jon81uk

Book dining 45 days out (unless in a a suite when it’s 60 days). Over half the time slots can only be booked onboard though so if you don’t find what you want then book something and move it once onboard. Razzle Dazzle has more vegetarian/vegan dishes than the other restaurants but half the menu is still meat & fish. See menus here https://vvinsider.com/restaurant-menus/ Shows are no longer booked, its first come, doors open in the main Red Room theatre half hour before and 15 minutes before at the Manor (which is also the nightclub). The main drag show is Around the World in 80 minutes and will be done a few times, often including a sea day afternoon. Fitness classes, paid-for activities and the dinner show can be booked once onboard.

Panama Canal has been on sale for three months or so already. We booked in the first few days and the price shot up after we booked.

Go back into the check in steps and do step six again, it will ask if you are sure but if there are no better times available just press back and you keep what you already have. In your room will be two carafes of water, you can request sparking from the cabin attendant if you like and are free to keep them in the mini fridge. There are two glasses. The Galley food court has plastic cups for water/juice/soda and bars generally have water on the counter to help yourself to (and can ask the bar staff for free soda or sparkling water). So you don’t need a bottle unless you want to take water off the ship or maybe for the gym. Some people also like having a bottle at their sun lounger instead of going to the bar for a cup. We’ve always used Lyft to the port with no major issues. All the pool and sundeck bars do frozen drinks on the ship and at the Bimini beach club. No indoor bar does frozen drinks. Not many, but there are some sort of sofa things to the side of the pool under the deck 16 overhang. Also depending on the time of day some loungers near the round jacuzzi pool may be in shade. On deck 7 promenade it is likely one side of the ship will be in shade. Both, they are on separate nights. PJ party is first night around 10.30pm. Scarlet night will be the night before a sea day, kicks off at 9pm with bits and pieces across deck 7. Then pool party at 10.45pm and the after party at midnight. Both are fun with different playlists of music and surprises. Depends if you want to stream YouTube/Netflix and make Zoom calls. Otherwise standard is fine for messaging and internet.

I used to use the cones that hold the filter paper all the time at home before buying a bean to cup machine.

Sometimes they have an apple and caramel cookie that is fantastic

I’ve noticed they do have pour over on the menu now.

They did have cookies in the Galley until midnight on our last trip which was a welcome change compared to the sweet and pastry counters previously closing at 10pm.

The old casino bar menu showed it as $14. But the new May 2024 menu doesn’t list martini prices (they will still be available as will all other classic cocktails). Based on the prices increases that happened May 2024 I would guess at $16 for the Grey Goose martini (which includes gratuity). Bar menus can be found here https://vvinsider.com/bar-menus/ but the menu doesn’t show classic cocktails or simpler spirit and mixer. Absolut vodka is the house/well option at $9 for 1.5oz with a soda/juice mixer being free. Then I think Tito’s is $11 and Grey Goose will be $13+.

But they still want to make money selling the barista made coffee I guess!

Sorry I missed that detail! I had assumed it was departure from Barcelona. There is no way of knowing exactly where they will berth at day ports, but I would assume it’s the World Trade Centre.

Can you do the final step to get an arrival time? Brilliant Lady sailings won’t allow any steps to be done, but I’ve got 5/6 done on all my sailings on Scarlet & Resilient coming up.

Do any other cruise lines offer free drip coffee at the coffee bar? They used to have the full bar in the Red Room open for Untitled but now it’s only used if the Scarlet night party moves indoors. Now they seem to go for the easy route of just the can bar for most shows.

Have you done the check in on the app? Scroll down a bit further and you’ll find check in and get ready to sail. You can do the six steps in any order. The last step is to get an arrival time. Once you’ve done that you’ll get the information I added above.

Open the app and scroll down slightly.

You can just go to any bartender and ask for soda though.

Here you go https://vvinsider.com/cabins/con/no-hammock

In May we arrived from the transatlantic at World Trade Centre.

They are back to using the World Trade Center dock. if you have the cruise booked open the app and click view map.

it’s not really that close between the cruise port and the historic dockland, Google Maps says 39 minute walk. https://maps.app.goo.gl/4UWsKqFAgdq7Lvj2A?g_st=i

Try checking in the app again to see if an earlier time has become available. But even if you have a late time they may well be running early so can arrive around 3pm and you may be able to board a bit early. Boarding on VV doesn’t start to 1.30pm anyway for rockstars in suites so even it you had done check in earlier then you still wouldn’t have had an arrival time before 2pm.

Of course to be able to win an upgrade from bidding there has to be an empty room for you to move into and then also have to be the highest bidder. Chances are fairly low, but check on the website to see if there are mega suites still available to get an idea of if you could get one. There is a pretty big difference between rockstar and mega rockstar. Mega includes all drinks under $25 a glass and two bottles under $95 a day, so basically all inclusive. You get unlimited access to the thermal spa and laundry too. Also you get almost butler service from the more dedicated agent, whereas rockstar is closer to a concierge. Mega rockstar can order food from any restaurant to be delivered to your room from the agent too.

I’ve only ever ordered the free from concentrate orange juice so can’t tell you what the paid-for is like. Brunch bacon is candied with pepper. Waffle is thick and fluffy with delicious cherry syrup.

If you are looking at the itinerary 45 days out it will change. We had Another Rose showing on many nights like you, then once onboard it was only done 3-4 times I think.

Honestly my go-to breakfast is pancakes from the Galley food court. Then some fresh fruit in one of the bento boxes and maybe a pastry. But if going for brunch at Razzle Dazzle I’ll have the waffle that comes with cherry syrup and pistachios, maybe with some eggs and bacon on the side. For brunch at The Wake I’ll get steak and eggs (sunny side up with runny yolk as I’m British).

Look at a YouTube video or similar of Richard’s Rooftop to get a feel for the space. It is almost always quiet there with plenty of seating available. Gets a bit busier near the bar during happy hour. Food at Richard’s Rooftop is the Sun Club Cafe menu of poke bowls and bao buns, plus that sushi is exclusive to the rooftop. See the menu here https://vvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Richards-Rooftop-Bar-Menu-visit-vvinsider.pdf All major shows (except the dinner show) are now first come for seating, not reservations. Rockstars need to arrive before doors open (30 minutes before for Red Room, 15 for Manor but check with agent) and can enter a roped off section at the front of the queue. Rockstar agents can help with most other reservations. I think the agent could remove all the alcohol from the mini bar and replace with some other things, but be aware a large part of the value of the suite is the mini bar and happy hour.