GA Dave

2 hours ago, LorraineP said:

Curious if you would be able to see light show from your balcony. We will be on the starboard side in October in the YC. 

You will be able to see it. If you are on a Seaside-class ship, the best place to watch it is from the outdoor area of the Top Sail Lounge. On Meraviglia, you're better off on your balcony.

1 hour ago, Notch8 said:

Hard to tell what’s different from up on the ship…

Looks like they still have some heavy construction equipment out by the crew and Yacht Club beaches.

She is docked!!!

Looks like Mera is on final approach to OC.

5 minutes ago, Notch8 said:

Tomorrow is Ocean Cay.

 

We brought our own snorkeling gear and a sun shelter.  WOW, was THAT a good idea; umbrella rentals are $29!!

 

I got the idea to bring a sun shelter (beach tent) last time I was here; there was a family that had one and I realized what a great idea it was.  We’ll see tomorrow…

 

(FWIW:  the sun shelter was $35 at Wal-Mart.  Pays for itself in two uses.)

I bought one for my cruise in February for my granddaughters to use. They loved being able to sit in there and eat their lunch from the food truck in the shade.  Beach tent

2 hours ago, cue881 said:

When I was on Divina (which is a smaller ship) they came in nose first and spun around 180 degrees to put the starboard side of the ship against the dock.   It may be that Seashore, being bigger, cannot rotate, and has to back in.

This is the case. The Seaside is longer than the Meraviglia. Seaside is 1060' in length while Mera is 1037' in length. Seashore and Seascape are 1112' in length.

3 hours ago, RichYak said:

This video doesn't show the ship rotating, just sailing through the channel towards the dock. Are you saying it rotates 180 degrees AFTER this video?

Correct. We turned 180 degrees in the basin just past the dock and docked with my forward-facing YC Deluxe Suite facing the lighthouse. 

4 hours ago, RichYak said:

While this is certainly beneficial, I don't think it's the reason. My understanding is that there is no room for the ship to turn around on the land side of the narrow channel leading to Ocean Cay. The captain must choose whether to turn the ship around and sail backwards through the channel into the port (starboard faces lighthouse), or sail backwards out through the channel when leaving (port side faces lighthouse). The first option seems to be the one used most often.

I was on Meraviglia several times in 2021/2022 where we sailed through the channel to the island "nose first", then turned 180 degrees in the small turning basin just beyond the island and docked with the starboard side facing the island. You can see our approach in this video.  Ocean Cay Approach by Meraviglia 

Just as an FYI: I had a Divina cruise booked for next February for many, many months. I had even already paid in full. It was part of my B2B/S2S/B2B I had planned on Seascape and Divina and was scheduled to go to Aruba and Curacao. Unfortunately, we just found out a little over a week ago that they had chartered the ship out to some electronica music group and our cruise was cancelled. So it can happen at any time.

18 hours ago, CityGrrl said:

It makes sense that they aim the bow to the lighthouse: their highest paying customers are in the Yacht Club, which occupies most of the bow. I am on the port side however, and so will hope and dream for an anomalous docking on May 30! 

This is true. I was in Yacht Club last summer on Seaside and was able to catch this view of the lighthouse at sunset from the outdoor balcony of the Top Sail Lounge.

2 minutes ago, Notch8 said:

Sure thing!  Menus are easy because I can screenshot the app.  I’ll have to take photos of the daily programs, which I presume we still receive on paper.

 

Jim

Jim,

My last two cruises (Seashore and Magnifica), they were no longer giving out the paper Daily Programs in the cabins. Everything has migrated to the app.

No. See attached. 

I know the Cruise Card process has changed on Seashore, Seascape and Magnifica. Now you just get your picture taken and passports/docs scanned in the port check in, then board the ship using the QR code on the app or your Embarkation Form. You are permitted/encouraged to go straight to your cabin to get your Cruise Card(s), which is on the door handle in a cardboard holder, and also allowed to drop off any baggage you may have, including using the safe. If you are in the earlier arrivals, they do ask you to not stay in the cabin as they are still cleaning. Cabins are accessible for full use at the usual times.

6 minutes ago, SailorfromBrazil said:

IMHO one of the best views in Grandiosa:

 

The Sky Lounge on Deck 18, for us it was a great example of the different experiences one could get on a cruise. By the pool the people were jumping up on a party/dance, on the Sky Lounge, an adults only space with a Jazz Trio and drinks relaxing and watching from a couch, separated only by a glass...

 

 

The Masters of the Sea Pub was another, if it wasn't for the sea movement one could very much think it went outside the ship for a London Pub after hour.

I took this video back on the second Meraviglia cruise after the pandemic. Notice how completely empty the ship looks. I kind of miss those days.  Meraviglia Sky Lounge

I am really looking forward to this as Meraviglia is definitely my favorite of the ships I have sailed so far. I can only imagine that Grandiosa is even better. I already looked and they do have my favorite hangout on Grandiosa, same as Mera. The Horizon Bar on deck 18 aft. 😃

Grandiosa

I have been cruising on another cruise line out of terminal 10 for many months now. The issue is that the Port Authority is constructing a new garage on what was the old surface lot. This has forced them to have the people that are disembarking the previous cruise exit in their cars through what is normally the entrance. In order to avoid a traffic jam, they have been delaying the incoming cruisers until after 10:00 AM. If you get there too early, they do not allow you to queue in a line as it blocks the entrance road to the terminal. Once it opens, it flows pretty quickly, and I have always been able to find a spot on the lowest level. Even if you are later, I have never seen it completely full.

No snacks openly available in the Top Sail Lounge, no breakfast or lunch buffet at the One Bar, loungers filling up like they do at the gen pop pools, people having to wait 30-60 minutes for a table in the YC restaurant (I have never had to wait for a table in many YC cruises), Butlers stretched much thinner, etc. I have had nothing but great experiences on the "older" ships I have sailed and have no desire to try something new at a much higher price point, just to be disappointed.

I've been in YC on Seashore and Seaside many times over the last year and always had full access to the thermal spa for the length of the cruise.

I have been in the YC on Divina, Meraviglia, Seaside and Seashore many times over the last three-ish years. After reading all the comments on FB about World Europa YC, I have no interest in trying the World America YC. Way too many special services, amentities, etc. have been lost on World Europa due to the increased size of the YC.

CD Endrigo Pablo Martin from the Seashore flew home to Brazil this week for vacation. Per his FB, I believe he is due back to the Seashore in a few weeks.

9 minutes ago, GPPhilly said:

I read so much on here, I might have missed something but something last week on my Northern Europe cruise on the Euribia one thing we were told is that when getting a drink outside of the YC if it was over the maximum drink allowance you would have to pay the full cost not just the difference.  I swear I read at some point at least in the USA it was just the difference.  Was I wrong?  It never happened but I didn't know if it was a new policy or I was just misremembering something.  

The policy was changed in April 2023 to just paying the difference. Prior to that, you had to pay the full cost.

Just now, wolft927 said:

 my question would be during an overnight stay can you come and go throughout the night onto the island?

 

No. They usually have an all-aboard time of 11:00 or 11:30 PM and reopen the island around 8:00 AM. The employees who live on the island need to have time to clean, sleep, etc.

On 4/29/2024 at 6:15 AM, rrraydon said:

Magnifica last month we just watched the video, made the call and went to the MS and had our card scanned. No problem.

I am sailing Magnifica this weekend. Was it still the "go to your cabin at a specific time to watch the video, dial 881, and then everyone going to their muster stations at the same time to be scanned", or was it do it at any time before sailing like Seascape?

I have done several cruises that stayed at Ocean Cay until 4:00 PM or later the second day. During each, the regular buffet and food trucks were open for lunch, they were holding excursions such as jet skiing, snorkeling, etc., and Ocean House at the Yacht Club Beach had a different menu for lunch on day 2 vs day 1.