Anoynmous Phoenix

@WindinmySails I think we all are assuming that it is for 8 or fewer. More than that will be more difficult.

MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENT!!! Talk about Paint Remover.

@cruise*enthusiast Ask you steward as soon as you can. He will have to check with housekeeping as they go very quickly. You will get a hot water machine that you can use for coffee or tea.

@tashaaa Here is the information in a recent Freestyle Daily from Lerwick in August HTH A P

The necktie will give you the rank of a chef

I wrote the following for cruises I am on, it might be of interest to some of you. I haven't re-read it or changed some that don't possibly fit the but but "suck it and see!!" ==================================== Thoughts from an Ancient Mariner!!! A number of thoughts gathered over the years and confirmed on recent cruises that many don’t know about. I hope they help you enjoy the cruise. 1) I will be eating, on Embarkation Day, at lunchtime in the Main Dining Room. I hope it is open!!! Far better to be served lunch in a quiet place rather than in the crowded Buffet!! 2) Pointers for Latitude guests:- a) The free dinners can be used at ANY Specialty Restaurant, but remember you only get ONE bottle of wine. b) Remember to go to see the Future Cruise people on the first day for the free ship tour etc. c) You should get free water and chocolate strawberries the first evening. (If anyone wants our free water just ask) d) They have introduced new pins so make sure you get yours; including older ones too. 3) We eat dinner in a Specialty Restaurant on Embarkation Day as they are usually not crowded. On one cruise we ate in Teppanyaki and there were 4 there!! 4) When we eat in Cagney’s using any “free certificate” one thing on the menu is 3 Jumbo Shrimps with rabbit food and tomato sauce “poisoning”. If you are like me and like your shrimps “Au Natural” ask, like me, for 6 “On a Plate”. 5) Watch the menu in Le Bistro, they have LOTS of upcharges, even the “normal” fillet had an upcharge of $10, I think; I was forced to choose the duck!!! 6) I always have a good talk to our steward about what we would “like” and (s)he comes back later with just about everything we ask for. If there is something that you would like, say bathrobes or an extra Freestyle Daily, rather than want, just ask and you might be lucky!! 7) A breakfast suggestion. The big pots of coffee they use can either be cold or strong when you come to have a third cup. If you intend to eat breakfast in the MDR ask for a personal pot when they have poured out your first one. Another dining suggestion; If you fancy items from different offerings on the menu, just ask. The servers are usually very good at getting what you want, BUT it might take a little while longer. 9) And another; my favourite; I love baked potato and will often ask for it instead of mashed or “flavoured”. You don’t always get the full lot of additions but there is always plenty of butter!! 10) A Vancouver hockey trick; which is where I learned it; if there is a large group waiting for a lift (after a show, for example) take the empty lift going in the WRONG direction!!!! Then you are first in going the right way!! 11) If you are rushing for a lift, two points. The bell tells you the direction; 1 up 2 down. If you are at the wrong side of a bank of lifts and one is there you want on the opposite side press buttons while going to “moving” lift 12) To use the slow Internet at the best times, try 5.30-7.00 am or in the early evening while people are at the first show or dinner. The other possibility is lunch time on a port day. 13) If you intend to use the same restaurant (MDR) for lunch on sea days or the same one (MDR) for dinner (no need to be the same for both) but you want a drink they don’t normally carry tell them that you will be there frequently and they MAY get it in for you and carry a stock that saves time getting it each day. I have this done with Strongbow, my cider of choice. 14) If you get to an MDR for dinner and it is busy, with a wait for a “two-top”, ask if there is a share option. 15) Please attend anything you commit to. At the free Latitudes wine tasting on a recent cruise there were only 6 people there out of 34 who were committed to attend!! It was not fair on the Future Cruise people who set it up nor the wine staff who carried out the “show”. 16) I hope the ship has had an upgrade so ALL your information is available on the room TV; a real improvement!! Anoynmous Phoenix

Personally I find very enjoyable just to turn up and get whoever is dealing with the table I am assigned to. You get to meet a lot more servers and the talk always changes.

@asctony If you don't have any form of package then because Cagney's is "À la Carte" you pay for what you order off the menu per item.

That is a fault of a system whereby there is an open sign-in spreadsheet on the Roll Call. It is so easy to sign up and "forget" about it. There is NO COMMITMENT!! Personally I would use something a lot stronger than disrespectful.

@Slyfox16 If the query is about alcohol. the value is $15 and you should be able to get a double. And probably one for your wife too.

@sjacobs11 I guess we were grandfathered in as our bookings thru 2025 were all booked prior to this change. That is the norm, we have all paid, as well as the DSC, on booking. When booking through Sydney all the charges are either in the fare or included in the cost.

@dbrown84 Thank you; I made an incorrect assumption based on what was actually written.

@kenzie It tends to open about 30 minutes or 60 minutes after it leaves port. It closes when it closes!!! The machines are available all the time the ship is at sea (sea days) but there is no one there to run the place till later in the morning.

@PATRLR I find it useful for guaranteeing a wake-up call and for setting up Meet & Greet meetings and combined dining for CC members.

@luckybecky Here in Kawerau New Zealand we have a thermally heated, free, outdoor 25m pool that is, in winter, hotter than the "Hot" tubs. We also have a large HOT spa; usually at 30-32 degrees.

We were on the Spirit in 2020. In the evening my wife used to go to the show and I went to use one of the "Hot" tubs. A misnomer! I was the only person there almost every evening, there were only crew at time closing everything down. Unlike during the day, it was PACKED!!

@FLAHAM That is the problem for people for whom English is a foreign language. If they read TODAY it has only one meaning! I know that; you know that BUT there were quite a number of people on the ship who didn't!! After some discussion they actually changed the wording so that there could be no misunderstanding.

We had "trouble" recently in that the notification were not always left in the cabin (Steward too busy or forgot) AND the statements in the Freestyle Daily were missing clear indication of the DAY and used "today". They had forgotten that the FD was delivered on the evening before its use-by date!!

To make sure that a large party gets a table fit for your group BOOK; otherwise, as @BirdTravels says, there is NO advantage for a group of 2 or 4.

@nudistcruzer I cannot confirm whether they now REQUIRE you to do the photo online or allow you to bypass the requirement till you arrive at the port. I will know in 26 days when we are 21 days from our next cruise!!

@Illbcruzn4life Judging by that question I am going to assume that once i put her birthday in it will knock off that charge?? Yes almost certainly.

We were in Fiji before Covid and received Fiji Water on a shore excursion. It was nothing special, just like any other bottled water, overpriced and under performing!! The bottle is the a lovely shape and fits in our pack perfectly!!

@nudistcruzer It appeared that way to me. I have, in the past, spent over an hour getting the two for us both to be accepted and don't want to waste that time again. If it doesn't work first time I think i will jus roll up at the desk and take my chance.

Be concerned; NO; live day by day and enjoy every one as if it is your last. You never know when your time is due!! But then I am 80 and have had an excellent long life.

The last twice we boarded (July & August) we had to have our photo taken on the quay. No one really could tell me why. BUT I believe that you don't need to do that online any more, they are taking them at check-in as they used to,