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CruisinDawn

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    Equinox dinner Buffet or MDR? Menus? Experiences?

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted · Edited by CruisinDawn

    15 hours ago, chemmo said:

     

    We find the buffet on Celebrity much better than RC. We love the Indian selection.

     

    You do not need fancy clothes for the MDR on Celebrity ‘smart casual’ can just be trousers and a polo shirt for the men....

     

     

    If you fancy some really relaxed evenings then room service is also worth considering. We had never really used it (other than for a quick breakfast) until I cruised with a mobility issue and the ease, speed, quality of food  and convenience was a real eye opener. There is the standard menu or you can order items off the MDR menu during its opening hours....Sit out on your balcony and relax.

     

    Remember you can transfer your loyalty status.

     

    Also on Celebrity you can board with two bottles of wine, useful if you don’t have a drinks package....

     

    Sincere best wishes for your wedding anniversary!

     

     

    Love the Indian selections available in the MDR off menu on Royal too. just. got off the Ovation and had Indian food 3 nights, yum!

     

    So no formal nights on Celebrity? Even lobster night? Royal it's always on the second formal night which is generally night 6. Lobster on Celebrity consistently around the same night? How is it served? Guess I am assuming they indeed have a lobster night.

     

    Charge for room service? Royal does 😞 and MDR menus are only available for true suites. We are in a Sunset Veranda, which room service options?

     

    Premium drink package CHECK! 🙂

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Equinox dinner Buffet or MDR? Menus? Experiences?

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    On 7/22/2019 at 7:16 PM, mom says said:

    Yes, the name of the buffet is the Ocean View Cafe,  and yes it is open for dinner. Frequently they will have theme nights with featured dishes  in one section- Indian, Italian, German, etc. The selection is varied and as buffets go it's fine. Especially if you return late from an excursion or are just too tired to change for dinner.  But I think you are doing yourself a disservice by ignoring the main dining room. The quality of the food is better,  IMO; and the service is excellent. And we find the ambiance much more relaxing than the buffet. As for timing your meal time, if you have select dining you just show up when youre ready to eat. At the worst you might have to wait a few minutes if you dont want to share a table. At the very least try it for a couple of nights.  Why would you restrict yourself  to only the buffet?

    I would steer most people to the MDR as well but after about 35 cruises? in the past 19 years we just want to relax on our Anniversary. Not traveling with others, just us celebrating 29 years of marriage. 🙂 We are going to Qsine just for the experience and may hit up the MDR on lobster night but promised my hubby buffet is what were doing this cruise so leave the fancy clothes at home!

     

    Thanks for all the info you & others have provided, learning the ins & outs of a new line is tough.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Equinox dinner Buffet or MDR? Menus? Experiences?

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    First time on Celebrity. We plan on eating most nights in the buffet, so odd question what is it called? Loyal to Royal and we all know the Windjammer but not sure if Celebrity calls the buffet the same name on all ships. Guess I am assuming they have one for dinner. What can we expect for a buffet experience at night? Am I missing something by not going to the MDR? Are the MDR menu's the same fleet wide with a couple of exceptions like Royal. Can anyone point me to current ones for the Equinox? Any incite on dinner on Celebrity would be wonderful. Don't say eat in the specialty restaurants, we can do that at home when we can enjoy it and not worried about timing with the next thing we want to do on the ship.

    Hot Glass

    in Celebrity Cruises

    Posted

    Just now, keesar said:

    There were numerous slots available on our cruise on Equinox.    

    So you need to book again once onboard? We already booked & paid in the planner. That is why I am confused. VERY use to Royal, normally you pick a date & time. This experience you just booked & paid, no option to pick a date/time.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Nervous to sail Empress!

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    Sailed March of this year, not old & stinky, just came out of dry dock. LOTS of new carpet in the main public areas and more was going in. We loved it. Only two complaints,

      My Time Dining was awful. We had reservations and it was a nightmare. Had to wait for tables up against the wall where people were going in & out of the dining room. Second night they asked us to stand against the wall at first we did then said no thank you move us to late seating which they did. Walked downstairs, seated immediately and LOVED the service the rest of the cruise. Food is subjective but gotta say we had some of the best food we have had on a Royal cruise in a while.

      Our cruise embarked at one terminal & disembarked at another. My parents parked and the parking garage where we left is on the other side of Dodge island. Also they refused entry of my carryon do to miscommunication to the Royal staff. I was their early then the staff couldn't keep people from walking through the doors with their carryon. Note my bag that they refused fits under the seat of an airplane.

      Our favorite place to hang was the Schooner. Did you realize the Empress has the larger Schooner in the entire Royal fleet. It made for a nice place to hang out even when we were not doing trivia or any of the other games being played. Normally it would be disruptive but you can sit far enough away it's very nice.

      I would take another Empress cruise in a heartbeat if the cabins themselves weren't so expensive. 😞

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

     

     

    • Like 1

    Diamond lounge drinks menu

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    CL does not have a full bar setup. I doubt they have it. I am happy they finally added a second rum!! However depending on your suite the Concierge might try to provide a few every night to please you if they have it elsewhere on the ship. Not like you are asking for better liquor 🙂

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    C&A status connected to M life

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    Call them and they will call Royal and get you linked up. We LOVE the M-Life perks! We have stayed at the New York New York, Bellagio & most recently the Mirage all for free only paying the resort fees but getting a resort credit as well. New York New York was a suite with a jacuzzi in the room! Bellagio going rate on our fountain view was over $1,500 bucks! 🙂 As Diamond Plus with Royal we also get to use the Platinum check in line which at the New York New York was a lunge with free snacks & sodas. Separate taxi line as well almost putting you to the front of the line. Seems their might be 10% off at restaurants but I may be making that one up, hehe. You can't use M-Life rewards back toward Royal with at Platinum is a free cruise. Current offer is again free room booked by Jan 15th used by June 30th?? but we just can't fit a trip in, boooo! I also do Vegas Slots and get a free drink here or there. Last time it was buy one get on free at Carnagie Deli in the Mirage. Also get OBC with Royal with that game as long as you apply within 60 days of booking. Love saving money spending money hehe.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    The price of the Deluxe Beverage Package just got another notch

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted · Edited by CruisinDawn

    The two I have booked that I had not bought a package for went up today as well :( Booo! $59 (supposedly 10%off) on Empress to Cuba $50. What I did notice if that the combo internet package made up for the difference? Liberty next month is on sale for $45 20%0ff, was $42 last week but we got it a while ago on a sale for $41 :)

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Favorite Excursions: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan?

    in Alaska

    Posted

    Bering Sea Crab Fisherman one is a good one. And yes, eagles and eagles and more eagles!
    Going next year and SO disappointed we didn't pick a cruise that sops here JUST for this excursion. I could do it every time we visit and not get board. When we docked it was directly across the pier from us so even easy to find. My favorite Alaskan excursion and we have even done helicopters!

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Icy Strait Point - What To Do?

    in Alaska

    Posted

    We booked a private tour for whale watching and had an amazing trip. Small boat just our family of 5 and the driver. We saw so many whales pretty close as well as bears walking on the shore. Was in 2010 and can't recall the name of the company but found him from Cruise Critic recommendations.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Why put something on sale, if I can’t book it online?

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    If you are in a Suite (above Junior, that doesn't count) you can usually can book Barefoot sometimes a couple weeks in advance with the Concierge or once on board direct with the Concierge. You can book the other beaches cabanas online that are open to everyone. Think maybe they list them online just so those that know that they get entrance to Barefoot because they are in a suite that they can book them once on board? Just a guess.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    Trying to book excursions for second half of a B2B,won,t let me??

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    One of my reservations kept saying it was being modified every time I tried to go in from the My Cruises page even after clearing cookies/cache. I called Royal and they told me to try going in from the "Already Booked" link at the top of the main page. This has worked every time for me even when going in from My Cruises doesn't. No idea why, but you might give it a try.

     

    Sign in, then go back to the home page (not My Cruises) and click "Already Booked" and choose Cruise Planner. Click Reserve Now under shore excursions and you'll be able to choose your reservation number from a drop down menu and get in. It's a lot of clicks, but it works.

     

    Edited to correct the steps.

    I have also used this method on occasion as well. Royal rep called it going in the back door. ;););)

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

    RCCL new Diamond Lounge Policy?

    in Royal Caribbean International

    Posted

    Just back from 10 day Serenade cruise. With over 350 D&D+, total available seating in DL was 34. Long waits for drinks each night as well as almost zero seating. We all asked why the door connecting the Vortex lounge with DL was not opened to create a normal overflow area (this was done each night on this same ship back in 2015 NE cruise).

    The diamond concierge said it was "corporate decision to keep this door shut".

    I have never experienced such an overcrowded DL in all the cruises we have taken as diamonds. Most others we talked to agreed.

    Needless to say, there were a lot of pissed off guests each night. Most of them got so frustrated they left and used their sea pass drinks elsewhere.

    Now I don't have a problem with the 3 free sea pass drinks.....however, as diamonds, the DL experience is important for meeting old friends and socializing in your own private lounge. This is what loyal customers pay their money on and expect a consistent corp. policy (providing adequate overflow areas with proper personnel).

    Please, chime in diamond members if you have had similar recent DL issues.

    I would hate to think corporate is modifying their DL policy to put profit over loyalty.

    This thread might be good as a survey. In the past two months has there been an overflow for the Diamond Lounge. Got off the Oasis in January and could never get in each time we tried. Over 600 Diamond & Diamond Plus on that sailing. Concierge said they would not be opening anything for overflow that cruise despite the numbers. :confused::confused:Would be curious if this in indeed a new policy.

     

    BonVoyage

    Dawna

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