crisp1

I have a car reserved with Budget, but they close at 6pm and I won't be able return th car until later- like 7- 7:30

Looking to rent a car for the day when our ship is there for the day- does Budget or Avis offer transportation to their lots? is ther other options to get to and back to the ship

A picture of the packages is in this thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2625612-bottles-of-wine-prices/?tab=comments#comment-56628734

On the Dream a few weeks ago there were 2 packages offered. Both were for 6 bottles- the standard package was at $ 22 per bottle- the premium was $ 32 ( I think ). you get 6 coupons and maybe 6 different wines to choose from. You could only redeem them in the MDR- although you could take the wine with you for drinking anywhere on the ship. There was something in the Fun Times about it the second day and info at Cherry On Top

17 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

crisp1...Did you miss Costa Maya?  DW has the Dream booked in April for her girls cruise. Their itinerary is Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize and Coz.

Costa Maya was not part of the itinerary for this cruise - 2 days @ sea, Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, day @ sea

33 minutes ago, JaniceB said:

Thanks for the review and the restaurant recommendation in New Orleans.  

Meril on Girod St is another good place. Has small plates so you can get a few and share

I didn't care much for Blackjack duo- but don't care for country music anyway. I thought the tv in the cabin was way too small and was fixed so you had to be in bed to watch anything properly. I did like that the fridge was empty- a usual pain for both pax and steward- does anyone ever buy anything it is stocked with?

Bobbi ( Markmom ) no, I didn't see your son, but we don't encounter the fun squad much on our cruises

We flew in on Friday to enjoy a day with our daughter and sil. Lunch at a local beer garden and dinner at Cava- the owner is friend with the kids. Harry Connick sr is a regular and the owner brought him by and introduced him to our table- great food and a fantastic banana flambe prepared table side.

First time in a Cove balcony. Enjoyed being close to the water and people watching when in port.We had to move the chairs in order to get a decent view. Cabin 2276 and the 2 to the right ( and I assume it’s the same on starboard ) don’t have life boats above, so the view is a little better than the other coves.

We got lucky with our team the first night with Your Time dining- Wesly, Gede and Gede- and requested their area for the entire week- efficient and friendly- never took more than an hour for dinner- but it wasn’t rushed either.
I was disappointed that the only option to be waited on for lunch was the pasta bar on deck 11- di not like the sauces at all or the sea day brunch- which did not have a single selection for us to ‘lunch’ on. Had to return on the last sea day just to redeem our drink coupon- we don’t drink at breakfast.

We took advantage of the wine bottle package. Found out you can only redeem those coupons in the main dining room- not a major problem, although we did have to pay full price in a lounge one night.
There is a happy hour on embarkation and sea days- the only white wine was a chardonnay, red, a cab.

We don’t go to the production or comedy shows, but do enjoy the live music. Initially I didn’t like the set up in the atrium, with the stage over the bar- in the end I prefer it that way. I also like the couches facing the stage on deck 4- much more comfy that sitting at a table for 2 and turning to see the band/ individuals playing. We did like the fact that there were only a pair of speakers set on stage for the atrium- other ships overdo ith with both the amount of speakers and the volume- one could actually have a conversation while the music was playing
Allure Strings were ok- different than what we often encounter on other lines
Other days had Dave Moretz- electric/acoustic guitar/vocals with self accompaniment - you have to see it to get it. 
Recap Acoustic played in the lobby as well as Ocean Plaza afternoons- also good
Ms Drumz also played in the lobby as well as up on the Lido - very good steel drum with recorded backing.
Showtime Brass was playing on embarkation day in the lobby- I thought they were a bit stiff until I saw the play with Lunar Sea in Ocean Plaza that night, making the band a 7 piece. The first 2 sets were jazz, the third rock with a male and female vocalist- this band was the best band I ever saw at sea. Each set was different and each musician talented- jazz, pop, rock, funk, Motown- they played it all.
We caught one set by Kemar in the piano bar- SRO- he obviously was good- never got back though.
Our POC were:
 Roatan- walked to the beach and got our passports stamped- after you get off the ship and get to the plaza ( beach to right ) make a left towards the craft market ther’e a building on the right with a red roof- stamps for donations.

Belize- Coral Gardens Shark and Rays and lunch on Cay Caulker- great coral heads/ formations but not enough time there- too much time for lunch. Tried to get our passports stamped- the kiosk is all the way through terminal 4, but was closed that day

Cozumel- snorkel and beach with Fury- coral a waste of time- too close to land- beach ok, burger and mac salad good. For Carnival and Princess ships once you get to the plaza go past the fountain and you’ll find a wide set of steps to the right, go up the steps and around the corner to a door. Got our passports stamped there
This was our fist time on a CCL ship in over 4 years ( have been working on the bucket list) Was not disappointed and would book another
Chris

We flew in on Friday to enjoy a day with our daughter and sil. Lunch at a local beer garden and dinner at Cava- the owner is friend with the kids. Harry Connick sr is a regular and the owner brought him by and introduced him to our table- great food and a fantastic banana flambe prepared table side.

First time in a Cove balcony. Enjoyed being close to the water and people watching when in port.We had to move the chairs in order to get a decent view. Cabin 2276 and the 2 to the right ( and I assume it’s the same on starboard ) don’t have life boats above, so the view is a little better than the other coves.

We got lucky with our team the first night with Your Time dining- Wesly, Gede and Gede- and requested their area for the entire week- efficient and friendly- never took more than an hour for dinner- but it wasn’t rushed either.
I was disappointed that the only option to be waited on for lunch was the pasta bar on deck 11- di not like the sauces at all or the sea day brunch- which did not have a single selection for us to ‘lunch’ on. Had to return on the last sea day just to redeem our drink coupon- we don’t drink at breakfast.

We took advantage of the wine bottle package. Found out you can only redeem those coupons in the main dining room- not a major problem, although we did have to pay full price in a lounge one night.
There is a happy hour on embarkation and sea days- the only white wine was a chardonnay, red, a cab.

We don’t go to the production or comedy shows, but do enjoy the live music. Initially I didn’t like the set up in the atrium, with the stage over the bar- in the end I prefer it that way. I also like the couches facing the stage on deck 4- much more comfy that sitting at a table for 2 and turning to see the band/ individuals playing. We did like the fact that there were only a pair of speakers set on stage for the atrium- other ships overdo ith with both the amount of speakers and the volume- one could actually have a conversation while the music was playing
Allure Strings were ok- different than what we often encounter on other lines
Other days had Dave Moretz- electric/acoustic guitar/vocals with self accompaniment - you have to see it to get it. 
Recap Acoustic played in the lobby as well as Ocean Plaza afternoons- also good
Ms Drumz also played in the lobby as well as up on the Lido - very good steel drum with recorded backing.
Showtime Brass was playing on embarkation day in the lobby- I thought they were a bit stiff until I saw the play with Lunar Sea in Ocean Plaza that night, making the band a 7 piece. The first 2 sets were jazz, the third rock with a male and female vocalist- this band was the best band I ever saw at sea. Each set was different and each musician talented- jazz, pop, rock, funk, Motown- they played it all.
We caught one set by Kemar in the piano bar- SRO- he obviously was good- never got back though.
Our POC were:
 Roatan- walked to the beach and got our passports stamped- after you get off the ship and get to the plaza ( beach to right ) make a left towards the craft market ther’e a building on the right with a red roof- stamps for donations.

Belize- Coral Gardens Shark and Rays and lunch on Cay Caulker- great coral heads/ formations but not enough time there- too much time for lunch. Tried to get our passports stamped- the kiosk is all the way through terminal 4, but was closed that day

Cozumel- snorkel and beach with Fury- coral a waste of time- too close to land- beach ok, burger and mac salad good. For Carnival and Princess ships once you get to the plaza go past the fountain and you’ll find a wide set of steps to the right, go up the steps and around the corner to a door. Got our passports stamped there
This was our fist time on a CCL ship in over 4 years ( have been working on the bucket list) Was not disappointed and would book another
Chris

20 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

If you purchase the wine package can you not take the bottles to your room or do you have to pick it up in the dining room only??

 

i enjoy being able to have a glass of wine at my leisure...

 

Thanks!

You can take it with you or leave it for the next meal. I believe the bottle offered are available in certain other venues but not everywhere

I live in NJ. It took a week from time ordering to delivery for 2 $ 100.00 cards. Guess it varies from state to state. It takes forever  to receive mail sent from Florida 

22 hours ago, latitude918 said:

The DW and I dress up on elegant night for us, not for everyone else.  We like to get dressed up and have a fancy night out because it is fun to do it together.  The pictures, the dressing up, the whole thing is fun for us.  I really don't care what anyone else is doing or wearing because I'm too busy having a fun time... and minding my own business. 

I bought my tux after our first CCL cruise years ago and I still wear it with different dress shirts and ties for each 'elegant night'. We have cruised on Paul Gauguin and Windstar - both say no formal nights, on the captains reception night there were many in tuxes and gowns- and I left mine home. I won't be doing that again 🙂

The search on this site has either got worse or 'better' making one be more specific. I just want to see a current list of bottle of wines available with prices- can't find one. HELP 

9 minutes ago, shaneandpamela said:

On our sailing it was on Saturday evening, 5pm to 6pm, back in the comedy club lounge.  Got there late because sunset from the balcony was too good to miss.

Thanks😎

What day/ time was the Diamond/ Platinum party?

We plan to spend some time at the beach. Are there excursion operators at the pier if we want to do something else.

For our upcoming Dream cruise our dining time is unassigned /waitlisted for My Time. Late seating is available but we never eat that late. Early seating is closed. Will we end up eating in the buffet or paying for specialty restaurants? Do they check your cabin # for My Time?  Our Platinum status gets us nothing as far as regular dining times. Suggestions?

We stayed at the Hotel Borga del Mare for one day pre cruise late April. We took advantage of their Airport transfer ( 50 euro pp shared, or 120 total for private) We used the private- our driver met us inside after picking up our bags. As others have mentioned the hotel is family owned and run. rooms are smallish - about the size of a normal cruise ship cabin, but the bathroom is larger. The hotel offers a discounted 3 course dinner if you pre order- way too big of a meal for us- we shared a pizza ( 10 euro ) and a liter of house wine ( 9 euro ). The restaurant in the hotel is not open for lunch, but there is one a couple of blocks away on the water with views of the ships ( if you don't want bread- refuse it- a 1 euro charge pp ) Food is good, but the only menu in English is in the entrance on a video board. Checkout is 11 am and the transfer over to the ships isn't until 12:30 but there are seats outside ( also for dining but get there early if you want one ). Breakfast is the normal continental fare. In all a very pleasant stay at a great value

Just finished our 3 Croatia stop on Windsurf- you'll see everything except heels- streets are are for flats only

Just got off Windsurf Rome to Venice 4/29-5/07- most mornings were cool-ish and the day could get warm ( upper 70's ) but if clouds moved in- back to the sixties ( a breeze would make it feel cooler). As far as clothing when in port- no different than home- anything from jeans- shorts- capris- nothing really seemed out of place- I would dress for the weather/ temps

Hi Chris,

 

We were on the Royal Princess with you this past March. My son & his wife will be on this ship next month and I was wondering what type of entertainment is available in the evenings.

Right now there are 2 choices - a duet ( Mardi Gras) that plays in the Compass Rose at Sailaway and late night- their lat sets are better- early ones a bit mellow- guitar player is very good and they are tech savy- have a good recorded back tracks for their material

In the Lounge is a band ( 4 piece with a female lead vocal) very extensive play list- they usually play just before dinner ( 6:30 ) and again play 2-3 sets starting at 9:30 or so. Nothing during the day when in port- or on sea days-

In cabin,first run movies playing non-stop in cabin choice of 2 each day + Rick Steve or something other interesting. Us Prime- tv shows with top 10 lists in between, Fox News, CNBC, Sky News, BBc News and Sky Sports News.

Sailaway is something not to be missed- one could enjoy it daily- 1492 plays ship-wide as the sails unfurl while you leave each port.

One day on this itinerary they brought aboard a local band who sang in Croat- 5 man, upright bass, guitar, 2 mandolins - all sang - tenor down to bass- with a low bass vocal extra- very enjoyable

One night there is a crew show- not to be missed- magic, comedy, solo and band collaborations- one vocalist was so good he got a full lounge standing ovation- the syncronized swimming was a real crowd pleaser.

Visiting the bridge is another thing not to miss- along with the galley tour.

Chris

Our flight arrived on time, but customs was a pain, those in charge would move people around/ make new lines, seemed to take forever- our luggage was supposed to be at 9- but was at 10. So many people being picked up by services- we finally found our guy from the Hotel Borgo del Mare. A bit of a walk to the van, but after a night of no sleep I was happy not to have to deal, just follow. The ride was nice by highway through areas of mostly meadow. The hotel is off the main road, but you can still hear the traffic this time of year. The system is set for either heat or cool- so it's still set on heat since the nights have been cool- but we have windows that can be opened- hence the sound of traffic. The hotel restaurant is not opened for lunch, but there are 2 within a short walk. We ate at Ideale- seems to be a local favorite- on the water with views of the larger cruise ships. There is a video menu in the entrance with an English version- but the menus are only in Italian. Shared a bottle of a local red wine and just pasta pomodoro- Forgot the locals eat theirs al dente. Although the restaurant isn't opened for lunch at the hotel the bar is open- so we split a bottle of a local wine on the outside patio. The free wifi is fine, rooms on the small side- but not smaller than you'd find on a any cruise ship. Dinner later, free breakfast and transfer to the ship tomorrow

Chris

Does anyone know who is currently supplying the kosher meals. Research says Sterlings, but that post is over 3 years old

We are limited time wise- so pre/ post cruise times are limited- one day in each- so we are fine so far with our choices for hotels, thinking about just walking around on our own vs ship tours vs independent. A thought, first time, do I need to 'see it all', or just enjoy the city/port- I'm 68- but very active ( can keep up with a 40 yr old), I used to try to make the most of our time in each port- now I think more about just enjoying the time we have without pushing it- leaning to 'winging it'

I've read that people in Med countries don't dress as casually. This time of year in Montinegro and Croatia I understand that the temps are in the mid to upper 60's. Are jeans acceptable- tank tops? Shorts? I realize we'll look like tourists no matter what- but would like to fit in a bit- recommendations?