Almost Time

[paulajj]

Do you know if you can book the whole week in the solarium all at once? Do they limit how many that aren’t Aurea in? 

Thanks for all your info while on holiday!

[Beamafar]

Dave ... is fresh-squeezed OJ still available with Deluxe?

[sidari]

Not seen it anywhere Bea, even the breakfast hotels of orange have gone apart from the mini bar.

[Beamafar]

Wonder if that's a sneaky cut?  I've always ordered the OJ when we have the Deluxe and the bottles (which is what you meant, I reckon - looks like auto-correct changed 'bottle' to 'hotel' on you) when we have the basic package.  Mind you, I've never noticed orange being available in bottles - I usually drink the pear or melon or whatever they leave in the mini-bar (which is usually ACE )

[ssmea03]

Do you know what the different package code numbers refer to?

[Beamafar]

One is for when the ship is US-based and the other is for when the ship is Med (and other regions) based.  I'm assuming that, where there is a third code, it's for South-American based cruises as the packages are different (again) there.

 

The 'Drinks on Us' package only has one code because it's only available on US-based ships (and, IINM, is only available for US - and maybe Canada - to book).

Edited December 26, 2018 by Beamafar

[CruisingFox27]

13 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Dave ... is fresh-squeezed OJ still available with Deluxe?

 

We had fresh orange in the TSL but the orange I had at the The Pool didn't taste freshly squeezed. 

[Beamafar]

I'd only ever have the OJ at breakfast;  easy enough to get it in the MDR as they usually have someone going around selling it.

 

On the Sinfonia repo to South Africa, a couple of years back, we would sit in a special section of the MDR for Aurea guests (for breakfast and lunch);  one day that we couldn't get the OJ we were told it was because they had to go to the buffet for it and couldn't spare anyone.  However, we had an amazing Capitane (a head waiter) who arranged for a jug of OJ to be available every morning after that.

 

I'm not too bothered about OJ, but I do expect to get it when I have the Deluxe package (which we'll have on Armonia in little more than 3 weeks time).

[Captain-John]

I have quite a thirst for the freshly squeezed stuff - recently back from a land holiday, where at breakfast they had 3 or 4 commercial grade machines, stocked with crates of oranges, which you operated yourself and it was squeezed in front of your eyes. I visited that machine several times each day. Amazing just how many oranges it takes to produce a small glass of juice though!

 

[sidari]

At the buffet bars on Seaside they have Orange in cartons same as those you would buy at the supermarket, plus there is the watered down version in the machines. Tea has not been so good so far and most have been pretty weak.

On the Divina they no longer issue a voucher for the Black card meal, you just go and book at the restaurant but no one bothers to inform you of that.

[ssmea03]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

One is for when the ship is US-based and the other is for when the ship is Med (and other regions) based.  I'm assuming that, where there is a third code, it's for South-American based cruises as the packages are different (again) there.

 

The 'Drinks on Us' package only has one code because it's only available on US-based ships (and, IINM, is only available for US - and maybe Canada - to book).

Thanks Beamafar, regional variations was one of my guesses. You'll have to decode IINM for me, and yes all of NA books through the US site.

[hamrag]

Just now, sidari said:

....On the Divina they no longer issue a voucher for the Black card meal, you just go and book at the restaurant but no one bothers to inform you of that.

 

Interesting, that was our experience on Meraviglia also. Maybe they hope that most will either forget or not get round to asking about this. We also had to ask for the chocolate ships.....we were in YC and it was no better in terms of communication, that said as soon as we raised the matter at concierge it was resolved quickly.

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, ssmea03 said:

Thanks Beamafar, regional variations was one of my guesses. You'll have to decode IINM for me, and yes all of NA books through the US site.

 

IINM: If I'm Not Mistaken.

[ssmea03]

Just now, Beamafar said:

 

IINM: If I'm Not Mistaken.

Lol, and there was me looking for a unique NA package that matched those letters besides DoU.

 

 

[sidari]

2 hours ago, sidari said:

At the buffet bars on Seaside they have Orange in cartons same as those you would buy at the supermarket, plus there is the watered down version in the machines. Tea has not been so good so far and most have been pretty weak.

On the Divina they no longer issue a voucher for the Black card meal, you just go and book at the restaurant but no one bothers to inform you of that.

That should have said Divina.

[sidari]

Soft serve Ice cream available from the machines on Deck 14 starboard side near the open pool.

[miataman19]

Sidari, looks like you have a full house in St. Maarten today. We'll be there on Jan. 17th with 5 ships. Is it a nasty ant hill or is the port taking the influx of passengers well?

[ready2cruzagain]

On 12/26/2018 at 8:05 AM, sidari said:

At the buffet bars on Seaside they have Orange in cartons same as those you would buy at the supermarket, plus there is the watered down version in the machines. Tea has not been so good so far and most have been pretty weak.

On the Divina they no longer issue a voucher for the Black card meal, you just go and book at the restaurant but no one bothers to inform you of that.

Must be hit or miss but we received the paper voucher for all 3 cruises this past month

[wernowhere]

On 12/24/2018 at 8:11 AM, sidari said:

A little help with package codes and what they refer to.

 

Thanks for this!  I have DOU and this was exactly what I was looking for!

[wernowhere]

On 12/24/2018 at 5:34 PM, sidari said:

Top 18 prices for non Aurea guests who want to get away from the crowds.

Any idea what this would cost to book for the entire trip?

[sidari]

No idea if you can book the whole cruise, if I find out I will let you know.

[sidari]

4 hours ago, miataman19 said:

Sidari, looks like you have a full house in St. Maarten today. We'll be there on Jan. 17th with 5 ships. Is it a nasty ant hill or is the port taking the influx of passengers well?

There are six ships if you count the small one next to Celebrity and in front of the RCI ship. It is busy as you would expect.

Edited December 27, 2018 by sidari

[sidari]

Well today was eventful, changed cabins but on the same deck and got everything moved easily enough.

Went to Guest services to get our new cabin cards, went back to the cabin only to find the cards would not work, so back to GS for new cards which again did not work, third time lucky but a different card as the Black cards were not working, need to get them changed at some point as the other card does not work in the bars. All good fun.

[citizenfrank]

10 hours ago, sidari said:

Well today was eventful, changed cabins but on the same deck and got everything moved easily enough.

Went to Guest services to get our new cabin cards, went back to the cabin only to find the cards would not work, so back to GS for new cards which again did not work, third time lucky but a different card as the Black cards were not working, need to get them changed at some point as the other card does not work in the bars. All good fun.

Sounds it! Though still that you are having a blast.

Is the dreaded drink package plan working 100%? 

[sidari]

7 hours ago, citizenfrank said:

Sounds it! Though still that you are having a blast.

Is the dreaded drink package plan working 100%? 

Frank ... Had no issues with the Deluxe package, on this cruise we have the Classic so will see how it goes. The issue with the Black cards is that the magnetic stripes on the back of the cards is faulty so they are having to issue blue cards with the words Black card on it.