Quantum of Solace…. but make it Alaska!: Quantum 09/16/24-09/23/24

[DDaley]

6 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

ORD is fairly empty this morning.

I had my first layover there last month and never knew the Home Alone franchise was actually filmed in the airport! I hummed Run, Run Rudolph the entire time. hahaha

It’s cruise day!!!!! 

[Gilley]

16 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I was looking at one of the 11/12 nights on Odyssey in Jan. But I had prime cruises to be booked so I ended up with a Symphony/Oasis S2S.......actually a S2S2S totaling 18 days. @asquared17 might be cruising.......I know she is on Celebrity Ascent Feb 2nd. 

I'm on the 12-night Odyssey cruise in January.  Matt says it's the best position for Playmakers.  I'm looking forward to this sailing.

[Ampurp85]

Okay I'm on the ship.

Jamie's is at 12:15 but I'm at 270 waiting on the vintages to finish eMuster.

[Cactus527]

IT's CRUISE DAY!!!!

You need to get a picture of the vintages in front of the Vintages sign. 

Only Fans on a flight? Wow, just...heathen is a great word, I should use it more in my everyday vocabulary. 

Enjoy Jamie's! Am definitely jealous as my current options are cold pizza or a PB sandwich.

[asquared17]

IM SO GLAD YOU'RE SAFELY ABOARD. 

can’t wait to see pics of the cabin, and your meal. 

YOU MADE IT. 

[Ampurp85]

OK a slight backtrack as I wait for the vintages to complain about something at guest services.

The shuttle was supposed to load up at 9:30 but didn't until close to 10am. We made it here around 11am. It was actually pretty empty. We were on the ship in 5min. Which let me say that getting the shuttle they check you in. So we only went through security.

Having never been on Quantum but having been on Odyssey I was prepared. It still is beautiful and clean to be the first. It felt familiar but it also feels wrong. Most of the specialty restaurants are on deck 5, vintages looks so clean and fancy.

So far the internet is fast. However they have made 2 announcement that the rooms will be ready after 1. We just set to Jamie's.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Yippee !!  So glad you all made it onboard !  I agree with @Cactus527.  You NEED a photo of the Vintages next to the Vintages sign !

[asquared17]

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

It felt familiar but it also feels wrong.

story of my life on the demon ship

[Ampurp85]

Okay so I will post this while my digital diary post on my phone. 

With the digital diary they want me to do a couple of tasks each day. Today I needed to complete a video of who/what/when/where and why. Plus give a description of what I thought of the ship.

The internet seems to work well but as soon as I open the app for the diary, it takes like 5mins for the videos to upload. 

I have to say it doesn't feel like a cruise to me. I think it is all the coats and the general outside of the port looking so industrial. 

I do plan to try to meet up with @WAYNO at some point, maybe I will catch him in the casino.

I forgot how beautiful Quantum class bathrooms are, the lights look like chandeliers and the wood coloring makes the bathrooms look sleek and clean. I will be honest the outside doesn't look too great, but the inside is beautiful. I still hate the Esplanade and how the rooms are positioned but I like the ship overall. Also, a lady was vaping in the bathroom .

Spoiler alert........Jamie's on Quantum is garbage. It was probably the worst meal I have ever had at a specialty restaurant. I think I paid $13 for the lunch so I am not mad enough to ask for a refund, but it was close. Even my brother, who is like Mikey, said he was disappointed. The photos are on my phone so I will post a more detailed review along with room photos after the video loads up. 

 

[SweetPea]

18 hours ago, asquared17 said:

december 8th!!!

I checked and it's more than i paid for 11 nights on Odyssey!

18 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Also fun fact....

I should be getting some beauty rest as I have to heading to the airport in less than 4hrs. But I am having travel anxiety  so despite being tired, I can't sleep.

I can relate. I imagine flying in the day of didn't help either! But who cares now... you're on the ship!

10 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

OMG…you’re going to be on SY on Dec 8 ?  Us too !  Happy day !

Well, now i just have FOMO!

[Ampurp85]

First let me say the weather improved. It was actually nice and sunny. Considering it was 52, cloudy and freezing, I call this a win.

Now let get into Jamie's. Our waiter seemed to be a bit overwhelmed despite it not being full. So we waited awhile to get our order taken. My brother always gets a burratta but he brought 2 bruschetta instead which MB ate and Robin judged.

I got arracini and they were cold and dry. Robin got the Super Salmon and seafood linguine. Her pasta was raw. The other 3 of us got the crispy chicken sandwich and it was grilled and rubbery, nothing like what I had on Mariner in Jan. I didn't eat it, my brother finished mine and MB's. Thankfully the fries were good and hot.

My brother got the eggplant and Ceasars salad. He was so disappointed in that salad and he said the eggplant was the only decent thing. I got through arribiatta pasta and it tasted okay but it was cold. Dessert was sorbet and banana splits. The mango was alright but the raspberry and lemon weren't set properly. We stuffed ourselves on bread and fries,so we were full but highly dissatisfied. Robin remarked about how Giovanni's was waaaay better.

Rooms are clean and spacious. But of course the vintages are brand new. Robin asked where their balcony was and MB told we asked for virtual balcony remember and she was like..."huh, maybe, I don't know" and sat on their couch and went to sleep .

They delivered our water loose and all our tickets are here. We have MTD at 7:45. Despite welcome aboard being my least favorite I am looking forward to seeded rolls.

[asquared17]

all these pictures make me happy especially the one of you smiling — it was a long road, my friend, but you truly MADE IT. 

jamies debacle aside, you’re onboard, the ship is bright and fun (if somewhat … wrong/backwards) and things can only go up from here!!!

plus i am hoping you will get some good sleep tonite because of being Team No Sleep last night.

[asquared17]

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

19 hours ago, asquared17 said:

december 8th!!!

I checked and it's more than i paid for 11 nights on Odyssey

listen we booked when it was a lot cheaper

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

12 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

OMG…you’re going to be on SY on Dec 8 ?  Us too !  Happy day !

Well, now i just have FOMO!

can we sell an organ or something?????

(asking for a friend)

[SweetPea]

Oh no, Jamie's sounds crazy disappointing! 

1 hour ago, asquared17 said:

can we sell an organ or something?????

(asking for a friend)

I already sold a kidney for Oasis. Are you volunteering?

[Ampurp85]

Okay day 1

As we know lunch was disappointing. Sadly so was dinner but that was expected because the welcome aboard menu is hard for me.

After lunch the rooms were ready so we headed there hoping our luggage was there. Despite filling out the form, none of our request were honored. Our luggage was delivered after 4.

Vintages went for a nap and my brother and I went to the Seaplex for bumper cars........we are definitely pre-vintage because all the stuff was acting up after it . We went earlier than the advertised start times and they started early. We waited 5 rounds for our turn. It was fun but man was our bones aching. On the way the cabin next to us was decorating........

We did a walk on deck, taking photos. Saw lots of people in the pool and using the Flowrider. People on deck like a regular warm cruise, surprisingly and not so, many loose butt checks. The solarium was also popping.

Decided we needed a drink to warm up so headed to the CL, which is the Golden Room on the wayfinder. For the first time ever in my history of sailing I was checked off a list. The diamond concierge had a list and checked our names against it. The CL is small on Quantum or maybe this is something new. She was super nice and made sure we had all our shore excursion tickets.

Our CL server was new and quite shocked we were D+ and able to cruise. This is his first Royal contract, he talked a lot. There are a lot of new crew members on this ship. The room steward for the vintages was also new and had them leave the room because beds needed to be split. So they went to MTD at 7:15. They texted us and we left the CL to join them.

We sat in the silk room and it was a lot of red. Service was lacking as she was literally bringing one item at a time. Also both MB and Robin were upset about the table to my right staring at us.i will admit it was off-putting.

Fun facts

According to our server not only is seeded bread not offered on the first night,  neither is lemonade.

Quantum has toilet seat covers, also the men's and women's bathrooms are right across in some places.....meaning you can see in each.

None of us went into the WJ today.

There is a shiraz cabernet.

[ScottD]

Glad you are on board and all settled in!! Seems like the neighbors are friendly! 

 

[VACruiser]

I always wonder if the upside down pineapples are someone playing a joke or is it real? May be that is because I can't fathom that really occurs so it only enters my mind as a joke. I've seen them before on cruise doors and always walk faster past them as if someone is going to reach out and grab me and pull me in  ...

[Mrs. Regular]

Oh my gosh, your neighbors! Wear earplugs to sleep...

The first night is always bumpy service-wise, and I can imagine moreso if a lot of the crew are new. Luckily you'll have incredible scenery to enjoy soon enough that you will just want to stay on your balcony and spot the nature and wildlife around you!

[SweetPea]

On our Joy cruise, our good friends had neighbors with the upside-down pineapple. Theirs had a "let the good times roll" embedded in it. Our friends said pineapple's DND was always on. We were tempted to set up a stakeout one night ...

[Cactus527]

16 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

My brother always gets a burratta but he brought 2 bruschetta instead which MB ate and Robin judged.

I think I pulled a muscle in my side from "Robin judged." HAHAHAHAHAHA and then she fell asleep on the couch. 

[Cactus527]

No lemonade...on the first night...no seeded bread either...and the restrooms are a peep show waiting to happen????? Just...wtf? I would talk to the head waiter about the food/drink thing, and then dance like I'm possessed whenever I'm in the restroom and the door opens.

EDIT - I wonder if some of these differences (not the food/drink) are due to it being marketed toward an Asian market? Hmm.

[DDaley]

2 hours ago, SweetPea said:

We were tempted to set up a stakeout one night ...

OMG I would love to have a camera view of their door! Who are they dragging in?? Do they go willingly or question their choices upon arrival?

I love seeing a blog for a ship I was on so recently! Quantum definitely feels weird on the interior. 

[Ampurp85]

Day 2 Sea Day

Good morning, it is like 7am, I forgot to manually set my phone but the app has the correct time so no biggie.

I got good rest but only slept to 6:32. The couple next door had some guest leaving early in the morning making too much noise. 

Edit I started writing this and then the vintages and my brother begged me to go to breakfast.

I got dressed and met them in the WJ. It was a flustercuck even at what was 7:30am on the ship. I didn't eat much because it was like a concert parking lot where everyone is a new teenage driver: nobody had any sense of direction. First the person at the podium had to beg, and I do mean beg, people to washy, washy. Then at any point there was two lines for each station, so at some point you always converge at the same spot.

There were no tables to be had but Robin took one designated for the handicap, her defense was she has handicap plates and stickers plus two bad hips. By the time I joined them, they had eaten, and I wasn't super hungry, but I got a stale cinnamon donut and fruit. FYI they hide the chocolate milk which is in a gallon, and you have to request it. 

It rained and so the balcony and outside area was wet and misty. There is outside seating for the WJ on Quantum, which is pretty cool but also sucks when it rains. 

I went to the casino and met about three people from the shuttle yesterday, gambling. Many were signature in the casino and were waiting on handpays. There was only one poor guy doing them and he was running around real confused. One lady had been waiting an hour for her payout. A lady next to me on Dancing drums hit the grand, $12k, on a $1.76 bet, it took them 40min to pay her. I turned my $158 in freeplay into $184, 100pts and left. Since I am only playing for fun on this cruise, I will only play with that.

Stray Observations

The crew is very green, like they could be right next to each other and still give you different answers. I also have not seen any cleaning in public areas, which is rare. 

Speaking of green crew, our rooms weren't service properly. We were only given a set of towels, despite there being two people in the room and no extra turndown service. In every other instance we were given two pp. Robin brought her own towels extra because she thought we had a hotel stay, thank goodness she did, because she would not have been able to wash her butt......in her words.

The ship is rocking hard, and I can feel it. My nausea is a 3/5. I saw several people almost fall in the casino.

I personally find the bars and entertainment is lacking on Quantum class. All that was offered was sports and trivia so far today. 

 

 

[Ampurp85]

Digital Diary

I do not like the app they use for this process. I can upload documents, videos and photos with ease on any other platform. It takes twenty minutes to upload a 5min video and then freezes at 99% so I have to restart and that takes 5min. At first, I thought it was the internet but nope I sent a file for work, and it went through in less than a minute. So, it is the app. I also was supposed to receive half of my compensation when I boarded and the rest on day 5 but I haven't received it. 

[Ampurp85]

Day 2 sea day continues....

I had to do a tiny bit of work. Then I went to the $10 sale. It was a madhouse. I did get everyone important a t-shirt. My OBC showed up and it offset the balance of the shirts.

Being the team player I am we went to te WJ for lunch. I couldn't find much but the people watching was amazing . I watch a lady drag an employee from cleaning one told to clean her's. Robin told her off but since English wasn't her 1st language she ignored her. Said lady only ate plain lettuce and apples. She had like fifty apples that she put half in a target bag.

There were 5 spots left for the puzzle society and they assigned us all different days. I got 2:30 for today, Robin and MB got 4pm tomorrow and my brother got 5:30 on day 5.

Most of the doors are closed to the deck because of high winds.

[asquared17]

one of the things that i remember hating so distinctly while on this ship was that we could feel SO MUCH motion. the quantum class is very long and narrow (see also the esplanade) and not more wide bodied like some of the other classes (freedom, voyager) that i remember being like….. it is DECEMBER. this should be a FLAT calm. what the heck!!

also 19.7 knots…. you are MOVIN. 

i should add an addendum to this that i know so many fine folks here on this very board who love quantum class and this is in NO WAY me bashing them/their opinion — simply just that the ship and its layout was not our pick. 

i did love all the technology and newness and of course 270 is a dream and a quiet place.

21 hours ago, SweetPea said:

I already sold a kidney for Oasis. Are you volunteering?

WELP. rip in pieces

17 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

On the way the cabin next to us was decorating........

4 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I got good rest but only slept to 6:32. The couple next door had some guest leaving early in the morning making too much noise. 

i’ll admit i had to wait until i saw the picture of the cabin door before i put this all together and i……… commenced staring off into the void thereafter. 

4 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Robin brought her own towels extra because she thought we had a hotel stay, thank goodness she did, because she would not have been able to wash her butt......in her words.

7 hours ago, Cactus527 said:

I think I pulled a muscle in my side from "Robin judged." HAHAHAHAHAHA and then she fell asleep on the couch. 

oh robin

the casino sounds like a real time. congrats to that lady who won 12k tho - ask her if she wants to add to @SweetPea’s symph december 8 sailing fund!!!

[Ampurp85]

I have sea legs but this 60+ knot winds are killing me. I nearly flew away leaving the puzzle break. Which was a little harder than the one on Wonder......but fun nonetheless.

I met @WAYNO who was super nice. We chatted about the casino taking our hard earned cash

So on the way back from puzzle break I saw several diapers just sitting outside the cabins.....is this how they are disposed??? I don't have children but this doesn't seem like protocol.

We brought binoculars and I spend 20min or so looking out. I saw a shark! It was so cool.

[SweetPea]

3 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I saw several diapers just sitting outside the cabins.....is this how they are disposed??? I don't have children but this doesn't seem like protocol.

I often wonder how people who do that live? Like what does their house look like? I mean i probably wouldn't partake of a homemade cookie from whoever they are ... 

[Ampurp85]

Day 2

Man are we moving, also so is the water.

I tried to do the mystery puzzle break in 270 but it was crowded and people were doing the most. I left and did a walk through. Then I hung out in the CL for almost 2hrs chatting with folks.

Robin and MB overslept. Dinner was supposed to be at 7 so we could catch sequins and feathers. They sat us at 7:15 and guess what time they showed up.....if you guessed 8:15 you would be right. Dinner and service was miles better.

 

 

[OCSC Mike]

I got interested in that dessert case... until I saw it wasn't free. #cheapskate

[Yesiamthere6]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

I got interested in that dessert case... until I saw it wasn't free. #cheapskate

You “ain’t” cheap….you smart!  

[WAAAYTOOO]

Ahhhh, the beloved seed roll….   I have been on UT for 6 days and not a single seed roll has been presented to me.  . I guess this is a downside to avoiding the MDR.

[SweetPea]

I your t-shirt!

[WAAAYTOOO]

24 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

I your t-shirt!

I had to go back and look, of course.  

[Cactus527]

SEEDED ROLL!!!!! I'm cheering for your MDR success.

8:15 for a 7:00 dinner? LOL nice.

The diapers are not the norm. We had diaper pails/containers when the girls were little - leaving them laying around just caused more interest from the dog, which wasn't good. In the hall? Just gross beyond gross. You have a trash can in your room! Just use it! Or ask for an extra bag! Sheesh...

 

[WAYNO]

Our bread bowl in the MDR had one pumpkin seed roll last night.  And I found one with sunflower seeds.  I don't try to eat a lot of breads, so either of these would be a treat to me, especially with the nice butter.  My wife grabbed up the pumpkin seed and I actually ate the sunflower roll.  Yummy.

[Ampurp85]

Day 3 Sitka

They delivered a Chef's amenity and it wasn't appearing at all. Got our first towel animal.

We hung a tag for continental breakfast outside our door last night. It was to be scheduled 6:30-7 and at 6:47 we got a call he was on his way....only for him to knock on the door as soon as we hung up.

We are currently watching the ship edge into Sitka, it is lightly raining.

[Ampurp85]

Our meeting spot is the royal theater for our Best of Sitka excursion. Looks like it might be a rainy day.

[Mrs. Regular]

10 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Our meeting spot is the royal theater for our Best of Sitka excursion. Looks like it might be a rainy day

 

Sitka is in a rainforest so don't think you're special and it only rained because you are there  we got drenched in May but it was a great time. My mom did the Best of Sitka tour and really enjoyed it from her cozy coach bus while the rest of us biked in the rain!

[Lovetocruise2002]

Just like @OCSC Mike, life/work stress has kept me from following along the way I normally like to. I am glad you made it there safely, and that you are still sane with the vintages lol. The rest of the week looks to be more calm so hopefully I can stay more "live" with your trip!