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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/18/2024 in all areas

  1. Day 2 Man are we moving, also so is the water. I tried to do the mystery puzzle break in 270 but it was crowded and people were doing the most. I left and did a walk through. Then I hung out in the CL for almost 2hrs chatting with folks. Robin and MB overslept. Dinner was supposed to be at 7 so we could catch sequins and feathers. They sat us at 7:15 and guess what time they showed up.....if you guessed 8:15 you would be right. Dinner and service was miles better.
    11 points
  2. I have sea legs but this 60+ knot winds are killing me. I nearly flew away leaving the puzzle break. Which was a little harder than the one on Wonder......but fun nonetheless. I met @WAYNO who was super nice. We chatted about the casino taking our hard earned cash So on the way back from puzzle break I saw several diapers just sitting outside the cabins.....is this how they are disposed??? I don't have children but this doesn't seem like protocol. We brought binoculars and I spend 20min or so looking out. I saw a shark! It was so cool.
    10 points
  3. I was checking to see the price to upgrade my offer code from a Junior Suite on Harmany Feb 2, 2025, offer code: (2407C02A). The Junior Suite rate was more expensive than then a 1 Bedroom Grand Suite and a Crown Loft was an additional ~$750 total! It may have helped that I added a person on the 15th for just the taxes/fees. But I am excited! Sky Class benefits again!
    6 points
  4. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    The signs on our cabin in case we get lost.
    5 points
  5. Adventure was our first ship back in 2002 and we fell in love with cruising on her. We just sailed her again this past July, and we had a great time. You have to go in with the right expectations. She's older, without the bells and whistles of the big ships. There are shows, but they are not big and splashy like Oasis class or Icon Class. You have to be ok with visiting the WJ. But the crew is great, and it takes you back a bit to what many loved about cruising in the first place.
    4 points
  6. Sitka is in a rainforest so don't think you're special and it only rained because you are there we got drenched in May but it was a great time. My mom did the Best of Sitka tour and really enjoyed it from her cozy coach bus while the rest of us biked in the rain!
    4 points
  7. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Day 3 ... I don't stray far from my habits... the fruit in the D Lounge is really good. And this place is empty.
    4 points
  8. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Day 2 ... we saw Sequins and Feathers in the Royal Theatre. It was 40 minutes of modern dance, with continuous changes of costumes. The AV support, the music, and the talent involved is incredible. But everyone has different tastes. 40 minutes was a long dance act.
    4 points
  9. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Tonight is quite windy outside. Lots of rocking and rolling. But what magnificent horizons.
    4 points
  10. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Ate dinner in the MDR tonight. I don't want to be a complainer, so I won't. The dining room on this ship is not grand like so many other MDR's. It's more like a cafeteria. Our server gals are delightful. We are at a shared table for ten. Last night there were 6 diners. Tonight we were the only diners at our table. Many tables are empty.
    4 points
  11. Day 2 sea day continues.... I had to do a tiny bit of work. Then I went to the $10 sale. It was a madhouse. I did get everyone important a t-shirt. My OBC showed up and it offset the balance of the shirts. Being the team player I am we went to te WJ for lunch. I couldn't find much but the people watching was amazing . I watch a lady drag an employee from cleaning one told to clean her's. Robin told her off but since English wasn't her 1st language she ignored her. Said lady only ate plain lettuce and apples. She had like fifty apples that she put half in a target bag. There were 5 spots left for the puzzle society and they assigned us all different days. I got 2:30 for today, Robin and MB got 4pm tomorrow and my brother got 5:30 on day 5. Most of the doors are closed to the deck because of high winds.
    4 points
  12. Kia ora koutou! Long time lurker, first time live blogger! I have read most if your blogs over the past year or two, gaining tips and tricks that you truly can't find anywhere else (as well as hilarious anecdotes.) I finally thought I should repay the favour and since we're doing a route that hasn't been blogged about it a long time, hopefully it may be of some inspiration! Who? Myself (Morgan, early thirties, stock standard millenial) & my mum (Carolyn, boomer set on spending my inheritance on travelling together! ) We live about as far apart as a mum and daughter can - she's back in my hometown in New Jersey and I've been living in New Zealand for the past 6 years! We only started cruising once I graduated from college and now usually go once a year-ish. We are destination cruisers - other than a 4 night trip to the Bahamas, we have never cruised the Caribbean! Because of this, we also have mainly been on Radiance class ships. What? We will be doing the 14 night Panamal Canal transit from LA to New Orleans on Brilliance of the Seas. We always have pretty limited options as I am a teacher and fit our trips in around my school breaks. Luckily, my principal has signed off on 3 extra days of leave so we will get some time in NOLA after the cruise. Day 1: Fly to LA (the time difference means I land before I left!) Day 2: Embarkation Day 3: Sea Day Day 4: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Day 5: Sea Day Day 6: Sea Day Day 7: Huatulco, Mexico Day 8: Sea Day Day 9: Sea Day Day 10: Sea Day Day 11: Sea Day - Panama Canal Transit Day 12: Cartagena, Colombia Day 13: Sea Day Day 14: Sea Day Day 15: Sea Day Day 16: Disembark in New Orleans Day 17-18: New Orleans Day 19/21: Fly back to Auckland (lose a day in the process so arrive 2 days later at 5 am and head straight to work!) I know this is a pretty unique itinerary, so please feel free to ask any questions! I am unfortunately not usually a shenanigans magnet, but will try to keep my eyes peeled. (The 14 nighter people are usually a bit quieter!)
    3 points
  13. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    And back at the ship, our ship dwarfs the Eurodam.
    3 points
  14. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Today was Sitka. We were unable to get an excursion, so we did the walk around. Surprising to me, Sitka has a relatively large shopping district.
    3 points
  15. Just like @OCSC Mike, life/work stress has kept me from following along the way I normally like to. I am glad you made it there safely, and that you are still sane with the vintages lol. The rest of the week looks to be more calm so hopefully I can stay more "live" with your trip!
    3 points
  16. Yeah we have started looking at the cruises from Philly. It does look like they renovated the jewel recently which included removing water slides, so yeah..not a ton for the kid. But it's almost a definite that we will be trying it at least once. The love boat is absolutely ridiculous and I love it! Lol One thing I never mentioned in my little Princess review was as great as the medallion was and the app did a good job with activities and stuff, it drove me nuts that I couldn't see a schedule of venues and restaurants on there. Also...the fact that you don't know what's for dinner until the day of the meal was a bit strange.
    3 points
  17. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    To the Windjammer for a little protein. The place was packed. I had to ask another group if I could join them. And we're now tied up at the dock. We have no view other than forward from our balcony, so I can only get a minimal snapshot of the cruise ship Eurodam which is tied up next to us. It is quite rusty. I strolled the pool deck. The pools are quite unused. I am cold tolerant, but it is quite chilly outside. I hate coats, but I will wear one today.
    3 points
  18. I have yet to eat my breakfast in the CL, I love the ffruit and chocolate croissants.
    3 points
  19. Yes, this is standard practice throughout the fleet. While I have no definitive answer as to why, my guess is that this is a logistics/supply policy so that all of the bed sheets are interchangeable with no need to maintain supplies of both fitted and unfitted sheets. It could also be b/c (this is only a guess), I suspect the very high heat that they use in the onboard laundry would cause the elastic in the fitted sheets to degrade fairly quickly. And finally, one size fits all is probably their friend as there are a variety of bed configurations to service and many different sizes of sheet would be a nightmare. No hack that I am aware of.
    3 points
  20. I love Adventure. It's big enough to have something for everyone and small enough to be easy to navigate. The itineraries are more interesting than the largest ships and the prices are very attractive. What's not to love?
    3 points
  21. I got interested in that dessert case... until I saw it wasn't free. #cheapskate
    3 points
  22. an americano!!! my starbucks barista days still manifesting when i least expect it your junior suite is a bit of a strange configuration to me i was hoping you’d have the split bathroom because i'm fascinated by it. that pic of the esplanade was the crown lounge looks really nice and bright (judging from @Ampurp85’s pictures) so i am glad you have that at least on your side
    3 points
  23. one of the things that i remember hating so distinctly while on this ship was that we could feel SO MUCH motion. the quantum class is very long and narrow (see also the esplanade) and not more wide bodied like some of the other classes (freedom, voyager) that i remember being like….. it is DECEMBER. this should be a FLAT calm. what the heck!! also 19.7 knots…. you are MOVIN. i should add an addendum to this that i know so many fine folks here on this very board who love quantum class and this is in NO WAY me bashing them/their opinion — simply just that the ship and its layout was not our pick. i did love all the technology and newness and of course 270 is a dream and a quiet place. WELP. rip in pieces i’ll admit i had to wait until i saw the picture of the cabin door before i put this all together and i……… commenced staring off into the void thereafter. oh robin the casino sounds like a real time. congrats to that lady who won 12k tho - ask her if she wants to add to @SweetPea’s symph december 8 sailing fund!!!
    3 points
  24. Some agents are new, or they maybe are being schooled in all matters but also they may have been told to tell this to you by RCI But from all that I know, this is not true - Usually you can change a person's name outside of 72-96 hours prior to sailing, once the ship has been sent the Name Manifest (72 hours out) then they cannot do this. Again, the agent may not have known this, but that person is not charged as no show, cruise lines just do not like people doing this And if the do no show, you will get that persons' taxes, gratuities, planner items refunded. Cruise fare is not refunded but I would make sure of this and follow up on it later. Timing is everything - if you know someone cannot travel with you - and you cannot replace them, and you 30 days or less from cruising, then a no show is kind of your best option. If 30+ days outside of travel, if you try and cancel that person, it may actually cost you money, because they reprice the cruise that day Lots of details but that is what a good Res Agent or better TA is for... hope it works out.
    2 points
  25. I love when the new deployments open up and keep in mind, often times, this is the BEST pricing you will get when booking certain itineraries and sailings. Don't wait to book if it's the trip you want!
    2 points
  26. UNACCEPTABLE! Food jokes aside, this would seriously screw up our meal planning given how picky my wife is. It requires a sophisticated algorithm for us that includes multiple factors.
    2 points
  27. Most hotels no longer use fitted sheets..............all flat sheets easier for stock
    2 points
  28. We have sailed on 3 Oasis class ships and just got off the Adventure. Adventure was fine. A little limited on complimentary dining options but was more than sufficient. Dan the cruise director was the best we have ever had on a cruise. The shows were great and the live music around the ship was excellent. The windjammer was very large and not crowded... but tip is to head to the back where the bar is and there is much more seating. The only downside was the casino was a bit crowded and very smokey.
    2 points
  29. Day 3 Sitka They delivered a Chef's amenity and it wasn't appearing at all. Got our first towel animal. We hung a tag for continental breakfast outside our door last night. It was to be scheduled 6:30-7 and at 6:47 we got a call he was on his way....only for him to knock on the door as soon as we hung up. We are currently watching the ship edge into Sitka, it is lightly raining.
    2 points
  30. Our bread bowl in the MDR had one pumpkin seed roll last night. And I found one with sunflower seeds. I don't try to eat a lot of breads, so either of these would be a treat to me, especially with the nice butter. My wife grabbed up the pumpkin seed and I actually ate the sunflower roll. Yummy.
    2 points
  31. SEEDED ROLL!!!!! I'm cheering for your MDR success. 8:15 for a 7:00 dinner? LOL nice. The diapers are not the norm. We had diaper pails/containers when the girls were little - leaving them laying around just caused more interest from the dog, which wasn't good. In the hall? Just gross beyond gross. You have a trash can in your room! Just use it! Or ask for an extra bag! Sheesh...
    2 points
  32. wow, I'm 2 cruises behind! I see i joined in pre-cruise before my summer fell apart! I'm glad you loved Bermuda! That was a short trip! A full week is definitely better! You were docked next to the Norwegian Gem. Love her, but she's a small ship and luckily we're entertained by good bartenders so we have no issues with her. I mention this because a couple of you mentioned that NCL is sailing out off Philly in 2026. That ship will be the Jewel, sister to the Gem. I'm not sure the kid would love that one. That said, and I'm just throwing this out there for no reason whatsoever .... That cruise does an overnight in Bermuda and an overnight in Charleston, SC. Jewel class will always hold a special place in my heart, but Breakaway Plus class reigns supreme with us! I'm so jealous! I'm forever watching episodes of The Love Boat! I love how they just check in for the cruise with Julie the Cruise Director with her clip board right on the ship. There are only 3 passenger decks. If Isaac is at Pirate Cove, who's serving drinks in the Acapulco Lounge? Who knew you could fall in and get married to a stranger you hated on embarkation day on a 3-night cruise? Who knew Doc could perform an emergency surgery on the ship and keep his scrubs absolutely pristine with no blood or other body fluid stains. And i absolutely love how the crew took an interest in every guests' personal lives and fraternized freely. Imagine walking in to Captain's Quarters these days and asking for a new room because you're fighting with your spouse and you want to sleep somewhere else and he offers you his room? Best ever!! Oh, and Air Supply! You know i always heard them on the radio or my parents' cassette tapes. One year i saw them playing a concert on TV. I fell over when i realized the lead singer was a man. All that time i thought it was a female vocalist.
    2 points
  33. My husband kicks the sheet loose on his side of the bed, too (while cruising). I don't have a "hack" for this issue, but wonder if each bed was made with its own bottom sheet would be helpful.
    2 points
  34. 2 points
  35. smokeybandit

    NextCruise

    Aren't the deposits made in the app automatically open bookings? And with that, you have 60 days to book to get any of the next cruise perks, but you have a year to actually book with the certificate.
    2 points
  36. While the mattress protector may look/feel like a sheet, there's a liquid repellent barrier under the fabric layer. We've used protectors for as long as we've owned bedding. Protection against liquids and effective protection against dust mites inhabiting the mattress fabric. After doing the all access tour and seeing the laundry operation, the automatic bed linen folder really makes short work of the flat sheets. Never dismantled our bed on a ship and I flop around like a boated tuna at night.
    2 points
  37. hot take but i kind of love the fact that the new DL is there - a new location is always fun and i hate being farmed down to the dungeon on 4.
    2 points
  38. 2 points
  39. Actually it does.
    2 points
  40. Day 2 Sea Day Good morning, it is like 7am, I forgot to manually set my phone but the app has the correct time so no biggie. I got good rest but only slept to 6:32. The couple next door had some guest leaving early in the morning making too much noise. Edit I started writing this and then the vintages and my brother begged me to go to breakfast. I got dressed and met them in the WJ. It was a flustercuck even at what was 7:30am on the ship. I didn't eat much because it was like a concert parking lot where everyone is a new teenage driver: nobody had any sense of direction. First the person at the podium had to beg, and I do mean beg, people to washy, washy. Then at any point there was two lines for each station, so at some point you always converge at the same spot. There were no tables to be had but Robin took one designated for the handicap, her defense was she has handicap plates and stickers plus two bad hips. By the time I joined them, they had eaten, and I wasn't super hungry, but I got a stale cinnamon donut and fruit. FYI they hide the chocolate milk which is in a gallon, and you have to request it. It rained and so the balcony and outside area was wet and misty. There is outside seating for the WJ on Quantum, which is pretty cool but also sucks when it rains. I went to the casino and met about three people from the shuttle yesterday, gambling. Many were signature in the casino and were waiting on handpays. There was only one poor guy doing them and he was running around real confused. One lady had been waiting an hour for her payout. A lady next to me on Dancing drums hit the grand, $12k, on a $1.76 bet, it took them 40min to pay her. I turned my $158 in freeplay into $184, 100pts and left. Since I am only playing for fun on this cruise, I will only play with that. Stray Observations The crew is very green, like they could be right next to each other and still give you different answers. I also have not seen any cleaning in public areas, which is rare. Speaking of green crew, our rooms weren't service properly. We were only given a set of towels, despite there being two people in the room and no extra turndown service. In every other instance we were given two pp. Robin brought her own towels extra because she thought we had a hotel stay, thank goodness she did, because she would not have been able to wash her butt......in her words. The ship is rocking hard, and I can feel it. My nausea is a 3/5. I saw several people almost fall in the casino. I personally find the bars and entertainment is lacking on Quantum class. All that was offered was sports and trivia so far today.
    2 points
  41. WAYNO

    Quantum, Sep 16, 2024

    Yes. This show had a gorgeous lady elevated with a gown as large and flowing as a parachute. The art, the talent, and especially the technology of the show was out of this world. But nearly an hour was really long.
    2 points
  42. think the train time must have been checked at a time that would be overnight and would have had a long wait in the middle at a station. During the day the train in is about 3 1/2 hours
    2 points
  43. Ha, this happened to me once on a work trip...client asked me to come to Dallas and I failed to realize, despite being a big football fan, that my day of arrival was Super Bowl Sunday, in Dallas. Client must have forgot this too and didn't love my hotel bill for that night!
    2 points
  44. Glad you are on board and all settled in!! Seems like the neighbors are friendly!
    2 points
  45. First let me say the weather improved. It was actually nice and sunny. Considering it was 52, cloudy and freezing, I call this a win. Now let get into Jamie's. Our waiter seemed to be a bit overwhelmed despite it not being full. So we waited awhile to get our order taken. My brother always gets a burratta but he brought 2 bruschetta instead which MB ate and Robin judged. I got arracini and they were cold and dry. Robin got the Super Salmon and seafood linguine. Her pasta was raw. The other 3 of us got the crispy chicken sandwich and it was grilled and rubbery, nothing like what I had on Mariner in Jan. I didn't eat it, my brother finished mine and MB's. Thankfully the fries were good and hot. My brother got the eggplant and Ceasars salad. He was so disappointed in that salad and he said the eggplant was the only decent thing. I got through arribiatta pasta and it tasted okay but it was cold. Dessert was sorbet and banana splits. The mango was alright but the raspberry and lemon weren't set properly. We stuffed ourselves on bread and fries,so we were full but highly dissatisfied. Robin remarked about how Giovanni's was waaaay better. Rooms are clean and spacious. But of course the vintages are brand new. Robin asked where their balcony was and MB told we asked for virtual balcony remember and she was like..."huh, maybe, I don't know" and sat on their couch and went to sleep . They delivered our water loose and all our tickets are here. We have MTD at 7:45. Despite welcome aboard being my least favorite I am looking forward to seeded rolls.
    2 points
  46. Okay so I will post this while my digital diary post on my phone. With the digital diary they want me to do a couple of tasks each day. Today I needed to complete a video of who/what/when/where and why. Plus give a description of what I thought of the ship. The internet seems to work well but as soon as I open the app for the diary, it takes like 5mins for the videos to upload. I have to say it doesn't feel like a cruise to me. I think it is all the coats and the general outside of the port looking so industrial. I do plan to try to meet up with @WAYNO at some point, maybe I will catch him in the casino. I forgot how beautiful Quantum class bathrooms are, the lights look like chandeliers and the wood coloring makes the bathrooms look sleek and clean. I will be honest the outside doesn't look too great, but the inside is beautiful. I still hate the Esplanade and how the rooms are positioned but I like the ship overall. Also, a lady was vaping in the bathroom . Spoiler alert........Jamie's on Quantum is garbage. It was probably the worst meal I have ever had at a specialty restaurant. I think I paid $13 for the lunch so I am not mad enough to ask for a refund, but it was close. Even my brother, who is like Mikey, said he was disappointed. The photos are on my phone so I will post a more detailed review along with room photos after the video loads up.
    2 points
  47. OK a slight backtrack as I wait for the vintages to complain about something at guest services. The shuttle was supposed to load up at 9:30 but didn't until close to 10am. We made it here around 11am. It was actually pretty empty. We were on the ship in 5min. Which let me say that getting the shuttle they check you in. So we only went through security. Having never been on Quantum but having been on Odyssey I was prepared. It still is beautiful and clean to be the first. It felt familiar but it also feels wrong. Most of the specialty restaurants are on deck 5, vintages looks so clean and fancy. So far the internet is fast. However they have made 2 announcement that the rooms will be ready after 1. We just set to Jamie's.
    2 points
  48. When you get to the port, just check in. Don't tell anyone she's not going to come. They don't require everyone to show up at the same time. They would have probably repriced your cruise if you'd gotten the right (wrong) person on the phone. #alwaysuseatravelagent
    2 points
  49. A few pics..starting with the cabin and the hallway right outside with the glass wall, a few of the ship areas, Liberty of the seas we met up with in Halifax, and a couple of me with some of the Love boat cast and the bar from Fenway park that got added to the post by accident, lol
    2 points
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