rosebud

We will be taking a Royal Caribbean cruise in a few weeks. I have two questions:

1. If you purchase the soda card, do you really get a cup to carry around and refill all time time? If that's true, it sounds kind of unsanitary and also it sounds like a pain to drag a dirty cup around all over the ship.

2. Does RCCL serve lobster on formal night (or any night)? I heard they did and then I heard they didn't.

Someone please set me straight on these two issues! Thanks.

gail

Our kids have purchased soda cards on RCCL, NCL and Celebrity. On none of these lines did they have to haul the cup around - they got a sticker for their ID and just showed it. Remember the soda entitles you to fountain sodas not cans of soda.

spurs

1. Yes, they do give you a souvenir cup and I agree it's pain. So keep it in your cabin and take back with you, or just throw away. You don't have to use it. Just show barmen your sail card with soda sticker and they will pour it in a glass.
2. My last cruise was on Voyager when she just came from Med season to Galveston. The first formal night there was no lobster. I asked waiter about it and he told me they hadn't served them in Europe, and wasn't sure it they would in USA. It looks like Europeans don't care about lobsters as much as Americans. After all, they did serve it on second formal night. Small but one could get second. So it depends on itinerary. If you go to Caribbean, you most likely will get it.

ncounty

Nope, no lobster.
They did have a midnight buffet out by the pool and that was gorgeous.

spurs

ncounty, was it on your 4 days cruise? I hope lobster is still served on 7 night cruises.

diann24

I have it always on a RC cruise if it were for 7 nights. I assume this is for 7 nights.

coral22

We just got back from a RC 4 day on Majesty on March 21 and they did not serve lobster. The entree choices were good but very basic. We don't drink much soda so we did not get the card. Lemonaid, iced tea and juices are free. Some in our group got 1 card and "shared" My daughter got 1 Coke the entire trip and it was $2 Have fun!

ncounty

yes, mine was the 4 night cruise. I was on a Carnival 5 night cruise and had lobster. I was okay with that but sure would have put it over the top if we had lobster as well! Loved the cruise.

Eschew

Everyone is cutting back and unfortunately, loster maybe on the way out.

Last fall on NCL Hawaii run, run out of lobster on loster night for the late diners. Last trip on Princess in November, even the waiter commented on the cut back.
It used to be 2 lobster tails on each plate and it became one tail split in half to fill the plate plus a few jumbo shrimps.

Since the price is not going up, can't really complaint. For first timer, they won't know any better or the difference. As for repeat customers, they just ask for more anyway.

joschwin

with a soda card can you also get bottled water? this is for NCL cruise. How much do they charge for a soda?

scae0706

We were on Navigator in May and lobster was not served except in Portofino where it part of a seafood skewer and the cover charge was $20 per person. We were told by staff that this is the norm now and lobster is no longer served on any of the RCI ships. Likewise the Gala Buffet, that has also gone. I think that all of the mass market cruise lines are heading this way and for all those special touches you need to go upmarket to Crystal, Seabourne etc. Cruising is still great value for money though and we will continue to cruise for as long as we can.

fosterag

Spurs - My Dh and I were also on the VOS from Barcelona to Galveston. How about that!!! Never buy the soda card as we don't drink soda. As for lobster, we did have it on the 2nd or was it the 3rd formal night? I am the one that really likes lobster so I just ask for more. DH would rather eat something else.

ncounty

They still do the gala buffet and have lobster one night of the regular dinner on a Carnival cruise I took last December. It was very inexpensive too.

kwren

Just got back from the Royal Caribbean Sovereign of the Seas - 4 nights to Coco Cay and Nassau. No lobster.

In 2004 we were on a 7 night cruise on the Carnival Sensation and did get whole lobsters. My son ate 5 of them!

NYCadventurer

I was told by my server last month that Royal Caribbean still serves lobster and has a midnight buffet on the 7+ night cruises in the Caribbean. They do not have lobster nor the midnight buffet on Mediterranean cruises.

FainaAgain

At what time they open the midnight buffet?

Sherbrooke

kwren says that her/his son ate 5 lobsters at one dinner on a cruise. Gluttony is a deadly sin. It could also be a reason that some cruise lines no longer serve lobster !

kwren

wow - And I thought that was a cute story! Oh well. I guess you would be surprised to hear that most of the people at the table didn't eat a lobster. It all averages out in the end, but I don't think it warranted that reply!

FainaAgain

Kwren, I thought Sherbrooke is joking. But if she's serious, just ignore.

On the Princess cruise to Alaska at the food preparation presentation the cook said, he doesn't understand how come he has 2,000 people on the ship, but cooks for 6,000 daily

kwren

Thanks Faina - I will ignore!

My son corrected me though - it was only 5 lobster tails, not whole lobsters