SeaBlu

We have never cruised on X without dining in the Specialty Restaurants and can not even imagine missing out on such excellent meals. Even though we always book Aqua and get great meals in Aqua, we sacrifice a few of those to experience their SD! One of the BEST parts of X is their meals! 5*

On HAL after one meal in the Main Dining room, the food was ok but crowded, service was slow, EVERYTIME someone passed our table they bumped into us, we were on a main aisle - horrible. EVERY other night after that we went to their Pinnacle Grill. In the Pinnacle their décor could have used some help but their service and food were divine! Quiet and peaceful atmosphere!

Hi Everyone,

 

For those of you who have cruised while pregnant or accompanied someone who cruised while pregnant, were you able to let the staff know and have them recommend dishes that meet recommended guidelines? I'm wondering if I'm going to have to pick apart the ingredients of each dish and ask the server separately about everything or if they'd point out which dishes were safe like they might for someone who was gluten free.

i am afraid that you have me at a total loss and to be sure I did not miss something here I just checked with both my DH and my daughter both RN's. My daughter often works with pregnant women and has 2 children herself. Unless you are served raw food or raw seafood there is no such thing as a "pregnant" diet. Refrain from smoking, alcohol, and raw food. And that will cover it. Take the vitamins and Folic Acid your Dr. Gave you and you will be OK!

Deck - Penthouse

Cabin # -1526

Class – AQ

Starboard or Port Side -Starboard

Bed near?(balcony or bath) – Center (accessible room)

Quiet Cabin (With comments on problems. Note if connecting. ) – Quiet

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. –Great views, saw flying fish, some lovely sunsets. No obstructions, could see the Captain's Docking Bridge on our side of the ship - fun.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Oversized as it was a larger 'accessible stateroom'. We really enjoyed it. Excellent!

Was wind a problem? NO

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? N/A

Any specific problems with this cabin? Not enough storage, needs shelves. Especially for 2 week cruise. I am amazed women designed this room. They could have a storage drawer under the 'sofa' or more wall cabinets, high. BUT I probably bring too much anyway :o

Any other comments? The lack of storage is an "S" class problem. This was an excellent cabin for the handicapped. Lots of room. We had a mobility cart and there was room for it without it always being in the way. The bathroom was excellent and worked for my DH perfectly! Very quiet room, we loved it!

I too love Angel and I also like to wear Jessica McClintock. The only two scents that I wear that I have ever gotten compliments on. I buy the tiny small, spray, samples, from ebay (when I find cheap ones) and take those when I travel. About a year ago I bought a box of 20 of the Angel samples. I think that the samples smell better than the large bottles. It is probably my imagination but I have always thought they made the samples more concentrated because they are trying to get you to buy it. :confused:. Anyway, I buy them for both my DH and myself of our favorite scents, as they are so easy to travel with and the ones we empty we discard and that much less to pack to go home.:)

No the glasses aren't included, but everything else up to $12 is, including things not mentioned fresh squeezed juices, energy drinks, soda, smoothies, all specialty coffees. Loved trying out all those martinis.

 

Who needs the drink of the day when you can have anything you want? We are big water drinkers as well and it's worth it not having to bring our own water or soda onboard with us.

 

Have fun whatever you decide.

Where do you get the fresh squeezed orange juice? We did not see that. However, we too loved having the Premium Drink Package and have signed up for it again for our upcoming cruise in December. It is great and SO SO convenient and covered everything we wanted and more!

HAL can keep their "dine as you wish" ALL we saw was "dine as HAL wishes".

When we sail HAL again we will book EVERY NIGHT in the Pinnacle Grill - WELL worth the extra cost - BETTER FOOD, GREAT! - MUCH BETTER SERVICE, EXCELLENT! - MUCH BETTER ATMOSPHERE, QUIET AND HIGHER CLASS - DECOR LEFT A BIT TO BE DESIRED, BUT MAYBE THEY WILL IMPROVE IT ON A RETROFIT - MAITRE'D AND WAIT STAFF ALL REMEMBERED US AFTER ONLY ONE VISIT!

The buffet area was boring, routine, NON-imaginative, most food was tasteless!

I was on the Noordam last week, and I understand that the "As You Wish" dining option was a popular one, so chances are you will see it on the Veendam. A lot of people like having more flexibility in their dining arrangements.

 

Karin

HOW? Everyone is making reservations in the MDR so when we were "walk-ins" we had to wait 30-40 min for a table for 2. What was the point! What is so popular about that? The entrance way to the MDR was jammed with people waiting and then we would get a table right next to the waiter's service station, so we asked if we could have a quieter table - they took us to the other deck - to a table next to the waiter's service station!! AFTER THAT WE ATE EVERY NIGHT IN THE PINNACLE GRILL - GOOD SERVICE, GOOD FOOD, QUIET!!!

Thanks. We'll be on the Veendam next Feb. so maybe it'll be available there by then. We've gotten used to it on Princess and like it, as we often just want a table for two.

That is what we always want - a table for 2. So they told us "you should have made reservations!". WELL! If we need to make reservations, why not just give us the assigned dining time (late seating, table for 2) that we WANTED TO START WITH, that YOU said was not available?!" HAL SAID we HAD to do open seating, dine as you wish, WE did not want it! If everyone makes a reservations and "as a walk up we had to WAIT 30-40 minutes WHAT IS THE POINT OF OPEN DINING? DINE AS YOU WISH???? IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYONE IS EATING THE WAY THEY ALWAYS DID - IT IS JUST HARDER????

What IS the point???

WE DID NOT LIKE IT AT ALL! We ended up eating 5 nights (7 night cruise) in the Pinnacle Grill.

We are scheduled to sail on the Westerdam on 3/18 and it will be our first inside cabin. My husband is not concerned at all, but I am somewhat concerned. It seems to me that it will be like spending a week in my walk-in closet. We have always had a balcony and I love having coffee brought to the room in the morning and sitting on the balcony as the sun rises in my robe - before I have to shower and dress, we love to do the same late at night with a bottle of wine, and I spend a LOT of time on our balcony reading. But we got the email about the special rate for this cruise, it was last minute, and could not pass up the great deal! I promised DH I would try an inside room some time so this is it! The cruise turned out to be the week of our anniversary so we jumped at the chance - the room is handicapped accessible as my DH has mobility issues. Has anyone ever been in an inside handicapped room? Are they good sized? Do they have a roll in shower? We have never sailed HAL and are excited about this cruise!

Ship: Solstice

Cabin #: 1603

Deck: 11 (Aqua Class)

Area: Port Midship

Bed Near: Balcony

Quiet: Yes

Balcony View: Great, open view; under large overhang very shady

Balcony Size: Larger, angled balcony (2 chairs and round table)

Wind: Normal for a side balcony

Soot: none

Problems/Comments: Air conditioning would only cool the room to approximately 75 degrees with the curtains closed. Almost acceptable.

Yes, and since you are traveling in the Caribbean, you will probably never be asked for any of it! Of course, if you didn't have it, you know what would happen.

That is what we were afraid of. . . SO we will take all of it. Fortunately our son-in-law is in the Navy and they have free access to a legal office. They went there and had a document done for them and notarized.

Until I read the one of the other posts I had forgotten about when our daughter was in college and went on a cruise, long before 9/11. We had sent her an 'original' copy of her birth certificate. But we gave no thought to the fact that since her birth my DH and 'really' her Dad had adopted her. When she got to the ship they wanted a copy of her adoption papers! She was 18. They called me and finally agreed to accept a faxed copy!

:eek:

Each country sets its own laws and policies for allowing entry. I was unable to fly to Mexico City with my daughter when she was young because I only had her passport. We got out the following day with copies of the divorce decree granting sole custody.

 

For Canada: (from http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5082-eng.html#s1x2)

 

"Border services officers are on alert for children who need protection. Children under the age of 18 seeking to enter Canada are classified as minors and are subject to the entry requirements set out under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

 

A more detailed examination will be conducted for minors entering Canada without proper identification or those traveling in the company of adults other than their parents or legal guardian(s). This additional scrutiny helps ensure the safety of the children.

 

Minor children traveling alone must have proof of citizenship. We also strongly recommend that the children carry a letter from both parents (if applicable) that authorizes the person meeting them to take care of them while they are in Canada. The letter should include the length of the stay and the address and telephone numbers of the parents.

 

If you are traveling with minors, you must carry proper identification for each child such as a birth certificate, passport, citizenship card, permanent resident card or Certificate of Indian Status. If you are not the parent or guardian of the children, you should also have written permission from the parent/guardian authorizing the trip. The letter should include addresses and telephone numbers where the parents or guardian can be reached.

 

Divorced or separated parents should carry custody or legal separation documents and/or a letter of authorization to facilitate their entry into Canada."

We are taking our grandchildren (10 & 12) on a cruise and we not only have to have their passports (a no brainier) and a notarized letter giving up permission to have them treated if there is a medical emergency but we also need a notarized letter from BOTH parents that we have their permission to take their children, full names and dates of birth on the cruise, full details about the cruise, names of cruise line, name of ship, which cabin we are going to be in, dates of cruise, which islands we are going to stop at and for how long and when the cruise returns! The only thing they did not ask for was our blood type! :eek:

I did Atkins a couple years ago and lost the weight fast. After a month of unsuccessful weight loss with Weight Watchers I am going to give Atkins another try, its just a lot easier for me. I was wondering if anyone out there is doing Atkins also and if so, do you have any quick ideas for breakfast. I am usually in a rush to get to work in the morning so I really don't have time to cook up a couple eggs or anything. Any recommendations???

I read the book "Protein Power" about 5-6 years ago which is pretty much the Adkins diet and I lost 75 pounds in 6-7 months. But then I was "laid off" from my State job where I had worked for 29 years and 8 months! That cost me 1/2 of my pension for the rest of my life. Which, because my DH is an RN, he gets no pension, so my pension was for both of us. I went into a major depression and gained back 30 pounds of that.

Well 3 months ago I went back on the diet and I have now lost that 30 pounds PLUS 9 more.

I admit that I have time in the morning to fix breakfast, now that I am unemployed, so I usually eat an omelet for breakfast, I add vegetables or bacon or ham or cheese or some combination of such. I also like cottage cheese and a few berries when they are in season. Or I do not eat breakfast I will just have coffee or iced tea and then wait a few hours and then make a salad. For dinner I will have another salad and a piece of meat. For dessert I almost always have sugar free Jello with real whipped cream.

I stick to iced tea with a real piece of lemon no sweetener, 1 cup of coffee a day w/1/2 packet of sweetener and a little heavy whipping cream, and ice water with a real piece of lemon. I do not like diet soda and never drink it. I do have a glass of good red wine about once a week.

We are going on a cruise in June and I will eat whatever I want, but my stomach is smaller and I will not be able to eat as much. I will go back on my diet when I get home. I only need to loose about 6-8 more pounds and I will be at the weight I want to be - AND I have not been at since High School - a LONG time ago! I wish you a lot of luck, I, honestly, found it easier to just not eat a food than to eat some "pretend" substitute. I also found, for me, that it was only the first 2-3 hard after that it was just a mind set. "This is what I am doing, it is important to me, and I AM going to stick to it."

Also, I did NOT cook 2 dinners, what I cooked for me is what my husband ate also, the only concession I made for him is that I would bake him a potato and I would cook him more that 1 meat patty, a larger piece of meat or chicken breast, etc.

The drink they offer when you board the ship is NOT free!

Just out of curiosity. . . . why would you think is was free? EVERYTHING you read "clearly states" that ALL alcohol "has" to be paid for by Y O U.

We will be cruising to St Thomas & St Maarten in late April. I want to buy a Omega seamaster. Does anyone know any reliable watch store? I will know the price beforehand. Do they offer good price there and do I need to bargain crazy? Which place is better to watch St Thomas or St Maarten? Do they usually accept credit card with a good price?

Thanks

About 4 years ago we went to the Little Switzerland while in St. Thomas and purchased a Breitling 18K Gold watch, I think it is a Navitimer. We saved $1500.00 compared to IF we would have purchased it in a jewelery store in our local mall, plus the approximate $300 in sales tax. So overall we saved about $1800 on the purchase in St. Thomas.

BUT on the same trip in another store I purchased a diamond ring and a watch and when I got home I took the ring to have it resized to my jeweler (a "real" jeweler NOT a "Kay's" kind of place). The owner called me the next day and said "I have a problem with your ring" and I asked ??? and he said what king of gold is this suppose to be? and I answered 14K solid! Well it seems that when he put heat to it to resize it the "14K gold melted right off, it was white gold, dipped in yellow gold" As far as I was concerned "I WAS CHEATED" "I DID NOT WANT A WHITE GOLD, DIPPED RING". My jeweler fixed it for me for free, resized it and re-dipped it. I called St. Thomas and said I wanted to return everything, and I told him why and he argued with me A LOT but finally said OK, that if I sent everything back to him he would credit the money back to my credit card.

I SENT EVERYTHING BACK AND HE CREDITED ME EVERYTHING BUT $1,000.00 he refuses to give me back $1,000.

So I am out $1,000 on the deal.

NOW I BUY NOTHING IN THE CARIBBEAN!!!

We were on our very first cruise (Celebrity Summit) and my DH had NOT gone willingly, one of the things he had insisted on was that we have a "table for two" ONLY for dinner. My DH is the Director of Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatry at our local Hospital System where we work and he said "I am NOT having dinner with more mental patients when I am on vacation!". I said "you are so silly, but that is no problem I would rather dine with just you anyway." Well, we went to dinner the first evening and we did have our table for two, and at the next table (a four top)was a lovely young couple. We heard them talking to their waiter and they were on their honeymoon. AND THEN in come the couple that were to join them. A very short Caucasian woman (the "he") dressed in basketball shorts and basketball sleeveless top with a large # on it and a very large, very dark black woman, at least 18" taller than "he", dressed in a VERY tight skirt and a blouse showing her midriff. Well I though the young couple and I were going to fall right on the floor! The four of them introduced themselves to each other and then not another word was spoken for the rest of the meal. The next night was formal night and "he" came in a tuxedo and she wore a very bright yellow ball gown but the other young honeymooners were never seen again. I hope that they did not hide in their room, I hope they knew to move to another table.

I quote FREDR:

And...enjoy the romance...stars, moonbeams, sunrises and sunsets.

I agree with this the MOST! Cruising is a GREAT way to vacation and I too believe that the most important thing to do is to take the time to

ENJOY ALL OF IT!

Every evening my DH and I take a few minutes to walk on the deck and tell each other how happy we are to be there together! Years ago when we were first married and did not have 2 cents to rub together did we believe we would ever be on such a beautiful ship, in such a beautiful place, with nothing to do but stroll the deck and gaze at the stars.

We are very lucky, these days especially these days it is harder for us to pay for a cruise and all the things that go with it so please, make sure you find the joy in it, not the things to complain about!

I wish you all a GREAT cruise!:D