cruisellama

Fantastic documentation - quality photos - you could publish the Twangster Cruise Coffee table Book.   

Could this become the beginning of combining/consolidation of all three line reservation staffs?

Same kind of thing happened in Key West where they limited the size and number of ships that could visit.

Fantastic documentation - quality photos - you could publish the Twangster Cruise Coffee table Book.   

After a warm shower and a cold drink delivered by my butler it was time to head down to the Explorers Lounge for another lecture and our final destination talk.
The Bloody Baroness (see drink menu posted much earlier).

After the talk it was dinner in the dining room.  I managed to slip in before anyone else so here are some pictures of the dining room aboard the Silver Origin.


 Dinner menu:

A show element would make sense.  If if offered, how many passengers would be in the "ability window" to use it?  All the liability concerns are well founded.
 

Liability of the Seas

Yeah

I would think that this kind of activity on a cruise ship would be an invitation to injury lawsuits.  You would think they would have learned from the jumping bubble...whatever it was called....

Hi @Neesa!  Just returned from a Med cruise on the Beyond in a Celebrity Suite and have also done Sky Suites on Apex and Beyond, so hopefully I can answer questions you have about those ships.  We have only sailed on the Edge class ships. From my experience, you will LOVE the Retreat experience on Celebrity.  The Retreat (suites) start with the Sky Suites and move up to the Iconic Suites.  Aqua class (not Aqua Sky suites) are not considered suites in the Retreat, but they do have spa benefits as well as a special dining room called Blu that many guests really like.  I believe Concierge class are all IV cabins just below Aquaclass with some concierge benefits and some better locations. The Retreat concierge is different from the concierge class concierge.
The Retreat dining experience in Luminae is beyond compare and like a specialty restaurant, except with crew that gets to know you. In fact, we had the same primary waiter this cruise as we had in April.  I think the food is significantly better than CK on Royal.  They are open every breakfast and dinner and lunch on sea days.  They also serve a limited menu on the Retreat sun deck.  In addition to the changing nightly dinner menus, they have classics like French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, filet, steak and salmon.
The Retreat sun deck on Edge class ships is awesome.  It’s a full experience, more so than the suite sundeck on Royal.  Roving drink servers, crew to set up your lounge towels ( not needed, but wow!), fruit kabobs every morning and sorbet every afternoon delivered to your lounge chair, nice sized pool on Edge class ships, umbrellas when not windy, full bar service.
We don’t hang out in the Retreat lounge too much, as there are so many great areas on the ship, but it is a beautiful, very comfortable space.  It has 2-3 concierges, full bar, full glass windows for spectacular views, snacks at various times of day.
Butler service is amazing.  There have been some slight changes initiated recently that affect Sky Suites and Aqua Sky Suites. Their service is now by a Retreat “Team” instead of one personal butler so it’s still TBD how that will work out.  But for Celebrity Suites and above, you get a personal butler who may have about 9 suites to service. They will truly do whatever you need similar to a genie. Some people use them much more than others, having a butler walk them to dinner, meet them at a show ensuring a drink server provides what they need, etc.  Others, like us, may use them for a special afternoon snack like a cheese plate delivered to the room or coffee and pastry from Cafe al Bacio delivered before an early morning excursion. (One morning this cruise the DH went for our coffee and our butler ran down the hall to unlock the door when he saw him returning, saying please let him always get it for us.😀) He also decorated the room and brought a special cake when he knew it was our anniversary.  The butlers also are at the main theater on chic nights to greet their guests and save a section on the upper floor for the Retreat guests.
As far as Sky Suites and Celebrity suites, here are some thoughts.  Suites on Edge class ships have regular balconies, not the Infinite Veranda type that is more like a window.  Size wise a Sky suite is about the same as a junior suite.  But it has full suite/Retreat benefits (other than the butler change noted above).  There are different versions of a Sky Suite, like a Magic Carpet Sky Suite or an Aqua Sky Suite, but the room itself is essentially the same.  
Celebrity suites have a separate bedroom, I believe always with a door.  They also have a 2 part bathroom which is helpful with 2 people getting ready.  These remind me of a grand suite or owners suite perhaps.
The suites above Celebrity Suites are considered premium suites and get some additional benefits like free specialty dining and 2 bottles of alcohol.
The Celebrity experience is definitely more for adults than families so we will continue to do both Celebrity and Royal.  But the Retreat experience is fantastic!
 
 

OK fine, you made me book a cruise over the weekend for Christmas 2024. It's all your fault.

Wow...@Brianb, you must be my long-lost brother !  We sound very much alike re: our cruising habits.  Not sure why the "tag" feature isn't working.....

I got a couple of future cruises booked. I realize how lucky I am to be able to cruise often and to live close to a port. I’m a glass half full optimist and always look for the best in life and in people.
I’m addicted to the cruise life. I love the service, the crew and the food. Even if a meal may sometimes be a little bit off… it’s understandable that constant perfection is not possible on such an enormous scale. My servers are always anxious to please and will make any change or addition that I request. In fact, on all my cruises, I have never sent something back. But, that’s just me.
As far as the vouchers are concerned, I’m not a big drinker so I never use my six.. Usually two a day.
I like and appreciate the perks of my loyalty status. I mean, they can come and go at any time as the company sees fit to tweak them…either expanding, adjusting or even removing something.
As Super Mario has said time and again…the free WiFi perk that comes with reaching P is a big thing. I agree. I very much appreciate not being charged for WiFi every cruise. I thought the company might have reconsidered that perk post-shutdown when StarLink was added and prices went up. They could have easily justified removing the free WiFi and offering it at a discounted price. But they didn’t.
I don’t really frequent the loyalty lounges except maybe in the early morning for coffee. At that time they are usually sparsely occupied. I’m not a big conversationalist and can usually, if not always, be seen working on my iPad…or reading my smartphone.
I consider myself ‘low maintenance’…lol.
But, that’s just me…and this is just my opinion.
Hi. My name is Brian and I’m a Cruisaholic.
 

Interesting.  I have never heard of the Zero Proof Drink Package.  Thanks for sharing.

Everyone has to have a drink package, but you can get the Zero Proof Drink Package if you do not drink Alcohol.  You just have to let them know why.
Classic Drink Package  Premium Drink Package  Zero Proof Drink Package (Premium Non-Alcoholic Drink Package)

Definitely one per household, but we also ended up with 2 in August on Liberty. Different styles too. So I had 2 blocks plus a ship model when that TSA officer checked. The original plan was that Hubby would sell one block on eBay when we got home but I still have both of them because I cannot part with either one. Neither one was the tacky new style they just came out with so I like them both.

It wasn't us !  🤣  The Genie brought 2.  We told her we were only supposed to get 1 but she wouldn't take it back....so I traded the multiple Anthem block for 1 we didn't have.

Hope it works out and you receive your block!

Yes! It will definitely be handy since we'll be in Wales for a week after the cruise. 😄
 

Interesting, a couple of weeks before this was announced we were discussing why the Diamond lounge was named/branded the Diamond Lounge as its actually and "upper tier" benefit - D, D+, P.  I can see how the renaming makes sense to all the upper tier, would think it could confuse the newer cruisers who will mistake it for just being a member of the C&A program.

Don't forget to use your complimentary laundry benefit!!

Just booked the Ascent for Jan 2024.  1st time on edge class.  Can't wait!

Food will usually be that way. We ate in CK all 7 nights on Wonder in June and it ranged from good to great. Best staff ever as well.
Hope it's better for you on Symphony.

Simply stop by one of the bars prior to going to dinner and pick up a glass of wine.  No issue bringing it from the bar.