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Quantum- Semi Live, Family Perspective

Peewee14

By Peewee14,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Guest maddycat

Guest maddycat

Posted
Posted
I imagine the Anthem with Joff Eaton on board is going to rock! That guy is great! :D

 

I'm so glad that you mentioned that Joff Eaton will be the cruise director on the Anthem. I hope that you are correct. I saw a youtube video with him. He's an absolute riot.

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F27TW

F27TW

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Everything in there is extra!

 

Although I have a really good morning smile and the server usually gives me a free coffee for some reason think he likes me :D, either that or he assumes I am on a package, just in here now actually its very quiet, you could spend a fortune in here though, the individual choices are a dollar each and me and Diana did a plate of 15 yesterday morning in about 2 minutes. (but don't tell mummy)

 

What a cool Daddy you are ... its sweet how u enjoy treating ur little girl to all the goodies!

 

Loving your review .. can't believe how different Quantum looks from all the other RC ships ... different décor, venue names, etc .. wasn't expecting that.

 

Keep up the great writing, enjoy the rest of the cruise .. and welcome to New York .... really hope u all enjoy it here!

 

BTW ... I assume you are flying back ?

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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Its Sunday morning 9.30 am ships time and once again I find myself in 270 enjoying breakfast with my little monster, while Michaela does a little bit of organising in the room.

 

I am sorry about the lack of an update yesterday, the ship was rolling badly all Friday night and we got no sleep at all, and yesterday again it was bad and I just couldn’t face sitting down in front of the computer typing.

 

 

Just to pick up where I left off I think we were up to Friday Afternoon.

 

Diana had another great session in Kids club and we decided that we would try for the Grande and get dressed up, Diana had brought her Elsa Dress and was desperate to wear it, I had brought my Tux but stupidly forgot my bow tie so just ended up wearing a suit.

 

the three of us, unfortunately we don't seem to have one together, must try to get one later!

 

IMG_0258_zpse7a416b5.jpg

 

Not looking to impressed in this one

 

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I am having fun honest!!

 

IMG_0260_zps3dd1b4d7.jpg

 

We didn’t have a reservation for the Grande so I tried to make one, could not do it on the app, could not get through to the restauaurant on the phone and spent 10 mins on hold with guest services to try and get through to no avail so we decided to just risk it and turn up.

 

We arrived about 6pm for dinner and got a table no problem sat at a table for 4.

 

This is where the review gets a little difficult, I have enjoyed the dining so far on this ship and was looking forward to the Grande as we do usually enjoy formal nights so much. I also hate coming here to report on negative things, knowing so many of you are reading this looking forward to your holiday! But I have to be honest with the review or whats the point of it.

 

The Grande to me was anything but, very disappointed.

I found the service and attentiveness far superior in American Icon.

 

The kids Menu has disappeared since the first night, the items are available but it hasn’t been printed off like it was the night after the problem, this has been of no concern as we have still ordered off it.

 

IMG_0262_zps2480576f.jpg

 

IMG_0262_zps2480576f.jpg

 

On sitting down in the Grande and enquiring we were told no kids Menu (here we go again I thought) only smaller portions off the main menu, I explained to our waiter we had been assured that kids menu items available in all restaurants’, he went off to check and came back and said No kids menu, I asked him to please go and double check as we had been assured there would. He came back and said, ok we have chicken fingers, but cant do the veggie sticks. This went on for about 2 or 3 trips with him running back and forth and eventually I just said that it was fine, but he and his head waiter better be 100% sure as in the morning I would be calling Caitlin the F&B director to ask why his promise had been broken, the waiter scurried off, and what do you know 5 minutes later we had veggie sticks and chicken tenders on order!

 

Here is the Menu

 

I had the Escargot which was delicicous and a lot bigger than the last we cruised on Indy, only problem with bigger Escargot is they take up more room in the dish so you get less garlic sauce to dip your bread in, but I suppose you cant have everything, well maybe I suppose you could have bigger bowls. Or just order 2 portions.

 

On that subject I know its been asked but numerous portions of any course in any restaurant is not a problem

 

I ordered the Lobster for Main and Michaela the Lamb Shank.

 

I am sorry but the lobster was awful, I cant honestly remember the last time I had to spit something back out onto my plate it tasted so bad, and it left a horrible taste in my mouth, of course it was taken away and I was apologized to and asked if I wanted anything else, but you know who it is sometimes when you have something bad it just puts you off the rest of the meal, Michaela said the lamb wasn’t great either.

 

So guys, I am sorry to report that although we managed to get in with no reservation it was our worst dining experience so far. For both food quality and friendly service. I should also point out here for anyone interested the dress code is not enforced I was personally disappointed to see people allowed in with polo type shirts on with no jacket and no tie.

 

The rest of the night though we had a great time, went down to the music hall and had a little dance with Diana and then we spent some time on the Esplanade where Shrek and Fiona made an appearance and Diana who had realized Fiona had the same dress on was desperate for a hug and a picture taken, along with her new best Friend Maisey.

 

IMG_0271_zps43c9167e.jpg

 

At this point I must also apologise to anyone who was on deck 4 on Friday night, if you saw a crazy person tearing down deck 4 towards the back of the ship, the 2 girls decided it would be fun to run off and laughing hysterically ran down the entire length of deck 4 towards the restaurants’ with me shouting and chasing after them almost knocking people over, then to my horror they reached American Icon and disappeared through the door into the venue!! I had to chase them through the restaurant and eventually caught them as they crashed into a table, I left after making numerous apologies to all the guests eating!

 

I must admit it was funny though

 

We got some drinks for the room and retired for the evening, the weather soon went bad during the night and once again our cabin was terrible, Michaela was quite upset at one point and a little afraid with all the banging and waves coming over the window, even on deck 8! So we had a poor nights sleep and Saturday morning was just as bad.

 

However on checking our online account we found the $192 for the internet had been refunded, it seems everyone had been refunded for the internet.

 

I left Michaela in Bed Saturday morning as she was feeling dreadful and I took Diana down for breakfast, the ship was rolling bad again and it was quite tedious, but we made the best of it, we had a good breakfast at 270 and then just kept to the lower decks mainly in the la patisserie where we feasted on chocolate and cakes for most of the morning! Michaela came down to find us at lunch time and we swapped over, I was now Exhausted and needed a sleep so Michaela took Diana to kids club while I went for a Nap and then she then went to the spa for a massage, which she really enjoyed, the $40 auto gratuity though for a 1 hour treatment stinks though if you ask me.

 

With the ship still rocking and rolling a bit I expected a call from Adventure Ocean saying she was sick, but she had a great time and came back with her face painted again, we got dressed for dinner and headed downstairs.

 

We had decided on American Icon again tonight (Saturday) its become our favorite place to eat, just to summarise the dining venues quickly in our opinion.

 

American Icon best service and quick service without being rushed, one to book if you have a show following dinner, good food, desserts not brilliant!

 

Silk, the best food by far, and excellent service , just takes quite a bit longer for dinner

 

Chic, good food, good service just not a very memorable place.

 

Grande (as above)

 

I have mentioned Daniel before, the manager at American Icon who has been superb, and for any families reading this I would suggest you go to him if you have any problems, and even maybe make yourself known to him and explain you will be dining off the kids menu throughout your holiday, I am sure he will look after you.

 

We had 2 starters each tonight, Yankee franks, chowder , wings and salad all excellent, Michaela had the Salmon for the third time now, she says its excellent! And I had the Steak which was good. Diana had veggie sticks and chicken and fries.

 

We were seated next to a great couple from New Jersey who were showing Diana pictures of their donkeys, a very enjoyable meal.

 

Diana asked for Strawberry ice cream, which his her favorite but they don’t have any, about 10 mins later Daniel came back to us with vanilla ice cream, and he had managed to find some strawberry sauce from somewhere and mixed the 2 to make strawberry ice cream! Very happy little girl!

 

We left and bumped into Maisy and her dad on the Esplanade and we all headed down to the music hall together for some dancing, we had a great time last night, the band was brilliant and then they started some karaoke , I have to ay I think Americans are great, this is the first cruise we have done with mainly American guests and the enthusiasm they have for everything is infectious.

 

All the shows had been cancelled due to movement and all the events including ifly etc had been cancelled all day, so not a great day really. That’s been the story of the cruise though, the weather and the rough seas. I would love to do this ship again in calmer waters.

 

The Music Hall got busier with adults so we decided to head off and let them enjoy their night without having to kids running around so we went and chilled on deck 4 to let the girls watch the ipad for a while, a lovley waitress from la Patisserie gave them a box of treats as a present!

 

Retired back to the room

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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We have just honoured a minutes Silence in 270 for remembrance Sunday,

 

The snowball bingo jackpot of around $5000 seems to be the topic of conversation this morning, so think we will give that a go later, going to try and make Starwater later which I believe is excellent.

 

This will probably be my last update on board I imagine, however I hate it when i read a review that was left unfinished so I will be back to finish it off from our hotel with my conclusions and final thoughts

 

We are booked in the Double tree Hilton in Times Square for 6 nights and I can't wait to see New York, I have booked us a Stretch Limo to pick us up at the port tomorrow and I can't wait to see Michaela and Dianas Face when they see it.

 

So see you soon everyone, thank you so much for following along

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Peewee14

Peewee14

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What a cool Daddy you are ... its sweet how u enjoy treating ur little girl to all the goodies!

 

Loving your review .. can't believe how different Quantum looks from all the other RC ships ... different décor, venue names, etc .. wasn't expecting that.

 

Keep up the great writing, enjoy the rest of the cruise .. and welcome to New York .... really hope u all enjoy it here!

 

BTW ... I assume you are flying back ?

 

Thanks for your reply,

 

yes we fly back on Sunday so we have 6 nights in NY, to be honest this holiday was about new York and not the cruise really, we have always wanted to see NY and this seemed like an excellent way of getting here!

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iheartbda

iheartbda

Posted
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Your review has been absolutely delightful! Your attitude and how you dealt with some negatives should be a lesson to everyone......you get back what you put in.:)

 

So disappointed to hear about the dress at Grande. It's just perplexing me no end why someone wants to eat there and not dress formally when there are so many other places to eat, unless, of course, if Royal now considers a polo shirt formal. GRRRRRR

 

Michaela is a stunner and puts me in mind of one of your royals.;) Diana couldn't be any cuter and you're not so bad yourself.:D

 

It's a pity that we can't all go along with you on your New York adventure.:( Times Square reminds me a bit of Picadilly Circus. If you're looking for some great Italian food, try Carmine's, a few blocks from TS on 44th St. City Sights open decker bus hoho also includes a boat ride around the harbor.

Edited by iheartbda
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nextcruiseis

nextcruiseis

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Very much enjoyed your review. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences on this sailing.

You will have a great time in NYC. Hope your plans include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and a visit to the American Museum of Natural History.

There's also a children's musical theatre production that your daughter might enjoy. http://www.timeout.com/new-york-kids/things-to-do/the-amazing-adventures-of-harvey-and-the-princess

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BearsAhoy

BearsAhoy

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Thanks for this review! I'm stunned that there was no kids menu, but good on Royal for being so responsive. With two young children - one of whom is unbelievably fickle about food - I know how this can make or break a vacation for a family.

 

On Indy, although AO groups are separated by age, the rooms are adjoining. Is this how it is on Quantum, too? And do you have to walk through a video arcade to get there? Is there a splash pad, etc., for kids?

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BearsAhoy

BearsAhoy

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Good Afternoon!

 

 

 

 

 

Another point I will write about here briefly is her Pram/buggy/stroller what ever you want to call it.

 

 

 

She got fed up of her buggy about 18 months ago at home would never go in it, so eventually we got rid of it.

 

 

 

On our recent cruise in august on the Indy we do badly missed it. Even though she is nearly 4 some nights we knew if we had one with us she would have been quite happy being pushed around, but trying to get her to walk a lot around the ship and in ports was just a disaster some days.

 

 

 

So with this trip to New York planned and no doubt a lot of walking both in New York and around the ship I researched into getting her a buggy, we decided on a Mountain Buggy Nano after reading some reviews its very small when folded and has a good weight limit for older kids. Its been a god send. She is more than happy being pushed around in it on the ship, we can store all her junk under it (including big packet Weetabix) and when she gets tired and cranky in the evening she will just sit and relax in it while we can still enjoy the ship and not have to take her straight to bed.

 

 

 

I am also sure in New York for 6 days it will be even more useful. So my advice to anyone with children a similar age even if you think your child has outgrown one , you might find one useful on a cruise! I am sure people look at us and think she is too old to be in one, but its only while on holiday and it makes things so much easier and relaxing. In August on Indy we actually missed seeing a port properly because she was too hot and wouldn’t walk when we got off the ship, if we had it then I am sure an enjoyable day would have been spent in Ibiza rather than a huge battle on the dock before heading back on the ship!

 

 

I have to agree! My youngest turned four during our Indy transatlantic last autumn; before the cruise, we visited family in Germany, then took the Eurostar to London and had a few days there (I lived there as a postgrad, so I had a long list of things we simply had to do!). I usually travel with a Bugaboo, but had a Loola for this trip. We didn't use it at all on the ship, though given the little guy's tendency to fall asleep during shows and the long walk back to our aft cabin, we probably should have! It was indispensable for ports, though. I used my Maclaren Starck for our Alaska cruise, which again was useful for ports. He just had his fifth birthday, and I won't be surprised if we need one for our Panama Canal cruise in the spring.

 

I've heard the nano is great for travel. What do you think?

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uromac

uromac

Posted
Posted

Thanks for your great trip report as we are sailing on the Quantum in December!!

 

FYI, if you are thinking of seeing a show on Broadway - definitely checkout Broadwaybox.com for show discounts in advance, as it might be slightly easier than waiting on line outside at TKTS in the cold!! (although some might not be 1/2 price). BTW, if you do go to TKTS in Times Square definitely stop by 'Toys R Us' and the Disney Store with your darling daughter!!

 

Melissa :)

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Darkingnj

Darkingnj

Posted
Posted
We have just honoured a minutes Silence in 270 for remembrance Sunday,

 

The snowball bingo jackpot of around $5000 seems to be the topic of conversation this morning, so think we will give that a go later, going to try and make Starwater later which I believe is excellent.

 

This will probably be my last update on board I imagine, however I hate it when i read a review that was left unfinished so I will be back to finish it off from our hotel with my conclusions and final thoughts

 

We are booked in the Double tree Hilton in Times Square for 6 nights and I can't wait to see New York, I have booked us a Stretch Limo to pick us up at the port tomorrow and I can't wait to see Michaela and Dianas Face when they see it.

 

So see you soon everyone, thank you so much for following along

 

Thanks for the wonderful review, looking forward to our three day cruise on the 18th.

 

I recommend that you take your daughter to the "American Girl Place", located on 5th ave and 49th streets.

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gaylemh

gaylemh

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Thanks for the wonderful review, looking forward to our three day cruise on the 18th.

 

I recommend that you take your daughter to the "American Girl Place", located on 5th ave and 49th streets.

 

I second the "American Girl Place", but be prepared to spend $$$. Your daughter will want everything.

 

My girls had the dolls when they first came out 30 years ago, and they still put them on display at Christmas time.

 

http://www.americangirl.com/stores/location_ny.php

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psupa

psupa

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This will probably be my last update on board I imagine, however I hate it when i read a review that was left unfinished so I will be back to finish it off from our hotel with my conclusions and final thoughts

 

We are booked in the Double tree Hilton in Times Square for 6 nights and I can't wait to see New York, I have booked us a Stretch Limo to pick us up at the port tomorrow and I can't wait to see Michaela and Dianas Face when they see it.

 

So see you soon everyone, thank you so much for following along

 

Thank you for taking us along and enjoyed reading your review and love the pics. Disappointed to hear about the Grande Restaurant and the dress code not being enforced. They need to either enforce it or make it casual. Enjoy your time in NY City.

 

Theresa

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