LIVE FROM THE DECKS OF: BILLIANCE OF THE SEAS - Let's Compare it to X!

[Host Anne]

Hi Gail ~ thanks so much for taking the time to post! It's great to hear from someone on Brilliance. We just got off Brilliance on Dec. 18 (transatlantic) and had a wonderful time. Just love that ship! Makes me feel like we are back there.

 

How's Abe, the CD doing? He was just getting on the ship after we got off. He's a great guy and we were sorry he wasn't the CD for our sailing. If you run into Ian and Amit in the dining room, tell them we send our best :)

 

Happy sailing....enjoy every moment!

[tuggers]

Hey Everyone! Am in Caraucao (or however you spell it!). Wasn't going to get off the ship today but had a friend who wanted another tablecloth (right Earl?) so here I am. Can't post from my computer here but at $2 per hour I got caught up on email and will try to answer a few questions.

 

 

Lock? What lock? I figure the only ones I can use have a master key and most thieves have those!!

 

I am in an E1 (7094), tiny cabin, big balcony!

 

I saw a D1 aft on the cabin crawl. About the same as my jr suite on grandeur and maybe the same size as CC aft. Not as big as the jr suites in other parts of the ship. Duh! That was a pretty stupid statement, guess they wouldn't be, huh? Anyway, the deck ( 9 or 10 ) determines the overhang and sun you will get.

 

Free booze is still the best perk.

 

Dinner menu last night was not good. Lots of folks jumped ship and did specialty restaurants or Windjammer. I ate in dining room but made prior arrangements for Phad Thai.

 

Finally managed to 'make' a formal outfit although I felt naked without the jacket. Worked out the shoe problem, thank goodness. Next formal night may be a repeat. That'll be a first for me!! But not unthinkable. A little more help from GR would have been nice.

 

Crew is pleasant even friendly but terribly overworked. Others tell me the cutbacks are showing more in the service than anywhere else. Such a shame.

 

Will send reguards to Angel from Debbie and Al.

 

My hair products and brushes, etc were part of what was missing so I'm off to try to find a decent brush. Did okay with the shampoos, etc at spa, but I really need a good brush.

 

Had to call last night about the cabin ac. Got really hot last night, made it hard to sleep. Finally went out on the balcony. They showed up this am as I was getting off. Now the fridge is so warm the milk I keep to take my meds with in the morning is turning. Will try to address that when I get back.

 

It's been unseasonably cool until today. I really want to get back and lay by the pool. I'll post the regular updates from the ship later today.

 

BTW, had cookies with Merrill Osmond and some good conversation yesterday. He really is a great guy!

 

Bye For Now!

[tuggers]

Flagger, because I'm always wanting SOMETHING special! Don't you know that by now??:)

[tuggers]

Will do, Anne! I only met Abe at M & M but he seemed very nice and high energy.:)

[CajunLiner]

Hey Gail! Glad to see your posts! I love seeing your "Live from the Decks of ..........." posts.

 

We were thinking about trying a RCCL ship, since they sail out of Galveston, which is driving distance for us. But from the sounds of your posts so far, it seems as they really don't measure up to Celebrity. We've only ever cruised Celebrity and have grown accustomed to the great service.

 

I will wait to see what your final opinion is before we make any decisions. Your cruising history and fair views really are helpful to all of us! Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed!

 

Donna

[thepeacha]

I ALWAYS enjoy reading your posts and this one is no exception! We got off BOS on Dec 17 (with Host Anne who was wonderful I might add!), so this is a nice reminder of the fun we had.

 

So, so sorry about your luggage, fingers are crossed for a swift and happy resolution.

 

If you are a coffee drinker- go see Roxana at Lattetudes, she is beyond amazing. If you are not a coffee drinker, get yourself a cookie! And if you want a lovely drink, tell Roxana that Melissa sent you and get my personal concoction: 2 shots espresso, ice cream mix, chocolate, and Kahlua, poured over ice. It is like a mocha shake, with a lovely kick- and please give Roxana my warmest greetings, I had more fun with her.

 

The staff in the salon part of the spa was awfully nice, maybe they can help with the brush issue. The manager was not so great but the staff rose above and beyond- and the manicurist Elena was terrific.

[Host Anne]

Hi again, Gail and thepeacha! Gail, thepeacha is right! Roxana at Lattitudes is fantastic and the concoction thepeacha had her make was the best! I think we may have to make them this weekend! Thanks for reminding me. :D

 

Gail, I forgot to mention before that I'm sorry to hear about your luggage too. What a bummer....glad to hear things are starting to work out. Hope you find that brush! Keep us posted and have a great time!

 

OH...and be sure to ask Vic in the Schooner to sing "The Baby Went Down the Plug Hole" for you! ;)

[Sky Sweet]

Thank you, Tuggers, for the information on Brilliance of the Sea's D-1 aft cabins. It is very helpful to know that it will be similar to the CC aft cabins we have had on Celebrity's M class ships.

 

Since I will be on this ship in June, I am enjoying your posts on this thread and look forward to your future updates.

 

Thanks again :)

[FinelyCruising]

Hey Gail - Wish that luggage situation did nto turn out so darn pesky...I do know what you mean about hairbrushes! Yes, yes, yes, the lounge is the best perk of them all! Enjoy the ship, we think that class of ship is our favorite and I think it rides like a dream. All the Best! :)

[tuggers]

Day 3 (continued)

 

Pre-dinner was Concierge Lounge. We have a group that is there every night, sitting at the bar, talking to Angel and telling stories. Mostly stories of our various travels and humorous things that have happened to us. Nice hot canapés. A Greek phyla dough thing filled with veggies. A meat skewer and the regular cheeses and vegetables. I’m still drinking the wine but it’s a full bar so I may try something else tomorrow. Lots of talk about the new menus. I haven’t been on enough RCCL to know they are new, this is what they’ve had since I’ve been traveling with them. Seems the Diamond and Diamond Plus people feel the quality of the food as well as the new choices on these menus do not live up to what was offered previously. Dinner tonight was regarded as a particularly bad one. Most people I have talked to tonight are going to Portofino’s or Chops.

With that said, on to dinner. I know they had Cog Au Vin but not too sure on the other choices because I had made arrangements for the Phad Thai. I had the Tuscan Bean Soup which was very nice and the Phad Thai. Several people at our table had the chicken and seemed to agree it was overcooked and not the best. Same review that entrée got on Grandeur! For dessert we mostly went with our waiters suggestion (it’s the best desert on the ship!) and had a fruit and custard crème thing. It was okay but certainly not the best thing I’ve had on here. Our waiter did bring three of the desserts to the table to show us. As you know, there is no presentation of the dessert tray on RCCL so to have him bring the desserts to the table was very good. And he is funny. One man said he wasn’t having dessert and Hector hand fed him a spoonful. Eventually the man decided to order dessert.

Just one of those funny thing a great waiter does to make a table fun!

After dinner I was tired but still went out and walked enough to make my 3 miles for the day. Then I decided to try the casino. No machines I really like. It is small but they’ve crammed a lot of machines in the space they have. And in a casino that’s a good thing! Lots of bell ringing and camaraderie. It was fun as long as my 20 bucks lasted!

Decided not to go to the late night comedy club. I had skipped the pre-dinner production show because I do hate pre-dinner stuff, If I wanted to be dressed and ready for dinner before 8 I’d have early seating! Besides, after a while you get rather tired of production shows on cruise ships. I tend to go more when they bring a special entertainer onboard.

So boring ole me is off to bed by 11:15. Woke up around midnight thinking about those cookies I’ve never had on this trip so I ordered room service. Three cookies and milk took over an hour. But they were good, Put the milk in the fridge to use to take my morning pills.

During the night the temperature in the cabin got to over 80 degrees. I called GR but finally just opened the balcony door. Made it a little better.

Bye For Now!

[tuggers]

1/05/08 Brilliance of the Sea Day 4

Slept fitfully due to warm room. We docked in Curacao early this morning to a chilly, windy day with 100% humidity.

I had ordered room service for breakfast to be delivered between 8 and 8:30. It was almost 9 when the coffee, cereal and banana arrived. I used the milk from last night that I had out in the fridge to take my morning meds. The milk had turned. In the fridge! I know it’s not very cold but I thought that was a little much. Don’t know why room service is so slow. I have seen none of the empty trays outside doors to make me think that they are being over worked.

Went down to get off the ship around 9:30 and almost had an attack of claustrophobia. The line to leave the ship was on deck 2 and it went way down the hall. Between the line of people waiting to get off and the line walking to get to the end of the line, we were packed in there like sardines. It was very hard for me to stand there. I was afraid I was going to really freak out and have one of my screaming attacks. No joke, I get really paniced sometimes in small, closed spaces! As luck would have it the line started moving really quickly and I was out of the hallway before I got any worse.

My linen shop was not open when I got there. New Amsterdam shop has the BEST prices on linens. The quality is good and you will save $5 to $10 on each tablecloth over buying from some of the other stores. And the ladies who work there are very nice!

Walked around the corner from New Amsterdam to Big Daddy’s which is an internet place. No wifi and you can’t even plug in your own laptop. But for $2 an hour you can check and send a lot of emails. Walked down a little further, turning left past the oldest Jewish Synagogue in the islands to a place in an orange building that sells make-up and such. I was able to get a hair brush to replace the one I lost from my luggage. Yea! Haven’t felt like I was really able to comb my hair properly since I’ve come onboard!

Back to the linen shop where the nice ladies helped me pick out what I was supposed to get. Of course I bought another tablecloth and some Goebel figurines I have started to collect. On the walk back to the ship I stopped with half the crew for a pineapple smoothie at the little stand near the foot of the pontoon bridge.

Walk back was very misty and even windier than on the walk in. Sure wish we could catch a break on the weather! I am dying for sun and no more wind!!! Oh well, guess it’s better than the temps they’re having at home!

I went to GR and asked about the fridge being made colder. I was talking to one of the ladies and a gentleman interrupted to tell me that the fridges are only for soda and candy not milk and I should call room service if I want cold milk. I explained to him why I put milk in there and asked if they could please just look at it. I don’t like ice in soda so if I wanted to buy a can of soda it would not be cold enough to drink. I left it that I would like someone to look at the fridge. Don’t know if that will happen or not.

Did another mile of walking to be sure I get in my 3 miles today and then went to the Windjammer for lunch (dining room is closed). Lunch was good. I made a Caesar salad only to find there was no Caesar dressing. Used blue cheese instead. Then as I was looking around other stations I found the Caesar dressing on the sandwich bar. Now I know for next time where to look. Got some Waldorf salad, a couple of bar-be-que ribs and cole slaw. All of it was pretty good.

On the way out I met up with some CC people from Baltimore and sat and talked to them for a little while. Very pleasant stories and terrific company. Pat was going to walk into town so I came to my cabin. With the sheltered balcony the wind doesn’t bother me too much and I can sit on the lounger and write or read. Sun, I just need sun to go with all this.

One thing I find odd is that you can’t find little snacks late at night. I like that Princess has cookies, cheese crackers, etc in the buffet 24 hours. Grandeur has cookies and fruit back by the pizza hamburger bar. Last night I went up to the drink station outside the buffet and it was so poorly stocked you could not even get a glass for water or make a hot chocolate. There was no milk for coffee and no lemon for tea. That’s what led me to order from room service and find out that it takes over an hour to get cookies and milk!

You can get pizzas till 1 AM but you have to go to deck 13 and walk outside to get to a little restaurant. If it’s cold or rainy who wants to do that!

Another thing about the buffet is that I keep losing food. No matter how you adjust the setting, if you get up to get so much as an ice water refill, your food is gone. I like how some buffet restaurants, Sweet Tomatoes and Soup Plantation come to mind, have cards that say ‘I’m finished’ and ‘I’ll be right back’. Those sure are helpful. Especially if you are traveling alone!

It’s 3:50 here right now and the rain is coming down in sheets. I’m going to take a nap!

[Nonna and Papa]

Hello Gail,

 

Enjoy reading about your experiences.

 

Just something to consider about luggage locks. We bought metal TSA combination locks (at Walmart) that we always use now to lock our luggage. The TSA folks have keys to open the locks if they need to check your luggage. There is a dot on the lock that turns from green to red to let you know that someone with a key has opened the lock. The green doesn't reappear until you open the lock by using your combination.

 

It certainly isn't any guarantee against theft, but I still like to travel with my luggage locked. Again, it's just a thought for you to consider.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

Mary

[sarplum]

Thanks for a great revue - probably the most interesting I have seen.

[Angelgirl51]

Thanks for the great posts. I am going to be sailing in 2 weeks on the Brilliance. Deck 4. Oceanview. My 2nd time cruising. The 1st was X Mercury. A great time and great food.

So far no one has answered my question on Sushi on the Brilliance Is it every night? Where is it?

I hope Merrill is on the cruise I am on He is such a great entertainer I love the Osmonds.

I hope the weather warms up for you and the fridge cools off for you lol.

Is it $20. for the Thai food?

Have a great cruise. I'll be checking back regularly to see how things are going.

[tuggers]

I know they have sushi as part of the Windjammer but will have to check if it's every night.

 

No Merril, he only did two shows, one on cruise before me and this one, he got off today.

 

No charge for the Phad Thai at the regular dinner table, I just asked for it ahead of time.

 

Okay so maybe I WILL consoder the locks!

 

Now the biggest problem I have is no onboard credits on my account! Will have to tranck down my ta in Antartica for that one.

 

Still having a GREAT time!

 

Gail

[Deb C.]

Gail,

I cannot believe the ease in which you are taking all of these "setbacks." You must have made some strong new year resolutions. ;) Seems like every turn is another challenge for you! I guess it gives you something to do while awaiting for the return of the sun!:D

Hopefully the cruise will get calmer, with smooth sailing for you!

Keep up your excellent journal. I love reading it!

Deb C.

[SheilaNC]

Gail,

Great review (no surprise there :))...we're on the Jewel next fall and since it's a sister ship and only our 2nd RCL cruise, I'm really interested in knowing more about the layout of the ship. So....I'll just keep reading and know you'll tell me all that I want to know without my asking.

 

Hope that all of your problems are resolved soon, the sun comes out, and that your good cruise turns into a GREAT one!

[elena7seas]

Tuggers, have you had an opportunity to see a D-1 aft cabin? If so, how does it compare with a CC aft on a Celebrity M class ship?

 

I am curious because we booked a D-1 aft cabin on Brilliance of the Seas for our upcoming Mediterranean Cruise.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Hi Sky Sweet:

 

We were on Serenade of the Seas (November 24 - December 1, 2007), a sister ship to Brilliance, and stayed in a D-1 aft cabin 9256. It was a terrific cabin with an outstanding balcony.

 

 

We always stay in CC cabins on Celebrity, and this D1 Aft is a little larger (204 sq. ft. vs. 191 sq. ft.). The storage was good, but IMO, not quite as spacious or well-planned as in the Celebrity CC cabins. There was more available floor space in the D1 Aft, and the sofa was a three-seater as opposed to a two-seater.

 

The sofa, carpet and draperies were in much better condition than on our 2007 cruise on the Millennium, and somewhat better than our 2006 cruise on the Summit. About the same condition as our 2005 cruise on Constellation.

 

The bed was a bit hard for me, so I had to order an egg crate. They didn't have a pillow menu, and there was only one type of pillow available and it was reasonably comfortable, but I have to admit that I missed my goose down pillows, and my DH missed the Isotoner pillows that we can get in the CC cabins. The steward seemed to be surprised when I asked for two more pillows. Bedding was fine...not quite as soft as the new bedding on the Millennium.

 

 

I'm hoping that the link below will take you to the rest of the pictures of the cabin and its fabulous balcony.

 

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg140/elena7seas/Serenade%20of%20the%20Seas/D1%20Aft%20Cabin%209256/?action=view&current=77a3b19a.pbw

 

I know the Serenade of the Seas is just a sister ship to the one you are taking on your upcoming cruise, but I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

[aloanldy]

Gail - People should take lessons from you! How not to let things get you down!

 

I'm glad you are having a great cruise, even with all your set backs.

 

Thanks for sharing your vacation.

 

Charlie

[tuggers]

1/05/08 Brilliance of the Sea Day 4

Slept fitfully due to warm room. Will be glad to get that fixed! I just can’t sleep in a warm room.

We docked in Curacao early this morning to a chilly, windy day with 100% humidity.

First thing I saw while looking out from my balcony were two ambulances loading people. Have not heard of accidents or sickness so have no idea why these people were taken off.

I had ordered room service for breakfast to be delivered between 8 and 8:30. It was almost 9 when the coffee, cereal and banana arrived. I used the milk from last night that I had put in the fridge to take my morning meds. The milk had soured. In the fridge! The date was good. I know these little fridges are not very cold but I thought that was a little much. Don’t know why room service is so slow either. I have seen none of the empty trays outside doors to make me think that they are being over worked but others have told me they have had the same slow service. So, for now, I would have to say the room service is defiantly NOT on a par with Celebrity. The menu is limited and I can’t get a clear answer on the question of dining room dinner menu food being served in the cabin during dinner hours. I really would like to know that so plan to find out tomorrow.

Went down to get off the ship around 9:30 and almost had an attack of claustrophobia. The line to leave the ship was on deck 2 and it went way down the hallway. Between the line of people waiting to get off and the line walking to get to the end of the line, we were packed in there like sardines. It was very hard for me to stand in that and not panic. I was afraid I was going to really freak out and have one of my screaming attacks. No joke, I get really panicked sometimes in small, closed spaces! As luck would have it the line started moving quickly and I was out of the hallway before it got any worse.

My linen shop was not open when I got there. New Amsterdam shop has the BEST prices on linens. The quality is good and you will save $5 to $10 on each tablecloth over buying from some of the other stores. And the ladies who work there are very nice! So walk past the stores on the main street as you come off the pontoon bridge, walk down to the plaza on the left and turn in there. Once in the plaza there will be restaurant seating under the trees and stores on both sides. Go to the end and New Amsterdam is on the back right corner. They sell linens, blue delft, Goebel and the lower priced line of Lladro whose name escapes me at the moment.

Walked around the corner from New Amsterdam to Big Daddy’s which is an internet place. No wifi and you can’t even plug in your own laptop. But for $2 an hour you can check and send a lot of emails. It’s pretty fast connection speed too. Walked down a little further, turning left past the oldest Jewish Synagogue in the islands to a store in an orange building that sells make-up and such. I was able to get a hair brush to replace the one I lost from my luggage. Yea! Haven’t felt like I was really able to comb my hair properly since I’ve come onboard!

Back to the linen shop where the nice ladies helped me pick out what I was supposed to get for my friend. Of course I bought another tablecloth and some Goebel figurines I have started to collect.

On the walk back to the ship I stopped (with half the crew) for a pineapple smoothie at the little stand near the foot of the pontoon bridge. Some crew members on an X ship turned me on to this place and it’s really good. Large smoothie was $2.50 USD. They were out of my favorite, Mango, but the pineapple was good. Too bad they didn’t have any coconut to go with it!

Walk back was very misty and even windier than on the walk in. Sure wish we could catch a break on the weather! I am dying for sun and no more wind!!! Oh well, guess it’s better than the temps they’re having at home!

I went to GR when I got back onboard and asked about the fridge being made colder. I was talking to one of the ladies and a gentleman interrupted to tell me that the fridges are only for soda and candy not milk and I should call room service if I want cold milk. He said they are not meant to be cold. Huh???? I explained to him why I put milk in there and asked if they could please just look at it. As for it being meant for soda, I don’t like ice in soda so if I wanted to buy a can it would not be cold enough to for me to enjoy. Seems they would want to make those expensive cans of soda appealing to passengers. I left it that I would like someone to look at the fridge. Don’t know if that will happen or not.

Did another mile of walking to be sure I get in my 3 miles today and then went to the Windjammer for lunch (dining room is closed). Lunch was good. I made a Caesar salad only to find there was no Caesar dressing. Used blue cheese instead which is fine. I like Romaine lettuce better than iceberg anyway. Then as I was looking around other stations I found the Caesar dressing on the sandwich bar. Now I know for next time where to look. Got some Waldorf salad, a couple of bar-be-que ribs and cole slaw. All of it was good. Got up to get more water and, of course, lost my food. Table was cleared. That does get annoying! No matter how I adjust the setting to make it clear I’ll be back, if I get up, my food is gone. I like how some buffet restaurants, Sweet Tomatoes and Soup Plantation come to mind, have cards that say ‘I’m finished’ and ‘I’ll be right back’. Those sure are helpful. Especially if you are traveling alone! So today, after lunch, I went to GR and got some of the 3 x 5 cards they use to put on the community bulletin board. They are blank on the back. Next time I go to the buffet I plan to take one that says ‘I’ll be right back. Please do not remove food!’. That should solve the problem!

On the way out I met up with some CC people from Baltimore and sat and talked to them for a little while. Very pleasant stories and terrific company. They are such interesting people. Pat was going to walk into town so I came up to my cabin. With the sheltered balcony the wind doesn’t bother me too much and I can sit on the lounger and write or read. Sun, I just need sun to go with all this. Can someone please put in an order for me???

One thing I find odd is that you can’t find little snacks late at night. I like that Princess has cookies, cheese, crackers, etc in the buffet 24 hours. Grandeur has cookies and fruit back by the pizza /hamburger bar. Last night I went up to the drink station outside the buffet and it was so poorly stocked you could not even get a glass for water or make a hot chocolate. There was no milk/cream for coffee and no lemon for tea. That’s what led me to order from room service and find out that it takes over an hour to get cookies and milk!

You can get pizzas till 1 AM but you have to go to deck 13 and walk outside to get to a little restaurant that has pizzas and paninis . If it’s cold or rainy who wants to do that!

It’s 3:50 here right now and the rain is coming down in sheets. I’m going inside to read and take a nap!

8:10 Took my meds, got the book someone gave me, crawled into bed and woke up past the free drink time and dinner time! Felt pretty good but I may be up all night now!

Went to the buffet for dinner about 8:45. They had an Asian bar with stir fry, a hot American food bar with pork chops (very thin), salmon, turkey cutlets and whole bar-be-que chickens that they cut me a breast off of. I got a little piece of the scalloped potatoes but they seemed to be made with mashed potatoes, not layered sliced potatoes. Made a salad and had a rye roll. They had a few breadsticks by the salad. I tried one and it was surprisingly good. Not as good as X but good. Had a taste of the Black Forrest Mousse (okay), a bite of the Pineapple Cake (good) and some soft serve ice cream. Got some cookies to take back to the room so I don’t have to wait an hour and a half for room service if I want some later tonight.

They cleared out the food on the buffet by 9:15 so, although the hours are until 9, if you go close to that time you need to get your food all at one time or you will miss out on part of your meal.

The Windjammer at night is a very pleasant place. Soft lighting, the sound of the waves rushing by, someone to bring silverware and coffee, etc. I found a seat easily and enjoyed my meal. It’s not the dining room but in cases like tonight when I slept past my dinner time, it was a good alternative,

As I was leaving the Windjammer I met a lady out by the 24 hour drink station. She said she usually travels on Celebrity and does not drink sodas or lemonade and hates the iced tea on this ship. I haven’t drank any because I like my iced tea brewed and not very strong. The iced tea on here looks more like coke. She was making tea to take to her room and put over ice. She said that she missed the juices that are available 24 hours on X. Not anything I had noticed but thought it was worth mentioning for those who enjoy that type of drinks.

Here’s what was available in the dining room tonight:

Maryland Crab Cake, Thai Lemongrass Soup, New England Clam Chowder

Pork Chop w/cranberry apple sauce and scalloped potatoes

Cheese Tortellini

Orange Lime Salmon

Thyme & Garlic Lamb T-Bone

Risotto Primavera

I would have had the pork chop if I did dinner in the dining room but had envisioned it as a thick, broiled or grilled chop and, at the Windjammer at least, that was not the case. They were very, very thin chops that seemed to be oven baked.

Okay, let’s see if I can do a run down of what I like and don’t like about this RCCL ship and cruise.

Brilliance of the Sea

Absolutely beautiful ship with lots of places to sit and enjoy the beauty, especially in and around the main atrium or Centrum as they call it. Palm trees and comfy seating make it a very appealing area. I would give the nod to this ship for beauty over any X ship.

Music – there is lots of live music all over the ship and it is not just at night. There is live music in the day time. On days the dining room is open for lunch there is string music by Rosario Strings in the Centrum Lobby. Music by the pool is by the Tropical Duo. I haven’t heard them by the pool but they play at night in the Centrum and sound pretty good. The Centrum also has Rosario Strings at night. There is usually music in the Centrum till 11 or later. Schooner Bar has Anthony, Hollywood Odyssey has the Foster Duo and the Colony Club has D’Four Rhythm Quartet. All of these play until at least midnight.

Daytime Activities - There are some, but frankly I think X has them beat. Lots of Fisher Price baby and children activities but not much for adults unless you are into cards. I have seen both bridge and cribbage offered. Trivia, not so much. For example tomorrow they have an 11:30 Morning Trivia and then Name That Tune at 5. Throw in a ‘Baggo’ tournament and a Caribbean dance class and that’s about it.

Movies - They do have a theater or a place they call a theater. I haven’t been there so don’t know the details. I haven’t been there because they still seem to think it’s Christmas! Almost all the movies are Christmas movies: White Christmas, The Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, etc. They did play Lucky You but no one seemed to know what it was about and they don’t give you a synopsis anywhere so I didn’t go. The good thing is they do play movies about four times a day. Unfortunately the last movie usually starts at 10 PM so you have to hurry dinner and miss the post dinner shows if you want to see it. Would be better if they had a midnight show. Still, they have a theater and they do show movies several times a day so the movie buff would have to go for this ship over X.

Casino – Nice area, lots of slots, heavy on the quarter machines but no ‘special’ machines that I like. I LOVE the one with the bundles of cash that give you offers if you hit the right symbol. None of those. The casino is pleasantly crowded so that the bells and clanging coins are exciting. Nice casino but I think X has nice ones too so I call the casino a draw. Both lines are about even.

Food – Okay here is the big one! We all care about the food. And bear in mind that food is so subjective that my taste might not be anywhere near yours. I am giving you my opinion and we all know what those are like. Everyone has them! J

Lunch in the dining room has a menu that weighs about two pounds! Lots of the choices remain the same with only some specials that change daily. The things I’ve had have been good but regulars on this line tell me they do get tired of the same menus for lunch every day. I do not get Phad Thai or Nsai Goring where I live so I very much enjoy the days they have those items. I do object to having to order dessert with the meal. If you’ve read my posts before you know this is something I really object to and find very tacky. So lunch in the dining room goes to X. Different menus everyday, very good food and service more like the dinner service.

Dinner in the dining room. The dining rooms on both lines are beautiful. The waiters seem to have less tables to service on X. Waiters on RCCL seem to be stretched pretty thin. This also applies to the assistant waiters. On RCCL the assistant waiters serve the bread as no bread baskets are left on the tables. This means more trips to each of their tables throughout the dinner. They almost run to keep up with tea, water, butter, bread requests sometimes making the dinner experience seem very harried. This does have an effect on your dining experience. On this ship the quality of the beef has been very good. My experience with beef on Grandeur was quite different. On G the Prime Rib was good but after that the beef had a mealy texture that I did not care for. Here the beef has been very good. I do find the choices on X to be better. Now don’t get me wrong, there are a couple out of the 14 X dinner menus that are bummers. On RCCL I have found more menus per cruise that it is hard to find something you really want. This, of course, is my opinion, however, I have heard the same sentiments from RCCL regulars. They say they order more meals from the ‘always available’ items when on these ships. I also miss the presenting of the dessert tray each night. For food, service and menu choices I have to say X gets the win, hands down.

Windjammer Buffet – This is a beautiful venue, exceptionally well laid out food and drink stations and with plenty of seating IF the weather is good. A lot of the seating is outside or in a semi-sheltered area. That seating is beautiful with wicker chairs and sofas but with the windy and chilly weather we’ve been having it puts pressure on the seating area that is available inside so that it is hard to find a seat during meal hours. On this one I would have to say RCCL is about 75% better than X.

Late Night Snacks – Not very available on this ship unless you use room service. And we’ve already talked about how long that takes! I like that Princess has cookies, cheese, crackers, etc in the buffet 24 hours. Grandeur has cookies and fruit back by the pizza /hamburger bar. Last night I went up to the drink station outside the buffet and it was so poorly stocked you could not even get a glass for water or make a hot chocolate. There was no milk/cream for coffee and no lemon for tea. That’s what led me to order from room service to get cookies and milk! You can get pizzas till 1 AM but you have to go to deck 13 and walk outside to get to a little restaurant that has pizzas and paninis . If it’s cold or rainy who wants to do that! After hours food goes to X only because room service is much quicker and they have a larger selection.

Service (Food service and service in general) - I find the staff to be pleasant here and some are friendly but either they are stretched too thin or the training is just not done well. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that anyone coming on RCCL ships would say the service is ‘fine’ or ‘adequate’. But it is NOT up to X standards! Even on Celebrities worst day they would beat RCCL on service. X just has a whole different feel to it. The staff is different. On X I have always thought anything was possible. If there was anyway it could be done, X would try to make it happen. Not so on RCCL. A good example was when I asked my head waiter, at lunch, for a special entrée for dinner that night, I was told it was a ‘last minute’ request and he ‘would ask the chef’. I did not feel that he was happy that I was asking for something special. When one of my lunch companions who also has Leonardo for a head waiter asked about getting the Phad Thai for herself he cut her off and told her to order it at dinner that night and she ‘might’ get it for the next night. He also had no idea that I was sitting at one of his tables and had to ask for my table number. The personal touch is just not there. I also told him there were some nights I did not like the menus and could I see the next nights menu during dinner so I could ask for the Phad Thai if I didn’t like what was offered. He told me to ask the waiter after dinner. Now on X, most of the ships have a binder with all the menus for your cruise, in order. If you want to see a menu they get you the book. My waiter, who is very nice, told me he had no access to the menus for the next night. I believe him. I think Leonardo could have gotten it for me if he wanted to but he doesn’t want it to lead to a ‘special request’. So the service, in dining room and in general, goes to X, hands down! You want to be pampered, you go on X. If ‘We’ll make it happen’ service is not important to you and you don’t mind impersonal service, staff doing just what has to be done but not going the extra mile then you are fine on RCCL. And RCCL is head and shoulders above NCL and Princess. Just not nearly as good as X!

Spa – I have no personal experience with this but will tell you what I’ve heard around the ship. Management is not good, manager leaves a lot to be desired, spa services are okay to good but the staff is very, very sales oriented. Meaning if you go in for a service and do not buy the products they are pushing you will find them not quite as friendly as you would expect. Was that PC enough? Truth is, I was told they give you the bum’s rush out the door if you choose not to buy stuff. From what I’ve heard, X wins in the spa department.

Pool Towels – Okay, this is another of my pet peeves. There are no towels by the pool that you can just pick up. You bring your own towel from your cabin and if you want a CLEAN one, they have an exchange kiosk where a pool person will take your soiled towel and give you a clean one. Sorry, this is tacky! Pool towels go to X!

Frozen Towels – X sometimes has these delivered to you by the pool on extra hot days but almost always greets you when you return from hot ports with a cold, wet towel to refresh yourself. Frozen, cold, wet towels go to X!

It’s almost 1 AM here and I think this day’s report has gone on long enough. Time to post this and watch some TV, read a little and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is Aruba and if the weather is nice I will take my soiled pool towel up to the exchange kiosk, get a fresh one, and lay by the pool for the ENTIRE day!!! Everyone pray for me to have sunshine and no wind. Please!

Bye For Now!

One last personal note. I have a very dear friend who recently went through some serious surgery without telling me because she didn’t want me to come home from this cruise (yes I am upset about that!), but mostly I am thrilled that everything came out fine and she is doing great. If you are reading this, I love you but when I get home I’m coming to visit and we are going to TALK! I love you anyway!

[Sky Sweet]

Hi Sky Sweet:

 

We were on Serenade of the Seas (November 24 - December 1, 2007), a sister ship to Brilliance, and stayed in a D-1 aft cabin 9256. It was a terrific cabin with an outstanding balcony.

 

 

We always stay in CC cabins on Celebrity, and this D1 Aft is a little larger (204 sq. ft. vs. 191 sq. ft.). The storage was good, but IMO, not quite as spacious or well-planned as in the Celebrity CC cabins. There was more available floor space in the D1 Aft, and the sofa was a three-seater as opposed to a two-seater.

 

The sofa, carpet and draperies were in much better condition than on our 2007 cruise on the Millennium, and somewhat better than our 2006 cruise on the Summit. About the same condition as our 2005 cruise on Constellation.

 

The bed was a bit hard for me, so I had to order an egg crate. They didn't have a pillow menu, and there was only one type of pillow available and it was reasonably comfortable, but I have to admit that I missed my goose down pillows, and my DH missed the Isotoner pillows that we can get in the CC cabins. The steward seemed to be surprised when I asked for two more pillows. Bedding was fine...not quite as soft as the new bedding on the Millennium.

 

 

I'm hoping that the link below will take you to the rest of the pictures of the cabin and its fabulous balcony.

 

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg140/elena7seas/Serenade%20of%20the%20Seas/D1%20Aft%20Cabin%209256/?action=view&current=77a3b19a.pbw

 

I know the Serenade of the Seas is just a sister ship to the one you are taking on your upcoming cruise, but I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

 

Hi Elena7seas :)

 

Thank you so much for answering my question with such good details :)

[elena7seas]

Hi Sky Sweet:

 

You're very welcome.

 

My apologies for the size of the second picture. This was my first time uploading pictures, and I don't have the knack yet for customizing the size of the uploads yet. The first one worked fine, but the last one is ridiculously large. Sigh. So much to learn, so little time!

[elena7seas]

Quote: "Late Night Snacks – Not very available on this ship unless you use room service. And we’ve already talked about how long that takes! I like that Princess has cookies, cheese, crackers, etc in the buffet 24 hours. Grandeur has cookies and fruit back by the pizza /hamburger bar. Last night I went up to the drink station outside the buffet and it was so poorly stocked you could not even get a glass for water or make a hot chocolate. There was no milk/cream for coffee and no lemon for tea. That’s what led me to order from room service to get cookies and milk! You can get pizzas till 1 AM but you have to go to deck 13 and walk outside to get to a little restaurant that has pizzas and paninis . If it’s cold or rainy who wants to do that! After hours food goes to X only because room service is much quicker and they have a larger selection."

 

On the Concierge Lounge on the Serenade of the Seas in November, you could always go in and make yourself a cappucino, or a hot chocolate, or tea if the Concierge wasn't on duty. I spent some lovely time there at off-peak hours, with a cappucino, or a mocha, and had the room all to myself.

 

Also, the Concierge Lounge had copies of all of the dinner menus for the whole week, which I used to plan our dining strategies :o .

 

If the Millennium ships had a Concierge Lounge, I would never stray from Celebrity again, tired cabin upholstery notwithstanding! ;)

 

Gail, I so enjoy your "LIVE FROM..." reports. Thank you so much for taking the time to bring us along on your cruises with you. I love the narrative and all the detail that you include.

 

You have spurred me on to complete my own review from our November 2007th trip on RCCL (for the first time). This is a case of "Better late than never!" but I just spent too much time enjoying our only grandchild's first Christmas.

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[FinelyCruising]

Call me silly but I thought there were only 3 Radiance Class ships....Raidiance, Billiance and Jewel....did not ever have an idea Serenade was among that class....back looks about the same tho...

[cruising grandma]

Gail.....If you are walking 3 miles daily, you could definately do the RT to Baby Beach I told about! It wasn't that much walking involved!! Remember my Mom was with us.

 

How do you know who to persue about lost items in your luggage??? It sounds like it could be anyone from the airports, to the hotel employees, to the cruise porters, to the passengers on ship, to the ship's personel......What would you do if you see someone wearing your jacket on formal night???????? Fortunately, we've never had that problem, but we do use tiewraps inflight and stronger locks at the cruise terminal.

 

Keep looking on the brighter side........there's always a better day ahead!