la_croisiere_s'amuse

The freshly squeezed juice falls under the beverage package, not the dining package, so they are only included if you have the refreshment package (everything but alcohol) or the deluxe beverage package. The Windjammer is not open 24/7, unfortunately. There are specific hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are lots of places on the Wonder where you can eat without a reservation, and some of them are open quite late (e.g. Sorrento's) and quite early (e.g. Vitality Cafe) but only the Cafe Promenade is open around the clock.

So glad you enjoyed the show! 🙂 I know that in the past it's been two and a half hours (including the intermission)--is this a recent adaptation? Cutting out a full hour would be a shame IMHO.

Truthfully, such things are really hit or miss. If it were me, I would probably risk it--worst case scenario, you're no worse off than if you had left it at home. 🙂

Full disclosure, it's been a few years since I sailed out of Miami, but as a general rule there is no separate line. I travel with a walker and I just join the throngs. 🙂

It varies from venue to venue. For example, 150 Central Park is quite an elegant setting, whereas the Mexican and BBQ places are significantly more casual. That being said, if you can get them into a button-down shirt or polo, they would be okay at even the more upscale places. I don't think I've ever seen anyone turned away for wearing jeans or shorts. Just avoid gym/pool attire.

Quite so! But planning ahead is half the fun. 😊

We are early diners, so it's been quite some time since I've had the evening fare in the Diamond Club. But our next cruise is on the Allure (best Diamond Club in the fleet!!) so I'd like to take advantage. Can anyone with recent experience tell me the time window for the appetizers?

Yeah, there seems to be some confusion between the terms check-in and boarding--and to be fair, I've seen them used interchangeably on multiple threads. But yes, they are two different things. So to be clear, I was referring to actual boarding, i.e. the process of getting on the ship, not check-in upon arriving at the terminal. I haven't seen any check-in lines based on C&A status lately.

I did not know that! Thank you, I learned something new today. 🙂

Dry chunk of bread? You must have been getting the day-old bakery version. 🤣 Personally, I love them because they're the perfect portion size and texture reminds me of bread I used to get at a Swiss boulangerie. But to each his/her own. 🙂 nelblu, thanks for the head up. Just one more month to the Allure! ☺️

It seems to vary from port to port. I last saw C&A priority boarding at Port Everglades in February. They had just reinstated it after the shutdown so there were definitely some kinks, but they did offer priority boarding for Diamond and up.

Pretty sure I recently read that as well. So either we're both hallucinating, or it actually happens sometimes. 😉 But yes, as I recall it was a couple/family who showed up late and their table had been given away. The waiter was extremely apologetic and found them another table nearby.

This this this!! Cabo whale watching excursions have been some of my favorites. There was one in particular on an old sailboat (as in several hundred years old) that was just fantastic. The passengers even got to help with the sails. I did that itinerary fairly often when I lived in the West, but none of the other excursions really knocked my socks off, especially if you're not into city tours (I did one in Puerto Vallarta that was worth doing once). Definitely don't bother with scuba diving--it's nothing like the Caribbean.

If you mean the check in time, those become available 45 days before your sail date.

Agreed, it would be an itinerary change, not a cancelation. I've had my fair share of itinerary changes due to hurricanes. On once occasion (Hurricane Dorian in 2019) they gave us a small FCC as a goodwill gesture, and on another cruise (2004 I think?) we got some OBC. However, the cruise contract states quite clearly that they can change itineraries as needed without any form of compensation. So the odds of being allowed to cancel for FCC are slim.

You've been given lots of good information, I would only add that I do NOT recommend waiting to hear back before bidding on additional categories. While there are exceptions, you usually don't find out that your bid was unsuccessful until it's too late to do anything about it. I generally get that email on embarkation day. 😉

No need to defend how you choose to spend your time on your cruise. Cruise Critic has lots of people who are helpful and courteous, and unfortunately a few who feel the need to stir the pot. In response to your question: you should receive an email from your concierge a few days before your cruise, and you can ask him/her if one can be made available. Or, if you want to be sure ahead of time, the products suggested by RobInMN would be a good option too. Wishing you both a wonderful cruise! 🙂

Odyssey has quite a good ice cream selection in the Windjammer. 🙂

I would say tied between Odyssey and Allure ... but that might just be because they're my last cruise and my next cruise! 😄 I also have a soft spot for the Mariner.

I shared this tip with a friend. It worked, and he is very happy with his assigned cabin, but he had a question I couldn't answer so I said I'd ask. Has anyone experienced/heard of the unofficial assignment changing before it shows up online or in the app? I told him nothing is ever guaranteed, since even specifically booked cabins can be changed "because COVID," but I was wondering if we have any intel on whether it's more likely in this situation. Thanks in advance! 🙂

You can certainly show up at the terminal, but might not be able to get inside if it's not your assigned check-in time. Sometimes they are very strict with check-in times and sometimes they're not, but in any event, you would be waiting outside until the first general check-in group (i.e. not suites, The Key etc.)

It does, yes, but unfortunately the tram stop is quite a distance from where the beach beds are. 😞 If it helps, there are beach wheelchairs available on the island. They are complimentary and first come first served. My husband said they handle surprisingly well on the sand, but they're a bit harder to push on the pavement. Since I can walk independently, just not very far, I walked as much as I was comfortably able to while we were on the sidewalks.

Thank you so much for sharing the menus and the Cruise Compasses! We'll be there in a few weeks and this is super helpful. Not to mention helping to tide me over. 🙂

Oh, this is great news!! Last I heard it was lunch only. We're going in October and I can't wait. 🙂

Oh, I can only imagine the disappointment! Going straight from Allure to that windowless space ... no thank you. 😉