Helipad invites

[Oceangoer2]

Just now, TraderSam said:

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

You may have made an impression with someone who forwarded your cabin #...or...they just liked your face.....😉

[TraderSam]

1 minute ago, Oceangoer2 said:

You may have made an impression with someone who forwarded your cabin #...or...they just liked your face.....😉

Well, that thought has made my day. Thank you 😊

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

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

Better, for various reasons. IMHO

[sunsetme]

how do you access it on Beyond?

[Mark_K]

We’ve had them for being elite, for being aqua, and for being retreat.  For the Canal cruise on Millennium, there were a lot of people on the helipad, but the canal entry retreat event was held on the sundeck.

Edited February 3 by Mark_K

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

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.

 

For some reason occasionally that randomly happens.   I think it's a CC orientation glitch as I only see it happen on CC.   The way to fix is to rotate the photo 4 times and then the orientation is fixed.   Then delete the photo in the first 10 minutes after posting and uploading again.     I often do the rotation  for all photos prior to upload.  

[Jim_Iain]

29 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

how do you access it on Beyond?

E-Class ships do not have a helipad.  For air evacuation they use the Patio area in the Aft of the ship.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

E-Class ships do not have a helipad.  For air evacuation they use the Patio area in the Aft of the ship.

That is not correct atleast on the Apex 

I had an OV cabin at front , came to the cabin one evening to see this 

 

[Jim_Iain]

I think you will find it IS NOT A HELIPAD.     As a Pilot I can tell you Helipads always have a regulatory marking on them -  You will see this on ALL other ships with a Helipads.    What you have shown would only be used for a Winch.      I've been on many E-Class and they have NEVER had invites to that small pad.
 

 

 

 

[daydreamer16]

We were invited the last time we were on the Summit with Captain Kate. We were leaving Bermuda & there were many sailboats in the harbor since it was a week before the America's Cup. Sparkling wine was served, it was quite a festive departure!

[Ex-Airbalancer]

15 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I think you will find it IS NOT A HELIPAD.     As a Pilot I can tell you Helipads always have a regulatory marking on them -  You will see this on ALL other ships with a Helipads.    What you have shown would only be used for a Winch.      I've been on many E-Class and they have NEVER had invites to that small pad.
 

 

 

 

I was just writing that on the Apex they airlifted a passage from the front of the ship

 

[phoenix_dream]

On 2/2/2024 at 9:20 PM, D. B. said:

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

 Sometimes we were invited just by being Elite+?

We also were just on Equinox.  Zenith level and Aqua Class.  No invite. On now in a suite and Zenith no invite. Not sure if they even had one this sailing? I usually don't attend anymore but found no invites strange.  Overall experiencing great service though. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, phoenix_dream said:

We also were just on Equinox.  Zenith level and Aqua Class.  No invite. On now in a suite and Zenith no invite. Not sure if they even had one this sailing? I usually don't attend anymore but found no invites strange.  Overall experiencing great service though. 

They don't always have them and is decided by the Captain and CC Host.   Most of the time when they open them for sail away is a port with an interesting Bridge, Statue or view.  

Possibly due to the ports they decided there would be little interest.

[TMLAalum]

Hoping for an invite this May when we sail out of San Francisco. You can see by my CC photo that we have been on the helipad in the past!

[islabahia]

Helipad sailaways were one and done for us.  Very crowded, very windy and no shade.  YMMV but we now let the concierge know in advance that we are passing on a helipad invite and hope they substitute other pax in our place.

[luv2camp04]

We've been invited twice (went both times).  We have sailed Celebrity 9 times and are lowly Select tier and we only sail in regular verandas.  I've enjoyed the experience and if ever invited again, I would go.

[miched]

On 2/3/2024 at 11:23 AM, sunsetme said:

how do you access it on Beyond?

Medical emergency.  🤗😱

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, TMLAalum said:

Hoping for an invite this May when we sail out of San Francisco. You can see by my CC photo that we have been on the helipad in the past!

 

They almost always have one going out of San Francisco.   It is one of my favorite sail away's.

 

On occasion due to wave conditions they have had to cancel.   I was on one cruise they cancelled it and were advised that just outside the Gate we would be hitting 25 Ft. waves.    It was challenging even holding onto the rails to walk down the ship.     Hallways were lined with bags.  

Edited February 4 by Jim_Iain

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

They almost always have one going out of San Francisco.   It is one of my favorite sail away's.

 

 My favorite so far was not a sail away but rather a sail into.  On our Reflection B2B in 2021 the captain had a "sail in" when we entered Nassau.  What made it memorable was that we had done attended the sail away from Nassau only a few days earlier on the first leg of the B2B.  Both times we were escorted by a small school of dolphins. 

 

[doghog]

Our favorites have been cruising up the Saint Lawrence river to Quebec in late September, early October. Not crowed, warm, not windy, ok a breeze as the ship was moving and drinks flowing. Great weather and scenery.  

Edited February 4 by doghog

[gold1953]

the first ones in line take all the railing spots and most stay there so the majority are in the middle . No seats , no shade and often windy. We have been many times and always go when invited even if for a few minutes. Aqua , CC class , B2B for sure. We were new to Elite plus but B2B so nit sure which list

[TMLAalum]

17 hours ago, doghog said:

Our favorites have been cruising up the Saint Lawrence river to Quebec in late September, early October. Not crowed, warm, not windy, ok a breeze as the ship was moving and drinks flowing. Great weather and scenery.  

Oh, that would be nice too for our upcoming Eclipse cruise, Did you spot any whales?

[Gordoncruickshank]

On Silhouette, on our last cruise they ran a couple of events on the Retreat sun deck, rather than the Helipad which we enjoyed better than any of the helipad ones.

 

Done the helipad a good number of times but have got to the stage where we don’t bother if invited.

 

Edited February 5 by Gordoncruickshank

[doghog]

1 hour ago, TMLAalum said:

Oh, that would be nice too for our upcoming Eclipse cruise, Did you spot any whales?

No whales spotted. 

[phoenix_dream]

23 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

They don't always have them and is decided by the Captain and CC Host.   Most of the time when they open them for sail away is a port with an interesting Bridge, Statue or view.  

Possibly due to the ports they decided there would be little interest.

It was Bonaire each time where I know we've done them before.  But the Captain attended each of our two Zenith lunches and I'll take that over a sailaway every time!