FriscoLady

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

If you have a fixed dining time, then you already have your meal time reserved. For shows, odds are there will always be availability for walk-ins.

Excellent!

55 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

There's really nothing that *has* to be pre-planned for onboard stuff.

Good to know. It just sounds as if you must pre-reserve meals and shows or you won't be able to participate.... My real world is so structured that I prefer to just "go with the flow" when we're cruising. 🙂

Cheers!

1 hour ago, PompeySailor said:

We do specialty for the most part, whenever we have been around the elevators near the MDR (Decks 3/4/5) it always looks messy (6:30-7:00)

I’m not the best to comment accurately on lines and Q’s for Main Dining 

My experience is very limited 

 

Thanks, I appreciate the help.

9 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

Just make sure you put the phone in a clear luggage tag holder from  Amazon with a photo of someone in shorts in line for the MDR, 😂

Good one! Speaking of lines though... is that typical for MDR? I would think with so many dining options that nothing would get backed up. 

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I use the app to see menu for dinner ahead of time to plan a bit. 

 

I book shows, sign in for boarding online. 

 

App isnt necessary but helpful. I also once onboard click on daily planner, then filter by entertainment to see what show I booked that night. 

 

I doubt any 2 people use it the same.

Seems like there is a lot more pre-planning/booking required on RCI? Is that your experience as well?

10 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

Having the APP will make your life somewhat easier, I would say it is advantageous but not 100% needed 

 

Useful for checking in 

Daily planner is viewable

Booking dining 

Checking your calendar 

Deck information 

 

Download it and have a look, link your reservation and you will get a feel for what you can do 

you can even view menus for all dining venues 

 

The app fully updates with 100% correct info on your boarding day

Note:

what you will see in the app will be data from a previous sailing on the cruise going before yours 

 

Enjoy your cruise

(We lived in Coppell for 18 years)

Thank you so much! 

Cruising with Royal for the first time in February. Is the app something I need, like on Princess?

Has anyone else received a sales call from Princess for this new package they have rolled out? I guess it launched about 6 weeks ago- combines FCC's, OBC, land stays, pre/post cruise hotels, and Princess promo points.

Just curious... we are "elite", but have never received a sales call from Princess before.

We are a family of 8 and will be taking the Norwegian Star Cruise this August. This is our first time on a cruise and there are three generations. Two folks who are 60 as well as a 6 year old child.

 

While looking at the day excursion options, I have been a little overwhelmed and am hoping to get some advice. Should we do a cruise or private tour?

 

Berlin (Warnemunde) - same day excursion

Tallin, Estonia - same day excursion

St. Petersburg - two days excursion

 

Looking for specific recommendations for operators.

 

Thanks in advance!

Always book a private tour. Only then will you have the flexibility you want and need with a multi-generational group. Plus, YOU are in charge of what you do and how long you do it. :D

We took the ship's tour in Kristiansand which was to the town of Lillesand and then a cruise through all the nearby islands. We loved the tour. The guides were excellent, the weather was brilliant and the scenery was beautiful. We wandered around the town in the afternoon and enjoyed that too.

Our ship stopped in Kristiansand, after almost 3 weeks we didn't feel like taking any tours so we simply walked around.

I wondered if that might be the case. It is my understanding that the town is small and very walkable. Perhaps a day to just wander aimlessly is exactly what we will need at that point. Thank you so much!

Hello CC friends!

I cannot tell you how often I depend on the experience of the people on this forum. :) So here I am again, hat in hand...

WE are booked on a 25 day Baltic/TA leaving in 6 short weeks and still have no idea what to do in Kristiansand or Bergen. I hate large tours so would prefer either a semi-private guide or "on your own" recommendation. Thank you all in advance!

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I decorate my house so it looks like a scene out of a horror story, and it's known as the Halloween House. 3 years ago I took the plunge and booked a repo on the CB for Halloween. It is FANTASTIC! It was during our prolonged Sandy cruise that year and even that didn't stop the fun. The following year was even better. I'm taking my 3rd Halloween cruise this year on the Royal.

 

I dress up, and it's really easy to bring a costume. You don't have to make it huge and heavy. Make up, an eye mask (fancy or plain) a wig or hat and something lightweight and you increase the fun a hundred-fold. Or make something. Last year one lady was Ariel and several people went as a group of clowns.

 

Our Roll Call has also planned some events, including a Halloween Dinner, with costumes, followed by the big party and the Thriller dance. There is a group of us from Roll Call who are going as zombies. We're talking about having a make-up party before dinner for all the zombies. We will then go, en masse, to the dining room, scaring small children and insecure adults along the way.

 

Halloween on the ship is fun, and can be even better if you bring a great attitude and perhaps some pre-planning with your roll call.

 

Happy Haunting!

 

Maureen

OMG! A Zombie party! That sounds like so much fun!!!

Here is my initial rev of a beverage package evaluator - if you see items that are incorrect/missing, please let me know so I can improve this spreadsheet. All of the soda/water/juice prices are estimates for now, I can't seem to find current actual prices. Hope this is useful!

This is the coolest tool I've seen yet! Thanks so much!

We are booked on a 17 day transatlantic on board the Emerald and I was wondering if there is any way to find out what Halloween festivities they might have planned?

We just got home from a 2 week itinerary that included Grenada. I bought pretty much everything from "Dot's" shop. Great selection and very reasonable prices. I also bought several spice necklaces for $2US each. I never barter. Either I can afford the price they quote me or I can't. In this case, I thought the necklaces were such a unique gift for friends back home that I bought several.

If anyone has access to the Chilled Orange Sory or Mango soup and is willing to share, we would all be so grateful.;) Mmmmmm......

Here you go.

Strawberry Bisque

3 c strawberries, washed and hulled

1 ½ c water

¾ c sugar

3 T lemon juice

1 t grated lemon peel

1 ½ c red wine

1 c. sour cream

fresh mint leaves

Directions:

Combine strawberries, ½ c water, and sugar in a blender. Cover and blend the mixture until pureed. Stir in lemon juice, peel, 1 c. water and wine. Stir in sour cream until blended. Chill for several hours before serving and garnish with mint.

I have an older recipe book from Carnival. I've got the newer one too. In the older book the Strawberry Bisque recipe does not include red wine. I believe it uses whipping cream too.

 

If you haven't found the recipe for one of your favorites, write a letter to Carnival for the recipe.

 

I bought the book sold in 2001. It did not include the recipe for the chilled orange soup (tasted like melted orange sherbet) I enjoyed at lunch one day. I wrote a letter to Carnival to request the recipe. They sent it but in their conversion to a smaller batch size, they miscalculated a couple of the ingredients. I checked with them again and finally got the right recipe. I now know why it tasted like melted orange sherbet - it had orange sherbet. The recipe is Chilled Orange Sory.

 

If you are interested, I'll post it. (The recipe is at home. I'm checking the boards during lunch at work.)

I would LOVE this recipe if you have it!