HeWhoWaits

They only care if you're enjoying your cruise and hopefully that is due in part to be ing satisfied with the service they are providing.

This is an example of why my wife insists on having a printed copy of everything just in case.

Kids most certainly DO show. The system has the information regarding age and that is included on the confirmation, just like it does for all of the adults on the reservation.

Probably an "upgrade" to the app.

Four? Six? Pfft. On Valentine's Day, there were NINE ships in Cozumel- including both Wonder OTS and Mariner OTS (albeit at three different docking locations). Fortunately for us, Celebrity Reflection was one of the two docked downtown (plus another that arrived for an overnight stay after Norwegian Prima departed).

Your initial comparison would create a dilemma for us. On the one hand, Puerto Plata would be a new port for us making the slightly more expensive trip interesting. On the other, we love sea days and the opportunity for one extra sea day AND cost savings would be very difficult to pass up. Can we get one with Puerto Plata AND the extra sea day and just skip PDCC?

Yes. IF the fare you're seeing online is still available AT THE TIME you're speaking to them, they will see it too. Available fares are a dynamic thing and frequently change. My wife and I have sometimes logged in on separate devices and unintentionally done (nearly) simultaneous mock bookings and seen two different prices. Whichever one processed first is read by the system as a booking that reduces the number of staterooms available in the category. The second one shows a higher price than the first. The agent on the phone would see the same thing - the one you have open may cause the price available to that agent to be higher.

You are correct. There would be no screenshots available. However, when booking directly with an agent on the phone you can have them stay on the phone until you receive the confirmation email. We've done this on multiple occasions and in the couple times that something wasn't right, the agent was right there to make the correction.

You have experienced what we all like to call "Royal math." The numbers frequently make absolutely no sense.

If you stick around, you will be surprised (initially) to find that many posts such as your first one are truly one-and-done accounts created to attempt to stir up dissent. The "RUDE and OBNOXIOUS" comments are because those are so common and posters are simply sick of other less-experienced cruisers being poisoned by the bullsh!t. You think I need to do better with my apology? I've sometimes been called out by others on the board in the past for being too dismissive of such posts. This is the first time that an initial post that appeared to be questionable prompted me to include such a disclaimer. Something correctly told me that it MIGHT be legit.

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus. Booking for four in a stateroom will NEVER be double the cost of booking for two, unless the comparison is apples to bicycle chains (four person interior on Grandeur to a suite on Icon, for example). The drive-by bots aren't getting any smarter. Note: in the unlikely event that the OP is a real poster with a real problem, I apologize in advance. Just seems too conveniently fishy as a first post to be real.

The OP asked about snorkeling. My experience with Eagle Beach is that it tends to be pretty rough wave action, which is great for other in-water activities and irrelevant for "beach time." Other beaches may be better options for snorkeling.

I don't have direct experience with Celebrity's Camp at Sea program, but based on the very small number of children I saw on Reflection last week, if your kids like lots of other kids - stick with Royal. If your kids prefer smaller groups - go Celebrity.

I'd be good with that for many cruises. Port Canaveral instead of everything being from Port Everglades or Miami would save us 2.5 or 3 hours each way.

Just completed our first Celebrity cruise. Fewer overall things to do, but what was available was consistently less crowded than typical on Royal. If two nights longer is only slightly more expensive, we'd be all over the 7 nights rather than 5 nights, especially if it means more time at sea.

Happens all the time. Means absolutely nothing. As long as your status is correct on your account and therefore on your SeaPass, all will be well. On Celebrity Reflection last week, my status (Elite based on our Diamond + on Royal) was correct. My wife's showed "Preview" (and SHE'S the one who got us to D+). It was correct on the SeaPass, so again - all was well.

Just back from Celebrity Reflection Bar service - almost non-existent unless you went up to the bar and spoke to the bartenders directly. Most frequent roving server location was Cafe al Bacio - a few cocktails available but mostly for your specialty coffee. MDR service - painfully slow. I think our waiter was overwhelmed by our group of 12, because a nearby waiter handled his 8-top and three 4-tops much better than our service. Finish off you glass of water? Good luck getting it refilled any time soon. Get close to the bottom of your wine glass? Sommelier Yarmi filled you right up in a heartbeat. Oceanview Cafe (buffet) service - I was NEVER offered coffee or a cold drink while seated. The only roving beverage service was bar service, and that was sporadic at best.

Another reason to skip cruises that go to PDCC.

We're boarding Reflection on Sunday. Look for a report on our service experience.

IF and ONLY IF they actually have them. My wife passed 140 points on Mariner in June 2022. Followed up with phone calls and again when on Freedom in June 2023 (when she DID get her block for 210). Still no Mariner block from the 140 cruise.

Your room steward has gone above and beyond, in that case.

But not as smart as our Twang-bot

For me: 1 - schedule and itinerary. For example, a Saturday to Saturday might be better because you have a day to get back to your routine. Or a Sunday to Sunday might be better for you because of the travel day getting to the port a day early. 2 - price, since they're similar. If you like the itinerary and/or the timing better, a small increase in cost will be worth it.

Grossly overcooked yet again!

Your VPN is working if it makes sites think you're somewhere you're not.