I’ll try my best…I am a veteran of over 30 cruises…and a frequent Celebrity cruiser (my favorite line)…I actually have two more Celebrity cruises booked right now. Trust me, it is a very easy cruise line to deal with…uncomplicated, easy…
The 90 minutes is only for the FIRST day…when you first board the ship…But, really, disregard the stated times…They will start boarding people by noon…and it’s nice to get to the ship, settle in and have a nice lunch (typically in the buffet first day as the main dining room will not be open)…The boarding process on Celebrity is fairly easy and relatively quick…Make sure you fill out all of the internet check-in sections on the website ahead of time…it will make the process simpler…
Each day in port, they will tell you the time you must be back on the ship…generally one-half hour before sailaway…Getting back on the ship is simple…just scan your cruise card into the reader as you board, put your carried items through the x-ray scanner…and walk on…
As to the time you leave the ship in each port, most ports no one is in a rush…except that in Europe, most have lengthy tours or shore excursions scheduled in each port…so, when and how you leave the ship depends on what you are doing…For ship sponsored shore excursions, you will be given a meeting time and place (likely the showroom) and you meet there at your appointed time and just follow their instructions…For private tours, you will meet your guide or driver at the pier…Otherwise, just get off the ship when you are ready…
Last day debarkation is a little more complicated…There is a process with leaving your luggage outside your cabin the night before, a color code schedule and more…They will explain…
Beverage packages are new on Celebrity and I have never bought one…I don’t see the value…I just order and drink as I go…But, I believe you just present your card to the bar waiter and he/she notes it…
Your cruise card is something you carry with you everywhere…it is your charge card for gift shops, drinks, internet access and other things…it is your room KEY…it is what gets you on and off the ship…Carry it in your pocket, on a lanyard or however you feel comfortable…You never have to carry cash onboard…just the card…
Every ship is different, but, generally, the dividers between your balcony and the ones on either side are opaque…but if you stand at the rail and lean out slightly and your neighbor does at well, you certainly can see and talk to each other…We’ve generally not seen our neighbors much…The dividers generally don’t move except on a few ships…and the only people who care are families who book adjoining cabins…Just count on that yours will always stay where they are…Since they are not completely private, I wouldn’t go out onto my balcony in the nude…but I have gone out there in my robe…
Dining reservations are preset…You are assigned a permanent table and will have the same waiters and same tablemates every night…We actually LOVE this set-up…as we’ve usually been assigned very good tablemates…Of course, you could get ones you don’t like as well…If there’s a problem, you can always go see the Maitre d’ and get your table changed…There are very few tables for two…you could have your travel agent request one for you, but you won’t necessarily get it…the waiters are outstanding on Celebrity and having the same waiters each night means they really get to know your personal wants… the service is outstanding…
The 8:45 time is pretty much what it is…showing up early does nothing…Main Seating starts at 6:00 or 6:15, depending on the ship and runs for approximately two hours…So, on your ship, hey are finishing up by around 8:15…which leaves the staff a half an hour to clean up, reset the tables, etc. They will shut the Dining Room doors during this process and open them at 8:45…Most people arrive between 8:45 and 9:00…Remember, it is “proper etiquette” to be timely since you have tablemates and the waiters will take everyone’s orders at one time and coordinate courses…Expect the several courses to be served over a two hour window…This is dinner only…Breakfast and Lunch are open seating…
Anything else you want to know, just ask…
BTW, for your first cruise, you’ve made an excellent choice of cruise line…
