What have you learned from previous sailings?

I knew it was included (from reading here on the boards), but had no idea it was located in the big huge book that mostly looks like ads. Order SEVERAL All Hands on Decks. I order one before muster on the first day and usually one every day when we get back from excursions. My daughter likes to order a Mickey Bar and chicken strips. The cookies and key lime pie are good too.
Southerngirl just told me. I had no idea it was in that book. You learn something new every day. :rotfl2:
 
I sure did. In the random book containing jewerly ads; it’s no wonder I missed it the last two times. :charac2:

I’ve pre-paid my gratuities already but I’ll likely give the servers and room attendant some more cash on the side. I figure $20-30 tip for Palo brunch. I plan on giving room service server $2 per dish or order based on how much and what I order.

Speaking of room service, do you have a favorite must-order dish?

I know! It is kind of weird where they put it, but I guess that is the only hard bound book in the stateroom? (as I recall) It's only because I like to read EVERY thing that I found it our first cruise way back when the Magic was brand new! :-)

Your Palo tip sounds great to me. That's about what we do.

Hmmm, my must-order from room service? Well, I do love getting the light breakfast items brought early almost every day, (hang out the breakfast room service tag on the door the night before), like a carafe of coffee, milk and sugar for the coffee (I really am NOT much of a coffee drinker, LOL) and maybe a few pastries and bowl of fruit to nibble and sip while I get ready for my day. :sunny: Otherwise, I love finding out what the soup of the day is, as I LOVE good soups all year 'round. And of COURSE you have to ask what the cake of the day is! If these are something that sounds good, I get that! The fries with room service sandwiches and burgers are really good I think. And then there are those giant chocolate chip cookies! Mmmmmmm. And as others have said, the All Hands on Deck is quite yummy too! Especially if you have a libation to go with it! :cutie:
 


On demand movies in the room- I didn't realize these existed until several cruises in.
I can run on CC without doing the race.
O'gills... I love this place on the Magic and Wonder.
50 mb internet if you sign up on the first night.
The hot tub is a great place to meet people.
Free drinks on Captains night. I think it was cruise 9 or 10 before I realized this.
It's OK if the kids don't show up to dinner...it's actually rather pleasant.
No need to dress up for formal night.
The room service has things my youngest kid will eat.

Probably the biggest thing. I can survive in an inside room. I've now done 4 cruises in inside rooms. It's not my favorite, but if that's what's in the budget or that's what's discounted it's better then not cruising.
 


I think you have an addiction. :joker: Everyone needs to pitch in and get you a gift card to Joffrey’s.

:rotfl2: I do need my caffeine for SURE, but I tend to like the coffee drinks like lattes and the like. So I truly don't drink regular coffee that often. EXCEPT on a Disney cruise or in the islands where they grow the BEST coffee!! There's just something so nice about some nice person BRINGING me coffee to sip on in my stateroom. Makes it taste better! :thumbsup2

You will enjoy room service, now that you know you can and how to get it! :banana:
 
What took me forever to find was the door hanger for room service breakfast. It wasn't in the desk drawer with the stationery. Now I can't even remember where I eventually found it. Maybe in a pocket in the back of the hardbound book.
 
We ordered the chicken wings, chicken strips and mickey bars every night before bed. I learned that room service will not drop off hot food unless someone is in the room. So we make our order when we are heading back to the room so we don't have to wait too long until it arrives.

I've learned to just relax and take my time exploring the ship. Whatever I missed I can always do on the next cruise.

Using the new navigator app for meet and greets is fantastic. You have an option to see all the times a character is available throughout the cruise so you can strategically plan those events.

On the Dream class ships we first experienced the Rainforest Spa day pass, and we loved it. We used it 2 nights and felt like we had the place to ourselves. Now on our upcoming cruise I'm thinking of getting a longer pass.
 
It's OK if the kids don't show up to dinner...it's actually rather pleasant.


I’ll never forget the time my DS (at age 4) asked to eat dinner in the kids club rather than in the MDR. It was the last night of our 4-night cruise, and we had spent the day at CC. We were both tired, and I knew he wouldn’t last through a long dinner, so I let him do it. It ended up being a win-win for both of us!

Of course since I allowed it once, he wants to eat at the kids club every night of a cruise. So now, we try to split his time between dinner with us in the MDR and dinner at the kids club (maybe 1-2 nights, depending on the length of the cruise).
 
I think you have an addiction. :joker: Everyone needs to pitch in and get you a gift card to Joffrey’s..

Last 30% sale Joffrey's had they sent me an additional discount of 15%. I bought 15 pounds of coffee! I am a Joffrey's addict!

:rotfl2: I do need my caffeine for SURE, but I tend to like the coffee drinks like lattes and the like. So I truly don't drink regular coffee that often. EXCEPT on a Disney cruise or in the islands where they grow the BEST coffee!! There's just something so nice about some nice person BRINGING me coffee to sip on in my stateroom. Makes it taste better! :thumbsup2

You will enjoy room service, now that you know you can and how to get it! :banana:

Head to the Cove Cafe - they can make you Latte's and they have some really yummy one's on the menu, or ask them for a recommendation. They can do hot or iced. I blew through 2 coffee cards on my last 7 day cruise because I found out the adult coffee drinks count too!
 
It was our 5th cruise we finally tried room service and it was great after doing a Port Adventures or having that early morning coffee before breakfast. We unplug for the cruise and we find it much more enjoyable too. As far as pirate night we don't really care for the stage show we rather set in the adult area and wait for the fire works without getting into the crowds.
 
I was pleasantly surprised by the steak sandwich. Grilled onions always help.
I'll be sure to add the steak sandwich to my list. Onions and mushrooms all the way.
:rotfl2: I do need my caffeine for SURE, but I tend to like the coffee drinks like lattes and the like. So I truly don't drink regular coffee that often. EXCEPT on a Disney cruise or in the islands where they grow the BEST coffee!! There's just something so nice about some nice person BRINGING me coffee to sip on in my stateroom. Makes it taste better! :thumbsup2

You will enjoy room service, now that you know you can and how to get it! :banana:
The islands do have the best coffee. I think the main one farm/plantation is on the big island. How does the Kona coffee you get at the Polynesian Villiage compare to Hawaiian Kona?
 
Head to the Cove Cafe - they can make you Latte's and they have some really yummy one's on the menu, or ask them for a recommendation. They can do hot or iced. I blew through 2 coffee cards on my last 7 day cruise because I found out the adult coffee drinks count too!

OH yes! I have a lot of "notches" in my Cove Cafe cards too! ::yes:: They have a hot coffee drink with Amaretto or Frangelico that is yummy!! It's just a great hang out too, isn't it? :cutie:

The islands do have the best coffee. I think the main one farm/plantation is on the big island. How does the Kona coffee you get at the Polynesian Villiage compare to Hawaiian Kona?

You know, Dis_Mike, I'm not sure what brand they carry at the Poly. Isn't Big Island Candy's coffee? If so it is quite good! I've been to BI Candies store in Hilo and they hand you a sample of chocolate at the door and then offer you a little sample of their coffee and both DD#2 and I thought it delicious!

There are a LOT of coffee farms in Hawaii, most on the BI of course. I have ordered from Greenwell Farms on the BI. There is an annual coffee festival where they have contests for the public's favorites, and then a chef's favorite category. Kind of fun to order from those lists! :thumbsup2 The other Hawaiian islands grow some coffee as well, especially Maui. We have a favorite place we get our coffee each time we are on Maui, its the one under the smokestack in Lahaina! MauiGrown Coffee. Mmmmmm. Maui Mokka is my fave. It is not flavored coffee but has a natural hint of a chocolate taste. DH loves their "Lava Flow" beans.

The BI and Oahu's coffee farms have recently been hit by some sort of beetle infestation and Maui & Kauai are trying VERY hard to keep it off of their islands. I would look for Hawaiian coffee to be a lot MORE expensive because of this. Last Hawaiian coffee hint: almost all "Kona" or Hawaiian coffees one finds on the shelves, even in Hawaii are BLENDS, not 100%. The 100% beans will be pricey. Like $30/lb or easily more. But they are DIVINE. They converted me from just a frappe or latte girl to drinking "real" coffee! (and sorry folks, I do not like Joffrey's at all. Sorry. :o ONLY exception I have tried is a blend they have for the California Grill. It was actually rather nice. )

And there is no extra charge for all the worthless coffee trivia here! :rotfl2:
 
I’ll never forget the time my DS (at age 4) asked to eat dinner in the kids club rather than in the MDR. It was the last night of our 4-night cruise, and we had spent the day at CC. We were both tired, and I knew he wouldn’t last through a long dinner, so I let him do it. It ended up being a win-win for both of us!

Of course since I allowed it once, he wants to eat at the kids club every night of a cruise. So now, we try to split his time between dinner with us in the MDR and dinner at the kids club (maybe 1-2 nights, depending on the length of the cruise).
I have teenagers and they really hate showing up to dinner.
 
@southerngirl528 DH and I spent many hours with Ari at the Cove on our last trip. He introduced my husband to Blanton's bourbon and he made him a special drink with it every night. I also told him - surprise me with the coffee cocktails and boy did he! He introduced me to Liquor 43 when he made me a density drink with espresso, liquor 43 and whipped cream.... OMG YUM! And he made me multiple different twists on the espresso martini. If you are ever on the Fantasy ask him to make you one of his special drinks. He won't disappoint you. ::yes::::yes::
 
Our room service order this last cruise included the all hands on deck platter, a bowl of grapes, and 6 gigantic chocolate chip cookies. Those cookies are so yummy!
Also, sometimes my daughter is a pain when it comes to eating. So we can grab bread and then the little packages of peanut butter and jelly and save them to make a quick snack/lunch.
Which reminds me - you can order Uncrustables from room service. Ask for them to still be in the wrapper if you want to take them off the ship to snack on during excursions.
 
I have learned that I do not need a verandah. Our first two cruises were in OV rooms, and I coveted a verandah SO MUCH. We had one on our third cruise last October, and we barely used it. I didn't like how, when sitting down, the rail is right at eye level, and how small they are (did not have an extended verandah). Anyway, we just did not spend the amount of time out there that I thought we would. I think if DH and I were sailing as a couple then we might enjoy it more.

I also learned that I am happier traveling with a small fan to blow cool air on me while getting ready and while sleeping. And I am glad I travel with a small roll of duck tape keep the closet doors closed during periods of choppy seas. They rolled open and shut repeatedly one night on our first cruise, and I have sailed with a smallish roll on subsequent cruises.

If you need to see Guest Services for any reason, going late at night is a good time to visit as there is no line. Along with that, walking around the ship very late at night is one of my favorite things to do. It is so peaceful, I love it!
 

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