It was supposed to be the best vacation ever; prefaced by three incredible sails enjoyed with Celebrity Cruise Line the summers before it on their other Solstice Class vessels, the Baltic Sea adventure we were about to embark on was understandably met with high hopes, expectations, and excitement. This was our once-a-year family getaway; our annual hiatus from reality that we so look forward to, and our way of enjoying time together before our lives and responsibilities bring us apart for another 365 days. Let it be known that we never ask to be treated like kings and queens, we don’t need red carpets, and we have always been pretty capable of making our own beds; in terms of hospitality, the bare minimum requirement for contentment really comes down, quite simply, to respect. And very sadly, the guest relations team aboard the Celebrity Eclipse was neither willing nor able to deliver.

This being our fourth family cruise with Celebrity, my mother thought it time to explore and upgrade. In doing so, she booked a room for my father and herself with the Aqua Class—one of the ship’s higher level classes. Amnesties include a balcony room on the 11th floor, a sequestered, quite area in the spa all their own, and dining at the high-end Aqua Restaurant, among other things. But of all of these, the only perk my mother was interested in was the dining option, and so in booking, she was sure to not only ask her travel agent if it would be permissible to also eat with her children in the Aqua restaurant, despite the fact that we were not Aqua class, but she was also sure to ask Celebrity at the 1-800 number. Both parties told her it was not an issue, and rightfully so, she believed them.

However, when we arrived to the restaurant our first night aboard the ship, we were told otherwise. With quite the attitude, the hostess informed us that there is a very strict policy aboard the ship disallowing any party not of the Aqua Class to eat in the Aqua Restaurant. My mother explained that she was told otherwise, and the hostess told her it was not her call to make and that she must follow up with guest relations. Read more