OMG! A Z review! 1/25/07 Splendour

[zantedeschia]

 

Keep the reviews coming! I'm doing laundry tonite. I'll try to go over to your Rhapsody review (thanks for the link).

 

Later, Deb

Heh, my Rhapsody cruise was a 7 nighter, the review is much longer than this one.

 

Btw, I bought a new scanner! Gonna start scanning in stuff tonight. Will see if I can wait for the pamphlet texasnana snail-mailed me before I post the Day 4 write-up.

[texasnana]

Earlier in the day I heard an alpha alpha alpha call, location the 42nd Street Theater. I told Scott that means it's a medical emergency. At dinner Mary tells us it was at the Discover Shopping Show, that Pippa, the Discover Shopping Guide collapsed onstage while giving the presentation! We did not hear anything about what may have happened or her status after that.

 

 

I was there front of the boat in the 42 lounge. Boat was movign back and forth and even the table on stadge moved. Then down she went. Folks jumped on the stage poor girl had about 20 folks around her. Folks shouting for some to get off the there and let her breath. Finally medical showed up and then told us to leave. What i heard was she was sick all night then took medication in the morning with no food in the tummy and passed out.

 

I am not sure if they had another meeting or not i was there for the free gift aways which they did not do ...

 

hubby had the escargot which i had a few and the garlic was so good... shrimp cocktail

[vickiw0318]

I almost feel I should jump in with the "old farts" review of the Splendour, i.e. the only time we were in the Viking Crown Lounge was when it was designated a "Quiet Spot" on day 4.5. Oh well, we went to relax and we did a great job of it. We did do the power boat excursion in Cozumel which was not as advertised, but still fun. (Guess we do break out of old fart mode occasionally.)

 

I think we were close to you all in the Dining Room. We were at Table 99 and Monika was also our assistant. We were were Aprille and her DH and Judgeman and Judgelady. We couldn't believe that we were all Cruise Critics. I think my DH was a little surprised that there are so many of us out there! We were just before the table that got the Fried Shrimp. Someone there knew Judgeman from last year and was sharing the news.

 

We skipped formal night - the thought of dressing up being more than I wanted to handle. We went to the Windjammer and I partook of the stir fry set up. Very nice and very good.

 

We had our first aft balcony and are now officially aftaholics. Since I no longer look so great in a bathing suit, I loved having a private spot to get sun. Loved, too, looking at the stars at night.

 

It's fun reading your reviews. It's like reliving the trip.

[texasnana]

vicki

 

we got the fried shrimp.....and boy was it good. the one couple asked for it the 3 night and was suppose to be a secret that got out lol

 

heard that one of tablemates did share the news with you all. Just goes to show that that they aim to please.. * you could not miss me with the broken toe on formal night in the dinning room * lol

 

was a great cruise .... now maybe we could all meet again next yr same time??

[zantedeschia]

Playing with my new scanner today scanning in Compasses and stuff. A lot happened on Day 3 so it's gonna take me a while to write it up.

[zantedeschia]

 

was a great cruise .... now maybe we could all meet again next yr same time??

I'm booked on the 1/13/08 Voyager cruise with Alex and her brother. Frank and Debbie are cruising on Voyager sometime next February, I am unsure of the exact date.

[vickiw0318]

Texasnana, can't believe I didn't see you walk in. I was watching for you - especially in the Windjammer. I would have made good on my promise to carry your tray. Like I said, we skipped formal night. Guess the first night I was trying to remember the names of everyone at our table and let the world go by - expect for saying hello and hugging Luis (the waiter at the table next to you who was our waiter last year.) The last two, I had my back to the aisle - watching the ocean.

 

Sure wish we could do this same time next year. We like the four days on the Splendour. Actually, we are booked on the Voyager for 1/28/08, so we are getting as close to it as we can. Our anniversary is 1/24 so we try to cruise around then. There is a Cruise Critic group cruise for that sailing, but I haven't switched over our reservation yet.

 

Our tablemates all have Voyager cruises booked. Lucky Aprille is doing a European one. The "Judges" are going out of Galveston earlier in the month.

 

Oh well, back to work for me.

[zantedeschia]

Texasnana says she can't send me a photocopy of the cooking demonstration pamphlet. Does anyone else have a copy of it they can scan and send to me?

[vickiw0318]

No, I avoid cooking like the plague - at home or onboard!

[zantedeschia]

Last night our towel animal was a dog. Scott scarfed all the pillow mints, no chance of me getting any even if I wanted some.

 

We got the form for gratuities this morning and I was puzzled the amount was wrong. Scott points out it's a 5 day and we're on the 4 day cruise. At first I'm annoyed but then I remember the adage about not attributing things to malevolence that can be explained by ignorance and figure it's an oversight. Last cruise I misread the stupid thing and ended up not tipping cause I tried to turn it into late, I could see why. It says turn in before midnight on the day prior to the last day of the cruise, I misread it as turn it in before midnight on the last day of the cruise. I am not going to make the same mistake twice.

 

We are tendered. We watch Enchantment arrive and move into the pier spot I thought we were going to take. Besides Enchantment, there is Carnival Inspiration and Celebrity Zenith. Cruisecal says Carnival Holiday is here but I don't see her. Everyone is docked but us!

 

Yesterday I signed up for the Steamlodge excursion. It was a bit expensive, $98 per person but I like doing things that are different and that was one of the few things that appealed to me that I thought Scott would like. Had to be at the meeting spot by 7:20 it said. No worries, even tho I'm up most the night I am one of those people that can still get up and go on 2 hours sleep. I wake up, grab my phone look at the time and it reads ... 8:25! I utter a few expletives that are not suitable for inclusion in this report. It is unusual for my alarm to not wake me tho I learned a lesson, next time set more than one alarm. Chagrined, I get up and head down to the shore excursions desk. It does not open until 9am so I sidle over to the purser's desk, talk to a guy name Marlon. His reaction is uh-oh; I'm like this does not look promising. I grab Scott, we have breakfast in the Windjammer. Go back to the shore excursions desk where I'm told that shore excursions are non-refundable, so it looks like I'm going to have to eat the $196. I mope for about 10 minutes in my room but soften it a little by vowing to have 20 glasses of free champagne on my next cruise. Besides, I had a $50 onboard credit on this cruise so I really only lost $146. This is by far the absolute worst thing that has ever happened to me on a cruise. Whatever, que sera sera. Life goes on.

 

I pop back up, grab Scott again and we head down to catch a tender, I know he's eager to get onshore. Did this around 11ish I think, maybe 11:30. Frank and Debbie were on our tender but they didn't sit with us.

 

On the main drag in Cozumel, we shopped for about an hour. I really wanted to find a pharmacy, we went off the ocean front about a block and found one with slightly cheaper prices. The guy running it looked and sounded like he was American although I did not ask where he was from. I picked up some levothyroxine (which both Scott and I take), some ampicillin and some lamasil tablets. Now lamasil is outrageously expensive in the US, $8 to $9 a pill and was still pricey in Cozumel at $1.90 a tablet. But supposedly the only thing that works for certain afflictions so it's worth a try. We wandered about aimlessly for a while and got accosted by numerous merchants. I bargained several of them down on items they tried to push at me, a couple of them got mad when I said "nah, I don't want it," and walked away. Scott kept asking where he could find the "chi-chis" and got a lot of really odd looks. I told him they probably think he's some stupid American that knows a couple dirty words in Spanish, he didn't care.

 

Onwards. Scott wanted to go to a beach, we grab a taxicab and say take us to a beach. They go "Paradise Beach" and off we go! Get there and look! There's a laptop on the bar, free 15 minutes, so I post a message to Cruise Critic! (snicker) Scott finds a couple empty lounge chairs but he refuses to go in the water, he doesn't have a towel. So what, drip dry. Nope, he can't do that, what a wuss. We have a few drinks, I wish Dos Equis tasted this good in Houston, it's better in bottle in Mexico than on tap in Houston. But I had a mojito here, I had to take it back cause I think the guy forgot to put in the sugar, adding sugar syrup made it taste better, but I prefer mojitos made with fizzy water, not plain.

 

Being a foodie I want some local cuisine, Scott insists he's not hungry. I wander around and ask no less than 3 people where the restaurant is. I get vague waves and over there comments. I mosey over to where they're waving but there's nothing. Later I realize one is supposed to order food at the bar but I am never told this. In search of food, I go a little ways down the beach, find a bar, someone stops me, I say I'm looking for food. Without hesitation he whips out a menu. I order some garlic conch which he pronounces conch (with a ch sound) and I pronounce conk, and some cheese quesadillas. He asks me where I'm sitting and it's way over on the other side of the other bar, he tells me where he can bring it to me but not that far, we agree on getting it to go. While waiting for the food to come out, I watch this bartender make up jugs full of pre-made pina coladas, he starts by filling a blender full of fresh pineapple chunks and making a puree. Looks absolutely yummy but I don't get one. The guy who waited on me gets flirty when I tell him I'm not married, it was cute! :)

 

I get my take-out boxes and travel about halfway back through the first bar when I'm stopped. "You can't eat that here, it's from a different business, you have to eat it where you got it." I'm like, "look, I asked 3 people here for food and no one would help me." That didn't seem to make an impression on him and after arguing with him for a minute I said "fine", waited till he walked off and returned to where Scott was basking in the sun. The conch was tasty, came with some fiery habanero sauce. I wasn't as hungry as I thought, Scott didn't want any, I shoved everything uneaten into one container. We took a taxi back to the ship, tendered back, walked on board and a crew member tells me I can't take the container on board. I pause; I Knew That! Handed it to him, here take it.

 

Before we departed Cozumel, only one person's name was called over the intercom! Usually get 2 at least, often 4 or more.

 

Got back to the room to see I had stuck the "Do Not Disturb" card in the door. I am having a lot of blond moments today and I'm a brunette! Had a brief exchange with Antonio about it, he said he was certain we had gone out but since the card was in the door, he didn't go in the room. I apologized several times and asked if he would do the room while we were at dinner, he was amenable to that.

 

I doze off and one of the blue balls fall on my head, waking me. I dreamed Scott threw something at me cause I was snoring, reach out to block it and something crinkles under my hand! :eek:

 

Later, I leave Scott snoozing and head to the purser's desk to pay the tips; get Marlon. "I remember you!" he says. Asks if I resolved the shore excursion mishap. I bemoan, "I think lost the money." He is extremely sympathetic and kind which makes me smile. :) Scott and I have separate onboard accounts but I ask that both tips be put on mine.

 

In the room I find Scott out of bed and in the bathroom getting ready for dinner. Without getting into details, we have a short-lived but intense fight. I leave, knowing it's better to let him cool off. When I return, he is moodily contrite but refuses to get ready. I fail to coax him into attend dinner tonight. This means that Antonio will yet again be unable to do our room. It's a casual dress night, however I dress up in black velour pants and a black print top with sequins.

 

At the table Frank and Debbie are majorly disappointed Scott's not showing! "He has to come," they lament, "he's the life of the party!" Other no-shows are Kathy (again!) and Eric and Heather. I get Mary to sit next to me with Deb on my other side. Chad and Chantay complete the set, we joke we need to move to a smaller table. With martini in hand, Chad is definitely not feeling any pain and lets slip he has made some personal observation about Eric and Heather. This intrigues Frank who presses for detail, but Chad remains secretive and will not divulge. Frank does not give up and offers to buy Chad a martini if he will reveal all. I'm like what the hey and toss in another martini, Mary quickly follows. With three proffered martinis on the table, Chad starts to waver but just right then .......... Heather walks up, 15 minutes late!

 

DRAT!!!!!!!

 

With Scott absent, Chad and Chantay dominate the dinner conversation. Chad look just like Richard Gere and this is the strangest thing -- Chantay resembles him so much they could be siblings. Makes me wonder if their kids are carbon copies of each other but Chantay says she didn't bring any pictures of them. Even before I found out where they were from, I could have pegged it. Both of them have about the most perfect East Texas accents I think I have ever heard. If you don't know what one sounds like, go find a copy of Men in Black and listen to Tommy Lee Jones. Chantay carries on fervently about the people in the cabin next door who apparently have been quite vocally amorous in the middle of the night two nights running. Or as they refer to it, the porn show. They are vexed to the point of vindication, telling everyone about it, pointing the couple out, knocking on their door and running off and dialing up their cabin. OMG! I am embarrassed for these poor people! Easily the funniest moment at dinner came when Chad asked Mary what cabin she was in and she responded with their next door neighbor's cabin number! OMG!

 

On a tamer subject I was telling my tablemates that I had phone service, it seems no one else did. So I ran off and got my phone to show them. In Mexico I had service with Telcel GSM and also picked up USA 03. Onboard I was back with 901 18. Bringing my phone to the table was a bad idea, straight away I start to text message Alex. Experienced cruiser she is, she texts back: "How are the dinner mates?" (I'm so proud of her :) ) Debbie quips, "Tell her we're a riot."

 

Enough. For dinner I had the antipasto which I hadn't tried before, thought was excellent, strawberry soup (good), the lamb which for once wasn't perfect, was fatty and I thought it could have been braised a bit longer, and the angel food cake for dessert.

 

After dinner Scott is feeling chipper enough to go to the Viking Crown Lounge and have a cigar. We're not there half an hour when some dude comes and takes away the cigars. We're like, "Hey!" We query a waitress who says he took them out to the pool area for the pool buffet which is at 11:30. Scott gets to eat after all. I ordered a drink special that came in a hurricane glass that the waiter wanted to charge me $8.95 for; I told him I wanted it in a plain glass. He brought it to me in the drink special glass and still charged me $5.95 instead of the $4.75 I was shooting for. Grrrr. I didn't make an issue. Ishkra was here supervising and Scott saw Mary and Kathy. There were ice sculptures and wax carvings, one of a mermaid. The wax statues got much speculation over what they were made of before we broke down and asked someone. Then we went gambling. The slots were not kind to us and Scott lost about $20 before he gave up.

 

Wish it ended here but Scott and I spatted and then talked and semi-made up late into the night. I remember looking out the window around 3am and seeing lights. At the time I thought it was some passing ships but as it turned out, this was very significant.

 

TBC

[zantedeschia]

Compass scans are up.

http://www.taronga.com/~arielle/cruise/

[texasnana]

did you go to the chocolate buffet. I have never seen so much in one area.

 

Sorry about missing your trip.. with my broken toe we just walked around some favorite spots, patted a few dogs and saw the hotel we stayed in downtown. Bought a few things as I was just in cozumel in june with my teen, Then spent the rest of the day on deck by the pool... what a relaxing day ...

 

 

great reports keep them comign sorry about the recipes ...and my granddaughgter coloring on them and then cutting them up...lol

[vickiw0318]

Well, I woke up at 3:00 a.m. that morning and checked my cell phone to see what time it was and saw that "Telcel GSM" was still appearing on the phone. My only thought - before drifting off back to sleep - was that the Mexican cell towers sure must be awfully powerful to reach all the way out here. Little did I know where here really was.

 

I loved Aprille and Marty's comments about what they thought when they went out on their balcony at 4:00 a.m. To paraphrase, either that's land or it's the biggest oil rig we've ever seen.

[Aprille]

z - I'm enjoying your review! Thanks for posting the Compasses and Cruise News. I have all the Compasses but didn't get the Cruise News. Even asked for one at Guest Relations and they said they were out of them.

 

Also, I'm kind of scratching my head about your problems with getting the Royal beer. We had no trouble at all. Only ordered it a couple of times but got it both times with no comment as to it's popularity. I think the first time was in the Schooner Bar (or maybe Top Hat Lounge) and the other time was at the C&A Welcome Back party in the Viking Crown Lounge. I'm not much of a beer drinker (anymore :p) but I really enjoyed it. Maybe because it's 7.5% alcohol. ;)

 

I loved Aprille and Marty's comments about what they thought when they went out on their balcony at 4:00 a.m. To paraphrase, either that's land or it's the biggest oil rig we've ever seen.

Hi, Vicki!

 

Another of Marty's theories was that the captain was WAY off course and it was Cuba. :D

[Aprille]

Oops - double post! :rolleyes:

[zantedeschia]

....

[zantedeschia]

Bah, it tells me it posted but my post is not showing up. I know this is going to be a duplicate when I try posting again.

 

Deb tells me Sidika is from from Turkey, not Hungary like I put. Monika is from Poland. She's right, of course!

 

 

Also, I'm kind of scratching my head about your problems with getting the Royal beer.

We only had trouble Thursday night (the first time we tried to order) and all day Friday. They apparently re-stocked in Cozumel. Got the same answer from 2 different bars, the schooner bar and the pool bar.

 

did you go to the chocolate buffet. I have never seen so much in one area.

 

Chocolate buffet was Friday night, the night I was supposed to be in bed early cause of the shore excursion next day. We gave it a miss (like we needed more food anyway!)

[zantedeschia]

the other time was at the C&A Welcome Back party in the Viking Crown Lounge.

When was this? I never got an invitation to it. Was it only for platinum and up members? I was thinking maybe it was because Antonio didn't get the chance to make up our room that day - I didn't get the gift until Sunday night.

[texasnana]

what gift did you get??

[Aprille]

The Welcome Back party was Sunday at 12:15 and I do believe it is only for Platinum and up.

 

We never got a gift. :( I thought maybe it was because it was a 4-nighter.

 

The fact that we didn't receive our C&A gift just substantiates how truly mediocre our room steward was. We had to order ice from room service twice. I never had to do that on previous cruises.

[zantedeschia]

We never got a gift. :( I thought maybe it was because it was a 4-nighter.

 

The fact that we didn't receive our C&A gift just substantiates how truly mediocre our room steward was. We had to order ice from room service twice. I never had to do that on previous cruises.

I got the leather picture frame, not only that, I got 2 of them! Scott is not a C&A member (yet, I'm gonna sign him up when I get around to it) so it was kind of neat we got two. I gave them to Scott to give away as gifts, he kept saying they were plastic. The absurd conversation went: "Leather" "Plastic" "Leather!" Plastic!" ad nauseum.

 

I have always had wonderful room service, I think it's cause I get chatty and friendly with my room stewards. Treat them like a person and not like a servant. I think they appreciate the personal attention I give them, like I appreciate the personal attention they give me. :)

 

I'm going over to Scott's tonight so I'm not going to post Day 4 till tomorrow.

[Aprille]

I have always had wonderful room service, I think it's cause I get chatty and friendly with my room stewards. Treat them like a person and not like a servant.

Okay, I know you didn't mean this the way it sounds. This was our 4th RCCL cruise and the only one in which we received substandard cabin service. I assure you it had nothing to do with the way we treated our steward.

We only had trouble Thursday night (the first time we tried to order) and all day Friday. They apparently re-stocked in Cozumel. Got the same answer from 2 different bars, the schooner bar and the pool bar.

Doubtful anything was restocked in Cozumel as we were anchored. DH just got home and said he got his first Royal on Friday at the pool bar during the Men's Belly Flop Contest. Maybe you treated the bartender like a servant. :p ;) (Okay - I'm just KIDDING!!)

[zantedeschia]

Okay, I know you didn't mean this the way it sounds. This was our 4th RCCL cruise and the only one in which we received substandard cabin service. I assure you it had nothing to do with the way we treated our steward.

OMG. I know this is a case of reading more into the message than I intended. My apologies, no offense was meant.

 

I was just saying I have never seen anyone do what I do. Stop and talk (and if we get that familiar) give a hug and say, "How are you? How's your day been? What do you think of this weather/those 12' seas/whatever?" "And btw, if you have a spare minute could I please have an extra towel?"

Doubtful anything was restocked in Cozumel as we were anchored.

They restock every port, tendered or not.

 

Maybe you treated the bartender like a servant. :p ;) (Okay - I'm just KIDDING!!)

Oh man, David was mocking me, I wanted to smack him!! I was semi-serious about the bad comment card. :(

[cruisinfever]

Awseome review - We went on the Jewel two years ago and they also had the crepes made in the solarium - my kids will be so happy to hear they offer this on the splendour - that was their favorite snack before bed. Do they also offer a continental breakfast at that spot?

 

We are leaving in 3 weeks - can't wait to get out of snowcountry.

[txskier]

....been nice reading your review.....we were on the same cruise!!! Where was everyone on sailaway day....we waited in the Schooner til 315

 

....anyway....we had a great time on such a short cruise:D

 

Service was excellent everywhere.

Sammy at the pool bar made the best mojitos.....second to Sammy was our dinner bar waiter....don't know who made his.....but I started drinking mojitos at dinner too:D

 

.....the only downsides were two dinner nights.....Italian night and the NY strip steak night......no matter what cruise line.....Italian night just never lives up to the hype....IMHO.....just gimme a good "something" with meat sauce......and I could not believe the NY strips were tough after having the best beef tips earlier in the cruise.....Overall.....we did enjoy the food

Dan