It looks like we may be able to get on the Voyager sometime around noon on the 19th. So should I try to make some alternate restaurant reservations right away? For when? Would the second night be Captain's dinner? Or our first sea day (3rd night)? I think I want to eat in the main dining room that night, right?

Will I be able to make reservations for any time during my 17 day cruise? or only the first half since they are marketing the cruise 3 ways - an 8 day, a 9 day, and the full 17 days. But even tho the 17 day is a combo of the 8 and 9 days it is one cruise, not a back to back. (Got that?)

Should be ready for reservations by 1400. Go to signatures first. Will allow only one reservation for first trip. Since back to back, won't be able to make second half reservations right away.

Do not go to Signatures on first or second night. Also try to avoid any other formal nights (although we were there on formal night last cruise on purpose). Those are the best meals at compass rose.

Colleen, I agree with Marc about staying with Compass Rose on the formal nights because they are the best menus, unless you do not want to go formal and opt for the more casual venues. Don't know his rationale for not going to Signatures on the first two nights. Marc??

jhp, I think the first night is because we will be meeting the others LCT'ers and the 2nd night will most likely be formal.

Marc, but I am not on back to back cruises. I'm on one cruise and it is marketed as one cruise. (I will not get a second set of booze at the start of the next cruise. Get it?) For me, it is one cruise. So why wouldn't I be able to make reservations for my whole cruise?

By the way, our last night, Jan 4, many of the cruisers will be in LA at the pre world cruise party. My guess is that will NOT be a formal night or even a farewell night so it might be a good night to make a reservation.

Colleen, I suspect that January 4th you guys will get anything you want since the ship will be deserted (unless the whole staff takes the night off while in port)..kind of the calm before the storm.

Olivia (jhp) could have a point about dining in Signature's the 2nd night. Since men need to wear a coat any time in Signature's...it does kind of kill 2 birds with one stone if your DH doesn't want to dress "formal" any more nights than necessary.

My DH LOVES to dress up. I'm the jeans and t-shirt gal.

Colleen:

RSSC sold the transatlantic as one combo. However, it was treated as back to back cruises. We received more liquor and more champagne. Dinner reservations were also treated separately.
You were also right on my justification against the first two nights.

Marc, Transatlantic combo? Did passengers disembark in the middle of the ocean?

More liquor! I won't complain but I still have a good portion of the rum from my Tahiti trip in June 2002.

Barcelona - Tenerife - Ft Lauderdale

Surprisingly, we lost a number in Tenerife and picked up a few there.

The numbers game.....as best as I can recall, from officer's, etc., we had about 340 pax for the T/A, including the Glenn Miller Band (19), and, the guest entertainers and lecturers, they count them all as pax, a total of about 25-26, or, about 315 paying pax.!


I further estimated from what I heard, the decrease from the 7 day Med. sailing was about 60 to 70.

I also learned that the PBS, 9 day, 11/12-11/21, the famous itinerary changed cruise, was only about 500 pax.

So, apparently, Rad's decision for the PBS promo was not a success. Their decision, or obligation, to withdraw the cruise offering for a good period of time, with the itin. change, wasn't beneficiary to Radisson!

Interesting, aaanthony. I thought the PBS cruise sounded so wonderful. We would have jumped on it in a nanosecond if it had been possible. Oh well, different strokes ....

Colleen, I'll join the chorus for dining in the Compass Rose on formal nights. Our experience has been that the menus then are extra-special. Whatever you decide, enjoy!!!

Marc, we did the same cruise on the Voyager last year - Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale and we did get two booze set ups as it was a "combo cruise". However, we are going on the 19 night Lima to Buenos Aires on the Mariner and were informed by RSSC, there is only one liquor set up per cabin. So by day 9 or 10, maybe we will find a "mojito mix" in one of the ports. Looking forward to this trip

dd@sea, welcome to the board! Your upcoming Lima to Buenos Aires trip is such an exciting cruise!

dd@sea, near as I can figure Lima to Buenos Aires is one trip leg. There won't be any passengers embarking or disembarking during the trip (scheduled, that is, who knows about emergencies). I think on Marc's cruise and the one I am on this month there was (is) a stop where there will be some regularly scheduled passenger changes.

But, if I remember correctly, Radisson prices for a liter of stuff was not unreasonable and there are always ports with local liquor.

Colleen, don't forget that if you meet another couple and they make reservations under their room number, you can go to Signatures a second time ... or more, if you know more couples!!

Andi, Radisson has closed that loophole. You need to give the other guests cabin numbers when booking a table for more than your cabin. That was true again this time...except when booking later in the week. Of course, you can say you are inviting a couple of the staff and you might be able to slip by.

Oh well....

You know, on my last trip on the Voyager (BAT), the Compass Rose was so great, that I didn't even desire to go to Signatures again (even though Signatures was just wonderful).

Another thing we've been able to do is to ask if there are any cancellations. That has worked for us in the past.

Andi, like you, we have also gotten in on cancellations when in Alaska. But I never feel "cheated" when I am in Compass Rose. Even though I mostly enjoy Signatures, except on my last (MINT) cruise I noted a little "attitude". I think that was the night Gil told me I was being a bit grouchy? So it was probably my problem.

No Olivia, I don't think it was you. Our table's wait staff seemed impatient and testy too! Maybe they just couldn't handle all the fun we were having!!

Agree with Marcie and Olivia - I thought we got lots of "attitude" and once was enough for Signatures on Mint - I think we ate there twice on VJ7 and it was wonderful but you can't beat CR!!! Joanna

Well it looks like to me that you guys are going to have a great time no matter what, when or where!!! So whatever you do, eat, drink and be merry!!!

Marc: They asked for our "guests" cabin numbers when I was making reservations and, of course, I had not a clue and told them that - they said call us and let us know - I forgot to do that - no problem we still had our res AND a second couple did same thing it worked but we did not want our 2nd res as we preferred CR! So the loop hole can be opened - Joanna

Joanna, that is what happened with friends on our cruise this time, they forgot our cabin number. But, three times in Signatures was enough for us this trip. I, too, really enjoy compass rose more. I like special orders and the wonderful filet with bernaise sauce. Monique didn't even give me a dirty look when I order the filet, bernaise, and a side of rack of lamb.

I had enjoyed every dinner there but the dinner last time (due to "attitude") was ruined - I am with you give me CR and the filet with BS!!! Joanna

I had a very bad episode at signatures, too. On our fist visit there, I did my normal ordering of a full main course with a "side" of another. I have probably ordered this way on a dozen or more occassions between Mariner and Voyager. I have never had it questioned. This time the waitress questioned; I explained that it has always been ok in the past (even with the "no changes" rule) and asked her to check; and she never replied but my order came just as ordered.

On the next visit, we had same waitress. I again ordered one main course with a side. She again said she didn't know if it could be done. When my main course came, there was only one. I waited for my side, asked for my side, and started eating. After we all had almost finished eating (this was an anniversary party for friends of ours and we were all anticipating the cake), I asked where the side was. She said another plate would be coming with my second main course. I asked for the Matre'D. I explained the situation; I didn't like holding up the whole table just because I had two main courses. He apologized but I believe he thought I was in the wrong.

Although I have come across some poor waiters with Radisson, I have never come across one that did not try to please the guest until now.

On our comment cards, we always point out the great performers (so they can get rewarded) and the less than stellar performers (so we don't have to meet them again). This time, I put off the first episode to a new waitress that hadn't been fully trained. However, there was no excuse for the second episode.

I mentioned our experience at Sig on our comment card - I just think these young kids (what we had for wait staff at Sig) are full of themselves! Joanna

Can anoyone give me some examples of the "attittude" that night. I'm not likely to do anything like order 2 main courses but DH has been known to order 3 or 4 appetizers and I have been known to order an appetizer as my main course. Will this really throw them? We are more likely to do this in the main dining room, tho.

Colleen, you just do whatever you want, and don't worry about attitude. You will probably not ask for anything not on the menu. Just let us know if you get an "attitude" when you are there. I honestly do not feel that those of us who are posting about our past experiences should "chill" the requests of future cruisers. You are paying good money for a good cruise. Ask for what you want! You will probably get it!

Colleen,
I definitely recommend eating in Compass Rose on formal nights. This is when they have lobster/chateaubriand etc. When you make reservations at the alternate restaurants just tell them you don't want to book on a formal or captain's party. As far as Signatures, I have never had a problem and we like to order 2 or 3 appetizers as well as we often order two main courses. In order to keep things moving we usually ask for one main course with the second one on the same plate but with only one set of vegetables/potatoes. I do know it is difficult for them to adjust to adding on after the initial order because it is prepared individually and they have a very small galley. I do find Signatures a bit more formal and not as relaxed as Compass Rose. Also I find the food quite rich with all the cream sauces. I have eaten twice on a cruise when they weren't full.

Colleen, Let me know if I can join you for dinner on the night that you and Ted go to Signatures. I am not looking forward to eating alone for 125 days!!! Also, I am bringing a small Martini shaker in my suitcase so I can shake a few gooses. You two can always come over for cocktails anytime.

Colleen: What you ordered had nothing to do with the attitude I experienced - wait staff.... rude, abrupt and condescending....hopefully it was a one night fluke for me- Joanna

Paul, not to worry about eating alone for 125 days. :) You'll meet lots of new friends and you have me, Tom, Olivia, Joanna, Tony, Betty, Al, Ngaire, Ken and other LCTers too...well you get the picture!

Can you learn to make a Todd Cosmo??

Paul, of course you can join us. I'm shooting for the 3rd night if it is not a formal night. Ted is very interested in meeting you and the other world cruisers. He really wants to know what we have to do to get to cruise for 4 months. He keeps asking me things like "How long will these people be on board?" "Who's got that kind of time"? Stuff like that.

Thank you for the offer of gooses. We will be sure to take you up on that. I'm never had one but I've heard all about them on this board.

The only "negative" incident we had was on VOF. On our last night we had reservations and someone cancelled out. We invited a couple of gentlemen to join us at the last moment, but they had packed their jackets already and could not get to them. They were not allowed in. I think this was a bit ridiculous considering we were to have packed everything. A little too inflexible for my liking on that issue. We were treated curteously, though.

I had a really negative dining experience during our last cruise on the Diamond, in Compass Rose.

We were at a table with Andi, Doug, their friends and Elda, the lovely and personable Assistant Cruise Director, whom we had invited to join us. I had ordered prime rib. I specifically asked for as lean a cut as possible. When my entree arrived, it was laden with fat. If you trimed all the fat away, there would have been meat measuring a little larger than a silver dollar. I called the waiter over and asked that he please take it back and get me a more lean piece of meat. He very politely complied and removed my plate. A moment later, the Maitre 'D came over to me, with my plate in hand. He told me that this was as lean a slice of prime rib as I could get; all the slices were the same. I told him that was not so. We had others at our table, who ordered the same thing and their slices were far leaner than mine. I, once again, asked that he please take it back and get me another slice of prime rib that was more lean. He again said this was typical of the meat and then proceeded to offer to trim my meat for me! I told him I was a big girl, perfectly capable of cutting and trimming my own meat! He again offered to trim it for me! It was at that point I pulled the plate out of his hand and said forget it. He did not offer at that point to give me another entree. He walked away.

Elda, the Assistant Cruise Director, sat and watched this play out, saying nothing until after he left the table. She was mortified and angry and said she would have a few words with him later. She could not believe that he handled this in such a poor and insulting manner. Neither could I.

I proceeded to trim the fat away. Clearly, there was so little to eat. I ate what little there was left of the meat. Before eating the vegetables that were served along with the prime rib, I called the waiter over one more time, and asked if I could have another slice of prime rib. The waiter said it was not a problem and removed my plate. He came back a few moments later with another slice of prime rib....and NO vegetables! Just a slice of meat on a plate!

It was at that point that I just gave up!

I did put this unfortunate and rude incident on my comment card.

I agree as well. Compass Rose is really outstanding. Besides, you can make special requests 24 hours in advance. We had dover sole and rack of lamb several times in Compass Rose during MINT.

Nope - no grumpiness. The waiter was just uppity.

Hey Marice:

I'm looking forward to meeting and eating with you and Tom and the other LCTers on board.

I would love to learn how to make a Todd Cosmos. Although I have never had the pleasure of tasting one. BTW, where is Todd? He hasn't been on the board much since MINT. Do you think he can come to LA and make us some Todd Cosmos at the St Regis or at the Pier before we sail on Jan 5?

I would have commented on that in far more places than just a comment card, I'm afraid. And I think I would be disappointed that the assistant cruise director was only going to have a few words with him after the fact. Did she not follow up on it with you during the cruise?

I seriously doubt that an assistant cruise director would attempt to ruffle feathers with a maitre'd!