Live Cruising Review Symphony of the Seas 3/12/2022 - 3/19/2022 Plenty of Pictures!!!

[BennyBrun]

3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Sorry I'm late to the party. Just got through reading all 35 pages as we will be on Symphony September 17. I'm planning on doing a semi Live review with the UDP also so thanks for your information and inspiration. I do have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

1) What camera were you using? You had some great pics.

2) Since September 17th sailing will be close to capacity and I don't have the Key or in a suite, I'll be boarding with the rest and know how important it is to get reservations in before they fill up. Where do you recommend I do this? Chops may be busy for lunch so would CP150 be open to make reservations or Hooked? Trying to figure out how to beat the crowds to get my reservations in.

3) Did you have any issues with slow internet and uploading pics and video for your live review?

4) Sounds like the key to eating at multiple restaurants in a single day is to have reservations right? What if on the spur of the moment have dinner at one restaurant but try to get in Wonderland for dessert? Need reservations?

5) Planning on dinner reservations for 6:30PM will that allow enough time to make shows?

 

Thanks for your fantastic review. I hope to run into you some day. I would enjoy talking to you.

 

Cheers,

Greg

 

Thanks so much!  How funny … I am actually going to be on the Symphony on the 17th as well for a B2B … the more the merrier!

 

1. iPhone 12 Pro Max is my phone of choice but will be upgrading later this year since I am satisfied with the many improvements they have made to the iPhone’s camera and it’s time for an upgrade.

 

2. If you have the UDP you need to book ASAP like when you get on the ship don’t wait start booking and if you have the UDP unless they fixed the issue it’s 2 hours block in your planner which prevents you from making any show reservations and dinner reservations as it most likely will conflict and give you an error.  Make your dinner reservations and then go to box office and book the shows with them as they can over ride.  Reservations Reservations Reservations!  The half empty ship days have sailed past… make reservations

3.  I use the surf and had no issues posting.  I had stream before and it was frustrating to stream movies for me so I gave up on the stream plan.

4.If you want to dine in multiple specialty restaurants in the same day like pre dinner and then dinner it most likely will conflict on the cruise planner so you will need to visit a restaurant to have them over ride!

5. 6:30 PM is tricky because don’t expect to go through dinner service within 60 minutes at specialty restaurants.  You need to plan for about 90 minutes to give you time to have all the courses and then walk to the show to find a good seat!  Also the show schedules changes so you will need that entertainment schedule to help you to make the best of it!

[Sea Dog]

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

Thanks so much!  How funny … I am actually going to be on the Symphony on the 17th as well for a B2B … the more the merrier!

 

That's awesome. I hope we can hook up. You will be able to find me easily wearing my Sea Dog T-shirts or my polo's with the logo on the front. I love to hang out at the Schooner Bar.

 

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

 

1. iPhone 12 Pro Max is my phone of choice but will be upgrading later this year since I am satisfied with the many improvements they have made to the iPhone’s camera and it’s time for an upgrade.

 

I have the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I'm hoping that the new 14 Pro Max will come out before we sail and I can upgrade. Rumor has it that it will include a 48MP Camera which would be a game changer. If it does not come out in time I'll bring my Nikon D80 with my wide lens for food porn.

 

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

 

2. If you have the UDP you need to book ASAP like when you get on the ship don’t wait start booking and if you have the UDP unless they fixed the issue it’s 2 hours block in your planner which prevents you from making any show reservations and dinner reservations as it most likely will conflict and give you an error.  Make your dinner reservations and then go to box office and book the shows with them as they can over ride.  Reservations Reservations Reservations!  The half empty ship days have sailed past… make reservations

 

I was so concerned about getting on board early enough to make reservations that I ended up purchasing the "Key" just so we could board right after the suite people. Paid a little more but I do like expedited departure and we were going to get the internet package anyway. Embarkation lunch at Chops will be a wash as we will have the UDP.

 

 

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

3.  I use the surf and had no issues posting.  I had stream before and it was frustrating to stream movies for me so I gave up on the stream plan.

 

Same here when I was on Explorer for my Semi Live review this past November it was practically impossible to upload things.

 

 

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

4.If you want to dine in multiple specialty restaurants in the same day like pre dinner and then dinner it most likely will conflict on the cruise planner so you will need to visit a restaurant to have them over ride!

 

Good advise. I love to eat as I'm a foodie but I don't know how much I will do this as I do get full but I sure want the option. Love the idea of a Izumi snack!

 

59 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

5. 6:30 PM is tricky because don’t expect to go through dinner service within 60 minutes at specialty restaurants.  You need to plan for about 90 minutes to give you time to have all the courses and then walk to the show to find a good seat!  Also the show schedules changes so you will need that entertainment schedule to help you to make the best of it!

 

We are putting dinner ahead of all our evening shows. I like 90 minutes as a good rule of thumb for dinner. I don't like to be rushed. Heck I'm slower than most because I'm constantly taking pictures of the food.

 

Any recommendation as to which restaurant and maitre d stand would be the best to make all my reservations. On Harmony two years ago they had a table in the terminal where I could make all my reservations before boarding. I don't know if they will have that or not.

 

Looking forward to meeting and talking with you!

 

Cheers,

Greg (Sea Dog)