sofietucker

1 hour ago, hrhdhd said:

Of course, if the anytime dining room is also dealing with cruisers who have been assigned to fixed, they'll have more chaos. Better to head to the buffet if for your own reasons you miss your fixed slot.

The funny thing is, "anytime' would suggest they need to be prepared for an unexpected ebb and flow of traffic. Especially since the restaurant was mainly empty on both our visits. But yep, fall back option is always the buffet...

Welp. Amazon has a reasonably sized and priced portable lounger (search FLIPCHAIR) with backpack straps, that will fit folded up into my larger suitcase. 14lbs. Will see what happens in our next Sky Suite... If no lounger--and especially if we receive a blanket policy statement of no loungers before or on that cruise--it's going with us. I don't mind lugging along more/larger luggage to have my comforts.

And such a chair would eliminate the need to book a ship's tour to a less-preferred beach, simply for the convenience of otherwise unavailable loungers. (Never mind that on some excursions you STILL have to pay for a chair...)

9 hours ago, tbmrt said:

This is what I disliked on another of Celebrity's ship that was set up in the same way.  Wondering if it is as chaotic with Fixed Dining on the upper deck of Connie. We might change to Anytime if that is the case.

We've done both over the years on various ships/cruise lines, and far prefer fixed (late). In March on the Connie, our experiences taught us: no more anytime dining. We had fixed late seating (upstairs), except on 2 nights when we went with anytime downstairs. And it was disastrous: hectic, loud, crowded, confusing, rowdy (but no kids, lol). I think once was so we could get to an event and the other time it was too late to be seated with fixed. Aside from the obvious advantage of fixed dining--that the waitstaff know us and our preferences--you know where your table is, and can ask to have it permanently changed the first night if unsuitable.

With Anytime, we found ourselves seated both times at different tables but both smack in the middle of entrance/kitchen traffic and next to the server's stations. The first time, we asked to be moved--but we were then still placed at a similarly unfavorable table. I don't care to have trays constantly being carried back & forth behind my chair... Second time, we just stayed put. It seemed they were seating the entire guest roster just inside the restaurant entrance. Whether to make it seem fuller or to keep that section's staff running back and forth (or being short staffed in other sections), I couldn't say.

Our courses weren't served at the same time for all the guests, leaving some with cooling food and others with empty places. Plus, the waiter kept bringing extra dishes to the table for us to all try--unasked for! The evening's pasta, for instance. And while our party of four certainly drinks its share, the diners around us seemed much the worse for cocktails... Not a one-off, either. Just all unpleasant. 

In addition to the general requirement for crew to pool any cash: we have also been told a couple of times that any money that goes into an envelope must have the recipient's name on it or they will be forced to report/share it. We do try to use those additional gratuities forms from guest services, referred to above; that way we can be sure it goes directly to a specific person but we don't have to hassle with USD vs euros, etc. And better to track in our budget vs cash.

PS: they now have renamed tips/gratuities to "crew appreciation." 

7 hours ago, sushraya said:

Very interesting.  Is it really from Bologna and not Ravenna?   I've seen the Ravenna transfer listed for 18$ per person.   Bologna is over an hour away!

Our Celebrity transfers for October 2024 are $111pp, for Bologna airport BLQ to Ravenna pier and then from Civitavecchia to Fiumincino FCO. So roughly $55 per transfer event.

We're doing this itinerary in the fall, only tendering once in Montenegro. Have been to most of the ports several times & looking forward to it again! A few of the ports you need to take their shuttle into town from the pier: Dubrovnik, Zadar, Brindisi. That live review posted above noted that the Zadar shuttle isn't free--but this to my mind is an outrage as you apparently can't leave the pier on your own... But Get Your Guide often offers cheap shuttles in the ports. Bruges, Bilbao are a couple we've done.

On 5/13/2024 at 8:39 AM, RK-NC said:

 

So glad to read this! We were on Beyond 10 nights in April and loved our cruise but I have a real sweet tooth and desserts never seemed to satisfy it. By the end of the cruise, they were just "eye candy" for me. We'll be on Rotterdam next spring so pleased to hear your description of the HAL buffet and desserts!

Check out the poffertjes in  their Dutch Cafe!

Just a note that Get Your Guide sells water taxi tix to the airport (one way) for 40 euro. We did that a few years ago. Or you can also see the ticket machine where you can buy them on the pier in a couple of the photos above. I would book it ahead/ make advance reservations though...

3 hours ago, hiccups said:

We recieved OBC from Azamara a few years ago when they had to cancel a port in Spain for a strike.  We’d also bought cruise-specific travel insurance, and that coverage included reimbursement for a missed port.  Our cruises after that one, cruise insurance no longer seemed to cover missed ports.

We get Allianz Global insurance and always get reimbursed for any missed ports, $100 pp. But it depends on the specific policy: check to see what's covered before you buy any given one.

Just adding this here for the folks who will be cruising on the Connie sometime soon; we were on her in March: a hidden side door in the minbar cabinet holds an ice bucket, corkscrew, glasses, etc. Check it out if yours are missing.

We sailed on Connie in March too, just before the TA and refurb. Folks who work on board, officers, staff, bar & restaurant, crew--and even the shop personnel--were lovely, ship was great, entertainment rocked... Food was fine; we only did MDR, OV and the free venues this time (cruising with friends & fam). Our concierge stateroom was just okay--but we're spoiled Elite who usually stay in Sky Suites, so that's on us, lol. BTW, a hidden side door in the minbar cabinet holds the ice bucket, corkscrew, glasses, etc.

Thank you so much!!! We're doing this itinerary next fall, Rav to Rome. I struggled mightily to figure out a way to get to the Sea Organ in Zadar but the logistics were daunting (and the ship's  tuktuk tour is sold out), so I went ahead and booked a tour that would drop us nearby. The shuttle is perfect! Appreciate the info about Brindisi and drive time to Alberello too (had booked a tour with that as well). All very enlightening, entertaining--and lovely photos! You have a gift.

Btw, we were on the Connie in March, just before drydock--CD Sue had announced it was her final cruise!!! Retiring. Funny to see she is still aboard, in the same role. Will be curious to see if she's still there in Oct.

We discovered after a few days on our last cruise that there was a second full set of linens (for the bathroom) under the sink...

22 hours ago, Sleepybluegiraffe said:

Norway for the third time! All the way to Tromso, Honninsvag and a day trip to the North Cape! I have all 29 bars and restaurants (minus suites and blu) on a list to tick off on apex!

Oops, replied to JackE for your post...

1 hour ago, JackE said:

We're heading to Norway and the Fjords as well! Very much looking forward to it. We have different ports than you, but after doing the Scandinavia/Baltic cruise two summers ago, we're very excited to see the Norwegian coast.

 

If it's open, you must go to the Rooftop Garden Grill (it was closed for our Baltic sailing).

 

Enjoy your cruise! 

Ooh, one of our all-time favorite itineraries! Depending on your interests, the university of Tromso's museum has a great anthropology exhibit on the Sami people (you will be in the Sami nation that far north). Also a cool Arctic native plants garden. In Honnigsvag in June, the locals were all in shorts and tee shirts, but the Cape requires at least a good windbreaker and scarf, lol. Astonishing geography! And reindeer, just wandering about...

I suspect our encounter with (I think) the Scarlet Lady in Rhodes last Sept. may have been a one off: our tiny Azamara ship docked next to them at the same pier, and bunches of pax disembarked at the same time. The V folks seemed overwhelmingly to be in their 30s (college prof here; I guess age ranges pretty well). And partiers, based on overheard conversations. Our small private tour was mostly V folks. They regaled with fun events such as regular pajama parties onboard. Typical or no?

On 4/6/2024 at 2:16 PM, DaKahuna said:

 

 "to the moon Alice" 

 

 Who could ever forget!

 

 

And he put together the *best orchestra ever*. Bobby Hackett, anyone???

We quite liked the Edge in a Sky Suite, only done AQ once as a fluke & no need to repeat--but it was not Edge-class ship. You will love the spa on Edge! Spoil yourselves silly with those AQ  freebies. We also have dined all over all the ships and found that Luminae and Blu are sufficient for great food. Maybe Eden. But LPC is a cute cartoon gimmick--NOT about the fairly ordinary  food--and you can still get a great steak off the Luminae/Blu menus unless you are particular  about dry-aged/Waygu. We also found that, with our premium bev pkg and that fact that they didn't sell bottles of Caymus but only by the glass, the upcharge for the glass actually we came out ahead! And drank up all their bottles, lol. But no Molly Dooker to be found at all! bring your own.

6 hours ago, Lastdance said:

So cut, cut and cut then add, add and add...wallah!  The only constant being change.  Well, I am pleased to see the company sailing in a more positive  direction; just hope the seas stay alive with the changes💟.  I am doing Apex for one cruise, along with a TA(on Apex) to CC; a great way to visit Europe and then see relatives and friends before flying out of Orlando home next year.  It sounds like a great plan, but anything can happen between now and fall of 2025.  I may not enjoy Vista(or maybe I will) on Oceania, but the price was great and it takes me closer to Algarve, Portugal...TBD.  Maybe Oceania will also “get it” like Celebrity...I can only hope.🤩

And that's really a key for us: the itinerary. Both O and our new favorite, Azamara, have great interesting voyages because their smaller ships can get into smaller ports. Like the Gironde estuary in Bordeaux! We still forsee being loyal to X for winters in the Caribbean.

We're on the "edge" of becoming elite plus, so have cruised X for awhile... The only Edge-class ship we've sailed was in fact, the Edge, first cruise out after the pandemic. They took only 350 pax!

(The big booboo on their part: they filled the suites, leaving the rest of the ship empty, so the Retreat and Luminae were crowded: pool bar was wall-to-wall, lines for dinner, no Retreat loungers, the small pool filled with--eek!--children. So much for distancing. But the martini-glass hot tubs were always empty, as was the big pool. And really everywhere else aboard.)

We loved so many spaces: the rooftop garden, the weird sculpture garden on the way to Eden, the cozy hidden cabanas alongside the pool... The amazing spa (M and S class Persian Gardens, etc., don't hold a candle). And FOUR very varied MDRs!! Brilliant. Plus much fab entertainment. We were prepared to not like it because it was so BIG. Our favorite ships have been less than 800 pax (Prinsendam and lately Azamara Quest).

But someone on these boards rightly pointed out that it--and the Apex--actually carry fewer pax than the S-class ships! They hold 3,148 people; the Edge & Apex hold 2918! Plus two S-class, Reflection and Silhouette, actually carry 3,324!  That being said we've not actually booked another Edge-class cruise--mainly because of where we are cruising next.

A tip to anyone considering buying ParkWest art on board: PLEASE, before you attend an auction, go to EBay and search for your preferred piece by artist and title. Excellent chance you will able to find what you want, that someone else bought previously and is now selling.

For instance, we saw a Michael Cheval starting at $2500 (at auction last week on Connie) selling on eBay (framed by PW) for $1600. A print of same on EBay for $17. A giclee of same (print on canvas, the usual medium--BTW, ALL the artwork sold by PW are reproductions of various sorts--paint on lithograph, etc.) in many sizes at Amazon, for $53 for the size sold on the ship. But then you have to add the frame. (To be fair, ORIGINAL Chevals sold by his own rep are painted on aluminum, not canvas and sell for an extra zero in the price. But still. I got my SIL her preferred work of art from Amazon instead.)

4 hours ago, keesar said:

 

"Lively Celebrity vibe."  I think I have been missing something.  

Lol, stated in contrast to Oceania...

3 hours ago, keylimecake said:

Just off 1st Oceania cruise.  It was not our vibe but we choose for the Panama canal experience which was so informative and interesting.  

So much hype about the food which did not live up to its reputation. The quality was okay.  In speaking to many long time loyal O guests the complaints were many and they quite upset.  Tuscan steak was mediocre and underwhelming.  I will say that the exception were the desserts which were consistenly good and wonderful variety. 

Working on a cruise ship must be intense and exhausting and the crew seemed overworked and quite distracted.  Our boarding was quite delayed due to an outbreak onboard on previous sailing.  Perhaps many crew were still ill?  I found it difficult to relax when it is so apparent that the crew appeared to be  exhausted and overworked.  

We were in an A1 room which was quite small and we are still laughing about the size of the 'shower' if that is what it is called.  I guess this ship is a holdover from the old R cruise line and boy does it show.  

 

We've only sailed Oceania once (Elite on X) and won't go back. The vibe was verrry staid: not   laid back/relaxed, just stuffy and uptight. Not fun. As my friend nicknamed it, everything about both the pax and the ship was "tasteful taupe" (well, except for the dreadful art all over the Riviera, which we assume the owner took with him when he left last year). Bad experience in Tuscan too.

14 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I looked at various ships upcoming sailings and saw room service fees ranging from $0 to $12 + 20% gratuity.  Don't trust the app. The $12+ was for a sailing from Ft. Lauderdale.

we were charged zero for our room service breakfast last week... We did give him a cash tip, as always.

This was on the Connie, for the March 2024 11th-23rd cruise. On the Silly in January, it was a paper menu with the horrid upcharge across the board--but no mention of an overnight extra charge. Maybe they're making changes ship by ship.

We rarely use room service, unless ill or for the last-morning breakfast, as it will invariably be either too cold or an error in the order. (And THAT is across the industry, not just on cruise ships, lol. Oddly, the WORST room service has been fancy hotels--such as at 2 different Fairmonts...) But if X reverts back to a low or no-charge service, that's less offensive, lol.

38 minutes ago, go.without.you said:

Well this sounds promising for Connie then. I was on her last Christmas and thought she beautiful. The crew made it one of my best cruises ever (out of 32) so I booked this year for NYE. I'm anxious to see what improvements are made.

Yep, we'll be on her again in October, before her TA back to this side of the Atlantic. The crew was great this past couple of weeks, but most won't still be onboard at that point.