cantgetin

3 minutes ago, Liao said:

Great information, thanks!  This board has been so helpful.  The YT vids, while entertaining, are so often filled with drama and the instagram crowd, it’s challenging to sort through the weeds.

You Tubes by people like Where's Walter Travels are always well done and accurate as of the time posted.  There are small changes on VV and small differences between ships, but nothing major in my experience.  Yes, far too many videos are "Look at MEEEEE" or "Here is my 10th drink of the day" or "Why no unlimited drink package?"  You can get a lot of good, but there is a lot of fluff out there too....or people with a strong point of view.  Enjoy your cruise.

32 minutes ago, Liao said:

I have watched a ton of YT videos about VV, probably too many.  Many have said they were never able to get reservation at The Wake or Extra Virgin, that would be a bummer for me, but my sense is that on a 15 day cruise my chances are more likely, I sure hope so.  

On a TA, you should have NO trouble getting reservations--we didn't,  We made a lot of changes after boarding.  New thing on the last one was a person outside Pink Agave each morning who was making new reservations or changing existing ones.  You can also do this on the app, but it is sometimes easier to talk to her about what IS available.  They also did walk ups and wait lists at every restaurant including the two you named.  The ONLY reservation that was slightly hard to get was 11 or later at The Wake for brunch and that was only if you were trying to do a walk in.  We even got wait list dinner at The Wake at least once (if they get a no show or cancel, they notify you).  NEVER had a problem getting a dinner reservation that we wanted on this last trip, and almost always within 15 minutes of what we wanted...and this was our most full sailing on VV.

You are allowed to book 3 dinners in advance at each restaurant, but can add more after boarding.  There will also be at least 1 dinner show on your cruise (multiple nights) and people won't know those nights till after boarding....thus more restaurant spots opening.

I understand that on a 5 night cruise,  people may not get what they want, but on 14-15 nights, basically no problem.  We just like to go with something booked in advance each night, but even that is not really needed.

October 2022--departed from WTC.  October 2023, departed from Terminal B (I think....one of the terminals in the bigger area).  May 2024 arrived at WTC.  May 2023, I'm not even sure which one we arrived at....I think the bigger one, but won't swear to it.  I was really surprised that they were using WTC again in 2024 as we'd been told it was permanently off limits to cruise ships.

Advantage WTC--closer to town, doesn't have surcharge for taxis, etc.

You get to take A part home, not necessarily your part.  They've had it on all the TA cruises.  It is listed on the schedule in the app and on the daily printed schedule, and happened multiple times on our cruises until it was finished.  At the end, they display it for a while, then cut it up into pieces which are offered to each person who participated.

I love the bar tab concept as we all have different needs in terms of how much alcohol we will drink....and no matter how you cut it, it works out to less than a "drinks package" on other lines.

My experience with VV shuttles is that they quoted at least double the price of the other available options when there were at least 2 of us involved.  

They also call regular water "still" water.

I have chosen to not send those items which require special handling.  If you need "wash and hang," you can wash in the bathroom sink and hang on the line in the shower.  Or take the special handling items home and deal with them when you have your own equipment.  The do a lovely job with the wash and fold.....but no, I'm not aware of a way to request special handling for an item that is part of the bag system.  You can send specific items, including delicates, and be charged by the item.  Talk to your stateroom host if you want to send "per item" things for special handling.

I really hate to bother my TA about stuff I should be able to do....so at her request, I send the list to her in advance.  I try to do it on my own, and when the app crashes, and in my experience it always does, I shoot her a PM and she takes it from there.  Her portal works a lot better than the app!

48 minutes ago, jon81uk said:

I’ve had a letter in the cabin stating the benefits of Sailing Club and the hours for the dedicated support. Then the desk had a small Sailing Club sign on it when it was open.

Interesting, I never saw the sailing club sign, but any time I saw that desk open and needed help I just went over there.  Yes, I always had DBE.  It sounds like I went down often--not at all.  On the first couple cruises we did have some electronics issues that were easier to resolve by going down, and on my last cruise, I sent my bracelet to the laundry in a pants pocket and needed to get a replacement.  Most issues can be resolved over phone, tablet, or app, and the need to talk to them at all has decreased as the overall experience/app has improved.

1 hour ago, doconner said:

When looking at the VV website, I am able to link out to this menu for Extra Virgin:  

 

While some of the options sound nice to me, my partner was hoping for some more traditional/simple pasta dishes.   I've seen on other reviews of the restaurant that the menus have included carbonara and a pasta ragu, which I have found on this menu along the left side:



My question is, the first menu is directly linked from the Virgin website, so is it likely to be more accurate than the other menu which was posted on some blog website, or is it just that the Virgin website is not a complete listing, and carbonara and ragu will both be options?

Any recent cruisers have any thoughts?

This is the menu we have seen for the last 2 years.  The app menu is a small sample.  You can also mix any type of pasta and any of the sauces...or a favorite trick is to order the meatball appetizer on top of one of the pastas.

Check in is very quick and easy.  And to answer Essie's question, yes VV requires that everyone have a passport.

THe help line for people who have not completed the on line process really speeds things up for those who were able to do it as they don't have to wait behind  people who need help.

I've used it.  It is a separate desk and you can skip the line for the regular desk.  There are several positions at Sailor Services; the number of people working the desks depends on the number of sailors in line (they bring people out from the back when the line gets long).  I haven't seen it with "hours," but more like staff appears when needed.
Gotta admit that it felt good to get out of line and go over to the designated desk.

In fairness, you can also contact sailor services thru the app, tablet, or phone so I would only go down if I needed something in person--like app not working, they know all the fixes and it is easier to let them do it than to tell me.

Also note, sailor services has nothing to do with dinner reservations.  You must go to the place designated for that or to an open restaurant.  Don't waste your time standing in Sailor Services line.

2 minutes ago, doconner said:

I've seen mention of the app crashing while trying to book restaurants, and @cantgetin mentions usually only being able to book 2 or 3 before it crashes.

 

I'm wondering if both guests in the cabin try to book restaurants when they open, could they do that and hope to get 4-6 booked before it crashes, or is there something preventing you from doing that?  I'm thinking of having a proposed list of restaurants for each night with me starting from day 1 and progressing through, and my guest starting to book for the last night and move earlier a day at a time.

You can try anything...we've tried one of us working embarkation to the end and other working end backwards.  Most we've ever gotten before PM to TA has been 4 nights.  I hate to bother her, but she say that is what se is paid for.

We have gone out of BCN on VV twice....different terminals each time.  Glad to hear they are back at WTC.  The only difference from the above reports is that we found 2 luggage drop off areas.  One was operated by terminal porters, the other by people in VV shirts.  Same process either way,  

The process is the same as at Miami, the order is different.  Works well either way.  The nice thing about WTC is that if you arrive early, there is a little plaza with some seating and a coffee shop on the other side of the plaza.

The two grog walks have always been the same with different starting locations. The two are just to allow 2 groups.  And they always end at the PJ party.  In general, prices have changed on each of my cruises....for lots of things.  Hate to quote because of that, but about $50 (and if it is $40 you can be pleasantly surprised).

YOU or your TA can link your reservations on the app.  Then, when you make reservations, you will just click on the people you are reserving for.  This will work for dining and all activities.  It is not automatic; you must indicate the people you are including in each reservation.  
Your TA may not be celebrating, so may be available to help you.  Alternatively, you can call shoreside sailor services on the first business day after the app crashes.  Sorry--I've had the app crash on each cruise.  I generally get in 2-3 nights of reservations and then the crash.  It may come back up hours later or may not....

The linking can be done as soon as everyone has reservations.  If they have done their on line registration with the selfie, their photo will show in the link.

On 6/28/2024 at 9:36 AM, Keys Kathy said:

There is no way I could spend 15 nights on VV. The food is the same every day. BORING! 

 

I've done 4 sailings of 14 or more days on VV and didn't get bored until the last one.  Yes, the basic food is the same every day, but at least on the longer cruises, they have nightly specials each evening in The Galley that are listed in the schedule.  The restaurants add "sometimes" specials that your servers will tell you about, especially if you ask.  They usually have an entree and sweet special, particularly toward the end.  At lunch, several of The Galley stations will have specials, usually soups, salads, tacos, burgers, desserts, some sort of casserole, and sometimes sandwiches, Unfortunately the only way to learn what these are is to walk past the outlets and look at the signs as the servers either don't know or don't remember half of them.

Getting bored was rather our own fault on the last cruise.  The Razzle Dazzle evening menu had changed and eliminated our 3 favorite dishes (sorry for those who like the new menu better).  There were nights that Gunbae had no interest, and we don't like the B menu in Test Kitchen.  So that's us being picky, but we didn't have a ton of dinner choices.  It was the first time we've gotten off VV without another sailing booked--combination of frustration with a cabin issue that had not been repaired despite multiple reportings, a "been there, done that" feeling, really disliking the "come way early, stand in line, and hope you get in" system rather than reservations, and the large price increase.

Will we cruise VV again?  Probably some day.  Will it be in 2024?  Not likely, but then who knows what life holds?

We've always had good conversation at Test Kitchen regardless of whether seated at the counters or the tables...maybe it was that we paid attention to what others had chosen as far as pairings or veg vs. regular menu and so heard about all of it...

I generally found VV passengers more interesting than Celebrity, but that is a broad generalization as I can remember one fascinating person on Celebrity as well.

In The Galley one noon I saw someone from a previous solo activity sitting alone so asked if you wanted company or preferred to not be disturbed; she said I should sit down.  We ended up talking for 2 hours!  Restaurants have varied....in some places, people would start conversations, in other situations not.  Of course, you can always start a conversation too....."oh, that looks good.  What is it?
 

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

I'm just not enough of a drinker. Between a promo and DBE we got a decent amount of bar tab. I really wish I could have transferred the unused portion to our main tab.

Can't do it.  Bar tab is drinks only (alcoholic or non).  You can feel free to treat your new best friends or put the coffee for a crew member in line at Grounds Club on your tab (if crew goes to Grounds Club instead of crew area, they pay the same amount we do, but many don't have time on a break to run back to the crew area).  If you see crew at t dining room table, you can also offer to buy them a round, a bottle, or whatever.  Same deal--they eat free but pay for drinks in sailor areas.

NOTE:  Deep Blue Extras includes priority boarding.  Blue Extras (lower tier) does not.

Gunbae is group seating.  There is a solo cruiser meet and greet on the first day right before sail away.  There is also a solo cruiser dinner at 6:30 the first night in Razzle Dazzle hosted by members of the Happenings Cast.  These are great times to get to meet other solo cruisers.  Other "singles or cruising solo" activities depend on length of cruise.

As to seating, if you go in as a solo, you will be seated alone.  However, the tables are close enough to chat with your "neighbors" if they are so inclined. I/we have had great chats with people seated next to us as well as those don't talk at all situations.  You will not be placed at a table with others, so no need to feel like you must talk.

Just now, Tatra603 said:

Given the only moscato I've seen on the most recent menus (curiously called 'Honey Bubbles') is $50 a bottle, I don't think it'll take us long to get through a $300 bar tab in 14 nights.

Interesting.  In May 2024 we had 2 moscatos available.  We tried the "Honey Bubbles" once and didn't like it; it was $40 per bottle then.  We liked the regular moscato that was $8 per glass/$35 per bottle.

If you end up with a night where you don't have a reservation, go to the restaurant of your choice right at opening (5:45-6:00) and ask to be waitlisted.  It usually works.

If nothing shows up prior to boarding, you can call VV sailor services shoreside or your TA and see if they can get anything thru their portal.  You can keep checking the app as nice people do cancel.  And you can book thru the app as soon as you connect to the ship's wifi. It is the one that is called "mermaid" something.  Sometimes it can be accessed from the terminal, other times not until you actually board.