Bon Voyage Dave (DMWNC1959)!!!

[dmwnc1959]

Dave,

 

The photos you have posted here and there on some of the other threads (the Gelato and the Royal skywalk photos are just gorgeous). Were they all taken with an IPHONE 5? I can't wait to see some of your upcoming ones!

 

The two close up images of the treats at Gelato HERE and HERE and the SeaWalk picture from other threads, and all of them that you've seen so far that were posted on this thread with the exception of some of the cruise ship pictures from the 17th Street Bridge pre-embarkation, where taken with my iPhone. There's a couple of new ones that I've posted over on the Royal Princess, a great ship thread that were taken with my regular camera.

 

I think the key is holding the iPhone very, very steady, gently tapping on the screen in several places as this will change the exposure until you find one that suits you, and then very, very lightly tapping on the shutter button on the screen. Some people tend to poke or jab at it, but I very lightly tap it. I'll also take several of the same thing just in case, and quickly check the detail of the picture by using the 'pinch and spread' method with your fingers to enlarge an area of interest. This also helps check to make sure it was in crisp focus.

 

Pre-sunrise off of St. Thomas with Norwegian Sun in the distance on the port bow

Edited December 22, 2013 by dmwnc1959

[dmwnc1959]

Been off the boards for a few days, so just got caught up on the live thread, including your final thoughts & comments.

 

It was fun reliving the Royal experience through your posts & photos. Couldn't help but notice the reprise of the Brownie Blast w/ Nutella sundae! :)

 

So now that you've had a positive experience on Princess - what's next on the cruise to do list?

 

I had two of the Brownie Blast sundaes with the Nutella gelato. Man, were they good!

 

As for what's next, I'm seriously contemplating a hiatus from cruising for two years then taking a B2B2B on Regal Princess in either Fall or Winter 2015 or Spring 2016 before the schools go on break. I'll have to wait and see for sure. ;)

[dmwnc1959]

Hi Everyone!

 

First of all, my apologies. It had been a year that my camera had literally sat in the closet unused, still in the camera bag, before I dug it out for this B2B cruise on Royal Princess. I had forgotten some of the manual settings available that you are suppose to use for indoors under different lighting, outside at different times of day, etc, etc., so some of the pictures may not look very good. Some of the pictures are also taken with my iPhone, so there is a large mix of both.

 

With that said, here is the first installment. There are exactly 525 pictures of the Royal Princess public areas, food I ate, ships I saw, ports and sea days from the first (rainy) week, and much more including many pictures from the Bridge Tour that I was privileged and honored to be able to attend.

 

Some of you that were on these cruises with me may notice that some of the pictures are 'out of order' or on 'the wrong day'. I tried to group the venues that I visited and ate at with the offerings that I had during the B2B, or that others that were there as well may have ordered (most notable at the Crab Shack and a few at Gelato). And if I forget anything from Week 1, I'll just go back and add it to the next set. ;)

 

I hope you enjoy them. I'll get to work tomorrow on the next set, which will be the rest of the public areas of Royal Princess, more sea day and port pictures from Week 2 (taken in better weather or at different locations), and of course more food pictures.

 

THANK YOU again for everything, for following along while I was aboard Royal Princess, and for all the incredibly kind words and personal support you've shown me along the way.

 

 

Royal Princess in pictures, Part 1

 

 

Royal Princess Bridge Tour

 

:D

[carib]

Dave, even though this is only part one, I am seeing so much that I didn't see before. Your close ups show intimate detail and that you miss just walking by. You didn't miss anything.

 

I have no idea when I will be on the Royal again or the Regal for that matter, but I know I will have some things to check out when I do.

 

Thanks for the great job.

[gnatz007]

Dave, thank you so much for the review and the amazing details. We are going on the February 16th Royal and I can hardly wait.

 

We need someone else to pick up the ball and post daily updates to keep us going until Feb.

 

I am also hoping they will play some Olympic events on the mega screen! That would be fun to watch.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Dave,

 

The photos are amazing! I am visiting stepdaughter and family in Columbus, OH over the holidays and she and I just signed up for an IPHONE class at the Apple Store. And I will try your tips about the camera...thanks!

 

One question...the glass in area showing Kate Middleton's dress and the various photos was definitely not there when we sailed. The photo of her with the flowers below it was there. There was an empty space directly across the hallway from it...is this where this is located?

Edited December 22, 2013 by sunsetbeachgal

[lynwar]

Hi

I just went through all your pictures, too. Fabulous! It seems so different seeing the venues in photos because a lot more is captured than in real time. That piazza area will always be so spectacular.

The outside shots were also magnificent. And, I was glad to see some of the Royal returning to port. I saw her come in last week, but this week I slept in! :D But, I've been to the webcam and seen her there, today. She will be leaving again in another hour or so, so we'll all be picking up the 12/22 "Live" thread now. It's like passing the baton.

 

Sunsetbeachgal, we have family in Dayton OH and friends in the Columbus area. I hope you enjoy your time there during the holidays.

 

Dave, I'm looking forward to your next set of photos. If I could keep them all in my own album, I would.

 

Take care. Lynne

[lernd]

Hi David,

 

Love the pictures and it makes me want to book another cruise on the Royal.

 

By chance is it possible for you to send me the picture that was taken in Crown Grill with Central Park as the background (December 8th cruise) to

d lerner 4 at yahoo dot com.

 

We too were delayed in our return trip to New Jersey; JetBlue cancelled our flight and we stayed over night in FtLauderdale at the Fairfield Inn and made a 6AM flight out on Monday.

 

Have a wonderful holiday.

 

Deanna

[carib]

. Your close ups show intimate detail and that you miss just walking by. You didn't miss anything.

 

 

 

Thanks for the great job.

Meant to say intricate. But I suppose you can get intimate with a lovely ship .:)

[LogansNini]

Hi Dave,

 

You truly have helped to make my first cruise so memorable and I feel honored to have sailed with you the week of December 1st. From the Everthing Royal thread through your wonderfully concise and positive 'live from' your kindness and generosity shines. You are truly one of the 'nice guys';)

 

Your final review was so well thought out and echos my sentiments exactly. Thank you again for all your hard work in taking over as host of our roll call. I really enjoyed the meet and greet (loved the name tags & saved mine for my album) , sail away, and Pub lunch with you and our fellow CC members. What a lovely group of people! Miss all you guys!!

 

I only wish I, too, had been able to stay aboard for week two. There were so many things I missed, but at least experienced them through your eyes.

 

For me, my week on the Royal was an amazing experience and I am 'hooked on cruising' for the rest of my life. The ambiance, the food, entertainment, and wonderful staff certainly did Princess proud.

 

I hope we cross paths on another cruise some day. I think I have convinced DH to give it a try. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year. :D

Edited December 23, 2013 by LogansNini

[TorontoTL]

Dave your photos are making me more excited for my upcoming cruise than our trip we leave for tomorrow for Fort Lauderdale to stay and visit with friend for Christmas.

[dmwnc1959]

Dave, even though this is only part one, I am seeing so much that I didn't see before. Your close ups show intimate detail and that you miss just walking by. You didn't miss anything.

 

Thanks for the great job.

 

I'm glad you've enjoyed the pictures so far. There's definitely more where that came from, and I hope to be able to get out the next set just after Christmas.

 

 

Dave,

 

One question...the glass in area showing Kate Middleton's dress and the various photos was definitely not there when we sailed. The photo of her with the flowers below it was there. There was an empty space directly across the hallway from it...is this where this is located?

 

That's exactly where it was. :D And good luck with the new iPhone. ;)

 

 

 

Dave, thank you so much for the review and the amazing details. We are going on the February 16th Royal and I can hardly wait.

 

I am also hoping they will play some Olympic events on the mega screen! That would be fun to watch.

 

I'm not sure if only NBC has the broadcast rights or not. They may play some of the Olympics, but since there are so many events being held at the same time they may have to pick and choose if they are allowed to re-broadcast.

[dmwnc1959]

Dave your photos are making me more excited for my upcoming cruise than our trip we leave for tomorrow for Fort Lauderdale to stay and visit with friend for Christmas.

 

I hope you get the chance to go down and see the Royal Princess leave port and hear the Love Boat horn in person. :D

 

 

Hi David,

 

By chance is it possible for you to send me the picture that was taken in Crown Grill with Central Park as the background (December 8th cruise) to

d lerner 4 at yahoo dot com.

 

Deanna

 

I don't have a scanner, so I'll see if I can get it to you some how.

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

You truly have helped to make my first cruise so memorable and I feel honored to have sailed with you the week of December 1st. From the Everthing Royal thread through your wonderfully concise and positive 'live from' your kindness and generosity shines. You are truly one of the 'nice guys';)

 

Your final review was so well thought out and echos my sentiments exactly. Thank you again for all your hard work in taking over as host of our roll call. I really enjoyed the meet and greet (loved the name tags & saved mine for my album) , sail away, and Pub lunch with you and our fellow CC members. What a lovely group of people! Miss all you guys!!

 

I only wish I, too, had been able to stay aboard for week two. There were so many things I missed, but at least experienced them through your eyes.

 

For me, my week on the Royal was an amazing experience and I am 'hooked on cruising' for the rest of my life. The ambiance, the food, entertainment, and wonderful staff certainly did Princess proud.

 

I hope we cross paths on another cruise some day. I think I have convinced DH to give it a try. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year. :D

 

Hi Linda,

 

THANKS for the kind words. It was fun, wasn't it! On Week 2 every time I passed by your old cabin I would say 'Hi Linda' even though you weren't even on the ship any more. I'm glad that we had the chance to meet, and that your first cruise was amazing. :D

[TorontoTL]

I hope you get the chance to go down and see the Royal Princess leave port and hear the Love Boat horn in person. :D

 

I plan to head down to Port Everglades or at least the bridge to check out the Royal Princess this week. However, I might leave hearing the Love Boat theme until I'm actually on the ship, I have to leave something for the cruise considering I've looked at every photo on the web that I could find so far.:D

[drakes2]

Do they play the entire theme song or just sound the horn? I used to love that show and always dreamed of becoming a millionaire so that I could take a cruise, it all sounded so exciting. Leaving on the Royal sailing on January 5th as my friend and I have had this planned for over a year now. Guess I'll spend New Years Day packing as we fly out to Fort Lauderdale on the 3rd. :)

I plan to head down to Port Everglades or at least the bridge to check out the Royal Princess this week. However, I might leave hearing the Love Boat theme until I'm actually on the ship, I have to leave something for the cruise considering I've looked at every photo on the web that I could find so far.:D

[Woobstr112G]

Do they play the entire theme song or just sound the horn? I used to love that show and always dreamed of becoming a millionaire so that I could take a cruise, it all sounded so exciting. Leaving on the Royal sailing on January 5th as my friend and I have had this planned for over a year now. Guess I'll spend New Years Day packing as we fly out to Fort Lauderdale on the 3rd. :)

 

 

 

When I was onboard, I heard the first two lines of the song as depicted in the above video; "Love exciting and new, Come aboard we're expecting you"....:):):)

 

Bob

[drakes2]

Thank you. My friend has never been on a cruise, in fact, she's never travelled much, and was literally in tears when I booked this cruise. :)

 

When I was onboard, I heard the first two lines of the song as depicted in the above video; "Love exciting and new, Come aboard we're expecting you"....:):):)

 

Bob

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thank you. My friend has never been on a cruise, in fact, she's never travelled much, and was literally in tears when I booked this cruise. :)

 

Then I expect she will be overwhelmed, to say the least! ;). The Royal Princess is absolutely a gorgeous ship! I hope you both have a great time!

[caribill]

One report of 2013 cruise ship innovations said "The cocktail craze hit the high seas in 2013, with Princess launching flair bartending (like Tom Cruise in the movie "Cocktail") on Royal Princess."

 

Dave or anybody else -- Did you see this while on the ship?

Edited December 23, 2013 by caribill

[jangor]

I have posted a review of my Dec 8-15 cruise on Royal Princess. Not nearly as comprehensive as Dave's and although I took many photos, I probably will not post since I think Dave's photos cover everything and I do not want to be redundant.

May I say that this is the first cruise for which I connected with CC. Since my first CC was with Dave and the "Everything" posters, I feel rather spoiled! I was uber excited and had to make myself calm down and look at the ship objectively. The result was that I was not disappointed and the few minuses were not enough for me to strike this ship off of my "future cruises" list.

It was lovely to meet Dave and to put faces to the other December 8th cruisers. Dave is a lovely gentleman, soft-spoken, generous (we already knew this because of the time he put into these threads, but also his kindness in sharing gifts he had received as prizes at out M&G), friendly, but not obnocious. I enjoyed the winemakers dinner with our small group and that I would occassionally meet Dave in the early morning, on the St. Thomas tram or at the water show, both of us with cameras in hand.

Anyway, here are my thoughts (but, believe me, just thoughts, not at all comprehensive)!

 

 

I firmly believe that every cruise is what you make it, which is not to say that every cruise is created equal. My husband and I just completed a seven day Caribbean Cruise on the Royal Princess, and I am more impressed than I expected to be but with some caveats.

 

Atrium: The atrium is obviously the central feature of this ship. It is absolutely beautiful. It follows the general design of other Princess ships, but with more space, more glitter and more choices. There is more seating and much of the entertainment happens here. Ray Coussins played here, there was jazz music, Latin music, line dancing and fruit carving just a few of the many offerings here.

 

Room: We had a mini-suite, which we found to be slightly smaller, but better designed than on other Princess ships. We had plenty of storage. Two TV’s were flat screens on the wall. It had a desk/vanity area without the rounded TV/storage area that butts into the room on the other Princess ships. A curtain could be used to divide the room in the case that one of you were a night owl/early bird who wanted to disturb the other as little as possible. And you do NOT have to be a contortionist to reach the toilet paper. It is not at the most convenient location, but really! Some posters have made this non-issue into a reason to avoid the entire ship!

 

Unfortunately, the balcony is very narrow. We book a mini-suite, in part because of my husband’s claustrophobia, but also because we enjoy stretching out in our bathing suits without the scrutiny of the entire ship. Unfortunately two people cannot stretch out on these balconies. The interesting thing is that footstools and reclining chairs are provided for both when it had to be obvious to Princess that they could not be used simultaneously. It is my ONLY serious complaint about this ship. We participated in a Cabin Crawl, which allowed us to visit several other cabins. If booking an interior, opt for the sideways interior, which has more room and a comfortable layout. If booking a mini-suite, consider the deluxe balcony for less money, but not much less room (although the bathroom is smaller). If we sail Royal/Regal, I would definitely consider this choice over mini-suite. Owners suite is lovely, but again smaller than OS on some other Princess ships. However, Royal has added the special feature of a Concierge Lounge for Suite occupants. They will make reservations, provide light snacks and a dedicated staff member to answer questions and give general information.

 

Food: Food is always a subjective item on any cruise. In fact, even my husband and I disagree about some of the food. I am not a big fan of the Horizon Court/Bistro, although the selection on the Royal was outstanding and the seating was great. You could be in the Court, the Bistro or aft open seating. Recommend that you do a walkthrough on your first visit to Horizon before choosing seating or food. I consider Horizon to be “cafeteria food”, but my husband loves that he can have so many choices, a little of this and a little of that. Certainly the fruit is fresh and food is warm to hot. And I did enjoy building my own burrito! We only did MDR once and we were pleased with the choices and quality of food. We LOVED Alfredo’s. I repeat, we LOVED Alfredo’s!! International Café was great for a light, quick meal., as well as coffee and dessert. We did the Winemaker’s Dinner, which I HIGHLY recommend. Well worth the extra cost! We have done Sabatini’s and Crown Grill on previous cruises, but not on this cruise, so I cannot comment. We had pizza at Prego’s, burgers at the Trident Grill and found them to be satisfactory. We had seafood at ocean terrace.Each venue offers different food and different levels of cuisine. Do not expect first class dining at Horizon Court and if you pay an extra fee, you should expect something better than the MDR. We also did Royal Tea, which was very nice, but I actually prefer Afternoon Tea as done on other Princess ships. The bottom line is that you try as many venues as possible and it is impossible to try every venue on this ship with just a one week cruise!

 

Excursions: My general rule is to use Princess for ports I have not visited before and look for deals in places I am familiar with. In this case we visited Princess Cays, St. Thomas and St. Marteen.. We have been to Princess Cays before, but this time I wanted to take out a kayak. I have kayaked and canoed for years, but never in the ocean. I loved it. Obviously it is harder than on a river or lake, but it was glorious. There are lifeguards on jet skis monitoring those on the water (fortunately I did not need their assistance), but it makes you feel very safe and aware that help is available if you should run into trouble. In St. Thomas we took a tour to scenic spots and a tram to a viewing area above the port. Personally, I felt this was a waste of money, since the main purpose was to steer you through gift shops. If I were to redo this port, I would walk across to the tram, ride it up for the great views and do some shopping near the ship. Our excursion in St. Martin/Marteen was absolutely worth it. We had a bus ride through Dutch St. Martin, a cruise from Dutch St. Martin to French St. Marteen which was enormously entertaining and scenic. Some shopping and bus back to the ship completed the excursion.

 

Promenade: I have very mixed feelings about this. I am a walker. I did walk on deck 17 and that was fine in terms of getting my exercise in. However, it can be very windy and, at times the soot was a problem. I also like to be close to the water and I could do that on the “Promenade” deck. But I could not do both on the same deck. Well, okay. But there is something very romantic and very “cruisey” about dressing up, having dinner and then “promenading” that was definitely missing here. And that makes me a little sad.

 

Gym: Lots of choices. Visited three times and was not busy. Staff is very willing to advise, explain. At times the location of the Fitness Center became a thoroughfare for those who couldn’t figure out how to get to the Teen Center or other aft areas, but this was not often enough to be a distraction.

 

Lotus Spa: Had a manicure/pedicure as I always do. Great service. My nails looked great. A little pricey, yes, but it is my one cruise splurge just for me! Did a walk-through of Enclave and was sorry I had not signed up for this. It looked so luxurious!

 

Princess Theater: Loved, loved the Beatlemaniacs. Hope they return for future cruises. Also saw Colors of the World. Very lovely show with beautiful costumes and music. Arrived 20 minutes before each show and had no problem finding seats. However, as others have mentioned, there are no tables for drinks (so drink before or after) and no far side aisles.

 

Casino: A bit tight, but easy to maneuver. Never had problems with smoking (confined to one side away from staircase). Let’s face it, a casino’s purpose is to generate income, so don’t expect many wins (but, of course, hope springs eternal)!

 

Crooners, Bellini’s, Wheelhouse Bar, Seaview Bar: Got great service at each.

 

Seawalk: I realize that I may be in a minority, but I loved this feature. I have no fear of heights and no interest in looking at others on their balcony (in fact tiered balconies on Grand Class are more intrusive than this is) I was fascinated by this ability to be suspended above the ocean, above the lower levels of the ship. I think I walked across at least half a dozen times at various times of the day or evening. But, I admit, I may be in the minority here. Be aware, however, that it does get wet at times, so enjoy, but do not be uncautious!

 

Pools: I am not a pool person, but enjoyed sitting out in the sun. There were only a few people in the pool when I was there, but admittedly, I did not spend much time there.

 

Water shows: Very entertaining, but I agree that this could be reduced in size and still be a very entertaining venue. Also needs to be utilized more during the day.

 

We traveled without children, so I cannot comment except to say that a peek through the windows of teen and children centers indicated well-designed and multi-use venues.

 

Only did a walk-through of Sanctuary and Retreat. Again, I am not a big pool person. Four of the six cabanas were being used when I went through.

 

The Art: Oh my goodness, the art. Not the art of the Auction, but the art throughout the ship. Photos by previous Princess passengers. Works by Wyland. Art on every stair landing; outside each venue, in unexpected nooks and crannies. Just wonderful!

 

Elevators: Beyond embarkation and post muster, I never had an elevator problem. I think that in seven days, I twice had to let an elevator go by because it was full. Sometimes the co-ordination was a bit off, but nothing beyond what I have experienced on cruise ships including other Princess and other non-Princess ships (not mentioning any names here, Celebrity).

 

Finally, a cruise is what you make it and I thank Dave, Roxanne, John, Tommy, Stacey, Gary, Bob, Jackie and Paul for everything you added to this cruise.

 

I could go on and on and on. Would I sail Royal again? Yes! Is it my favorite ship? No, but maybe, I haven’t found my favorite yet. I’ll just have to keep on crusin’!

Edited December 23, 2013 by jangor

[caribill]

We also did Royal Tea, which was very nice, but I actually prefer Afternoon Tea as done on other Princess ships.

 

Is the regular afternoon tea in a dining room also offered or just the extra cost Royal Tea?

[Mom33]

Thanks for your review jangor. I saw the pictures that Dave posted with the views from the seawalk. I look forward to experiencing the seawalk. Glad you enjoyed the cruise and had a chance to meet Dave. :D

[Solara]

Is the regular afternoon tea in a dining room also offered or just the extra cost Royal Tea?

Yes the regular afternoon tea is still served in the dining room everyday. Edited December 24, 2013 by Solara

[fielddreamer]

We just got off on Sunday and I got home late Sunday night in Las Vegas. I am just going to touch on a few points since there are a lot of reviews already with many personal opinions .

 

Embarkation: It was to say a "Royal" mess . I have now been on 3 Princess crusies and this was the worst yet. We arrived at 10:15 to be able to be in group one boarding. We lined up outside with the regular passengers and next to the Elite & Plat. passengers. They opened the doors to the terminal about 10:30 and left the Elite in first. That was fine until we all noticed that they where also bringing others with them . Not only family and friends but just plain regular people also. We got in about 11:00 and want right to group one area and sat down. By 12:00 they stopped not only the Elite groups from going on but had a terminal full of people. The elite line most have had 200 to 300 lined up also. By 12:15 you could not move in the terminal and it began to fall apart. People started to get up from all the gruop areas and go to the door to get to the ship. At first no one was checking group #'s so people were getting through. They finally realized what had happened and they stopped the crowd. They made a mike announcement to tell everything want was going which was the first time in 2 hrs. We happened to make up front and got through the mess first. Passengers had a lot to say once they were on but the officers know what had happened and had a meeting. They really need to address the system they have which is terrible and take a look how the other lines do it ! So be ready!

 

Cabin: It was fine for us since we did have a 42" television . I can live with the balcony and the paper holder was a non- issue . We did have a air flow problem once in a while for some reason. The layout was fine and I was quiet pleased with the cabin.

 

Food and Dinning: The food was great and my dinning room staff was the best I have ever had. We ate in the Crown Grill and it was everything I wanted in a meal . We ate in Sabatinies and they change to dinner from 7 course meals to al la carte . I would rather have it the old way but the food was good. The only problem is that it took 3 hrs. and 20 min. to eat.We sat 55 mins. between two servings. The coke was flat the whole week for some reason. I wish they had pre- sailing reservation dinning site and would save a lot of time.

 

Enclave: All I will say it was worth the $320 for us the whole week. We used it twice a day.

 

Theme night: They have a " Latin Night " on Thursday night at the top deck pool area. They started out we a D.J. playing Latin music which was great and after 3 songs he stopped and this top 40 band took over and played old and new top 40 songs the whole night. Most of the crowd left and maybe 30 people were dancing . The show dancers came out and did one dance and left. There was no food or anything else to add flavor to the theme night like other cruise lines. The really need to learn how to do theme nights !

 

These are just a few items I wanted to mention and give my thoughts. We had great weather and a good time . I have at least 500 photos of the cruise so if you have any question please ask . This ship is different and I saw many good things about it but I am not sure if I would sail her again or the Regal next year!

[dmwnc1959]

I have posted a review of my Dec 8-15 cruise on Royal Princess...

 

Wonderfully detailed review!!! It was indeed a pleasure meeting you and Greg. :D

 

I saw both the 'regular' afternoon tea in the Symphony MDR and the Royal Afternoon Tea held outside of Vines (on the elevated glassed in podium behind the piano) during the week prior to your embarkation and asked them what the difference was.

 

The regular version involved several waiters walking around with large platters of small finger sandwiches etc. and pots of standard brewed tea that came from a very large stainless container, and everyone was seated in masse at the large tables in the MDR. It was more like a gathering than it was a true social event, and the noise level got a little high with all those in that section of the MDR talking at once.

 

The Royal version was by far a lot more intimate, seating was at small tables and couches for 2 or 4 people, and had a much higher quality of larger finger sandwiches and scones served on a tiered display with each table (usually just two people) getting their own individual assortment of tiered goodies, as well as three different types of herbal and specially brewed teas. This was served by one or two dedicated waiters and a hostess (Carmen) that gave details during the event. Each guest was given a ribbon-tied scroll of the event.

 

Both offered unlimited refills of sandwiches and beverages if desired. Either one would be fine depending on whether it would be worth it for someone to pay the $10 for the enhanced version and how many people you wanted to socialize with during tea.