moki'smommy

I never remember the children's menu during the cruise....only when reading about it here!

I don't recall seeing this announced anywhere, but discovered it when we began hanging out in the adult pool area. It was from 4-5 each afternoon, and the servers were walking around with a "frou frou" drink on trays, offering it at 2 for 1 prices. I think it was usually the "drink of the day." I know that we were able to get the same special once in Diversions (which has now been re-named) on the Magic, and I quickly learned the trick of going into the Cove Cafe and ordering freshly made ones rather than the "melted ice" that the servers were carrying around. It definitely happened multiple days on multiple cruises, but I can't attest to whether it still happens or not.

I don't ever remember seeing it in the Navigator or elsewhere, but we took advantage of it at least 3 times.

Mine took 21 days. Friend's took 19 days.

As above--your room assignment may come months ahead or you may not learn it till you get to the terminal. People here have said that it was assigned earlier and I just didn't see it, but I can tell you that I looked the day before embarkation and it wasn't there. Normally assignments show up 1-2 weeks before cruising.

Drink prices on the ship are about the same as what you'll see in a nice restaurant. Most drinks are under $12, many are under $10, although there is a bottle of wine in Remy on the Fantasy that supposedly costs $50K. (that was from the tour info). There is also a "drink of the day" that is discounted and a 2 for 1 in the late afternoon by the adult pool. Hint--while not advertised, the 2 for 1 is also honored at bars. Do not get the ones the servers are carrying around trying to sell--these are largely melted ice. Walk to the bar in the Cove Cafe and ask for a fresh one.

It is actually harder to explain than to have it happen. You will have a different menu each night of your cruise. 3 nights will be "signature nights" when each restaurant will serve its Signature Menu. So on those nights, each restaurant will be serving a different menu. Over the three signature nights, you'll experience each one.

The other 4 nights are "theme nights" where the theme primarily applies only at dinner. On those nights, each restaurant serves the same theme menu. Captain's Gala is one of the themes, as is Pirate night.

Each time you eat in a restaurant, it will be a different menu. It is different each night of the cruise for guests.

As above, not sure what you mean by "points" or why Celebrity regulations matter. Yes, you get double the number of cruise credits when cruising solo, but the same number of nights that you actually cruise.

 

One thing that we found unacceptable was the aft starboard elevator was out of service the entire cruise. It wouldn't be so bad, but due to a crappy design of this class shp -- it was one of only two elevators to serve the traditional late seating dining room. This cruse had a very old demographic -- we have never seen so many canes, walkers, wheelchairs and scooters in our 45 or so cruises. I have no cartilage in my kneecaps, but I always took the stairs to dinner - though is it quite painful. -- there we so many people so much worse off that were waiting to use the single elevator. --- ridiculas -

 

That and the beef was awful were our only complaints -- the staff was wonderful.

This elevator has been out of order since June per reports.....definitely since August per my observation. Yes, it needs to be fixed!

You won't blow a fuse. The only question is whether it is strong enough to recharge the battery in the toothbrush. I used the outlet in the main cabin...but that's because I learned long ago that the one in the bathroom won't charge my cell phone. I tend to not use it!

And as you read this thread, you have two people who claim to be just off the Golden. One says all was fine, another details many problems. I don't know how you resolve this situation.

I was on the Golden for 14 nights, 8/11-8/25/18. I saw NO buckets out for leaks (we were in a window suite on Fiesta deck, where they had been reported). The only problem I had was that the shower was tempermental--crappy water pressure and would sometimes suddenly go to seriously cold in the middle of use. I'd happily sail on her again.

Full suite has both priority check in and priority boarding.

Priority check in--you get to use the priority line. May or may not be shorter than the standard line depending on how many Elites are on your cruise.

Priority boarding--you get to board before standard boarding starts if you are at port and checked in at that time. If you check in after the standard boarding has started, you go to the head of the line.

If you arrive at the "suggested time," you haven't been reading enough on these boards.

We have only once paid extra for an ‘event’...dinner at Palo...besides our awesome friends we are with..it was a huge disappointment! Our server hassled is over buying wine...WE DON’T DRINK! I told him that several times, maybe he thought I was joking?? He even brings us two complementary glasses which went untouched. In essence, he only wanted to pad our bill. We usually always tip well over recommended. Not for this guy. Save your money, enjoy all the ship offers...it’s a great cruise line!

Wow! Was it Sylvester? He was the only Palo server that we really didn't like.

No excuse for this sort of behavior.

Every cruise I've explored on the 40% off has had prices that were a joke. You won't get any perks, but you should start to see "last minute" fares for the rest of 2018.

I'm totally with you. We have 30 cruises, and the last time I counted, over 300 nights...and we've been seriously branching out to other lines recently.

DCL's loyalty program has always generated discussion and no group is totally happy with it. And rumors that it was going to be revised have probably been around for 10 years. The only real perks are a free Palo meal for platinum level and a small amount of OBC if you purchase a future cruise certificate and are gold or platinum....and that was significantly reduced several years ago. Most of the other perks have become a "buy something, get something additional" deal--much less value than previously, and the gift shop discount has been seriously reduced.

A cruise director commented about 8 years ago that they didn't have all that many people with lots of cruises, but all of them choose the same cruises. Yes, we all seem to like new itineraries, trans-Atlantics, etc. We were on one TA/first Med B2B with more than 25% of the cabins platinum and 125 cabins doing B2B. It must have been the first time for those sorts of numbers as they gave us many small perks. We never really sorted out which were for B2B and which were for platinum, but we got the concierge munchies in our room each day, the additional toiletries, robe, and slippers, etc. Again, small things, but nice recognition.

At this point, I'm not sure I care what they do for frequent cruisers. I got soured when they reduced the benefits. That, combined with the serious price escalation has changed DCL from my first choice cruise line to needing a reason to choose them. When I can get a full suite on Princess for 2 weeks for 60% the cost of a balcony on DCL for a week, it doesn't make sense to choose Disney. However, we were sitting in the specialty restaurant on Princess when the Wonder cruised by going the other direction...and I will confess to the heartstrings going out to the Wonder. But Alaska isn't about the ship, and again, there was no real reason to choose the Wonder.

My business was DCL's to lose. Unfortunately, their policies have made them a lot less attractive as a repeat cruiser.

 

As for the OP: 10 days shouldn't require laundry. It's just not that long of a cruise.

It's really a personal matter. I don't do laundry on a 7 night, but a 10 starts to push it. On the other hand, I usually travel with a carry on only. I'd rather do a load of laundry than pay $35 for the joy of dragging a big suitcase.

I think this is the third thread that's been started on this subject. It must be fixed as all of my booked cruises show just fine.

You beat me to it. There are already multiple threads. And it appears to work if you log in with your birthdate and reservation number.

The web site is notorious for such issues.

Thanks for this good advice. And confirming the ordering I assume just placing the word "virgin" with the drink name makes it alcohol free.

Absolutely. They have a "menu" of mocktails, but they will make any drink "virgin" for you and it counts in the package. Also, if there is something you like, talk to the bartender when he isn't busy--they will do come creative things. The only thing is that they don't always put the frou-frou mocktails in the fancy glass like they do the real ones.

As above, in August boarding began somewhere around noon. We were boarded by 11:30. We basically dropped our luggage in our room and went to lunch.

Regardless of your suggested boarding time, the MDR will close at 1:30. After that, your options will be the International Cafe or the pool deck outlets and buffet. Room service is technically available, but good luck getting thru to them.

 

Funny story - we were just on a cruise to Alaska & had been in Las Vegas for a week before the cruise. When we left Vegas, we packed all the dirty clothes into our bag that we carried on to the ship so we could hit the laundry right after boarding. (The hotel we stayed at in Vegas didn't have laundry room). We had seen our cabin & met our steward. We then headed down to the laundry room (1 floor down & forward -- great location for us). Ran into our steward down there & he sure looked surprised to see us. I guess he thought we were lost!

We also did a land vacation before our last cruise. Since we were in a window suite, I packed up the dirties and sent them out on the first night. I like starting a cruise with everything clean and typically do the laundry at a hotel before boarding, but since we had laundry service, I thought I might as well get used to the perks.

I think that what the "EZ Air discount" is referring to is that there were some cruises offered as "Up to $300 off EZ Air." They are saying that these offers cannot be combined.

Those offers were interesting in that they truly were "up to." I looked at flights for the same cruise from my daughter's home airport and from mine. My daughter could have received a $100 discount, but I could not--same cruise, same cabin category, different departure airport, and my flight would have been more expensive.

SO, I think they are saying is that if you booked previously with the EZ Air discount or if that discount is still being offered on any cruises, you cannot combine it with the "3 for free." You CAN book the "3 for Free" and book EZ Air at the on line rates for your cruise. These rates can range from a significant discount from going thru the airlines to no discount at all.

On several ships, the suite breakfast has moved to the Crown Grill...but only the location is different. DO remember that you can order off menu--for instance, if you like the special french toast from the MDR, they will be able to make that for you even though only a "regular" french toast is on the suite breakfast menu.

Exactly as above--the "frequent cruiser" perks on DCL are significantly lower than what is available on other lines, have been decreased over the years, and are generally focused on things that cost DCL little or nothing.

As others have noted, we have found some activities full and been unable to book them after boarding, including things that could only be booked on board. But Palo has never been one of those things. We have always been able to add Palo on the first day. On some cruises we've been able to waitlist for a second Palo experience, both brunch and dinner. But in fairness, the brunch was on a trans-Atlantic cruise (fewer people, lots of sea days).

We've found the food quality at most buffets, including Disney character buffets on land, to be significantly lower than table service meals. In fairness, I thought the buffets at WDW were fine until my family outgrew character meals and we realized how much better the table services were. The food quality at Cabanas for dinner is far better than what we had in the MDRs on the same cruise, and better than any buffet on any cruise line that we've sailed.

If you don't like the fast food outlets, room service is another option. Their quality is usually decent.

And purchase the "Soda and More" package which permits unlimited mocktails. The package is currently $8.05; each mocktail is about $5.