ggo85

Our butler said that OBC tips provided to butler and stateroom attendant goes to them alone. Those for dining go into the pool for your assigned restaurant. We have the first world problem of far more OBC than we can use on “ourselves,” so want to use it for tips. I too hope it works out. I guess I could try the casino thing to get it in cash. Last night I used $30 to play slots. 3 spins later, I was up $30 and quit. I guess I could/should have used the full OBC amount. 🙁

We wanted to find out exactly how it works - so asked. The below applies to Constellation - it’s entirely possible that other ships may operate differently You go to Guest Services and get a form. You can just check a box for crew such as stateroom attendant and fill in an amount. If you want to tip someone not on the list, you write in their name. Every 15 days (payday) the crew gets the extra amount in their pay. It is given as a lump sum - all tips received from everyone who provided them during that to,e period. They aren’t automatically told who gave how much. They can ask, in which case they will be told. We plan to write notes for each person for whom we’re using OBC letting them know.

In Cozumel today. We were there a month ago so didn’t get off the ship. Ate at Sushi on 5. It’s quiet and service is excellent. Used OBC for 2 spa treatments. Massage was ok and facial above average. Expensive if you’re paying, especially with mandatory 18% “gratuity”. Note that, although there were pre-cruise spa discounts, I didn’t see any once onboard. For example, no 10-20-30 discount or discount on port days. If they were offered, they certainly weren’t advertised or promoted. The ship’s singer did a short 10 minute) Christmas carol event this evening. Happy to take questions but, absent any, my tale comes to an end. While there were some bumps along the road, overall, we were very pleased.

Today was a sea day. I continue to be amazed - and pleased - at my fellow travelers who do not hog loungers at the pool. You can come out at 11 or 12 or 2 and find plenty of chairs. And in good locations. In all my cruises, I’ve never seen this and am so pleased. I think it feeds on itself, in a good way. When you realize chairs will always be available, you don’t feel the need to hog. Tonight was a production show. Gave it a B, primarily because I only recognized 50%of the songs. There is a lot to do on the ship - but we’re sun worshippers. Dinner in MDR and Luminae featured lobster. On this cruise, there’s a lot of (excellent) fish and seafood. Steak is somewhat lacking. They offered lamb tonight (I don’t eat lamb) but filet or ribeye isn’t to be found. Overall, we’ve been happy. Just booked an X cruise for 2024.

It was a great excursion, but they could make it 2 hours shorter which would make it so much better. Our view : 2 hours 2 long. 😀😀

At first it was weird drinking water from a can. But you get used to it.

Today in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. Did Tortuguero canal cruise. Went without a hitch. Had a great guide. About 90 minutes on the canal. Saw many sloths, birds, a poisonous frog (pictured below) and a crocodile. At the pier, there is a collection of shops. Mostly local stuff. Vendors are NOT pushy. Great place to pick up a few last minute souvenirs at a decent price. Overall, a fun day. Had peppered tuna for dinner, which was excellent. Service in Luminae has improved greatly from first night, though it’s always crowded. The sommelier is a weak spot. Part of the problem is that he also has to procure mixed drinks. They should have someone else designated for that.

They take dollars. They are SUPPOSED to give you change in dollars, but I suggest bringing small bills.

Sorry for not posting yesterday. When I finish the tale, think you’ll understand. In Panama we did the Panama Canal Locks and Calubra Cut Cruise. First, the good. It is a half transit of the canal. We started in the middle (Gatun Lake), went through the cut (narrowest part) and exited in the Pacific Ocean. The locks are spectacular. The fact these are the originals from more than 100 years ago is amazing. If you’ve ever wanted to do a PC cruise, this is a shorter and worthy substitute. When the gate opens, it’s almost majestic. So, the bad. The tour was supposed to take 8 hours. It took 10 hours and 15 minutes. Why so long? Don’t have a good explanation. One of the guides said it “always takes 9 hours” for the transit (plus 1.25 hour bus ride each way). Another guide blamed it on the time it took for the big ship in the lock with us to get there. Who knows? Lunch consisted of a small salad with no dressing, 2 chicken strips, a bit of pasta and a cookie. Only drinks were water (plenty of it), regular Coke and ginger ale. Beer was available for a while at $2 a can. That was the only food and drink for 10.25 hours. The plastic chairs were fine for the first 5-6 hours but then much less so the last 3. While there is shade on the boat, we were outside in the heat and humidity most of the time. There was a small number of inside chairs but the AC wasn’t all that powerful, so still pretty warm. After clearing the last lock, we had another 1.5 hours of puttering to get back to the buses. Then, when we finally arrived back at the pier at 6:45 pm (we were supposed to be back at 5), we inexplicably had to sit on the bus for another 20 minutes because someone decided only one bus should offload at a time. We finally got to our cabin at 7:10, more than 2 hours late. The ship was supposed to depart at 6 and had to wait for us. Thankfully, it did. We were tired. Ate and went to bed. Would I do it again? Yes. However, I’d be more prepared (bring food and drinks, chair cushion, etc).

Will report on Panama tomorrow.

Two other things re Cartagena. I 100% agree with the other person posting about this cruise that you need to choose your tour carefully. The descriptions all sound alike. However, some folks went I to churches. Others, like ours, just stood outside. I can’t tell if that is due to different guides or the tours themselves. Also, the descriptions aren’t accurate in all cases. You can obviously do a private tour. However, I would set this up beforehand and carefully vet the entity you choose. Several people just rented a cab but some found the drivers spoke no English. And that could be dangerous in Colombia - probably ok but you aren’t sure. Attached are a few pix from the Port Oasis.

RCCL has had the policy for years of everyone in the cabin having to purchase a drink package. It’s really annoying when one person doesn’t drink or drinks very little. Even more annoying if that person doesn’t drink soda or specialty coffee. But it is what it is. And a combination of cheaters and wanting more revenue have led X to follow suit.

Wanted to finish up Cartegena with an update on Port Oasis. It’s a mini zoo - macaws, monkeys , peacocks, flamingos. There is a large shop made up of many small vendors (50% emeralds) and food vendors. Do NOT try to do it when coming off a shore excursions. You’ll be hot and tired and it will seem like a nuisance. DO go early in the morning when it’s a bit cooler. You can get so close to the birds. Great photo ops. Everyone today seemed to enjoy it. Based solely on conversations of folks around me, there seemed to be a lot of issues with ship shore excursions yesterday. Today by contrast appeared to be better. Forgot to take menu photo tonight. Appetizers were scallops carpaccio, kale salad, Turkey soup and braised short ribs. Main course options were cod, NY strip steak, veal cannelloni, butternut lasagna and Moroccan chicken. Last night’s entertainment was a comedian. I gave it a solid B. For those looking for football games, it’s hit and miss. Sometimes they’re on and sometimes not. Think it’s what the international ESPN feed provides.

Interesting the different views. Our tour did have a second “guide” who was there (IMO) to bring up the rear of the group and ensure no one was left behind. She was also there to help those who wanted to buy from a street vendor (one person did). I’ve found street vendors in most Caribbean ports - or those who heavily encourage you to enter their shops. Grand Cayman is a notable exception. So I wasn’t completely surprised to see it in Cartagena (though not really a Caribbean port) as well. As our guide in Cartegena said, it’s how they earn a living. We’re not going to change that, so it’s either accept the practice for what it is or don’t get off the ship. We didn’t have free time, though the tour advertised it. However, more than a few opted to stay in town and return to ship at their own expense. I can’t comment on Port Oasis after dark. If it’s not well lit, it could be an issue. I’m going back to it today as I want to see the birds and it’s a very short walk from the pier. I think that, if they really advertised it as something neat to do, instead of “forcing” you to walk through it at the end of a tour, people would like it a lot better.

A few more notes on Cartagena. The city is amazingly clean. No trash and no graffiti. There are police and cameras everywhere, so it feels safe. During the day, street vendors are omnipresent - they constantly come up to you. However, a shake of the head or polite “no” is enough. It’s crowded - there were 3 ships in port plus other tourists. If you go into town, take water or buy it for $1 from street vendors. You’ll need it. A hat and sunscreen are your friends, as are comfortable walking shoes. Suggest not wearing expensive jewelry. Lots of folks did the Hop On / Hop Off Bus as a ship tour. I didn’t so can’t comment. Personally, I’d suggest a ship tour or private tour. Passengers had to be back on board at 2:30 a.m.

Our assigned dining room is Luminae. However we often eat off the MDR menu so can comment on the food, not the service. Tonight was, for me, a disappointing MDR night. The onion soup wasn’t as good as usual and the steak was sub par. However, this was an exception not the rule. Prior to this, our MDR selections have been great, so I think you’ll be fine there. At least 12 main course options every night - how could you go wrong ? Oceanview (the buffet) has a variety of dinner choices. Salad station, pasta station, pizza, burgers, main courses, fruit, etc. It’s obviously self serve. It’s great if you want quick or want to dine in shorts. But not the service or cuisine of the MDR — IMO.

Our assigned dining room is Luminae. However we often eat off the MDR menu so can comment on the food, not the service. Tonight was, for me, a disappointing MDR night. The onion soup wasn’t as good as usual and the steak was sub par. However, this was an exception not the rule. Prior to this, our MDR selections have been great, so I think you’ll be fine there. At least 12 main course options every night - how could you go wrong ? Oceanview (the buffet) has a variety of dinner choices. Salad station, pasta station, pizza, burgers, main courses, fruit, etc. It’s obviously self serve. It’s great if you want quick or want to dine in shorts. But not the service or cuisine of the MDR — IMO.

Tonight’s Luminae menu.

I’m trying more to report on select topics than do a general review. If folks have questions, ask away and I’ll answer if I can.

Today in Cartagena. Did the Amazing Cartagena: Bay and Walled City tour. Mixed views. Started with a 30+ minute ride to the old town. Some in Hop On bus and some of the group on a traditional Coach. We then did the walking tour. It’s 90 minutes, mist of that standing. Maybe a mile walk in total. We visited a bunch of squares. Tour doesn’t go into any museums, etc. After that, we had a 90-minute boat tour of the harbor, which included demonstrations of local dancing. Then ride back to ship. The good: on foot is the only way to see the old city. Easy pace. Boat trip was relaxing and neat to see city from the water. The good to know: it is REALLY hot and humid. I was about to melt and I’m usually comfortable in heat and humidity. Most of those on the tour were feeling the heat. I went through 3 bottles of water. The walking isn’t strenuous but consider whether you can handle hours in the sun / shade without AC. I can’t stress this enough. The bad: they tell you that you’re going to the “emerald museum.” That means tourist trap tiny shop with no chairs and ugly emeralds. At least there was AC. 20 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. Also, the tour description is wrong. They tell you the boat takes you back the the ship. Not true. You take the same bus back. Finally, when you get back (sweaty and tired), you must go through this “Port Oasis.” Consists of an aviary, food places and a small amount of shopping It’s probably lovely if you aren’t more than ready for AC. But a pain when you just want to get on board. Takes 5-7 minutes if you walk through without stopping. Yes, I’d do it again. But it’s not for everyone.

Last night we dined at Tuscan Grille and tonight at Sushi on 5. Enjoyed the food at Tuscan. Service was good. However, I don’t think we’ll do it again — mainly because it didn’t see, that much better (if at all) than Luminae. Sushi was good. DH liked it better than Tuscan and he doesn’t love sushi. I think because it was less crowded and not as many passengers talking loudly trying to impress everyone around them. Must say I’m pleasantly surprised by the number of free daily activities. There’s a lot of variety — trivia, games, dance lessons, sports. And unlike RCCL, not every activity is trying to sell you something (e.g., foot analysis). Just things to do. Tried Oceanview for lunch and wasn’t super excited. Food was tasty but not a lot of variety. I asked for a Diet Coke and literally finished my meal before it arrived. What continues to amaze me is the courtesy of my fellow passengers when it comes to deck chairs. No chair hogs on this cruise. Not only do people take their stuff when they are finished using a chair, but they also take their towels, thus letting others know the chairs are available. It’s unusual and refreshing. And means that there are always plenty of chairs. Tomorrow is Day 1 in Cartegena and will report on my shore excursion.

Wanted to comment on crew attitude. I can’t speak as to whether folks are sad, but we are always greeted with a smile. Having been away from family during the holidays, I’m sure that is weighing on the minds of some of the crew. Thinking of loved ones far away at this time of year can make it harder to put on a happy face. I also have heard a number of crew members say they are nearing the end of 7-9 month contracts. Burnout hits, no matter how hard one tries not to show it. As for masks, very few people are wearing them. I’d estimate 5% of crew and a bit less than that among passengers. My DH wears one. They aren’t required in most places in the world. If being surrounded by mask wearers is important, a cruise might not be the best place. In terms of self service for food, at the grill, the servers give you everything (e.g., onions, lettuce) other than ketchup. There does seem to be more self service in Oceanview. Cruising on X today looks a lot more like pre-COVID than cruising a year ago. I suspect most people are happy about that. Some are not and they have to decide whether cruising makes sense for them.

For those on Constellation in the near future, make sure you see the Vesseletes. They are packing them in. SRO at 10 pm. Wide repertoire and great music. Pic of dancers.

Someone asked about beer prices. They range from 6 (miller lite and others) to $10 (Stella).

Today we were in Grand Cayman. It’s a tender port, using shore tenders. Seemed to run smoothly. I didn’t see much to do just walking around. Stores mostly selling (high end) jewelry. I wandered into a few T- shirt / souvenir shops and there was not the “pushiness” you find in some Carib ports. Bought nothing. I did the Kittiwake snorkel ship’s excursion. Highly recommend. The ship is a US Navy ship sold to the Caymans to sink for divers and marine life. It’s in great shape. It’s too deep to snorkel around it but the water is clear enough to see it well. We then went to a reef near the port. So many fish! I do a lot of snorkeling and this had more fish, including a x-mal barracuda, than I’m used to seeing. Details . . . You walk about 1/5 of a mile to the ship. It’s 30 minutes to the ship. We had about 25 minutes to snorkel, which was sufficient. The. 25 minutes to second site. Another 25 minutes snorkeling. The. 5 minutes to the dock. You don’t have to know how to snorkel, but you should be comfortable in the water / swimming with fins. There were 12 on our excursion, so no crowds. I don’t recommend going on this if you don’t snorkel - boat isn’t comfortable just to sit in - it’s transport.