Quantum of the Seas - Maiden Transatlantic Voyage - Nov 2-10, 2014 - Live Report

[Clarea]

has anyone here eaten at Izumi? for lunch or dinner? Did you get or see anyone get the hot rock selections from the menu? I'd really like to know if the hot rocks are available for lunch.

We've been to Izumi for lunch on several ships (not Quantum), and the lunch menu was much smaller than the dinner menu. No hot rock, no sukiyaki, maybe one kind of tempura. However, a wide variety of sushi was available.

[JudyjudyjudyS]

I have read most of the thread and was wondering about the wine list. I see a picture of the one from Jamie's but really can't read it. Is it the same wine list in all restaurants?

Did anyone buy a wine package? Was it good value?

 

Each had their own wine list. Some had some of the same. A nice selection. Many not available on maiden voyage. I wouldn't do a wine package as doesn't offer the good stuff.

[negc]

When I take this cruise, I have booked a 2:45pm flight at Newark airport(the ship arrives at 7:00am). Do you guys think that is enought time to get off teh ship and to the airport?

 

Even if you are among the last passengers off the ship you should have more than sufficient time to make it to the airport or a 2:45 pm flight. Newark Airport is not that distant from Port Liberty and even in heavy traffic it shouldn't cause you a problem. In fact you may not even be able to check your luggage when you first arrive at the terminal. Check with your airline to see how much before your flight time can you check your bags.

[JudyjudyjudyS]

I have read most of the thread and was wondering about the wine list. I see a picture of the one from Jamie's but really can't read it. Is it the same wine list in all restaurants?

Did anyone buy a wine package? Was it good value?

 

He recommends for $60ish. Really good.

[mjwcruising]

I have 2 questions hopefully someone can answer.

I am wondering what the difference is between the lunch and dinner menus at Jamie's Italian

and

I read there were very few places to get drinks in the morning. I am wondering where beverages like Mimosa's, Screwdrivers, and Bloody Mary's are available.

We are traveling with another couple and hope to put our beverage packages to good use. :D :eek:

[kandj05]

Thank you for your reports! How does a person see the pics on Shutterfly? Do we need a code?

[yjf51719]

Link to Shutterfly

 

https://quantumlaunchers.shutterfly.com/restaurants/40

[yjf51719]

More great pics thanks to John and Mindy

 

http://travelwithmindy.blogspot.com/?view=magazine

[DreaAST]

Thank you to all who reported! Very excited for January now to see the ship in person!

[tmart011]

Alternate selections were not available. My wife has Celiac and would have used them often instead of the very limited gluten free choices available. Maybe they'll add the alternate selections in the future but they weren't available (or shown anywhere on menus) on the Maiden.

 

thats really disappointing if they dont have many gluten free options, i thought royal did a bunch of changes to better accomodate gluten free diners :(

[chloe kitty]

re: Newark area hotels;

 

I like the area near Jersey Gardens mall. There are 3 hotels there. Spring Hill Suites, Embassy Suites, and Country Inn and suites. There are restaurants in the mall as well as a few places you could walk to across a parking lot. All have airport shuttles.

 

There is a Marriott right in the center of the airport, kind of dated but it suffices as well.

 

I wouldn't recommend downtown Newark.

 

Thank you!! Greatly appreciate the info.

[MicCanberra]

Many thanks to all the reporters and the photographers. cheers.:D

[TravelinGert]

Welp I did not have a good time with the internets on the ship. To be honest, it may have been just as well because I spent the time I might have spent on the net exploring the ship, instead. I did make some notes, though.

 

1. RCI needs to either commit to the 10 minutes curb to ship thing or give it up.

 

And by commit I mean cut out the boarding numbers thing completely. They weren't even calling the numbers in a manner anyone could hear, and were giving them to people not checked in and able to board. They even let tons of people just walk on without them, too. As useless as teats on a fence post, as my Gran would have said. Baggage handlers should not be checking in luggage, either, as it was another thing that only slowed things up. Grab all those employees we saw standing around just watching and trying to look supervisory, plus all the boarding pass folks, and put them to work either checking in bags or scanning guests in on the iPads.

 

Also give hand scanners or iPads with scanners to 4-5 people and shove them out there on the wider bit of deck you walked across to the room where they scanned the boarding pass upc code thingy. Filter passengers into the ship via that door plus one forward of it and one back of it depending where their cabin is. If they utilized their available employees and space better it would probably work.

 

Despite all this, hm... well....Someone may have read on CC they were just letting folks board without boarding numbers when they boarded another ship using the new check in process. Someone may have played dumb to one of those supervisors standing around looking supervisory and gotten ushered toward the ship. :eek: We managed to walk our bags from the HI to the baggage handlers and get ourselves onto the ship in under 45 minutes. Considering it was maybe a ten minute walk what with all the taxis heading to and from the ship, not too bad.

 

2. They needed more alternate activities available on the days they cancelled all their regularly scheduled programming due to waves and wind and whatever. Not sure about the what and where, though the movies in the Royal Theater was a great idea on the last night a bunch was cancelled.

 

3. The ship is really, really interesting. So many, many things to see. We didn't find that Divinely restaurant until about day 5. I was fascinated by all the elaborately patterned carpets and the amazing curtains in the Silk.

 

4. They should really sort out more options for groups with the dynamic dining. Other than that, it did actually turn out to be more dynamic than originally feared. One night RCI randomly rescheduled a previously cancelled performance with not the slightest concern for overlap. Lucky for us our chosen included venue for the night let us go right in when we showed up 45 minutes early in order to have time to attend without mucking up dinner.

 

By more options for groups, I think they should first allow people who want to sit with the same folks the whole cruise an easy option for booking together. I will say I think it ought to be something they plan to roll out for all DD ships maybe when they debut the Anthem or something like that. Something to give them time to sort the current technology issues and then give the system for that the attention and testing it deserves. We already have accounts on the RCI reservations system in order to book our meal choices. Why not let people friend others and then send invites?

 

They did let people who showed up together and requested it sit together. Something I was very decisively told would not, under any circumstance whatever, be allowed on any dynamic dining ship "due to privacy concerns". They also let people make a choice whether to only sit with their partner or family, or to be seated with whatever other random people had agreed to group seating. We did meet some very charming and amusing dinner companions that way and I think it is a great addition to the dynamic dining plan.

 

5. Can't say enough about the guys and gals doing the hard work on the Quantum. The waiters, waitresses, bus boys, cabin stewards and stewardesses, and performers really made our cruise. They had to have been having an even worse time than us trying to work in all that technological chaos, and there were still so many genuine smiles and kindnesses shown to my spouse and I. Just very encouraging to see.

 

RCI should do something special for all those folks who were on the transatlantic. They should probably give them some sort of combat and hazards bonus. ;)

 

And good news those planning to cruise on Anthem's first voyage. I spoke with a number of crew who will be joining the Anthem when she is rolled out.

 

 

Ok, I'm going to look at the lists of questions and see if there is anything I think I can answer now. If there are any first time cruisers out there reading this and planning for their first cruise, feel free to ask any questions a now going on second time cruiser might be able to help with. If your question has to do with packing, I would say whatever amount you are taking is probably too much. Something we discovered much to our chagrin. :o

[SkyKingBNA]

I am awake at 4am (as usual with this trip), but no ship to wander or Windjammer to go get coffee. Deep sigh. I guess I'll just upload pics to the Shutterfly site instead! :D

 

Tracy

 

 

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[Clansman37]

Good morning from the UK.

 

Well I think it's morning I've seen sunrise over New York & London in one day.

 

Firstly I have to say it was brilliant meeting everyone and I hope all are either almost safely home or where they are meant to be.

 

 

I'm not sure if some of you heard the rumour of some guy falling down a drain pipe when a plywood manhole cover gave way on the pier

 

Well Vicky and Liz witnessed it and the guy didn't fall all the way into the water below the pier or get stuck in the hole.

 

The guy with his case ended up in the pipe with his right leg stopping him falling all of the way in. I didn't witness this as I was to busy trying to get out of the pipe. :)

 

Nothing like going out with a bang

( crash and a thud)

 

 

Anyway nothing broken and we are almost home.

 

As to Vicky it's time to go and get the cats soon.

 

For those that knew Liz had a bit of a wait for her plane well after using our hotel we dropped Liz off at terminal B for her flight so all been well she will be at Manchester by now.

 

Thanks everyone for a stunning cruise with out you guys it would of been even harder than it was at times

 

Dan :)

 

 

 

 

 

Dan (Clansman 37)

[Clansman37]

I am awake at 4am (as usual with this trip), but no ship to wander or Windjammer to go get coffee. Deep sigh. I guess I'll just upload pics to the Shutterfly site instead! :D

 

Tracy

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

Morning :-)

 

Did you go for your stretch class then 270 for breakfast :-)

 

 

Dan (Clansman 37)

[SkyKingBNA]

Morning :-)

 

Did you go for your stretch class then 270 for breakfast :-)

 

Dan (Clansman 37)

 

 

<pout, pout> No! Don't I wish.

 

 

 

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[SkyKingBNA]

I still have a ton of pictures to upload, but some of them are on a jump drive that I can't access until I get to a PC. That might not happen until I get home this coming weekend. Please continue checking the Shutterfly site in the next week or two. I'll definitely be adding more as I have time!

 

Tracy

 

 

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[TravelinGert]

I have 2 questions hopefully someone can answer.

I am wondering what the difference is between the lunch and dinner menus at Jamie's Italian

and

I read there were very few places to get drinks in the morning. I am wondering where beverages like Mimosa's, Screwdrivers, and Bloody Mary's are available.

We are traveling with another couple and hope to put our beverage packages to good use. :D :eek:

 

I never ate dinner at Jamie's so I can't say exactly which items were absent, but I know I was told there were several dishes offered at dinner not offered at lunch. I'm fairly certain staff there would give you the specifics if asked.

 

I never saw the Casino bar closed.

 

There is a sort of mini-bar area in the Windjammer that was manned in the mornings. I saw people take fresh squeezed orange juice over to it for a little added zing. :p

[TravelinGert]

Good morning from the UK.

 

Well I think it's morning I've seen sunrise over New York & London in one day.

 

Firstly I have to say it was brilliant meeting everyone and I hope all are either almost safely home or where they are meant to be.

 

 

I'm not sure if some of you heard the rumour of some guy falling down a drain pipe when a plywood manhole cover gave way on the pier

 

Well Vicky and Liz witnessed it and the guy didn't fall all the way into the water below the pier or get stuck in the hole.

 

The guy with his case ended up in the pipe with his right leg stopping him falling all of the way in. I didn't witness this as I was to busy trying to get out of the pipe. :)

 

Nothing like going out with a bang

( crash and a thud)

 

 

Anyway nothing broken and we are almost home.

 

As to Vicky it's time to go and get the cats soon.

 

For those that knew Liz had a bit of a wait for her plane well after using our hotel we dropped Liz off at terminal B for her flight so all been well she will be at Manchester by now.

 

Thanks everyone for a stunning cruise with out you guys it would of been even harder than it was at times

 

Dan :)

 

 

 

 

 

Dan (Clansman 37)

 

Yikes, Dan! Glad to hear nothing broken!

[Jimbo]

I still have a ton of pictures to upload, but some of them are on a jump drive that I can't access until I get to a PC. That might not happen until I get home this coming weekend. Please continue checking the Shutterfly site in the next week or two. I'll definitely be adding more as I have time!

 

Tracy

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

So was there 2 toilets in the spa junior suite or 1. Hard to tell from your pictures. I see the tub and shower, were they in the same room or 2 different rooms in the cabin?

 

Jimbo:)

[Winger67]

ETA a final thought: In addition to the $300 OBC and future credit, there was a lot of randomly free stuff, like drinks on day 1 and the internet.

 

I think the free drinks on day 1 were because the computers weren't working. :) I also heard they weren't charging at the Bionic Bar because it's not FDA approved. Don't know if that's the reason but I never was charged. Then again, it was like gambiling if you were going to get your drink or not. I watched it make 3 of my Bombay Saphire and tonics in a row only to make a move towards the cup but then turn and thow it out. All the while I had one sitting up there. The fails were entertaining, unless you're really in a hurry. :)

 

An iFly guy told me they weren't selling blocked time or lessons because they had no system to charge for it. He had one of the best pictures from the arrival in NY. It was him, upside down in the Rip Cord with the Manhattan skyline in the background. Brilliant!

 

Good! It's the same way on other ships. Same sign. Someone said you couldn't get it. I am relieved.

 

I was wondering if my stateroom attendant forgot about by ice bucket request the first day but he said they were trying to find them. By the second day it was there.

 

Grande didn't have any pepper grinders but other restaurants had them.

 

I wanted to rent a wet suit for the Flow Rider but they said they were picking those up in the states.

[Scooby D]

We had 6166. We found it ok, but we didn't have the opportunity to sit out on the balcony anyway. I wouldn't go in it again if I was going somewhere warm and sunny, but it did us for the TA. This picture was taken while I was sitting on the bed. HTH.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Scooby D

[Scooby D]

We had 6166. We found it ok, but we didn't have the opportunity to sit out on the balcony anyway. I wouldn't go in it again if I was going somewhere warm and sunny, but it did us for the TA. This picture was taken while I was sitting on the bed. HTH.

 

 

Sorry forgot to attach pics!!! Whoops!!!!

 

We had 6166. We found it ok, but we didn't have the opportunity to sit out on the balcony anyway. I wouldn't go in it again if I was going somewhere warm and sunny, but it did us for the TA. This picture was taken while I was sitting on the bed. HTH.

 

 

This is the picture of the lifeboat from North Star.

 

 

 

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[eshop]

thats really disappointing if they dont have many gluten free options, i thought royal did a bunch of changes to better accomodate gluten free diners :(

 

It's a flaw with Dynamic Dining yet to be worked out. In the MDR days, with the same waiter, my wife would get the next days menus after dinner. She could then choose her food and have it prepared gluten free. In DD, she didn't have that option. She was forced to choose generally only one item that happened to be gluten free. On day four, she met the Hotel Director after a C&A function. He admitted it was an issue that had yet to be addressed. As a temporary fix, he told her to go early in the day to the restaurant we were using that night and ask for the chef to prepare items for her. This worked but was a little cumbersome. I will say the specialty restaurants (Chops & Jamies) were able to offer several excellent gluten free items.

 

On a side note, they did have gluten free pizza in Sorrentos which was a treat for her.

 

We're back on for the inaugural and hope they've improved the process by then.