Norway Photo from long ago

Not really a review, but interesting.......

My dear wife is a volunteer at the local theater. The next play takes place in the 1970-80's and they mention going on a cruise in the dialogue. She asked me if I had any old photos they could use to place as a prop on the stage. I searched the old cruise box and came up with this photo. It's 25 years old this year I believe.

Review--Rhapsody of the Seas--January 14, 2007

Rhapsody of the Seas January 14-21, 2007

Just The Facts
Rhapsody of the Seas
January 14-January 21, 2007
Captain: Anders Ingebrigtsen
Cruise Director: Abe Hughes
Ports: Galveston-Key West-Grand Cayman-Cozumel-Galveston
Weather: Excellent all week

This cruise was booked while on board last year. This was our third time on the Rhapsody which is DW’s favorite ship.

Day Zero--Saturday--Travel
Usually we drive down to Galveston on the day of debarkation; however, there is an ice storm forecast for our area and ice has begun to form on the trees by our house. (We do live on a mountain). We quickly finished packing and left for Galveston just after 1:00 pm. We got out of ice danger by Waco, but it did rain the entire way to Houston. The temperature got warmer the further south we went. We had a great Mexican dinner at Mary’s Alamo Cafe in Hearne, Texas. We arrived at the LaQuinta in the west beach area of Galveston just after 6:00 pm. The room was a very large suite. No Gaidos because of the big late lunch. We did enjoy the movie, Wedding Crashers, which was featured that night. Following the movie I went to get a snack and there was a wedding party staying on our floor. Interesting.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation
We enjoyed a casual morning especially knowing we were already in Galveston. It is very foggy, but the Galveston harbor web cam showed the ships already in port so there was no fear about delays. We dropped our bags off at terminal two about 10:45 am and drove to EZCruise parking. We walked back to the terminal and was checked in by 11:25 am. A short wait and they began boarding at 11:35 (scheduled for 11:45 on sign). We were on board by 11:40 waiting for the Windjammer to open at noon. The Windjammer buffet is again very good, especially the roast beef. Our cabin was late being ready so we toured the ship. We noticed our bags in the elevator area of our deck and helped by taking them to our cabin which was now ready. Nice to be unpacked and settled before muster drill.

Our C-C group had prearranged to wear mardi gras beads so it was easy to find our new friends following muster drill. We sailed just a bit late and the dolphins did put on a show.

The Welcome Aboard Show was good. The new CD is Abe Hughes and the comedian for the welcome show was Ralph Achilles. We have late seating in the dining room as requested. They announced dinner would be delayed by 15 minutes tonight due to late bag distribution and departure. Dinner was very good. The Vidalia onion tart and Tuscan soup were best. I had the steak from the alternative menu. (BTW-the real reason for delaying dinner is so that they can serve/sell wine at the first dinner seating without paying Texas taxes.)

Day Two--Monday--at Sea
We slept in this morning then had breakfast in the Windjammer. Relaxed until the scheduled C-C meeting in the Moonlight Lounge. Our cruise director, Abe Hughes, even stopped by to say hello. RCL provided canapés, a gift (note pad) for everyone, and a several raffle prizes. The weather and seas have been fantastic much better than our previous several cruises. We skipped the Captains reception which was held in the Shall We Dance Lounge as we watched a movie in the cabin. Formal dinner was very good. I had shrimp cocktail, escargot, beef, & Grand Mariner soufflé for desert. The production show after dinner was very good as well, Piano Man, featuring the RCL Singers & Dancers.

Day Three--Tuesday--at Sea/Key West
The weather is again very nice. Calm seas, fair winds. We began with room service breakfast and slept most of the morning. One of the advantages of an inside cabin. Resting up for Key West night. DW spent most of the rest of the day in the Solarium swimming and relaxing. They served southern style pork chops & potatoes with onions in the Windjammer. I was looking forward to this lunch since last Rhapsody trip. We watched the port activity as we approached Key West. The Enchantment of the Seas leaves port as we arrive. Pretty cool as the two ships pass each other and acknowledge with the horns. A lot of traffic as there was a regatta ending a sail and we were all heading into port at the same time. Key West: The weather was much better (cooler) than our previous trips to Key West so we thought we walk the entire length of Duvall street to the Southern Most Point marker. A nice walk and on the way we stopped for chocolate dipped key lime pie at the Blond Giraffe. Heading back up Duvall we stopped for drinks at a couple places and ended up at Sloppy Joe’s for a while. Wanting to do something different and unique to Key West, we attended a Drag Queen Show at the Aquabar club. (The 801 and LaTeDa were the other choices) It was different and unique all right. Who knew Dolly Parton, Liza Minelli, Karen Walker, and Madonna were all going to be in Key West? We returned to the ship about 11:00 and had a late snack. We were too tired from the walking to stay up for the sail away buffet on deck and retired.

Day Four--Wednesday--at Sea
Room service breakfast works very well so we did it once again. We had purchased tickets to the Cocktail Seminar at Sea which was at 12:15. This was entertaining, but they have one fewer drink than we had in September. They passed out samples of: Cosmopolitans, Bahama Mamas, Yellow Birds, & BBC’s (Baileys-Bananna-Coloda mix). Also they passed out four coupons when they collected the tickets so no extra samples this time. Lunch in Windjammer which I have found has very good lunch selections. I had the roast beef. They don’t do a formal tea on Rhapsody, but they have light snacks, similar to tea, in the Windjammer. I did sample the scones and bread pudding. They did have some meats and cheeses as well. Dinner was good. Maryland Crab cake, New England clam chowder, Pork chop, and Baked Alaska were my selections. When not eating today we enjoyed the ship especially the Solarium.

Day Five--Thursday--Grand Cayman
I had my first dining room breakfast this morning. Good, but the room service and Windjammer breakfasts are equally as good. We did go ashore this time (we didn’t in September), but only long enough to get some liquor to take home, diet coke for the rest of the cruise, and some pirate items for DD at home feeding the animals. We were back on the Rhapsody before noon and enjoyed the Solarium for the rest of the day. I did have a steam in the sauna after lunch in the Windjammer. Corned beef & cabbage was very good. DW said the coconut surprise cookies were excellent. We used our C&A coupons for 2 for 1 Bahama mama’s and Cosmopolitans for the 4:00 sail away. Back to the solarium for a swim/hot tub. We ordered fruit and cheese plates to snack on before the Crown & Anchor get together. We had a glass of champagne at the C&W reception. Tonight is the second formal night. Lobster was the choice for most at dinner and yes a second lobster was available to those who wished. I thought the dinner was good, but not great. The production show was Pure Country and it was very good. Also later was the Gala Buffet at midnight. Didn’t make it after the lobster, but heard it was great.

Day Six--Friday--Cozumel
We docked at Punta Langosta with the Conquest across from us. The Mariner was at the International pier. Three ships in port are not bad at all. No too crowded in town. We have been to Cozumel more than 35 times and seven times in the past year so we usually never make specific plans and ‘play it by ear’ depending on mood and weather. Today we went to see Nelly at Mayan Pearl as DW needed some items. While DW had some items custom made I spent an hour in the internet store and got a haircut at Antonio's. We walked down to Havana Blue for a couple of mojitos, then some shopping on the way back. Everyone was back on the ship in good order and we actually pulled out a few minutes early. There was some friendly cheers between the Conquest and Rhapsody pax as we pulled away. There was only on production show and it was The Hughes Brothers from Branson, MO. The theater was packed-SRO and they were very good. Dinner was great, my favorite of the cruise. I ordered Shrimp cocktail, Onion soup, and the New York strip steak. The steak was perfect so I ordered a second just to make sure. It too was excellent. We did go to see Ralph Achilles late comedy show.

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea
Room service breakfast again this morning. Relaxing in the solarium pool area is again the agenda of the day. Another good location for relaxation and sun is on deck five (muster/lifeboat) deck. As the ship progresses the weather is getting cooler and cloudier the further north we go. The farewell production show was good and the International Parade between dinners was very good. The final dinner was as usual very good. I had the steak from the alternative menu, but probably should have gone with the chicken marsala. A final farewell to the waiters and new friends. We skipped the late shows in order to pack and be up early the next morning.

Debarkation--Sunday
No room service on debarkation morning. We had some milk and snacks we had saved. We did the self assist debarkation and it went fairly well. There was a slight hold up because of rain. We did ride the EZCruise parking shuttle which took a bit longer than walking, but we were still off the island by 8:15 am. Brunch at Ana’s in Hearne, Texas, famous for great Miga's. Home by 1:00 p.m.

Ship
I do think that the Rhapsody does deserve its reputation as the friendliest ship on the seas. There were more non-Texans on board than my previous RH cruises. More bookings from cold states and Canada during winter is my guess. The ship itself does show some wear and needs the upcoming dry dock. Yes there was vibration, but less than in September. I only noticed it on deck 9 in the Solarium and usually while sailing slower or once still. The passageways are narrow on Rhapsody so be careful.

Crew
The staff and crew are very good. Our waiter Maximo from Chile and assistant waiter Kemper from St. Lucia were very good. Kemper especially was the best assistant waiter I have ever had. Never an empty glass. Always the correct condiment. Since announcing the move to Asia, they have been gradually changing the crew and staff nationalities. More from Asia, India, and the Philippines. Less from Europe, Caribbean, and Americas. I’m sure it will be more so when we return to the Rhapsody for the LAST sailing to/from Galveston in August. A note for Mrs. Hughes: This was our first cruise on RH that Dan Whitney was not the cruise director so we were really observing Abe all week. He did a great job. We saw him all over the ship including the Cruise Critic meeting. He refreshed the standard CD jokes and was very good with the passengers. He will do well with RCL.

Cabin
We had originally booked this as an I/S cabin bargain fare while onboard the Rhapsody last year. Basically needing a few extra cruises to make Platinum before we have our Voyager b2b next year. We did later upgrade from deck 2 to far aft deck 7 last i/s-cabin 7653. We did try for a very late up-buy, but all the JS and balcony cabins were sold out. The cabin is located all the way aft in the area of the aft wraps which we love. Melene was our room steward and did a great job for us. We also saw Dale our room steward from September. The cabin is fine for two people. There are no public aft stairs so it is a long walk to the elevator/stairs mid ship. There is some noise from the Lounge below, but we normally sleep with the TV on so it didn’t bother us that much. There is also noise in the mornings from the laundry closet on the back wall of the cabin. The steward use these to access laundry and they do slam the doors. The cabin needs updating and It will be in February so we’ll have the new bedding, etc. on our Rhapsody cruise in August. We did enjoy this cabin. We will enjoy 7651 better.

Food
The room service breakfast has more selections than most cruise lines, so it is a great option. Our two favorite room service items are the fruit plate and the cheese plate. They did not disappoint and were even better than we had them in September and 10 times better than on The Splendour of the Seas last month. The cheese plate consists of five different cheeses and garnished with a few strawberries, walnuts, and dried apricots. It is served with water biscuits or saltines. The fruit plate has grapes. pineapple, kiwi, melon, strawberry, and orange slice. It is garnished with mint. Both are great.

Lunch is the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. You can order a banana split for desert at lunch. All the bread selections are very good on board. The Windjammer buffet is also very good and better than other lines. There are ice creme and yogurt machines in the Windjammer. The steaks were the best food item and excellent on this cruise.
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Needs Improvement
The water jets at the entry steps of the pool in the Solarium never worked. Smoking was much improved from previous RH cruise. New signs on port side decks reminded that it was nonsmoking. IMHO-The Schooner Bar should be nonsmoking as you have to walk through it to get to the various other venues. This will be moot when she goes to Asia, but that is a while yet. Also the self-debarkation should be limited to one bag & one carry on per person.

Final
We really enjoyed the cruise and met some very nice people including a good C-C group and excellent dinner table group. The weather was fantastic all week. Another great cruise!

Review--Splendour of the Seas--December 9, 2006

Splendour of the Seas--December 9-14, 2006

Second part of a b2b cruise. Grand Princess/Splendour of the Seas from Galveston, Texas 12/2 - 12/14. Our first time on Splendour, third RCCL cruise.

Day 1-Embarkation- This was the smoothest embarkation I have ever experienced. We disembarked the Grand Princess almost 11:00 a.m. which was late, but as planned as we would prefer to wait on the Grand than in a waiting room at the terminal. We zipped through customs and our porter took our bags all the way to Terminal 2 to be checked in with RCCL. We just finished when our neighbors and DD pulled into the terminal drop off. We unloaded those bags and then dropped the car at EZ Cruise and walked back to terminal. It was about noon and we proceeded to security and check in. That was no problem as there were no lines at either. We had our choice of agents, got our sail/room/seapass card and was on the ship in minutes. First stop the windjammer for lunch. Our cabins were ready at 1:00 and we dropped off our carry on bags and set about to explore the ship. We enjoyed music and the cocktails in the beautiful Centrum (atrium). We attended the Welcome Show with comedian Greg Otto. The cruise director is Simeon Baker. We have late seating dinner in the King and I dining room. Dinner was good, I had prime rib. We retired after dinner. Seas started getting rougher as we went south.

Day 2-at sea- The seas are choppy and the weather is overcast and windy. Similar to what we just came through last week, but a bit better. I met friends in the dinning room for breakfast. Eggs Benedict were very good. Also check out the windjammer and breakfast looked good in there. DW had room service. They opened the solarium to kids from noon to 2:00 pm because of the bad weather. We set on deck with friends and also had Windjammer lunch there as well. DW and DD went to solarium pool, but they soon closed that because of high seas. Although the pool attendants repeatedly monitored the situation, one by one parents took small children into the hot tub. Finally other adults gave up. The attendants were very busy trying to keep water off the floor as the pool waves were very high and over the sides. Tonight is formal night and the Captains reception was this evening although we didn’t attend choosing to watch the Cowboy game on Latin-American ESPN. We did attend dinner. I had Shrimp cocktail, escargot, sea bass, and Grand mariner Soufflé for desert. There were a lot of people missing from dinner. The weather has gotten worse. The feature show was comedian John Joseph. There were few who attended due to weather, but it was an excellent show. Very funny, one of the best I have seen on a cruise ship.

Day 3-Cozumel- The morning is cloudy and misting rain. We docked about 7:00 am at the International Pier, but not many rushed ashore and several tours were canceled. Breakfast in dining room and off the ship about 9:00 am. Very easy debarkation since there was no rush to shore. We rented a car for five of us and first stop was Dzul Ha for snorkeling. It was overcast, but we made the effort and it was quite good. You can snorkel from shore and there is no cost. While we were there several of the tours brought their groups to this area. There was a wide variety of fish. It would have been ideal if it had been better weather. We proceeded to Paradise Beach for a rest and a couple of drinks. Not crowded at all. We then drove around to the east side of the island and stopped at Playa Bonita which has always been one of our favorite places in Cozumel. The waves and surf were very high on this side of the island. We ordered guacamole and shrimp cocktails which were quite good. We went to San Miguel for some shopping and visited the usual haunts: Havana Blue for a mojito, Mayan Pearl, Cinco Soles, Viva Mexico, and some cafe & Mariachis time on the square. We returned the car and returned to the ship about 4:00. I napped through one of my favorite pastimes, watching the late arrivals, but it must have gone smooth as we sailed away on time before 7:00 pm. Diner in the Dining room. There were many more people than last night. The feature entertainer was Claude Eric a vocalist who was good.

Day 4-Costa Maya- This is the best day so far, but still overcast. We docked about 7:00 a.m. and we have a short stay here. It was interesting watching the Disney Magic dock next to us. A nice ship. DD wants to take a Disney cruise. After a dining room breakfast we went into Costa Maya and took a van to Mahaual. We made the El Faro our HQ for the day. We rented a skiff to take four of us out snorkeling ($15 pp). The water was murky due to recent rains and high waves. Better snorkeling yesterday in Cozumel. We had lunch & drinks and three had a massage while there. A beautiful day on the beach. We returned to the ship about 2:15 for a 3:00 departure. After refreshing and a snack I did my favorite thing, watching late comers arrive back. We actually left two people confirmed to me by the dock master who knew I was keeping a count given to me by the Splendour security. Poor Robert and friend. I rested until the evening show, Los Pampa Gauchos which was very good. Dinner was good, prime rib and lobster for me. I saw our waitress, Nevin, carry the biggest tray of food orders I have ever seen. Soon afterward she was gone and another waiter finished our desert orders. Quest and the Gala buffet was tonight, but I chose to retire after dinner.

Day 5-at Sea- Smoother seas overnight, but interesting news. It seems during the night we have returned to Cancun to debark an ailing crew member at 6:30 am. Yes it was Nevin, our waitress. A good late breakfast in the dining room. The Captains morning update indicated that we are now nine hours behind schedule with expected arrival in Galveston about 4:00 pm tomorrow. Children have taken over the ship. They are in the Solarium ALL the time not just the designated times. Tried the crapes which are located in the Solarium. They are very good. I relaxed all afternoon and watched a movie in the cabin. The fruit plate and cheese plate from room service was better than earlier in the week. Tonight was the debut of the new production show, Dancin’ Through the Movies. This was the first time we have seen the dancers. The new troupe came aboard when we did. I guess that's why we didn’t have movies in the theater as they were rehearsing for the debut show. It was a good show, some bugs to work out, but best (only) show of the cruise. We of course had a new waiter for dinner. I had prime rib and Mahi Mahi. After dinner DD and I spent some time in the internet cafe. They are not charging because of the ship being late, but it had been hard to get in because of the lines to use the computers.

Day 6-at Sea- Our extra sea day! They have scheduled shows and activities and we got a new abbreviated Cruise Compass. Breakfast in the dining room and some time on the internet took the morning. Interesting seeing the all the oil derricks in the Gulf, usually always dark when we go by them. The Captain kept us informed and did say we would meet our goal of docking by 4:00 pm. As we approached Galveston we entered a huge fog bank and we slowed to a crawl. It was interesting and the ship was frequently blasting its fog horn. I thought we’d never make it by 4:00pm, but after about half an hour through the fog the buildings of Galveston were in view. We were home.

Debarkation-I expected a mass rush to deck four and indeed people began camping out down there at 1:30pm. We got separated from our friends as we were several decks apart and agreed to meet only later if possible we do have separate vehicles). We docked about 3:40 and they began unloading baggage soon afterward. I knew the “self/easy-off” pax would be intermingled with the color tag pax, but not as bad as I had expected. The Centrum was packed with people. The first people began leaving the ship right at 4:00. We were observing from the upper decks and thought should we attempt to leave or wait. We developed a game plan and decided to go for it. We retrieved our bags from deck 8, took the rear elevators down and used the outer deck to get to the departure area. We avoided the Centrum and they allowed us to merge onto the gangway. It was orderly considering. We went through customs without any problems and wheeled our luggage to the EZ Cruise shuttle. We got on the bus and as luck would have it they went to Lot #2 first. We were actually at our vehicle by 4:50 pm. I consider it amazing.

Cabin: We have the large interior cabin (8519) on deck 8. We could have upgraded to O/V, but wanted the larger cabin since there were the three of us. A full size couch is in the cabin. In fact it is larger than the BA balcony cabin we had last week on the Grand. We do have the new RCCL bedding. It is nice, very similar to the Carnival bedding system. You can hear deck noise from the lido deck above, especially when the band plays, but it is a great location and the noise is not that bad. There is a video-in and audio-in on the TV. No refrigerator on the I/S cabins even in the larger premium ones. Our cabin steward, Rogie, was very good. He kept the ice chest full and fulfilled some special requests.

Food: Dining room food is good to very good. The service is good, but far below Princess. The best feature of the dining room is the nice piano music during dinner. The room service menu on RCCL is much better than Princess or Carnival with a wider selection and variety; however, service can be hit or miss. One thing I could not believe was the lack of silver for some courses, specifically escargot and shrimp cocktails. The headwaiter said they only had the proper silver in the “elegant” restaurants. I believe she was referring to the premium restaurants, but that indicates to me that the main dining room is not an “elegant” venue. Perhaps so as I saw shorts worn for dinner on some occasions. I must say that the waiters were very accommodating with our selections and offered second entrees or deserts without question.

Ship: The ship itself is beautiful. 'Twas well decorated for Christmas. More decorations than on the Grand in fact. The Centrum, King & I Dining Room, and the 42nd Street Theater are especially beautiful. Housekeeping may be a bit off. I noticed recent rings/watermarks on tables, dirty tables, etc. i.e.--they pick up your glass, etc. but don't wipe the table. There is a Concierge lounge. I loved the 3-D schematic ships in each Centrum lobby. Great maps and details of the ship. They didn’t have enough hand sanitizers IMHO and people didn’t seem to use them either.

Cruise: We would have enjoyed the cruise much more if we had not just come from the Grand Princess. You could not help but compare the two and the Grand is an exquisite ship. We vowed not to compare in front of DD and our friends, we hate to be “one of those” people. I did get a bug by day 3.5 and limited some of my activities. BUT overall I thought this was a wonderful cruise and a great value. It was great to have the family and neighbors together.

A great small ship, a great value and a great cruise.

Review--Grand Princess--December 2, 2006

Grand Princess December 2-9, 2006

First part of a b2b cruise. Grand Princess/Splendour of the Seas from Galveston, Texas 12/2 - 12/14. Elite Princess members, but only second time on Grand Princess.

Day 1-Embarkation- Woke early and checked Galveston Harbor Cam web site. The Grand is already docked, which is a good thing. You want to see your ship before beginning the drive. I didn’t think of the significance of it at the time, but there were no other ships docked. Left Bosque county and arrived in Galveston in good time approximately 4+ hours. Lots of traffic in Galveston and streets blocked due to Dickens on the Strand. We dropped our bags off at the pier and returned to EZ Cruise parking. Big problems due to the very late arrival of the Ecstasy. There were no parking places in Lot 1 (I usually walk since I have already dropped bags) and was forced to park in Lot 2. The process took over an hour just to park and then longer to shuttle to the pier. Of course it wasn’t EZ Cruise parking fault that the Ecstasy was so late nor the added delays due to Dickens on the Strand. We joked that at least our bags are on the way.

Once we arrive at the pier there was some delay in getting through security, but once we approached the check-in area everything got much better. We were able to skip to the VIP line and were checked in very quickly. It was about 1:20 so about 2 hours from parking to actually boarding ship, twice the normal time. We were in time for the luncheon in the DiVinci dining room which was very nice. Finally we could begin to relax and enjoy the cruise. Table service is so nice. after lunch we saw old & new friends right away which is nice that early on board. We then went to our cabin and noticed that yes our bags had beat us there. Took bags into room and began setting up for the week. We have cabin L-255. A balcony cabin on Lido deck. Good location as there is a lot going on on Lido deck. Primarily the pool, MUTS, and Horizon Court. Traded out bar setup (Elite perk) for preferred items. A fruit bowl, cookies, and chocolate cover strawberries were delivered to the room. A quick tour of the ship and it’s time for muster drill which is done very well on Princess ships. Our muster station was the Painted Dessert restaurant. After muster our Cruise Critic group met at the Oasis bar for sail away. A very nice group of people. As mentioned Dickens on the Strand was going on so we could see the colorful costumes and the tall sailing ship Elissa was manned all the way up it’s masts. A few words of encouragement was shouted to the crew of the Elissa, Hold Fast, being my favorite. Of course the dolphins escorted us out of Galveston harbor. Since it was very cool everyone went indoors. We met friends in the Wheelhouse for cocktails. The Wheelhouse being a beautiful bar is one of my favorites. The Oklahoma-Nebraska football game is on MUTS and I saw the decisive drive before going to dinner. Oklahoma looks very good. We didn’t set at our table, but at a table with friends. Dinner was very good. Following dinner we skipped the welcome show and retired for the evening.

Day 2-at sea- The weather was very foggy and overcast and it had rained during the night so it was slow going for pool & outdoor activities. I had breakfast, Eggs Benedict, in the dining room and it was very good. They have a different specialty item each morning and I want to try each during the week. I visited the internet cafe and the connections were good considering we are at sea. We met a lot of our C-C group for the trivia contest midmorning. It was fun and more fun visiting with friends. We did lunch in the dining room (Sea Bass) and explored more of the ship. DW went to a movie in the Princess Theater. The weather improved as the day went along. They delivered a large plate of canapés, one of the Elite perks. They were very good, but too much for us so we shared with friends. The Dallas Cowboy-NY Giants football game was on MUTS this afternoon. Lots of Cowboy fans in Cowboy colors watching from the Lido and Sun decks. We watched the second half and it was quite fun. The view of the sun going down, the football game on the big screen, friend & drinks, a super way to enjoy the evening! The best sports bar at sea for sure. Tonight is formal night and we attended the Captains reception which is held in the atrium area. We sat in our assigned table this evening. The waiter and assistant Matre'd had been waiting for us as they acknowledged the special diet (vegetarian) for DW. The Matre'd stating he would make a special vegetarian minestrone soup for DW on Italian night (he is Italian, he can probably handle it) Another example of the personalized service. We attended the production show which was Curtains Up a salute to broadway shows. It was good and they did Oklahoma as the finale which is a personal favorite of mine. Too tired for the Disco through the Decades so we retired.

Day 3-Costa Maya- Eggs Florentine was the feature breakfast in the dining room and it was good. The morning is cloudy with scattered occasional rain. While most were debarking in Costa Maya, we enjoyed the morning at the spa pool. There had to be a thermostat problem as the pool was extremely warm/hot. Much hotter than the hot tubs. It was very refreshing as rain drops created steam. It was one giant sauna although you couldn’t stay in the pool long because of the heat. We went to shore about noon and met up with friends at El Faro in Mahahual. Spent the afternoon enjoying mojitos and good company. Mojito Monday was quite fun. Some excitement when a thunderstorm came through, but it cleared following a 15 minute rain. DW enjoyed a beach massage at the set up next to El Faro. We went down to check out Pez Quatro and from there took a cab back to the dock area. One last dip in the large pool and swim up bar located at the Costa Maya pier. The ship sailed at 6:00 p.m. Tonight is Italian night in the dining room. The eggplant parmesan was excellent. DW missed dinner as she was resting from the big day. The waiters took her the special vegetarian minestrone soup they had prepared for her. It was very good. Very thoughtful of the wait staff. The internet wasn’t working due to cloud cover so back to the cabin. Mojito Monday had caught up with me so I retired early.

Day 4-Roatan- It rained very early but cleared by 8:00 a.m. The featured breakfast was a special French Toast. We met our group of C-C friends for our own personal tour about 9:30 and hired a van for the day for $20 pp. We went first to the West End where the girls shopped and the guys went ot the Spotted Ray, a restaurant/bar which is built out over the water. Interesting place with birds, good views, and good local beer. We then went to Fosters Beach Club located in the West End. From there you could swim, snorkel, or eat & drink enjoying the beautiful view and beach. We were originally going to make another stop since we had our own van, but stayed at Fosters since it had everything you need. We did arrived back in time for late afternoon tea which was quite good. I had expected some small sandwiches along with the usual scones and sweets, but the small sandwiches were both larger and more variety than expected. What a great place for a snack in addition to the tea & sweets. Susan Howard (actress from Dallas) sat at the adjoining table. After tea we then watched sail away from the balcony cabin as well as the sunset and moon rise. Very pretty out this evening. Time for a movie on the TV before dinner. It was Caribbean night in the dining room, one of the weaker menus so I had the New York strip steak which was very good. The Caribbean Party on the rear decks was very nice. Don’t miss it.

Day 5-Belize- The day started cloudy. Huevos Rancheros was the breakfast in the dining room and very good. Belize is a tender port, but we caught a tender, without any problem, about 8:30. Interesting to watch the albatross circle over Belize City harbor. Snorkel Trip: I booked a snorkel trip with Ecological Tours with friends. We went out on a Wet and Wild boat for about a 45 minute trip to the barrier reef. The weather was beautiful. We stopped first at the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve and Coral Gardens which is a protected underwater national park. There was a large variety of fish and coral. We had a full 45 minutes of snorkel time which was about right. Next stop was the Shark Ray Alley. There were numerous stingrays and nurse sharks. Also a barracuda. We spent about 30 minutes here. Next stop was Caye Caulker. We only had an hour here so we quickly went to the split for Bilikins beers at the Lazy Lizard. Also had to sample the Lizard juice. This is a very beautiful spot and a hidden treasure on Caye Caulker. The trip got back to Belize City about 3:30. Time for a last minute beer at the Iguana at the pier with the “little man” We arrived back on ship about 4:30. Time for a hot tub and swim in the spa area pool. DW spent the day on the ship and enjoyed three movie, one in the theater, the others on cabin TV. We enjoyed watching the ship maneuver through the straights following the buoys. There was the lights of other cruise ships ahead and behind us. A lovely evening on the balcony. This was the second formal night. First they delivered fancy chocolate covered strawberries to the cabin. Dinner was very good. Escargot was the appetizer and I had the New York strip steak again with lobster.

Day 6-Cozumel-Again the day started out cloudy. The Lumberjack breakfast was featured in the dining room. There were six ships in port for only three berths and we were fortunate in two ways. We docked at Punta Langosta which is walking distance of town. Very fortunate. We have no excursions planned since we will be back in Cozumel on Tuesday. We went to town about 10:00 a.m. and DW bought jewelry at Mayan Pearl for Christmas gifts. I got a haircut at Antonio’s while she shopped. We went down to Havana Blue for mojitos and ran into Towmater who was doing the same. The best mojitos in the Caribbean IMHO. DW said the raspberry mojito was also good. Went to a cafe on the square for some guacamole and people watching which is also fun. The sky seemed threatening and it was windy, but it never rained. It made for a cool comfortable day. We did some more shopping and returned to the ship about 4:00 pm. I had arranged with our cabin stewart for ice buckets for a sail away DosXX party. We met on deck 7 above the gangway to watch the late comers and drunks board. We had a great time razzing the pax of the Voyager of the Seas which docked next to us. The Princess security and officers at first didn’t know hat to think about our group, but as time got later they actually would give us the count of missing pax. We were able to greet the final two by name as they were calling those names over the PA. Great fun. Thanks C-C group for making it so. Always my favorite thing to do in Cozumel. The lights of the six ships looked great sailing out of the strait of Cozumel heading north. Dinner tonight was good. DW had another specialty vegetarian dish made for her: stuffed peppers and stuffed zucchini. I had the crab legs and Chicken Kiev. This was also French onion soup night. We went to Princess Theater for the Cinematastic show.

Day 7-at Sea-Very rough seas overnight and into the morning. All the outer decks are closed. Very few at breakfast this morning, Eggs Benedict again featured. Spent some time in internet cafe before weather closed down the connections. We were invited to the Captains Luncheon as we are frequent cruisers. We were fortunate enough to sit with the captain this time. The food & desert was fantastic. The captain said we experienced some 20’ swells during the night. We went to afternoon tea at 4:00 and play some trivia and games following. The seas were calmer the further north we went, but still rough. Dinner was good. I had prime rib. The Baked Alaska parade has returned and it was a good dessert. We returned to the cabin to pack which took the rest of the evening. Got the bags into the hallway just before midnight.

Debarkation-We had breakfast in the dining room. The feature was scrambled eggs with asparagus. We usually do the self disembark, but since we are taking the Splendour of the Seas out today we decided to take our time. Good thing we weren’t in a hurry as our color/deck wasn’t called until almost 11:00 a.m. We spent time in the Vista lounge waiting. It went very smooth once we were called and they did keep our Sign&Sail Cards. We found our bag, went through customs, and the porter took our bags all the way to Terminal 2 for us. We actually met our DD and neighbors as they pulled into the terminal. So we are ready for the second leg of our b2b.

Ship: The ship is very nice and was decorated for Christmas. We took advantage of the spa area much more this time as our cabin was just below. No new bedding as yet, but I understand that is coming. All the public rooms were well maintained and very clean.

Cabin: smaller than Carnival and not does not have a couch. Smaller closets and bath area storage than RCL and Carnival. The cabin is quite adequate though. There was the bar set up and other Elite perks. Edward our Stateroom Steward was super.

Food: Very good food in the dining room. The best we have had in a long time. The wait service is the best of any cruise line I have experienced. Our waiter, Constantine, was excellent. All the staff are very good. They do all the proper and little things that should be done. The white gloves worn by the staff on formal night for example. Also if you don’t drink coffee, they remove the cup & saucer, not turn the cup over as on some cruise lines. The little things make a big difference when it comes to service. I must say that I appreciate enforcement of the rules when it comes to attire, i.e. not hats in dining room at any time, no sandals, no jeans, etc. I found myself upgrading, wearing pants for breakfast or lunch on port days although you can wear shorts if you wish. In addition to the hand sanitizers found everywhere they gave you additional as you entered the dining rooms. It was said that, "the Grand pax have the cleanest hands in the Caribbean".

Cruise: We had a great time on this cruise. The Grand wasn’t one of DW’s favorites until this cruise, but this one won her over. Everything is so well done and the crew is outstanding. It’s a shame that the Grand isn’t returning next year. The Captain would not confirm any rumors about the Emerald or any other Princess ship coming to the new Houston Cruise Ship Terminal in 2008. We loved the ports of call on this sailing. We also had a wonderful time with the friends, both old and new, we met on board.

This cruise goes down as one of the very best we have ever experienced
and probably the best ever.

Review--Ecstasy --November 13, 2006

Ecstasy --November 13-20, 2006

This was a late booked cruise simply because of the good deal on a single 1A guarantee. This was my ninth Carnival cruise and second on the Ecstasy. The immediate good news was an upgrade to a 4A with a good amidship location.

Embarkation / Day 1. The day began as usual with a check of the Galveston port web cam. There was no Ecstasy to be found when she should have been already docked. She finally docked about 7:00 a.m. which isn’t too late. At least I knew she was in port before leaving home. The drive was fine and Houston traffic wasn’t too bad. I arrived at EZ Cruise about 11:30 a.m. I usually walk, but not having luggage tags took the shuttle in order to get tags from luggage area. If someone wants to book a late cruise guarantee, the process is fairly painless. This was my 4th time to have to pick up luggage tags. Although there were no huge lines the process was going very slow at check-in. More agents came at 12:30 and it went better. Usually no more than an hour from parking lot to lunch on Lido deck, but today took an hour and a half. A Rueben sandwich and salad to begin the day and both were very good. They have an excellent salad bar in the center of the Panorama Bar & Grill. Off for my first visit to my HQ, the Atrium Bar. Alex left the ship today so all new bartenders. All female. That’s all right, I won’t complain. Sail-Away special always the best drink of the day. One concern I have heard from some reviewers is that the muster drill interferes with the actual departure from Galveston. It does. I have sailed from Galveston many times so it’s not a great loss, but Galveston does have the dolphins which escort the ship out of the harbor. They really are fun to watch even if you have done so many times. You’d really have to hustle to see them and participate in the muster drill.

Checked bag came in good order, they seem to distribute the luggage well. Sampled the sushi bar and it was very good. The welcome show was very good. The new CD, Stuart Dunn, was good and refreshing. Not the same CD jokes. The comedian, Lewis Nixon was also very entertaining. I enjoyed the show and recommend it. I had hoped for 8:30 dinner, but got 8:00 pm as they had a singles/solo cruisers table at this seating. We ended up with a nice table for eight. Well dressed, well mannered, nice people. You always wonder how the luck of the draw will go especially when sailing solo. Dinner was good. The new menu with the “always available” section is now also on Ecstasy. The shrimp cocktail (you can order a double) is nice and filet mignon was very good. I have found the steaks hit or miss on CCL ships. This was a hit, I may order more steaks this week. A nightcap and off to the cabin to rest from the long day.

At Sea / Day 2. I always eat in the dining room for 1st breakfast and order the same items. Can get a feel for the food for the rest of the mornings by doing so. Almost late, but in under the wire of 10:00 a.m. Eggs benedict & french toast were good. I tried the special which was some type of baked eggs. Don’t recommend. Eggs on top of dish were barely cooked. I guess not enough oven. Today is a beautiful day so all the lido deck activities are going well. I signed up for the wine tasting which was at 12:30. The Matre’d promoted it at the previous nights dinner as a wine/cheese tasting and the cheese was the hook for me. I’ve done a wine tasting. When I went to the tasting it was JUST a wine tasting with some (very little) cheese, a lime, and a strawberry which were used during the tasting. Then they had the art auction guys hop up and take over the program. Almost a bait & switch in my opinion. Today was indian food day in the buffet. The mulligatawny soup was just OK, the poppadam was very good as were the sauces.

First seating of the Texas hold’em tables was this afternoon. I bought in at a low amount, but didn’t have near the luck as in September. Even had same seat and same table, the cards just didn’t fall for me. I do like the set up on Ecstasy best. The tables are in a nonsmoking area and away from the casino.

The Captains party was this evening and went well. Found a nice area with a nice cocktail waitress that kept us in plenty of drinks. Tipping (usually) helps keep you table filled with drinks. Formal dinner this evening and the lobster tail was very good. Disappointed by the pumpkin soup and VERY disappointed with the Bitter & Blanc. I’ve had it a dozen times since introduced with the new menus about a year ago and it was always the best dessert of the cruise. This was very dry, even dried-out. Actually it wasn’t as good last month on the Conquest, but I assumed it was just an off serving. This nights was even worse. I didn’t finish mine nor did others at my table. How they can take the best desert they had and change it is beyond me. Not going to let the desert disappoint the entire dinner though. The production show, Dream Voyage, after dinner was enjoyable. The dancers are good especially the ballet duo.

Progreso, Mexico / Day 3. My 4th time to Progreso so I’m not planning on going into town so it’s a nice day to sleep in which I did. I had an omelet from the omelet station which was good. A good time to use ship facilities since most people are off the ship. Played some mini-golf on the new course, swam in the pool including using the slide a few times. Also took a steam in the spa which is very refreshing. I didn’t visit the spa in September so I’ll note that the spa has also been refurbished and is very nice. Enjoyed a nice lunch in the Panorama Grill and they had the pistachio napoleons in the desert area. Very good, almost makes up for the B&B. I did get a chance to visit with the Matre’d during the day about the Bitter & Blanc. He’ll speak to the pastry chef. Also spent time at HQ, the Atrium Bar. Watched a few late arrivals board the ship which is always fun. Cozumel will be much better. Progreso is probably not a good place to be left behind. Dinner was good I chose the shrimp cocktail and steak from the alternative menu. Steak ordered medium-well but came well; however, the cut of meat was excellent. Matre’d came by to report about Bitter & Blanc. Tonight was amateur show so I skipped that and visited with new friends before retiring to cabin.

Cozumel, Mexico / Day 4. Arrived in Cozumel about 9:00 a.m. and did dock at the Punta Langosta pier along side the Fantasy. Began the day with breakfast in dining room and then prepared for trip to town. I was able to debark from crew gangway as it was just above my cabin and that gave me a good head start into San Migel. I was heading to the internet shop when I heard my friend Nelly call my name. Always nice to visit with Nelly. She owns the Mayan Pearl a nice jewelry store in Cozumel near the square. I got my internet business taken care of and waved at Martin, my barber, and headed down to the Forum for an early Mojito. Met friends at the square and spent an afternoon enjoying beer and Mariachi’s. We hired every mariachi group and soloist on the avenue. Back to the ship to watch the late arrivals stagger back. The welcome guest party was this evening and nice. Dinner was good. I again ordered the shrimp cocktail and steak. They served the grand mariner soufflé for desert. The production show was Ultimate Country and was a big crowd pleaser.

At Sea / Day 5. Final breakfast in dining room. Again everything is just a bit over cooked. The eggs benedict were hard. It was a beautiful day and a good time for Lido deck activities. Final Rueben sandwich for lunch. While on Lido deck I noticed the Splendour of the Seas pass us on her way to Cozumel. It is her first trip of the season from Galveston. She looked great. I went to Tea time which was held in the Neon bar and it was very good. The scones were excellent. Another visit to the steam room and final drinks from the atrium bar. A lot of things to do on the final day of the cruise. Dinner was very good, one of the better ones of the cruise. The Neptune Basket is becoming one of my favorites. It was excellent. I also had a shrimp cocktail & a steak. The desert was Baked Alaska. I retired to the cabin to pack and rest for an early debarkation.

Debarkation. The ship was an hour and a half late arriving in Galveston. Perhaps she couldn’t make up for leaving Cozumel late. I just waited in my cabin until they began calling specific decks for self-assist. It wasn’t too bad considering. I got to customs about 9:15 a.m. The Grand Princess had just docked for her 1st cruise of the season this morning. She also looked great. Walked to EZ Cruise parking and was on my way.

Cabin. I had cabin R150 an interior 4A. It’s not a quad so it didn’t have the large new furniture that my previous cabin had. Newly remodeled bathroom, new carpets, flat screen TV (no a/v hookups), and new chairs, stools and furnishings. The fan seems louder than I remember, but blowing well. In previous cabin it was the exhaust that made noise. Neither too bad as I usually have the TV on for background noise. Very near the amidships elevator and stairways. This cabin is great for a single or double. Cabin steward was named Butrous and he did a good job.

Food / Bar. I have already mentioned some specific problems. It seems everything is over cooked including: steaks, deserts, eggs, escargot, and other entrees. Consider this especially when ordering steaks, eggs, etc.. The deli sandwiches are very good as is the salad bar and desert station in the Panorama grill. Everyone at my table raved over the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake with ice cream on the side. It was a desert that was available every night and many ordered it on several nights. I thought the Bar Service was excellent. Friendly bartenders and cocktail waiters. Always seemed willing to help with special requests and were always willing to serve.

Ship. Again the ship is in great shape since the refit. Very clean and well maintained. I liked the CD, he did a good job. He could have stressed the importance of having a “free hand” if your using self-debarkation.

Overall another great cruise. I met a lot of very nice people, made some new friends and saw some old friends while onboard. I will be cruising the Ecstasy again.

Review--Conquest--October 15, 2006

Conquest--October 15-22, 2006

This was my eighth CCL cruise, fourth on Conquest, and fourth (total) solo. I was looking forward to this cruise as this was a Cruise Critic group cruise and I really wanted to meet many of the people who have been active on the C-C boards. The Saints & Sinners-II were a great group of people. Also having recently cruised the Conquest I will be skipping some of the shows and activities one would normally do on a cruise.

Day one-Embarkation-Checked web cam around 6:30 a.m. and saw the Conquest arrive in Galveston which is always a good sign for a smooth embarkation. I left beautiful Bosque county shortly afterward and arrived at EZ Cruise parking about 11:30 a.m. I usually walk, but used the shuttle this morning as it had been storming/raining. Arrived at terminal one just before noon. The lines were longer than normal for that time-IMHO, but ran very smoothly. No problems with check-in or security and I was on board just about 12:30. I did make note of the size of the carry on bags many were bringing aboard. Some were almost as large as the duffle I checked.

A Reuben sandwich hit the spot while waiting for the cabin areas to be opened. They had been allowing access to cabins at 1:00 but I think they are trying to push the time back as it was closer to 1:30 and the handouts now stated access at 2:00 p.m. I’m guessing they will gradually move the time back. Will not be easy for those hauling on those oversize carry on bags.

I always get my first funship special at lobby bar and did so again. Began meeting S&S-II people which was easy to do as most were wearing the S&S-II t-shirts. It will not be difficult to find someone to enjoy a drink with on this cruise. The first official meet was after muster drill at the Sky bar and I got to meet a large number of the S&S-II group. This will be a different experience from sailing with the primarily Texas folks I am used to sailing with out of Galveston. I have already met people from Pittsburgh, Boston, New York, and Canada. All very nice and folks we do not see in Bosque county.

We saw a lot of dolphins as we sailed away from Galveston harbor. The sea is rough as we have a front to sail through. The ship is really rocking. Especially compared to my most recent cruises.

The late dinner S&S group is seated in the same general area on level two of the Monet dining room. I am used to the 8:30 setting and this was the 8:00, but I’ll adjust. Dinner was good, but only standard CCL fare. Not near as good as Rhapsody or even the Ecstasy-IMHO. I had the same opinion in August. The shrimp cocktail appetizer was good, but the steak was only fair. In lieu of desert I had the cheese selection. New from even two months ago, the menu now reflects the alternative selections. i.e.- the items available every night. That’s good especially for inexperienced cruisers. Having had very little sleep the past two nights I skipped the S&S function and the Welcome Show and called it a evening.

Day Two-at sea. Slept very well. The ship is still rockin’ and rollin’ today. You certainly are getting your moneys worth as far as the ride goes. An “E’ ticket for sure.

I had my traditional first morning on board breakfast in the dining room. Tomato juice, grapefruit sections, eggs benedict, side of french toast, bacon, and milk. During breakfast I was able to visit with Zoltan, a waiter I have become friends with from previous cruises. Met in deck-3 lobby for the group S&S-II photo and later lunch in the dining room. Good day to visit with folks and also catch up on sleep. A nice late afternoon nap was wonderful. This is formal night. Attended the Captains reception which was extremely well/over attended. Retreat to bar in Henri’s disco and yes you could order a specialty drink. The bartender initially balked, but persistence (and later tips) won him over to very excellent service. I’ve met the crew so the frequent drinks in the overflow of Henri’s was a fine deal for me. Met someone who attended my high school-small world. Dinner was much better than previous night. The Pumpkin soup, Lobster and Tiramisu were very good. Spent some time in the Impressions Bar and Degas Lounge after dinner and enjoyed the drinks, entertainment and people watching very much.

Day Three-at sea. Slept very well. Sea is much calmer than yesterday, but still not calm. Enjoyed breakfast in the dining room. Casual morning and also had lunch in dining room. The Chicken Parmesan was very good. The return guest party held today was excellent, the best ever of the four I have attended on the Conquest. Dinner was good especially the starters: Escargot, Hearts of palm, and French onion soup. We had to detour to Grand Cayman to debark an ill passenger, the lights of 7-mile beach and Georgetown were visible during dinner. Tonight is mardi gras night and many in the S&S-II group fully participated.

Day Four-Montego Bay Jamaica. I was up early and had breakfast in the dining room. Most of the S&S-II group had planned to go to Sunset Beach, an all-inclusive resort near the pier. We were docked on time and since I was around early I went to Sunset Beach prior to rest of the group. Good place for swimming, and drinks & food were included in admission. Being solo it was nice to be a part of a larger group at a spot like Sunset Beach, it was fun, but I really think Doctors Cave Beach is a better choice for a beach day in MoBay. Dinner was very good and this was Bitter&Blanc night for desert. Having had too much sun I retired early. Seas calm during the night.

Day Five-Grand Cayman. Early breakfast in dining room. While most are busy getting off for their excursions I enjoy a couple of steams in the spa. Very nice and helping with the sunburn. Took a tender into Georgetown to purchase some liquor from Pirates Grotto and a hat from the recently opened Margaritavile. I returned to the ship in time for lunch, some Rueben sandwiches. This afternoon was a cocktail party for the S&S-II group was was quite fun. Dinner was good, especially the crab cake. Watched a movie on the TV and retread early.

Day Six-Cozumel, Mexico. Breakfast again in the dining room. We arrived in Cozumel about 9:00 a.m.. The fantastic news is that we were able to dock at the Langosta pier. I believe this is the first time that the Conquest has docked since last year and it sure beats tendering. Off to town to see Nelly at Mayan Pearl. She has a bracelet to repair for DW and another for me to pick up. I went to see Martin and got a haircut, then to the internet store to check e-mail and fantasy picks for the upcoming weekend. Next stop is Havana Club, which I believe now is going by the name Havana Blue. Since moving to their new location they emphasize jazz and blues and less of the salsa. Still great mojitos. Lunch at Panchos Backyard (thanks D&S) the chicken fajitas were great. Returned to Maya Pearl to pick up jewelry and some afternoon shopping before returning to the ship. Now that we are docked I get to enjoy one of my favorite Cozumel traditions: watching the inebriated and late pax rush to the ship at the end of the day. The Langosta pier is not as conducive to the viewing as the Puerto Maya pier, but close. The Norwegian Sun docked across the way added to the atmosphere. I was not disappointed. There were a lot returning with the “staggers & jags” and a few flashers for good measure. We sailed away about 6:00 p.m.

Dinner was again good. Best: Coquille St. Jacque and special halloween deserts decorated with ghosts, bats, pumpkins, etc. Something new for me was the halloween show after dinner. Ghost stories, games and a costume contest. Very interesting.

Day Seven-at Sea. Final dining room breakfast. I think everyone waited until last day as the dining room was packed for the first time for breakfast. A little business with the purser as Sail & Sign account on the TV doesn’t reflect an OBC although the pursers account does. They are very helpful at the pursers desk. Liquor was delivered to the cabins this morning. Lunch in the dining room, but still room for some BLT’s from room service in late afternoon. The final S&S-II cocktail reception was 4:30-5:30 and again fun. Final dinner was the best of the week. I had both the pork chop and Neptune Platter. Of course the Grand Marnier Soufflé is great and tonight was exceptional.

Debarkation. Room service breakfast as a wake up call. Nice little refund check from CCL in my mailbox this morning as well. Also I elected to do self-assist as usual, but decided to let the gangways clear before leaving the cabin about 7:30. It went smooth all the way to customs. They had four lines for pax and three lines for crew. I’ve never seen that before, not sure what was up. They were in uniform without any bags. After getting through customs I WALKED over to EZ Cruise and was on the way. Stopped for gas ($1.92) and was across the bridge by 8:25.

Cabin: I had cabin 7345 which is a 1A, but a great inside midship location on deck 7. Perfect for a single or solo cruiser and large enough for three with the drop down bunk. The room is square, (most are rectangular) I like the additional room at the entry between the bathroom and closets. More room than many 4A’s-6A’s. Some of my new C-C friends have the two 1A’s on deck two which actually have picture windows. There are some 1A deals on Conquest if you know where to look. Cabin was very clean, much cleaner than our cabin on Conquest two months ago. This was one of the cruise were I rarely saw the cabin steward. Some have different styles. The cabin was always well kept and my requests via sticky note was always fulfilled.

Ship: The Conquest is a great ship and she still seems very well maintained and clean. All of the public rooms are beautiful. Read up on French impressionist artists before boarding. The Conquest also has a new Cruise Director, Mark Price, very good, but different without Todd.

Food: The food is good, deserts better, wait staff the best. Always plenty to eat and the wait staff is very good in the dining rooms and lido deck buffets.

Cruise Critic: I’ve already mentioned what a great group of people the Saints & Sinners-II people are and have been on the cruise. What a fun group. Do I think their presence has influenced the cruise: Yes. From my experience having sailed the Conquest four times the most noticeable difference was the return guests party. The Conquest staff went all-out IMHO with extra wait staff and as many refills of drinks as one could possibly want. Very smart move by the CD and staff. Most of the S&S-II group are loyal CCL guests and should be rewarded. I didn’t participate in all the S&S-II activities, especially the late night or some meetings at the port drinking establishments, but I don’t recover from the drink as I once could. The private cocktail parties were brilliant, especially the extra one scheduled. What a bargain. Numerous drinks for that $11.00 (That’s my Scots nature--always appreciate a value) I may have to reevaluate my no flying to a cruise rule and look at S&S-III. I also met two groups of people who read C-C for information yet never post nor are active. Just found that interesting.

Great Cruise, great people, good cabin, good food, I am a happy cruiser!!

Review--Rhapsody of the Seas--September 24, 2006

Rhapsody of the Seas September 24-October 1, 2006

This will be written with some comparisons to the Conquest and Ecstasy which we have sailed within the past few weeks. This was our second time on the Rhapsody which is DW’s favorite ship.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation Oversleeping and one accident on Houston Freeways delayed usual arrival by an hour+, but seemed to work out overall. Usually I’m one of those people who think they need to be at the check-in by 11:30. The delay put us there about 12:30 which IMHO was actually better. The early arrivers where on board yet we were ahead of the published 1:00 pm boarding so it went very smooth. No lines in Security, Check-in, Security photos, or Windjammer. From street to buffet in 15 minutes. I think a 12:30 arrival is ideal for the future.

The Windjammer buffet is very good, much better than Ecstasy and Conquest, my recent sailings. I really appreciate the drinks (lemonade, tea, water) being available on trays. You do not have to fix your own (find the glasses. find the ice, find the dispenser) as on the previously mentioned ships. Explored the ship and some sail away drinks this afternoon. BTW-you will save about $1 in taxes if you purchase drinks after we leave Galveston.

Our C-C group had prearranged to wear mardi gras beads so it was easy to find our new friends following muster drill. Nice to meet some folks before our official meet on Monday. I did wear my new C-C T-shirt under my Caribbean shirt, but it was still noticed by a few, mostly crew!

The Welcome Aboard Show was good. The CD is Dan Whitney and he is one of the best-IMHO. We had an excellent draw on the dinning room table. Round six-top table center location of DR just below staircase. Very nice people at out table including Cruise Critic fans. We turned in after dinner. During the night we passed through a thunderstorm and the thunder and lightning was both interesting and entertaining.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea I enjoyed a dining room breakfast and DW ordered room service breakfast for the balcony. Very nice to have options. Our Meet & Mingle was at 12:30 and was well attended. RCL provided canapés, a gift (note pad) for everyone, and a raffle prize. A bit rainy a lot of the day, but it was interesting. Saw a very large waterspout from aft balcony. The weather cleared in the afternoon and everyone was enjoying the usual ship board activities. This is formal night. The Captains reception was held in the Lounge and Champagne was distributed by the waiters. The Captain, Anders Ingebrigtsen, spoke about the changes and new deployment for Rhapsody next year. Formal dinner was very good. I had shrimp cocktail, escargot, beef, & Grand Mariner soufflé for desert. The production show after dinner was very good as well, Piano Man, featuring the RCL Singers & Dancers.

Day Three--Tuesday--at Sea/Key West This is a great day in that you have a sea day and a port day in one. We began with room service breakfast on the balcony. DW spent most of the day in the Solarium swimming and relaxing in a more quiet environment. than the main pool. I entered the Texas Hold’em Tournament, but didn’t get too far. Congrats to C-C member Wes who made the final table. They served southern style pork chops & potatoes with onions in the Windjammer. Very good, reminded me of my younger days. We watched the port activity as we approached Key West. The Enchantment of the Seas leaves port as we arrive. Pretty cool as the two ships pass each other. Key West: We headed straight for Henrietta’s Bakery located on Petronia Street in the Bahamian district. About a six block walk and as we got there they just flipped the closed sign. They opened for us and we even got to met Henrietta. Their business has really changed since being featured on the Food Network. They ship a USPS truck full of bakery items out daily. She said she ships more items to Texas than anywhere else. We made our selections and headed back to the Green Parrot which we passed along the way. This is the real deal Key West bar established in 1890. Few tourists and it was full of very interesting locals. My first beer and beginning of our Key West pub crawl. Next to Kelly’s Caribbean Bar which has perhaps the best happy hour on the island. We spent the balance of happy here enjoying the Key Lime margaritas. Kelly’s is in the original Pan-Am airlines headquarters and has very old Key West roots. The bar is made/cut out from an old Pan-Am clipper wing. Cool place. Next we walked to the Key West bight or boardwalk. We stopped at the Conch Republic Seafood Company, but found our favorite place on the seaport to be the Schooner Wharf. Excellent live music and very good mango mojitos. From the Schooner Wharf to Sloppy Joe's for a final nightcap. Enjoying our pub crawl we turned in and didn’t make the sail away midnight buffet & entertainment, but heard it was very good.

Day Four--Wednesday--at Sea Room service breakfast works very well so we did it once again. Some swimming in the Solarium pool in the morning. We purchased tickets to the Cocktail Seminar at Sea which was at 12:15. This was very entertaining and they do their best to get you buzzed in the early afternoon. They passed out samples of most of the drinks including: Apple martinis, Cosmopolitans, Bahama Mamas, Yellow Birds, & BBC’s. If you wanted extras you could get it. Lunch in Windjammer which I have found has a very good lunch selections. I had the roast beef and cajun chicken. The feature show this evening was Kenny James a great singer/entertainer. Dinner was again very good. Maryland Crab cake, New England clam chowder, and Pork chop was my selections. Had to have two deserts: Baked Alaska & Bananas Foster. Quest was tonight, but left that to the newbies.

Day Five--Thursday--Grand Cayman We have decided to stay on board ship so we are on island time (relaxed) today. Room Service breakfast on the balcony, then swimming in the pools. Nice when there are few people on board. By midday we started getting rain so people began coming back to the ship earlier than norm. Again a good lunch in the Windjammer. My selections: Corned beef and cabbage, pork cutlets, potatoes, salad. The weather really started getting bad later in the day which made the solarium busier than normal so we opened the balcony door and enjoyed the thunder, lightning, and rain. After the dry summer in Texas, it was nice to just see the rain. The late afternoon was much better & the aft balcony gave a great sail away view of Grand Cayman, improved by Bahama mama’s from room service. Tonight is the second formal night. The Crown & Anchor get together was this evening (we skipped) and the production show was Pure Country. Lobster was the choice for most at dinner and yes a second lobster was available to those who wished. Also later was the Gala Buffet at midnight. Didn’t make it after the lobsters, but heard it was great.

Day Six--Friday--Cozumel Very impressive entry into the Strait of Cozumel with the Conquest, Rhapsody, & Mariner coming in side by side. GOOD NEWS for everyone. We docked at Punta Langosta. We were the first ship to do so. The Mariner docked at the International pier and I’m guessing that the Rhapsody will dock there on the weeks that the Mariner is not here and at Punta Langosta on the other weeks. Bottom line: Looks like that the Rhapsody will always be docked and not tendering every other week. Hopefully this will be true for the Splendour as well when she starts her Cozumel sailings from galveston. We have been to Cozumel more than 30 times over a period of 25 years so usually never make specific plans and ‘play it by ear’ depending on mood and weather. Today we went to see Nelly at Mayan Pearl as DW needed some items. While DW had some items custom made I spent an hour in the internet store (next door to my Coz barber). We walked down to the Havana Club for a couple of mojitos, then some shopping on the way back. We thought we’d visit some of the oldest establishments so spent some time at Casa Denis and then La Mission. We returned to the ship around 3:30 and spent the rest of the afternoon on the balcony which luckily over looked Cozumel. We could follow the action in town where they had a parade on the Malecon (& in boats on the water) as well as the action at Senor Frogs. Great view and comfort as we had room service snacks as well. Really love the big balcony on this cruise. Dinner was again great. A highlight this evening was watching the lights of the Conquest and the moon above her as she sailed along our port side.

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea Room service breakfast again this morning. Swimming and relaxing in the solarium pool area is the agenda of the day. Lunch in Windjammer again good-my selections salad, seafood etouffee, pork tenderloin (jerk style) was very good. A visit to Mary Ann, the C&A and future cruise representative. We booked two more cruises on Rhapsody. A few Yellow Birds in the afternoon to use the 2for1 coupons in the C&A booklet made for a fun day.

About 3:00 p.m. I returned to the cabin and went on the balcony to watch the Conquest which was following on our port side. Suddenly the Conquest made a extreme 90˚turn to starboard. The first thing that came to mind was a “man overboard”. About 15 minutes passed and the Conquest started north again, this time on our starboard side but now several miles behind. I mentioned this to DW and some friends and of course as we found out the next day, they did have a tragedy on the Conquest at that time.

The farewell production show was good and the International Parade between dinners was excellent. The final dinner was as usual very good. My selections: Shrimp cocktail, Onion soup, Chicken Marsala, & Tiramisu for desert. No Conquest along side tonight as she is still catching up from the delay.

Debarkation--Sunday We did the self and it went fairly well. There was a hold up because of people trying to take too many bags and having to ride the elevators in the terminal. You must have one free hand to use the escalator. We were off the island by 8:00 a.m..

Ship I do think that the Rhapsody does deserve its reputation as the friendliest ship on the seas. The staff and crew are very good. The ship itself does show some wear and needs the upcoming dry dock. Yes there was vibration, but usually only when approaching a port. It may have more noticeable to others, but we are used to sailing and some vibration is part of the cruise. The passageways are narrow on Rhapsody so be careful.

Cabin We had originally booked this while onboard the Rhapsody last year, but later upgraded, so we were fortunate to get cabin 7152 an aft corner wrap balcony. The room is standard size, but the balcony is very large. There are no public aft stairs so it is a long walk to the elevator/stairs mid ship. There is some noise from the Lounge below, but we normally sleep with the TV on so it didn’t bother us that much. It did give me a start during what I assume was the finale on the first night-I did jump out of bed!! One good advantage is no passageway noise. No traffic and no cabin doors near us. Fair tradeoff IMHO. The cabin needs updating and It will be in February so we’ll have the new bedding, etc. on our Rhapsody cruises next year. Did we enjoy this cabin? Yes very much.

Food The room service breakfast has more selections than most cruise lines, so it is a great option especially if you can eat on the balcony. Many of the dining room dinner items are available from room service or the Windjammer from 6:30-9:30 daily. A great option for those who can not make the dining room.

Lunch is the same menu each day with one special item that does change daily. You can order a banana split for desert at lunch. All the bread selections are very good on board. The buffet is also very good and much better than other lines. There are ice creme and yogurt machines in the Windjammer.

Overall we both thought the food was much better on Rhapsody than the two RCL ships; however, the deserts on Conquest & Ecstasy are better than the Rhapsody.

Needs Improvement The water jets at the entry steps of the pool in the Solarium never worked. Smoking was much worse on this cruise than previous RoS cruise. The Schooner Bar should be nonsmoking as you have to walk through it to get to the various other venues. This will be moot when she goes to Asia, but that is a while yet. Missed our breakfast order one morning, but I can see how that happened--the corner aft cabins don’t open on the main passage ways, but on an out set. It was just missed. The good thing is that the Room Service manager sent us some chocolate strawberries later that day. Wow I was impressed. Also the self-debarkation should be limited to one bag per person.

Final We really enjoyed the cruise and met some very nice people including a good C-C group. We still haven’t done everything on board there is to do, so I know we had an entertaining and enjoyable time. Another great cruise!