ggo85

Surprisingly, not too many. I was on 3 different teams. 2 were honest. One (the one I mentioned above) was not. I found it pathetic and, as noted, never went back to that team. Of interest, while they usually placed in the top 3, they didn't always win. And, to be fair, if none of their possible answers was correct, they didn't just mark it a correct. Still . . .

I did Trivia when it worked with my schedule. I teamed up with one other person (just 2 of us + occasionally DW would chime in) and we typically finished in the top 3. To be fair, he was good. He also usually played alone (no team) -- it was the personal challenge more than winning, but was ok with my joining. I occasionally latched on with other teams who were missing members for whatever reason (usually in port). One thing I didn't like . . . I sat with one team that would write down every answer someone not the team gave for each question. If one of them was correct, they gave themselves credit for the answer (it was self-graded). Seriously, folks? I moved on to another team. I like fun competition, but it's supposed to be FUN and, in the relatively small number of cruises I've been on, it has been. Good natured competition If people are rude to other guests over TRIVIA (for goodness sake), it's time to find a new ship / line. If anyone is wondering, you get points that can later be used to "buy" stuff, like pens and hats and T-shirts. Nothing too exciting. It's more the thrill of it all.

The nautical term for the front of the ship is the "bow." While not idea, the TV usually has a "view from the bridge" channel that shows what lies ahead. Understand it's not the same thing as being outside.

One thing that would be interesting is whether two similarly situation people are offered the same Move Up options. Meaning, if I paid $5000 for my Sky Suite and someone else paid $3500 for their Aqua Veranda, and we both went to the Move Up calculator for a Royal Suite, would it show the same bid range and the same indicator of a strong or weak bid? Move Up can be a great deal but, as others have said, is never guaranteed even to be offered. As with most things cruising, if you're super-flexible about timing and itinerary, you can score a great suite for a fraction of the price. Alternatively, the entire ship may sell out and you're out of luck completely. As someone who often books suites (and has never been offered Move Up), I must confess it's a bit annoying / frustrating to learn that someone scored a similar suite for 1/2 to 2/3 of the price. I fully understand that's how the system works, it's all about maximizing revenue, and that my cabin is guaranteed (see paragraph above) whereas others are taking a chance. But I sometimes wonder why I book early . . . In my experience, this doesn't happen on luxury lines. First, they mostly sell out completely. Second, their upper level suites almost always sell out completely. Third, if the upper level suites are still available, I don't know how they fill them -- no evidence of any Move Up process. My sense is that they feel it cheapens the brand. T hough maybe it's coming. 🙄

We sailed Reflection in Feb. Disappointed in Murano. Felt crowded. The lobster was TINY. If you do it, do it as an appetizer. Hated my goat cheese appetizer - tasted dry. Service was a bit pretentious. If you want caviar or escargot, etc., it’s probably a good bet. We did Sushi on 5 twice. Loved it. I love sushi. My DH doesn’t but found something he liked each time. Wasn’t crowded and had a nice view. Also loved Tuscan - and we usually don’t. Great view. Felt less crowded and service very personalized. Filet was excellent. Just wish they offered more veal options. Did Porch for lunch. Portions are small but you can have as a much as you want. It was free for us - not sure I would have paid for it. Lawn Grille was a disaster for us, but we did go the very last night. We could literally touch the people next to us - and not in a good way. They forgot to bring some items. Other items were cold. Steak was average. IMO, what you’ll like depends on what you want to order and what you want to get out of the experience. Different folks can eat at the same place on the same night and have very different opinions of the experience.

We have done X and SS. To my knowledge, there is no reciprocity between X and SS in terms of loyalty programs. It wouldn’t matter anyway - everything on SS is included. But I don’t think your SS cruise accrues points for X. I’ve never heard of an OBC for booking SS while on X. They are owned by the same company but, as noted, still generally operated separately. You really don’t need OBC on SS other than for the spa or a couple of specialty restaurants. We typically see those who have it in the gift shop at the end of the cruise trying to use it. We have cruises X many times. Our last cruise with them is next month. We prefer SS for the following reasons: 1. All inclusive experience. Other than spa, you pay for nothing once on board. And no attempts to separate you from your money. 2. Fewer kids. Often none. 3. Better service. And much more personalized. 4. Less crowded ships. 5. Better food without having to pay for specialty restaurants SS ships are small we, but we prefer that. You sacrifice entertainment and stuff like rock- climbing walls. Not a sacrifice for us. And cabins on X are bigger for same price. We had a choice between a cheaper X cruise to Japan next year or SS. Not even close - we ‘re on X. I don’t believe Viking is as AI as SS. For example, I think drinks are only free at meals. But defer to a Viking “pro” on this point.

We have done the highest level suites on RCCL, Retreat on X, Crystal, and Silversea. We are done with RCCL for a couple of reasons. First, too many kids, which is their demo. This isn't to start a kid-bashing thread, just that we like fewer and RCCL has many on most sailing. Second, once you leave your suite, the experience is mass market. The ONLY thing we enjoy is reserved pool deck seating on many ships. To be fair, we haven't done the new mega-ships. We also like smaller ships so not even going there. We've probably done 10 cruises on X, all in upper level suites. Retreat (or just suites b4 they called it Retreat) used to be OK, not so much today. We are doing our last X cruise in June. Just did one on Reflection a couple of months ago. Cabin size is great. Amenities (free speciality dining, included beverages, internet etc.) are great. Butler was above average (we've had great to terrible). However, once you leave your suite, it's chaos. We really noticed it this cruise on Reflection -- seemed that there were crowds everywhere. Not a luxury experience and not pleasant for us. And the cost was very, very high even when compared to luxury lines. Retreat used to be a "deal" b/c you got a huge cabin and decent amenities for less than luxury lines. No more. Biggest benefits of the luxury lines (our view -- others may disagree). First, you pay up front -- there is little to no effort to separate you from your money once on board. Even in the spa, they aren't supposed to push products. No (monetary) BINGO, gold by the inch, $20 watch specials, art auctions, etc. etc. Also, you never sign for anything. You want a drink -- go get one. You want to eat someplace. Show up (or make a reservation). There are no crowds, no lines. And nearly 100% of passengers are seasoned travelers. Doesn't make them better or worse, just seasoned. Much more space per passenger (nothing ever crowded) and MUCH more personalized service. Finally, most sailings have very few kids. Downsides (for some): limited entertainment. No big production shows. No rock climbing walls (yeah!), slides, putt-putt, ice rinks, etc. No "Central Park." Costs are in line with (can even be cheaper than) upper level suites on mainstream line. We did Crystal pre-bankruptcy and are doing it again later this year. The ships are older (but just recently fully refurbished) and cabins smaller than you'll get on X or RCCL for same price. However, the service is SO personal, in a very good way. After the second day, the pool deck guys recognize you, know where you like to sit, and when you show up. They have your chairs already set up. They know what you like to drink and ask you if you'd like a "Diet Coke like yesterday." They typically give you the same wait staff in the dining room, so they too know your preferences (i.e., ketchup with hash browns). Butlers are amazing. After a couple of days, the crew calls you by name. Have done several SS cruises. Lovely, new ships. Butlers IMO not as good as Crystal across the board but still better than X. 6-7 dining options for lunch and dinner -- wide variety and all very good Included excursions that are actually quite good. Other nice things, when you leave ship for an excursion, they have umbrellas (as needed), water, towels, etc. available for the taking. Pool deck chairs have plush cushions and they are always plentiful, even on sea days. IMO, it's almost impossible to replicate the luxury ship experience on a huge ship. Mainstream lines are trying, with varying degrees of success. IMO, X is not succeeding, which is why we're moving on. But others may have a very different view, and we respect that.

The suite deck furniture on Reflection looks great but very uncomfortable to sit in. Hard to decide which chairs are worse. We used a chair as a footstool. We love sitting on our balcony. Moving on from X. It’s that much of a dealbreaker for us.

Could eligibility depend on the circumstances of original booking? Special sales or promotions, for example.

Babies can arrive early or late. The child will be your grandkid forever. Unless your own child really needs you specifically to be there for some reason at time of birth, why not enjoy your planned cruise and see your grandchild right before or after, as needed.

We were in a RS last month. Got email, no call. Everything we requested was accurately done. You can get “last minute” reservations at specialty restaurants. Depends on venue and, I believe based on experience, your suite level. Murano might be hard to get reservations with minimal notice. Others, not so much.

I’m going to assume what the OP posted is accurate. Fully understand the disappointment and X should have handled it better. As someone said, some comp that would mean a lot to passengers but costs little to X goes a long way. Also, the response. “We are SO sorry this happened,” etc. goes a long way. But it shouldn’t ruin a cruise. A CS is still sweet, and you have lots of extra money to spend on something else.

The goal is to get you to purchase something of reasonably high value. Shoe inserts. Acupuncture. Specialty facial treatments. Teeth whitening. How hard a sell, I don’t know.

I think they’re good for a city overview. See where things are, etc. The narration isn’t great as compared to a “real” tour At some stops you may wait for up to 30 minutes. You probably can get off at one stop in a day and still finish the tour. My personal view is that HOHO is better if you are staying in one place for several days vs. the 8 hours on a cruise port stop. Or, if you arrive in the departure port a day early and want to kill time until your hotel room is ready. We rode HOHO for several hours in Rome (where we’d been several times). Pleasant just to ride around - better than sitting in the hotel lobby.

The OP asked for options for Japan. If the goal is to get there in the cheapest way possible, lots of options make that possible. No question X and others will be cheaper than a luxury line at probably all levels below Retreat. Thus, if cost is the primary motivator, X is the better option. If you're looking at the Retreat level (even the entry Sky Suites), some luxury lines will be priced competitively given their "all inclusive" approach. At that point, one needs to decide whether they want the "large ship" mainstream line experience or the small ship, luxury line experience. There are pros and cons to each; the decision really depends on the experience an individual cruiser is seeking.

SS dining beats X hands down. More options. Better food. Far, far fewer people competing at each venue. No extra cost for any venue for lunch and most dinner options have no added cost. The reasons to book Celebrity vs. SS for Japan include: (1) better, more and more varied entertainment, (2) more options for shore excursions (but also more people), (3) many more activities on board, and (4) probably the cost, depending on which cabin you would book. Also (may or may not apply), better for kids b/c there is more to do, probably a "younger" crowd, and less formal dress code (newer SS ships have a more relaxed dress code, "older" ones are still pretty formal as compared to X.) It really depends on what's important to you.

Bermuda weather can fluctuate greatly. I was there once in late March and highs were in the low 50s. Highs can also be in the 70s at that time of year. It's a lovely place to visit, regardless of the time of year. You won't "freeze." However, if your intent is to sit on the beach, you might (or might not) need a heavy sweater. We did a TA from Ft Lauderdale to Lisbon in late March (no stop in Bermuda). We could sit in the sun in a bathing suit for the first 5-6 days. The next 2-3, we could sit in the sun in shorts and a sweatshirt. The last few days, it was really too cold to sit on deck, even in the sun. Got to Lisbon and it was hot and sunny! That's one reason TAs are often cheaper than other cruises -- weather can vary greatly in the months they are the most common (March/April and Oct/Nov).

I always do a massage and sometimes a facial. For me, it's part of my cruise enjoyment. I have the time on the ship to do them without feeling I have to "run" to something else. On X, I'm usually spending OBC that I need to spend somewhere, so no out-of-pocket costs. Quality varies . . . which is true on every ship and every line. Recently on Reflection, my deep tissue massage was ok. Not memorable as good or bad. The facial was one of the best I've had -- really noticed the difference in my skin. That has been the exception (for me) as facials usually aren't very good. So you never know. As comparison, I was on a luxury line last year and the deep tissue was actually a (bad) Swedish massage (yes, the massage therapist knew it was supposed to be deep tissue). I complained (first time I've ever done so, but it was a terrible, terrible massage by any standards). I was comped 2 absolutely fantastic massages (and I'm a tough critic). Different therapist, completely different experiences. I agree that the product pitches suck; however, I believe they are under tremendous pressure to upsell. I usually take the written material and say, "I'll consider it." A couple of times I've purchased stuff (more on the massage side). It's high quality but I end up not using it when I get home. This time, she suggested some facial products that get good reviews on line. The Amazon prices are the same as being offered on the ship, so if you're tempted and have OBC, it may be worth it. I would "consider it" and check prices first. As for whether it's worth the money . . . you will spend more than in most locales in the US (though major cities / high end spas are VERY close in cost). You don't know the therapist, so are taking your chances in terms of quality. However, you may have lots of OBC, you may have extra time, this may be something that makes a cruise special for you . . . or not.

IMO, specialty restaurants can and do vary by ship (and probably when you cruise as chefs and servers will change over time). Historically we'd never particularly liked Tuscan. However, on this most recent cruise (several weeks ago) on Reflection, it was our favorite. The reasons: spacious seating (not close to other tables), wonderful cut of filet (could almost cut it with a fork), great food, attentive service -- and of course a great view. BTW, we found in Tuscan that they will make half (appetizer) sizes of pasta, etc. Just ask. We weren't in love with Murano. The lobster tail was TINY (suggest having as an appetizer). My warm goat cheese tart really wasn't very good. Service was ok but the room feels a bit claustrophobic. Our finished plates sat in front of us for at least 15 minutes. It seemed over-produced. If you love caviar (we don't), that's one reason to visit Murano. At Lawn Grille, we were SO close to the other tables -- literally 6 inches away. They didn't get our order right. They forgot to bring my potato until I asked twice. Service was sketchy. Food was good, but not memorable. On other cruises, we've loved this venue. The above was on Reflection, not the ship the OP asked about. The point is that food and experiences are subjective, and every ship is different. Look at the menus. Evaluate your OBC. If you're paying "real money," decide which experience(s) and food is most to your liking.

I’d describe main entertainment as more cabaret than production show. A couple of (decent) singers, maybe 2 dancers. Not the production shows on RCL or X. For us, the downside is no alternative groups. There is usually a violin or piano player. Talented, but music to slit your wrists to. Probably a trio, but IMHO, OK but not great. You don’t choose SS for entertainment. Just saying.

Consider ship vs. ports and overall experience. We looked at X for Japan but are doing Silversea. We recently did HING Kong to Singapore on SS and loved it. The smaller ship means less competition in port. Also, smaller ships are often able to dock closer to the city. It’s a trade off with the advantages of large ships, such as entertainment, etc. I think you’ll find smaller ships tend to call in Japan.

I’ve never sailed Disney, but disagree that it’s the casinos. Crystal, a luxury line, just relaunched without casinos. Took them out. They obviously decided that they could make more money in other ways. Silversea, another luxury line, has casinos not much larger than an average cabin. And it’s almost always empty. There as a courtesy but not bringing in significant revenue. The prices on these lines isn’t much higher than Disney, and could at times be lower. Whether a casino is popular on a ship depends a lot on the demographics. I’ve been on cruises where casino is always empty and those when it’s packed at all hours. Disney is a for-profit company. It is great at marketing and offers things not found on other lines. As long as people are willing to pay, they will charge whatever they can get, to maximize profit. If it get too expensive, people will go elsewhere. Until they do, there’s no incentive to lower prices.

We are Elite, sailed in suite earlier this month. Got (a nice) beach bag on Day 3. Holder for Seapass card. No keyholder. Nothing else.

There is another website that has cruise deck plans and lots of photos for some cabins by cabin number. I'm sure I can't name it here, but Google is your friend.

Not welcomed back. No gift. No note. Also never invited to dine with, meet, etc. any officers other than the meet & greet at MC. We're nowhere close to Zenith but usually book upper level suites.