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Read this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1585780

From Cruise Critic. Also available on the Celebrity Website or by a simple Google search.

Celebrity Cruises

Internet and Wi-Fi: Xcelerate, Celebrity's high-speed internet, allows for faster web browsing, less time spent waiting for pages to load and video-streaming capabilities with easier access to Netflix, YouTube, FaceTime and Skype. The internet service is available fleetwide with the exception of Galapagos-based Celebrity Xpedition, which offers Wi-Fi in public areas only.

Fees: Internet packages can be purchased onboard or in advance for the same prices: $199 per person for unlimited use on six- to nine-day sailings, and $299 per person for unlimited use on sailings of 10 days or more. Other options include a "browsing package," which offers 90 minutes of usage for $50; a "social package," which includes 240 minutes for $109; and one full day of continuous access for $59. An "as you go" rate of 79 cents per minute is available for purchase onboard.

Additionally, unlimited internet is available through Celebrity's "Go Big, Better, Best" (GBBB) fare bundles. When booking GBBB-eligible sailings, passengers get to choose one of four perks, including unlimited internet at no cost. (Additional perks can be added at extra cost.) This pricing is not offered for inside cabins, nor is it available for transatlantic, transpacific and Celebrity Xpedition sailings.

Cell Phones: Passengers on all Celebrity ships can use their GSM or CDMA phones onboard. Roaming charges will apply.

.....also you need a better TA. Not something you should have to research yourself.

I am a retired US TA. For the most part price differences have nothing to do with the TA but everything to do with the pricing differences between Celebrity North America and Celebrity UK. UK/EU is almost always more expensive. The same is true with other cruise lines. In Florida, UK "snow birds" often book with US agents to get the better deal BUT we cautioned them to use a US credit card. Don't know about now but a few years ago some cruise lines began refusing the US rates booked on European credit cards unless the client had a long term relationship with the agency.

As a retired Travel Agent, what I would advise my clients:

1) I will check at least once a week to see if anything opened up. That might typically happen after the final payment date. Especially the day after final is due, check every few hours that day and the next. You might get lucky.

If that fails-

2) Board as early as you can. Go immediately to the MDR and see the Maitre'd. Explain your plight. They can often make an accommodation.

Something does not add up here. We are not getting all the facts. Having been a travel agent for 9 years(now retired) I guarantee Celebrity would have explained this to me within a day. The OP should be able to get the same. Might this be in the UK?

Several sources. Google "celebrity constellation model".

Yes, you will be tendered. We were quite amazed that they actually don't lower the anchors due to possible reef damage. The bay is very sheltered and the ships stay perfectly still. We asked an officer about this and he confirmed it.

 

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1) There are no cruise ship docks at Grand Cayman.

2) For those that think about these things, the sheltered harbor helps the ship stay in position but they maintain their position by use of the navigation system, bow thrusters, and izopods(steerable aft propellers/engines).

In the end this not just what Celebrity will accept but what the countries visited will accept. Further, my experience says you must have permission from any and all persons that have a legal guardian position with the minor. If the grandfather is the sole legal guardian, and you have the papers to prove it(bring a copy) you are probably ok with just his signature. You will have people tell you they had no problem with this or that situation. Read this from US Customs and Border Protection. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/268/~/children---child-traveling-with-one-parent-or-someone-who-is-not-a-parent-or and this https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/449/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDgzODc4NTQ2L3NpZC9EZEFCTjk4bg%3D%3D.

Here as some great forms you can use. They provide both travel permission and medical. I was a TA for 10 years and and were used by my clients. http://www.freewebs.com/docdiva/Minor%20Travel%20Consent.pdf

We have had very poor luck with walkie-talkies. Could not communicate at all once we were separated by a few decks.

You must buy at least the 5 mile type. They are powerful enough to even work on Oasis Class ships. Have used them for a family of 18.

Courtesy Rules for Walkie-Talkies:

1) Don't scream into them.

2) Do not use on elevators.

3) Tell the kids they are not a toy and are to be used for important communications ONLY.

4) Use in vibrate mode ONLY.

5) Turn off the chirp.

6) Get and use ones with codes.

Let's summarize: (U.S. Citizens ONLY - Closed loop, Caribbean and Mexico, returning to the same US port as departure.)

1) You can use a BC and any US based government issued photo ID like a DL.

2) BC MUST be an original(no copies) with a raised seal if the issuing state, city, etc. uses a raised seal. (Some use a stamp.)

3) Names and DOB MUST match on the documents you use.

4) If names do not match like a marriage bring your marriage certificate. (Some will tell you they have not needed it. DO NOT take a chance.)

5) When traveling without a PP, if an emergency occurs and you must leave the ship, you CANNOT board an airplane to other countries including the US without a PP. You will have to travel, AT YOUR EXPENSE, to the nearest US Consulate in that country to obtain paperwork to board a plane.

6) PP should be good for 6 months after the date of the return of the trip. Sometimes ignored but again something no worth taking a chance with.

From a retired travel agent.

1) As previously noted you cannot cancel direct with Celebrity.

2) Find out who the management and owner of the agency is. If the agency is part of a multi agency company get the corporate HQ number.

3) Write an e-mail to the agent that she has two days to contact you or you will contact the agency's management/owner

4) Call the management/owner of the agency. Proceed up the chain.

5) Consider filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau if in the US.

6) Another alternative is to file a request to change the assigned agency on the booking with Celebrity and change it to yourself/passenger.

P.S. I suspect e-mail in #3 will generate results.

After you call customer service and CC and get not satisfaction ask to speak to the "resolutions desk". These are the folks who handle the tough issues/escalations.

Reasons also include that Elite and above are given preference for dining so they hold tables in reserve beyond final payment to cover those that book up to the last minute. Example of this was we booked recently on Silhouette four weeks before departure. Early dining showed full until I booked and then we were given the choice of early dining. Ship was almost full when we booked yet we still get 6PM. Ship sailed full.

We are long time Celebrity folks and have sailed enough to earn Elite and I am a retired travel agent.

It have been a few years since we have sailed but Celebrity has always been our preferred cruise line. While we have no current sailing with other cruise lines to compare it to, Celebrity lost a few points with us this past trip.

On the positive side, the ship was immaculate and the staff, with two minor exceptions, was outstanding. Certainly no diminishing on that regard. On the other hand the food (not meaning to include the specialty restaurants), a previous Celebrity high point for us has clearly slipped. Self-disembarkation was a mess and had the potential of causing real conflict among the passengers.

Just a few food examples-

-Belgian Waffles: The waffles are themselves are just as tasty as ever but things like the strawberries in some kind of gooey syrup appeared to be right out of the can. In the past they took fresh strawberries and made their own light syrup.

-Eggs: The "custom" omelets in the Oceanview were dry, lacking in taste and served browned on both sides. A stark contrast to the custom egg and omelet stations in the paste.

-Eggs Benedict: For breakfast in the dining room they are grossly overcooked, the Canadian bacon was dry and shriveled as was the English muffin. They were much better in the Oceanview.

-Hash Browns: They are now using the pre-pressed type you get at McDonald's. McDonald's are better.

-Dinner Menu: The "chic" nights had a good selection of good entrees but the other nights were lacking in good choices. One night the menu said "Redfish". There is no way it was Redfish. First Redfish is a firm flesh. This was pasty at best and tasteless. Second it is illegal, for conservation reasons to catch Redfish commercially and also illegal to serve it in restaurants. It could be red snapper but if so, was not good red snapper and that is not redfish. Another, non-chic night had pasta primavera. Somewhat tasteless with only zucchini and small tomatoes as vegetables. The sauce was very thin and somewhat bitter. While the deserts were good and they still have excellent creme brulee, disappointed that no evening offered chocolate mousse, a previous staple.

We understand that they are pushing and likely trying to get people into the specialty restaurants, the decline in the main dining room is a reality.

-Self Disembarkation: Can only be described as chaos. We appeared as direct in the main lobby at 7:15am. People were already being lined up by a single Celebrity person. When we saw the situation we decided that we would just sit on the stairs and wait until everyone disembarked. It was obvious at that point that it was going to be a mess and the lines would mean nothing once disembarkation began. The lobby area continued to fill until it reached the point shown in the attached photo. A large area behind what the photo shows is also full. Can you tell on the photo the entire progress of the "line"? By the way the beginning of the line is at the very top right of the picture. Are we the only ones that see that was not going to work once disembarkation started? Before disembarkation started only Celebrity person working in the area left. Becoming concerned that the line would become meaningless and tempers might flare when almost everyone was likely to abandon the lines and head for the stairs (people were expected to walk down the stairs from Deck 3 to Deck 2) I walked over to Guest Relations and expressed my concern, They seemed to care less. When disembarkation started, exactly what we expected happened and the line disintegrated and almost everyone started to move to the stairs at the upper right of the picture. Wow, what a shock---LOL. We are surprised that we saw no flare ups as people, even those just arriving in the lobby, cut the line ahead of people who had been waiting for 45 minutes or more. As we originally intended, we stood clear until almost everyone was down the stairs. As we disembarked, I expressed my concern to a Celebrity person at the stairs and she rationalized the situation. As we disembarked, I expressed the same concern to the activities director and got the excuse that they got far more people than usual for walk-off. Even if we believe that, they knew that at least the previous night when people declared they were walking off. They knew that at least an hour earlier when the lobby was almost full.

Celebrity dodged a potential passenger conflict. If they just rationalize this, and they don't adjust, they are exposing themselves to future liability issues

Part may be true but if you believe this whole story I have a bridge in NY to sell you cheap. Note was his first and only post this person and has not returned with additional facts.

If you are looking at pics from Celebrity or booking web site you are likely looking at a typical cabin and not that specific cabin. To show you what each room looks like those sites do not take a picture of every cabin.

I ordered ours on line 2-3 weeks ago. Got them Tuesday. Sailing Sunday.

System seems to work fine for us.

The Elite internet benefit is 90 minutes of free time. You do not have to purchase any additional time to use this benefit.

Just remember should for some reason (medical, miss the ship, etc.) you not be able to leave with your ship from a Caribbean port of call all the "closed loop" exceptions go out the window.

Something additional on renting a car in FLL.

There is bus transport you and your party with luggage to the rental car desk at the airport. I have had times when the bus was very slow or full and the rental car company told me to get a cab and they would reimburse me.

Consider a rental car from FLL to MIA, and keep it for the two days, as you have a few days to kill and it will give you transportation to do other things. Rentals in FL are not expensive and companies like Hertz, Budget and maybe others have no drop off charges. If you work for or are retired from a corporation that has a corporate contract with a rental car company you may get a discount. Further, unless things have changed recently, when you drop it off in MIA at the nearest office to the pier they will give you transportation to the pier.

Not matter what time of the summer, a Baltic cruise is not a sun yourself cruise. Just note on a globe where the ports are in relation to the arctic circle and how far north you are in relation to portions of North America. It is mostly about seeing and learning history.

That being said it is a fabulous places to see. It is among the top cruises we've taken. Look for the two day St. Petersburg tour when your port their, if available, from the cruise line that way their are no repeated places to see. To separate tours will likely have repeats. If you are really adventurous consider the the two day tour and go to the ballet on the first night in St. Pete. It is a tight squeeze time wise but can be done. That is booked separately. Book those early as they fill up. There is also a local tour company called Red October which has had previous reviews.

I have used local operators and when I was an TA(now retired) I would sometimes recommend them BUT the standard caution applies.

Keep in mind that should their be any difficulties, traffic, breakdown, etc. and you have difficulty getting back to the ship they will not wait for you if you on an excursion not booked through the cruise line. If you miss the ship you are on your own to catch up with it. You might encounter even more difficulty since your passports are on the ship.

Also operators not contracted with the cruise line may not have the same safety standards as required by those the cruise line contracts with

Select carefully.