ranchlady403

Re: Shot glasses...    We have a collection of all the different colors.  Willing to part with them as we are downsizing.
Send me a P Message if you would like to purchase them for your collection.  I'll post a photo if anyone is interested.
 

Similar disappointment last week on Oasis out of Galveston.  Food was bland and poor quality meats. 
Service was not up to the "WOW" Factor that it used to be.  
The wait staff that ordered the wine had no idea about wine - and asked us to point to the number on the wine list. 
The meals had no flavor and tasted like they came from Luby's Buffet.  Food for the mass of passengers must be difficult.  
I guess we miss the attention to detail that we used to get.  We have moved to Celebrity.

Similar disappointment last week on Oasis out of Galveston.  Food was bland and poor quality meats. 
Service was not up to the "WOW" Factor that it used to be.  
The wait staff that ordered the wine had no idea about wine - and asked us to point to the number on the wine list. 
The meals had no flavor and tasted like they came from Luby's Buffet.  Food for the mass of passengers must be difficult.  
I guess we miss the attention to detail that we used to get.  We have moved to Celebrity.

It’s all about adjusting expectations. The entire industry was nearly bankrupted from the pandemic and we are still seeing the impact it has had on quality, service and just about every aspect of the experience. The bar is set really low across the board regardless of which brand you choose or vacation type. Suite or interior cabin makes no difference, the staff training and lack of experience is clearly evident. At least RC has the absolute best guest loyalty program in the industry and once you get to Diamond the drink benefit is second to none! 

I'd like it better if the smaller Jazz club was the smoking casino and the main casino went smoke free, but that's just me...

We have solved the hard mattress issue two ways. 
First -  we roll up a 3" mattress topper as tight as we can get it and tie it together.  Stuff it in a suitcase and fill the rest of that suitcase with whatever else we are taking.  This requires 2 large suitcases for most trips.  BUT - the comfort of the softer mattress is worth it.  Just remember to take it off of the bed when you come home.
Second - if we are flying and can only check one bag - we ask the room steward for 10 extra pillows.  We put them under the sheet and remake the bed.  We have a "pillow-top" mattress literally!!!  
 

We have solved the hard mattress issue two ways. 
First -  we roll up a 3" mattress topper as tight as we can get it and tie it together.  Stuff it in a suitcase and fill the rest of that suitcase with whatever else we are taking.  This requires 2 large suitcases for most trips.  BUT - the comfort of the softer mattress is worth it.  Just remember to take it off of the bed when you come home.
Second - if we are flying and can only check one bag - we ask the room steward for 10 extra pillows.  We put them under the sheet and remake the bed.  We have a "pillow-top" mattress literally!!!  
 

Posted Thursday at 07:57 PM We were on Adventure OTS - out of Bayonne Sept 1st. - 9 nights up the Eastern coast and Nova Scotia & N Brunswick.
This is the first time we had sailed on the Adventure.  However, we are Diamond Plus and we've been on several of the Voyager class ships. 
On the Adventure, The smell of smoke was everywhere.
 We first noticed the stench of smoke coming from the casino when we strolled down the promenade on deck 5.  
It got worse during the sea days.  I am asthmatic and had a pretty bad reaction by day 3. 
I had read that the ship was updated in 2018 and anticipated a cleaner air system. 
By day 4 - I was suspicious that it might have been covid - so I tested and was negative.  It was more like bronchitis with constant coughing and wheezing.
I am reporting this because I heard the same issues from several others at dinner and around the ship.  
We ended up staying on the ship on the balcony - no excursions - and wasting 6 days of our Canadian adventure.   
Just putting out a warning that this particular ship is WAY worse than any other we have been on.  
Service was very good and the dinner staff were great.  This was not an experience I ever want to have again on a ship.
We are now searching for non-smoking ships.......
 

Posted Thursday at 07:57 PM We were on Adventure OTS - out of Bayonne Sept 1st. - 9 nights up the Eastern coast and Nova Scotia & N Brunswick.
This is the first time we had sailed on the Adventure.  However, we are Diamond Plus and we've been on several of the Voyager class ships. 
On the Adventure, The smell of smoke was everywhere.
 We first noticed the stench of smoke coming from the casino when we strolled down the promenade on deck 5.  
It got worse during the sea days.  I am asthmatic and had a pretty bad reaction by day 3. 
I had read that the ship was updated in 2018 and anticipated a cleaner air system. 
By day 4 - I was suspicious that it might have been covid - so I tested and was negative.  It was more like bronchitis with constant coughing and wheezing.
I am reporting this because I heard the same issues from several others at dinner and around the ship.  
We ended up staying on the ship on the balcony - no excursions - and wasting 6 days of our Canadian adventure.   
Just putting out a warning that this particular ship is WAY worse than any other we have been on.  
Service was very good and the dinner staff were great.  This was not an experience I ever want to have again on a ship.
We are now searching for non-smoking ships.......
 

The smoke in the casino reminds me of getting on the smoking carriage by mistake in the London Underground many years ago.
Hold your breath and walk the length of one or two smoking carriages until you could breathe.
It is now 2022, and it is unbelievable to me that Royal still has smoking inside it's casinos.

I find it hard to believe that if someone complains to a crew member, they're going to get poor customer service or be told "too bad". RC has been nothing but overly helpful on every cruise I've been on and quick to resolve issues. And if one crew member is having a bad day, then go to their supervisor or to Guest Services and I bet it won't happen again. 
Food issues are fixable.  The smoking issue however is not and an unfortunate thing non-smokers have to deal with on cruise ships.  Hopefully they can upgrade their filtration system in the future to alleviate some of these problems. 

Posted Thursday at 07:57 PM We were on Adventure OTS - out of Bayonne Sept 1st. - 9 nights up the Eastern coast and Nova Scotia & N Brunswick.
This is the first time we had sailed on the Adventure.  However, we are Diamond Plus and we've been on several of the Voyager class ships. 
On the Adventure, The smell of smoke was everywhere.
 We first noticed the stench of smoke coming from the casino when we strolled down the promenade on deck 5.  
It got worse during the sea days.  I am asthmatic and had a pretty bad reaction by day 3. 
I had read that the ship was updated in 2018 and anticipated a cleaner air system. 
By day 4 - I was suspicious that it might have been covid - so I tested and was negative.  It was more like bronchitis with constant coughing and wheezing.
I am reporting this because I heard the same issues from several others at dinner and around the ship.  
We ended up staying on the ship on the balcony - no excursions - and wasting 6 days of our Canadian adventure.   
Just putting out a warning that this particular ship is WAY worse than any other we have been on.  
Service was very good and the dinner staff were great.  This was not an experience I ever want to have again on a ship.
We are now searching for non-smoking ships.......
 

Smoking really needs to be in a designated outdoor area, if not outright done away with.

Not on Adventure, but Allure - I was a little stunned at how strong the smell of smoke was. Obviously it was worse on deck 4 by the dining room because the casino opens up right there. But it was also wafted down to deck 3 elevator banks, up to deck 5, and would get into elevators if they needed to stop on those floors.
I personally DESPISE the reek of smoke and thought the no-smoking in the casino during the restart was one of the things that should have stayed in place...but, alas...it didn't.
Honestly, it felt like people were just so happy they *could* smoke in the casino that they did it simply because it was available to them.

Oasis 2 weeks ago, deck 5 dining room. It smelled like cigarette smoke.  Thankfully not as bad as the casino.

It's a big problem on the Oasis-class ships (not that Adventure is one of those.) It's a design flaw. The casino empties right out into the MDR lobby and it reeks of cigarette smoke all along the entrance and spreading into the MDR, as well as up the nearby staircase. It's pretty awful if you're walking anywhere nearby, or if you're trying to eat dinner and you have a table near the entrance.

We were on Adventure OTS - out of Bayonne Sept 1st. - 9 nights up the Eastern coast and Nova Scotia & N Brunswick.
This is the first time we had sailed on the Adventure.  However, we are Diamond Plus and we've been on several of the Voyager class ships. 
On the Adventure, The smell of smoke was everywhere.
 We first noticed the stench of smoke coming from the casino when we strolled down the promenade on deck 5.  
It got worse during the sea days.  I am asthmatic and had a pretty bad reaction by day 3. 
I had read that the ship was updated in 2018 and anticipated a cleaner air system. 
By day 4 - I was suspicious that it might have been covid - so I tested and was negative.  It was more like bronchitis with constant coughing and wheezing.
I am reporting this because I heard the same issues from several others at dinner and around the ship.  
We ended up staying on the ship on the balcony - no excursions - and wasting 6 days of our Canadian adventure.   
Just putting out a warning that this particular ship is WAY worse than any other we have been on.  
Service was very good and the dinner staff were great.  This was not an experience I ever want to have again on a ship.
We are now searching for non-smoking ships.......
 
 
 
 

Air handling system are not updated, ever.  Sorry.  
Smoking is a problem on Royal.  Much less noticeable on Celebrity who has smoke free casinos.  My leading but unproven theory is that Michael Bayley (CEO) is or was a smoker.  I've got nothing to back that up.  
If your condition is that sever avoid Carnival, NCL and Royal.  They are all the same with respect to smoking.  

You will need to fill out the ArriveCAN app regardless of wether you leave the ship or not. You will need to do it before boarding the ship.
The tourism boards in Canada are pushing the government to get rid of this useless requirement but as with all things government it will not happen quickly.

Hi @teddyI believe yes still for you. (I did Oasis to Nova Scotia & New Brunswick & was required to) "Anyone arriving to Canada by road, air, rail or marine vessel is required to provide travel information to the government through ArriveCAN". 

I was "lucky" enough to have to do the ArriveCan shortly after this blog post came out. It was so helpful to follow the blog post along step by step: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/05/18/how-use-the-arrivecan-app-your-alaska-cruise. (My cruise was not an Alaska cruise, but the steps are still the same).

Yes, you need it. Details are here
 
https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/services/arrivecan.html

Holiday Inn Meadowlands Secaucus and Hyatt Place Meadowlands at Secaucus are great options! It is a safe area with lots of restaurant choices and shopping. Really easy access to the turnpike which will get you to the pier in 20 minutes.

We have solved the hard mattress issue two ways. 
First -  we roll up a 3" mattress topper as tight as we can get it and tie it together.  Stuff it in a suitcase and fill the rest of that suitcase with whatever else we are taking.  This requires 2 large suitcases for most trips.  BUT - the comfort of the softer mattress is worth it.  Just remember to take it off of the bed when you come home.
Second - if we are flying and can only check one bag - we ask the room steward for 10 extra pillows.  We put them under the sheet and remake the bed.  We have a "pillow-top" mattress literally!!!  
 

They should be dropping the requirement for a test soon....  especially if you are fully vaccinated and boosted..