jencruzin

Solid, very comprehensive review on AOS. We'll be on there 1st week this June! Thanks!

Ugh, what a nightmare. Royal has some serious problems right now, for example, they've once again overbooked on ANOTHER WOS cruise. This, and other reasons, is why we're looking to opt out from any future cruise plans with Royal. Seriously OP, they definitely owe you big time on this major inconvenience they created and then lied to you by claiming your card charge didn't go through.

Felt terrible for the MTD'ers on our last cruise. They were all hung up in a huge line, waiting on when they chose to have dinner. As we came in and went back out again, some of them were STILL waiting in line. We're just glad we always book early seating and only do late seating if excursion return times warrant it.

42 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

On your ship Wonderland or Izumi would be our choice for making all your reservations as soon as boarding. Everyone making reservations seems to line up at Chop's or the Kiosk, last cruise on Ovation there were a dozen or so waiting at Chop's to make reservations, we walked past to Izumi where the was no line at all and the hostess at Wonderland was just standing by herself. 

Cool, so at Izumi's, they'll book the 5 dinner evenings for us at different restaurants?

We booked the 5 night dinner package. If I remember correctly, we booked our specialty dinners soon as we boarded, and went to the venues directly rather than go to the front desk (very busy there).

What is the standard, more simple/commonly used method to booking the dinner reservations?

6 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Yes, tell them not to use a voucher when he places the order. I always specify either way instead of leaving it up to staff whether to use a voucher or not. I don't like unwanted surprises.

Thanks for letting me know!

Question about the 4 free drinks we get this upcoming cruise. Hubby said he doesn't want to use the 4 freebies on beers. Does he tell the bartender he's paying for his beer and doesn't want it rang up as one of the 4 free drinks?

The new ones look rather cheap and silly. They cannot be REAL crystal, though.

18 hours ago, Eddie Wilson said:

 

I would say they are not as alarmist as some may think.  Just my opinion, and I think we are all allowed one.

 

Out of Seward we did a daylong Fiord excursion, they blamed everything on global warming, It got a little rattle from the crowd, then they finished their sentence by saying the global warming started 10,000 years ago.

 

Did the 26 glacier excursion out of Whittier in 2021 and they pointed out both expanding and reducing glaciers and also referenced the end of the ice age as a global warming period.

 

Eddie

Thanks for telling me this. Sounds like they're following the science as they're expected to! Unfortunately, a lot of scientists these days follow the money or the scope of "how much grant cash can I earn from this"?

We are in a similar situation. According to the schedule, our ship arrives back into Southampton port at 0530; a coach we booked departs Southampton at 0700. Our flight back stateside leaves at 1245. Hoping we can depart the ship self-assist earliest and then make the bus back to LHR.

I'm not sure if "cash accounts" are still an option but we'd get our OBC refunded to us in cash as we didn't keep a credit card on our account. Are cash accounts still doable? 

The slot machine cash out is a good option as well.

Question. Never did an Alaska cruise - but when you visit the glaciers, are they on and on about global warming?

Regarding formal nights, we don't go "all out" DH wears a sports jacket and I'm in a summer dress. But this'll be our first cruise out of Southampton, I'm wondering if the UK folk take formal nights more seriously than we do in American ports?

9 minutes ago, njsmom said:

This whole thing about Navy food and cruise ship food - it doesn't make sense. Why is someone comparing the flavor of food on a Navy ship to what you get on an expensive vacation cruise?

 

My husband is a veteran but he surely doesn't compare food on vacation to what he received in basic training or during his military stint. 

 

Apples to apples, people. 

He asked me to post that earlier😗. Why didn't you reply to me directly, I'd have said the same. It was me who posted it.

What doesn't make sense to you? I have a crayon. Want me to help you understand better, using it?

He feels that cruise ship food, currently, can be compared to what he had to eat onboard back in the day. Cruise ship food is getting worse.

14 hours ago, topnole said:

The largest waste basket in a cabin is tiny.  Like I can throw away a pile of clothes in that.  Get over yourself already.  I told our attendant the day before we would leave stuff behind and exactly where it would be so they coukd toss it if need be.  He didn’t mind one bit and I know he wasn’t just saying that.   I didn’t in any way put an extra burden on him.   

Wow.

16 hours ago, rolloman said:

You don't get too fussy about food but you are reading and posting multiple times on a fussy food thread??? Lighten up about the Navy...he is just proud to be a Sailor and made a comment about food and how it equates to the food onboard a warship. Sorry you took it so literally. 

DH is ok but he feels the other guy might be just a slow person, so he told me to leave it be. He's looking up your pic in his cruise book. Thanks again.

15 hours ago, topnole said:

That’s great for him.  I’m happy for him.  But the eyeroll part would suggest something a little more than that.  It would seem they looked down on the other poster for their comment.  
 

And I didn’t bring up the whole Navy thing in the first place (which one assumes they are taking this a bit too seriously-not me).  As can be seen in my first post on this side topic in the thread, I stated “to be fair” and then simply said what I said because you can always go to that example for anything if you want.  But that doesn’t mean everyone is unappreciative of the military and freedom if they complain about something.  I could theoretically complain about the food on a cruise and still appreciate the brave men and women who serve our country in many capacities (including outside of the military).  Ironic that I’m the one defending the other poster’s freedom of speech.  Nothing too serious about my point.  Just obvious logic.  

Logic....ok.

1 minute ago, rolloman said:

I was on during that time frame as well...IC E-Div

He said he was in CR division, comms. He was in one of the ship's bands and played on the flight deck. That's pretty cool you guys were on there at the same time. He wrote a book about it.

I might be wrong, but I think we're in the same situation. It's our first time booking a 5 night specialty dining, we are going on a 12-night cruise. From what I understand, once we board, we set about and book the dining nights, somehow, we aren't yet sure how to do it. But I don't think you can book it before boarding.

If anyone has any input on this, please. Who do we go and see about booking the specialty nights for dining, and I am assuming the day we board?

24 minutes ago, topnole said:

Being fair here, but by the logic you are presenting no one should ever complaint about food anywhere (on land, sea, or otherwise) because without the military we wouldn’t have the freedom and liberty to eat (or eat as we please).  
 

Well, I understand and appreciate your intention, but I don’t buy this logic.  Now I’m not complaining about the food here, but I’m not going to suggest others should be happy just because Navy food is worse.  
 

I’m also well aware that experiences in the Navy and other branches vary greatly and many I know quite often talk about how cushy their military jobs were.  Some of these same folks are miraculously on full disability, but somehow workout all the time and never miss their multiple rounds of golf per week.  So I’ll just point out that not every veteran had the same experience.  Many people sacrifice to make this country great and it isn’t just military veterans.   Within every profession there are good and bad.  I have great respect for most who served, but I’m aware it isn’t absolute (just like food being good or bad).  

We're just talking about food quality😗

33 minutes ago, rolloman said:

Let's not get carried away... the food on the FID after a REPO was on occasion spectacular... however it was not worth waiting in the two hour long line extending up into the Hangar Bay!  Quite honestly the fwd mess burger blows away any cruise ship burger I have ever ate. Maybe because it had real cheese. 

 

DH asks when were you on FID? He was on 81-83.

Just now, cruisegus said:

 

@jencruzin we can both see by @cruiseboy89130 response that they are another of those that enjoy all the Freedom and Liberty that WE FEW have sacrificed for, without having to do anything.

 

Yeah, I caught it. So did DH, he said, "give them an ignorant laugh emoticon....."

We pay gratuities in advance and tip extra when they do extraordinary, unexpected things. Oh, and we give them great surveys, too.

Hubby, on cruise food (he takes over keyboard here, he's off today too):

USS Forrestal - Absolutely INCREDIBLE!! Their pepper steak was always a hit. One night it was a shrimp curry with coconut over rice. That was fantastic. Worst was hot dog stew.

USS Sellers - The best cinnamon rolls, EVER. Our CO sat in Radio Central with us at 2am and ate them with us. Grilled ham & cheese - excellent. Midrats? A can of open peanut butter, a jar of grape jelly, and an open loaf of bread.

USS LaSalle - WORST FOOD ON ANY SHIP. This is why I came home looking so thin. The watermelon was amazing.

Persian Gulf, that 5-day TAD on Russian ship, Vinogradov: Borscht is amazing. Just do NOT look at it while eating. Sausages had veins in them. They're allowed to smoke on the messdecks? Wait....Is this bug juice? No, it's vodka made from potatoes, added to their strawberry kool-aid. Complain? NOT.

USS Charleston - Hit/miss. Turkey roll for thanksgiving dinner. Missed midrats again, found a packet of ramen noodles, I am happy.

On Cruise ship food:

It's better than US Navy dining. Be fortunate that you can all go on these cruises; bless the food you dine on whilst sailing on those big party boats, but stop and think about the people who are helping to keep those sea lanes open so you can bellyache about cruise ship food. Wonder what THEY'RE having for dinner?

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

This is not a safe assumption

mmkay, so why are you making this into a troll rant? The poster merely told us about the food on their latest cruise.