F1guynz

Dinner night 1
The chicken (pie) - I didn't eat the pastry - was good.... but it just looked so sad with the one single broccoli.
The spag bol was nice I suppose, a little bit salty for my liking. 
I've got a little observation I wanted to point out - the waiters in the MDR were extremely friendly, however, they were also a little bit ... I don't know the word - they'd come up to you every 5 seconds and ask you how the food was  or the service or if you'd like anything else. Like don't get me wrong. I know they're just being friendly, and I personally don't mind, but other people would be very bothered by this. 





Day 2 soon.

Many people like to choose a specialty restaurant on "formal" night (not that there is a formal night anymore), which is USUALLY on night #2, but b/c so many people like to choose that night, it can sometimes be difficult to get a reservation...it just depends on what you like to do.
I agree with @Ampurp85.  I really hate the menu on the first night in the MDR so I will almost always choose that as one of my specialty dining nights.  Also, I am different from most people and couldn't care less who my servers are, or if they know me...so I have no special interest in "meeting' my MDR servers on night #1.  I would go so far as to say that I would actually PREFER to have a different server and a different table on every night of the cruise, but that almost never happens so I just do whatever is convenient for the maitre'd/staff.
I'm not sure if you will have any sea days on a 4 night (most likely you will have 1), but you also might consider doing a Chops lunch as opposed to a dinner.  The menu is very similar and the cost is less.  I guess you could look at both menus and see if there's anything offered at night that you can't live without and if so, there's your answer.... 

I saw them for sale on Quantum from the same venue.
From memory there were two sizes and one was $30 and the other $50.

Boarding Day!
2 hours until we board! Just waiting for a lift to the station now then catching the train to Circular Quay to get to the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

If anyone's interested in China/Japan, Spectrum sailings out of Shanghai have just gone up on the website through to April 2026.

I don’t understand why they would go back to printed photos, I only want digital. I can print any photos I want and I can crop the frame from the photos if I want to.

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

What an excellent and thoroughly written liveblog. I enjoyed reading it. Safe travels! 

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

I was thinking a lime and coconut bar and probably something with that snack bar near the pool,Fish and ships or something.
Im currently on Celebrity Edge Carl , lovely ship,I could see you in the penthouse.
The prices are pretty over the top and the perks are very good.

Well, it is finally time for another cruise! Yes, we are sailing from Brisbane on a 7-night cruise to the Pacific Islands with 2 port stops: Noumea and Mystery Island on Quantum of the Seas. On this cruise, we are in a Grand Loft Suite on deck 10. We chose Quantum primarily because it is less expensive than Ovation and is better value for us. We also wanted to cruise again with Hailey, who was our Royal Genie last year on Quantum. We have sailed from Sydney many times, so we are not concerned with the scenery on the sail away; it gets dark quickly anyway.
I think this blog will be a mini-blog, as the itinerary is similar to the one I blogged last year, so there will not be too much new information to impart.
We flew into Brisbane from New Zealand yesterday morning and are staying near the airport at the Novotel. It is a convenient location for getting to the cruise terminal in the morning. The hotel is clean and quiet, despite being near the airport, and there is an outlet mall around 100 metres away that also has a few places to eat. We spent the afternoon wandering around the mall, and made a few purchases— who can resist a bargain?




After a good night’s sleep, we took an Uber to the cruise terminal at around 10:30am, which is about a 15-minute trip and cost around $30 AUD (approx $20 USD). It is important to note that there is no public transport to the port, as it is in an industrial area far away from any amenities. There is parking available at the port if you have a car, though I do not know how much this costs.




Our genie, Hailey, had an unexpected medical issue and is returning home prior to the start of our cruise. We were very lucky to bump into her outside the cruise terminal before she left for the airport. It was great to see her again, and even though we are sad not to be sailing with her, Hailey’s health comes first. We are happy she is returning home and will be able to get the care she needs in Korea.
So now for this cruise, our genie will be Wilfredo (Willie), who was the concierge for our last sailing on Brilliance in November. This is his first time as a genie, but we are not demanding, so he will be able to ease his way into the job.
Getting onto the ship as a Star Class guest is very quick and took no more than 15 minutes. We were escorted every step of the way by a lovely pier genie as she expertly handled a guest who complained to her that, as she had purchased the key with priority boarding, she should be receiving the same level of service.




At the end of the gangway, which is actually quite a long walk, we met up with Willie, who escorted us straight onto the ship. We went right to the assembly station and completed the final step of our muster drill.

The gangway from above
Our cabin was already ready, so Willie took us up to our cabin. It felt similar to the royal loft suite we had last year, just on a smaller scale. Perfect for the two of us, though I will miss the hot tub on the deck.






After settling into the cabin, the food started arriving on a regular basis, but we headed up to the CK for a light lunch. I just had some scallops and bread, which was just enough considering all the food we will be eating on this cruise.
After lunch, we spent some time refamiliarising ourselves with the ship before heading back to the cabin for some R&R.


We left Brisbane just after 4:30pm in glorious sunshine and calm seas, now we have 2 sea days and a clock change before we reach our first stop in Noumea. After watching our departure from our deck we heading up to the suite lounge for some nibbles. The lounge was not overly busy and there were plenty of seats available. While there we caught up with Willie and made a few changes to our daily schedule.


Then it was off to Coastal Kitchen for dinner which was quite busy. We had organised to sit at one of the tables at the very end in the partially walled off area which was a bit quieter than the main restaurant. The food was very nice, I had the chicken leg as a starter, a dish I have not had before, but enjoyed very much.
For the main we both had shrimp crusted pollack with rice which was also fabulous. The meal was rounded off nicely with vairhona chocolate bar dessert.
After a quick wander around the shops and an order of Starbucks coffee it was back to the cabin to relax and retire for the evening.
Some quick observations 
1) Fish and Ships has changed back into a Dim Sum noodle restaurant.

2) Royal has learned the correct way to spell theatre, now if only they could learn we have holidays, not vacations. 😉

3) We received star class wow bands. Wow bands where not in use last year.
See you tomorrow for the next installment.
 

Excited to share with you all the CREW NEIGHBORHOOD onboard the Icon Of The Seas!
 
This is an exclusive first look into our home away from home, whilst we work onboard the ship!
 
 

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

The mechanical equivalent of rotator cuff surgery

Then will it have to go through some PT?🤣

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

A wrap-up of our last few days on our cruise:
After the Noumea stop, the headliner show that night was a hypnotist called Shane St James. The show was very funny and family-friendly. He called for volunteers to be hypnotised, and there was a stampede of people to the stage.


The following day, our final port stop was Mystery Island in Vanuatu, a place we have visited several times. The facilities on the uninhabited island are fairly basic, featuring white sand beaches, shallow-water snorkeling, and market stalls in the centre of the island. Locals also offer boat tours for viewing turtles, snorkelling, and exploring in glass-bottom boats.

Mystery Island is a tender port, so passengers who wished to get off early required tender tickets. We elected to get off in the afternoon, avoiding queues for the tenders, and it was a 10-minute trip to the jetty on the island.



It was a very hot day, so we decided to walk around the island and then return to the ship. There is a sandy track that runs around the perimeter of the island, and there is also a grass runway down the centre of the island, built by Americans during World War II when the island held strategic importance.



There are some half-day beds that can be hired for $159 AUD, which also include a massage. The day beds can be rented prior to the cruise and may sell out, so I recommend booking in advance. Be aware, these are very basic day beds, so do not expect CocoCay quality facilities.

Many of the passengers who had come over early had already returned to the ship, so the tender queue was short, and we were soon on our way back to the ship.
Dinner was at Jamie’s Italian, and the food and service were great.


The final couple of days before returning to Brisbane were sea days, with the sea having a bit of a swell, causing the ship to pitch more than usual. The pool was closed, so it was fun to watch the pool slowly empty itself of water.

Dinner was in Coastal Kitchen, which included lobster night. The lobster was nice, but I thought the portion size was less than generous. Our CK server recommended we also order the scallops as an additional main, as it was a very small meal. We both took up the offer, and I agree if this was the only main ordered, you would come away still feeling hungry.

I had eaten one and half scallops before I took this photo but this was the whole main dish.

On our final sea day, we were joined by Willie in the suite lounge and had a very enjoyable conversation that ended all too quickly as we had a dinner reservation at Chops. After dinner, we put our bags out ready for the sad reality that we would be leaving in the morning.

Our final morning consisted of breakfast at CK before meeting Willie at 9 am to leave the ship for the final time. Getting off the ship was very quick, and Willie escorted us straight to our bags. It was time to say goodbye and thank Willie for everything he had done for us on this cruise.
There was a Pier Genie waiting by our bags, and she escorted us straight through a special customs zone and out to the terminal forecourt where we had an Uber waiting. If we had preferred to use a taxi, there was a priority queue for SC guests.
Sadly, another cruise has come to an end, but we will be back next year to do it all again. In the meantime, we look forward to our next cruise in September on Harmony.
 
 

Is the article below regarding some flood damage in January 2024 the damage you are referring to?
https://www.cruisehive.com/flooded-cabins-impact-guests-on-following-royal-caribbean-sailing/122565#
if so, I would not be concerned. They can/will replace any damaged carpet and there will certainly be no concern for your cruise next year. You will never know that it happened.
We are scheduled to go on Voyager next year to Croatia and we have no concerns whatsoever. 
We have been on Voyager many times, you will find it a great ship, perfect for the itinerary you are doing with plenty to keep you busy. 
‘Enjoy planning your cruise, and do not concern yourself with this news, you have made the right choice.
 

I think the main work they will do is fix the North Star which requires a special crane. One of the robots in the bionic bar needs fixing and it needs a full repaint as the paintwork is shabby, otherwise the interior is in good condition.
Maybe they will change Jamie’s Italian into a Giovanni’s Kitchen but I don’t see any major chances, especially as Odyssey is still very similar in design and features apart from Playmakers in the seaplex.
i wish they would replace the lifts with destination elevators as lift waiting time is one of the worst features on Quantum ships.

I just completed my blog from Quantum this week if you want to have a read.
 

As we could not use our C&A free photo coupon we did not purchase the photos.

I tried a slot tournament on Quantum for the first time this week. I think multiple tournaments ran over the week of the cruise.
i really enjoyed it, it was $25 buy in and $20 re-buy.
There were numerous qualifying rounds followed by a final for the top 12.
first prize was $500, I can’t remember whether it was casino play or a cash prize.
Maybe I will get one of these offers, but I seriously doubt it. ☹️

This is further clouded by the fact that there are now Sky Junior Suites. 
What I personally dislike is that Coastal Kitchen is listed as a benefit of a Junior Suite, yet Royal Caribbean potentially limits your access simply because it is a Junior Suite. Full suite guests can book early through the concierge, securing reservations before you board, leaving very limited availability for Sea Junior Suites, or with only unfavourable dining times remaining.
 

This is further clouded by the fact that there are now Sky Junior Suites. 
What I personally dislike is that Coastal Kitchen is listed as a benefit of a Junior Suite, yet Royal Caribbean potentially limits your access simply because it is a Junior Suite. Full suite guests can book early through the concierge, securing reservations before you board, leaving very limited availability for Sea Junior Suites, or with only unfavourable dining times remaining.
 

They didn’t provide this option to us, and you could not view the photos in the photo gallery. They were only available for purchase directly from the photographer.
Perhaps it is something they are trialing on certain ships, as some seem to have experienced it while others have not.
Also, we were trying to use our C&A free photo coupon as we have done in the past, but it is no longer available for use with specialty restaurant photos.