The Fun Researcher

If that happened with the freedom class ships for us, we would feel the same way. Nostalgia and wonderful memories. [emoji1360].

Dan

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Maybe for some of the lower cost items, but some of the drink packages are crazy expensive. We have had cruises where the alcoholic drink package would cost as much is our cruise fair. No thanks.

I do see this being effective for the specialty dining for example. This seems to be the way RCCL is pushing people because the main dining room menus are shrinking as well as the quality.

Dan

What you may be seeing in part is the unattended consequences of my time dining. I've seen people complain about the limited dining options with two times as an early and late option. So RCI introduces my time, customers complain about the long waits to get a table in my time. Next RCI adjusts with a more limited menu and you must order everything at once to save time. Now the complaints are rolling in again. Maybe the problem is not with RCI, but the customers they are trying to please. Sometimes when you try to please everyone, you end up with the opposite.

While I agree that asking for your full order up front may save time, I have to respectfully disagree about the rest. I have a hard time seeing the limited menu having much at all to do with My Time Dining or time savings. I think it's all about profits.

MTD has been around a long time now, since before I started sailing RCCL 7 years ago. I believe they would have made changes years ago to the menu if MTD was causing that many problems. It doesn't save that much time to order from a more limited menu. I think they are simply cutting costs to eliminate more costly items and the waste associated with having to stock all of the components for those meals, at our expense.

IMO, these more limited menus are the first thing in a while that I really feel upset about from RCCL. (the other was the MASSIVE drink price increases a few years back) We eat in the MDR every dinner, and have always enjoyed the experience. While the meals are not as good as the specialty options, they were (in general) plenty good for us. The much more limited menus combined with the limited bread options is a major setback for our style of cruising. I will be looking elsewhere now, and will not be so focused on RCCL. I had this same cruise in mind for this upcoming March because this itinerary was so stellar and we've been on the Navigator a few years ago and enjoyed it. Now I'll be looking towards Celebrity Solstice class during that time frame for similar itineraries.

Dan

You are not alone OP. Good friends of ours just got back from the same cruise. They mentioned that the ship was good (except for the saltwater pools), the entertainment was great but the food was the worst they’ve had in a very long time. They have done many cruises on many lines, and we have sailed with them on the navigator itself in the past.

Having said that, we just got done off the Liberty in January and were very happy with the food, some of the best we’ve had in the main dining room in our cruises with Royal Caribbean. It sounds as though this is a navigator issue. However, we did still have the old menus with a wider variety of offerings. We did have bread baskets set down at the beginning of each meal instead of a bread service offered. That was a bummer because some of my favorite breads are missing now.

I am really wanting to do an ABC cruise with my wife in March next year and this itinerary looks amazing. Not so sure I want to put up with so so food though.

thank you for your honest review. Well done.

Dan

Happy sailing!

Dan

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the travel experience, safety and satisfaction of our guests is of the utmost importance to us. Recently Norwegian Sun underwent enhancements as part of our continuous efforts to ensure that every ship across the fleet delivers a consistently high-quality passenger experience. While we do our utmost to minimize any impact to our guests when these enhancements are being implemented, we do recognize that during a recent sailing, we did not meet the expectations of our guests, nor our own standards, for which we truly apologize. Norwegian Cruise Line is inviting the guests on the March 16th Norwegian Sun voyage to cruise again and fully experience all that Norwegian has to offer with a 100% future cruise credit of their fare paid, which can be applied towards another cruise of their choice from now through March 31, 2023. We realize that this gesture cannot replace their recent experience but do hope to have the opportunity to welcome them on board again soon.

Just me speaking, but...

To me, this apology along with the 100% future cruise credit is a just response to the recent incident on the Sun.

It doesn’t change the experience that the cruisers had on the Sun, and hopefully lessons were learned, but I do feel that a full future cruise is justified. Well done.

Dan

The thing I think is funny is the people who want to publicly declare that they won't sail on NCL, yet they still want to spend their time on an NCL forum. If I really wasn't going to sail on a line, I wouldn't bother hanging out on their forum either.

People like me? I’ll tell you how that went down. I read the article about the Sun on the news, and came here to see how people were reacting to the news. This is a discussion forum isn’t it? I have been seriously interested in sailing Norwegian in the past asking quite a few questions in this part of the cruise critic forum. However, this latest incident is solidifying my reason for not cruising NCL.

Dan

If what you say is true, then we will see NCL's bookings, revenues, and profits drop as they release their financials each quarter. We will all be able to plainly see just how much damage this will do to their bottom line.

 

OTOH, on the off-chance that this doesn't affect their bottom line, we'll have to come back and admit that these folks don't have as much power and influence as they think they do.

 

One way or the other, we will see. The numbers don't lie.

Not pointing this directly at you, but since you mentioned it, I could care less how this affects NCL's stock or profits. This has to do with how NCL is treating their customers and their mentality towards them. This is keeping me away for sure.

Dan

I've been on the fence a few times regarding cruising with Norwegian, and to be honest this latest incident really tips the scales for me against it.

Seems to be maximize profit without concern for their passengers. These passengers didn't know about this significant, smelly eye sore of construction until AFTER they were on board. They were stuck. If this happened on any of the cruises I've been on, I would be looking for another cruise line.

Dan

I don't really care about the "status" of Diamond or above, I just care about the perks. If I get free drinks during certain hours, I'm good. I don't need it to be in a dedicated (and crowded) lounge. If I get extra discounts on things, well that's what I expect for being loyal to a brand...

but that's just me. I know other do enjoy the fellowship of being with other "special" guests, and I totally get the desire for a venue to catch up with old friends and acquaintances.

I think RCCL made it difficult for themselves by setting up dedicated lounges for certain classes. These are finite spaces with a growing number who can access. RCCL does have a long term problem as more and more guests achieve Diamond status daily.

Dan

There was a huge Artic Front that swept most of the South.

You would have had Chilly weather if you were sailing out of Florida.

I wouldn't rule that port out because of the Cold.

 

 

Most of the time it is hot & humid in Galveston.

You just had an off week.

There was a cold front.

However it was in the 70’s in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area the same time we were having 49 and windy in Galveston. There are other challenges with Galveston too, like getting back and forth from the airport.

I wouldn’t mind sailing from there during the warmer months but for us it’s not worth the increased risk of colder weather.

Dan

I just booked Maya Chan for the end of March. We are looking forward to it, but just hoping our 13 year old son doesn't get bored. He does like to kayak and SUP, so I figure it will be good. There was enough there to keep your kids happy?

 

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All of our kids LOVED it. Lots of water toys to play with, play on the beach, eat lunch, chill under your umbrella or palapa, get a massage, play with the two very nice dogs, play cornhole, etc...

Dan

Sail April 8, same itinerary as you. Who was cruise director? Who did you do the tour with on Roatan?

Bodden tours. Our guide was Dolie (not sure if I spelled it right but it’s pronounced like Dolly but with a long O). He was excellent, born and raised there and was a room steward for Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines for 30 years.

Personally I would skip the long drive through the east side of the island unless you really want to see the everyday life of the inhabitants of Roatan. It gave everyone in our party a welcome appreciation how good we have it here in the US. Wonderful people but a very poor area.... and lots of pot holes :)

Our cruise director was Drew Divine.

Dan

Thanks for the review. We're sailing on Liberty early February. We booked ages ago since Liberty had been the only ship visiting Roatan and Costa maya. Now they've added ships from Florida, which would be much more Convenient for us coming from NY, but everything is paid, so we will deal with it. Concerned about getting there from NY...hoping the weather cooperates. We're coming into Houston a day early. Also concerned about the cold weather. We are snorkeling at all three stops. May cancel if it's going to be cold.

 

 

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Whether you are going out of Florida or Texas, it's really only the first and last sea day that are different. Once you are down by the ports it doesn't matter where you sailed from. I wouldn't worry about it.

Dan

Thanks for the review. Sailing on lady liberty in a week and a half b2b. I will make sure i bring plenty of jackets and sweaters!

 

 

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We all pretty much had a pullover, or a hoodie sweatshirt, or similar and just threw that on when we went up on deck on the cooler days. You don't really need many, just one option was fine for us. They take up too much room in the luggage. :)

Dan

That beach club in Cozumel looks really great. How was the food? And how much was your transportation to and from?

Great place.

Wide variety of mexican food choices on their menu, and it was good. Not mind blowing, but very good. When you book the all inclusive package, you get to order off the full menu. I think it was one starter, one soup or salad, and one entree. PLENTY of food.

The taxi for 7 of us was $34 each way if I remember correctly.

Dan

Great review. We are sailing Liberty 4/1 and looking forward to it!

 

Can you tell me a bit more about the galley tour? How much was it? When was it offered? Do you need to book that in advance of sailing?

 

Thank you!

It was $35 each plus taxes, so for two of us it was $75. (they let our kids go free). It was offered on the last day, Day 7 and it started a 11am. You book a day or two before it is offered, through your MDR waiter or head waiter.

You meet together as a group in the deck 4 main dining room and they serve you either sparkling wine, momosa's or orange juice. Then you get broken into groups of 20 and are guided through the galley. Try to stay close to your guide because if you are in the back then it can be hard to hear. They take you through all areas of the kitchen and explain the whole process. Cameras and video are welcome.

Then you come out to your own lunch area that is setup with a fruit and cheese bar and then you chose your entree from the following:

• Oven baked chicken breast wrapped with bacon
  
• Char Grilled 6oz Filet mignon with sauteed garlic shrimps
  
• Herb Marinated Swordfish
  
• Fresh Made Pasta
  
• Spinach Potato Gnocchi with Putanesca sauce
  

Dessert was a chef's surprise, which for us was chocolate cake

Took about 2 hours total.

Dan

Glad you enjoyed yourself. What day was the Captains reception?

I don't usually pay attention to it, but is the Captain's reception the same as the invitation only event for Platinum and above cruisers? If so it was on the second formal night, day 6 of the sailing.

Dan

Just circling back to say that the NYE party was a lot of fun in the promenade that first night, and yes, it was a formal night with a special menu. The special menu had so many favorites on it that it was really hard to choose what to eat!... a good problem to have I suppose.

Dan

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The basics: Party of 7. Wife and I and our three kids ages 10 - 16, plus my in-laws. Our family of 5 had two connecting inside staterooms deck 7 forward. Great location for us.

Nothing against Galveston, but we won't be sailing from there during the winter months again. Too much risk of cold weather. We arrived three days prior to the cruise, and thank goodness we had a fantastic vacation rental, because we spent more time indoors than planned. We still toured all of Galveston and had a good time. Loved Tortuga's for dinner, especially the Big Juan Burrito (which we shared) and the stuffed shrimp avocado entree's. Saw this place on Food Paradise on TV and decided to try it. The weather was overcast and cold all three days, with max temps of 46, 61, 68.

It was 50 on our sailing day. The high 60's were to be expected this time of year, but it was 49 overcast and very windy when we left port. NOT what we are used to for the sail-away. No party on the pool deck, and barely anyone outside for the sail-away. Good thing there is the wonderful promenade, because the New Years eve party would have been crazy cold outside. Great way to ring in the new year. Tons of fun.

The sea days were pretty cold too. It was never really comfortable shorts weather. Our sea days were in the 60's, maybe peaking into the 70's for a bit. The pools and pool decks were mostly deserted except for the hot tubs.

Despite the cool weather, we had an amazing time! Our food in the MDR was consistently the best we've had, and our waiter and assistant waiter, Mark and Paul, were the best. That made such a big difference. We did the galley tour for the first time and we all enjoyed seeing the inner workings of the kitchen. Definitely different than what I envisioned in my mind, and the filet mignon lunch that was included may have been my favorite meal of the cruise.

We thought the entertainment was all excellent, although I didn't really care for the script of the ice show. Way too slow at the beginning, but picked up at the end. Not the skaters fault though.

Staff throughout the ship were some of the best we've encountered. Very happy with the service!

Our ports, in order were Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya.

Cozumel weather was very nice. Sunny and mid 70's. Spent the day at the all inclusive Nachi Cocum beach club. Will definitely be going back there if we are in Cozumel again. Loved having the pool and hot tub in addition to the beautiful beach. Not crowded, since they limit the guests. Good food and drinks included. I think our kids averaged 5-10 virgin strawberry daiquiris each! :)

Roatan was overcast, windy, but a nice upper 70's. Did a private tour of the island. This is by far the poorest island we've visited. (we'll except Labadee in Haiti but that doasn't really count since you stay in the private area for RCCL). Loved the monkey petting zoo with the sloths and macaws as well. West Bay beach was pretty nice, but we've seen better. Too windy to snorkel unfortunately.

The best was Costa Maya, at the Maya Chan beach resort. Mid to upper 70's and sunny. Wow! Top notch service. Fantastic food. Drinks included.... Beautiful views... Our own palapa with hammock, chairs and bed... $25 massages... and again, I think our kids averaged 5-10 virgin strawberry daiquiris each! :) can't say enough. Only downside is the drive there and back on the crazy bumpy beach access road.

Overall a great vacation! Happy to answer any questions.

Dan

Waiting to disembark the Liberty right now. I also wish they had the freestyle machines. The staff on this ship were excellent. This was by far our coldest cruise though.

Embarkation was 49F and windy. Barely cracked 70F a couple of our sailing days. Yesterday never got above 65. Cozumel and Costa Maya were really nice in the upper 70’s and sunny ☀️. We’ll sail out of Florida from now on if we can help it.

Dan

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Just received word from Celebrity that both my brother and his wife were killed in the accident.

 

 

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May God grant you resolve during this time of incredible sadness. Prayers to you and your loved ones.

Dan

Taxi driver tried to steer us to Mr. Sanchos once. He was pretty insistent. We had to keep telling him we had already paid for Nachi.

We'll be at Nachi in a couple of weeks. Haven't been there before. (or Playa Mia for that matter :) ) Seems to get far better reviews than Playa Mia lately.

Most complaints about Playa Mia seem to stem from overcrowding and decline in food quality.

Dan

Sounds like a great time! Thank you all. So I will expect formal night on night one, replacing night two. That’s actually pretty cool for my mother-in-law‘s birthday.

Dan

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We'll be boarding the Liberty on New Years Eve, and am wondering what to expect?

I assume there is no way that they would make it a formal night since it's embarkation day, but I assume they would still have a countdown in the promenade and in the bars? Just wondering what to expect and get excited about.

It also happens to be my MIL's birthday (and they will be with us). Can't wait.

Dan