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Adventure OTS 8th May 2014


cublet
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  • 3 months later...

We have just booked onto AoS 8/5/13

 

I'm Grant 46 & Alex is 38 from Scotland.

 

Not cruised with the "big boys" before. Just been on Thomson ships before. (ignore The Dream countdown, had to cancel and used the insurance payout to book the AoS)

 

Is there a FoD meeting on this ship?

 

Are you on the Roll Call for the "traditional" cruisers? What about the M&M that RCI organise?

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We have just booked onto AoS 8/5/13

 

I'm Grant 46 & Alex is 38 from Scotland.

 

Not cruised with the "big boys" before. Just been on Thomson ships before. (ignore The Dream countdown, had to cancel and used the insurance payout to book the AoS)

 

Is there a FoD meeting on this ship?

 

Are you on the Roll Call for the "traditional" cruisers? What about the M&M that RCI organise?

 

Hello

 

And welcome.

 

I saw your post on the main message board. Can I ask whereabouts in Scotland you are from? I have two friends that I met at an Indy FOD meeting that come from Kelty, Fife.

 

You are lucky to have escaped the 'Dream'. It is an old Costa cruise line ship with plumbing the ancient Romans would have condemned.

 

The M&M are variable - they seem to be organised according to the whim of the cruise director or activities manager. Sometimes there are refreshments, sometimes not. Sometimes there is a raffle (sometimes everyone gets a prize), sometimes not. Sometimes everyone introduces themselves and their CC screen name, sometimes - you get the picture. They are usually held at 10.30am on the first sea day. You should find the invitation to the M&M in your cabin on embarkation.

 

The time and place of the FOD meetings are posted on the Community Notice Board to be found either by Guest Relations (stern) on Deck 5 or Cafe Promenade at the other end of Deck 5 (bow).

 

Usually FODs are scheduled for 10.30pm in the Champagne Bar (deck 5). However, depending on the number of FODs amongst the staff (not crew), a rival FOD meeting often mushrooms in Jester's night club on deck 4.

 

Some tips for quick and easy navigation: Food at the round end, entertainment at the pointy end; Cabin numbers X200 & X300 are on the starboard side when X is the deck number (except 1 = deck 10), Cabin numbers X500 & X600 are on the port side; Cabins with even numbers are external, odd numbered cabins are internal.

 

Anything more - just ask.

 

Best wishes,

 

Cublet

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Hello Grant and Alex,

 

Here are some things you won’t find in the brochure.

 

There has been a recent change to policy that now allows you to bring two bottles of ‘fine wine’ on board on initial embarkation only. This can only be consumed in your cabin otherwise you have to pay a $25 corkage if you drink it in a public venue. Drink prices are quite high compared to P&O and Princess.

 

Toiletries are minimal – two bars of hard soap and a bottle of shampoo screwed to the wall of the shower.

 

There is an obligatory muster drill before departure. Muster stations are all on decks 4 & 5. The best place to wait for the drill to start is the Aquarium Bar as you can watch the progress of mustering on both port and starboard sides of the ship and be able to remain seated and join in at the very last minute.

 

From 01/01/14, all cabin balconies are smoke free. Smokers will be restricted inside to the Connoisseur Club (on 5) or one side of deck 11 between marker posts. Breaching the no smoking rule will incur a fine of $250 and may include the invocation of the Guest Conduct Policy rules – ie turfed-off at the next port.:eek:

 

You will have a minibar fridge containing water, soft drinks and chocolates (no booze). On the side you will have a kettle, mugs, tea, sugar and longlife milk pots – no coffee unless you are in a Junior Suite or above when it’s filter coffee not instant anyway. I ’relieve’ the cafeteria of a carton of milk during breakfast and keep it in the fridge. I bring my own filter coffee bags and ‘not from concentrate’ orange juice that I also keep in the fridge. The ship makes its own orange juice from concentrated cartons but doesn’t always get the watering down ratio right. You can pay extra and get freshly squeezed orange juice if you want. Free coffee is always available from the cafeteria during opening hours and also Café Promenade 24*7. Specialty coffee is also available from Café Promenade: You must get a ‘loyalty card’ and after 5 or 6(?) cups you get a free one.

 

Ice is available from your steward but you do have to ask for it – it will not be volunteered. Post card mementoes of the ship may be available from Guest Relations, but are no longer in your cabin’s ‘vanity station’ drawer (see people to avoid below). You will have 1 x European two pin electric socket and 2 x US two flat pin sockets. The US, at 110v, does not charge an Orange Nokia mobile - even slowly.

 

Main Dining Room sittings for dinner are usually 18:00 and 20:30. If these times don’t suit, you can go for ‘My Time’ that allows you to pre-book a time on shore (now) or roll-up when the mood takes you – you cannot mix and match. However, it can be frustrating if the mood takes not only you but the rest of the diners at the same time to dine and a long queue forms. You need to decide before the cruise which dining option you are going to take. MDR is ‘open sitting’ for breakfast and lunch (only open for lunch on sea days – not whilst in port)

 

The AoS is in for a refit before our cruise so this bit may change. There is a ‘Specialty Dining’ (pay extra) venue: Portofino’s – really good quality Italian. On the Indy this was recently changed to ‘Giovanni’s Table’ – this meant a change of walls/floor/seating/cutlery/crockery in fact everything apart from the food. This is supposed to be happening across the fleet. You can book (and pay) in advance as it’s a small venue and not everyone could dine there once on a 14 night cruise. They are also talking about adding a Chops Grille – I hate the place, it’s dark and miserable and reminds me of Berni Inns.

 

You must find the ‘Loyalty Ambassador / Future Cruise Sales’ office’ at which you fill-in an application to join the Crown and Anchor Society – the loyalty/rewards programme and it’s free. You get a point for each night you sail, two points for booking a Junior Suite (and above). There are varying grades of membership from Gold to Pinnacle (see people to avoid below). With increasing levels of membership comes increasing levels of benefits, from discounts on purchases to free drinks and even cruises. There are reciprocal arrangements across the RCCL brands (Celebrity and Azamara).

 

If you wish, you can book (and pay for) your excursions before the cruise. Almost everyone says they are expensive. I rarely take any unless it’s a drop-dead ‘I MUST go to …..’ and I book in advance. There are often excursions available on board that are not in the brochure available on land so always leave some space for something that might crop up there. There are some ports where the ship offers a shuttle bus (again for an extortionate amount of money) but nine times out of ten, a local ‘hop-on, hop-off’ tourist bus will pull into view at a cost not much greater than the ship’s shuttle. Sadly you should not take the Guest Relations’ or Excursion Staff’s word when it comes to alternative forms of transport at the ports of call.

 

Possible people to avoid? Well on my first RCI cruise in 2007 on the Navigator, the average age was 75yrs and I doubt it’s gone down - mine hasn't. I remember sat at lunch with half my dining table companions to my right talking about what they did during the war, and the other half to my left talking about their battles with private medical insurance companies. The young lady sat directly opposite gave me a look that I read as saying “Get me out of here!” But you can meet some interesting people that have done interesting things. Also possibly avoid anywhere where (a) regular RCI cruisers and (b) Crown and Anchor members meet en masse (possibly including ‘Meet & Mingle’). You will get from (a) “I remember when you used to get …….. and you don’t get that anymore” (eg postcards, chocolates on pillows) and from (b) “I remember when you used to get ……. when you were a Diamond Member and now you have to be Diamond Plus” (eg enhanced toiletries). The meetings of higher level Crown and Anchor members' meetings are just like meetings of size queens “My membership is higher than yours” etc.:D

 

I think that’s enough for starters.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

Edited by cublet
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello,

 

From now on, the description "two twin beds that convert to queen" now reads "two twin beds that convert to Royal King"! :D:D:D:D

 

Ha, ha.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

(Not that our friends on the other side of the pond will understand.)

Edited by cublet
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Howdy Cublet. I wanted to thank you for sharing the information above regarding your sailing. I am not on this cruise (yet anyway) but am on The AOTS sailing Dec 8th, so I found your comments very informative. This will be my first time on an RCI ship and I must say I am excited and looking forward to it. I am sailing with a buddy and it appears we are the only gay men coming forward on this cruise....will see what we find ponce on board. Anyway, thanks again for your posts and information.

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Howdy Cublet. I wanted to thank you for sharing the information above regarding your sailing. I am not on this cruise (yet anyway) but am on The AOTS sailing Dec 8th, so I found your comments very informative. This will be my first time on an RCI ship and I must say I am excited and looking forward to it. I am sailing with a buddy and it appears we are the only gay men coming forward on this cruise....will see what we find ponce on board. Anyway, thanks again for your posts and information.

 

Hello,

 

It's a pleasure. Any questions please ask away.

 

But the info above re kettles, tea and coffee in cabins only applies to sailing ex UK - there would be a mutiny if they were not provided.

 

Don't worry about being the only gay couple in the village - more always come out of the woodwork during the cruise.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
Cublet,

 

You gave those boys a fantastic account of the ship, what to expect, what not, and then some. So, have you done a TA on RCI's Legend of the Seas?;)

 

Hello,

 

No, I haven't done anything smaller than the Brilliance - not that size always matters!:D

 

I wouldn't do a TA unless on a Queen (Oh dear, this thread has gone downhill rapidly) simply because I do not like flying. I don't have a fear or anything but I do not like the pre and post flight cattlemarkets.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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Cublet, Im not sure if Im missing it, but which of these packages now has Spirits also included. We had the Premium pack on our last cruise (2 years ago) but it stated quite clearly then "Spirits". Any ideas?

 

Looking forward to this cruise.:D

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Cublet, Im not sure if Im missing it, but which of these packages now has Spirits also included. We had the Premium pack on our last cruise (2 years ago) but it stated quite clearly then "Spirits". Any ideas?

 

Looking forward to this cruise.:D

 

Hello,

 

The 'Premium' package includes spirits, but not 'Premium' spirits / fortified wines.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were on the 18 night cruise but we were unaffected. There were a lot of sufferers, but us and our group of friends (met on board) all escaped... Was a great cruise.

 

P n P

Hello,

 

Were you on the Indy's 18 night Christmas Ultimate Med cruise when almost every man and his dog got the norovirus?

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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Sooo looking forward to this one, Just reviewing our pre cruise purchases and bookings. We love the Mystery nights. Theres 2 on this cruise 12th and 18th. Gotta decide which one ....

 

Hello,

 

Going back to your Christmas Indy, do you remember meeting Glasgow Guy (William) and Davenwill (David)?

 

The only time I felt the urge to do the murder mystery dinner it was cancelled from lack of interest.

 

I must look at my booking to see what's available - especially on the food front. I mourn the passing of Portofino's on the Indy and Chopps reminded me of Berni Inns.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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Hello,

 

Going back to your Christmas Indy, do you remember meeting Glasgow Guy (William) and Davenwill (David)?

 

The only time I felt the urge to do the murder mystery dinner it was cancelled from lack of interest.

 

I must look at my booking to see what's available - especially on the food front. I mourn the passing of Portofino's on the Indy and Chopps reminded me of Berni Inns.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

I know there was a lot of cancellations for the Mystery night because of illness. The 2 guys names dont ring a bell, but will have a look at their profile see if it jogs any memorys.

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I know there was a lot of cancellations for the Mystery night because of illness. The 2 guys names dont ring a bell, but will have a look at their profile see if it jogs any memorys.

 

Hello,

 

The 'blurb' on the mystery dinner still refers to Portofino's even though by then it should be Giovanni's Table.

 

Possibly the one good thing about P&O is the specialty curry counter.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

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