This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
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We had an absolutely brilliant first cruise experience and really can't fault any part of it. The down side was that sadly it was over far too quickly and the time to fly home was upon us.
WE had berthed at Fort Lauderdale and I had booked to use the Celebrity cruise's own transport to get us to Miami airport having been informed it was wheelchair accessible. Hey ho.... after having to drag myself up the steps of the coach into the front seat we were soon on our way.
Miami airport is like the land of the walking dead, we had arrived well before check in was due to open and as buying a new suitcase was not on the agenda there really was not that much else to do for the next few hours. During the cruise we had met up with a lovely South African couple. We shared our dinning table with them each evening and as it happens they had flown out to LAX on the same flight as us to join the ship and I think they were traveling PE. Anyway somewhere on the V-Flyer forum I had read that UC passengers may invite one guest each into the lounge as long as the are flying on Virgin too...so I had invited them to join us in the MIA Lounge if this turned out to be in fact true.
Actually we all just pulled up some carpet in the main terminal and had a great old chat and learnt so much more about each other..good old fashioned talk.... the time just flew by! The check-in staff arrived and soon everything was set up to start the process. I guess it is the American way of life but it appears the staff are there to just do a job anything else a bonus like smiling or even holding a conversation with the customers. On a positive the invitation to the Club America lounge was extend to our two friends which was nice touch and in a way good PR maybe this couple will fly UC next time.
The infamous trek through the security channel was as intense as usual and some how Sandra and I got separated which annoyed some of the more caring team of officials but soon we were air side and then the new party game of find where my bum bag, mobile keys, laptop etc are.... due to the tray shuffle the other side of the X-ray machine which takes place whilst the body search is conducted.
The Club America lounge was a complete let down as there were no sandwiches or food about anywhere, so we actually popped down and had a pizza at Pizza hut. Our friends had chosen to shop first before joining us and we advised them to eat downstairs too. The Lounge was clean 'ish' but one can never compensate for the rude and lazy fellow traveler who thinks of only them selves as they throw read papers down on to the floor etc. I felt a wee bit disappointed to share the lounge experience with our guest on this occasion as it appeared downstairs was very on par with what was on offer upstairs.
I like to look after Sandra as much as possible and offered to get her and our guests a drink from the self service area but from the wheelchair I was unable to reach the coffee cups. In the end plan A of being the gallant chap fell at the first hurdle and I had to ask help of my fellow traveler...most willing given I must add. No trays available either and in the end after a search for a member of staff drinks were duly delivered to the table.
We all set off to the gate to pre board and once again the on-board wheelchair was waiting to take me to my seat 16A, Sandra's 17A ( up in the nose cone of a 747, not the usual aircraft on this route I believe?) A quick transfer from my chariot to Virgin's and we set off forward and within minutes I was comfortably in my little pod with
a comforting glass of champagn in hand.
Take off was much on time if not quite a few minutes early and to be honest this despite the plane being full in all classes again. Before we knew it we were thundering down the runway and climbing up through the clouds. Is it just me but I always get a feeling there is a competition on to see how quickly the on board team get get all those, on the night flights home, to sleep? I personally felt everything was rushed and because of this some of the nicer touches of flying UC were very much missing. The CC were one member down (due to illness) and this was causing them some problems.
Still I had my obligatory G & T and decided on the beef dinner..again nothing much to write home about but it was edible. I then decided to make use of the bed and get some real shut eye before arriving at Heathrow. I actually slept like a log and even missed the quite bad turbulence during the flight I was informed we had endured. Even my wife making some further on board purchases passed me by whilst in the land of nod...I was sleeping that deeply. I awoke just in time to catch the eye of the CCS and put my order in for a coffee and bacon roll before getting ready to descend into Heathrow, despite making good time on the trip over the pond air traffic control kept us holding a fair while. Yet we still arrived on time and without too much fuss and before I knew it I was once again re united with my faithful chariot (wheelchair) at the aircraft door
The crew were very friendly through out the flight (I can only comment during my waking hours) . Assistance to get to the smallest room in the house was rapid and most efficient.... no long drawn out waits as endured on the flight our to LAX..... the onboard wheelchair always available
Bags were not so easy to find in the reclaim hall this time but passage through immigration and customs a breeze
In summary I do enjoy the day time flights more as it gives one chance to enjoy the perks of flying UC in a much more leisurely manner. On the night flights there is a pressure by the CC to get done, dusted and lights out well that is my humble perception
) I'd postulate that the rush to get lights out is also out of consideration for the majority of pax who actually want to sleep on a night flight. I'm in your camp though - not a big fan of night flights, you don't get to use all the facilities. I am actually getting quite attached to 24 hour flights. [:)]
