Cruzn Fool

I remember seeing this question asked before but can't remember the answer nor find the thread.

Once onboard, do they sale the drink package on just embarkation day or do they continue to sale it for another day or two? And, if they do, do you just have to pay for the remaining days or do they stick you with the full cruise total?

I'm just wondering if anyone has been able to purcahse it the second day and just pay for days 2- the end?

Other than this, lovely day at sea. We are depressed. It seems to all of us that 8 days went by faster than 7. We have no idea how or why this happened. Maybe alien abduction? Something.

One word - ALCOHOL:D

Great review. It was very entertaining and informative. I totally understand your position on the cabana. Sometimes it not about the money and, as you said, you were more than willing to pay the cost and just enjoy the day. It really sucks to spend your vacation doing anything other than what you planned on doing especially when it is fighting with somebody over these types of things. However I am glad you at least got compensated with the meals and excellent service in Chops. That had to at least make up for some of the hassles. You seem to have a similiar attitude to how we vacation. When you face some adversity you just move on to the next fun activity and not let it spoil your whole trip. Many people would not have the same attitude you had about a few of those things.

This is my version of the drink package math (it comes from the shirt we have all seen for sale in ports) :

1 Tequila

2 Tequila

3 Tequila

Floor!

All of the cruises I have been on have it as a standard daily item on the menu. Recently some have mentioned they don't appear on the menu the last day but others have said they simply just order it and get it without problem.

Listen I am Dplus and have been on Explorer nearly 100 days and have not read this entire thread but enough to say don't blow smoke about the original post because this was our last cruise on the Explorer and it was our worst.

 

They have some real issues on there right now, to many new people as a lot of the regulars off on break or have either went to other ships or left rcl.

 

Know a lot of the crew and the ones I know are struggling with all the new people at once it really puts more pressure on them just like it does at any employment, stress level is very high.

 

Windjammer does has issues, my brother heading out next week and I told him stay away from there as much as possible, slow in cleaning is an understatement. Fruit was worst I ever had on a cruise.

 

I love the Explorer and for our last cruise to have multiple issues was sad.

 

There was some good, Dplus lounge was good, Miram at the sports deck is fantastic, and the singers that did the 70's show was the best voices they ever had on the Explorer and Lee and Dre were great.

 

I understand we all love rcl and cruising but quit trying to defend rcl when someone doesn't have a good time, explaining about Coco cay is fine but they have some issues that need cleaned up and trust me they read this board so post your opinion.

 

Next stop Quantum

Most of us that responded are not saying the issues aren't valid or doubting that they actually happened. For the most part we are just stating the issues in general should not add up to enough to outweigh all of the good the OP later posted about and also doesn't warrant the need to not cruise RCCL again. At least it wouldn't for the majority of the people who responded.

Bad service should never just be accepted but the seriousness that you apply to that bad serivce, how you deal with it at the time and how it affects your overall vacation experience, while it does vary from person to person, should have a much higher tolerance level than what the OP appeared to have.

In my opinion, and from what everyone else has said on this thread, it appears that both are about equal.

So it doesn't seem like you will go wrong with either. That being said, go to the next level of analysis:

1) Which one is the better price for the dates you are looking at?

2) Which one is better for you in terms of the home port? Flight costs? Hotel costs before and/or after the cruie? Other things to do before or after the cruise in the area? Costs for parking a car? Distance from the airport and costs to/from the airport?

3) # of nights for the cruise. I blieve Independence does 8 nighters and Freedom 7 nights but am not 100% sure that is all of the time or just certain voyages. But if it is so, sometimes you may be able to get an 8 night cruise for the price of a 7 night if you pick the right dates/itineraries.

4) Ease of getting to/from the port

If I am ever not sure of the exact ship I want to go on, then these are the types of things I start analyzing and then I am usually able to rule out some or most of my options, leaving me with the best one for my needs.

Got a couple of shot cruises this year, are they likely to be on a 4 night itinerary??? Hope so :D

Now this is just getting better and better. Chocolate Breakfast and "Shot" cruises, now you are talking :D

Just kidding, I know you meant short cruises, not shot, but just imagine.....you walk around the ship and nothing but shot glasses full of your favorite beverage everywhere you look ;) Now that I think about it, that shot cruise would probably also be a short cruise because I would be passed out by dinner the first night.

Hmmm, maybe I am being unreasonable and my expectations were too high. Note, my itemized list above is an excerption from the note I am sending RC. This is why it is so detailed. Appreciate posters' kind replies (errr, some of them?).

 

I have no doubt that RC will continue to have amazing voyages including the Explorer of the Seas. I am not complaining just to complain, I am also acknowledging things that were excellent in my note to them, for example:

 

* crew being excellent about encouraging guests to use hand sanitizers.

* Stateroom attendant, Cornelius Da Souza was A++

* Our dinner server, Ning was also A+++++

* I liked that bartenders poured a generous amount of alcohol

* The check-in process was very smooth and easy

* Entertainers: Leigh Xuereb and Andre Miller were A++++

So for me, things like excellent staterrom attendants, waiters and bartenders really make my cruise. Some great entertainment, easy check in and crew that is concerned with my health, especially after they just had a pretty major noro outbreak would also make me very satisfied with a cruise line.

Guess I, along with most others who have commented, just can't comprehend why, in your mind, the few minor negatives you have far outweigh those positive experiences. But I am not in your shoes and I am sure you feel validated in your thoughts which is all that matters.

But from an outsiders perspective, which is what you will have in the person you submitt your letter to at RCCL, don't you think they are going to see all of those major positives and feel you are just being overly sensitive to a few minor issues- two of which didn't even happen to you directy? I'm not sure your complaints will be taken very seriously based on what you have stated here. Just my opinion, for what it is worth to you, to consider when you re-read the letter you are going to submit to RCCL.

I would like to hear what some folks from the Explorer Noro cruise in January think about this "unpleasant experience". I bet they would have been happy to switch places. I guess it's all just perspective.

I think that is what you get for requesting a Michael Jackson song :p

Just kidding, maybe you are right, cruising might just not be for you or your expectations are just way to high. I also don't appreciate or expect rudeness but have rarely experienced it myself on any of the cruise lines, at least not to the point where it ruined my vacation.

I had a bad start to one cruise with similiar small things that just added up to make it unpleasant. But I figured out very early during the trip that my expectations had been set pretty high by a prior cruise and I was then able to relax and not take all of those things so seriously. After that I was good to go.

Vacations are supposed to be fun and stress free so I hope you find something that fits your needs.

I would have no problem with this, especially if there was a gap in the line. If there is no gap and somebody asks if they can simply grab an item ahead of me, I'm fine with that too. Now if you try cutting ahead of me at the bar, we WILL have a problem!:D

I agree with you on this. Funny how the rules change as the venue changes :)

My son and I are on the cruise with you. I was on the roll call early on but it has actually been very quie so I haven't posted anything for quite some time.

As for the drink packagae. I did it on the last cruise for the first time and was really happy about it. Like you, I stressed pre-cruise about the calcualtions on breaking even, how much I had to drink, etc but in the end I did just fine in terms of value and really never overindulged. It just takes about 5-8 drinks per day to be even, depending on the type of drink you order.

The hard part for me was the fact it was a 7 day cruise and it is hard for me to drink constantly for 7 days. This is a 5 day cruise with only two port days so it should be much easier to accomplish, especially since you said you like to drink. Also, if you plan on being at the pool most days, drinks tend to go down much easier and quicker so you will be happy with the package if that is a place you hang out frequently.

Other things to consider as positives: You would have a pre-set bill (or even pre-paid if you do it online before you leave) so if money is an issue you won't have to worry about tracking spending- at least for your drinking, don't have to sign receipts for each drink, you can try different things to see if you like it or not, it includes sodas so you don't have to always drink alcohol and that has to offset some of the cost if you would normally buy them anyway.

It includes mixed drinks like Jack/Coke, vodka/cran. bloody mary, screwdriver, even some champagne so you can really find a drink for all hours of the day :D. I can't think of a time when I wanted something that was not covered by the package but I think I knew more about it then so I was prepared on what I could and could not get.

I guess the best way to look at the cost to make your self feel better and make a decision is by asking yourslef what you would expect your normal bar tab to be? If it is near the $550 anyway then you can't go wrong. If you normally woud spend only $100-$300 but you hold back on doing what you would like to do because of the cost then you have to decide if the extra money is worth it for the conveinances people have mentioned.

By the way, I have decided to not purchase the package this trip because it is a father/son trip and I won't drink enough to justify the cost.......but next cruise I'll be right back on the package deal.

See you on board in 11 days.

This is actually a great topic to discuss. I have found myself many times in the quandry.

I have noticed that people move at different speeds and urgency when going through a buffet line. Some people like to take their time, look at everything, maybe take a little of everything, try to figure out what it is, etc. While others just like to move through much faster and get on with eating.

I fall in to the second category. So, having said that, I usually take one quick trip around the buffet, peering over people's shoulder- but not too close to them out of respect for their space-just to get an idea what is being offered. Then, I grab my plate start at the end of the line like a good boy and, if it moves fast, I just move along with it. If it starts to bog down, I am at a point where I don't want anything in my current section bad enough to wait and I notice a sizeable gap in the line, I just fill in the gap and keep it moving. IMHO this is okay to do. And I expect others to pass me by if they find themsleves behind me and I am holding up the line.

As for the return trip. I will typically take the same philosophy with the exception of starting at the end of the line. I go to the area where the items are that I want and look for a large gap in the line, grab what I want and am gone. If there isn't a gap, then I ask politely if I can sneak in for just that one item. I guess I figure if you had to wait in the full line everytime then there would be some sort of barricade to prevent me from getting in at any point.

What I think is not okay is to cut in line and then hold the line up. There are some people who see a gap, cut in and then proceed to take their own sweet time like they are the only ones in the place. To me that is disrespectful to others. If I fill in a gap, I still make sure to move along as fast as possible so others aren't detained by my decision.

Seems reasonable to me but I have often felt like maybe I was cheating the system. However, I have never really thought to ask anyone else so I am glad you started this thread. Maybe I will learn from others opinions, I most likely won't change my ways but at least I will have a clarity on when I am breaking the "unwritten rules" :D

Thanks for the review. I think we talked a bit on a previous Liberty thread because I remember you taking your DD on this cruise as I am taking my DS next month. I think you were concerned about getting to the airport to catch the early flight so I am glad to see it all worked out without having to change flights or anything like that. So it wasn't an issue carrying your bags off?

Did you get upgraded or were you just checking prices right before the cruise and called RCCL directly to updgrade?

I'm also glad to hear you had good service and food in the MDR. I have heard many things recently about the lack of service but I don't think I have ever found that to be the case on any of my cruises. I am sure it's just a matter or perspective.

Thanks for the updates, looking forward to getting on board in another 3 weeks.

We've done it a few times and we usually feel a little guilty prior to the trip and maybe the first few minute of it. But it goes away pretty quickly once you are on board and spending valuable time together.

Maybe it was easier for us because we usually left DS with Grandma and knew that she would be spoiling him. He also enjoyed that time wth her and still talks with her about the "adventures" they had during those times. So, in the end, it was better off for everyone that he didn't always get to go on trips with us.

We also did this during the school year so his days would go by much faster than if he was out of school.

Defiately enjoy the well earned time together and do some things you would not normally do with children like dancing, maybe the casino if that is your thing, specialty restaurants and listening to live music while having a cocktail....or two.....or three....:D Even just spending time relaxing in chair after dinner while watching the ocean (outside on deck or inside next to a window in one of the venues) can create some special memories that will last you a lifetime.

Enjoy and have a great trip.

I thought my work blocked the site because "somebody" was spending too much time on it. :o

On the plus side, I got a whole lot done at work yesterday :eek:

We had friends that just got back from a cruise and said they were mad they forgot to pack Mosquito spray for one of their tours and the beach. I've never had this issue but thought I would add it for those that tend to get bit more than others.

Most of the cruises I have been on have a golf simulator but I have never been curious enough to see what it was about. I've been very much into golf recently and am thinking this might be something I will use on my cruise next month.

Has anyone ever used the simulator? Are they even still being used on ships (specifically Liberty- I do know it is still on the deck plan)? Any idea how it works and how much it costs? I do know there are limited hours that it is available.

Any information from past experiences or knowledge is appreciated.

I believe it is going into drydock during some of that time and then doing a couple of cruises to/from and while over there.

You can do her sister ship, Allure's Caribbean cruises during that time.

Almost universally, the Navigator wins this one!

Thanks for the feedback on this question. After reading the two threads of the Navigator during and post dry dock, I am pretty fired up and think I may need to head out to Galveston for a cruise on her real soon.

Have a wonderful time.

Looks like Navigator gets the overwhelming majority of support here on the RCCL board. Just curious if your twin post on the Carnival Boards is giving all of the support to Magic/Triumph or if you are getting some Navigator votes there too.

I feel the ports on the Magic cruise are a little better than the other two, so if the Ports will be your major selling point then you might need to consider taking that crusie. I can't comment on the actual ship because I haven't been on it and don't know anything about the quality of that ship.

I've been on Triumph and it's a nice ship but for just a few dollars more in total you can get two extra nights by doing, IMHO a much niver ship in Navigator. And, actually when you do the math, Navigator works out to less cost per day.

Since I really enjoy RCCL cruises more than CCL, and because Navigator just got a pretty major upgrade, I would personally chose Navigator.

I'm pretty confident that no matter which one you choose, you will be hooked on cruising and there is nothing wrong with trying a few different lines/ship sizes to see what suits you best.

I have done 4 different lines and now always look to RCCL first. However, I will do one of the others if the price is an absolute steal and it's just my wife and I (we just enjoy our time alone together and can settle for less than our favorite if that means we can save money to put towards other cruises).

Thank you all for sharing your expertise and advice, I think you sold me on The Navigator and sailing from Galveston. Roatan, Belize and Cozumel here we come!

I think you did the right thing. I hope it will be the first of many cruises for you. You really can't overestimate how nice it is to have any easy trip to the port/port city, I wish we had some better options out West.

Opps... just saw this post... I'd go for the Navigator out of Galveston -- driving distance is a HUGE plus!! Especially if you are looking at your first cruise... it gives you a little savings you can use for your next cruise... and the re-furbished Navigator is going to be beautiful. She's always been a fine lady and a wonderful ship to cruise on... and being able to drive to the port is a definite PLUS!!

I agree. Now that you have added this option along with the types of things you like to do and assuming the Navigator can save significant money (probably from the cruise fare and the travel savings) then I would recommed the Navigator.

Without any prior cruise experience, my opionion is that you will love the Navigator. And, assuming cruising is for you, you will most likely get hooked on cruising. Then, you can choose to work your way through the different classes of ships to do the Freedom and Oasis class.

You can then come back to cruise critic and be able to understand a lot more of what people are talking about and ask some specific questions that will help determine what kind of cruiser you are and which cruise you should do next :D

In the event you find out that cruising is not for you then at least you would save some significant money in the process.

But still do the balcony. You have earned some alone time and just sitting out there watching the ocean go by or checking out sail aways from ports in the comfort of your own quarters can't be beat....if you like that sort of thing :p

I would choose the balcony on the Freedom. Not that I don't love the Oasis, because I do, but I also love the Freedom class ships. IMHO the differences between the two ships would be very minimal, especially to a first time cruiser. For me I really like to have balconies whenever I can afford one so that would be the tie breaker based on what you have said in your original post.

Others say you don't spend much time in your cabin so why do you need a balcony. I can agree that I don't have to get a balcony but do prefer it just so I can sit out there and relax early morning, coming or going from ports, the early evening while getting ready for dinner or just late night as a romantic setting for the wife and I. So, yes, you don't spend much time out there but the opportunities that you will have to use it will still be plentiful and could be a very memorable part of your cruise experience.

With this being your first cruise, you will love all that the Freedom has to offer and will then be able to take the step up to Oasis for one of your next cruises.

It's just not as easy to go he other way in classes. We took a family member on the Oasis in October, her first cruise, and now she won't even look at any other class of ship, even though I have tried to tell how similiar Freedom is, at least for the things we enjoyed doing. Oh well, her loss :p