jon81uk

they really should have a system so everyone can do it on website or app.

The rockstar boarding area is for all rockstars, but Mega have reserved seating within it. It’s called “a glance at the day”.

If both in the same cabin then they can board at the same time and come to the drinks party with you.

Although Panama Canal cruise is also a nice trip many people do want to do, so kinda a two in one, repositioning and seeing an interesting sight. Some other cruise lines do Miami to the Panama Canal and back to Miami just to see the locks.

Of course the special one-off or once a year type itineraries are priced higher than the ones they offer for months at a time so it may be possible to find cheaper cruises.

Many of the ones with the solid railing are XL, but not all. There is a list here https://vvinsider.com/cabins/con/metal-balcony

Assuming you have booked a lock it in guarantee rate it will show the cabin number in the in the week before the cruise. Download the VV app now and do check in, especially the last step to get an arrival time.

I’ve never run around to get any reservations, just boarded the ship, sat in the Dock or Galley, ordered food and a maybe a cocktail and sat down making them while waiting for the food to come. Got the week planned out in half hour or so.

Which is a military base so can’t be correct!

At Portsmouth in the past (VV cruise in 2021 and 2022) everyone takes a shuttle bus from the ship to the cruise terminal building, because the cruise terminal building is not by the water. Then once through the building you can get taxi or Uber. Here is the building on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/V3683aE8g4P6Q45w9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy The berth where the ship docks is here https://maps.app.goo.gl/EbHU9bEt4R8badH68?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy you can therefore see why a bus is needed through a working port from ship to terminal. You won’t be able to get a taxi until after passing through the terminal building. I’ve read they opened a new building last year though so I’m not certain if that changed operations or not https://portsmouth-port.co.uk/news/international-port-leads-the-way-as-landmark-sustainable-passenger-terminal-opens/

Espresso martini at Sip is my go to, but the pumpkin spice martini they had for the Seven Seas Sippers in September 2023 was great. The Neptune on the new On the Rocks menu is nice too. But I generally go for fruitier sort of cocktails

But that’s the whole point of pre-paying to get a bonus, use it or lose it, but if you are willing to take the risk they give the bonus. If you don’t expect to spend that much don’t pre-pay, just allow your card to be charged on the last night.

Walk in can be possible but on busy sailings they will put you on a waitlist and send a message via the app if it becomes available. Much better to have a booking, if you can’t make them before the cruise more slots will open up once onboard. All the main restaurants only have the menu. Occasionally there might be a special (especially on long sailings like transatlantic) but not normally. The Galley food court however will have specials everyday often including some kind of carved meat or similar for dinner.

there will be an outline schedule at 45 days but it changes in the last week before when a lot more stuff is added. Can generally assume there will be a show at 7 or 8pm and again at 10pm most nights. It will show at 45days what night Scarlet night is and that starts at 9pm with smaller events and pop-ups on deck 7, pool party at 10.45pm. Extra Virgin has bar seating you can eat at and Pink Agave has one small high top (plus some low bar/lounge seating). Razzle Dazzle has a seperate bar, but I’m not sure if you can eat there.

There are pastries at the grounds club of course, but need to pay for coffee there. You can use the seating in Gunbae if The Galley is completely full though. I’ve never had an issue finding space for lunch, but breakfast on some days is harder to get a seat.

It was never 100% vegan/vegetarian. This is the original dinner menu with the naughty section of meat dishes https://eatsleepcruise.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Razzle-Dazzle-Dinner-Menu.pdf There was also a “secret” steak and later butter chicken curry too. The change to the new after dark menu didn’t significantly change the ratio of meat/vege dishes there was already five meat/fish main dishes and if you take into account the old “secret” specials it was seven. The new appetisers have one more meat item compared to old though. It was as much about trying to alter the ambiance for dinner too, make it feel less like a canteen. It presented its self as vege-forward on that old menu when actually there was plenty of meat dishes!

It’s like all the other restaurants, you get a table for your party size at a reservation time. They will show you the six ingredients that make up the courses but then explain the dish in full once it’s in front of you.

The Wake and Extra Virgin are generally most popular with Razzle Dazzle and Test Kitchen less popular. So if you are avoiding The Wake anyway you should be fine as Extra Virgin will be the harder reservation. Test Kitchen will change the menu part-way through the week so if you plan to do it twice ask at the host stand when it will switch.

The original Razzle Dazzle menu was a bit more forward in being plant-based and labelled all the meat/fish dishes as “naughty” but a year ago the dinner menu was re-done to be New American cuisine and although still heavy on the vegetarian dishes, it removed the “naughty” branding from the dinner menu to make it feel more accessible. The brunch menu still has the “naughty” section. They also dimmed the lights and tried to improve the ambience when the new dinner menu came in a year ago.

Book dining 45 days out (unless in a a suite when it’s 60 days). Over half the time slots can only be booked onboard though so if you don’t find what you want then book something and move it once onboard. Razzle Dazzle has more vegetarian/vegan dishes than the other restaurants but half the menu is still meat & fish. See menus here https://vvinsider.com/restaurant-menus/ Shows are no longer booked, its first come, doors open in the main Red Room theatre half hour before and 15 minutes before at the Manor (which is also the nightclub). The main drag show is Around the World in 80 minutes and will be done a few times, often including a sea day afternoon. Fitness classes, paid-for activities and the dinner show can be booked once onboard.

Panama Canal has been on sale for three months or so already. We booked in the first few days and the price shot up after we booked.

Go back into the check in steps and do step six again, it will ask if you are sure but if there are no better times available just press back and you keep what you already have. In your room will be two carafes of water, you can request sparking from the cabin attendant if you like and are free to keep them in the mini fridge. There are two glasses. The Galley food court has plastic cups for water/juice/soda and bars generally have water on the counter to help yourself to (and can ask the bar staff for free soda or sparkling water). So you don’t need a bottle unless you want to take water off the ship or maybe for the gym. Some people also like having a bottle at their sun lounger instead of going to the bar for a cup. We’ve always used Lyft to the port with no major issues. All the pool and sundeck bars do frozen drinks on the ship and at the Bimini beach club. No indoor bar does frozen drinks. Not many, but there are some sort of sofa things to the side of the pool under the deck 16 overhang. Also depending on the time of day some loungers near the round jacuzzi pool may be in shade. On deck 7 promenade it is likely one side of the ship will be in shade. Both, they are on separate nights. PJ party is first night around 10.30pm. Scarlet night will be the night before a sea day, kicks off at 9pm with bits and pieces across deck 7. Then pool party at 10.45pm and the after party at midnight. Both are fun with different playlists of music and surprises. Depends if you want to stream YouTube/Netflix and make Zoom calls. Otherwise standard is fine for messaging and internet.

I used to use the cones that hold the filter paper all the time at home before buying a bean to cup machine.

Sometimes they have an apple and caramel cookie that is fantastic

I’ve noticed they do have pour over on the menu now.