Gears

I want to try Celebrity as I will make D+ on my Jan 2023 cruise. The issue is finding ships during my solo travel time, I am thinking maybe for our next family cruise we might do one. I haven't done a water slide or Flowrider yet, so some of those options are wasted on me.

We're also considering Celebrity for our 30th anniversary cruise in 2025. I'll be Diamond after the 2024 cruise. I kind of want to take advantage of the Diamond drinks though so might stick with Royal for that cruise. Edit: Seeing that drinks, wi-fi etc are included with Celebrity depending on upgrade package (I think I knew that but forgot) I did the math and for comparable cruise on an edge class ship compared to something like the Wonder it cost's pretty much the same after the Royal cruise planner extras.

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.

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.

And the OP is yet another "new poster" with a single post ranting about something.

Thanks for the update! I’m going to do it when we we get to the port…..no ship rolling..😆

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.

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.

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.

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.

So if you buy 10,000 kits you'll earn enough points for a one way flight from Toronto to Montreal?  

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.

@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.

Well our Prime Minister IS going crazy right now so anything is possible 😞
 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

It really struck me when certain countries closed their doors early in the pandemic to their own citizens such as ship crew trying to get home.  Canada has all but tried to do the same and still has been trying to effectively do that.
I just can't fathom a country refusing entry to its own citizens regardless of infection.  Turning away foreigners is one thing.  Turning away your own citizens is a massive red flag and I'm not going for a play on words with the red flag comment.  Scary country that would refuse to allow a citizen to come home, especially one who has no symptoms.  Presumed guilty, prove that you are not.

Your quote is from Global News.  The quote I used is direct from CBSA.  I think I would lean more towards the government source...

Honestly this is a typical Canadian government bullshit make an announcement without actually changing anything. The inconvenience of a test is still required, still doing ‘random’ testing upon arrival. This is not a great announcement at all. If they don’t change anything this will drastically affect Canadian ports again for the Alaska season. Are the cruise lines going to go back to providing antigen tests on-board for each passenger the day before they get back to Vancouver? Or before the PSVA required stop in Victoria for ships sailing from Seattle? Expect the Alaskan governors to be in the news shortly looking for an extension on the PSVA exemption

Silhouette on Feb 25

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

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

Exactly how we feel!