ashley@cruisecritic

We love Coco Cay, but are somewhat considering a carnival itinerary that would stop at their private island, half moon cay. Can anyone that has been to both please give me a comparison?

 

Thank you.

Hi there,

Forgive the shameless plug, but we have profiles for all of the private islands that might be able to help you compare what's offered: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1418. (You might have to scroll down a bit. Click the name of the private island within its blurb text, and it'll take you to the full profile. :) )

Anybody have a Compass from a Christmas voyage? I'm curious if they schedule different things over Christmas.

Hi there,

I don't have copies of the Compass, but check out our article on the subject here: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=535. (It hasn't been updated yet for 2014, but we overhaul it every year, and generally there's not much that changes.)

He was definitely smoking something when he designed that hull art - but it was no cigar.....

LOL! He painted live in the atrium area when I was onboard, and it was fascinating to watch how he worked. I'm not a huge art aficionado, but I do love bright colors!

Hi- Even if I zoom in, I can't read the Celebrity Silhouette Deck Plan clearly.

Is it my computer or does anyone else have that happen?

 

Thanks for any info. Looking for a cruise and want to see deck plan.

Cruise Critic has them on its main site under each of its editorial ship reviews: http://www.cruisecritic.com/celebrity-silhouette-deck-plans/dp/. I'm not sure if they're any larger than the ones you're viewing, but I figured I'd take this opportunity to do a shameless plug. :)

The press release appears to confirm that CATS will be featured on Oasis but the mention of Hairspray in the list of shows on RCI ships raises the question as to whether or not it is being replaced or will simply be moved to another ship. If they are going to continue featuring Hairspray on some ship why move it instead of simply placing CATS on a new ship? Of course given RCI's reputation for issuing ambiguous, and sometimes totally incorrect, information I guess we may have to wait for them to issue more specific details. :confused:

I highly doubt that Hairspray is staying on the OA. I did not get that from the press release. I assume that they will move Hairspray to either the Freedom, Indy or Anthem. Having done the Backstage tour several times on the Oasis class ships there simply isn't room to store all those props. It was tight with just Hairspray and Come a Fly With Me.

I followed up with him to clarify, and you're correct:

Hi Ashley,

Cats will replace Hairspray, which will move to another ship but we do not know which one at this time.

With best regards,

Harry

___

Harrison Liu

Manager, Brand Communications

Royal Caribbean International | Azamara Club Cruises

In addition to CATS and Mamma Mia!, RCI also has Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Hairspray. If you read some of the Royal threads on the topic, everyone's slamming the choice to bring CATS onboard. (Personally, I didn't care for it, but I was probably about 10 when I saw it, and a lot of it went over my head.)

As for Norwegian's shows, I enjoyed Legally Blonde very much, but I left about halfway through Rock of Ages. I'm always fascinated by people's opinions on musicals. They vary so widely from person to person.

As for REAL cats, I've got four of my own. I just got back from a two-week cruise, and I was so bummed to leave them for that long.

Yes I have heard Guys Burgers on Carnival are quite good. Looking at Breeze cruises to maybe give it a try. I thought JR was quite good on Freedom last year. Though we don't have JR in Canada so maybe that first one always tastes better, who knows.

I sailed Carnival Liberty right after it got the Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements and ate three Guy's burgers in one sitting. They were absolutely delicious, but unless you want to spend the rest of the day curled in the fetal position in your cabin, I'd strongly advise against eating more than one per meal. :)

Hi all,

I asked Royal's PR department about the increase to clear things up. Looks like it's true, and it's effective across all ships that have it. Here's their statement:

Royal Caribbean International Statement:

Royal Caribbean International is adjusting the cover charge for the Johnny Rockets aboard its 11 ships from $4.95 to $5.95 per guest. The new cover charge will take effect immediately on ships with the restaurant and is the first increase in five years. The $5.95, per guest, cover charge includes food ordered from the menu and is not applicable if guests only order beverages. Soft drinks, bottled water, milk shakes and other beverages are offered at current menu prices and will remain unchanged. Johnny Rockets is available aboard Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, and Majesty of the Seas.

Hi guys,

Here's the official statement from Carnival's PR department. Looks like it's a transformer issue after all, and the compensation will differ based on which sailing you've booked. You also have the option to cancel for a full refund.

CARNIVAL PRIDE STATEMENT

April 4, 2014

Carnival Pride has experienced a technical issue that is only impacting the ship’s maximum cruising speed. All safety and hotel systems are operating normally. One of the ship’s four main electrical transformers has malfunctioned and has resulted in the reduction of the maximum cruising speed to about 19 knots versus the ship’s normal maximum speed of 21 knots. Our shipboard technical team, along with specialized technicians, are currently working on the repair which is expected to be fully completed by April 19, 2014.

For the current cruise that departed Baltimore on March 30, 2014, the scheduled calls in Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay were provided, but the call in Freeport will be cancelled. Guests on this cruise will receive a $50 per person onboard credit and a 25 percent discount on a future cruise.

For the cruise departing from Baltimore on April 6, 2014, the scheduled call in Freeport will be replaced with a visit to Charleston. The calls in Port Canaveral and Nassau will operate as scheduled. Guests on this cruise will receive a 25 percent discount on a future cruise. Guests will also have the opportunity to cancel the cruise and receive a full refund if desired.

For the cruise departing from Baltimore on April 13, 2014, the scheduled call in Freeport will be cancelled. The calls in Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay will operate as scheduled. Guests on this cruise will receive a $50 per person onboard credit and a 25 percent discount on a future cruise. Guests will also have the opportunity to cancel the cruise and receive a full refund if desired.

Carnival sincerely apologizes to its guests for the necessary itinerary changes on these three cruises.

Carnival Pride operates seven-day cruises from Baltimore, calling at ports throughout the Bahamas, Caribbean and Florida.

Hi all,

Here's the full release we received from Royal Caribbean's PR folks earlier today. It says CATS is coming in addition to Hairspray, so you'll still be able to see the latter. :)

ANDREW LLOYD WEBER’S CATS COMES TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP

Oasis of the Seas to Feature New Broadway Production

MIAMI, April 4, 2014 – Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas, the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship will be bringing the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of CATS to the high seas. Based on T.S. Eliot's “Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats,” CATS was one of the longest running productions on Broadway and is the winner of numerous awards including seven Tonys, two Oliviers and a Grammy. The show has been seen in over 20 countries and translated into more than 10 languages. The fully licensed production of CATS will join Oasis of the Seas once it completes its drydock in fall 2014.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Really Useful Group to bring one of the world’s most beloved musicals to Oasis of the Seas,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Executive Vice President, Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “Adding CATS to our already amazing line up of Broadway musicals such as Hairspray, Chicago: The Musical, Saturday Night Fever and Mamma Mia exemplify our commitment to bringing top quality entertainment to our guests at no extra cost.”

Oasis of the Seas features exclusive amenities and concepts throughout its seven themed neighborhoods, such as an 82 foot-long zip line, a handcrafted carousel, the Rising Tide elevating bar, the Aquatheater high-diving performance venue, and Central Park with more than 12,000 live trees and plants. Oasis of the Seas also offers amenities that can only be found on Royal Caribbean, such as twin FlowRider surf simulators, cantilevered whirlpools, an ice-skating rink, the H20 Zone kids aquapark, and the Royal Promenade, an interior boulevard that stretches nearly the length of the ship and flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques, among many others. For an extensive collection of webisodes detailing the variety of experiences aboard Oasis of the Seas, please visit http://*******.com/bw585wa

Launched in December 2009, Oasis of the Seas has been heralded as an architectural marvel at sea, spanning 16 decks, encompassing 225,282 gross registered tons, and with a double-occupancy capacity of 5,400 guests. Oasis of the Seas is first ship to tout the cruise line’s neighborhood concept of seven distinct themed areas, comprising Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.

Hi. I have cruised with RCCL 4 times and about to embark on my fith journey on the 12th. All our sailings have been on either the Voyager Class or the Freedom class so far. I still want to sail Oasis but havn't found the right deal for us yet. Anyway.... We have always been drawn to the newer, bigger ships. I guess we just have the newer/bigger is best mentality. We have enjoyed the activities like the Flow rider and the rock wall and such but I don't know that having them make or break our vacation. I see so many wonderful reviews of the smaller ships and wonder if we should try one out sometime.

 

So I would like to hear some comments from people that have experienced both the larger ships and smaller ships to understand if there is a benefit to trying out a smaller ship. I think it sounds like nice option for a more personal, intimate experience for a trip for my husband and I.

 

Nikki

Hi Nikki,

I've just gotten back from my fourth Royal sailing -- Legend of the Seas (also have done Majesty, Oasis and Enchantment). What I've found with smaller ships is that they do offer a more intimate experience. I got to know far more people on Legend and Enchantment than I ever did on Oasis. In the case of Legend and Majesty, they're both older ships in addition to being small. With those, I think the focus is more on the itineraries than the ships; Majesty sails short cruises, so it offers value to someone looking to just get away for a long weekend. Meanwhile, my Legend sailing was 15 days through the Panama Canal and South America, which meant my attention was on the canal crossing and the ports, rather than the ship. I learned that I prefer larger ships for longer sailings, but smaller ones are fine for quick jaunts (six days or less). :)

I have seen a lot of posts about this. Am I the only one who doesn't eat at hole in the wall 'ethnic' or 'authentic' places? I eat on the ship. Is the local cuisine worth the potential food poisoning and diarrhea??? I do not think it is safe!

I think it depends on your comfort level. I try to eat at least one "authentic" (and by "authentic," I mean "hole in the wall") meal in each port I visit, and I've never had a problem. However, I'm definitely more cautious in ports where you're told not to drink the water or order drinks with ice. (They usually put that sort of thing in the daily schedule and make announcements about it.) If you're on a ship-sponsored excursion that includes local food, it's most likely safe. After all, the cruise line's reputation is on the line if you get sick from food you eat on a tour they sold you. :)

Our family is cruising on Caribbean Princess this summer.

My son has enrolled in an online class and he wants to bring his laptop so he can keep up with it.

On our previous cruises we have never used computer

or even cell phones so I never looked into the tech stuff.

I have read that internet will be slow.

When is best and where is best to use laptop on ship??

3 of us are platinum so we will get some minutes right?

Will he need special adaptor to plug in or anything?

Thanks.

Hi there,

I work for Cruise Critic, so most of the cruises I take are for work, which means I always take my laptop. You won't need any special adapters; the standard power cord should be just fine. While Internet at sea is never as efficient as it is on land, I've never had problems getting things done while onboard. I've found some ways to be smarter about how I use minutes, though. I check email and do any online surfing in the early morning (before breakfast) or at night (before bed).

If your son has online reading to do, I'd suggest he bring up everything he needs in a separate window and then log off to avoid wasting minutes while he's doing the actual reading. If he's got writing to do, he should bring up any research tools he needs and then do the same thing -- log off while he's doing the actual writing. If there's something I don't know when I'm writing, I'll insert brackets and highlight them throughout the document. That way, when I'm finished, I know exactly what I have to go back and look up, and I can do it much more quickly when I go back online instead of wasting minutes looking through the document.

As for submitting assignments, I've never had much of a problem sending text-based emails or ones that have a couple of Word documents attached. It will take forever, though, if he needs to send photos or larger projects that contain graphics. If he has to go that route, he might want to try compressing everything into a zip file or waiting until he gets to port to use free Wi-Fi.

You should get some free minutes, but they do go quickly. If you run out, be sure to check on prices for packages of minutes. The per-minute price is often significantly less if you purchase a package instead of going minute-by-minute. (On a recent cruise I took, the price dropped from 89 cents to 25 cents per minute because I bought a package.)

Finally, as a side note, if you have a balcony, I find that it's a very peaceful place to get work done -- minimal distractions and nice view -- and the Internet works just as well out there as it will anywhere else on the ship. :)

Hi all,

The pricing was officially doubled in January across all ships in the fleet. It's now $40 per person for a full day or $20 per person for a half-day. (Prices can go up or down, though, depending on demand.)

Here's our story: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5777.

how late is the casino open each night? i am so looking forward to this cruise with my family and i love me some casino play while on the ship.

 

my to do:

watch the fireworks

go to the magic show

play for free in the casino, win *** big ***

ride the water slides

It's always open (in international waters, of course). :)

When I was on the Breakaway there were not a table and chairs in the cabins, Balcony or Mini suites. This was a little strange for us when we ordered room service and was the only NCL cruise ship that this was the case.

 

Anyone know if the Getaway has put a little table and two chairs in the cabin? It sure does make eating our room service food easier!

 

Harriet

Hi Harriet,

Apart from a small cube-shaped stool under the vanity/desk, you won't find anything like that. Cabins that are balcony or higher will have two chairs and a table outside, though.

I have arranged for ADA assistance to embark/disembark. That combined with the fact that we will arrive at the port by 10:00 or so has me feeling a lot more comfortable about things... Either way, we will have a fantastic cruise...

 

GO FLYERS! :)

Glad to hear it! :)

Thanks for your help Ashley. :D

No problem!

Drat I probably will miss out. I am mobility limited and even with my canes it takes me a long time to get all the way on to the ship let alone to a line and wait.

Hmmm...I wonder if you could call down to the front desk from your cabin instead of standing in line. The line also might not be too bad if you go on the first day when everyone else is having lunch.

Side note: I see you're a Flyers fan. Did you catch the game today? It was a good one!

Ashley, Can you tell me a little about the cigar lounge on the Getaway? Is there someplace that I can locate pictures? Mahalo!

I can tell you it is not that large. Leather furniture with a door to the Sunset Bar and another out to the Water Front. Spent many hours there on the transatlantic.

time2cruise is right -- it's a very intimate space. The rest of his description is accurate, too. There's also a TV and a cigar case in the corner, near the door that leads out into the Sunset Bar. Here are a couple of photos. Sorry they aren't that great. (The first is of the seating area in the Sunset Bar; the entrance to Humidor is in the back right corner. Fun note: The man sitting at the table is David Le Batard, the artist who created Getaway's hull design. The last photo is of the Waterfront area that's just outside Humidor and the Sunset Bar.)

Can you pre-book the Vibe Beach Club or is that only on board booking?

Onboard only. No advance bookings are available.

Is there a big difference between Vibe Beach Club (pay) and Spice H2O? If so which would you choose and why?

 

 

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Granted, both were empty on my sailing due to the freezing weather, so I don't really have an opinion. There's an argument for each, though:

Vibe is more exclusive, and they cap the number of people who can use it, so it's likely to be less crowded. Spice H2O is larger, has a giant movie screen and is used for the themed parties the ship hosts. The latter has a particularly airy vibe to it.

Does anyone know if the forward Haven suites ended up with the enclosed balcony as shown in this pic of the external of one of them on deck 13?

 

Granted that suite sells for less than the others (save the insides that overlook the Haven area), but when I see that pic I scratch my head. I realize that due to the position under the bridge the balcony it may need to be that way (structural support), but for what that room costs it is rather disappointing.

Is this what you mean? These are from cabins 16100 and 16102.

Can anybody please tell me what shows you have to pay for and what's included?

And if anybody knows how much the shows are, that would be appreciated too.

 

Thank you

Hi there,

All shows (Burn the Floor, Legally Blonde, Howl at the Moon, Second City, etc.) are free, but you should still make reservations for any that offer them to be sure you get a seat. The dinner show in the Illusionarium is a for-fee event that starts at $39 per person and gets more expensive if you want "premium" seats. It's a fairly small venue, though, so I think you'd be fine with the $39 option. Be warned: the food is a set menu, and it's not the best. (It's surf 'n' turf, but a vegetarian alternative is available with advance notice.)

I had read on one of the dailies from the first sailing that it's possible to make reservations for the main dining rooms, (Taste, Savor, and Tropicana). For some reason I was under the impression with Free Style dining that you just show up. Does anyone know if it's better to make a reservation or just show up? I will be traveling with a party of 8. Hopefully we will be able to agree where to eat in time to even make a reservation! I'm not much of a cruiser and have never sailed on NCL, so I'm a bit unsure here.

thanks,

Karen

I can't speak for Getaway (because I was assigned to dining venues by the PR staff when I was onboard), but I went on Breakaway a day after I returned from Getaway, and I found it wasn't necessary to make reservations for MDRs (unless you want Tropicana on Getaway because it's new and demand might be higher). If you want to dine at a specialty restaurant, you should definitely make reservations. You can do so online ahead of time, or you can do it via phone, at the reservations desk in the atrium or via one of the touch-screen reservations systems throughout the ship.