LOS - TA - April 2-16, 2011 MIA-BCN - TRIP REPORT

[foxesden1]

 

We were able to get in and see a sneak peak of Saturday Night Fever

 

 

Grabbed a light bite at Sorrento's and then got ready for the formal night..

 

 

 

 

 

Its formal night, so the tables were set with.. dead flowers?

 

 

:rolleyes:

[foxesden1]

 

 

And buttermilk fried chicken.. :p can someone please tell me what that all about?

 

 

 

 

Remember back at the start of my trip report.. say.. 7 pages ago, and I made a comment that I would never ever order the wine pkg again.. ? and I said I would expand on that later? Well its later.

 

So, as I made comment, they never seemed to have our wine of choice on board - no I do take fault for ordering the GOLD pkg, because well, it cost $200 for 7 bottles. (don't even get me started on why the same pkg costs more in Europe then it does in America when the VAT does not even come into play.. on a TA Crossing.. ) So I ordered the cheep pkg, and we got cheep wine. OMG it was like gut rot. Now, many many people drink these wines and many many people love them. But not us. its not that we are some crazy wine snobs, they are just not suited to our taste buds. We begged CAT to take the wine away, we stopped ordering it, we never drank it, we left it at the table, we offered it as gifts to tables close to us, to the wait staff.. in short we tried everything we could think of so that we did not have to drink the wine.

 

Then one night, David gets up - leaves the dining room.. and says he is going to Sorrento's.

 

Now, I think its is odd, but what ever he is a P.ENG so really, everything he does is odd right?

 

Well he comes back 5min later with 4 little cups of fruit salad. And then he starts to make "the poor man's sangria" at our table. Cheep Wine, CHECK, Fruit, CHECK, Sugar, CHECK.. Cat at this point is looking at David like he has 2 heads.. I am laughing, but you know what? It TASTED GOOD!

 

So from that point on David made his own batch of Sangria, and we kept it in our cabin. (I had brought a large juice bottle for Miss Em we never ended up using.. )

 

Great Idea Honey! :WINK:

[mjnomads]

Taylor, I didn't keep a journal, thanks for doing it for me :). Love the review! Thanks for the memories!

[foxesden1]

Taylor, I didn't keep a journal, thanks for doing it for me :). Love the review! Thanks for the memories!

 

Any time hon! LOL

[foxesden1]

I'm having a ball with the review. I have the feeling that part of your problem is that you're doing this on Memorial Day weekend. That, and I think, TAs are a more targeted audience than a 7day Caribbean cruise so it may have a somewhat more limted audience for that reason as well.

 

 

LOL good point! I just thought people were thinking I was some sort of attention seaking cow.. :rolleyes: but yes, long weekend, and TA cruise.. good point.. I should have titled it, my never ending report filled with every item of food you might want to eat while on a RCCL? LOL

[kpatrick74]

I can't believe your CA and the room not being picked up, towels, etc. If that was me, I may have been able to overlook it the first time at 2pm but after dinner I would have been at GS. Then, again at the 10pm time......that was so not right!!! You did hit on something that I have mentioned before about MDR and CA staff before, that with pre-paid gratuities I think some of them feel like they are happy with that amount and will do the bare minimum (if even that) b/c they are "guaranteed" that amount. However, great service always gets rewarded with extra $$ the last night.

 

I love your husband and his sangria concoction. That took care of bad wine.....love it love it.

[kernow]

Keep going Taylor, we're loving it. We're reading your menus and reminiscing about what we ate!

 

I think the picture of the flowers on the cabin crawl were mine (Mark recognised my foot in the background). It was a much better picture than I took of them, thanks.

 

Really sorry to hear about your problems with the CA in detail. I agree they should have resolved the problem for you, I would have been mad too.

 

Julie

[charliegirlac]

Loving your review!! My parents are on the Liberty as we speak and I was on her in September! She is a beautiful ship! Cannot believe your CA!! It would have driven me crazy as well!!

 

Cant wait to read the rest!

[Nancynurse]

Thanks for the great review!

 

Nancy

[Desert Cruizers]

This wonderful thank you for your report, can't wait to sample some of that food, looks scrumptious. Our cruise is coming up end of Oct on the Liberty.

[foxesden1]

Another five days to go!

[hightownCO]

I'm really enjoying your report here and photos!

 

After one Carnival and 7 Princess cruises, have my first RCCL/first T/A booked for October 2012 on Liberty, BCN to FLL. I would have certainly stayed with Princess but price cannot be beat on this TA so stepping out of comfort zone.

 

Your thread is wonderful in giving some day to day info, answering questions I have, seeing menus and photos of ship are wonderful.

 

Thanks very much. Your daughter is so, so cute. Look forward to the rest of the story!

[hotrod1954]

I'm reading every word of your review and I absolutely love the food pics. I don't comment on reviews because I'd rather read what you have to say than "hey, great job..." by posters.

 

But, since you questioned whether or not anyone was paying attention and reading, wanted you to know that I am!:)

Me too. I love the review

[lauraapp]

Taylor,

 

Wow is this bringing back memories...we absolutely loved this cruise! We have been on over 40 cruises and this has been our favorite! We had issues with our room too...clanking noise in the wall. It never was fixed but RCCL made it up to me. Laura

[foxesden1]

Taylor,

 

Wow is this bringing back memories...we absolutely loved this cruise! We have been on over 40 cruises and this has been our favorite! We had issues with our room too...clanking noise in the wall. It never was fixed but RCCL made it up to me. Laura

 

Guess I should have sent you down.. :rolleyes:

[MsArchangel]

SUPER review! The reason (I would guess -- it certainly applied to me!) that no one answered is because if I had gone to answer you -- and to urge you to keep going -- I'd've lost my place in the review! I only found your review today and just finished reading the whole thing -- BRAVA! Well done! Thanks!

 

(Oh, and can I refer you here: http://huntgatherlove.com/content/zen-habits-stupid-about-soy and here: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/soy-scrutiny/ and here: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/soy-baby-formula/ . Soy milk has so many estrogenic compounds in it, it's like giving your daughter birth control pills!! PLEASE research this yourself, and protect your darling!

 

(or if you prefer to listen to podcasts: http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/2227/dr-kaayla-daniel-episode/

 

(A final one, in case you're interested: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/metabolism/oprahs-plight/)

 

Sorry to shovel out advice you did not ask for -- but the danger to young children is so high -- and so hidden and unmentioned and covered over by marketing -- that I feel a need to be rude.

El

[digital_curator]

Thank you so much for your review! I just found it today and have read the whole thing in one sitting (no mean feat at this point!:D).

 

I'm loving the detail, especially the menus- some of them are different combos or completely new dishes than I have seen on our RCI cruises. It is great to see the expanded menus, as we will be on a 16-night TA next fall and I have been curious.

 

I'm really sorry for the poor service you received with your cabin attendant. We have always had the cabin cleaned while we were at breakfast and we have always marvelled at how quickly they seemed to work (now, I keep everything tucked away and, strangely, we always ask the attendant to NEVER bring ice:p so I guess they don't have much to do). I hope that prepaid tips don't factor into this because we have MTD on the next cruise! I definitely would have been at the desk, asking to speak to the Head of Housekeeping! One thing I liked about Celebrity- they have a mid-trip comment card and if you put anything negative on it, you bet it gets fixed fast!

 

Can't wait for the rest!

 

Cheers,

[chasinraynbowz]

I just found your review today, please keep going!!

 

DH and I are going on the LOS in Oct out of Barcelona and I am reading everything I can get my hands on... and looking at all the pics. This will be my first RCCL cruise.

[foxesden1]

No they were tips that were charged to our room. They are done about 3 or 4 days towards the end of the cruise - and are very had to have removed, once added it seems.. :rolleyes:

[Sequim88]

Echoing the "great job" posts. Especially the pictures of price lists and bar menus, etc...

 

Back a page or two was the comment at Tenerife...

Once we got to the main port building, have the doors were locked, I had a stroller and it was a hassle to find the ramp up. Once I found it, it was a easy push UP HILL

 

After the review part is done if you can recall the details of where the ramp is it would be very helpful to us. I will be pushing my wife's wheelchair so will have much the same need.

 

We will be doing much the same route next year but with some different ports and continuting on after Barcelona to Rome. We are hooked on TAs which drew me to the thread. Very informative and helpful.

[foxesden1]

Because your wife is in a wheel chair, you will be able to take the bus to the main port building. It is a flat walk, but not very nice, and it can be very warm. When you arrive at the building (or get off the bus) go to the far right - on the OUTSIDE of the building. (please note they do have WC in th port and they are free of charge). That is where the ramp was. They do have a lift, but it was not in order the day we were in port. The doors opened, you went in, and up.. but they did not open at the top. :rolleyes: and of course, there was no sign. Also, it was a very small European lift.

 

SOY MILK - thank you I was not aware of those issues, I will start to read up on it and speak with my family Dr.

[foxesden1]

CADIZ, SPAIN

 

Okay we have arrived! First that me stress to you that you do not need to do a tour, buy a bus pass, take the hop on hop off bus. The town is STEPS away from the ship. STEPS. The beach (totally fab btw.. a real stunner) is about a 20 to 30min walk (that was with a small child and a stroller). I am sure there is a short cut - we just went via the town center.

 

Shopping - El Corte Ingles has a very large mall to the far left of the port. The hop on hop off does go pass it. You could walk, or just jump in a taxi. I would go for the taxi. The top floor of the mall has a wonderful kids play park.

 

Meals - You are close enough to the ship that you could go back for lunch. We ate three times, in town, and spent about 150E for the three of us. We had a quick snack (wonderful) followed by a early lunch and early dinner. We had to be back on the ship by 6 or 7. We of course advised our waiter the night before we would not be eating in the MDR.

 

[foxesden1]

 

 

I truly don't care what anyone says the coffee - all coffee on board the LOS is just bad. DH and I were counting down the days till Spain so we could get a real cup.. I think we had four in Cadiz alone!

 

This is a wonderful cafe - the the right side of the church, which backs on to the ocean. (I have no idea what its call.. I am so so sorry.. ) RUN do not walk to this place, and eat all your meals here, so so good. WONDERFUL. Also, free WC in the back of the shop.

 

They had a early am promo..1.80€ for a coffee and a pastry, 3.60€ for the ham sand, and under 2€ for the Fantastic

 

 

[foxesden1]

And now let me tell you a story.. about two little girls, we were between the ages of 4 and 5. They were sweet little girls, two of only a hand full, of children in their age range on the ship.

 

The two families meet up in port, and bought them matching dresses, because it was oh so cute.. and then what ended up happening was just short of madness.. and the only person left smiling, was of course the shop owner...

 

 

The two little girls.. exiting the store, in matching dresses, high heals (a la Suri Cruise) and hairpieces.. when out of no where..

 

arrived EVERY GRANDPARENT in CADEZ..

 

clutching money, and cameras.. taking photos just like Paps in LA..

 

 

And I have to tell you.. this was not even the CROWD that went into the store..

 

I am sure the shop closed its doors for the day based on sales - and maybe might be thinking about hiring little girls to stand outside for the next cruise..

 

;)

[charliegirlac]

And now let me tell you a story.. about two little girls, we were between the ages of 4 and 5. They were sweet little girls, two of only a hand full, of children in their age range on the ship.

 

The two families meet up in port, and bought them matching dresses, because it was oh so cute.. and then what ended up happening was just short of madness.. and the only person left smiling, was of course the shop owner...

 

 

The two little girls.. exiting the store, in matching dresses, high heals (a la Suri Cruise) and hairpieces.. when out of no where..

 

arrived EVERY GRANDPARENT in CADEZ..

 

;)

 

Gorgeous!!