Mauzac

If we weren't on the same cruise, we did know the same couple! 4 sunbeds on Deck 5, just about the only padded ones, two in shade, two in sun, all prepared with towels courtesy of a SB employee (who obviously was tipped to sort it every morning!)

Sounds wonderful! We are on Ovation in August so I will be following 😃

@jwitt2 Why don't you think about ordering a special meal in advance to be in the main dining room? If it is a birthday celebration, SB will push the boat out for you! And you could order something you would love to eat. As long as you allow enough time for them to prepare your birthday meal, they will be happy to do that. It was my and my husband's birthday on our last long cruise, we had invites printed for lovely people we had met along the way, and we had a very special Indian meal in the main dining room. It was a wonderful way to celebrate both our birthdays.

On our Grand Pacific Voyage last Autumn more than once, Ian the Assistant CD, who is seriously talented, did an hour or two on the piano in the Obs Bar after the show. He took requests, the place was rocking with lots up dancing! Such happy memories!

I did a galley tour, and I know there were Bridge tours... on a SB cruise just recently.

To the posters on here (Flamin' June and SLSD)... you can do it! I have always needed to be totally happy and feeling in control of all that might happen with regards to travel arrangements... I don't like surprises... and I am not going to pretend it is as easy as pre Covid, but it is possible. I have managed 2 SB cruises since the pandemic and we have another one booked this year. And I am soooo glad we did the ones we did. Such wonderful memories that will stay with me forever. cruiseej has great advice. I would add to it by saying... have everything you might need in the way of vaccine certs, passports, visas, forms etc... both on your phone and on paper in a folder. That way, you know you're covered. Check, double check, and triple check, I agree with cruiseej. I have always loved the anticipation of a cruise, the planning, the looking up places we visit, all of it. It felt overwhelming initially, with all the extra formalities and restrictions, but I just built that into my planning and knew deep down it would all be worthwhile. And it was! We've had blips, I won't pretend we haven't, but from the moment we walked on that ship, it was literally forgotten and all our worries faded away. Good luck 😊

We went shopping with the Chef in Honolulu on the Grand Pacific Voyage recently. Here is the tuna he bought! We had some fruit delivered to our suite that night and a few days later a delicious lunch in the MDR with some of the fish and shellfish purchased at the market. It was great.

Surely it's all relative isn't it? What irks someone just passes over someone else's head. I like seeing new staff learning, and do my best to encourage them, and hopefully they thrive from positive reaction as far as I'm concerned. I always try hard to remember their names as they're kind enough to remember mine! So, my wine glass needs topping up, I just catch someone's eye and it happens, no problem. In 65 days on Odyssey recently, there was just one meal in the MDR when I asked for extra vegetables that didn't arrive but I was having such fun with our table mates, I only realised when I went to bed! Once they mixed up the meals but it was rectified in seconds, so in 65 days nothing to complain about. I imagine that guest numbers have increased a lot from covid levels and some of the ships are having to get used to that.

Having just done a 65 day cruise, we found the food as good as ever, if not better, particularly in the MDR. The Executive chef on Odyssey is particularly well liked and respected by his staff and it showed. Nothing was too much trouble and we had a special meal for 11 organised for us (double birthdays!) and it really was superb. So as far as I'm concerned, the food offering was excellent.

🤣😂 Oh heck, me and my wording! No! They've just got it and feel absolutely fine (annoying for them as they are missing a few days of pre disembarkation fun and ports in Australia)

We're on Odyssey at the moment coming to the end of the 65day Pacific Voyage and yes we're wearing masks, passengers and crew. I understand it's an Australian requirement whilst in their waters and with ports of call coming up. It's really not a great problem, everyone is just resigned to it (and there have been some outbreaks of Covid, not a mega problem as such, but we personally know a couple of people who have succumbed. Such a shame)