Keith1010

Great news David. Keith

I do want to mention one thing about the train and that is not to cut it too close getting back to the ship. Friends were on the first sailing and almost missed the ship due to being on a train in Italy (not Rome) that broke down. In the end, they had to get off and get a taxi to them back and it was a close call. There will definitely not be a complimentary shuttle. I tried to reach out to someone on board now to ask if it was offered to in-transit guests at a charge but she was not sure about that. And one final note. In past years we could walk from the entranceway at the port to the ship but that was not the case in 2018 as things had been reconfigured so build in sufficient time to wait for the shared shuttle within the port. Time we were there it took a long time. Keith

Thank you for sharing the very well written review. I am glad you both had a great time. I think your hit the nail on the head about the specialty restaurants. It is more of a challenge on an eight day cruise for sure than say one 12 or more days. Question. I saw the Junior CP's on Serenity and they are beautiful. I was wondering if you took one of the Junior ones all the way forward or all the way in the stern of the ship. If at the bow was wondering if you were bothered at all by the seas? Best to you both. Keith

If you book this with your TA they will be able to apply each one for you to the booking. Same goes if booking directly with Crystal. I would be sure to get that first one booked soonest if you can't go all at once so that the voucher doesn't expire.

Vince, I think Umi Uma has a similar issue but the lightning doesn't appear as bright but that could be do to eh layout and color scheme of the room. The Bistro seemed fine and of course much of the lighting comes from its location and that it is open to the adjoining area. Excellent information by you about the normal intervals for something like this. I do suspect if they had those mock up rooms they would have caught the issue with the closet. I know from one of the homes we had built as much as one tries to anticipate things without a mock up there are just some things you can't catch just from drawings and even artist renditions. Keith

For those who enjoy walking on the Promenade Deck and want to know how many time arounds equals a mile or a KM and which direction to walk. If you've never walked the promenade deck the arrow is always in the same position. Just glad it isn't facing in the up or down direction. Houston we have a problem. Keith

There are a couple of people from CC who were on for the back to back cruises so hopefully they can answer your question. When you say shuttle, they do not offer a complimentary shuttle to Rome. The question is do they provide a tour that drops you off in Rome and one that takes you back. There are many companies you can use if the answer is no and you can find them by visiting the Italy Ports Of Call Board. You may know this but plan on a 90 minute drive into downtown Rome. Could be slightly shorter but time of day is a factor. Whatever you do, give yourself extra time to make it back to the ship. Keith

Vince, I was told that they do flicker when the were dimmed as they tried to adjust it during the TA/News Media Shakedown Cruise. One thing people forget is how quickly all of this was planned and executed. Things happen. If they could have a few do overs they would. There was also no time to do true mock ups of the rooms as they would normally do and will do for the new ships. Keith

Maybe on on The Bistro thread you can post them. Keith

And i you aren't into a Toga Party but like the song Shout in Animal House here is another version of it. The lads are not in white attire.

Well the good news is you certainly can wear whatever you want and some people do not. At the same time my observation is the number of people wearing something white has increased over the years. The only similarity to a toga party is the color white. But if you care to go to a Toga Party. Here goes.

You are welcome. Party will be on 10/2. Keith

White Night (now called White Party) is on your cruise. I have verified that for you. On a related note, it is on every cruise so no need for anyone to check with OBGS. Keith

Might this work for the White Party? This was from a party on the 2010 World Cruise where we were asked to dress in something we purchased along the way. We had two segments in the Middle East. Keith

Bon Voyage Roy. Enjoy every minute. It should feel like day 171 on Serenity and other than cosmetic changes like most dry docks the same Serenity and Crystal you know. Keith

Well in an effort to get this thread back on topic I thought I would share my thought. No spin.My thoughts. I liked the couches. But it was just Anne Marie and myself on a couch and we both liked it. We went with a large group the first evening but we all had chairs. These days I wouldn't sit with three on the couch just because I would feel we are too close and that has to do with germs. Vince, I like the look of the room and I believe in person it looks better. The one issue I saw the first night and have been told this will be addressed is the lighting is way to bright. When they went to dim them on the prior voyage evidently the light flickered so that is something they will get corrected and same goes for Umi Uma. NWX I normally avoid Risotto but it has more to do with the calories but I made an exception on our second visit as I wanted to do my best to try each item. I enjoyed it but not something I would have very often for the reason I mentioned. But for those who enjoy Risotto I highly recommend trying it. Sauce. I am a funny eater. Surprise? I like to taste the food. Sashimi. I eat it without the sauce other than the Nobu ones. Caviar. Don’t use other items other than the blinis. baked potato. No butter. Same is true for a roll. I didn’t have to eat all the sauce you saw and didn’t. But the sauce added to the items and just had some of it. Easy peasy. But others do like sauce and over the years it seems like they licked their plates. And full disclosure I usually eat one item at a time on my plate. So now you know. Vince is correct. In Prego some (some is keyword) of the dishes had a lot of sauce. Not knocking Prego but it’s not like there were no sauces. As to Lasagna and Eggplant Parmesan I was spoiled with Anne Marie’s cooking, and she makes the best meatball I have ever had. So for me having Lasagne or Eggplant at a specialty restaurant is not very special. One of her keys is not drenching them in Tomato Sauce. In my opinion one of the keys to pizza is not drenching it in tomato sauce which when we've eaten it in Italy or in a Pizza Parlor in NYC they know not to drench it either. A couple of people who posted said not all of the items thye liked. I get it. Many I liked but not all but I will tell you that is the same on land or at sea. With that said I loved the lamb the first time and it is a more expensive cut than what was in Prego but the next time it fell short. Sometimes even at home when making something multiple times and it doesn’t come out the same way all the time. Likewise, whether it was planned or not a few items in Tastes which were the same names as items served there a few years ago fell short of what they were like a few years ago. Same recipe but something off? Possible. Or maybe a different recipe. And we took same approach in Tastes. Tried to try different items on our two visits as well as ordering a few we enjoyed at the first visit. Might seem trivial but I really enjoyed the rolls. I enjoyed the diversity of them and their taste. I thought the rolls in Prego on the ocean vessels were so so. Ironically, when we had the roll on Mozart I thought it was wonderful. We saw Josef Lumetsberger while on Mozart and he said same recipe. Maybe as some of the Europeans told us the local ingredients are better in Europe than other places. Very good on Endeavor to. I also avoid dessert but made an exception to try a little bit of it. Something light but excellent. There is no spin here. Just my opinion. My only recommendation is to try it yourselves and see what you think. OK I'll close with an item not on the menu although I've seen it on prior Waterside menus and that is liver. Patty...Growing up we always had to eat whatever was on our plates or no dinner but thankfully my parents made liver an exception. With that said they would fry onions to go with the liver and I loved them so since I got an exemption for the liver it was OK when they made it because that meant I'd get the onions. I don't have them anymore but truly loved them including on a steak n' cheese sandwich back in the day. But again no more of that either. Keith

I hate to burst your balloon. Oh I meant to say I hate to burst your bubble but I suspect this balloon person might be feeling a bit deflated by now. A welcome from one of the ports in Spain we visited last month on Serenity. Keith

Aquamarine has three designs. Classic, former Seabreeze and new 2023 versions. My favorite is the classic. Yes they are older and haven't been updated but I have always loved the layout including two desks; one of the two serves as a makeup desk as well. Lots of shelf space. Nice placement of the TV over the couch. The latter two are newer and don't have a bath tub (we don't use one) and have nice rain showers. Downside with the former Seabreeze is the coffee table which cannot be raised making it more challenge to eat in the room and they share an entry area with one other Aquamarine and this means less space compared to the classic. There are only a couple of new Aquamarine created this year and the are on deck 9 and all they way forward so if you don't like a bumpy ride I would avoid that location. They look very nice but I still prefer the classic and the classic gives you lots of locations to choose from. Double Rooms are all newly designed so just look at the photos to get a feel for them. If the price is good, I would go with the Aquamarine for the added space and for a some additional amenities. Doubles have been very nicely done and of course all new. Have extra plugs and nice layout. Unfortunately, they lost some space in the closet. Keith

And the key are some. Mine were not having read the rules but some are. Keith

Not sure you port. I just shared what I found on this. Didn't give an opinion. Next.

I am not promoting the restaurant. It is something new so I created a separate thread as I have done in the past for things that are new at the time including Tastes, Silk, Silk Road now Umi Uma, Supper Club and even the Modern Menu when it rolled out. Promoting no. Explaining my experience absolutely. I thought I was clear that some people like it, some don't and some are so so. Not sure why you think that is promoting the restaurant. Yes I will continue to do stand along threads for new things as I have always done such as about entertainment, inclusive, open seating and the redesign of ships. And by doing this as a separate thread it actually elicits a greater range of opinions based on each persons experience and it has already done just that. Keith

Although Saudi women are expected to wear the traditional black, long gown called the abaya while in public, foreigners are exempted from this rule. The hijab and niqab are optional for both Saudi and tourist women. Women must dress modestly at all times, covering their knees and shoulders. Although the abayais optional, you will need to wear it while entering mosques, in respect of the Muslim culture. In a few places, you might have to wear a headscarf, particularly in Riyadh. Sleeveless shirts, short dresses, loose tops, short bottoms, crop tops and miniskirts are strictly not allowed. Night clothes, under garments or anything that is inappropriate to be worn in public must be avoided. Bikinis, which are common among westerners, are taboo in Saudi Arabia, even on the beaches. You can wear the shoes of your choice – trainers, sandals, heels or open toed footwear. There are no restrictions on this. However, you will have to remove your footwear when entering religious institutions. Make sure the fabric of your clothes is not see through and not super tight. In case you are wearing jewellery that is represents any other religion than Islam, you need to tuck it into your clothes. Make sure it isn’t visible. Lastly, modest make up is preferable to bright colours on the face. DRESS CODE FOR FOREIGNERS – MEN The following dress requirements are to be followed by male tourists entering the kingdom. Foreign men are not required to wear the thobe or thwab, the traditional Arabic dress. Men are required to wear clothes covering their shoulders and legs at all times. Make sure to avoid skinny jeans, sleeveless shirts and shorts in public. If you are at a workplace, a shirt, tie and a dark business suit are appropriate. Apart from a wristwatch or a wedding ring, any other jewellery, including bracelets, necklaces, etc., particularly in gold, is considered inappropriate. You must not be shirtless under any circumstances. Both men and women should be careful not to wear a top or shirt with indecent or loud graphics and quotes on it. However, you can wear whatever you like within western compounds or areas where expats reside. Bikinis are still not allowed, and you need to stick to one-piece swimsuits. Whatever you wear, make sure it is modest and respectful of the tenets of Islam.

Same for us and that is all that has been sent. It showed two claims consolidated and what the max is. Keith

One thing for sure is food is subjective.What one person loves another one would hate. A food that comes to mind is liver.One of the few items I detest but some love it. I know some people who never likes dining at the Crystal Dining Room later renamed Waterside. Food not hot enough for them. Too many people. Too noisy. On the other hand I know lots of people who enjoy Waterside. Do you remember Silk and all the comments? Some said it was frozen food. Some said it's not authentic.Some loved it. How about Churrascaria. Some loved it. Some said too much food. Some said I am paying for a luxury cruise and I want full service and not such basic food. Umi Uma. When it rolled out many guests were hesitant to go there.It was far different than many people had up until then. They want their food cooked. LOL. Prego. Some said the food was so so. Other loved it. I have to say my first time on each ship it didn't work for me. Maybe I ordered the wrong items. Who knows. But I eventually figured it out and learned what I enjoyed. Oseria d'Ovidio has had mixed reactions. Some love it. Others it's OK and some do not like it at all. We ate there twice and had the food to our room one other time. Each time we tried new items we hadn't had so we could taste as many as we could. I guess because Anne Marie is half Italian and learned to cook many dishes from her 100% Italian Grandmother who lived with her Anne Marie has made many of the dishes that I think of from Prego plus more. So for me, Osteria d'Ovidio was the opportunity to sample a range of dishes that we normally didn't have and the portions were of a modest size that I could sample a variety of them including on the first visit two starters. I enjoyed it and viewed it as more upscale than Prego. This is not a knock on Prego because I enjoyed it once I figured out what to order but just to say I found the new restaurant to serve more unique cuisine. My own view is to keep an open mind, try it alll, go back a few times and then see what you think. If I would have given up on Prego after the first time on each of the three ships then I would have said I didn't care for it and would not have learned what I was missing out on . And I do believe that as restaurants do both on land and at sea that they will make adjustments. Buon appetito. Keith

As mentioned if you book five cruises in the time frames we've discussed your fare would be reduced $800.00 per cruise. While we don't know the payout we do know the maximum appears to be $2,225.00 per person whether they were owed $2250.00 or something much higher than that. Keith