leisuretraveler223

I’m probably just missing something on the website. Gratuities for Mega Rock Star Agent: included? If not, is there a suggested amount? Per day/per cruise.

Whenever in doubt about any app not working correctly, the BEST first step is to delete the app and then download it again. Most of the time if there is an app based glitch, this will fix it.

"cruise critic awards". Now there's a prestigious title! No chance those are manipulated by marketing factors by cruise critic. Remember, CC is at it's core, simply a travel agency. Sure, there's lots of distracting bells and whistles, but it's all about sales. And these "awards" are pretty much a meaningless marketing item.

I used to follow that guideline. And then, I was forced to carry a set of golf clubs on board a cruise ship because the porters said they couldn't be responsible for them. Mind you they were in a cushioned travel bag that can be shipped or checked as luggage on a flight. Once they made me drag that beast up to my room, I swore I'd never check baggage again. If they ever give me blowback, I just tell them it contains valuables and medications and they let me right through. Oh, and the security machines (i.e. x-ray) can handle enormous bags. They sometimes put a cover on it to only allow smaller ones, but it lifts open like a door and you could practically fit a volkswagon through there!

What is the expected timeframe for luggage delivery? Is it expedited for Mega Rock Star Suites? We are flying in early and will need to kill time before boarding. We usually just carry on board on cruises, but if we have to kill a couple hours, we were thinking we might just leave the luggage with the porters so we aren't lugging it around Miami. But I hate not getting my bags until late the first day. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Mega Rockstar Suite, and it says we can board any time after 1 or 1:30. What's the situation if we arrive there earlier? Flight lands at MIA at 10am, wondering if we need to kill time.

THANK YOU!!!! This is what I was hoping to hear. I actually did book through a TA. I’ve been on tons of cruises, just not Virgin and always book through her. I literally did this on a whim, emailed her and she booked it and got back to me within the hour. But, she’s currently in Chile and I figured I’d follow up with her after she flies home tomorrow. But if Red Glove is that good, hopefully I’m all set.

So, I pulled the trigger and booked Scarlet Lady for a four night the middle of next month for the wife and myself. Mega Rockstar "Gorgeous Suite". This is my first booking with Virgin and once I received my email confirmation, I went to the website to access and start planning. Only I could no longer access my account, constant error message. I finally called and talked to IT. They could see the account and the reservation but were at a loss as to why I could not access either. The representative said he was going to "put in a ticket" to have it addressed, but then determined their "system is being updated" so he will try and put the ticket in sometime tomorrow. I expressed my frustration at having spent substantial $ on this booking and now being in the dark, unable to make dinner reservations or anything else. He then offered to make dinner reservations for me, which I thought was great, until he said the only availability was at one restaurant at 9:45 one night and that I could "just walk in" on the other nights. I was a bit surprised and I asked, is there no further accommodation made for guests in top tier suites. He then offered to get me in tough with their "Red Glove Department" that should be able to help me. Alas, they're not open until Monday. Someone put my mind at ease. Please tell me that this experience is going to get better. I don't want to be stuck "winging it" for dinner every night, and I'd like to try and see what options are available for other activities (shore excursions, etc) before we leave. Not the best first impression.....

Wife and I are doing a four day out of Miami in mid-April, just on the process of booking a Mega Rockstar Suite today. First time on Virgin. Do I need to book anything now/once the reservation if finalized? I am unfamiliar with dining on Virgin, do I need reservations, and if so, am I already too late to get good times? I don't know what I don't know and would appreciate any help, since it's not like I've got months and months to learn about this!

You are more than free to think that. You're wrong, but that's your prerogative.

You can really take it one more step. There is no need to print your luggage tags. The porters will attach them in an instant. It's kind of an odd remnant in cruising that makes no sense. No one asks about affixing airline luggage tags prior to travel, they do it at the airport. Really no different.

I'm looking at a 15 Day Panama Canal transit in a Haven suite. I can see the deposit amount, and the payment scheduled and cancellation costs starting at the 120 day mark. But what about prior to that? Are NCL deposits refundable? I can't find anything on the site regarding this.

What if the main stairs were unusable. What if the grand lobby with the big doors to the outdoor deck were the site of the emergency? I'm going to spend the entire week using the main stairs, etc. But the PREFERRED route from my stateroom to muster, the one marked on the back of my door may very well instruct me to use said crew stairs. Maybe just once during the week it would make sense to do so. I have thought about this more than you give me credit for.

PortMiami to Miami International Airport is 7.7 miles and without traffic (which is often the case on weekend mornings when people disembark), estimated travel time is 10 minutes. It can be done, easily. But if it's 3 in the afternoon, that's a different story!

e-muster is super convenient, but it's a joke. It provides no insight into what it's like crowd wise. And it provides totally inadequate training for the crew. That being said..... Traditional muster on cruise lines isn't much better. As long as cruise lines continue to devalue it by wasting time in muster telling me about their environmental programs, or having kids club staff trying to get kids wirstbands, it's pointless. Get rid of the nonsense and tell people what they need to know. Also, if I'm going to be forced to stop what I'm doing and march to my muster station, let me do it for real. In a real emergency, we'd be using the crew stairs as well as the guest ones. We would be accessing the outdoor decks through the emergency doors from the promendade, theater or wherever. Don't pretend it's a real drill, but then re-route everyone. The reality is that any actual muster on one of these ships would go horribly. Which is why the real industry goal is to never ever have to do it.

We cruised over New Year and one in our party was a last minute cancelation. It wasn't really a big deal because it was a triple at a really good rate, so the two people would have cost about the same. I know there are some things that are supposedly refunded, but I'm not sure what they are. Also, does anyone have any experience with the timeframe on the refund? She was also booked on an excursion and they assured me that since she didn't sail, she would be removed from it and then I would be refunded after we returned home. I'm just wondering if I should be contacting them yet, or is it usually like a 3-4 week thing?

I never get travel insurance. I have medical coverage when overseas, and I have medical transport coverage. So the only thing I'd be insuring is the loss of the cost of the cruise. Under those circumstances, unless you have a personal situation that dramatically increases the odds of having to do that, self insuring is better. Basically, travel insurance can provide peace of mind, but is NEVER considered your best investment opportunity. There are much better ways to take that money and realize the gain.

Pretend cost and timing are irrelevant. You're going on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska. Which itinerary do you choose and why?

Semantics are still semantics.

Easy there with the snark😅. "Lack of funding" can be interpreted as the funds did not exist, or budgeting did not allocate funds. You interpreted his statement as the former, I interpreted it as the latter.

This makes no sense. You disagreed with the previous poster and then said the same thing.

That is true. But technology changes very rapidly over a short period of time. What might not have worked then, may well do so now or very soon. In terms of tech, the launch of Quantum was a lifetime ago.

Oh, it's DEFINITELY a technology issue. A LEAN process would be fine, but simply looking at the operation makes it painfully clear. Even at CocoaCay, at the bar at the lagoon pool, there was a ton of people waiting and the poor bartenders were waiting for each other to finish up on the few POS tablets they had to punch in drinks.

I don't even know what to say. I've been on a dozen cruises in the past few years I've seen it constantly. Now it doesn't necessarily slow down my getting the drink as they tend to make and serve it first. But when I watch them, I realize this is in no way a user-friendly POS system. Things that should be two touches and a card are three to four times that. It absolutely tends to slow things down when the bar is two or three deep and they are spending way more time punching buttons than need be. Honestly, if you haven't noticed this, then either you haven't been watching, or you are in no way tuned in to what it's like to work with poorly designed tech.

I think that's a little bit of a copout to be honest. The logistic involved in booking, filling, scheduling and running these ships is so far beyond the level needed for this basic operation, it just seems nonsensical. What they do, they do incredibly well. It seems that an improved system like this would only be of benefit all around.