mdtcoll

Does anyone have any experience with a Day Pass at either Coco Reef or Pompano Beach resorts? Any info would be appreciated. 

So where is the CL located? I dont see it on the deck plans.

Thanks.

quote=bobmacliberty;55385926]The Suite Life - The Concierge Lounge

One of the top 2 things that we enjoyed about being in a suite, other than the cabin itself, was the Concierge Club/Lounge. The CL was very nice with a decent sized area for seating indoors and a few tables outdoors. There was a food area for breakfast items and happy hour hors d'ouevres (mix of hot, cold, and sweets) plus a nice coffee machine for espressos, cappuccinos, etc, There is also a bar area with about 10 bar stools and a few cocktail tables. I've heard people talk about how much they like the lounge (other than the crowds) but I never quite understood why (other than the free drinks). We used the lounge for coffee during the day and for happy hour each evening. On this cruise, happy hour was from 4:30-8:00. The Concierge on the cruise was Willie, and he was always friendly and helpful. The bartenders were Kenton and Anebel, and they were both great. They both quickly learned what we liked to drink, kept our glasses full, and were great to talk to.

On the first night in the lounge we met several couples and really enjoyed talking to them each night (even though one of them was a Michigan fan ;p). We met more people every night, all with interesting stories to tell. Everyone that we talked to was friendly...even the Pinnacles. :D We got there a little late one evening and one of the couples had saved seats for us. DW and I are still relatively new to cruising, and still get off the ship in every port. The people that we talked to had all been to every Caribbean port so many times, that they rarely get off the ship anymore. They just sit by the pool or find a quiet place to read. That concept is still a little foreign to me but maybe when I've cruised as much as they have, I'll think the same way. One couple currently has 20 cruises booked...also a concept that is foreign to me.

I think that everyone we met was either D+ or Pinnacle, who have access to both the CL and the Diamond Lounge. I don't think we actually met other people staying in a suite. When I asked why they used the CL rather than the DL, they said that they preferred the CL to the DL on the Serenade. I could not access the DL with my gold card (I tried), so I can't compare the two. From the outside, the DL still looks a little like a temporary structure with the wall that they built to separate part of the original Viking Crown lounge area into the DL. I'd guess that the bar inside the DL was therefore not as nice as the bar that was designed into the CL from day one. Maybe others who have access to both can chime in with their preferences on Serenade and why.

We enjoyed wine, beer, bottled water, and simple mixed drinks during the week. We were able to take drinks with us when we left for dinner or for a show. I did watch Kenton and Anebel make more complicated Long Island Iced Teas and martinis (lots of Chocolate Martinis), but no blended drinks. The CL was relatively quiet on this cruise. There were almost always seats available. Maybe if it were more crowded they wouldn't be willing to spend more time on more complicated drinks??

Kenton did tell us that there were fewer than normal D+/Pinnacles on this particular cruise. This was originally a 10 day cruise, as the Serenade usually alternates between 11 day and 10 day cruises. The originally 10 day cruise was cancelled and became the 5 day cruise that we were on, with a 5 day charter cruise right after us. We were told that many experienced cruisers do B2Bs (or B2B2Bs) on the Serenade with the 11 and 10 nighters, so switching to a shorter 5 day cruise may have caused many of them to reschedule.

Kenton did tell us that we had 3 drinks loaded onto our seapass cards to use at any bar, including the MDR but not room service, during happy hour. I think he may have assumed that we were Diamond or higher. We tried getting one of those drinks during dinner in the MDR but were told that benefit does not apply to suite guests. Diamonds and up get that benefit, but suite guests only get free drinks in the CL.

The Concierge Lounge was definitely an enjoyable suite benefit.

This is all good information. We leave for our first ever River Cruise on Tauck in about 2 weeks. I am still obsessing over the more formal dinners and if it is worth the space/weight to bring special outfit and shoes for only these dinners.

Thank you mj_holiday.

We are taking this cruise in October on Tauck.

Thank you. Can't wait.

I am interested in the demographics of the group on your cruise and what people wore to dinner in the evning.

Thank you. We are sailing the Rhine with Tauck on 10/7.

Sounds like a wonderful trip.

Hi, getting excited about our Oct. Rhine River cruise on Tauck. I check the boards every day but not much mention of Tauck as of late. Would love to hear from folks who have traveled with Tauck recently especially on the Rhine. We will be in a Loft cabin on the Inspire. Can't wait. This will be our first river cruise experience.

Thanks for any info.

Are jeans and sneakers ok?

Thanks everyone for the reassuring comments. It's a lot of money and i was considering trying to cancel or book a different trip.

I hope this works. I have never posted a link before.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=268006

Has anyone read the recent Tauck review? Not very favorable especially in describing the people who travel with Tauck. It makes me wonder if I made the right decision. We are 57 and 62 and not super wealthy. I hope we won't feel out of place on our Rhine Cruise in October.

The flights for our cruise have just opened up. Anyone with experience booking flights through Tauck have an opinion of the service? Does it make any difference price wise or with the ability to pick flights and seats, etc... that you prefer?

The air fare seems very high now for Boston to Paris.

This will be our first River Cruise and I hope I selected well. Thanks for the reassurance. I read a couple of reviews posted recently for Inspire and there were complaints about food and spending too much time on buses.

Thank you. Did you spend any time in Amsterdam?

:confused:Hi, i booked a Rhine River Cruise with Tauck for next October. I never see any posts about Tauck. Anyone have any experience:confused: with this line, the Rhine cruise or the Inspire?

Thanks.

Hi, we are new to River cruising. We are considering booking one of the less expensive cabins on the lowest level of the :confused::confused:ship. Has anyone had experience with this location? I am specifically concerned about engine or other noise, vibrations, or odors that may be disruptive or bothersome. We are close to booking a loft cabin on Tauck but do not want to be unhappy if the environment is unpleasant. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

Thank you. That gives me a starting point.

Would love to take a trip along the Rhine. We enjoy a casual, comfortable environment with very good service. Is there a river cruise line that is casual but service oriented? We enjoy ocean cruising on NCL because we don't really like to have to dress up for dinner. We often book suites. I am hesitant to book a river cruise because I am not sure where we would fit in best. We are 62 & 57.

Any suggestions???

Can you order bottles of vodka, gin etc... for the cabin?

What night/time is the chocolate buffet on the Dawn? Going tomBermuda on the Dawn in September and just wondering.

Thanks.

Thanks for the pictures, it looks great. We were thinking of letting out 22 year old son sleep on the bed and my husband and I would take the sofa since we get up early and I would want to be able to move freely around the cabin without disturbing him.

Hi, I am hoping that some of you have stayed in an owner's suite on Navigator of the Seas and can tell me about the suite. I am specifically wondering about the sofa bed. How big is it? Is it comfortable enough to sleep on for 2 full size adults for 7 consecutive nights? Do you need to ask for an egg crate mattress pad or is OK the way it is? Thank you for your help.

Thank you. We might like to go there on our last day in port since it is not too far from the ship.

Is it on the bus route?