CeleBrat

On 3/12/2024 at 1:35 PM, Hlitner said:

Agree with above.  I think it is almost criminal how fast many tours move through the Vatican museums and St Peters.  One could easily spend most of a day in that area, especially if they manage to obtain a reservation for the Scavi Tour (which goes underneath part of St Peters.  Speaking of the Scavi tour, it is seldom included on tours and is something folks should try to book on their own.  Many of the online sites try to fool folks into thinking they are the Vatican, but they are simply private companies.  Here is the real link to the Vatican's own site:

Vatican Museums – Official Website (museivaticani.va)

 

The Scavi Tour also has its own Vatican site which is:

Reservations (scavi.va)

 

Lots of good info on these sites.

 

 

 

 

What is the secret to getting the Scavi reservations office to respond?  I sent an email in Jan, and again in March, and have gotten no response.  Are there any other ways to contact them?

Thanks for your fantastically witty reviews.  I always read them.  And this WDW Cast Member was chuckling at your Disneyland review.  

Thanks for the laughs!

CeleBrat

1 hour ago, ninjacat123 said:

We were able to access a menu at the Alchemy Bar on Pride this October. It was always available, which I like but I always order the same drink 🤣

OMG!  LOVE LOVE LOVE that dress!

Signed, CeleBrat, who is a fellow fashionista

41 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

The Venetian Gondolier was on your cruise?

Another vote of THANKS to you for your recap.  Current info about the Island Princess is rather hard to find--she's just not that popular of a ship.

Sailing the MED with the Island-P in August 2024.

Why would you stay onboard at Princess Cays?  It's a beautiful private island.  At the very least you should get off, stroll around, and enjoy the "free" lunch on the island.

On 11/4/2023 at 9:45 AM, reallyitsmema said:

 

You do not need to change your schedule for the cabin steward, you should have told them what your dining schedule was and when you would be out of your cabin.  If evening service was such an issue for you, ask to change to morning.  

Easier said than done. We got “stuck” in the evening service, since the Steward said all of the morning slots were full. And he is not budging on changing our time.

On 11/4/2023 at 11:08 AM, reallyitsmema said:

 

You are paying thousands of dollars and are paying for a service.  If the timing is not working for me, I am going to ask for it to be changed.  Whether that is being "nice" to the cabin steward or not is irrelevant.

We’ve asked both the Steward and Guest Relations to switch our time (from evening to morning), and got a resounding “Sorry, no.”

On the Radiance right now, and this issue has really been plaguing us. Never saw the Cabin Steward on Day 1, and late afternoon day 2 our cabin still hadn’t been done, so we asked at Guest Services. They said cabins are done once per day, based on what we preferenced. But when we explained that no one ever talked to us, or asked our preferences, they made a flurry of phone calls. We were totally missed.

Meanwhile, we went back to our cabin to shower and change (it was 5pm), and suddenly there was a knock-knock-knock on the door. It was the Steward saying he was there to clean. He was very pleasant, and apologized that he hadn’t seen us, and explained he worked from 4-7 at night for cleaning. We asked if he could come in the morning since we are early-risers, and he apologized that those “slots were full.”

Needless to say, we were frustrated. Every night so far he’s tried to clean when we’ve been getting ready in the evening. And every morning when we get up, we make our own bed. 
 

He’s a nice guy, but this cabin schedule preference thing just isn’t based in good customer service.

4 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Then you will not have Sorrento's or Cafe Promenade.

So then…drinks available at Windjammer all day?

On 11/2/2023 at 1:49 PM, time4u2go said:

What ship are you on? 

Radiance

14 hours ago, Tatka said:

I usually use mango, but lately I like fruit punch …

1 hour ago, njkruzer said:

On Radiance Park Cafe and Doghouse were open late.

17 hours ago, SG65CB said:

 

Yes, but food, snacks, pizza, etc. are available at Sorrento's / Cafe Promenade until late into the night. 

 

OK, so it sounds like the buffet is not an all-day (persay) option, whereas Sorrento's and Cafe Promenade are.  And, there is flavored water available anytime?

What times are the buffet open?  And are there places within the buffet to get "free" drinks like lemonade, punch, juice, hot chocolate?  Or will I be stuck just drinking water for a week?

Thanks!--CeleBrat

New to Royal (actually, cruised once with them back in 1992) and I'm confused as to why MTD reservations are done BEFORE you get in the ship.  I discovered it just last week but then found dining was only available from 7:30pm or later.

I really enjoy Carnival's MTD method, where you request a table via the app while onboard.  That way, you don't have to plan in advance or go to the dining room to get a pager .  The app shows current wait times, so you can decide whether or not to be added to the wait list  And then, if you do add yourself, it will notify you through the app.  Meanwhile, you can be ANYWHERE else on the ship enjoying yourself while you wait.

You are I are total opposites, as we usually always travel Carnival, but our next cruise is a jump over to Royal!

Looking forward to hearing what you think about Carnival!

On 9/19/2023 at 11:57 AM, SilkySal said:

Since it's later on during your cruise, I would just confirm the correct date as soon as you board the ship.

20 hours ago, Fouremco said:

What does it say if you pull it up on the website instead of the app? 

 

Either way, I'd get it confirmed now rather than wait until you are onboard. One less thing to worry about.

I checked it again this morning and now there are even more errors:

In the app, the reservation is still on the wrong day on the daily calendar, and it has been changed to "A Taste of Royal"  lunch in Giovanni's.  However on the "my profile" section of the app, under reservations, it is showing as the correct date/time/location.

The website also has it correct, as well as my email confirmation.

Is the Royal app normally this glitchy?  This is my first time using it.

I have just used our OBC to pre-book a CHOPS lunch on day 6 on our upcoming Radiance cruise, however when I pull up the info on the Royal app, it shows it on Day 7.  Do I need to call to have this moved, or will it rectify itself?  My email confirmation shows "day 6", but the app is placing it in "day 7".

Thanks!

6 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

Working on some lights 

 

This whole picture confused me.  I thought it was a weird mirror image of one guy, but then saw it was 2 guys.  But what is going with the left foot of the guy on the left.  Is his foot out of the shoe, the sole off his shoe, his leg is broken.  So many questions...

Some food is free.  The sandwiches and hot items are free, whereas the decadent desserts are not.

My DH caught COVID on day 3 of our last cruise.  As an FYI, Covid tests are free from the onboard medical center.  Although I had brought a COVID test with me, they gave tests to the others in our cabin to try and figure out how to place our family.  They also provided free-of-charge cough meds, cold/sinus meds, and Tylenol, in addition to free onboard movies, wi-fi, and room service.

The big scar on your knee is a dead giveaway.  I too had a TKR in 2019, and the Carnival scanner always beep at me.  But as soon as I point they wave me along.  Weirdly, I've not encountered any other scanners in public that do beep...

It worked really well for our family of 4 on the Celebration last month. No missed texts at all.

The display case immediately to the right of the coffee counter is filled with the standard "upcharge" pastries/cake.  The display case further to the right is filled with free sandwiches, wraps, calzones, and empanadas.  All of those items were heated up by the counter person, prior to them handing them to us.  I loved the turkey/bacon sandwich so much, I ate it twice during the week!

The grab-n-go case, filled with drinks and water, was to the left of the coffee counter, and all items cost money.

2 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

 

 

2 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

 

 That is definitely the "Carnival RIDE"

7 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

I know! I couldn’t resist….

I LOVE your sense of humor, and witty one-off observations!

11 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

Portugal alone is keeping the tobacco companies profitable 

 

Lisbon Lady puffing away over an ad for a funeral parlor = perfect advertising!