mjmiller

When we cruised Alaska last year on a different line, our cabin was luckily on the "correct" side of the ship. If we would have been on the other side, we would have been on the inside of the turn. Thus, from our balcony, we would not have been able to see the end of the Fjord/bay/glacier during the turn.

Hi. We're looking at booking a Vancouver round trip Cunard cruise. It does scenic cruising in Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier and Misty Fjord. Can anyone tell me which direction the ship turns? This would definitely have an impact on which cabin we book. Thanks!

I don't know about the other ships, but on the Wonder - Playmakers, Johnny Rockets, El Loco Fresh and even the hot dog place don't open until 2 or 3pm on port days. The only places open on port days during actual lunch time are the buffet, sandwiches (Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe) and pizza. It's another one of those things I just don't understand on Royal. I'm sure RCCL would make money if they opened one inexpensive pay restaurant during lunch hours on port days. 🤷‍♀️

Have you cruised since the new pricing was implemented? Look at the menu I posted. This is brand new pricing. We can't even get a dessert to share if we each get an entree.

That's what I had read and planned, UNTIL the significant rise in prices. As it is now, the only thing you can get on UDP with 12 wings is fries. Meh. Yuck. Every other item puts you over $20. So hubby and I can't go for lunch on UDP, share one app, a sandwich and wings, and one dessert. If we get ANY entree, wings or sandwich, we can't get a dessert on UDP with the new pricing. That makes zero sense to me. It would be significantly less costly (to them) than us going to a much more expensive restaurant for lunch, enjoying a snack at Playmakers and then going to an expensive dinner too. And that's WITH a significant other. Folks who cruise solo, or whose partner doesn't want to go to Playmakers, are even worse off.

Everything I've seen indicates that currently, a person with UDP gets $20 to spend per day per a la carte restaurant (plus as many fixed price restaurants as want/able). In the past, people could get "rung out" and then continue to use another $20 at Playmakers - that's been stopped. I also see that Playmakers prices have gone up. If I get a sandwich or wings at Playmakers, I won't have enough money left to cover any dessert, or even some apps. What's up with that? I can go to Chops or 150 and be stuffed with fancy expensive food with UDP, but can't get the smallest plate of wings and campfire brownies at Playmakers with that same plan? Any thoughts? Work arounds? Suggestions? We're doing UDP first time ever, on Wonder in Dec. I'm super excited to try all the pay restaurants, but some things, like this, just don't make sense!

Absolutely not long-winded. I thought you did a great job of providing detail without going overboard. (😉). I think you've already found a balance with the amount of info you've provided. I easily followed along, found helpful tidbits, and didn't scan thru paragraphs to find the next topic. It's been many years since I've reviewed a cruise; I appreciate people who put in that time and effort. Thanks again.

Great review and comments. I really like that you posted photos later - some of the longggggggg photo dumps make it hard to find the actual review mixed in the middle. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I'm so looking forward to the Wonder!

Found this picture online - Magic cove. They look like normal height people. There's no way to just fall over that rail, unless you're really tall. We've sailed in coves numerous times, and it would be impossible for my 5'10" hubby to lean over and fall.

I would expect to pay for hibachi, even if you don't eat that food. In my mind - you're paying for the entertainment.

And... Of course. The price has changed back to what I previously paid. And yep, I kept getting the error msg on the website... And I wasted time calling them to have them just say - the advertised price is an error. We aren't usually RC cruisers. I gotta say, their glitches, constant price changes, etc are really off-putting. On other lines, the price is the price. They don't artificially raise prices, in order to have "sales." SMH RC is the Kohl's of cruiselines. 😂

I didn't clarify. I'm on the website cruise planner. I keep getting the error message. I just called Royal and they told me the price on the website is an error. Again.

This is the second time I've seen a lower price on UDP this week, vs what we paid. Every time I click on the PKG link, I get the stupid "oh, ship, something went wrong" page. Is there a way to buy a meal pkg on the app (prior to boarding)? Can I can RC and ask them for the advertised price? Thx

Absolutely. And I appreciate your comments - not being snide, as so many CCers are. Hubby likes buffets, and Windjammer is definitely a step up from Carnival's buffet. However, I make numerous from-scratch soups, I have a big salad at home every other day, and don't eat much bread/wrap. That's why I'm not enthused about the Cafes. But I'm sure I'll find many great items to enjoy! Heck - I'm not cooking or cleaning - it's all good. I'll nibble lunch at Windjammers and save my appetite for the UDP dinners - it's an absolute splurge for us! I just don't understand "lunch" options not being open at lunchtime. Yes, many people are onshore, but I'm sure there are a lot of people on the ship at lunchtime as well. It seems odd to me. I'm sure RCCL has their reasons - probably staffing and/or $$. THANKS!

Absolutely hysterical. The BIG SALE price is the exact same price for us that it has been for at least one month! 😂🤣 Ooooohhh ... Big sale...... 🙄

Oh, yeah, of course. We have UDP, so I didn't think about those being extra. 😂 And we have cruised Royal a couple times (and other lines many times) - I don't like buffets, and well... The Cafes have sandwiches, salads, soup. Blah. I get that in my own home. That was one of my biggest gripes about Allure - lack of lunch variety.

Hi! Thanks so much for this great info! I'm looking forward to our Wonder cruise in Dec, seems like forever... One question - I've seen on Compasses from WotS, the only places to get lunch at a "normal" lunch time (noon-1pm) on PORT days are the buffet, Park Cafe, Cafe Promenade or pizza. Johnny Rockets, Playmakers, Loco Fresh and even the Dog House don't open until 2 or even 3 pm. Is this true? We usually cruise Carnival, where all the casual restaurants open at noon, so it seems odd for the free alternative places to open up so late - I can't have lunch at 2 or 2:30 and be hungry for dinner at 5:30-6pm. And no, we won't change dinner time to late - we enjoy all the evening entertainment. And we just don't like eating late! 😂 Thanks again! Love the food porn and good info.

thank you, soremekun, for your non-snide answer. 🙂

We haven't cruised enough with RC to know the ins/outs. On the website, under Plan My Cruise, our OBC shows up from the Premier package mishap. Yes- I had booked two. The question is - do we HAVE to spend it PRE-cruise? Or will it hold over so we can use it onboard? Thanks!

Thanks so much! Your detail is fantastic. I'm looking forward to reading more - as you stated, it's difficult to find reviews of Star Trek cruises.

These are direct from RC's website. You get 3 meals at pay restaurants. Most of the verbiage on their website was incorrectly copied from the UDP section. I don't know if this has changed recently. And I don't know if there are ways to push limits. Per the above - You get a meal at 3 pay restaurants of your choice. The $20 a la carte option doesn't make financial sense - that would be used if you wanted to eat at Johnny Rockets Express or other places that are a la carte. But that would take the place of one of your 3 meals. Use those for the expensive places!

This is a craft project from a Carnival cruise. Works great for the Medallion. And it's really easy. You need beads, fiber/string that fits thru your beads, and a clasp that opens for you to put the Medallion onto. Attach the string to the clasp so that you have 2 equal amounts of string hanging off it. Add a few beads to the combined two strings, then start working on one string at a time. Leave a space on string 1, make a little knot, add some beads, repeat. You only need a knot at the bottom of where you want each set of beads. When one side is long enough for your desired length, do the other string. Then tie the strings together. No fancy equipment needed.

Crooners - the bacarat and Bailey raspberry martinis are the bomb.

Has anyone been in the Premium Oceanview cabins in the nose of the Enchanted? Most pictures show no furniture between the bed and the window. However, a couple pics show chairs in front of that huge window, which makes sense. Another photo showed a desk (dresser?) in that space. It just seems like a waste to have a wall of glass but no way to admire the view except while sitting in bed sideways. Thanks!

Hi! I can't quite tell from the picture - which terminal is the Regal at in Piraeus? We're joining you shortly!