HappyTexan44

I am a bit of a water snob, but not about water brands.  I find most tap water undrinkable, but random jugs of reverse osmosis water are fine, and I have an RO unit at home.  

Speaking of which ... how does the tap water taste?    

I've heard it is very heavily filtered and drinkable.   Them saying it is drinkable doesn't mean much to me, since They say that about Orlando's swamp water so drinkable can just mean "It probably won't harm you".   But the heavy filtering makes me think maybe it truly is drinkable.  
 

31 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I will load mine with good quality Scotch. This way you can soothe your ego as you lick your wounds after your inglorious "wet" defeat. 🤣.

I see a problem with that.  For one, I wouldn't duck.   

Reminds me of when DD was young and a birthday party had laser tag as an activity.    The girls ended up in a conga line shooting the one in front and giggling.  

There is also something to be said for having some ships that attract a younger audience with the hope that you can keep them and they'll later transition to the other smaller ships when the kids are grown.  It would be a bad idea to drive off the older crowd, but I don't see how adding whiz-bang activities does that.  

I am one that was attracted to RCI for all the things to do.  I've always worried that I'd be bored on a cruise, so when husband and 12-year-old child said that they'd like a cruise, I looked for one with lots of activities.  I'm too cheap to do the newest ships, but they call to me.  

One hint on the photos, use Spray and Pray.    Basically take a lot of photos whenever you used to take one.   After all, you aren't paying for each print like you used to.  

What is it about pringles?    I never eat them at home, but about 5 days out of the country and I crave pringles.  Maybe it is that they are just so darn American?   Maybe it is the salt?   I never salt my food but maybe in America my food just comes with more salt?   

23 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I just can't see a resolution to this age old problem.  Other than, "NO RESERVATIONS", period.  If you leave the area/neighborhood/venue for other than to go to the bar to get a drink or use the restroom, your chair/lounger is forfeited at that time.  You go to eat at the WJ or MDR, sucks to be you!  You leave to go back to the cabin to get your kids moving, you're out.  You leave to go watch the show, bye bye.  

 

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.  ONE AND DONE!  YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON WALKING ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH!  

Last summer we were at a (genuine) resort hotel that had really nice cabanas by the pool that were free.   No reservations, paid or otherwise.    If someone's butt wasn't in the cabana, it was free for anyone to use.  You know what?   There were empty cabana during the prime time, which was a Saturday afternoon in summer.   If someone left to say eat, they were expected to take their stuff with them.   But, when they got back, there would be another cabana available because no one could reserve.  

I had closely researched those cabanas.   We like to drive on vacation rather than fly cattle cars, and we like to drive straight through.   I thought we would arrive at around 6 am, and DH the main driver, needs an arrival day rest/sleep.   Trouble is hotel rooms are unlikely to be available then.  So my thought was we'd claim a cabana when the pool opened and DH could sleep there until our room was available. 

A family friend went on his cruise with his girlfriend a few years ago.  I remember my mother fussing about how expensive this girlfriend was.   One of the examples was how she insisted on a big balcony room (I think she meant a balcony seat) because then they 'wouldn't need to reserve a chair.'    I wonder if this cruise lines knows that happens?   

20 hours ago, AtSeaAlways said:

I used to game a system like this on yacht charters. You got one bath towel per berth.  The office would trade dirty for clean.  I would go in the marina shower on turnaround day and gather for trade abandoned used towels and we could leave on our trip with a few extra clean ones.    

 

Having guests do this vs crew could cut down on bad survey scores- such a nightmare.  

Isn't this stealing?   That one handed out to each person, didn't they expect that back at the end of the trip?    Maybe I'm not understanding 'turnaround day' and you didn't take towels home with you.  

Noob here, Future Royal Cruise booked.   This may be a stupid question.  

Given that:

1. You are charged $25 for not returning you towel.
2. People reserve chairs using towels.  

Aren't chair hogs basically leaving $25 on the chair?    What keeps someone from just grabbing a random towel from a chair hog and returning it instead of the towel that blew away while they were at port?   

 

@rudeney  Thank you so much!   

The Royal website has a Sorrento's icon in Dining options.  I have trust in your superior first-hand knowledge.   So, it is like it halfway has Sorrento's.   I think it was you that said that Keys guests are told that they get Chops on the first day, but really it is the Chops menu prepared in the MDR, which isn't the same thing.  

Speaking of the Casino.   Did you happen to notice if they had Learn To Play sessions?   That was another thing that didn't list Voyager.   But they have a casino so I don't see why they wouldn't.  If I do go to the Casino, it would be for Poker or Blackjack.  But, thanks for the craps head-up.  

I had seen that they added staterooms, and I wondered what they took away.  I will not mourn the loss of Johnny Rockets.  I don't bother to go to one at home.  
 

@rudeney  Do you remember seeing Coke Freestyle machines on Voyager?   I saw a list of ships that had them, and Voyager wasn't included. But, then I also saw a list of ships that had Sorrento's Pizza and Voyager wasn't on there either.  So, maybe Royal is just super slow to update those.  
 

On 10/8/2022 at 6:41 AM, LXA350 said:

It seems in general the trend in the hospitality business is pay more and get less. YOu also feel this trend on the cruiselines. Even at X, crews are great but when it comes to quality of amenities and also the food the trend is on the negative.

 

Talk about losing sparkle!   Disney World is the poster child of pay more and get less.  

Note, I am a complete noob and I just booked our first cruise for Feb 2024 5 nights on Voyager of the Seas (RCCL).  It is so far away they aren't even trying to sell beverage or dining packages.  

We won't be doing any specialty dining, and will likely eat in the MDR every evening for early dining.  

DH reluctantly wears pants to church and company Christmas parties, and that is it.  DH is very uncomfortable in pants because his thighs are big compared to the rest of him.

When we got married he wore a formal kilt with a tuxedo-ish kilt jacket.   His brother wore DH's second best kilt, and the Elk on the wall wore the third best kilt. He likes his kilts.

DH does have a lot of nice shorts that are almost knee-length, and nice shirts.   That is what he wears when we go out to eat.  

Last night I was watching a CruiseTipsTV video on cruise dress codes.  DH walked by and said, "They aren't going to expect me to wear pants are they?"   I said "Umm ... Maybe for formal night.   I am still learning."   It hadn't occurred to me DH's normal attire might be a problem.  

Would it be OK for DH to wear his nice shorts to dinner in the MDR and his formal kilt on formal night?   I have a sheath evening gown that I wore to my last HS reunion that I'd likely wear for formal night.  
 

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

LOL...actually the French hate it when we call any US made sparkling wine "Champagne".   But then again...they are French.  😉 

Technically, we are allowed.  The French trotted around this treaty to get countries to promise to not use "Champagne".   We are doing something even more stupid, Prohibition, so we declined to sign.   
What really irritates me is when the French try to say something is Champagne because it is from the right area, and then don't use the Champagne Method.  But that same logic doesn't apply to say a Pilsner.  

 

6 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said:

There is all of this talk of we 60 year old cruisers dying off and the market drying up.

Did I miss something?  Aren't there any 40 and 50 year olds out there ageing into the 60's to take our place? There must be some 40 year olds that will be looking forward to their children being successful and moving out so that they can retire and cruise 30 or so days a year like we current 60+ year olds. 

This is me.  I've gone from, "Me? Cruise?  I'd be bored.   I am too independent" to planning a cruise.  We are 52 with a 12-year-old.  We aren't going on a 30-day cruise, but we are planning a very active RCI starter 5-day cruise. 

Then you add in that aging demographic.   The boomers have always been the tail that wagged the dog.    

ETA:  We see how well that marketing idea worked for the malls.  That may be what they are thinking, but we don't think it will work out for them.  
 

7 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

And if the parents are in the middle of a custody battle?  

For example, both parents are needed for a kid to get passport.   But the kid can travel with one parent.  

As long as I won the money before the last port, I'd think about opening a foreign bank account just to avoid bringing it back.  Depends largely on the port.   Mexico, No.  Most of Europe, Yes.  

Thank you for everything, and particularly the Daily Planners!

11 minutes ago, upwarduk said:

Please translate.

What does ding mean- sacked/ not given the gratuities that I have paid ?
Obviously a US slang word.

Nothing quite so formal.   It means a negative mark.   Like a shopping cart running into a car can ding it.   In the employment context, it means a negative mark on someone's employment record.  Enough dings could mean sacking.  

I am reminded of the 'brilliant' marketing idea in the 80's & 90's of the malls targeting the teen market.   The idea was that the teens had control of their parent's wallet and they were the future blah-blah-blah.   I was born in '70 and I remember being in a mall in the early-mid 90's and thinking, "I finally have money and they don't want it."   This was before there was much clothing buying on the internet.  
But, this is the Free Market at work, maybe they will find a niche.  

I think the 'deodorant sunscreen' is essential.   There was one time we arrived at the water park and all three spray sunscreens were empty.  I am sure we looked silly but we put the deodorant sunscreen everywhere and it worked.   
Generally DD and I use it on our faces.  

42 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

but, a 6 by 2 1/2 inch screen just cannot display the same amount of information in an easy format as an 11 by 8 1/2 inch paper.

This is my big problem with everything online.  Particularly menus.    Part of our restaurant routine is to discuss the food options.    Moving your eyes from one corner to the next is easy, not so much on an app.   I also have lobotomized our smart phones and QR codes don't work.  

I would use an app more for activities if everything on the daily planner was there a couple of weeks before we left and locked in (excluding port changes).   I could then add everything to my schedule that I might be interested in.    

 

Would it possible for you to post a photo of the Daily Activities you get each morning?  
I am eyeing Cabin#7433.   If you happen to wander down to the library could you tell me your impression of that cabin?  

Thank you for doing this.  I will be watching closely.
We aren't really interested in specialty dining but were considering it for Day 1 lunch.   

Reasons:

• to avoid the crowds at the buffet
• I heard that lunch is cheaper.  
   

On 3/12/2018 at 10:35 PM, Floridastorm said:

 

Well, when I go to restaurants I tip the waiter or waitress. I don't tip every employee in the restaurant, do I now. You're not too familiar with how things work in a restaurant are you. The waiters and waitresses share their tips with the busboys and cooks. And, that is how it should be on a cruise ship. The cruise lines get away with it because of the ignorance of their passengers.

You tip more than you think.   You have obviously never been a waiter.   15% of the waiters tips are passed onto the busboys and bartenders.  So, those that stiff wait staff are actually costing them money since the busboy/bartender cut is calculated as 15% of 15% of the total bill.   Some places gave the busboys 15%  of 15% of the food bill and 15% of 15% to the bartender.  

Note, 15% was the standard tip was I waited tables, so it might be more now.