Quantum May 9, 2022 7 Nights Alaska Not Very Live

[twangster]

I'm here on Quantum and I know there are some questions about this ship since she just came back from Asia so I thought I'd post this thread.

 

I'll drop in some random observations and will try try to answer questions along the way as Voom allows given that it's Alaska and Voom tends to run slow the farther North you go.

 

So this won't be a proper "live" thread and I won't be posting all the photos like I did in my recent Serenade thread.

 

 

[twangster]

The line was long boarding.  It got more chaotic as time progressed.  Too many folks are ignoring their arrival time and while they have signs for different times they gave up and just told everyone go to the end of the line.

 

 

Star Class has a priority queue.  No one else does.

 

The line double backed twice under the gray shelter by the time I took this picture.

 

[twangster]

While in Seattle initially we have O3b satellite internet.  That's great but these stats won't last as we go North.

 

 

 

[twangster]

Upon boarding I looked to book North Star.  Initially the app had two options. 

 

 

iFly:

 

 

 

I checked back and noticed they now had a 3rd North Star option.

 

 

Limited times for the complimentary version.

 

 

[DaKahuna]

So only Star Class has priority not Sky or Sea.  I hope they get that rectified by August when we sail. 

 

Be interesting to hear what the drink situation is in the Suite Lounge.  I believe that the only time drinks are free, without a drink package, is during happy hour, unlike Oasis where it is 1100 - 2300.  

 

Communications satellites used by RCL are geostationary and the farther you are from the equator the more signal degradation takes place thus causing reduced quality and speeds.  It's a fact of life that even those that live in Alaska have to put up with.  

 

[twangster]

No entertainment on board uses reservations.  Every show and every time is first come, first seated.  At least on this cruise.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, DaKahuna said:

Communications satellites used by RCL are geostationary and the farther you are from the equator the more signal degradation takes place thus causing reduced quality and speeds. 

RCI also uses SES networks O3B sats, which are medium orbit nonstationary sats. The drop off in performance is even worse on those going north and will likely completely cut off (so they switch to geo sats).

[John&LaLa]

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

iFly:

 

 

 

Good price for 2 minute version

[Biker19]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

Good price for 2 minute version

Yes, they lowered it in March.

 

Biker, who wonders what "Premium" gets you on Norstar and is amazed with the ideas the RCI marketers come up with to separate folks from their money.

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, they lowered it in March.

 

Biker, who wonders what "Premium" gets you on Norstar and is amazed with the ideas the RCI marketers come up with to separate folks from their money.

 

I'm clearly behind the times. When did they start charging for northstar and ifly?

 

[Biker19]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

When did they start charging for northstar and ifly?

Since the restart.

 

Both Ripcord and Northstar were higher ($49 and $29) and were lowered in March ($29 and $19) on sea days - free sessions (more abbreviated than the paid ones) should be available on port days, most of the time.

[DaKahuna]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

RCI also uses SES networks O3B sats, which are medium orbit nonstationary sats. The drop off in performance is even worse on those going north and will likely completely cut off (so they switch to geo sats).

 

 I did not know that.  Thanks for that bit of information.  

 

@twangster

 I would be very interested in hearing how the food and service is in Coastal Kitchen.  We have had great meals and service on our Oasis and Allure sailing pre-COVID and hope standards have been kept up. 

 

[CatLadyFemme]

Following, as we will be in in August. Have an amazing time!

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, DaKahuna said:

I did not know that. 

That only applies to ships Freedom class and bigger, along with Enchantment.

Edited May 10, 2022 by Biker19

[DaKahuna]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That only applies to ships Freedom class and bigger, along with Enchantment.

 So the ships with "Zoom" .. We've not sailed since RCL since December 2019 and are looking forward to a B2B on Quantum in August/September.    

 

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

So the ships with "Zoom"

All ships have Voom, a general marketing term RCI made up for internet on their ships - invented soon after Quantum came out as the first ship with O3B internet. Unfortunately, this confused customers who thought, perhaps like you, that all ships have O3B Voom - they don't.

[miraflores]

40 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I did not know that.  Thanks for that bit of information.  

 

@twangster

 I would be very interested in hearing how the food and service is in Coastal Kitchen.  We have had great meals and service on our Oasis and Allure sailing pre-COVID and hope standards have been kept up. 

 

The only time you lose signal on the OV Alaska run is when the ship goes into Tracy Arm. Other than that, even the TV satellites stay on the whole way up. It does degrade, but there is signal.

[twangster]

We are on the fringe of O3b at the moment, 49° 45.16' N and internet is dropping out at times then comes back when another satellite orbits nearer the ship.  Soon we will drop O3b and switch over to the legacy geostationary satellites.  

 

[mo&fran]

16 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

All ships have Voom, a general marketing term RCI made up for internet on their ships - invented soon after Quantum came out as the first ship with O3B internet. Unfortunately, this confused customers who thought, perhaps like you, that all ships have O3B Voom - they don't.

Oasis was the first O3B.

[twangster]

The Noodle Restaurant on the pool deck still appears to be a Noodle venue...

 

 

 

 

...but it's actually Splashaway Cafe right now.

 

 

Fish & Chips

 

 

Chicken Tenders and Chips

 

No charge for Splashaway Cafe items.

 

[celoplyr]

Oh I have so many questions, since we are going in July.

 

How fast did ripcord (free) sell out? Is this one of the cruises without the Key (we bought the Key as a pampering experience and were wondering how it's going)?  If not, can you tell me what the Key is doing? What's the percent occupancy?  

 

Oh! What's the hot chocolate situation at La Patisserie? Last time they had 4 different types, but it doesn't look like they still do 😞

[sabrefan15]

I hope they get the line situation fixed, we are going next month and I know my 80 year old mother won't be able to stand in line that long.

 

[twangster]

The Diamond Club has been converted back from the Golden Room high rollers casino but the cage or booth for what was presumably the cashier remains.  Maybe that's where they secure the drink vouchers now.

 

 

 

 

[twangster]

We have switched over to legacy satellites, latency much higher now, had no internet there for a bit, back on line now.  

 

North of the 50th parallel now. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by twangster

[Luckynana]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

The line was long boarding.  It got more chaotic as time progressed.  Too many folks are ignoring their arrival time and while they have signs for different times they gave up and just told everyone go to the end of the line.

 

 

Star Class has a priority queue.  No one else does.

 

The line double backed twice under the gray shelter by the time I took this picture.

 

That really stinks for those who arrive at their time slot!   We arrived at our scheduled time for our last 2 cruises, which was around 12:30, and pretty much walked right on.