cantgetin

I found YouTube to be a good source of info, and as more people have cruised VV, this site is becoming a good source. As to why VV doesn't release more info...who knows? Much as we liked our cruise, there are many things we can't figure out about this line. Most of it revolves around use of technology or failures of such use. They could easily supply a lot more info about onboard activities.

Our next cruise is not ending in San Juan, but that's exactly what I've booked for disembarkation day. There were plenty of early flights, but very few flights after noon and those were costly. We booked a mid morning flight the next day and a hotel near the airport. Yes, I'd rather get home, but it isn't worth the stress and worry of an early flight!

That works best if you are seated with people who speak English. 2 of us were seated with a group of 4....one guy spoke English and was translating for the waiter. We did a lot of smiling and head nodding. It wasn't bad, just kind of weird. Second time in gunbae was better for meeting people as we could understand each other!

You nailed it--a trek thru many of the sources of alcohol on the ship with a bit of something at each stop. It is a nice way to meet some fellow sailors at the beginning of the cruise.

Glad you got it worked out!

Pro tip--you can access the app from the terminal. The log on is VVMiami and it usually comes up automatically. This will allow you to book activities, etc. if you have any wait time before boarding.

The porters are always a lovely idea, but on our cruise, we had to clear Immigration before going to the luggage area. We started out all in one line and at some point (after a long wait), it split off into US citizens vs. non US. Our non-US guest said that there was only one agent processing the non US line...This seemed accurate as there were only two stations open for US citizens. After we passed this step, we entered the luggage hall and out. THere was no problem after we passed the checkpoint. I know this seems odd and was different than other ports we've used (where there is one check point and you are finished!) It may have been because at the first station, they were doing fingerprints of non-US. They did ask if we had anything to declare and then gave us a colored paper which we just handed to the final agent after the luggage pick up. Again--no problem after that first check point. Getting luggage and out the door there was no line. The cost of the porter is a tip based on the amount of luggage.

That was sort of covered in the initial post--said he/she can't stand for long periods of time. Later said wants to be able to see out of the balcony, but must sit to enjoy it. One more hint--the wheelchair access to the balcony can be wicked if you aren't careful. There is a flap that lowers automatically to connect the cabin to the balcony ramp. To extend the flap, the door must be FULLY opened. If it is an inch short of full, the flap sticks up, presenting a tripping hazard. The door is heavy (as are most ship balcony doors), and I once stopped short of fully opening it when my travel partner was sleeping......yeah, lesson learned. If you are able, you can step over the flap, but you must remember to do so!

Here's a link to a video about the entertainment....there are many. THe really good one is Dual Reality. They are great gymnasts, could use a good acting/stage combat coach though. Still, well worth the evening. Scarlet Night--no reservation needed. The main events are fun. The "Legend of Scarlet Night" or whatever they called it, lasts approximately 3 minutes. Don't make an effort for this one unless you happen to be in the area. Sail Away, PJ party--no reservations needed...worth doing. Ship Show (a dinner show)...food was awful, show was just OK. Wouldn't do it again. I don't know if this happens on shorter cruises. Diva Bingo was funny. There are tons more, but I can't do justice to your question tonight.

Bottom line, it is easier for the cruise line to just say that a passport is required. It is also safer for the cruiser. If you become ill or are injured and need to be treated in a foreign country, you will need a passport to return to the US. Yes, there are State Department provisions to obtain an emergency passport, but this likely isn't something you want to be dealing with at the same time you are involved in a medical emergency. Don't say it can't happen to you; I've seen it too many times on a ship. To simplify some of the above, the first point is whether the cruise is "closed loop" which means that it begins and ends at the same port. The next issue is where it stops and whether those stops are OK by both US regulations AND the regulations of the country being visited. Alaskan cruises require passports because Canada requires a passport and most cruises port at a Canadian location. In addition, any shore excursions depart from a US port but travel into Canada. I certainly wouldn't rely on what I was told by a rep on the phone who said that sometimes they make exceptions!

This may have to do with port availability and might not have been the choice of the cruise line.

The accessible sea terrace is a very nice size with a bathroom that will easily allow a wheelchair to manipulate within that space. We were in the accessible sea terrace due to my daughter's mobility problem and were very pleased with the cabin. Sorry that I can't give you sq. ft., but it was sufficient for all her needs. I've never stayed in an accessible XL, but the size difference between the two is not huge. The XL is a little longer, but the same width and the bathroom orientation is a little different. I guess I don't understand why the metal panels rather than plexiglass would prevent you from using your balcony; it would prevent you from seeing thru the panels. If you have questions about the accessible features in the Sea Terrace HA cabin, I'm happy to answer them. The biggest downfall is hat there is no shelf under the sink in the bathroom. This is to allow wheelchair access to the sink (can't pull the chair up to the bowl if there is a shelf in the way. This means that there is NO storage space in the bathroom other than the little bit on the counter by the sink. I'm definitely bringing a "shoe holder" that can be hung on the protruberance on the door so we have a place to put hairbrush, grooming aids, etc. Also, there is no electrical outlet in the bathroom "for safety reasons." Thus, any appliance that you plan to use in the bathroom such as a water pic, shaver, etc. will need to be rechargeable or run on batteries. The cabin is also lacking the large drawer that is under the "L" in regular cabins as the bed does not do the L conversion. There is a roll in shower with a fold down shower seat. There is a shower curtain, not a door. The drains worked well for us and we never had issues with "water all over the bathroom floor" as I read in one review. I would not consider it worth upgrading to an XL. In fact, we have been able to book the same cabin we were in previously for 2 of our next 3 cruises.

No one really knows what VV is doing with their status program in 2023 beyond the info that 2 voyages in 2022 gets you a $100 bar tab bonus for 2 years. It looks like the program will be based on how much you've spent on cruises as well as on the ship., but no real info has been released.

You'll find the grog walk with the things that are booked at embarkation. There are lots of YouTube videos that show much of the entertainment, but I'm not aware of any site that lists all of it.

True, because the vast majority of cabins on the ship are balconies of various descriptions.

Overall, the above is true...but things do open up, even at the last minute. We were boarding the Disney Magic once and the Walt suite was on the upgrade list of cabins that could be purchased at the port. Those cabins have a separate reservation and booking process, and are usually booked 18 months in advance, so I asked the CM about it. The grandfather who had booked it had a last minute medical issue, so the family canceled. No, I didn't take it as there were 2 of us and I didn't want to pay for a suite that sleeps 7. It doesn't hurt the cruise line to have a list of people who want a suite if one opens.

But generally they seemed a lot more "together" when in the restaurants. I don't think it applies to "all" staff. Those from restaurants that don't serve lunch or brunch generally work The Galley during those times, then have a break prior to dinner service. There are crew dedicated to The Galley as they serve dinner while the other locations are serving dinner. But yes, most crew have different assignments during different times. The policies aren't even consistent within the same cruise. One day I was able to walk up and request an omelet; another day I was told to have a seat and order it thru a server. Then I waited 15 minutes till I flagged down a supervisor!

Interesting discussion....My TA and I both track the 6 month date, and I've always gotten the 10%. I won't pretend to know the details, but I have gotten it! And yes, if a better deal comes out before you PIF, you cancel and rebook. You will lose the perks from your first booking....but I felt that $135 savings was a better perk than a bottle of champagne.

If VV cancels the cruise, their past history is to offer you a choice of 125% cash refund or 200% future cruise credit. If I cancel for an acceptable reason my logic is that this is what travel insurance is for. I always buy that privately, not thru the cruise line.

The height it the same, but there is a lot more bathroom space in the XL.

Totally agree. ABC paid enough that VV offered a good deal to passengers already booked, but that was no way to handle customer relations. I guess they figured that the "free" advertising was worth the irritated passengers.

Yeah, many of the shoreside sailor services staff are more than a bit lacking...... Our experience was that we had a price drop on our most recent sailing of about $135, and were able to rebook that at the lower rate as we had not paid it in full yet. At the same time, we had another cruise that would have been eligible for the same price drop; we were told we could not do that one as we had paid it off a little before the 6 month deadline. I'm "that person" who tracks all the pricing for things I've already booked. The $135 was the most I've encountered, and that offer required us to give up our "Free" shake for champagne. I'd rather have the price discount than the champagne! Another one dropped something like $25, but we had $200 in Loot included in that booking which we would have lost....so we kept it as it was.

In our experience, you CAN do made to order at some of the stations provided they have the ingredients to do it the way you want. This was possible at The Pizza Place and some of the station in The Galley. You are correct that you will wait longer for a "made to order" than one of their pre-made items. The burgers were...interesting. I think they were partially cooked and then they finish heating/grilling them when ordered. They always looked fully cooked, but sometimes were not warm in the center!

If nothing else works, take it to Sailor Services--they usually have ideas. However, it is often the app crashing, not your phone.

This is wrong--or used to be. You can add the referral link by calling VV with the name and booking number of the person you are linking with. Or at least that was possible in October, 2022. The app and the website do not accurately show Loot prior to boarding, but somehow it magically fixes itself when you log onto the on board system. We were told that it could take up to 18 hours, but it actually took minutes!