DrMrsRichardson

I agree.  I want to create a tentative plan for each port, based on the excursions currently being offered because I have 3 2021 cruises planned and want to purchase them all on Black Friday.  I figure, if I have excursions booked, it puts me in a better position for getting an excursion I want should it be the case that we will have to have cruise line sponsored excursions to get off the ship (assuming they do in fact sail- I’ve had 4 cancelled already so not holding my breath but I’ve been following Royal very closely and if any line is going to sail from the US, I believe it will be Royal).  My suspicion is that for much of 2021, everyone will have to be on some sort of supervised experience to get off the ship.  I am guessing there will be many more “excursions” added as we get closer in order to have enough to offer choice to every booked passenger.  I would not be surprised to see a “tour” of the immediate port area offered, and other such “excursions”... even “Margarita Ville”.  I definitely don’t want to procrastinate and be stuck w/ less than desirable options.  And, if it turns out to not be the case that we need to have an excursion booked, I still may feel safer booking one next year.  Besides, what would I stand to lose?  If the cruise is cancelled (or the port) I get a refund.  If the excursion is cancelled, I’d think I stand a better chance to have good options if I had booked a pricier excursion than if I waited until last minute when options may be limited.  In the past, I had excursions cancelled (because there was not enough demand, or weather, or things like that) and Royal always compensated me well.  The last time I had a $120 pp excursion that was cancelled and they offered hubby and I our pick of pretty much any excursion (even ones that were full), or full refund and $50 OBC (either way).

My advice to everyone who is booked in 2021 is to not wait until they announce we need excursions booked... book them!  You can always cancel.

Given it’s looking like we will have to take a cruise line sponsored excursion, I’m looking for the one with access to the best beach.  Normally I’d go to Mr. Sanchos... how is the beach on the Chankanaab excursion?  Or, any other recommendations (for beach days).

1 hour ago, Baowen said:

I have lots of Viking Serenade stuff ( My first cruise)  but it's in storage. I will look next time I am over there.

 

Beth

 

Ok great!  Thanks so much.

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Good looking pup

Thanks 😉

Good idea, thanks.

Awe shucks!  Thanks for checking.

1 hour ago, pcur said:

 

Or, this one:

Viking Serenade casino chip-eBay

Yeah I figured this would be my last resort.

CoupleX:  Have multiple kids and demanding jobs and are cruising without them

Demographics:  30-50

Characteristics:  seem deeply in love, always softly touching one another but may not talk much; appear slightly exhausted at all times, keep to themselves mostly

Behaviors:  up early (because it’s part of their deeply ingrained routine) and usually have eaten breakfast, gone for a walk, and played a couple rounds of cards before the majority of other passengers are out of bed

Where found:  Anywhere on the ship in the early morning; by the pool before it’s crowded; in the Adults only areas; in Specialty Restaurants; in quieter areas of the ship during the day

Endeared by:  Young newlyweds who clearly don’t have kids yet; Grey haired couples who hold hands, wait for one another outside of venues, and who share the occasional sweet kiss; cruisers who are obviously having a good time (maybe a bit tipsy) but who are not sloppily drunk or loud in the stateroom hallways 

Unsettled by:  Families traveling with kids

Meshes with:  see above

Clashes with:  Families traveling with young children (though we empathize please keep away)

Willing to adopt Solos: No

Hi cruisers, I have purchased a magnet of the ship on every ship I’ve cruised on as an adult.  But my very first cruise was when I was 16 and I’d love to find one of that one to complete my collection (well, you know... until I add more cruises).  That ship was Royal Caribbean’s (former) Viking Serenade.  Do any of you know where I might find one?  I’ve already searched EBay.

I’m booked on this tour and am also looking for reviews 🙂. BUMP

1st of all, as other posters have said, yes it is highly subjective and it depends what you like.

2nd just because it is the same cruise line, do not assume the food is the same on every ship.

3rd if you go on a cruise that is shorter than 7 days, do not expect the food to be the main event as the shorter the cruise, usually, the worse the food.

After considering the above, here are my 2 cents based on the ships/lines I have experience with (NCL, RCCL, Carnival, and Princess)... in rank order best to worst:

4) Princess: the pros- pizza is awesome, possibly the best at sea; International Cafe is a nice option to have snacks and light breakfasts and lunch, and the desserts in the MDR and at the buffet tend to be pretty good. Cons: MDR food is pretty bland and uninventive, buffet is VERY limited (at least on the ships I have been on), and there are significantly fewer dining options in general.

3) RCCL: the pros: some of the newer ships have some nice specialty restaurants ($$) with cool features but still I find the food to be lacking in the "wow" department, the Solarium is an awesome "healthy" option for breakfast and lunch (most of it is free of charge), and they have the most options in general. The cons: none of the food anywhere is that impressive despite the above average detail in the design/decor.

2) NCL: My very 1st NCL cruise in 2003 had AMAZING food and dining service (it was the Star), my next NCL cruise, also on the Star but 6 years later was THE WORST dining experience (really bad food all around). My 3rd was pretty good. Pros: best breakfast buffet- NCL seems to make the best use of local fresh fruits and veggies and offers a wide variety in their breakfast and lunch buffets and most everything in those meals are pretty good. Cons: MDR and Specialty are average for most meals with a couple being above average.

1) Carnival: My very 1st Carnival cruise was a 2 nighter and the food was HORRID! Like hot dogs and HB horrid... For this reason I did not consider Carnival again for quite some time but I am so glad I did because you cannot beat the value nor the food (in the lower budget range anyways). Pros: Sea Day brunches are awesome! Inventive menus with a Mexican flare are all tasty; MDR food is mostly above average with usually one meal that disappoints and one that is really stand out wonderful; chocolate melting cake!!! mmmm; Guys Burgers- free gourmet burger spot with every topping you can imagine (think "Five Guys"); Blue Iguana Cantina- another free dining option- I love their breakfast burritos and Huevos Rancheros (then for lunch think "Chipotle"); their chocolate buffet is also quite an indulgence; their pizza is pretty great; and their room service is awesome, especially with their newly added "pay" options which are definitely worth it. You can get a thing of really good buffalo chicken wings for $3, for example. They also have a "daily cookie" and I enjoy ordering a plate of cookies and tea or coffee for the afternoon. Cons: their buffet is pretty cafeteriaesque.

I look forward to trying some of the higher end lines when my kiddos are no longer traveling with us but for now, my foodie tastes are usually pretty happy with Carnival :) and of course seeking out really unique and special food options in port.

I promised my cruise-loving oldest son that I would take him and a friend on any cruise that he wanted (that leaves out of the US) for his HS graduation which is June 2018. He has done the tropical/beachy itineraries as well as 2 to Alaska and has informed me he would love to see the East Coast and the Eastern side of Canada (we live on the West Coast). He has a particular interest in seeing NYC so I am hoping to possibly leave out of there but it is not mandatory. I have been stalking the various sites for these itineraries to open up but there is very little so far. In addition to that itinerary he wants a "cool" ship. He was very impressed with the Allure and is hoping for something with a similar young person appeal (I was thinking a Quantum Class on Royal but that is not mandatory either). Does anyone have an inside scoop on when summer 2018 East Coast itineraries will be out? And does anyone have any suggestions for which ship he might enjoy?

The bigger Royal ships (the actual ships) have more frills and, IMO are "cooler" to look at/explore. The Broadway shows on Royal are pretty amazing on the big ships as well. And finally the suites and suite perks on Royal are superior to Carnival but I would prefer Carnival over Royal in the areas of: food, comedy, itineraries, and value. Basically, the only time I go back to Royal is when they have a new category of ship I want to check out.

My hubby and I want to snorkel while in one of our ports in December 2017. The options are: Grand Turk, La Romana, Curacao, or Aruba. Which would you prefer. We have snorkeled in Hawaii and Cozumel and loved both of those.

Thanks!

Carnival all the way! I am not sure how much variability NCL has with its food on different ships but the food on the ships I have been on was worse in every venue than any Carnival meal I have had since 2011 (prior to that Carnival was highly variable). I am so excited about the Vista and can't wait to sail on her next year.

Thank you Sue, that's a very good point, the reason we were steered in the direction of quantum class RCI for our first one was I was worried I'd get bored, however it turned out I hardly did any of the activities but really loved the experience

 

My wish list, in order is;

 

Great Food

Good activities on cruise days

good entertainment at night

Great Service

Drinks package at at a fair price

 

What would be your suggestion please

Food- Carnival hands down (at least between RCI, Princess, NCL, and Carnival).

Good Activities on Cruise days- I am not a big activity person, I prefer reading and spa days... so ? I do, however really enjoy the Solarium areas on RCI for reading if you count that as an activity. Also the lunch food there as well as it tends to be healthier and more flavorful than other venues.

Entertainment- My fave type of entertainment is Theater and Comedy. The Oasis class (possibly Quantum as well) on RCI fit the bill here for me the best but that severely limits your ship options. Carnival has several AWESOME comedy acts each night in their "Punchliner Comedy Club" which is now a feature on every ship. So Carnival.

Service- RCI suites with Concierge service is amazing, they have great suite perks. Between all 4 of the lines I have cruised with in nonsuites, I prefer Carnival here as well yet I find it varies by the staff you get- ie who your wait staff is, etc.

Drink packages- I have no idea as I am not much of a drinker.

I used to be loyal to Royal and had been turned off by Carnival prior to them re hauling their brand away from just booze cruises but now Carnival is my go to.

I am a Foodie and Carnival food takes the cake for me. Since I like cruising as often as possible, I am always trying to get the most bang for my buck and Carnival delivers every time. The exception would be the Oasis Class (and I do hope to experience the Quantum Class as well). But even on the Allure, the (nonpay) food is better on Carnival. I have a son with severe food issues and Carnival always notes the forbidden foods and addresses them perfectly even offering substitution suggestions. Never had an issue with smoke either.

This may be a smidge unorthodox but here goes...

I am obsessed with cruising. Thankfully I have a husband who is as well. The problem is, I also have a brother who shares the love of cruising but has had a heck of a time finding good people to share cabins with. He (Dave) has friends who are cruisephobic and playing 3rd wheel to my hubby and I is not exactly his cup of tea.

In Dave's ideal world, he would cruise at least once a year with a cabin buddy who is interested in exploring new ports/ships, seeking out good food, dropping some $ on Black Jack (you can find Dave in Vegas when he is not on a cruise or working ;), watching shows, etc. He has had some bad luck with cruise partners who either cannot get over being disconnected from cell service or who would rather lay around and not see all there is to see.

I thought I would reach out to this board for suggestions on how Dave can find a good cruise buddy. Any ideas? Preferably it would be someone who lives near him.

Thanks

Oh yes, that is true :)

Ugh... Splendor? Been there done that. I am going to at least look and see if it has has the 2.0 improvements (mainly Guys and Blue Iguana) since it was last in LB.

I was very excited to learn that the Long Beach Terminal is finally being expanded and that newer, bigger ships are expected in 2018 from CA. Plus the not-so-great embarkation process at that terminal is expected to improve. I have 2 questions that I am hoping someone might have some inside info on:

1) When are the 2018 late spring-summer itineraries expected to be released for booking, and

2) Do we have any idea which ships might be coming to the terminal?

You know, I do not know exactly. I know it is like a 5 minute walk. The Office is closer to the ship. Usually I go to the Me first and by the time I am ready to eat at the Office I'm feeling so good I just sort of float there :p

The Me might turn into a big party in the late afternoon/evening (or maybe on weekends?) but every time I have been it has been very low key. In fact, most of the time it is just myself + the crowd I bring and one or 2 other couples. Again, I am there early as we go to The Office afterward for lunch and then back to the ship when we have drank and ate as much as we can. And we usually (as long as the weather is good) walk back as it is not too far and there are some shops we like to stop in.

I have to weigh in on this... I always go early and usually have kids... I book Mex Riv cruises mainly to go to The Office. The food is out of this world and if it is early (like it will be when you are there) it is pretty low key. After 3 it starts to get more kicked up but really not until after 5. And if you want to cool off... I highly recommend taking the short walk down the beach to The Me where you can swim in their pool and use their facilities if you buy a drink or food (I recommend getting guac and chips and margaritas at the swim-up bar). That is a day anyone can enjoy... kids or no kids!

As an avid reader, writer, and cruise enthusiast I have to tell you to either abandon your cruise idea or book a few cruises before you even think about writing a word. If you don't feel it, your audience will not either.

The end.