talljules1

I think my answer the the OP question has now to be NO. We enjoyed our 2021 and 2022 cruises with Celebrity, but the rising prices are something else. The put the retreat into the same price brackets as luxury lines, and that's likely where we will jump ship to for 2024. We already have a Christmas 2023 cruise booked with Celebrity, which we look forward to. But for Summer 2023 we've already jumped ship and are sailing in MSC Yacht club (swayed, in part, by a more interesting itinerary). Because we now sail in the retreat, I guess a lot of the recent changes don't affect us much. But we have been irritated/disappointed by rising prices for specialty dining (we noticed that especially in Sushi on 5 between our May and September Silhouette cruises - a la carte prices rose, meaning we go less for our $35pp allowance, and sake was no longer available by the glass within the drink package. Yes, a first world problem, but it lessened our experience). Also disappointed that for lunch on port days the only choice was either the buffet or mast grill (or some very disappointing bites on the retreat sundeck). So, going forward, we will be giving serious consideration to Azamara, Oceania, Silversea etc.

I have no idea what their way out is. Maybe it is just unsustainable. But prices are already on the up and up, and they are reducing what we get for the increased prices. We have a cruise booked for the end of the year, but I have no plans to book any more with X. Constantly charging more and more for less and less is not appealing to me at all. Yes, the lines have their debts. That is their problem - I do not have to let it become mine, nor will I. None of the options suggested in the thread so far have any appeal to me. For me, it is already on a knife edge - if they are going to reduce the value further of a more and more expensive product, I'd rather just not cruise with them.

Yes. I think the 'premium coffees' are all those other than the coffee you can get for free at the buffet/MDR.

We had to do tests for our cruises on Celebrity last year. These were rapid antigen tests and we went to our local DAM health. Generally we had the results back by email by the time we got home from the testing centre. Within 48 hours means that the sample has to be taken within 48 hours (for Celebrity, it means at least 2 days prior to the day of embarkation, not 48 hours from the moment of embarkation). So, a test on Thursday was fine for embarking on Saturday. It is not the time a PCR sample is received by the lab.

Hi all We're sailing on Virtuosa YC this summer, from Southampton to Iceland/Norway. Our first cruise on this ship, and second on MSC. Our last MSC cruise was a little while ago. 1. What will be the currency on board? Euros? Dollars? GBP? 2. We gather we get a bottle of spirits in our room (instead of small bottles in the minibar). Is there somewhere we can find the list to choose from? (Or do we need to wait until we get to the room?) 3. We gather MSC has laundry packages, and we'd like one. So far, can't see this when we look in our account as something to book. Is this something that appears nearer the time? (We're used to having several bags of laundry included as part of our loyalty programme status on Celebrity) Thanks in advance. Jules

Yes, I very much think they're cheapening their product. It has been happening for a while, and now is accelerating. A death by a thousand cuts, it is lots of little things which individually don't really matter, but which in total become irritating. X used to pride itself on 'modern luxury'. Well, it's not that now. In recent years we've moved to the sweet suite life. But with current pricing, X are pricing themselves out of the market. There's now little difference in price between X and more premium lines, so it is likely in coming years that we will be looking much more seriously at Azamara, Oceania, Silverseas etc. Because if paying that much, and these other lines, with better itineraries, are an option, why stick with X? We get the impression that X are not loyal to their customers, regardless of the loyalty of the customer.

We have Riedel wine glasses (having been hooked on them by one of these workshops on an early cruise) and we've always washed them in the dishwasher, with no issues.

We've done both - and doing both again this year. They are quite different from each other. MSC does the ship within a ship concept much better. The YC lounge is larger than the retreat lounge on S-class ships. We've had good service in both. The food in YC on Preziosa was perhaps not as quite as good as on Celebrity, but it was fine in the YC and we enjoyed it. Perhaps the difference is that outside of the YC, as others have said, the ship is more crowded and rowdy. We vowed we wouldn't sail MSC outside the YC - non YC MSC doesn't compare to non-retreat X. We've met lovely people on both lines (and that's important to us). A Deluxe balcony stateroom in YC on Virtuosa is about the same size as a sky suite (but has a shower rather than bath, but also has a walk in wardrobe), and unlike the sky suite, comes with an included minibar and a bottle of spirits and daily newspapers. We will miss the laundry that would come with our Elite+ status. However, MSC YC is MUCH cheaper than the Retreat, so it doesn't matter. You get premium drinks, wifi and gratuities included in both retreat and YC. We compared a week in the retreat with a fortnight in YC, and MSC was still cheaper - it also has a great itinerary. So, we're sailing MSC YC in the Summer to Iceland and Norway.

I really like Long Island Ice Tea. Never seen it on a menu on X, but discovered last year that they will make them for you.

It seems the strap line for Celebrity Cruises is shifting from "Modern Luxury" to "You probably won't starve".

But, to be fair, "Not starving to death" is not quite the bar we set for ourselves on a cruise.

Totally agree with you, Hank. Indeed, X are pricing themselves out of their own market for the retreat. We love X, but retreat prices have become crazy - so much so that we've booked a 2 week MSC YC cruise this week for about the same price as a 1 week sky suite cruise, and we're actively looking at Azamara, Silversea etc for cruises for 2024+. If the price of a suite in the retreat starts to cost as much as a cruise on a luxury line, it makes sense to try the luxury line. For our MSC cruise we will likely stay within YC - but the room is same size as a sky suite, there is a YC restaurant (like luminae), lounge and sundeck - and they are bigger and better appointed.

So very sorry for your loss.

YES THIS!! I hate the new martini glasses.

We've cruised to Norway in May before (but not yet on MSC). The weather in Norway is always changeable, and it is sensible to pack layers, including an outer waterproof layer. Expect it to be cold, with snow on the mountain tops. On our 2022 Norway cruise it was bitterly cold - around 1C, with a little snow fall. The scenery, though, is amazing. All 3 of our Norway cruises (Celebrity, NCL, Celebrity) have been from Southampton, and have had a mix of passengers from the UK and USA/Canada. Norway is one of our fav destinations, which is why we're going back again this year.

Aha! You are right! It hadn't occurred to me that the sailing would still be open for booking. By my count, 26 Inside, small number oceanview, 46 Veranda/Sunset veranda empty, 2 aqua class, 43 concierge. And a small number of suites. So, not full at all!

Would be interested to know how full the next cruise (on 29th Sept) is going to be! hope you are having a great time.

Note - it says nothing about washing machines and tumble dryers. You'll look a bit odd lugging them up the gangway, though.

Sounds reasonable. Our arrival and departure gates were side by side (no need to walk anywhere else in the terminal, and no one told us we would need to go through immigration so I guess that's how that happened).

Well, we're back from our first fly-cruise on the Beyond, and it was magnificent. We noticed something odd - and wonder whether we missed something?! We flew in to Rome Leonardo da Vinci from Manchester, transiting in Frankfurt. There was no immigration on leaving the UK, or in Frankfurt (the gate we arrived at and the gate we departed from were side by side). On landing in Rome we followed the signs from the gate to baggage reclaim (and saw no signs for immigration along the way). Collected our bags, went through the exit and we were out of the airport!! No immigration! On the return trip from Barcelona (via Munich) there was no immigration in Barcelona. Again, no one other than the check in agent asked to see our passports, and that was to issue boarding cards. In Munich our arrival and departure gates were in different parts of the terminal, and there was passport control in between. There we did have to show our passports, and the immigration officer seemed surprised/perturbed by the lack of stamps. (Want to see our residence cards - don't have one!). In the end he was satisfied when we showed him the flight details for our journey into the EU. He didn't stamp our passports either! Did we miss something in Frankfurt or Rome? (If we did I am surprised the flow of the airport allowed us to just walk out of the airport!) Particularly interested in hearing from those who have flown into Rome from the UK recently , but suspect this might also affect people flying in from other countries too.

Well, not so far, because so far we haven't had a fly cruise (all been from Southampton, we're in the UK). But now I am really worried that we're about to. I think (whether we get there or not) I have made a terrible mistake, and will learn from it. We are flying on the day on Monday to Rome (from Manchester via Frankfurt, with Lufthansa). At the time of booking I thought we might be being smart. TA assured us yes, booked with Celebrity and so they get you there. OH was with me when I booked, and didn't stop me either 🙂 And we thought being smart avoiding budget airlines. And do have a decent transfer window in Frankfurt. And (some) time spare if delayed into Rome. Of course, when we booked, there were not the issues there are now. We do at least have early morning and morning flights so that might reduce the risk of cancellation/delay. But we can't change the flights now (and booking new ones would be crazy expensive, and perhaps not with Celebrity), so the flights now are what they are. Will certainly learn the lesson and fly out a day or two early in future. Hopefully we will get there (many flights are happening as usual) but I have caused myself unnecessary stress.

Hello all Does anyone have any thoughts/experience of using Apple Airtags. I'm mindful that with difficulties in many airports at the moment, having some extra reassurance of where are bags actually are might be useful. (I am aware that they're got good whilst the bags are on conveyor belts in the airport - but perhaps it lets you know that your bags are actually on your flight/coach. I'm equally mindful that, of course, having the tags doesn't alter the likelihood that your bags will travel with you. Have just ordered some, and from what I have seen online it looks like it is OK to put them inside checked bags, so that's my plan. Am guessing it might also make it easier to find bags in baggage reclaim in places like Southampton port.

Fresca martini But not a fan of the new glasses - preferred when they were simple straight-sided. Don't know why.

I'm glad to know it's not just me. I was beginning to think that the regressed false memory therapy was working too well. We can adapt to whatever the reality is. I just want to have realistic expectations before we board again. (Disappointment tending to stem from when reality does not meet expectations! We will expect that Luminae etc generally not open for lunch, and then will be pleasantly surprised if they are! Honestly we book and board hoping for a good experience!)