edspec

Never that I've seen. We have a Royal cruise booked for April, I'm really hoping the drink package goes down from the $71/day it currently is.

The enrichment lectures were on food, wine, honey, and forensic science, with one or two lectures discussing the Canadian ports. I was on a TA but the cruise after mine was going to Canada and many of the passengers were doing a BTB. They allowed you to sit with your party or with others, up to you and what you want that particurlar meal.

BTW, Cunard does anytime dining now. The longest we waited for a table was 5 minutes.

Posted September 28 I am absolutely loving my cruise on QM2. This is a sold out voyage but no crowds to be seen. There are four separate banks of elevators so never a wait and many times an elevator with only one or two passengers. I haven’t seen one table of friends or family focusing on their phones instead of each other. Granted, internet isn’t good, Starlink won’t be installed for several weeks. Almost everyone carrying a book or kindle which as a reader I love to see. Many utilizing the promenade deck which is wide and has loads of padded loungers. Lovely people to team up for trivia or to share a table at lunch. The ship is very quiet, any background music is low volume. The captain makes an announcement at noon each day with weather and navigation updates, as well as the history of nautical terms or sayings but that’s about it. The disembark paperwork states that QM2 practices a “silent disembarkation” in other words you’re given a time to leave your cabin and they assume you honor it. I loathe noise so this has been right up my alley. Food has been good to excellent. There has been a lot of lamb and game served, both of which I love. Fish as you can imagine is also good and the Indian food outstanding. Per my sister room service quick, accurate, and the food arrives hot. We have the drink package and there is never an issue with ordering multiple alcoholic or non alcoholic drinks at once. Waiters often just take one card for the table. Nibbles such as potato chips, olives, and cheese straws served with drinks from late afternoon. The ship is well maintained and beds are extremely comfortable. Penhaligans toiletries, including full bottles of lotion. Coffee and tea making supplies along with a kettle in all cabins…they even include simple butter cookies. I realize the cookies are for tea but I’ve been eating them for breakfast. Entertainment is wonderful all day and into the evening. Trivia challenging and fun with a wide range of topics. Many enrichment lectures on a variety of topics. Dress code strict, we did see an older gentleman turned away from the dining room on Black and White Gala Night…he was in dress slacks, shirt, and cardigan. I personally thought grace could have been shown in that instance. I didn’t buy clothes for this cruise and my black knee length dress purchased for board meetings was right in the middle of what other women were wearing. My BIL bought a new tux and that seemed the most popular option for men, but a dark suit would be fine too. Day time clothing is what you’d see on any cruise. I will sail with Cunard again, most likely a TA round trip. DH and DS like a more port oriented cruise so perhaps a Panama Canal cruise as a family. I would sum this up by saying Cunard is for adults who want to behave as adults, not adults wanting to relive spring break. I’m glad both types of cruises exist because that gives all of us options and I’m happy to experience both 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions.

Same excellent experience with Princess. Just off Cunard and they're upgrading to Starlink w/in the next couple of months. DCL needs to do the same. For a company that prides itself on customer service they're not doing well in this regard.

I wouldn't use the term pre-made as much as I'd use bowls made according to a specific recipe. They tasted fresh and hot. TBH I was happy because I'm so indecisive I'd be a basket case trying to figure out what I wanted w/ a full Mongolian Wok option list 🙂

They offered the bowl options in February on Panorama. I really enjoyed them. They were steaming hot, tasted fresh and the combinations were wonderful.

Sky Princess in Norway, June 2023, internet great as Starlink had already been installed.

Love your review @pirate4me2

I think the issue here is being comfortable with YOUR choices and not needing the validation of a crowd.

I don’t remember either but as a possible solution maybe fold-up ballet flats?

Have a wonderful time!

Why do people think everyone in proximity wants to hear their musical choices? Beyond arrogant. Bluetooth speakers should join the ranks of irons and surge protectors as banned items on cruise ships.

Thanks so much @old fool and @Underwatr your posts have been very helpful.

@pirate4me2 Love the phrase money sucking furball. Describes my Shih Tzu to a T.

I like inside cabins, I’d take it in a heartbeat.

My adult son wore shorts to the MDR several times on our Sky Princess cruise in July. They were dressy shorts with a nice shirt and he looked great...no one batted an eye.

The room issues have been reported in the last few months, I don’t remember reading anything about this prior to this summer, I drink a lot of water, the cartons in the room would last me maybe a day and a half. Also I prefer sparking water. Another recent change is the end of many of the production shows.

The drink packages are not equal. NCL doesn’t include waters or specialty coffees. Room servicing is down to once per day which isn’t that big of a deal but the stewards have so many cabins that they’re ready until 3ish on embarkation day. I used to really enjoy NCL, especially for solo trips but am leery of them right now. I have a cruise booked with them in 2025 but will be cancelling if I keep reading the same story of dirty rooms, rooms not made up till late afternoon, etc…

Honestly, with all the comfortable workout clothes available someone has to wear a robe and slippers? Who does that??? Maybe she overslept??

@MeganGC1983 I don't know if you want to mess with it but it might be worthwhile to ask security if this was on camera. Perhaps the boys and their families can be banned from Carnival.

Love to see those three little charmers in a classroom. And that is exactly why I was a homeschool teacher. Never met a kid one on one in their own house who wasn't polite and friendly. That does not mean, however, that they always did their work 😞 It's been worse since Covid, the stories I hear from job applicants, and these are people not directly teaching and they're burnt out.

I don’t have any plans to cruise VV and I thought it was off. The status match is a little much, yes MSC does it but they’re privately owned and a large portion of their business was viable during the pandemic. With Vantage going under I’m not booking anything but mainstream lines.

Thank-you so much!

Where do you find transfer information? I checked under excursions and I don't see it. TIA.