UFMOM

It’s been almost a year since Cagneys (Bliss)  and was at Chops this August(Symphony). I would say Chops wins but not by much. Mostly for the sides. Filet was ordered at both. I will be on the Encore in January so I will see if scale swings back the other way. One thing I liked about Chops was they still offer a baked potato as opposed to just mashed potatoes at Cagneys. 

Mary Ann

6 hours ago, Sam Ting said:

We would never file a complaint against anyone working on the ship. I wouldn’t want to affect their livelihood just because they are exhausted or having a bad day. 

Although we tip extra on top of the DSC, not everyone does this. So after discussing the bad service with the service provider we would just withhold that extra tip if the bad service continues. But if this happens to someone who does not tip extra then they would need a different recourse. I don’t believe in removing the DSC because that would penalize all the other workers in the pool that did nothing wrong. Any complaint would have to be considered very carefully and done only after giving the employee a good chance to rectify the situation for just the reasons you stated. Also your expectations of service should be at a reasonable level. Some people are just never satisfied. 

Mary Ann

We look at the DSC not as a gratuity but a service charge, hence the name Daily Service Charge, and is part of the cruise price that is just billed in a different way from rest of the cruise. As such, we consider it part of their salary. As far as tips are concerned, we tip in cash on the ship. We never remove the DSC and feel it should not be removable. If you get sub par service, just don’t tip that person and file a complaint with their supervisor. 

Mary Ann

We have always enjoyed Teppanyaki. I would keep that and Le Bistro. The 2 others are hit and miss. 

Mary Ann

37 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

The Edge got rid of my favorite place on the ship.  I liked to go to the bar in the front top of the ship.  It was a very quite place to have a glass of wine and marvel at the amazing scenery.  They also got rid of Muranos.  Not a fan.

I can relate to this. There are certain things I absolutely love about the Edge and certain things I actually dislike. With the S class, there is nothing that I  dislike and much I like. But I have sailed them so much that it is more like the comfortable old friend as opposed to the new cool friend who may also have some traits you don’t like. All that being said, when I was choosing between going back on Edge or an S class, I decided on Equinox. So I will say S class wins, but I am sure I will be on the Edge again in the future because of the things I did love. I just wish I loved all of it or even more of it.

Mary Ann

The Angels Envy bourbon is a bit cheaper than the Woodford but the AE rye ( my favorite) shows 85.00 + on line and I will have to do some digging around to get it. Last time I got a bottle, a liqour store employee brought it in by car from another store out of town.

Mary Ann

I have no problem with being on the first cruise,  but I’m aware that there may be minor problems to be ironed out.  We have been on both the Bliss and the Celebrity Edge within their first 50 days and enjoyed both immensely. I look forward to those first reviews to get a sense of how everything is going and any tips first cruisers have to share. With the controversy about the pool deck I will like to hear how that is working out. Wish I could find a menu for Onda. We have it booked but would like to see what they have. Hopefully someone from the inaugural cruise will post it.

Mary Ann

4 minutes ago, kiwi57 said:

Many people eat dinner between 4:30 and 5:00.

 

All of my NCL cruises the main dining room and the buffet, open at 5:00 pm for dinner. Have never seen either open at 4:30.

Mary Ann

The passes are limited, that being said,  we have never had a problem getting them. We used to go to the spa right after doing any dining or show reservations we needed. Now we do it online and it is much easier and a bit cheaper. Try to get it right before the 2 day cut off. I hate all the line standing after embarkation too. I try to do as much online as possible. 

Mary Ann

Glad I am on the New Years Cruise. Long enough to get the T’s  crossed and the I’s dotted, but not so long that you lose that new car smell.😁

Mary Ann

I like the Angels Envy Rye more than the bourbon. I wish I could find it at the Woodford Double Oak price or any other cheaper price. My Total Wine shows the Woodford running about 56.00 and the Angels Envy at 85.00 per 750. Unfortunately both rye and the bourbon AE is out of stock due to it’s limited production. 😕 Probably would not be practical for a cruise line due to it’s scarcity.

 DH does wish they would bring back his 100 year Grand Mariner. They had it back in the day on the RCL ships, back when they had the Champagne Bar. We used to be able to find it at a fairly reasonable price in Grand Cayman. But it’s gone up so much now  since Grand Marnier got bought out. He’s half way through his next to the last bottle and when that’s gone he will just have to go back to the regular Grand Mariner unless the price comes down. 

Mary Ann

Wish Celebrity would increase their bourbon and rye selections and include my favorite Angels Envy. Also wish they would offer the flavored gins and Fevertree Tonics.  

Mary Ann

Bourbon/rye/ whiskey lover here. We will be on the Equinox next month so I will find out what they have soon. From research all I can find is Makers Mark, Buillett JD, Wild Turkey and various Woodfords.  Whistle Pig rye shows up on one list  and since I have some obc to burn will be paying the difference. Of course it depends on what the ship actually has.  Not being sure what the ship stocks, for the first time I am bringing about 6 mini bitters. I know they have an alcohol base but they are very small and some meds have an alcohol base too. I have brought on my own premium tonic for hubbys g&ts in the past so this is nothing new. We like to have the bartenders make the drinks to our own recipe and of course we tip extra for the service.

Mary Ann

I bring my wheeled walker with the little seat which I can use as either a walking aid or sit in and be pushed by DH. I generally just use a cane around the ship but sometimes need more help for longer distances. It folds easily and can be gate checked for free on airlines. It is great for when you are off the ship as long as you have a pusher if you want to use it for riding. Once I am through the pier area I can use it to walk or ride as needed. It quickly folds for storage in a taxi trunk or the back of a tour bus.  

Mary Ann

I have had to use the emergency override also for a trip and was told that it was once a year.  Fortunately at this point all my meds are very inexpensive and we can easily pay for them ourselves. But this is not the case for everyone and could change for myself in the future.  Perhaps a new prescription for a months supply might work. Not sure what the best work around would be for this problem. 

Mary Ann

I believe they are for pay. The Brewhouse menus I have seen offer a few selections from Food Republic. Just look them up on the Food Republic menu to see the cost.

Mary Ann

I think the hull art really pops now that she is out to sea.  

Mary Ann

We have the cabin right next to Food Republic booked on the Encore for NYE.  Never stayed on this deck before but I love the fact that we are so close to the Brewhouse and the other venues on 8 including the waterfront without an elevator ride. Also we are near the elevator that takes you right up to the buffet and Observation Lounge without trekking to the other end of the ship. We will see how it all works out.

Mary Ann

Don’t cancel your reservation. Sometimes it is easier to adjust the time on a reservation than making a completely new one. Don’t know why, but that is what I have heard. Anyway keeping it won’t effect being able to change to a different time and if you can’t get the time you want on board then you can cancel right then and there. You can also book a new time and cancel the old time on the app. 

Mary Ann

I wish they would be more creative with the entertainment on the outdoor screen besides movies that have been streaming for a while. We once saw a Tina Turner concert on an outdoor screen on a ship years ago. It was amazing seeing it on that large a screen. We still remember how much we enjoyed it.

Mary Ann

With that tight a schedule take the bus. Stuff happens that is not related to just heavy traffic. Couple of years ago on the way to Miami to pick up a cruise our car broke down on the highway near Pompano Beach. Totally unexpected in a new beemer. Fortunately we were able to get an Uber to the port but it was a near miss. At least you know with the bus they will wait for you. 

Mary Ann

As much as I like NCL, if you are looking for a shorter cruise I highly recommend RCL  The best ones are Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas and Independence of the Seas. All have been updated with new features and restaurants. We tend to stay away from shorter cruises, but my SIL recently went on Mariner and had a blast. We have been on both Mariner and Navigator when they were new and loved them. They all have numerous 3 to 5 day cruises in March. I would recommend either a balcony cabin or an inside With the big window looking down on the inside promenade area where a lot of the action takes place. 

   We cruise out of Florida a lot and it is usually very calm and you don’t even feel the ship moving. I also highly recommend trip insurance. March is Spring Break and the shorter cruises attract more kids so things may be more lively. As far as fear of being on the ship is concerned, think about the fact that you are willing to fly and being on a cruise ship is 1000 times more relaxing, at least for me😁 .

You can call your TA to upgrade. I have been able to call Celebrity direct to upgrade too, even with a TA.  I haven’t seen the upgrade online currently. 

Mary Ann

We did LPC on the Edge with the lobster/ steak menu. Our food was good and we really enjoyed the animation. We  always have a dining package so never pay full price for any of the specialty restaurants.  On our upcoming Equinox cruise they offer both menus. We are only booking for the lobster/steak menu again as the other menu doesn’t appeal as much. Would love to see this as a land based restaurant with animation to go with a combo adult/child friendly menu so I could take my 4 year old granddaughter. We live in Florida so Disney I’m looking at you!

Mary Ann

The Escape is the ship that made us fall in love with the NCL spas on newer ships. I prefer it in the front as opposed to the back of the ship like it was on Bliss and will be on Encore. That said, we really enjoyed the Observation Lounge on Bliss and spent a lot of time there which cut down on spa time. We picked the Encore for this NYE because we liked the OL so much on Bliss. 

Mary Ann