Nessa55

We pretty much always travel as a group and our rooms have always been together as they are this coming September trip. I believe if you tell your TA what you are looking for they can accommodate you. I like mid ship and expressed this to my TA and we are all mid ship so it should not be a problem. There are a lot of you so they may have to split some of you up but I would think they could still keep you as a group.

I don't pay much attention to reviews, good or bad. And I make it a point not to read any reviews of a ship I am getting ready to cruise on. We had a great time on our last cruise, but a fellow cruiser wrote a review and described the cruise as "lousy". :confused: Reviews are only opinions and there's a lot that goes into forming someone's opinion.

 

Sherri:)

Thank you for this post, I am not new to cruising but will be new to RCCL. I have read good and bad reviews but the things I already like or dislike are not based on what other people think but more of a cruise line comparison (such as no laundry room on their ships). I try to make sure my clothes are ironed and I try to pack stuff that will be okay and not require ironing but there are times when as careful as I try to be it requires a little heat, with that said this will be the first cruise I have been on where I am definitely going to have to be careful of my packing for this reason.

But, I have not formed any opinions based on what other cruisers think. Our party of 9 don't have anything to compare it to (thank God), there are only 2 of us who have ever cruised before but I always come away hoping they will definitely want to do it again on a longer cruise next time.

Again, I like your post a lot.

Someone here referred me to resortforaday.com and they have a British colonial hilton pass for 60$ a person which includes a 40$ food and beverage credit at the hotel. Likely what we'll be doing on our upcoming cruise in October!

 

 

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Thank you for this information - we are a party of 9 and this will offer something for everyone - we are actually in port from 8 am to 11:59 pm so we have time for the beach and then can go back to the ship change and site see - again thanks.

After my husband and I couldn't stop talking about our 2 cruises we had been on, my family decided to do a big group cruise together. So far we have 14 people and hoping to add more. I am putting my own little bags together to give to each cabin. This is what I have so far:

 

1. a small pack of ginger chews

2. a yankee candle car air freshener in pineapple to hang in the cabin and have a nice tropical scent

3. a travel bottle of downy wrinkle release spray/clothes refresher

4. Clips to keep towels on beach chair

 

Have fun!

I also did the yankee candle bag - was in the store at the mall and they actually had the gift bags on sale with spray air freshner and smokeless candle and something else but I don't remember what it was that I gave to my group and they loved, loved, loved it. I don't like the chewable ginger so I get the hard ones from Walgreen instead - really good for settling the stomach, also someone suggested the last cruise the clorox wipes for your cabin because nobody wants to get sick to wipe down your personal space in the cabin. We like to hope that the stewards are doing their jobs but it does not help to have your own wipes. I like the clips idea and will look for those.

I also do groups and so far have about 8 cabins so I will start picking up items for my goody bags - thanks everyone for all the great suggestions.

Hi all,

 

I've been busy in here lately trying to plan a cruise for possibly our entire immediate family. Others are signing up as time goes by so it is getting more confusing.

 

Have cruised a few times before and always done traditional at 8:30 but going on the Allure it seems like there is too much to see to be in the MDR that late. I have a few questions.

 

1.) If we make a reservation for the exact number going that night will we be seated with other tablemates or do they honor the reservation for just your group?

 

2.) Is it really hard to get a table for anywhere between 6 and 9 people if we just show up?

 

3.) Let's say just 4 of us show up? Can we ask for a 4 top or do we automatically get seated at a large table?

 

It could likely be 10 or more of us but I hear MTD cuts you off at 9. This could get really confusing because I have no idea who will show up on what night. How does the MDR handle last minute changes?

 

Thanks,

Debbie

This is my experience:

Booked a family reunion cruise in 2009 and at that time chose the any time dining for the first time because some of my family liked to eat early and I personally along with my friends prefer later dining and actually found this to be great since if you are out during the day you can come back, have a snack and of course decide to eat later and have a nap. This worked great for my family and what they did was coordinate among themselves who would eat when. There was a group that always ate together because they were the early diners and then there was a couple who chose to eat with just the two of them and we had no problem with flexibility.

On Carnival they made every attempt (I think this was for tipping purposes of the wait staff) to always seat us with the same wait staff but on Princess I noticed this did not happen - for me it did not matter either way.

We coordinated with our people on who was meeting whom for dinner so that we could always be at the dining room at the same time as they don't like to start serving your table and then have people join in and I don't like that either (i.e., they have taken the appetizer orders for 5 people and we are in the process of eating when 3 more people show up, then we have to wait for them to get their appetizers before we can get our main course).

If there are more people in a group on any one night than what the table size will accommodate, I believe they will put you guys close enough that you will still be able to communicate with each other - we have done the traditional dining with large groups and that is what they did, put all of our tables in the same location.

I hope this helps - I believe your choice is a good one.

It has nothing to do with a pissing match. Here's the way I look at it. The three people who give me the most pleasure on a cruise is the person who keeps my "home" or cabin to my liking and our meals. The waiter and assistant waiter. I really enjoy my dinners.

 

Now, I spend about $40 in gas to get to the airport. I spend another $120 or so to park my car. I spend another $100 plus to take my suitcases. I have airfare, hotel and transportation to and from the airport to the ship. Think of these guys as my "shore excursion". I am more then happy to pay for the way they make me feel and the experience I come home with. They are worth every dime I give them.

 

True as my income has gone up and times have changed I've increased the extra I give but not once in any cruise have I felt that they weren't deserving of the money I gave and I've budgeted accordingly. I've traveled with kids and a mother who can be hard to please. Not once did they bat an eye when either was disagreeable and that was worth the extra $14 a day I put out for their graciousness and concern.

 

I spend several thousands of dollars each time I cruise. I see the extra tip as part of the deal.

 

I'm only sorry you think I"m bragging or wanting to "one up" some one. I really can be cheap and thought I was (which is why I posted my original comment) but apparently, not so much :) Everyone can choose what is important to them. To me, making sure the people that make my cruise wonderful is priceless. My husband is cheaper then me and would never, ever consider not tipping extra. This is the same guy who is so cheap... well never mind... take it from me. He's cheap and he would never consider not tipping the extra.

That was very well put - I often wonder about sites where you are made to feel bad about voicing yourself - lol - if you are negative, you should not be on these sites because trust me there is always going to be someone who is going to piss you off but I think it is not nice to attack people on these sites, just ignore their comments if you don't agree but please allow people to post without the fear of being made to feel attacked. I have learned so much from this site and I am thankful to all posters because it is not easy to put yourself out there like that.

My tipping is also to my room steward first and foremost and then the wait staff with the head waiter and assistant second and if any is leftover then I can go beyond. I am a cruiser on a budget but when I plan a trip I make sure to point out to my group that hopefully they will if nothing else extra tip their room steward. We do the any time dining so we don't always have the same wait staff but I noticed Carnival does try to put you with the same people no matter what time you get there but I noticed that was not the case on my Princess cruise this year.

Thank you to all who post whatever it may be because I am continuing to learn from your experience.

I am reading this and enjoying it so please continue to write. My daughter has hinted at getting engaged and we are going on a Bahamas cruise in September, 2014 so I am just looking just in case.

My favorite "secret" that many newer Princess travelers aren't aware of is lunch in the main dining room on embarkation day. It is a wonderful menu including a lovely salmon and a sliced beef tenderloin entree. It is offered in only one of the dining rooms, usually the one located at the back of the ship (that is hard to find!) and only goes until 1:30.

 

Most people tend to run up to the buffet for lunch, but lunch in the dining room is one of our favorite experiences and a lovely civilized way to kick off our cruise!

I am reposting this reply since my original post did not have who I was actually responding to - I love eating in the dining room at every opportunity, I hate the buffet if I can avoid it so thank you so much for this priceless piece of information.

I really appreciate this tip because I hate the buffet experience and try only going there when it is absolutely necessary. On embarkation day it is a mad house no matter what cruise you are on so I honestly appreciate this.

That is exactly how I felt about this cruise to Alaska. This is my 60th birthday cruise and no way was I going to cruise to Alaska without a balcony. This has been very interesting reading I must say and I am with almost everyone on the things I can do without. I am also a person who does not buy souvenirs for friends and family. This is my vacation, not a shopping trip - lol. I have never spent over $250 on any cruise for this reason but like most of you I do have some must haves and one of them is I go to the coffee bar every day for my special cup of coffee so on this next trip I will be buying the coffee card.