digital_curator

What Celebrity ship are you thinking of? We found the Summit/Millennium to be a lot like the Radiance Class ships in terms of size and layout.

We haven't sailed the larger X ships so we can't compare. We have been on sister ships to the Adventure (Navigator, Explorer) and liked them, though we liked the Freedom class better. Those southern itineraries can't be beat!

I suggest that you try RCI and if you like them, I bet you will like Celebrity too. We find them more similar than different in terms of cabins, decor, and menus.

Hi All,

We recently booked a cruise during the BBB special. We got a PDF of our cruise docs but they don't mention either the classic bev package or the $300 OBC that we received as perks. I called our travel agent just to make sure and she assured me that she could see them and that they often get the docs out before Celebrity adds this (on my last cruise, booked with 123, it did appear on the paperwork, along with free grats.)

However, the beverage package is also not showing on my online reservation. Should it be? I know that the OBC doesn't usually show up online but I wasn't sure about the beverage package.

Cheers,

We did a 16-day TA from England to Boston and we really liked going in this direction.

We flew Toronto to Iceland and spent the day at the Blue Lagoon during our long (planned) layover- bags stayed with the airline and it was a great way to unwind after the 5-hour flight. Then a 2 hour flight to London, arriving just in time for dinner and bed, which really helped with jetlag.

We had a quiet two days of sightseeing in London before taking the train to Harwich, staying overnight there before starting our cruise the next day.

Despite the September date, we had pretty good weather- only one day with big waves. Now, we had to drastically change our route since 2 hurricanes met in the middle of the Atlantic, so we missed one port (Newfoundland) but had a lovely, calm, sunny day at sea. So warm that the pool deck was full!

The extra hour day after day was great. We could stay up and still get a full 8 hour's sleep.

Cheers,

As for dress code, when we were on the Millenium the maitre d' went around to the tables where people were dressed VERY casually (we had two young couples near us, probably in their 20s/30s) and reminded them that on formal nights that a jacket was required and no jeans would be allowed. Neither couple came for either formal night.

We didn't see this on the Summit but we had a large group with a table separate from the others, so I'm not sure what they were doing.

Celebrity is more formal than other lines. On formal night, I wear a long dress/skirt and DH wears a tux. On our last cruise, I would say it was about 30% tuxes, 40% suites, and 30% jackets/pants. If this isn't your cup of tea, you could ask the maitre' d what the formal night requirements are and if it is too formal for you, go to the buffet or have room service.

On regular days, I wear pants and a nice top or a sundress. DH wears khakis and a polo shirt. But we have seen lots of people more casual than this.

Cheers,

DH and I (no kids) started cruising in our mid-30's. We have now done 5 cruises on RCI and 2 on Celebrity and like both, for different reasons.

Depending on how many sea days, I really do like some of the extra activities, like mini golf and the flowrider. However, it doesn't sound like that is what you are looking for, so I think the X ships will be fine.

RCI has a much greater range of ages and a lot more kids. We have hardly ever seen a child on our X cruises (but one was 11 days and both were out of San Juan, so less children generally). X generally has an older crowd but we have noticed more and more people in their 30's and 40's- I think things like the drink packages are helping to change things. So, I think you will be fine here.

Food is subjective. My husband is rather picky but he always enjoys the food. We think the quality is quite good. I suggest that you search for the MDR menus and see if they suit you.

The buffet will have everything you could ever ask for at breakfast, from an eggs benedict station (is that too fancy?) to regular bacon, eggs, etc. The baked goods are amazing. Lunch will have a made-to-order sandwich bar, as well as a pasta bar and a whole bunch of regular buffet offering. At tea time, there are sandwiches, scones, and baked goods. At dinner, there is sushi and all the regular dinner offerings (I'm guessing it will be similar to Carnival). There is a great selection of scooped ice cream at one station.

The pool grill has great burgers and hot dogs. Cafe al Baccio has a great variety of treats. The room service menu is very "American"- again, you can search for pictures/menus on this site.

We find the entertainment a little limited/not our fave but the lounges and pool areas are lovely and many have great live music. We are quite happy to skip the show and sit in one of the lounges with a good cocktail and a band. They have also had some game shows, which we enjoy.

The art onboard rivals that of a gallery/museum and many ships have a self-guided tour.

I think you should give it a try and see what you think but, as others have said, there are a lot of great reviews/info on this site and your experience will differ depending on the ship and itinerary you choose.

Cheers,

We are in our early 40's (started cruising in our early 30's) with no kids. I love both these classes of ships. We like that X has fewer children, though I'm not sure how many you with have on a southern itinerary on either line. RCI does a great job of keeping kids busy on the larger ships but they don't have as much separate space on the Jewel. You will have lots of people your age on RCI but we think the average is getting younger on X too.

We have always thought that the ships themselves are very similar in terms of size and layout. I love the art on Celebrity ships (big name artists) but it is good on RCI too. Rooms are also similar, though we have always had a CC on X with a little more space and a few perks.

We think the menu selection is more varied on RCI but better quality on X, especially the desserts. We love the beverage package on X.

We think service is a little more formal on X but more friendly/genuine on RCI. Just our experience. We had a hoot with our last waitstaff on X though, and a great bar waiter on the one before. But we have been truly WOWEd by the people on RCI.

We love the shows on RCI but rarely go on X. But the drink package might be an influence and we travelled with a large group last time. The variety and quality of live music on X is awesome and we spend more time doing this.

Both itineraries sound great. I think you will enjoy either one!

Cheers,

I thought the upgrades only happened if you booked onboard. We had to cancel a cruise that we had booked while on a cruise (getting the upgrade from a C-3 to C-2) and booked its replacement with our TA we were told we didn't qualify for an upgrade because it wasn't an onboard so we got the C-3. A little bummed to know that we should have been able to get the upgrade but I guess we live and learn. :mad:

One option that you might consider on future RCI cruises (that have them) is a Promenade Room. We have done this three times (Navigator, Explorer, Independence) when balconies cost too much or the weather too cold to enjoy them.

I am claustrophobic and can't do a windowless room. A PR room gives you a window and when we had one on the 7th/8th floor, we couldn't really hear much noise from below.

The are also centrally located, so it cuts down on the walking (both forward/aft and up/down).

The best part- they are usually only a little bit more pp than an inside. I think the most we paid to upgrade was $20/day.

Cheers,

Are there any afts available on your cruise? I'm surprised that a rep would promise you that, since the whole point of a guarantee is that you don't know what you will be assigned.

If you are booked through a travel agent, you will have to get him/her to change your room. But be careful. I don't know how it works with GTY but I know that with other bookings, if you change room type you might loose 1-2-3benefits.

With the exception of the balcony, you will have similar perks in an AQ cabin and will have access to Blu and the thermal spa area. Are you sure you don't want to try it? What cabin have you been assigned and on what ship?

As stated, the Aqua Spa Café is not affiliated with Aqua Class and is open to anyone.

It has limited hours and, at least on our Summit cruise a few weeks ago, closed about 2:30 each day.

That being said, I enjoyed the smoothies and the juices (liked the juices better- the smoothies could be gritty) at no cost with the premium package. Unlike other ships, the yogurt parfaits were not included in the package (but then, they aren't drinks, so it isn't surprising).

Enjoy!

It is not a cruise line rule, it is a law of the countries that you visit. You can take off pre-packaged food (cereal boxes, granola bars, etc.) but nothing fresh (sandwiches, fruit, meat, veggies).

The reason is that these foods can introduce organisms that are not local and, in some cases, completely wipe out certain species of local flora and fauna. Think Dutch Elm disease in North America, which killed all the elm trees where I lived.

Please do not break this law. For an insignificant sum, you can buy a snack in port or do what we do and bring a few pre-packaged snacks for long shore excursions.

We did a day at the ruins, which included a trip up a river on a boat. It was slow on the way there and we saw bats, several types of exotic birds, and alligators. At the ruins we saw monkeys and more birds. It was a wonderful trip, which included an excellent local lunch.

On the way back we saw more wildlife but we were going quite fast, so no photographs.

Possibly the best tour we have ever taken and one we were glad to do through the cruise line- we were really close to boarding time when we got back.

We drove through the city on the way back and it looked pretty run down. I wouldn't book a tour that spends too much time there if you want to see wildlife.

Enjoy!

Thanks!

We ended up booking a company to take us around, as there are several of us going.

Cheers,

May I ask what cabin you were in? We are in 8171 for an upcomming cruise and are curious about the C3's.

Also, do you remember what was on the "expanded" breakfast menu?

Cheers,

Have you prepaid your gratuities?

That is the only reason I would buy OBC in your position. We sometimes get a massage at the spa but usually our only onboard expenses are drinks and tips, so if you have this covered, I would be hesitant to buy OBC.

Thank you so much for sharing your cruises with us!

We are on the Feb. 1 sailing that includes St. Croix. Could you please share the order of the menus? I know that Sunday and Thursday nights are formal. We are trying to figure out what the menus are for the other nights as we are planning a group reservation at Qsine.

Cheers,

I hope this isn't the case on the Summit in February!

We had good bar service on our first X cruise on the Millennium but the packages were relatively new and it was before the 1-2-3 Go promotions.

But we had a really horrible experience with our sommelier in the MDR. On the first night he came over to introduce himself. When I mentioned that my husband doesn't drink wine and that I would be ordering by the glass, his wrinkled up his nose and said, quite rudely, that the bar waiter would be able to take care of us for THAT. I had heard such great things about this service and had been looking forward to his suggestions for pairings with my meal so I was a little upset. Friends of ours at another table had the Classic package and received attentive service from their sommelier so go figure.

Thankfully our bar waiter was awesome. He and the bartender in Michael's Club who did the whiskey tastings really made our trip in terms of excellent staff. They both got extra tips for their exemplary service.

We have cruised with RCI 5 times and X once and find them pretty comparable and are going on our second X cruise this February.

It's challenging to compare after only 1 cruise but we thought:

The buffet is better on X- make sure to try the freshly cooked waffles and made to order eggs benedict (several types) at breakfast. Made to order sandwiches are made where the waffles are at lunch. There is also an excellent selection of ice cream available there most of the day, great scones in the afternoon, and good sushi starting around 5/5:30.

In terms of MDR food we thought the quality was better on X but the selection was better on RCI. X seems to serve the same side dishes over and over and the entrees are pretty standard- my husband ended up eating a lot of beef that week!

Service was good on both lines but more friendly/genuine on RCI. Again, that might just have been the staff on our one cruise.

We enjoy the entertainment more on RCI but thought the live music, available at several venues on X, was great! Nightlife was pretty non-existent on X but we made our own fun (and will probably have even more fun with the beverage package in February!).

If you drink martinis, I would consider upgrading. The cost of one martini ($11) essentially pays for the upgrade and then you don't have to worry about keeping all your drink purchases within the limitations of the Classic Package.

Do be careful when you try to upgrade that you don't lose your 1-2-3 promotion!

Have a great cruise!

From the Captain's Club site on Celebrity:

 

Select Member Benefits*

 

(150-299 earned Club Points**)

Many of The Benefits Of Classic Membership Plus:

• • 25% off any single Internet package (restrictions may apply)
  
• • Complimentary pressing of 2 garment items
  
• • One standard bag of laundry (wash, dry, fold) at discounted price on all Celebrity Cruises of 12+ nights
  
• • Priority embarkation while boarding the ship (where available)
  
• • Complimentary wine seminar event
  
• • Priority status for shore excursion waitlist
  
• • Exclusive Senior Officers' Cocktail Party
  
• • Platinum Level enrollment in Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society‡
  
• Complimentary Gelato from Gelateria
  

Thanks Beth! I hadn't realized that this info was on the website. Nice to see they haven't changed much, though I am sorry to see the match play in the casino gone but I'm sure the gelato coupon will make up for that

I know that there is a $5 charge for the Café but are all desserts/pastries free if you don't want a sit down meal?

You are confusing 2 venues. The Bistro on 5 serves crepes, salads, etc. and has the $5 charge.

Café al Bacio (sp?) has coffees/teas for sale but the pastries are free.

We had something similar happen on an RCI ship once. The spa attendant couldn't help us get it back because she didn't know to whom she had given it, so we had to go down to Guest Services and get the first one cancelled and a new one made.

We will never surrender our card again, except when buying drinks but we are also very careful to check our account on the tv each night to make sure they are the same as our receipts.

Can any recently Select-level cruisers tell me what the current onboard coupons are?

Cheers,

We will be in St. Croix on a Sunday from 8-5:30.

We would like to visit the Cruzan Rum Distillery (which is open from 10-2), Cane Bay for some snorkeling, and through the Rainforest, stopping at the Domino Club.

We are thinking of renting a car and would love some help figuring out the best routes to hit up all three.

Alternatively, is there any company that will let us set up a tour that includes these spots?

Thanks for any info!

Thanks for this information. I am potentially booking my first Celebrity cruise today! (My reservation is on hold..)

 

With the current "special" we can get the Classic drink package for free. Which seems like a great deal.

But I'm wondering what kinds of drinks you can NOT get with the Classic?? (Certain types of liquor? More expensive beer and wines?) Help me understand.... Thanks!!

Classic Package includes the following non-alcoholic drinks:

Coca Cola can and fountain sodas selections such as Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange and Coke Zero, you may also enjoy fresh squeezed and bottled juices, Premium Coffees and Teas and Non-Premium Bottled Water

AND the following alcoholic drinks:

Beers up to $6 per serving, and spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $8 per serving. Plus, with purchase of this Classic Package, you can enjoy a 15% discount on all wines by the bottle purchased on board, even our prized Reserve Wine list and Rare Wine list.

The Premium package includes:

All canned and fountain soft drinks from Coca Cola, Premium Bottled Water from Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino, Specialty Coffees and Teas, Non-Alcoholic Frozen Drinks and Smoothies, Red Bull Energy Drink and Specialty Waters from Vitamin Water.

AND:

Entire selection of Beers as well as Spirits, Cocktails and Wines by the Glass up to $13 per serving. Plus, with purchase of this Premium Package, you can enjoy a 20% discount on all wines by the bottle purchased on board, even our prized Reserve Wine list and Rare Wine list.

Thanks for your great review. We are on this cruise on February1 and really looking forward to it!

One question- did you do the Cruzan tour through the ship? I thought the factory was closed on Sundays.

Cheers,