AidenandCasensMommy

This is why we always choose YTD, eat around the activities.

I know, we are Waitlisted for YTD! 😭😭😭 I'm so sad about it!

Our first night is going to be jam packed. I'm afraid I can't fit in everything I want to do. Early dining, martini tasting (6pm-?), liquor tasting (7pm) in another part of the ship, Welcome Aboard show (7:30). I'm not sure that we can make all of that happen. We are a party of 2 but I'm not sure if we will be seated with others or if we would need to wait to order with table mates.

Has anyone tried them? I'm specifically looking at the wings & Philly cheesesteak. Would love to know your thoughts.

I'm not sure when they started implementing the staggered check-in times but we chose 12:00-12:30. I'm hoping the mad rush will already be through the line by then. Anyone had experience with this check-in time? We will have about a 5.5-6 hr drive & I don't see us being able to get there any sooner.

I have never had a spa treatment. I have a few questions. Can you get the best deals while onboard or by booking in advance? Is it customary to tip on top of the service price? And one more. Has anyone had a facial to help treat melasma while onboard? I would love to find something for that. Thanks!

May I ask where you got a discount for the spa? I would love to find one. Thanks!

so, they are not the same steaks or cooked the same way. how can you have a Steakhouse steak with no Steakhouse. The Steakhouse steaks are cooked on a special grill, the only open flame grill allowed on the inside of the ship. All MDR food is cooked on flattops or ovens. we learned this on the Behind the Scenes Tour. The MDR steak is not even in the same league as the steakhouse.

I do understand that it may not be in the same league as the steakhouse. I was simply asking what everyone liked from the steakhouse selection on the menu, if they so chose to get an upgrade. Hopefully one day, we will be on a ship with a steakhouse. I'd definitely pay the $35 charge.

Sorry, this post makes absolutely no sense. did anyone mention the Triumph? so, you can not even get steakhouse items in the MDR?

I'm the OP. I posted that there is no steakhouse on the Triumph as some have suggested. There are, however, steakhouse selections on the new menu in the MDR. That's what I was referring to & asking about.

Have any of you done a comparison with Cheers cost vs what you would have paid OOP? DH seems to think we won't drink enough to justify it. He says we can just pay OOP & not worry about the cost. I just don't think I will feel as free to try new thing paying OOP. KWIM?

I completely agree for another $15 you get special service, better appetizers, better soups, and a better experience.

I would love to do that but there is no Steakhouse on the Triumph.

I didn't realize until we are signed up for early dining. I tried to change to YTD but it's now Waitlisted. Early dining is also Waitlisted. We sail in 2 weeks. Any chance that we will get switched to YTD? When I tried to select waitlist, it didn't do anything. We are a party of 2. It's not really a big deals but I want to go to the martini tasting at 6pm, which would interfere with our dining time.

What did you enjoy most from this selection? I may only be able to splurge once! 😀

Please don't stone me! There used to be a breakdown of how much went to each service. Now I can only find total amount. Last time we cruised, we did not eat in the MDR at all, so we chose to remove that portion of our gratuities & tip extra to our alternative dining choices.

What were your favorite drinks from this cruise? They all look so good! We are about to sail on the Triumph & I'm not a big drinker but we are kid-free so I'm indulging a little 😀

Please forgive me if I'm wrong, but when I was deciding whether or not to get it, I learned that wine at the MDr was not included

In the package. Since the original questioner asked about wines, I wanted to add this information. I am primarily a wine drinker with dinner so the program did not work for me . Unless I misunderstood the package. Would love enlightenment.

That's good to know! I was thinking that would be included as well. I am really leaving more on the OOP side, simply because I don't see myself drinking more than the 5-6 (or more) needed to break even per day. I do want to try several new things though. So hopefully I don't regret it.

Why do people bother answering if they are just going to say things like that? I was curious to know what makes Cheers worth it to other people (meaning you who do it)! I don't typically drink in my everyday life so I have no idea how much I would drink onboard.

I was thinking something like a melon ball, buttery nipple, b-52. So like a mixed shot I guess. Not sure if those are offered but I'd like to try them.

My hubby & I would like to find something where we don't have to find our own transportation. I'm sure it's more $ but I prefer to just pay all up front & not have to worry about spending at least $10 on food, $10 for chairs + cab fare. What would you recommend?

I can't seem to find a list or prices of liquor shots available onboard.

For me what makes Cheers worth it is the peace of mind of not worrying about a drink budget. One price and it is done. Might or might not break even but won't go over the budget. Also it seems to make me more likely to try something new. Found out last cruise that I don't like Mojitos and when I tried it and didn't like it, I just put it down and ordered something else without feeling like I wasted the money. As another poster put it, it is a personal decision and what works for me someone else might find dumb.

That's the crossroads I'm coming to. I could pay OOP per drink but I would feel obligated to drink it even if I didn't like it. With cheers, I could try anything without worrying if I'm going to like it. Ahhh, decisions, decisions....

My hubby & I are getting ready to embark on a cruise without our kiddos. We are not big drinkers but we plan to try some different drinks. He would mainly drink beer & I would like to try different frozen drinks, martinis, shots & wines. I think the only reason it would be beneficial is if I were to try the more expensive wines that I would otherwise never get. Just not sure if it's worth $500 to try it all. What if I don't like any of it?! 😜 I would hate to waste all that money. Any non-big drinkers who benefit from the program?

Thanks everyone! It's not that we mind taking anything nice enough to wear. I just don't remember ever being impressed with the food. I guess I'm just a plain Jane person. 😀 However, I do love the waitstaff dancing & the desserts so I'm torn!

We are seriously considering forgoing the dining room on our upcoming trip. We just want to relax & possibly not dress up at all. I'm not sure yet if we will. I don't know what other food options there are on the Triumph. It doesn't look like they have a buffet style dining area anywhere.

My hubby & I will be going without the kids in November. I'm starting to look at possible excursions. Which have been your faves?

What you're looking for is a plan with a trip interruption benefit (almost all have this coverage). Whether or not the plan would cover your particular emergency will depend on the list of covered reasons for trip interruption. Here's from one TravelSafe plan:

 

"Trip Interruption must be due to:

1. Your or a Family Member’s or a Traveling Companion’s or a Business

Partner’s death, which occurs while You are on Your Trip;

 

2. Your or a Family Member’s or a Traveling Companion’s or a Business

Partner’s covered Sickness or Injury which: a) occurs while You are

on Your Trip; b) requires Medical Treatment at the time of interruption

resulting in medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Legally

Qualified Physician; and c) prevents Your continued participation on

Your Trip;

 

3. For the Other Covered reasons listed below;

provided such circumstances occur while coverage is in effect.

“Other Covered Reasons” means:

 

a. You or Your Traveling Companion being hijacked, quarantined, required

to serve on a jury (notice of jury duty must be received after Your Effective

Date) served with a court order to appear as a witness in a legal action

in which You or Your Traveling Companion is not a party (except law

enforcement officers);

 

b. Your or Your Traveling Companion’s primary place of residence or

destination being rendered uninhabitable by fire, flood, burglary or

other Natural Disaster; We will only pay benefits for Losses occurring

within 30 calendar days after the Natural Disaster makes Your

destination accommodations uninhabitable. Your primary place of

residence or destination is uninhabitable if: (i) the building structure

itself is unstable and there is a risk of collapse in whole or in part;

(ii) there is exterior or structural damage allowing elemental intrusion,

such as rain, wind, hail, or flood; (iii) immediate safety hazards have

yet to be cleared such as debris on roofs or downed electrical lines; or

(iv) the property is without electricity or water. Benefits are not payable

if a storm, snow storm, blizzard or hurricane is named on or before the

Effective Date of Your Trip Cancellation coverage;

 

c. Your or Your Traveling Companion’s place of employment is rendered

unsuitable for business due to fire, flood, burglary or other Natural

Disaster and You and/or Your Traveling Companion are required to work

as a result;

 

d. a documented theft of passports or visas;

 

e. a permanent transfer of employment of 250 miles or more;

f. You or Your Traveling Companion being directly involved in a traffic

accident, substantiated by a police report, while en route to Your scheduled

point of departure;

 

g. unannounced Strike that causes complete cessation of services for at

least 12 consecutive hours of the Common Carrier on which You are

scheduled to travel;

 

h. Inclement Weather that causes complete cessation of services for at

least 12 consecutive hours of the Common Carrier on which You are

scheduled to travel;

 

i. mechanical breakdown that causes complete cessation of services for

at least 12 consecutive hours of the Common Carrier on which You are

scheduled to travel;

 

j. a government-mandated shutdown of an airport or air traffic control

system for reasons other than terrorism or an act of war;

 

k. You or Your Traveling Companion is in the military and called to

emergency duty for a national disaster other than war;

 

l. involuntary employer termination or layoff affecting You or a Traveling

Companion. Employment must have been with the same employer for at

least 1 continuous year;

 

m. a Terrorist Incident that occurs within 30 days of Your Scheduled

Departure Date in a city listed on the itinerary of Your Trip. Benefits are

not provided if the Travel Supplier offers a substitute itinerary;

 

n. revocation of Your previously granted military leave or re-assignment

due to war. Official written revocation/re-assignment by a supervisor or

commanding officer of the appropriate branch of service will be required;

 

o. Bankruptcy or Default of an airline, cruise line, tour operator or other

travel provider (other than the travel agency, organization or firm from

whom You purchased Travel Arrangements supplied by others) causing

a complete cessation of travel services more than 14 days following

Your Effective Date. Benefits will be paid due to Bankruptcy or Default

of an airline only if no alternate transportation is available. If alternate

transportation is available, benefits will be limited to the change fee

charged to allow You to transfer to another airline in order to get to Your

intended destination. This benefit only applies if the Policy has been

purchased within 21 days of the date Your initial deposit/payment for

Your Trip is received and You insure the full cost of Your Trip subject to

penalties or restrictions;

 

p. Your family or friends living abroad with whom You are planning to

stay are unable to provide accommodations due to life threatening

illness, life threatening injury or death of one of them;

 

q. You, Your Traveling Companion or a Family Member traveling with

You is required to work during Your Trip. A written statement by an

unrelated company official and/or the human resources department

demonstrating revocation of previously approved time off will be

required. You, Your Traveling Companion or Family Member cannot

be a company owner or partner;

 

r. mandatory evacuation ordered by local government authorities

at Your Trip destination (or official public evacuation notices or

recommendations without a mandatory evacuation order issued) due

to adverse weather or Natural Disaster;

 

s. felonious assault of You or Your Traveling Companion while on your Trip;

 

t. You, Your Traveling Companion or Family Member traveling with You

is directly involved in the merger of Your employer or the acquisition of

Your employer by another company;

 

u. a cancellation of Your Trip within 36 hours of Your Scheduled

Departure Date and time if Your Trip destination is under a hurricane

warning issued by the NOAA National Hurricane Center, provided the

cancellation of Your Trip occurs more than 14 days following Your

Effective Date of coverage for Your Trip Cancellation Benefits;

 

v. the primary or secondary school that You, Your Family Member

traveling with You or Traveling Companion attends continues classes

beyond the predefined school year to fall within the period of the travel

dates of Your Trip due to unforeseeable events which commence while

Your coverage is in effect. Extensions due to extra-curricular or athletic

events are not covered;

 

w. a cancellation of Your Trip if Your arrival on the Trip is delayed and

causes You to lose 50% or more of Your scheduled Trip duration due

to the reasons covered under the Missed Connection Benefit."

 

What they'll pay for is:

 

"Confirmation of Benefits to reimburse You for unused non-refundable land

or water Travel Arrangements plus the Additional Transportation Cost paid:

 

a. to join Your Trip if You must depart after Your Scheduled Departure Date or

travel via alternate travel arrangements by the most direct route possible to

reach Your Trip destination; or

b. to rejoin Your Trip or transport You to Your originally scheduled return

destination, if You must interrupt Your Trip after departure, each by the

most direct route possible."

Yes, this is what I was hoping for! #1 & #2 don't state that the family member must be onboard. So I'm assuming that's what I would need. I'll do more research on this plan. Thanks!