cantgetin

We usually keep our airline tags on the bags, and of course have the VV attached tags. I also have a hard plastic tag on each....can't have too many, right? My logic is that if one tag is destroyed they will still be able to identify the bag using my name.

Not a problem...in fact, I rather enjoy it. On the other hand, I used to get very seasick in small boats even on smooth waters (OK, the guy driving tended to be a show off)

A lot of people were carrying on about the seas then and now, but we've seen a lot more rough. I was walking almost straight an hour ago, but it has picked up again. Even more remarkable that the entertainers are able to do their shows with no issues! Dinner at Gunbae-again food quality better than 6 months ago. I'm starting to think VV got the message that a line becoming known for their food quality can't tolerate a slip, so they have reversed it.

We're all dancing down the hallways instead of walking, Carlos is definitely the best Diva we've had on any of our sailings. Great act, and you'd never have known the ship was rocking!

As far as I know, these sailings haven't been released yet.

The group doing the Sanderson Sisters last night were amazing! Tonight was our best ever dinner at The Wake. We have 30+ nights on board ...and our previous sailings found The Wake to be a disappointment. Tonight was very good. We both had the Clam Chowder--good as always. Hanger steak and filet, both medium. The hanger had good flavor but was a bit tough. The filet was wonderful. Service was good. Ended with apple tatin and lemon cheesecake with tea. Start to finish was about 90 minutes. It was a serious improvement in both food and service from our previous sailings.

Again, all I can do is share my own experience....and things on VV do seem to change as well as sometimes depend on who you talk to. For instance, we have had DBE for all of our cruises. On the previous cruise, we got premium internet as a DBE benefit on 2 devices and were able to keep the other 2 on "standard" internet which is free to everyone. On this cruise, we did not get the option of standard, but have been assured that since we both have DBE, we EACH get 2 devices on Premium. I'm not complaining, but I can also live with my phone on standard. I've had way too many issues where shoreside sailor services was wrong. Fortunately, both the app and sailor services on the ship are much better than shoreside.

On board Valiant now. We arrived at 1:30 or minutes before with DBE and a 2pm time on the app. The luggage drop line was unreal. I've never seen a line that long for luggage; in fact our previous drops were one or two people. We told a CM that we had priority boarding, and he expedited us to near the front of the line. After luggage drop, there was a short wait to enter the terminal and proceed thru check in and security. We were in our cabin by 2pm, which was longer than it took on previous cruises. As to tipping....we tipped the luggage guy at the airport who loaded our luggage into the shuttle as he went "above and beyond" for us and was really kind after a long travel day. My taxi costs surprised me. They were double what they were a year ago. 4.5 Euros of that was the fee for entering the port, but no explanation of the rest--same starting hotel, no traffic delays. Maybe fees were increased due to the big sporting event in town; that happens in the city where I live when there are big events. I didn't tip the taxi driver.

Trivia times vary--often in the late afternoon, sometimes in the evening. Book your dinner reservations in advance knowing that you can edit them after boarding if they interfere with events you want to attend,

totally agree, and we've found that it is easier to move reservations than to start from scratch, whether in person or on the app! In person, you can get things the aren't available on the app, On the app, "Editing" is fewer clicks than a new reservation.

Our experience--if you book in advance, your CREDIT CARD is charged as Loot is another word for "onboard credit" and you can't spend it until you are on board. But if you book for other cabins in advance, it is all billed to the credit card of the person making the booking. If we book on board for ourselves and another cabin, our loot is charged for all 4 reservations. If you want each person to use their own loot for their own reservation, they can stand at the big red desk and book at the same time you do. In advance, they can book and charge to their credit card or have you do it and pay you back. The above reflects our experience only. Our experience is that shoreside sailor services is often wrong.

If it says Nov. 1, you should be 45 days, not 46. If the app doesn't cooperate for you, your TA or Shoreside sailor services can make your reservations for you. Don't let SS talk about how to "fix" the app; make them put in the reservations for you. THey can do it if they aren't being lazy.

You know the song from Mary Poppins that includes the line, "Order what you will, there'll be no bill". yup, same here.......

Yes, or you can contact shoreside and they will do the restaurants for you at 60 days out. Your travel agent can also do it for you. Entertainment has to wait till you are on board. When you board, you will be taken to a reception in The Manor where your agent will do whatever you need (and you will be served bubbly).

On our second sailing with DBE, they tried to tell us we didn't have it. Fortunately, I saved a screenshot of our "You got it" email. It made no sense as first and third times it showed up with no problem.

You either qualify for match or you don't. If you qualify, you get Sea Rover status on VV, which gets you Deep Blue Extras package. They don't "item for item" match what you get on whichever other line. The current match and DBE package was extended for at least the third time, now thru 2024. They are supposedly developing their own loyalty program, but nothing final on that yet and the match/DBE keeps getting extended. Honestly, the DBE package is a lot better than what you get with top levels on some other lines!

Yes, we had breakfast at RD this morning, and the breakfast/brunch menu is unchanged. Yes, it is a slice of watermelon with a bit of some cream substance and lots of berries on top. They still have our favs--buckwheat waffles and bacon. And for southerners who want chicken and waffles, you can order the patty from the chicken sandwich with an order of the waffles.

From what I know so far, the RD menu is the only one that has changed. However, some of the recipes for items on other menus have changed--for instance, the filling in the chocolate tacos in Pink Agave is different (better IMHO) than it was previously, but the change to the new topping on the bread pudding was "too much" for us.....next time, we'd order the bread pudding with no topping and hope it is as good as previously. Server confirmed the changes.

The change was introduced a month or so ago. I'd seen the menu before our cruise but continued to hope....reality, I knew my daughter would hate it and wanted to mentally deny it was happening,

It was absolutely your favorite restaurant previously...tonight it was more like trying to find something that looked good. The server tried to tell me that the fried chicken was the same as the previous "beer chicken." I did the salmon, sailing partner did the burger and said terribly over cooked. Salmon has way more topping than previously, so I scraped off most of it. Will try brunch, but losing my fav made me want to cry. Oh well....live goes on....

Makes sense and is more consistent with previous cruises. I won't claim that the guy at sailor services was the smartest tool in the shed.

Dinner tonight....Creme brulee in RD was great. No more secret steak (sad). Secret burger does not compare. I really didn't care for the new menu....several of our favorites were gone.

We were told that each CABIN gets 2 logged in devices at any given time. Previously on VV we could have 2 on premium and 2 on standard, but not this time.

I am on board now. We arrived right at 1:30 and were in our cabin before 2pm. Normally we arrive a few minutes earlier, but I didn't want to have to wait around this time. Normally you can arrive at 1 and boarding starts at 1:30. We have usually been in our cabin by 1:45. You board right after rockstars and splash of romance....so 1:35 ish

As above...I sent my TA a list of my desired dinner reservations in advance and said that I'd try to do it and contact her if there was a problem. I got 3 or 4 nights done, then the system locked up and nothing I tried helped. I shot TA a message, and she finished the process, getting everything I asked for within 15 minutes of my requested times.