mek

I love Izumi on Allure and Oasis.  My grandson and his wife are going on Adventure next month and I noticed Izumi is smaller on that ship and they don't appear to have the habachi either.  Is the menu different between the two ships?

Thanks for the help!

58 minutes ago, orville99 said:

One thing to let them know is that there will be a “Courtesy” reservation made for them in one of the restaurants on either the first or second evening, but they can change it to whichever night and restaurant that they want. With only three specialty restaurants on Adventure, they can do one evening in each or do multiple evenings in any one of the three. Just make sure they go to one of the specialty restaurants as soon as they board, because dining slots fill up fast.

When I made the reservation I had to choose between the first and second night and I chose the second so that gives them a little wiggle room.  It never occurred to me that they could repeat a restaurant with the pkg, so I will be sure to tell them that.

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Yes they added 18% to the price for mandatory gratuities. Paid up front.

 

I dont know if it's been fixed but the only one I found that didnt charge me 18% when I paid before my cruise was hibachi lunch. Maybe the glitch fixed, but all the rest charged me 18%.

 

Also it's very important they schedule all 3 nights when they board. If they wait the best dining times fill up. Go to a pay restaurant and book asap when they board. 

So I'm assuming the 18% doesn't go just to their server - correct?  If this is the case, I will tell them to take some extra cash just for them.

My grandson and his wife are sailing on Adventure OTS next month.  I just purchased the 3 night dining package for them as a gift.

I would like to know what the difference between the price on the planner ,$119pp, and final price,$142pp,  is for.  Sorry, my husband and I never purchase these packages so I don't know. I must have missed something when I booked it.

Does it include any gratuity or not?  Just need to make sure I give him the correct information. 

Thanks

I would never pre-book a spa appointment.  Wait until you get onboard and see what specials are offered.

18 hours ago, Jenna1983 said:

I did Norway in September by land with small electric boats in the fjords. Only way there I would do it. They’re quiet and magnificent. Norwegian people loathe cruise ships. 
 

I’ve been told once you do Norway first Alaska will see small/not as wondrous. I’ll know next month I guess! 
 

with kids I’d probably do Alaska. 

As perviously mentioned, I have cruised to both locations, but as beautiful as Norway was - it was a one and done experience for me while on the other hand, I have been to Alaska on 5 cruises and I could go there again and again.  Alaska is far more spectacular to me than Norway, but to each his own.

I've done both and I would take my kids to Alaska way before I would consider a cruise to Norway with them.  IMO, way more activities on land that would appeal to children in Alaska -  Lumberjack show, whale watching, train rides, etc.

4 hours ago, welshrich said:

Thanks everyone, this is great and really informative.  I've done all the different classes on RCI so agree that it depends on the ship, we were on Vision a few months ago and someone on their first cruise was complaining it was boring and likely their last RCI cruise whereas if they were on Anthem maybe they would have enjoyed it more.

 

If RCI did a few different itineraries we probably would only cruise with them but we do tend to sail for the port rather than the ship.

 

It's nice to see so many have done both and no real horror stories so think we will give it a go, after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

 

 

Good decision - hope you have a great cruise.

1 hour ago, soremekun said:

I started out on Carnival but after sailing an Oasis class ship, I've been hooked on Royal.  I am going back to check out Mardi Gras and Celebration. I will never book a cruise on Carnival on anything older than Vista.

I agree that there really isn't anything like the Oasis class ships, but even they can get "old" and I like variety.

3 hours ago, time4u2go said:

They are very similar. Both have their pluses and minuses.

 

As suggested above, if you have not already asked this on the Carnival board, you should.

 

I think the OP wants to hear from those of us who have sailed on both lines - not just folks who sail on exclusively on one line or the other.

I'm Diamond on Royal and Platinum on Carnival - only mentioning this because I have sailed frequently on both lines and honestly IMO, the lines are more similar than not.  If someone books a cheap, short cruise, regardless of the line, it's going to attract a different demographic than a longer one.

I wouldn't hesitate to take a longer Carnival cruise, especially if the itinerary was great. One year my husband and I took a Carnival cruise on one of their much older ships during the Final 4 and the ship was filled with students and alum from N Carolina,(who was in the finals that year.)  We had a blast and only one time during the 7 nights did we see any behavior that was somewhat questionable.

FYI - I'm 72, so definitely not a young party person.

I hate Indian food - it has nothing to do with curry, because I love it in Thai.

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Tomorrow night is Survivor .Perhaps one day there will be a CC cast .

Or a CC  Amazing Race!

3 hours ago, Tatka said:

 

No lounge. At most bars from limited menu.

 A lot of people have pre dinner cocktails and then order a glass of wine to take to the MDR.

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

Elite you will each get the wash n fold bag of laundry. Depending on the cruise (even if it's a tender port) you will get priority tendering. Now that perk is determined from voyage to voyage. No free photos being Elite. Your Elite internet minutes will be 90 minutes (each). The minutes don't run consecutively. The clock only runs when your are logged in.  Like with RC you will receive a detailed letter in your stateroom outlining all your Elite perks/benefits for your specific cruise. There is a Elite breakfast from 8 to 10 each morning in the Tuscan grill on the M & S class ships. E class ships it's held elsewhere. It's continental style. Included are all morning drinks. Alcohol and not. 

I personally think the Elite breakfast is one of the nicer perks on X that I don't get on Royal.

On 2/25/2023 at 11:09 AM, c-leg5 said:

I know you have repeatedly given bad reports of your sailing on Adventure last year, followed by an excellent report of Oasis. I sailed 5 times on Adventure last (with a further 4 scheduled that we had to cancel unfortunately). Fortunately we didn’t experience any of the problems you had on your short sailing other than administration of MTD initially. A friend sailed last month and enjoyed their sailing.
 

However, there did seem to be an increase in poor reviews after Adventure repositioning to Bayonne and so it could be related to a change in personnel, especially upper management on board. This may account for changes on Oasis since your sailing. Changes in staff can result in changes in experience and protocols.

My grandson and his wife have an October, 2023 cruise booked on Adventure - her first and his 5th, (on other lines.). I guided them in this direction and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't make a mistake.

40 minutes ago, Longford said:

I have a different impression, than you.  Though, I'm a newbie having cruised just once recently.  But I spent a lot of time talking to, listening to and observing other passengers on my ship.  Few were first-timers and many took 2-4 cruises each year.  Adventure was gone long ago, for many.  They were familiar with each port of call, because of prior visits.  What they seemed to like most was the AI trip and the services provided onboard.  No, it wasn't a poll of the 2200 others on board ... but I did observe and listen to a great many fellow passengers.

I guess it depends on where you cruise.  If you're referring to the people who primarily live in Florida and constantly hop on Caribbean cruises, then perhaps you are right, but there are a lot of people who do more than just 7 night Caribbean cruises and for them, I think the adventure is the main attraction.

I've always said - if I do a Caribbean cruise, the ship/cruiseline is way more important to me than if I go to other places - where the itinerary is much more important than the ship.

(But regardless of the ship or itinerary -I want dry towels - LOL)

18 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The music is most certainly live; just saw the show twice this past week; just got home 

I stand corrected.

13 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

So you book a cruise to have your room cleaned 2x a day?    
I don’t book a cruise for service.  
I book for adventure in the ports.    
But that’s me.  

I think most of us book for the adventure, but service always has been and should be part of the package.  Exactly how to define "service" varies from person to person.

3 minutes ago, Denversail said:

I don’t book a cruise to do my “at home” routine.

I totally agree.

For those using "home" as an example to measure expectations then why have cabin service at all for cruises that are 7 nights or less?  Just have a station to turn in used bath towels and have an ice machine on each deck.  Just like home - where I replace my own towels, make my own bed, have access to an ice machine, and change my sheets once a week.  

23 hours ago, Cruise5life said:

Yup sure looks like camping to me.  Lol.   
I’ll take camping any day.   
Day 11 of my 15 day in Panama last month.   No service at all  

You said you weren't leaving damp towels in the bathroom to dry, so exactly where are you putting them?

13 hours ago, Cruise5life said:

Lol.  29 days at sea last month.  And never had a wet towel.   
rotating towels and not hanging them in the closed up bathroom helps a lot. 
 

LOL - Oh just what I want to see - towels draped all over my cabin so they can dry faster. Sounds like camping to me. No thanks.

38 minutes ago, little britain said:

Seriously, you have clean towels twice a day at home? If not, then there is no need for it on holiday. 

I don't care about anything except dry towels and they definitely do not dry quickly in the bathroom, so yes, I want a way to get damp towels replaced - just like I would do at home,

I don't recall exactly how many shows are offered, but people need to have a reservation and you are only allowed to reserve 1X.

However, you can get in line to go to any show and about 5 minutes before showtime people are allowed in - sometimes there are seats and sometimes not.

No, the music is not live but the singing is.