padgman1

(Drool...) Have had both in lesser years, great wines, but a LONG time ago. Pichon-Lalande is my favorite Pauillac. Cos d'Estournel is my favorite Bordeaux. Sadly, I have turned to "the dark side" and have enjoyed New World non-cabernet sauvignon wines for the last 20 years... Favorite wine snob line: Pardon me, but do you have any red Mouton?

BTW, just opened Caceres Reserva 2016… (Spanish Tempranillo Rioja, for those not in the know) Yum yum yum yum ….. for $20-25/ bottle

‘89 Haut Brion ? ‘90 Latour ?

Amen to that, brother ! Don't forget the Crianzas by the same Spanish producers...

Thanks for all of the info, peoples.... We will be taking an excursion in Honolulu when we dock, getting to airport at about 130 pm. They have an all aboard time of 5pm, don't know if they can get off the ship after this. Will be trying to meet with them at Aloha Tower Marketplace somewheres.... Wineaux007, hope to meet up with you on the ship, would love to discuss wine !

Sailing on the Solstice this September from Vancouver to Honolulu. Friends of ours are taking the Solstice from Honolulu to Sydney. Would like to meet up with them. Which Honolulu cruise port will Solstice use? How does one find out about this?

Inquiring minds want to know...what do YOU like?

Also disappointed in this as I have always wanted to take a westbound TA from Rome on either Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. The only ship in either fleet taking a TA from Rome in the fall of 2024 is Odyssey of the Seas leaving Nov 2024 to Cape Liberty NJ... Fortunately, will not have time in the fall of 2024 to take such a cruise....2025-6, maybe a TA from Rome on Celebrity or Royal will appear...

Googling "Aquatheater," it lists the platforms at 30 feet. Trust me, even competitive divers don't go off at 300 feet ( Red Bull Cliff Diving series competitors dive from 85-92 feet).

Other options/opinions for drinking red wine on board: 1. They will decant wines on board if you ask - would go to the head sommelier at a dining venue and ask for your wine to be decanted 30-45 minutes before arrival. 2. Bring an aerator - would NOT use to make a young Opus One taste like it had aged 10+ years, but it will help most tannic red wines ( Cab Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah/Shiraz, Barolo/Barbaresco ) soften and open up some. Again, would NOT use on an expensive wine less with less than 3 years of bottle age, you won't reap the benefits of extended ageing ( if you like those benefits). Big point here: 95+% of red wines are meant to be consumed within 5 years of bottling, if not sooner. Extended ageing of classic Bordeaux/Burgundy/California Cab Sauvignon reaps interesting tasting benefits, a smooth, long tasting experience being high on many lists( less tannins, less acidity, complex fruit). 90% of those wines' tasting experience can be had with 5-10 years of bottle age and decanting. 3. Ask the sommeliers what is tasting well given a description of what you like. The good wine stewards will be glad to guide your palate to some wonderful wines. ( This may be asking a lot of Celebrity's staff, but worth a try). Personal recommendation for wine to bring aboard: ANYTHING red from K Vintners in Washington state.( $40-80+ range)

Question - if you receive a higher cabin than your GTY suite, do you get the amenities of that suite? For example, if one got a Concierge suite from a Veranda GTY, would one get the multiple devices for WiFi and priority specialty dining reservations?

Because the Ruby Princess now has a dent/ small hole in her hull ( see recent posts in last 24 hours on Ruby Princess on this forum)... Sorry, couldn't resist. Hope it doesn't take too long to repair.

Awesome. @Georgia_Peaches, which website did you go through to design/acquire this ?

Pocket protector give you away ???!!!

Ditto what Jim said... Carlos was fantastic on our Silhouette TA cruise in April. Don't forget to bring 2 bottles of wine on board if possible - there is no corkage fee in Luminae (assuming you have a alcoholic beverage package, usually standard in a suite). If you do, give Carlos ( or whoever the sommelier is ) " the last glass"; he/she will appreciate it !!

Blasphemy !!!

Starlink worked well for me, but I am a Luddite when it comes to electronics ( a phone is supposed to makes phone calls, not solve the world’s problems or send self-pictures for mass viewing). My wife was able to watch downloaded movies on her tablet with no problem.

Mahdnc, you are the master of all ( and you beat me to it !).

DW and I were on the April 2023 TA cruise on Silhouette. As long as you are not bothered by the ship’s movement, any location will be OK; you will want midship if you are bothered somewhat. You probably want to be on a floor with cabins above and below you to reduce ambient noise from public places. If possible, try to get an angled balcony, you can see which one they are as they are more trapezoid shaped; these balconies will be a little larger than the standard ones. I believe Celebrity has gone the way of budget/ mid level hotels in that they have dispensers in the shower for gel soap, shampoo, and conditioner ( we stayed in a suite). Someone else will correct me if I’m wrong. Celebrity is a Coke product ship. The embarkation process for a first-timer not staying in a suite will be longer than most. They will assign you a time window to check-in. DON’T BE TOO EARLY, it will not benefit you. Download the Celebrity app on your phone - you will be able to access all documents on it; you will also be able to download a picture on it to use so it will speed up the process some. You will need passport. Included eating venues include the Oceanview Cafe ( buffet open for breakfast/lunch/dinner), the Main Dining Room ( MDR), also open for breakfast/ lunch on sea days/ dinner, Cafe Al Bacchio, where the coffee drinks cost without a drinks package, but the “goodies” (pastries and the like) are free, the Mast Grill outside above the pool deck, serving hamburgers/ hot dogs/ fries, and the Aquaspa Cafe in the Solarium which serves more healthy fare for breakfast and lunch. Specialty restaurants include Murano ( French/Continental), Tuscan Grille ( Italian plus steak), Le Petit Chef at Qsine ( animation enhanced dining, eclectic), the Lawn Club Grill ( grilled meats/fish), the Porch ( seafood/ raw bar), and Sushi on 5 ( Sushi/Japanese). The first four have additional charges between $50 and $71 per person, the Porch is $35 for lunch, and Sushi on 5 is a la carte. There are discounts for the first night available as well as dining packages at reduced cost. Worth the upcharge? Not at full price. The ship does have a library. You can drink anything you want, alcoholic or not, in all lounges. There will be multiple venues for music each night. Hope this helps (some).

Thank you very much, my eyes have been opened !

Thanks for the tip; unfortunately, dining options are not loaded onto my app yet

Sailing in a suite on Harmony January 2024, looking for MDR, Coastal Kitchen, and Chops Grill wine lists. I have tried searching on CC but no luck ( I probably am not using the search function correctly, but after 10 minutes trying, I’m done).

If you have a Classic or Premium drink package, it is free. If you open the bottle in your room ( and keep it there, bringing glasses of wine to your dining destination), it is free.

If embarking from Florida ports, there is usually a Total Wine store in the area that one can order wine and (usually) have delivered to your hotel ( if arriving day before) - best selection of all categories of wine at good prices.

My DW took an Alaskan cruise on Royal last fall and went to this church. Thought she was walking up to heaven...LONG STEEP walk to heaven...