Last minute questions about Scarlet Lady from Barcelona

[AmoMondo]

I’m sailing on the Scarket lady next Sunday. It will be my first time with VV but not my first time cruising. I’ll be in a XL Sea terrace cabin and have matched status confirmed which gives me early boarding.

 

I have a few questions I hop the experts can help me with as I’m beginning to feel a bit apprehensive.

 

My first questions are about dining

I’ve read about issues with the app, so I know I’m not alone there. At the moment it won’t reset my password. Might try deleting and res installing or a different device. Unlike many I did manage to get dinner reservations but about 7 hours later than they opened, so more than half of them are really too late for my liking (9.15 or 9.30). I have read on threads here that there will be more available when I board. Do I have to see a member of staff to do that or do I have to use the app to change the times since I already have reservations? Would it be better to cancel the slots that are too late for me?

 

I’m travelling alone and I’d prefer not to be at a large table, ideally I’d be happy on my own (introvert and hearing issue). is that likely to be possible?

Can i just turn up within opening hours for breakfast and lunch? Are there any breakfast options that are waiter service?
 

Second question is about the shows. Do i need to prebook these or can I just turn up on the night?

Third question, is about disembarking. I understand that they don’t hurry you off the ship as fast as they can. My flight isn’t until 2.30, so I’d like to remain onboard until around 10am. Is there a set time you need to vacat your cabin by? Can you have a later breakfast on disembarkation day or are all the restaurants closed early? What if I have any bar tab remaining? can i use it to buy a coffee? (The ships I’m used to, hassle you to get out your cabin by 7am, closed the dining pretty sharp and you are just left sitting in a lounge for a few hours until it is your turn to get off).

I presume you put your suitcase outside your cabin the evening before, as other ships do?

last question is about dress code or rather lack thereof! I’m used to traditional cruise lines with formal nights, so I know I don’t need any evening gowns or cocktail dresses. I was thinking of packing mostly dresses as that is my preference on holiday. Casual summer day dresses for during the day and a few nicer ones for the evening. Am I going to be overdressed or does none care what you wear?

Sorry for so many questions. I’m one of those people that likes to know stuff in advance, so I know what to expect. I appreciate anyone taking the trouble to answer some of my questions. Thank you in advance

[jon81uk]

when did you status match? To get deep blue extras that includes priority boarding you have to have matched in 2023. A match in 2024 only gives blue extras.
 

You can rearrange your dining in the app for yourself much quicker than going to see the staff. It’s easier to rebook what you have instead of cancelling and starting over.

 

The only restaurant with shared table is Gunbae, everywhere else you’ll get seated at a two-top as a solo, unless you go to the solo social dinner.

 

breakfast/brunch is available 8am to 1pm at Razzle Dazzle and The Wake, or until 0930 on disembarkation day. Book on the app.

The Galley serve’s breakfast to 11am everyday except disembarkation when it’s 10.30.

 

Shows are first come, doors open 15-30 minutes before, but the dinner show (Lolz Supper Club) and fitness classes need to booked on the app.

 

book a disembarkation time slot under shore excursions a day or two before the end of the cruise. Last time slot is 10.30am.

 

if you want your case taken off then leave the tag on from embarkation and put it outside the door by 10.30pm last night. 

[AmoMondo]

Thanks so much for all that information Jon.

I did the status match last year when I booked.

I’ve got the app working fine on my IPad but not on my phone. I will sort that out this week, so i can make changes and bookings without having to depend on wiFi.

[jon81uk]

10 minutes ago, AmoMondo said:

Thanks so much for all that information Jon.

I did the status match last year when I booked.

I’ve got the app working fine on my IPad but not on my phone. I will sort that out this week, so i can make changes and bookings without having to depend on wiFi.

Once on the ship you need to connect to the onboard WiFi to make bookings.

[TripsYouMustDo]

@jon81uk provided most of the answers, I'll chime in with a couple more details and very minor corrections

 

For restaurant booking changes onboard - as Jon said, connect to ship WiFi as soon as you are on the ship and try it yourself in the app. They will also have restaurant reservation help desk either in Pink Agave or Razzle Dazzle (both on Deck 5 essentially by guest services/Sailor Services). What I would do (as I am maximally paranoid) is go to that location (either Pink Agave or Razzle Dazzle, ask crew as soon as you are on the ship) and *while waiting in line to talk to someone*, use the app on ship's WiFi to try to edit your dinner reservations yourself. 🙂 You might get it done yourself before you get to talk to someone. 

 

I would not cancel your time slots until you rebook - anecdotally it might be easier to change to  a different time if you do have *some* reservation as opposed to not having any at all. Of course cancel if you are not going to make it - allows someone else to grab that spot. 🙂 

 

As Jon said both Razzle Dazzle and The Wake serve Brunch basically daily. On port days Razzle Dazzle opened at 7am on my sailings this year (Valiant and Resilient), The Wake always opened at 8am. On debarkation day both Razzle Dazzle and the Wake opened at 6:30am. 

 

The Galley is technically also "waiter service" - you raise a flag on your table and they will come over to take your order (but it's been worse on my sailing this year in terms of wait/them noticing you).

 

You can and should make reservations for brunch at Razzle Dazzle and The Wake - otherwise you might have to wait. No reservations are needed at the Galley. 

 

As far as shows go, on Scarlet you should need to prebook only The Ship Show (includes dinner). Everything else should be first come first serve. The app should tell you (even before you board). Look at Daily Activities. Doors open at unpredictable times before the shows - from 30 minutes to 0 minutes prior to the show. It's very annoying. If the show is at the Manor (smaller showroom with horrible seating), definitely be there in advance. Red Room is typically better.

 

Small table shouldn't be a problem other than Test Kitchen as well as Gunbae. You will be forced to share a table at Gunbae, and may have to at the Test Kitchen. 

 

On debarkation morning, you should be able to stay in your room until your debarkation time. They will be making announcements every 5 minutes telling you to get off of the ship 🙂 but you are fine till your debarkation time. On our last three cruises we were able to stay in the room until 10:30am, and we weren't the only one. Actually their "rush" is at 10:30am, so they will be encouraging you to "beat the rush" and get off early. You don't have to though.

 

I wouldn't wait to book your debarkation time. Look in the app *right now*, before you even board. I was able to book my debarkation for the last cruise before I boarded. As Jon said, it will be under shore excursions (Shore Things). So will be the tenders (in case you haven't booked them yet for any ports where you tender). 10:30am debarkation is popular. Even if it "sells out", you can stay in the cabin until 10:30am. Just tell your cabin attendant, they should typically be OK with that. Our first cruise we didn't realize we needed to book it, called guest services, and they told us it was fine, just stay in the room till 10:30am. 

 

I think bags have to be out by 10pm, but I could be wrong. Double-check on the ship. As Jon said, just leave your embarkation tags on. I was ripping them off the first two cruises and then going to guest services to get "debarkation tags", lol 🙂 It tells you right on the tag you can keep it on for debarkation.

Edited Tuesday at 06:14 AM by TripsYouMustDo

[AmoMondo]

Thanks for all those great tips. I definitely like the idea of trying to change the times of teh reservation on my app whilst waiting in the queue to see someone!

 

When I looked at shore excursions a month or so ago, there was a disembarkation one but only for a coach transfer to the airport at 9. I’ll take another look and get my slot booked.

I really do appreciate all the help you both have given me. I was feeling a bit nervous about m cruise rather than excited. Now I’m starting to get excited about the new experience, instead of stressing myself needlessly!

[TripsYouMustDo]

5 hours ago, AmoMondo said:

I was feeling a bit nervous about m cruise rather than excited. Now I’m starting to get excited about the new experience, instead of stressing myself needlessly!

 

Unfortunately it's pretty common. I was in your shoes myself last year before my first cruise on Scarlett. I didn't realize I needed to book reservations for us and had zero reservations before we got on the ship. On the ship I was able to book only some once we boarded, so we had to go stand-by to a few places. Fortunately we were able to get into all of the restaurants eventually. 

 

For the following four cruises with Virgin I had alarms and reminders set to book dining, and was doing them at 9pm PDT (Midnight in Miami, when they open) 45 days prior. 

 

I do wish the process was simpler and less stressful. Some folks mentioned their TA does it for them. 

 

I do hope you enjoy your cruise! The food is wonderful and is worth the trouble. 

[cantgetin]

Disembarkation times will not be available on the app until a few days before the end of the cruise. They will show up as an "activity" available on that last day.  The idea is to spread out people getting off, but MANY people sign up for earlier times then stay til 10 or 10:30 so you can expect a line then.

Last day breakfast--no need to take your carry ons with you.  You can return to your cabin after you eat to grab your stuff  (So much nicer!). Yes, bags go out by 10 the last night WITH the embarkation tags still on them.  The stateroom hosts used to re-tag all bags that had tags removed....on our last cruise that wasn't done.  Untagged bags were just put in an area to be claimed rather than arranged by deck.  Make your reservations on board for the last morning brunch at The Wake or RD The Wake was 6:30-9:30 on our last Barcelona cruise.

 

Other things have been covered.  It is easier to change a dining time after boarding than to start from scratch...do not delete what you have until you have reserved what you want,  Solo tables are no problem except at Gunbae.  Another hint--several restaurants have bar seating available without a reservation.  If that is comfortable for you, it might be an option (first come, first serve).  The restaurants also do walk ups and wait lists if you still can't get what you want,

Take EVERYTHING you see here with a grain of salt.  VV is notorious for changing things, particularly when there are crew changes in an involved area.  All we can do is to tell you how it was on our last cruise or last cruise from a given port; that doesn't mean it will be the same for you.  My Barcelona port experiences have been better than Miami--far more organized.

Others gave you correct answers to your many questions.

[TripsYouMustDo]

1 minute ago, cantgetin said:

Disembarkation times will not be available on the app until a few days before the end of the cruise.

Sorry, that's no longer true. 🙂 We booked our disembarkation time for our last Valiant cruise the day before the cruise started (August 29th for cruise that started August 30th). It was already in the app under Shore Things. 

[cantgetin]

1 minute ago, TripsYouMustDo said:

Sorry, that's no longer true. 🙂 We booked our disembarkation time for our last Valiant cruise the day before the cruise started (August 29th for cruise that started August 30th). It was already in the app under Shore Things. 

Thanks for the notification,,,,my stuff was accurate as of May on Scarlet.  I kept watching as we had an earlier flight than I normally book and wanted to be sure I got an early time.

Edited Tuesday at 02:43 PM by cantgetin

[jon81uk]

14 minutes ago, TripsYouMustDo said:

Sorry, that's no longer true. 🙂 We booked our disembarkation time for our last Valiant cruise the day before the cruise started (August 29th for cruise that started August 30th). It was already in the app under Shore Things. 

On Resilient Lady two weeks ago I couldn’t find it until half way through the cruise. I think it must vary by ship.

[AmoMondo]

4 hours ago, jon81uk said:

On Resilient Lady two weeks ago I couldn’t find it until half way through the cruise. I think it must vary by ship.

It must vary by ship as I was able to book a slot this morning. 10.30 was already full but I got 10.15.

 

I like this approach to not chucking you out your cabin at 7am and having to trail your carry on down to breakfast. Very civilised!

[DCGuy64]

Just FYI I checked using the app a minute ago, no Shore Things at all listed for disembarkation day. I'll keep checking (our cruise isn't until January). (We're on the Resilient Lady sailing from San Juan, in case that makes a difference.)