The bubble

There is a 7:00 show for the people with late dining and a 9:00 show for those with early dining. Just came off the ship beginning of Dec.

Finally found it on Cruising Power:

 

Celebrity Cruises will be will be adjusting the automatic daily gratuity for all new bookings made on or after January 2, 2018.

 

• Guests booked that have not prepaid their gratuities, have until March 1, 2018 to do so based on the current guideline.
  
• All exchange rates will be updated at the time of the gratuity change January 2, 2018.
  
• If not prepaid prior to sailing, the new gratuity rate will be automatically applied to the guests folio onboard.
  
• The daily gratuity is shared among dining & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other housekeeping services personnel, as well as staff from other departments who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.
  
• An 18% gratuity will continue to be charged to all beverages, mini bar, and spa & salon purchases made onboard.
  

Stateroom CategoryPrevious Gratuity AmountNew Gratuity

Standard Room $13.50 $14.50

Concierge and Aqua Class $14.00 $15.00

Suite Class $17.00 $18.00

Hi oneputt,

Thanks for posting.

Not sure what is going on. Has anyone from the States or Canada received this same e-mail?

Ok, just called back the regular Celebrity number and they said it is going up $1.00pp per day on Jan. 2. If you have obc from Celebrity and you decide to prepay before Jan 2, you cannot use the obc for it. Only on the ship. It would be paid by a credit card.

I will just pay the new rate on the ship so I can use the obc for it.

Interesting! I have copied part of the email I received yesterday(hope that I am not breaking any forum rules) I live in the UK:-

"As you get ready for your upcoming cruise, we wanted to let you know that we've updated our daily gratuity rates. The new rates will be applied to all sailings from 2 January 2018 onwards. Anyone booked prior to 2 January 2018, will have until the time of their sailing to pay their gratuities at the old rate.

 

If you've prepaid your gratuities, you will not be effected by this price change.

 

If you've not yet prepaid your gratuities, you can still pay the original rates by prepaying them before 2nd January 2018. If you pay your gratuities on board, you will pay the new rates. "

Not sure what is going on. Has anyone from the States or Canada received this same e-mail?

I called Celebrity Captains Club this morning, and they are not aware of any price increase for gratuities starting Jan 2.

Same here. Just got 3 in the mail yesterday and at least every other day I receive 2. What a waste.

Your best bet is to stay away from the beaches, more inland. Watch reviews, too, as you don't want to stay in a roach motel. Also, use any standard discounts like AAA. It's far enough from Easter to be able to find a reasonable price. I would look near St. Augustine and head down the East Coast.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you for the advice. We use the AARP discount. I will also look into St. Augustine as well. We are looking at staying at a Hampton Inn in Fort Pierce presently, but am open to other areas as well. I think St. Augustine is still 4-4.5 hours from Ft. Lauderdale and was looking for only 4 hours or less away.

Oh boy, my spell check on my phone last night was crazy. I apologize for the misspellings in my previous post.

No problem, still understood what you were saying.....lol....

Why not consider the Lake Roy resort? Looks to be well under $100/night and again, if you drive 27, you'll save an additional $20 in tolls. If you are budget conscious, this seems to be the way to go.

I have read some reviews that said the cabins were damp and some mold and some of my grandchildren have asthma and bad allergies and I am afraid that it wouldn't be good for them to take a chance.

U am so dorry! I con fused Lk. Ida with the Lake Roy Resort. So glad you changed your plans! Have a blessed day and fabulous cruise!

Yes, I just didn't have good vibes with Lake Ida. I know we will have a wonderful cruise.

Thank you very much.

Sleep Inn, La Quinta, Country Inn and Suites, Hampton Inn. They are all nice and not too pricey.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you. Was just checking prices for those hotels and refundable rooms are running around $200.00 per room. This is for the Friday of Easter weekend so I guess they have jacked up the prices. Just too expensive for the budget, but thank you anyhow.

That's a 10+ hour drive. I like the hotels right off the interstate on Exit 170, Port Charlotte. It's not quite as far south as Ft. Myers.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Any suggestions on decent hotels in the area? I am not familiar at all with that area. Just looking for clean hotels, nothing fancy.

If we fly and our kids drive, I will let them decide the route they will take. With 4 kids, I imagine they will want the quickest route.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions.

If we all drive, then we will probably stay at the Hampton Inn in Ft. Pierce since that is much closer to Ft. Lauderdale than Orlando.

Fly down and make the other schlep 10 hours in the car? Love it. Sounds like something I would do. I'd fly first class, too.

Thanks for the chuckle......

yes, I prepaid for 4 suitcases on Spirit already. We flew with them last year - they had reasonable fares, even with $30 per suitcase. Checking in online is free, and we didn't get charged for printing boarding passes on the way back after a cruise (I checked in on the phone, but printed boarding passes at the airport).

 

My friend sends her elderly parents on the plane, while she, DH and 2 kids drive to and from FLL. That way they keep costs down (by not renting), while accommodating the elders. My DH hates driving for more than 6 hours, but he hates paying $2,000+ for flights more.

 

If you keep checking Spirit and Southwest every day, you may be pleasantly surprised by the fares. They have sales all the time, but you gotta catch it. Last year SW had $78 each way ATL-FLL during thanksgiving. Those fares sold out within an hour. Good luck! Oh, and since they allow one way fares, sometimes it's worth flying in on one airlines, and flying back on another.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Yes, we were thinking of just my husband and myself flying and the others driving, but right now the airfare is still over $400pp. It is Easter week so may not come down, but will continue checking at least once daily.

We are in ATL as well. I calculated that flying Spirit one way from ATL to FLL for 6 of us ($109 each) and renting a minivan on the way back (7 passenger minivan, $218 total price, unlimited mileage) is within $100 of renting a minivan and driving ATL-FLL-ATL because we'd need 2 hotel rooms half way to FL. So, we are flying to and driving back from FLL. On the way back we won't need a hotel and we don't have to be home by 1-2 pm either.

P.S. We are footing the bill for all of our parents...

Sounds like a great idea except we are 8 with luggage and spirit charges for check in and carry on luggage and we would have to rent a larger van and all the luggage probably wouldn't fit in.

Great suggestion, just don't think it will work for us.

Thank you for your suggestion.

If you choose the East Coast, St. Augustine is a great place to stop. There is a lot of history, an Alligator Farm, an outlet mall, a great beach.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hi cbelc53857139,

Thanks for responding. I looked into St. Augustine, but it is further to Ft. Lauderdale that Ft. Pierce. Want to do the majority of the driving the first day, but thanks for your suggestion.

We really like staying at the Hampton Inn at Ft Pierce and it's a shorter drive to port than from Kissimmee. As you know, if you let the staff know about the celebrations, you will get appropriate perks.

Just enjoyed watching the eclipse on tv and in our little pin hole boxes. Awesome to be able to have this experience.

The woman at the hotel when I booked the reservation was lovely. Thanks for letting me know that you liked the Hampton Inn there.

We had 1 pair of glasses that we both looked through and my husband also had made a box with the pin hole as well. It was an amazing experience.

Congratulations on all of your celebrations. We have cruised a lot with Celebrity, HAL, Princess and a few with RCL. I know you all will have a grand time.

Thanks very much.

So here's what we did. Cancelled out Lk Ida Beach in Winter Haven, just had bad vibes.

Booked Hampton Inn in Ft. Pierce, and Quality Inn in Kissimmee both at decent prices and refundable until 3 days before. Will decide a week before where we want to stop and cancel out the other reservation.

Thanks to all for your recommendations. Appreciate everyones suggestions.

Yes I thought that might be why you are using your screen name. 😉The hotel at Summer Bay is nice and if you shop around different pricing sites you should find a good price. Which line and ship will you be on? We have been sailing MSC Divina for several cruises.

Will definitely check out Summer Bay. We are on RC Harmony of the Seas over Easter week. We are celebrating out daughter's 20th wedding anniversary, our granddaughters sweet 16 and our grandsons high school graduation and he turns 18 during the cruise. Lots to be grateful for.

We have never done a cruise on MSC . My husband and I usually cruise on Celebrity.

Hi Bubble,

We live in "the Bubble", south of the Atlanta airport and drive to Miami or Ft Lauderdale for cruising. We usually stay around the Ft Pierce area but will be near Orlando this time. There is a condo resort near Kissimmee just off 27 that has a hotel we have used too. It is Summer Bay by Exploria if you want to look into that. Staying there on way to Miami. Never have taken 27 down, always go over to pick up the turnpike.

Enjoy your cruise.

Hi Cruisergal1208,

We also live in the bubble, hence my name......Small world.

I will check out the condo resort that you recommended as well. So glad that many of you have given me food for thought about the area we should stop at. Will definitely check them all out.

We usually fly to our cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, but with 8 of us traveling, air fare is out of the question.

WE are in middle GA and go down 75 to Ft Myers and stay the night there. Get up in the morning and drive two hours across Alligator Alley to Ft Lauderdale. Ft Myers is usually a little cheaper that the east coast areas for hotels.

Hi Molme,

Another good suggestion to check out. Thank you very much.

Yes, not too sure about those cabins. Have read mixed reviews but can cancel until 3 days before so will still be looking at other places as well.

Once again, thank you for all the suggestions. It has been very helpful.

With it being Easter week, some of the hotels are already booked.

Bubble.....sorry for my bad suggestions!!

 

We always drive to Canaveral but we travel I-16 to I-95, so that is why I had Melbourne and Ft Pierce on my mind.

 

Glad you got some helpful advice!! Have a wonderful cruise!!!

Dianne, you didn't give me bad advise. We just didn't want to stay in the Canaveral, Orlando area because of the crowds and the hotels are more expensive in those areas. I booked these cabins in Winter Haven, but not sure we will keep the reservation. Looking for inexpensive because we are footing the cost of this cruise for our daughter's family and trying to keep expenses down with the extra's. All advise is welcome.

Thank you.

US27 connects to I75 just west of Fort Lauderdale (don't let that confuse you!)... which essentially turns into 595 east, which ends at the cruise terminal... It's as easy a drive as it gets and no city traffic at all in South Florida. Look on Google Maps, it's simple as can be. Follow 595 west from the cruise port and you'll see it connect to US27.

You have been a great help to us. Just booked Lake Ida Beach Resort in Winter Haven. Do you know anything about this place? They are cabins and the reviews look ok.

Thank you very much for all your help. I am printing it all out.