Live Brilliance of the Seas Review 3/4/19 - Vegetarian, gluten free, disabilty incls

[molly361]

Just boarded. Will keep an eye out for you

[udivegirl]

Looking forward to following along!

[CatLadyFemme]

24 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Just boarded. Will keep an eye out for you

Excellent!

 

we just boarded too, and without a doubt the smoothest curb to ship we have ever done.

 

Wound up taking a Lyft from the hotel to the port (Terminal 3) for less than $10, including tips.

 

We dropped our luggage with a porter, and then as we headed to the escalator, someone from the Key pointed us (with me as visibility disabled) to the elevator, which put us in a shorter line to ge tour passports and pass checked. Then they whisked folks with crutches, canes, etc to the front of the security line (but only allowing one person with you, which caused some drama ahead of us with a group of 4). Then we used our new platinum status to pop to the front of the check in line, got checked in (didn’t even get asked about being sick and had to sign nothing), took our picture, and boarded the ship. Less then 15 minutes from curb to the ding and “welcome aboard.”

 

Then a packed elevator to get to floor 4 to check in at the dining room. Almost no line, just one person ahead of us. We were listed as having a special diet (one of the few times we made it from the form to the ship with no drama), and they had us at a two top despite not having got a response from my email.

 

Popping up to Windjammer now!

 

 

[molly361]

Diamond cocktail hour starts at 5,pm with be first seating at be 530. Don't remember ever seeing that

[LBumb]

Bon voyage

[livylotte]

It's been 11 years since I last sailed on Brilliance (still my favourite ship) and I've just booked her for Summer 2020 so I hope you don't mind but I'm following along to see how she is keeping. I am also Coeliac so very interested in all things food.  Looking forward to this - have a great trip 😉 

[CatLadyFemme]

Dinner is over!

I love this dining room. A little Art Deco feeling. We have a table hidden away next to the staircase which I love.

 

While our team was not as amazing as Belic and our waiters on Explorer, and they definitely didn’t communicate as well, we had a solid dinner, AND I didn’t get sick, which is a huge thing for me, especially on the first night. I bring a little piece of paper with my food needs in red and green, and have found that seems to help.

 

MrCatLady had shrimp cocktail, ceaser salad, prime rib, and chocolate hazelnut cake with coffee, and of course plenty of rolls. I did a fruit plate, the cheese plate without bread as an app, a special version of the polenta with a different cheese and gluten free, the blueberry/pear/thyme cobbler, and tea (and two slices of super crumbly GF bread). All in all, pretty solid for the first night. One first night, I had a plain romaine salad with oil and vinegar, a cheese plate, two slices of cold GF raisin bread, and berries, so this was definitely a win.

 

menu, food pics, and my nifty handout below. [edit; the Tapatalk app isn’t working for me and apparently deleted my posts about Windjammer and our room from earlier. And doing it here in the browser, pics aren’t uploading, so skipping pictures for now.]

 

We went under the bridge around 6:20, but too foggy to see too much.

 

On our way back to the room, we ran into two CC board folks (Pinnacle club members to boot) in the elevator. They said “it’s the cat lady!”  To which my partner whispered “How do they even know??? You’re not even wearing a cat dress or cat earrings!” LOL.

 

Now sitting on our balcony (first time having one!) and enjoying the sound of the waves before the LGBTQ meet up. 

[CatLadyFemme]

Ok, in port, and the Tapatalk app is working, so here are some pics from yesterday...

Windjammer first meal...not great but functional


Then first drinks (Virgin pina colada for me, sparkling water for MrCatLady), and time at the Solarium.

And the Thermal quite...we opted in for the $99 couples pad for the week.




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[CatLadyFemme]

Here is our room, an accessible balcony (first balcony ever!). The ramp to outside is a little worn and in need of repair, and the shower floods, but otherwise, we are pretty happy with it. Definitely can hear the ongoing last at the Centrum till at least midnight. Something to keep in mind. Also, first accessible room we have had with an automatic door, which has been both a blessing and an awkward accidentally flashing the hallway curse.




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[CatLadyFemme]

Here is our room, an accessible balcony (first balcony ever!). The ramp to outside is a little worn and in need of repair, and the shower floods, but otherwise, we are pretty happy with it. Definitely can hear the ongoing last at the Centrum till at least midnight. Something to keep in mind. Also, first accessible room we have had with an automatic door, which has been both a blessing and an awkward accidentally flashing the hallway curse.




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[CatLadyFemme]

Here are pictures from last night at dinner. Description in a previous post.


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[CatLadyFemme]

We tried for the LGBTQ meet up, but it was only a few gay men and we never get read as queer them, so we wandered a bit. A nice piano/string group was playing in the Schooner bar, and then we went to see the Colony Club, as I had no idea what is was. Turns out they were doing karaoke but with like 5 people and no one wanted to sing. I cannot sing but am a total ham, so did Wannabe by the Spice Girls to help the crew member out. Two guys did some Queen, MrCatLady did a duet to California Girls with another random guy, and I did a semi decent attempt at All That Jazz from Chicago. Then they had RockARoke, karaoke with a live band in the Centrum and easily a hundred people watching. Holy cow were most of them good! We watched for a bit, then went up to enjoy half an hour in the thermal spa, nachos (me) and pizza (MrCatLady) at the Park Cafe, and then back to our room around 11pm for some quiet reading and then bed time.


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[BIBPhotography]

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 6:37 AM, poleman88 said:

Sailing on Brilliance on Mar.23 for 5 days. Looking forward to your thoughts of the ship. Enjoy!

We are on the same cruise @Poleman88, looking forward to a little downtime !

[BIBPhotography]

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 8:31 PM, CatLadyFemme said:

For dinner, we went to the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Definitely recommend a reservation. I appreciated they had a GF menu (also with sections about dairy free and nut free), as well as things labeled vegetarian. We decided to split a pitcher of Cava Sangria (made at the table), Queso Fundito (had asked for toast points on a separate plate), the Heart of Palm salad (meh), the vegetarian Paella (this was super good), and the Creme de Casalita for dessert (lit on fire at the table). Everything was decent, but this place is definitely more about the atmosphere for sure. I love stuff prepared at the table, so I was a happy lady.

Then we walked around the area, and watched a wrestling match spill out of the Orpheum into the street, heard a bicycle with a massive boom box, watched some motorcycles pop wheelies, walked by many venues with live music, found a $5 bill which we passed onto a homeless gentleman a block down, and then hopped a ride back to the hotel.


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 Thanks for the review of The Columbia!  It was recommended to me this week as a great restaurant.  We'll be cruising on the BOS March 23, so I'm following along and counting my days!

 

Enjoy your cruise CatLadyFemme!

[CatLadyFemme]

Bad news. MrCatLady has been placed in isolation since yesterday afternoon due to fever, headache, and stomach ache. I am allowed out and about, but he has been sleeping, drinking fluids, and finally upgraded to toast, rice, bananas, etc. Poor thing is bored out of his mind.

We were in Key West for all of 30 minutes before we came back to the ship. I have spent a lot of time reading; in the room, on the balcony, in the Schooner lounge, in the Solarium.



I did dinner on my own: banana rum soup, a salad without prosciutto, GF mushroom risotto, and a requested mini GF chocolate cake. They really will make you almost anything you ask for; you just have to know to ask. Plus several Shirley Temples.



After dinner, got a virgin Pedro Collins in the Schooner bar, and saw the 9pm Now and Later show, which was fun and very Fosse and ABBA focused. A few people walked out during the Full Monty numbers; I was pleased they had some newer and fun things in it. Afterwards, got snacks at the Park Cafe, and then back to hang out with my poor baby.




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[CatLadyFemme]

Today I started with free continental room service on the balcony.



We saw Majesty of the Seas go by in passing



Then I headed to my first ever top tier party (this is my first cruise as Platinum; I know I am just a wee thing compared to all you Diamond and above types!). Got a cranberry champagne and enjoyed learning about all the officers. I need to stop by guest services and pick up my pin!



Went to the MDR for lunch. I had put in an order last night with my head waiter Dinesh for GF pasta with red sauce and veggies, and they had the slip of paper all set. Also did the Tutti salad bar and they were prepared with a brand new cutter. I just wish they had some GF salad dressings aboard. I can only enjoy oil and vinegar so much. My pasta was fine, nothing to write home about. And my waiter was kind enough to get me a blended virgin mojito and a GF dessert.



No one beats Belic and his team on Explorer last summer as the most kind and thoughtful service team for a vegetarian with Celiac, but am definitely able to get enough and diverse foods to eat, and have yet (knocks on wood) to be glutened on this or any Royal cruise .

I followed this by getting a chocolate chai latte (they were out of chai yesterday and I had a sad run in with a mocha latte which was way too coffee forward for my tastes), watching folks line dance to Toga Toga Toga and the Wobble in the Centrum, and looking for sweat pants for MrCatLady in the gift shop. No luck. Then I booked our next cruise (same route next year for a redo for him, and booked for our friends as well; we LOVE this ship), stopped in to check in on him, then went to the Ribbons to Roses flower making class.
Rafa!


I will say I use my napkin folding skills I learned on Explorer all the time, so am excited to take this one back to land as well.

Our housekeeper Javon has been super helpful about replenishing towels, etc for us (though no towel animals due to quarantine, sadly), and guest services keeps checking in. As crappy as the experience is, they are definitely kind.

Off to go sit with poor MrCatLady on the balcony. Heartbroken he has to miss formal night; we LOVE dressing up together.


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[tcmagnum]

So sorry to hear MrCatLady isn't feeling well. That's just sucks.  But glad you are able to find some good food that you can enjoy. 

Thanks for the review. Loving it!!

[suesnake2002]

I remember you saying about your other "meetings", that it seems your not recognized. Could be cause your traveling with a "mr" cat lady. 

I say we get you a funky tee shirt that says "oh yes I am" and in tiny letters underneath LGBTQ. Lol

[Seazond]

So sorry about Mrcatlady.

 

I did this ship over the Christmas break. Love her!  We had a group of 14 cabins, and dinner was anywhere from 12 - 20 nightly.  Our serving staff was so helpful!  I am not just vegetarian, but vegan.  I know having to avoid dairy (and dairy for me is an allergy, not just a preference) is much more difficult.  I literally just told our server "I'll have what you chose for me" and never regretted it.  He was so proud he and the chef could come up with things for me to enjoy each night! Really, except for no animal products, I'm not a picky eater!

 

looking forward to following along with the rest of your trip!

 

[knuckles]

I hope you guys are doing well.  Will you be updating your review and posting cruise compasses?

 

TIA

Knuckles