KWong

On 8/4/2020 at 12:54 PM, JennyB said:

Thank you for this review!  My mom and I are (hopefully) cruising in April 2021 for our 75th and 50th birthdays...and we're looking for a nice beach the day we're in Cozumel...question...if you reserve this...can we go anytime?  Like if we wanted to walk around Cozumel for a bit before heading there, is that doable?

I don't recall there being a time frame for arrival. They do ask you to indicate what ship you're sailing, but I think that's it. Stores might not be open when you arrive, so if you intend to look around, consider taking your time before getting off the ship  

Also, many beach clubs - including Nachi - are closed on Sundays. If this is the case with your cruise, your options will be limited. 

The problem wasn't so much the kids, but who was making the final decision on what they would bring, and the inability to edit things down from "just in case" to "this is enough". 

23 hours ago, krhardy said:

This is what we almost always do. When we first started cruising 20 years ago, like so many people, we waaaay overpacked which necessitated using the luggage service (our hands had to be free for the duty free alcohol  )....now, we pretty much have our packing down to a science and even for a 7 night cruise my husband and I have 1 suitcase and 1 backpack so we can walk off whenever we want. Much easier (in my opinion).

Wish I could do that, but can't yet with the kids (too much stuff for me to carry). But soon, soon.

On 8/7/2020 at 12:21 PM, Jill said:

Your very first signs will also be when we can gather in larger groups again. That has to happen on land before it can happen at sea. 

I think this. And also, the US needs to start on a downward trend on new cases/day, and keep going down. I simply don't see the CDC even considering letting cruising start from US ports before then.

18 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I wanted to share some new information.

I began my renewal process for Global Entry in Feb. 2020.  I paid the fee and filled out the application....just to be told a few weeks later that the offices were shutting down.  IMO, I shouldn't have had to be re-interviewed since this is a renewal, but for whatever reason, they insisted that I must schedule an interview.  My application was conditionally approved, but I had to make an appointment for an interview to complete the process.  No appointments available since Feb.

I just happened to check the GE website today (https://ttp.dhs.gov) and it seems that they have started scheduling interview appointments.  Mine will be Jan 5, 2021.  YEP...5 months from now.  I have to go to Dulles Airport so it's not that big a deal for me.  At any rate, for those of you who have been in my <limbo> situation, check and see if you can now schedule an appointment.

If it makes you feel any better I had to schedule an interview as the final step in my NEXUS renewal (which includes GE. If you cross the US/Canada border often NEXUS is absolutely worth the $50). I think they reserve the right to interview you but it seems like for all intents and purposes they're trying to make sure that you are who you say you are.

Best xiaolongbao (soup filled dumplings) - Asian Legend here in Toronto. I know Din Tai Fung has the pedigree, and I've never been able to make it over to the HK location with the Michelin Star, but the one I tried in the Arcadia, CA location wasn't as good.

Best street tacos - 100% Taquito in Houston. Being that it's off the Southwest Freeway it's a little out of the way for anyone heading from IAH to Galveston, but the food has some great flavour, to the point where I don't even mind the cilantro (and I HATE cilantro).

Best pho - Well, it WAS Lac Viet Bistro in Orlando. But they've closed down and now I gotta figure out a new "best" place. Their pho was really flavourful without tasting too salty. It was a go to for us whenever we went to visit The Mouse. I will give a shout out to Saigon Noodle though. They got some shine on DDD a while back, and it's certainly deserved.

Smoked Meat - I keep trying to think of a place I liked better than Schwartz in Montreal, because that's almost a copout statement. And yet, it's really good stuff.

Look man, it's not an addiction. I can quit whenever I want to.

6 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

One of the ++ of the Coronner...I have begun making my own pizza.  SOOOO much better when you make your own !

I cheat and use the premade dough (the ones in bags, not the one in tubes), but I agree - it's tasty, you can put what you want on there, and the kids have fun doing it.

OT, but I've also made garlic knots and sticky buns using the premade dough.

3 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Because, like me, many of the cruising population is actually at least 1/4 Hobbit. Hobbits love mushrooms!! 

 

Ah, that explains why there's second breakfast and elevenses...

58 minutes ago, jaredhamburg said:

I would like to see more Asian dishes added (like Pad Thai, curry, etc).  I know some of it can be requested on the side, but it would be nice to have it formally on the menu.  This can also cover lots of vegetarian/vegan needs as well for menu coverage.

I know the chefs work hard at crafting a balance of meat, veg and starch with the daily entrees, but I wouldn't mind some sort of build your own thing (Column A | Column B | Column C) for the "Classic" ones.

I'd like to see more Asian dishes, and hopefully they can refrain from making them too sweet.

1 hour ago, RWDW1204 said:

Better than Little Caesar's in our opinion. 

Not that high a bar to clear.

37 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Papa John's

That is barely pizza, imo. If I were to rank chain pizza places I'd go:

1. Pizzaiolo (Toronto area chain)

2. Pizza Nova, Hut, -ville

3. Pizza Pizza (my replacement level)

4. Mamas. Little Caesar's

...

(Indeterminate ranking) Week old leftover pizza.

...

Infinity + 1. Domino's and Papa John's

Actually, the closest you're going to get from a chain is Little Caesar's "Deep Deep" pizza. The look is meant to be recognizable as a Detroit-style, but the taste is definitely Chain Pizza Place. 

Here is a good article describing it

tl;dr: It's a pan pizza with a puffy dough, "light" crunchy crust and cheese that goes all the way to the edges. 

On 7/28/2020 at 7:21 AM, HeWhoWaits said:

If other threads didn't do the trick, this is proof that we're truly missing cruising. We're talking about Sorrento's again! Let the love it/hate it debate begin! AGAIN!!!

I found it good on Allure and Indy.

On Harmony, it was what I call "replacement level" pizza - basically, it's that Chain Pizza Place (I'll not dignify them by saying "pizzeria") that you go to. Not because it's great pizza, but because it's convenient and you do not object to eating there.

I guess what I'm saying is that I had zero objections to eating it. Kind of wish they had Detroit style though.

Low stakes is definitely a thing that sucks people into playing slots. And if that's a major factor for someone, who am I to dissuade them from playing?

Me, I just can't do it  

8 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

Cruise casino's while 'fun' at sea don't really yield much in the way of returns. I find land casinos allow one to yield higher returns overall. Plus the smoking is a big turn off, which is how I don't get the logic behind smoking in casinos. Canada outlawed this a long time ago aka indoor smoking including Casinos but in the US its a different story. The slots are also generally more popular than the table games. Lots of casino type cruises out of Hong Kong though - will be interesting to see how those turn out later in the year.

Like I said, I love the smoke free casinos. Nice to walk through the Fallsview and not choke on a haze of smoke.

In terms of returns, you're correct. But I'd guess that many of the cruisers are very casual gamblers or relatively low stakes players like myself. In both cases, a slight increase in house edge isn't significant. If you're dropping 3 digits or more per bet, different story.

And I despise slots. If given the choice between losing money at a table or in front of a machine, give me the table every time. At least I can chat it up with other people there.

I agree with you about craps and roulette. Hard to enjoy craps without rolling the dice. But they can probably utilize a small UV light to sanitize 5 dice. And you take away from the experience if you're not tossing bets everywhere on the table. 
 

And yet it makes too much sense to take the physical chip out of circulation for health and safety precautions. 

With regards to clothing I think that many of us try to pack as light as possible, so that means reusing clothes, and mixing and matching. I don't know if spraying your stuff with Febreeze or something more "natura;" in between uses would be a viable solution, but... maybe?

I'm all for smoke free casinos. I'm also wondering if chips are going to get phased out in favour of touch screens that can be easily wiped down in between uses. I rather like the feel of chips in my hand, but I can understand if they take that away.

I think Chops is pretty good, but it's not at that high-end Ruth's/Morton's/Hy's level.

Not sure what the equivalent is in the US but in Canada we've got a mid-level steakhouse chain called The Keg, and I feel like Chops sits right around that level. Essentially you're gonna get a very good steak, but will it be the best steak you've ever had? Probably not.

In terms of value, I don't see it as being worth the extra whatever for a one-off splurge. As part of the unlimited dining package? Now you're talking.

In terms of Chops vs. Giovanni's, I'd probably go with Giovanni's. But I'd definitely choose Chops over Jamie's (and not just because we still have a couple of Jamie's in Toronto)

3 hours ago, Jill said:

If this is on the App, why couldn’t you do it before you even board? We can check in on the App without ships wifi. Make it active on the App 24 hours prior to embark. That way the ship’s WiFi doesn’t get overloaded. 

It's an interesting idea. Perhaps there's some sort of regulation that requires you to be physically aboard the ship?

3 minutes ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

Brings up the point ... Will people watch and pay attention? Is it just a CYA for Royal Caribbean at this point? How many will just let the video play in the background so they can mark complete? All they'll know is (if they remember) where their muster station is located.

Honestly, the interactive video we watched on last two cruises ... I wasn't even paying attention.

Well, we don't know if they will ask difficult questions. Maybe they'll just ask if you watched the video. Maybe they'll make you memorize five words and repeat them a few minutes later.

Favourite card/board games to bring with you? We love Exploding Kittens and Coup.

Cruise Planner - Paper or App?

Any advice to win RoyalUp bids without overpaying?

On 7/17/2020 at 3:18 PM, cruisellama said:

 I've said it many times, I feel safer sailing on ship than being on the aircraft to get me to the port.

I trust the SHIP. But I guess the thing is that there are thousands of people on board, and can you trust all those people to do the right thing? Especially when the majority of passengers come from a country with the most cases of COVID-19 and hasn't even plateaued?

With that said, you can probably say the same thing for the hundreds of passengers on a packed flight, but I suppose that it's easier to do checks and follow-ups with smaller numbers. 

So what's next? Kangaroos on the loose in Fort Lauderdale?

On 6/14/2020 at 6:02 PM, foxrunner said:

My oldest son (20 Y.O.) fancies himself as a Hibachi Connoisseur. He has eaten at ton of Hibachis and rates Allures as the best. We had a great chef and of coarse that makes a huge difference. My take was that it was well worth the up charge and we really like the value proposition of the MDR.   The sushi class was also outstanding, my only complaint about both of them is the food quantity is ridiculous.  Another thing is that these are great family time activities, and as the kids get older, it is even more precious.

I really need to get out of IT and find out more about jobs like "Hibachi Connoisseur".