🌟💫⭐️A “Starry” Christmas - Harmony Dec 24-31, 2023⭐️💫🌟

[Lovetocruise2002]

19 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

It seems that the ships do whatever works for them and that there is no set "rule" for holiday meal night at specialty restaurants.

Hmm...this might explain why our Genie for NYE is still non-committal on whether or not Chops is included for us on the 31st.

[Sweety]

33 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Forgive the semi-hijack here.   I am dealing with the same situation (Adventure) so I will add my findings here.  It seems that the ships do whatever works for them and that there is no set "rule" for holiday meal night at specialty restaurants.

Our Suites Concierge got the same question from me....where can we dine on Christmas night since there is a special holiday meal that night ?  She also queried the F&B Manager and the answer in our case is...no worries, if you want to come to Chops, come on !  You can eat there even if you don't order the [expensive] special holiday meal.  Frankly, this is the first time I have heard this answer.  It's usually....you can dine anywhere EXCEPT Chops that night.

My guess is that they don't get enough people who want the special [expensive] meal and if they turned everyone away, the place would be a ghost town.  Maybe Harmony has a better track record.  It doesn't seem as though the other specialty restaurants have the special holiday meal...just Chops....at least, on Adventure.

We have Adventure booked for three cruises. Please do a review. We are on Vision for Christmas.

[WAAAYTOOO]

6 minutes ago, Sweety said:

We have Adventure booked for three cruises. Please do a review. We are on Vision for Christmas.

Ok.  I will do my best.  You know how "sidetracked" I get !  LOL  We will be on both the 12-22-23 and 12-30-23 cruises on  AD.

[Jax]

30 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Forgive the semi-hijack here.   I am dealing with the same situation (Adventure) so I will add my findings here.  It seems that the ships do whatever works for them and that there is no set "rule" for holiday meal night at specialty restaurants.

Our Suites Concierge got the same question from me....where can we dine on Christmas night since there is a special holiday meal that night ?  She also queried the F&B Manager and the answer in our case is...no worries, if you want to come to Chops, come on !  You can eat there even if you don't order the [expensive] special holiday meal.  Frankly, this is the first time I have heard this answer.  It's usually....you can dine anywhere EXCEPT Chops that night.

My guess is that they don't get enough people who want the special [expensive] meal and if they turned everyone away, the place would be a ghost town.  Maybe Harmony has a better track record.  It doesn't seem as though the other specialty restaurants have the special holiday meal...just Chops....at least, on Adventure.

This is interesting…honestly on all our holiday cruises I have never noticed a fancier or special menu at any of these 3 restaurants. Maybe the star class bubble is to blame for my poor observation skills but I will definitely take a picture of this holiday menu and compare to the non holiday one.  

[Jax]

34 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Hmm...this might explain why our Genie for NYE is still non-committal on whether or not Chops is included for us on the 31st.

That’s been a while. Surprised it’s taking so long to confirm that star is included. Curious if you have heard anything on the entertainment schedule yet? 

[SweetPea]

I'm still wrapping my head around the upcharge for a holiday meal.  Is this specific to Christmas & NYE? What about Thanksgiving?

[Jax]

3 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

I'm still wrapping my head around the upcharge for a holiday meal.  Is this specific to Christmas & NYE? What about Thanksgiving?

I agree. I definitely will do some menu recon and report back. Although it’s always been included for us due to being star class it would be a significant additional cost for our friends even at the reduced price of $49.99 pp per night. I told them it wasn’t worth it and not to do it.  They actually don’t mind Wonderland so they plan to go there one night.  And not surprising, the UDP pricing didn’t reflect the loss of 2 nights at 3 of the specialty restaurants.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

32 minutes ago, Jax said:

That’s been a while. Surprised it’s taking so long to confirm that star is included. Curious if you have heard anything on the entertainment schedule yet? 

No. We totally left up to him on this one for entertainment. Typically (since the restart), they don’t firm up the entertainment until 24-48 hours prior to sailing. That I am not worried about. But I do want Holiday Chops without an up charge lol

[SweetPea]

25 minutes ago, Jax said:

I agree. I definitely will do some menu recon and report back. Although it’s always been included for us due to being star class it would be a significant additional cost for our friends even at the reduced price of $49.99 pp per night. I told them it wasn’t worth it and not to do it.  They actually don’t mind Wonderland so they plan to go there one night.  And not surprising, the UDP pricing didn’t reflect the loss of 2 nights at 3 of the specialty restaurants.  

This is leaving a sour taste, and it doesn't even affect me. 

I thought NCL had the lead in nickel & diming, but this is a gross and blatant $$ grab. We've not done a Christmas cruise, but have done Thanksgiving and NYE, and there is nothing like this on NCL. 

C'mon Royal. Holiday cruises are at an extreme premium to begin with. Upcharging an existing upcharge to eat a celebratory meal on the actual holiday is predatory. 

[Jax]

We are on our way to Waco to visit Magnolia Market and have lunch at Magnolia Table. We reserved at Magnolia Table months ago. This is the first look at the menu because we can’t access this content in Canada. I thought Magnolia Table was at Magnolia Market but it’s a short drive away.  We will have to see what parking options are available as we don’t want to leave our vehicle out of site given its full of our luggage/personal belongings. I checked the crime map and it looks like Magnolia Table is in the red zone. Our plan B is to grab lunch at Magnolia Market where we know there is onsite parking and we can keep our eyes on the vehicle.  We knew a family that left their vehicle with luggage to run into Starbucks and came back minutes later to the back window smashed and all their luggage gone. Albeit this was in Seattle I don’t even want to consider dealing with that outcome so we will play it safe until we get to our hotel.  

[Jax]

8 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

C'mon Royal. Holiday cruises are at an extreme premium to begin with. Upcharging an existing upcharge to eat a celebratory meal on the actual holiday is predatory. 

agree. I will definitely be doing recon at Chops and compare holiday vs non holiday menu.  

[MaryS]

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

C'mon Royal. Holiday cruises are at an extreme premium to begin with. Upcharging an existing upcharge to eat a celebratory meal on the actual holiday is predatory. 

I know back on the Anthem 2021 & 2022 Christmas cruises Chops had their special Christmas dinner for $99.00.  All I remember seeing was that champagne was included.  Not sure if the menu was different from the regular menu.  I went to the MDR for my Christmas dinner.

[Lovetocruise2002]

9 minutes ago, MaryS said:

I know back on the Anthem 2021 & 2022 Christmas cruises Chops had their special Christmas dinner for $99.00.  All I remember seeing was that champagne was included.  Not sure if the menu was different from the regular menu.  I went to the MDR for my Christmas dinner.

The extras are champagne and lobster tail.

[SweetPea]

Can you go to CK that night, and will they have a special dinner? The Haven restaurant has lobster tails every night and they always have something special for the holidays, like they added carved turkey on Thanksgiving, etc. Curious how CK handles it. 

 

Sorry for the hijack; I'm honestly shocked at the way Royal handles this.  

[Yesiamthere]

Bucket list for old white woman is to eat at Magnolia Table. We will be on Harmony on the 14th of January in the 8th floor aqua suite. Excited to read about your experiences!  

[SweetPea]

25 minutes ago, Yesiamthere said:

Bucket list for old white woman is to eat at Magnolia Table. We will be on Harmony on the 14th of January in the 8th floor aqua suite. Excited to read about your experiences!  

Yeah! I hope you're blogging this one!

[Jax]

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

Can you go to CK that night, and will they have a special dinner? The Haven restaurant has lobster trails every night and they always have something special for the holidays, like they added carved turkey on Thanksgiving, etc. Curious how CK handles it. 

 

Sorry for the hijack; I'm honestly shocked at the way Royal handles this.  

Yes you can. We are going to CK for filet night on Dec 24th which coincidentally lands on one of the restricted nights. From a quick look at Christmas Eve and Christmas Day’s menu at CK on the app there is nothing special listed on the menu. It looks kind of underwhelming for a holiday cruise.  In past years I never really paid much attention to CK menu because we only ever eat there on filet night; all the remaining nights are specialty.  Pfft you are not hijacking anything; I think Royal could definitely do a better job on this too.   

[Jax]

Magnolia Table & Magnolia Silos & Bakery
Everything worked out perfectly with parking so we had lunch at Magnolia Table. I booked months ago and it’s a good thing as it was very busy.  The menu is pretty basic but we all enjoyed our food. Since I have followed Fixer Upper for years and currently watch their projects on Magnolia Network these were fun stops.  
Videos can be seen on Instagram stories @jacquie.williamson


 

From there we headed a few blocks over to Magnolia Silos & Bakery. Very nice place to wonder around. We grabbed an assortment of cupcakes and brownies from the bakery for our trip to Arlington.  
 

 

Our final stop was The Hotel 1928 another project by Chip & Joanna Gaines that we watched on the Magnolia Network. 
 

[Jax]

2 hours ago, Yesiamthere said:

Bucket list for old white woman is to eat at Magnolia Table. We will be on Harmony on the 14th of January in the 8th floor aqua suite. Excited to read about your experiences!  

Glad to have you along!! 

[Jax]

Happening now 
The boys were good sports with our stops at Magnolia so now it’s my turn. Our next stop was at the Motorhome Specialist in Alvarado TX. It’s apparently the largest dealership in North America so we could be here a while. Lol 

[SweetPea]

my first thought was that Lyndsay and Reyd talked you into buying an RV for the trip home.  

[Jax]

We arrived at Live by Loews about 4:30 after the boys finished up at Motorhome Specialist. I booked a corner suite with stadium views. Suites only have the option of a king so they brought in a rollaway bed. The beds are very comfy, incl the rollaway.   Views are of AT&T stadium and Globe Life Field.  Texas Live is right next door and is a new concept for us. We headed over there and ate at Lockhart Smokehouse for brisket. It was pretty quiet tonight but we all thought what a zoo it must be on game day. We are taking it easy tonight because tomorrow is going to be busy as it’s our only full day before heading to Galveston Thursday.  

[Jax]

11 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

my first thought was that Lyndsay and Reyd talked you into buying an RV for the trip home.  

Haha, trust me they would if they could. We had diesel pushers for several years back when Reyd was smaller (between 4-7) when the Cdn dollar was par. Lindsay imported quite a few and made many trips all over the US to drive them home. Quite a few trips to Texas.  He misses those days; me not so much! A number of years ago Lindsay was hired to deliver a motor coach to Florida and the owner allowed Reyd and I to go. Here is a much younger Reyd. The only thing stopping Lindsay from buying again is the terrible exchange rate; thank god! I’m not ready to take on genie duties on land vacations.  

[Jax]

Busy day in the Dallas area. 
We started the day off by stopping at AT&T Stadium. Unfortunately there were no self guided tours today and the field was not open because they are changing it out for college football next week. We didn’t want to wait for a VIP guided tour knowing the field wasn’t open. Plus Lindsay has visited the stadium previously and toured locker rooms and the field. 
Next was a stop at the JFK Assassination site. 

 Then a quick drive by Turtle Creek Lane in Dallas. This is a fun account I follow on Instagram that loves going all out with seasonal decorating.  
Next stop was Gas Monkey Garage. Terrible luck; they closed 30 minutes before we got there for a staff party. So I think we will stop in tomorrow morning on our way to Galveston so Lindsay can buy merch. 

Next stop, the Texas Motor Speedway. This was a highlight for me. We were able to book a private tour which included stops in the owners suite, trackside and 3 laps around the track. I posted 1 of my laps on IG stories.  For the money this exceeded expectations. I am going to look into coming back when I can schedule a driving experience for Lindsay and Reyd. Maybe a high school graduation celebration; who knows. They were not offering any this late in December.  

Then we were off to see Fort Worth Stock Yards with a stop at Billy Bobs. Lindsay has been here before but I had no idea what to expect.  It definitely exceeded my expectations.  So many restaurants and shops.  I said the Calgary Stampede should create something like this.  

We are back at the hotel now resting. lol 

[Jax]

In other news: Lindsay keeping up with traffic in Texas.

[Jax]

We are on our way to Galveston; just entering Houston now. All I see on google maps is red and orange.
We stopped in at Gas Monkey Garage and Lindsay bought merch. I haven’t mentioned much about where we have been eating; we have tried to keep meals simple knowing what’s coming. IYKYK.  Some of you may find our choices odd but coming from Canada we love Raising Caine and have eaten there 3X.  I spotted a Shake Shack down at the stock yards and we ate supper there and then again today at a different location as we were leaving Dallas. I can’t think of any fast food in Canada that compares to either of these places.  
Anxious to see Lindsay’s driving stats following today’s trip I was tempted to stop and buy gravel at our last Buccee’s stop. This from someone who is not prone to motion sickness. He is putting his driving skills to good use on this trip.  

Will report back after we checkin.  I have high expectations for The Tremont Hotel so I am looking forward to the next 3 nights.  

[Jax]

We made it!! I felt like I just finished the Daytona 500.
Love, love this room. Initial impressions have met or surpassed expectations.  I like the vestibule area where you can store luggage you don’t need, the separate thermostats in the living area and bedroom, lots of dimmable lighting, spacious bathroom  and dual entry to the bathroom. Lots of character throughout the room and hotel. We booked the 1 bedroom suite that comes with a king bed and sofa bed (rollaway bed is available) We opted for the rollaway bed. There is no self park option, only valet. 

There are atrium rooms that overlook the first floor. I think they would be loud as live music plays well into the evening.  Picture taken from second floor.  

[Jax]

We ate at Mama Teresa’s Flying Pizza & Italian.  It was within walking distance of our hotel. Food was excellent but we ordered way too much given the large portions.  

[Jax]

Back to regular scheduled cruise content - Genie news

Having too much fun in Texas and I forgot to confirm the dining schedule. My bad. It’s now confirmed

Our private flowrider session is scheduled for Day 2 at 7:45am. Berty confirmed the star class session is from 8:30-10am on Day 3 so that is perfect that it doesn’t overlap on the same day. He asked if we wanted to reschedule our private session to a different time. I didn’t know that was possible so I have asked if a later time that morning or early afternoon is available.  

Will finalize plans for all the celebrations once onboard but Berty has a preliminary plan so all is good.  

Star Class Priority Check in & Baggage handling instructions - no new information; arrive at zone 6, meet with terminal genie Jessica, don’t give your luggage to anyone but Jessica or a star class porter.  Expecting boarding to commence at 10:15-10:30am.  
 

[SweetPea]

1 hour ago, Jax said:

I didn’t know that was possible so I have asked if a later time that morning or early afternoon is available.

That's my friend! Says the chick who thinks 7:45am is an ungodly hour on vacation..... Seriously, if you recall, i did send them post cruise feedback that the 8:30a SC session was a copout. Good to know my feedback was not taken seriously. I mean, why would it?!

Anyway, Batman and I are both working Christmas Eve and Day, and so I'll be blowing off work where possible to read your blog, and i can't wait to meet Berty!

 

[OCSC Mike]

7 hours ago, SweetPea said:

7:45am is an ungodly hour on vacation

It's a great hour! Usually when I'm eating my 2nd breakfast of the morning.

[Lovetocruise2002]

Wow! Tremont house does have quite a bit of character. Is this the one that is part of the Hilton group that you used points for?

[Jax]

Received another email for Royal Up. The recent offer is considerably less than the initial offer.  It doesn’t really matter as we have no desire to change suites but I have never received a second offer with bids lower than my initial offer.  Or if I have I completely missed it  

This mornings offer

 

Initial offer

[Jax]

4 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Wow! Tremont house does have quite a bit of character. Is this the one that is part of the Hilton group that you used points for?

No, this is Marriott Bonvoy. I used points at the first hotel in The Woodlands.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

Just now, Jax said:

No, this is Marriott Bonvoy. I used points at the first hotel in The Woodlands.  

Oh, gotcha. I got confused. Either way, love the exposed brick and decor!

[Jax]

9 hours ago, SweetPea said:

Says the chick who thinks 7:45am is an ungodly hour on vacation..... Seriously, if you recall, i did send them post cruise feedback that the 8:30a SC session was a copout. Good to know my feedback was not taken seriously. I mean, why would it?!

And this is me agreeing with you as I reply from bed. If Berty can pull this off I am upping his Xmas gift.

[Jax]

Well this doesn’t surprise me. Lindsay’s driving stats from yesterday.  

[Jax]

13 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Oh, gotcha. I got confused. Either way, love the exposed brick and decor!

Reyd looked up the history on Tremont House last night and we were surprised to learn the original Tremont House was built the same year Galveston was officially founded  in 1839.  

[LandstromCruise]

38 minutes ago, Jax said:

Received another email for Royal Up. The recent offer is considerably less than the initial offer.  It doesn’t really matter as we have no desire to change suites but I have never received a second offer with bids lower than my initial offer.  Or if I have I completely missed it  

This mornings offer

 

Initial offer

Wow those are significantly less. 

[LandstromCruise]

37 minutes ago, Jax said:

Well this doesn’t surprise me. Lindsay’s driving stats from yesterday.  

I'm a fan of his driving