SeaWatch12

When does she start on Equinox?

To quote Captain Kate in a recent Instagram reply of hers:

"heading there in the middle of March until May 25."

It's very tempting to book a cruise on the Equinox once she is captain and Richard Spacey returns as cruise director.

They will make a great team!

Hi there

 

We are Matt and Juan from Sydney Australia, looking forward to meeting other guys on board on this 30 April 2018 sailing from Dublin ;p

Hi Matt and Juan,

We have been booked on this voyage since June and really look forward to Ireland and this cruise.

See you on board.

Mark & Ken

I believe the thread starter was asking about gift cards. The link in the reply is about on board credit.

While a very good topic, I didn't go thru all four pages to see if anyone mentions gift cards.

As I have a very recent had experience using a Celebrity Cruises Gift Card, please let me share.

I was gifted one by a very thoughtful friend.

On the back of the card I was given, it states it can only be used for new bookings and not to settle any ship board charges.

The next time I booked a voyage, I provided the card # and the travel agent called Celebrity and applied it to my payment. There is no expiration date on the card.

We are on the Dec 21 Miami holiday sailing on the Eclipse this year and the Aqua class cabin price for a GTY went down to $1599 pp We had already paid $3099 pp for aqua room 1650. Since we are still 68 days out from sailing the cancellation fee was $900 total. After rebooking we still received a credit of $2385. Thanks to this thread I realized I could call and ask for a room change so I called and got back the same room 1650. I am a pretty happy camper.

Glad to hear that it worked out for you in and in such a big way.

Switching to your original cabin makes it all the better!

Enjoy the cruise, I'll be on the Eclipse in the spring.

Mark

I booked a Guarentee Agua Class Cabin in Australia with Celebrity allocated a Cabin under the treadmills. They have flatly refused to change the cabin unless I paid for an upgrade. They maintain that the cabin is not subject to excessive noise. This is despite reviews in Cruise Critic complaining of noise from above in these cabins. They have also refused to speak to me as I booked through a travel,agent.

Where do I go?

Richard West

Maybe if you insist on speaking to a supervisor/manager at the travel agent's office, they would be wiling to get on the phone with Celebrity and make the simple change to another available cabin in that category (A2) and not charge you for an upgrade. I found the supervisor was more willing to go the extra step as opposed to the first person who answered the phone at the agent's office. I didn't hang up with them until it was done.

Celebrity stated to you that there is no excessive noise from above. To me that means you can expect to experience some noise that others not under the fitness center would. I hate to find out your trip was ruined due to the constant sound of treadmills above your head. I would think Celebrity would be helpful to you pre cruise so it would not have to be escalated to the Hotel Director or Guest Relations Manager once you are on board.

Enjoy your cruise, Mark

Accomplished.

I spoke to a supervisor at the travel agency who got on the phone with Celebrity and they changed the cabin to the other side of the ship. It would of been easier if I booked directly with Celebrity but the travel agency offered extra onboard credit.

Thanks, Mark

Thank you for your responses.

I am fine if I can't get the A2 to A1 upgrade.

There are lots of A2's available so I am going to make a request to move to the port side away from the fitness area. I don't want to have our time on the ship ruined from the sounds of the treadmills and other associated noise.

BTW, my friend also booked an AQ GTY at the same time and he was assigned 1503 which is under the Persian Gardens, a quieter area.

Sure going to build up a good appetite walking from the front of the ship to BLU every morning for breakfast!

Mark

Has anyone had experience with changing the assigned cabin when booking a guarantee fare?

I booked an Aqua Class GTY on the Reflection yesterday thru a travel agent and was assigned

stateroom 1502. This cabin is at the very front of the ship and not to my liking as it is directly under the

fitness center. I am concerned about the amount of noise from above.

I called the agent's office and requested the change (within same category) to another cabin and they said it may not be possible as it was a guarantee rate but they would look into it.

I am a Captain's Club member and am also requesting to have the member's upgrade from the A2 to an A1.

Do you think I should leave this to the travel agency to handle or I should call the Captain's Club directly?

Thanks for your input, Mark

Thanks for coming back and sharing your experience. So many don't. I've got two cruises coming up that involve flying to or out of Newark, so I was interested to read the post. My first one comes in on a Sunday, but the arrival time has been changed to 8:00 a.m.

 

Would you share how you made arrangements for private transportation to the airport? That could be the difference between making my flight and not. Thanks!

Hi Linda,

We used Dial 7 (a NYC area company) and made the reservation on their website.

We got out of the terminal earlier than I thought we would, so we had to wait a little while for the driver. I was satisfied with their service.

Even with leaving the ship so early, we were still able to enjoy a nice breakfast in Blu.

I see one of your voyages is the New England/Canada trip. That's the one we did and had a terrific time.

Mark

I have been meaning to come back and post that we had no problem at all.

Were one of the first off of the ship, didn't have to wait to long for the luggage and was at the airport by 9:05. I am glad it was a Sunday, that probably helped. Also, I think arranging private transportation to the airport made it work for us.

I just found this terrific article/interview about the Summit's Capt Kate.

Here is the link:

http://redshoemovement.com/in-male-dominated-occupation-captain-kate-is-queen/

I had the honor of being one of her passengers earlier this year.

Hello all,

 

Due to the fact that my travel agent is not playing fair with the pricing of this trip. I have had to cancel with them and when the dust settles and I have received my refund from them, I will try to rebook this trip. I may not be able to, but then I'll be on another crossing. I have friends on this trip though and will want to be on board.

 

Howard in Beautiful Ft. Lauderdale

Hi Howard, sorry to hear about your issues with the agent,

I hope you are able to rebook this voyage.

Let us know,

Mark

Hi Mark just seeing this. The roll call for the cruise is rather boring in comparison to others that I have taken. LOL We are interested in this van if it isn't full.

 

Emanuel and I have taken 3 transatlantics and this will be our fourth. This time on a different ship with a different itinerary. We have done the Reflection Miami to Rome three times. Thought it might be time for a change. LOL since this is your first Transatlantic, please let us know what your questions are.

 

We are also staying in Amsterdam. I currently have three or four hotels booked and need to make a decision. Have you all decided on a place to stay and plans for Amsterdam?

Hi Greg and Emanuel,

The van was filled from the main roll call. I'll let you know if anyone backs out.

In Amsterdam, I made a reservation at Banks Mansion. It gets a lot of good comments on TripAdvisor. Where were you looking at?

We have never been to Amsterdam. Hopefully the tulips will still be in bloom when we are there. Only sight I know so far I want to go to is the Anne Frank House. I understand that admission for that needs to be booked ahead online.

Have not decided on anything else yet to see.

Hope you have a nice Thanksgiving!

Mark

I just posted this on the main roll call, wanted to add it here:

Since Deb25 had success booking and filling a van with Martins Taxi to the center of Bruges, I thought I'd give it a try.

I sent an email to them to see if they still have transportation available.

If they respond yes, is anyone else interested in sharing the van?

From their site:"From Zeebruges cruise terminal to the center of Bruges and back cost € 100 per vehicle (up to 8 people maximum for the same price).

We bring you to the center ( Market Square). You can decide when you want to go back to the cruise ship by making an appointment with your driver."

Mark

Hi Jim,

Thank you for taking the time to post during your journey.

The pictures are excellent.

If you speak with CD John Grantham again, can you ask him if he expects to be on the Silhouette for the return Transatlantic in April 2017?

My partner and I are booked on that voyage.

John was our cruise director on the Century in May 2012 and am hoping to sail again with him. Our best CD ever.

Thanks, Mark

Hi guys, Mark & Ken here.

We booked this voyage back in December,

it will be our first transatlantic.

Looking forward to the all those sea days to relax, we have never had more than 2 days in a row at sea.

Plan on spending 3 days in Amsterdam, one of them will be my birthday.

I'll head over to the other roll call and sign up for the connections party.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Mark

Hi Paul,

I'll be following your adventures, as I did on your previous transatlantic.

I'm booked on my first transatlantic in the spring on the Silhouette in a sky suite.

I'll check out your Instagram also.

Have a great time,

Mark

I'll be interested in hearing how the early departure works out.

Hopefully everyone booked will arrive at the ship on time.

Especially interested as I am booked on the Summit for the cruise two weeks from today.

Thank you for all of the responses to my original post.

I appreciate your reactions, both the "It's doable" and the "Not worth the try" remarks.

If I wasn't so anxious to get home after two weeks away, I'd spend a night or two in NYC and fly home from LGA!

1:00pm is the earliest recommended EWR flight departure.

I guess that is why Choice Air is not offering the 11:13 flight.

The next non stops from EWR to FLL (on two airlines) is not till 2:25.

Hate to wait around the airport all of those hours. Had to wait several hours when we got off the Summit in San Juan once and it was such a waste of time, especially since we could of made the earlier flight if we were booked on it.

Departing the Summit in Bayonne from one of this fall's New England/Canada sailings.

Do you think booking a 11:13 AM flight (domestic) out of Newark is a risk?

Anyone ever catch a flight that early?

Thanks, Mark

Hi Wine-O,

Can you please try to find out if Capt. Kate McCue and Cruise Director John Grantham expect to be on the Sept 18 New England/Canada sailing.

I was on the Century with John from San Diego to Vancouver 4 years ago and I thought he was the best CD,

very often saw him around the ship and in ports. I enjoyed his talk about his days working in Hollywood.

Thanks,

Mark

I could be wrong but I think the menus are probably just suggestions of what will normally be stocked at Michael's club, making things easier for the bartender, and for those who can't easily decide what they want. This is similar to the bar menus at other bars, I think. Just because something isn't listed doesn't mean it isn't available.

 

I have to wonder how big an issue it is, as any suite bookings right now come with the premium package. Personally, I found Michaels Club dead on our last cruise, and as the premium package came with our cabin, we spent little time there. Even if it didn't, I don't find a dark bar with no windows all that appealing. We mostly went there because we felt sorry for the nice hostess sitting in the room by herself.

This is not 100% the case. I booked a sky suite for a transatlantic and was not offered any perks or the opportunity to upgrade to the BBB perks. They told me that transatlantic sailings are specially priced so they don't offer any extras.

Maybe if I booked on board they would of given something.

I booked before the end of 2015 and they said they would honor the two complimentary specialty dinners.

I intend to make use of Michaels Club every day. I have missed it since it became a craft beer lounge and then closed to non-suite guests.

Wow!!! Did I wake up in 1950 this morning?

I agree.

Posts #3 and #20 on this thread are so rude and uncalled for.

I hope she is the captain for my Summit voyage in Sept 2016.

I would be honored to sail on a ship she is in charge of.