Oren

Its official! Our research was right. The rumors were right. L.A. starting March 2026!

I think this will happen for sure in the near future once the brand builds its core base of ships, clientele, loyalty, and image. It definitely attracts a cruiser base that exists no where. I have been on over 100 cruises on all the major cruise lines so I can see this fitting into another cruise lines offering model.... I can tell you for sure that it won't be Disney!

21 hours ago, wintrev said:

Sorry but don’t think this list is right. Discovery Princess will not in in LA in Feb 2026 as it will be in Australia/New Zealand. Mind you after Virgin pulling all Australian cruises for 2024/2025 you can’t trust anything that is published!

Agreed, even MSC is teasing about stationing a ship out of L.A. in April 2026 (Bellissima) after a prior Port of L.A. calendar showing the MSC Bellissima starting in November 2025.  Looks like the cruise lines hold the port terminal position and then that gives them flexibility to finalize their itinerary 2-3 years in advance which makes sense.  

On 4/24/2024 at 7:39 AM, ceilidh1 said:

I saw that this morning and legit cannot contain my excitement. If VV come to Westcoast I will be sailing constantly. Lol.

Check out the Port of Los Angeles Starting March/April 2026 Calendar for the possible secret answer to this mystery:

https://artifacts.portsamerica.com//wbct/pdf/2026-la-calendar.pdf

23 hours ago, soccersharon said:

Any clue as to a timeline?  Fingers crossed for 2026, but most likely 2025

Here's a teaser if its still true that it will be based in Los Angeles in March 2026.

In todays update, it looks like that they took the 2025 MSC L.A. Port options OFF the Port of Los Angeles calendar and extended it to a January 2026 launch. But I would not hold my breath on this one. 

https://artifacts.portsamerica.com//wbct/pdf/2025-la-schedule.pdf

https://artifacts.portsamerica.com//wbct/pdf/2026-la-calendar.pdf

Looks like "west coasters" will have new 3/4 day cruise options (every Sunday and Thursday) beginning March 2026. We will see if this really happens...

Proof:

Port calendar:

https://artifacts.portsamerica.com//wbct/pdf/2026-la-calendar.pdf

We plan to arrive to drop off our bags at the Virgin Miami terminal around 10am with a 2pm embarkation time.  Has anyone recently taken the complimentary shuttle provided by Virgin to Bayside or another downtown marketplace recently? Does this shuttle still exist as of this year (January 2024)? If so, where does it take you and how often does it operate?

Just looked for this bonus to buy it and it's not offered right now! They still offer a flash sale on the Slot Tournament. They went from $500 max per person down to $250 max per person and now nothing. Hopefully it comes back.... doubt it as once these special offers are taken away they rarely come back.

This exact promotional item from the "Casino" pre-purchase section has DISAPPEARED off all my upcoming Celebrity cruise. The only offer the casino is now showing is 20% off a slot tournament entry or a blackjack tournament entry.  This 10% off slot credits ($55 for $50 with a $250 max. purchase which used to be a $500 max purchase last year) was available as little as three weeks ago (early August 2023) on all my upcoming Celebrity voyages.  Now it is GONE! I was about to purchase this and it just is not there anymore so hopefully it comes back.  Anyone else still see this offer?

Time to plan for 2022!

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24324-alaska-cruise-season-cancelled-as-canadian-government-bans-cruise-ships-for-2021.html

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-announces-one-year-ban-for-pleasure-craft-and-cruise-vessels-830109188.html#:~:text=Today%2C the Minister of Transport,prohibited from entering Arctic waters.

52 minutes ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi Oren,

 

Did whoever sold you the Seven Corners policy help you?

 

I don't sell Seven Corners or else I'd offer to help you.

 

Steve Dasseops

Thanks for your kind offer.  It was a direct internet purchase through John Hancock Travel Insurance, with Seven Corners as their servicing agent.  I already filed a complaint with our State Department of Insurance  for the appeal denial so will see how it goes since I believe they are absolutely wrong with their theory that FCC are reasons to deny CFAR claims. 

1 hour ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi Oren,

 

Who told you that you cannot file the CFAR claim for the Alaska cruise you cancelled?

 

Steve Dasseos

I filed for a CFAR insurance claim for my deposit of $500 when I cancelled my Alaska cruise and Seven Corners rejected the claim and the appeal. They claim that since I automatically got a Future Cruise Credit for the $500 deposit (which will probably expire before I ever plan to use it), I cannot get a CFAR insurance reimbursement since the FCC is considered compensation for my out-of-pocket $500 deposit.  I disagreed and my appeal was a rebuttal to the CFAR rejection under California Law trying to pass or define these FCC as some type of compensation value equivalent to a  gift card or gift certificate.  Since the FCC expires, cannot be transferred, and requires a new out-of-pocket deposit to be redeemed, that this FCC is legally just a "discount coupon" for a future vacation and not "compensation"   So, CFAR is not always what it seems to be. Some lawyer may have a field day with this one.

I had a recent bad experience with CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason).... I cancelled an Alaska cruise before final payment (for COVID reasons) and was given a Future Cruise Credit for the amount of the deposit that I had lost.  Since the Future Cruise Credit cannot be used as a deposit on a future cruise, these FCC are technically "discount coupons" since new money has to be outlayed for the FCC to be useable. CFAR was denied (even on appeal) though I tried to make the case that these FCC are not redeemable unless additional funds are outlayed even if we choose not to redeem it or if it expires unredeemed.  Under California law, since FCC expire, are non-transferable, and additional monies are required for redemption, the CFAR decision of FCC having any value as compensation (e.g. like a  "Gift Card") would be illegal.

We have done several HAL cruises and Elite on Celebrity.  I have to say that I am done with HAL.  Their smoking casinos on various ships makes it unplayable as a smoke sensitive person.  Celebrity casinos are all 100% non smoking.  Also the budget cuts on the entertainment (stage shows) on HAL make them less entertaining then Celebrity's line up.  I am not a big music person so my bias against a intense music theme on many HAL ships makes them less desirable. 

3 hours ago, richstowe said:

I don't think this is a change . This was the policy on the Veendam July '17 . There were 2 non-smoking nights . I was pleasantly surprises how little residual smell of smoke there was . On smoking nights, only gamblers were allowed to smoke . You could cheat but I did see a few not gamblers being told to butt out . Perhaps it's gone from designated non-smoking nights to  designated smoking nights but that's really not a change is it ?

The heading on the section is "Designated Smoking Areas" followed by bullet-points stating where it is allowed and when.  It is clear to me that it means that smoking is on designated nights only.  Whether they follow this on the cruise ship is another story.  

Change in Casino Smoking Policy (per HAL FAQ's posted October 2019):

Per the most recent FAQ on HAL's website, the smoking policy in the casinos fleetwide has changed to allow casino smoking on "designated nights, active players only".  Question: Has anyone seen this in effect?  Does this mean its 100% non-smoking at all other times?  Recent HAL cruisers, please chime in if this is hopefully being enforced...

Designated Smoking Areas

Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam

• Sea View Bar area
• Oak Room (Noordam only, including cigar and pipe smoking)

Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam

• Sea View Bar area
• Casino (designated nights, active players only)

Amsterdam, Maasdam, Volendam, Zaandam

• Sea View Bar area
• Sports Deck, outside Crow's Nest
• Casino (designated nights, active players only)

Rotterdam, Veendam

• The Retreat Bar area
• Sports Deck, outside Crow's Nest
• Casino (designated nights, active players only)

Dynamic pricing in action! Want more evidence of this inventory pricing craziness:  Book a non-refundable airfare and try never to look at it again!

Careful with Norwegian Air and WOW.. Read the latest press releases and coverage.  Those airlines may not survive through 2019 due to financial issues.

1 hour ago, hcat said:

I have a few weeks to go before my EDGE cruise ...plan to use the Thermal suite as much as possible.

 

If there are limits in certain rooms...like a lim number of swinging chairs for example  I wonder if they will have more stringent  suggested time limits.?  Hope AQ guests do not need to make reserved times...

 

As for the spa  treatnent pricing...E plus may still get the discount which was the same as port pricing,  and  only applies during  port time anyhow.  If that goes, I would not book my usual facial and massage.

 

  By comparison  I spent  yesterday  morning at the spa where we spend  the winter.  Full  2 hr combined facial and massage...top products..   Highly rated therapist..Cost was $120... plus grat $25..  Can,t beat that  Off season it is much less!  I enjoy it on the ship but not at any cost  

Just pre-booked online directly on the MSC website a 1 hour massage on the MSC Divina (from Miami) which is the cruise directly before we board the Edge for $77.  So prices are totally dependent on supply and demand.  Maybe its just me, but it appears many of the spa "therapist" dont work all day and are standing around recruiting and giving free "sample" neck massages hoping to get customers.  I think most of these independently run spas on these cruise ships have their own way of "doing business." I would love to hear from a real cruise spa insider how this really all works.

2 hours ago, Mparis184 said:

Someone sailing on the Edge right now just posted this information about the Perks for Elite Members that you will all find interesting it was in their cabin when they got on the ship.  Admission to the Persian Garden is currently listed as one of the perks for one port day.

 

Marion

Maybe this thread and a few brave soles challenged the removal at the spa desk to such a point that they put it back.  However, it does say "Equinox Theatre" which leads me to believe its not from the Edge.  I will be on the Edge in a few weeks and will see if it really has vanished by then.....

On 12/19/2018 at 4:14 PM, Covepointcruiser said:

I suspect that Celebrity will change CC benefits whenever they become too costly or inconvenient for the company.   This has also been done in all other loyalty programs, just look at the airlines, our miles have gone from worth something to almost worthless and they increase the miles required for any flight.   Unfortunately, companies have the right to do this.

 

Agreed!  We got rid of all our Airline credit cards (cash back cards only from now on).  Removing perks without any notice (even though they claim they can do this), has to be the worse loyalty relations blunder a company can do.  To be honest, I last about 1 hour max on the rather uncomfortable tile hot beds when I used it under the free perk.  There is rarely any peace or tranquility in the hot tile bed room.  If its not people talking or people snoring, they put those loud showers on the outskirts of the room and its really noisy. Its good for the sauna/steam rooms.

6 hours ago, doubled said:

Was looking forward to trying Thermal Suite as a port day perk but not at $59 less 10%.  Seems that since was in FAQ as a benefit they would honor for people that already booked for some period of time like they honored free specialty dinning for lower suites after they removed that benefit.

 

Art

Totally in agreement with you.... not to "grandfather" or have a break-in period when you make perk changes is worse than the actual elimination of a perk.  The ill-will it creates when boarding expecting a perk that appeared before boarding (or at final payment) and then not available when you physically show -up to the venue (e.g. the spa) is the worse P.R. a company can have, especially for its most loyal clients.... Then again, look at what every airline has done to its frequent flyer program and all the planes are still flying pretty full.

12 hours ago, Silkroad said:

Haha this is ironic. We will enjoy Elite benefits for the first time on our Edge TA next April. I’d hoped to use the spa benefit😕 

Just add this to the same dilution now seen in most Airline Frequent Flyer programs.  Too many people with too many miles chasing too few seats.  However some "notice" would prevent misunderstandings when you approach the Spa counter ready for your free day Port access you were expecting and they say "No", you have to pay.

3 hours ago, 39august said:

Any perk that appears when making a booking should be honored in any kind of reservation!

At the very least they should give notice that "Effective on this date, it is no longer available".

Imagine the surprise (and argument) many Elite will get when they don't read this thread and are refused entry on upcoming cruise without any warning.