renee1222

Not a foodie by nature, but I have always enjoyed the food on Royal Caribbean. It is always presented nicely and has a variety of menu options each night in the MDR. The food may not be considered "gourmet" by some but it is more gourmet than I would eat if I were cooking it myself! I would rate it above most typical chain restaurants such as Outback, Olive Garden, etc.

 

The buffet is typical buffet food but still offers quite the variety with some international dishes as well.

 

I have never sailed Celebrity, but I am satisfied with Royal Caribbean and have never gone hungry!

Does anyone know what the crew of the Allure is doing this week during the drydock? It wouldn't make sense for most of them to return home for just a few days (and very expensive, too!) Is royal putting them up in Fort Lauderdale until she returns? Are they staying somewhere in Freeport for the week? Obviously the navigation crew had to travel to Freeport, but did all 1600 crew travel as well?

I would normally search, but with that function missing, I just need to know real quick if there are freestyle machines on radiance. Thank you!

Regarding Liberty and Key West....

On our recent Serenade cruise, someone asked the captain about the shallowest passage the ship made on the itinerary and he said that in Key West there is an area with just 6' clearance. My guess is Liberty's hull is deeper and unable to call in Key West.

You won't necessarily "lose" all unused OBC, depending on the source of the OBC. On our last cruise we had over $400 in OBC. Over $300 was due to price drops. This is refundable if unused. The last night of the cruise we went to guest services and "cashed out" over $200. No service charge like in the casino.

 

OBC from a Next Cruise Certificate is NOT refundable. Not sure about other types. On our cruise, the 1st $100 we spent was applied to the NCC and then whatever was left after that was refundable (because it was a result of price drops).

 

If you need suggestions on how to use the OBC, I would suggest eating at specialty restaurants that you might not ordinarily eat at. We tried Chops for the 1st time and really enjoyed it, although it is not something we would usually spend the money on.

 

Also, we waited until we were onboard to book shore excursions, using OBC instead of having to pay for them ahead of time. Those can add up fast, too.

 

Of course, there are lots of other options, but if you take advantage of having the credit and splurge a little on this trip, you can probably end up using most of it.

I just got off the phone with C&A regarding the Platinum Balcony discount. I just became eligible for the Platinum discount this past week. I booked an Alaskan cruise for this coming June about 6 months ago in a balcony cabin. I called, trying to have the balcony discount applied and was told that in order to apply it, we would have to re-book at the current price ($250 pp MORE than what we paid!). She told me that they had made some recent changes in their system, making it easier when booking online for all discounts to automatically be applied. Unfortunately it also means that discounts at a later time can only be applied at the current price.

 

I understand that this is the only cruise where I won't receive the balcony discount due to this policy, but I am still VERY FRUSTRATED! If this had always been the policy I would be more understanding and would not have even tried to have it applied after the booking was complete, but from reading these boards I was under the impression that it would easily be able to be applied.

 

Also, both myself and the online travel agent who the cruise was booked through called and were told the same thing.

 

Ok....I'm done venting now. I am putting it behind me and will look forward to and enjoy the cruise. Just wanted to let others know in case they find themselves in a similar situation.

On Grandeur, I believe the gangway will be on deck 5 upon embarkation. Elevators will be very close once you walk inside the ship. Most people go straight up to deck 9 to the Windjammer for lunch. There should be an open house/tour available for the spa on embarkation day. They usually have spa employees up near the WJ to give you information. I'm sure if you ask anyone or just go to the spa (deck 9 aft) they will be happy to help you. I think you will need to make any spa appts at the spa itself rather than Guest Relations. There is also a number for the spa you can call from your room.

 

When at ports of call, the gangway will be on deck 1 and there are elevators close by as well.

I was on Serenade in January. We had a 70s night, 50s/60s night and country/western night. I do not recall there being a "white party."

I have eaten in Chops (but not on Enchantment) and it was fabulous! If you search for "Chops menu" on this board you should be able to find the menu. Basically, it has several cuts of steak (I ordered the filet and my husband had the 18oz Porterhouse) and a few chicken/seafood items. We had crab/shrimp cakes as an appetizer and the caesar salad is not your typical caesar, it is served as a whole leaf of romaine. You also get to choose several side dishes like mashed potatoes, baked potato, parmesan roasted potatoes, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, onion rings, etc. The mudslide pie is the best dessert on the ship! Don't miss it if you like chocolate! We ate in Chops only because we had some onboard credit. The MDR food is very good and we are happy to eat there every night, but for a special occasion, Chops is worth the extra money.

 

I did just return from a 3 night on the Enchantment. If you have copies of the different menus, I can tell you we had the "Mojo" with the "Mojo marinated pork chops" on the first night, the menu with "Carved Beef tenderloin" the 2nd night, and the menu with "Garlic tiger shrimp" the 3rd night. Of course, there were lots of other entree options each night, I just gave an example so you could match up which menu it was. Hope that helps.

 

Enjoy your honeymoon! Enchantment really is a fabulous ship. I was very impressed. If Marc Walker is still the CD, he is excellent!

The "adult" comedy will be described as just that in the cruise compass, "Adult late night comedy" and will occur no earlier than 10pm.

 

Oftentimes during the welcome aboard or farewell shows there will be a comedian scheduled who will do a family friendly show (pg to an occasional pg-13 joke). In addition to that, there will be bits of comedy spread throughout the shows, especially from the CD before and after shows and during the CD's morning show. They do keep it pretty clean (or so subtle that it would go right over my kids' heads) except during the specified adult show. We were frequently laughing throughout the cruise!

I just stayed in 7666 this past weekend. It was awesome! The only night I heard any noise was the very last night, when they were having Quest in the lounge below. The noise was faint and did not keep me from being able to sleep. I'm guessing that Quest ended by midnight (after I was already asleep), to give you an idea of how late you might hear any noise.

 

This was the first balcony I have noticed any soot on, but it was primarily on the floor of the balcony and not the furniture. It was very easy, however, to put a few pool towels on the chairs to avoid any chance of getting it on your clothes. The soot was a "non-issue" for me, as I understand that it's a part of the operation of the ship and I can easily work around it.

 

IMHO, Keep the JS!!! It really is a fabulous cabin. The walk-in closet by itself makes it worth it! My sister and I stored all of our clothes (we didn't even use any of the drawers in the cabin), luggage, shoes, and pop-up hamper in the closet and still had room to use it as a changing room.

My sister and I just returned Monday from the 3 day on Enchantment. It was FABULOUS! Marc is currently the CD, but I do not know his upcoming schedule for vacation. He is now my favorite CD (possibly tied with Graham Seymour)! This was our first Enchantment cruise and I was very impressed. After cruising on Freedom and Serenade, I was wondering if the smaller ship would still impress me. Yes, she did!

 

We had late dining (8:30pm) and ate in the MDR every night. It was very good. The quality of food was equal to that of other ships. The WJ was typical WJ fare, but good, as usual. The WJ had better hours in the afternoon than our recent Serenade cruise as well. They also set up a poolside buffet for lunch on the day that we sailed into Nassau. Park Cafe is in the Solarium. I was very impressed with the amount of seating (tables/chairs vs. lounge chairs) for Park Cafe. On the Serenade, there was very little seating available, making it crowded and more people using lounge chairs to eat.

Just got off the Serenade last week with Vince Vance and 200+ fans. It took 3 days before I even saw Vince or any of his "groupies." I only recognized them because they had t-shirts with his name. One day as we were going into a lounge for a scheduled activity, we arrived about 10 minutes early and they were just finishing one of their activities. Also, the night we ate in Chops, there was a group of about 16 with Vince Vance. We were still able to get reservations, so they did not block out the entire reservation.

 

Think of it this way, that's 325 fewer people trying to get a pool chair when they have their own activities!

 

I was a little worried about it as well, and it turned out to be no big deal. If I had not been "looking" for the group (because, like you, I knew they were going to be onboard) I would have hardly noticed them. On a ship as large as Adventure, I would think it would not be a problem. It's only about 10% of the population. None of the production shows were affected at all.

 

Go, and enjoy your cruise!

Coco Cay is a great beach day. It is a tender port, so depending on mobility, the seniors might want to stay onboard, especially if they are like my grandparents and don't stay out in the sun/beach a lot. For the kids there is a water slide that you can purchase an all day pass to use. Sorry, I forget the cost....either $12 or $20pp, I think? There is also a water trampoline/play area that the older kids might enjoy. It requires some upper body strength to pull yourself up out of the water onto the inflatables. Tickets are sold for 45 minute increments, so you would have a pre-determined time slot to use that area. And I have heard that after 45 minutes you are pretty exhausted! Other than that, I would just enjoy the beach and let the kids play in the sand/water. There is snorkeling available, but you have to rent the equipment.

 

In St. Thomas we took a taxi to Sapphire Beach. It was a nice beach and not as crowded as Megan's Bay. Again, I don't know if that's something that would work for the wide range of ages you have traveling.

 

In St. Martin I highly recommend Bernard's tours. It is an independent tour company (just Google Bernard's and St. Martin) that takes you on their vans to several different stops...iguana farm, picture spots, orient beach, Maho beach (airplanes!), both the French and Dutch sides of the island, and some shopping. It is a very thorough tour with lots of info. It would probably work for everyone in your group, as it is not strenuous.

Maybe to clear things up a little. 1 year ago on Freedom (Dec 2012), reservations were available online for all the shows. I made all the reservations, but they never even checked for shows in the main theater, only the Ice Show. Then, in October 2013, only Ice Show reservations were available online. I think they realized that reservations were not needed/enforced for the regular shows so they stopped the online reservations for those.

 

I would highly recommend the reservations for the Ice Show! It will be very crowded and if you have a group of 12 and want any chance of sitting near each other you will need reservations and also arrive to Studio B about 45 minutes early (doors will open 20-30 min prior to show, and there will be a long line already formed!).

 

If you have dinner reservations at 7:30, I am assuming that you have MTD. I have not ever done MTD on Freedom, but I know there a limited number of tables for 12 for traditional dining. I don't know if you will have much luck getting a table for 12 in MTD, especially if another table for 12 sits down at 6:30 or 7:00. Your best bet would be 2 tables for 6, but with MTD I don't know that you could guarantee the 2 tables being close to each other because it just depends on what is available at the time. Your best bet to be able to sit together would be either early or late dining (if it is available) so that you would have a definite table(s) each night able to accommodate everyone.

Thank you for this review! My sister and I booked this same cruise at the last minute for this coming weekend! After your report on the inside cabin, I think I am glad I made a last-minute, non-refundable, moment of weakness upgrade from an inside to a Junior Suite! (It certainly didn't hurt that it was a corner aft JS :D )

 

Please keep the pictures coming! Also, we will consider the ParknCruise as well, so please include how debarkation went, finding the shuttle, and how long it took to get from the ship to your car.

I concur that I have always felt safe in Cozumel. The immediate port area is fenced in and you must have a cruise card or badge (for vendors) to enter. There is plenty of shopping with typical souvenirs in the port area. The taxis are easy to use and the prices are listed ahead of time, so there is no haggling over prices. They depend on tourism, so they do not want to scare away the tourists.

 

For a beach day, I would HIGHLY recommend Nachi Cocom (google it for reservations). I've been there twice and look forward to going back in the future. It includes the beach with lounge chairs and an umbrella, unlimited drinks, lunch, and swimming pool. There are additional activities for extra charges (massage, snorkel, parasail, etc.), but we have always been satisfied to just enjoy the beach and pool. It is about a 15 minute taxi ride from the port, and when you let your server know you are ready to return to the ship, they will call a taxi for you. I think it is about $55 per person.

 

If you go to the "Ports of Call" section, and then to "Cozumel," you will find lots more info with more reviews and excursions to consider.

The Sorrento's on Freedom (I've read it varies from ship to ship, so this only applies to Freedom) will have about 3 pizzas to choose from daily. Pepperoni is always an option and then there will be a few specialty types. There will also be a "Pannini of the day" that will vary. One of the best kept secrets about the Sorrento's on Freedom is they have an assortment of little dessert cups each day....mixed fruit, white chocolate mouse with berries, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, key lime, etc. They rotate them throughout the week, so check to see what is available each day. It's often a perfect little snack to grab on your way to wherever you're headed. We personally think they are better than the cookies in the Cafe Promenade.

Am I correct in assuming that when using a FL resident discount, only 1 person in the cabin needs to be a FL resident to get the discount applied for the entire cabin? I just want to make sure we aren't in for a surprise (and extra payment) at the pier if they ask for proof of residency and only 1 of us has a FL Driver's License.

Yes, you have to pay at both Ben & Jerry's and Johnny Rockets. Ben & Jerry's is a la carte, based on menu pricing. I'm not sure exactly, but I think you can get a basic ice cream for about $3 and then prices go up for sundaes, milkshakes, etc.

 

Johnny Rockets has a $4.95 cover per person which includes all FOOD items. Drinks, including milkshakes, are additional. Milkshakes are about $5 each, including the 15% tip. IF you go in for JUST milkshakes (or other beverages) you will not be charged $4.95 in addition to the cost of the milkshake.

 

Also, if you are already a C&A member (gold or above), there should be a coupon for a BOGO milkshake at Johnny Rockets.

 

At no additional charge there is Sorrentos (pizza and desserts).

Yesterday I changed cabins for a sailing in about 2 weeks. I just tried to print the new luggage tags, but they still have the old room #. Our reservation has the new info, just not the luggage tags. Will the system "catch up" in a few days and update the luggage tags? Would a call to my CVP help? I know that we can get them added at the pier, but I just prefer to have them already on and ready to go.

Thank you for that reminder, Bob! The Alaskan cruise is already booked (in a balcony). Once my cruise points are added after the Enchantment cruise, do I just need to contact them to get the discount applied? My aunt booked the Alaska cruise through an online agency, so I am guessing we will have to contact them? Or is there any chance C&A could do it since it is a C&A discount?

Thank you! That's what I was hoping to hear! I am all about relaxing the day away on the balcony.

 

And the 2x points, will push me up to Platinum before my Alaskan cruise this summer! (I know, I know....I'm still a newbie compared to all the Diamond, Diamond+, and Pinnacle on these boards!)

Ok, my sister invited me to cruise with her on a 3 day Enchantment for her birthday. We were going cheap with an inside, but Junior Suites have dropped in price and I just splurged....without telling her (or my husband!)

 

So, of course, being a JS newbie, I have questions!

 

1. Are tips still $12pp/per day? I thought they increased to "suite" tips, but according to my CVP they do not.

 

2. Aft JS on Enchantment? I've only stayed in an aft balcony on Freedom (which was absolutely fabulous!). With Enchantment being a smaller ship, are the aft balconies still leaps and bounds better than a standard JS balcony? I got a corner aft, 7666, and just want to make sure it's a good one. I still have time to switch if need be.

 

3. I know we will get priority check-in and 2x cruise points. Any other benefits we can take advantage of?

 

I am super excited and hope to be able to keep this a surprise for my sister. I know she will probably figure it out at the port during check-in, but that's ok.

You may already know this, but if you are traveling with minors that are not your children (your DD's friends) whose parents are not also traveling, you must get permission from the parents, and I think it must be notarized. Make sure you read all the info about that and have all necessary documents if that is the case.

 

Have a fabulous trip! What an awesome birthday present!