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KarenPinNC

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Posts posted by KarenPinNC

  1. 17 hours ago, Rascott03 said:

    I did MTD & it was awesome. I only had to make a reservation the 1st night. I didn’t make another the next day because I wanted to try another option. I still was seated right away & request the same awesome waiters. 

     

    13 hours ago, SolariumSnoozer said:

    We always do MTD and really like it.  I recommend making reservations prior to the cruise, I think you get seated faster that way and it also increases your chances of having the same server.  I really like having the same server because they quickly learn your likes/preferences which makes dinner that much more enjoyable.  There are two lines at the entrance to the MTD dining room, one for people with reservations and one for people without.  At the busy times, the line for people without reservations can be long, although it does appear to move quickly but the line for people with reservations is always much shorter.  I also note my table # the first night especially when I like the location and server.  I then mention the table # to the maitre d'  when we arrive for dinner, they almost always place us at the same table and if it is not available they often call in to see how long the wait is.  If the wait is long they will look for another table with the same server and if one is not available they will give you the option of being seated with a different server or waiting.  As far as timing, we have shown up 15 minutes early or late and never had an issue.

    Thanks for the helpful info.

  2. 28 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

    Depending on how many you have, a shuttle may be more than Uber/Lyft XL.  When with our kids, we always have to get XL and the cost in August from Fort Lauderdale to Port of Miami was a little under $80.

    It is just two plus luggage.  And we don't mind a shared shuttle on the way leaving the port.  I haven't ruled out Uber, just want to have good options to compare.

  3. 1 hour ago, melski94 said:

    I suggest you make a reservation for every night especially if having the same wait staff is important to you.  We like having the same wait staff and feel we have a better experience overall when the staff knows our preferences.  Similar to  @Waaaytooo we will change our reservation if we decide to dine elsewhere or want to change our dining time.  

    Thanks!

  4. Just now, WAAAYTOOO said:

    The beauty of MTD is that you can eat whenever you want or not at all.  If you make a reservation for a certain time and then find that, for whatever reason, you are not going to be able to make it, it is a matter of courtesy to call and let them know so that they don't hold your table just to have it sit vacant.  ...or you can just show up with no reservation at all !  ...of course, there could be a short wait while they get a table for you but it's never very long.  We always do MTD and have always enjoyed it.

    Thank you!  Sounds simple, and I like that!

  5. I recently booked the 10 night Southern Caribbean on the Jewel of the Seas for next Feb.  The early dining time was taken, and we didn't want the late dining time, so we opted for My Time Dining.

    Never having done this, I'm trying to understand how it works.  I see that I can reserve a time each night in the Cruise Planner, but do I have to do that, or can we just show up when we want to eat?  If we reserve a time in advance and then don't get there in time, or show up early, does that matter?  Just want to have a good expectation so that we can plan accordingly.

     

    Karen

  6. My DH and I did this 3 years ago when staying in St. Lucia.  It was a fun experience, and while I remember their being an odor, I don't recall it being something that would have kept me from doing the excursion. 

    What I did wish I knew was to  bring a cheap\old  bathing suit you don't care about.   The mud will permanently stain your suit.  We were warned by fellow travelers a few days before, so we wore the oldest suits we had brought with us, but if I had known before we left home, I would have bought us cheap suits from Target before we went that we wouldn't care about throwing away.  I washed our suits 3 times and the areas that were lighter in color or white (think edging on swim trunks) would not come clean and they had to be thrown away.

     

    Karen

  7. I don't understand how this change makes sense.  If you look at the projected path of the storm and the path between Baltimore\Bermuda and Baltimore\Nassau, The Grandeur is going to have to make the return trip up the coast through the path of the storm, and it is a longer path than to\from Bermuda.  I get that the weather in Nassau will be better, but don't they also have to consider the 'at sea' portion?  As someone who is supposed to be on the Grandeur on Thursday, I'm concerned she won't be back on time.

  8. 36 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

    Bit of trivia - the chain now known simply as Buffalo Wild Wings ("B-dubs" for short) used to be "BW3s" - Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck (for the kummelweck sandwiches).

    Fun fact!  I grew up on BW3s (originally from Ohio and this was the hang out back in the day).  I know that the third W was Weck, and I think I even knew that it was beef on weck, but I still didn't know what the heck a weck was.  Certinaly never heard of kummelweck.  Now I HAVE to have one.

  9. 11 hours ago, sdmoore123 said:

    Grab a snack at the airport and head over to the port. We always arrive around 10:00 am and most time we are on around 11:00 am to enjoy a kummelweck sandwich for lunch. 

     

     

    37 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

    This is exactly what we do....and if we're REALLY lucky, they will have cream of mushroom soup there, too.  The Park Café usually opens at 11:45.  You will, most likely, be one of the only ones there if you go early.  GREAT place to eat lunch on embark day.  Remember that the Solarium (which is where Park Café is locate) is AFT on the Vision class ships and the Windjammer is forward.  It's hard to get used to until you've done it a couple of times.

    Thank you both.  This is very helpful, especially for a first time Royal Caribbean cruiser.  What exactly is a kummelweck sandwich?

  10. I'm on the 9 night New England\Canada Cruise out of Baltimore on the Grandeur next month.  My mother and I fly in (separately) early in the morning (around 7:30 am).  According to the website, the cruise terminal opens at 8:00 am, but is it frowned upon to arrive way earlier than your assigned window (Set Sail pass says 11:30)?  We are planning to either Uber or taxi, and wouldn't mind getting a bite to eat first, but we'll have all of our luggage in tow.  So right now I'm thinking that we retrieve our bags, get a quick bite at a place that is outside of security, then head to the cruise terminal, but I'm guessing it still would be a couple of hours before our assigned window.  Will this be a problem? 

  11. 2 hours ago, LaurieB said:

    I would rent a car instead of using Uber. That way you can get around better and have a place to store your luggage. 

    This may be the most viable option.  It is going to kill some time, though, to Uber to the airport, rent the car, then drive back to the inner harbor.  I had hoped to do an Enterprise Pick You up from the Enterprise office in the inner harbor and then just return the car to BWI, but they tack on about 60 to the rental car price to do that.

  12. On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 5:38 AM, Digmenow said:

    @KarenPinNC

    Out of curiosity, I called the Hyatt Regency which is just across the (very wide) street from the Inner Harbor to see if their bellhop would hold luggage even if one was not a guest at the hotel but no dice.  You might try some of the others with the same request, perhaps for a small 'parking' fee.

     

    Edit: Google is our friend!  Read the suggestions at the link below.

    Luggage storage for 12 hours

    This is the place that is mentioned in the link above and is a few blocks from the Inner Harbor but is a pretty safe walk or catch a cab/Uber.


    HI Baltimore Hostel

    17 W Mulberry Street 
    Baltimore, Maryland 21201 

    Call 1 (410) 576-8880
    [email protected]

     

    The train station is a novel idea as well since you can catch the train to BWI pretty cheaply as long as you don't mind schlepping your bags.

     

     

    Thanks for the info and thanks for calling the Hyatt.  I've been googling my heart out but not finding very good info. 

    I had come across the train idea, but I think it is more trouble than it is worth for a few hours.

  13. 9 minutes ago, ABFrenchie said:

    For the return flight after your cruise, check out the Luggage Valet program.  For a fee ($25 last time I cruised), Royal will take your luggage from your state room the night before you depart, take it to the airport and check it in, and you won't see it again until you're at your final destination.  RC will also check you into your return flight and provide you with your boarding pass. 

    This would be perfect, but it looks like currently RC only offers it from Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral.

  14. Newbie\first time poster here.  I've searched the boards and don't see an answer to my question, so here goes.

    Sailing on Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore 9/13-9/22 (Mother\Daughter get away).  Flying in to BWI and landing at 7:25 am.  Current plan is to Uber from BWI to the port.  From what I'm reading, the earliest we can get to the port is around 10. We're trying to figure out a plan of what to do between the time we land and heading to the port, especially as we'll have luggage.  Suggestions?

    The bigger concern is the day we return.  Mom's return flight is at 4:20 and mine is 4:55.  We would like to explore Baltimore, at least the Inner Harbor, but can't figure out what to do with our luggage.  My first thought was to go ahead and check in at the airport and then go explore, but I'm reading that the earliest we can do that is 4 hours before flight time. 

    Any ideas are appreciated.  Thank you in advance.

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