Cruise-y

We just got off Indy this morning and had a wonderful cruise. We commented several times between ourselves on the quality of the food particularly

In the WJ. It was very crowded on embarkation day and one other lunchtime when everyone was in a rush to eat at the same time to get to see Grease but otherwise we never had an issue getting a table quickly. I think it was probably one of our best cruises ever

Glad to hear the good review, thanks. First one I’ve seen

So, Independence just came out of a massive refurbishment in May and I've looked at the first few weeks of reviews. Almost everyone complains about the poor quality of the food and overcrowding in the Windjammer and MDR (because 400 more rooms were added with no additional space in those dining venues). I guess I can (maybe) understand some growing pains, although I would think the crew would already be experienced. Why would the food quality go down after a refurb? Was that part of the plan to cut costs? Does anyone have newer info? Sailing in August and not happy. Thanks

Yes it's hot in the summer in Rome but if you want to have admittance to the beautiful, beautiful churches and chapels then you must adhere to the rules. Take a light-weight, thin shawl. It's easy to cart around (stuff it in your backpack) and you can drape it over your sleeveless top. That way you can stay cool before you arrive. You must cover your knees, so women can wear capris (which are not that much worse than shorts) but men must wear slacks. Again, take them in a backpack or use the zip-away short/pant. Head covering is not required for women but men must remove their ball caps. Sandals are ok. Believe me, it's worth it.

For my day in Nice, I want to go to Monoco/Monte Carlo (including just a quick look inside the casino), Eze and possibly even St. Paul de Vence. I don't want to shop. I don't want to see the perfume factory. The ship tours all have other combinations. Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive personal guide that can take us around for a few hours to see the combination of things we want to see? I would need to be able to contact them via email. Thank you

Thanks Ken, that's a big help!

2 years ago we sailed O for the first time. We have sailed many other cruise lines in the past, mid to high range. We didn't make any specialty restaurant reservations because 1) we thought the MDR would be fabulous and 2) we live in a big city so have ready access to steak houses, sushi, etc. After our first night aboard, when we leaned the MDR was NOT fabulous, we had to scramble to make reservations, waste time standing in line and didn't end up with good times, seating, etc. Fast forward....now I'd like to book an O cruise around 2 months out. But I'm afraid I've missed the window for specialty reservations and I'll be in the same boat. How long can I book reservations online and are they all booked up after a few days anyway? Thanks

Pretty much all my cruises right now are solo as I can't get my schedule and my friends' schedules to line up. For a solo traveller I suggest late traditional dining at a large table. They usually try and seat solo travellers/ friends travelling together at the same table. I've met some great people that way. Also remember if you don't feel comfortable with your table mates - ask to be moved. They don't always get it right the first time but if the maitr'd knows you're travelling solo, I've found that they try and look out for you. Another suggestion if you're into trivia go to the trivia sessions. They have teams with up to 6 people and usually I just show up and see who wants an extra. Again met some great people that way. Depending on the sailing, the diamond lounge cocktail hours can be a nice way to meet people and chat. But I find that is always a little more hit and miss.

 

Enjoy - you'll have lots of fun!! :D

This is all great advice! Definitely sit at a group table in the MDR. You will meet so many friends that way. Traveling solo is super - you can do what you want to do wherever you want to do it. I'm married but I've taken TONS of shore excursions alone because my hubby didn't want to do them. I had a wonderful time on all of them, while he had a wonderful time on the ones he wanted to do. When you are standing on the deck on embarkation and watching the ship pull away, with a glass of champagne in your hand, you can talk to anyone standing next to you because everyone is just having fun. You are empowered. Have a super trip!

I don't know how anyone is defending RC's website. It is an absolute joke and by far the worst travel website of a major provider I have ever had to deal with.

 

I use chrome and have to clear my history about every week before the site will work. But why on earth should I even have to do that?

 

 

I don't ever have to do that with Disney, or Disney Cruise Line, or Universal, or any hotel website, or heck even the airline websites.

 

How anyone can say the problem is "on my side, not theirs" is beyond me. It is 2017, I shouldn't have to do anything on my side. I shouldn't have to use this browser or that browser. I should just be able to use my browser and go to their website and have it work like every other website out there.

 

 

You'd think it was 1995 with the way their website functions.

Totally agree. Unless you have a completely antiquated system, you shouldn't have to change browsers or OS or caching or history clearing or anything you are doing on your end to access their site correctly. This is a RCCL problem, not a user problem. They ARE losing bookings because of this and it's just plain stupid business. And it's not just bookings. My completely-paid-for cruise variously shows that I am due a $750 credit (for what, who knows) or that my balance is zero (as it should be) or that I owe them something (for what, who knows). It's ridiculous. If I was the CEO of this company, I'd be ashamed of myself for not getting the website fixed NOW. And no, you shouldn't have to go through a third-party agent (who gets a commission that you pay for) to avoid this problem. Every other cruise line lets you book (correctly) online.

Can anyone comment on the delivery of bags to the staterooms on the first day of the cruise on Oasis of the Seas? I know they say they are not guaranteed to show up until 8pm, and that they recommend bringing a carry on with bathing suits and dinner outfit, but curious what people actually experienced.

I think you can tell from these responses that it's just a crap shoot. You might get it early, you might not. There's just no way to know. It seems like they open the rooms from the upper decks down, so you might think the upper rooms would get their luggage sooner, but I don't know if that's true. Others say if you arrive early you get your luggage early, but I don't think that is true either. It's always worrisome to drop your luggage off in that big giant warehouse of confusion amid 10,000 other bags and assume it will eventually show up in your room. Especially now that RCCL has you print your luggage tags off on your home computer paper instead of sending you the sturdy laminated ones like they used to.

If it bother's you what someone wear's...choose not to look.

Really bad punctuation bothers me, but that's totally my problem. I'll choose not to look.

I don't know why anyone would want to put a mouthpiece in that has been in 1,000 other mouths, even if it is thrown in a bucket of water in-between. Snorkels are cheap and fit right into the side of your suitcase where nothing else fits anyway. I bring my own mask too because I can buy one that fits better. Plus, people snot into their masks. I'm sorry to be crude, but that's just the reality.

Lots of great lodging on the island. Wouldn't want the grief of airports to start my vacation. We drive down from Dallas Saturday before and stay on the island.

I'd definitely stay on the island rather than near the airport, where it's just so bleak and industrial. Yes it's little more expensive, but you are on vacation! You can start enjoying it right away with a long walk on the beach, expansive ocean views and a great gulf shrimp dinner. It's like having an entire extra day to enjoy. Then in the morning, you are just 15 minutes away from the port. The hotels don't require 2 nights, they know everyone is going on a cruise.

That was a very nice report. Thank you

Good morning, folks. I note with interest that if one is going to do any work on his computer, the balcony of a suite at sea is the place from which to do it. We have calm enough seas and pleasant weather, and I am ahead in the casino, so life is good. Most of my posts yesterday were short since I was typing on my phone, and I will try to write at a bit more length here.

 

Let me start with internet speed. I have whatever the faster package is (Surf + Stream?), and I have been pleasantly surprised with the speeds. Two years ago I did this cruise on the Navigator, and we were lagging even to download basic web pages. I don't know that I would stream video, but I am satisfied with what I have. There is huge latency (1577 ms), 2.1 down, and 0.2 up.

 

The dining room was great last night. I can't get to my photo right now, but it was the same mojo menu it has always been. The pork chop was really good. The desert was uninspired (the creme brulee), but the service was excellent. I will continue to take dinner there, for sure.

 

I commented yesterday that the new water slides are an excellent addition. It is a touch awkward to be a 43 year old fat guy in a line with a bunch of teenagers, but whatever. The addition of new water features seems to make the line at each one somewhat shorter. That green water slide is FAST. I shall go there again when I finish posting this.

 

The only real disappointment so far has been the spa. I had booked the Ionithermie inch reduction thing out of curiosity. I am dubious that it can work, but they seem to keep selling it, so I wanted to check it out. The only technician who can do that had to leave the ship for an emergency, and I didn't find that out until I went to the spa to verify appointment times. They wouldn't let me book another treatment at the same pre-cruise discount. When I did book another massage, the technician was superb. However, there was constant talking out in the halls. More significantly, there was a lot of noise from the deck above. Apparently, moving the golf course there has resulted in constant trampling right above the head of people receiving massages. I cancelled my Saturday treatment, and that wasn't even handled well-- I had to tell the lady at the front desk 4 times to do it before she finally would. Ugh.

 

The new suite lounge, however, is fantastic relative to the old concierge lounge. I love the open space, and the service was very good. I would write more, but I require coffee. More later. Lemme know if there is something in particular you would like to know about the ship.

Also, I will be a 65-yr-old grandma in line on the water slide, so don't feel embarrassed.

Don't know what to tell you folks. That is what the speed test said. There are lags, but it is working at an acceptable speed for web posting.

Good morning, folks. I note with interest that if one is going to do any work on his computer, the balcony of a suite at sea is the place from which to do it. We have calm enough seas and pleasant weather, and I am ahead in the casino, so life is good. Most of my posts yesterday were short since I was typing on my phone, and I will try to write at a bit more length here.

 

Let me start with internet speed. I have whatever the faster package is (Surf + Stream?), and I have been pleasantly surprised with the speeds. Two years ago I did this cruise on the Navigator, and we were lagging even to download basic web pages. I don't know that I would stream video, but I am satisfied with what I have. There is huge latency (1577 ms), 2.1 down, and 0.2 up.

 

The dining room was great last night. I can't get to my photo right now, but it was the same mojo menu it has always been. The pork chop was really good. The desert was uninspired (the creme brulee), but the service was excellent. I will continue to take dinner there, for sure.

 

I commented yesterday that the new water slides are an excellent addition. It is a touch awkward to be a 43 year old fat guy in a line with a bunch of teenagers, but whatever. The addition of new water features seems to make the line at each one somewhat shorter. That green water slide is FAST. I shall go there again when I finish posting this.

 

The only real disappointment so far has been the spa. I had booked the Ionithermie inch reduction thing out of curiosity. I am dubious that it can work, but they seem to keep selling it, so I wanted to check it out. The only technician who can do that had to leave the ship for an emergency, and I didn't find that out until I went to the spa to verify appointment times. They wouldn't let me book another treatment at the same pre-cruise discount. When I did book another massage, the technician was superb. However, there was constant talking out in the halls. More significantly, there was a lot of noise from the deck above. Apparently, moving the golf course there has resulted in constant trampling right above the head of people receiving massages. I cancelled my Saturday treatment, and that wasn't even handled well-- I had to tell the lady at the front desk 4 times to do it before she finally would. Ugh.

 

The new suite lounge, however, is fantastic relative to the old concierge lounge. I love the open space, and the service was very good. I would write more, but I require coffee. More later. Lemme know if there is something in particular you would like to know about the ship.

Thank you for your posts. I agree, if there is noise in the SPA hallway or above, it ruins the calming experience. I had the same problem on Navigator. I'm very curious about the MDR menu, so please elaborate. I already know the Internet will be slow.

In the interest of giving all viewpoints here, and not trying to be a crumudgeon, I will say I do not like being by the big elevator/stairwell areas (which is where the humps are) as I do find them noisy. This is a massive congregation area and sometimes elevators are slow so people are standing around talking and, yes, sometimes yelling down the hall to "hurry up, grandma." I know a lot of folks say they never hear elevator noise so this is just my humble input. I'm never bothered by deck chairs scraping around above me but other people are. So maybe it's a frequency range thing and everyone is different.

I do know the rooms around the edges of the humps (and the ones under the protruding spas) are the last to get booked, because I always book at the last minute. My erratic work, travel and family schedule won't let me plan anything in advance. There's no way I could ever book a cruise 18 months or a year or even 6 months in advance. So I'm an expert on the leftovers.

This is why I just run down to the Promenade and grab a coffee and pastry and run back up again. It takes 10 minutes, max. Then I'm out on my balcony enjoying the view with my hot coffee. Otherwise, I have to plan a room service delivery the night before, which means I have to plan exactly when I wake up (which I hate unless I'm on an excursion). Then, the delivery isn't right on time and I'm waiting around in my PJs and the coffee is delivered cold anyway. AND I have to figure out if a tip should be added on top of a service charge.

There is an option for bed configuration on the website. You have to dig around to find it but it is there.

RCCL Junior Suites are great. They are very roomy, have lots of storage, have a big deck (with room for a table, two chairs and at least one chaise lounge) and have a HUGE walk-in closet so all of your stuff is out of the way. If you've never upgraded from a regular deck cabin you'll be thrilled with the difference. You do not get the "suite" perks however, if you are wanting those.

Thank you Bob! I hope these menus stay current for the next 2 months without change.

We cruised RCCL in the summer of 2015 and loved the innovation of the MDR menus. Many were really creative and included selections with foods indigenous to the islands we were visiting. (And I say this as someone who lives in a major metropolitan area with lots of dining options). We enjoyed every adventurous night and never ate the from the "classics" section.

We are sailing RCCL again this summer (Liberty) and I hear that the MDR menu is changing to appeal to the mainstream. A few examples I've seen seem to trend toward more traditional (boring) dishes with big slabs meat, broccoli and mashed potatoes. Oh No!

Can someone who has sailed recently put my fears to rest? This is such a deal breaker for me. Thank you!

Hello

I've never sailed this cruise line and I was wondering about the cabins and food. I realize the views are spectacular but cabins and food are important to me. Can someone tell me the best ship in this line to use if I want a bit of luxury? Are there choices on the fixed menus or just one offering?

Also, do any of the stops last for more than a few hours? Or is this really a ferry? I would like to rent a car in some ports for some day trips.

Thank you

Does anyone know another cruise line that also offers a Bergen to Kirkenes cruise?

Thank you

I'm not sure this is the right place to post but will try and perhaps the moderator will move it to a better spot.

I want to take a cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes, Norway (or vice versa). I want to be able to rent a car for day trips in some of the ports (like Trondheim). The only cruise line I can find is Hurtigruten. I have misgivings...

1) This cruise line doubles as a ferry, stops 30 places on the route, and may only spend an hour or so in each port. Sounds hard for day trips.

2) The website barely works and I am having trouble navigating around it

3) The photos of rooms I can see look pretty dorm-room-like.

4) Not getting a warm and fuzzy about the food - buffets all the time or paying a la carte don't sound so hot. I'd really like a more luxury type liner.

So..... can anyone tell me either another cruise line to try (hopefully) OR convince me that my misgivings are misplaced? Perhaps tell me which Hurtigruten ship I should use?

Thank you for any help

On any flight over 4 hours getting more space..more anything is worth a lot

For me I have, through experience come up with a rule of thumb for my flying 0-4 hours coach just fine

4 to 7 hours Prem coach will do

8 to 11 hours Business, lie flat

12+ hours First class

So any way you can make the flifht more comfortable the better it is money well spent to arrive at your destination, well rested and well fed to start off your trip on the best of footings.

 

Many dont understand or appreciate what a long uncomfortable flight can do to their physical health and mental outlook.... The dont realize it can take several days to recover from a poor flight... This should always be a consideration for your travel... and the older you get the more important it becomes

 

When I flew for business, I was told to fly business or first because when the plane touched down they wanted me mentally sharp and ready to go to work with out delay... Could not do that riding in coach after 20 hours of flying ( SFO-SIN)

I so agree with Dan on this one. In the old days when I used to travel an 8-hour flight for work, I had to arrive in London the next morning ready to go to the office right away. I changed clothes in the plane bathroom, pulling on nylons and heels (ugh) in that cramped space. My company let me fly Business Class because I could actually lie down and sleep, which was crucial. There's no sleeping when you are sitting up in coach.

But... when you are on vacation it's bit different, because you don't have to be sharp. I try to fly Business Class (IMO it's as good as First) on the way to the destination, because you are anticipating the fun and want to be ready to go as soon as you land. Time is of the essence if you are spending a day or two in your port city before sail away. On the way back, I've managed in Premium Economy and the equivalent, because I'm just going to get home and crash. I flew an 11-hour flight from Cape Town to Amsterdam on KLM's upgraded Economy and it was fine. In those cases you just need the extra leg room and ability to extend the seat back to some degree.

Here's my tip, for what it's worth: Always use a credit card that gives you air miles. Use it for EVERYTHING - gas, restaurants, utility bills, groceries, online purchases, car payments, cruises, shore excursions. You can rack up a business class seat pretty fast. Then you can take the cruise's air credit and book your own flight. You won't have to worry about multiple connections (luggage loss), same-day arrival, 6 am flights and all that other yucky stuff.