kevinyork

Maybe post on social media. That's what people from CC recommended that I do and RCI called me within a day or 2 after there were enough negative post about RCI.

 

 

 

This was a couple years ago. Not sure if that how it works today.

 

 

 

 

 

Bill

No social media has worked a treat on our last two cruises on RCI. On one, I got a call in the cabin 25 minutes after my post.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Looking at deck plans, a small Solarium Bar is now on 15 in front of the Bistro. Presumably blocking the view whilst sitting in the Bistro... and taking up sun lounger space...?

 

 

I see that in addition to dinner at $44 they are now offering lunch at $27.50 FYI

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks. I didn’t think to look one deck down. More passenger space being taken due to another revenue venue. We liked that upper area of the solarium on Oasis as it was somewhere you could sit in the shade but still with a great view.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks all for the responses. If it is going into the upper floor of the solarium, where will the bar that is there go to?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So fun! I'm really looking forward to this activity. We have done silent discos around NY before and it's really fun! Are they only late in the evening?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We’ve done it twice on Eclipse. Seems to be timed to start before the exit from the second show so 9.15 ish. Great fun. We met a 70 yr old couple on our last cruise and said they should try it. He wasn’t keen but they went and loved it. He hated dancing but the headphones made him feel uninhibited.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Been off the boards here for a while. We have Symphony booked for May. The planner shows a speciality restaurant called Hooked. Not read anything about this. Is this the first outing for this venue on RCI? Where is it? Does it replace Sabor on the boardwalk since there is no Sabor shown on the planner? Menu below:

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Do they typically offer FNDR if BOGO is already offered? Our Symphony has BOGO but not FNDR at the moment. Also, I thought I read that FNDR is restricted to only a couple restaurants (the Italian one and one other)?

Yes Im seeing only BOGO on our Symphony Cruise but would have preferred FNDR so we could enjoy the first formal night in the MDR.

We did FNDR twice on a back to back on Oasis last year and choose Chops for both nights as the menu suited us even though that has the most expensive menu.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

MTD is an issue for Royal in the same way as it is for Celebrity. The common denominator is that since flexible dining was introduced, they then started to allow people to reserve times in advance online or the day before. This helps those that book and grab their preferred times but vastly reduces flexibility for everyone else. MTD should be totally flexible, no reservations, everyone knows it’s first come first served and that would free up some space.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We did a back to back on Oasis last year and had a boardwalk balcony so had two free meals at JR. It was OK, just that. We wouldn’t have paid the cover charge to eat there then and certainly wouldn’t at $9.95. Better options onboard than pretty basic fast food.

This has a whiff of Celebrity’s pricing pattern with their paid for restaurants. We’ve been on Eclipse 7 times now and each time the speciality restaurants have increased their prices and yet remain very underused. Staff are everywhere trying to entice you to book with a discount. I don’t understand that if a venue isn’t selling well that the answer is to increase the price.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I knew you meant it for me! :D There is nothing wrong with Indy my point being that Southampton has had Indy for many years and a change would be nice. I have to fly to England to sail from Southampton or Mainland Europe for other sailings and would like a bit of variety. The last few years I have sailed from US as the ships are different and the itineraries aren't same old same old for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now wouldn't that be nice...is Quantum due her Dry Dock in 2019?

 

 

 

For those of you that have been talking about the lack of ships in the West Coast we have a series here in UK called Cruising with Jane McDonald, a TV personality who made her name singing on the cruise ships. In one episode she sailed from LA, went up to San Francisco, down to San Diego and somewhere beginning with an E in Mexico and back up to LA. Now that would be a bucket list sailing for me but she was sailing on the Ruby Princess!! My very 1st cruise was with Princess (the rest have been with RCI) but maybe it is time to look elsewhere. :(

I agree. For us the ship is a destination so we enjoy trying different ships. Loved Anthem when she had her maiden season from Southampton and that class is perfectly suited to mixed climate cruises whereas on Indy on a bleak bay of biscay crossing is packed indoors as there is no solarium or indoor pool area.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

May I ask what link you clicked on so I can look for a similar link on the US Website

I clicked on the link showing “T&Cs apply” on the icon on the main page showing “The World Is Open”sale. The next page then lists the terms and conditions for all offers.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I’ve had auto responses with the subject line being changed like that. I think it’s just to highlight to the recipient that it isn’t an internal email and to be careful about any links or attachments that could be viruses. I’ve still received the actual response from them some time later.

 

Have to say with Celebrity only received on board credit on 3 out of 6 cruises that included a drinks package. Other times they rejected it says no it wasn’t combinable. Luckily in the last two years the terms of the drinks package offer have specifically said that the offer IS combinable with shareholder benefit but I’ve had to send the link to those terms when I email to get the credit.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I’ve attached a screenshot from their terms for the offer. This is only for bookings made in the UK.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

it looks like the sea trials are now underway.

Either that or the sat nav is broken....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's a continental breakfast with cold meat, cheese, salmon, many kinds of fruit, cheeses, breads, pastries, yogurt. Drinks include juices, cappuccino, bloody Mary, mimosa, teas, smoothies.

We didn’t try it the last cruise but possibly will in Sep. How does it work? Are you led to a table? Are the drinks waiter service and the food buffet style?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Can someone please tell me what the standard pack is, I can only see Classic and Premium as options to buy

 

 

 

 

 

I can see on your sheet the Standard listed so does that mean if I have the classic I get everything on the standard plus what is on the classic ?

The standard package was offered as a perk to UK cruisers in 2016. Now the Classic is the perk offered. Yes anything on the standard package can be enjoyed on the Classic Package.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I sent an email with my info attached, and got this message within minutes, but I haven't heard anything since and I am not sure I will because the Subject line was changed with this wording added ( RE: [sUSPECTED BULK/SPAM] [EXTERNAL] Shareholder Benefit Offer - Celebrity )

 

This was the message in the email:

Thank you for contacting us. This is an automated confirmation that your email has been received. Our representatives will reply to your inquiry in the order in which it was received. Please reply only if you need to provide additional information related to your original email. Follow-up emails regarding the status of your query may further delay your response.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to service your request.

I’ve had auto responses with the subject line being changed like that. I think it’s just to highlight to the recipient that it isn’t an internal email and to be careful about any links or attachments that could be viruses. I’ve still received the actual response from them some time later.

Have to say with Celebrity only received on board credit on 3 out of 6 cruises that included a drinks package. Other times they rejected it says no it wasn’t combinable. Luckily in the last two years the terms of the drinks package offer have specifically said that the offer IS combinable with shareholder benefit but I’ve had to send the link to those terms when I email to get the credit.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My OH doesn’t drink alcohol and likes premium waters so prefers to downgrade to the Premium non alcohol when receiving the classic alcohol package perk. Out of 6 cruises where we’ve tried, they have allowed it 3 times. On those where they refused they have said it’s not possible despite allowing it on other cruises, all on the same ship Eclipse.

I would make a point that as you are on medication and cannot drink alcohol you want to avoid any risk of ordering a virgin cocktail only for it to come with alcohol. That might clinch it for you.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We just got back from our first land Holliday after 9 years of cruising, it was with a major UK tour operator and I was seriously impressed with their IT in terms of handling both my booking and administration of my holiday once booked. Everything worked flawlessly and as a result it encouraged me to view the site more often and indeed book excursions on their site. Their App worked just as well and was intuitive and reliable. RCI are woefully behind on their IT. I’m sure this has evolved from a time when they thought “most of our cruises are too old to use IT”but how things have changed. Imagine a Celebrity app where it remembered your details without the need to keep logging in and you could buy dining, Internet, excursions with ease........that’s where RCI should be now instead of constantly playing catch up.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Be aware that most cheeses used in Celebrity’s vegetarian options contains animal rennet. Spends how strict you are.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Please don't try to dump this mess on Traditonal dining. You may not be a fan of Traditional, but many of us are. What's not to like? Doors open and walk directly to my table where I'm greeted by my regular waiter and immediately handed a menu. Sommelier knows what we drink and brings it right away. For this I'm willing to suffer the indignity of dining at the same time every night.

 

 

 

Traditional works much more efficiently for passengers and crew than Select and remains very popular. First seating is always fully booked. Royal tried to replace Traditional with Dynamic Dining on Quantum class (think Select using multiple dining rooms) and it was complete disaster. Eventually ditched it. Traditional isn't going away anytime soon.

I’m not trying to dump “ this mess “ on traditional dining per se, but if a traditional diner eats elsewhere, no one takes their place and their space is wasted. If a traditional diner arrives too late for their seating, they can be directed to Select Dining, thereby taking a seat from a select diner or making a select diner wait longer. Traditional dining works better for those that enjoy it because they can guarantee their time and table. Unfortunately select diners are being squeezed into less choices and less flexibility.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Our first Celebrity Cruise, Select worked great, but I have to say with each trip it becomes more troublesome. I don’t want to reserve a specific time in advance but feel compelled to given the increasing lack of flexibility if you have not. Couple of things they should do 1) stop reservations, both online in advance or on the ship. Whilst reserving assists one set of passengers it reduces flexibility for many others. 2) Stop Select being the ‘dumping ground’ for those with other options. So many stories on here of Luminae guests wanting to try the MDR and skipping the Select lines or people arriving late for their MDR fixed dining time and being sent to Select. Make Select only for Select.

It’s annoying to look down and see so many empty seats in fixed dining where people are dining elsewhere but a Select passenger who dines elsewhere frees up more space for others Select passengers.

Unfortunately there isn’t a panacea until they bite the bullet and remove fixed dining completely making it all flexible. We’ve just come back from our first land holiday in 9 years, a 5 star All Inclusive in Mexico with 9 a la carte restaurants. We could choose which one and when we wanted to dine on the night and it was great. It was an eye opener having been a cruiser only for the last 9 years. Imagine going to such a resort and being told you had to eat at an early or late set sitting on the same table for the whole holiday? And yet that’s what cruising fixed dining is.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That’s good news. We loved our Anthem ex Southampton Cruise in her maiden season and she suits the mixed climate cruises that many ex Southampton cruises are. Indy is great but not so good on the 2 day journey across the Bay Of Biscay in rain.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We’ve done the Oasis Class with 6,500 passengers on RCI. No problem with disembarking or embarking.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't think that a Transatlantic would be everyone's cup of tea.

Rarely a cruise ship sails less than full. Their pricing ensures that they sell all their cabins. Probably worth giving a cabin away and getting some on board revenue rather than leaving a cabin empty.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I recall that last year, folks in the UK were being offered the "standard" drink package, not the "classic" drink package. Check to see which package is being offered "free"....and then find it on the celebrity web site to see what's included.

The standard package reared it’s ugly head in 2016. Luckily the promos since then have been at least the Classic Package.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We flew into MCO this Feb and hired an Alamo car from the airport and drove to the Residence Inn at Port Canaveral. The next morning we drove the very short drive to the Alamo drop off from where you can see the ship. We were early so their free shuttle hadn’t started so we walked as our cases wheeled and we were in the first lot of people in the departure lounge.

Have to say as there are more hotel options in Orlando we would probably stay just north of the airport next time and access a less expensive hotel deal and drive the next day. The port hotels were not inexpensive.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk