Quiltincruiser

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

 

Hello Quiltncuiser:    We certainly hope that you enjoy your first Viking Cruise!

We are huge coffee lovers and imensely enjoy the coffee makers in our rooms (DV).  They are quite slim which is nice, and have worked very well for our 3 Viking Ocean cruises so far - we used them every morning and often in the afternoon as well.  Yes, you can get coffee elsewhere on the ship, but being able to brew a small cup first thing in the morning without leaving the room was wonderful!

They use actual Nespresso Pods (we know also because we have Nespresso makers at home) and the machine operates just like a mini-Nespresso machine.  The pods we got (and replenished daily for us at the request of our room stewards!) were specifically:  1.  Nespresso Vivalto Lungo  (caffeine), which Nespresso rates as a 4 out of 12 in strength   and 2.  Nespresso Ristretto Defcaffeineated - rated as 10 out of 12.    We actually have some of these pods in our variety at home.

For us the caffeinated one at 4 was too "weak" so we would always brew up a combo of caffeiene and decaff.

Our last machine on the Viking Jupiter was a Nespresso Breville.  We liked it so much (for it's slim lines) that when we got home we found it on Amazon and bought it for ourselves.

We often take our Nespresso pods with us when we travel - and yes, there is a "new" (June 30, 2018) policy for TSA on powders, but this is for carryon, so we just pack our coffee in our suitcases.  We even take strong ground up Starbucks coffee in a sealed bag in our suitcases.  You can though bring powerdered coffee in your carryon - just be aware of the restrictions.

"For travelers flying to the U.S., any powdered substances — like makeup, protein shake mix, spices, baby powder — will need to be packed in containers less than 12 ounces (350 mL), or about the size of a can of soda. Larger amounts must be packed in checked bags only. Powders in carry-on bags are also subject to a secondary search by the TSA."

 

 

Thank you so much! I truly enjoy a cup of coffee while getting ready to leave the cabin for the morning, and the other passengers will be grateful if I have that 😊!

19 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The machines are made by Paulig. They use pods but not K-cups.

 

TSA is now limiting the amount of powdered products that one may carry in one's luggage, so double check with TSA or airlines for details

 

There is an older thread on this topic, with pictures.

 

 

Thank you so much for the information. I will definitely check the TSA site!

Hello all. Will be on our first Viking Cruise on the Sun June 22, in Norway. I know that my cabin has a coffee maker and I see on here that the coffee is strong. Can  anyone tell me what type of coffee product is provided? Not necessarily the coffee itself but the delivery format, ie. is it single serve, Kuerig cup style, pods, loose grounds... I like to take my own coffee and this will certainly help in packing. Thank you.

On 3/14/2019 at 12:47 PM, Daffydk1 said:

I found Viking themed ducks. I wonder if Viking Ocean will mind a few on a Med cruise. 

Did you take any? Will be on Viking in Norway next month and I have Viking ducks. Wonder if they will be allowed?

Going on Viking Sun next month. Has anyone heard of this is allowed on Viking?

We are retired and usually take 3-4 cruises a year.

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Did you know that small dogs like chihuahuas can detect an upcoming asthma attack? Some smaller dogs can detect impending seizures, some can be for PTSD symptoms (and not PTSD is from military). Unless it caused another passenger problems, and until we know what the true circumstances are, view the animals as true service animals. It really doesn’t hurt you to give the benefit of the doubt.

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Yes I did, used insurance loop hole and got future credit for my flights. I'm sure more folks will stay away until no further outbreaks.

If you aren’t going to cruise until no further outbreaks you might as well forget cruising. As long as you have a large group of people from various backgrounds in regards to hygiene you are going to encounter this illness. Go, use the protection provided, wash your hands well and often, don’t touch the railings, carry a napkin to protect your hands from elevator buttons and door handles. But mostly, use common sense!

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I went on a cruise following an outbreak. Was probably the cleanest and safest ship I’ve ever been on.

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Spoke with the Excursions manager on board and she was upset that I left St. Lucia with that attitude about the island. I promised her that if a cruise I’m includes St. Lucia (I believe our 1/15/18 cruise does) I will book an excursion to give them a fair break.

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Been told it’s no on Serenade but haven’t tried for myself.

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Not physically assaulted but grabbed, and grabbed at. A firm No, works until you take another step and then there were 10 more grabbing and yelling. I was told that the other port (across the harbor) is better as the taxi’s are not allowed as close to the ship. Regardless, there are too many other Caribbean islands for me to enjoy. There were multiple warnings in the compass about being aware of your surroundings in St. Lucia and when I spoke to the crew they also said that it was an unsafe port. I am glad that others have enjoyed their time in St. Lucia, I will live vicariously through their stories!

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Maybe consider booking an excursion thru your cruise line to avoid all of that.

No excursions that were of interest to us. We usually do schedule excursions and only do so through the cruise line, for our protection. But to not be able to get out of the port area, and to actually feel unsafe, is a ridiculous situation from the aspect of an island that depends on return visitors for their livelihood.

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First day on ship, we go to MDR and tell them the time we would like to eat every night. We are officially My Time Dining, but we have a 7:30 reservation.

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Ship docked in Castries, St. Lucia at 10:00 am. Cleared customs at 10:30. Went ashore at 10:50. Assaulted and absolutely beaten down by the tour and taxi people at the pier, we turned around and were back on ship by 11:20. Will never go ashore in Castries again!

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It depends on what I am told by the cruise line. If it says a photo ID - I take my drivers license and the passport stays in the safe. If it specifically says passport then it goes with me.

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Royal took Adventure of the Seas out of cruise use and took supplies to the area and evacuated many people, as they do after any such disaster in the Caribbean. The Caribbean islands depend on the tourism and tourists dollars and by holding it back you are doing more harm than good. These are not the first storms that hit these areas. They deal with it every year! If anyone knows how to come back from a hurricane, it is the people of the Caribbean. I became more dedicated to Royal for the humanitarian efforts that they provide the people of affected areas!

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I used to use Dramamine and found myself sleeping through the day. On a whale watching cruise in Hawaii a few years ago, the crew recommended and provided ginger capsules in case you started feeling ill. Took one and quite soon felt much better. Only thing I use now when flying or cruising.

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Thank you!

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Thank you all. Is there a beginners section to Cruise Critic that I may find the ins and outs so I am not bothering you all with things I apparently should know?

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You can register for the meet and mingle regardless of whether you join the roll call or not.

Do they have multiple Meet and Mingles per cruise?

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You should register here before the cruise: https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/ccEntry.do

 

 

 

Also, these events are generally very welcoming, you could join in without an invitation.

Thnak you for answering. I would feel like I am intruding to join in at this point, but that is good to know.

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Sign to the roll call on your cruise, then the M&M. You'll have an invite waiting for you in your cabin.

Thank you [emoji2]

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I made my own door sign w/magnetic paper from Staples. Just with our name, town and state and cruise critic name. Does any one know if the magnetic paper will stick to the doors on Royal Car. Serenade?

My hubby thinks it is silly. I am taking it anyway. I also made up a business card with our name and email. Last cruise we kept talking about exchanging info but never actually did it.

On my first leg of this B2B I saw a few people exchanging their cruising business cards - thought it was a great idea!

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I apparently don’t know how these work. I am on Serenade and just walked into the Safari Lounge to find the Cruise Critic (by invitation only) Mix and Mingle occurring. How does one become a part of Cruise Critic Mix and Mingle’s or other onboard activities?

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