Sizzlechest

I've gone through this entire thread and I nominate PG_Cruiser as the best posted in Cruise Critic history. This was an incredible effort. Some of those drinks only available on Icon of the Seas look great. I'm assuming if you asked for them on another ship, they'd have no idea how to make them. Now with the recipe, they can. If you run out of official drinks, I suggest continuing this thread with off-menu drinks. A "Berrys and Cream" is something most RCL bartenders know how to make, but it's not on any menu in the fleet. A "Pistachio Martini" is another one the bartenders on the Liberty of the Seas knew how to make that was outstanding. (Sorry, I didn't get the recipe.) I also have a couple of drinks I instruct the bartenders to make that I have memorized. If anyone else does, maybe we can share them.

I get a small amount of real heavy cream from the espresso area. Order a black russian and then turn it into a white russian.

Add a shot of Frangellico to make a Nutty Russian. It's amazing.

I asked my TA about making dining package reservations pre-cruise and here is what he said: RCL is currently trying it out on the ICON and will be on the Utopia. There’s no word yet when they will be rolling out pre-cruise reservations at Specialty restaurants again.

I get it, but every cruise line has its pluses and minuses. RCL: Pay for popcorn. Free pizza. NCL: Pay for pizza. Free popcorn. 🤷‍♀️

Yes, but the ice cream you have to pay for is excellent. I'm GLAD the contract with Ben and Jerry's expired. The Sugar Shack stuff on the Oasis class ships is now on the Freedom class (from what I heard.) BTW, if you are on an Oasis-class ship and have the UDP, don't pay for ice cream at Sugar Shack. Go to Playmakers and get it for free (but without the cone). And yes, they have all the same flavors as what's in Sugar Shack. You don't have to stick with the Tahitian Vanilla just because that's what's on the menu at Playmakers.

Yeah. They have very generic vanilla in the MDR (sometimes), too But NCL has a whole sundae station in their buffet.

You should ask for a refund. That's unacceptable. Aqua 80 is great not because it's "80s music set to diving/acrobatics." It's not because Gen Xers enjoy it. It is because they created an entirely new soundtrack using multiple 80s songs simultaneously. They're going to make a new Aqua 80s show on another ship. I just hope they go the extra mile for the soundtrack of that one. I hate Cats, too. However, I met someone who loved it. I think it's because they read the book many years ago. I had no idea it was a book.

Oh goodie. A tipping post. Welp, this thread was nice while it lasted.

And hard ice cream, not just soft serve.

Carnival has better free options than Royal. Guys burgers, stir fry wok station, etc.

The MDR/Buffet food is subpar compared to Specialty Dining. Yeah, that's not a surprise, but the difference shouldn't be so glaring. I was shocked RCL floated the idea of charging for pizza. Pizza is the backup plan if dinner in the MDR is so-so. They start charging for Pizza and the MDR ratings are going to plummet.

I always put in lowball bids. The only way I can justify the terrible deal is if somehow the 4,000-5,000 other cruisers are too smart to fall for it. Never won a RoyalUP once. 🤭

There was talk about RCL allowing dining package customers to reserve before boarding. Anyone hear any updates about this?

The hard ice cream/gelato in Sugar Beach. UDP tip: Sugar Beach is not part of the UDP, but Playmakers is. Buy the football helmet full of ice cream at Playmakers and specify whatever flavors you want.