SHill64

The folks at Future Crusie desk last spring were also telling people the Century was not being sold, it was being relocated to serve the ports of call that included Venice due to its restricted access that was being discussed by its port officials, this even after the group that purchased Century had put out a press release announcing their plans to purchase it. I put very little faith in them. They know how to push buttons on their computer. They also told me I couldn't get 123 perks on a Century from Dubai sailing, even though several on our roll call had it. I made them call corporate, they did and found out, oh yes, that cruise did allow the 123 perks. They didn't even know anything about my 2 canceled cruses that happened while I was aboard my Bermuda sailing, my November 20 Connie sailing, and the redirected Century Dubai to rome changed to Dubai to Singapore - BOTH while I was aboard. Yet I had emails from X telling me of the changes.

 

Agree, they can change anything anytime, I just don't see what purpose it serves for them to extend major perks to suites, and then roll them back, especially since it's a program that's worked just fine all along. Restricting BLU access is just going to mean more empty tables in there. Nothing gained.

 

UNLESS they decide to start charging a fee for entrance to non-aqua, then I could see X prohibiting suites in, but only if there's a way to make a dollar.

Kurt, what is "pied piper"? :confused:

pretty much says it all..:D:eek::D

I was speaking about Silhouette. 108 AQ cabins-216 passengers. 116 suites-232 passengers. Blu dining room on the Silhouette seats 136 according to the maitre'd that has been with the company 21 1/2 years. Blu opens at 6 pm and generally has two seatings. Reflection has more AQ cabins. After April 2105, AQ suites are a thing of the past. Back to standard S2 cabins.

The folks at Future Crusie desk last spring were also telling people the Century was not being sold, it was being relocated to serve the ports of call that included Venice due to its restricted access that was being discussed by its port officials, this even after the group that purchased Century had put out a press release announcing their plans to purchase it. I put very little faith in them. They know how to push buttons on their computer. They also told me I couldn't get 123 perks on a Century from Dubai sailing, even though several on our roll call had it. I made them call corporate, they did and found out, oh yes, that cruise did allow the 123 perks. They didn't even know anything about my 2 canceled cruses that happened while I was aboard my Bermuda sailing, my November 20 Connie sailing, and the redirected Century Dubai to rome changed to Dubai to Singapore - BOTH while I was aboard. Yet I had emails from X telling me of the changes.

 

Agree, they can change anything anytime, I just don't see what purpose it serves for them to extend major perks to suites, and then roll them back, especially since it's a program that's worked just fine all along. Restricting BLU access is just going to mean more empty tables in there. Nothing gained.

 

UNLESS they decide to start charging a fee for entrance to non-aqua, then I could see X prohibiting suites in, but only if there's a way to make a dollar.

Empty tables? Really? I now believe you've never eaten in Blu. Blu is overcrowded. I had a lengthy discussion with George, the maitre'd in Blu last week. We dine every night at 8pm. Each night we arrived, the room was full. I asked him how many paxs are able to eat in Blu. About 270. Of that, over 50 are suite passengers. Double cabin occupancy of course. Blu seats 136. The night we had this discussion, he had served 220,; of which 40 were suite passengers and it was only 9pm. This was the case, give or take 20, every night.

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Pretty harsh....

 

It's not wishful thinking since X's own press release states that suite guests will still be able to eat in Blu on a space available basis.

Not harsh, just how I see it. Our friends that travel with us in a Royal Suite want to dine with us in Blu and made it a point to inquire about this when booking a B2B TA on the Reflection in 2016. They're also booked in a RS for the Silhouette fall 2015 TA. They feel from what they were told at the Future Cruise Desk they will not be able to dine in Blu after April 2015. For anyone to believe they'll able to dine in Blu after April 2015 just because Celebrity has bookings open through 2017 is foolish. Read the cruise contract. They reserve the right to change the rules of the game at any time.

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As the official Celebrity issued Suite Perks FAQ specifically states Suite Guests will continue to have access to BLU on an available basis, and at no cover charge, I'd assume that is the official policy. And that people are booking suites now into 2017, with this as policy, I don't see that changing until 2017-2018 earliest.

 

A change in that policy would become an issue to those who booked suites, with others in their groups in Aqua, who had planned on dining with their Aqua guests, rather than have their aqua guests pay $50 per person per meal in the Suite Dining room.

 

Maitre'd talking may not be aware of that FAQ document even exists. Remember all the rumors ship side staff take up to be true that we all fall for, like Bistro on 5 was leaving, to become the Suite Dining room (false). Or that Celebrity Century was relocating to Europe to handle the smaller ports like Venice that are starting to disallow large ships in (False, Century was being sold).

 

Clearly the intent of Suite Perks is to give Suites unfettered access, especially the higher suites with their unlimited specialty dining, premium beverages, internet and mini bar access.

 

BLU will find itself less occupied by suites for sure, but I don't see Suites being denied flat out - that just doesn't meld with the new suite perks program concept.

BLU is certainly not an entitlement of suites, it's an "on available basis" and will continue to be, as advertised and promoted in the Official Suite Perks FAQ issued by celebrity, and still out today.

 

I suspect they removed the BLU language from specific suite brochures and changed it to tout instead the new suite dining room, but the SuitePerks brochure clearly says BLU is a perk, on an available basis. Suites can also sake to dine in MDR and I imagine that same brochure your friends have says nothing of that either.

 

In fact it's so non-ambiguous about the Suites being allowed access, they even took the time to spell out that suites would not have to pay a cover charge to use it, in addition to stipulating that Suite access would remain as it is today even after Suite Dining comes

.

My Aqua sailing this year, I dined in MDR every night, never even went to BLU.

This is all just wishful thinking on your part. You have a dog in this hunt from looking at your upcoming cruises and cabin categories. Good luck and have a wonderful time in your suite dining room!

SDT

Actually, I misspoke. We travel on TA's with someone who stays in Royal Suites. It was that Suite pax who learned from the Michael's Club concierge a couple days before disembarkation that Suite Pax will not be allowed to dine in Blu once the Suite dining room was built out. It was a discussion between the Suite pax and the maitre'd, who could not confirm. The maitre'd was concerned that if this would be the policy, it would affect the additional tips suite pax would bring for the wait staff.

When these mutual friends booked their B2B for the 2016 fall Reflection TA, they were given literature outlining their suite dining options. Dining in Blu was not an option after April 4, 2015. As unfortunate as this is for us and them, it is the right decision. Blu should be for Aqua Class passengers only.

SDT

I'm sure SOMEONE will flag it, complain, and have it removed...:rolleyes:

 

But THAT is pretty darn funny! :D

Hey Buddy! :D

I've been to Florida and I've been to Hawaii. No way in h*** would I move to Florida just so I could cruise more inexpensively!!! This is a joke, right?

 

 

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No, I think this post must be the joke. California? The same state that taxes you until you can't breathe? Florida is a right to work state, has NO state income taxes, gas is $3.40 a gallon and our governor has us with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Being able to drive to Tampa, Jacksonville, Cape Canaveral, Miami or Ft. Lauderdale to cruise anytime I want is just icing on the cake! :D

Transfers, Westin hotel and 2 broadway tickets would cost almost as much as the cruise fare alone. I'm serious.

Not even close. The Westin for 5/29-5/31 is $325 a night. Show tickest may be $100 each and the Westin would probably take you to Bayonne for free.

SDT

We have a difficult time meting the 49 lb international requirements on European flights. Now if they could only invent ultra-light formalware.

 

Perhaps there is a reason the Black Sea is discounted, considering the Crimean thing.

Actually it's 23 kilos/51lbs.

SDT

We have a difficult time meting the 49 lb international requirements on European flights. Now if they could only invent ultra-light formalware.

 

Perhaps there is a reason the Black Sea is discounted, considering the Crimean thing.

We travel to Europe at least once a year for a cruise, with the whole trip never costing less than $6000. We always pay for either an extra piece of luggage or an overweight bag. If you pay an additional $200 in baggage fees, that's less than 4% of the cost of the vacation. Well worth having everything you need for the three weeks you're away from home. JMHO.

Shaun

We booked that cruise in October and our cabin has gone from 1450 to 1900.

 

 

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We booked our A2 cabin on the Silhouette transatlantic this November for $1650 p/p. Now it's $3179 p/p. This cruise was booked BEFORE the Captain's Club changes.

Shaun

Why is anyone surprised or questioning that the price of Celebrity/RCCL cruises are going up?? Have you looked at the stock price? Over $50 and has a price target of $60 in the next six months. The beginning was the change in the Captain's Club program and the lowering of the OBC you receive for purchasing Passages.They changed the program to benefit THEM and their stockholders. Not us. As they changed the program, they started bumping up the fares. No surprise to me.

I have not booked cruises to Europe after final payment and looked for air two months out, I am a chicken with the price fluctuations. I appreciated you telling me how you do it. Regarding Choice Air, I guess it is ok for a one way TA six months to a year out from what I have read on prior threads.

We do a westbound TA every year. You will not find a cheaper one-way airfare than with Choice Air. We're on British Airways from Tampa to Rome, through Gatwick to coming October for $507 p/p total. Cheapest consolidator price I could find was well over twice that.

I have never seen a promotion associated with a transatlantic or transpacific cruise. With as many as 11-12 sea days on a transatlantic, Celebrity cannot make any money from shore excursions. They make alot of profit from their tours and couple that with people drinking more during the sea days, this is most of the reason for no promotions.

On our Reflection TA last November, a friend got a last minute (after final payment) veranda cabin for $599 and he was traveling alone. If you have the nerve to buy airfare and wait until the price drops, you can save a bundle.

SDT

The Lawn Club is casual -- shorts, sandals, polo shirt.

That sounds like a Myrtle Beach tuxedo! :D Or a Florida tux!

Anyone wanting to know how to see available cabins, email me and I'll tell you where to look.

Shaun

This is our first deployment cruise. We sail from Southampton to New York, Bermuda, Port Canaveral & Miami. We would like to know what weather we can expect in the ports in November & where do people recommend we visit in the ports?

Do you mean transatlantic? The northern Atlantic can be pretty cold and rough that time of year. I would recommend you join you rollcall thread for this cruise. Others on this cruise will have alot of information and tours planned for each port.

SDT

Hello All!

Here's the tours that have seats available on my website:

Ilana (IBM) Palma highlights tour - 12 seats available

Judith (Turtles06) Barcelona/Montserrat tour - ? seat available

Fran (Sabu24) Rome city tour/Oct. 31 - 3 seats available

Fran (Sabu24) Barcelona/Montserrat tour - 1 seat available

Ellen (sailnjmom) Tuscany wine tasting tour - 4 seats available

Ben (Elliotbay) Tenerife tour - ? seats available

If you haven't been to my site for this cruise, the link is in my signature at the bottom of all my posts. http://silhouette4us.webs.com/

Shaun

Shaun (Shill64) on the Roll Call is hosting a dedicated web site for our TA (link to home page below) on which, among other things, he has posted info for folks who are organizing private shore excursions, so interested people can contact them.

 

http://silhouette4us.webs.com/

 

I hope this is of some help.

 

Judith

Speak of that Lil' Devil! :D Is this where all the fun people are hanging out!! :p Just coming over to say hello to all my peeps!

SDT

We were on a Cunard trip(2008 QM2) We were scarcely on the ship for 2 hrs & in the elevator this woman just beyotched & beyotched about all the problems of her voyage so far(2 hours, folks,we hadn't even left New York yet)I finally told to shut the hell up. Which, surprisingly she did, much to the delight of all on that elevator.

If I was in that elevator, I would have laughed out loud and taken you to the nearest bar and bought you a drink! :D

What a disappointment our cruise on Constellation was:

Smaller balcony than described in the brochure we booked from.

Terrible service in MDR, ate in the buffet after 4 nights

Promised $500 OBC, but only given $300

Last passengers property left in the cabin

Broken tiles in the shower

Torn bed sheets

Dirty balcony

Balcony flooded and un-useable for 2 days

I'm sure all this in it's proper context is not as bad as you make it sound.

SDT

Two first class tickets....to anywhere! Wow! I don't think I would have sent them back!!!!

American Airlines wasn't at fault. It was a older flight attendant that knew there was nothing anyobne could do to her. She was protected by the union. I wanted her to have to apologize. Didn't work out.

But it's the sea that draws me back, after 12 years in the US Navy I feel the constant need to get back to 'where I belong' on the ocean.

 

So I cruise. The food on the ships and ports of call are just a nice distraction.

Great way to put it! Thanks for the service!

SDT

PS: Mike, aka Wine-O, career navy man himself.

My life, and my vacations, are pretty simple. I'm open to just about any cruise line if the ship fits my needs. Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, and Carnival Breeze were three of the ships I looked at, the others were Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Silhouette, and Regal Princess. I narrowed it down to the two I mentioned earlier and while surfing this forum found this thread.

 

It's been a while since I've regularly posted on the Celebrity Cruises forum and I don't remember all of the 'regulars'. Sorry if I've crossed the line or offended some here.

Apologizing is unnecessary. We're all big boys here and you have offended no one. I always find it intriguing when someone posts they must to have a specific item on their vacation. A big item is usually soda. It seems like life or death if they have to go 7-14 days without their diet caffeine-free Coke. Your comments about pizza made me think. I've had the flatbread pizza at The Lawn Club and it's a great and I will have it again this coming November aboard the Silhouette. But I could live the rest of my life without it.

I'll never forget my first time sailing in to Venice Italy back in the mid 90's. My wife & I got off the ship and were walking the streets of Venice and decided to eat lunch at restaurant that had sidewalk dining. Across this little street was a McDonalds. It seemed like every other passenger off our ship was eating lunch there! You're in a country that's famous for their food half way around the globe and you're eating at McDonalds?? I was amazed!

SDT

On my last Celebrity Millennium cruise the pizza left everything to be desired. It was just not good at all. The pizza at Prego on Royal Princess was a significant improvement over last years version of the same thing on Ruby Princess.

Just curious, what do you consider good pizza in your hometown?