MaryCS62

Unfortunately, this will no longer be a problem going forward, but my late daughter (was an adult, but multiply handicapped and more like a 7 year old in her comprehension) always had the shrimp cocktail for appetizer, and cheesecake with chocolate sauce for dessert - if we found something else she liked, we could offer it, but she really enjoyed those options. As long as there was either fish or macaroni available, dinners were pretty easy, although she also had Crohn's disease, so there were certain textures and spices that we tried to avoid as well. The listed menus seem to all have something I would enjoy, but I guess I'll see in March, and hopefully will be able to scope out the gluten free options for when my younger DD joins us in August.

@nate91- sorry, for some reason quoting your post isn't working for me, so I hope you see this. When you mention your wife's restrictions, how exactly did they handle them? There are no longer gluten free options specifically listed, so did they just address them on the fly, or did she have to do the "choose the night before" to see what they could do? Traveling w/ DD in August, and gluten free is a must - dairy free is nice, but can be handled with lactaid tablets for the most part.

I've found that if you look it up as a "new" cruise, you get this info after you pick the cruise from the search page-- 7 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise Back to search results Leaving from Cape Liberty, New Jersey onboard Anthem of the Seas Mar 12, 2023Mar 19, 2023 Change date Day Port 1 Cape Liberty, New Jersey Departs At 3:00 PM 2 Cruising Day At Sea 3 ORLANDO (PORT CANAVERAL), FL From 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM 4 Nassau, Bahamas From 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM 5 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas From 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM 6 - 7 Cruising Day At Sea 8 Cape Liberty, New Jersey Arrives At 6:00 AM

Haven't brought it up yet, as it's still far enough away that it's just the germ of an idea, plus then they have 2 hrs each way (which they may not mind, but not sure). If they offer, I'll certainly consider it.

that 1st one might be an option - my preference is not to pay, as not going into the parks at all. Thanks for the info

So - there's really nothing I want to do in Port Canaveral, but I'm taking 3 very similar cruises where that is the first port stop. I do have friends that live about an hour north of Orlando, so was thinking initially of renting a car to drive to Orlando & meet them there for a meal & visit, but between what I've heard about the current state of car rentals at the port, and the possible difficulty in getting one, I was thinking instead of taking one of the transportation excursions to Orlando, & having them pick us up there. Problem is, other than Disney, I'm not sure where the drop off is, and obviously, I don't want them to have to pay for parking if they are just picking us up. I know Disney drops off at the TTC, but you can't get a bus from there to Disney Springs, (at least I don't think so), which would be the most convenient place to meet. Also - I know if we are dropped off in the lot, we could always walk out of the parking area, but I have very bad knees, and while I will be using a scooter on the cruise, I wasn't planning on using it for this (if only for the problem of bringing it). Does anyone know "specifically" where the drop off is for either SeaWorld or Universal Studios is? Thanks!!

Thanks for the giggle - I'm currently at work (on 3.5 hrs sleep), so I needed that

BTW, if you plan on specialty dining, drop by at some point prior to your reservation and ask what accommodations they can make. Also - Windjammer may have a gluten free section (some do, but other people are not always as careful around the buffets as they should be), but if you don't see anything, ask to speak to the chef & tell them what you want, and if they have more in the back, they can bring you out something fresh. Somewhat defeats the purpose of the buffett (quick grazing of trying what you want - but you may already be used to that).

I've never sailed Liberty, but when we sail with my daughter, who does have Celiac, we always notify in advance so that it is in her reservation. Speaking with the headwaiter is a good idea - she then gets the next night's menu in advance, & if something is not already labeled gluten free, they can make modifications to it to make it that way. Desserts are the only thing that they don't have a lot of options for - at least in the MDR -- she ends up with a lot of creme brulee. However, she's never had a case of being glutened on board. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/dining-dietary-restrictions-customer-care

that's what I said we are doing, at least for the March cruise. DH will then decide if he wants to do refreshment with the occasional alcohol purchase, or get the DXB again for himself.

Due to health reasons, I will no longer buy the DBP - really can't have that much alcohol. I do get the refreshment package, even though I'm not going to have too many mocktails - again, health reasons, too much sugar - but will drink soda, sparkling waters & specialty coffee. Thinking about bringing on wine for dinner. Plus, if DH wants the DXB, I have to get it, and during the Black Friday sale, the price differential between that and the soda package wasn't too much. We have a cruise in March, & DH will use that experience to see if he wants to upgrade from Refreshment to DXB for our Oasis B2B in August. We were hoping to be Diamond by now, but Covid & other problems cancelled too many cruises, so not there yet.

Have you been on Vision before? Thinking about a march 2024 cruise, but it's out of Baltimore, so would have to travel down from NJ the night before

That helps, actually. We will likely use either a middling size suitcase or a larger duffel - don't want to carry too much on, especially since we've only a balcony, so no special treatment, and would like early check in, so we will basically get on, check in at muster station & park ourselves til the rooms are ready.

We have a cruise out of Bayonne in March (hopefully - we've tried a few times since restart & various things have prevented us from going), but it will be the first time with just DH & I, and since I walk with a cane, it means DH will have to handle most of the carry-on stuff. I will also be traveling with a piece of medical equipment that fits in a smallish wheeled duffle, but then nothing else fits in it. I don't want to check it, but want to be able to have that extra stuff - change of clothing, jewelery, medication, etc in the bag. If a larger bag does fit through the security machine, then that would solve our problem . Any idea what the dimensions are?

not too many Song of America (almost 35 years ago!) Explorer - 2013 Adventure - 2018 Anthem - 2019 upcoming - Anthem 3/23, Oasis B2B - 8/23 Missed Adventure in 7/20, Grandeur in 3/21 (covid cancelled), then Anthem (1/22) and Oasis B2B 8/22 (family illness cancelled).

Loved your comment about Granny - 9.5 years ago, my Mom (grandmother to 4 of the passengers) took all of us on a cruise for her 80th birthday. She & her gentleman friend, my brother, me, DH & 2 DD's, sister, her DH & 2 DS. Same exact requirement - we were free to do anything we wanted during the day, but we had to be at dinner @ 6pm, all of us together. Her TA got us all at one big table, and it worked out well. The only exception was that DH & I were allowed one specialty dining for ourselves, because that same year was our 25th anniversary. One night, we were running late because we were coming back from an excursion - hot, sweaty, dressed in shorts or capri pants, and absolutely no time to go back to our room, so we just showed up that way. Luckily not a Formal or Dress your Best night . We were in MDR, so not sure how Specialty will work with that, but yeah -- maybe assign different people to different nights for booking once you get on board, and be able to call or text each other (try to get as early a boarding time as possible) so that switches can be made. If any excursions are booked, you will have to keep that in mind also, since late returns are possible. We used to go for early traditional dining - early because my older DD had special needs, and went to bed early, traditional because younger DD has celiac, and therefore MDR was safer. Haven't tried UDP yet - was going to last August, on our 2nd leg of a B2B, figuring we could ask questions about the options for gluten free for the younger one, but older DD was in the hospital, so cruise cancelled.

Also - if someone else ordered the package for you - my DH ordered our beverage packages - you can't cancel, they have to

Looks like (without the symbols listed) that there are very few gluten free options, which is a big problem for my DD - choices were somewhat limited to begin with, and this just makes it worse

Other app problem I've been having - I open the app & only see one upcoming cruise (usually the one I looked @ last), but not the other 2. I've tried signing out, & signing back in, sometimes that works. I look at one cruise, try to switch sailings, nothing else showing. I clear the cache, that works once & then I can't see my other sailings again. Same with force stop. I've deleted & re-installed the app, and this morning it's the same thing. Anyone else have this glitch??? It's driving me buggy

Yes, a TA is a good move, they can play around with it, & will know which cabins you can book for the # of people you want in each one. DH & I wanted to rebook the B2B we couldn't take this past August for next August on Oasis. Original plan was us & 2 DD's in connecting Jr Suites (was going to have to switch cabins, as we had decided on the 2nd cruise too late to book the same ones), but that had to be cancelled - older DD was hospitalized at the end of June, & was still there in August, so no go. Next August will be just 3 -- me, DH & younger DD, but she wasn't sure she could take the whole time (a 9 day & a 7 day), and trying to book the same cabin for both cruises was difficult, because if it was 2 of us, we could get and keep a 2 person jr suite, but if we were 2 on 1st or 2nd cruise, and 3 on the other, we couldn't keep the same cabin because it was either a 2 person suite for 2, or a 3-5 person jr suite for 3 and up - couldn't get the 3-5 person suite if you were only 2 people. So, DD had to decide what she wanted, & decided to come on both. If she changes her mind & cancels one, then DH & I will probably get moved to a different cabin for the other cruise, since they won't want to sell a larger cabin to a smaller group of people.

Do you have a TA? If so, they could probably do it for you. I think that your idea using your email address instead of theirs would work, & then you can switch it after you gift it to them. People have to book for children who don't have their own email addresses (I did, & I just used mine in their accounts when necessary).

It's in the planner for my 2 August cruises (B2B on Oasis), but not for my March Anthem cruise - seems somewhat random, since some current cruises have them, and some future cruises, but not all

Just be aware it makes a lot! If you have others that would enjoy eating it, but not necessarily making it, have them join you near the end. Or, you could ask if she could accompany you & "help" you make a plate, rather than make 2 plates for the 2 of you.

This was on Explorer in 2013 - (wow, 9 years ago ), and I don't remember it being a problem -- DH did the actual dealing w/ guest services, and he didn't have any trouble, other than the long line on the last night to close out.

Weirdly, Sushi class (or any other onboard activities) are not showing on my Anthem March 2023 cruise, but are on my 2 August 2023 cruises. Not sure why. Did sushi class on Anthem in 2019, so I know they've offered it before. Don't know if I'd do it then anyway - I can't eat that much, & DH won't even try the cooked stuff, so it would probably be a waste unless they let me bring it back to the room.