vplsh

Date of Cruise:            7/13/2024                                                                                                                                      

Ship:           Beyond                                                                                                                                           

Cabin #:                3183                                                                                                                                              

Deck#:                                                                                                                                                 3

CabinCategory:                                                                                                                                                01               

Cabin Location:               Midship                                                                                                                                 

Bed Position:                                                                                                                                                    Window

Balcony Type:                                                                                                                                                   N/A

Balcony/Window Size:                                                                                                                                                   

Balcony/WindowView/Obstruction:                                                                                                                         

No obstruction

Balcony Overhang?:                                                                                                                                                       

N/A

Magic Carpet Issues?:                                                                                                                                                    

No

Noise Issues?:                                                                                                                                                   

Very occasionally heard chairs being moved from bar above. 

Wind Issues?:                                                                                                                                                   

N/A

Connecting Cabin? Where Does it Connect?:       

                                                                                                                                                      No                                                  

Suite Details:                                                                                                                                                     

N/A

Advantages/Problems/Comments:                                                                                                                            

Excellent location for all activities taking place in the Grand Plaza or any of the restaurants. 

Would You Book It Again?:

Absolutely!Photos or Photo

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7 hours ago, sambamama said:

Absolutely do a cruise with Glacier Bay. I have only done a RT cruise, so I can't comment on the difference of a one way. I will also say second that you don't need the HIA for either ship as you won't be onboard much. I've been on Princess once and HAL lots, and found them fairly similar with Princess having better entertainment and more pasta dishes. HAL has bigger cabins. 

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

And there is probably a good reason for that as you were disappointed first time.

 

Princess and HAL have more Glacier Bay slots than other lines and the Yukon and White Pass trip we did was another highlight, so I would choose an itinerary which includes both if possible.

 

At the end of the day, ask yourselves if you are going for the best Alaska experience or for the Diamond Plus perks?

 

Thank you so much for the replies! We have decided to go with the HAL cruise for the reasons stated by edinburgher and sambamama. We even booked the excursion that takes you off the ship in Tracy Arm on a catamaran to Juneau. The White Pass RR is a must. Now to figure out the best way to get to the Mendenhall Glacier once we get to Juneau. 

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

I like the Koningsdam option.  I think K'dam is one of the best Alaska cruises when considering both itinerary and ship.  

 

Serenade is a beautiful ship but if she's not going to Hubbard Glacier, I'd rule her out.  

 

Caribbean has a great itinerary but when I cruised that ship, I swore I never would again.  It was one of the most crowded feeling ships I've ever sailed.  

Thanks for the response. We’re leaning in this direction and appreciate your thoughts. 

We are looking to book an Alaska cruise for next May. We have done an Alaskan cruise once before; last year we sailed Ovation of the Seas and stopped in Juneau, Skagway and Victoria BC out of Seattle. We enjoyed the cruise but felt we didn't get to see enough of Alaska, so we are looking for a different experience. The three cruises we have narrowed it down to are:

Serenade of the Seas 7 night RT Vancouver stopping in Sitka, Tracy Arm Fjords & Glacier, Juneau, Haines and Ketchikan,

Caribbean Princess Northbound Vancouver to Whittier stopping in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway and sailing Glacier Bay and College Fjord before arriving in Whittier,

Holland America Konigsdam RT Vancouver stopping in Tracy Arm Inlet, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and sailing Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage.

While price isn't necessarily the deciding factor on this cruise, we're wondering what the difference is. The Princess and HAL cruises are approximately the same price. We are Platinum on Princess and have never sailed on HAL.

The Royal Caribbean cruise is about half the price of the others. We are Diamond Plus on Royal and receive complimentary drinks and wifi, so we don't need to do the all inclusive packages like we would on the other two.

Lots of reviews state that Glacier Bay is a must see. Since we didn't do that on our first Alaska cruise, is this something we should be looking to do. Is a one way northbound better than a round trip cruise? I don't think we'd do more touring once we arrive in Whittier, other than seeing Anchorage. Also, we did not do the Yukon and White Pass RR last time in Skagway, and thought we'd like to do that again. The RC cruise doesn't stop there, but does go to Haines, which is different.

Finally, is the HAL experience that much better? As I noted, the HAL cruise is twice the price of the Royal Caribbean cruise.

Thanks for your thoughts!!

Ship - Carnival Breeze

Deck - 6

Stateroom # - 6403

Stateroom Category – Balcony

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Yes 

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – Not really an unobstructed view, given that deck 5 is further out. Also, people would smoke on deck 5, even though that was not the side allowed. Guys Pig restaurant is to the right below this balcony, and you had a strong bbq smell during lunch hours. 

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal

Was wind a problem? - No

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - No

Any specific problems with this cabin? - Balcony door didn't latch closed. Needed to throw the bolt. Light in cabin and above sink were burned out. Balcony was dirty!

On 12/8/2023 at 12:57 PM, Harters said:

Lisa - design your own walking tour on gpsmycity.com. I note Liverpool already has six walks mapped out. But you can plan your own - just select the places you want to visit and the website puts them into order. Really useful - I've done it for a couple of cities on our last cruise and have planned out one for Cadiz for a 2024 trip. 

 

https://www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/liverpool-2632.html

 

As I think I posted upthread (or maybe on another), you can easily fill a day without leaving the waterfront. FWIW, I visit the city regularly and have never done any Beatles stuff (although I did go to see them when  they played Manchester in 1965). 

 

That's great information! Thank you!!

1 hour ago, pattypawz said:

@vplsh, that is great.  You are so right.  I had no idea just how expensive Amsterdam is and since we are getting a bit older, we want to fly business class.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us, and we are so looking forward to it.  And since you will be there before us, I hope to hear some comments and see some photos.  Best wishes, and happy holidays!

I’ll definitely report back!! Have a wonderful holiday!

@kazu @pattypawz Just booked the Banks. Decided to do the non-refundable rate as it was significantly less expensive.  My TA did our insurance so it's covered if we don't go. Final payment on our cruise (Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas) is due March 13, so we'll just add that cost into this policy.

Thanks again for all of your help with making this decision. Can't wait to try the Banks Mansion for ourselves!

56 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

 

Wonderful.  I booked the flex rate as well.  I booked too far in advance to do non refundable.  I would have booked non refundable when the timing was closer but the price had risen so much there would have been no benefit.  there was a lot going on in Amsterdam and all the hotel prices skyrocketed.  It pays to book early much of the time 😉 

It sounds like you got the Executive Room (I think that’s what it is still called).  DD DH and stayed in it the first time and loved it.  Since it’s just me now, the comfy room was more than adequate.

I usually do all my booking far in advance as well, but this cruise just snuck up on me. We did a 27 day back to back in October that consumed my planning for most of 2023, and I’m only now really starting to plan our cruise on Jewel of the Seas in June 2024 and finding I’m having to spend way more for an Amsterdam hotel and airfare than I’d expected. My travel agent (who is my sister ) is going to get our travel insurance in place before we book the non-refundable rate so that if anything changes and we need to cancel we will be covered. 
Thanks for all the information!! 

1 hour ago, pmjnh said:

 

@vplsh We booked Banks for next September  for 3 nights. We never pre-pay a hotel, especially non-refundable. We  called and spoke to someone at Banks as their website only gave the non refundable rates, and we booked the flexible rate over the phone. Honestly, the difference wasn't that much in comparison to other hotels' flexible rates and they offer so much more than the other hotels at the same rates.

 

Joan

Thanks for the info Joan! I’ll check that out. 

25 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Lisa, those 2 rooms are the same size normally (some rooms can be bigger than others).

For me, the comfy room is just fine.  You have good views of the canal from the library (where the wine and cheese is served and the bar is).  If I was going to pay a higher amount, I’d go for the bigger room.  No canal view but it’s a nice room.  The top room does have a canal view but it’s very pricey.

DD DH and I had a larger room with a canal view the first time we stayed there.  It was lovely but honestly, once we took a look, we rarely looked out again except to gage weather.    I could actually see some canal from my comfy room last time which was a surprise.  

If you will look out the window a lot, it’s probably worth it but there are lovely park benches right on the canal where you can sit and watch the world go by and a wonderful view in the library.

 

Several of my roll call stayed there on my recommendation.  They all thought that what I was saying was too good to be true and they all told me later I was right.  Everyone was very happy with the Banks.

Thanks so much for the response Jacqui!! Just have to decide whether to bite the bullet and pay now or wait a bit. 

On 10/6/2023 at 8:27 AM, kazu said:

So for those interested here are some pics of my room at the Banks Mansion.  it’s the cheapest one they have (comfy room).  Now all rooms are not the same size - like the beloved Prinsendam, they don’t have cookie cutter rooms.

My friends are in comfy room and have a bathtub and a shower (room description says shower).  My room is shower only.  If they weren’t already unpacked, she would have traded.  My aching legs needed a bath tub.  LOL.

 

 

Bed is very comfortable too.

 

 

 

 

 

Mini bar is all included of course 😉 

 

Hi Jacqui,

We are thinking of staying at the Banks in June and can't decide between the comfy room and the one with a canal view. What was your view from your comfy room, and did you find it noisy at all?

Thanks in advance!!

We will be in Liverpool in June on Jewel of the Seas. Way back in post 336 @Towncar T recommended a walking tour of the city. Tom, any ideas that are different to those you mentioned in that post? I love the idea of seeing the city without a tour. We're not Beatle fanatics, so I thought something more city oriented would be more our speed.

Thanks in advance!

Has anyone stayed at Charme 308? We've booked it for our pre-cruise stay in October. 

On 2/10/2023 at 4:50 PM, CruiseMomTX said:

That was our first thought not enough venues to use the UDP but we thought it sounded like a good price. We have not done the UDP since 2019 and only on an Oasis class ship but thought we might like the variety since it is a longer sailing for us.  We could enjoy some nice lunches on sea days.  Do you know if we can do lunch on embarkation day in a specialty restaurant?  

 

We just got off the Radiance 10 night and it was amazing! We had the UDP and loved it. We made a list of all the dates and times we wanted and headed to Chops for lunch when we got on and had the maitre d there make all our reservations. Any changes you want to make you can do in the app once you’re sailing. 
We ate in Chops three nights and two lunches (ask for Linda and tell her Lisa and Steve say hi!), Giovanni’s four nights(Dorian and Christian are great waiters) and two lunches, Samba grill twice and Izumi once for dinner and once for lunch. 
We loved the UDP and even with just a few restaurants to alternate, we weren’t tired of any. 

Update on Via Zara. I messaged them through their Facebook page and received responses. Apparently they are no longer self service, however they are open from 9-6. 

We booked Charme 308 for 3 nights prior to our back to back in October. @cruisemom42would you have any knowledge of this hotel? It looks to be in a good location for all the things we would like to do. I'd be interested in any info anyone has! Thanks in advance!

20 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Well, they have a Facebook page but the last post was in 2020.  You might want to reach out to them and see:  Via Zara Wash & Dry

Thanks! Will do!

On 6/1/2021 at 1:49 PM, marazul said:

Well, it still exists according to google street view!  (And I am with your DW - no laundry days in port for us.)

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0907105,11.7935303,3a,75y,152.05h,90.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ7bqShkGXca9bYE1JpFqBw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

On 6/1/2021 at 4:58 PM, euro cruiser said:

Yes, but that street view is from August 2018.  Fingers crossed it's still there.

Does anyone know if this place still exists? We are doing a back to back in October, 12 nights and then a 15 night transatlantic. We do get free laundry on the ship, but we will need to wash some other items that we don't want to send to the ship's laundry. We thought we could go here on the turn around day. Any info on whether it is still there would be appreciated!

We booked our three night pre cruise stay at Charme 308. Looks like a great location and reasonable price for a nice b and b. Anyone familiar with it?

12 hours ago, sunsetme said:

are only the casino people getting upgrades??

16 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

no, I got an upgrade on a regular rate

We bid $360 total for an upgrade on Discovery Princess from an obstructed balcony guarantee (DW category) to a mini-suite. We received it last week and our cruise sails November 26. We were given an MC category on deck 8 and were able to move to a different cabin within that category so chose one on the Marina deck. That's typical for upgrades or guarantees- you can move the cabin within the category as long as there are cabins available. 

We are having the same discussion. Looking forward to any suggestions others may have.

On 10/25/2022 at 3:03 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

I have walked by the Pantheon Iconic hotel several times since it opened in 2018 (and while it was being renovated). It is in a wonderful location just behind the Pantheon and very close to Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori which is just a bit further.

 

It looks like a great place if you have the points. 

 

Not familiar with the W Hotel itself, but the location is farther out, not as close to the three places I mentioned above (which I consider the heart of the historic area).

 

Thank you @cruisemom42! The Pantheon Iconic Hotel is our first choice!

17 hours ago, llhillman said:

 

Thank you for the info!!

So much great information on this thread! Thanks so much!!

We will be in Rome for a back to back on Odyssey next October. My question is about using Marriott points for a hotel. We are looking at either the W Hotel or the Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, as they look to be closest to Campo de Fiori. Would anyone have any experience/opinion on these or any other of the Marriott properties? Thanks in advance!

Wow! Thanks for this amazing thread. It’ll take me a while to get through all the info before I’ll know what to ask. We are doing a back to back on odyssey out of Rome next October and are looking to stay in Rome a couple of nights before. We love food and wine tours if anyone has any recommendations.