A Few Ecstasy Hints.......

[XTEACH281]

Just off the 12/21 to 12/25 cruise and thought I'd share.....

1. No hand sanitizing stations on the ship ---bring your own if you are concerned ....

2. If you like sushi---book a late dinner seating ---the sushi bar runs 5:30 to 8:30 and early diners miss out (unless they want it for dessert) The sushi was pretty good---4 choices daily--one always vegetarian -- and handmade in front of you....(and waiting in line lets you hear some strange comments about people who would wait in line for sushi !!! Our favorite - the woman who thought the large bowl of wasabi was guacamole ---luckily- someone stopped her in time !)

3. The shampoo dispenser in the shower had some kind of Dove shampoo ---even washing twice --I never felt like it got my hair clean ...I'd bring a small personal one ...

4. We booked an outside guarantee and got a nice one on Main Deck - but across from elevators/stairwells ---noise was more than I thought it would be ---location was convenient , would do a gty again, but would bring earplugs (my husband wasn't bothered at all, but I sleep light .) I also learned that I will be quieter in the halls, as we heard alot of interesting conversations through the thin walls :)

[monakayk]

Susan,

 

Thanks for these "hints". I will be going on Ecstasy on Jan. 27-5 day cruise with a DF (No DHs this trip). We have two cabins next to each other. I do have a few questions that I have asked before, but wanted to ask them again to you since you just returned:

 

1.) Are there hair dryers in the cabins on this ship?

2.) What night is the Captains Dinner?

3.) What night is the Gala Midnight Buffet?

4.) Entrées in the main dinning..do they serve:

Escargot, Beef Wellington, Pâté, Tiger Shrimp, Crab Cakes???

5.) How did most of the ladies dress on Formal night? Long dresses/formals/glitzy tops with dress pants?

6.) What ports did you tender at?

7.) What time did you get to board the ship on embarkment?

8.) Are they strict about checking bags for booze? Can you buy some at port and bring it to your room---was that strictly checked?

9.) Are there music channels on the TV? Or do they have a radio in the cabins? What kind of music are on them?

10.) Do you know if you write in Eggs Benedict on the room service menu that they will bring it to your room even though it is not offered on the menu for breakfast?

 

As for your comments:

1.) What nights do they serve the sushi?

2.) Is it only served at the evening meal?

3.) And I assume sushi is ONLY served in the buffet?

 

Thanks in advance for your answers.

[XTEACH281]

monakayk- hope this helps (we were on 4 night trip, should be very similar):

1.no cabin hair dryers

2.Captain's dinner is second night

3. Midnight gala buffet is second night

4. escargot once, beef wellington once, no pate, tiger shrimp once, no crabcakes, no veal or lamb, seafood newburg once, lobster once, filet mignon once, there is an alternate menu available nightly (printed on daily menu) offering shrimp cocktail, ny strip steak, salmon. chicken. Husband had the salmon---very nice .

5. Laies were pretty casually dressed---very few gowns/cocktail dresses, I wore black silk pants, long black jacket, metallic camisole ---many similar-type (black pants/skirts, metallic tops/tunics)

6.we docked at Cozumal , as there were anly 2 other ships there that day---it all depends . You can go to http://www.cruisecal.info/portal/MainCalendar/tabid/36/Default.aspx and type in the day you will be at a port and the port name and see how many ships will be there ....in the past, we docked right at dock in Progresso- not a high demand port.

7. we got to the ship about 1:30 and did a carry-on our bags ourselves, taking them right to our stateroom (works if you have smaller bags)we also parked at a place that takes you and your bags to the ship---some places make you drop off your pax and luggage first, then you park the car and they shuttle you back.

8. I carried on 2 bottles of wine --one white and one champagne ---no problems - steward iced them down for us ---booze bought in port or on board was kept by them until ready to get off.

9. don't know about the music in cabin --I take my I-pod and a small docking station/speakers to listen to in the cabin.

10. no hot food for room service breakfast (and the buffet did not have smoked salmon for the bagels)

 

1. sushi was served every night except for Captain's dinner

2. only served 5:30-8:30 p.m.

3. served at a separate sushi bar outside the casino (many people never even know it is there !)

 

 

hope this helped......sw

[firefly333]

We never found either the sushi bar or the chocolate buffet. Where is the chocolate buffet held? Im sure we will do this ship again.

 

We had a assigned outside room thru VTG which was pretty good, but a low floor. The bad weather had the white caps slapping our window two full nights and left so much salt it was harder to see out, but we never had to deal with any noise.

 

Our only complaint about the room was those bathrooms with plastic floors you step up into. My sister had trouble with them because of her balance problems. They do feel wierd to walk on the floors. We did get some great samples though, way better than the Princess Grand. 3 nice fancy shavers, vasoline self tan that gives you a tan in a week that was nice to try out.

 

We are deciding now about what cruise to do in May on her birthday.

[XTEACH281]

on our 4 day cruise , we had a gala buffet one night, and a Mexican one another ---but we had the 8:30 sitting, and by the time we finished ---we would drop in the casino and then head to bed ....don't know if chocolate was a prominent feature on either.....

[Hot Hockett]

we saw you all in cozumel on the fantasy

[AustinSooner]

on our 4 day cruise , we had a gala buffet one night, and a Mexican one another ---but we had the 8:30 sitting, and by the time we finished ---we would drop in the casino and then head to bed ....don't know if chocolate was a prominent feature on either.....

 

Oh come on... cruising is for partying not for sleeping. You can sleep when you are dead ;)

[Brianinidaho]

no music channels on tv, no bridge cam, ect... it is all in my review under reviews

[monakayk]

Susan,

 

Thanks for the answering my questions and the additional info! It really has helped me.

 

Too bad to hear that the Gala Midnight Buffet is on the same night as the Captains dinner...with a port day the following morning. Makes for a hard time to get up early for port when staying up that late. Wonder why they do that then? Sure wish they would re-think this one. RCCL does the same thing and it seems like it would be easier on the staff as well as the pax to to have it another night.

 

Nice to hear that most of my fav foods are going to be on the MD menu. I do love Pâté but no problem, I will just have shrimp cocktails more often! LOL.

 

Thanks again.