Gears

20 hours ago, ScottD said:

It's a small group of tik tokers drumming up drama and trying to put negative spins on everything.

This is also a functional and behavioral disorder of a generation...

On 12/18/2023 at 6:42 AM, BigKarl said:

This sounds so fair to me but it is most likely not happening.  As a single Cruiser paying a Double Cruise fare shouldn't I receive ten drink vouchers per day?   LOL I think I already know the answer.

The number of daily drink vouchers is connected to an individual's C&A status as opposed to a stateroom booking. Each night the voucher count is reset. But...I like the way you think.

I actually wish they would accumulate and not be lost under 'use or lose' every day.  

We have been cruising on RCL for 20 years and this takes the cake for the most hilarious thing we have seen yet (that stupid $200pp 'specialty' restaurant is close). Either this pricing stuff is a 100% mix up/typo...or RCL is testing to see how far people will go (some may say 'how stupid' people are).

If people are willing to pay this much, why not just go on a SilverSea Cruise or some other ultra high end luxury cruise. What could POSSIBLY BE so 'special' that is different than an awesome cruise on the Allure...Symphony, Freedom, Adventure, etc., etc.

Hell, rent a private island for a week.

Yes, you can call ship to shore. Beware, it's around $7+/-...per minute.

If you are going to get a a Surf + Stream/VOOM Internet package anyway...as mentioned, best to use some sort of VoIP app.

41 minutes ago, twangster said:

The north and south poles on the magnetic badges can be orientated to form a greater magnetic field when pinnacle members align and form in groups as illustrated in the pinnacle manual. 

They don't mean to take over the lounges but critical mass can only be obtained when sufficient numbers of pinnacle members join into formation within the lounges. 

Once enough mass accumulates and begins to rotate fast enough...fusion begins.

The erosion continues....

5 hours ago, mrsgalloway1220 said:

Hey there! My husband and I will be on our first cruise in a couple weeks to the Bahamas. I have been using a travel agent, who picked our room, and I just looked up where our room is and it is directly across from an elevator. Our agent never discussed this with me, so I’m not really in love with the idea/am afraid it will be too noisy. For those of you who have stayed in a room across from the elevator, what were your experiences? How was the noise level? 

After being on a cruise last week with a stateroom right in front of the exit from the hallway to the elevators...no problemo.

Oddly enough...after 20 years of cruising...it was actually a pleasant surprise to not have to traverse a long hallway to get to and from our stateroom.

Stay calm...and cruise on.

Ohhhh...recall the days when there was no wi-fi, only an 'Internet Lounge' on Deck 8...when Internet access became available on RCL ships.

Long gone (thankfully!) are the packages of 'Internet minutes'...to be wasted in front of one of the Internet Lounge PCs...as your eyes glazed over staring at the hour glass image on the screen...hoping for something...ANYTHING!...to appear on the screen. 10, 15, 20 minutes...to see only a single email...from Mom hoping you were having a good time. Thanks Mom...but &#%@#$&^$#@!!

Seems 'Black Friday' has turned into 'Blackout Friday'....

6 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

That room is horrible imho, they are smaller than I thought and weirdly shaped. 

The new room we are assigned to is 191 sqft and that certainly beats the 161 sqft ocean view room we were in. And an ocean view balcony is 198 sqft, so not much different. Some of the panoramic ocean view staterooms can be oddly shaped due to being on the curve of the front of the ship. Our newly assigned room is rectangular according to the deck plans.

Just notified we were upgraded (RoyalUp) on our Nov 26th, 5 night Mariner cruise from a deck 2 ocean view to a deck 12 panorama ocean view.

Won on the minimum bid of $35/pp.

Basically, crap shoot and your mileage may vary.

Celebrity Equinox - Feb 18, 2023

Grand Cayman - ABC Islands

Will be our second cruise on Celebrity.

On 6/5/2022 at 1:35 PM, Eddy said:

What about drinks? Does elite give you that? Or is it included anyway with Celebrity all incl program?

The cruise fare for Celebrity is 'drinks included' as their classic package. There are no 'x' drinks per day based on your loyalty tier level anymore, and no happy hour. Every hour is happy hour. 

On 5/18/2022 at 4:34 PM, Steve in Orlando said:

No Cup cake making classes?   Hmmm.   We may have to re-consider this.  

What ship were you on?

We were on the Silhouette. It had a refurb in early 2021(?).

If you're not looking for water slides, rock wall climbing, sports court, flowriders, merry-go-rounds or cup cake making classes...you will likely stick with Celebrity as your first choice. That's just our opinion after our first Celebrity cruise and sailing on RCL for around 18ish or so years.

The classic drink package is included with your cruise fare. Do yourself a favor and upgrade to the premium package, totally worth it.

On 3/19/2022 at 9:04 PM, BB1 said:

I have been on Millennium and Infiniti and loved both ships. I was wondering what people thought about Silhouette. 

Thanks.

We were on it three weeks ago for a 10 night. Great ship and crew. The Silhouette was refurbed in early 2020 and there were only a few sailings before Covid all hell breaking loose so it's in great shape. No hesitation on getting back on the Silhouette.

OK…here’s the skinny on using Switch Health antigen telehealth testing to come back to Canada.

+ Overall it worked out OK
+ You will need the streaming Internet service, no question. It won’t work otherwise. The service in your stateroom will need to be solid.
+ Doing the schnozzle swab with the ship rolling left and right was an…adventure.
+ In general, if the streaming Internet service on your ship is iffy or inconsistent it may NOT work for you. Your mileage may vary.

Would NOT recommended this route if you are on a ship with older Internet facilities and support.

Hope this helps.

18 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

So you used the SH test to get on board?

The flight to the US so far. Switch Health is mentioned on the CBSA site as a provider of tests and partnered with Air Canada (sorry...not Delta! ) 500 Areoplan points for each kit purchased (the $79 + HST includes shipping via Purolator). AC accepted the tests in online submission for US entry (complete with green 'accepted' moniker) and they are the organization doing the tests on-site at Pearson Airport.

On 2/18/2022 at 3:17 PM, Gears said:

I got an extra kit to take on our Celebrity cruise which leaves on Friday next week. I will be doing this exercise on March 6th...the 'day before' our flight back. If nobody else gets this done before me, I will have an answer for you on or about March 7th. 

@Lovetocruise2002 Switch Health done no problem for the way down complete with acceptance for flight online check-in. Each kit is currently $79 ea (still I think) and comes with two tests that can cover two people. No trip to SDM required.

Will see how it works for the return leg in 12 days...

Oh...couldn't get it to work on an iPad. Need to use Safari for an iPhone or Chrome for an Android phone.

On 2/16/2022 at 2:17 PM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I think we are going to give it a go for Oasis 3/13 in a few weeks. Seems to be the easiest option.

I got an extra kit to take on our Celebrity cruise which leaves on Friday next week. I will be doing this exercise on March 6th...the 'day before' our flight back. If nobody else gets this done before me, I will have an answer for you on or about March 7th. 

5 hours ago, morgaNhank said:

...are there fill stations or do dining facilities allow this?

Basically all 'refill' stations and similar have been shut/removed (we asked on a cruise in Feb 2020 for the same reasons you are asking). This was done before Covid due to measures to limit norovirus transmission.

12 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I didn't even read into that part.  I just assumed within 24 hours of crossing the border.

I was more focused on the "telehealth" and the "it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased".  That to me means Switch Health Rapid Antigen (2 for $79) is ok and since Switch Health purchased and authorized in Canada, it is also ok.  Does that sound right?

Well...this is confusing isn't it. It reads that the Switch Health test would be OK...if you bought it in Canada and it's the Switch Health test (BTW, Air Canada partners with Switch Health in case you weren't aware) it should be good.

Now...about the 'day before' part...??

16 minutes ago, RorySC said:

Normally, we have always put all but 1 small bag outside our room the evening before. Recently, we got off the Harmony after a BtB. We tried something different. We did not put our bags out the evening before, and wheeled 2 bags each off the ship by ourselves. This was defiantly much faster doing it this way, but while pulling the bags through the terminal it kept crossing my mind if we were being rude? I could see that there were some people not thrilled that they needed to go around us because we were not running as fast as they were? Also we waited to be called, and did not get off @6am it was more like 945 ish.

Was this a no-no?

 

Generally speaking, taking your own luggage has been reserved for those 'walking off' in the first group. The reason is so that there are not people trying to manage their luggage in elevators and stairs...becomes a space and safety hazard. Can you imagine 3000+ people struggling with their luggage around the ship, in the buffet and down the gangway?

Also, you will find in many terminals that unless you have a hand free to hold a hand railing on an escalator, they will make you take the elevator. That...can be a long wait.

We sail on Celebrity Silhouette on February 25th. Of course we are watching the changes in protocols and requirements. Sailings embarking February 12th and after...masks only required in the Theatre or Casino. YYYYEAAAAHHHH!!!

This was published yesterday for US embarkations:

++++++++++

Effective for all sailings departing February 12, 2022 forward, masks will not be required onboard for vaccinated guests unless attending activities in the Theatre or Casino.  Masks will continue to be required for unvaccinated guests, under 12 years old, at all times indoors except while eating or drinking.

Masks are not required in ports of call unless required by local governments.

++++++++++

Link: https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/celebrity-healthy-at-sea-protocols.pdf

I definitely agree with @Lovetocruise2002. You will cherish the experience and memories...and have a distaste for any regret. Follow the rules, stay cautious and mindful of your surroundings. One thing we won't do...is lock ourselves in the basement and miss out on life's experiences. That's just us, others, cruisers and non-cruisers, will see it different and your mileage may vary.

We did a cruise at the end of November, and we leave for another in three weeks, no hesitations.

But...we have also done the drive thing. A number of years ago we drove from Ontario to Baltimore to get on the Enchantment. The drive down didn't seem like a big deal, but the drive back was PAINFUL (just two of us). It just seemed to take forever and kind of put a damper on the whole vacation. In the end, we wouldn't do it again.