kevinyork

The Gastrobar menu offered on Eclipse was only on sea days and the times were pretty restricted. I liked the idea of what they did with cellar masters on Equinox as that venue seems woefully underused but to then offer a watered down version in the passport bar at very limited times with a not particularly inexpensive menu just seemed like a fudge if they had dropped it.

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I'd like first hand experience of someone in the UK who has actually booked on the US RCI site by 'just making up an address...' and had no issues; before I bite the bullet and do it!!!!

 

Or I'll just let my USA TA do all the work for me like she does now!

I wouldn’t book on the US site even if I could because the US big TAs usually offer additional booking perks over the RCI site.

I’ve used a big US TA a few times. I’ve had to call them to get the quote and make the booking ( you can find local rate prefix numbers to route your call so it doesn’t cost you for an international call). I’ve made big savings with more perks too but in the past couple of years have not found any deals worth having on the cruises we’ve looked at. Plus, our last two RCI trips had the drinks package perk if booked in the UK but not in the US so we factored that into the comparison too.

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Well I guess I must be getting old as when I read the OPs question I winced, poised to scroll down and read dozens of “how dare you” responses. We’ve only been cruising for 9 years and how things have changed.

Most people I know would look forward to dressing a bit nicer for dinner when on holiday than they would at home, Cruise or land holiday.

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If you go to the RCI press center page (Lloyd’s link above) and click on videos, there are various b-roll videos for media, including CC, to use. Here you’ll find videos of many of the SoS venues.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

Thanks for that. Really nice videos. The Wonderland Bar looks superb.

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Finally got to see a video of "Hooked" today . We are debating on weather it is worth $39 P.P. ! Looks nice but still up in the air !

I saw that video on another thread. It looked a bit bland but perhaps it’s not been completely finished. The menu just doesn’t inspire me enough to spend $39.

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It's a sports bar, not a fine dining restaurant.

Hooked is a speciality restaurant. Not a sports bar.

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Hooked tour.

 

 

 

Maybe it’s not finished yet but it looks a bit stark.

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Had an update for the app to show Symphony but still hasn’t come on. That’s twice now.

 

 

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It’s on the App now.

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I was only on one prior RCL sailing (Radiance in Alaska). I really loved Samba and Giovanni's table, but my meal wasn't great at Chops. Nothing I would spend $50/pp for, especially considering I am flipping the bill for a total of 6 people.

 

 

 

I waiting for some reviews before I figure out which specialty restaurant we will be hitting. I think Jamie's Italian and 150 Central Park are likely, depending what deals come down the line.

 

 

 

My teenage kids loved the Windjammer, so I'm sure we'll spend plenty of time there. Didn't like the MDR, but will try again with the new menu. I sure we will hit Johnny Rockets and Sorrento's quite a bit.

Gosh. I cannot knock your dining choices but alas this just falls into the hands of Royal to reduce the MDR offerings to push more people into speciality dining. I’m guessing in 10 yrs there will be no free dining options and everything will be chargeable.

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The booked cruise is likely to have warmer weather than a western Med Cruise. If it was me I would choose the cruise before the one you have booked. That’s still quite late in the season so places won’t be as packed as in high season but the weather should be more predictable.

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Personally we’ve tried Murano twice and not been impressed. It feels like how a French restaurant in London in the 80s would feel, trying to impress with style over substance (who uses plate cloches anymore?). The menu really needs an update IMO especially since they continue upping the price but keeping the same menu. One time we ate as a comp due to a service issue and the second time got a hefty discount but having tried it twice we won’t be back. Oh, and their vegetarian offerings are woeful.

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We have sailed both and much prefer Celebrity. Your September Celebrity Cruise I assume was 11night Canary Cruise from Southampton. A deck 6 balcony cabin is about £3K whilst Aqua is over £5K and definitely not value for money. Both Celebrity and P&O main dining room food is poor although Celebrity is better.

We always choose deck6 cabin with the specialty dining package, eating in Murano every night is heaven.

 

Changing to P&O will be a culture shock, I hope you have a better experience on Britannia than we did.

The 14 night Med cruises in Sep reverses this price differential.

Britannia - obstructed Balcony, Select price £3000pp with £300 on board credit.

Silhouette- obstructed Balcony, choice of cabin and dining, £2,200pp with drinks package and $300 on board credit.

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I heard rumors that they were going to combine cruise points of these two lines. but I remember how much trouble they had when Royal changed there cruise points from 1 to 7 days, 4 to 9 or 10 days and etc. With that system you got 1 point for any cruise between 1 and 7 days, and two points for 8 to 10 or something like that. Then they started to give points according to the number of days. That made much more sense than getting the same point value on a 3 day cruise as a 9 or 10 day cruise. Celebrity does their points much differently that Royal and it will take a lot of effort to combine the points systems. Even though I would like it to happen, it may never come to reality. There also has been some scuttlebutt about adding at least one or two levels between Diamond Plus and Pinnacle. Quite a gap between 175 points for Diamond Plus and 700 points for Pinnacle.

I only read that they were going to make your respective points/loyalty level with each sister Cruise line visible on each other’s websites. I haven’t heard that they will be combining points together. That will cause a queue at the diamond lounge.

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Their solution was to make reservations for the four kids 15 minutes earlier than the original and told me to have them show up with the whole group. How long do you think the dining room will take to find two tables next to each other to accommodate us all? Not happy.

 

If you go to the dining room when you board you can make them aware of your reservations for your group and of your requirement for two tables together. They will probably keep the table assignment just for you for the rest of the cruise. Don’t just show up the first night and hope they can sort it. With a bit of notice they will.

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t - it is the only place, I have found where one can get a freshly cooked and prepared veggie burger.

 

 

 

Many of us vegetarians and vegans think they are great for an occasional eat.

 

 

 

bon voyage

We’ve struggled as they cook them on the grill where the meat ones have been cooked, use the same cooking utensils and often serve the fries using their gloved hand to plate a handful and hold the bun with the same hands even though they have used the same hands handling meat. Even when we said about being vegetarian they have never quite got it. How have you managed?

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Like it annoys some when people resurrect an almost two year old thread? ;)

 

 

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+1

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The main reason for the name and menu change, I believe was to discontinue paying licensing fees to Michael's Genuine Pub, which is apparently a shore side chain (that I never heard of, previously).

I’ve ever heard of it either. Being from the U.k where we have lots of very genuine pubs I don’t think I would ever enter a pub calling itself a “genuine pub” on land. What’s the alternative, “Michaels fake pub”?

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Yeah...I was aboard the Anthem when they made the change....this really should be a complimentary venue...there is nothing special on the menu that you can't get at the other complimentary eateries on board. It should be like NCL's "O'Sheehan's Pub", IMHO....

I agree it should but the days of Royal introducing an additional free place to eat are at an end I would guess.

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Our new passports arrived today so i went on the UK - RC site.

I checked in on- line and booked all our specialty and MTD very easily.

I’ve been able to get in on the new version today. Both my cruises show and both have check in and Cruise planner working links....finally.

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Same here!

 

Where can you upgrade your drinks package please, I cannot find anywhere, perhaps I have been looking in the wrong place. Though apparently it is the normal price so may wait until we get on board.

I’ve upgraded in advance before but, when I could access the Cruise planner last week, I couldn’t see anyway to do it.

Still can’t log in today. Tried via Captains club but it takes me through the same login process.

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Gosh thanks all. At least it’s not just me.

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I know there are issues with the Royal website currently but haven’t seen anything about Celebrity having problems.

For the last 5 days if I log into MyCelebrity, view my reservation and then click on “Explore Cruise Planner” it takes be back to the main homepage again. I’ve tried on three browsers across IPad and PC, cleared cache etc.

Anybody else having an issue at all before and be told “we haven’t had any issues reported”.

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I booked our Sep 19 Eclipse Cruise in Sep 18 and could do the Select reservations in October.

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I think the IT bugs must be spreading..... I can’t get into my Celebrity account on the UK site now.

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That Solarium Bistro looks double the size of the one on Oasis. Is this to mitigated the pretty small windjammer on Oasis Class? I can’t remember, is the Solarium Bistro adults only as well as the solarium?

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