thorntor

You may have already noted that the excursions have now been posted and the Nijmegen port includes a tour of Arnhem, the bridge too far. Nijmegen is 13 miles from Arnhem.

We're from Alabama. Premium water is anything that doesn't come out of a garden hose. 🙃🙃🙃

I called Celebrity Guest Services this week on this exact question. Yes they will exchange the Classic package if desired. At least according to the Rep I talked with. However, the only benefit was premium water, so we stayed with the Classic package.

Absolutely understand. Thank you. Forgot about the “take a seat and wait phase.” Actually, I normally get a salad upon boarding, so the OVC should be fine if delayed.

We checked in the morning checkin opened and we applied for the earliest checkin time available and they assigned us 12:30. I called our TA who contacted Celebrity who told him that it is possible to checkin up to an hour early. Not sure if that is accurate, but we have slid in early on RCCL so we will definitely give it a go. If questioned, I will tell the gate attendant that if we have to wait, we will miss our special lunch. That should do it.

Everyone, thanks for the help. I was a bit confused by some posts discussing a "welcome lunch" being on different days and didn't want to wander aimlessly. 🙃

Yes, we are Concierge and it is our first X cruise, so we are learning the new system.

We board Equinox in two weeks and after doing the Safety Brief and making specialty dining reservation, we will go for lunch. I am trying to figure out what "sit down" dining venues will be will be available to Concierge and below guests. Best I have been able to figure out is that the Ocean View Cafe is the only free full service option. Am I missing something? 🙄

This observation seems to a universal truth. I wonder if anyone ever shares this opinion while on board with the pastry chef or the executive chef. If enough of us started sharing this while on board, perhaps they would make improvements ? 🙄 🙄 🙄

It will be a cold day when I pay $ 0.40 to hand me a cookie. Guess those staff members don’t get a piece of the gratuities pie? The desserts in the buffet look beautiful, but have less flavor than library paste. So we normally walk out with a couple of cookies. Guess we will have to forage for free cookies in three weeks and if found, fill a zip lock. NO SHAME !

First a few demographics: mid 70's; 15 years of cruising, last 11yr on Royal; last five yrs (excluding ~19 months for pandemic) on Oasis class; 10 grandkids, 6 greats + 2 coming; love time spent with family. The basic issue is that cruisers our age probably have about 5 - 8 more years of cruising left, God willing, due to potential health and mobility considerations. Consequently, we no longer represent a viable target audience for the travel industry. For many, health care takes much of our previously "disposable income." Consequently, travel companies will be looking for younger clientele. For RCCL this is their "Kids Under 12 Sail Free" initiative. A prime example of the clash between old and young cruisers materialized during our last cruise when two families with two wagons (3 children in one and two in another), a wheelchair guest and spouse, and other guests tried to board an elevator without much success. In the past, guests desiring a more sedate cruise could simply book their travel around school schedules to attain their previous cruise experiences. However, "Playgrounds at Sea/ Kids Sail Free" have removed the sedate cruise option, leaving many wishing for past experiences. As the saying goes, "That ship has sailed."

I appreciate all of the feedback. It helps to manage expectations. I asked the question on Celebrity concierge benefits as on our last two Royal cruises the concierge in the Diamond Lounge was outstanding and performed all of the services I asked about here. She even spoke with the maitre d to arrange our table for six in the MDR. The consensus seems to be "don't expect much from the Celebrity concierge and better to arrange whatever you can before boarding." 😐

First time on Celebrity with Concierge class cabin and not sure what the benefit actually is nor how/when/where to take advantage of the benefit? Specifically: - where do I make contact with the concierge - can the concierge make specialty dining reservations - can the concierge make show reservations - can the concierge make excursion reservations Final question, am I better off doing these things myself once on board, assuming that meeting up with the concierge may take a while? Thanks for responses.

Saved $92 on four night dining package. 😁

I confess. I dropped my napkin and had barbecue sauce on my hands, so I wiped them on the curtain. I am so ashamed! 🤢

Our first Celebrity as well and on the September 16th sailing to the ABC's.

First, take the June itinerary offered. More animals are likely to be coming out of hibernation in June and the foliage is not yet on the trees, so you can see more movement. We booked our land travel in 2012 using: Alaska Tour & TravelBox 221011, Anchorage AK 99522(800)208-0200 toll free | (907)245-0200 direct | (907)245-0400 faxwww.alaskatravel.com | info@alaskatravel.com They booked our rail travel to Denali, lodging at the Denali Princess Lodge, Park Conx Bus from Denali to Seward (you see more on the bus than on the train). Port tours we booked ourselves: Skagway: Chilkoot Charters and Tours Juneau: Harv & Marv Whale Watching Ketchikan: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour on Aleutian Ballad "Deadliest Catch Ship." BEST TOUR EVER Seward: Alaska Heritage Tours - Kenai Fjords National Park Tour Happy planning.

I don't know how to access the menu if you do not have a cruise booked???? If you have a booking: - Open the X app for your cruise - Click the spoon and fork icon under Daily Planner - Click Main Dining at top of page - Click name of Main Dining Room on your ship (on ours it is named Celebrity Select Dining at ..........) - Click "Menu" halfway town the page - Select the day(s) you wish to check the food offerings

Phase in apparently started in January 2023. Comments are on several forums. One that seems pretty authoritative is found at https://clairewithlove.com/celebrity-main-dining-room-menu/ . When Royal revised the menu, the reason given was to offer fewer choices and thereby speed up MDR diner service 🙄. Their menu now offers three classics every night; about four nightly "specials"; one international (Indian mostly); and one vegan offering. A deep dive into the Celebrity menus does not appear that they have gone in that direction. Should Celebrity go that far, DW and I would likely opt for a larger specialty dining package. But for now we are waiting to see what changes before throwing down $300+ for specialty dining. 🙃

Agree. That's why I said "tentatively". By September who knows what may be on the menu, but maybe we will get feedback in the next few months?

We are sailing on Equinox in September and had already printed out the potential menus. On Day 8, lobster tail WAS listed. Based on the your info on changes, I went back and checked the new menus. Lobster tail is no longer listed on ANY day on the tentative MDR menus. Additionally, menu changes are listed for days 4, 5, 6, and 8. Hopefully the lobster tail omission was an oversight.

Has anyone sailed on both Celebrity and Royal since the new slimmed down menus were implemented? How do they compare - quality wise? We did a B2B Royal cruise in Jan/Feb and were generally OK with the new menu with one or two exceptions. On those nights we booked specialty dining. Would like feedback so we can decide on a specialty dining package on Celebrity. Also, is it possible to book the first night of specialty dining on the second of third night rather than embarkation day?