Feeling taken care of already

[Jenrose]

We're sailing with the Zenith in 2 weeks... and about 2 weeks ago I emailed special needs to let them know about our allergy and medical issues. Got an autoresponder... didn't hear anything more... called again this morning.

 

Now, they were very good last time with doing what we needed.

 

This time? We're several factors more complicated (9 people rather than 2, more allergies, more medical equipment, someone with a disability and a toddler).

 

And Celebrity appears to be rising to the occasion. While they couldn't find our original email, I re-sent it and just got confirmation that we will have:

Distilled water for our cpaps

Accessibility equipment for my MIL

Crib and high chair for the toddler

Meals in the main dining room which are compatible with our dietary issues

And a couple things I didn't actually specify...

i.e. Because they saw I have so many allergies, instead of standard cleaners they're using vinegar and water... which is what I often use at home because it does not cause me the same kinds of respiratory problems that bleach does.

For the diabetic among us, a small fridge and a sharps container.

 

And if I bring a specific cake mix that I am not allergic to, they will use it to make a cake that I will not only be able to eat, but will actually enjoy (The Cravings Place... yum.... they do wheat/soy/dairy/peanut/egg free baking mixes that taste "real") for my birthday!

 

There's a good reason that we almost doubled our tip the last time we sailed on the Zenith...and a reason we chose to sail on Zenith again. Sorry to see her go, but if they keep this up, we may never feel an urge to try anything but Celebrity/RC... too nerve wracking to deal with the unknowns where allergies are concerned, and we like to reward good service with loyalty.

[wiseguy]

All I expect is a clean room and a smile every now and then....not too many places where you can expect that level of service and not pay extra for it!

 

I wonder if I can get a discount because I don't require much????

 

I think I might bring a bag of groceries with me and a few recipe cards of dishes I prefer and have the chef whip them up.

 

Go ahead and flame me...but your list of "requirements" seems to be getting out of hand.....I know... I know.... I am blessed with my health and you wish you would not have to make these special requests....but come on.

[Ships R Great]

All I expect is a clean room and a smile every now and then....not too many places where you can expect that level of service and not pay extra for it!

 

I wonder if I can get a discount because I don't require much????

 

I think I might bring a bag of groceries with me and a few recipe cards of dishes I prefer and have the chef whip them up.

 

Go ahead and flame me...but your list of "requirements" seems to be getting out of hand.....I know... I know.... I am blessed with my health and you wish you would not have to make these special requests....but come on.

 

Shame on you, Wiseguy! (Good screen name for you, BTW) The OP wanted all of us to know that X will come through for us, if we ask. Just because you don't need, or want, anything special does not give you the right to "flame" those who do, especially a new relatively new poster who has shown a very positive attitude.

 

OP---I am glad you were able to have your needs met. Zenith will do that for us. She is a great little ship with a super great crew and staff. Have a wonderful time. We will be following you on Zenith on 2/19 and can hardly wait!

[Petert]

Hi Jenrose,

 

While we are fortunate not to reqire any special accomodations with the menu, we have had table mates several times that had dietary restrictions. Celebrity does an excellent job of handling special diets seamlessly with the rest of the dinner orders. The only way we knew that there were special menu items was when the head waiter would stop by at the end of the meal to take the next days menu order for the restricted diets. We had one incident on the Constellation last year when we were seated near the bottom of the grand staircase. There was a huge floral arrangement located a few feet from our table, and one young lady sat at that end of the table one evening, and had an allergy attack that evening. Our head waiter noticed what was going on, and realized what the problem was. The next evening the flowers had been relocated farther away from our table, and there were no more problems.

 

We have seen many examples of Celebrity staff doing just that little extra to make a cruise more enjoyable for one of their guests.

 

petert

[uktog]

Wow that is great service. On board, we have found some excellent Assistant Maitre D's who took a personal interest in giving DH advice onproducts containing nuts. It is rare to get such attentive treatment on land. We also found by booking our Shore Exs through X they were able to advise the providers where we were having meals as part of the package

[Ships R Great]

Do you suppose they have low-cholesterol menus?

[Luvin' Cruisin']

Don't know about low cholesterol... but I do know the chef made a sugar-free cake for my DS's birthday last month! Our waiter and Asst Maitre'D conspired with me on her requirements and preferences, and then they surprised her with a gorgeous (and fabulous tasting!) chocolate mousse cake - that was all sugar-free!

 

We loved those guys so much, that I've requested the same wait staff when I go back on Century this Thursday!

[TravelerThom]

first

Do you suppose they have low-cholesterol menus?

Lyn has been trying [pretty successfully I might add] to handle somewhat elevated cholesterol by diet rather than medication. Note that Waiters can bring you anything that is on the menu, but can NOT vary the menu [if you see a veggie that you especially like, but it is being served with an entre other than the one you want, you can get it through your waiter, but only by ordering both complete meals!]

 

Lyn 1) lets Celebrity reservations know she wants a low fat, low cholesterol diet, 2) goes to see the Maitre d' when she gets on board to confirm they have the request, 3) lets the waiter know the first night that she has a special diet and needs to see the Assistant Maitre d' to special order, and 4) mentions it to the AMd' when he makes his first evening courtesy stop at the table [steps 1 thru 3 are probably not required, but this is covering all the bases]. The AMd' then automatically stops by the table every evening with the next days' menu so that Lyn can adapt her menu [she often orders the fish of the day with no sauce, no potato, steamed veggies]. You can put in a special order for lunch as well as dinner, but for lunch she usually eats salad from the cafe where she can control exactly what goes into it. Ordering the day before, the AMd' can get almost anything that is on board prepared for you. Lyn always tips the AMd' more than double the suggested amount for this excellent service, but this has always been on the back end [no need to resort to bribery to get this gracious service which we have had on a number of X ships].

[Jenrose]

We specifically are cruising with Celebrity, and the Zenith, *because* they were so gracious, willing, and able to accomodate our needs last time. We're spending close to $10,000 among us to cruise, and while we don't have to pay extra to have our needs met, last time we went over the top on tipping simply because we knew we were harder than average to accomodate, and they did such a good job. So yeah, you get a discount, you tipped at the regular rate, I assume.

 

Should we stay home because of our health issues? Well, the whole point of this is that because they're willing, we don't have to, and for that I'm grateful.

 

Be very, very glad that you can eat off the regular menu, that you have no medical equipment, etc. I'm just grateful that I know what my allergies are, so that I can avoid the foods that make me feel bad, and that I have the medical equipment I need to keep me healthy, and that they *can* accomodate us.

 

Oh, and I posted here around the time of our last cruise, back in 2004. :)

 

As for the birthday cake... I'm bringing the mix specifically to make their lives easier and still be able to have a cake on my birthday. Should I *not* have cake on my birthday? Should I order the usual cake they make and eat it because it is what is available and then be sick and miserable the rest of the cruise? Should I order the cake because it is a birthday and then watch my companions eat it while my daughter and I can't? I have something that is easily done and tasty, and yes, they did suggest that I bring some of the specific foods that make it easier for me to cope with my allergies.

 

My experience was that they actually liked the challenge of coming up with something that would make me happy. One night I asked for a little garlic in olive oil rather than straight olive oil...and they did it. The following night they made chimichurri and brought that, as a surprise. It wasn't that they just met my needs...it was that they always wanted to go the extra step, beyond even what I was asking. For example, I didn't really need dessert every night... but they very much were willing to make it every night.

[deacon of the seas]

Jenrose: I absolutely agree with you that you indeed deserve to have your birthday cake on your birthday and be able to eat it. I know very well that all of the staff are more than willing to accomodate you. My mom is a diabetic and we sailed in October on the Zenith and I ordered a birthday cake for her and it was specially made without sugar and it was also made not chocolate as she does not eat anything chocolate so yes they go out of their way to make sure that you get anything that you want or need. I pray that your experience once again is a wonderful one. Please keep us informed as to how your experience was.