Lsimon

1A is the top level standard veranda cabin. The cabin itself is the exact same as every other veranda cabin. The 1A cabins are located on the angled areas of the ship, most on the edges of the mid-ship hump but also on the edge of where the cabin tapers in towards the forward end of the ship. Because of the exterior angle these cabins have slightly larger verandas than other veranda cabins. This post on another thread shows photos of the locations of these cabins and graphically shows why the verandas are a little larger.

All of the other designations for standard veranda cabins depend on location. Generally speaking the 2D cabins have obstructed view, the 2C cabins also have an obstructed view but the obstruction is less, 2B cabins are forward or aft and 2A cabins are mid-ship.

I understand why someone from outside the US where prices are higher would buy on board. But I can not understand why anyone from the US would buy on board. Prices are the same. Selection stinks. Is there an advantage that I am missing?

 

DON

 

Tax free ?

Yes, there would be no sales tax. Personally I don't think that is enough of a reason to buy on board but some people do.

If a USA citizen buys one on board they should be careful to declare it on their customs form as US Customs gets a list from the ship of all large on board purchases.

We did a Mexican Riviera cruise years ago. While any cruise is nice there is just no comparison to the Caribbean ports in terms of the quality of beaches and cleanliness of the water. We'd never travel to the West Coast again just for a Mexico cruise even if offered. I can see the appeal for those that live in California but I don't think there is as much appeal for anyone who has to fly in any event.

3dog, Solstice has already sailed under the Lions Gate Bridge, problem solved.

I believe that the stacks on the Solstice were modified for this but that the other S class ships were not. So the Solstice is the only S class ship to do this.

We have done Panama starting in SF but would no longer consider this with the issues in Mexico and the number of sea says you need to do to miss Mexico....

The other issue with the Panama cruises is that the S class ships cannot do these. The current canal is too narrow. I believe that while the new canal opening in a year or two would be wide enough that there might also be a problem because of a bridge that the S class ships cannot pass under - I seem to recall this being mentioned in a thread a few months ago. This also limits Celebrity's ability to reposition an S class ship to the West Coast since the only alternative is to circumnavigate South America or sail around the world.

Although I totally agree with the point you make regarding the way it used to be done when we all went to the lifeboats, the above statement is not really correct.

 

Everyone (including staff and crew) is assigned to a lifeboat. In the case of passengers, your lifeboat number is printed on your seapass card.

 

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Sorry I believe you are incorrect. There is no assigned lifeboat. In the even t of a real emergency requiring evacuation all lifeboats may not even be usable and passengers would be evacuated by the most efficient manner. Think about how hard it would be to get people to a specific lifeboat if the ship needed to be evacuated quickly or was listing or damaged in one area.

And I'll let you in on another fact I've read (although I've not verified it): Newer larger ships, including Celebrity's S class ships do not have enough lifeboat capacity for all passengers and crew on board. Before you panic, be aware that these ships are equipped with Marine Evacuation Systems. The S class ships have 4 of these systems on board, each with a capacity of over 400 people. These systems are much more efficient at evacuating passengers than the lifeboats and I believe they can be used in situations, such as listing where lifeboats might not work. The ships also have a large number of rafts that auto inflate. These are all those canisters located on the promenade deck.

Info on the Marine Evacuation System:

[YOUTUBE]t8cR-hY9PGk[/YOUTUBE]

any clue how much a taxi would be to the east end for the ocean frontier snorkel? We are staying on 7MB in june but really want to do this snorkel. we plan on sticking with the bus for other transportation but its a long way to east end….maybe we can rent a car for the day? Anyone drive it?

Well this is dated information but: Around 20 years ago we stayed on the Island for a few days. We rented a car right at our hotel for a couple days and drove all the way to the east side of the island and around up to Rum Point and back. I'm guessing that the distance you're talking about you'd be wanting to either rent a car or arrange a private car or taxi at a day rate. This would be something you can Google car services for ahead of time or contact your hotel for suggestions. Or if the snorkel you're looking at is organized then call the company for suggestions.

Sorry, but count me as one of those who prefer to have drills at the lifeboats themselves. Yes, it can be hot and frustrating when people are late, but it lasts less than an hour and you're back inside quickly. HAL always has officers present conducting the drills and there's no video presentation everyone is trying to see and hear. And when people are talking, I have heard officers silence them quickly and firmly.

Other than order being kept, why do you feel it is beneficial to by a lifeboat?

Celebrity could accomplish the order and attention you're citing in your last two sentences in any location if they put the effort into it. Likewise, if they procedures are lax there could be even more disorder and lack of attention outside by the lifeboats.

Since no one is assigned to a particular lifeboat, or even a lifeboat area, and since lifeboats are not the only, or even the best, evacuation options, I don't see what purpose going out to a lifeboat would serve these days.

...I am surprised to be typing this, but I actually prefer a muster drill by a lifeboat.

Celebrity, along with other lines with modern large ships, does not do muster drills by the lifeboats as no lifeboats are assigned. There are several evacuation devices used by the cruise line in addition to lifeboats including devices that are more efficient and versatile in an actual emergency where the ship might be listing such as the Marine Escape Systems installed on the S class ships.

They meet inside so that they can organize an evacuation if needed. Since all emergencies are not the same the method and location of an evacuation, if required, must be able to change with the conditions.

Thank you for the responces. I meant Equinox cabins.

We were aft cabin fanatics on the M class ships as we loved the larger verandas and the aft view. So on our first S class cruise on the Equinox westbound TA in 2009 we were very happy to grab an aft veranda and were very disappointed. There was almost always soot falling on our veranda. We could not sit on the chairs without getting our clothing very dirty unless we covered the chairs with a clean towel. We tracked soot into the cabin and didn't like going out there barefoot because of the soot. There was very little privacy as the verandas are uncovered so about half of the depth could be seen from the floor above. Also we sometimes had water from the floors above raining down on our veranda because cabin stewards were frequently hosing off the soot from the verandas above us and this sometimes occurred when we would have wanted to sit out there.

With all that said, reports of soot problems seem very intermittent. I don't know why but I'd guess it depends a lot on where the ship is traveling as to how much of their garbage is incinerated. I'd guess it also depends on ship speed and direction relative to the wind and weather. Many cruisers report no problems with soot and many love the aft verandas.

I also did not like the distance from the cabins to the closest elevator and staircase. Not a big deal but enough to bother me despite the fact that we're generally in good shape and walk long distances frequently for exercise.

Personally I would no longer book an aft S class cabin with the exception of the cabins on the highest deck which do have an overhang covering from the public area above (those are C1 cabins and not SV).

Clearly there are others that disagree and love the aft cabins on the S class ships, but we now prefer midship locations on the S class ships.

...Only 1 time did she have a problem, in a speciality resturant, on the Equinox....

I don't have Celiac but have traveled with friends who do, and have a family member who has a different food allergy. The only problems we've had on board were also in Specialty restaurants. I think the problem is that in the specialty restaurants you're waited on by a wide range of staff (as opposed to just one waiter and one assistant in the regular dining room) so there is a chance that you might get a server who is unaware of your request. Also, some of the less experienced staff who might just be dropping off a plate are not as well trained in the food allergies and special diet requirements as the upper level staff. So you have to be a little more diligent in who you talk to and who you get food from in the specialty restaurants.

Similar, in the buffet the supervisor chefs and managers (wearing a special neckerchief for a chef or a tie for a manager) are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. But if you just ask any server behind the counter there is a chance you can get a newer staff member with limited English skills who give an incorrect answer. So it is best to seek out one of the managers - especially your first few times there.

If it's months later that probably would not work for us in November, I would not purchase an iPad 2 on the ship when an ipad 3 had been released a month earlier. I can't see many paying full price on board for the older model although Apple will probably cut the price as they usually do and the ship may follow suit.

Thinking about it we are spending Two days in Miami pre cruise and one night post cruise, we might be better just purchasing there.

Buying pre-post cruise is a much better idea if the USA prices provide a savings. The only price difference from the ship would be the sales tax (I believe this is 6% in the county where Port Everglades is located and 7% where Miami is) and the cost of transportation to/from a store that sells these. Nearly every mass merchant and electronics/appliance store sells these and there are several Apple stores around Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Generally the mass merchant stores have a slimmer selection depending on the store.

Also, if you buy before/after your cruise you'll be able to set it up using wifi at your hotel or a coffee shop. At an Apple Store the sales associate would probably help you set it up on the spot. The only negative for you would be that the battery charger will have an American style plug.

Can someone tell me about the privacy issues on the S ships cabin larger balconies?

 

Since they are slanted, I'm wondering how much privacy one has when sitting out on these balconies.

 

Thanks

The last couple of feet by the railing, especially at the deepest side of the veranda, might be easier to see from some cabins. So you might be more visible if you're standing right at the railing. But most of the sitting/lounging area would have as much privacy as any other veranda cabin.

Here is a photo from another thread posted on Cruise Critic that excellently shows why the bump out (a/k/a angle of the hump) cabins on S class have a larger veranda. Click on the photo to go to the original post which has other photos of the hump area of the ships:

Thinking of switching from c3 concierge to sv cabin. Would appreciate any info on or opinion on the sv cabins. Pros and cons.

Constellation doesn't have SV cabins. Are you thinking of an Aft C1 cabin?

I asked this in a different way yesterday and only got one, one-word answer -- "never". So, I'm using a different topic heading and rephrasing. An accessible cabin (C1 aft) next to ours on an upcoming Summit sailing suddenly shows as available. If no one requiring the accessible features books this cabin, what happens? Has anyone seeing this post ever been moved to an unbooked (same class) accessible?

I got one of the C1 aft accessible cabins on the Summit many years ago. Our TA actually got us booked into it when it became available about a week before our cruise as she knew we wanted an aft cabin. This was so long ago that all the C cabins were a single class so the switch was within the same class from our mid ship concierge class cabin and not an "upgrade".

While the extra size might sound nice if I had the choice between that cabin and a regular aft C1 next to it I would take the smaller regular aft C1. I'm sure the accessible features are a godsend for those that need it but they are not great for those that do not need them.

While I don't have experience on this, it has been my understanding that you can upgrade from one package to another on board by paying the difference in price. The post above from Iamthesea makes me question if that is accurate. But if you can do it on board then the price would be the difference between the two packages plus the 18% gratuity.

Currently the per night prices BEFORE the 18% gratuity are:

Classic NA $16.00

Premium NA $20.00

Classic $49.00

Premium $59.00

...So early it was often still dark but it is just so boring! I tried counting five for a kilometre then eight for a mile then ten for two kilometres etc like the saddo I am but gave up and went by the clock as I ran out of fingers. Mind numbing. Spectactular views though as it got lighter....

I guess I never get tired of the view. Up on deck as the sun is about to rise, and all through the sunrise. the views are incredible (pictures). I even like walking mid-day. The added attraction of people watching makes up for dogging the obstacles (people and chairs). While jogging or running is not practical on a nice sea day during prime time you can still walk at a pretty good pace overall with a few slow spots each lap.

I use a watch with a lap counter to keep track of the laps, you need too many laps to keep count of in your head to get any distance. I'll do 2 to 4 miles on a typical sea day.

...the Solstice, like the Equinox, it really takes close to 10 loops to reach a mile on our Garmin.

Did you measure the distance on your Garmin GPS while the ship was stationary or while it was moving? Of course measurements will be distorted with a GPS if the ship is moving. I've never tested the stated measurement but they do have signs indicating 8 laps per mile:

We've frequently cruised with friends from the UK who have a daughter younger than your children. She absolutely loves sailing on Celebrity. She loves the kids clubs on Celebrity because there are fewer children on Celebrity, especially the 14 night cruises which she has done before, meaning the kids club is not as crowded as on some other lines and she finds them a lot of fun.

Celebrity does not have a lot of child targeted activities outside of the kids club. For example there is no rock wall, skating rink or water slides. The closest thing they have to mini-golf is that they'll occasionally set up a single putting hole on their lawn area. They do have a pool, lawn games for the family on the lawn area (mostly unorganized games for you to do on your own), a hot glass blowing show that kids love, and other basic cruise ship features. Other than these, and the kids club, there are not many kid specific activities. On the other hand the cruise is relatively port intensive (other than the two days of just travel on either end of the cruise) so there is a lot of great port time awaiting the family.

...The one aspect that deters me is the fact that the minimum age for speciality dining is 12, which means we can not visit one as a family for the whole 14 days :(...

This is not true. Only one of the three specialty restaurants, Murano, has the age limit. Your children will be welcome at Tuscan Grill and Qsine.

I think the first thing you need to consider is your girls will not be able to have their own cabin. The minimum age is 21 so arrangements would have to be made there...

As others have said, you'll have no issue putting the girls in a cabin next to yours. All the veranda cabins on the Eclipse have verandas that can be opened to each other on request and there are lots of connecting rooms that have a unique connecting set up that forms a small vestibule by the front doors. Occasionally an agent will require you to book one adult in each cabin but they'll be happy to let you switch at guest relations on board and will give you an extra key to the girl's room.

Sailing spain and Portugal on equinox this October. What is dress on formal nights? Will be traveling in Europe week prior, do not need to lug tux or suit.

All the thoughts and answers to dress code questions have been compiled into this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2113872

The dress code for formal nights is a hot topic often resulting in long heated debates here on Cruise Critic. For that reason the Celebrity Forum Moderators have asked all dress code discussions be limited to the thread that Wallie5446 indicated.

The short answer is that there is a dress code for formal nights in the Main Dining Room that does ask men to wear a tux or suit. Sometimes this is loosely enforced leading to the long debates as some choose to disregard the request.

You can order any bottle of wine from Celebrity's dining room wine list to be delivered to your cabin. Just call room service or use the interactive menu on your TV set.

Unfortunately I haven't seen a full wine list published on Cruise Critic lately but I have one that is a couple years old, so prices might be a little higher now but it is still pretty representative of what you'll find. Click here for a PDF copy. As you'll see the prices are typical of restaurant / resort pricing and quite a bit higher than retail wine store prices.

You can also bring up to two bottles of wine on board with you. There are some great wine stores near the port (a short cab ride away) such as Total Wine. Your cabin steward will bring you glasses on request and even chill a bottle in a bucket of ice for you. You can usually get a corkscrew from your steward but they are cheap plastic ones and you'll do better bringing a basic inexpensive metal one of your own - just pack it in your luggage rather than your carry-on. Although wine is best carried in your carry on when you board.

As other's have mentioned you can purchase a limited selection of a few wines in advance from the gift section on Celebrity's web site as well.

Our own preference is to stop at a wine store before boarding. That way we can have a really nice bottle of wine for our cabin at around the same price as a cheap bottle sold on board.

Also, if you have one of the beverage packages that includes wine you can stop at a bar or lounge on the ship and pick up a couple glasses of wine to bring back to your cabin at no extra charge since they're included in your package.

Hope this all helps!

... I noticed in the Remember To Bring section: Camera and lots of FILM...

Thanks for reminding me! I also need to pick up a bunch of Flash Cubes to take pictures around the ship at night with my Instamatic!

What port and what beach.

At most ports it is very easy to take a cab to the beach on your own and almost always less money, and more convenient, than booking a ship's excursion.

I do take ship's excursions for certain tours but never just to head to the beach unless the beach is unusually far from the ship.

Sept 19th is a 13 day Med sailing

OP asked about a March 6th 10 night cruise in the first post on this thread.

Who cares about the Candy... Celebrity must do something to prevent my ice cream from melting when I leave it on my lounge chair by the pool and take off for 4 hrs....

You bowl hogs drive me crazy! If you guys didn't hog your ice cream bowls for hours on the pool chairs there would be plenty of bowls for everyone to use! But no, you have to hog a bowl even when you're not even eating out of it!:mad:

Last cruise I watched a bowl sitting on a chair for 2 hours and finally got a bus boy to get it and clean it out for me so I could get some ice cream. I no sooner start eating my ice cream and this lady comes along and starts screaming that I too "her" bowl and demanding that I let her have my ice cream! We had to call security and two officers to straighten out the situation but eventually I was able to finish it.

Things like this wouldn't even be an issue if it weren't for you bowl hogs!

I've sailed Celebrity's 10 night Caribbean itinerary several times over the years including sailings on the Equinox and other ships before that, although our last cruise on that itinerary was a couple years back. This is an itinerary that runs from a Friday to a Monday and the first two and last two days are always sea days traveling between Florida and the Caribbean. The two Saturday's on board have always been formal nights on each of those cruises.

I'll also say that on every Celebrity cruise that we've sailed on the second night on board has always been a formal night if it was a sea day and often when it was not as well. Also, the very first, and last, nights on board are never formal nights because of the related issue of people still unpacking from embarkation, or packing for disembarkation, at those times.

You are aware that formal is only observed in the MDR,it is not observed in any of the specialty restaurants.

This isn't really true. Formal attire is only REQUIRED in the main dining room. We've found that in the other dining areas (Blu and the specialty restaurants) there was a good mix of people dressed both formally and smart casual on formal nights so that one would feel comfortable dressed either way in these venues.

...Most of the reviews I have read mentioned that Qsine is difficult to do with only 2 people since the plates are designed to be shared....

This doesn't make much sense to me. We've dined there as a couple, as part of a small group, and as part of a larger group. I don't think the ease or difficulty of dining was any different. Perhaps with a larger group the service was a bit slower as they'd need to get all the plates of a serving ready at once.

As others have said Qsine is for the most part shared small plates. But they'll adjust the amount of food on the small plates, or the number of small plates, appropriately for the number of people so I really don't think the number of guests makes a huge difference in the dining experience as far as the food itself.