Just in from NOS, things I did not expect

As a veteran cruiser and a Cruise Critic regular, there were still some things that suprised me.

 

Chops was $25 per person, not $20 as many board post reported.

 

Babysitting is only available for 1 year and older and must be paid in cash.

 

Only one bottle of booze can be taken to stateroom for $9.50, not multiple on first night as other cruisers reported.

 

Very easy to use on or two soda cards for the entire party. Coke cups have changed since 18 months ago. Don't bother bringing old ones.

 

Quest is a BLAST!!!

 

We get 50% off next years cruise and got $500 shipboard credit (yes, I expected this)

 

Order your dessert from chops (one of each) to be brought to cabin late night. Yum..

 

All babies under 2 seemed confined to one area of dining room on deck 3.

 

Advice........

Buy Aboslute Citrine on board, bring a big sports bottle to fill with lemonade from windjammer.............YUM!

Chops for $25 p/p - was it worth it? Am considering that myself - I don't know anymore! I guess each person will have their own opinion - some say it was fantastic and has spoiled them for steak anywhere else in the future - and some say that it wasn't cooked properly, etc. I've not heard a bad word about the desserts tho.

I agree about quest - we have actively participated and also just watched. Either way it was just a hoot.

Thanks for the tip on the Absolute Citrine and Lemonade - sounds yummy!

Information about Johnny Rockets? I've read so many different things - and I think NOS is changing how they do things there frequently. So - what's the latest? $3.50 per person cover charge plus add'l. for drinks?

Thanks for your info. and tips.

You said to order deserts from Chops as room service. Is there a charge for this other than tipping? I read where the chocolate one was to die for!

 

Guess your discount and shipboard credit was due to traveling during hurricane?

 

The red "Coke" cup no longer used with soda card? Is the new one bigger-holding more?

 

Did anyone say anything to you about your big "sport bottle"? We were thinking about bringing one - one that would hold water for at least a few hours at the pool!

RKKY -

 

Welcome home! Hope you found your stateroom properly warmed for you? Hope you had as much fun on your shortened cruise as we had on our extended one the previous week. I was surprised about Portofinos and Chops being $25.00 also...but was then pleasantly surprised whent the final bill was presented since the $25.00 included alcoholic beverages that used to be extra. We ate in Chops once and agree with you the deserts are to die for! and Portofinos twice..the second time was the final night...we had "Chef's surprise" for day 8 of our seven day cruise and it was BAD. So for day 9 we decided to surprise them and go to Portofinos!...We rejoined our table as they were having desert on the final night to enjoy some time with our wonderful tablemates, exchange E-mail info and tip the staff who were very very good!

MaryEBS - You mentioned that the $25 Chops charge included alcoholic beverages! Were you limited? With quantity and/or selecton? So, I am assuming that in addition to the $25, you were charged 15% additionaly for each alcoholic beverage? Like $.75 or so per drink?

Marsha -

 

I had a glass of wine, my husband had 2 baccardi and coke...our Bill was $50. we added our own tip on top of the "portion" of the $50. that is supposed to go to the wait staff. They are magnificent and deserved much more than the portion they should get.

rrkky,

You say, quote: " All babies under 2 seemed confined to one area of dining room on deck 3."

I am most interested in this! I wonder if that is something new, or maybe just happened by coincidence??? What a great idea to have all babies in a section together. :) Is this a new and upcoming thing?

I think you just got lucky with the "no charge" for drinks.

Hey, I think your drinks were on my bill ! ;)

 

Trudy

It has been $25 on The Navigator for some time now. It does not include beverages, they are on a seperate bill.

 

Hope you had a fantastic time, welcome back :D

 

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Please don't take this wrong, but are you 100% certain that you didn't ditch out on your bar tab?? We ate at chops, our bill was $50 (we added a gratuity), but then our Bar Tab was presented by the bar waitress on a SEPERATE tab at the very end of dinner. I can see how people could finish eating, pay their regular tab and just leave, as I was getting up to go when my husband reminded me that we hadn't yet paid the bar tab. Sure enough, she came by 5 mins later with our bar tab to be signed. Check your sea pass bill, I wonder if they maybe just posted it without your signature, knowing your seapass card number?

 

One note about the bottles that you can bring back to your cabin. You can bring more than one bottle, you just have to pay 9.50 PER bottle. :)

We were charged for the wine we had at chops.

 

If you eat at Chops just request that dinner be brought to your room at 10pm or when ever you like. No charge. Of course tip a few bucks.

 

Oh, one big suprise. We did the Rasaul, and if you buy 3 products the Rasaul is freee. So we bought lip treatment, toner and massage oil. Cost was only $6 more than Rasaul, so for $6 we got some products to take home.

 

We mentioned that there were so many babies, one at every table surrounding us, our waiter said that this area of the dining room always has the babies and he enjoys that. Soo....... don't know about other ships but they were all together on NOS.

 

No one looked twice at our sports bottle, except fellow cruisers who said they wish they brought one.

 

Oh went to dollar store before we left and bought 10 packs of glow light braclets, 6 per pack. Kid went through dining room giving them out to other kids on Caribbean night. It was a huge hit. The parents kept asking them how much they cost, and my kids said they are free, have fun tonight.

 

Also bought a sqirt bottle with fan at walmart on clearance for $3, took this to the pool to mist ourselves and everyone who wanted to cool off.

 

Yes, due to hurricane our 7 day eastern was a 5 day western but still fun. We will do the Eastern next year

(half price)

No - Quite sure we did not skip out on our Bar Tab. Ate at Portofinos twice and Chops once and each time it was $50. We DID ask about the bar tab and were told No Charge.

 

Not sure why, however, friends who were booked in an owner's suite had an even better surprise. There were 3 of them, a father and his 2 twenty something sons. They ate at Chops twice and Portofinos once...each time the 3 of them dined they were charged only for 2 dinners - Their bill was $50. each time and No Bar Tab. They were told it was because of the room they were booked in.

 

Maybe it was because we were in a JS or maybe because we are Diamond members...whatever the reason, absolutely positive, no Bar Tab to run out on!

I think it depends on the hotel or bar manager as to whether or not to include the drinks in the cost of the meal, among other things. For example, someone please explain to me why Chops and Portofinos on the NOS costs $25pp, but on other ships, they are still $20. My guess is the same reason the NOS charges for JR's. Only two ships do that. They happen to be the newest ships in the fleet.

marsha - we have a thermal jug that has a shoulder strap. I fill it with ice and water at the windjammer every morning to take on shore excursions or for by the pool. This way I have ice cold water to drink all day long. I have also filled it with lemonade or soda. It works out great and there are never any questions. I hope this helps!

The price increase from $20.00 to $25.00 for the specialty restaurants (Portofinos and Chops) applies only to the Navigator. All other vessels still only charge $20.00 per person.

This is what I was told by RCCL.

Ginnie

What are Quest and Rasaul?

i was also on that cruise with you.and was just wondering when will we be getting our vouchers for our 50% off cruise.i havent called yet to find out.. glad you made as much as you could with the itenary change.we did the horse back riding in jamaica and loved it..

$50 for a couple to eat at Chops? That sounds terribly high to me (plus an additional tip) especially considering you've already paid for a meal in the main dining room! $40 per couple was already pushing it in my book!

 

What's Quest?

 

How do you go about ordering a dessert from Chops? Does anyone have a copy of a menu?

 

Thanks for the details! These are just the kind of things I like to read.

You can only have dessert from chops sent to your room if you dined in Chops that evening. When they come to take your dessert order, just tell them you want it in your room later. The desserts were unbelivable. We were on the Mariner-do they have the same menu? If so dessert was Mud Pie-sinfully creammy, almost mousse like in texture and so chocolately. Apple pie-but was unlike any Apple Pie I've ever tasted-the crust was golden and cake like, not pastry, Apples were slightly firm, not mushy and a wonderful strussel topping, served warm with ice cream. Raspberry cheese cake-this was not like the cheesecake available elsewhere on the ship-is NY style and soooooo creamy. There was also a brioche pudding which no one in our party ordered so I didn't get to try or even see that one. We ate there 2x when on the Mariner a few weeks ago. The dessert alone is worth it!

I agree about the desserts, especially the chocolate. Oh, my that was good!

 

I just found my Radiance Seapass in my pocket (went through the wash & ironing undetected). Waaaah! I wanna go back!

marsha - we have a thermal jug that has a shoulder strap. I fill it with ice and water at the windjammer every morning to take on shore excursions or for by the pool. This way I have ice cold water to drink all day long. I have also filled it with lemonade or soda. It works out great and there are never any questions. I hope this helps!

I know this is a common pratice,but there are many signs (at least on Rhapsody) stateing this is not acceptable.It is extremly unsafe,especially on a ship.Thats the reason you don't see many water fountains on ships... (although I know they are in the spa) ,and the reason they prepour the drinks.And,yes,I know you pour your own coffee...I am really not trying to say "don't do it" as I have always intended to...until I saw the signs.We just get ice from our room...and bring bottled water onboard.Although,we wont on our Mariner trip,as I don't want to have to deal with that,as we will be flying!

(sorry...I am totally off topic)

I know this is a common pratice,but there are many signs (at least on Rhapsody) stateing this is not acceptable.It is extremly unsafe,especially on a ship.Thats the reason you don't see many water fountains on ships... (although I know they are in the spa) ,and the reason they prepour the drinks.And,yes,I know you pour your own coffee...I am really not trying to say "don't do it" as I have always intended to...until I saw the signs.We just get ice from our room...and bring bottled water onboard.Although,we wont on our Mariner trip,as I don't want to have to deal with that,as we will be flying!

(sorry...I am totally off topic)

 

Why is this unsafe?

Germs....Non-clean,personal drinking utenstil,refilled at a public venue...Same concept as to why you get a new plate at a buffet etc...I agree its a bit of a stretch....just communicating what I have found.And before you say....what about refill stations at rest. ect,I agree....But I think it has to do with the size of the openings.

Germs....Non-clean,personal drinking utenstil,refilled at a public venue...Same concept as to why you get a new plate at a buffet etc...I agree its a bit of a stretch....just communicating what I have found.And before you say....what about refill stations at rest. ect,I agree....But I think it has to do with the size of the openings.

 

Oh, ok. That definitely makes sense. For some reason, I was thinking that they were implying it was unsafe because you could spill your drink. It's getting late and my brain's not working anymore. Time for a glass of wine!