Celebrity Cruises: Mercury - First-time Questions

Hi.

My family and I are getting ready to embark on a cruise to Alaska
(departure date: Jun 16). My wife and I did some research on the
internet and decided to seek the help of a travel agent (Windy City
Travel, Chicago), this being our first cruise.

Our travel agent has tentatively booked us on a Celebrity Cruises ship
called the Mercury.
We had a budget of 10K and wanted to be accomodated in an upper deck
suite with a balcony. We are booked in a Royal Suite (sq. ft. 550 + 94
(balcony)).

The entire package (air fare to and from Chicago, cruise costs,
insurance) will cost us a shade under $10K ($approx. $9.8K). The room
is being charged at the rate of $3000/per adult and $600/child (we are
2 adults and 2 children).

Since we have no experience with this kind of travel, I would love to
hear from someone else (preferably someone who has been aboard the
Mercury) that this particular ship and this level of accomodation are
worth the cost.

>From my own research, neither this cruise line nor this particular ship
has been rated the best (or in the top 2) in any sort of rating scheme.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Satindra Chakravorty.

We have not been on the Mercury, but cruise exclusively on Celebrity.
You will not be disappointed with anything on Celebrity. Alaska is
beautiful. We have been there twice on the Infinity. You will find
the food and service to be a bit above the other mainstream
cruiselines. Have a great trip!

)).
>
> The entire package (air fare to and from Chicago, cruise costs,
> insurance) will cost us a shade under $10K ($approx. $9.8K). The room
> is being charged at the rate of $3000/per adult and $600/child (we are
> 2 adults and 2 children).
>
> Any feedback would be much appreciated.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Satindra Chakravorty.
>

While cruising is a great value paying for the cruise is only half the
battle. There are other items on the cruise ship that you might end up
paying for such as: cost for excursions, drinks, tips, pictures, gambling,
shopping on and off the ship, optional internet, spa visits, port shuttle,
etc. Most of these are optional so if you resist the tempation it won't be
so bad.

Have a great cruise,
Dave

satindra@ wrote:
> Hi.
>
> My family and I are getting ready to embark on a cruise to Alaska
> (departure date: Jun 16). My wife and I did some research on the
> internet and decided to seek the help of a travel agent (Windy City
> Travel, Chicago), this being our first cruise.
>
> Our travel agent has tentatively booked us on a Celebrity Cruises ship

How can you are booked "tentatively" for a sailing that is just a month
away? (Please ignore the question if the sailing date is not 6/16/06).

In article <b8H9g.76635$H71.44116@newssvr13.news.> , no
e-mail <noemail@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> How can you are booked "tentatively" for a sailing that is just a month
> away? (Please ignore the question if the sailing date is not 6/16/06).

It is possible to put a hold of a couple of days on a cabin.

--
Charles

We sailed to Alaska out of Vancouver on the Mercury several years ago
and found it very nice. One of my favorite parts was the huge window
in the rear of the dining room; we were lucky enough to have been
seated right next to it and it was always nice to have the natural
light and a pretty view (even if it was only of the ship's wake) while
dining.

I'm not sure you can get out onto the prow of the ship any longer (or
pretty close to it) but that was also a nice place to hang out if it
wasn't too windy. Your own balcony will also be a treasure--it's well
worth the extra money, especially in Glacier Bay (or whichever bay you
will be in). Bring a good pair of binoculars or two; watching the
glaciers calving from your own balcony lounge chair with an Irish
coffee at your elbow is the epitome of decadence.

Have a great cruise!
Jeannie



satindra@ wrote:
> Hi.
>
> My family and I are getting ready to embark on a cruise to Alaska
> (departure date: Jun 16). My wife and I did some research on the
> internet and decided to seek the help of a travel agent (Windy City
> Travel, Chicago), this being our first cruise.
>
> Our travel agent has tentatively booked us on a Celebrity Cruises ship
> called the Mercury.
> We had a budget of 10K and wanted to be accomodated in an upper deck
> suite with a balcony. We are booked in a Royal Suite (sq. ft. 550 + 94
> (balcony)).
>
> The entire package (air fare to and from Chicago, cruise costs,
> insurance) will cost us a shade under $10K ($approx. $9.8K). The room
> is being charged at the rate of $3000/per adult and $600/child (we are
> 2 adults and 2 children).
>
> Since we have no experience with this kind of travel, I would love to
> hear from someone else (preferably someone who has been aboard the
> Mercury) that this particular ship and this level of accomodation are
> worth the cost.
>
> >From my own research, neither this cruise line nor this particular ship
> has been rated the best (or in the top 2) in any sort of rating scheme.
>
> Any feedback would be much appreciated.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Satindra Chakravorty.

Thus spake Charles <fort@his.com.remove.invalid> :

>In article <b8H9g.76635$H71.44116@newssvr13.news.> , no
>e-mail <noemail@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> How can you are booked "tentatively" for a sailing that is just a month
>> away? (Please ignore the question if the sailing date is not 6/16/06).
>
>It is possible to put a hold of a couple of days on a cabin.

I think that Celebrity will give you until 11 pm the next day to pay
for a cruise after full payment is due. I haven't booked any inside
this window, so perhaps someone else can confirm this. This is what I
was told by my Celebrity rep.

--
dillon

I didn't climb to the top of the
food chain to become a vegetarian.

In article <r7mf62dr8r4rn4vh1r0paenbg5kcc8g8j0@>, Dillon Pyron
<dmpyronINVALID@austin.> wrote:

> I think that Celebrity will give you until 11 pm the next day to pay
> for a cruise after full payment is due. I haven't booked any inside
> this window, so perhaps someone else can confirm this. This is what I
> was told by my Celebrity rep.

I can give you a real world example. A cabin was put on hold by TA for
a May 27, 2006 Celebrity sailing on April 24, 2006. I had until April
27 to decide to book and pay for the cabin.

--
Charles

<satindra@> wrote in message
news:1147576574.404977.256900@d71g2000cwd. o...
> Hi.
>
> My family and I are getting ready to embark on a cruise to Alaska
> (departure date: Jun 16). My wife and I did some research on the
> internet and decided to seek the help of a travel agent (Windy City
> Travel, Chicago), this being our first cruise.
>
> Our travel agent has tentatively booked us on a Celebrity Cruises ship
> called the Mercury.
> We had a budget of 10K and wanted to be accomodated in an upper deck
> suite with a balcony. We are booked in a Royal Suite (sq. ft. 550 + 94
> (balcony)).


We got off the Mercury on May 8th after a ten day cruise to the Mexican
Riviera. To be candid, I was not that impressed with the ship. It had a
tired and somewhat worn look..There were a couple areas that were badly
soiled..(took photos Tom K!) somewhat like the Zenith that we took to
Bermuda in Aug. 2003..Fortunately, this time our cabin was neat and clean
with what looked as a fairly new and attractive bedspread with decent linens
and the dining room was very clean and well maintained.....I understand that
because of the outbreak of the Norovirus on her the week of March 17th,
which continued the following week, she had to have a large amount of bleach
used to help combat the virus from spreading...I expected to see a lot more
bleach spotting, but it was not that evident unless you looked for it. After
having been on the Infinity in February, she was a bit of a
disappointment...If we had not been with two other couples who are good
friends and cruise with us often, we would not have enjoyed this cruise as
much as we did.

We were not in the Royal suite, so your experience will probably be totally
different in those surroundings.. There were some very nice areas on the
ship that took away the drabness and were more colorful and better
maintained. If I were going, I would not spend that much money on the
Mercury; but take the Infinity instead. That of course, is my opinion and
probably quite subjective. I did enjoy the fresh orchids (ala HAL) on the
dining room tables...

--Jean

In article <gCS9g.289$Gf5.276@fe12.lga>, Tom K <tkanitra@>
wrote:

> At least they're willing to spend the money to do a major revitalization.
> It's not just carpets and upholstery. It looks like a total gutting and
> re-do.

I hope they get rid of the flapping tent like cover they tie over the
"bandstand" by the pool. Very annoying when you are trying to relax
there.

--
Charles