Diamond Mbr Sailing Celebrity for 1st Time

[setter73]

I am a Diamond Member with Royal Caribbean and will be sailing with Celebrity for the first time on the Summit in August, in a Concierge Class room. Any information and tips are greatly appreciated. I already received a Captain's Club number and received Elite status with Celebrity. Does anyone know if there are any desiganted indoor Cigar smoking areas? Are the shows as good as on the Freedom Class of RCCL?

 

Thank you for your feedback.

[Muushka]

I am not a cigar smoker, so can't help you there. And we have only done 1 cruise on Freedom. But I was really not impressed with the shows on Freedom. We saw the magic show, which was all right, and another show that starred the cruise director singing, just all right and a comedien, which again, just all right. We didn't do the Broadway type show, which may have been good. But we never do those, either cruise line.

[Bruin Steve]

I am a Diamond Member with Royal Caribbean and will be sailing with Celebrity for the first time on the Summit in August, in a Concierge Class room. Any information and tips are greatly appreciated. I already received a Captain's Club number and received Elite status with Celebrity. Does anyone know if there are any desiganted indoor Cigar smoking areas? Are the shows as good as on the Freedom Class of RCCL?

 

Thank you for your feedback.

 

They USED to allow cigar smoking in Michael's, but they have toughened up on the smoking policy:

 

What is your onboard smoking policy? For all Celebrity ships, smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom or on any stateroom veranda. Cigarette smoking will only be permitted in designated indoor and outdoor areas of the ship, while cigar and pipe smoking will only be permitted in designated outdoor areas. Smoking will not be permitted in any dining venue, casino, theater, hallway, elevator or corridor.

 

As to entertainment, obviously, there's no ice shows...IMHO, the production shows are very similar to Royal Caribbean as are the "guest stars"...With any ship, it's a little hit and miss...not everyone likes every comedian ro magician or entertainer...Both lines' ships have the same type of stage and backstage facilities and book the same sorts of shows...

 

As an Elite (/Diamond) cruiser, you get Celebrity's Elite benefits --which are very good...

 

The free drinking hours have all sorts of drinks included--wine, beer and mixed drinks (Many RCCL ships have just wine) but they run only from 5-7 (used to be 4-6...which, as an early seating diner I preferred) as opposed to RCCL's 5-8:30...The coupon books have some really good deals--like a free load of laundry...and free 90 minutes of internet...You should be invited to a free wine tasting or blending seminar and a behind the scenes tour...They do this now in a single letter at the start of the cruise...watch for it...

 

Sign up for the connections party for your cruise through the link here and check out your Roll Call...

 

Enjoy!

[miched]

We sailed on the Freedom in Oct 2010 and the Solstice in April. The Solstice is not the same ship but I would assume that the entertainment would be about the same since it is the same company.

 

I thought the entertainment on the Freedom was better because it offered more variety. I think that the Freedom or RCCL makes entertainment or entertaining the guests to be their main priority where X's main priority is relaxation, satisfaction, and elegance. They both offer production shows, magicians, singers, impressionists and etc. It is hit or miss and depends on what you like.

 

RCCL is like attending an amusement theme park and X is like being at a high class hotel that has a showroom.

 

Just my opinion and what do I know? I drink tap water.

 

 

 

 

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[Freecall]

 

RCCL is like attending an amusement theme park and X is like being at a high class hotel that has a showroom.

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

This is actually a really good way of putting it although at the end of the day the differences are much smaller than the commonalities.

 

.

[Moomintroll]

Hello, if I recall from the smoking area information when on the Solstice, they allow you to smoke cigars and pipes only on the Starboard side of the Sunset Bar and not in the other designated smoking areas. I have to say I did see some cigar smoking going on on the Port side of the pool deck also; it doesn't bother me so it wasn't an issue but I definitely recalled in the little flyer you get in your cabin they were asking that cigars and pipes were only smoked in the one place. This may have changed with time and on different ships, and my experience is a year or so old.

[setter73]

They USED to allow cigar smoking in Michael's, but they have toughened up on the smoking policy:

 

What is your onboard smoking policy? For all Celebrity ships, smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom or on any stateroom veranda. Cigarette smoking will only be permitted in designated indoor and outdoor areas of the ship, while cigar and pipe smoking will only be permitted in designated outdoor areas. Smoking will not be permitted in any dining venue, casino, theater, hallway, elevator or corridor.

 

As to entertainment, obviously, there's no ice shows...IMHO, the production shows are very similar to Royal Caribbean as are the "guest stars"...With any ship, it's a little hit and miss...not everyone likes every comedian ro magician or entertainer...Both lines' ships have the same type of stage and backstage facilities and book the same sorts of shows...

 

As an Elite (/Diamond) cruiser, you get Celebrity's Elite benefits --which are very good...

 

The free drinking hours have all sorts of drinks included--wine, beer and mixed drinks (Many RCCL ships have just wine) but they run only from 5-7 (used to be 4-6...which, as an early seating diner I preferred) as opposed to RCCL's 5-8:30...The coupon books have some really good deals--like a free load of laundry...and free 90 minutes of internet...You should be invited to a free wine tasting or blending seminar and a behind the scenes tour...They do this now in a single letter at the start of the cruise...watch for it...

 

Sign up for the connections party for your cruise through the link here and check out your Roll Call...

 

Enjoy!

 

Thank you for your input.

[setter73]

We sailed on the Freedom in Oct 2010 and the Solstice in April. The Solstice is not the same ship but I would assume that the entertainment would be about the same since it is the same company.

 

I thought the entertainment on the Freedom was better because it offered more variety. I think that the Freedom or RCCL makes entertainment or entertaining the guests to be their main priority where X's main priority is relaxation, satisfaction, and elegance. They both offer production shows, magicians, singers, impressionists and etc. It is hit or miss and depends on what you like.

 

RCCL is like attending an amusement theme park and X is like being at a high class hotel that has a showroom.

 

Just my opinion and what do I know? I drink tap water.

 

 

 

Thank you for your input.

[cruisestitch]

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are not the same company. They are, however, both owned by the same parent company, as is Azamara. They each have their own policies, procedures, entertainment, and so forth.

[Pam in CA]

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are not the same company. They are, however, both owned by the same parent company, as is Azamara. They each have their own policies, procedures, entertainment, and so forth.

I'm confused. :( The poster above is able to get their Royal Caribbean benefits applied to Celebrity even though they've never sailed on Celebrity. While I'm not Diamond on Royal, I do have four cruises and was told that I get nothing, not even a Celebrity member #, for doing so and that my upcoming Celebrity cruise would count for '0' on Royal. I understand the concept of different cruiselines owned by the same company being managed separately as I cruise on Princess and HAL but what I don't understand is the the poster getting their Royal benefits on Celebrity.

[cruisestitch]

Four cruises on one lime isn't enough to qualify for reciprocal status on the other line. You need at least five on Celebrity to have it recognized by Royal. Coming from Royal to Celebrity it's a bit different now because they are counting days, not number of cruises, but the concept is still the same.

 

What you were told is correct -- you cannot sail on Celebrity and have it added to your total on Royal and vice versa. But once you reach a certain status, you can be enrolled in the other line's loyalty program at an elevated level. I am Elite on Celebrity, and the first time I sailed on Royal, became Diamond there through the reciprocity program. But my continuing Celebrity cruises do not add to my Royal status towards Diamond Elite. To do that, I would need more cruises on Royal Caribbean.

[megr1125]

Summit was a wonderful ship! The Captain's Club ambassador is a sweetheart.

 

There are VERY limited areas on the ship where smoking is permitted...and one of them is NOT the casino....I can't recall ab special place for cigar smoking, other than on part of an open deck.....that's one reason i really love =X= as a non smoker...

 

As a DP/Elite I was able to go to Michaels each morning for a light breakfast including free mimosas and bloody marys!) and in the very early evening (late afternoon actually 4-6 PM) for free cocktails..(there is a list...) They will pass around hors d'ouvers and sometimes will have selections from the Normandie (extra charge dining room) for people to try....[the servers in the Captains Club lounge are also wonderful...i had intended to try a variety of beverages but after the 1st night, my Kir Royale was on my favorite table at 4:01 PM!)

 

I think you need 5 RCI cruise credits (or however many points that is now..) to get status on =X=

 

Also, the coupon book is pretty nice.(for elites) FREE bag of laundry up to 30 pieces (wash n fold) a couple free dry clean items, free pressing i think....maybe 45-60 minutes (or more) on internet time.....

 

I was very spoiled......service was excellent all over the ship...

 

You get 'status matched' for lack of a better term between RCI and =X=, but my 3 cruises on Celebrity don't count for RCI. So, I am DP on RCI and ELite on Celebrity and that works for me...

 

You will get a letter explaining all this....I had to read it a couple times (i was really too excited to comprehend what it said!!)

 

Oh, I see now that maybe the times have been pushed back for cocktails in the evening...THAT was my biggest complaint! 4 PM was too early...

[bhealy]

I'm confused. :( The poster above is able to get their Royal Caribbean benefits applied to Celebrity even though they've never sailed on Celebrity. While I'm not Diamond on Royal, I do have four cruises and was told that I get nothing, not even a Celebrity member #, for doing so and that my upcoming Celebrity cruise would count for '0' on Royal. I understand the concept of different cruiselines owned by the same company being managed separately as I cruise on Princess and HAL but what I don't understand is the the poster getting their Royal benefits on Celebrity.

 

Any chance you are platinum on RCI? You could be with four cruises if any were in suites or 12 nights +. If that is the case you should be a select member on Celebrity

[island couple]

Hi,

Thanks for the information, I am also a Diamond member with RC. This is our first cruise with Celebrity. 11/18/11. I think we needed a change and think it will be a nice change from what I am hearing.

[dzcruisers]

With elite status each elite passenger gets 90 minutes of free internet. We enjoyed that as well as the laundry and the other benefits. Just wanted to clarify that it's not per cabin.

[Pam in CA]

Four cruises on one lime isn't enough to qualify for reciprocal status on the other line. You need at least five on Celebrity to have it recognized by Royal. Coming from Royal to Celebrity it's a bit different now because they are counting days, not number of cruises, but the concept is still the same.

Thanks for the clarification. :)

 

I think you need 5 RCI cruise credits (or however many points that is now..) to get status on =X=

Again, thanks.

 

Any chance you are platinum on RCI? You could be with four cruises if any were in suites or 12 nights +. If that is the case you should be a select member on Celebrity

Nah. My RCI cruises were many years ago and were 7-day cruises. Very doubtful I'd take another one although I'll never say, "Never."

 

Elite gets only 90 minutes/pp? Is that for any length cruise or just seven days? I think that's similar to HAL; I guess it's better than nothing.

[cruisestitch]

Elite benefit is 90 minutes of free internet per passenger per cruise, whether the cruise is 4 days or 14 days long.

[philnpen]

Elite benefit is 90 minutes of free internet per passenger per cruise, whether the cruise is 4 days or 14 days long.

 

We also are Diamond with Royal and sailed our first X cruise on the Equinox the end of January. We got our number and Elite status before the cruise. We were in a CC stateroom. There were so many Elites on our cruise they held the evening cocktails in the Sky Lounge. The Equinox is a very brautiful ship, great food and service. Why there is a lawn, I don't know? Only saw two gentlemen playing Bocci ball on it. I understand there are wine and cheese tastings for a charge for a picnic on the lawn event.

[luv-2-cruise]

We just came back from Bermuda on the Summit. It was our first Celebrity Cruise and were granted Elite status because of being diamond on RCCL. The other niceties that were thrown in from the Captain's Club were a bridge tour (while the ship was enroute), a galley tour, Introduction to Wine 101, Captain's Club Celebration, Elegant Tea, Senior Officers' Cocktail Party and Backstage Tour.

 

As Meg said, the Captain's Club hostess (Korina) is a dolll super friendly and helpful. We are now hooked on Celebrity!