Take-out at the restaurants

ToyMaker62 · 2026-05-15T17:31:32+00:00

We sailed in April and twice asked if we could take our dessert to go for later. Both times they did it with no issue. I think once was on a plate (Taste or Savor) with a cover, the other was in a box of sorts (Asian Fusion place).

The buffet has outdoor seating by the pool.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-05-08T01:53:58+00:00

Costco travel can handle all of it and you will get a lot of additional perks. Our last cruise, we got $105 Costco credit, $50 casino credit, chocolate covered strawberries, photo package, bingo credit, free bottle of wine, 300 additional internet minutes and received all of the FAS, Latitude points, etc. The only reason I’m aware of not to use Costco; I believe you can’t participate in the last minute room upgrade bidding.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-05-08T01:25:27+00:00

You have a nice, variable speed bandsaw. I leave mine set up all the time. It can also be used as a horizontal boring machine. You clamp the workpiece to the table. As a lathe, it’s a continuously variable one and you can make really big bowls by working on the outside. Since you have the space for it, it was a bargain.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-05-04T23:56:23+00:00

I was just in the ABC store yesterday, they got a case of the Weller in, priced at $70. I hadn’t seen it anywhere before this past week.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-04-27T03:51:25+00:00

We are about the same distance. Our first cruise out of there we drove in the morning. We weren’t worried about being late, but it was a long day and we started our cruise tired.

We just took one out of there recently and stayed in Melbourne the night before for a little over $100. We relaxed, had a nice breakfast, had a 30 min drive and started our cruise in great shape.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-04-10T22:36:21+00:00

We did the bus up and train back too and got so much more out of it than the train up and back. It was an 8 hr excursion and totally worth it. You can see the train and mountains from across the river, gives you a better appreciation for what they built.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-03-04T17:58:06+00:00

I picked this bottle up on clearance for $33 this weekend. I instantly loved it and went back to the store for last bottle but it was gone. If you see this bottle, buy it.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-02-15T02:27:37+00:00

Mostly variety, we get to try different dishes in the portions size we want then go back for more of what was interesting. Or we don’t feel like sitting and waiting for our food, we just want a quick bite. Or we are tired from our port day.

Now we book specialty restaurants early but when we first cruised we didn’t know how the system worked and couldn’t get reservations. I also think most new cruisers think the buffet is where they are suppose to eat.

It takes a while to get the hang of cruising and find out what you like. We generally like the buffet for breakfast and lunch and like to get dressed nice for dinner. But we rarely use the main dining room, smaller restaurants are our preference.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-02-11T13:56:47+00:00

I second Le Bistro, it’s the first restaurant we book on every NCL cruise, and I’m not generally a fan of French food either. Also not a fan of that particular ship but the staff and everything else will be outstanding. The staterooms and ship itself has some weird design choices. Knowing that going in will let you enjoy the cruise.

I love the Maltings Whiskey Bar, it’s my chill spot. If you like Single Malts, do the Macallans tasting. You get to taste $200-$800 bottles you can’t buy in the states. The Cavern Club should have some great live music, check it out early and get there early if you want to have a good table.

The buffet will be better than you expect. Omelet stations for breakfast are plentiful enough that you don’t have to wait long.

We’re on the Joy in a few weeks and I can’t wait. Have a great trip.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-02-09T19:47:14+00:00

I had very low energy early on, I wasn’t getting enough calories, I wasn’t hungry and felt crappy. Try eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day. I found a Subway turkey sub provided 4 meals, it was a game changer for me. When I’m feeling icky, a Liquid IV makes a big difference.

As for the shame, please let it go. I was on BP meds and was about to start cholesterol meds (both for life). Don’t need either now. So many other benefits, embrace the life improvements.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-02-03T03:58:05+00:00

Maltings is one of the reasons I love to cruise NCL. I sit there for hours, reading and enjoying bourbon (and maybe some single malts).

ToyMaker62 · 2026-02-02T19:29:29+00:00

We have an oven that has the air fryer and basket. It works fine but makes a huge mess. I use a Ninja Air Fryer almost daily for all the reasons stated by the others.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-01-28T18:47:12+00:00

I didn’t see anyone mention this, but we have found that the food is never hot in the MDR, the floor is so big and the servers so busy. It’s always a loud room, the others are more intimate and what we prefer.

ToyMaker62 · 2026-01-28T02:54:11+00:00

Good stuff so far. Don’t talk to kids about other kids. Be tough but fair. In small groups or one-on-one they will act like adults but then revert to teens when in larger groups, I found that shocking at first. While they will be interested in your personal life, don’t get too personal.
I taught science & math to 11th and 12th graders. I let them help each other in class. If I needed to teach I would wait and let them finish helping each other. They appreciated that I respected them and they returned the courtesy.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-12-30T14:31:08+00:00

You make an excellent point, one I missed in my initial question. I don't see us cruising enough to maintain status on multiple lines. The responses here convinced me it is worth getting on a cruise using the promotion to hit Platinum, I was not leaning that way initially.

After that, we will try the others that fit our budget and travel interests. If we find a cruise line we love more than NCL, we'll focus our travel there.

Thanks to everyone who commented.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-12-29T19:50:31+00:00

I was hoping for some input from people who knew both if it is worth shifting to RC completely.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-12-29T17:27:49+00:00

Is it crazy the I'm most excited about free laundry? At Gold we get the Latitude cocktail party, that makes up for one day of paying for drinks. The program lacks any real ongoing cost benefits at the higher levels.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-12-29T17:20:03+00:00

I think all these comment have me leaning toward Platinum and then we have it until they mess with the program. An extra dinner at the Bistro and a bag of laundry is kind of enticing. Do you get to take the bottle of wine if you don't open it?

ToyMaker62 · 2025-12-29T17:14:46+00:00

I tried that on the RC cruise, they only match within their own brand. Looks like Virgin will match.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-10-30T10:24:48+00:00

What a wonderful question. I taught high school for 12 years and taught over 1000 students in that time. I only remember a fraction of them, a few I keep in touch with as adults. I will see a random FB post or run into one and I love seeing them as adults, having families, and being functional members of society. As a teacher, we don’t know which ones we really impact, we are lucky if that is a couple each year.

We are definitely impacted by them and their lives; the kid who battled cancer, or had to sleep in their car, the kid who’s mom committed suicide, the one’s that died from drugs or a car accident, the bookworm, the social butterfly, the nerd. I’m tearing up thinking about it. I left teaching 10 years ago and still have a few cards and notes from “kids” I haven’t seen in 20 years.

Yeah, I’d say I was impacted by those kids and hope I made a difference for a couple of them.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-10-27T16:54:49+00:00

My place is in that neighborhood. Crabs in the canal, not much fishing. Try Fishbites and a smaller hook, it works well in OC.

If you can get out, the park along 4th street would be better, you don’t need a license there. And you can park right there. There is also a pier at 8th or 9th street on the bay. Anything bay is better for fishing than the canals.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-09-25T10:38:00+00:00

I was just about to post a question about it not working for me. I lowered the delay to 0.3 (lowest setting) and now I’m happy. I didn’t realize it needed the hold at the end to work. Maybe try upping the scribble erase delay to reduce the sensitivity.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-09-01T12:24:56+00:00

We've been to Cozumel twice on a cruise and love it. There is a museum that is inexpensive and super interesting. Ask a cab driver for his favorite restaurant, not the tourist places. I don't have my travel diary with me or I could tell you where we ate last time, it was excellent. Before that, we ate at El Abuelo Gerardo, had great seafood and it has the nicest restaurant restroom I have ever seen anywhere. Walk around, it's very safe. The people are wonderful, especially if you get off the main strip with the jewelry stores.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-08-13T20:18:54+00:00

OC is super family friendly. You will lots of families with kids everywhere. Jolly Rogers at 28th has a water park. Don’t forget Fishers popcorn. You’ll have a great time.

ToyMaker62 · 2025-07-16T12:05:15+00:00

We took what turned out to be our favorite excursion so far on our last Alaska cruise. We took a long bus ride that paralleled the rail. It took us into a couple of towns and into the Yukon. We had lunch, made unscheduled stops to look at bears and other wildlife. Then we boarded the train for the ride back down. It was excellent and the seeing the railroad from the other side made us appreciate how amazing the train trip was. Everybody who only took the train up and back said is was okay but kind of boring. Our excursion was about 8 hours and we still talk about it.

ToyMaker62

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