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big al

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About Me

  • Interests
    cruising,60's-70's music,sports
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    RCI, NCL, Disney
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    caribbean

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3,000+ Club

3,000+ Club (3/15)

  1. JIMESOPUS..thanks for that..I hope you post your thoughts on the Aqua cruise TA..I am really looking forward to see what improvements NCL made on the Aqua vs. Viva & Prima..lots of complaints here on CC as well as the YouTube cruise bloggers..all said the ship was nice, great food, great shows, but so many of the public spaces were too small & too crowded... Big Al
  2. Thanks..other Lagunitas, pretty bad list..I don't like Heineken..Enchanted, Regal & Crown Princess were all pretty boring...
  3. Hi guys & gals..my DW & I are booked on the new NCL Aqua 4/16/25 for a 5 nighter out of Miami..looking forward to celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary on her...here's the mystery: the Aqua is leaving Southampton in the UK on 3/28/25 and arrives in Boston on 4/4/25..there's NO info on how she gets to Miami on 4/16/25 for that 1st cruise in Florida..I thought maybe a "crew cruise" ?...Is the Aqua sold out from 4/4 to 4/16? How does she get from Boston to Miami? If anybody knows, OR can find out while you are on an NCL ship now or in the future, please post..I figure either someone in "Cruises Next" or an officer ( maybe at your Meet & Greet! ) might know...thanks! Big Al
  4. Hi guys & gals- I am an admitted & proud beer snob...I like draft beers over bottled/ canned beers and have found that about 80-85% of cruise ships ( I have been on 45 cruises including 7 cruise lines..) have lousy beers on draft EXCEPT the Breakaway Plus ships on NCL, who have a place called "The District Brewhouse", where they have between 25-27 draft beers on tap..another 75 in bottles..it's Beer Heaven for a guy like me...for those who have either just cruised the new Sun Princess, OR are going soon on her, can you please post what draft beers you see on the ship & where you found them..hopefully, at least O'Malley's fight have some...the Sun Princess looks super...thanks! Big Al
  5. Hi Deborah...Sounds great...we are going to Curacao Dec.4th '24...do you have an e-mail you can post? I sent one yesterday ( I think it was "restaurants@avilahotels com"?)..DW & I like not too crowded..also does Avila have: food & drinks, pool, hot tub (? ) and shade? Thanks so much! Big Al
  6. I had Playmakers on the Mariner a few times..love it too..great food!
  7. Hi all... I have just booked the Independence Of The Seas for next Feb 2025 for a 5 nighter to Cozumel & Grand Cayman..DW & I are Diamond, plus a total of 45 cruises on 7 cruise lines to date...BUT, we haven't cruised the IOS- We did the Liberty in 2012, Freedom in 2006, so it's been a while since we cruised the Freedom class ships..a few questions for those who have recently sailed the IOS: 1) I know "Grease" is the main show..what time are the shows at night? Memory tells me something like 7 & 9 pm? Is it still like 2 hours long? OR is there only one show per night due to it's length? 2) Is there still the lobster tail night? Usually it's the 2nd to last night on a cruise..remember, this a a 5 night cruise... 3) Are they still doing the 70's disco party in the Royal Promenade late at night ( 11 pm? ) 4) Where is Karaoke done and what time? Star Lounge? Thanks for responding!! Big Al
  8. What a great review of the excursions on the Escape & the food wilmingtech !!!! I was glad to help out regarding the yummy Monte Cristo sandwich in Taste, lol..and YES, I agree the best was at Bennigan's, where I ate it there for 20 years before they folded...BTW, Cheddars has a pretty good one if you have one near you... Some thoughts & observations: I don't know if anybody else experienced this, but I thought the noises in the cabin were waaayyy too loud..our cabin ( deck 10 near the elevators ) made so many creaky sounds due to the high winds & waves that myself & my SIL had trouble sleeping...my wife can sleep thru a Cat 5 storm ( I hate her for this!! 😉 ) but I am a difficult sleeper...I thought Choir Of Man was sensational, on par with Hairspray & We Will Rock You ( both on RCI), and I thought the 4 guys from the UK Legends group were also very good..didn't think too much of the French magician, although his tricks were pretty good, his comedy not so much.. I thought the crew & staff were very friendly , and I thought Jack, the CD from England was good ( DW thought he was very good looking..)....our 4 dinners in specialty dining were all fabulous except Moderno, which was good, but probably won't eat there again..Bayamo, Cagney's & Le Bistro were all super..MDR food was pretty mediocre, like 95% of all MDR food I've had on my 46 cruises..IMO, Celebrity & Disney had the best MDR food so far.. The District Brew House had great beers and I loved the Abita Amber Ale on draft..and while we are talking about the DBH, I want to thank Crystal & hubby for putting the M & G together..I thought it was terrific and I enjoyed meeting so many of you... I really missed the Observation Lounge on the Encore & the Joy ( April '23..) that The Escape doesn't have.....we visited that venue almost daily for killer views, relaxing & sipping a coffee.. and I missed the Beatles's shows on both..the bread for dinner was pretty bad we thought and much better on the Joy & Encore...we also thought the ship rocking was a bit much..waves were not that high..maybe 10-15 ft..I had read on other reviews that some thought the Escape had some stabilization issues...did your cabin shake & vibrate 4-5 x during the cruise? Wow, I never felt that on any ship in my 46 cruises... Those are some of my thoughts & impressions of the Escape & the cruise itself...we may try the NCL Aqua when she comes out in 2025..we are doing the new Celebrity Ascent in Nov. '24 next..everybody have a safe & Happy Holidays time!! Big Al
  9. Hi guys & gals...I am considering a cruise on either the Beyond or Ascent..as a self admitted beer snob, I was wondering if anybody knew what DRAFT beers were on these ships? I suspect the Craft Social Bar has the best selection? I don't expect 28 draft beers like I just had on the NCL Escape in the District Brew House ( just got off yesterday..), but 4-5 would be fine ( please no Heineken or Bud Light!!..)...thanks!! Big Al
  10. Hi all- we are going on the Escape this Saturday, the 9th...we have a club balcony..2 questions here: ..1) Do you need an expired card/ old store card for the A/C to work? Or does the cabin steward provide one?..and 2) Is there shampoo & conditioner in the showers. or maybe just one of these? Thanks!!
  11. On the Joy we dined outside over looking the sunset & sea in Le Bistro..always a fav....it was marvelous! I had the escargots ( always have that at Le Bistro!! ), Dover Sole was fantastic...I knew it is not on the Waterfront on the Escape, but that's alright!!
  12. Great review & thanks for posting all this..we leave next Sat, 12/9..first time on Escape..been on the Encore, Joy & Getaway lately..so glad you posted the info about dinner reservations because I made all mine in August, but somehow, they never registered, so an NCL rep told me "no problem" that only about 30% of dining on line can be reserved, so I can go to Guest Services as soon as we get on board ( 4 of us..) & book what we want..I hope it works! Big Al
  13. Hi all..my DW & I are planning to cruise the Disney Wish next April ( late to avoid Spring Breakers, lol..) or early May on a 4 nighter..a few questions here..1) I have seen several videos of the dining venues and didn't see any tables for 2..my wife & I prefer dining alone at table for 2..are there any on the Wish? Yes, I know tables for 2 are NOT guaranteed, just requested ( we have been on 45 total cruises, this would be our 3rd on Disney..)....2) What times available for dining? Is it still 5:45 & 8 pm?....3) What times are the main theater shows? I would guess maybe 7 & 9 pm? ....3) I remember purchasing a large beer glass that must be 24 ounces or more ( maybe 20 oz..) and they said if you buy the glass, you could have it filled for the same price as a 12 or 16 oz glass and carry it with you around the ship..good deal, though I thought carrying this huge beer glass was a little inconvenient ... 4) I have read some people say that Castaway Cay is becoming "run down" and needs some refurbishment..we went to the adult Serenity Beach always..opinions? Thanks for your input.. Big Al
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