Anybody onboard currently?

[Cruizer Diana]

On 8/21/2022 at 7:01 PM, JYDCruise said:

At least some (most? all?) city maps were available at guest services on our 9 August trip to Iceland. Of course, given the size of most the towns at which we docked, a map was a pretty simple affair!

Thank you JYDCruise, Marmaduke, and uktog for your replies. On our last sailing, which was last fall, they provided maps printed from the internet. The maps were often not very crisp. I was hoping to hear that the port reps were starting to show up on board, like in the past. Sounds like that may be returning. We found talking to the reps and seeing crisp maps was very helpful for DIY port visits.

[Mrmatt]

Anyone onboard Onward know when the Swirl & Top will be back working?

 

[Mackdogmolly]

14 hours ago, Mrmatt said:

Anyone onboard Onward know when the Swirl & Top will be back working?

 

Horrors! The Swirl & Top is broken?! Don’t tell my DH!!

[hants52]

Has anyone any experience of whether it is still possible for those not in suites to purchase a pass for the spa deck?

[takemewithyou]

5 hours ago, hants52 said:

Has anyone any experience of whether it is still possible for those not in suites to purchase a pass for the spa deck?

I would like to know the answer to this….good question!

I was just thinking about this recently.

 

Also there were some reports that only top suites can use the spa decks, not CC suites, but it seemed to vary on each ship……what is the situation now?

[laurieb]

5 hours ago, hants52 said:

Has anyone any experience of whether it is still possible for those not in suites to purchase a pass for the spa deck?

There was a little ad in the insider stating that passes were available to purchase 

[wjfan417]

On 8/22/2022 at 3:54 AM, Marmaduke said:

I miss the local tourist information reps that used to come onboard at each port.  Hopefully they will be able to return when covid conditions allow.  Maps are available from Guests Relations but they tend to be printed from the internet, many of them are A3 size which helps.

Very helpful tourist board reps were onboard when we were in Belfast a few days ago. 

[So Cal John]

Someone recently posted the specialty dining menus here. Thanks, since we will be on Pursuit in less than 2 weeks. I noticed markings for vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.  However, no dairy free options. Do they not offer dairy free as a normal option? 
Hopefully they will offer up the next night’s menu and work with us to prepare a dairy free meal.

[uktog]

52 minutes ago, So Cal John said:

Someone recently posted the specialty dining menus here. Thanks, since we will be on Pursuit in less than 2 weeks. I noticed markings for vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.  However, no dairy free options. Do they not offer dairy free as a normal option? 
Hopefully they will offer up the next night’s menu and work with us to prepare a dairy free meal.

Absolutely they will, you will discuss your next nights choices the evening before and a dairy free meal will be no problem.  There are always people on board requiring them. 

[RW75]

Does anyone else feel the menus in Prime C and Aqualina really need to be given some attention.  Lazy and repetitive.. No substantial change ever and having two fillet options on the Prime C menu to fill a space is very lazy. Writing a menu and throwing in a few French words to hide repetitive options is not clever. 
 

The whole concept feels dated in the offering.  The actual overall experience is so far removed from anything premium it’s almost an insult to pay a supplement to dine there. 
More tabled jammed in both venues and a very lacking choice of options. 
 

That said, I will still eat there and happily pay.  My comments are more frustration at the lack of vision than criticism.  

[BuckGood]

On 8/20/2022 at 4:49 AM, boxman52 said:

I found the music not too loud anywhere

The main noise issues were people shouting & having facetime calls. Awful at breakfast time

A number of guests wanted to ensure everyone else heard their comments so at times were excessively loud. After a few days we spotted them

It's not helped by the silence at the pool. I ended up just hoping some background music would come on as a counter. 

I really do think they should do something in the pool area because for me it was seldom peaceful with people playing videos on phones or calling 

 

 

Totally agree! Go to your cabin if you want to FaceTime! So Irritating! I like to Stare them down until they either lower their voice are end the call! 😡

[BuckGood]

On 8/20/2022 at 12:15 PM, Mackdogmolly said:

I couldn’t agree more. There was a constant repeating loop of music on the pool deck last December on our Quest Christmas cruise and it drove me batty.

That’s what AirPods are for! I Like a little relaxing music, not to loud, while laying by the pool! 

[lisiamc]

@RW75, I like eating at Prime C precisely because everything isn’t all gussied up. Sometimes I’m in the mood for nicely cooked protein without sticky sauce, a honey glaze, a fruit reduction, a pastry crust, or any of the other fancy things I can’t eat and don’t want to. I could see scope for a special “dish of the week” or similar - something classic like Steak Diane, Beef Wellington, Prime Rib, or lobster - things I could enjoy and also things to please those after a fancier preparation.

 

I do think that the Aqualina menu is a bit tired. The last overhaul wasn’t very popular, though. I’d like to see more seafood, done in a method that allows the seafood to be the star of the show. Broiled scallops, grilled sardines, seared tuna in sesame seeds, etc. and a bit less of sole, sea bream, and sea bass.

Edited August 26, 2022 by lisiamc

[Roel94]

On 8/24/2022 at 2:06 AM, Mrmatt said:

Anyone onboard Onward know when the Swirl & Top will be back working?

 

The guests who told me said it could be a while.guessing missing parts.most parts still come from Asia

[Roel94]

There is a brand new Chefs Table dinner tonight.Not sure how long they had it but I will be testing everything. Menu looks great. 
 

totally agree about the food. I have no problems with more tables as I am finding  there is still a wait.Rhe host is even willing to get you in the new bar. 
 

Onward has over 600 guests and feels very crowded everywhere.

[Roel94]

On 8/25/2022 at 4:40 PM, laurieb said:

There was a little ad in the insider stating that passes were available to purchase 

Not on Onward anywhere nor Pursuit.onward so busy their hours are to 10 vs 8 for spa.gym is closed due to noise.

[takemewithyou]

30 minutes ago, Roel94 said:

Not on Onward anywhere nor Pursuit.onward so busy their hours are to 10 vs 8 for spa.gym is closed due to noise.

So is the forward spa deck only now available  for upper suites and closed to all others on Onward and Pursuit?

[uktog]

34 minutes ago, Roel94 said:

Not on Onward anywhere nor Pursuit.onward so busy their hours are to 10 vs 8 for spa.gym is closed due to noise.

Can you clarify the opening hours for the gym. It’s a little confused your post thanks. 

[RW75]

Lisiamc, do not disagree with anything you say at all. 
 

 

[RW75]

Is anyone onboard Onward able to take a pic of the smoking area? Or offer any comment in comparison to the other ships. 

Saw a video which panned by for a split second and the furnishing did not look comfortable at all and certainly not the same as the other ships.  
As I intend spending forty or so days there in the coming months I am a little curious. 

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, Roel94 said:

There is a brand new Chefs Table dinner tonight.Not sure how long they had it but I will be testing everything. Menu looks great. 

What was the theme? Was it good?

[Mackdogmolly]

6 minutes ago, RW75 said:

Is anyone onboard Onward able to take a pic of the smoking area? Or offer any comment in comparison to the other ships. 

Saw a video which panned by for a split second and the furnishing did not look comfortable at all and certainly not the same as the other ships.  
As I intend spending forty or so days there in the coming months I am a little curious. 

I’m not a smoker, but it’s on the forward port side of the pool deck, I believe (if the same as the other ships). Everyone always looks like they’re enjoying themselves, so I guess they’re not too uncomfortable!

[Port Power]

23 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I’m not a smoker, but it’s on the forward port side of the pool deck, I believe (if the same as the other ships). Everyone always looks like they’re enjoying themselves, so I guess they’re not too uncomfortable!

I always found that smoking area the most social area on the ship.  Not everyone smoked, as some were partners.  People coming through from inside would sometimes complain but never used the door on the opposite side of the bar instead. 

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I always found that smoking area the most social area on the ship.  Not everyone smoked, as some were partners.  People coming through from inside would sometimes complain but never used the door on the opposite side of the bar instead. 

Indeed, some people seem to repeatedly walk past the area behaving like demented windmills.  You would think they would know to use the other side once they learned where the smokers were if they are so upset by smoke.

(PS I am a non smoker, I have no issue with the fact there is a smoking area, except that people there seem to have more fun than anywhere else on the ship some days and I need to get a slide of that spirit 🙂 )

[Mackdogmolly]

22 minutes ago, BuckGood said:

I hope the Furthest away from Anything! 🤢

Hey, it’s outside, so I have never found it to be a bother.