big al

Hi all..my wife & close friend will be visiting GC next Feb., and DW & I have been here 5-6x, last time a year ago April '23..I know almost all of the Beach Clubs shut down during COVID, but for the life of me, I don't understand WHY more Beach Clubs have re-opened or some new ones have started..it's enough now..time to get things going again..we also are going to Cozumel, where there are like 12-15 beach clubs like Mr.Sanchos, Paradise Bch Club, Nachi Cocom, and many more...what seems to be the problem? Funny that GC is maybe the most well off Caribbean port most ships go to..you would think there would be at least 5-6-7 beach clubs..

So it looks like I'm down to either Governor's Bch or Public Bch., or maybe the Coral Bch resort for a day pass..thoughts? If it matters, we need some shade, restrooms, food & drink, loungers ( of course..)..last April my wife & I just had a drink in Georgetown, walked around, then went back to the ship..pretty boring..I'm hoping by next Feb '25 when we sail, maybe more may open..thanks!

Big Al

Hi all..DW & I are booked in a Deluxe Balcony ( Deck 12..) mid ship on the new Sun Princess next year..my question is how was the light coming in from the curtains early morning? I like the cabin dark & dislike when the curtains don't close completely & shut out the morning light...LOVE the sofa ( finally !! ) and glass enclosed showers on the Sun..cabins on both the Enchanted & Regal Princess were both without a sofa & I HATE curtained showers..apparently Princess finally listened to all the complaints about those sticky curtains- after I showered & shaved in the shower, the bathroom floor was like the Nile River, lol..ship looks awesome!

Big Al 

26 minutes ago, rockmom said:

I only booked 2 lunches--one at Chops and one at Giovanni's.  I'm sailing solo on this one AND I'm on Anthem the week before and have the 3 night package on that one, so I'll suck it up and eat at the MDR, the Jammer--or pay for some of the 'snacks' at Playmakers on Indy.  Those snacks are so good (and bad, lol)  

Can't blame you, though not a big fan of the MDR..LOVE Playmakers...great wings, chicken tenders platter w/ fries are super, onion rings & that killer dessert, the Campfire Cookie is awesome...sometimes I have medics waiting 🤣 😂..I'm pretty good at home, but on a cruise, it's beer, goodies & anything goes, lol...then, back to common sense after the cruise...again, have a blast!

9 minutes ago, rockmom said:

I'm on a 5 night sailing on Indy at the end of this month.  Here's the current sale/onboard prices for my sailing.  Currently the Unlimited Dining is on sale for $233 before the 18%.  The lunches at Chops and Giovanni's have been $18-$22 depending on the sale.  Hibachi lunch is on sale for $35 right now.  

Thanks! My unlimited dining, as I quoted, is $289.00..if I took all 3 you post here, it would be about $153.00, which is not too bad..did you end up booking this? Let us know how it goes if you can,  & enjoy the Indy!

Big Al

34 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I would keep checking. For instance for wonder feb 2025 some purchased 3 night pkg but I dont see the 3  night pkg at all. Maybe check both the app and the online site.

 

The what are you doing thread is currently discussing this. ... just because it's not there right now doesnt mean it wouldnt be there next week. 

 

I personally am waiting for lunches which are about half the price but also not showing for me to purchase for feb 2025. 

 

Just as a for instance I got lunches at Giovanni for 14.99 and 12.99 plus 18% for this oct and dec. .. under $20 pp. 

 But the Wonder does 7 nights..IOS is doing only 5 and the rep said "no 2-3 night dining packages on 5 night cruises..only 6 or more nights"...I still will keep checking to see if anything comes up like a special...

Hi guys & gals...I will be cruising on the Independence Of The Seas, a 5 night Western Caribb cruise next Feb '25..RCI just posted recently that all they offer on a 5 night cruise for specialty dining is "All inclusive dining" package for $289 PP...I spoke with an RCI rep & she confirmed that was correct- SO, has anybody booked a specialty dining venue on the IOS, what venue and how much was it pp? I am considering Chops Grille, Izumi's & maybe Giovanni's..my memory is that it's somewhere around $49 for Chops, don't know the other 2...thanks!

Big Al

1 hour ago, dides said:

Just boarded today and got our Elite Welcome Letter - the PES longe is currently being held in Crooner's on Deck 8 Midship 3:30 to 5pm 

 

Great to hear! Please let us know how you like the Sun Princess..so far about 90% seem to love it..only problems have been things like the shows are still not ready..love the new glass enclosed showers ( HATED those curtained showers!! )..now if only Princess would put beverage holders in the main theater, that would make improvements perfect for me- they are the only cruise line that makes you hold your drink or put it under the seat for an hour or more..drives me crazy ( people have knocked over my beer or drink 5x on Princess..)

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Should be one.

 I love your answer, lol!

So guys & gals Diamond+ here...question: On cruises I only will drink 4 types of drinks: beer, apple martinis ( at dinner..), Sprite Zero AND a B-52 shot..in case you don't know, a B-52 is made of Kahlua, Grand Marnier and Bailey's ( FYI to remember what this , just think of the Russian intelligence group, the KGB to know what's in it...)..it's sweet & yummy..it's kinda like 1/3 shots of each liquor..I ALWAYS drink these on cruises.. so, do you think this will count as one drink or 3? The beers in the Diamond or now the "Crown" lounge stinks, so I get my beers at either the British Pub or Playmakers ( I like draft beers mostly..) Thanks!

Big Al

Just now, chrysalis said:

It never shows on the deck plans, and it can and does change depending on the number of people that they expect to attend. We have actually seen it change locations mid-cruise  because of the numbers

Wow, that is crazy..on RCI, there is a dedicated lounge for this group of cruisers, with appetizers, drinks, etc...I guess I will wait to see what the Sun Princess cruisers say...thanks..

I recently became a Platinum member on Princess..under the benefits page, it says I can go to the "Platinum & Elite Lounge" now...looking at the ship's deck plans, I cannot find it...does anybody know where it is on the new Sun Princess? Thanks..

Big Al

13 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

It's one shot, and on every Princess ship so far, it's been one drink charge. And covered by Plus beverage package (which is included in the Plus Cruise Package).

It is a bit time consuming for a bartender to make as they have to slowly pour in order to layer property, but they'll absolutely do it.  

Great to hear, thanks!

20 minutes ago, voljeep said:

it's not 3 shots, right?  It's three 1/3 shots poured into a shot glass - so equals 1 shot

 Correct..it is 1/3 of each liqueur...I always thought it was considered one shot...

1 hour ago, avonlady6390 said:

I have not seen that drink on any bar menus on board and have not had it on board but back in the day I did have quite a few of them.  I'm sure you can ask for it the bartender should know how to make it and I'm guessing it should be under the plus amount if not just pay the difference.😊

 You don't see it on the bar menu, but on the Enchanted 2 yrs ago I had it like 20x on a 10 nighter...

Hi all..if you went on or are currently on the new Sun Princess, I have a questions about getting "shots"..I love a B-52, which is Kahlua, Grand Marnier & Bailey's layered in a shot glass ( sweet & delicious!! ) ..does anyone know if this kind of drink is included in the Premier or Plus drink packages? Thanks!!

Big Al

Alaskan Amber my fav by faaaarrrr...I wish I could get in in FL....

Not to be confused with Samuel Smith, also a well known beer & brewery...

12 minutes ago, hop2it said:

I share the beer snob's disappointment in the small selection of draughts but understand the difficulty in providing more. Anyway, I learned on a recent cruise that some beers (cans/bottles) are available even if not listed on a menu. To wit: John Smith, an English ale that is a seldom-seen brew in the States. (Even snobbier beer snobs know that this product is now owned by Heineken and might not be the same as in years past, but I was still happy to discover it, thanks to my happenstance bar seating beside a gentleman from somewhere in England.)

 Thanks for the tip!

Big Al

4 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

We are booked on the TA from Southampton, I won't be shocked if we end up in NYC or somewhere else. The Viva TA was changed from NYC to Miami. Once she gets here, there will be several PR cruises plus the godfather/godmother cruise.

My question is what's going on between the shipyard in Italy and Southampton.

 

 JIMESOPUS..thanks for that..I hope you post your thoughts on the Aqua cruise TA..I am really looking forward to see what improvements NCL made on the Aqua vs. Viva & Prima..lots of complaints here on CC as well as the YouTube cruise bloggers..all said the ship was nice, great food, great shows, but so many of the public spaces were too small & too crowded...

Big Al

1 minute ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I agree with the Breakaway Plus selection. Best at sea. Too bad they always seem to close that bar pretty early when it would be great being opened until after midnight. 
 

I think Omalleys on the Sun is the same as the last class. 

This is from the O’Malleys menu on the Sun. The same 4 were on tap at the Salty Dog on the Discovery a few weeks ago. 
The Affligem is a blonde. The Lagunitas an IPA. 

Thanks..other Lagunitas, pretty bad list..I don't like Heineken..Enchanted, Regal & Crown Princess were all pretty boring...

Hi guys & gals..my DW & I are booked on the new NCL Aqua 4/16/25 for a 5 nighter out of Miami..looking forward to celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary on her...here's the mystery: the Aqua is leaving Southampton in the UK on 3/28/25 and arrives in Boston on 4/4/25..there's NO info on how she gets to Miami on 4/16/25 for that 1st cruise in Florida..I thought maybe a "crew cruise" ?...Is the Aqua sold out from 4/4 to 4/16? How does she get from Boston to Miami? If anybody knows, OR can find out while you are on an NCL ship now or in the future, please post..I figure either someone in "Cruises Next"  or an officer ( maybe at your Meet & Greet! ) might know...thanks!

Big Al

Hi guys & gals- I am an admitted & proud beer snob...I like draft beers over bottled/ canned beers and have found that about 80-85% of cruise ships ( I have been on 45 cruises including 7 cruise lines..) have lousy beers on draft EXCEPT the Breakaway Plus ships on NCL, who have a place called "The District Brewhouse", where they have between 25-27 draft beers on tap..another 75 in bottles..it's Beer Heaven for a guy like me...for those who have either just cruised the new Sun Princess, OR are going soon on her, can you please post what draft beers you see on the ship & where you found them..hopefully, at least O'Malley's fight have some...the Sun Princess looks super...thanks!

Big Al

On 2/20/2024 at 9:40 AM, deora24 said:

Re: Avila

I emailed yesterday and received a prompt response…

 

Dear Deborah,

 

Thank you for your message. The regular day pass (Nafl. 25 / $15 adults & Nafl. 15.00 / $9 kids 4-12). The daypass is from 8am till 6pm, payment is upon arrival by the front desk.

 

Includes:

• Beach access  
• Pool access  
• Access to beach chairs and umbrellas  
• Usage of stand-up paddle boards
• Usage of reef safe sunscreen

 

In order to make a reservation, we would need the following additional information:  

• Full name  
• Email Address  
• Phone number  
• Amount of persons  
• Date for the reservation
• Ages of the kids  

 

Looking forwards to hearing from you.

Hi Deborah...Sounds great...we are going to Curacao Dec.4th '24...do you have an e-mail you can post? I sent one yesterday ( I think it was "restaurants@avilahotels com"?)..DW & I like not too crowded..also does Avila have:  food & drinks, pool, hot tub (? ) and shade? Thanks so much!

Big Al

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Grease is shown two times. No free lobster in MDR for a 5 day cruise. Karaoke is usually held in the Star Lounge. Sometimes you can hear people singing, usually poorly, when you are down a level at the Schooner Bar. They normally have 70s music trivia and the 70s disco party on the same day/night. 
 

I know it’s been awhile since you sailed a Freedom class ship, but Independence is obviously very similar to Freedom and Liberty. Probably the biggest change you will notice is the addition of Playmaker's on deck 4 next to the casino (keep in mind I am biased since Playmaker’s is one of my favorite bars). 

 I had Playmakers on the Mariner a few times..love it too..great food!

Hi all... I have just booked the Independence Of The Seas for next Feb 2025 for a 5 nighter to Cozumel & Grand Cayman..DW & I are Diamond, plus a total of 45 cruises on 7 cruise lines to date...BUT, we haven't cruised the IOS- We did the Liberty in 2012, Freedom in 2006, so it's been a while since we cruised the Freedom class ships..a few questions for those who have recently sailed the IOS:

1) I know "Grease" is the main show..what time are the shows at night? Memory tells me something like 7 & 9 pm? Is it still like 2 hours long? OR is there only one show per night due to it's length?

2) Is there still the lobster tail night? Usually it's the 2nd to last night on a cruise..remember, this a a 5 night cruise...

3) Are they still doing the 70's disco party in the Royal Promenade late at night ( 11 pm? )

4) Where is Karaoke done and what time? Star Lounge?

Thanks for responding!!

Big Al

What a great review of the excursions on the Escape & the food wilmingtech !!!! I was  glad to help out regarding the yummy Monte Cristo sandwich in Taste, lol..and YES, I agree the best was at Bennigan's, where I ate it there for 20 years before they folded...BTW, Cheddars has a pretty good one if you have one near you...

Some thoughts & observations: I don't know if anybody else experienced this, but I thought the noises in the cabin were waaayyy too loud..our cabin ( deck 10 near the elevators ) made so many creaky sounds due to the high winds & waves that myself & my SIL had trouble sleeping...my wife can sleep thru a Cat 5 storm ( I hate her for this!! 😉 )

but I am a difficult sleeper...I thought Choir Of Man was sensational, on par with Hairspray & We Will Rock You ( both on RCI), and I thought the 4 guys from the UK Legends group were also very good..didn't think too much of the French magician, although his tricks were pretty good, his comedy not so much..

I thought the crew & staff were very friendly , and I thought Jack, the CD from England was good ( DW thought he was very good looking..)....our 4 dinners in specialty dining were all fabulous except Moderno, which was good, but probably won't eat there again..Bayamo, Cagney's & Le Bistro were all super..MDR food was pretty mediocre, like 95% of all MDR food I've had on my 46 cruises..IMO, Celebrity & Disney had the best MDR food so far..

The District Brew House had great beers and I loved the Abita Amber Ale on draft..and while we are talking about the DBH, I want to thank Crystal & hubby for putting the M & G together..I thought it was terrific and I enjoyed meeting so many of you...

I really missed the Observation Lounge on the Encore & the Joy ( April '23..) that The Escape doesn't have.....we visited that venue almost daily for killer views, relaxing & sipping a coffee.. and I missed the Beatles's shows on both..the bread for dinner was pretty bad we thought and much better on the Joy & Encore...we also thought the ship rocking was a bit much..waves were not that high..maybe 10-15 ft..I had read on other reviews that some thought the Escape had some stabilization issues...did your cabin shake & vibrate 4-5 x during the cruise? Wow, I never felt that on any ship in my 46 cruises...

Those are some of my thoughts & impressions of the Escape & the cruise itself...we may try the NCL Aqua when she comes out in 2025..we are doing the new Celebrity Ascent in Nov. '24 next..everybody have a safe & Happy Holidays time!!

Big Al