BridgeMates

28 minutes ago, LooneyCruzer said:

Just take a screenshot of drinks on this thread and show it to the bartender. I have done it for several different ones

Zipped thru the previous pages, only found one martini.

Hopefully, some of you veteran cruisers out there can tell me where they make the best martinis on the Harmony...

🍸 Cheers!

Where can I get different martini's on Harmony like the martini bar on Celebrity (lemon drop, cucumber martini, etc.)?

Thanks all.

12 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

 

 

As for bad service, the tips cover all the service people, not just waiters. It would be more productive to address any perceived poor service at the time of occurrence and forget about the few cents that person would get in tips from that interaction. Just leave the tips in place and if you feel you get poor service more than a couple of times (rare in my experience) look inward at your expectations.

Good point and I agree with you!   Someone in my group asked the question so I thought I'd try to find out.  

I'm wondering....we booked our cruise (group of 14) early part of last year.  Gratuities were stated as  $16pp/pd.  Gratuities have since gone up to $18pp/pd.   Final confirmation has a paragraph that indicates if you booked before 11/11/23 we keep the same $16 rate "provided it is paid in advance at least 4-5 days prior to departure. These amounts can be adjusted onboard."

Altho in 50+ cruises I've never had to remove any gratuities, I think I can assume you can remove the tips if you feel it's necessary?  

Would you interpret this as I am?

Thanks all.

Thanks everyone!   We've made a reservation at the brand new Hampton Inn-Shenandoah at the Woodlands.  We can leave Allen around 9am, have a nice lunch somewhere and then check in at the hotel.  Thank you Dan for the directions....I'll pass on to our son who'll be driving.  Grandma will be much more relaxed than that long drive all the way to Galveston on day of the cruise, with little room for anything unexpected.  I am a scardy-cat backseat driver these days.  We're celebrating our 65th wedding anniversary this week so you get the picture 😀

Anyone have any recommendations for lunch near the hotel?

Hi, we have a large family group on the Harmony of the Seas in June.

Can't seem to get everyone to pick something to do in Roatan.

One couple just wants to go to the beach for a couple hours.

Are there options you can make at the pier after you get off the ship?

Thanks!

34 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

Is Allen almost up to McKinney or closer to Denton? I go back to Dallas in the 60s when Spring Valley and Coit Road were considered far out! 🤪 Think it would be good to make it to at least The Woodlands, in the northern part of the Houston metro area, if you are coming down I 45. Anything south of The Woodlands would be even better for the next day.

 

We are between Plano and McKinney.  Now I'm thinking the drive might be more "hectic" on Saturday than just going down early Sunday and avoiding trucks, landscapers, etc.

I forgot to mention I am a Nervous Nilly in the car and will be more so at speeds of 80mph.

Our son will drive but I'm a terrible backseat driver.  Just kicking some ideas around before I approach him with my "ideas." 😅

Hi, we are joining our large family group on the Harmony this summer.

It's too long of a drive for me in one day (we're in our mid-80's). 

Where would you recommend we stay overnight and have an easier drive into Galveston on cruise day.

Thanks for any help you offer. 😄

Just to be sure I understand....

If I have 4 vouchers, I can only get one bottle of wine at a discount for the entire cruise?

Thank you.

Hi, can I bring more than 1 bottle of wine onboard with the full understanding that I'll pay a coverage fee for the extras?   and if so, what is the coverage fee?    Thanks so much.

3 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

The lounge is open ( by room key) 24/7.    The benefits paper  or letter from the LA will generally let you the concierge hours, continental breakfast hours, evening snack hours  etc. 

m

I'm an early (very) bird...so I can get coffee in the Lounge anytime?  Thanks for your quick answer.

Quick Question:  what time does the Lounge generally open each morning?  Thks.

1 hour ago, alfaeric said:

All ships, yes, unlimited, no.  You get an allocation based on D (4), D+(5), or P(6).  

 

And if you are worried about the liquor being watered down, you can go to any bar- since the number of drinks you get is the same everywhere.

Can I use my drink vouchers for wine in the DR?

55 minutes ago, Foodluvr said:

Park Cafe also has coffee on deck 9.

We have cabins on deck 9.  Where on deck 9 is the coffee?

12 hours ago, Galveston Cruiser said:

coffee is free unless you want specialty coffee, which has a cost, We found the coffee on the Harmony very good as we prefer strong dark coffee.  The best was in the Crown Lounge (D, D+ and Pinnacle only).

I'm a very early riser but spouse still sleeping.  Haven't been on RC for a number of years but we're back for family cruise in June.  So, what time can I get coffee in the Crown Lounge?  Glad to hear Promenade Cafe open 24/7.  Thanks!

On 1/25/2024 at 12:06 PM, Cruise till you drop said:

I have heard the advantage of booking insurance with the cruise line is that onboard medical services are covered and you don’t see a bill.

 

I think 3rd party insurance would cover such medical expenses however will have to pay the bill to the cruise line and then submit to the 3rd party insurer for reimbursement 

 

Please let me know if I’m understanding this correctly

 

Thanks

 

Just for info....We were on a Celebrity cruise in November with 4 other people.  All of us had the cruise line insurance.    One woman in the group fell on the "step-up" into the bathroom and had to have stitches.  Apparently since it was an accident on the ship, there was no bill at the end of the cruise. 

However, another friend had a concern that he thought could be heart related so he went to the Med Ctr and spent about 3 hours there.  His bill was over $600.  He was required to submit through the cruise insurance, which requires he send everything to Medicare first, and then to his supplement.   He was told Medicare could take up to 6 weeks to complete their review.  Then he'll submit his claim to BC/BS before the cruise insurance pays.   It's a lengthy process.  

50 minutes ago, knbcruisers said:

Hi all, these are great suggestions, but can you comment on the noise level? DH needs the fan sound for sleep as much as the breeze..

The one I suggested makes very little noise.  Does have 2 speeds and the higher one is a bit louder.

Probably not what you're looking for if he wants a noisey one....

Do they pick up at one or both airports for transport to the ship on sail date?

We got IMG medical/evac only policy and paid deposit ($200) on what we'd paid so far .   Had to cancel cruise and have now received a refund from cruise line.

Guess we just lose the insurance deposit?

Thank you.

Perhaps I missed it, but I think you might add Booked Direct, Big Box, or TA.  Gives me something to compare to.  Thanks.

21 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I can't answer your question about the Solarium Bistro but another place that's not as crazy as the WJ is Park Cafe.  That's our standard first day lunch location on any Oasis class ship.

Is there a charge for the Park Cafe?  TY.

On 11/22/2023 at 8:50 AM, chengkp75 said:

What most cruisers believe is the "abandon ship" signal of "more than 6 short blasts followed by one prolonged blast", is actually the "fire and general emergency" alarm.  This is what not only to send passengers to their muster stations, it is to send the balance of the crew to their emergency stations.

 

Typically, there would be a "code" announcement made prior to the general emergency alarm, that would have alerted specific emergency teams to respond, but at that time in the morning, it may have been made in crew areas and public areas only, not in guest cabin areas, since no crew would be working there.  For example, on NCL, a "code bravo" call would notify the command team, the bridge team, the fire teams, the quick response tech team, security, and medical to respond to their stations.  The remainder of the crew go about their normal routine.  When the "general alarm" sounds, then those crew who you saw during the "old style" passenger muster drill (station leaders, stairway monitors, etc), along with the others that you didn't see (deck searching), which represents a large portion of the crew, report to their stations.

 

As noted, the "muster station" signal is sounded when the Captain and the "on-scene commander" decide that the emergency is such that it endangers passengers, and they should be sent to known and controlled locations, and an accountability taken (so that the emergency teams know whether or not they need to search for passengers). As a past "on-scene commander" on cruise ships, if my fire teams know that all passengers are accounted for, and don't have to spend time searching for passengers, then it becomes far easier to attend to the emergency.

 

There are many cases, including the infamous Star Princess fire, where the passengers were called to muster, while a very serious emergency was dealt with, where there was literally no thought given to evacuating the ship.  "The ship is the best lifeboat".

 

The "muster signal", and the passenger muster are for accountability, not really about getting into lifeboats.  For every 200 true musters in emergencies, perhaps one results in actually loading boats

Thank you for the explanation.  I have always valued your opinion.

Over the past several years the Muster drills seem to have deteriorated in their importance, at least to me after 50+ cruises on different cruise lines.  Now-a-days it's just read your app or TV in cabin and get checked off at the Muster station.  I wonder how many people really watch that instruction video and will be ready to act should something happen.  Some people don't even speak English but I don't know if they broadcast instructions in other languages.   I hated those days when we had to line up outside on deck and get checked off but still I wonder if it will be bedlam should that alarm go off.   Please remember all, it's just my "opinion."

Had that happen on a Holland ship years ago.  Scary in middle of night.

Took their time retracting it as they had a small fire in the engine room Capt explained later.

We were down low, inside cabin, one of our earliest cruises......

10 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

I noticed you said you would not be doing Petra as you would like to do it on a land vacation that would give you more time to see it. We did almost the same cruise you are doing about 4 or 5 years ago and did Petra and then spent 4 days in Dubai before flying home. We have been telling ourselves since being absolutely blown away by our day in Petra that it would be nice to go back and see it again. But it now appears that is not going to happen. I guess what I am trying to say is you never know what curves life is going to through at you, it would be a shame that you didn’t take a day trip to Petra now as you never know what the future holds. Believe me seeing Petra is so much better than anything else you could have planned that day and you can always go back to see some of the things you missed. Petra is so big, you could spend a week there and not begin to see it all.

ABSOLUTELY!   You can get a good local tour company to take you to Petra early, before the crowds, and then go to Wadi Rum.   It was the highlight of our Suez cruise.   With so many places to see in this world, you may never get back there.   All the best and have a wonderful cruise.  One of our favorites!