Seaside 3/23/19

[dexddd]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

Sewage & odor issues, I guess, aren't unique to a specific cruiseline or ship, we had minor plumbing issues on the Escape - originated somewhere along the lines in our section - but a call to Guest Services got it resolved by the time we came back from dinner.  A quick spray using DW's perfume did help.  

 

Welcome back, I trust disembarkation & heading home (??) was smooth and gate agent didn't mess with the seat assignments & boarding passes, LOL.  Just got email alerted by JetBlue that our confirmed early May flight, outbound on A-321 that we booked last November has been changed, hmmm ...   The B737 Max mess isn't going to be business as usual anytime soon, flying domestic isn't going to be fun this Spring.  

 

That generous cut of prime rib looked so juicy - definitely far more appealing than what NCL is serving these days, comparable to what one gets in a "true" steakhouse on land.   

Flights flawless and home last night by 8.  Good luck on flights, going on a cruise?

 

We did joke about him checking for right seat.  It has been 35 years since I've been at FLL.  What a mess.  I made fun of NYC airports but this one felt third world.

 

We had sewage smell Sun aft on and off.  Most other ships only whiffs in areas.  They made coffee once and that made it smell better.

[Preziosa]

Who is Captain on Seaside for the moment. We Will Be there on the sailing 13.th april

[teacher/bartender]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:25 AM, helen haywood said:

I knew about the solution to the bathroom smell from Chengkp75 but the OP’s description in post #45 says it is there every time they go to that cabin.  And in the cabin...that’s not depending on how the wind is blowing.  I have a 14 night cruise booked in 18003 so this really  has me worried!!

 

We were on the same cruise in 18003 and had no sewage smell.

 

A few wiffs here and there on the ship but nothing like was describe when the Seaside first sailed.  

[Cruisergal1208]

4 hours ago, Preziosa said:

Who is Captain on Seaside for the moment. We Will Be there on the sailing 13.th april

We will be on for two weeks begins April 6th. It will be Captain Di Palma. 

[dexddd]

On 3/26/2019 at 10:11 AM, graphicguy said:

AwRight....AwRight.....AwRight......I’ve been waiting for this one.

 

Lovin’ it so far.  Thx!

Here’s one just for you 

 

 

[graphicguy]

1 minute ago, dexddd said:

Here’s one just for you 

 

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dexddd]

So a few things we weren't entirely sure about or learned more about when on board.

 

• We had booked before November and weren't certain what our drink package would all include.  The MSC app said we had PCG1 whatever that is.  We trialed gelato the first afternoon and found out we didn't get charged.  DW also able to get free Choc. Martini #2 (apparently there is option of vodka or Baileys) so we wondered if #1 was the one made with Bailey's.  The electronic menu only listed #2 but didn't specify which you got.  Kids also able to get free shakes there for free.
• Channels on TV definitely less than Divinia had last time and somehow we felt the TV was discriminating against us.  Movies were $8.00.
• The MSC app was a bit funky - Our DS and DD got theirs to load with details in the terminal but could not get ours to work for a couple days.
• We had some free internet but it looks like you can only register two devices total and not drop one off.  My pc would load email but nothing else - it would once in awhile go to our local tv station site but then click on a link and proxy errors.  Everything worked on IPhone though.
• People have mentioned a rolling feel to the ship.  I'd call it more of a shimmy/vibration feel and didn't bother us and felt nice to sleep to.
• YC had a dinner party later in the week after 9 p.m. up by the pool which  had a great selection of food.
• We did do the laundry package and it came back nice.
• They sell a BTS tour which runs $63.  We opted not to do it.
• DW and I both Black Card and in different rooms.  Everything was delivered same as on Divinia including choc. ship to the room.  The gift is a pen. 
• We ate at Teppanyaki and are used to NCL's version.  It actually turned out to be better IMO and you pick from one of four options including a vegetarian option.
• We also ate at Butchers Cut as the Specialties are open on sea days.  We had noon reservation and it was pretty crowded with people eating brunch.  Soon there was just us and 5 other people.  Lunch was great.
• The brown huts by the pool require you to wear good shoes (no sandals) which seemed an odd location as I figured it would be a wet type of pool thing since it is right there by the water slides and kids splash area.
• There are three types of slide (well maybe 4 if you include the little little kids one).  One for in-between size kids and then slides higher up and then a slide requiring a tub either one person type or two.  I was surprised that they let pretty much any size kids on the higher up slides (compared to other lines).
• Just like on Divinia, the ship, other than by the main pool and buffet, never felt crowded and dispersed people well.
• Jungle Pool usually had some room by it.
• YC wrist band worked well but got more sensitive it seemed towards the end.
• Special elevators hit or miss.  Seemed ones starboard side a bit better.  Also lots of elevators and not long waits.
• Not as many mirrors as Divinia - I only saw one ugly guy coming towards me by deck 8 shops.
• Shows were great.  Some elements felt like out of DCL shows.  2nd night was pretty much opera and not really our favorite but it is what it is.

 

I'm sure there will be a few more things.

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by dexddd

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Here's mine - nephew's JFK-based ground DL team try hard not to, but ...  

 

As for @dexddd - United has been unsuccessful trying to convince us to use & fly into/out of EWR after vacating JFK, a grave mistake for other Star Alliance partner carriers (much like Pam Am giving up their Pacific routes in the early 80's) - not to mention EWR just too far and congested.  

 

Very good & nice recap about sailing the Seaside ... Definitely on our radar over the horizon.  Still on the fence about a last minute cruise this month, 10 or 12 days on NCL ... looked like SailAway rates are beginning to plunge  - and/or early next month, counted 270+ unsold cabins below mini-suites, didn't bother checking mini's, spas or suites, that's like 25% vacancy, tee minus 40 days out ... 

 

 

[graphicguy]

41 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

Here's mine - nephew's JFK-based ground DL team try hard not to, but ...  

 

As for @dexddd - United has been unsuccessful trying to convince us to use & fly into/out of EWR after vacating JFK, a grave mistake for other Star Alliance partner carriers (much like Pam Am giving up their Pacific routes in the early 80's) - not to mention EWR just too far and congested.  

 

Very good & nice recap about sailing the Seaside ... Definitely on our radar over the horizon.  Still on the fence about a last minute cruise this month, 10 or 12 days on NCL ... looked like SailAway rates are beginning to plunge  - and/or early next month, counted 270+ unsold cabins below mini-suites, didn't bother checking mini's, spas or suites, that's like 25% vacancy, tee minus 40 days out ... 

 

 

Agree about Delta...more importantly, agree that @dexddd review was great!  

 

Thx!

[APDMOM]

4 hours ago, dexddd said:

The brown huts by the pool require you to wear good shoes (no sandals) which seemed an odd location...

I tried a Gooogle search, but came up empty.  As a newbie sailing Seaside in June, what are the brown huts? 🙂

[floridian1]

1 hour ago, APDMOM said:

I tried a Gooogle search, but came up empty.  As a newbie sailing Seaside in June, what are the brown huts? 🙂

I think hes referring to the suspension bridge/playground above the kids pool area. 

[jvsnana]

6 hours ago, dexddd said:

 

• Not as many mirrors as Divinia - I only saw one ugly guy coming towards me by deck 8 shops.

 

DH is cracking up on that one!

Sounds like you had a good week and I am sure you are counting the days to the next one!

[dexddd]

11 hours ago, floridian1 said:

I think hes referring to the suspension bridge/playground above the kids pool area. 

Yes.  Two "jails" and three bridges.

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, jvsnana said:

DH is cracking up on that one!

Sounds like you had a good week and I am sure you are counting the days to the next one!

How was the Star?  What new upcharges did NCL have this week other than shrimp?

 

Yes, like 80+ days.

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

Here's mine - nephew's JFK-based ground DL team try hard not to, but ...  

 

As for @dexddd - United has been unsuccessful trying to convince us to use & fly into/out of EWR after vacating JFK, a grave mistake for other Star Alliance partner carriers (much like Pam Am giving up their Pacific routes in the early 80's) - not to mention EWR just too far and congested.  

 

Very good & nice recap about sailing the Seaside ... Definitely on our radar over the horizon.  Still on the fence about a last minute cruise this month, 10 or 12 days on NCL ... looked like SailAway rates are beginning to plunge  - and/or early next month, counted 270+ unsold cabins below mini-suites, didn't bother checking mini's, spas or suites, that's like 25% vacancy, tee minus 40 days out ... 

 

 

 

I've seen some later minute fair pricing under 40ish days on off season but doesn't work well for DW.  TA on Epic for $379 inside.  GA $299 for some upcoming.

 

Son likes to use Ford - Found on road dead.

[jvsnana]

3 hours ago, dexddd said:

How was the Star?  What new upcharges did NCL have this week other than shrimp?

 

Yes, like 80+ days.

Great time on the Star.  Family Suites worked great for the grandkiddos....no worry of falling overboard with no balcony and great views of sea life for them. 

 

The "No Towel Animals" went into effect on our sailing.  We all wondered why the kiddos were not getting them, so on day 3 I asked our room steward.  He said they received a memo and the reason was given about too many towels used, environmental issues etc.  One of my grandkids asked the room steward if he could have a towel monkey anyway and he quickly made one and it hung in the room the rest of the cruise.

 

We did not notice any upcharges in any speciality restaurants except the $4.99 charge in Cagney's for the shrimp cocktail.  Since we had Cagney's for lunch, the son-in-laws got their fill of "double shrimp cocktails" then!   We went to Teppanyaki, Cagneys,

Le Bistro, Moderno and La Cucina and with 13 of us it was always plenty of food to be shared by all with very little restrictions even though the kiddos did not have the dining plan.

 

80+ days should fly by for you.  We leave on a 6 day Bliss in 3 1/2 weeks.

 

[dexddd]

 

Edited April 2, 2019 by dexddd

[dexddd]

These are the bamboo prisons they put we in after I used my shank at the pool against chair hogs.

 

Couple other things I recalled.

 

• They had a 20% off coupon for the Specialties the first night so we went to Teppanyaki.  They also had those floating around later in the week.  Auto grat of 15% added to Specialties.  Staff walking around buffet with the menus.
• DW decided on day 1 she wanted to buy some diffusers.  We now have three with one making the house smell quite nice.  Cost $28.90 each.
• For the one grandmother who asked about it on the Divinia, the gift shop -- unlike the Divinia -- had many types of Lego sets for all ages and even the ship.  Not sure what ship it is - maybe an older style?  In any case, it is either the one with the bridge longer on one side or the other or whoever put it together needs to practice following directions as the model one was made that way.

[dexddd]

3 hours ago, jvsnana said:

Great time on the Star.  Family Suites worked great for the grandkiddos....no worry of falling overboard with no balcony and great views of sea life for them. 

 

The "No Towel Animals" went into effect on our sailing.  We all wondered why the kiddos were not getting them, so on day 3 I asked our room steward.  He said they received a memo and the reason was given about too many towels used, environmental issues etc.  One of my grandkids asked the room steward if he could have a towel monkey anyway and he quickly made one and it hung in the room the rest of the cruise.

 

We did not notice any upcharges in any speciality restaurants except the $4.99 charge in Cagney's for the shrimp cocktail.  Since we had Cagney's for lunch, the son-in-laws got their fill of "double shrimp cocktails" then!   We went to Teppanyaki, Cagneys,

Le Bistro, Moderno and La Cucina and with 13 of us it was always plenty of food to be shared by all with very little restrictions even though the kiddos did not have the dining plan.

 

80+ days should fly by for you.  We leave on a 6 day Bliss in 3 1/2 weeks.

 

Wow, you just keep sneaking them in!  Have fun.

 

I heard about the towel animals on another thread and wasn't sure if it was real.  My guess is to save time for the stewards so they can cut headcount by like two people shipwide.

[nycfa]

Question:

 

Did you change your clocks at all during the cruise or did you stay on "ship time" aka Miami time the whole cruise?  

 

Trying to book some independent excursions and wanted to make sure I had the times correct   Thanks!

[graphicguy]

On 4/3/2019 at 1:04 PM, nycfa said:

Question:

 

Did you change your clocks at all during the cruise or did you stay on "ship time" aka Miami time the whole cruise?  

 

Trying to book some independent excursions and wanted to make sure I had the times correct   Thanks!

Ship time!

[teacher/bartender]

On 4/3/2019 at 10:04 AM, nycfa said:

Question:

 

Did you change your clocks at all during the cruise or did you stay on "ship time" aka Miami time the whole cruise?  

 

Trying to book some independent excursions and wanted to make sure I had the times correct   Thanks!

On the 3/23 we changed the clocks twice to match the time where we were going.  We jumped an hour forward one night, and then an hour back a couple nights later.

[rosie2018]

Were were on NCL in this past December. The time changed from EST to CST when we got to Cozumel and changed back to EST when arrived at Miami port.

[dexddd]

We went back in time first or second night then forward back to Miami time close to end.  Sorry for no response as I haven't seen if dailies listed which day.

[DMH15]

Thanks, @ dexddd for some great information.  My cruise is next month FINALLY!