Willdra’s Valiant Venezia Review

[willdra]

On 6/19/2024 at 6:06 PM, Knights on the Beach said:

Great pictures - looks like it was a wonderful first day on the ship! I hope all the circus monkeys stay in NY when Venezia moves to Port Canaveral. 🤡

LOL 😂 thanks and I hope so too! 🎪🎪

[AKR2011]

17 hours ago, willdra said:

That’s good info🤗. We were ecstatic when we found that liquor store open that late on Sunday night, cuz they don’t do that at the ones near us. 😱

I actually lived in GA for a few years and remember the black tarps they put over all the alcohol in the grocery stores every Sunday. It was a sin to even look at it, I guess? 🤷‍♀️

[TNVolnteerCruiser]

You and W are a hoot, in the best way possible! I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you on a cruise one day.  #notastalkeronlyafan

[Knights on the Beach]

22 hours ago, willdra said:

 

 

 

 

 

Hold up .... Java Blue, Gondola Bar & Atrium bar don't open until 8:00 am for coffee?? That has to be a NY thing, right? 

Edited June 24 by Knights on the Beach

[Jamman54]

24 minutes ago, Knights on the Beach said:

 

Hold up .... Java Blue, Gondola Bar & Atrium bar don't open until 8:00 am for coffee?? That has to be a NY thing, right? 

I hope that was a typo. It was 7am for all 21 days that we were on her last year.  😎

[swimmingpoolguy]

THANK YOU, Willdra, so much for taking the time to do this review and share your adventures. You are an amazing writer with an engaging turn of phrase, and I feel so lucky to get to read your stories. 

 

(And yes, I am mostly a lurker as you can tell from my post count, but I worked up the courage to type some gratitude.) 

[Knights on the Beach]

7 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

I hope that was a typo. It was 7am for all 21 days that we were on her last year.  😎

 

That seems more like what we've experienced on other ships so far. Thanks Jeff!

[Jamman54]

1 hour ago, Knights on the Beach said:

 

That seems more like what we've experienced on other ships so far. Thanks Jeff!

Guess we'll find out for sure in 68 days! 😀

[Jeafl]

On 6/23/2024 at 1:19 AM, willdra said:

That one comedian that we had was like watching paint dry. I need to know who’s approving these people, and does anyone not get chosen??? 😳

I totally agree.  We were on a 10-day cruise, and there was at least 4-5 comedians.  Only one of them was mildly amusing.  The rest were awful.  Surely there must be better comedians out there.

[Jeafl]

On 6/22/2024 at 10:10 PM, willdra said:

When we got down to the dining room it was almost empty. There weren’t that many people in there at all. We thought most people ate earlier because the wait times were 40-50 minutes when we first checked the app.

 

I ordered the Crab and Shrimp Cake, Marinated Chicken Tenders, and the Lasagna Bolognese. For dessert I ordered the Budino Bianco E Nero.

 

The appetizers came out quick and good. The Crab and Shrimp Cake was juicy and flavorful. The chicken was good too, just not as good as the shrimp and crab in my opinion. Right when we got appetizers, we had showtime and that’s where it all fell apart. It took a very long time for the entrees to come after that. I forgot what I ordered and I really wasn’t even hungry anymore after the chicken and seafood. The only reason I stayed was for W to get his food.

 

We saw people who arrived after us get finished and leave before we got our food. I think there was some sort of operator error contributing to this. When our server took my order he was tapping on the little pda, but I could tell he was confused cuz I looked to my left a few minutes later, and he was still standing there saying “ummm crab and shrimp cake…..” Man, can you give that thing to someone who can see? Please and thank you.

 

The ladies sitting with us were also wondering what was taking so long. When my lasagna came out I only ate a few bites of it. It wasn’t bad I’d just lost my appetite by then. Plus I wanted to save a little room for the dessert that I ordered.

 

26 minutes after entrees they brought out the desserts. It doesn’t seem that long now that I’m looking at the timestamps on the pictures but it felt like an eternity while we were sitting at the table. I was about to fall asleep in that lasagna.

 

So W and I ordered this dessert thinking it would be something with a lot of chocolate in it. It said "Italian Chocolate Bread Pudding". Turns out it was really just Bitter N Blanc. Really Venezia? Please rise from the ditch of deception and delusions, and just say it's Bitter N Blanc upfront. Thank you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I said the exact same thing to my husband!  We found that they just renamed a few things with fake Italian names.  We are smarter than that, Carnival!

[noshoobie]

On 6/20/2024 at 11:38 PM, willdra said:

When we walked out, I told W if he sees my eyelash on my forehead to let me know, cuz y’all know he wouldn’t tell me, unless I asked. W wouldn’t tell me if I had a whole arm growing out of the back of my head. He’s the worst when it comes to stuff like that. He would say “Oh I thought you knew, or I thought you meant to wear lipstick on your teeth”.

Loving your review! I have this same problem with my DH. I always have to ASK him if I have food in my teeth after we eat. I can't tell you how many times I have found chunks of broccoli or spinach in my teeth when I'm able to get to a mirror. Geez!

[noshoobie]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:40 PM, willdra said:

We interacted with the tables around us interjecting here and there. This is our preferred method of seating. Separate with the option of mingling. Just in case our neighbors are crazy.

Same with us! We have found most people to be very nice and friendly but every once in while you get the people who want to talk about politics or the people who complain about everything! Love your candid observations and I know if sitting next to you and W at dinner we would have a great time together!

[DeanDeeDee]

I just found your review - I'm only on page 3!  I just love your reviews and enjoy the laughter you provide. Enjoy your cruise!

[matt082600]

Hi Willdra, I'm all caught up and looking forward to the rest of your review.  Thanks for taking us along!

[willdra]

Venezia Day 4~3rd Sea Day

 

I got up at 10:30. W was sleeping the sleep of a condemned man. Like he was about to get up and walk the green mile. He didn’t move. At all. I got up and got ready to go to the Late Risers Breakfast. I checked the Funtimes the night before, and there was no SeaDay Brunch so we had to (dramatic pause, hiccup, cough, sneeze) go to buffet style breakfast on a Sea Day. First world problems.

 

When I was about ready, I opened the curtains all the way knowing that would definitely wake W. It definitely did not. Breakfast closed at noon, and Venezia didn’t play about their “Closed” times, so I had to get going. If W didn’t wake up for food, then that meant he had another plan. I was 100% sure he would not starve. This is W after all. I’m sure he has the whole food Funtimes memorized.

 

Pressed for time, I wrote “Lido” on one of the notes from the notepads that are in the cabin. I went to tape it to the bathroom mirror with some of the tape I keep in my makeup bag. I use the tape to take off glitter eyeshadow. I’m sure I’ve provided this tip before, but if you use scotch tape to take off the glitter eyeshadow, you will avoid smearing it all over your face, thus making you look like a lady of the night who accepts coupons. It works.

 

I dropped the note in the sink accidentally, then of course I spit my mouthwash on it, cuz that’s what I was doing also, but I continued on cuz nobody had time to write a new note. I just shook it out and taped it to the mirror anyway. I chuckled as I was walking out. W’s gonna think that was a hostage note. It looked rough.

 

[willdra]

I crept out of the cabin and hoped I didn’t run into our steward. I was on a mission and didn’t have time for the “Good morning! Where’s W? Oh sleeping? That’s nice. You need me to clean the room or do you just want towels? etc. etc.” He can talky talky sometimes. I got lucky, he was down the hall with his back turned to me. I hopped on the elevator and got up to 10 in a minute.

 

It wasn’t too crazy up there. The breakfast line was lengthy tho. The setup was the long line buffet, not the middle sections that I prefer. This is where Venezia lost some cool points.The old school long line setup is not the move. People just stand there waiting and waiting and waiting.

 

The omelet section was in the middle. I got in line around 11:34. It took me until 11:47 to make it to the end. When I got to the end there was a “family” in front of me who had multiple family members keep showing up getting stuff. That didn’t bother me. Get in get out. The problem was, four people had to get every single thing at the end of the line, then wait for the stuff that wasn’t there. They got grits, oatmeal, pastries, croissants, toast, eggs, and even baby woodchucks. Everything. That part took 10 minutes alone.

 

Then behind me there was an unsolicited cruise history person making the whole thing worse. Y’all know em. Somebody says “good morning. I hope the lady brings out more bacon”. Then to that the cruise connoisseur says “She will bring out more. I know because I’ve been on all of the cruises in the history of the world. I was even on the Titanic. I’ve been on xx number of cruises on xx cruise lines. I was on this ship xx times, I will be on xx ship in xx months, I have xx planned for this year, blah blah blah….” I didn’t mean to rain on the self congratulating parade, but the original person only made a comment about bacon. They only cared about bacon. Not how many cruises you’ve been on and how many you have planned in the future. Unless you can reach into the future and zap some bacon from that cruise to this one, they don’t wanna hear about it. Neither do I. 

 

There was another one behind us in the Comedy Club a few nights back. The only thing the person next to them said was “This drink is good”, and the person took that as their opening to tell them about every cruise/vacation they’ve been on and every one they have planned in the next 10 years. What did that have to do with the drink tho? Nada. Zip. Zilch. Not one thing. Now that was oversharing on steroids. How do you know when you’re oversharing? Glad you asked. When the person(s) you are talking to get silent, their eyes glaze over, they just start nodding, and they repeat any variation of the phrases “wow, that’s crazy, that’s nice, cool, aww, ok, that’s good, or ahhh”. Or if they say “oh tell my friend, husband, wife, honey bee, what you just told me”, in a monotone voice, that means they are mentally planning their escape. Stop talking. Let them go. Their mind is already gone. The body will soon follow.

 

Don’t get me wrong cousins, it is perfectly acceptable to talk about the next cruise, the last cruise, even all the cruises in these Cruise Critic streets, when somebody asks (I do it all the time), cuz they wanna know, or when it’s appropriate. Just maybe don’t do it when somebody asks about a breakfast food or a drink. That’s a reach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

I shut my ears off for self preservation, got my items from that section, and moved over to the omelets. I hesitated at first cuz I wasn’t sure if I wanted W to know I could do this part myself. He always gets my omelet for me. If I show I can do it myself he might start expecting me to do it going forward. Who needed that? “Not I” said the cat. I didn’t have long to decide, so I went for it. I also thought about getting his eggs too, but since breakfast was closing he wouldn’t be able to get the stuff to go with it. Plus he’s extra about those eggs and I really didn’t want him asking me to get those things on a regular basis. 

 

There were 2 lines for omelets. I was in the one on the right but the one on the left moved faster. Then one of the ladies from the family holding up the buffet, went to the front of the omelet line I was in, to talk one of her family members. Next thing I know she was getting an omelet too. That did it. I hopped over in the left line. 2 minutes after that, a crew member came behind me with a “Buffet Closed” sign. I was the last to enter the line. I was correct to skip that line too cuz there was some other issues over there. I was done getting my omelet and they still had the 2 or 3 people who were in front of me when I was in the right line. Ick.

 

I went and found a seat on the aisle so W could see me if he came up there. There were lots of empty tables, so hopefully I wasn’t blending in. When I put my stuff down, a very nice lady told me I could come and sit with her if I wanted to sit by the window. I got coffee and right as I sat down, W walked up. He said he slept well because he cheated by getting up and taking some Aleve around 5. Normally he gets up cuz his back hurts but he said this time it didn’t. I told him I knew he needed to sleep so I left him. He would’ve let me sleep too(I hope).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

After my breakfast we went up to find our spot on Deck 11. We’re now pretty much entrenched into this routine. There was a nice breeze blowing through there. We had some good choices that day. We could people watch or we could ocean watch.  We chose people watching with a window love seat and chair combo. W went to the pasta bar around 1(I knew he had a food plan). I stayed to talk to y’all and Jesus (just cuz we agreed to see other people, doesn’t mean we don’t keep in touch).

 

W got back from lunch and almost immediately fell asleep on the couch. Boring. I sat around reading and playing a game on my iPad. I danced in the window to burn a calorie or three when the spirit and music moved me. When the DJ played Hotel California it got all the way up to the guitar solo, then ding ding ding, MarQ cuts in with an announcement! Are you for real???? I looked around, but no one else seemed to notice. Nobody cares that the best part of this song has been interrupted? Nobody else wanted to call Security? This passenger demographic is interesting. My flabber was gasted.

 

At that moment tho it occurred to me that we hadn’t heard or done The Wobble yet. I didn’t think it was possible to be that far into a cruise and be Wobble free. Also, The Cha Cha Slide dude has been promising us a Part 3 on that song for decades. Where it at? What happened? Should we ask em about it? Has enough time passed? Is he ok? Somebody needs to check on him.

 

I sat and pondered these and many conundrums for awhile while W inhaled and exhaled. I went to the cabin to use the restroom cuz it was comfortable and I could take my time and do other things while W was out of the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

Having a cabin on the even side was out of the norm for us. I will have to go back to see when the last time was, but W was a little surprised when we didn’t have an odd numbered cabin. That’s one of the things I do to stay as grounded as I can. It helps me keep my bearings if I am always on the same side of the ship and if I always sleep on the same side of the bed etc… This is how traveling can feel more “normal” to me and I can sleep better and find my way around. Welp this time I said “It doesn’t matter. I can handle it”. Let me tell you right now. It does matter and I in fact cannot handle it. Every time I have left the cabin on my own, I have gotten lost. Every time. We’ve spent 4 days on this ship so far counting Monday, and I was today years old, when I realized our cabin is all the way aft. I picked the cabin, and I booked the cabin y’all. That means absolutely nothing tho. The really sad part of all of it is, I can’t remember where my cabin is, but I still remember all of the words to Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock’s “It Takes Two”.  Every time I hear that song I’m gonna rap every bar as loud as I can. Tsk tsk.

 

While I was in the cabin I had to mentally say “ok you can only pick 2 things to do while you are in here. Do not start 12 things, then leave an hour later”. One of the things was already decided. I completed one other function, then went back to join W (yes I got lost on the way back, but only a little bit lost, and I self corrected quickly this time). Progress.

 

W wanted to get in the pool. He said there were some community kids in there and he was hoping they would leave but no such luck. Community kids are those kids that show up with “parents” but those “parents” disappear and start doing adult things while the community is left to raise their kids. Then pretty soon the community is looking around going “who’s kids are these????” We saw lots of those at the 80’s Dance Party. People just brought their kids, then started partying with the adults, while the rest of the world dealt with their kids. How sway?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

W came back from the pool and we went back to the cabin around 6:30. We checked into dinner at 7:44, our table was ready 7:47. We went in and ordered right away. I got Shrimp Cocktail, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Butter Pecan Ice Cream. Even tho it was a little later, it didn’t seem to take as long as it did the night before. W got the same appetizer but he got the Roast Beef Entree. He said it was just ok. We didn’t waste a lot of time there, we wanted to get to the Teatro Rosso for Family Feud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

The show started at 9:30. We got there around 9:15. There were still some seats left but not many. We sat along the upper back wall on deck 5.

 

Right after we were seated, there was some commotion in the middle section. I think some people went to stand in that empty space in front of the seats, but the people behind them weren’t really feeling it. There was one guy in particular who was very vocal about his disapproval of their plan. After the yelling didn’t stop (yes there was yelling. New York, I guess) Security came. I was like “oh good Security” then everyone in our section was like “Yes!! Security!” However, they walked in and didn’t really do anything. The people that were standing there left on their own, but the guy was still getting into it with one of the ladies who lingered. The show started and the lights went off, so we couldn’t see what happened after that. It was uncanny and bizarre. It still amazes me that people don’t take others into consideration. W said a lady was about to stand in front of us, and when her friends called her over, she had the nerve to say “Oh no, I can stand here I’m ok” No ma’am Pam. You are not ok. They must’ve convinced her to move cuz she wasn’t there when I got back from the rr. Smart.

 

Family Feud was very funny. We really enjoyed it. When we left W wanted to go to comedy but since it’s been hit or miss (and his vote is still silent), I told him I’d rather skip it. So we did. We went up to Lido and I got my hot water and W got ice.

 

There was a guy at the beverage station filling up bottles and emptying what looked like a thermos into the drink fountain. It was kinda yucky and I really wanted to tell him there’s a whole sink around the corner where he could do that. When I fill my bottle, I dispense my drink into one of the cups then pour that into my bottle, so as not to contaminate the whole fountain. Putting his bottle up to the fountain dispenser is equivalent to just putting his mouth on the dispenser.  

Did we learn nothing from the Pandora's Covid box that we still aren't 100% done with yet? I guess not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willdra]

Following that excitement W and I retired to the cabin, watched TV, read our books, and got ready for our excursion the next day.

 

Before I fell asleep I said a prayer thanking God that I was not the type of person who sits at a piano, and has someone take pictures of me sitting at the piano, in front of a big ole sign that says “DO NOT TOUCH” on top of said piano.

 

W and I saw someone doing exactly that. Sitting and taking pictures at a piano, that had a huge sign on it telling people not to touch it. What did they think the sign meant? No touching except to take pictures? Did they think the sign was for someone else, not them? Or maybe they didn’t even know what the sign said? I’ll bet their favorite color is 3. Thank God that ain’t me. Amen.

 

 

[BroadwayGirl]

On 6/24/2024 at 8:29 AM, Jamman54 said:

Guess we'll find out for sure in 68 days! 😀

We just booked the 2nd leg....so we're back to backing Bermuda and Canada with you! Our friends on week 2 convinced us to stay on and go back to CA.   Can't come soon enough!  Looking forward to seeing you and Patti again. 

[Jamman54]

19 minutes ago, BroadwayGirl said:

We just booked the 2nd leg....so we're back to backing Bermuda and Canada with you! Our friends on week 2 convinced us to stay on and go back to CA.   Can't come soon enough!  Looking forward to seeing you and Patti again. 

That's great news. We're looking forward to seeing you guys again! 😀

[Destaw71835]

😱 🤣 the buffet line conversations… I feel you on that. I just try to zone out.