Deckhawk

2 hours ago, Neilio said:

One more question. What time did your bus leave from Anchorage and what time did you board the ship?

 

Thanks

Our bus left from the Anchorage Marriott at 10:45.  There were options earlier and later (until 12:30PM I think).  Bus ride was roughly 2.5 hours total - I believe we made one other stop on the way down and ran into traffic...

4 hours ago, Neilio said:

Thanks for this posting. We are on Muse, Seward to Van July 6. Would be interested to know what “included” wines you enjoyed? Also,

did you meet with sommelier to ask what wines were available?

I brought three bottles from home:  Alpha Omega ERA, Black Stallion Transcendent and a bottle of Continuum.

Before I went to dinner the first night, I told the som that I drink California cabs and they brought J Lohr and Wiente.   In my opinion, these aren't to the level of the ones I brought, but they are solid.  Living in SF, I've visited Wiente a good bit, so I'm a bit biased.  My favorite onboard wine was the Grüner Veltliner.  Don't ask me which label it was, but it was EXCELLENT at both Asian spots - great pairings.  I didn't push too far outside of those because I did still drink the three bottles I brought...

I did briefly talk to 1-2 of the soms about their bottles for purchase.  I thought the prices were fair...  I don't have a picture of the menu, but their Joseph Phelps Insignia and Opus One were both right around the detail price I've bought them for in the past...

Hoping that helps!

8 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

In regards to the wine, we tried to convince you to leave your bottles at home. But, I understand. Sometimes we just have to learn ourselves. 😁

Lesson learned!  Will trust Stumble going forward!

9 hours ago, nolatravelgirl said:

 Which excursions did you do in each port?  Were you able to switch excursions once on the ship.

Don't quote me on these, but I believe this is what we did in each port with a few of my thoughts.

Juneau = Kayaking.  This trip was great, but I felt like it wasn't advertised correctly.  When we looked at the booking, it showed people kayaking right in front of the glacier.  When we got there, we could see the Glacier, but we weren't in the same body of water - we actually spent the day with seals, eagles, dolphins  Overall, it was fine, but we aware that this may happen.

Skagway = Rainforest Biking.  Very beautiful tour, but there actually wasn't much biking.  I'd guess we biked a total of ~5 miles and stopped frequently to talk about plants on the forest floor.  This excursion was fine - it wasn't great, but okay.

Sitka = We started the day by independently renting bikes and doing a ~25 ride to make up for Skagway.  After that, we took the "Wildlife adventure boat tour."  During the ride, we saw two humpbacks, a grey whale, otters and eagles....  there were a lot of people on the boat, but we saw a lot - I was a fan.

Ketchikan = We had booked something, but after walking around town, we blew it off to sit at the pool and relax.  Can't help too much with this port...

9 hours ago, nolatravelgirl said:

Were you able to pre-book LaDame? LaDame and Kaiseki are completely booked everyday of our cruise.  

We booked LaDame for the first day and Kaiseki the second.  We ended up going back to LaDame the last night of the cruise for basically the same meal.  They wouldn't rebook us in advance, but we talked to the host the nigh before and he suggested we come to see him a ~8:30PM and he would get us in.  Lesson learned:  if you are willing to eat late, you can get in...

9 hours ago, les37b said:

Were you on the Osaka to Seward cruise?

Sorry if I wasn't clear - I boarded on May 11 in Seward and left May 18 in Vancouver.  I heard the seas were rough on the way to Seward from several people who stayed on.  The first 1.5 days of our trip was rough, but after that, it calmed nicely.

The weather was AMAZING for an Alaska cruise.  It rained for the Hubbard Glacer and then again in Juneau, but it was sunny and HOT the rest of the trip (~mid 70s F).  I got burned on the top deck, which is always welcome!

My g/f and I just returned from a week on the Muse and I wanted to share a few thoughts.  This isn't a full review, but my observations in hopes it can help others.  For context, I'm in my early 40's and have cruised 30+ times on RCL, CCL, Celebrity, Azamara, NCL, but this is the first time trying a luxury line like Silver Sea.  The overall experience was exceptional (and I'll be back again to try an expedition, likely to Antarctica), but a few specific points:

What was great?

• The service was exceptional.  Every time you needed a drink or food, someone was right there.  It felt like I never heard the term "no" all 7 days… this exceeded my expectations.
• The included wines were solid.  I had previously posted asking about the included wines, wondering if I should bring my own.  I did bring three nice bottles, but I really didn’t need them.  Coming from close to Napa, I prefer a slightly higher level than they severed each night, but the wines were not bad at all and nex time I likely wouldn't bring my own bottles.  Happy to share the wines I remember if you’d like.  
• The butlers make it happen!  We special ordered dinner one night and it turned out well.  We used him for shoe shines and 1-2 other smaller asks -- we didn’t use him a ton, but he was excellent when we did contact him. 
• Food in La Dome was excellent.  I loved the menu - big fan.  My other favorite was the pastas in the buffet turned restaurant - also great.  It's super subjective, but you won't go hungry if you are onboard.

Suggestions:

• The menu at the grill needs some help.  Before sailing, I read the negative reviews about the burger and yes, it wasn’t great, but I felt like they could be way more creative with the overall menu offerings for the pool.  They had a "fish of the day" that I tried two days which was so-so, but why not a fish, steak or chicken sando on the menu?  It’s likely to never happen, but fish and chips or chicken fingers could also be an easy addition.  
• The hours of the pizza restaurant and grill didn’t seem to be thought through.  For three straight days we returned to the ship after lunch but before dinner and only pizza was open (I think it was like 2-5pm).  I don’t expect everything to be open all the time, but I do think you need to have a bit more selection.  The arts cafe food was great, but it’s not meant for a late lunch…. Room service is fine, but they you need to be in your room…just needed a bit more selection than just pizza.
• The included shore excursions were fine, but I would have loved to see more independent shore excursions on the included list.  For example, why not make one of the excisions a bike rental for the day…or even if they just had some hiking trail maps they could hand out.  Likely my own preference here, but I tend to want to do stuff on my own instead of with 30 other people, but that is tough to do with what is included.
• The shows weren’t my style.  There were some talented singers and dancers, but the shows for blah to me - very personal preference.  
• The casino was lifeless.  I know it’s a small operation, the environment was quiet.  They needed music and a bit more personality.  I’m normally a bit more of a player - on this cruise I played for 30 mins and then was done…
• Last random thought -- and this likely shows how amazing the weather was during the entire Alaska trip:  I think they should put out suntan lotion for people to use.  That just adds to the "luxury experience."

Happy to answer any questions you have the best I can...

42 minutes ago, canderson said:

Also first time SS cruisers and had same question.  Answer may surprise.  Read forward from this link:

Just read through it - super helpful - thank you.  We're on a 7 day cruise, so I'll likely bring 1-2 nice bottles to supplement what is provided.  The other days I'll go with the suggested pairings and see how that goes....

34 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Which ship?

Muse to Alaska in May of this year

I'm sailing SS for the first time this May and was curious if anyone can provide feedback on the included wine selections.  We live close to Napa and enjoy good wines.  I was throwing around the idea of bringing 4-5 upscale bottles, but didn't want to lug them on the plane and realize that the onboard selections were at the same level.  I know wine is very subjective, but any feedback on the included selection?  If we decide to bring bottles, I'm assuming no issues bringing it onboard and/or no corkage fee?  Anyone have wine menus they can share?

On 1/6/2023 at 10:41 AM, mysty said:

I'm in love with the idea of Sausalito now!  Thanks for the suggestion @Deckhawk and @TER777!  The ferry ride sounds perfect as does Sausalito itself.

 

https://traveltodayworktomorrow.com/sausalito-day-trip-from-san-francisco/

If you end up there, here are some food recommendations:  https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-bars-sausalito

On 1/7/2023 at 3:04 PM, mysty said:

@Deckhawk I'm not sure how widely known this is...you can request special meals served course by course in your suite.  We've done this a few times and they were each exceptional.

 

In 2016 we requested that a bright light in the galley create a meal for us to be served in our suite.  It was a Philippine chef named Chef Vincent DeLa Cruz who created the meal.  It was amazing.

https://mpworldcruise.blogspot.com/2016/01/day-16-sea-day.html

 

On our 2017 Transatlantic we made the same request and Chef Geraldo De Leon created another scrumptious meal served in our suite.  Here is the menu....

 

 

 

On our recent Grand Northern Europe Voyage we had two special meals.  The first was also a Philippine meal (no chef noted)  Chicken adobo, Lumbia, Pansit and rice as was suggested by a fellow passenger.  It was incredible.

https://moonovernortherneurope.blogspot.com/2022/06/day-35-reyjavik-iceland.html

 

The chef at the Grill was from the Ukraine and was a wizard.  We dined at the Grill / Hot Rocks frequently during that cruise to be in the open air.  I don't cook at home and I certainly do not cook on a cruise.  I requested that my meals be plated and this chef was spot on no matter what I ordered.  We requested that he prepare a meal from his home country.  He used his grandmother's recipe to make the best cabbage rolls we have ever eaten.  It was served at the Grill.

https://moonovernortherneurope.blogspot.com/2022/06/day-44-at-sea-heading-to-oslo-norway.html

 

These were some of the best meals we've had on a ship.

 

It's best to coordinate this through your butler so that everyone is on the same page.  

 

 

 

Solid tip!  I had read about dinner in the suite, but I especially love the personal touch.  All of my experiences have been with large ships with very little personalization, so something like this is really cool.  Thanks for that...

1 hour ago, mysty said:

 

Unfortunately,  the available excursions for San Francisco are not yet listed.   If you have suggestions,  I would be interested.   We've been there a number of times (although not on a ship) and something different would be great!  😁

Here are my thoughts on what do in San Francisco....

Prior to living in San Francisco, I was on a few cruises that stopped in San Francisco and the easiest thing to do is a wine trip to Napa/Sonoma.  Depending on when the ship is in port, you can uber/lyft right from the port, hit 2-3 wineries, have a late lunch and be back on board before you know it.  Let me know if you need some winery recommendations. 

If you want to stay in San Francisco area, a few recommendations:

-  Food Tour:  For my birthday, someone bought me a food tour of North Beach (the Italian area of the city).  Lots of history and great food here and something very local (many of the places I didn't know, even after living here 8+ years).  They also do tours of Chinatown and the Mission (Mexican/Latin food).  

-  Alcatraz Tour:  If you've never done it, this is one of the better national park tours in the US - but you need you need to buy tickets in advance.  You can walk from port to where the tours leave from.  It's take a few hours to do the tour.

-  Golden Gate Park:  If you've never been to Golden Gate Park, it's sorta like Central Park, but in San Francisco.  If the weather is good, there is great hiking, a few museums, a conservatory of flowers, etc.  Lots of stuff to do here.

-  Sausalito:  A town just over the Golden Gate Bridge - you can uber here from the port.  Great place to have lunch and walk along the ocean.  The town is beautiful, lots of nice little shops.

-  Muirwoods National Park:  A short drive outside the city (you'll need to rent a car - there is a place close to the port) is a national park with huge redwoods.  Amazing stuff if you want to get outside of the city.

Let me know if you have more questions - happy to help!

Thanks for keeping everyone up to date on your experience.  I just booked my first cruise on Silver Sea cruise on the Muse leaving out of Anchorage in May.  Was reading through this thread to learn about your experience and pick up tips!

I'm curious:  What excursion did you select for San Francisco?  I live there now and I'm always curious what people do when they come into town on a ship...

Quick background:  I'm in my early 40s and will be traveling with my girlfriend.  I've taken a ton of cruises on CCL, RCI, Princess, Norwegian, etc., but only three to Alaska (2 on Princess and 1 on Celebrity).  I'm planning to go to Alaska this year, but I'd like to do it a bit more top end on a smaller ship.  The highest quality that I've cruised to date was Azamara, so I'm looking for suggestions.  The main requirement is that I don't want sail for more than 7-10 days (required) and that I'd prefer a casino (optional).  

My TA is steering me hard towards Viking, but was curious if anyone had Alaska experiences with Seabourn, Silversea or others that could be worth exploring?  I honestly don't know the differences between them, let alone how those differences play when on an Alaska trip (ex. I won't be tanning or swimming).  Appreciate the help!

How exactly would you be spreading your $72 and 48 inside? $6 on 6 and 8 and $30 on 5 and 9? Or $36 on 6 and 8 and $0 on 5 and 9? $66 and $44 would be more reasonable. I've watched people lay the 4 and 10 progressively, each time taking their winnings and adding it to their original bet. They all lose eventually. The reason the casinos spend the extra $1 in ink to put those numbers on the layout is they DO roll.

 

I feel the ONLY way to win at craps is to be flexible enough to change your betting style. Always play the do or the don't and in the long run you'll lose.

The $72/$48 were typos. Basically suggesting three units all of the inside numbers and no 4/10 to protect it if there a quick 7.

I agree with you about not always playing the pass/don't pass. Curious to understand a bit more about your strategy in changing your betting style. how do you play it?

It's been a while since I last posted, but I just spent last two weekends playing craps at the Cosmo in LV and in AC at Revel. I won during both trips, which was quite good, but I'm starting to get a little bored with the way I play and I'm hoping to change up my strategy a bit on an upcoming cruise. Here is how I normally play:

Roll #1

- $60 DP Bet w/$2 Yo to hedge

Roll #2

- $30 DC Bet

Roll #3

- $45 DC Bet

If 6/8 comes on any of the roles I'll place $18 or $12 as a hedge. If 4/10 comes, I'll take odds when the table is cold. If I get the two DC numbers out, I'll also sometimes take no 4/10 bets for $102, but these are optional. I know that odds wise, the hedge on the 6/8 increases the casino's vig, but I prefer this approach rather than leaving it without protection (unless the table is rolling a lot of 7's...then I might try to leave it alone).

Here is what I was thinking instead of playing my "usual":

Roll #1

- $60 DP Bet w/$2 Yo

Roll #2

- $30 DC Bet

- Place $72 inside, $100 no 4 and no 10

Roll #3

- #45 DC Bet

- Drop to $48 inside and only one $100 no 4 or 10 bet

After third roll, come down off of the inside bets and the no 4/10.

My thinking with this strategy:

I see the numbers coming on the inside and I think I could make money money on those with the place bet. Of course, If a 4/10 come out I lose the $100. But even if I lose the $100, I'm still in 2/1 position with the $45 or $30 to win a portion of it back. Another option is on Row #2 to not place the 5/9, but only place the 6/8...and leave only one lay bet up...but I haven't thought through that yet.

Just curious to get thoughts/constructive criticisms.

To the OP - my post was related to dinner. During the day wear what you want.

There are TONS of threads about MDR dress - so many best to search and look at these. My advice is just use your head. You can get away with a t-shirt if it is covered and looks respectable/trendy, but most people will be in button down shirts/dresses/suits/etc.. I've worn a t-shirt with a blazer over and it was okay...but it just put everyone in a weird position if you look out of place one of the MDR workers need to say something to you...

If the table is dead and you are the only one there why not announce your change? Let the dealer know you are going right side so there is no confusion. ( i am aware the placement of your bet should give it away)

This might be the one time side with him - but I'm going to do it: He shouldn't have to annouce his bet change. The dealers should be on top of their game. Craps is "under taught" on cruise ships and if the dealers make mistakes, it's the casino's fault for not educating them.

I was recently on a player's cruise where everyone's cruise was comped and the dealers they had at the craps table were beginners. Every mistake they made in their favor I yelled...everyone they made in mine I was smiling like a butcher's dog...

My observation of the craps dealers on cruises is that many are newbies just learning the game themselves. I've been present when some have been removed from a busy table as they couldn't keep up with the action. They are used to simple bets with most players only betting the PASS line or a couple of numbers. Once in a while I've encountered some that are really sharp. Bottom line, you have to watch your bets and your payoffs. I have to watch very closely if I have a couple of COME bets in action.

Completely agree. This is why I always make sure that I am 100% into the game (to MrCo's comment before about me turning wanting to turn bets 'off'). The good thing is that new dealers, esp ones that aren't used to players playing the dark side normally make mistakes in the player's favor. I've been paid 100% on lay bets several times by cruise ship dealers. I just take the money quickly and make sure I send out a bunch of tips for the crew...

I always wondered (and dreamed <smile>), if I was able to make the table maxes on a cruise ship - as an example, had 800 outside and 210 on the 6 with a point of 8 on a table with a table max of 200. Would I then be able to make a come bet of say, 50 bucks and back with 100 odds, which would make the total that I've bet on a number more than the table max. Is this something that the cruise line would allow or does it depend on the cruise? I'll be going on Princess next month.

 

I've only had one situation where I've built my place bets where all the numbers were over 200 but the table max was 1K in Vegas. I'm hoping to build my bets to the max but I want to find a way to extend my bet amounts higher in case a once in a life time streak happens and I'm on the ship since limits are so law. Thanks again for your help.

I know on the dark side it wasn't a problem. Had a point of 10 with a DC bet of 200 with 400 odds and a 400 lay bet behind it. I don't think it would be an issue for a right betters either...

Random question - Can you make lay bets not work for a few rolls (as you can with place bets)? On the last cruise I had a bunch of numbers placed and my friends came to the table to talk. I asked them to make the bets not working for a few rolls while I talked but they told me that I needed to take everything down until I was ready again. Is this correct?

I've seen a few "weird" rules on cruise ships. For example, I was told on RCCL that I wasn't allowed to pass the dice mid roll unless I took off my DP bet. Which also seemed a bit suspect...

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO Deckhawk: I get a lot of perks on CCL. Celebrity is a good line for perks if you play at a higher level, usually green and/or black chips. Back when I was a red chip player Celebrity did a lot for me because at times I was the only player at the craps table. One thing is good at an empty table, it allows you to get into a groove. You get the dice right back after you seven out. I've also noticed, when playing, other people will join the game while I am the shooter. Maybe you noticed the same thing while you are the shooter?

I agree. The one bad thing for me as a dark side player - if I get hot and make a lot of points, there is no one to pass the dice too. I find that when you are at a table yourself you have more chance to meet the staff. Maybe I am wrong, but perks on a ship seem to be 50% your level of play and 50% how they view you. If you are an a$$ when you are at the table...or you are not tipping, I feel they are less likely to take care of you. I have been on ships and played less the levels they normal require, but because I took care of the staff and spent time to get to know them and write good comments about them, they took care of me with extra perks.

Generally speaking, I find CCL casino to be tight. It takes a lot to get anything out of the casino (but they are good with free drinks). CCL isn't as bad as RCCL. I find RCCL to be terrible. At least on CCL if you are playing anything more than $50/hand you get free drinks. I was recently on NCL and was pleasantly surpised. I'm also impressed with the perks on Celebrity/Azamara. Both are fair but they do a good job of rewarding the people that play at stronger levels.

Hi Everyone - Do any of the mass market cruise lines offer organic food decisions in the MDR? I haven't seen any on the lines I have been on but I'm curious...Thanks.