Qsine, maybe go to Tuscan Grill but put all my digestive effort in Murano. On embarkation day, go to Murano and book a place for Afternoon Tea - they only do one per cruise and is on a par with Reid's Hotel in Madeira.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

Hi Cublet,

The £740 is for both.

I have sent myself an email to remind me to book afternoon tea at Murano.

So I should remember to do this on embarkation day.

I am a little concerned, you wrote "I think you have a set number of sittings in nominated restaurants that you cannot vary"

I am a complete newbie, but is it true that i will be told when and where I am allowed to eat? Perhaps you are joking with me?

I have registered for Captains Club.

Should I register again for my partner, or will it make little difference?

Thank you again for all the valued information.

Kind regards

Jostman

Hi Cublet,

 

The £740 is for both.

 

I have sent myself an email to remind me to book afternoon tea at Murano.

So I should remember to do this on embarkation day.

 

I am a little concerned, you wrote "I think you have a set number of sittings in nominated restaurants that you cannot vary"

I am a complete newbie, but is it true that i will be told when and where I am allowed to eat? Perhaps you are joking with me?

 

I have registered for Captains Club.

Should I register again for my partner, or will it make little difference?

 

Thank you again for all the valued information.

 

Kind regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

Unless you are in an Aqua class cabin or a suite, you will be eating in the MDR - main dining room (these other two accommodation types have their own venues). You have (or had on booking) a choice in the MDR of Traditional Dining or Celebrity Select Dining.

On TD, you have a fixed table at a fixed sitting (6.00pm or 8.30pm) with the same people every night. On SD you either (a) book a series of tables on-line prior to sailing for each and every night saying what time you want to dine (between 6.00 and I think 9.30 in 15min slots) and on how big a table, or (b) you roll up to the maitre d' when you want to eat (between 6.00 and 9.30) and wait to be seated. The restaurant doors for TD are shut 30 minutes after the allotted start time.

Or you pay extra for one of the specialty restaurants. This extra varies between (two year old prices) $25 and $35 per head per meal. Again you can do this on line prior to sailing or on embarkation.

Or you can buy a package for the specialty restaurants. Now unless there is something new, the specialty restaurant packages had a fixed mix of Qsine, Murano and Tuscan grill - whatever that mix was (3 meals in one, 2, in another 1 etc etc or whatever) you could not change the mix for example having all your allotted number of meals in one. You could still choose the time of dining and table size. Now if it has changed and you can have as many meals (the number in the package) as you like in whichever of the restaurants you like then I am sorry for alarming you.

In addition of course you have the option to eat casually in the Ocean View Cafe - but it's no good for evening meals to be honest.

If this is still unclear then please post again.

Yes, your partner should register too for Captain's Club.

Regards,

Cublet

See:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-specialty-dining-packages

I should also have added that these arrangements are for DINNER ONLY. Breakfast and lunch are a free-for-all in the MDR.

Cublet

Hello Cublet,

Lots of information in your last posts!

I don't think our travel agent gave a dining choice. We were just told 2nd sitting, 8.30. So TD it is.

We probably will have a couple of nights of special dining and will try Tuscan Grill and Murano. I believe you are correct about the fix-mix dining packages. So will probably give those a miss.

If on the day in Reykjavik we miss the mdr can we still get food (should we need some)? I guess if all the restaurants are closed there is room service.

I have been meaning to ask about your first post in this thread. What is "Martini bar event"?

Regards

Jostman

Hello Cublet,

 

Lots of information in your last posts!

I don't think our travel agent gave a dining choice. We were just told 2nd sitting, 8.30. So TD it is.

 

We probably will have a couple of nights of special dining and will try Tuscan Grill and Murano. I believe you are correct about the fix-mix dining packages. So will probably give those a miss.

If on the day in Reykjavik we miss the mdr can we still get food (should we need some)? I guess if all the restaurants are closed there is room service.

I have been meaning to ask about your first post in this thread. What is "Martini bar event"?

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

The Oceanview Cafe will be open at dinner times until late for a hot meal. Because of the demographic of Celebrity passengers, ie liking the formality of a dining room, not a lot of effort is put into dishes in the Oceanview in the evenings and even less effort into labelling what is there.

Bistro on 5 will be open for $5 cover charge serving light dishes, freshly made crepes etc.

If you look at a current brochure, Cellarmasters will have been converted into a Gastrobar giving: "food and beer enthusiasts over 40 handcrafted boutique beers to choose from in addition to Celebrity's varied collection of wines and tasty cocktails with a twist, all perfectly paired with a menu of elevated bar-fare creations". Whatever you have here is charged per item, not a flat cover charge (at the moment - but there's a year to go yet).

Lighter still Cafe al Bacio serves pastries (free) with coffee.

And, as you say, room service.

You *CAN* go to the Maitre D' on embarkation and change your dining time or type (ie late to early sitting, TD to SD) but you have to pay your tips up front to get SD - which you can either do here or on board.

FOD meetings are advertised in the daily newspaper or on a noticeboard at Guest Relations and are usually held in the Martini Bar.

Regards,

Cublet

Hello,

I hadn't seen a brochure, but viewed one online yesterday. I like the sound of Gastrobar. Although, I have never known London Pride described as Brown Porter. I think X are going to put TV's in Gastrobar, not sure why?

You said "charged per item". Does this mean nothing in Gastrobar is inclusive?

We look forward to FOD meetings.

Regards

Jostman

Hello,

 

I hadn't seen a brochure, but viewed one online yesterday. I like the sound of Gastrobar. Although, I have never known London Pride described as Brown Porter. I think X are going to put TV's in Gastrobar, not sure why?

 

You said "charged per item". Does this mean nothing in Gastrobar is inclusive?

 

We look forward to FOD meetings.

 

Regards

 

Jostman

Hello,

Here are two links as our American cousins don't seem to be able to grasp that the new bar is called a Gastrobar and not Gastropub:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2045712&highlight=gastrobar

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2145079&highlight=gastropub

Food is not *CURRENTLY* included in any inclusive package but drinks are - subject to the packages' maxima. I say currently as this is new and by next May anything could happen.

The TVs are there to give the ambiance of a 'sports bar' similar to that on RCI. I think this is aiming for the next generation of X clients rather than the current one.

Regards,

Cublet.

PS:Rabbits!