uvadover

I loved Odyssey last summer.  Would be amazing to do transatlantic and just enjoy the journey.  Have fun and keep us posted.

15 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

That is the point EXACTLY, my intention is to provide a show of gratitude to ONLY the person I give it to. 
I couldn’t care less about the dishwasher or laundry personnel; again, those services are covered by my cruise fare. 

So the dishwasher is covered by your cruise fare, but not the guy who carries the plate to your table?  You seem to know everything, so are you privy to a compensation approach whereby the waiter is more reliant on tips than those in the kitchen?

On 3/31/2024 at 11:17 AM, lovesthebeach2 said:

Last October we did the “modified” Holy Land cruise that stopped in Kusadasi and we also did the Ephesus tour! That was probably the highlight of the whole cruise, way better than we ever could have anticipated! We loved Turkey! 

Kusadasi / Ephesus was one of our most favorite ports ever.  

44 minutes ago, The peanuts gang said:

Hi,

Thanks for this review. We are going in the summer with our grandkids. Could you tell me which off the ship tour company you used for Pampeii and Vesuvius? Thanks 

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

THIS TOPIC HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT ONE CAN OR CANNOT AFFORD 

When you resort to yelling, you've lost.  But it clearly touched a nerve that removing auto-gratuities is typically the sign of a miser, who will gladly stiff the staff to save a few bucks on an otherwise awesome vacation.

13 hours ago, cruisetorelax44 said:

HA! this was two separate nights... 

Phew!

12 hours ago, cruisetorelax44 said:

earlier this month, we had no problem going to multiple in one night on wonder. went to hooked for an early dinner, then to wonderland for a snack and dessert a few hours later after a show. and from mason jar for dinner down to playmakers for dessert...

 

2 dinners, a snack, and 2 desserts - in one night.  We're doomed.

8 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

It makes the people I deal with personally better off. That’s really all I care about. 
Dishwashers, maintenance and laundry staff don’t even enter my equation. 

All you really care about is paying less.  For all of the people gloating about removing auto-gratuities, and focusing on the few people they choose to "reward," not a single cruiser ever says they pay anything close to the same amount overall.  Instead, we have math about giving a guy $20 and pretending that is generous.  On your next cruise, I hope that your dishwashers and laundry staff do a job on-par with your gratuities.

15 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

As an American, I will continue to tip the American way, and no, I am not stiffing, ripping off, nor depriving any crew member who serves me, my hard earned dollars as I tip them well without the aid of an added conglomerate. 

I'll go out on a limb to say this saves you money on your trip.

Literally speaking, tipping is not mandatory.  But it is customary.  Folks who remove the auto-gratuities justify it by saying "oh I definitely tip more...but in cash," or "I am only giving it to the folks who directly provide me service," or "I am going to teach the cruise line a lesson," etc.  But ultimately, they are just screwing a lot of hard working folks who make cruising so darn desirable that a bunch of people spend countless hours on this message board arguing about it, after having an amazing time on their vacation.

Has there ever been a poster who touts the fact he/she declines the auto gratuity without declaring that he/she GENEROUSLY tips in cash? 

Lobster is a unique issue here.  It brings folks together in unity, and/or divides them/some/others in their perspectives on preparation, size, extra ones in the MDR, and presentation throughout.  I certainly enjoy a good lobster, but it's hardly a focal point of my cruise - seems like many folks see this as a make or break issue on whether they truly enjoyed the experience.  The funny thing is that lobster is very easy to prepare at home.  No, maybe you don't have access to fresh Maine lobster, but if you just want to make a previously frozen tail or order a whole one online, it might make your cruise experience a bit more broadly focused.

Absolutely fun and worth it - even for the unlimited pass.  No, it's not Universal Studios roller coaster flying 100mph and upside down, but it's a great ride from the top of the mountain, meandering thru a tropical canopy of trees, with awesome views of Labadee and the ships in port.  It's a unique experience that's a bit of a throw-back (e.g. manual brakes) but strikes the right balance for almost all ages.

We did the All Access tour on Oasis and it was awesome, especially if you are a cruise geek.  See the galley; see the laundry; see the "mission control" where they show how they monitor the engines and water purification and exhaust; see "I-95" and the corridors where they store the massive amounts of food; then obviously tour the bridge.  It isn't cheap but it was a highlight for me.  The guide was great, and you get to interact with different staff members throughout, who are clearly proud of their areas.

Granted, I didn't take the same tour when we were on Odyssey this summer, but I would imagine it is just as great.  Not quite the same size ship, but I would expect very similar stuff - if not even better with some new technology.  I would highly recommend it.

And of course, you can always lock in now, cancel closer to the voyage, or get a better price in the meantime.  Regardless, I think it's worth it.

FWIW, the Android version of the app is super glitchy.  To the point it was barely usable on our recent cruise.  When I needed to jump on, my family members with iPhones seemed to have much better luck.

Absolutely available in the Windjammer on Odyssey in August, about mid-length thru the main buffet on (I believe) the starboard side.  There is a little bar, and it's not very obvious that they have fresh OJ, but it's there and it is awesome.  If you have a drink package, it's a steal.  Otherwise I think it's something like $11 a glass.

14 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

You only have yourself to blame. You could have easily avoided being ripped off with 5 minutes of planning before you arrived.

I'll check with you next time, tough guy.

On 9/8/2023 at 10:42 AM, gumshoe958 said:

If only there was an online forum where cruisers could seek advice first …

Ironic you are saying that to someone on said forum.  I've probably been on 20+ cruises in my life.  The disembarkation at CIV was by far the biggest clown show I have encountered.  I research plenty of stuff when I travel, but a reasonable number of cabs at a major cruise port is just something I took for granted.

And since I posted about this last week - you need to have an airport transfer pre-arranged (via RCL or something else) or else you will get absolutely robbed by the few taxis controlled by the goombas who run the port.  We weren't warned about this ahead of time and really paid the price.  There were a lot of frustrated folks in the same situation.

Pretty sure it's unlimited that you can fit in the bag...except for the limits they put on the number of different items you can have.  Which is weird, but I assume it's still a decent deal.

They should provide similar guidance at Civitavecchia because that port is an absolute poop-show, shake-down, rob-job if you don't have something pre-arranged.  We got stuck with a 400 euro cash-only van to the airport.  The "customer service" guy seemed to enjoy our plight.  That was a very frustrating end to an otherwise good cruise on Odyssey.

2 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

My 8 year daughter asked if she could get pizza one night in the MDR. They said no, so I went down to the royal promenade, got some and brought it back. Whoever is in charge needs to travel on their own ships and see how petty it’s become. 

Let's be reasonable, here.  If another table had a kid who wanted something from the Windjammer, would you expect someone to go grab that too?  The dining venues are highly choreographed for efficiency - getting your daughter pizza isn't always an option.  

Back to the focus of this thread, I was recently on Odyssey and pre-panicked about all of the MDR demise hype, and we ate exclusively at specialty restaurants (which we enjoyed).  But every time I walked past the MDR, folks looked to be having a great time well into the late evening.  Our family had a great cruise, but a regret was not eating in the MDR.

On 8/23/2023 at 11:10 AM, EllieinNJ said:

Thinking about booking the Odyssey when she comes to NY in 2025.  Did you see any shows at night?  How were they?   

Only show we saw was in the Main Theater - the Magic Show/Illusionist who had appeared on England's Got Talent.  Great show, typical cruise ship shenanigans, and well-liked by all.  We peeked into the production show with cartoons/lasers and it wasn't quite our thing.  Also popped into "The Book" at the Two70 one night - some cool visuals, but not quite up our alley.  Frankly, thought the Two70 venue would be much better suited always as a bar/venue with amazing views.

For those who might be interested, I wanted to give a quick recap of our recent cruise on Odyssey of the Seas - 7 night cruise from Rome to the Greek Isles, Turkey, and back via Naples.  I am sure there are more comprehensive reviews out there, but wanted to hit on some memorable items off the top of my head.  This was a family trip, and we had 2 connecting balcony staterooms as our accommodations.  My wife and I have probably been on 10-15 cruises together, and this was the 3rd with the kids.  In no particular order...

Odyssey is a beautiful ship, and it is kept immaculately clean.  Common areas were always beautiful, the public bathrooms were absolutely spotless, and I love the new-era ships with handwashing stations outside of the dining areas like Windjammer.

The standard balcony cabin was great - the best configuration of a comparable cabin that I can remember.  Tons of storage, the bathroom uses the space extremely well, and the beds were extremely comfortable.  Once a day cabin service was plenty - we opted for evening, so that things were made up during dinner and we came back to a perfectly kept room for our sleep.

The ship felt very very crowded in spots.  I think the ship was built for both warm and cold weather, so the outdoor spaces felt particularly cramped - the two pools were literally overflowing with people throughout the day, and deck chairs close to the pool were nearly impossible to get.  That said, there were quite a few deck chairs farther away - some with good shade, so not all bad.  The Windjammer was perpetually packed, and your best chance at getting a table was toward the back of the venue.  There were plenty of bars, so always an opportunity to find a good spot.  I loved the Two70 venue, and only wish that they would keep the windows/shades open more during sail-aways.  Too often, they were converting things for the shows later in the evening.  Bar service was extremely slow here, even though there were rarely many people there.

We did specialty restaurants most nights, and thought they were great.  Chops Grille was it's typical solid self - just miss the seafood towers of the past!  Izumi is small, but the food was well done - and a nice change from the Italian food we had enjoyed the week before in Rome.  Teppanyaki was an awesome experience.  The teriyaki sauce was way sweeter than I like, but the focus was "the show" and it was great - the crew made it so fun, and the family had a blast.

We had a few treatments at the Spa.  The woman at the reception desk was strangely rude, and the other staff members were hit or miss.  Our appointments often started late and finished early, capped with the typical sales pitch for overpriced lotions.  If I were to go again, I would skip the spa altogether.

The cruise itinerary was outstanding - first day at sea, Santorini and Mykonos were great, and Kusadasi was a stunningly cool surprise.  "The Key" was huge in Santorini, as I heard it took some people 3 hours to get off the ship via tender.  On the first tender off, we were able to get on the cable car quickly and get to the top of the hill.  From there, we got an expensive taxi to the beach.  The return trip "down" Santorini was a bit of a mess, so we simply walked down the donkey pooped-on trail for a memorable view of the ship.  Mykonos docks in a random distant port, so we paid a bunch for an Uber to get us to the beach ASAP.  We took an RCL excursion in Kusadasi to Ephesus and it was absolutely amazing.  What a beautiful part of the world - we cannot wait to go back.  The excursions offered in Naples were underwhelming, so we booked via a third party to visit both Pompei and climb Mount Vesuvius - what an amazing final day of our cruise.

The Key allowed us to book a good time for the iFly, which we thoroughly enjoyed - it was so cool.  The lines for the Flow Rider were typically long, and the Bumper Cars were borderline ridiculous.  People lined up around the SeaPlex for a 1 minute ride - total waste of time.  Nearby, there is an arcade with crappy, overpriced video games.  My kids wasted a ton of money there on Night 1, then quickly had their privileges revoked!

Embarkation in Rome was quick and easy.  We had "The Key" but we definitely didn't need it to get onboard without delay.  Disembarkation in Rome was a complete clown show.  If you don't pre-book one of the overpriced transfers, prepare to be held hostage by the taxi cartel.  There are very few cabs available, Uber isn't an option, and it's all controlled by a few sleazy "strongmen" - the first offer to bring us to the airport was 500 Euros for 5 people and 4 pieces of luggage.  When I approached the RCL and port staff about a more reasonable way to get to the airport, they basically laughed at me - paraphrasing "you dummy, what did you expect."  It was pure robbery, and a sour way to end an otherwise great cruise.

Beyond the cruise, my goodness Rome was CROWDED.  The Vatican was almost impossible to enjoy, and you're best to arrive at other tourist sites as early in the morning as possible.  Still, paying up to "skip the line" is inevitably worth it, if you only have limited time in this great city.  We did an awesome e-bike tour after dark, which I highly recommend.

Again, sorry to the disjointed nature of my feedback.  Just wanted to provide what's top of mind to help those considering the trip, and happy to field other questions you might have.  Despite some of the negatives, we did put down a NextCruise deposit, so thinking about where our next RCL cruise might be.

Looking to rent a Jeep in Santorini and/or Mykonos when we are there on the Odyssey of the Seas next month.  25 years ago we rented ATVs, but with kids we now need a Jeep.  Back in the day, we just walked into town and found a place to rent one - left our passport as "collateral" and paid via cash.  Are Jeep rentals easy to come by by walking into town?  Or is there a site to reserve one to rent for the day?  Would love to spend the time driving around the island and enjoying the beaches.