eyecantwait

3 hours ago, mauimary said:

We usually pick up a glass of wine and take it into the dining room with us!  

We had a fabulous bar waiter in the dining room on the Solstice last week. Dharmesh always seemed to show up just when we were ready for another drink on our classic package!

We spent 2 nights at The Mediterranean Inn in the Queen Anne area two weeks ago and loved it. 

Front desk is very helpful.

We were on the Solstice last week and the dining room entrees were hit or miss. Pasta was generally gummy and my husband found the steak to be chewy and overcooked. He sent it back the second time this happened and there were many apologies and a visit from the suit who checks in on your table here and there.

That being said, we had a great time and enjoyed our cruise very much. The best part about the Solstice is the crew!

On 8/29/2023 at 12:55 PM, Szt said:

They used to make everyone stop before boarding and take a pic. We laughed so hard at all the pics of exhausted travelers who

just wanted to get to their cabins. Of course we laughed hardest at our own. 

I understand the cruise lines going digital but this used to be a fun activity while looking for our photos!

We usually skip the photographers but our recent cruise was the first with our (adult) kids since 2010 so I was happy to spring for a formal night photo.

On 9/3/2023 at 6:27 PM, Ferry_Watcher said:

I would have been there - upstairs.  So happy that enjoyed your pre-cruise visit to Seattle and that the check-in was efficient and friendly.  It is a really good group of people who work at Pier 91.  Since we are a seasonal port, we have a nice mix of older retirees, college and HS kids, and other working adults like teachers who have the summer off.  

Another fun fact is that Royal and Celebrity share the same check-in system, and it is really a dream to work with.  And if passengers have completely done their online check-in, it super fast.  It was developed during the pandemic shutdown, and when we returned to that first half season (July 2021), we were trained on the new system.  Management also appreciates that they can move staff between Royal and Celebrity as we can check-in passengers for either cruise ship.

I appreciate hearing that everything went well for you - Thank you!

Yes it was delightfully fast check in!

On 9/2/2023 at 10:03 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

@DaveOKC  Do be aware that the number of Covid cases on cruise ships are increasing (at least those RT Seattle).  There were 23 Covid cases on the Solstice, and 12 on the Ovation 9/1/23.  There also has been a noticeable increase of passengers wearing masks during the check-in process.

Yes, we were on the Solstice 9/1 return to Seattle and by the time we landed home in Orlando my husband (and many others on our plane) was coughing almost nonstop. He's got covid and so far tests are showing I don't. Not what I had on my post cruise bingo card for sure! (we got booster shots a month before we went)

Also adding my thanks to @Ferry_Watcher for so many great suggestions re: Seattle. We went 2 days before the cruise and saw a lot and totally enjoyed ourselves. I wondered if I walked by you at the terminal. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. It was the quickest cruise arrival experience we've ever had! Thanks!

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Most people think nothing about handing a porter or bellman a few bucks or more per bag just to stick the bag on a rolling cart and roll it somewhere. And yet the people who are cleaning their hotel rooms, cleaning their toilets, making their beds, taking out the trash, vacuuming, changing the linens, etc. are often overlooked.  Whether we are traveling or not, we recognize that these are difficult and unenviable jobs, and we always tip the housekeepers, and especially well on the final day of a stay, when the entire room has to be turned over.

Yes! I cleaned hotel rooms at the Jersey shore during the summers (45 years ago) when I was in college and I tip the housekeepers to this day. We didn't get tips often but when we did it really made our days!

We'll be on the Solstice in a couple of weeks. Would love it if Sir Paul McCartney decided to come check on the ship!

We spent a few days in Rome before a transatlantic cruise in November. The weather was perfect and the sights weren't mobbed. Pretty fabulous!

On 7/11/2023 at 12:54 PM, hrhdhd said:

Goodness. That's like work. 😲

At the best office ever though! 😉

On 7/12/2023 at 10:48 AM, SimplyMarvie said:

 

That said, I can't imagine needing hand-warmers in September in the Med, unless your cruise takes you into the North Sea. I wouldn't need them at home in Latvia, which is much further north. I think you'd be fine with nothing at all, but worst-case a light set of gloves should be fine. 

i'm wondering if maybe the hand warmers are going to be used in place of a heating pad or for arthritis relief for hands?

On 7/12/2023 at 5:57 PM, Silkroad said:

Nope. On June 17th, the OP had time to start a thread on CC the night before their cruise! I leave for a b2b in two weeks and I guarantee that - despite careful planning, a good packing list and a test packing session - I’ll be running around like my hair is on fire the night before departure. I won’t have the time or inclination to post a free association exercise in pessimism on social media. They’ve been off the ship for at least a few days, perhaps weeks. Now it’s time for them to consider giving back to the community by telling us how they liked their cruise. 

I'm not sure what made me think they'd left on July 2 so yeah, you're right.

55 minutes ago, BlackLion 213 said:

@kwagmyre

 

Really kind of frustrating to have someone whine and complain about the posts here on CC, look for assurances, or otherwise, from the fine folks here, and then not even have the courtesy to return and post ANY thoughts or comments, good, bad, or indifferent...

I'm going to encourage some patience here. If his cruise left July 2 he returned July 9 which is just last Friday. Today is Wednesday. If he is still on vacation after the cruise or recently returned home there's a lot to do to re enter the real world what with laundry, mail, grocery shopping, licking your wounds etc. 

I'm hoping our two days in Seattle before the cruise will help a bit with adjusting to the time.

On 6/26/2023 at 7:26 AM, ontheweb said:

Our favorite overnight was in St. Petersburg. Obviously, no one is going to get the opportunity to do that again any time soon, or possibly ever.

same

3 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

It depends how well you handle heat and humidity. Do you enjoy opening the door to a wall of hot/humid air? Personally, I wouldn't unless I won the vacation.

Totally agree with this. 

40 minutes ago, skatelady said:

One of my favourite cruises.  It was something my mom always wanted to do but her health wouldn't allow it.  We did it after she passed in her memory.  Hope she was watching.

Same here! My mom talked about it for years but sadly died without taking the trip.

DH and I did the Infinity in 2009 repositioning from Santiago, Chile to Ft. Lauderdale and brought a photo of my parents along so they could finally go.

23 hours ago, Glaciers said:

One of the closer hotels to Smith Cover is the Mediterranean Inn. It’s a 10 minute walk to the Seattle Center/Space Needle where you can catch the monorail into downtown. It’s also near many restaurants.

I'm always happy to see the Mediterranean mentioned as we are booked there in August for 2 nights pre cruise.

1983 on the Mississippi Queen for 4 nights from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and back. It had been a dream of my mothers to take the family on this trip. We had a blast. Mom liked that she could see land the whole time.

1997 was Sovereign of the Seas to celebrate my in laws 50th anniversary. That's the one that got us hooked.

Looking forward to Alaska this summer on Celebrity Solstice to celebrate my retirement (3 years ago, thanks pandemic). 

Happy to see so many other walkers out there! Walking is our plan for Ketchikan in August. Thanks all for the tips.

41 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Just grew up hearing that you did not eat oysters in the summer, months without an R (May, June, July, & August) because that was when they had a higher bacteria count and also when they breed.  It is most likely and 'old wives tail' but that what I grew up with. 

 

 

I grew up in NJ and remember hearing the same thing.

Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us!

Hope you're feeling better.

Can't wait for August!

💯

Thanks so much for sharing all your great photos. Can't wait to go in August!

On 5/13/2023 at 2:36 PM, wilsonzoo said:

We normally don't do many excursions anymore (having done most of them already over the years), but as this is my 20th employment anniversary trip courtesy of my company, they are paying not only for our cruise fare but all activities/excursions that we want.  So we booked away!!!

Congratulations on 20 years! And what a great company to send you on a cruise!