VernRDH

15 minutes ago, oceans.calling said:

To expound on what ‘nlclhc’ answered, it’s the premium drink package good all over the ship, free internet for two devices per person, private lounge and restaurant, butler, escorts on and off the ship, especially at disembarkation, and elevator override. That’s a bargain price for YC Deluxe Suite. 

You get 2 devices per person in YC? How did I miss that? If that's the case, I can stop worrying about whether to use my phone or tablet!

I am in the minority I guess. I don't like Oasis but love Odyssey and Anthem. Looking forward to Ovation this May. We are just not into all the bells and whistles that Oasis class offers. Our focus is on relaxation, so the Solarium is important to us. Love it on Anthem and Odyssey, perfect place to spend my days.

Favorite class is still radiance, I do like smaller ships.

Checked in for Anthem 2/9 sailing at 12:03 am today. Easy peasy.

DH just got a 12 foot cord for his CPAP. No need to get the heavy duty extension cord. He just plugs it in at night and wraps the cord up during the day if he has to plug it in at the desk.

We always got it, but it has not been available for our last 3 cruises. I am pretty sure they are not offering it anymore. 

We were also on Oasis 10/22-29. We skipped CATS, as we had suffered through it previously on Oasis. We are theater people, our daughter did theater in high school and college. But that is one show I just cannot endure.  Not sure what ALW was smoking/ dropping when he wrote it. But to each their own.

Agree Aqua80 was fabulous! And Frozen in Time was cute, loved the ducks!

We did the status match before booking our Meraviglia cruise for next October. We got the discount plus OBC. It was very easy to do.

I finally talked to my TA. We are going to upgrade to YC. I was surprised that the gratuities are the same- guess I am too used to Royal charging higher gratuities for suites. 

Looking forward to reading and learning more about YC!

Thanks all for the info. Wasn't sure if grats were higher in YC, like suites on RC. 

Was hoping someone could tell me what the gratuities are daily in YC? We are booked next October on Meraviglia in an Aurea balcony, thinking of moving up to YC. Just trying to get a fix on the price difference. My TA is not terribly helpful and I just wanted to know what the difference is between Aurea and YC for grats.

Thank you!

We are headed back to Bayonne, seas are moderate with a bit of motion. Warm and sunny though, so all in all a good day.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring as we will be further north, but I am still on a ship, having a good time.

On Oasis currently. Agree on riding the carousel and seeing Aqua 80- one of the best shows we have seen in 25 cruises.

Solarium bistro is a nice spot to eat.

Freestyle machines are plentiful- Windjammer, Solarium bistro, Sorrento's on the promenade and el Loco Fresh.

If elevators are packed and everyone is going one direction, go the opposite. Like salmon swimming upstream.  When it gets to the top or bottom, you are already on. Trust me, it saves time.

IMO, Oasis has the worst laid out Windjammer. Be prepared to be frustrated or choose to eat elsewhere.  There are plenty of free alternatives.

Front facing OV- one of our favorites. Enjoy!

Early seating is 5pm.  I don't know when it got so early, but it does make getting to the shows easier. For us, it means we skip lunch, otherwise we are too full to enjoy dinner.

If there is anything particular you want to know, just ask and I will try to find out.

Could we go to the beach in FLL? Yes.

Not quite the same as CocoCay, but doable.

We got the letter when we returned to our cabin around 8 pm.  We docked this morning at 7. Not that i am being cheap, but a beach day here is going to cost me where CC is a free day.

We may go to a beach in Nassau tomorrow instead. Yesterday was Canaveral, we did the Daytona speedway tour- highly recommend!

Still not at work, so lemons->>>lemonade.

On Oasis, received a letter stating that due to adverse weather conditions we will not go to CocoCay tomorrow, instead we are going to Ft Lauderdale.  So another ship day for us and in 20 years of cruising on the second time we have missed one.

It was however our only beach day for this trip☹️

Bright side- we still aren't at work.

On Oasis currently from Bayonne heading to Port Canaveral. Right now about 65 degrees, sunny and smooth sailing. We go out of NJ a lot, have never had an issue. But we also like a bit of motion, better sleeping!

May you should be fine, as others suggested, take the Bonine. 

17 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Oasis has tvs all along the outside with tables in front of almost every one. Same on the inside..the booths don't have a great view but the tables right in the middle to the left of the bar have great sight lines

Thanks for the info! We board Oasis on Sunday, want to go to Playmakers and watch the early games!

On 10/13/2023 at 1:57 PM, GimmeOcean said:

 

Not to keep derailing this thread... I've lived here for 17 years now. Though now I'm technically in Rexford, west of Vischer Ferry Rd. Before moving last year we were in the Country Knolls area between exits 9 & 10.

 

My kids did graduate from Shen, lol. 

 

Back on topic:

 

Off-topic Posters of the Seas

Nice to meet you neighbor!

21 hours ago, John Reid said:

This answer may turn out to be longer than you ever expected (or wanted)!

So, I'm currently vacationing in Maine. I met a young family and they asked where I was from. I told them Delaware and asked the same of them. They said "upstate New York." I already had a feeling when I asked what town. The wife was a graduate of Shendehowa; the husband, nearby. I wowed them with my knowledge of the area.

 

I was born in East Harlem, and moved to Long Island. The extended journey began in 1969 visiting a friend in Round Lake. He worked for Shenendehowa Schools, eventually running the Boces program. In 1971, another friend's family opened the Cabin in the Pines restaurant  on 9N in Lake Vanare right across from Kastner's Cabins. My future wife and I worked at the Painted Pony Dude Ranch. Their son, my friend, soon started the Stony Creek Band. They just had a 50th anniversary concert & celebration at Caffe' Lena's in the Springs. My wife's best friend in high school bought the Stoney Creek in and still runs it today.

My visits to Round Lake would take me to the Van Patten golf course. I guess it's still there. My visits to the Lake Luzerne area also continued.

 

In 1978, I had a career choice to make. I wanted to leave Long Island and had a choice of teaching postions in Fairfax County, VA, or Shenendehowa where my friend worked. I selected Virginia because most of my wife's family had relocated there.

 

In 1980, the Clifton Park irony began. My in-laws told us they had discovered this wonderful town of Clifton Park and were moving there. It was if they didn't know we were quite familiar with the area. They moved to Hollandale Apartments and later bought a home on Cranberry. Then, one of her brothers bought a house on Acorn. A few months later, another brother bought a house on Elm. Then her sister moved into a rented home on Sonnet (?), I can't remember for sure.

 

Dozens of visits brought us to the area for decades. We've attended two weddings, two funerals, and one baptism at Saint Edward the Confessor. One nephew on my wife's side owns a home in CP. Two other nephews live in the area. Her brother has moved from CP to Malta.

 

I was last up about 4 years ago. Amazing how Clifton Center Road is now the hotel capital of the world. Back in the day, it was just the Best Western. Tempes Fuget.

 

And I know how to pronounce Colonie!

John- that is a fantastic story! I live half a mile from Van Patten golf course and I work in Colonie. 

Yes "downtown" Clifton Park is built up and there are tons of hotels for sure.  But it is a nice place to live. 

2 hours ago, John Reid said:

Shenendehowa of the Seas??? 

Are you from Clifton Park? Cause I haver never known ANYONE to know that word if you aren't local!

If you book online, you get two options: best rate(no extras) or best value (which includes drinks and wifi). There is a price difference. So if you picked best rate, then no those aren't included.

4 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Was that for lunch?

 

That is nothing like the salad advertised, or what I got - it should be spinach with blue cheese? I didn’t get fries but I wouldn’t have ordered them so not sure if they are usually included or not. 
 

Mine was a special request. I have never been for lunch so I don’t know if they upgraded the size of mine or not but it was certainly big enough for me. Other times I have ordered a regular dinner salad (usually wedge) as my side to the main entree (shrimp or filet) served at the same time to make an  entree salad. The filet was good but the shrimp portion is very small and I wouldn’t do that again.

Yes it was for lunch on embarkation day. I had not had it before, but had seen it. And yes the fries just came with it, I didn't ask for them.

On 10/4/2023 at 8:55 PM, c-leg5 said:

 

Chops does a steak salad for lunch which i have pre-ordered to eat at night as it isn’t on the regular dinner menu. 
 

 

I ordered that on Liberty in May, expecting a large salad with steak on top.  Below is what I got.  A little salad with a steak. When I questioned the waiter he told me that was a steak salad. LOL

We had UDP on that trip and loved Giovanni's, it is now our preferred specialty restaurant. I tried the branzino for the first time and loved it. Didn't hurt that our server at Gios was phenomenal.

I do miss Portofino too.  And you can keep Giovanni's Kitchen, not worth the price IMO.

Previously and for our upcoming Anthem cruise I could pre book.  Looking at this week's cruise, Giovanni's was open for lunch yesterday.

Guess we will have to see what happens when we board, as the option is not there to book.

For our Oasis cruise next month NO specialty restaurants are available for lunch on embarkation day. We were really hoping once we get on board something may be open, since we are tired of the chaos that is WJ.

So mystery solved. She gave us the wrong number ( one digit off). Her response to me was "enter your number ( the correct one, not the one on either my emailed or printed invoices) and if it doesn't work call MSC" Wait, isn't that why I have a travel agent?

She sent me a new invoice, number is correct in one spot, incorrect in another.

I got in with the correct number, so all set. 

Again, not feeling the confidence in this agent.