Giorgi-one

When I booked online at NCL, there is the option to book without any of the "freebies" - so you can avoid paying the gratuities on them.

On 7 day cruise I just booked gratuities were about $100 per person - small price to pay for free drinks and 4 specialty dinners. IMHO if you are not taking advantage of Specialty restaurants you are missing a large part of the NCL experience. The base price for my balcony cabin was $1049. I paid more than that for an oceanview cabin on my first cruise in 1996.

Two questions. Thanks for your replies.

1) Can I use the SDP at the same restaurant more than once?

2) Description says the SDP includes one main entrée at Cagneys and Le Bistro. I assume the appetizers, soups, salads and deserts are included at no additional charge.

Not sure why anyone would being wine onboard unless they want a specific wine. You really have to try hard to book a Celebrity cruise WITHOUT the free Beverage Package AND Prepaid Gratuities and/or OBC!

Comments on a few of the posts.

No complaints about service. I strongly disagree that service has suffered since gratuities are added to the bill. I always tip more.

I told the Maitre'D exactly what I wrote. He thanked me and walked away.

The number of passengers has nothing to do with entrée selection, meat quality and quality of appetizers, soups, salads and deserts which are all prepared in bulk in advance. But cruise lines love to hear people accept this as a reason for inferior quality.

I never compare food quality to 5* or any star restaurants. If your meal on a Modern Luxury vacation is not as good as a local shopping center restaurant, something is wrong.

Celebrity advertises Modern Luxury. Nowhere in their literature do I see a statement that says "You cannot expect really good food in the MDR because we have too many people to serve".

Addition of Luminae is an admission of decline in quality in MDR. People are certainly not going to pay $3500 per person or more for the food now served in the MDR!

Do we really need to set our expectation low so we are not disappointed? If everyone thought like that we would still be living in caves!

My remarks are not frivolous! This site is named CRUISE CRITIC not CRUISE LOVEFEST!

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, as we've always enjoyed dining on Celebrity and intend to do so again in March.

Except for lobster, can you remember any entrees that you really enjoyed and would actually go to a land restaurant to get the same food?

Just got back from Reflection and MDR food was very disappointing. Entré selection in particular was the worst I have ever experienced. They basically served all the best selections on lobster night. I guess they thought that's all I would remember. I really do not get excited about eating a little piece of fish. Forget Italian food on a ship. I live in South Jersey and I literally have over 50 good Italian restaurants within a 10 mile drive, and that doesn't include Philadelphia Little Italy. I really enjoy baked onion soup but only when it actually has onions in it. I had braised beef ribs one night and gave up after trying to chew one. Salads, soups and deserts were nothing special. Except for lobster night ,I did not have one meal I would go back for to any restaurant. I told the Maitre'D and he just walked away. VERY VERY DISAPPOINTING!

Would it not provide for better service if the employees thought their gratuities had not been already paid? with Celebrity many opt out of the standard payment and pay in cash. Thus good service would provide tips!

I have always had fantastic service on every one of my 32 cruises. Remember when NCL hired all American crews for Hawaii cruises and half of the crew quit during the first week. Crew on a cruise ship work much harder than any comparable land job especially in the U.S. I have spoken the many waitstaff and they all told me that many passengers used to stiff them as far as tips are concerned before gratuities were automatic. $12 a day is a pittance for the services performed. We always tip more and that includes the Sommelier when we have a beverage package.. Really tired of hearing people on these boards make a big deal of this issue. I am certain some of them are looking to give nothing. If you are not going to stiff the crew then why do you care if they are prepaid or not.

Pricing, perks, freebees, OBC it is all a game now. Booking a cruise is kind of like buying a car now. You really need to look at the bottom line for what you want and need.

You need to watch for promotions. Can often get beverage package, gratuities and OBC for about same price as the GOOD if you book with the right agency.

For me it's not just the price but also the promotion. I agree an aft balcony in Alaska is the best and these go quickly so you have to balance price with cabin location. But for most other cruises a balcony is a balcony. If you follow Celebrity, you know the type of promotions they run. I know they now have Good, Better, Best but when they run a promotion they sometimes bundle Beverage Package, Prepaid Gratuities and OBC at a price not too far above the Good Price. Also, if you book with the right cruise agency, the will throw in additional OBC. Not sure how it works outside the U.S.

As an FYI I just got a notice that American Airlines has cancelled all flights in and out of PHL for Saturday and are reducing the number of flights on Friday. American is the major carrier at PHL.

I live in South Jersey and one big advantage to PHL airport is that there are many carriers flying to Florida. American may be the biggest but not by much. I'm flying Southwest on Wednesday to FLL and we also have United, Delta, Frontier and Spirit all flying to FLL or MIA.

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What about driving to the next state where the flights aren't canceled ? Pending road conditions ?? Just a thought?

Snowstorm is widespread. Also, when large numbers of flights get cancelled it affects the whole country. To some extent it affects the whole world.

Besides, you may be pleasantly surprised and not even need to drive.

One time when our flight to Miami got canceled, we flew into Tampa instead, thinking we would end up renting a car to drive to Miami.

But it turned out that we were able to catch a flight from Tampa to Miami instead.

 

Another time, when we couldn't get a flight to Vancouver, we flew to Seattle instead, intending to take either a bus, train or rental car from there to Vancouver.

Upon checking the monitors at SEA airport however, we noticed that an earlier commuter flight had been delayed and was scheduled to leave for Vancouver shortly. We figured it was at least worth a try. Sure enough, there were empty seats and we got a cheap fare, about the same price as the bus ride would have cost us.

 

There are so many places where you can re-route to reach your destination another way if necessary, instead of just waiting around trying to get on the next flight that goes from point A to point B.

 

That works very well in providing backup for transatlantic flights to Europe from major east coast US airports as many of the European cities are so close together.

 

Even when they tell you that all the early morning transatlantic flights are completely sold out, if you stand by for them, you have a good chance of getting out on one (as long as the airport does not completely shut down).

 

But the main thing passengers need in such situations is time, which they don't have if they wait until the last minute to try to fly to their cruise embarkation port.

(Well, patience helps too.)

 

 

All good info but for this snowstorm (and most others) all flights to Florida are cancelled. All flights everywhere are cancelled.

Just a few comments. Once you turn your bags in you have lost control of them. It could be days before they get to Florida. Also, if your flight is cancelled, that does not mean you can go home and collect travel insurance. You basically have to jump thru hoops to find a way to get to the ship. Insurance company may help you find flights.

Celebrity offers a Big, Better, Best package. With Best...for $315pp you get Premium Beverage package, prepaid gratuities, unlimited internet, and a $150ppOBC. We definitely get our money's worth from that package. We have found Celebrity to be better priced than RCI as a result of this package deal. With a Suite....the Best package is included in the suite price along with a few more perks like Luminae.

Above is true but if you book with the right cruise agencies and during a promotion you can usually get the Beverage Package, prepaid gratuities and some OBC at the Big Price!

We try to cover lots of things. While medical is very important, we also want coverage just in case there should be car problems going to the airport and we get delayed...Cruise Care does not cover this.

 

We found that we can insure our deposit at the time we do the booking. That insures we get prior conditions covered. Then after final payment, we up the value of the policy to cover the entire cost of the cruise. This definitely helps just in case you have to cancel the cruise prior to final payment but already have paid for insurance...at least you only lose a few $$.

I'm not sure this would satisfy the requirements for coverage of pre-existing conditions which requires to purchase insurance within 10 days or so of deposit. I would definitely check this with insurer and get answer in writing. Note that airfare is considered a nonrefundable cost and must be included within 2 weeks of purchase. I used to sell cruises and attended several travel insurance seminars. At the beginning of one seminar, the speaker opened with the statement that insurers are looking for ways NOY TO PAY!

I always buy travel insurance but never insure the total trip cost. We do not have any previously existing medical conditions which would required me to insure the full cost. I just buy a $1000 policy which costs around $120 (we are both over 70). I still get all the luggage, flight delay, medical and evacuation coverage. We always travel 3 days before the cruise so I am not worried about missing the cruise. I'm also not worried about the cruise cost. I'm not rich but if I have a medical emergency, a few thousand dollars would be the least of my worries. My Medical insurance covers me anywhere in the world, but I still like to have the medical coverage with travel insurance and people who can help me locally. Just what I do - not saying it's for everyone.

Looks like a major snowstorm for the east coast Friday thru Sunday. I know that many people fly on the same day or just one day before to the embarkation port. Looks like big problems for Saturday and Sunday departures.

I noticed some replies suggested Carnival. If you have sailed on Disney, you would never want to sail on a Carnival ship.

I would suggest on of the Royal Caribbean megaships - Oasis, Allure or Harmony (new this year)

However, if you do choose Celebrity, shop around. You should be able to get free beverage package, prepaid gratuities and some OBC if you book with the right agency,

You are doing a transatlantic cruise with a carry-on bag. Surely you jest. I'm on Candid Camera, right?

As far as flights. Don't bother changing the time. Change the day. Never fly to embarkation port on the same day. Anything could go wrong. It is rare today that any flight arrives on time.

Also, according to Celebrity website "Failure to check-in and be onboard 60 minutes in advance will constitute a no show. Your booking will be cancelled and cancellation charges will be assessed."

Bon Voyage

O yes, forgot about customs. On several occasions recently disembarkation was delayed because there were not enough customs officers - major cuts to funding we were told.

You might make it and then again you may not. I have been on cruises where no one got off the ship before 11 AM. Checking in online is a nice idea but does not save any time at airport - you still need to check-in for your bags. Saturday is always one of the busiest day at FLL airport - up to 10 cruises letting off passengers really backs up security lines. I am doing the same thing for my cruise and have a 6 PM flight out of FLL - only nonstop and best price when I booked. Bet you will be thinking about that flight for your entire cruise.

2C and 2D cabins are not the same. 2C cabins look down on lifeboats. 2D cabins are in front of larger tenders which block the view out. We were in 6209 and 6210 last January. They have the largest balconies and are only slightly obstructed by the tender. Fantastic stateroom and location for the money!

I personally would never let anyone pick up my luggage at the airport unless I witnessed the pickup and transfer to the bus and the transfer from the bus to Celebrity. My wife was without luggage due to airline issue many years ago and it was not a fun cruise. That was the last time we travelled on embarkation day. I always tip the baggage handlers at the port well and watch them load the bags into a container. I still don't feel completely comfortable until that luggage arrives at the cabin.

You might also want to consider two staterooms. Sometimes it is not a whole lot more then four in one stateroom. I could not imagine having four people share one bathroom!