renee1222

We have always enjoyed the headliners and would not have a problem taking kids to them. There are always lots of kids in the audience.

Comedians (family friendly show), musicians and jugglers seem to be the majority, but we've seen a lot of variety within those genres. We've seen concert pianists, tributes to the Beach Boys, variety acts with comedy and juggling, etc. We have always enjoyed them.

On both Enchantment and FOS in last 2 weeks.....

On Enchantment, when we went to get towels (at the pool station) the morning of a port day, we were asked if the towels were for an excursion. We said "yes" and they copied our stateroom number down with the number of towels. (No scanners on the pool deck) We made sure to return the towels to the same station and watched them mark off our room number.

On Freedom, the same policy was in place and printed in the cruise compass that towels would be available at the gangway and a $25 charge would be applied to non-returned towels, as well as the stateroom attendants would remove pool towels from the stateroom the night before a port stop. We did not want the hassle of having to check out towels, so we picked up towels from the pool deck the night before (no questions asked) and then put them in our backpack for the next day (out of sight of the room attendant). When exiting the ship the next day, we did not have to stop to check out towels, allowing us to leave much faster. Scanners were used at the gangway for those checking out towels, but the line was still backed up for people waiting to get towels. We then returned our towels up on the pool deck later that day.

Yes, portofino is changing to Giovanni. I forgot about that one. They didn't mention the location of coastal kitchen or the possibility of a suite lounge.

Just off FOS this morning. I can confirm that according to the captain and hotel director, FOS will not get DD during dry dock. It was discussed, but determined they would not have the time to implement it. Here is a list of updates that were confirmed.

1. The Crypt will be replaced with Sabor ($) on deck 4 and staterooms on deck 3.

2. Nightclub/disco will move up to Viking crown lounge.

3. 42 new staterooms deck 12 forward where jogging track is now.

4. Izumi ($) will be added.

5. Coastal Kitchen will be added as specialty dining available to suite guests and pinnacle members only.

For the most part I consider myself a very laid back cruiser. I try not to make other people's business my business, especially while on vacation. I am not a member of the fashion police, and if chairs are "occupied" by towels, flip flops, etc., I just move on somewhere else. I choose to follow the suggestions made by the cruise line in regards to dinner attire, etc. (Although I must admit that my 4 year old was recently turned away from the WJ for being barefoot. I did not even realize he was barefoot, and I applaud the staff for doing their job.)

However, on our Enchantment cruise, I witnessed 2 families (at different tables) arrive over an hour late for dinner. I was shocked when they arrived at 7pm for a 5:45 seating. It was formal night and the day we were in Nassau until midnight, so I understand they probably did not get back to the ship until later in the afternoon. But why not just eat in the WJ that night? One of the families was at the table right next to us with our same wait staff. I felt very sorry for the staff as they tried to accommodate the latecomers. It appeared the waiter was politely explaining that they would need to order and eat quickly due to the next seating. I'm not sure if they even ordered appetizers, as we finished dessert and were leaving before any of their food arrived.

While this event in no way "ruined my cruise," I do wish that maybe the Maitre D or someone would turn away latecomers after a certain time, out of respect for the crew members and the late seating diners.

I just read where JR now has no cover charge, just a la carte pricing on the Quantum. Can anyone confirm if this change is fleetwide? We are sailing on Freedom this Sunday and plan to eat there at least once. Just curious if the pricing might be different.

Thanks!

Gratuities (if not pre-paid) $336 for 7 nights

2 excursions for 4 people ~$200-300ish

2 Family photos ~$50

Massage $100 minimum

Late night (10pm-2am) Adventure Ocean for kids is $7/hour/child if you and your wife want to enjoy any of the late shows/activities without the kids

Starbucks $6 each

Specialty restaurant ~$120 for all 4 of you

Go to the excursion desk as soon as you board. They always reserve some spots on the excursions for on board bookings, so even if they say "unavailable" on the website ahead of time, there should be some spaces left. Just make sure you go first thing once on board. This would be a good time to maybe try some of the more expensive excursions that you might not normally choose.

Just remember, all of these mentioned must be booked/purchased on board. Anything you book ahead of time must be paid immediately.

Just off Enchantment, the 3 nt after Thanksgiving. Not a single college football game (or pro for that matter) the entire cruise. We could not even find them on the TV in our cabin. This was the first cruise we could not find the few "normal" channels on the TV. They were 90% RC TV with a few spanish channels thrown in.

We started to hear a few updates Sunday morning in the WJ from some guy who had the internet package. He was pretty popular that day!

Do you recall the order of the menus on the three night cruise

 

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Just on EN this past weekend. While I don't remember the exact names for each menu, I can provide you with examples from each menu. Maybe that will help you match it to the exact menu.

Day 1 - Mojo pork chop, seafood spaghetti

Day 2 - (Formal night) Beef tenderloin

Day 3 - lamb shank, fried seafood & mash

Hope that helps!

Just returned from 3nt this past weekend.

Day 1 is Mojo (pork chop, seafood spaghetti, etc)

Day 2 is formal night (Beef tenderloin, strawberry cheesecake)

Day 3 has lamb shank and fried seafood & mash

If you have the link to the full menus, maybe this will help you match the menus to the days. Sorry I don't remember the actual name for all the menus.

Just had our first CL experience on Enchantment this past weekend. We were disappointed. Not necessarily with the other guests (we weren't in there long enough to overhear any entitlement conversations), but with the size of the lounge in general! There was seating available for maybe 20-30 people, yet there is easily the potential to have over 200 suite guests on board, as well as D+/P guests (We had 57 D+/P on our sailing).

We arrived at about 5:10 and simply wanted one drink. Now, I understand that we are a family of 7, but there was no way we could have sat in the lounge. There were maybe 3 available seats sporadically available throughout the lounge. One bartender basically turned us away, but as we headed out, another bartender was coming in and offered to get us drinks for us to take into the VCL. I must admit that I felt rather awkward just standing in the middle of the lounge while waiting for the bartender to fix 7 drinks. We took our drinks and found a place to sit in the VCL. We did not even attempt to go back the remaining nights.

I agree that the voucher system for D, D+, P and Suite guests would be the best solution.

My family of 7, traveling with my sister's family of 4, was also on this cruise. I have personally made it to Coco Cay 1 out of 3 times. The first was actually a medical emergency diverted to Nassau. Having visited Coco Cay once, I consider it just a simple beach day. Yes, it's enjoyable, but it was very easy to spend the day out in the sun by the pools on board instead.

When we travel we always keep in mind that plans can change, and the Captain makes decisions for the safety of the passengers, as he is ultimately responsible. While we were anchored off Coco Cay in the morning, we witnessed one of the tender boats coming out of the harbor to receive supplies, and I was amazed at how the boat was being tossed around! It was rising and dropping hard with the swells. I knew right then that chances were we were not staying. If we had tried to tender, there would have most likely been some sick passengers and even more complaints.

We enjoyed our day at sea and attended some of the extra onboard activities that were added to the schedule. I was impressed that while the pool deck was crowded, I did not witness much chair hogging and we were able to find 2 chairs right by the kids' pool while our kids were playing in the water in the afternoon. Our kids also took advantage of the extra hours at the Jump Zone (trampoline) and Rock Wall.

In no way did I feel as though my vacation was diminished by not visiting Coco Cay. I also consider that the cost of a cruise vacation primarily covers the ship experience, cabin, food, etc., not necessarily the ports.

Thank you for this review!

It really gave me some insight into Royal.

 

I had cruised with them when I was younger, back in 2006 or 2007 I believe and I remember it being such a 'luxury' cruise and top notch. So when I booked Carnival last year I was worried it wouldn't live up to the experience I had with Royal as a kid.

Carnival was AMAZING and we are SUPER excited for our next cruise. I had wondered if we should try Royal for our wedding but from what I've been hearing Carnival is just the better way to go...great service, good food, lots of fun, good entertainment and spacious staterooms with nice furnishings.

Please do not discount Royal Caribbean based on this one review. Consider the source and understand that this cruiser is most definitely already loyal to Carnival. As has already been pointed out by several other Carnival cruisers on this board (as well as on the Royal board), many of the complaints against Royal in this review are either due to lack of research prior to the cruise, or just misinformation.

I have also sailed on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean. I would choose Royal Caribbean in a heartbeat over Carnival....for several reasons. Many are subjective, but for my personal taste, Royal is the better fit for me and my family. Just to list a few.....

• Decor is much classier on Royal, compared to the overwhelming neon on Carnival. This goes for public areas, MDR, and cabins.
  
• Buffet food is better quality and more choices on Royal
  
• Entertainment on Royal is far superior, with a great variety of headliner acts as well as phenomenal ice shows/diving shows on larger ships
  
• The adults only Solarium on Royal, including a pool and hot tub (or 2) is larger and more appealing than the Carnival Serenity
  
• Loyalty benefits are much better on Royal, so if I am going to choose a line to cruise long-term, the benefits will play a role in that decision
  
• Flow of people and deck plans are much better on Royal ships.
  

The food in the MDR of both lines is comparable in my opinion....both very good.

Please understand that this reviewer was comparing one of Royal's older/smaller ships with some of Carnival's bigger/newer ships, so it is not an accurate comparison.

I also much prefer Royal's pricing system with price drops available until final payment over Carnival's "choose your rate" with different fine print and terms for each fare. I have gotten some absolute bargains on Royal ships by watching prices, without having to worry about cancellation policies because you can cancel up until final payment without penalty no matter what fare you book.

If the opportunity presented itself, and the price was right, I would sail Carnival again as it offers a good product. However, with all of the options that Royal offers, chances are I would choose Royal first if given the opportunity because I feel it offers a superior product for similar price (sometimes even cheaper!)

I say all this to encourage you to do your own research, on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean boards, try to filter through obvious bias, and look for honest reviews with accurate comparisons. Also, the best way for you to decide if a cruise line is right for you is to try it yourself!

From what I understand, she will not have any status with Royal until AFTER her first cruise on a Royal ship. She can sign up for C&A while onboard and you can have your two accounts linked. She will then join you as a Diamond level member after completion of the 1st cruise.

Hope that helps and enjoy your cruise!

Not trying to beat a dead horse, as I see many of the "issues" have already been addressed, but just want to add my experience and opinion. I agree that comparing different class ships between lines can be an inaccurate/unfair comparison. I have sailed the Carnival Elation, which does not even compare to Freedom of the Seas, but I would not expect the Elation to compare to the Breeze either.

I could make many of the same complaints about the Elation that were made in the OP about the Serenade (which I have also sailed on and enjoyed very much, but not as much as FOS). In my own personal opinion, the Lido buffet was small, boring, and unappealing. One of the production shows on the Elation was completely boring, while the 2nd one was very good. If I had only attended the 1st, I would certainly be likely to think that the entertainment was poor compared to other lines. (There's even a production show on Royal ships that I have given 2 chances, but from here on out will choose to skip because it just isn't to my liking).

The 2 MDR on the Elation were a pain! The deck plans were confusing as you would often run into a wall when trying to get from one end of the ship to the other, requiring that you go back and go "up, over, and down" to get where you wanted to go. Also, people frequently arrived at the wrong dining room, creating confusion as they had to turn around and discover the "up, over, and down" method for themselves. Personally, I much prefer a 2 or 3 level MDR, as it is much more elegant, more visibly appealing, and easier to navigate. I'm also not sure why "only 1 MDR" (which is 2 levels on Serenade) was a complaint. It easily serves it purpose. My only thought is maybe the OP had MTD and did not make reservations ahead of time, therefore having to wait for a table? Otherwise, the OP would have a table assignment and seating in the MDR should not have been an issue.

We have always had traditional dining times on Royal and never had a problem making the shows in the theater. Which makes me think again that the OP had MTD and did not plan their meal times around the showtimes.

And I would personally take any Solarium on any Royal ship over the "Serenity" experienced on Carnival. Just my opinion.

Can someone please tell me which Carnival ship has more than 1 theater?

The whole idea of having access to the concierge is a bit foreign to me, but due to a great deal we snagged, we will be traveling in a family suite on Enchantment next month. I can't really think of much we might need to use the concierge for, except maybe one thing. I am waiting to book an excursion until onboard to make sure that Adventure Ocean will be available for my 2 youngest children who will be too young to participate in the snorkeling excursion. After confirming hours with Adventure Ocean, would you recommend we go to the concierge to reserve the shore excursion, or the shore excursion desk? Will the concierge be available upon boarding....11:30ish?

Just returned from my first trip to Alaska last week. We chose to take the train from Seward to Anchorage, and absolutely LOVED it! Although I do not have experience with renting a car for the same journey, I would choose the train again in a heartbeat.

We arrived at the hotel in Anchorage about 8:30pm but then went out for a late dinner and went to bed about 11pm. Woke up at 4:30 with no problem at all. Called for a taxi about 5:10 and arrived at the station around 5:30. Luggage drop off was a breeze and it was checked all the way to the ship for us. The ticket window did not actually open until 5:45 and people were continuing to check in up until at least 6:15. So, 5:45-6:00 is a good time frame to arrive. We boarded the train around 6:30, I think. We did choose the Gold Dome cars and are thankful that we did. The views were spectacular, and we enjoyed the open observation deck as well. I'm not sure about the standard cars, but we had complimentary coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

We saw eagles, moose, and a bear from the train, and I was able to take pictures of all of them. There was a tour guide in each train car giving us detailed information about what we were seeing and also helping to point out wildlife. Also, the train did slow considerably when the moose and bear were spotted, giving us time to take photographs. The train also slowed as we passed the glaciers giving all the cars a chance to see them before continuing on.

Upon arrival to Seward, there were shuttle buses (Royal Caribbean) available free of charge from the train to the cruise terminal. The distance would have been walkable (I'm guessing about 1/2 mile), but the shuttle was easy and convenient, especially for my 81 year old grandmother. Our luggage also arrived on the ship without a problem in a timely manner, by 3pm.

Because we were not familiar with the area, we were grateful that we chose the train. It was one of our favorite excursions.

So, just curious, when is halibut season? We arrive Thursday and cruise beginning on Friday. I was really looking forward to fish and chips. Hopefully the frozen will still be good.

Thanks for the link to the map. Can anyone give an estimate on how long/far the walk is from the ship to Creek St and to take the funicular? We will have 3-4 hours before our excursion to explore, but I know that we will also want to eat lunch and maybe do a little shopping during that time.

Can you buy the tickets for the trolley at any of the trolley stops or somewhere else? Do you need to purchase them ahead of time? Also, is it necessary/expected to tip the guide each time you get off at a stop? Just trying to plan last minute logistics and make sure I have enough cash for additional tips.

I am specifically looking for recommendations to eat lunch while in Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan. Trying to decide whether to eat on the ship before going ashore or to eat at a good local place. I would specifically be interested in places within walking distance from the port, as we will have to meet tour groups shortly after lunch. Seafood, bison burgers, local specialties would be great. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure that transferring the reservation from one date to another would be considered cancelling and rebooking, which would be done at the current pricing. So, if the BOGOHO sale has been discontinued at the time you change dates, my guess is you would pay full fare for both people. Of course, check with Royal to be sure before you make any changes.

Check your bookings, especially for Adventure Southern Caribbean 2015! I was not expecting a price drop so early, since bookings just began about a month ago (and there had already been an increase), but I checked anyway and our balcony had dropped about $80pp. I checked some of the sailings before and after ours and it looked like they were all at lower prices.

So, we now have our favorite corner aft cabin at a pretty incredible price! This is why I always prefer to book early. Best selection of cabins and price drops along the way (or avoidance of price increases!)

You are correct, they recently have stopped allowing the balcony discount in combination with the "free" cruise redemption.

 

The value of the free cruise is determined at the time of points redemption. Whatever the price of the least expensive available OV is the credit. In other words, sometimes it pays to book your balcony early and wait until the price of the OV has gone up before you redeem the points.

So, hypothetically, if the price of the OV increases to $839pp (price we paid for balcony), and I then redeem my points, the free cruise option would cover the entire cost of the cruise fare for the balcony I have booked, excluding taxes? What if the OV increases to higher than $839pp?

Wait a Minute!

 

Isn't that 150,000 points???

For 125,000 points you can get a FREE 7-NIGHT CRUISE!! (Ocean View = up to $2,500 value - - For those of you in Rio Linda - That's twice the value per point)

 

Why not use those points and get double the value? I would wait until you are booking a 7-night Caribbean Cruise and use them there. YOu can book a balcony or suite and just pay the difference. We have the Freedom booked and got $2300 (the price of the Ocean View Cabin) deducted from the price of our Jr. St. for 125,000 points.

 

Hope This Helps

You are correct. I had considered the free cruise, but we already have a balcony booked. I wasn't sure how it would work because I did not want to lose my specific cabin booked, if I had to change to an outside and then upgrade to a balcony. If they will just apply the value of the outside, then it might work out to be the better deal.

Using the current prices, it looks like I could redeem 125,000 points for the free cruise at the cheapest OV rate and still owe $306 (some of which is taxes). Since I have already paid $200, I would only owe $106. That is sounding like the best deal right now. Of course, it will be about 6 more months before we have enough points.

Question for those of you who have recently redeemed points, were you also able to use your balcony discount? There is wording in the fine print that implies you cannot combine with other C&A discounts.