cruisellama

I'd speculate all of the lines would love to be sailing at 100% and still be able to operate with a crew compliment of 50% just to make up some margin.    Unfortunately, the crew is just as susceptible to be sidetracked due to the bug, and with an already reduced crew, service diminishes faster and they're hindered keeping up with  the new sanitation protocols.

I've shared your experience of the differences, but never heard one bad review regarding food prep is applied to wait staff.   Although recently on Allure, when something was not right with the food, the wait staff was VERY vested making it right - offering a re-do or something else to replace..    

If there's a high passenger count, the crew is also going to take hits.     Once they go into quarantine, it makes it harder to run a ship and keep up with the passengers.  Staffing is already an issue.

Reflection is currently sailing from Rome.   As we're sailing her next month, we've been monitoring the changing protocols traveling from the US to Italy and back.  Currently if vac'd and boosted, two tests  are required, one to board and another to return to the US via air.   Celebrity provides the test to passengers after disembarkation (free to those who booked before Nov 2021 and those who booked later pay $24).  As the tests are provided after leaving the ship, they must be administered somewhere where the passenger can have access to good internet service.   Awkward for  some passenger because they must either find off-port local internet at an intermediate location to the airport or test in the airport terminal  itself.   There is also the option to forgo the proctored self test and use an airport test station.   Some passengers found it difficult to connect with sufficient internet service to use the tests, and had to work through the airport service missing flights.   Some thought ahead and packed their own tests and administered while still on the ship.  This option seems to be the most practical.  Bring extra tests to cover the return home.

Lots of storage too.

21 hours ago, JeffB said:

I had a short talk with the matre'de about how supply chains disruptions might be affecting food services. He said the impact it's massive.

Thanks for the update.   I also noticed (in general) less of a selection on certain buffet stations as well as missing types of beverages and spirits.   Not the overflowing cornucopia of food and desserts it was pre-shutdown.     I thought supply chain issues must be impacting offerings.

Just downloaded our e-docs for our 3 June Reflection cruise from Rome.   Getting close and protocols continue to change every 3-days....

Wonderland offers a "smokey" rye/vermouth drink which is pretty good.   Bar as you enter the restaurant.

yes

That's special - curious on what requires the movement.  Are you able to see?  

See pics now - Container ship...

Isn't that where One Eye Willie's treasure was buried?

How many days out are people seeing their "e-docs" (w/luggage tags) become available on the website?   (I'm 37 days away from Reflection embarkation but no docs yet.)   

I'm a fan of Playmakers, Hooked, and Wonderland so prefer Symphony.   If you have kids, Symphony offers more water toys, whereas Allure is pre-amplified.

Reflection is the newest of the Solstice class ships.  Not yet "revolutionized" to mimic the Edge class ships  dining model, decor  or suite lounge format.  We found the service and food excellent when we sailed her pre-covid. (Currently booked for a 10-day cruise from Rome to Greek islands and Croatia, Montenegro  next month.)   Celebrity offers base rates that are higher but more inclusive the mother RCL company.  So you can elect to get a beverage package, gratuities, internet, and OBC at a known upfront rate.  You can also elect out of the inclusive nature of the package also.  S-class ships aren't as large as RCL O, Q, or F class ships.  No toys, just pools, entertainment and restaurants/bars.   More adult and elder demographic.  Focus is on food and service.    

10 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

As another poster said, I also believe this appeal is about being able to instate a new mandate again in the future, not about re-unseating this one.

Flying this weekend so looking forward to being able to not suck air through a mask.

So now the CDC wants the DoJ to appeal.  If successful it won't be pretty putting the genie back in bottle.

8 minutes ago, cruisellama said:

When we sailed in early March, it was Claudine Benjamin and Junior Allen.   Both EXCELLENT.   I could email them (instead of waiting in line), and they would take care of things - reservations etc.

8 hours ago, SpicyCherry said:

Anyone know who the Suite Concierges are on Allure? Sailed on her in 2016 and trying to remember his name, if he is even still there.

When we sailed in early March, it was Claudine Benjamin and Junior Allen.   Both EXCELLENT.   I could email them (instead of waiting in line), and they would take care of things - reservations etc.

If sailing next month, you can probably see a CK  lunch menu on the APP.  Changes are always possible, but pretty close.

No more mumbling comments about pokey people behind a mask.....

58 minutes ago, Eddy said:

Air2Sea 100%  You don't have to pay until you figure things out. 

If you have extra time on either end of the cruise, you can also look for lower cost gateway cities.   For example if it were cheaper to fly  to Rome, you could do so and arrange ground transportation (train) to Ravenna.   Of course you have consider those costs too, but it provides a way to look at options.  Working through major gateways can lead to less connections too, saving valuable vacation time.

7 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Whatever the time zone is of the embarkation port.

Thanks, makes sense.   Just curious,  I've always ended up checking in a day or so after the window opens up.

Cruise check in date is a closely watched artifact as people are  often  trying to capture desirous boarding times.   People can check in from virtually anywhere in the world.  So what time zone is the APP or on-line check-in clocked tied to?  Is it a date/time based in Miami (EST)? Or do different regions have servers tied to local times to allow guests to begin a check-in process?

I've used A2S and Flights by Celebrity a few times.  Observation is the tickets are not purchased until after the cruise is paid-up.  Not sure if that contributed or not.  Now I'll use them for overseas flights with connections as they provide some level of protection  getting you to/from port cities, but now making my domestic flights directly through my airline.  We really prefer direct flights when possible as we live near a major airline hub.  The early cruise line  flights (well ahead of cruise date) offered by A2S or FBC tend to withhold those direct options until much closer to the cruise (when they become more expensive).  Same for the upgraded classes.  As we'll pay the premium for direct, we've also observed watching one of our direct flights (which we paid a premium) become a connecting flight adding ridiculous added travel time (3hr to 8 hrs - NOT).  That's another thing to watch.

Another observation (and need to always check the airline), is equipment changes that change seats.  Cruise lines will not alert you to this.

Trust but frequently verify- you're doing the right thing.

This week, there was a drone top view photo of Terminal 10 published.  Is there an internal view that shows if there will be lounges etc?  I expect it would mimic Miami as its accommodating Oasis class ships.