Just off Brilliance X-mas cruise

[ksuds]

We just got off the BOS Christmas cruise. I must say it was very nice. There were just under 400 kids. I had actually thought there would be more. I don't do big reviews, but if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Boarding time- we got to the port early that day and were excited that they were able to board early at 10:25.

 

Upon boarding, we hadn't even gotten to the elevators and were mobbed by bar staff trying to sell drink packages. As some of you might have read, the person that sells the package now gets the 18% gratuity. This really creates problems because essentially, the guys the get to sell the packages on deck 5 where you walk through the doors gets to cherry pick. The bartenders that are stuck up in the bars, get very little. This is a bad system and talking to the officers on board, they are not happy with this either.

 

Just an FYI.....we recently learned that RCI is changing their distributors for booze. They are discontinuing a lot of specific items. Of course, one item is what my partner drinks. It is very specific and along with discontinuing it, anything similar to what she drinks is also going away. We have been noticing that things we could get before or now not being stocked.

 

Each day at the pool, they places anywhere from 1 to 3 staff members around the pool to watch the kids. These guys really watched the kids like a hawk. With that in mind, I didn't see a lot of parent's watching their kids themselves.

 

Specialty dining- we ate at Giovanni's on Christmas. Service and food was excellent. I usually get the lamb chops, but wanted to change it up so I got the filet. They cooked it perfect! I only wish the grade of beef was a little higher quality.

 

Breakfast we switched up between Park Café and Chops (Diamond + and Gold Cards access). Food and service was excellent.

 

My lunches I stuck with the beef sandwiches from Park Café. I ate one everyday. We did try and have a lunch in the Windjammer when we wanted a quick salad. Unfortunately, they had no Ranch dressing. We asked and they told us they didn't have any.

 

In the evenings we hung out in the centrum or pub. I love listening to live music and dancing. Steve the pub guy is really good.

 

They seemed to play a lot more trivia on this sailing than normal. I enjoy the trivia even if I have no clue what the answer is. Some of the trivia really got the kids involved and they knew all the answers before the adults.

 

They still had the Quest, which I thought was unusual. My last X-mas cruise they cancelled it since it really wasn't a family event to them.

 

Weather was beautiful, even sailing back to Tampa. Couldn't have been better. It did rain a little in Cozumel, but it didn't seem to bother anyone. We used that time to see Train wreck in the theater. By the way, not a movie you want to watch with your family. :eek:

 

Disembarkation from the ship seemed smooth. They seem to start letting people off like clockwork at 7:30.

[MaiseyM]

Thanks for the review. Welcome back! Hopefully the alcohol section remains good, despite some changes. I hope it's a change and not a decrease of options.

[Clarea]

... As some of you might have read, the person that sells the package now gets the 18% gratuity...

Interesting. Now I know what they were selling the packages in the cruise terminal, before we got on the ship.

[ksuds]

Thanks for the review. Welcome back! Hopefully the alcohol section remains good, despite some changes. I hope it's a change and not a decrease of options.

 

 

From what the bar manager said, there isn't going to be additional items added. We are just losing options.

[squiffynimrod]

Of course, one item is what my partner drinks. It is very specific and along with discontinuing it, anything similar to what she drinks is also going away.

 

Care to say what this item is? Inquiring minds want to know............

[ksuds]

Care to say what this item is? Inquiring minds want to know............

 

 

Canadian Club, VO and Canadian Mist.

 

They are keeping Jameson's but it is just too strong.

[PH8]

Welcome back...glad you enjoyed..

 

Enjoy your next one!

 

Happy New Year to you and M!!🎉🎉

[molly361]

Thanks for the great review Karen- We will be onboard the BR for Superbowl:)

[Clarea]

Thanks for the great review Karen- We will be onboard the BR for Superbowl:)

You will be spoiled by the Concierge Derick. He's from the Guest Services staff on Monarch.

[ksuds]

You will be spoiled by the Concierge Derick. He's from the Guest Services staff on Monarch.

 

 

Yes we love Derick.

[boogerwolf]

Was on the same sailing. Will post my own impression in a while along with (hopefully) a dock runner video link.

So THAT is why everyone was pushing drink packages! Makes sense now.

And this was my first Quest. Wow!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited December 28, 2015 by boogerwolf

[Amagamma]

Thanks for your post. Doing a b2b2b next month. Glad you had a good time. Saw you mentioned breakfast in Chops. I had read that it was Gold card only, but you mentioned Diamond +, that would be great if we could access Chops as Diamond +. Did you go to any shows? Was the Casino smoky? Thanks!

[PH8]

Thanks for your post. Doing a b2b2b next month. Glad you had a good time. Saw you mentioned breakfast in Chops. I had read that it was Gold card only, but you mentioned Diamond +, that would be great if we could access Chops as Diamond +

On the BR,it is DP and above.

[ksuds]

Thanks for your post. Doing a b2b2b next month. Glad you had a good time. Saw you mentioned breakfast in Chops. I had read that it was Gold card only, but you mentioned Diamond +, that would be great if we could access Chops as Diamond +. Did you go to any shows? Was the Casino smoky? Thanks!

 

Yes, as Kathy (PH8) said, on the Brilliance they allowed D+ in Chops for breakfast too.

 

Didn't do any shows in the theater since we had recently been on the Brilliance and didn't want to go again to the shows.

 

The Casino on the Brilliance is the smokiest at sea. You can smell the smoke when you get off the elevators.

[Clarea]

... The Casino on the Brilliance is the smokiest at sea. You can smell the smoke when you get off the elevators.

I noticed this too. It's as if the casino ventilation system is desgined to push the smoke out into the centrum. We could smell it regularly whenever we approached the deck 10 centrum area.

[Lionesss]

In regards to the drink package.

 

Is RCI just eliminating certain liquors from the drink package, or on the ship.

 

Would the liquor (canadian club) be available on the upscale option for drinks?

 

My DH will not be happy:mad:

 

Thanks for any info.

[ksuds]

In regards to the drink package.

 

Is RCI just eliminating certain liquors from the drink package, or on the ship.

 

Would the liquor (canadian club) be available on the upscale option for drinks?

 

My DH will not be happy:mad:

 

Thanks for any info.

 

 

No they are eliminating it from their inventory on RCI. For the first 3 nights, we couldn't get any CC in the Pub, and R Bar. They only had about 3 bottles left on the ship. When we were in Cozumel, they moved some inventory from the Indy to our ship.

 

They said they were not purchasing from the vendor any longer that carried Canadian Club, and other alcohol's. It appears that this may have already happened and their stock is just getting depleted. I'm hoping they will work out whatever with the vendor or find a new one.

[Lionesss]

No they are eliminating it from their inventory on RCI. For the first 3 nights, we couldn't get any CC in the Pub, and R Bar. They only had about 3 bottles left on the ship. When we were in Cozumel, they moved some inventory from the Indy to our ship.

 

They said they were not purchasing from the vendor any longer that carried Canadian Club, and other alcohol's. It appears that this may have already happened and their stock is just getting depleted. I'm hoping they will work out whatever with the vendor or find a new one.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I hope they update the listing of drinks being made available before we sail.

 

Thanks again.

[niksmom630]

Thanks for the review! We are preparing for a B2B on Brilliance in February...Did you purchase any of the Internet packages? If so, how was the speed/connection?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[ksuds]

Thanks for the review! We are preparing for a B2B on Brilliance in February...Did you purchase any of the Internet packages? If so, how was the speed/connection?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

We got free internet for the cruise. It was a challenge getting it to connect and sometimes appeared to not work at all. Sometimes it worked pretty good for a cruise ship.

[niksmom630]

We got free internet for the cruise. It was a challenge getting it to connect and sometimes appeared to not work at all. Sometimes it worked pretty good for a cruise ship.

 

 

Thanks! I was contemplating doing a live report but I recall the service was pretty lousy on our last cruise on the Jewel out of Tampa. Was the free internet part of a booking promotion?

[ksuds]

Thanks! I was contemplating doing a live report but I recall the service was pretty lousy on our last cruise on the Jewel out of Tampa. Was the free internet part of a booking promotion?

 

 

No it was part of a status benefit.

[niksmom630]

No it was part of a status benefit.

 

 

Status as in C & A? Free internet? Is this something new?

[ksuds]

Status as in C & A? Free internet? Is this something new?

 

Pinnacle get free internet. With the other tiers, there are usually discounts/coupons.

[niksmom630]

Pinnacle get free internet. With the other tiers, there are usually discounts/coupons.

 

 

Learn something new every day! I didn't know pinnacle members had free internet- didn't see it listed in the benefits section on the C & A page which is why I asked.... Thought I might have missed some "new" news! We are D+, so we do use the coupons.

 

Also good news to hear about the Chops breakfast option... We will try it in February! Thanks again for the review and taking the time to answer my questions!