fhmoore

I am a southern girl and like iced tea....not fruit flavored, not with lemon just good strong iced tea. Preferably sweetened but have been on enough cruises to know not to expect my beloved sweet tea!! But, is the iced tea in the MDR and buffets drinkable? Sometimes I just make my own. I use as many teabags as needed to to make it strong, dump huge amount of sugar in the steaming tea , making 2 or three cups as a time. I pour it into my huge travel mug then take it back to the cabin to put in the mini-fridge. I fill my smaller travel mug with ice and pour the tea over it.

Due to the ill health of our parents we haven't cruised for five years and the last time on X was seven years ago. We will be on the Constellation for the second time for the five day Thanksgiving cruise in 2015. What's an absolute must have food/drink on X?

Also, anyone who's done a Thanksgiving cruise....what is done special for the holiday??

Thanks!

On one cruise I finally gave in to my husband and only packed one pair each- flip flops, dress shoes and casual daytime shoes. The casual shoes broke and if it wasn't for the ingenuity of the steward I would have been up a creek.

I had to use duct tape to keep bedside table drawers closed during a rather severe nor'easter on a North Atlantic TA. Duct tape can be used to fix a hem, mend a holes and keep a shower curtain away from "grabbing" you.

Smartphones have replaced some things on the lists. I use my IPhone for an alarm clock, use flashlight app and check email/search the web with it (when near free wi-fi).

A few clothes pins is a must to hang bathing suits on the retractable drying line in most cruise ships' showers.

The highlighter is great to use on dailies.

Never needed the over the door shoe holder but I use hardly any make-up.

Do bring at least one sweater or shawl. I have yet to go on a cruise that the dining room wasn't at 60 degrees or lower.

A bit off topic- We use a code when we sign for things.....maybe an X or a check mark somewhere on the tab. It paid off on one cruise where the was a sweatshirt charged on our account from one of the gift shops. We showed the purser that was the only receipt that had no code on it. Plus the fact it was a medium and my DH and I have had a medium on our bodies since high school!

Add to you "things to bring" list.....

Clothespins-to hang your wet bathing suits on the clothes line that pulls out from the shower wall.

Small roll of duct tape-People kept mentioning this on previous cruises and I faithfully always brought a roll. We learned a function for it on a North Atlantic TA in 2007 on the Constellation. We got caught in a rather severe nor'easter with waves reaching 7-8 decks up, windows broken out in the computer room and most of the Constellation's name on the hull scraped away by salt water and wind! We were awakened by the drawers in the night stands flying open and then slamming shut! The tape came in handy to keep the drawers closed. Others said they used it to keep the shower curtain secured from "hugging" them.

Thanks for posting the list from Celebrity A couple of other questions....

Did I see that the 15% gratuity is included in the Classic Package.....so no extra $$$ added to your "bar bill"??

On the list I didn't see any Irish whiskey, my husband's drink of choice.

Do you think just an oversight? Does anyone have knowledge of the availability of, say, Jameson on the Classic Package?

Thanks!

I will be on the Constellation next November. Where are the designated smoking areas on the Connie now? We haven't been able to travel much the last few years due to aging parents with health problems. There sounds like lots of changes since the last time we cruised! I will need to inform our travel mates!

I have a rather specific question...I was thrilled to find on our first Royal Caribbean cruise (Vision of the Seas) that the showers had a hand-held Shower-Pik like head. We will be on the Masdaam (May13) and wondered if she has that type of shower head.

Thanks for the info!