Smmessineo

Although we really enjoyed our two cruises on the edge with under 800 passengers....it makes me very happy to see the cruises filling up ! Weirdly, part of the cruise experience for me is the hubbub .A mostly empty MDR is sad. Come see me in December when I can't get a seat at the Equinox martini bar , i might have changed my mind 😋

To Jim, Iain and all those who are commenting, A fantastic travelogue, beautiful photos, discussion of same-sex marriage, and book lists 😍 This may be the greatest CC thread I have ever read.

Thanks, Jim! And thank Iain for the info . A photo would be great .

Hi Jim! If you have the opportunity, could you let me know how the smoking areas are on the Summit? Our last M class sailing was on Infinity and my husband was underwhelmed by the areas available to hang out and smoke his cigars. The mast bar area in particular was exposed and not great seating. I know Summit is revolutionized, is this area and the sheltered area on the pool deck spruced up ? Thanks for all your posts here. The DH liked the idea of cruising a B2B to Iceland.!

Yup. In the beginning I was a proponent of 100% vaccinated, strict testing as cruising resumed. At this point, with covid being endemic, in my opinion, the continued testing is equivalent to being tested for the flu before you board, or norovirus, or other transmittable diseases. I've been cruising for 20 years, always fill out the health forms honestly and trust most others to do the same. And I have come down with noro one one long cruise and flu on another ( though vaccinated). Two of the worst experiences of my life. But i don't think it warrants everyone being tested. The only thing I've changed about my cruises now is i finally started buying cruise insurance.

Celebrity's Canadian site has it. Scroll back to post #11 i posted a screenshot. The US site probably is just slower in updating.

Jim, following along with you has been informative! I am looking forward to when the 2024 sailings are released. If they are running a similar itinerary we might be on it. My husband loves to cruise local out of Florida, but he has mentioned wanting to see Iceland, so I might have him hooked.....

Screenshot of the Celebrity Canada site. An interesting point is that, though cruises 9 nights and over require testing, it doesn't say that it has to be a proctored/supervised test.

I agree. I posted the other day that Dondra Ritzenthaler (VP of Sales) said that Celebrity is in talks with the various Caribbean islands, and announcements can come at any time. I would guess, with so many islands already not needing testing for travelers, Celebrity has leverage over the few holdouts. It would be nice to hear something soon.

I'm on this one with you! Similarly, we've never made it to Belize ....even though weve been on 16 Caribbean cruises. Go figure.

Lived my whole life in Lindenhurst, right on the South Shore of Long Island. Moved to Florida in retirement for the weather and lower taxes and cruise ports! But I miss Fire Island. Most beautiful beaches and beach communities I've ever been to ! Thanks for your wonderful cruise reports. Always informative and joyous ! Makes me remember everything I love about cruising .

Like others here, I've been trying to get a feel for when or if Celebrity cruises from Florida ports will eliminate the testing. I found a few interesting articles. Dondra Ritzenthaler , SVP of Sales for Celebrity, gave a talk yesterday afternoon for travel agents ( and nosy general public like me) about the new rules. During the q&a afterwards, someone asked about Florida. She said talks are ongoing to get all Caribbean Islands in agreement with Celebrity on this issue, and announcements can come at any time. And here's an article i found about current island travel rules. Not for cruises, just travelers in general, but I could see the vast majority of islands are already " no test needed" . https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Caribbean-readies-for-a-wave-of-reopenings

Thanks for your review! We will be on Equinox for 3 weeks in December, in an inside stateroom . We haven't sailed on her since 2019. After 2 cruises on Edge in the past year, I was wondering how the Equinox would compare now. Your descriptions and comparisons were great! I am looking forward to ordering a French Caribbean ! And that wonderful Italian buffet....now I'm hungry😀

Thanks for the honest and detailed review. I'm sailing on Equinox in December, I haven't been on it since 2019, you have provided great info on how things are currently on this ship.

So, the OP booked through a TA. They take their TAs word that there was no notification, must be Celebrity's fault and promises to vent their wrath on totally uninvolved staff onboard.🙄 😒🤐

Thanks for updating this thread! I'm glad you had a good wine experience on Edge. I am a wine novice, but I always upgrade to premium for other reasons, and I enjoy trying different wines from the premium list. I read up on favorites that people mention here, and it's disappointing when they aren't available to experience. Shortages could definitely could be a bummer for someone for whom the right wine takes a meal to another level , or who looks forward to the wine/drinks as part of their cruise.

Like Wrk2cruise said, it's all given to you in promo chips. And for slots, it is loaded on your card and you have to play through it before getting it back as cash.

I still get great info on CC. And a good dose of second-hand cruise joy when I am not currently on one!

I have nothing against great suite experiences and reviews! Im glad you got to sail in a suite. And aft cabins in any category are great!

Perhaps I worded it poorly. I just mean someone new to Celebrity might read reviews and comments that are " suite or stay home" or "once you suite you'll never go back" and get the impression that Celebrity is crap if you're not in a suite. I read a lot of MSC reviews that stress to book the "Yacht Club" or it sucks.. I've never sailed on that line, so I don't know the truth of it. But I do know that Celebrity is NOT that way.

Agreed! I respect those who love suites, but the " once you've gone suite you'll never go back" posts bug me a bit. I think it can scare off new people who don't know any better. I have found that, at least as far as Celebrity is concerned , the cruise experience is exquisite whether you are in an interior stateroom or a suite.

We are cigar smokers who have been on around 25 cruises .We have sailed Carnival, HAL, Princess and Celebrity. By far, the best experience as smokers, is Celebrity. . Celebrity is known as a very good line for those who hate smoke, since there is NO indoor smoking area, not even the casino, on any of their ships. However, the Celebrity S class ( Solstice, Equinox , Reflection, Silhouette and Eclipse) and even more so the E class ( Edge, Apex and Beyond) respect smokers by providing very nice and comfortable outdoor places to smoke and enjoy the views, with nearby bars, without being in an area that non-smokers "have to" walk through. ( ex: one side of the Sunset Bar on these ships). So it keeps everyone happy! The only Celebrity ships that have "meh" smoking areas, are the M-class ( Millennium, Summit, Constellation, Infinity).We avoid those.