ECCruise

We were in the same boat on all the ones we did in the last year, most of which were booked on the old system. Got all the info a week or so before sailing, but that is too late.

That's strange. Our TA forwarded us everything (actually 2 B2B sailings combined) from Azamara in minutes after she enacted the deposit.

When did you book? This was a booking only a month or so ago.

I would say that our most recent booking experience was the best we've ever had on 100+ sailings. Literally 15 minutes after we solidified the booking with our TA, we received the following from Azamara: A welcome email. An invoice detailing the booking price with OBC clearly listed. Our Guest Ticket Booklet (what you used to receive to initiate the "doc dance"). A detailed itinerary. Directions to the embarkation port. Boarding times by group. Our boarding passes. Additional information related to the sailing. For a cruise that does not leave until 12 July, 2025. Pretty impressive, IMHO.

Don't spend time looking. There is no way to book online. As mentioned upthread, just head to the table(s) where they are booking when you embark and secure the booking(s).

Ponant also does a status match.

I would book a ship's tour, a private tour or arrange private transportation both ways, in advance. I'd hate to be in Aix and find that no drivers wanted to make the trip to Marseilles.

You would need to contact Celebrity directly since it is only they who can give you definitive (and legal) parameters. There may be immigration issues involved (in your scenario, you are scheduled to disembark non-EU and you want to disembark in EU). For certain, you will need to remove your own luggage, make arrangements with GS for totaling your onboard account, perhaps with security so they zero you out. Etc., etc.

Our experience probably highlights exactly what you are saying. About 18 months ago, we booked 4 =X= sailings, 50+ days, for what we considered reasonable pricing. We have been Elite+ for like a decade, so were pretty loyal =X= customers. Since then, with the insane (no other way to put it) price increases, decreased amenities and obvious cuts (food, anyone?) we've booked: 7 Azamara (90+ days) 3 HAL (40+ days) 1 Princess (27 days) We are just 2 customers (although 2 that travel pretty extensively and often) and if Celebrity feels that their best posture is going for the suite-centric, high dollar, largely short itinerary, largely Caribbean focused, fairly new customer demographic perhaps they know better than we do. Only time will tell if it is the right move, and if it is, I will be the first to congratulate them.

My TA would echo the same. As would we with the onboard experience on the 5 we've done since the restart. Our TA was pulling her hair out over the problems between say April and late July. Was really ready to stop booking Azamara. But then the 3 bookings we've done since late July, and how smoothly they went, she had a real change of heart. (We have directions to the port, boarding times, boarding passes and line by line description of OBCs--on a July 2025 sailing). In addition, we had a pretty major problem on one of our upcoming bookings which took a good while to sort out, but when it did, it was to everyone's satisfaction. And jumping out of this fire (if it is one) into another one is no panacea for sure. Check out the boards on Oceania, on Explora (wow, they virtually axed most of their itineraries and replaced many with very short sailings) and the Granddaddy of them all, Celebrity, where many, many Elite, Elite + and even Zenith are bailing. Fast.

If you were in Verandah you should have 130 points. Verandah + 156 points so uou should be either Adventurer or Explorer I think.

Thanks for noting that. I've seen those tours but I guess I was looking it from the perspective of a rental car since that is how we always do things in Hawaii.

Explorer is 150-299 points. How many days were you on the 2 cruises?

Maybe because the title is "Alternatives to Celebrity?" Why would a smaller ship not be an alternative? We have gone back and forth dozens of times sailing, e.g., Celebrity and Oceania and Azamara. You've said you don't like small ships. That's fine. But it doesn't mean that many of us can't do both.

OK. Only asked because you said "no thanks on the new owners." We sailed Azamara many times before the sale and 5 since (and have 7 booked) and found the onboard differences between pre-sale and after are minor, if at all. Admittedly, the website was/is a mess, but getting better daily.

Have checked some of those prices but we find, after 20+ sailings in suites in mainline and premium lines (=X=, RCCL, NCL, Princess, Azamara and Oceania) that the prices are way, way beyond what we feel is commensurate with the experience. Whether in Retreat or Silversea. And we haven't done formal, or anything close to it, in nearly 15 years. And not gonna go back. 🙂

Curious. Have you sailed Azamara since the Sycamore sale?

We've done quite a few Royal (only Radiance class or smaller) which could be considered an alternative to Celebrity. Actually find them more equitable with M class, e.g., than E class on =X=. But no way are, IMHO, Oasis, Quantum or likely even Freedom or Voyager class (let alone ICON class 🫢) be considered an acceptable Celebrity alternative. Unless =X= has even morphed even further afield than I am afraid they already have.

Sorry, I guess that since the title was "new itineraries" that all the ones that currently exist wouldn't be submitted.

Eclipse does this 5 times, 2023/2024.

We are actually some of the lowest maintenance cruisers on the planet. And if, e.g., we are paying $400 total per day for a balcony cabin on a non-Caribbean sailing (Europe or Asia, say), which is what we are paying for the ones we have booked, there are lots of things we can overlook. Food not the way it was 5 years ago? Meh. Obnoxious loud music prevalent? We go somewhere else. Service off a lick? We can deal. But have that scenario at $800 per day? Not a chance. Which is the way things are rapidly trending, sadly (and regrettably).

Pretty reasoned review, but one caveat for us: At the prices we have our next 4 =X= sailings booked for, 80% of what we expect is not the best scenario, but doable. At the prices they are charging currently, 80% of what we expect is a show stopper. A hard stop.

With Tom's Port Guides obviously gone, I find this site much more helpful than I would videos. Here I can cut and past a snippet (or more) and keep (and print) information of interest, maps, etc. Can't do any of that with videos. Been using whatsinport.com for many years.

I should add that you would be dropped off at the Harimayabashi Tourist Bus Terminal so you can see where you would be in the city. 5 minute walk to Hariyma Bridge, 20-25 minute walk to Kochi Castle.

Lots of advantages to docking at Kahului vs. Lahaina. Docked instead of tendered. Easier access to rental cars at OGG airport (less than 10 minutes away). You can do the Road to Hana (virtually impossible from Lahaina unless overnight) Much closer to Haleakalā. Lahaina will take many years to rebuild and who knows what it will end up as. But having spent lots of time in Maui, docking at Kahului would be a big plus for us.