Quantum of the Seas Alaksa 8/29 - 9/5; 9/5-9/12 Live Review

[DaKahuna]

9 hours ago, BecAus said:

Sorry if I missed it - have you made reservations at all for the CK being in a GS - I assume you have, at least for dinner?  We are in a GS for the first time in November / April (TP) on Ovation / Quantum 

Yes, when we were contacted by our Suite Concierge pre-cruise we requested dinner at 6:30 pm each night in CK. 
 

We have asked for the same time for next week as well.  
 

1 hour ago, CanuckCruizer said:

Hi DaKahuna - Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the video, but not to worry.

 

Our upcoming cruise is a 10 day cruise, and the App is only showing a 7 day menu.  So I am looking forward to seeing a 10 day one.

  

That's too bad that lunch in the MDR wasn't good.  But good news that you will be able to order from the MDR menu on sea days.  Is this just for lunch or dinner too?  I have food allergies and often cannot eat off the menu in Coastal Kitchen (and Luminae on X), so hopefully I would be able to order from MDR as well, as I place the order a day ahead.  I have noticed you mention the Asst. Maitre'd a couple of times - who is the Maitre'd/Restaurant Mgr of CK, if you don't mind me asking?  I like to know who I am going to be dealing with, as have had many problems in the past with my food allergies.

 

Thanks,

Canuck

 

 

I am not sure who the Maitre’d for CK is.  All our interactions have been with Maragrette the Ass’t.  She is a wonderful lady and has taken great care of us.

 

I am not sure about the menu for the 10-day sailing you are on.   I am only seeing what is available for our bookings on the app.

 

58 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

DaKahuna - I too, as well as another poster, would like to know if you have to make dinner reservations ahead of time in Coastal Kitchen?  I read "somewhere" that it said it was "required".  Maybe not, if you didn't get your usual table last night.

 

Thanks,

Canuck

As i said above we had a reservation for 6:30 pm each night. You are seated as you arrive in CK.  Due to the larger number if diners than normal last night, our usual table had already been taken so we were seated at another table of our choosing.   It was not a big deal to us.  Our usual waiter did manage to stop by and say hello.

 

[DaKahuna]

We decided to ‘sleep in’ this morning and had breakfast in the room.  Food was delivered as requested and was hot.  I actually liked it and am already thinking about doing it at least once next cruise. 
 

There are some little things that you do not think about that you do not get when you do room service.  For example my wife likes ketchup with her eggs but there was no option for requesting ketchup on the form.  Other than things like that, it is a viable way to get breakfast and it was a nice change of pace. 

 

 

 

[CanuckCruizer]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

We decided to ‘sleep in’ this morning and had breakfast in the room.  Food was delivered as requested and was hot.  I actually liked it and am already thinking about doing it at least once next cruise. 
 

There are some little things that you do not think about that you do not get when you do room service.  For example my wife likes ketchup with her eggs but there was no option for requesting ketchup on the form.  Other than things like that, it is a viable way to get breakfast and it was a nice change of pace. 

 

 

 

DaKahuna - so I am assuming that you did not eat on the balcony due to the missing dining table (any news on that?).  Were you able to eat off of the low coffee table in your suite or how did you manage?

 

Canuck

[DaKahuna]

Just now, CanuckCruizer said:

DaKahuna - so I am assuming that you did not eat on the balcony due to the missing dining table (any news on that?).  Were you able to eat off of the low coffee table in your suite or how did you manage?

 

Canuck

We ate off the glass coffee table in our suite.  It was not a problem as it is about knee high when seated on the sofa.  It’s not as comfortable as a normal table but it works. 
 

Given the time of year and the weather, we have not made a lot of use of our balcony and thus the lack of a large table on the balcony has not been an issue. 
 

[DaKahuna]

Today we had lunch at Izumi.  I liked the food and am looking forward to eating there again next week. 
 

Tofu-ginger salad 

Wakami salad 

Chef’s sushi selection

Spicy Crispy Shrimp Roll

Spicy Crispy Tuna Roll

Mochi Ice Cream (gree tea, chocolate, and mango)

 

[bobmacliberty]

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

Today we had lunch at Izumi.  I liked the food and am looking forward to eating there again next week. 
 

Tofu-ginger salad 

Wakami salad 

Chef’s sushi selection

Spicy Crispy Shrimp Roll

Spicy Crispy Tuna Roll

Mochi Ice Cream (gree tea, chocolate, and mango)

 

 

Glad to hear that you like it.  Izumi (sushi, not teppanyaki) is generally our favorite specialty restaurant.  Looking forward to trying it on Quantum.

[DaKahuna]

Dinner tonight in Coastal Kitchen was one of best this cruise. 
 

Fennel Soup

Caesar Salad

Shrimp Cocktail

Sesame-Crusted Tuna - delicious.  Managed to talk my wife into giving me a bite - loved it.

Braised Lamb Shank - absolutely fork tender, delicious. Will definitely have again next week.

Matcha cake

Chocolate Ice Cream 

Food porn:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DaKahuna]

After dinner we went to the 8 pm performance of  Sonic Odessy.  This was their first post COVID-19 performance.  We both really enjoyed the show.

 

 

[Tulsacoker]

Thanks for the detailed review… will be joining the ship in a few hours. Have 6:30 reservation in CK this evening so see you soon 

[Tulsacoker]

There she is… sorry image is sideways

Edited September 5, 2022 by Tulsacoker

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Tulsacoker said:

Thanks for the detailed review… will be joining the ship in a few hours. Have 6:30 reservation in CK this evening so see you soon 

That the time of our reservation as well. 
 

I think you will enjoy it.  Was informed by Romana that there are fewer suit guest this cruise than the last cruise so do not expect Coastal Kitchen to be very crowded. 
 

we are currently sitting in Boleros waiting to get our new keys and do the consecutive cruise process.

 

[CanuckCruizer]

DaKahuna - Thanks for your great dinner pics!

Can you tell me if you have a Cabin Steward AND an Assistant Cabin Steward?  Just wondering, with the pandemic, have they cut down to 1 person or not?  

Do you know if Romana is staying on the ship to Australia or is there is a new Concierge scheduled to come?

 

Thanks,

Canuck

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by CanuckCruizer
forgot to add something

[DaKahuna]

50 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

DaKahuna - Thanks for your great dinner pics!

Can you tell me if you have a Cabin Steward AND an Assistant Cabin Steward?  Just wondering, with the pandemic, have they cut down to 1 person or not?  

Do you know if Romana is staying on the ship to Australia or is there is a new Concierge scheduled to come?

 

Thanks,

Canuck

 

We have only seen our room steward, Derri.  He’s been wonderful and we have not wanted for anything.  That said, I have not really paid attention to whether or not he has anyone helping him.  I have seen someone different working the rooms forward of ours but do not know if that is a second person or the steward for that area. 

 

I believe Romana will be continuing but will ask her this evening. 
 

 

[DaKahuna]

The consecutive cruiser process today was a total mess.  There was a family of four that did not show up until 0945.  The information in the letter for consecutive cruisers said to meet at 0900.  
 

Once everyone was checked and issued our new seapass cards, we were able to proceed into the terminal where there was ‘separate area’ set aside for consecutive cruisers.  Unfortunately it was not completely cut off and newly arriving passengers kept trying to come into the area as the staff was insufficient to ensure this did not happen. 
 

At 1020 we found out, by asking a crewmember, what the delay was and were informed that there were still 15 passengers who had not departed the ship. All passengers were cleared to depart around 0900 so not sure why these folks were still onboard.

 

At 1040 we were allowed to return to the ship.  The terminal was packed with guest waiting to board by then and a few folks tried to join the queue with the consecutive cruisers but the staff in the boarding area were doing their best to prevent this.

 

Apparently there were some issues loading the manifest as ours, and others, who showed up at our muster station had to be manually checked in as scanning our seapass cards nor our paper copies of our boarding would scan.

 

We encountered the same issue with the shipboard WiFi.  Consecutive cruises have to create a new account but the accounts information had not been uploaded so we were unable to use our old accounts, not could we create new accounts.  The nice lady at the Voom desk on deck 4 said to wait and try again after lunch. 
 

(Update - WiFi access now working) 
 

Speaking of lunch, we’re headed to CK at noon to start this weeks cruise off with a nice meal. 
 

Food porn to follow later. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by DaKahuna

[CanuckCruizer]

33 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

The consecutive cruiser process today was a total mess.  There was a family of four that did not show up until 0945.  The information in the letter for consecutive cruisers said to meet at 0900.  
 

Once everyone was checked and issued our new seapass cards, we were able to proceed into the terminal where there was ‘separate area’ set aside for consecutive cruisers.  Unfortunately it was not completely cut off and newly arriving passengers kept trying to come into the area as the staff was insufficient to ensure this did not happen. 
 

At 1020 we found out, by asking a crewmember, what the delay was and were informed that there were still 15 passengers who had not departed the ship. All passengers were cleared to depart around 0900 so not sure why these folks were still onboard.

 

At 1040 we were allowed to return to the ship.  The terminal was packed with guest waiting to board by then and a few folks tried to join the queue with the consecutive cruisers but the staff in the boarding area were doing their best to prevent this.

 

Apparently there were some issues loading the manifest as ours, and others, who showed up at our muster station had to be manually checked in as scanning our seapass cards nor our paper copies of our boarding would scan.

 

We encountered the same issue with the shipboard WiFi.  Consecutive cruises have to create a new account but the accounts information had not been uploaded so we were unable to use our old accounts, not could we create new accounts.  The nice lady at the Voom desk on deck 4 said to wait and try again after lunch. 
 

(Update - WiFi access now working) 
 

Speaking of lunch, we’re headed to CK at noon to start this weeks cruise off with a nice meal. 
 

Food porn to follow later. 

That's too bad that it was so disorganized.  Glad that you are back and squared away and now heading to CK.  Yes....I am living vicariously through you and cannot wait to see "the food porn"!😁

 

Cheers,

Canuck

[DaKahuna]

Not a lot in the way of new food porn today. 
 

Lunch was good with the serano ham wrapped dates, my wife had the grilled chicken sandwich, and I had the hamburger from the kids menu.

 

Desert was the Coconut layer cake for her and key lime pie for me.

 

Needless to say, everything was delicious,

 

[screwsmcernst]

Thank you for the first week information.  Loving your review.  Can't wait for week 2.  I hope you have a great 2nd week.

[DaKahuna]

21 minutes ago, screwsmcernst said:

Thank you for the first week information.  Loving your review.  Can't wait for week 2.  I hope you have a great 2nd week.

Thank you.  We are looking forward to it.

 

[DaKahuna]

Good evening from the Schooner Bar.  
 

After a leisurely nap this afternoon we had a pre-dinner drink in the Suite Lounge before going to Coastal Kitchen for dinner.

 

If you were following last week you may recall I had a delicious filet for dinner.  This week I decided to go with the Branzino.  Most of the diners we saw were ordering the filet and no one looked disappointed. 
 

I want to go on record as saying the Branzino was absolutely delightful. 

My wife asked for some coleslaw and had the fish as well.

I went with the caesar’s salad. 
 

For desert we swapped last week order.  She had the apple pie ala mode and I had the hazelnut cake.

 

Food porn follows:

 

[JamesEM]

Have a great 2nd week, I like b-2-b cruises because you are not stressed to everything the first week.

[perfect match]

On 9/4/2022 at 1:45 PM, DaKahuna said:

We decided to ‘sleep in’ this morning and had breakfast in the room.  Food was delivered as requested and was hot.  I actually liked it and am already thinking about doing it at least once next cruise. 
 

There are some little things that you do not think about that you do not get when you do room service.  For example my wife likes ketchup with her eggs but there was no option for requesting ketchup on the form.  Other than things like that, it is a viable way to get breakfast and it was a nice change of pace. 

 

 

 

When ordering room service, I have written in items like ketchup, mustard, mayo or other condiments that I wanted but weren’t on the menu and have always gotten what I asked for. It’s worth a try. I’ve never asked for off menu items, just things like condiments that I thought would be readily available.. I’ve also been known to pick up things like packets of ketchup when I’ve seen then on the buffet and known I’d be needing them.

[bigmanpw]

DaKahuna, could you possibly post the "Showtimes at a Glance" sheet for this week?  We are sailing this itinerary in a couple of weeks and are looking forward to your continuing review!  Thanks!

[Bxc53]

DaKahuna, we continue to enjoy your onboard experiences vicariously as we count down to our Hawaii crossing in a few weeks .
One small, but important question if I may.. Morning coffee. DW and I don’t get too far in the AM until we get our dose of caffeine.

We’re in a standard balcony, so no in-room coffee maker, as I understand.

Does the Solarium Bistro have self serve coffee? Our room is close..  Thanks 

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, bigmanpw said:

DaKahuna, could you possibly post the "Showtimes at a Glance" sheet for this week?  We are sailing this itinerary in a couple of weeks and are looking forward to your continuing review!  Thanks!

Here you go

 

[DaKahuna]

15 minutes ago, Bxc53 said:

DaKahuna, we continue to enjoy your onboard experiences vicariously as we count down to our Hawaii crossing in a few weeks .
One small, but important question if I may.. Morning coffee. DW and I don’t get too far in the AM until we get our dose of caffeine.

We’re in a standard balcony, so no in-room coffee maker, as I understand.

Does the Solarium Bistro have self serve coffee? Our room is close..  Thanks 

 Here are the hours of operation for the Solarium Bistro.  I will see if there is self service coffee but since it is a buffet style venue similar to the Windjammer I suspect there is.