Helipad invites

[sunsetme]

who gets an invite to the helipad for sailaway or other times (like the Panama Canal)?

[jelayne]

It varies.  Our last 3 sailing there was no sail in/out from the helipad.

There can be a event for suite guests, sometimes Concierge guests, Elite+, Aqua, Elite there doesn't seem to be a set criteria for if or when there will be a sail/ in or out of who will be invited.

 

[Northern Aurora]

Since @sunsetme has specifically asked about the Panama Canal we have done six full transits, and each time the helipad was open to all passengers.  On one of the transits it was opened after the first hour or so as it had rained overnight.  The helipad was deemed too wet initially to be opened so was opened after it had dried. 

 

On other occasions we have received helipad invitations based on factors such as Captain's Club loyalty status or stateroom category.

[doghog]

We've been invited twice ( different intinaries). Not sure if it's a tier level thing or what. We are non retreat cruisers. Same when Celebrity use to do with the Captain's Table invite in the evening in the MDR. 

Edited February 2 by doghog

[keesar]

We received an invitation for having booked another cruise early on the cruise.

[Essiesmom]

I was invited as a B2B guest.  EM

[Jim_Iain]

We are always invited to Helipad Sail Always as a Zenith / Suite Passenger.   We rarely accept the invite --- notable exception arrival in NYC and sail in past the Statue of Liberty.  

 

My observations have been that it is up to the Captain and Port Arrival times but Generally Suites and Zenith's get an invite.    On Different days I've seen Aqua and Concierge Passengers being invited.

 

As others have indicated, for Panama Canal and often the Glaciers the Helipad is open to all passenger but they may limit the number allowed at a time. 

[mahasamatman]

We went once, and have skipped it ever since. It gets really crowded and there's no shade, so it can get quite uncomfortable.

[Reel Love]

We have never received an invite, but I always thought it would be cool to try it at least once.  Have only sailed Celebrity 8 or 9 times so not nearly as often as many folks on this board and didn't know if you had to sail a certain number of times to "qualify" for an invite.  Finally thought "what the heck" and simply went to the CC host and made the request and voila, attended our first sailaway from the helipad.  He also allowed our four friends/travel mates to attend with us, and it was their first sailing on Celebrity.

[Texed]

5 minutes ago, Reel Love said:

We have never received an invite, but I always thought it would be cool to try it at least once.  Finally thought "what the heck" and simply went to the CC host and made the request and voila, attended our first sailaway from the helipad.  He also allowed our four friends/travel mates to attend with us, and it was their first sailing on Celebrity.

 

Hopefully, you and your friends enjoyed the experience. 😊

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, sunsetme said:

who gets an invite to the helipad for sailaway or other times (like the Panama Canal)?

 

There was an open invitation for all passengers to watch the Panama Canal crossing from Millennium's helipad last year (Apr 21 2023 sailing). Not sure exactly how Celebrity managed crowd control but the transit pretty much takes 8-10 hours (or something like that).

 

In the past we usually have been invited once per sailing because of our loyalty status (just Elite).  

 

 

 

Edited February 3 by mahdnc

[D. B.]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

It varies.  Our last 3 sailing there was no sail in/out from the helipad.

There can be a event for suite guests, sometimes Concierge guests, Elite+, Aqua, Elite there doesn't seem to be a set criteria for if or when there will be a sail/ in or out of who will be invited.

 

We were just on Equinox and it was Concierge guests Only.

 Sometimes we were invited just by being Elite+?

[SusieAV8R]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are always invited to Helipad Sail Always as a Zenith / Suite Passenger.   We rarely accept the invite --- notable exception arrival in NYC and sail in past the Statue of Liberty.  

 

My observations have been that it is up to the Captain and Port Arrival times but Generally Suites and Zenith's get an invite.    On Different days I've seen Aqua and Concierge Passengers being invited.

 

As others have indicated, for Panama Canal and often the Glaciers the Helipad is open to all passenger but they may limit the number allowed at a time. 

Jim_lain, your comments reflect our experiences as suite class/Zenith cruisers.

[Jim_Iain]

Helipad sail aways don't always work as expected.    We decided to do the one out of Port Liberty..   The ship was delayed due to a medical emergency and they finally had to ask us to leave as it was unknown when we would set sail. 

[Turtles06]

Sailaways from a port or sails into one are very different from full transits of the Panama Canal. It is quite common on cruise lines for the bow to be open to all guests during a Canal transit, which takes an entire day. 

[Reel Love]

5 hours ago, Texed said:

 

Hopefully, you and your friends enjoyed the experience. 😊

We did Texed, thank you!!!  😊   It was pretty cool thing to experience and happy we can now say we have done it!

Edited February 3 by Reel Love

[BlerkOne]

Last year on Infinity, the helipad was open to everyone to imitate popsicles in Antarctica.

[gold1953]

and there are always people in line wearing  heels, flip flops etc. and yes you get rejected!

[alexandria]

Being at the bow of the ship in the Panama Canal, Glacier Bay or other similar locale can be an interesting experience.  And for those occasions, the bow is usually open for all passengers. 

 

Otherwise, being "invited" to the helipad for sailaways and other ordinary things.  Meh.  Highly overrated. You aren't missing anything.

[cruzeluver]

We have received the invite on our last three cruises with X  (two in the Caribbean, one in the Med) and happily attended. We are Elite.

Edited February 3 by cruzeluver
more info

[upwarduk]

13 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

Captain's Club loyalty status or stateroom category.

We have had 2 invitations, but we missed the 2 nd one as we hadn’t returned to our cabin after an excursion.

Both were given when we were Elite status. 
Ours was sailing out of Stockholm.

 

Edited February 3 by upwarduk

[upwarduk]

I’m very sorry that the last 2 photos are upside down, no idea why.

I am not able to edit the post, I have reported to an Admin.

We really need to be allowed longer to edit posts.

Edited February 3 by upwarduk

[Ex-Airbalancer]

been to a couple sailways , sunset bar is just as good in 99% of the ports 

[Oceangoer2]

We've enjoyed our experiences on sail away.  Some we had no CC status, another we were E, and then E+.  So no real reason...I've heard sometimes a room steward will recommend someone who has been courteous to them;  also the hostess may have extended the invite (do they even exist now?).  And usually invites to suites and/or Zeniths.  No real reason sometimes. One was cancelled due to weather but made up for at the next port. The best was sailing out of Venice so slowly in 2013!  A beautiful memory.  Turned down last 2 invitations....DH has a bad back and finds walking/standing for any length of time a problem (no chairs available).  But for us we think it's very kind to be invited.  Captains Table dinner also, when they issued invites, was enjoyable...meeting new people and the lovely way the hostess organized the event. 

[TraderSam]

We have been invited all 3 times, including the first time we sailed with Celebrity. We have always been in verandah cabins

(not Concierge nor Aqua) and are not yet Elite.  So, no idea what the criteria is to receive an invitation. 🤷‍♀️

 

We enjoyed the sail into Victoria, Vancouver Island and the sailaway from Vancouver itself. I believe we missed the sailaway from Amsterdam as we had met some lovely folks at the Sunset Bar and we were all enjoying a cocktail...or three 🍹😁 so we enjoyed the view from the stern instead of the bow.