Barry ATL

• @Ken-ATLand I love to find out of the way, quiet areas of a ship and camp for an hour or two.  Being able to order a drink or a snack is a huge benefit.  Will the drink package work with delivery???  One way or the other, we will always cash tip the wait person because that is how we roll.

So, we have been watching the videos about OM.  The feature we find most intriguing is the ability to order stuff anywhere in the ship.  A few questions:

• Does it really mean anywhere?  If we are sitting in a chair on the Promenade?
• Can we order any kind of drink?  Coffee, expresso, margarita?
• Can we order food from the room service menu or is there a separate menu?
• Do we tip the runner/wait person who brings it?
• Have there been any problems or glitches using this service?

1 hour ago, donswife said:

Depending on port times, the MDR is sometimes open for lunch on port days. I will be curious to see if they start using them more to reduce crowding.

Since we really don't know if the ports/times listed on the itinerary are real or not, it is all a guess.  We are the people who will get up early on port days, even though we are not going ashore, so we can have a leisurely sit down breakfast in the MDR.

A lot of what happens with food service will be dependent on what capacity the ship sails.  If it is 50 or 60%, then our food options will probably not be as broad.

@Ken-ATL and I have finally took the plunge and booked a 11/28/21 cruise on The Caribbean Princess.  Now comes half the fun of a  cruise which is planning and figuring out all of the details.  😀

For this cruise we really do not plan to get off the ship.  

What is served during breakfast and lunch as a sit down, table service meal?  One of our best memories of the Sapphire Princess (the first year she sailed) was having breakfast and lunch each day in the MDR.  Even on port days.  What should we expect on the Caribbean Princess?

We sailed the Sapphaire Princess the year she was launched.  At that time, the steps were off of a bigger lounge.  Since DH is in a chair, we asked about wheelchair access, and a staff person took us through the dining room to go in.  We were told that very few guest go there, so it is mostly a hiding place for the crew that are allowed in public areas.  There was nothing special about the place.  

Maybe I am confused (happens frequently), but in the description I thought the Elevate included money towards excursions.  If I read the FAQ correctly, it is a normal OBC for Elevate and Indulge.  Am I correct?

Q. #12: Is the Onboard Credit (OBC) a set amount or does it vary by sailing?

A: The OBC will be issued per person to all guests in the stateroom and is tiered by length of sailing.

• Elevate - $100 1-5nights; $150 6-9 nights; $200 10 nights or more
• Indulge- $200 1-5nights; $300 6-9 nights; $400 10 nights or more

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_Always_Inlcuded_FAQs.pdf

I started the thread just to find out about sharing.  As an earlier poster said, this is getting the adrenaline going.  May chair hogs is the next topic.  😀

Do the card tips (the ones we write in on the slip) get pooled or does the bartender/server get the tip individually?   My assumption is the bartender/server keeps the cash tips.

7 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

HOW on earth do you sign up for this?

I have looked at the webpage and don't see how to "join" it and have clicked/looked/added email and even checked settings

 

Is this for only certain  CC levels?

Is it only for people who have upcoming bookings?  I am not getting emails, but I do not have an upcoming booking.  I do get what seems like 1000 other promotional emails from Celebrity.

13 minutes ago, Blue Magic 1959 said:

Can’t remember- but think it’s about an extra $7 per person per day (on top of the basic upgrade to Premium of $12 per person per day) but you get $50 per person casino credit as well as the extra benefits of the “Drinks & More” package (upgrade to Premium / bottles of wine in cabin / mini bar stocked free of charge on a daily basis / wine tasting event).

On cruises up to about 8 days, the extra benefits received exceed / equal the additional costs (over and above the premium upgrade). Once you go above 10 days or so, as the $50 casino credit does not increase, the costs of the extra upgrade (extra $7 per person per day) begin to exceed the monetary value of the extra benefits received.

Hope the above makes sense - go on the website and check the daily rate for the upgrade to Drinks & More and do the calculation


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We do not have a current booking, so I do not see any prices.

My first take on what I read is Drinks & More can be added to the classic and premium packages.  But, now that I re-read this, there is a little "marketing spin" on the wording.

Drinks & More Package

This package includes all the benefits of the Classic and Premium Beverage Packages, like top-shelf spirits, a wide variety of wines†, liqueurs & cognacs, beer and champagne. Plus enjoy two bottles of wine*, $50 in casino free play**, and a wine tasting experience. Minibar included and replenished daily if two adults in your stateroom purchase this package.

I am researching.  I had already planned on upgrading to Premium.  I think the Drinks & More would be beneficial.  For us, the big benefit is the in room mini-bar being included.  Now, if they would just include the room service drinks.  😀

1 hour ago, Blue Magic 1959 said:

Agree that upgrade to premium will be $84 per person (for the 7 nights).

Might get it slightly cheaper prior to boarding - keep an eye on online offers - but these are rare.

As it’s 7 nights - should also consider upgrade to Drinks & More package which is good value on a short cruise (8 days or less).


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What is the approximate upcharge for the Drinks & More?

8 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Keep in mind also that when you open the window, the room air-conditioning goes off. It can become very uncomfortable in the room.

I assumed that would be the case.  Just as leaving the balcony door open on most ships turn off the in room a/c.  As long as it recovers in an hour or so, we are good.

We have been looking at the Apex for a fall/winter 2021 cruise.  For us, the IV will probably be perfect.  DH is in a wheelchair.  While he loves the balcony for an hour or so at night, otherwise it is not used by us.  However, the IV will probably work for us.  The big window.

Our one negative in the research is the same as others have mentioned.  It is not really fit for dining in the cabin.  

3 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

The discussion of the bridge controlling the Infinite Veranda window is overblown. The ONLY times they will close the window and not allow it to open is EITHER they are planning to wash the windows or there's a weather event coming. It's not something that's occurring every day willy nilly. It's really of no concern. 

Now that I think of it, I see the reasoning about the weather event.  They do not want it raining or blowing sea water inside the cabins.

Two questions:

--Infinite Veranda:  I have read that the bridge can lock the windows so they cannot be opened for a period of time.  Why would they do that?

--Perks:  Why on some reservations that come with one perk you can add other perks but some you cannot?

We are looking at some 2021 fall sailings.

It is 12:06 AM.  We just left the comedy show (3rd one tonight).  Headed back to the cabin and looking forward to ordering room service for a late night snack.

I really do not think we are going to see USA cruising until after the new year.  Given what is happening with the few ships that have re-started, I think the CDC will not let it go ahead in the USA.  That is just my thought.

To be honest, I was looking at a spring cruise, but now, I am thinking it would be better to wait until next fall.

1:19 AM - We have been back in the cabin for a bit from the late comedy show.  Room service just delivered a late night snack for both of us. We are talking about what we are going to do tomorrow while everybody heads to a port day and we have the ship to ourselves.  🙂

Several Youtubers (crew) are posting while at sea.  One is an officer on Princess.  The general consensus of the ones I have watched is they are bored, but otherwise okay.  All are staying in regular guest cabins with one person to cabin and meals are being served in the main guest buffet so they have space for social distancing.  That is from seeing videos on RCCL, Princess, and Carnival.

My two cents.  I would not leave the country without a valid passport right now.  If a country locks down or there is an out break on a ship, it could result in being forced to disembark in a foreign country.  Also, if there is a sudden Covid problem, the embassy might not be open in whatever country you are in.  I know it would all probably work out, but the amount of hassle and insecurity of not knowing would drive me nuts.  I know it is improbable, but what if they disembarked you into a country for quarantine for 14 days.  Then, you had to do a flight home.  You cannot visit an embassy while in quarantine.  Too many "what if's" right now.  For me, no passport, then I just don't go.

I have been doing a lot of shopping/pricing of ADA cabins on the Carnival website in the last few weeks.  It is new, but they are offering one some cruises an ADA cabin GTY price.  It is usually only a few dollars lower than the price for choosing your own room.  I am pretty good about using the website to find ADA cabins.  Someone stated at the beginning of the thread that the OP might have been confusing the GTY price for a regular inside.  I just wanted to give the OP the benefit of the doubt since that rate actually does exist on some cruises.

That being said, I would NEVER use the ADA GTY rate for an ADA room.  There is no room for error when we book a cabin.  DH is wheelchair bound and we would not be able to stay on a cruise if the cruise line screwed up or overbooked the ADA GTY booking.  So, we always choose our cabin when making a reservation.

DH and I always have a couple of carry-on bags.  Since he is in a wheelchair, I am carrying the bags.  We like to be able to get to the cabin first, dump the bags, use the bathroom and then hit the food before the lines happen.  Once we were so early, we waited for the buffet to open at 11 AM.

Yes, simpler times when we debate about fun things like which cruise line has the best soft serve or some other topic that is so much fun to think about right now.  I miss cruising.... I miss being able to take a vacation.  😢

14 minutes ago, Ldyandrea said:

Purely speculation on my part, but my guess is that based on what’s happening now they will delay, if not shelve entirely the refurbishment of the Victory. I sailed on her just before she went to Spain, and there really wasn’t anything wrong with her at all anyway. It is still very much a pretty and well-appointed ship. This refurbishment seemed to be more of a growth activity, rather than something desperately needing to happen to keep her in service.

Carnival, and other cruise lines are going to be looking for ways to save cash right now until they are operating at full steam ahead again. I suspect that they will decide to push off that project for awhile.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.


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I agree.  We were on Victory in November 2019.  The ship is in good condition.  The analyst are predicting it could be more than a year or more before the full demand returns to the cruise industry.  With that in mind, I think Carnival will put off all expenses they can.  So, in my opinion, we will see The Victory for some time.

Just looked at the Carnival site.  No sailings listing for April and May.  At least that is what I am seeing as of 10:13 PM Friday the 13th.

We were on the Victory in November.  I was talking to a manager of the buffet and mentioned my love of Filipino food and how I wish the diversity of the crew was reflected in the menu.  He offered to have adobo cooked for us for the next night in the MDR.  I told him no thanks because the last time I did that on a cruise, I got the non-Filipino executive chef's recipe for adobo.  I really like home cooked Filipino food that is not been "fancied up".  He laughed and said he would get one of the Filipino galley staff to make it with his family recipe.  The manager said the Filipino galley staff would be proud to cook something on his own since he is normally doing prep work.

The next night we got to the dining room and our waiter immediately came to our table.  He told us the Filipino galley person worked on our dish during the afternoon and he cooked it the way his mother taught him.  When we got the dish, I asked where the cook was from in the Philippines.  Our waiter asked and he said near Manila.  I knew that because the pork adobo is dry.  As you get further south in the Philippines, there is more brine/gravy in the adobo.

Here is what we got.... and I agree... ask!!  We made the cook's day because he got to cook instead of chop veggies all day.