magnus1977

Nice to read your review:-)

What is the age demographic for this cruise? I am considering a cruise onboard the Rotterdam in november. Have red that there are mainly "older" passengers cruising HAL, what is your impression? I am 46 years old. 

How would your compare this ship with others from other cruise lines? And is the food overal good? 

Thank you all for your thoughts, really appreciate it🙂

It looks like some have «desided» that Crystal is better that EJ and vice verca. I like brand new and luxurious things, I am 46 years old so I guess the EJ suits me a bit better. So I have to deside if the $1500 in difference is «worth» it for a Brand new ship plus bigger cabin and a balcony. I think so… Get $500 obc as well.

I have looked at some itineraries, anyone here that have any thoughts of which to choose?

EJ 1: Bridgetown Barbados-Fort de France Martinique-Castries St Lucia-St Johns Antigua-San Juan Puerto Rico-sea-sea-Miami

EJ 2: Miami-sea-sea-Road Bay Anguilla-Roseau Dominica-Basse Terre Guadeloupe-Marigot St Martin-San Juan Puerto Rico

EJ 3: San Juan Puerto Rico-Gustavia Sain Barthelemy-St Johns Antigua-Bassererre Saint Kitts and Nevis-Spanish Town Virgin Gorda BVI-sea-sea-Miami

EJ 4: Miami-sea-sea-St Thomas UVI-Road Bay Anguilla-Roseau Dominica-Saint Pierre Martinique-Bridgetown Barbados

Noggins, what a marvellous reading, I have so much appreciated it😀

If I can ask, what is your thoughts of Explora vs Crystal? I will do a 7 night solo cruise in november/december on either Explora 2 or Crystal Serenity in the Caribbean. Solo outside cabin on Crystal and ocean terrace suite on Explora. $3500 for Crystal and $5.000 for Explora, including $400 on board credit for Explora. Any recommendations? 

Anyone have any thoughts of Explora vs Crystal? I will do a 7 night solo cruise in november/december on either Explora 2 or Crystal Serenity in the Caribbean. Solo outside cabin on Crystal and ocean terrace suite on Explora. $3500 Crystal and $5.000 Explora, including $400 on board credit for Explora. Any recommendations? 

Anyone have any thoughts of Explora vs Crystal? I will do a 7 night solo cruise in november/december on either Explora 2 or Crystal Serenity in the Caribbean. Solo outside cabin on Crystal and ocean terrace suite on Explora. $3500 Crystal and $5.000 Explora, including $400 on board credit for Explora. Any recommendations? 

Thank you.

By the way, our kids are 3 and 5 years old. We have the choice of doing a 5 night cruise from Durban onboard MSC Splendida as well, maybe this is a be better idea, I am bit worried sailing 12 nights onboard the Dawn, I cant see I ecperiemce rave revires about her😅 

To you thats on the Norwegian Dawn now or just have been. I would have appreciate it very much if you could share some true information regard the ship overall, the cabins, the food and facilities for kids. 
 

Me and my family are consdering a 12 nights cruise out of South Africa to Mauritius in February onboard the Dawn, but are a bit biased from all the mixed reviews/comments of this ship. We have sailed Norwegian before, but on the bigger and newer Escape.

To you thats on the Splendida now or just have been. I would have appreciate it very much if you could share some true information regard the ship overall, the cabins, the food and facilities for kids. I am interested in both experiences from the «ordinary» Splendida cruise, but the yacht club as well at this ship. 
 

Me and my family are consdering a 5 nights cruise out of Durban in February onboard the Splendida, but are a bit biased from all the mixed reviews/comments of this ship. We have sailed MSC before, but on the bigger and newer Meraviglia and Seashore.

On 11/6/2023 at 8:23 PM, TheHawk1 said:

Everyone has a different idea of the perfect cruise vacation.  I wouldn't take even a free vacation on a ship as small as Jewel, as I know I would be bored to tears.  I just finished a Mediterranean cruise on Symphony, my second time on this ship after a Caribbean cruise in 2020 pre lockdown.  After two sailings, I think this is the best Oasis class ship in the fleet (and I've been on all five).

Can you please say what makes Symphony the best Oasis class ship? I am considering  both Symphony and Wonder.

34 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

We're glad that you are enjoying the review. Thanks for reading! We haven't sailed on any of the ships that you have, so the only comparison I can make is that with the exception of the Summit, are all larger than the Venezia. 

 

Since you're a foodie I would select the Celebration or Jubilee over the Venezia,  simply because there are way more food venue options on them. Enjoy your planning! 😎

Thank you😊

What an amazing review, I so much enjoy reading it! 
 

My and my family are going on a couple of cruises in february, and we consider either the Venezia or Jubille/celebration, we havent made up the itinerary yet, it depend of which cruise we choose. I see you have been on both the Mardi Gras and the Celebration. We have never sailed Carnival, both have done Msc Mareaviglia/Seashore, Norwegian Escape, Rccl Explorer of the seas/Odyssey of the seas and one Celebrity Summit cruise.
 

How will you compare these ships with the Venezia? My kids are 3 and 5 years old. I am a foodie so the food is important, which of the Venezia and the Celebration/Jubilee would you have chosen? Whats the main differences?

Magnus

When does the venues at Music Walk close in the evenings?

20 hours ago, sandy toes said:

I do NOT know Norway specific FCC regulations.

I do know that the 11 yr old had a FCC that could be transferred ONCE. Contact Royal directly about Please let us all know what the final decision about this turned out to be. You have a lot of things going on, from another country, booked with US Royal and paid in US$$$. It is hard enough for most of us to keep track of the regular US rules for us and I know that no one on CC wants to misdirect you. 

Is there any difference that I am Norwegian? Isnt it the us rules that counts since I have booked and payed directly with rccl.com? I called the norwegian office and they said I had to call the rccl in the us.

We Are from Norway, but I booked directly with RCCL american webside and payed in US dollars. We had two separate bookings, one for Me and one of our two sons, and one booking for my girlfriend and our second son.

So We have got 4 different future cruise credit codes, one for each of us. I am going on a solo trip in november, can I use all 4 cruise credits just for me? It looks like each credit code is locked to the name on the booking.

Me and my family had to cancel our Caribbean sailing with Allure of the seas earlier this May. We will now Get the amount we payed for the cruise back in form of cruise credit. 
 

My question is: Is it possible for other people to use our cruise credit? I dont think we will be able to use the credit for A long time so if it is possible for other to use this credit that would be great.

7 hours ago, JAGR said:

Wow!  Please extend my deepest sympathies to your girlfriend.

???

6 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Premium Suite Aurea with Whirlpool on Seashore would probably be better. 

 

The "1 in Royal Suite, 3 in non-YC interior" idea won't work. If it did and it was less expensive, every family of 4 would do it. 

No, they would not. Because almost everyone who book yacht club want to get the whole yacht club ecxperience and in my suggestion just one of us four would get that experience.

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

LOL, yes...I've been in the suite on Seashore actually. It's nice, just not amazing. The deck is probably the best things about it. But there are problems with it - a single bathroom is a big one. And a single bedroom. If I were traveling with 4, I'd much rather have the 2 bedroom Aurea suite.

 

This is if I only cared about the room.

 

I was on Seashore with a couple that booked it. The problem was they wanted to enjoy the room, so kept trying to invite people in. But the beauty of the YC is the experience *outside* of the rooms, so no one really wanted to hang out there.

 

Trust me, book Aurea with kids that young. If it were just you and your wife, I would say get a nice Deluxe YC room. 

 

If you have all the money in the world, sure, book the Royal Suite...but otherwise, don't waste your money on it.

 

Thank you:-)

I agree that a 2 bedroom Aureau cabin would have suited us much better, but the problem is that those cabins never are available...

Dont say this suite isnt nice...

3 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Sorry, our replies crossed.

 

Yes, I am 100% sure...if you do not have a YC room you can't enter. The reason is there is nothing to identify you as YC, so you would get all of the perks. Even if there was some way to go into the suite, how would they know your wife would only stay in there?

 

But, you said you have a 1 and 3yr old...that is kind of a waste of money in my opinion to splurge on the YC. I'd look at Aurea or something like that.

 

The rooms in the YC usually aren't even the best rooms on the ship. Not saying they aren't nice, just often Aurea is nicer (depends on the ship). But you sail in YC for the experience, not the room. If you just stay in the room, what is the point of YC?

Not the nicest cavins?Have you looked at the Royal suite??? its amazing! The reason for booking that suite is the suite it self. It would be much more social with a large living area, large balcony with jacuzzi and so on. But if it wont work I just have to forget about it.

6 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

If you mean interior Yacht Club, then fine...but if you mean interior non-Yacht Club then that won't work. Only people booked in YC cabins can enter the YC.

 

So...non-YC interior + YC Royal will not work. But, YC Interior + YC Royal will work.

 

Not sure which one you are asking.

Are you sure? I think I remember reading about someone who did this. They could stay in the suite but not enter the wact club lounge/restaurant, sun deck.

6 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I'm not sure that I understand your question. 

 

Are your asking if you can book the Royal suite for you, an interior cabin for your girlfriend and the kids and then you all stay in the suite? If yes, why?

 

Will it not cost much more to book the suite and an interior cabin than just to book the suite? As said, I don't understand.

No, the total for our family in the yacht club royal suite would be a total of $10.000, but if we book me in the royal suite and my girlfriend and kids in the interior, the total will be a bit over $7000, so a massive difference.

Me and my family are going to book a MSC Seashore cruise. We initialy wanted to book to balcony rooms, we are two adults and two children, age 1 and 3 years old. Now I see that the royal suite is available. To book all of us in the royal suite will be to expensive, but how is it, if we book the royal suite for me, and an interior cabin for my girlfriend and the two kids, can they come and stay in the suite with me? I understand that they wont get the yacht club perks, but thats fine. It would just be so nice to stay all of us in this fantastic suite. Would the butler and the cruise think it is okey or not?

We are sailing with MSC Seashore the 30th of april. Our family have had covid-19 for a month ago, and I know several other cruise companies have a policy about guests who have had covid within the last 90 days. If they bring a recovery letter from a doctor who states that they are fully recovered and ready to travel, they wond need to take the pre cruise test. I dont find anything about this regard MSC. Anyone who know about this?

Second, is unvacinated children allowed to go of the ship now without a prebooked MSC trip?

I understand. But are we allowed to put all of us in the suite even if the two uf us doesnt get the perks? Then the boardwalk stayes empty.