SilkySal

10 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Our favorite as well.  Our servers learn pretty quickly to bring more to our table since they are almost immediately gone from the first couple of baskets that are set at the table.  Personally my favorite was the onion roll.  R.I.P. onion roll, I miss you

 

ETA I never got the hype of the savory bites.  Looked and tasted like something that got found in the back of the oven after too long.

My DH had always ordered the savory bites and I couldn't understand why either. I have sensitive teeth and was always worried that they might break my teeth! Way too crunchy for me!

2 minutes ago, MandyMooToo said:

There is plenty of space to watch on the promenade itself.  The pub was a perfect place for us on Wonder as I offered a nice view and we were part of the celebration too.  I have not been on Adventure so I am not certain about the layout but I think you can take a look early in the day and then maybe enlist some staff to help you find a good place to observe with your scooter.

Thanks! We were just on Adventure, so the Promenade action usually takes place right in front of the pub and/or straight across from it at Sorrento's. We usually sit at the pub on the Promenade but won't pay to reserve a table, so we're just not sure how the Adventure will handle the NYE celebration. Guess we'll just have to wait and see, unless someone was on Adventure or one of its sister ships to explain how they did it for NYE.

I'll have my scooter but there probably won't be room for me to find a spot to watch the celebration. Wanted to experience our first NYE cruise this year on Adventure of the Seas, but now think I should not have booked this one. Oh well, hopefully, they will show it live on the ship's TV channel and we can watch from our cabin with another couple (if I'm not already sleeping)! LOL! We refuse to pay that price to reserve a table. Party on! Cheers!

We were recently on the Adventure and will be on her again to do a B2B for NYE & January. I need to use a scooter for prolonged walking/standing. I did avoid crowds, such as the casino & WJ. DH can't enter the casino anyway due to lung issues with smoke and we both preferred to eat all of our meals in the MDR, specialty restaurant, or other options besides the WJ. The worst elevator times are the 1st and last day of the cruise, as passengers tend to crowd into the elevators with loads of luggage; however, my DH runs point for me and, when it's our turn to get into an empty or less full elevator, he makes sure that I get in (I always wait my turn).

As @Tree_skier posted:

One way to avoid having to pass through the Casino to get to the theatre is to take the elevator to deck 5 then cross over through the promenade and then take the forward elevator down to the 3rd floor.

Visit the MDR on the day you board to let them know that your spouse is in a wheelchair and you would like to have easy access to your table; I am sure they will accommodate you.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise on the Adventure!

They also have spacious ocean view balcony cabins:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/serenade-of-the-seas/deck-plans/2216/07

Does the OP even have 4 in the cabin, wanted to add them later, or just wanted more lounge space?

According to the Independence floor plan, it says that cabin can hold 4.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/independence-of-the-seas/deck-plans/2268/08

4 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

That was going to be my question too…

See #26 and #27.

1 minute ago, DennysDad said:

Never crossed my mind. YES. Multiple times every day. Email to Bailey's office. Etc etc.

Thanks for doing that and thanks for letting all of us know about it! Sadly to say, that's all you can do I guess. Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise!

3 minutes ago, DennysDad said:

Everything has been mentioned to everyone and the entire ship is a running joke.

 

New Facebook post says a 2 year old and a 5 year old in their PJs were discovered in the elevator and are now with security. This wonderful parenting is the norm on the ship from hell. On land, half these folks would be answering to social services by now. 23 Disney cruises since 2006 and NEVER saw adults behave like this. Or a cruise line that says and does NOTHING. Enforce the rules. 

Question again, did you complain (please)?

Yep, just that @island lady, double eeewwww! We rarely get into either the pool or the hot tub but, when we do, it's usually in the morning on a port day when not crowded and most are off of the ship, immediately followed by a hot shower and a change of clothes. Oh, and remembering not to touch my face! Party on!

Question again @DennysDad, did you bring all of that to anyone's attention? Problems cannot be fixed, unless management is alerted. Thanks if you did just that!

We have already booked Icon for next year, so hoping most problems will be addressed accordingly. We still intend to enjoy our cruise but maybe without the pool; we rarely use it anyway. Booked Utopia and Celebrity XCEL as well! Oasis class continues to be our favorite so far. Cruising while we can! Cheers friends!

4 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I've heard of the Tutti, but have never seen it, even many years ago.  How is it different from the large array of salad ingredients available in WJ and Park Cafe every day?

It was available in the MDR on sea days. No buffet. You requested what you wanted in your salad and they put it together for you. No swim wear allowed. We preferred it to the crowds in the WJ and miss it as well.

Tom and I just booked another Celebrity cruise today! We tried Celebrity Solstice last February and loved it! Got home and booked a week (kinda pricey) on the brand new but not out yet, Celebrity XCEL. A few days later, Tom asked me to make it a B2B, so I just now booked the week before the original one! We'll be experiencing the XCEL in April, 2026 and can hardly wait for it! It's not the Retreat but, hey, it's for 2 weeks vs one!! Whoop! Whoop!

Ken, OMG, what  beautiful suite!! Cheers!!

I hate to say but actually, you waited too long to make your dining reservations, as earlier times for MTD go quickly. You've already emailed the dining venue but could try that again, if you feel it would help (don't think it will). I don't think the reps will be much help over the phone either.

In my opinion, when you first get on board (hopefully, you've got an early boarding time slot), go straight to the MTD room and try to get it sorted out. Make sure you have all of the room numbers for your table. Please remember to smile, remain calm and be nice (not demanding as some are). I believe they will do their best to accommodate you. Don't let it ruin your cruise. Good luck and happy cruising! Cheers to you and your cruise friends!

I made some of my MTD reservations several months ago and they still aren't showing up on the app. I wouldn't worry about it. Yes, always confirm any restaurant reservations as soon as you board the ship (at least we do). I do believe that the MDR can make your specialty dining reservations but, if not, just stop at one of them to do that, as well. Happy cruising! Cheers!

Oh, and be sure each of you does the safety briefing right away on the app, and visit your muster station to get checked off, so you can relax and enjoy your cruise! If you're a couple, only one of you needs to go to the muster station to have them check both of you off as completed.

Wow! So glad you avoided the stings! Good thinking @ATG!

5 minutes ago, ATG said:

I came home from work one Friday to find our house filled with bees.  We ended up at a hotel that night calling to find a beekeeper.  He came out on Saturday and got them out by smoking the house.  For weeks I found dead bees, including some in the ceiling lights.  We had to have some drywall replaced where they had been building a hive.  Not an experience I want to repeat.

OMG, how terrible! However, it's a shame that the beekeeper couldn't relocate them. When we bought our Florida home a few years ago, my husband was remodeling our kitchen and, when he took out the exhaust fan above the in-cabinet stovetop, a beehive fell out onto the stovetop! Luckily, for us, there were only a few dried up/dead bees. Whew!

45 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We had 2 dozen crickets on our last balcony on Brilliance. We put up with it until one showed up in our bed.  It apparently snuck in when we were going in and out.  We got our steward involved after that. They did not relocate them and they met their end.  

Great fish treats!

Forget which ship we were on but DH and I saw a small hawk fly onto the pool deck from one side, attempting to do a "fly-by" by exiting the other side. Unfortunately, the poor hawk hit a closed window on the other side and was knocked unconscious. I picked up a cloth napkin and placed it over the hawk, picking it up to see if it was alive or dead. He was unconscious but breathing. A young woman came over to me, explaining that she was a wild animal rehabber and asked to check it out for physical damage. I handed her the little hawk and she proceeded to check out it's wings for any damage. No damage found. She then promised to take it up to the higher open deck and sit with the hawk until (hopefully) it regained consciousness. Lo and behold, the little hawk woke up and flew off of the ship. The little hawk circled the ship (as if to say thank you) and flew away. It was a really wonderful thing to see! I would do the exact same thing again in a heart beat!

Another time, while on a cruise, a queen bee decided to leave the island and brought her worker bees with her to the pool deck, where she decided to nest under one of the deck umbrellas. It was amazing to see how quickly so many bees nested under that umbrella! We notified ship staff, who quickly roped off the area, donned those white (Covid) suits, and brought Henry (the ship vacuum) with them. They proceeded to "suck up" all (or most) of the bees. We asked them what would happen to the bees and we were told that they would be taken back to the island and released. I hope that happened. Luckily, no one got stung!

Happy cruising! Cheers!

1 hour ago, BecciBoo said:

And today priced a Central Park cabin, (no Surfside left) for our Sept Icon and that room is $4400 per person! twice what we paid way back in Oct. 2022  Yikes!  Thought to maybe upgrade from our interior...nada!

Wow! We booked an infinite CP balcony on Icon for November, 2025 and we paid around that amount total for both of us! So glad we booked Icon early!

Ditto to what @Biker19 said. As far as possible boarding times, I found this thread talking about cruises from Galveston:

You can also go to the roll calls for Harmony of the Seas; find a cruise that's current or recently completed and ask that question.

Welcome to CC and happy cruising! Cheers!

We always use our VISA redemption money for on-board OBC. If we don't spend any of it, RC puts a credit back on our VISA. No hassling with long phone calls. Perfect for us!

18 hours ago, kearney said:

I kinda hate to hear this. the last time we were on this ship was 2002... back when DH was fully mobile.... he now needs a scooter, walker or cane depending. I we have only been sailing on newer ships...for this reason... but sailing to Southern Caribbean from a port that is a one day drive was too tempting... plus.. and this is key... we were able to get a handicap cabin. On newer ships we have been able to manage a regular cabin... but I thought that given the age of the ship and likely tighter quarters..the only way to do this is an accessible cabin. I assume that restaurants and other areas will be tight... I have fingers and toes crossed that he will be able to access the elevator... I can do stairs...but he.. impossible. So we shall see. I am curious about experience in public areas of others who have mobility issues. 

I can now walk with (sometimes without) a cane but cannot walk/stand for a long time, so I've been taking my scooter on board. We cruised on Adventure this last February and will be on her again for this NYE. I booked an accessible room (and have the same room again for NYE), which had plenty of room for us; however, the cabin doors are not automatic, so, if he is unable to push/hold the door open while he enters with his scooter, he may need your assistance going in/out of the room. We usually avoid the WJ due to the crowds (maybe some rude cruisers) and eat most meals in the MDR or a specialty restaurant.

We both have lung issues (never smoked) and cannot breathe freely around any kind of smoke (including vaping). When we were on Adventure last February, smoking was only allowed on one side of the pool deck but my husband would get up several times to report to the staff that someone was smoking/vaping on the no-smoking (our) side. Sometimes they would confront the abuser (if they actually saw him/her smoke) and sometimes they did nothing; that's when we would need to leave. It didn't ruin our cruise but it was quite annoying. I don't understand why some people think that rules don't apply to them. On the other hand, I wish more people would complain to the staff about these things, so more would be done. If you don't say anything, nothing will be done.

Sorry for the rant. We have 5 more cruises booked on Adventure but will start cruising on the big gals (Oasis and Icon class ships) next year. I didn't realize how nice the automatic cabin doors are until I didn't have one. Enjoy your cruise! Cheers!

Guess I'll add my 2 cents. Our favorite drink package is the Refreshment Package, which is everything to drink without the alcohol including frozen mocktails at the pool and fresh squeezed OJ and other juices in the morning and/or throughout the day! Take a bottle (per person) of champagne (or wine), add some of the fresh squeezed OJ and, wallah, a wonderful mimosa!

The ship's free wifi is fine for us to keep in touch while on the ship. If you book a full suite, they include some really nice perks with no need for pricey packages. If you'd like to chat with fellow cruisers who will be joining your cruise, go to the roll call, find your date, and join in! Find your roll call here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2463-odyssey-of-the-seas-roll-calls/

Welcome to CC and hope you all have a wonderful first cruise! Cheers!

Didn't see the ICON listed on their CC thread:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/735-friends-of-bill-w/