alexmom

That may be my issue too -- it's always been homemade from my aunts ancient Polly-o Cookbook -- 12 egg whites and 3 lbs of ricotta! It was a bit too lemony with a thicker crust but honestly we split the desserts and the tiramisu was just so creamy that the cheesecake paled in comparison. I enjoyed all the food on the trip so IMHO you really can't go wrong with any choices.

Enjoy!

I swear my mom used the same recipe ! She was from Brooklyn so when they moved to Wisconsin she used another brand. I use Frigo here in Minnesota.

I will definitely be having both those desserts !

Thanks !

My last cruise on the Epic in the MDR I said nothing I wanted for dessert wish could get the creme brulee. The waitress said nothing and like 5 min later brought me a creme brulee for no charge. I did tip her $5 for doing it.

They serve creme brûlée just one day in the MDR menus I looked at. I'm also pretty sure I saw pistachio brûlée (be still my heart!) on a lunch menu. You KNOW they have these silken delights made up and in the fridge !

You'd think with my obsession over creme brûlée that I would buy the stuff to make it myself. And you'd be right. No one in my house will touch brûlée. So I don't make it anymore. I use my brûlée torch to anneal wire and patina copper jewelry and feed my cat out of the brûlée ramekins.

Thank God for cruise ships or I would be brûlée-less for life, LOL.

Kristine

If you intend to eat in the MDR ask for the specialty desserts you would like to try, you may well be surprised. I have seen them go for them when cruising. Just like going for a drink you want; we often get cider. You may be charged the a la carte price plus 18%!!

 

Mike

I do plan on eating 2-3 times in the dining room so maybe I'll try that. I don't mind the charge, I expect to pay for it (and a tip for whoever has to fetch it !)

Do they have espresso in the dining room or do they need to go somewhere to get that too ? You would think they would have one in the kitchen.

I guess I wasn't aware they had to run and get your drinks somewhere else if you order B&B or port after dinner. I will make sure to tip them !

Kristine

OP: I don't see why you can't or shouldn't do this. A la carte is just that -- order whatever you want.

 

On the Gem last month, we just had salad and dessert one night at Moderno.

I'm a grazer but I don't like feeling too full. I often order from the appetizer section of the restaurant menu when we eat out. On Princess I often had them bring me appetizer sized servings of certain entrees because I didn't want to fill up before dessert, which I only indulge in on cruises.

I was tempted by Moderno because I'm really a carnivore. My husband says those Brazilian places will give you very small servings if you ask. I've never been to one but he has, mostly on business trips.

Have you ever eaten at Moderno and had the meats ?

Kristine

I saw somebody do it at La Cucina on the Sun--no problem. I guess I would stay away from peak dining times just out of courtesy to the staff and to diners who may be waiting for their food.

I'm glad I'm not the first one to try this but I honestly don't have a clue as to what constitutes peak hours. I thought maybe close to closing would be ok because no one is going to sit down for a full dinner at 9:30 pm. They close at 10pm. Dessert is about all you have time for in that 1/2 hour. I was thinking that I wouldn't really even need to make a reservation for a late night dessert. What do you suggest ?

Thanks so much,

Kristine

We were too full following dinner at La Cucina on the Escape so the waiter packed our ricotta cheesecake (not like mine - slightly disappointing) and tiramisu (excellent!). He packed napkins and utensils too. Excellent service

 

We had asked our room steward to empty the refrigerator (he put the beverages on the floor under the desk) so we had coffee and dessert quite a few hours after dinner

You HAD to mention how excellent the tiramisu was. I order it we we eat out and I find it on the menu. Now I'll be walking out with 2 desserts ! Or maybe eat the cheesecake as an entree and do the tiramisu for dessert, LOL.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it a lot. I do need to ask what you found lacking in the cheesecake. I've never had a commercial one, just homemade.

Kristine

I'm a 63 yr old who ditched her DH and DS to book a solo on the Getaway in February 2017. I was having a mid-life crisis and decided the only way to weather birthday 64 was on a ship somewhere !

I definitely need some alone time, but was really worried about eating EVERY meal alone. In the several solo reviews i read, no one mentioned that there was a solo co-ordinator. I just heard about sign up sheets on the wall for various events. This is all beginning to seem very promising.

Keep typing, khaide612 !! I want to hear all about it !

And please chime in, Sparkles !! Love your screen name !

warm regards,

Kristine

Since specialty dining is a la carte now, is it possible to go 1/2 hour before close and just have creme brûlée and coffee ? Even better, do you think I could just walk up to the hostess station and order the lemon ricotta cheesecake to go ?

I really want the raspberry creme brûlée at Cagny's, but don't care to eat dinner there. The menu at La Cucina leaves me cold, so there's not an icicles chance I'm going to eat there-but I love ricotta cheesecake (like my mom used to make.)

To make matters worse, I'm traveling solo. I really don't want to inconvenience my fellow cruisers by taking up an entire table just because I want dessert and coffee.

I've never cruised NCL before so I have no experience regarding how they deal with the unusual. Best guesses as to how this scenario will play out??

Thanks for your input

Kristine

Hmm, I guess most guys wouldn't care. There's a reason why dorm and gym showers in most men's bathrooms and locker rooms used to consist of one big shower room.

 

I wish that Getaway and Escape had free steam rooms and showers in a locker room attached to the gym, and that you didn't have to get a spa pass to use them. On other ships I always work out in the morning and use the shower in the gym to avoid fighting for the bathroom with my wife and kids. And a steam is good for purging the toxins from too much food and drink!

LOL, when I was young and lovely and living in Tampa, I joined a nudist colony, so I'm no prude, I just had a thing about tan lines. I simply want to shower and dress w/o an audience ! I'm always amazed at how many women in locker rooms are not one bit self conscious, but look at how many old women, young women and girls wear bikinis who shouldn't. I'd love to be "eye deaf" enough to do that, but I've not got Alzheimers yet !

I can't believe that they don't have a sauna, locker room and showers attached to the gym ! Now I have to go check the deck plans for the gym. I won't be using the ellipticals unless it rains and I can't walk on deck but I do use the weights and machines.

If I might make a suggestion so you two could enjoy the Thermal Suite, it would be to Tag Team with your wife and the kids. You would never be in there together, but maybe you would both benefit from "me" time.

Thanks for your response. I almost blew hot coffee, still laughing too.

warm regards,

Kristine

I can only comment on my studio experience from the Epic. On the Epic there was a door that led to the lounge you could only get in with your key card.

 

As for Dinner. There was a nightly scheduled Solo gathering I believe around 6. This is the time you would see the most solo travelers. It's from this gathering each night that the solo coordinator would take us to a restaurant as a group. The solo coordinator also arranged for people specialty restaurants / shows. I had been a solo twice now and can say 1 solo group was much more active and as a group they planned what to do in port and many other activities. But dinner was aways arranged. The rest of the meals never were. And never was asked if I wanted to share a table. Was always sat alone at a table for 2..

 

The lounge and have heard the same has a very good free expresso / latte maker as well as a fridge and there were always snacks left out as well as breakfast type snacks in the morning and juice.

 

As for meeting people on the cruise I always find it extremely easy no matter where you go. You just have to be friendly. I have found most people on a cruise are in vacation mode and wanting to meet others.

Thanks for all the information ! I'm glad to find out that there is a way that I don't need to eat alone every night. I haven't done anything 'all by myself' for 4 decades, which is probably why I'm having the mid-life crisis that led to the solo cabin cruise, so eating alone a few times will actually be relaxing. I just wasn't keen on an entire cruise of solo meals, especially dinners, when repeated solo meals make you look pathetic. Even vacation mode people will steer clear of pathetic !

I have good social skills, so I know I'll meet people, but with only 7 precious cruise days the likelihood of finding people who will willingly share table space with you drops dramatically. Good to know NCL has a plan in place for solo diners ! Yay, NCL !

I've booked a solo on deck 11 and wonder about the lounge, like, is there a door to get into the lounge on that deck ? Or is it on deck 10 ? The ship deck plans don't indicate ANY doorway that I can see, just a curved stairwell in the upper left corner.

I would also like to know if I need to bring a hairdryer, or if one is provided. I didn't see one in the 360 degree video. Although I did notice 2 doors, but there were connecting cabins on deck 10, maybe that's why 2.

I also wonder about restaurant seating in the complimentary venues. Do they have a special table that they park solo travelers at or do they automatically seat you at a regular 4 seat table, and leave the other 3 seats vacant ?

Every solo review I've seen on CC says the solo lounge was devoid of humans, save the occasional room steward, and that they very rarely saw one of their solo cabinmates as they came and went, night and day. Is it difficult to meet people on NCL ships ? I've only cruised Princess and it was easy to find friendly people. Of course, that may be because I'm a happy, friendly person and not because Princess passengers are actually friendlier. I've heard that on some cruise lines the cruisers have a tendency to be "reserved". No one would ever call me reserved, although I do respect boundaries. What is the general temperament at NCL ? (It's a February caribbean cruise, so that would probably make most of the passengers North American)

I also saw what looked like a beverage station in the Studio Lounge photo, and even some pastries in a case. Any information on that would be very welcome !

Thanks,

kristine

When I sailed on Epic in the spa mini-suite they gave us the scrubs for the body when we boarded... they came in small jars and also a small loofah......They also had the large jars of scrubs at the entrance to the locker rooms.....but no containers ..I am not sure if they only provide the scrubs because we booked the spa cabin....I am also cruising the getaway and purchased the spa pass already because of how much I loved it on Epic....Saving the extra 20 bucks was to me a great deal along with not feeling the need to head straight to the spa to purchase when I board.

I used the scrubs in the sauna on Epic and noticed that it made a real difference in my skin...it was so soft...I am hoping they will offer these scrubs on getaway....one was a sugar scrub...nice and sweet smelling and the other was a salt scrub with a citrus smell....I asked the spa attendants for the scrubs and they got them for me ....maybe asking them when you get to the spa area for the scrub will do the trick....

I'm not on the Getaway until 2/17, so if you're on before me, let me know if Getaway does the scrubs like Epic. The citrus scrub is so wonderful on your feet ! I hope they have it on Getaway.

I was just on Princess for my last 2 cruises and the Spa showers were wildly different on the Caribbean and Royal Princess ships.

The doors to the showers on CB were "lightly frosted" - I'm just going to call them CLEAR - so everyone could see you, in all your glory (or not !) There was total privacy in the showers on the Royal. ( And their Thermal Suite is AMAZING and DOES come with salt scrubs, mixed just for you by an attendant)

I'm wondering about the level of privacy on the Getaway. Nobody should have to see me naked, not at 64 and after 2 c-sections. I know I could just go back to my cabin and shower (like I did on CB) but I'm traveling solo and I hear those solo showers are too small to even shave your legs in !

If you've used the ladies locker room in Getaway's TS, any info you have would be welcome.

This may not be up to date, but two months ago some of the prices were:

 

• espresso/americano $1.75 single / $2.50 double
  
• cappuccino/latte $2.50 regular / $3.50 large
  
• mocha $3.00 regular / $4.00 large
  
• iced coffee drinks $3-$4
  
• flavor shot $.50
  

+ 18%, naturally.

Well it looks like $6 a day for my Americanos with flavor shots, and with an occasional cappuccino, I might be able to get by on $10/day. Since the unlimited beverage package takes care of everything else, I think I'm ready to try out one of the single rooms on the Getaway !

I find that the prices at the coffee bar are pretty reasonable as it is. I would be tempted by a coffee card, but I would end up spending more on coffee than I currently do (which is exactly what the cruise lines are trying to get us to do with these cards/packages).

 

I think that NCL is holding back on things like bottled water and specialty coffee in order to leave "room for growth" in the UBP. You know that they are itching to raise the price on this package (it's one of the few things that hasn't gone up in price this year), and including an additional category of drinks when they do so will make the pill a little easier to swallow.

Could you define "pretty reasonable" ? I'm especially concerned because I like my small Americanos with 2 shots and my large ones with 3. Do they price by the number of shots ? I always made really good use of my coffee card on Princess-especially the Royal where I could even get espresso at the bakery in the buffet !

Thanks ahead of time for the help,

kristine

I have L 105 booked for March 2016 Caribbean sailing for three of us::DH, DD and myself. I have read here that the sofa is not a pull out. Does this mean that the third person will have a drop down bed from the ceiling? Thank you for your response!

We were in L 105 on the RP and the sofa made into a bed. My son (all 6'4" of him) was very, very comfortable and it did not interfere with access to the balcony, which was HUGE and accessible every single day of the cruise.

There was only 1 day where it was too windy to read my book comfortably, but even then, I braided my hair back and sat out there anyway. This was in March/April in the Caribbean. No seasickness either. Ship movement was negligible.

Enjoy your cruise, L 105 is a glorious cabin selection.

Kristine

Bring as much as you like. It is better to carry it on rather than put it through checked luggage. Containers should be sealed. No limit on bottle size, except large bottles are difficult to carry. If you wish to put a luggage tag on a case and check it, I would recommend that the containers be cans. There will be a delay on delivery.

 

The unlimited soda sticker is $5.18/day. Your husband can get unlimited soda water at any bar, but would have to pay for cans in the cabin. So perhaps you can bring on some cans for the cabin and also purchase the soda sticker.

Soda water is very nasty stuff that tastes like alka seltzer and only has two uses that I'm aware of - as a mix with strong flavored alcohol and treating wine stains in fabric. Sparkling water is drinking water with carbonation and maybe some fruit flavor. It's yummy.

My last Princess cruise had a game every night. It was $1-2 no limit. The minimum buy in was $75, and the max $400. I believe the rake was 10% with a cap of $20. It was a high rake, but we were a captive audience. The games were lively with some of the players being the worst I have seen.

 

I only played in the tourney if there was not an absurd amout of re-buys. Any questions, ask away.

Bella

It sounds like this might be the best entertainment on board. Maybe if I watch I can bring ometauru some good luck !

Kristine

Planning on taking the 10 day Eastern C. Voyager on Royal this coming October as a 30th anniversary trip. Was hoping to get some advice on these cabins.

 

First of all the cabin layouts:

 

• L107/M107 appear to be similar sizes (is that true?) and from what I read they are L-shaped and larger than standard mini's like B414.
  
• Which would you prefer and why?
  
• Are bathrooms any different in size or layout?
  

 

Balcony:

 

• All have larger than standard balconies. I know the L107 is smaller than the M107 and wind can be an issue for use at sea but with 6 port days I would think the views on those days would make up for it. Any thoughts?
  
• B414 is under the seaview bar but it appears to be far enough down not to worry about peeping tom's and probably no issues with wind. Thoughts?
  

 

Location:

 

• I know the issues with the lack of stairs in the mid-section so is there an advantage to being all the way forward? We have typically been mid-ship or slightly forward but never all the way. Just curious if that is an inconvenience or if there is more ship movement, etc.? We have never gotten the slightest bit seasick so hopefully it wouldn't be an issue either way.
  

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback and suggestions.

We were in L105, which would be the mini next to L107. L107 is bigger than 105, I don't care what the Princess deck plan says. I don't know about Marina deck but the outer edge of the Marina balconies were visible from our balcony - which was ginourmous !! L107 balcony is even larger. We had 15 people from our role call on it and there was room for more !

Wind was an issue once during our 7 day eastern Caribbean trip. Your odds on a 10 day are very good. When I said wind was an issue, it meant that reading a book (not a kindle or nook) was annoying and I had to put my long hair in an elastic.

The obstructed balcony was curved metal and most days seemed to push any wind up over the balcony. L107 also has a side element to the balcony configuration. I don't know how that will be affected by wind.

These forward balconies are dream balconies for going in and out of ports. I cannot stress that enough. I often went out on the balcony on sea days - both day and night - it was so quiet and the moon was waxing full ! The view is amazing !

The location was ideal ! Lido is definitely the best deck, although I sometimes took the stairs to Marina to catch the elevator. My favorite part was it being so close to Lotus Spa because I had an Enclave pass - another thing I will always purchase anytime I'm on the Royal or the Regal !

My son has to take dramamine before flying and he got seasick on our first cruise even though it was a lower middle deck cabin. I was expecting some issues because of the cabin location but there were none. He didn't get seasick at all, the whole cruise. The Royal was very, very stable and we felt no movement during the entire voyage.

I hope I've helped. I am definitely biased towards those forward cabins ! I envy you no matter which cabin you chose. The Royal was absolutely beautiful-the atrium reminded me of a piece of warm yellow diamond jewelry, glittery but so classy. Warm woods throughout the ship make it one of the most inviting interiors i've ever seen. Have a wonderful anniversary !!

warm regards,

Kristine

There has been great action on every Caribbean cruise I have taken.

 

How many tournaments depends on the casino manager. On sea days there should be scheduled tournaments in the Patter.

I think ometauru (from our roll call) will be partnering with the casino manager to do some poker tournaments. We are on a western Caribbean out of Houston in December. With a strong El Nino in play across the region, we might have an extra sea day !

Thanks again,

Kristine

The Caribbean Princess casino does have an electronic Texas Hold'em poker table, but on our last cruise, I never saw anyone using it. On other Princess ships the casino has held poker tourney's and in the evening especially, the poker table was usually busy. Might want to check with the Casino Mgr. on embarkation day. Good luck and have fun on your cruise.

Thank you for the excellent information. I don't even play poker, but I like to be helpful to members of my roll call who do.

I was bragging about how CC members are the best, thanks for backing me up on that !!

Kristine

Does anybody know how much the rake is? I'll be cruising on the Caribbean Princess on December 13th and was curious about the poker conditions as well :)

Anybody know details on the tournaments there too? Does poker get rated (like towards getting casino rate on future cruises). What are the blinds? Min/max buyins? How's action normally?

Have never sailed Princess before and super curious about how poker is on their ships. We sailed NCL before and poker on there wasn't anything special.

Cool Beans ! You found the thread ! I have no idea what 90% of the jargon is that you just said but I hope someone else can. CC members are the absolute best at helping people get information !

I also remember that someone else on our role call had an "interest" in poker. You sound more serious than interested so maybe that won't be a good fit.

I hope this thread helps you as that was my intention, plus it sounds so exciting. I may have watched too many movies though !

See you in December,

Kristine

I use honey with my tea so I know what you mean.

Honey in the HC is hit or miss. On some ships it is out. Sometimes near the tea/coffee station, but more commonly in the buffet line somewhere. If you don't see it, you can ask for it.

We don't eat in the MDR very often, so I've never requested it there, but it is probably available for the asking.

 

It is also usually available at the IC.

 

You can order it from room service. I will order some whenever we get anything and save what I don't use.

 

AND I bring a container scaled to the length of the cruise (hate to toss it at the end).

 

All of the above should work. Choose your favorite.

Wow ! Thanks for all the tips on honey ! I never thought of using room service, which given that a horrific sunburn kept me captive 3 days in our mini on the Royal, was really stupid. Even dumber than getting that sunburned !

I will definitely order a pot of tea and honey that first morning and speak to the HC crew about honey when I first hit the horizon court because I like it on my grapefruit too. I have a coffee card for IC too but that's strictly for Americanos !

Thanks again,

Kristine

Does the casino onboard have poker tournaments or an area for poker players to play ?

Thank you in advance for your help.

The Horizon Court has a selection of Twining, Bigelow, and Lipton teas available. It is a nice selection, including peppermint, chamomile, English breakfast, earl grey, Darjeeling, and orange spice. There are probably more, but those are the ones I tend to drink and they are all there.

I love tea, especially the Bigelow Constant Comment, but I take it with honey. Is there honey available at the Horizon Court ? We will be on the Caribbean Princess in December. I would be thrilled to find out they have Constant Comment AND honey !!