Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[island lady]

19 hours ago, Arzeena said:

Pat, Laura, Pat II, pstone, and all onboard,

I so much appreciate your pictures and posts on the "real" thing happening. I saw a video somewhere that was showing some onboard tiktokers complaining about the silliest things: someone thought their inside was like a prison cell😆 Another one seems not to like the crew coming up to greet them when at the WJ and asking if everything was OK😁, One was complaining about not being invited to Pinnacle events and not being given priority and not being included in the full world cruiser events🤣, etc etc etc. It was entertaining and lots of laughs.

 

Hope everyone is enjoying their excursion today!

 

OMG...not surprising.  Tik Tok drama queens doing their usual for attention.  

[island lady]

15 hours ago, doghog said:

Did you happen to notice if it had Pat and Bucky's cabin number on it? 😁

 

It did!  All the space under our bed is now taken.  😄 🤣

[island lady]

Sorry have not updated until now.  Yesterday being a supposed "TAD" (though I am not fond of that being we booked a quarter...not a mini leg)...had my internet messed up.  Could not connect "Info cannot be verified" on either device.   Tried to go down to GS desk when we got back from the tour...line of over 20 people long.  Not.  Gave up...figured it may come up later.  

 

Found out from one of our friends in the CL later that night that now you have to input your first name AND your middle name.  Though several said they did not have to...apparently I had to.  Soooo back up and running again.  

[island lady]

Tour to the winery yesterday.  45 minute bus ride to get there...2 hours to get back.  Ughh...driver decided to take the "faster" way home on the main highway.  Got stuck in 2 traffic jams...worst one was inside the very long tunnel...and worst part of that was the extreme idiot truck driver behind us that blared his loud horn the whole time we were in there (45 minutes) awful.  I was ready to ask the bus driver if he had a baseball bat.  I would have walked back and told the truck driver...."Honk this!!".  Bad girl.  😉 

 

The good:  Winery was beautiful, wines (what tiny sips they gave us) were very good.  All the beautiful landscaping gorgeous.   

 

The bad:  Of course the bus ride back, no snacks as advertised to go with the wine (we did not get back to the ship until 2:30), everyone was hungry with no place to grab a bite.  So called 15 minute "stop in town" was a flea market basically, and no restrooms available. The trek from ship to terminal to back outside again to back track to tour bus was totally unorganized and confusing.  

 

But...as a part of the good...with random shots of the winery.  

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

18 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Someone should inform that person that prison cell doors cannot be opened from the inside.🙄

Add to that the closet thing to a gang is the Crown and Anchor rankings, and a Pinnacle nor Diamond Plus isn’t going to shiv them.  They also aren’t being treated like Andy was by the sisters in Shawshank. 

[A&L_Ont]

@island lady Bucky is still in shoes, so it must still be cool I’m guessing?  The bus ride back sounds horrible, it’s to bad he took the “quick” way home. 

[island lady]

18 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Add to that the closet thing to a gang is the Crown and Anchor rankings, and a Pinnacle nor Diamond Plus isn’t going to shiv them.  They also aren’t being treated like Andy was by the sisters in Shawshank. 

 

LOL...yup...especially this Pinnacle if you put a baseball bat in her hand.....errr...well, just obnoxious truck drivers need fear.  😉 😄 

[island lady]

15 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

@island lady Bucky is still in shoes, so it must still be cool I’m guessing?  The bus ride back sounds horrible, it’s to bad he took the “quick” way home. 

 

Yeah, it was a bit cool.  I had to go back to the bus for my jacket in our backpack.  But, I like cool versus sweltering hot and humid anyway.  😉 

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

LOL...yup...especially this Pinnacle if you put a baseball bat in her hand.....errr...well, just obnoxious truck drivers need fear.  😉 😄 

I posted my comment before I saw yours about the bat and the truck driver. Too funny. 😂

[island lady]

Welcome to La Serena Chili.  Docked up very early, and once again at a commercial pier (shuttle to terminal only).   Though not a huge freight yard...so much quieter.  

 

We don't have a tour booked for today, and with this "ick" weather, happy we did not.  Hoping it will lift later to take a walk around what we can see...maybe a lunch spot. 

 

The shoreline of resorts, beaches, is a bit far away, and not great weather for it anyway.  Misty fog, spitting light rain, cool and very humid.  

 

 

[island lady]

Today was the only port day we docked up on port side...so far anyway since Miami. 

 

Guessed right away why...and was right.  Required life boat drills.  Actually kind of funny that we are only starboard side docking...like the Oasis class ladies do.   And same thing with Oasis...they will dock port side for the same drills.  

 

 

 

[island lady]

Just went down to check out our new table assignment.  Four top...ughh..but will take it.  

 

For some reason they insist on moving our beloved wait team around for each mini leg.  Had no difficulty getting us changed to their new location the last time, but was like pulling teeth this time.  The new head waiter was not congenial at all.  I am guessing he did not want to give up the income from our table in his section to placing us into a different section.  

 

Both change times we tried out the new waiter and assist. waiter...both times they failed miserably.  Happy to be back with beloved King and Melissa again, as I know they will be .....having us back.  Always hugs all around.  Melissa is a total sweetie and always brings our glasses of Oberon Cab, and Kim Crawford SB right away without asking.  That's service!  

 

Hope our new table mates are nice.  😳

[island lady]

Found out we are now 150-200 pax lighter on this leg.  Must have been more pax departing in Valparaiso than I thought.  

 

Will check actual numbers with concierge later today.  Upper tier event is not until Feb. 2nd.  Ohh...ground hogs!!   🐹 😄 

[time4u2go]

5 minutes ago, island lady said:

Just went down to check out our new table assignment.  Four top...ughh..but will take it.  

 

For some reason they insist on moving our beloved wait team around for each mini leg.  Had no difficulty getting us changed to their new location the last time, but was like pulling teeth this time.  The new head waiter was not congenial at all.  I am guessing he did not want to give up the income from our table in his section to placing us into a different section.  

 

Both change times we tried out the new waiter and assist. waiter...both times they failed miserably.  Happy to be back with beloved King and Melissa again, as I know they will be .....having us back.  Always hugs all around.  Melissa is a total sweetie and always brings our glasses of Oberon Cab, and Kim Crawford SB right away without asking.  That's service!  

 

Hope our new table mates are nice.  😳

You don't keep the same table throughout the cruise? That stinks. 

[orville99]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks!  Beautiful ship indeed...could not get a picture of her.  Bucky and I already discussing booking with Silver Seas now.  🙂 

Here you go:

BTW, DW and I are looking at doing an 81 night RT (NYC/NYC) that does most of Europe, Scandinavia, Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes in summer 2025

 

Edited January 24 by orville99

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, orville99 said:

Here you go:

 

That is actually a good looking ship!

[ILCTCRUISER]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Thanks!  Beautiful ship indeed...could not get a picture of her.  Bucky and I already discussing booking with Silver Seas now.  🙂 

We still have some RCL bookings into 2025.  However, today’s RCL is not the RCL we knew back then.  Permit me to say it once more:  We want to be on a cruise, not a carnival ride.  Maybe it’s our age.  RCL has a lot to offer, but we’re no longer in the target demographic and haven’t been for some time.  Have been sailing Regent and have started to research Atlas and Explora.  Explora is MSC’s luxury brand.  Have friends who sail Silverseas and they like it a lot.  Have sailed Celebrity but it’s been a while so not sure if we fit the demographic there.

Edited January 24 by ILCTCRUISER

[Arzeena]

21 minutes ago, island lady said:

Just went down to check out our new table assignment.  Four top...ughh..but will take it.  

 

For some reason they insist on moving our beloved wait team around for each mini leg.  Had no difficulty getting us changed to their new location the last time, but was like pulling teeth this time.  The new head waiter was not congenial at all.  I am guessing he did not want to give up the income from our table in his section to placing us into a different section.  

 

Both change times we tried out the new waiter and assist. waiter...both times they failed miserably.  Happy to be back with beloved King and Melissa again, as I know they will be .....having us back.  Always hugs all around.  Melissa is a total sweetie and always brings our glasses of Oberon Cab, and Kim Crawford SB right away without asking.  That's service!  

 

Hope our new table mates are nice.  😳

 

Perhaps you are just two on the 4 top?

[island lady]

47 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

You don't keep the same table throughout the cruise? That stinks. 

 

Nope, have to ask for it....and worse yet..they change wait team to different location after each mini leg.  😠

[island lady]

45 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Here you go:

BTW, DW and I are looking at doing an 81 night RT (NYC/NYC) that does most of Europe, Scandinavia, Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes in summer 2025

 

 

Nice!  Almost new ship, 728 pax total...what is not to like?  🥰

[island lady]

34 minutes ago, ILCTCRUISER said:

We still have some RCL bookings into 2025.  However, today’s RCL is not the RCL we knew back then.  Permit me to say it once more:  We want to be on a cruise, not a carnival ride.  Maybe it’s our age.  RCL has a lot to offer, but we’re no longer in the target demographic and haven’t been for some time.  Have been sailing Regent and have started to research Atlas and Explora.  Explora is MSC’s luxury brand.  Have friends who sail Silverseas and they like it a lot.  Have sailed Celebrity but it’s been a while so not sure if we fit the demographic there.

 

Totally agree.  After being loyal to Royal for 20 years, we are now booking other lines. RCI just not the same indeed, and like you...not into that amusement park atmosphere. RCI is running their smaller ships into the ground as cash cows, spending the big bucks on the theme parks at sea. 😞  

 

So far we really adore Viking and have various long cruises booked with them all the way into 2026.  

 

We also have American Queen booked (river cruiser), and Celebrity.  World cruise line looks good as well, and now Silverseas is on our radar indeed.  🙂 

[island lady]

37 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

 

Perhaps you are just two on the 4 top?

 

Will find out tonight...but the main thing...is we have our wait team back.   🙂 

[orville99]

48 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Nice!  Almost new ship, 728 pax total...what is not to like?  🥰

All Suites; All Included: butler service; specialty dining; 24 hour room service; shore excursions in every port; all beverages; fully stocked mini bar - - just for starters😇

[ILCTCRUISER]

21 minutes ago, orville99 said:

All Suites; All Included: butler service; specialty dining; 24 hour room service; shore excursions in every port; all beverages; fully stocked mini bar - - just for starters😇

Gratuities!   And on some luxury lines flights are “included” in fare.  They usually do offer a fare w/o flights.  Important to do apples-to-apples comparison.  Of course, the luxury lines are pricey but when you back out a fair value for all of the included amenities the difference in fares between main line and luxury line shrinks quite a bit.  Of course, if one is upper tier on RCL (daily drink allotment, Wi-Fi, other discounts), the price comparison tends to blur.   We’re D+ on RCL, Elite on Princess and some loyalty rank on others.  Becoming Pinnacle on RCL?  We tend to think of it this way:  What do you get?  Two Hershey bars and a Coke?

[island lady]

36 minutes ago, orville99 said:

All Suites; All Included: butler service; specialty dining; 24 hour room service; shore excursions in every port; all beverages; fully stocked mini bar - - just for starters😇

 

🥰🥰