CruisinCons

We'll be doing our first 12 night next October, longest so far has been 10 nights. I too am thinking about how to bring everything we'll need, as we are taking a train to Boston the night (or two) before, and then flying home from Fort Lauderdale afterwards. So we'll need clothes for 13-14 days. We've always used a traditional-sized one carry-on each (yes, I am a very efficient packer and they have an expansion layer so we can fit more in) but even at 7 nights they are stuffed. I may have to buy larger suitcases for this trip. I'm good...but not that good, even with re-wearing clothes.

Wondering if you went to the Quest game show and if so what night it was on?

Also, if you now anything about the Karoake on board? I'd like to know if you are able to access any songs via the internet or if they had a book of limited songs to select from?? Tia!

We sailed in September. Quest was second half of the week, can't remember which day exactly. As for karoake, they have it nightly, sometimes twice in a night. There is family friendly and adult-only. You had to choose from a book. There is also karoake that you sing along with a rock band, they have a different set of songs to choose from. Their lead singer does harmony & back up for you. With the band was called "rock-oa-ke" or something like that, and was in Dazzles. Adult karoake was in On Air. Not sure about the family-friendly as we didn't attend that.

I’m on the AOS right now, and the last time I️ sailed her was in February 2016. There have been some significant improvements. Carpets have been replaced everywhere - except the cabins I️ believe. There is a kids water slide and play area, and there is a huge water slide as well. I️ can say with complete confidence that the mattress onboard are horrible. I’m thankful I️ brought my own air mattress [emoji106].

I️ hope they change the mattresses during the next dry dock - it is needed.

Overall the ship looks great, and I’m having a fantastic time so far [emoji41]

 

 

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We'll be sailing her May 2018, can't wait! Question, if you don't mind? Do you see anything in the Compasses for the 18-23 yr olds? I can't remember what they call it, it's used to be Club 18-20 but then it got expanded to 23, I think to include all the college-aged kids as opposed to just those too old for kids programs but too young to drink. I've seen a few compasses with an evening activity listed the first couple nights then nothing later as the week goes on. We're bringing our 18 & 20 yr olds with us on that trip and I'm hoping there are others onboard their age.

We are twins. I have had heartburn everyday since Feb of 1998. Guess when I got pregnant!? I too have hiatal hernia and gallstones. I was supposed to have my gallbladder removed Thursday but it got postponed until Dec. My doctor thinks removing my gallbladder won't help my GERD since I have had it so long. I am going to have the stretta procedure done soon. Unfortunately, I don't know what sets off my attacks. I have given up everything and still get them.

 

Kathy

I've got Barretts from the heartburn, so I get the pleasure of yearly endoscopies. Next one is Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. Yay?

I've been able to track my triggers with careful documentation of every bite of food and sip of liquid that goes in my mouth over the years. I've been dealing with it for about 10 years, gallbladder came out three years ago. It's weird how something won't normally bother me, unless I eat it on an empty stomach. I make a point to eat 5 small meals a day so my stomach is never really empty. I can't eat wheat on an empty stomach (like triscuits), but can if it's part of a meal (like a sandwich). It's all about careful tracking for me.

Because of the extensive amount of cleaning, the ship did smell like chemicals all week. :(

I can understand people getting frustrated about getting to cabins so late. But I would be thankful they were doing such a thorough job at cleaning.

 

 

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Exactly. Take as long as you need so I don't get sick. Unfortunately our attendant didn't do a great job in our room. A couple days in I was looking for something my son dropped and there was what looked like dried throw up in the wall. Ewwwwww...

Those of us who fly have to worry about getting that bottle of vinegar down, so capsules are awesome! I take a daily tablespoon of ACV with the mother (gotta have the mother) in my water, but just skipped it on my last cruise and brought some Tums & a few omeprazole with me just in case. I'm so used to making good choices with what I eat I knew that I'd be good on the cruise as well. My only concern was that I'd indulge in too many coconut cookies and set my heartburn off. I have a hiatal hernia so heartburn is a daily thing for me. Got much better once my gallbladder was removed. So worth it.

We had to deal with that on Quantum in 2015. Boarded really late, around 1pm, think they started around noon. Everything was sanitized top to bottom. We couldn't get into our rooms until after dinner, around 8pm, some folks as late at 11pm. Stateroom attendants earned their wages ten-fold, they worked so hard. The entire trip the ship was constantly being cleaned and re-cleaned. Pools not open until day 2. Lots of very upset passengers after a very crazy day 1.

There are a lot more announcements to come, so maybe that's still coming. We are still a long ways out!

I can’t see dining for my May Cruise either. Mine is May 6 on Liberty. I can see all the drink packages but none are discounted.

 

 

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For some reason our sailing is having IT issues. When contacting IT, we're told that all items should be loaded by 6 months out and not to worry. Sigh.

Maybe the pool deck will be addressed in the dry dock? I'm sailing her next 10/28 and will make sure I have good shoes!

I'm on Adventure in May 2018 and can't book anything except the Evian water package or the deluxe drink package. No other drink packages exist for me, and nothing at all for dining.

Wow - this is all so interesting. I've been cruising since 1992 and have never even heard of this. I'm curious about one sailing from 1997. It started in San Juan, and repo'd to New York City via 3 days in Bermuda. Technically, is San Juan a US or foreign port? Puerto Rico is part of the United States.

This was one leg of a very long repo from Hawaii or someplace in the Pacific I found out tonight (from some one who was a crew member on that ship) but my sailing just was from San Juan to NYC. So since we didn't visit a DISTANT port, it's not legal, right?

I guess all this explains why my repo in 2018 from Boston to Ft Lauderdale has to go all the way to Aruba, LOL.

There is sooooo much for the kids to do, they won't want to be anywhere near you and trivia. LOL Mine barely let the Seaplex on Quantum.

I have a cruise coming up in May 2018 and not only cannot book dining, I cannot book most drink packages. I have the deluxe alcohol package and the Evian water package. That's it. My October 2018 sailing I have all packages available to buy, including coffee cards.

I always fly in the day before. Being January, there's always the chance of bad weather. Even if there wasn't I don't like to start my vacation being stressed out as to whether or not I'm going to make it. It's just far more relaxing for me to go in the day before. If you do go in the day of, be SURE to purchase trip insurance.

Agree. Jersey weather is unpredictable at best (look at the last two days freezing them muggy) but keep in mind your flight is conditional upon the weather in other parts of the country too. You never know where your plane is coming in from, and what the weather will be there. If your plane can't get to you, then you can't get to Florida...no matter what the weather is in Jersey.

I'll bet it's less than that, because that's about the cost of the taxi.

We paid about half that.

I am pretty sure Quantum had one. Or was it checkers? It had something that was giant.

There really are not any hotels at the port. Your best bet is to stay in an airport hotel and take a shuttle. Another option is to stay at a hotel at the train station (Newark Penn Station - NOT New York Penn Station) and get a shuttle from there.

On Harmony last month the $19 was to sit at a table for dinner. Not sure what the lunch price was. You could get a la carte items at the bar area, and during various happy hour specials.

On Harmony last month, it was available in the MDR and in the Windjammer. Both locations had the machine that squeezed the oranges, but you were poured a cup of juice from a pitcher when you ordered. The amount of juice the machine could make at one time would've created a big line, so they "pre-squeeze" the juice. The crew member makes more as needed, but he always had about 3-4 pitchers ready at a time. It was $5 per glass (plus gratuity) if you didn't have the package.

It's basically a punch card, so there should be no problem. I know people who have used the drink punch card on more than one voyage.

NOPE. I know that is why I put it in bold. We boarded on Saturday. I noticed that it showed I was connected to their wifi. I double checked that my cellular data was off, my phone was in airplane mode as well. I had a wifi connection. I would get notifications on my phone and thought what in the world? I downloaded the Royal IQ app which is free for all to download over the ships wifi. I was able to access everything on the app. So I thought well lets see if we can Imessage since that is not usually sent over data connection and yup we could imessage. We do not usually use our phones while onboard except for picture taking and we never purchase internet until it is time to print boarding passes upstairs and that is only purchased for a 60 minute duration so I can print them. You could not surf the internet or do facebook or anything like that but you can imessage.

We were on Harmony in September, and went up to the Card Room (where Royal Online is on that ship) and we accessed the internet at no charge. You can go to the airline websites and print out boarding passes for free. We even changed our flight to an earlier one via the Southwest website. o charge. We did not try to go to any other websites so I don't know what other access there is, but others in our group mentioned they were able to access their airline websites from there as well, at no charge.

Just let your waiter know you have a show to go to and they will make sure you are out in time.

Hard to answer your questions 1 & 2, as they are really a matter of personal preference. My opinion on coffee may not be the same as yours. Pretty sure the brand of coffee they served was Illy. I vaguely remember tea bags out when we were on Harmony last month. Hot tea wasn't already brewed. I don't drink any of the cold drinks (besides water) so I can't answer that. You can always brew your own ice tea with the tea bags if you want.

An Alaska cruise is on our bucket list, and we will definitely get a balcony. I'd love to sit on the balcony as we sail past glaciers. That view is unobstructed and you are partially shielded from the chill by the balcony dividers. From deck, you are either out in the open or you'l have a glass panel in front of you. But again, my personal opinion and ma not be another person's.