repeater

What books on cruising, tips, etc, can you recommend? Looking for a gift. It's that time of year!

What books on cruise tips can you suggest? Thanks!

Anybody here thinking about tucking a few cruise tickets into a cruise tips book for Christmas? I can dream, can't I?

Ensaymada is a Filipino sweet pastry. This is said to be a variation of the Ensaimades, a similar bread that uses pork lard as an ingredient that originated in Majorca (the largest island of Spain).

 

 

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No, I saw those; they're differnt. But thanks!

On one cruise they prepared them in the culinary arts centre. I have a picture of the recipe card. If you let me know where to send it.

 

 

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Oh, wow, thanks! dbmmom@yahoo.com

Just back from the Oosterdam today, and I'm already craving those delicious garlic spiral rolls from the Lido, by the pasta station. They're garlicky, herb-y and cheesy. If anyone has that recipe or something similar, you'd make my day!!

One of our friends gave her extended family cruise tickets tucked in a guide book for the area they were going. That was one gift no one returned! Maybe an item from that locale?

Repeater

author of Tips From The Cruise Addict’s Wife And More Cruise Tips From The Cruise Addict’s Wife

Had to tell you my experience on a recent Brilliance of the Seas cruise. The ship was fine, the food decent (although repeated often!), the cruise nice overall, but I HATED the mattress! It was about as soft as my kitchen floor at home.

I'd finally fall asleep, only to wake an hour later with my hip in agony, or my arm asleep, or my shoulder cramping, or my spine screaming, one after the other, all night long. I asked the steward if she could help at all. Very compassionate, she admitted, "I couldn't sleep there, either!" Knowing the ship had new mattresses, I knew complaining to anyone higher up would make no difference.

She layered three duvets under the sheet, which helped slightly...but by Day Four, I hadn't slept more than two consecutive hours, I was living on Tylenol, and I was wishing I'd never left home.

On Day Five, a hotel department supervisor was doing spot checks, and happened into our cabin. "Is the steward doing her job? Is the cabin satisfactory?"

Yes, yes...but I can't sleep.

He assured me "I will remedy the situation myself, while you go to dinner."

I didn't bother getting my hopes up. When we returned to the cabin later that evening, something was different. The bed was taller, and poofy, like the one in The Princess And The Pea story. What on earth...?

Upon investigation, we discovered 12 bed pillows, laid end to end like a checkerboard, under the bedsheet! I suspect it was a joke, but for the rest of the cruise, I slept all night long on my *pillow top* mattress.

The take away: RCCL must have found a really good price on the new mattresses, that's all I can say. They were surely chosen for durability, not sleep=abilty. Maybe they'll be usable when they're worn in a lot more. Also, if you speak up as needed, sometimes the solution can be quite creative!

Can anyone suggest a way to get from the port to the airport/ I looked up a taxi...$100 is a lot more than I wish to spend!

Just curious how long it took you to think up this question?

What? I don't understand...As a general rule, my thought process is pretty quick! I was thinking about the first time we traveled with another couple, and how we weren't sure how we'd get along for 12 days. We agreed to meet up for dinner, but quickly discovered we loved being together, so much that we booked two more with them! Going on a TA in a month with just husband, and wondering if boredom will set in. Just thinkin'.

As long as I'm not cruising with my in-laws all is well ;)

Yeah...some ships are not big enough!

I had a friend who had a fight with her mother in law just before a cruise. Her husband drew a line down a deck plan with a bold black marker: during the day, mother in law stayed on port side, wife on starboard, civility required at dinner. Oddly, they said it worked.

Who do you think it’s best to travel with? Are you happiest with just your spouse/partner, solo, or with twenty-three of your best friends? What are advantages of traveling with a group, or a couple of generations of family? Is it easier on your own?

I think, for a first cruise, you need to go with someone who’s cruised before. There are so many little tips and hints that a first-time cruiser would miss! Plus, it’s fun for the experienced cruiser to see the trip through fresh eyes. I like cruising with others, but I admit it’s much easier with just my husband. We can coordinate with just a sticky note on the mirror (“meet you at 2pm by the dolphin statue”), whereas the times we’ve traveled with a couple dozen people, it’s been like sheep-herding all week long!

What advantages and disadvantages do you see in choosing traveling buddies?

Who do you think it’s best to travel with? Are you happiest with just your spouse/partner, solo, or with twenty-three of your best friends? What are advantages of traveling with a group, or a couple of generations of family? Is it easier on your own?

I think, for a first cruise, you need to go with someone who’s cruised before. There are so many little tips and hints that a first-time cruiser would miss! Plus, it’s fun for the experienced cruiser to see the trip through fresh eyes. I like cruising with others, but I admit it’s much easier with just my husband. We can coordinate with just a sticky note on the mirror (“meet you at 2pm by the dolphin statue”), whereas the times we’ve traveled with a couple dozen people, it’s been like sheep-herding all week long!

What advantages and disadvantages do you see in choosing traveling buddies?

Who do you think it’s best to travel with? Are you happiest with just your spouse/partner, solo, or with twenty-three of your best friends? What are advantages of traveling with a group, or a couple of generations of family? Is it easier on your own?

I think, for a first cruise, you need to go with someone who’s cruised before. There are so many little tips and hints that a first-time cruiser would miss! Plus, it’s fun for the experienced cruiser to see the trip through fresh eyes. I like cruising with others, but I admit it’s much easier with just my husband. We can coordinate with just a sticky note on the mirror (“meet you at 2pm by the dolphin statue”), whereas the times we’ve traveled with a couple dozen people, it’s been like sheep-herding all week long!

What advantages and disadvantages do you see in choosing traveling buddies?

It would be nice if statements like this would come with supporting evidence. I've read that there is a list and I've read there is no list, always written with no evidence but usually conviction. Since a list makes little sense I suspect it is a figment of someone's imagination.

 

If such a list exists, someone please produce it. With all of the cruises on all the ships that is a lot of lists, surely someone will have seen one.

I can't produce one, but several waiters and stewards have confirmed they know on a daily basis who's paid tips, and who took them off. Obviously, crew has access to paperwork pax never see!

Try finding him on facebook - I know you can contact him there. I've done this tour twice... both times incredible. Hoping to do it a 3rd, so hopefully nothing is wrong...

I don't know why you can't contact him, but keep tryin--well worth it! One of the all time best tours ever!

Thanks for this, I did not remember that the hot tubs have a higher level of chlorine than the pools.

Sigh. I guess I'll just have to avoid the areas altogether, as on other RCCL ships.

Salt.

 

However, from reading what our resident Chief Engineer has posted, they have to treat salt water pools when in port and within some specific distance of land.

So I'd probably be okay on a trans-Atlantic?

Anyone know if the pool in the Solarium on Brilliance is salt water or chemical-treated? I'm very sensitive to chlorine, and have to avoid the Solarium on Rhapsody and Jewel.

Read everything you can lay hands on, so you don't miss out! Amazon has a couple of excellent tips-and hints cruise books. The Cruise Addict Ones are good.

And read once onboard, too. I have been amazed at how much money people spend, not having a clue what they are doing --or missing out on!

My suggestion is READ. Read everything you can lay hands on. There are a couple of good (and inexpensive) books on amazon, and it'll make your vacation seem that much closer.

And when you get onboard, read, so as not to miss anything! I'm always amazed at how little info people travel with.

We were in Cittavecchia last autumn, and got to talking to other passengers as the ship docked.

"So, what do you plan to do today?"

"Oh, I dunno...what is there to do here in Rome, anyway?"

They didn't even know the ship docked over an hour from Rome! All we could do was shake our heads as we went to meet the private tour we arranged months in advance. Want to bet who enjoyed the day more?

I have also met passengers who did not know they could order room service, and some who griped because the ticket prices for the nightly shows were not plainly posted. One guy complained about one-and-only restaurant---on Day Four, he had only located the grill by the pool!

Seriously, read all about it!

Another thing I've wondered about is how do they keep things fresh. For example, I had perfect fresh raspberries on Day 6. If I pick them off my bushes at home, they will be mouldy by the next day!

Not specific to NCL but check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provisioning_%28cruise_ship%29

Thanks~! Just what I was looking for!

Hmmm...thanks. I attended the Q&A; nothing was said, guess I should have asked then! The provisions officer on the behind the scenes tour just said that they adjust for demographics...more french fires for cruises with lots of kids, extra juices for warm climates, more coffee for colder trips, and "boy, you people eat a lot of eggs this week!"

NCL used to hand out the list of provisions for the week...so many pounds of beef, dozens of eggs, bottles of beer, pounds of chocolate, crates of butter, etc. Very interesting! Anyone know where I could find fairly recent one of these lists? I did not see one on our recent Grand Med cruise. I'm most interested in the Spirit, but any ship will do, just to get the idea. Thanks!