mulan1123

You can always do both ;)

Depending on drinking habits.....look into getting a drink package. I find RCI has various different drink packages!

I'll be going on my first Carnival cruise in December and I wish they had the different types of drink packages that RCI have, like the Replenish package where it includes specialty coffees, non-alcoholic cocktails and water bottles.

Have fun!

Hello Fellow Ottawan!

I'll actually be sailing on Glory on that exact itinerary in December.......

Subscribing. I'll be on this exact itinerary and ship in December. My first Carnival cruise.......yippee...

I was on Freedom this past November and I loved Casey (maybe I'm biased since he's also Canadian lol) and I related to his Canadian related jokes. I thought he was hilarious during the Love and Marriage show, and the morning show......

You will love it! One other thing...my husband is a big hockey fan and we were able to watch the game as it was playing in the sports bar and also in the cabin. He was one happy cruiser! Just mentioned that as I see that you are Canadian and as we are Canadians who now live in Florida, there is a pretty good chance you might be hockey fans.

Were they Canadian teams?? I'll be on Glory on December and well into the season....

I'll be going on this cruise in December, this is also my first cruise on Carnival too. I was hesitant but now I'm glad I booked and looking forward to it!!

My family and I will be on this cruise in December. This will my brother and I first Carnival cruise (we cruised on RCI). My parents went on a Carnival cruise on about 12 years ago or so......

This is making me excited!!!!

I have only sailed on RCL and going on my first Carnival cruise in December, which I'm looking forward to it.

Although, I have not been on Brilliance, the service and ships of RCI are awesome.

Try it out, because I think that is the only way to see if you like another cruise line, and if the price is right, it's a bonus.

Thanks for the quick response POA1 and RMLincoln.

My parents are thinking of going on a Holland cruise (we've only cruise on Royal Caribbean previously) in December, and noticed on their website says that no print shirts, shorts, etc during evening hours in public areas...how strict are they on that??

And how jean skirts during smart casual dinners???

I bring my own shampoo & conditioner and body wash (I HATE using the soap bars) no matter where I go. I'm very picky about that kinda thing!

My first cruise too was Oasis two years ago. This part November, my family and I went on Freedom. I loved it! I would definitely go on Freedom again.

We are now looking into booking Allure, Anthem, Oasis, and Freedom again. However, we are looking into booking Princess, as I did notice that prices are a little cheaper than RCI.

As for the menus, they could offer the restaurant's menu, but have a small section for favourites, like they do now in the MDR. I can't remember what they call it now...so that way if nothing appeals to you, you can still get a plate of pasta, or steak, chicken or salmon.

Maybe try calling your credit card instead to see if maybe it's on their end (maybe like a hold or a waiting period, etc)....

I called corporate in FL (got the number from the website) for a question on a credit card hold when I got back from our cruise recently. They were very helpful.

The Capt of FOS was AWESOME! My daughter was standing on deck while we were in Nassau. The workers were there taking care of the issues and the Captain started a conversation with my daughter and explained in detail what the workers where doing and what she as a passenger could expect. He was very kind and FUNNY! His daily announcements were hilarious, starting with the first one he started with "Bing Pong" :D and ended with "please do not feed the seagulls as their way of saying thanking was craping on the ship" Love this guy!

I was on FOS a few weeks ago and thought the same thing of the captain! My family and I had a nice conversation with the Hotel director and HR director as well. So for the rest of the cruise if bumped into the hotel and HR director, they're recognize us and strike up a small conversation before heading off to where they were heading!

The one I have is Carte du Jour 2nd ed and it has recipes from the various restaurants, such as Rita's Cantina, Chef's Table, Samba Grill, Vintages, Chops, Izumi, 150 CP, Giovanni's, and MDR. printed 2012, in China :/

I just bought this edition on my recent Freedom cruise a few weeks ago......I have yet to make anything from it.....lol

I have always taken my passport on shore (besides when I was on Coco Cay or Labadee). If there is an emergency I have it in case. Plus it is another form of ID (for whatever reason). Plus, I would never enter a foreign country without it, even though you technically don't need it when visiting ports.

I never saw the coffee time with the officers, that would have been neat. I will say I've never seen the officers and crew so accessible as they were on this cruise. The captain and his primary crew passed by us on the outside of Deck 4 one day and we didn't even realize it was them. Very friendly and chatty.

Couldn't agree with you more. My family and I had a very nice chat with the Hotel and HR directors. And said hello to us every time we saw them!

The Coffee Time with the Officers was on the last day (if I remember correctly).....then they had something special on the last day where they had food, napkin and towel folding, fruit sculpture demonstrations, etc. And the senior officers were having photo ops! Which I happen to walk by with my camera, and the hotel and HR directors remember my mom and I, and wished me an early birthday (actually kinda yelled and sang happy birthday to me in the middle of the promenade as we were walking away after we got our photos taken, and did it again when we walked by to get to the MDR).....

They do not know until the last day if gratuities were pre-paid. At least, that's what I was told by my room attendant on Liberty last month.

The server may have an idea as MTD you are usually required to prepay.

But I guess that could be it, they don't know until the last of the cruise....

I was on the sailing before you (as was Shirley) and you pretty much the same experience as I did, except not as many kids as you experienced.

There were a few activities that I enjoyed, such as Adult Scattegories, Dancing with the Officers, and Coffee Time with the Officers.

The shows were excellent, the staff nice and helpful, and the Windjammer host was awesome!!

It was windy on our sailing too, there was a morning where my mom and I woke up early every morning and take a walk along the jogging track but one morning it was so windy that we couldn't even walk!

But as Shirley mentioned, the food in the MDR was good throughout the week. Maybe the menus were different from ours (like not on the same day as yours). I had the shrimp cocktail and prime rib on the first day and the prime rib pretty much melted in your mouth delicious! I think the Portobello menu was on like day 2 or 3 on our sailing.......

I really hope that is not the case. That was why we held off removing them until we provided proof. But in hindsight, you are probably right.:(

However, if you did My Time Dining, they probably know that you prepaid in advance, since you needed to prepay in advance for MTD.

Love your method! I am stealing it for my next cruise.

 

 

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Enjoy your next cruise! Grabbing the water bottles were great as I brought a couple with me for the port and excursions. And don't forget that you can use them on Coco Cay and Labadee for soda and non-alcoholic drinks.

I was on Freedom two weeks ago and bought the Replenish package ahead of time. I found it to be of great value. I would have freshly squeezed juice at breakfast in WJ, then bead to the Café Promenade and grab a specialty coffee as it was Starbucks brand. And I would also grab a bottled water. Than at lunch if we were on the ship, I got a Coke. And in the afternoon, I would get a non-alcoholic cocktail (the banana daiquiri was good) or another Starbucks and another bottled water. At dinner the MDR, I would get a coke. Then after dinner I would go back to the promenade café and get non-caffeinated beverage like vanilla steamer or hot chocolate than head to the theater. Than after I sometimes grab another cocktail and a bottles water. I only used the machines 3-4 times the entire cruise.

To the OP, sounded like you were a little confused on what was included. But glad to hear you got a refund.

Was on Freedom two weeks ago and got to Coco Cay (two weeks ago today to be exact) and had beautiful weather!

There is always a chance that a ship will miss a tendered port due to weather/winds beyond their control.