CruiseMomTX

We are booked on the Radiance 2/27/23 sailing, our first time on her and first 10 day and two new ports so yes we are excited.  Our cruise planner shows the old menus but I was wondering if y'all have the new menus.  Cartagena and Colon are new to us and we have excursions booked but if anyone on this or the next few sailings have input or reviews of the ship or their excursions in those ports or anything we would love to hear it!  Enjoy your cruise!!

Thanks and I'm not the best at taking pics plus find it a bit awkward at times but figured I would try to get some of the new dishes.  The brown goo engulfing a scoop of rice while not pretty are very delicious and very tender meat, lol.  The only pic I had of the Warm Chocolate Chip Cookes was blurry but wanted people to see its not really a cookie more like a bunch of cookie dough in a ramekin baked til soft and the most delicious thing we had.  I don't know why we didn't ask to have one the last night.  We had MTD and our waitress Oswald and Byron were fantastic!  One night we could not get a table in their section and were sat on the opposite side of the dining room and around a back corner.  Well when we're almost done with dinner I see Oswald, he came looking for us and said he was sorry they didn't have a table for us but would make sure to the rest of the cruise!  Have never had waitstaff come looking for us in the dining room and was nice.  

Classic Beef Bourguignon

Flavorful & tender meat. I don’t like mushrooms & could easily pick them out. 
 

Curried Lamb Rogan Josh

Delicious & very tender meat. 

Roti & Crispy Poppadum

Crispy Parmesan Arancini

Golden Polenta Fries with Spicy Dip

These were pretty bland. 
 

Lasagna Al Forno

Creamy Mushroom Risotto 

My Husband’s favorite dish of the week. 
 

Grilled Sweet Corn Cakes 

Tasty. 
 

Carne Asada

 Flavorful & tender

Butter Chicken 

Delicious 

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie

I think this is our favorite RCCL dessert ever!!!  Wish they had it every night. 
 

Vidalia Onion Tart

NY Strip Steak with Maine Lobster Tail

Not a new dish but wanted to show the lobster tail they have on lobster night. 
 

Warm Chocolate Cake

Yummy but so sweet as are most desserts we had. 
 

Mediterranean Tapas Medley

Chicken Chettinad

My favorite dish of the week. I’ve never tried Indian food before but so glad I did. 

We were on the Allure 1/22/23 and enjoyed the new menus.  My husbands favorite was the Creamy Mushroom Risotto mine was the Chicken Chettinad and for both of us the Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie was divine!  I'll post pictures of the new items we tried.

I posted this on our roll call for our Radiance 2/27 cruise.  We were on the Allure 1/22

We just got off the Allure today and did visit El Kracken while in Costa Maya and decided we definitely like our regular place, El Fuerte/Maramo, better.  The service is great but that was about it.  Massage they wanted more but when I said I usually pay $35/hr down the road she lowered the price and then did a bait and switch.  A lady did my sample massage and I told her I would come get one in a bit and when I went she was not busy and acted like she was the one going to do my massage.  Well I go to turn over and see its a guy I never even saw standing around doing it.  I'm fine with either a male or female masseuse but he didn't even do that great of a job.  Even if you are not sitting there for the day Lilly at El Fuerte has consistently given me a fantastic massage!  We even helped talk a couple on the fence about doing a massage into one last time we were at El Fuerte and they came back to their chairs telling their friends how fantastic it was.  We ordered our usual onion rings and natural (no meat) nachos to compare and they were just lacking, even used canned cheese like you get at the movies on the nachos.  I'm glad we tried it but won't be going back.

There are taxis inside the port area and prices are the same but they try to squeeze 4 people in and we prefer our own so we walk outside the gates down the road to get a taxi.  

Yes the massages are pretty much all on the beach.  

Lorenzo is not longer at El Fuerte/Maromo but at El Kracken.  We tried El Kracken last week while in port and much prefer El Fuerte/Maromo. 

Lunch at Guido’s 

sangria, garlic bread, pepperoni pizza & lasagna.  

We are currently sitting downtown at Guido’s

I like Chick-fil-A breakfast but they aren’t open today & last time Whataburger took forever. Buc-ee’s it is today. 

24 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Now that's following along!  Glad you are joining us. Was that Thursday 2 days ago? Wow. Adventure is one we haven't tried yet but want to try. 

Our shot at Buc-ees is gone now.  We plan to Lyft by 9am tomorrow. 

We have an OVB on Deck 8.  Deck 8 on Oasis class has become a favorite. 

Thanks and were excited to be back onboard!  Sorry I meant Tuesday 1/17 not Thursday but yes only 5 days in advance, 🤭.  We turned in our next cruise forms/casino offer the last night on the Adventure and decided to use on this sailing.  We used the ones from our first sailing on the B2B for the Radiance 10nt 2/27.  We loved the Adventure and it was our first time on her, the staff everywhere was amazing.

How does boarding work?  Do we get priority being part of the Elite group?  We are Platinum too.

Well not only will we be following along we will be onboard with y'all!  We were on the Allure right after Thanksgiving & in 2019 so excited to be on her again tomorrow.  We just got off a B2B on the Adventure on Saturday and booked this cruise on Thursday.  We tend to book closer to time but never a few days before sailing until now.   If you haven't been to Buc-ee's it's a must do, lol.  Maybe y'all can get an uber or Lyft there or see of the hotel has a shuttle.  We have a balcony on deck 6.  Last sailing we were in 11666 and it was the perfect cabin for enjoying the Diamond Club.

Thanks for all the input!  I agree food is very subjective as my hubby eats pretty much everything and I am a bit picky.  We want to try things on the new MDR menus so don't want the UDP and I think have tried everything except for Samba Grill so we were thinking of trying that.  I love seeing what is everyones favorite place or things are to eat as sometimes we never thought to order something until seeing it mentioned here.  We ate at Giovanni's two weeks ago on the Adventure and plan to eat at Guido's in Cozumel which has delicious Italian food and sangria so probably won't eat at Giovanni's either.

We're sailing on the Allure on Sunday 1/22/23 and it will be our 3rd time on her.  The new menus are showing up in our cruise planner so mostly want to try a few new items in the MDR but might want to book a specialty restaurant or two.  I think we have tried everything but Samba Grill so are leaning towards that.  What are your favorite specialty dining Venus/things to eat there on the Allure?

I am enjoying all of the replies and information!!

Some of our offers are:

-Elite, drinks everywhere onboard, no free play

-$500 free play, drinks everywhere onboard

-$1000 free play, drinks everywhere onboard

We booked and Elite on the Dream 8/12/23 and the $1000 FP on the Jubilee 1/6/23 so far and are thinking of taking advantage while we have the offers still available to book more.  We can easily drive to Galveston so prefer to sail from there.  Can we get private transfers for a 2 1/2 hr drive, lol, we prefer to drive so would always take the free parking.

We board RCCL Allure on Sunday and with all the cruise talk are now thinking of driving down tomorrow and spending the night even though we don't really need to except its always fun to get the vacation started early!

1 hour ago, lazydayz said:

 

We love the Elite cruises.  Great benefits and treated royally.  Promptly respond to the email from the casino host - this is where you let them know your choice of alcohol for the room (never open mine on the ship as you have Free Drinks Everywhere; just bring the bottles home). whether you want the car service or will park at the port, and whether you plan to do one of the listed excursions or take the spa credit.  Usually you will have a card in the room asking you to come to the casino at the listed time on boarding day, and there you can pick up your lanyards, spa credit or excursion tickets (sometimes these were delivered later) and go to the casino cage (when it opens) to get any free play you may have. We usually receive gifts every day.  You really do feel like a VIP.  Enjoy! 

Thanks and who doesn't enjoy feeling like a VIP! lol

If you were to choose between an Elite with no free play and an offer with $500-$1000 free play and both with drinks everywhere which would you choose?

Also is it better to get your free play for the slots or tables?  Can you split it?

5 hours ago, VIFP1987 said:

I recommend the SMP parking lot, located at 150 Rosenberg St. It’s directly across the street from the ship. 
 

I can verify that the parking reimbursement information I provided earlier is accurate. I’ve taken many Elite cruises out of Galveston and have always had my parking reimbursed at the cashier in the casino. You will receive an email from Carnival a couple of weeks before your cruise. The email will prompt you to choose your excursion, parking information and in room welcome beverages. 

Thank you!  Have you ever used the express lot?  It looks like it could be a shorter walk to the cruise terminal.  This is our first Elite tell us what we need to know, lol.  I was trying to look for more video and picture reviews of Elite cruises but there isn't much out there. 

9 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Elite.  Maybe it was once casino opened.  Either way, it was day 1, not next day like cheers. 

Thank you.  Now to figure out where to reserve parking I think I saw on another Elite post that you just show the casino your parking receipt and they reimburse you, can anyone verify this?  If so I'm looking at the port parking, does the Dream use terminal 25 or 28?  It looks like parking is available at SMP Garage & Express Lot.  We would like to be able to park and walk if possible (love the new Royal terminal parking even if it is more expensive than lots we used in the past it is so close and convenient).

3 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Not sure when/if this changed but we received free drinks in Dec ‘21 on day one out of Galveston. 

Was that on an Elite with drinks included or a regular booking & bought the cheers package?

Thank you!

We are cruising out of Galveston and with our Elite cruise we have drinks everywhere on the ship included are there any restrictions on the first day?  Will we be able to get free drinks from the time we board?

We are cruising out of Galveston and with our Elite cruise we have drinks everywhere on the ship included are there any restrictions on the first day?  Will we be able to get free drinks from the time we board?

We haven't sailed on Carnival in a few years so excited we just booked and Elite on the Dream for 8/12/23 in a Spa Balcony,  may have also booked theJubilee for 1/6/24, in a Spa Cove Balcony, lol.  This will be our first Elite cruise, we have done Ultra, Premier & Getaway so will be fun to see the difference in an Elite.  Does anyone know what shore excursions might be offered for our free perk?  Our ports are Key West, Freeport, Half Moon Cay (new for us) & Nassau.  Also we will drive to Galveston does anyone know where the free parking perk they offer with the Elite is?  Thanks for any information or input!!

We just booked our first Elite toady, cruising on the Dream 8/12/23 and are excited.  We have done Ultra, Premier & Getaway so will be nice to see how the Elite differs.  We also booked a different not Elite offer but an offer with $1000 free play for the Jubilee on 1/6/24.  We are last minute travelers usually and never book this far in advance, lol.

Thank you for the info firefly333

Can you see any of the locks if you just do the Eco Tour?