crazy 4 cruising

Just make sure a person from each cabin is there when you go to Guest Services.

Would you be able to get a key to the other room if you are booked in a different room?

I always look at the time that RCCL states as the earliest flight for a ship transfer as a gauge. Getting off the ship is the least of the problem, I think.

Do they feed you, or just give you a place to sit?

 

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in my experience it has depended on the ship, they are not consistent.

LOVED Empress. I know things were a bit out of whack at first, but we went in June and really had a great time. It is a beautiful ship. Does it have the latest bells and whistles, NOPE, but that was one of the things we really found charming about it.

Waiting for Cuba to get approved!!!

This announcement was for Travel Agents and the motto "Loyal to you Always" is the motto they use for TA's.

 

They're not saying they are loyal to their cruisers, just loyal to the Travel Agents...

 

 

Carla

trust me, they aren't loyal to travel agents either!!!! so I get shafted twice many times--as a pinnacle member and travel agent!!!

I don't understand having problems with the on board booking staff not doing what you request.[/b] Yes, I signed a statement as well.

I know that there have been times since RCCL changed to this that the Next Cruise Sales people didn't ask if I wanted it with the same TA I booked with. Unfortunately you have to be proactive and tell them you want to change.

I have 2, they say they are "of the seas tees" and have royal caribbean logo inside. I think they quit selling those a couple of years ago

Posts from May 9th and 10th

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46506986&postcount=2666

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46513348&postcount=2668

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46517488&postcount=2669

 

If you stayed home once in a while you might be better informed!! LOL :D:D:D

so true so true :p thanks, I don't get on cruise critic as much as I used to. when I AM home, I'm playing catch up with my business. I knew someone would set me straight!!!

I think I am reading this right. Why is Captain henrik Loft Sorenson listed under Adventure AND Quantum? or am I missing some difference.

Thanks so much for keeping this up-to-date, that can't be easy.

We bring blow-up ice buckets for our amenities and have had as many as 3 and we always ask our cabin steward from the first day to keep them filled. We have never had a problem. When they do that without problems, we always tip extra.

Just off the Navigator this morning and there was nothing special about chocolate onboard, except I was presented with a chocolate piano, with chocolate cookies inside. Nice gesture for the week of Valentine's day.:)

 

Rick

was on NV Feb 1-8 and we got the chocolate piano then too. We were in a JS, so not sure if it was that or because we are Pinnacles. We were on NV in October and they didn't do that, but there is a new hotel director, so maybe that is why.

There may be no such thing as a bad cruse but there definitely is a worst cruise and that was our last one.

 

Glad we tried it but can't wait to get back on an "old" ship.

point well made about bad cruise vs worst cruise, I like that. I also can't wait to get on an "old" ship!!!!

I have always said that you really have to work hard to have a bad time on a ship....however....the maiden of quantum came VERY close...

 

I definitely don't have to go into detail but most of the issues were based on disappointments. We all anticipated issues such as slower service etc but the problems seemed to be endless that have been over hashed out now. The ship WILL BE AMAZING when everything gets fixed but the ship had no business having passengers on board when it was handed over.

 

I still loved the IFly though!

My Nov 2nd Maiden Voyage on the Quantum, Crap from start to finish!!!!

It didn't get much better on the Nov 23 & Dec 1 cruises either. I agree that RCCL jumped the gun on sending her out, she was not ready AND still wasn't. We anticipated some hiccups, especially after reading what the transatlantic went through, but what I wasn't expecting was for so many things to be so different. In my very negative surveys (a first for me), I suggested that they should not call that ship an RCCL ship, they need a new brand. They admittedly said they are going after the younger folks and the non-cruisers. Dynamic Dining was a NIGHTMARE. I don't want to work that hard on a trip. And the crew is so frustrated and tired of having to apologize. It is a beautiful ship, if Celebrity Solstice class is to your liking, it's not to mine. It has some awesome things I FLY, bumper cars, RCCL CREW, BUT it should not have come out when it did. I won't even get into the ours was billed & CHARGED as the "Inaugural" cruise to the surprise of the Captain and other top crew members. We got aluminum water bottles, oh and a certificate that said we were on the Inaugural, signed by the Captain who I heard say, NO this is not the Inaugural. This very loyal to Royal cruiser is not very happy with what RCCL is doing to a number of things. (sorry to rant, here I thought I was over my disappointment, guess I'm not)

I just wonder how his first night speech about "his" rules and regulations will go over?:eek:

OR his long-winded phone messages. Not a fan of his so I am happy he will n t be on RD when we go Sept. Wonder who will take his place?

portofgalveston.com

thanks

we have also noticed on ALL ships that it gets hot at night. We have asked if they turn off the AC at night and are always told NO, but I don't believe it.

Can you bring fans on board? I know 1 cruise it was so bad that my sister asked for and got a fan, but don't remember which ship.

I have noticed on 2 ships--FR and NV---that if I put the thermostat all the way over, it was warmer than if I backed it up just a bit. Maybe that's their way I tricking us ;) :rolleyes:

Will be back on NV THIS Sunday, whoohooo

I got this email from EZ Cruise a few days ago. We've used them for a couple of years and have always been satisfied. Now I'm concerned about reserving and paying for a parking spot for our december Navigator cruise. What happens if they have to close before then? :confused:

 

 

 

EZ Cruise Parking

October 10, 2014

 

Dear Paula

We still shuttle you and your luggage and the truth behind the Go Green Program.

Ez Cruise Parking

 

 

Going Green Program

In my effort to always deliver the best customer service, I've noticed a few comments about my new Go Green program.This idea was born out of necessity because of a new policy enacted by the Port of Galveston.

I love Galveston and truly care about your opinion.

The Port of Galveston (POG) has changed the tariff on the private lots twice in recent months.

POG charged EZ Cruise $8 per space per month that we owned to pick up and drop off our customers at the port. These are access fees that we have been paying for years. POG board members voted to up the per space charge to $28.80 per space which is a 261% increase, outrageous.

The POG board has recently vote to eliminate per space fee and charge us a per trip fee of $30 per trip.

So if I continue to run EZ Cruise the current way at an average of 180 trips per cruise day. I am looking at a $64,000.00 a month payment to the POG. DO the math we would go under in one month. A 11 year old family owned and operated company would close its doors, all private lot would shut down. Also when I say family

its family my mother Cindy Tompkins, Myself, my wife Keisha Hayes, best friend and manager Gino and 30 more hard working employees you have come to love over the past 11 years.

At this point I am not sure what we are going to do but I am sure we are going to fight to save a family and its business. I don't have all the answer but I am doing my best.

Currently we shuttle you, your luggage and your family which is fine. Please understand what we are going through

and struggles we are faced with. Feel free to commit or send us your feed back because there is now way we call do this alone.

Sincerely

Jason Hayes and Family

 

The Port of Galveston has parking lots as well as private business owners. The Port lots are owned by the Port.

The private owners own their own property.

The City of Galveston does not own lots for cruise parking.

 

The private lot owners are protesting the new rate increase to enter the Port of Galveston to drop off passengers. Hotels are in the same boat with the rate increase.

The Port of Galveston is a separate entity from the city.

NOW I get it. I oonly got the email about going green. I have used them since 2008 and just did not understand.

SHAME SHAME SHAME on the Port. Galveston Cruiser, do you have any contact info for the Port officials? I want to vent to them. maybe if all of us who drive to Galveston do that, it would do some good. IF they run the others out of business, they better improve their product. Right now, they would not be able to handle it all, how will it be with increased passengers when Liberty gets there????

Awesome to find someone in the same boat I'm in! Just a few follow-up questions if I may.

 

1) Just to placate my paranoia, can you confirm that luggage valet does indeed work with a mixed Southwest/AirTran itineracy? :)

 

2) We booked through Southwest, specifically for the reason you mentioned. If it did work, my follow up thought was that I might get dinged for the bag fees.

 

Do you by any chance still have the company names or contact information from when you had to resolve this? It might save me a few steps if I end up needing to do the same.

I don't still have the info, sorry. We did not have a mixed reservation, both flights were Air Tran, so I have no idea. Good luck.

Hey Clarea,

 

I'm looking at Port Everglades/FLL coming back from a western trip on the Allure.

 

The form says flights must be after 11:30am to qualify for luggage valet, so that flight would be a no-go for the program. But, if luggage valet won't work on the mixed flight, it seems like the better option as I could probably make that flight.

 

My preference would be to take the slightly later flight and use luggage valet. It would be a lot less hassle and chaos when moving children and grandparents around. But if the luggage valet is a bust I might as well get home a little sooner.

I was in this exact situation. MAKE sure you make the reservation through SOUTHWEST so your bags are free. Check your bill from the ship very closely tho. We were charged the baggage fees for Air Tran and got the run around from company to company for the refund of the $60 per person we were due. We ended up having to talk ot the valet company directly. The goofy thing was there were 3 of us and they charged only 2 of us????? I even wrote on the valet form that there was NO CHARGE for bags as we had booked through SWA. It was a pain, BUT I LOVE luggage valet. Wish more ports did it. Good luck

Is this a joke? There are no details here. No ship names. No itineraries. Just some vague dates that some ship at some point will be sailing in some region. What is the point?

this is what RCI does every year for Royal Carib & Celebrity to give an "idea" of when you might expect bookings for those areas to OPEN. In the past 4 years, it has not been on the Monday fo the week listed & sometimes not even the week listed. Sometimes the info is in the system & can be booked at midnight, other times the info is not in the system until opening hours. The consistent thing is the inconsistency. You just have to keep checking back, even as a travel agent!!! you can be sure that the minute the itineraries open, there will be a thread posted on cruise critic!!!!

I also think that everyone wanted off the ship so bad that many who had checked bags were walking off with their carry-on or overnight bags which compounded the situation.

 

Yes everyone wanted off & some were not very patient at all. Guess true characters were coming out yesterday.

 

We didn't try Sabor due to the (what I deemed) expensive cover charge for Tex Mex. I've read mixed reviews. Personally I think they will have a hard time making it work at that price while the ship is based in Texas. It may be a huge success in other markets. That's just my opinion.

I said on my survey & to my business development manager from RCCL that they needto market this differently because of it being Texas. I think they should flip charge form Sabor & Giovannis. $20 for Sabor & 25 for Giovannis

.

 

There are 5 speciality restaurants that i know of onboard Sabor (Modern Mexican) don't know the cost Chops (steak house) $30 per Izumi (Japanese) works just like an actual restaurant with each item priced Giovanni's Table (Italian) don't know price maybe $20 and Johnny Rockets (50's burger and shake diner)

Sabor is $25, If I remember right. LOVED their table side fresh made guacamole--yummy. Chops has actually gone up & is now $35 and they have changed the menu. Not only has the cover gone up, but now they have "premium" air aged beef that you get to pay MORE for on top of the cover, $18 to 21 depending on the steak. I was not able to eat there onthe first night that we usually do so I don't know how the 8 oz filet compares to the petite filet I always get. They did take away the table cloths!!!

We ate at lunch in Giovanis and like the dinner menu much better. The steak they had at lunch was a very thin, kind of tough sirloin.

We did not eat at this Izumi, but have on another ship and like it ok.

GREAT review & pictures. Was also on this sailing. We have never been on the first sailing out of drydock and hope some of the problems were due to that. There were plumbing problems many places around the ship. AFT on deck 7 had an issue in drydock with an old pipe bursting once they turned on a new pipe AFTER the new carpet was laid. Needless to say, mold was a problem for us in 7392--the smell and the presence since we have an allergy to it. they did put a blower in the hall and sprayed something that helped with the smell, but my eyes and stopped up nose every morning told me it was still there. We also had ADRIAN---what a love. He also got us a 3rd sit up chair and said they had taken the loungers out, which was ok with us. LOVE that the coffee tables are gone. we always need to put ours on the balcony as there are usually 3 people in the room.

I agree that disembarkation was a BIG cluster. WE did not self assist and had #1 tags and they sent us way too early. The elevator opened to a huge, long line of people and lots & lots of luggage. we went to the end of the line, which was out the door almost to the shuffleboard area. Fortunately a crew member walked by and sent us to forward doors where there weren't many people and we got out "fairly" fast. There was not as much luggage waiting in the terminal as I would have expected & we were some of the first off to claim luggage. They were not prepared for as many walk offs I don't think.

Yes, agree with some of this 100%. Several light bulbs ( more out then in) in the internet cafe were out, as in other parts of the ship. Paint peeling on our balcony and floors needed vacuuming badly in meeting rooms A & B. Pretty shocked by this. Never saw anyone cleaning elevator buttons as I just did on the Silhouette. They were very dirty on Navigator. The ship did seem understaffed.

Yet it's in our backyard..so we will go again..just know you are not sailing in a 4 or 5 star vessel..more like a Holiday Inn..maybe a bit better.. IMHO

as I said, have never been on an after drydock cruise and not sure what I was expecting, but was not expecting the dirty and need of being painted areas at all. To folks on RCCL for the first time, please DO NOT base all of RCCL on this cruise. I did ask about the stuff that was untouched and told that they focused on the things that needed to be done when no passengers were on board. I plan to go back on a ship inspection later and will be curious to see what else has been done to the untouched areas.

We did eat in SABOR and enjoyed it. I did write on my survey that they need to market it differently/better since they are sailing out of Texas and it is not TexMex food NOR is it the food that we hated in Rita's Cantina.

For those of you who purchase the drink packages. We overheard a conversation at one of the bars where someone was "sharing" their card with someone else & that person was told if this happened again they would take the card away and they would have to pay for all drinks. We asked the bartender in the lounge and he told us how they monitor the drinks gotten on the beverage cards (maybe on all cards for all I know) and there is a picture that comes up on the monitor of the person attached to the sea pass card. He said they will conviscate a seapass card if someone abuses the system. Not saying any of you would, just giving you a heads up.

Again, great review & pictures

For those who are fans of Beresford as the bartender in the concierge lounge on Radiance, he is expected back on December 1 through most of the Alaska season until August. Hopefully, after a long absence, he will be slipped back into his former position in the CL.

 

Gina

YEAH, he is my favorite part of the CL on Radiance. We ran into him on the Vision last Dec & were shocked!! Have been in and out of touch with him, but not recently, and he had said he didn't think he would be on RD when I go late June. SO glad that has changed!!!

Thanks Brenda!!:D wonder if he means Fernando or Raj?

I'm guessing Fernando, he said he is from Brazil...