Baowen

Had some luck in there on my Wonder cruise..

Oldest: Viking Serenade

Newest: Wonder

Favourite: Wonder + Oasis Class

I would definitely pick the Adventure of the Seas! It's a newer ship with a promenade and a whole lot more to do on it. I think at this point I wouldn't sail on the Vision or Enchantment even if it was free.

I did this on my Symphony cruise and it is totally worth it because there are so many specialty restaurants on the Oasis class ships. You won't be able to make individual reservations until you get onboard so figure out where you want to eat each day for lunch (on sea days) and dinner then go to a specialty restaurant right when you get onboard to secure your reservations.

I just booked it for my May Icon cruise. It was only $43.99 so It's worth that to get a look at it.

Beth

They have it on the  Navigator and the Ovation

I got the same email for my Navigator cruise a few weeks ago.

Wow - that's a crazy price. I was there in December and they were $199 which is justified but $400? No way!

I returned from the Ovation in July.  The solarium was definitely in service. I had breakfast and lunch there a few times. Fish and Ships had a few items that required an additional payment, but the majority was free.

6 hours ago, SilkySal said:

Also, I didn't want to scroll through all of these posts, so I apologize if this question has already been asked: Do the cabin stewards prefer a certain time of day to clean or do you ask for a preferred time? TIA!

I certainly had the feeling that our cabin steward on our Ovation cruise last month preferred the morning clean.  I think he actually phrased it as "would it be ok if he cleans in the morning?".  I don't mind the once-a-day cleaning but I will be asking for ice twice a day. 

Beth

With my last few Royal Up bids on the Navigator I received a response saying they would notify us once we were onboard. I did then receive a "bid unsuccessful" email from them that first evening onboard.  I am going on the Navigator in a few weeks and I received an upgrade to a Junior Suite from an Oceanview Balcony 4 weeks before the cruise. So you just never know !!  BTW -I bid $105 each and this was for a free Casino Royale cruise.

The food was delicious. Were there things we didn’t like? Sure. But my own mother has made things I don’t like as well

Hahahaha. I laughed out loud!!🤣

Excellent news. We will see you in the casino in May.

55 minutes ago, roupa said:

I think most bars, but not all, are closed until after muster and/or the ship sets sail.  There may be some bar staff circulating during boarding.

You won’t have to wait long…bars will be open before dinner time !!

I've never been on a sailing where the bars weren't open immediately. They did  close them during the old-fashioned muster drills but not anymore!

You should always do reviews. You are a natural at it!  

Beth

I agree that if you want to see the band you need to get their early. Especially to grab a seat at the bar.  the food in the restaurant was not good in my opinion. It's a great concept but the food was underwhelming, and we ate there three times.

My May 2024 is available for dining reservations.

On 5/18/2023 at 11:07 AM, shiplifecardgame said:

I used to have boxes of old cruise brochures.

I think you could make a fair bit of money on ebay now with those old brochures.  I have seen them going for $20 each!

Thanks for sharing that! I remember being obsessed with cruise brochures also. Both sets of my grandparents used to cruise and we were able to go onboard and see their room and the ship.  That's what started this obsession!!

Juneau is missing on the App for My June 30th Ovation Cruise.  I am going to assume this is an IT Glitch.

You can ask them to turn on a channel if it's not playing. I agree with @OCSC Mike the fries and pretty much all of their food is great!

We ate at the Mason Jar numerous times on our TA. I personally didn't love their food. I found it to be really heavy and it had some  "interesting" flavors. Next time I book the Wonder I will not eat there Definitely the worst specialty restaurant on the ship. The servers and manager were very nice but the food was not tasty.  The Bar area is great and you need to get their early to get a seat especially if the band is playing.

I know you asked about reservations. We had booked everything when we first got onboard since we had the unlimited dining but the Maon Jar was always packed and reservations were hard to come by. This may have been because of the newness of the ship and venue (April 2022)

Beth

I haven't used the concierge lounge for years so no great loss.  I realize that if I want to frequent the suite lounge, I need to book a suite.  I find the other D+ perks more beneficial than access to a second lounge.

Beth

15 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

You can insert cash, or draw from your room account. When you are paid, it is in the form of a ticket (slots) or chips (tables) that can be turned into the cashier for the cash. You can then apply to your cruise account if you wish.

I see $15 most of the time, $10 here and there, and I personally have not seen $5 in a long time.

I agree. The $10 table is usually packed (because it is the lowest).  I haven't seen a $5 table for at least 4 years.

Beth

They pay winnings by ticket which you can cash or put in another machine. Cash or room charge is used at the table and at the machines