Temptation Caribbean Cruise 2022 Sneak Peek
Recently, Tess and I went on the Celebrity Summit to check out the ship for the upcoming Temptation Cruise. Here is our report from our site inspection:
Check-In
Getting on board was a breeze. It was one of the easiest check-ins we have ever encountered, but one of the reasons was that so few people were sailing on that cruise (more on that later).
The staff was great at moving people to the correct areas and then getting you processed quickly. Make sure you have everything you need: ID, proof of a negative COVID test, Proof of Vaccination, and a credit card for your expenses on board.
First Impression
First Impressions are important and the Summit did not disappoint. Celebrity ships have always been some of the best interior-designed ships with a very modern/chic flair.
The ship is 10 years old, but last year it underwent an extensive retrofit and renovation to modernize this ship, often considered to be one of Celebrity’s most beautiful ships. As part of Celebrity’s new “The Celebrity Revolution, this was the first of four ships to undergo this modern transformation and it was time and money well spent.
You could see the upgrades all over the ship, but one of our favorite new areas is the outdoor theater at the back of the ship where you can lounge in very comfortable sofas or reclining daybeds and watch a movie under the stars.
But What about the Party…
The main pool will be the perfect setting for the big, all-night, sexy theme parties. There are plenty of places to dance and great sightlines from almost anywhere. I can’t wait to hang out at the Sky Bar, one deck above the pool deck, so I can watch all the sexy costumes and outfits from above while drinking a cocktail (I found the bartenders at the Sky Bar to be some of the best onboard). It’s a great location for the sail away party, for sure.
This will be the main hub for daytime pool parties as well as the nightly theme parties. Having a grill on the pool deck is a great option for those that don’t want to leave the party to go eat. The burgers were very good, one of the best I’ve had on a ship.
Hint: The actual best burger I have ever had on a ship was on board, but at the Tuscan Grill, the Italian restaurant, for lunch one day. They only serve lunch here on sea days, so if you want to try the best burger at sea, stop in on a sea day and tell ‘em Bob & Tess said you had to come to try one of their gourmet burgers.
There is also a Sky Lounge where the party will move to if it rains and this will also be the home of the late-night dance parties for those who do not want to go to bed when the pool parties shut down.
You’ll find me at the outdoor cinema late at night. There’s just nothing like snuggling up to someone on an outdoor daybed while sailing across the Caribbean Sea.
What about the Playrooms?
One of the main reasons we were on board was to figure out where to put the playrooms. We are proud to be part of the Temptation “Naughty by Nature” experience by providing the best playrooms at sea.
On the first Temptation Cruise, we had over 1,200 people come through the playroom doors in the first 24 hours. It is always a very popular place to explore your fantasies and more…
After a lot of careful consideration, we realized that the conference center onboard was definitely the best place to put the playrooms, which we call the “Red Room” on board because we use a lot of red velvets and red tones to decorate and light this space.
During the day, there will be classes and seminars where you can learn techniques and skills to help you be a better lover as well as how to communicate better to help you be a better partner.
On the first night, we will have a tour, from 10 – 11 pm so people can see what the “Red Room” is all about when it is not in use. Anyone can walk through, ask questions and get a sneak peek so they will know what to expect.
At 11 pm each night, the playroom will only be open to couples and escorted singles and you will be required to dress down in order to enter. No street clothes are allowed, but you can wear a robe, pajamas or lingerie, a towel, underwear or anything super sexy.
It’s always a challenge to put together a great playroom on a ship because the rooms often have multiple levels, support columns to work around, and permanently installed furniture that has to remain in place.
The conference room gives us a very clean blank slate that is more similar to what we do at Naughty N’awlins. It’s going to make it easier for us to transform and it should make an even better experience for those looking for exotic experiences on board.
How was the Food?
Well, I’m glad you asked. The food was on par with some of the top cruise ships that we have been on over the years (we have been on 117 cruises so far). We found the variety of food was excellent and we wish we could have stayed a few more days, just so we could experience some of the restaurants we missed (especially Blu).
Our favorite two restaurants were the Tuscan Grill and Le Petite Chef. We thought the interactive show at Le Petite Chef was innovative as well as delicious. The staff was exceptions, if you can, book this with friends and enjoy the show (and the food).
I wish I could have tried the Lawn Club and Muranos. Make sure you look at the specialty restaurant dining packages and book them in advance to get a discount and to reserve a spot onboard before all the good time slots are taken.
The main restaurant is great, I especially liked the escargot. We enjoy the main dining room on charters because there is a lot of energy and you can meet lots of people, but the specialty dining experiences are truly exceptional when it comes to the food and the staff. We highly recommend trying at least one or two during the charter.
The Cabins
I loved our shower and bathroom, always a challenge on a cruise ship. The shower was one of the largest I have been in, while on a cruise ship and it had a great modern surface that was a welcome site when compared to most plastic feeling surfaces.
There is a huge difference in the surfaces and the materials used today than ships that are 10 years old or older. We really liked the cabin. We didn’t spend much time in our cabin, but it was a welcome space for when you need to get away from the party.
Of course, the balcony is where I spend much of our time when we are in our cabin. It’s just so peaceful to watch the world go by and it is definitely worth having if you are considering what cabin type to purchase (get the balcony!).
The room was well appointed with plenty of room to store everything. They even have USB ports by the bed (it’s about time cruise ships added USB ports!).
Our cabin had a small sofa, but we rarely used it, instead I prefer to watch TV in bed or I typically hang out on the Balcony. The ladies will like the desk area because it is a great place to get ready for the theme nights. It has great lighting, a large mirror and is perfect for applying makeup, glitter and all those sexy accessories for the theme nights.
We give the cabins a big thumbs up.
Overall, we were very impressed with the ship. It will be one of the nicest ships we have ever experienced for a charter cruise. I think you will be very happy with the food, your cabin and all of the bars and restaurants. I know we were.
Sometimes size does matter…
One thing that I keep hearing over and over is “I’m not going on any cruises, I am not going to get stuck on no boat” and similar concerns related to Covid.
We all must look at our own risk factors in order to make informed decisions and this is certainly a very personal decision, but we want to make sure you are making an informed decision.
To us, this might be one of the safest charter cruises ever offered. Here’s why:
1. The ship won’t sail full. While the Temptation Cruise staff is working overtime to fill the ship, it most likely will sail with more than half, but less than a full ship. Even if it’s half full, that’s still over 1,200 people to party with and no lines anywhere you want to eat or drink.
Even if this ship was at full capacity, there are enough places to go so that you would feel crowded, with somewhere between 50-90% of the ship filled, you will be able to be safer than you would on a sold-out charter.
2. There are lots of outdoor venues. The main parties will all be outside with a nice breeze blowing, which makes these parties much safer than smaller parties that take place indoors, like local lifestyle clubs, indoor music venues or nightclubs.
3. Everyone is vaccinated on board and everyone has to test negative before being able to board. Every single person. You won’t find this at any other big event or resort. In our opinion, this alone makes the event MUCH safer than any other type of vacation, party or event.
4. The entire ship’s crew is tested every couple of days. Guess how often the staff is tested at your local hotel or nightclub? At least on board the Temptation ship, you know everyone has been tested recently.
5. They have some of the best protocols in the hospitality industry. If someone does test positive during the cruise, there are very thorough protocols in place that will isolate the people who test positive to make sure they contain any potential outbreaks.
6. 100% Fresh, Filtered Air. HVAC system continuously supplies and filters 100% fresh, filtered air to all spaces. You can breathe easy knowing the robust system’s layers of protection make the transmission of aerosol particles between spaces extremely low to virtually impossible.
7. You won’t get stuck on a boat. If you do test positive n board, you will disembark when we get back to port and asked to quarantine, but not on the ship.
Conclusion
The Temptation Cruise is one of the safest possible events you could attend. It has one of the best price points of any event we sell. It is a beautiful ship that will be a better experience than most full ship charters in the past.
We hope to see you there…
— Bob & Tess
