On the Seaside now. Impressions and answers

[stoneman56]

We are just starting week 2 of our b2b. Love the ship, yes there are some differences between thse and NCL who we normally sail with but on the whole I prefer this.

 

We are in room 11002 grand  penthouse on aurea experience. I negotiated a few comps when we found out about the bait and switch with the suites some time ago. Premium plus drinks and a few hundy OBC. 

 

I wont go too much on about the good things, suffice to say we are well pleased. Room is big, balcony tiny, kept clean by housekeeping twice a day.

 

Drinks are great and varied in most bars, if you have a favourite and it’s not on the bar list they will make it for you anyway.

 

Food in the main dining room is nice, service good, there is plenty of butter as well!  Portions are good European size, I personally don’t like to see lots of food on my plate anyway. Buffets have plenty to offer.

 

Gem of a bar is Cocktails and Wine on the 16th where the specialty restaurants are. Quite and the drinks are better than other bars. 

 

There are are a few downers I can’t quite get my head around. There are no coffee makers in the suites. You want a coffee you have to go get one, and from where we are that’s quite a long way and a few floors. 

 

You can not Get an iron, you have crinkly clothes, you have to pay to get them ironed. This really sucks. We asked if we could get an iron and coffee maker when ashore and were told they would be confiscated. You are not even allowed to bring your own hairdryer or straighteners aboard.

 

Now some questions answered that I have read asked before. We are Black cards so we get one speciality meal, but because we are b2b we get one per week. We also get the fizzy drink twice. And the free photo with the Captain twice.

 I’m 

You have to leave the ship at the end of week one. Meet in the seaside lounge at 10am, escorted off, quick passport check and let back on. All done in about an hour so you are on before the new passengers arrive.

[sidari]

Stone man ... My other half had no problems taking her hair straighteners last Xmas or in April.

[xcell]

"we are black cards so we get one specialty meal" per black card or per cabin?

[stoneman56]

Yes we had no probs either but when we asked about the iron and joked that  we’ll iron with the straighteners they said we shouldn’t have gotten those past the X-ray 

Edited December 8, 2018 by stoneman56

[stoneman56]

1 minute ago, xcell said:

"we are black cards so we get one specialty meal" per black card or per cabin?

 

1 minute ago, xcell said:

"we are black cards so we get one specialty meal" per black card or per cabin?

Per cabin

[stoneman56]

Also there are no complimentary toiletries in the bathrooms bar the shampoo and gel pumps in the shower, bring your own soap

[sidari]

Straighteners are not on the MSC banned list unlike irons and steamers.

[stoneman56]

5 minutes ago, sidari said:

Straighteners are not on the MSC banned list unlike irons and steamers.

There you go, I thought it was crazy myself. The no iron rule is the worst. NCL would always just send one up to you, stating health and safety is a cop out. My wife’s straighteners get hotter than most irons!

[sidari]

Princess have laundry rooms with irons on timers, MSC likely have a no iron policy to force people to use their ironing service.

[stoneman56]

To be honest we do still feel let down. We opted for the bigger room and balcony with aurea instead of a small room and better experience with YC. We ended up with neither.

Would I swap this for YC next time? Depends on how much extra I would have to pay for the upgrade on drinks which has been a great bonus, compared to the better service in YC. I don’t think we have missed out on too much. 

[stoneman56]

2 minutes ago, sidari said:

Princess have laundry rooms with irons on timers, MSC likely have a no iron policy to force people to use their ironing service.

In one👍

[Scot born]

I have had an iron confiscated before on a med cruise, so now I take some fabric conditioner in a small spray bottle, when on board mix conditioner with water spray on clothes then use the hairdryer and the wrinkles fall out and your clothes smell amazing. 

[sidari]

With regards to your cabin maybe you could have gone for an Aft Suite, they are great.

[stoneman56]

1 hour ago, sidari said:

With regards to your cabin maybe you could have gone for an Aft Suite, they are great.

Yes that’s what we are looking at next.

Do they do them with Aurea?

Which should we get to avoid the window washers?

Edited December 8, 2018 by stoneman56

[stoneman56]

This is what we had to take out of the minibar to get some food in. She replenishes everyday.

 Not the iPads 

Edited December 8, 2018 by stoneman56

[sidari]

The Aft wraparound cabins are Aurea suites, only Deck 15 is clear of the washers. We had 14262 and apart from boarding day they never really bothered us.

[gimletgal]

4 hours ago, stoneman56 said:

To be honest we do still feel let down. We opted for the bigger room and balcony with aurea instead of a small room and better experience with YC. We ended up with neither.

Would I swap this for YC next time? Depends on how much extra I would have to pay for the upgrade on drinks which has been a great bonus, compared to the better service in YC. I don’t think we have missed out on too much. 

In the YC you would have had a Nespresso machine in your cabin w/all the pods for coffee you could ever want. Also, all drinks are included w/YC - everywhere on the ship, and yes, it is the Premium pkg.

 

 

[ChrisB66]

5 hours ago, stoneman56 said:

In one👍

Sailed P&O who had Laundry rooms whereas Royal Caribbean didn't, claiming safety the reason why. 

[mnocket]

This can't be right.  NO bar soap at the sink????

[DMH15]

Downey wrinkle release.  Five bucks for travel size.   Lay wrinkled item on the bed.  Spray and smooth with dry clean hands.  Aptly named. 

Edited December 9, 2018 by DMH15

[sidari]

Can you buy the Downey stuff anywhere in Miami ?

[asctony]

8 hours ago, mnocket said:

This can't be right.  NO bar soap at the sink????

Yes, no bar soap on Divina, Sinfonia and Seaside. We asked for it and got it. 

[hlperez]

Downey wrinkle release is not available in Euorpe, only in the USA.  Jealous!

[delaware32]

You should be able to buy the Downy Wrinkle release at most grocery stores . I have also seen travel size available at places like Walgreens and CVS drugstores . It does work .

[stoneman56]

On 12/9/2018 at 9:33 AM, delaware32 said:

You should be able to buy the Downy Wrinkle release at most grocery stores . I have also seen travel size available at places like Walgreens and CVS drugstores . It does work .

Does it work on your face? If so I’m in!