2chiefs

As another poster suggested, you might try Celebrity. We went on a short 4-day cruise on Reflection out of Ft Lauderdale in December to check it out. We liked it so much that we booked a 14-day cruise on the Reflection this coming December. They do the Southern Caribbean routes a lot. While we are on one of their last 14-day cruises (I think the last 14-day is January 2019), the Reflection has lots of 11 or 12 day cruises out of Ft Lauderdale doing the Southern Routes. The Reflection is a Solstice class ship and I think carries about 3000 guests which makes it a large ship but not a mega ship.

Keep in mind that Celebrity is more laid back if that's your style. You won't find zip lines, flow riders, etc..(less kids!)

Some folks say Celebrity is a step up from Royal but we didn't feel that way. We didn't think the food was better. The fares seem a little higher but reasonable in our opinion.

We like both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean and will probably cruise both in the future.

How many times do they offer the mystery dinner on the cruise? Also, what nights of the cruise are they and how much is it?

 

Thanks!

Our experience: Not all ships do it. Only once per 7-night cruise. Usually starts somewhere on the ship (such as the Viking Lounge) with sparkling wine and appetizers while the cast (suspects) introduce themselves. Then ends in the Italian venue (Giovanni's). Last time we went is was something like $50 pp but it's probably much higher now. Price includes the dinner (not a full menu but several choices) and wine. I can't remember if other alcoholic drinks were included. I don't think you will know if there is one on cruise planner. You may have to wait till the first day of cruise to sign up. Perhaps others may know more recent information.

We were on Harmony in December with one other couple. We asked our stateroom attendant to open the balcony and she had it done by the time we came back to the cabin a few hours later. No issue at all and it was great having the "extended" balcony.

 

As Bob said, just ask and they will take care of it for you.

Sallie & I are #1 Packer Fans. Where did you get your accreditation?

We've done 3 and here's how they went:

1st: Fun. Let's do it again

2nd: Great! A lot of fun! Better than the first. Definitely book again

3rd: Lousy. Probably won't risk the money on another. Performers were lackluster and the guests were party poopers.

I believe two ingredients will make it great:

1. The performers (this can possibly be determined through cruise critic questions)

2. Guests (this is a crap shoot)

Not so much concerned about waste as I am noro. Do I really want to eat bread after people have had their paws all over it? I think not.

There are a lot more germs on the menus and salt & pepper shakers.... 5 second rule applies.. Just saying.... LOL

Curious what ships had the luncheons? The only one we've done that has had a luncheon every time has been Adventure in San Juan.

The only two ships other than the Adventure that we went B2B on were the Majesty and the Mariner. Both had luncheons including wine. Adventure was a "disappointment" for us because we didn't get the free wine we thought would be given on all B2B's. Up to that point we thought all B2B's were the same but after reading all the threads we now know there is no consistency.. LOL

No perks, other than some ships might give a special luncheon depending on the number of B2B guests.

All our B2B's included a free luncheon. A couple of them included free wine and even lunch with an officer but it varied by ship.

I would never fly in the same day. I travel a lot for my work and have had many flights delayed or canceled due to weather or mechanical problems. Not a big deal in the case of work but a major deal for a missed cruise! No insurance for that!

My wife and I must be very easy to please. We still get excited preparing for the next cruise and always have a blast while on our cruises. On and off the ship.

We agree. I do miss some of the things that the OP posted too but I also see why things have changed and still have a great time cruising.

20 years ago, cruising was a MUCH different experience than today...I agree with that wholeheartedly. Everyone felt "special", especially at dinner! Taking a break from cruising is probably a good idea, if today's "norms" aren't making you happy! You can go to some fabulous land resorts and recreate the "feel" of day's past!

I'd be interested in some suggestions for land resorts. I've always been reluctant to try one because I might get bored. Besides food, beach and dancing I don't see much in terms of entertainment in their advertisements. The ads also look like they cater to very young couples. Seems like there's a lot more variety on a cruise but we'd be open to trying something different.

As long as Royal has Voyager class and below, we'll continue to use Royal Caribbean......[emoji572][emoji41]

 

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Yep. Voyager is the best

I recommend you just keep walking past that booth.

And skip the lanyards altogether.

Bad look...

A slave to fashion...

Which Hampton Inn in Fort Lauderdale?

Hampton Inn Ft. Lauderdale Airport North Cruise Port

2301 SW 12th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33315, USA TEL: +1-954-524-9900 FAX: +1-954-524-5155

It's not far from the cruise port. They provide shuttle service for a small fee but really it's so close that a taxi or Uber would be inexpensive.

We found Hampton Inn good. It offered free shuttle from FFL airport and we got free breakfast included which did is fine.

Paid for a shuttle from hotel to ship- company was called all status- can't remember the cost but it was reasonable for the four of us

 

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We stayed at the Hampton Inn as well. Very nice. Breakfast was just so-so as Hamptons are.

They also have a nice parking deal for people that drive. $5. per day ($50 minimum) for the duration of your cruise.

We are on the March 11 Oasis sailing (eastern Caribbean) and the Cruise Planner shows the Prohibition Event on Day 4 which is the evening after our day in St. Maarten. Hope that helps!

So it was in the cruise planner. Someone had told me they didn't publish it.

Our day 4 is a port day so perhaps ours will be day 5.

I don't have anything more recent than last April anyhow.

That's OK Bob. I appreciate it anyway.

If you post what itinerary you are on, perhaps we can find a Cruise Compass that will list the event.

We are on the upcoming May 6 Oasis Western Caribbean but I don't think they publish the Prohibition Event in the Compass.

1. Port Canaveral

2. SEA

3. Labadee

4. Falmouth

5. SEA

6. Cozumel

7. SEA

Thanks

Does anybody know when the Prohibition event usually occurs?? Is it the same for every sailing or does it change every sailing?

It doesn't say what day or what time on the RCI website (presumably due to the "secretive" nature of the event).

Since it will set us back $35 pp, having an approximate time would be nice to know for planning purposes.

I most always take my hat off while eating. Nothing to do with religion but the way we were taught.

 

 

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I don't wear hats but if I did, I would take it off. No judgement. Just the way I was brought up.

Funny story. When the Houston Oilers played in the then new Astrodome, Bum Phillips, the head coach who had always worn a large cowboy hat, would remove his hat inside the Astrodome.....

We tip a dollar per drink for every single drink during the whole cruise. So many different waiters...we spread it around.

We do too.

Hi, I am the original poster! I sat by the railing on Deck 4 and watched the scene below on Deck 3 as the guy used the laptop at the dinner table.

 

Has anyone ever seen the 2 gentlemen who dress up in over-the-top outfits every night with matching purses? I saw them in 2013 on the Serenade and they won the award for most days cruising. On formal night they dressed as Indian princes or pashas or some kind of royalty, with shiny turbans (I believe they were Scandinavian). With all their cruising, you must have seen them. Their pocketbooks were adorable.

Yep. We've seen them. It was on the Adventure out of Puerto Rico in 2014. Sounds like the same outfits. One purse was an elephant if I remember.

Last time we cruised on Oasis, our cabin was close to the elevators. Every night around midnight, like clockwork, a group of kids would get off the elevator and storm down the hall like a herd of buffalo. Shrieking, laughing, and howling. We will NEVER book a room close to the elevators again!

You don't have to be near the elevators to experience this!!

LOL

Flies flying around and landing on cookies.

"I also noticed several fly's around the cookies so decided i would not eat any"

Sorry about that. I was actually trying to make a joke and I failed. LOL

I was actually asking (tongue in cheek) if you decided not to eat any flies or any cookies. Of course I know the answer to both is no....

I'm glad the worst things I've seen don't even come close to some that are on this post. We usually sail on Royal. Last year we sailed on Celebrity and Royal and they both have their pros and cons, but I certainly didn't find a more "refined" group of passengers on Celebrity than on Royal. We are a multi generational family that travel together and we save our money to be able to go on a cruise together only once a year, most years. Last year, we had 23 to 65 years old in our family. We are what is considered blue collar...teachers, law enforcement, govt. worker. We are Diamond on Royal, so when we sail on Celebrity, we are Elite status. Maybe there are a lot more cruisers on Celebrity with more money than on Royal or Carnival because their demographic is older and in part because the families usually gravitate to a line with more activities for the kids. I've heard some heartwarming stories from people on both cruiselines. Some had been given a gift of their first cruise by their grown children because they had never had the money to go on one and had always dreamed about a cruise. Some were spending the cruise with family celebrating surviving cancer. We took a dear Aunt with us on one of our cruises because she had stage 4 cancer and loved cruising. We knew this was going to be the last trip she would be able to physically make. She didn't want to sit on the balcony. She wanted to be out on the pool deck, getting a fruity drink and enjoying all the chaos around her and laughing with the crowd. We sat at breakfast in the MDR one morning listening to two of the most self-absorbed and boring couples I've ever encountered, discussing their stock portfolios and investment properties, making fun of the people that they had encountered that worked and lived paycheck to paycheck that shouldn't be spending their money on a cruise. Please be mindful when you talk about how "refined" people choose Celebrity. You can find people on both lines that aren't your cup of tea. I saw people on Celebrity touching the food on the buffet with their bare hand after adjusting their bikini bottom, under their cover-up. We saw a woman who constantly boasted about how "refined" it was on Cunard reach across with the fork she had been eating with to snag a roll out of the bread basket. I'd prefer watching a Hairy Leg contest to that. People from all walks of life can be found on all the cruise lines today and you never know the story behind some of these people on a cruise with you.

Agreed. We took our first Celebrity cruise last month. Very nice but we didn't think the food was any better or the people more "refined". We did like being on a ship with less kids though. (Nothing against kids but we've "been there, done that" and prefer more adult activities). Having said that, I like how RCI handles the kids programs.

I've only seen the sexiest legs contest.... :)

I think they have that and the belly flop on every cruise. I never went to one but I've seen them on the TV the next day.

The hairy chest thing I've only seen advertised once or twice but I did see it. Perhaps it was a short cruise on one of the smaller ships with less family activities....