Wanderista

I'm a little bit surprised that my next cruise won't include a day there because it has two sea days in that region. It's ok for me because I like sea days and I've never been there at all but they might fill more cabins up that way. I guess they aren't ready to do that.

I'm neutral on Coco Cay. I can always enjoy a day at the beach but I'm also actually looking forward to Nassau. I haven't been though and actually have more than enough potential things to do, but I'm a history and culture type of person. I'll climb just about any fort if the weather cooperates, so I'll be fine in Nassau. No idea if I'll want to visit it after this though, we'll see.

46 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

It most certainly is true.  The porters at the terminals (USA Terminals) are part of the Longshoreman's union.  Starting salary average $130,000. The guys working the cruise terminals are more senior members of the union, as this is a highly desired assignment (thus they are higher paid and are making an overtime and weekend differential as well) Tack on paid vacation, union medical and dental, and they are VERY well compensated for moving y bags 20 feet or so from the curb to the nearest trolley (where they then hand it over to RCCL staff)

Wow, forget working for Royal. How do I get that job? 😄

1 hour ago, AlanF65 said:

The primary reason they aren't in California is the environmental restrictions when they are in port. (have to connect  to port power because of air quality issues).

Thanks for the info. 

1 hour ago, BND said:

 

We had a nice week long getaway.  As far as comparisons. The cons:  We find Carnival décor a bit gaudy.  Pride has virtually no outdoor shaded areas so we had to move a few times to stay in any shade at all.  The adult only Serenity area (strictly enforced to 21+) was virtually all in the sun all day long as it's at the back of the ship.  There is a bar and a covered sitting area-limited though back there.  Meals felt very rushed.  Some evenings we were still eating dinner and they were shoving the dessert menus in our face.  Found out later one night in particular they had a crew party they all wanted to get to.  Dinner never took more than an hour. Crew wasn't overall as friendly as on Grandeur.  Debarkation was slower, which we've found on every Carnival cruise we've ever been on (6 so far).  And, since we booked late (4 weeks prior), we could only get an obstructed view balcony and by that I mean a lifeboat completely obstructed our view up to about our chest height.  No looking straight down at all and limited view otherwise.

 

Pros- shows were good, CD was excellent (Dr. E).  Food was always served at the correct temperature which we know isn't always true on RCI.  Embarkation was great for us, but we had bought Faster to the Fun so no real waiting except to start boarding because we got there early.   We really weren't out at the pools, except for one morning. They got very crowded, but there were like 700 kinds onboard too.  There are lots of indoor spaces to sit.  We loved the Piano Bar and the Punchliner comedy club.  Guy's burgers and Blue Iguana (burritos and tacos) are great to have in addition to the buffet, deli and pizza place.  Always able to find a seat in the buffet area also (indoors and out).  Showers are larger on Carnival than on RCI also so no clingy shower curtain or tube shower.  Although we usually cruise in JS so that's not really an issue for us.

 

Overall, it's just a different experience.  We're also used to the DL and CL on Grandeur (and other ships).  We did have terrific tablemates at dinner.  One couple was Platinum on Carnival and have been on RCI, we're Gold on Carnival and D+ on Royal and the other it was their first cruise so it was fun discussing Carnival, Royal and the changes we've seen, as well as giving advice to the new couple.  It did rain on us in our ports, mostly in the am and late afternoon.  Half Moon Cay, we had a huge thunderstorm and just ended up going back to the ship early and having lunch there. And it poured all day our last sea day.  But, we can't help that there was a tropical wave over the Bahamas last week.  The best part was we never had seas over 4' the entire trip.  Lots of families and not near the partying you'll see on shorter itineraries or when there are less kids onboard.

Thanks very much for this, it is helpful. It sounds like Royal is a better fit for me but I have a friend who loves cruises and I could see doing a Carnival-specific itinerary with her. The lack of shade means that it's definitely not a fit for my significant other who prefers AC, shade, the indoors and cooler weather. I'm surprised that I convinced him to go on Majesty.

I could see my friend liking Carnival. For the right price and in the right season, I might try it. It's a fair point about NYC not being that far. I might be willing for the right price and itinerary but Baltimore is way easier for me.

1 hour ago, BND said:

 

We had a nice week long getaway.  As far as comparisons. The cons:  We find Carnival décor a bit gaudy.  Pride has virtually no outdoor shaded areas so we had to move a few times to stay in any shade at all.  The adult only Serenity area (strictly enforced to 21+) was virtually all in the sun all day long as it's at the back of the ship.  There is a bar and a covered sitting area-limited though back there.  Meals felt very rushed.  Some evenings we were still eating dinner and they were shoving the dessert menus in our face.  Found out later one night in particular they had a crew party they all wanted to get to.  Dinner never took more than an hour. Crew wasn't overall as friendly as on Grandeur.  Debarkation was slower, which we've found on every Carnival cruise we've ever been on (6 so far).  And, since we booked late (4 weeks prior), we could only get an obstructed view balcony and by that I mean a lifeboat completely obstructed our view up to about our chest height.  No looking straight down at all and limited view otherwise.

 

Pros- shows were good, CD was excellent (Dr. E).  Food was always served at the correct temperature which we know isn't always true on RCI.  Embarkation was great for us, but we had bought Faster to the Fun so no real waiting except to start boarding because we got there early.   We really weren't out at the pools, except for one morning. They got very crowded, but there were like 700 kinds onboard too.  There are lots of indoor spaces to sit.  We loved the Piano Bar and the Punchliner comedy club.  Guy's burgers and Blue Iguana (burritos and tacos) are great to have in addition to the buffet, deli and pizza place.  Always able to find a seat in the buffet area also (indoors and out).  Showers are larger on Carnival than on RCI also so no clingy shower curtain or tube shower.  Although we usually cruise in JS so that's not really an issue for us.

 

Overall, it's just a different experience.  We're also used to the DL and CL on Grandeur (and other ships).  We did have terrific tablemates at dinner.  One couple was Platinum on Carnival and have been on RCI, we're Gold on Carnival and D+ on Royal and the other it was their first cruise so it was fun discussing Carnival, Royal and the changes we've seen, as well as giving advice to the new couple.  It did rain on us in our ports, mostly in the am and late afternoon.  Half Moon Cay, we had a huge thunderstorm and just ended up going back to the ship early and having lunch there. And it poured all day our last sea day.  But, we can't help that there was a tropical wave over the Bahamas last week.  The best part was we never had seas over 4' the entire trip.  Lots of families and not near the partying you'll see on shorter itineraries or when there are less kids onboard.

Thanks very much for this, it is helpful. It sounds like Royal is a better fit for me but I have a friend who loves cruises and I could see doing a Carnival-specific itinerary with her. The lack of shade means that it's definitely not a fit for my significant other who prefers AC, shade, the indoors and cooler weather. I'm surprised that I convinced him to go on Majesty.

I could see my friend liking Carnival. For the right price and in the right season, I might try it. It's a fair point about NYC not being that far. I might be willing for the right price and itinerary but Baltimore is way easier for me.

I agree that it looks too far inland for that type of ship. It looks like an area for river cruising though. River cruising is catching on again in other parts of the US such as the Mississippi River. There are companies that are expanding in that area including in Oregon.

It sounds like RCI has specifically decided not to invest in CA at this time, but that can always change. Tastes and interests change so keep an eye out for itineraries that interest you. 

As an East Coaster, I'm glad to have options in the Atlantic, but in catering to so many people, cruises need to follow the trends of large groups of people including out here. As demographics and tastes change, options for cruises will likely change as well. I guess for me, it is just one type of travel albeit an enjoyable one.

Last time, it was about a week prior; I was on the 7th floor and slightly FWD. This time, I'm prepared to find out on the ship if necessary. My specific sailing still has quite a few empty cabins. I'm not expecting an upgrade but I'm hopeful for a decent assignment within my category. I'm not overly particular in this case or I would have booked a specific assignment. There are certainly itineraries for which I would do so.

I've thought about it and I probably won't Royal Up unless I really don't want my room. If for some reason, I'm not able to swap my room, I'm sure I'll be ok.

13 hours ago, BND said:

Of course it's "tongue in cheek".  It's a well known fact that those that love Grandeur want it all to ourselves.  We've been on her 7 times, the most recent time was April and we're going again in Nov 2020.  Only reason it's that far off is that we're doing Harmony and Adventure  in between.  We just did Carnival Pride last week because Grandeur was sold out for the last couple of months.  We booked a last minute anniversary trip and spent a bit of time wishing we had been able to book Grandeur.

How does Carnival Pride compare to Grandeur? I've read a few basic reviews so I have a bit of an idea of what Carnival is like. I'd probably only do it if I want a specific itinerary and if I know someone who wants to go. Baltimore is very convenient for me. I can see someone I know wanting to try it. I haven't traveled much in the Caribbean and might be interested in seeing more islands. I like beaches.

I'm someone who will try different things but vacation time not being infinite, if something just isn't a fit for me, I don't necessarily need to try it. I'm all for fun but not necessarily a loud party ship.  Even on Royal, the pool contests didn't really amuse me but it's not like they were a big deal either. I enjoyed some of the activities such as watching acrobats and the art auction. I really liked the lounges where I could have a coffee and relax with sea views. I'm not against games and fun but what some people find amusing, I find annoying.

Anyway, it would be interesting to hear how the experiences on these ships compare.

Thanks for asking about this. I also appreciate this information. I'll have some complimentary onboard credit and have been considering whether I'll want to use it in this way or on something else. It's good to hear the honest feedback.

I would definitely be interested in hearing more about Asian cruises. I could see myself being tempted if I have the opportunity in the next few years. While I am interested in improving my linguistic skills, having access to English-speaking crew would be very appealing especially if traveling between different regions with different prevailing local languages. I'm a fan of land travel but this interests me too.

Last time I had a guarantee and was surprised to end up on Deck 7, FWD but not a bad location. I was actually "centrally forward" and a number of cabins were further up than mine. 

This time, I'm rolling the dice again. I've now looked at the current availability on the ship and it looks like there are still a fair number of empty cabins spread across the various floors. I guess I'm prepared for anything. 

I think that if I really cared a lot about the view or were worried, I would pick my own cabin. It's a little bit of a curiosity to find out what I'll be assigned but I think I'll be happy with most choices. I mean, if I end up on the bottom deck, it's going to be easy to get off the ship. If I'm farther up, I'll be convenient to some places and less so to others but climbing any stairs will be good exercise.

I'm kind of hoping to not be on the bottom deck but there's a bright side to most options. I'm also not that prone to seasickness, but there's a first time for anything.

Thanks, this is helpful information for me too. We are planning to have a lengthy day combining a tour of the city, a visit to one of the beaches and a visit to one of the historic hotels. Not planning to cut it close, it sounds like we should try to be at the ship 90 mins to an hour before sailaway. We don't want to be those people frantically running down the pier.

Last time, I boarded early and managed to avoid crowds in the WJ. This time, we might need to check on our seating arrangements at dinner because I am traveling in a group. I like hanging out on the decks and walking around while looking at the skyline. Beyond that, I'll explore the ship, read and maybe head to the pool if I plan for it. 

I'll start using whichever drinks package I go for. It will probably be Refreshment with the occasional other drink.

I'm not too worried about the crowds but I will make use of my phone while near the shore. If the WJ is too full, I'll look around. 

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I can’t think of a cabin location that would subject you to loud parties, unless you are unfortunate in your neighbors. 😳

Thanks, it sounds like I will be ok then.

I'm definitely happy to hear more about Majesty. I went on a recent extended beach weekend and after some stress at work, I was thinking that I'd like to go back onto the sea. I'm happy to have been invited and I am getting excited but I'd definitely like to know more about what to expect.

The photos definitely look like "the best of the early 90s" but I think I can work around that. I'm slightly nervous about wherever my room will be but I really got a deal. I paid what some people would pay in on-board credit or a drinks package for the fare. I think it will work out. I'm a pretty experienced land traveler and I'm actually looking forward to Nassau. I'm not a regular in that region though. I like history, food and culture so the cruise is like an affordable vehicle and quirky experience. I would not be a happy camper if my room ends up being by an all-night-long party. Fingers crossed.

59 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

I understand. I’m saying that this itinerary will doubtfully interest many Canadians. With so much colder weather they prefer to sail somewhere warmer. Even in New England people prefer warmer itins. We do like to cruise to Maritimes, but people around us are mostly Americans from different states.

 

i think some number of Québécois will try out of convenience, but I don’t expect it to be many. And most do speak English, ones that don’t usually don’t travel much.

Very respectfully, I think that is a generalization. If there are cruises leaving from Montreal, I'm sure that some Canadians will be on them. I've done some of my land traveling in New England and I definitely ran into a fair number of Quebecois. Some of them may prefer a cruise over driving, just like anyone else as another way to travel. 

As for speaking English? In Montreal itself, French is definitely not necessary though my own improved while there. Like in other places, it is very nice and respectful to speak their language and they appreciated my doing so but I was surprised at how widely English was spoken. Outside of Montreal, it's a different story, maybe, but Montreal is much more bilingual than France in my experience.

On the subject of these itineraries, they very much interest me if only it were easier for me to combine the time and money, always the deciding factor rather than interest.

I did this last time and I was fine with the assigned room. I'm currently planning to give it a shot again with an OV GTY. That RoyalUp feature didn't exist when I did this last time. Admittedly, the cruise that I am next going on is one of the canceled Havana cruises that is not likely to sell out. I guess I'm taking a chance that it probably won't. If I really don't like the room then maybe we can bid for another or something.

There are definitely cruises where I would pay to choose my own room but as long as the room isn't terrible, I'm going to be happy. I'm also someone who basically uses the room to sleep and shower. On sea days, I plan to be out in the ship and on port days, I will be out nearly all day. Probably the only issue for me would be noise at night, but I'll see what I am assigned and if it's a real problem then I'll see what I can do. Those may be famous last words but it worked out for me before.

I'm going on this ship shortly thanks to being invited, managing to get leave and the WOW sale combining to make that happen. Looking at the photos, she looks a little dated but I'm hopeful for a good experience. 

Hi, I have a large interior inside cabin booked on Grandeur in January. Just wondering what your cabin number was.

 

Thanks,

Lisa

I had to double-check this. I was in 7027. I will warn that it was near the service stairs and I thought I might hear noise from there but I never noticed any noise nor was bothered. If there was any, it was not enough to wake me from sleeping or it was not while I was in the cabin.

The only time that the waves bothered me at all was during the first night when we went from the Chesapeake Bay into the Atlantic overnight. That was my first night on a cruise and it was a little bit of an adjustment. After that, I was fine.

I did drink chamomile tea every evening which I had brought to me at the end of dinner - late shift. I slept soundly the rest of the time. I also adjusted to the ocean and didn't have a problem with feeling any waves, day or night, after that. If I think about it, the only time I would feel waves was in the bathroom in the front of the room. It was never enough to bother me and I wasn't in there all that much.

Hope this info helps.

Having thought about this a little more, in your situation where it is a prize, I would look for an interesting itinerary that also got me nearish to the price tag of the prize. So, I'd look at the choices for destinations (and based on knowledgable reviews, evaluate the ship options) and then I would pick the class of room I would travel in to get near to the $2500, so that would determine what type of room I'd go with. I'd determine the length of cruise based on the amount of time that my traveling friend and I could be away.

There are a lot of great options, so congrats again.

Congrats for winning, that is really awesome. I haven't been on Celebrity myself but it sounds like a nice line and I've read some reviews of it. From what I've heard, it has some interesting cocktails/skilled bartenders. It should also be good for chilling out. I would definitely go on a Celebrity cruise with a prize like that.

I think that if it were me, I might try to balance the more relaxed vibe of the cruise line by picking an interesting itinerary. As others mentioned, I would definitely try to get a friend to go with. I went on a cruise with a friend in May and we had a great time. Just pick someone with a compatible traveling style to yours. My friend complained that she had previously traveled with another friend and had a terrible time because they never wanted to do the same things at all.

I'd probably go for one of the southern itineraries from San Juan, especially if I won the cruise as a prize. Several of those cruises on the Celebrity Summit look really interesting such as the one that goes to St. Lucia and Barbados. I'm sure the "Celebrity" people will be able to give you more info.

Personally, I'd probably pick a cruise for next year if it would give me a better value and better choice of cabins. Maybe see what a friend wants to do though. Space might open up on the 2016 cruises as people cancel for the payment in full deadline. That was what happened on the cruise I went on earlier this year.

I'm sure you will have a good time wherever you go. Have a great time!

Flip flops are typically what you wear around a pool or beach. They are very casual and typically waterproof. Sandals are also open-toed but are dressier. They are often worn in warm weather but you would usually avoid getting them wet in the pool or surf.

On a cruise, I wore my flip flops when I was lounging by the pool or into the Windjammer but I wore sandals into the MDR.

I read on here that it's a good idea to always make sure there is enough solid food in your stomach and I found that to be true. The only time that I got queasy on my cruise to Bermuda was on the first morning when I woke up hungry and waited to eat. I felt a lot better after eating breakfast and from then on, I made sure to avoid getting too hungry. It sounds like a joke because cruises are known for having lots of food but it was a very helpful strategy for avoiding seasickness.

I would talk to a GP about vertigo though.

Yeah, I would not worry much about this. If you'd said your flight was at 10 am or something then I'd be more concerned, but after 2 pm? You should be fine.

It might be a good idea to get TSA Pre-Check like someone else said, but it shouldn't be too stressful.

Thank you for a great review! We are going on this cruise over July 4th. Can you tell me approx what time the main shows were-and did they do 2 per night? I'm trying to figure out MTD reservations. Thanks!

To my knowledge, there were nearly always two showings per night. I can't remember if every show had two showings but the majority of them did other than late night comedy or things like the Love and Marriage show which was set at around 10:15, I think.

Most of the events were timed to be easy to make with dinner for the two traditional seatings. I know that there were some events that would start at around 7 and then go for an hour but they usually had a later showing as well.

Nothing major ever started before 7 pm as I recall, definitely not without a later showing. My dinner was at 8 pm and I never missed seeing one of the showings due to dinner.