twincheryl

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Being you booked so long ago, did you mark your booking “no upgrade”?

We are new to HAL, having only booked 3 cruises.  Where do you mark your booking? Did not notice this option when booking online.

We were on Edge to Alaska last month and had premium wifi… no issues at all.

1 hour ago, Starry Eyes said:

True, depending on the corporation’s goals, they might assess the impact of the enhanced status match, then decide whether or to proceed with further integration of the loyalty programs.  Pins got a nice boost as Zenith gets some nice benefits.  There are more D+ than Pins, and speaking as a D+, the boost from E benefits to E+ benefits isn’t so inspiring.  I’ll appreciate the little extras if we take a Celebrity cruise,but those extra benefits won’t inspire me to book with Celebrity.  Heck, the D+’s with aspirations of making P might be more inclined to stay only with Royal to reach P/Z, then branch out.

Got to D with RCI, switched to Celebrity several years ago and made E+... now with the ridiculous solo prices on Celebrity, I am going BACK to RCI with D+ status, even though it's not a huge benefit, I do appreciate the laundry.  Likely won't make P/Z on either line, but you never know... lol

I became aware of this benefit after booking two different cruises... one in 2025 and one in 2026.  I emailed Holland America and within a week I got a response from the agency transfer dept asking for: 

1. Full Name of all of the guests in the booking

2. Cruise Number or Departure Date; and

3. Phone Contact and Home Address

I provided that information and within a couple of days they emailed and said the obc had been applied to my 2025 booking, but that it would need to be re-verified within a year of the 2026 booking.  Very easy!

With the status match, it appears that D+ and Pinnacle get a free bag of laundry as they do on Celebrity... but the fine print says, "On 5+ night sailings only, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members receive one free $34.99 bag of laundry on Wash & Fold Day. Only valid on the day of the ship’s Wash & Fold laundry promotion. Not valid for any pressing or dry-cleaning services."

On Celebrity, you can use your free bag any time - and our steward has often said not to use on the special price bag day as it often takes longer... does RCI hold you to that "Wash & Fold Day"?  

1 hour ago, ExArkie said:

My understanding is that Royal charges single passengers 200% of the per person double occupancy rate. Never sailed on them, so no first-hand experience. 

That is true on my recent bookings… started on Royal and now going back on a b2b because of the ridiculous solo prices on Celebrity.  Holland America is also in the mix.  Very sad, as Celebrity is my favorite… but just won’t pay those inflated solo prices.

Couldn't be more true... I'm starting to look at what I might like to book when the new releases come out for 2026 and the solo price gouging is no better since her ridiculous statement on the webinar, even for 2024 or 2025... not to mention what it will be for 2026.

Just off Edge and plastic for regular water bottles...

Long time cruiser, new(ish) to HAL...  are any of the specialty restaurants (not burgers by pool) open for lunch on sea days?  Find that to be a nice change on a sea day.  Thanks in advance... 

49 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

We spent 40 nights on the Edge last fall, and at that time Le Grand Bistro's lunch was priced at $30 per person.  I have read that pricing has since changed to al la carte.  We dined there 6 or 7 times for lunch and throughly enjoyed it.  At dinner this venue becomes Le Petite Chef.

 

During our time on the Edge lunch was served at the Rooftop Garden Grill.  We dined there 1 or 2 times and I don't remember the price.  

Just off Edge and Le Grand Bistro's lunch was $30... we also had 15% off with Elite + discount.  They forgot to take it off on our first visit, and were so upset that happened they comped our second visit.  We found the food to be a nice change from the buffet on sea days and fairly priced.  You can order as many or as few items as you want... and despite them saying you needed reservations, both times we were there had many available tables as they were only open 12-1:30pm.

53 minutes ago, mobilemac said:

Thanks ... I'm the OP.  I guess it's not as cut and dried as I had hoped.  I'll reapply for both before booking our next cruise, although as RuthC says, my military service is what it is. I'm not sure I understand why that OBC needs to be re-vetted, but I'll do it anyway to make it a non-issue. Thanks again for your responses.

  

Not sure either... I have Teacher and AARP that I emailed about connecting with previously booked cruises (before I knew these existed), and got a very nice email saying that they had been applied to my 2025 cruise, but could not be applied to 2026 as they needed to be re-verified within a year prior.  Understand the AARP since that needs to be paid every year, but my retired teacher status will not change.  It is what it is, so will just set a reminder to do that before needed.

2 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

 

Our cruise out of Southampton is in about a month. After doing my research I went with a private car service. The private car cost from Southampton to LHR terminal 5 is £164.50.

 

This is our favorite type of transport as well... well worth the cost for 3 of us.  May I ask who you booked with?  That's a very good price!

13 minutes ago, ncgolferette said:

I am no longer planning to cruise on Celebrity.  Have a cruise booked on HAL and Oceania. Oceania doubled my OBC for excursions since I was paying for two people being a solo. No penalty there. I just think it’s so outrageous what Celebrity is doing to solo cruisers.  I have loved the line for years but I guess a divorce is in order. 

Feel the same way… our 3 Celebrity sailings were booked before the money grabbers started working their magic on solo prices.  Have now booked 4 others on HAL and RC… so much for sailing Celebrity to get great status… very sad.

We are on Edge now in Alaska… the day before boarding we left Summit on a Pacific Coastal… a marked difference in the vibe between ships.  Edge seems very noisy with hard flooring in the main traffic areas and everyone is directed down the same, albeit wider, corridors to get from venue to venue or restaurant.

This is a nice comparison for us, with over 30 cruises, many on Celebrity, we are able to see the positives and negatives between M and E class back to back.  While we also enjoy S class, the new direction Celebrity is taking does not seem to be the path we’re on, unfortunately… we have preferred them to the others.  Lots of loud music that makes it hard to have conversation.

We have a HAL and a RC booked for next year before another Celebrity, so we’ll see how the whole new direction thing plays out.  Nice to have plenty of options out there!

On Edge right now in non-suite SV on deck 9… have 2 loungers and 2 chairs, although my companions on either side of me have no loungers.

We always book SV and are on Edge right now in a center SV on deck 9. While we have had quite a bit of vibration, we’ve also had some nasty weather. It’s a bit chilly in Alaska to use the balcony very much, but have been out there several times… no soot or smell, but the chair seats have def soaked up some dirt… lol… very little shade, so balcony use might be an issue with a hot climate.

Regardless of the drawbacks, we have no interest in an infinite veranda, so just make the best of whatever comes!

18 minutes ago, billc23 said:

 

 

However much I enjoyed my Edge class sailings, I was annoyed by the constant music/noise level on the ships that made it difficult to communicate with the bar tenders and nearly impossible to carry on a conversation in Fine Cut and Eden restaurant. To many the higher energy level is a plus but not for me.

 

 

Agree… as long time Celebrity cruisers, we have tried Apex and are now on Edge with another Apex in October.  Having just debarked Summit the day before Edge we are able to do a good direct comparison.  Edge just seems really noisy as there is lots of hard flooring and sleek decorating (which we like) that doesn’t seem to absorb much noise from the venues located in the middle of the ship.  We walked past Blu after breakfast this morning and it seemed extraordinarily loud.

5 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Wow. I wonder if that's a function of its first cruise out of this port. My other 2 Celebrity cruises - one on Edge and one on Summit - the rooms were not 100% finished, but they weren't like people just left. And the key cards were definitely at the cabin.

We are also on this ship… I’m guessing that the 10am boarding time was the issue.  We cruise a lot on Celebrity and never encountered that when boarding at 11 or 11:30am.  Cards were always by the cabin door.

On Edge now… here’s the slip with the laundry bag.

21 hours ago, Octavias said:

In looking at (ok, downright studying it) the deck plan in preparation for our upcoming cruise, I noticed there is a second baccio located near the ocean view cafe.  It says they have specialty coffees as well.  Do they have the same menu of options as the main one on I think deck 4?  

No tea…

4 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

The solo pricing hit is still alive and well in addition to items reported above.  Example:  Prime Concierge cabin for 2 on Summit November 10, 2025 is $4,121.74.  For a solo on the same cruise it is $5,742.87.  And they wonder why people are looking at other cruiselines.  Or maybe they don't care.

Yes it is totally garbage.  In the next two years we have 7 cruises booked and 4 of them are on other lines, which makes me sad.  We are on the Summit now and hope Celebrity gets their act together and puts solo prices back to the way they always were.  
 

Several months ago I wrote a long email to executive office and got a phone response saying that 75% of cruises are back to the old pricing structure… I’m calling BS on that unless maybe that is only inside cabins or something that I don’t price.

All good this morning… 

2 hours ago, If only said:

On the Cdn site if you put in the ship & date all Canada/New England  cruises show up for Sept 2025. I sure if you wait a day or two the cruises will all show up.

Thanks... that's a good sign... no luck on my end at this point.  They have probably taken them off line to raise prices before another sale... haha

1 hour ago, If only said:

I agree but very happy we have 2 full days in Quebec City as it is wonderful there.

Are you using a Celebrity Canada site?  I don't see any cruises out of Boston for Sept 2025 on the US site.

1 hour ago, If only said:

They are there now, we are booked on the Sept 18, 2025 out of Boston.  We now depart Quebec City at 6 pm instead of 3pm after an overnight which is great.

Thanks for the info... we're also on that cruise!  Will have to keep an eye on it and see if anything else changes.