Momma1980

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Lee was one of my top 5 in 25+ cruises. 
He was always around working hard to make the cruise better for everyone. He was funny but not obnoxious. He seemed to genuinely like people and like his job. I witnessed him dealing with two VERY awkward situations with complete grace. I would love to sail with him again. 

Nice to see another EPIC review from you!

I’m truly glad that your dog is ok. I was imagining the worst case scenario for him. 

12 hours ago, broberts said:

 

Perhaps you could provide details for future reference.

Are you asking what could have been done to prepare the pup?  If so, I could think of multitudes of things. Too many to list. 
 

The owner of the dog would know best how to prepare him for a trip away from home for multiple nights in strange circumstances.  

22 hours ago, Pyxie said:

 

Obviously they never intended for the dog to have to wait 28 hours between pottying. They knew the ship provided a potty area for the dogs and weren't aware that their dog would refuse to use it. They now know for next time and can be better prepared. They certainly weren't being negligent or purposefully cruel in any way.

While I agree they were not being intentionally cruel, I still think it was cruel to neglect preparing this animal to be on a cruise ship for multiple nights away from land. Much could have been done. 

I feel it was cruel to take the dog on a cruise with no access to land without preparing it to potty on something familiar that they could have brought along. 28 HOURS without relieving itself?!?!

Following!  I’m also 25+ cruises on Carnival and have my first cruise on another line booked for next month. Royal Caribbean. Looking forward to your comparisons! Hope you have a great cruise with your mom!

Thanks for the review!

I hear that Vista has a dry dock scheduled  for January 2024. I hope this fixes the propulsion problem. We are sailing on her next year for the first time. 

6 minutes ago, Chief93 said:

Vista is my least favorite ship.  That being said, it's the DW's favorite, and I'm sailing on her (the Vista, not the DW) for the 3rd time in September.

 

I don't like the enclosed atrium.  To me it doesn't feel like a cruise ship.  But the DW loves both of these things.  We both don't care for the theater seating, so we arrive early and try to sit upstairs.   It has my favorite, the Alchemy Bar.  

 

And to be clear, I've always had a good time.  To me, 80% of why I cruise is sitting on my balcony in my underwear watching the ocean go by.  In the morning with coffee, in the evening with wine, and at night with whatever.  In the world of TMI, I like to drink plenty of water before bed time to insure I have to get up in the wee hours (no pun intended), sit out on the balcony and watch the inky black ocean go by.  

 

 

 

 

Hello!  We will be sailing on Vista for the first time as well.  

From the reviews I have read, most people dislike the two things you have mentioned (closed-off atrium and horrible main theatre seating).  You found the best theatre seats to be upstairs? Any particular area upstairs? How early did you get to the theatre to get your preferred seats?

Thanks for the advice. 

1 minute ago, Ashland said:

No...not necessary. We sailed on Serenade last September for Alaska and Panama Canal in October....Enjoy.

Thank you so much! 😊

10 hours ago, 3yorkies said:

Reserve shows online on the app or computer if it is an Oasis class ship

I’m new to Royal. Sailing on the Serenade of the Seas. I realize it is an older ship. Do we need to reserve shows on Serenade?

That’s terrible! My Sister booked an adjoining cabin for an upcoming cruise on the Vista.  I hope they don’t have a screaming child next to them!   For what it’s worth, I previously sailed in an adjoining cabin on Mardi Gras ( only availability left) and didn’t hear anything from next door. Maybe soundproofing is better on the newer ships. 

No Priority tender for clamshell rentals. 

I’ve been late due to traffic driving to port and was able to board as soon as I got to port. 

I have played three times. Haven’t won anything!

Great review so far! We love the Mardi Gras:)

Following! Thanks for posting:)

We had a cabin on Mardi Gras with an adjoining room. I was concerned about noise but never heard anything from the cabin next door. 

9 hours ago, angelsfort said:

here's another one from back in 2007!!   my daughter was only 4 years old at the time...

 

we had disembarked and as we were driving away from the port (and watching the ship fading in the rearveiw mirror) I suddenly got this sinking feeling in my tummy.

 

I asked my cabin-mate if she had by any chance picked up my daughters little bear from her bed and put it in one of our bags... her answer? NO!

 

OH CRAP!!! (please note that "crap" is NOT the word / language I was using) I didn't even think to pick it up out of her bed this morning to put it in our luggage.

 

Here's a little background info on "Baby Bear" it's a Ty Beanie Bear, he's Tan with a plaid ribbon around his neck... and she got him from her daddy when she was just a year old. When she was 18 months old, we lost her daddy in a tragic accident. This bear is VERY special to us... its one of only a few items that we've got to remember him by (that he gave to her personally, that is) she sleeps with Baby Bear (and one other stuffed animal, also from her daddy) every night.

 

Okay, after I realized that we had left Baby Bear in our cabin, I did a quick U-turn (probably illegally) and headed back to the ship... I told my friend that we weren't going to tell my daughter what had happened until we knew what the outcome was going to be...

 

I parked in the bus parking and left them in the car as I ran back to the terminal... I got stopped before I could go inside and I had to explain to the lady that my daughter had left her bear in the cabin (I said "my daughter" but I think it was just as much my fault!!) and we were quite upset about it. The lady got on the radio to the lost and found department... she told them that we were looking for a lost BROWN teddy bear that was left on the FLOOR of our cabin... OMG!!! I kept telling the lady "he's tan, not brown and he wasn't on the floor... he was in her bed... he'd be mixed in with the covers!" but that woman wouldn't call the lost and found person back...

 

so then she tells me that I can't wait there, that I have to walk across the road and wait on the other side... and she'll signal me when she finds something out. Okay, so I walk over there shaking my head, just knowing that they aren't going to find our precious little Baby Bear because she gave the wrong information.

 

15 minutes go by... I'm pacing... fretting...

 

FINALLY!! The lady waves me back over... I walk up to her and she says "They found the bear, they are bringing it down now" YIPPEE!! yAHOOO!!!! And what do I do?? I start crying like a baby! geez!!!! I'm sure the people around me were thinking I was some kind of mental person because I was crying about a silly bear...

 

They made me go back across the road to wait again... and after another 5 minutes she calls me over again and hands me our little Baby Bear.

 

I go back to the car and get in and then hand Baby Bear to my daughter... it takes a minute, but then her eyes get great big, and she takes a sudden intake of breath... and says "Momma, did we leave Baby Bear on the ship?" I told her we did and she just hugs him and hugs him.

 

"Momma, he was probably scared when he saw us leaving our room without him... he was probably saying to us "wait, wait, what about me?" but we didn't hear him and then when we didn't come back he probably got very sad thinking we were gone forever" (she's 4 by the way)

 

she got me tearing up again...

 

The rest of the cruise was AWESOME!

This made me tear up!

6 hours ago, edspec said:

Great review, looking forward to the rest. Thank-you.

What did you think of the Pride? I’m also a fan of quiet places and would like to book the Pride for the itineraries.

The Spirit class ships have the most unique and very private little spaces. Go all the way forward on deck 3. There is an interior promenade. Never anyone there. There are little tables and windows to look out!  I have always been one of the only people in this area anytime I go. Check it out! 

Thanks for posting! 
I am enjoying this review. 

Wide variety of seating options. Just make sure you arrive 35-40 minutes in advance of the show to get the seats that will best suit your daughter. Scope out the options early in the cruise so you will know where the best spot is. 

I feel your pain! I rely on my curling iron. Having been on Mardi Gras with a curling iron that didn’t work, I will now bring two options.  Hate to pack the extra but it’s better than having nothing.  Funny thing- the exact curling iron that DIDN’T work for me worked for another poster (on a different thread about this topic). Good luck!!!

Thanks for the reply.  All we can do is hope for the best! 😂