mconthehighseas

I meant suite lounge, not concierge lounge. Thank you for fixing that - it's been too long since we've cruised. And just like every other step up while cruising, once you have had a genie, it's hard to cruise without one!

Just booked a cruise on Allure for this December - I am so excited to cruise again. It has been so long since I checked this page, and it's great that many of the concierges from 3 years ago are still with Royal. Is there anything new in the diamond and concierge lounges that I should know about, good or bad? And is there a page that discusses genies and who is on which ship?

Thank you for this thorough review. It gives a lot of good info, and lets me know what to watch out for. Does anyone have a list of what wines and liquors are in which packages?

I had been using Chico's, but this is a good alternative

Not everyone can book a garden villa, and not every ship has the same set up, but if I thought there would be a microwave on one on our ship, I would definitely try to get one.

You would think so, but when my child was small, buffet items did not work. That's when a server found a chef and broccoli appeared soon afterward. Honestly, I would not have brought this up if I had not spoken with other parents who encountered the same issues.

I am so glad I found this thread. I have found videos from people who travel with only a carry-on, but I like seeing a list - it helps me figure out what I do and don't have.

I would probably give up a laundry hamper (Use a drawer instead) if I wasn't travelling with family, but we still need it for now. I do pack something to use as a night light, whether it's a puck light from Dollar Tree or something that plugs in the wall. That way I don't have to fumble for a flash light in the dark.

This thread went in a direction I wasn't expecting. Just to make sure I got my point across - I am not asking the crew to use a microwave for us. A chef on another cruiseline once cooked broccoli just for my child, and I was very embarrassed. I was looking for something quick and non-obtrusive that I could do. While the children's menu should be sufficient, if someone has a suggestion for something that would not involve the staff doing something they aren't paid to do, I would welcome that.

I was not expecting the crew to cook food they couldn't vet, just to be clear. Thank you for providing the children's menu. SOMETHING on there should work!!

Yes, I know it sounds crazy, when there are lots of restaurants and tons of food onboard. But motherhood can make you crazy. And kids aren't always easy to please or patient when it comes to food. I know that the staff will gladly do special things for children if time allows, but they have lots of people to worry about, and if I can satisfy a picky child without bothering the staff, that's sounds like the right thing to do. Hoping this phase ends before we cruise, but trying to prepare in case it doesn't

I know this is almost 2 months later, but I hope 1- you wrote to the cruiseline about your experience. I doubt the staff could adequately convey what you did here to their home office. 2- that you requested a partial refund or future cruise credit. Part of the reason you chose NCL instead of a line without a children's program is so you could have some adult time on your vacation. Wishing you better cruises from now on

I love this thread and am so grateful to SthrnGary for having started it. I have learned so much about NCL and the suite/Haven experience. I do have a question about children. On other cruiselines, there are some suite venues where children are not encouraged, which was not a problem, since there were plenty of other places where my family could go and still be treated very well. Are there places in the Haven where children should not go? I understand that some people cruise to get away from their children. We are not there yet, but I don't want to make someone else's vacation less enjoyable if we don't have to.

Thank you! This helps a lot

We were able to do this on Holland America (NOT on Royal or Carnival), so I thought I would find out what the NCL policy is.

Several cruise lines offer bus transportation to Bruges from the Zeebrugge port, and maps are supplied to people who use that bus. Does anyone have a copy of that kind of map from any cruiseline? I would like to have a copy in advance to show my family. I also want to see where the bus will drop us off, to see how close it is to all of the places we want to go. Some of you will tell me to just use Google maps, but that isn't always a good option, especially when trying to explain spatial relationships. I haven't cruised in a while, and I am excited/nervous/ready to start planning again!

Found the answer to my question elsewhere on this thread

Thank you! Great info, and I am so happy to see those heated loungers facing the water - instead of a wall!

If you have any other kind of OBC, or got any kind of discount on your fare, Royal will probably not grant you a shareholder benefit. It doesn't hurt to ask, but it may not help. https://www.rclinvestor.com/contact-us/faqs/shareholder-benefit/