Mum2Mercury

We'll be sailing with a group of twelve soon, and we discussed doing just that: my vegetarian daughter and my no-shellfish-please daughter have already promised to pass their lobster over to me and my husband.

If they're planning to dock three ships -- especially if one or more is a big ship -- I certainly hope they're leaving enough of the no-cost chairs for the majority of us. I'm pretty sure the average cruiser isn't willing to pay $$$ for a slightly upgraded chair and lunch. I can see charging for the water park -- that's providing a different activity. Coco Cay has been a huge selling point for Royal, but if they don't allow enough space, that's going to change -- and once the reputation is lost, it's hard to get back. It might depend upon the size of the ships. I thought it was 16?

Before I present my multiple random thoughts, let me say that I have a small baking business, and my own desserts are genuinely superb -- and I price them accordingly. I don't expect a cruise line's desserts to taste like the ones I make in my own kitchen. - It seems to me that Royal's desserts are better than they were a decade ago. While they may not be top-notch, good items are available. This thread is largely Royal Whining, which is fairly prevalent here. - I agree that too much gelatin goes into many desserts. Also too much whipping. Why? Because gelatin is super-cheap and whipping "blows up" a little bit of food so it looks like a lot of food. - Like many here, I like the ranger cookies, but I always like oatmeal cookies, as I think they have a nice mouthfeel and chewiness; however, yes, I have had a slightly over-baked ranger cookie. Ick. - The worst dessert I had recently was the Coconut Cake. It definitely tasted frozen. - I absolutely love cheesecake, but I don't like it on Royal. Excellent cheesecake isn't hard to make, but it does take time. - Good desserts I had in the MDR: Key Lime Pie, Cobbler or Crumble -- can't remember what they called it -- and Carrot Cake. My husband had plain ice cream in the MDR and said it was good. - Good desserts I had in the Windjammer: Made-to-order Churros, Chocolate Fountain with fresh fruit and bits of cake, Pecan Pie.

Wow, what a great perk! Pick any potential retiree ... if health insurance isn't his or her top concern, it's in the top three. As a retired teacher, I have free health insurance until Medicare kicks in ... then I have Medicare Part D free for life (that's drug coverage and costs less than $10/month, so big whoop). I'm also able to cover my husband, but his coverage cost is HUGE. I can't wait for him to turn 65, but that's a pretty good ways off.

Key words here: People Complain. I don't know anything about the future Hideaway Beach. What's been made public now? Charge? I'm out -- I like Chill Island and would only have hit the adult-only area to see what it's like.

I think that's the cholesterol in a whole lobster ... EatThisMuch.com says a 4-ounce serving contains 47 mg, and an average person with no heart issues should keep his or her cholesterol under 300 mg.

Interesting ... I've always thought this board's "Ask for anything. Your waiter can run to another onboard venue for you" attitude was a little out of hand. Looks like Royal thinks the same and is taking steps to correct it, but they're going too far in the other direction. Dressing on the side and extra veg don't really seem like "special requests". Agree. It'll depend upon what the kitchen has that night (for example, if they didn't make rice that night, you shouldn't expect rice). And it'll depend upon the kitchen staff. Agree that some of the simple things are going to be missed. Looking over the new menus, I see things that make me want to go to the MDR three nights out of seven ... but it isn't about "healthy". It's that I think the Windjammer would have better options than the MDR on the other four nights. We like to bring a couple ziplock bags and make our own cheese plates from the Windjammer -- this allows us to have only what we really like. This is our favorite "in cabin" nibble. Threatened? Weird flex -- why would this upset the MDR staff? We prefer My Time Dining, and we saw lines of people without reservations waiting to get into the MDR -- but those of us with reservations essentially walked right in. I think one evening we waited five minutes. Eh, the two go together. If you decrease the number of choices, you need fewer people /less time to cook. Not wrong, but exaggerated. That's messed up and counterproductive. I predict this rule will fall by the wayside, as it slows the staff and keeps diners at the table longer. I was ready to say, "But a baked potato takes a very long time to cook" ... until I saw that they were already preparing baked potatoes for another plate. Agree: ridiculous. Impossible. Cooking is an art form, and two chefs on two different ships will produce different end products. Have cruisers indicated they want shorter meals in the MDR? I haven't had that impression from these boards. Anyway, if we want a shorter meal, we can always skip the appetizers and/or take dessert to go. Maybe I'm just being argumentative, but I think food costs less than the staff who cook /serve it. I'm remembering that when I was in college I worked in a Frito-Lay factory -- my job was putting finished bags into boxes for shipping. At that point, the product inside a big bag of Doritos cost .02 and the plastic/mylar bag itself cost .04 -- okay, that was the 1980s, but the bag at that point sold for $1.99 , the point being how little food itself costs when purchased in major bulk. I'm kinda on the same page. Not many things would make me reduce tips, but this would do it. I don't see this "sticking". It's unreasonable, and they will get bad feedback. Having said that, staff doesn't always get these requests right -- on our last cruise I asked for a plate with an entree-sized Caesar salad + the fish. I got a large salad bowl with Caesar salad and the fish on top. Yes, that's what I think they'll figure out as they try to make this happen.

Far aft is a good location -- but it does mean more walking, so it isn't for anyone with mobility issues. Usually far aft means the buffet is just straight up a set of stairs. I've had an aft-facing cabin. No problems with soot.

Choosing non-black luggage is a great start. Adding a bright twist of your own is Step Two. But the easiest way to make sure no one takes your luggage -- assuming you're healthy -- is to use self-disembarkation and roll your own luggage off the ship. Easier than driving 80 extra miles!

Bummer. I usually order two lobster tails, but -- with the new cost-for-second-lobster-tail rule -- I was planning to order the steak meal with a lobster tail on the side. Honestly, I don't see this rule lasting; people will order the two meals, and they'll hold the table longer. No, cutting tips isn't the answer, as that hurts the little guy, the waiter. The message needs to go to the bean counters.

We did a three-day on Independence in December, and -- yes -- they had theater shows. Specifically, we saw Grease, which I enjoyed. I've actually lived long enough to be retired and had never seen it before.

Chances of your luggage being lost are rather small. I'd risk it for $140.

That seems smart.

We prefer Chill Beach, but the difference between it and South Beach are negligible. And no cost. Yep, and I value good value for the dollar and the ability to cruise more often. Wowser, I really wonder who is willing to pay that! Yes, you only get these foods once per cruise ... you can have the lobster multiple nights on board. This makes sense to me.

I own no strapped-hats. I usually bring: - A ball cap, which fits tightly enough that it won't blow away. I wear this in the pool or to active excursions. - A straw hat -- I usually wear this for boarding rather than pack it. I wear this for island stops when I'm wearing a sundress or nice shorts outfit for an excursion. I might wear it if we're taking a walk around the ship mid-day. I've had the same favorite hat for ... two decades? And it hasn't blow away yet.

Consider your no-cost options: A lounger at one of 3-4 beaches or at the pool. Burgers, chicken sandwiches or tacos for lunch. The ocean. With all that for no cost, what value are you really getting at the Beach Club? If you want the lobster, it'd be cheaper to order it for dinner in the MDR. Personally, I'd be willing to pay $25 for the Beach Club.

This happened to my husband too -- specifically, they left the Jr. off the end of his name. No, you can't change this online; you have to call RC's customer service line and have them change it.

Multiple thoughts -- and, again, I'm a Southerner and not at all well informed on this topic: - That's most interesting and efficient. - If the meals are prepared in advance and just re-warmed, why does it matter if the kitchen is Kosher? - People are paying a heft fee for frozen meals. That's well done and respectful to the Jewish religion. Also a cool job for the rabbi, as I assume he got a free cruise. So you could just hit the big stuff or could be very exacting about the details. On our last cruise we emailed ahead of time asking for something specific in the MDR, and we didn't get it. So we went to the dining room's supervisor, explained what we needed it, and he changed our table -- the only "difficulty" was that we had our table number written on a piece of paper instead of printed on our ship ID card.

Thanks -- I enjoyed those pictures. I'd love to hear how you liked: - The Polenta fries with spicy dip - Sweet Corn Cakes -- did this come with a sauce? - Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie -- that does not look like a cookie! - Vidalia Onion Tart -- is this something of a quiche? - NY Strip Steak -- how does it stack up against the Steak Diane from the old menu? Water. Seriously, if you've ever worked in a kitchen you maybe familiar with those giant rice cookers that can put out 30 gallons or so at a time. If, indeed, Royal's goal has been to streamline their menus, using the same grain side dish is a smart move because preparing a giant batch of rice takes little more time than cooking a moderate amount -- and considerably less time than providing both rice and potatoes. The first time we cruised, we were surprised at the small portions -- but we realized pretty quickly that they were perfectly adequate. At home when we eat out, we typically take home enough for the next day's lunch, but -- obviously -- we don't do this during a cruise. We also don't typically have an appetizer and dessert when we eat out. On a cruise, we pretty often order two appetizers -- come on, four shrimp in a shrimp cocktail? And I'd definitely do what the above poster did on lobster night: I'd rather have two lobster tails, but I'm not paying $16 for a second one, so I'll order the steak and one lobster tail. I am not well versed in Indian food, but I do like Butter Chicken and Josh Rogan (is that the right name?)

But doesn't a Kosher meal have to be prepared in a kitchen separate from ... I don't know what. As I said upthread, I live in the South, not a place known for large number of Jews. Anyway, how could they manage Kosher meals without having a separate kitchen? Setting aside the Solarium Bistro makes sense, as it could be sanitized and made truly Kosher for the week. Now I'm becoming interested in this subject. The few Jewish people I know here DO eat out ... but I'm quite sure a typical restaurant isn't Kosher. I assume not all Jewish people "keep Kosher"? I mean no disrespect to anyone's beliefs, but I just don't know these things. Or, as seems quite likely to me, is Royal Caribbean just saying they're serving Kosher meals? I sailed an 8-day recently and saw few kids. Of course, it was also September (we personally think fall is the best time to cruise) and not Labor Day. That's early in the school year to pull your kids out. Directing people to their needs makes sense, though I'm still wondering about that separate kitchen thing.

Thanks to those of you who have shared your water-shoe experiences! I've ordered a simple, crushable shoe for my husband -- as he likes his foot to be fully covered, he doesn't go for the water sandals, and (since they get so little use) I wanted something that won't hog suitcase space like water sandals. I think he's going to like what I ordered for him, but -- being winter -- we haven't had the opportunity to try them just yet. Again, thanks for all who helped!

So what do people who eat Kosher do on regular weeks? No Kosher option is available normally, right? Maybe I just don't know. Thing is, my daughter, who so enjoys the SB, wouldn't have had any way to know the quality was different that week -- until she arrived. Something that's happening here in my area: We have a severe teacher shortage, and it's only going to get worse. We're dealing with this by putting high school kids into online classes; experts write the material for the class, and teachers are contracted to manage /grade the work for a classroom of kids. I'm a retired teacher, and I've taken a part-time job supervising a study hall in which kids sit /complete online work. I'm here to manage computer problems, explain assignments, read the occasional tough word -- and to manage discipline. In a situation like this, why shouldn't the students work hard to "get ahead" and then vacation at less expensive /less crowded times? I'll add this: The worst cruise I ever took was over Thanksgiving. It was overcrowded and a part of that was kids. I'll never sail a holiday again.

I live in the South, which has never been a preferred spot for Jews, so I don't know the ins-and-outs of being Kosher. So you're saying the people in this group should have left extra space for others in the MDR and Windjammer and should have been taking ALL their meals in the SB -- and they paid extra for this. But does that mean non-group members should have been excluded from the SB? My daughter, for example, considers that her favorite place to eat, and she would have been outraged to be told she couldn't eat in the SB for the whole cruise -- especially if she found that out once she was on the ship! Are those still a thing?

You've used WhatsApp on a ship? Without having any paid ship internet? If so, this is good news. Absolutely true! My one and only is barely a year old, but he's perfect. Expanding on your thought ... having taught high school for three decades, I've seen a couple families who've "put children out of their house" , and at first I thought, "That's something I'd never do -- never -- no matter what." But then I really saw what was going on in one family, and it made me think again: Four kids, the second child (still a minor) was big-time into drugs. He was bringing drugs into the house, where anyone could have found /used them, and he was hanging around with a dangerous crowd. After many attempts at rehabilitation, the parents put him into a half-way house of sorts because they feared he would "corrupt" the two younger children with his negative influence. It wasn't an easy choice for them, but I see why they did it. I can relate to that! I took typing as a high school sophomore -- I even took shorthand as a class (only because I had to have something 5th period), and, wow, is that useless information. In retrospect, I should've taken study hall or office assistant as a class. Anyway, I went away to college with a super-heavy manual typewriter that had belonged to my grandparents, and I was beyond thrilled when I got a cute little electric typewriter (folded up into a suitcase) as a sophomore. I am a huge proponent of the state university system. My husband, my children and I are all graduates of our state universities, and those degrees are serving /have served us well. None of us had any debt. With very few exceptions, I see no point in paying $$$ extra for a private school's name on your diploma.

I'm surprised that after so many positive cruises with RC you're swearing off their product; I'd think it's more reasonable to say, "I am not a fan of the big-boy ships and maybe January is a bad time for me to sail." I read your list of positives and thought, "Wow, that's a lot of good. What's left to complain about?" We're sailing on Wonder next year (with family, who chose the ship and the sailing), and I'm a little concerned because it's CONSIDERABLY more expensive than our usual cruise, and with a higher price I do expect more /better. Specific thoughts: - I've seen several threads about groups lately -- I've sailed with groups who were a pleasure, but I can absolutely see how they could detract from your experience. - I would be upset at two important venues being closed. Very upset. If indeed the SB was set aside as a Kosher area, I don't see why they couldn't allow non-Kosher eaters to partake as well. - I wish the cruise world were not structured so that the staff essentially have no power to say NO to rude people or people doing ridiculous things. - Dinner is a big part of any cruise, and I've definitely seen tables arranged for large groups -- probably larger than 12. I think your mistake was thinking this could be managed ahead of time; if you'd talked to the dining manager (who is always on hand during boarding) on your first day, I feel sure he would have "fixed you up". - No excuse for unsanitary bathrooms. Like you, I've never seen this before. - I don't believe the food was cafeteria-grade, but I work in a high school and am better acquainted with cafeteria food than most people. - I'm with you on chair hogs by the pool. This issue could be fixed so easily, if Royal weren't so dead-set on their staff having no power /no authority to say NO to entitled passengers.