SombraDeLuna

4 hours ago, samiam0403 said:

Ok, so I saw the apple almond dessert at lunch today (Taste of Greece day for lunch), but by the time we exited the GDR, the menu was already replaced by the dinner menu. Ditto for the menus on the television! I'll try to find someone to ask at dinner tonight.

THANK YOU for going on this Treasure Hunt!  It looks like a muffin and is only available at breakfast and only on certain days as a special.  It can be as elusive as the delicious almond croissants (that sometimes have chocolate in them too). 😉

We were on Sirena in June for a British Isles B2B.  Get a massage with Irena from Serbia -- she is GREAT!  Also, would you please ask someone in Dining what the name of the almond apple "muffin" is?  It's one of the daily pastry specials, has a flat top versus a rounded one, and is extremely moist and flavorful!  I'd love to be able to track down a recipe for it (should have asked for it while on board).  Thank you in advance and have a great voyage!  

We were recently on Sirena and also expected tote bags, based on it being listed as an amenity in our personalized materials sent to us after payment.  I asked at Reception and two different people there said they didn't give away tote bags.  When I shared more details about the amenities list they said they didn't know anything about tote bags.  After further discussion, they told me to talk with the Future Cruise Consultant.  The FCC told me to talk with Reception because they handle the "regular tote bags".  The FCC did share that "loyalty bags" are given when one reaches different levels based on number of cruises taken.  Guess we get "loyalty bags" when we hit our 10th cruise.  #8 is this Fall.  We don't use the tote bags while in ports because we don't like to advertise that we are tourists.  All of our cruise line bags have come in handy at home for a variety of reasons though. 😉        

On Sirena in June there was a paper chart on the port side of the pool deck near the bar.  

We spent 3 weeks on Sirena during June/July.  Book massages with Irena -- she is fantastic!  

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I am not sure about that  I was so tired  when we got to Southampton  from N.A.

Yep, I accidentally reversed the directions!  Going from east to west is easier -- gain time!  

Love transatlantic and repositioning cruises!  The crew always seems excited about the new locations which gives the ship a special vibe.  Totally agree that going west to east is better.  It's less of an impact on the body clock.  

Chris -- I'd be interested in knowing more about how "O" is training and monitoring the performance of new staff and supervisors, especially given labor issues so many are now experiencing.  We were recently on Sirena and had some unexpected and surprising service and dining experiences well below the normal "O" service level.  Several supervisors we spoke with, in an effort to be helpful and in a kind manner, honestly didn't seem to care and made excuses.  Unfortunately we heard many first timers say they would never take another "O" cruise.  While we were disappointed in some of our experiences, we had other great ones and are hopeful that our experience on Insignia in the fall will be more similar to our previous "O" experiences.  We understand the current challenges and would just be interested in what "O" is doing to help support and coach the new staff and supervisors.  Thank you for the information and insights you are sharing!  

We recently learned this tidbit during a tour with a private guide who also does tours for the companies that cruise lines use for their shore excursions -- the guides may not even know what tour they are actually leading until arriving at the port shortly before the start of a tour.  That provided perspective on the other side of the story.    

We were on our 7th "O" cruise aboard Sirena for 3 weeks in June.  There was a mixture of experienced crew that provided great service, and new crew that was still learning and in need of more training and supervision (not unlike other cruise lines and general businesses at this point based on a world-wide pandemic).  Consistency in food quality/preparation was an issue in some locations, but not in other venues.  As mentioned in other responses, this was probably due to supply and staffing issues.  We learned quickly which venues to go to when based on menus.  The production crew was fantastic.  The smaller ship design is one of our favorites.  We're booked for our 8th "O" cruise on Insignia in the fall and are anticipating that it will be closer to our previous "O" experiences since it's been operating longer after the shut down.  But we will miss Red Ginger -- our favorite specialty restaurant on any cruise line!       

This summer we spent 1 week on land and 3 weeks on Sirena all around the British Isles.  It was a nice combination.  Just keep in mind you may miss ports due to a variety of reasons.  We missed 4 ports -- we had previously been to 2 of them, but the other 2 were in Ireland and obviously a disappointment.  While with a Tours By Locals driver/guide in County Donegal, we had a chat about how they arrange and price extended land tours.  We would definitely consider that option in the future to guarantee seeing certain sites!  

If you arrive back on board and believe the Terrace Cafe is already closed, go check just to be sure.  They will sometimes stay open a bit longer, especially if they see buses just returning from excursions.    

Recently on Sirena a member of the spa team hosted several family members on board for the day, and had a great time together on the outside deck of Terrace Cafe.  It was so nice to see the special time they shared together!  

It's not unusual for the evening cast/performers to also be the activity staff during the day.  The team on Sirena (during June) was excellent!  Their production shows were high quality with great talent (on a small stage area).

If, by chance, you arrive and find the duvet hasn't been made up according to your request, just talk with your steward about it.  We always say "it can wait until tomorrow" (knowing how busy they are on the first day).  We always find the standard set up of the duvet to be too hot.  Didn't know about the different sides of the mattress -- thanks for that tid bit!      

"The Specialties never change the menus. Only variant is an occasional fresh fish."......

Red Ginger has a sushi of the day that changes, and is always good.  While the specialty restaurant menus don't change, the recipe and/or the cook and/or the supply availability does.  Our most recent example was on Sirena (Toscano/Polo) where we had a delicious entree dish during the 1st week, yet when we ordered it during the 3rd week (B2B cruises) it was horrible.  The same thing happened with a starter course on three different nights.  Whereas, consistency in Red Ginger was excellent.        

We were anchored there on the same ship on June 24th and had a beautiful tour all around the area...amazing, diverse scenery!  

We got off Sirena on 7/3.  Yes, the early riser coffee bar is available in Horizons.  Be aware that at times there were no To Go Cups available...but we soon found them in a cabinet under the machine.  Plastic lids are no longer available as part of the effort to reduce plastics on board.