kearney

That is good to know... the only time I have had to make a claim was with Allianz and that was painless and quick.... thanks for the info

So if you have the classic package no corkage fee..but if you don't what is the fee in the dining room? I thought it was $25...

Squaremouth isn't an insurance company... they sell policies from a number of different companies...our last policy happened to be with John Hancock... while I haven't had a claim... I would have contacted the insurance company..not the company that brokered the deal..did you try the actual insurance company that issued the policy?

I drill down an look to see what the end price is made of... when you see a large percentage discounts.. it matters if the price it applies to had changed dramatically... so I like to look at each component including perks...but then I am cheap...and retired with the time to do that..... While you are correct in that the base price is meaningless...the discounts are applied to that. So to make deal look good..they have to raise the base to allow big discount...

More power to those willing to pay $1000 pn pp.... People who are willing to do that..help subsidize my significantly cheaper 1A cabin. If not for them... I would not be able to cruise that often. And since they pay so much more than I am willing to pay...I do not begrudge the extra perks they get..they have paid for them... A few years ago.. I looked for 7 day cruises on Royal (balcony) for less than $150 pn pp... But in moving towards Celebrity and its longer itineraries and better food etc.... it creeped up... but last cruise was about $188 with AI and next one is about $180. But looking at the price increases over the past month the same cabin would now cost an estimated additional $50-$75 depending on the sale...with AI. When looking at the 60% discounts...you really need to drill down and look at the pre discounted gross price... I noticed my cabin when up about 45% vs when I booked in Jan

On the provided link... scroll down and in big letters it mentions wifi... within the box by that heading it does mention 90 minutes of wifi streaming. I like the 90 minutes on Celebrity over the 24 hours on Royal... allows me to check email on several days vs a 24 hour period

I had a nice talk with my doctor about getting a second booster. He told me that he was treating a patient with Covid who had recently returned from a cruise.. was double boosted, tested before hand and masked indoors... His opinion was that while vaccines seem to help prevent serious disease.. they really weren't particularly effective in preventing illness. He felt that there was no real benefit for another booster ..at least right now... He felt that even with just the three shots we had good protection for serious illness. After the first shot DH developed sores on his arms that have never completely gone away.. and the first shot was in Jan '21... I got pretty sick for a few days... so if there is no added benefit.... I am not sure I will go for the 3rd booster. Now if Novavax is available with the latest strain..I might consider getting that...but I have no idea when that will be available.

I found this review with photos of 8103... it is an example of a cabin with a bed by the bath..alas it does not show the bed..but you can see how the slope impacts cabin headroom. Looks like it is the only one with a review.

Usually If you look at the Edge deck plan...you will see notches where the cabin is a bit wider. That is where the bed is. Given the slope... the bed will be back a ways from the window regardless of if it is closer to the bathroom or closer towards the window. I think the spread sheet may have a few photos showing how these cabins are configured. However, for the particular cabins you are considering... the notches aren't clear. You might ask Celebrity directly (ExecutiveOffice@celebrity.com). Normally I wouldn't suggest emailing the executive office..but in the past I have asked similar questions and they couldn't answer. I like bed by the window in most cabins..so we can park a scooter in the cabin... Another clue to bed placement is if you see a sofa bed that is by the window.. same if there is a drop down berth.

I have cancelled a few cruises due to changing health protocols around Covid.. we have managed to cruise on one of the last full cruises before the shut down in '20 and just before Omecron or Delta (can't recall which) in early Dec and then managed to get a relatively safe cruise in April. During this last cruise DH really suffered with his bad knees and I had an Afib episode during most of the cruise and frankly was afraid to go to medical.. I am relatively knew to afib so I now realize I over reacted. However the one thing this last cruise pointed out is that if you are older..you have no idea how long you will be healthy enough to cruise. My advise is take it.. and roll with the supply chain issues..if there are any. Yes your favorite brands may not be there.. but it is an opportunity to try some other brand.. you may find a new favorite.. but if it were me.. I would go....

As a note... back before we had AI... I liked to go to the pancake section of the Ocean View Cafe to get a dollop of whipped cream to add to my coffee .. if you do this.. make sure you get the whipped cream and not the whipped butter 🙂

Can you tell me where you saw $11 instead of $9... I only find the $9 price which we experienced last cruise in early May

If you are someone who has strong preferences for brands of alcohol on the Premium list or if you have a sensitive palette when it comes to wine...then the premium package is for you. But if you like a regular cocktail and don't really care what brand it is... then the classic package will do and if you want to try a more expensive drink..you just pay the difference vs classic max..plus gratuity. My husband had no trouble getting regular vodka martinis and manhattans on the classic package. My drink before dinner is Kir Royale...which is Sparkling white wine and creme de Cassis.

Thanks.. I keep forgetting to take advantage of the OBC...

How soon before your cruise do you need to request OBC from BofA? We are sailing in late August.. and this would be a nice touch... Thanks in advance

In going through my parents stuff... I came across a menu from the Captains Dinner on the SS Atlantic for July 30 1958. My family sailed on this ship from Amsterdam to NYC... I was about 5 years old at the time... My first cruise...so to speak. Not as fancy an offering as on the more modern cruise to cruise type of sailings... this was more transportation. In fact we sailed to bring back my Dad's 1958 Mercedes 190 coup. I think we were all sea sick on that sailing...no stabilizers back then.

Originally I thought that the short staffing issues were to do with reduced capacity...but I recently heard on the news that the State Department was backed up with paperwork which impacted cruise staffing. So their labor issues are a bit different than local businesses... last two cruises..crews were happy to be there and some delaying end of contracts to help get caught up after not working for a long time. Supply chain issues may also impact drink options and perhaps meals as well. I guess the key is to be patient and flexible and realize that for a while cruising may not be quite up to the standards you are used to... but they will get there... at some point. I hope to still be alive then 🙂

I found this link which shows the menu at Cafe al Bacio on Celebrity... it will be helpful when looking at the non alcohol coffees and ones with alcohol. https://www.myvirtualvacations.net/cafe-al-bacio--gelateria.html Doesn't seem to show prices for the ones with alcohol...

When I think of Celebrity targeting younger passengers... it makes me think of when I worked on Lilt Home Permanents back in the day. I described our demographic curve as a toothpaste tube...where we were losing on the back end and not replenishing on the front..or younger end.. guess I was right..since I haven't seen home permanents on store shelves in decades.... While we older folks make up a large percentage of their loyal users...they need to generate more younger people and the earlier they can get them ..the more likely they will hold on to them as customers for a long time. Since Celebrity has not gone the flow rider, ice skating more active way of Royal..which is interesting to families...it makes sense that Celebrity target DINKs (double income no kids). Like an earlier poster.. I don't mind..I expect that...I just love the visuals of the ships. Now I will say that I prefer the S class ..with its old fashioned libraries and card rooms.... mostly I like these areas and additional public spaces to use when I don't want to sit in the sun or go to an activity.... sometimes it is nice just to sit and read someplace outside the cabin and not in the middle of everything.. I too miss the 14 day itineraries..but like the 10-12 days ... love getting to the southern caribbean.

In the past we never got the drink package because..we don't drink sodas...unsweet iced tea and coffee were my go too beverages... and the Elite Cocktail Hour met my alcohol needs... and 90 mintes of internet were enough to check my emails. but I have to say... once we did get a package... I found my self drinking more specialty coffees and tried more cocktails than I did in the past...and was on the internet constantly... which in March '20 was handy to find out what was happening with covid while on Reflection. Our next cruise pricing was so good that the sale without the package was slightly higher... But in the future... I am wondering if I can go back to cruise only.....

Until a few years ago we never had a package... but we were Elite... so the evening cocktail hour from 5-7 was all we needed. Plus the occassional bottle of wine with dinner.. you can save that same bottle for the next evening..if you don't finish it.... I like unsweet iced tea.. so the Ocean view cafe satisfied that need..along with their coffee... sometimes at breakfast...I put a dollop of whipped cream..from the pancake section... A few years ago we had an AI perk.. and I have to say..it will be hard to go back... I love specialty coffees from the Cafe.. which run about $5.. if you don't have AI. And it was nice not to have to think about the bill total. But I did find I drank a lot more than normal... because it was covered....

Need to keep an eye on the banners... prices shown are cruise only until you get deep into it... price actually slightly better than the original sale..but... about $875 more than what I booked back in January.

My husband has bad knees and issue resulting from quad detachment (surgery only partially successful). So we rent a scooter for him. If more than 2 of you are in a stateroom... parking in a stateroom can be a problem unless you get an accessible cabin. There are a few spots around the ship were you can park it and it does not interfere with hall traffic... those spots are near elevators. Like Royal.. regular cabins have a step up into the shower..and no real grab bars.. FYI. My husband has never had problems getting help in the Ocean View cafe..usually someone will approach him..but you can always ask one of the managers hovering around the area. You might want to study the deck plan in selecting cabins. We tend to pick one near the elevators in the mid section of the S class ships. The idea is that if something happens to the scooter... walking is minimized. For this reason we usually go on deck 6. The area around the elevators is surprisingly quiet except periodically there might be music from the atrium. You might consider getting wheelchair assistance for getting on and off the ship at the end of the cruise. It is a long walk even if you are mobile. (there is a form for this... not sure how critical it is). If you use wheelchair assistance you will need to flag down a chair at the port..or ask the luggage porter... at the end of the cruise, they usually ask you to meet at a place like Sushi on 5 to get a wheelchair off the ship... I also suggest that the first night on the ship you ask the host for a table not far from the entrance... usually we end up at the same table each night (select dining). There are two groups that rent scooters... special needs at sea and Scootaround.. look for them online.. Special needs site will walk you through the different options so you can see how much it will cost. You might want to look on FB there is a group "Royal Caribbean Accessible Cruising" where people discuss issues associated with travel..

This post reminds me of experience on our last cruise..back in April. When DH and I arrived at port.. the port agent looked at my husband and said.. "oh Mr Kearney are you traveling alone". The pusher who handled DHs wheelchair..took charge and got us to the counter..where after some time..they corrected the situation...however..they told me that I would have to go to guest relations to get my key card... which I did.... later we went to the Martini Bar and just before dinner we went to the sky lounge.. while there the bar tended noted DH's card listed Classic package..but my card did not.... so back to guest relations to get a new card...later I noticed a charge from the earlier visit to the Martini Bar.... a long way to go to remind people to make sure their cruise card notes your beverage package.

I put several links (everything in bold)... and I meant to say that if you looked right there is a bit of a blockage... looks like the rail for the magic carpet.