schlimazel_traveler

2 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

If you want an occasional soda, just purchase by the can. 

Unfortunately, the available options for soda by the glass or by the can are so limited!  I would love to be able to get an occasional caffeine-free diet lime soda a la carte.

If you get a WiFi package for multiple devices, that would be less costly than the Key for each person. 

On our last cruise, we had variable luck communicating over WiFi. My husband (Android phone) could send and receive texts with my daughter (iPhone), but I couldn't. Facebook chat worked but sometimes with delay, and not always in our cabin. 🙄

Nothing was perfect but it was better than nothing. I can't comment on surf vs stream. We had the stream because the cost difference for a four-device package was minimal.

The first thing I do is empty out the drawers! The hair dryer, extraneous brochures, and whatever else is in there that I won't use go up on top of the hutch over the desk. 

I use magnets for all the paper that makes its way into the cabin, to keep it off the limited surface space, and for jackets and the like, that start out in the closet but never seem to get back there. With enough hooks on the wall, we don't end up with a heap of stuff draped over the back of the chair.

I think I'll be getting one of those neoprene bottle holders. They look useful!

There's no reason for us to know what the issue is. We can't resolve it.

We visited during the first week of January. The vendors accepted sea passes (charge to ship account) until about 90 minutes before "all-aboard" time. 

The prices were really high. My guests paid $35 each for long-sleeved t-shirts. Sweatshirts ran over $50. 

We missed our Nassau stop so it was the only opportunity for Bahamas souvenirs. If you have the option, I'd suggest shopping in Nassau.

Message boards, overall, have become a less popular way of interacting on the internet. Several sites that used to have very active message forums have shut down over the past 5-10 years, so I imagine overall participation in Cruise Critic is likely dwindling as part of that trend. At the same time, the number of cruise passengers is increasing, so I think the estimate of 1% seems reasonable.

The beach bed has curtains on three sides and can provide really nice shade. We loved having it. 

I agree that the South Beach beach bed setup was lovely. We are on the Grandeur and shared Coco Cay with you yesterday. My husband and one of our travel companions are visible in your photograph! Great location. 

I've carried refillable mugs/tumblers on Grandeur and it works out fine. You can even ask for a glass of ice water in a bar and transfer it to your own container.

The problem I encountered, though, was that it's quite difficult to rinse out a bottle/tumbler or a straw in the stateroom bathroom, because the angle of the faucet and the vessel sink creates a major physics challenge. You may want to bring along an extra bottle you can fill with water to rinse out your coffee cup. I'm also bringing lots of my reusable straws so I can swap out a clean one as needed.

I don't know if it's possible to switch from one option to another in the midst of dispensing a beverage. Does anyone know, is it?

I would have guessed one would need to partially fill the cup, wait through the "lock-out" period, make a second selection, and fill the cup the rest of the way. Which seems tedious.

My 23 and 25 year-olds had the same experience. Being old enough to drink doesn't make that much of a difference. They spent most of their time with us. There just didn't seem to be anyone their age looking to connect with new folks.

They had fun though. 

Our first cruise was on Enchantment out of Baltimore in December 2012.

The stretched pool deck and Centrum are nice. 

I will certainly give it another try. But I'm disappointed that Grandeur is leaving the fleet.

1 hour ago, SwimCarrie said:

do they serve smoked salmon in the buffet for breakfast on Serenade of the Seas?

Not sure about the Serenade, but on our last couple of cruises (Vision and Grandeur) we found a lox and bagel station in the Park Cafe. 

5 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

If your deposit was (for example) $250 pp, $100 is gone, but the rest, $150 pp is given to you as a FCC that must be used within one year of your cancellation date.

That is good to know.

1 hour ago, dswallow said:

You'll also usually find ice cream in the Windjammer which is so close to being liquid you could scoop some up into a glass and drink it after about 5 more minutes.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

A non-alcohol mudslide is pretty much a milkshake, too.

And don't knock the glass-of-half-melted soft-serve until you've tried it!

The pool deck seems to have quite a bit less shade than Vision class, without the deck above it. Are there enough shady places to sit?

2 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Of course food is subjective, one man's trash is another man's treasure.  No accounting for taste...so anything goes.  I can say I am the best cook in my family if not one of the best of any of our acquaintances and I thought it was perfectly fine.  Having said that, I think Ruth Chris Steak House sucks for the prices they charge so there you go.  I never pay much attention to what someone else thinks is tasty, it only matters to me if I think it's tasty.  To each his own!

We never went to the MDR, so, to be fair, my review only applies to the WJ. We had expected the choices to mirror the MDR menu the way the WJ does on Grandeur, so we were dismayed to see the same hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, pork chops, plain pasta, etc., at dinner each night. I love trying new and interesting foods, so buffets are a treat for me. I am not picky about quality, I just want novelty. Grandeur WJ delivered that every meal. Vision didn't. 

I thought, though, that a prior poster was reporting improvement on Vision, which would be great news to me.

1 hour ago, legaljen1969 said:

I always thought WJ just followed the theme of the MDR on whatever given night it was. I have always been told it's the same food but the difference is you get seated service in the MDR.

That was the case on Grandeur but not on Vision (in January). 

2 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Yes...this....our first Vision was Jan. 2018 and we were also astonished at the difference between Vision and Liberty...I agree, ship to ship can be totally different.  We've since cruised Vision again this past April and again food was not just good but actually great.  I think they're really trying to get back their reputation for good quality again........at long last!  I have such fond memories of our first cruises on RCCL back in the early 2000s....She Crab Soup....mmmmmmm....coconut Creme Brulee...

The food on Vision in January was laughably awful. Elementary school cafeteria selection and taste. I'm really glad to hear that has changed because we otherwise loved that cruise! It was non-stop fun.

My daughter's favorite activity host from our recent Grandeur cruise is moving to Empress and she is determined to follow him! I'm starting to think it sounds perfect.

What are the inside cabins like (space, layout, storage)? 

Similar to Vision class? 

What is the a la carte price for something like a non-alcohol frozen drink?

You might consider the refreshment package and paying as you go for an alcohol drink of two.

There was a passenger talent show on the Vision in January.