shipgeeks

OTC papaya enzyme tablets to chew after a meal, and/or before lying down.

Yes, in the buffet, all of the above. If you want to use your own cup, though, please fill one of the ship cups/glasses, then pour into your cup.

Reposting the above, as I think it is an important part of the issue.

We got paper version daily, after requesting on the first day. We are definitely not in suites. The other nice thing was that we did NOT get papers re spa/art auction/excursions/sales in the shops. We kept our wastebasket pretty empty.

I should add that you would not be alone in non-formal wear; business casual is worn as well.

I'm not sure what enforcement is like, but I will mention that on our MSC cruises, passengers did dress up more than on most of the other mainstream lines. There were two formal nights per 7-night cruise, plus a white night, which many did dress for.

Whereas we would never book Aurea, as we only want traditional dining. Not sure if that makes any difference to the OP; just one thing to consider.

We've never had a waiter tell us they love it, but we did have one who told us she hated having to do it. She kept bringing us more extras as long as she could, then was made to stop doing her real job to dance in the line.

I don't have the patience to read all nine pages of comments, but some of my thoughts are: Back in the day when we had to fill out a Customs form on every cruise (tedious!), we knew that if we had spent any significant amount, we'd have to pay, on the spot, when we left the ship. One time, upon departure, the alarm went off on our cards. We asked what was wrong. "No idea. You must go to Guest Services." We were totally in the dark, but we had no choice. Were we humiliated? Nope, just perplexed. As it turned out, we had a significant amount of OBC which we hadn't used. We assumed it would go back to our credit card. It would not. We had to take it in cash. Being embarrassed did not enter our minds. Stuff happens. And finally, at least your post is a lesson for anyone who might not understand, or even think of, what further steps will occur after making a large purchase. Now we know. Be prepared.

Exactly why I put in my request for No Gifts!

On RC Enchantment of the Seas: Pro: Indian foods in the buffet at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overall, they were good, and it was a great way to break up the sameness of eggs/breads/fruits/bacon/yogurt that we might have had in the past. We went to the dining room for breakfast, for the first time in many years. We had French toast, and pancakes. They were 100% better than in the buffet; just fantastic.

And I guess the flip side to this is passenger unfamiliarity/discomfort with any formality. The more I read posts along the lines of "I went to MDR once. Dinner took almost an hour! Never again! The buffet is all I do now", the more I realize that the caricature of dinner consisting of a drive-through, eaten in the car, might be more of a reality than I thought. No wonder some don't know which bread plate to use, or why there is more than one fork. IMO, it's sad.

I gather, from posts I have read here, that we get a "default" gift unless we speak to the loyalty person onboard and fill in a form with our choices. I was able to do so, I think, during the hour that she was at her desk, with the nearby band at full volume. In my case, I asked for no gifts, but still received a fresh fruit plate the following day. But the usual strawberries did not appear after that, so perhaps requests are processed at the convenience of the staff.

It is quick and easy, not at all intimidating. We are people who have never used an ATM or a smartphone, and we had no problems at all.

Enchantment. Promenade deck goes around most or all of Deck 5. The ship was stretched, which added a pool, and additional pool deck space. Above pool deck is a sun/walking track, also extended. There are loungers, but they do not intrude onto the walking area. Newly opened, above that, is a small elevated area with loungers, which gives the highest views forward. We are not pool lounger people, but we do enjoy all the open areas on Enchantment, and have never felt especially crowded. (But we don't sail during school vacations.) The only outdoor sports element is the climbing wall, aft, with another small open walkway on each side to get there.

I'd love to watch this. Please tell me about Tubi; I had never heard of it before. Anything I should know about signing up for it?

One other thought: I don't think a laptop will fit into a cabin safe. It's small.

Maybe they stay in business because so many of us never have any problems, and continue to book more cruises with them.

Here's an idea. We can say to our waiter: "We're not in any hurry this evening" or "We'd like to be out in time for the 9:00 show. Can you......" They are not mind readers.

We do late traditional dining. On the RC ships that we sail, show times are set to synch with the set dinner times, allowing dinner to take over an hour and a half and still easily attend the show before or after dinner. Personally, I would consider a dinner taking less than that to be a failure. We eat at the least an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. Our bodies would not appreciate doing all that in an hour or less. And dinner, for us, is also a social occasion, with conversation among our tablemates.

GA Dave, Thank you for your post. We should always remember that there is much that goes on behind the scenes that can contribute to a less than perfect experience. Usually we never know about it. Your post explains a lot.

Here's an oldie: the position of Social Hostess. She would be ahead of the Captain in the receiving line at the first reception, and would introduce each passenger, by name, to the Captain. She would be in attendance at events such as afternoon teas, and around the ship acting as an ombundsman for any passenger issues. And it was she who made up the guest list for invitations to dinner with the Captain.

When we last sailed on MSC there were two formal nights each week. People did dress up, for the most part.

I think my cabin preferences fit the "unpopular/unusual" category. I do not want a balcony. I want an oceanview cabin in which I can sit right at the window (frequently on the bed) and look down at the sea, and out at the sky and the weather, without a bunch of metal blocking that view. Being out on a balcony has never been especially rewarding. I do not want "things" in the cabin. We have things at home. I don't want the cabin cluttered with ice bucket, towel animals, plates of fruit, wine bottles, gift hats and totes, chocolates, flowers, et al. My loyalty gifts can stay in the storeroom. I'm looking forward to our lovely OV cabin just two weeks from now!

What is it? Or should I say: What is it like?