Straughn

On 1/27/2023 at 7:40 PM, Diver2014 said:

Our check in time at PC on Jan 15 was 12 noon.  We arrived at the port at 9:30am and were on the ship by 10am.  No one checked or cared.  We wanted to get a parking space, which is why we got there so early.  As it was, the entire second floor of the garage was empty since departing passengers had already left.  

Which terminal/ship?  I never had a problem getting a parking space at Terminal 1. I am on Jewel next month, which is Terminal 5. I had planned to arrive around 11AM as I assumed I would not have a problem getting a space. Should I plan on an earlier arrival?

7 hours ago, Orator said:

3 months on/3 months off. They will only be together on the command changeover day. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if both were on the Maiden Voyage.

I generally check two smaller bags rather than one larger one. At my age, it is easier for me to handle the two rather than one large suitcase. Yes, these bags would fit thru the scanner on the ship, but I don’t want to deal with that. I find that a $5 bill, a friendly smile and a thank you to the Porter/longshoreman (or whatever title is appropriate) goes a long way. I am happy to tip a few $ to not have to schlep my luggage. 

I have been thinking about the issue of the dinner buffet. Celebrity says that they are cutting back the dinner options in the OV due to lack of use. There are reports by some who say it is empty and by others who use it routinely and will miss that dining options . If indeed it is a cut back because of lack of use, then reducing the number of options will probably reduce even more the number of people who will use it with that change. Draw your own conclusions… I don’t want to start any unfounded rumors!

And let’s face it, Celebrity is focusing on the age group that lives their lives on their phones. They aren’t interested in those of us who still remember dial telephones and huge desktop computers. They don’t care that our eyesight isn’t as good as it once was and therefore hard to read the small print on phone screens,  or that using the tiny keyboard to type is hard for older hands. The emphasis on marketing, use of the app to check in and on board, and now not supporting tablets are indicators that they want to appeal to the millennials and younger. 
 

1 hour ago, mayleeman said:

If I may, see if you can get an answer to a question not addressed here: If you pay twice, do you get 2 wifi connections? If you do, you can use the second one for a kid, and either they share that or you can save by buying only 1 for the second kid. 

Don’t know the official policy, but here is my experience on two cruises. On my Silhouette TA in Oct, I paid  the full single supplement with AI. When I signed in on Wi-Fi, I showed availability for two devices. I was able to be logged in on my phone and my iPad at the same time.

I was on Infinity in July with a partial solo supplement and AI- maybe 150%, not 200%. I only had access to one device. 
 

11 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Look, I get that this person is ticked off that they wouldn't let him change his booking.  But he has resisted our suggestion that he escalate his complaint to the CEO's office.  And he proposes to take his anger out on the cabin attendant by canceling the tips for that person.  In my view, that is not an appropriate response.  The cabin attendant had nothing to do with the situation and will have to make up the cabin whether or not he/she is compensated for doing so.

 

I sail solo and have been subjected to this double payment regimen since they started AI.  I would never dream of stiffing a cabin attendant because of it.  I do not mind paying double gratuities.  The major problem is paying double internet and drink packages.

I am also solo most of the time. I totally agree with you. I always tip extra in addition to the prepaid gratuities. Since solos pay double for wi-fi and beverage packages, I wish they would upgrade us to the premium package and the surf and stream wi-fi. 

10 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

There is no point in arguing with this guy, his mind is made up.

 

FYI, @Los_Pepes, if you remove the gratuities from your kids' room and give the cabin attendant cash, he/she is obliged to turn the cash in to the pool.

That sounds like a change. I have been told, on more than one occasion, that a cash tip given to a crew member, such as the Cabin steward, is theirs to keep. The only exception I am/was aware of was in Luminae and Blu where tips are pooled. 

I have just read thru all the posts. I will be on Jewel in February , my first RCCL cruise since the pandemic, so I am interested in what is available by the glass and the bottle.  I have just enough wine knowledge to be dangerously uninformed. .
 

Ah Conundrum. I go back to the days when it was under the Caymus label. I fell in love with it at a tasting at the Caymus winery.  After the Wagner family spun it off to its own label, it was no longer the outstanding wine it had been. While it is still good, it isn’t what it once was. Pricing on the ship, by the glass, is reasonable, but not a deal. I have never priced it by the bottle on the ship.

The Opus One pricing is interesting. I will research the Opus wines before I sail so as to decide if it is reasonably priced by the bottle. 

Please keep the info on the high end wines coming. It will be most useful.
 

Since the restart after “that pandemic”, I have been surprised at the lack of requests from staff re the survey and his/her ratings. My experience has been that those requests were fewer. (Others mileage may vary.)

When a crew member tells me that I need  to reply to the survey and hope that he/she  will receive a 10, my standard response is “your service deserves a 10 and will, most  likely get a 10, if your service continues as it has been so far. I say this pleasantly with a smile, and have never had that server ask again.

Will be on Jewel twice in 2023. I am trying to a get a handle on  the pricing of the various non alcoholic drink packages.. What is the current “pay as you go” cost of a can of soda and a bottle/can of water? I am not sure I will drink enough of either to justify getting a package, so pricing would be very helpful. Thanks.

On 12/5/2022 at 1:14 PM, jagoffee said:

Do you drink wine?  Do you prefer Pellegrino for your sparkling water?

Do you typically drink the cocktails at the WCB?  Those are also some factors to use in your decision.  Is not signing a check after ordering a drink over the Classic limit important to you?  We value the convenience of not signing.
 

As others have suggested, you can try the Classic for a day or so.  Then decide based on your drinking preferences.  

 

The answer for us is to get the Premium package.  

Since you are asking the question, I assume you are not eligible for the Elite upgrade discount?

 

Absolutely, the best explanation of the differences in the two beverage packages I have read.

I was in The Retreat on  Silhouette for the recent transatlantic from Southampton to Miami. Since the invention of Luminae, this was, by far, the most disappointing experience. Many of the foods I received were at best lukewarm- soups, main courses,  and then one breakfast disappointment. Completely cold and undercooked Belgian waffles. I sent several courses back; they were returned somewhat warmer, but never hot.. I was not alone in my opinion. It was a frequent discussion in The Retreat Lounge- food temperature, over or undercooked foods.

I now read on the C&A info that Royal has reinstated the access for D+ (and Pinnacle) folks to the Concierge Lounge. Yes, I understand this does not apply to Suite Lounges-only the very few  ships who still have Concierge Lounges. What have folks actual experiences been? Is this dependent on the # of D+ and Pinnacle passengers? I am D+, sailing solo, on Jewel in February and would like to know the chances of actually being able to take advantage of this perk. 

Additonally, I know I can go to the Diamond Lounge. As a solo, I find I have a better chance of seeing the same folks each evening and striking up a “ship friendship” in the less crowded Concierge Lounge.

Are the bars open? 🙄 Of course they are! Go drown your troubles…

Hi Abby!

I doubt that  you recognize my screen name. You and Glen know me as Pat, the solo lady, with whom you dined, spent time in the Retreat Lounge, and went to the theatre with on numerous occasions. I am enjoying your recap of the cruise. Love your writing style as you have a slightly humorous approach to things. Please keep the posts coming as I like your prospective on the cruise.

Back in the pre-Covid days, as we know, a muster drill required you to report, along with all the other passengers, to your assigned location. There were always a few no shows, late arrivals etc that delayed the process for all the passengers. I (jokingly) said one time to a Hotel Director that the solution to that problem was to not open the bars until after the muster drill. He replied, quite seriously, “don’t think we haven’t thought about that.” 

Any Buffalo Trace sightings?

On 10/8/2022 at 9:10 AM, retird said:

Have been experiencing this problem for several days on Ipad using Safari.   Apple support had me clear cookies, reset network and several other steps but it did not correct the issue.  I Accessed Celebrity website on same Ipad using Chrome and it works fine.   Apple concluded that it is a Celebrity website issue and not my Ipad issue.  

Same issues here. I reset cookies, cleared cache, etc. Still not working.

I have purchased the unlimited dining package for my Jewel cruise in February. In the past (pre-Covid), it included lunch, on Embarkation day, at Chops. I do not see that listed in the description now. Has that been removed? 

Interesting that underage children are allowed in The Retreat Lounge unaccompanied. Pre Covid, I distinctly remember the concierge telling a family that their son (whose was 14ish) must always have a parent or other adult with him in the lounge. The parents asked and that was the response. That matched what I had been told on other ships- kids must have an adult with them. Like everything with Celebrity, that has probably changed so as not to offend someone. 
 

I have been in a SV, on deck 7, but on the Edge. Since they are sister ships, I would guess the deck layout is the same. I would say that approx. half of the balcony is covered and half is open. Unless you stand at the rail, no one can see you. I had minimal issues with soot, but I did have my steward leave a beach towel so I could cover the chairs when seated.  I was in one of the two center cabins and the balcony was huge! 

I am in the group who doesn’t like the IV cabins, so my E class sailings are in an SV or SS. I can see them  being useful in colder climates where using the balcony w/o bundling up isn’t possible.  On warm weather cruises, I want my balcony.

My thoughts on why the IV was developed are this. There are no balcony rails with wood and metal to be maintained. It is much easier to have the Bridge close and lock all the windows and then go zipping along with the window washer. The cabin steward can clean the IV the same way he/she cleans the rest of the cabin. With a true balcony, the cabin steward has to clean it every day, hose it down a couple of times a week to get rid of the salt spray, and clean the interior of the glass. There are complaints about dirty chairs, tables, floors.  With a regular balcony , the wooden rails must be periodically refinished and the metal framing rusts. I am sure there are a lot of complaints about the condition of the true balconies. 

38 minutes ago, ShelleyQT said:

People cough and sneeze for many reasons.  Some people (like me) sneeze due to allergies.  Some people cough and/or sneeze due to having a cold (which they may or may not have caught before the cruise). Sometimes people cough because they got something caught in their throat. Some people have COPD. You can't assume Covid based on coughing or sneezing.

I am an allergy suffer. I take two different meds to control it. If I was around the ship in the  early morning, everyone would assume I had Covid. I cough, I sneeze, I blow my nose, I clear my throat. I know it is allergies. So, I now plan to be up at least an hour before I leave my cabin as I don’t want others to think  I have Covid. 

I had them with me on my last two cruises  (July & April) with no issues. Packed them in my checked suitcase.