Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
I found your channel randomly when I was not even looking up cruises… I’d never even thought about cruises.. and was sitting in my little beach town in New Zealand… well I was so intrigued by your channel and got hooked watching… and now I have booked my first cruise I was so inspired ! We are travelling in December this year so thanks for the tips and fabulous travel ideas
@@Onlypanscontent congrats! That's awesome! Do you use a travel agent? If not, I know of a good one. They don't charge anything...just pass off the discounts to you. I'm excited for your first cruise and I hope you really enjoy it! It might be hard at first to figure out everything but I am sure you will get hooked. My husband had cruised before but when I married him, he took me on my first one. I didn't think I would like it but after just one day, I was hooked! Best of luck! Have fun!
My very first cruise on Holland America. I was in the dining room and the dessert was Key Lime cheesecake. I thought it was so delicious!!! The waiter surprised me and gave me a whole cheesecake to take back to my cabin with me!!!
My tradition is ordering 2 cheese plates to go in the MDR, put them in my cabin fridge, then enjoy it as a midnight snack with wine on the balcony. I never thought about making a lap through the Lido to get some meats and other things though!
I love the tip to take your dessert to your cabin. I don’t like to feel stuffed. And a late night dessert while you’re relaxing and not have to go out or wait for room service sounds great.
We recently crusied norweigan and they no longer let you have take away from the restaurants(cagneys is where we discovered this)its for health and safety reason they said which is a bummer bc i always have tons leftover being a weightloss patient i did hear some ppl were able to from the buffet since its easier to get out unnoticed
We bring a bag of mini-candy bar mix. Not only for us, but we fill a glass in our room and add a post-it-note for our room attendant to help themselves. It’s been a big hit!
Food hack.... ask for sauce on the side for eggs benedict. You will get it made fresh and it will not be one that has been pre-made sitting having sauce dry out.
We are not huge eaters anymore, BUT if I don't have to cook, or do the dishes that food that I do eat always tastes better LOL. I also don't have to make the bed or clean the bathroom. Win/win for me
I purchased the cover ups from Dollar Tree with three different sizes and 17 covers total. Definitely will be packing shower caps or cover ups when traveling.
My wife has a lot of food issues.. Our head waiter told us to tell them what she wanted off the menu (anything). They are chefs and enjoy the challenge of creating any menu item to meet her needs. She has had some of the best surprise desserts this way.
@@elizapowell7262 plz remember, keep your passport/identification in your carry on bag you take on the ship which is with you at all times. No identification, no cruise! Have a wonderful time!
OK here is another one, we were on NCL Joy last month for 10th wedding anniversary and had a family suite so we could gather and have a pre-dinner party with our 6 friends also on the cruise. They did not really have any finger foods or hors d'oeuvres to order from room service. On that ship that has an observation lounge, they had late afternoon tea-style snacks out and I was able (with a few trips) to outfit an entire snack board with little pieces of quiche, cheese, tea sandwiches, cookies and cruidites. one of the staff even provided me a tray to help get things back to the cabin.
Hi Ilana. On our latest cruise, had the drink package for the first time, we’d get shots of Kailua/bailey’s at night and take back to the room to add to our coffee in the morning. It was quite the time saver not having to wait in the specialty coffee line and it was delicious!!! 🎉❤ Funfetti cheesecake the best!
My fav thing to do is grab a drink cup in the buffet and fill it with some soft Ice Cream. (Vanilla, Chocolate, or Swirl all work) Then I go to the coffee dispenser and slowly fill the cup and enjoy. Even later nights I'll do this with some de-caf.
I prefer to turn another plate upside-down over my filled plate, to make a cover. It also provides a small surface if I need to also balance a bowl or mug there!
I used your tips to have dinner the first night on Carnival and get the free wine, then I used your tip to make Sangria with the wine and fruit from the lounge, it was delicious! I brought a few cheap Tupperware with me, we used them all. Thank you, happy cruis'n!
Here’s a tip I recently learned. Ask for a Hawaiian mimosa. If they don’t know how to make it get a regular mimosa and ask for a shot of coconut rum then pour the rum in the mimosa. You can also ask for a bigger glass and add a slice of pineapple and a cherry.
I bring a French Press coffee maker (and a bag of my favorite coffee) on cruises. Hot water, milk & sugar are always available at the buffet (and kettles are in-room on Cunard). This way we get to enjoy a great cup of Joe any time we want w/o the time and expense of the specialty shop.
I don't eat sugar and i ask for strawberries and whipped cream each night for dinner in the MDR. It's delicious and sugar-free! I only have to ask on night 1 and the waiter will make sure i have it each night. I am sailing on Celebrity Eclipse right now :)
My refillable tumbler was a lifesaver on our cruise !!! I was able to stay hydrated on all of our excursions or a day by the pool . I also brought my favorite teas from home because I need to stay away from caffeine and the flavors are lovely.
When my kids were younger, they would make frozen hot chocolate beverages. It’s basically just hot chocolate mix stirred in cold milk and add soft serve vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream and mix thoroughly. Bring metal straws from home if on hand to better sip the beverage.
Excellent tips!! Dinner at the Lido Marketplace is definitely a great alternative to MDR. We did this on Mardi Gras and I still got my prime rib and mushroom soup without having to get dressed up! My favorite hack is to make a salad from Lido or Serenity (when their salad bar is open) and then get some Big Chicken tenders to add to the salad. Yum!
We like to eat a meal sized salad every day on a cruise. One of our favorites is taco salad. So at the buffet, I got a large salad and then went over to the Mexican food area and asked them to top it with taco meat. It was great!
Loved the tip about bringing a tray! We have 6 kids and our last cruise the buffet would have been easier with a tray! Such a great idea for families! Thanks for all the great ideas! ❤
For our next cruise we are bringing biodegradable to go carriers like you would get at a restaurant and some plastic grocery bags to stack and carry them back to the cabin. Tray is good but will still likely require two hands. My method will let me carry them with one hand.
On our last carnival cruise, we had late dining. The buffet served a lot of the same food as the MDA. We went to the buffet and got a "sample plate," just a bite of some of the things we wanted to try, and decided what we would order later in MDR.
I love the idea of the separated plastic leftovers box for putting fruit and/or cookies in for the cabin..my son will love to have something in the suite for snacking ..thanks!!
Thank you for the information you provide. My wife and I are going in our first cruise in February. I have been watching your channel for a while now and what you share is going to make our cruise very easy to enjoy. God bless you and your family on your travels.
I get the no alcohol package, and having a cola in the fridge for late night headaches is really nice. We also grab water with gas/sparkling water and still water. I also have extra fruit in the fridge, regularly.
My most important food (really beverage) tip is make friends with your MDR waiter or waitress. The Carnival MDR staff usually works the pool deck during the day and they'll come find you. I had one who even memorized my 4 digit code to charge my drinks. He would always bring me a double Long Island as soon as he saw me on deck and would keep me topped off so I wouldn't need to leave the smoking area or hot tub. Since alcohol service in the MDR is ungodly SLOW, we could pre-order our drinks or wine bottle and he'd have them ready on our table for us when we sat down. Bless your heart Gusti, wherever you are!
Great tips! Instead of buying shower caps for your plates, you can just get those plastic produce bags you find at the veggie and fruit section, get a few of those to go, slip your plate inside and you are good to go! Sam's and Costco have the larger plastic bags by the fresh meat aisle, those are great too.
One thing I like about Princess is that usually they have the dinner dining room items on the buffet in the later evening. So if there is something you really liked or wanted to try, you can eat it there.
On Princess we ordered room service chili cheese fries at 10 P.M. after an excursion. Now you need the drink package, but if you miss dinner for an excursion, room service rocks
We always get coffee & danish delivered early in the am to have on our balcony. I take my 22oz yeti & fill my yeti & add sugar & creamer once instead of using those small cups several times. Later when we go to eat the real breakfast, I still have hot coffee & I don’t have to wait in line at the coffee area.afterwards I rinse it out & fill with ice & a cold drink that stays cold at the pool.
Didn’t know I could bring the yeti/brumate. So I could have placed it inside my “checked luggage?” I literally thought about it,but thought I would have to leave it w TSA,like we did recently about 3 items,due to size I had to check my carryon.
@ I put mine in my carry on I have with me on the ship with things I could need like OTC meds, sunscreen, a change of clothes. I only take the 22oz- the coffee size. I took mine last year, but I’ll check before I go next month on another cruise. Get a bright colored knock off so people won’t be as eager to steal it. When they used to give you a cup with your drink package, they were stolen all of the time. Have a great cruise!
Party Lyte before going to bed prevented me from getting hangovers on my cruise and I don’t normally tolerate alcohol very well. This made drinking more pleasurable.
I LOVE the passion fruit mango chia yogurt on HAL.I will get it for breakfast from room service, cover it and put in the frig for a later snack, plus it's SO much really cold!
We doo the H2o flask for water, snd cawfy!! Also like using the china coffe cups, hust heat them wirh hot water for a minute beforehand. It'll keep ur coffee or tea hot longer. I plan on bringing a tray next cruise since I'm wifey's personal room service 😅.
We've sailed Disney several times in the last few year. Yes the Disney ice cream bars are available if you ask for them. You can also bring any bottled water and/or cans of soda you'd like. But on Disney the water, soda, juices, coffee and tea are all free. You don't buy a drink package, you purchase your alcoholic drinks individually. Which we absolutely loved because we aren't big drinkers but do enjoy some here and there. To us this is a huge plus for Disney compared to any other cruise line!
Im so happy about Carnival to accommodate my kids sever egg allergy, the main dining room and the pizza place were the only places we felt comfortable letting him eat without any issues. The chef also let us know what he could make for him and the waiters were super aware and careful
We pack our Yeti Rambler cups. We have hot coffee all morning and then cold water all day! We found magnetic hooks to be very helpful, along with non-surge protector power blocks with multiple USB-A & C plugs. I’m definitely taking shower caps, a tray & reusable food containers on my next cruise!
We hit hurricane Rita on Lobster Night. I was one of the few people who wasn't seasick. I had six lobster tails that night because they had more prepared than people showed up for dinner.
During our Christmas cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, my wife filled out a card for some coffee and pastries to be delivered to our cabin at 8:30 AM. At 5:30 AM the next morning our room phone rang. When I answered, a steward named David said he was on his way with our coffee. I asked why was he coming at 5:30 in the morning, and all he offered was that it was really busy in the kitchen. Not sure what the communication issue was as Royal Caribbean didn’t even offer a 5:30 delivery time., but we survived. 😂
My mom and I used to get a milkshake and fries at McDonald's when I was a kid, so good, milkshake or ice cream. Vanilla or chocolate is best. Unexpected combo but it's really good lol. God bless you all ❤
At 7:10 of your video, you suggested a tray to bring items back to your cabin, we have a collapsible lunch sack we use and reusable baggies. You can also bring the collapsible bottles for liquids-juices, etc. We will sometimes take cereal and milk and fruit to have in our room for breakfast on port days so we don't have to fight the crowds before off boarding at a port.
I love the Spa Cafe (included) on Celebrity ships. Smoothies with your drinks package, great little breakfast items like acai bowls, and my favourite, peanut butter on a bagel with thin slices of apple. Wonderful light items for breakfast and lunch.
Since most drink packages don't include specialty coffees, I make my own. I bring a large thermal mug & head to the soft serve ice cream station. I fill my cup with the ice cream & then might add caramel or chocolate syrup & go pour hot coffee over it. I have been know to ask for a double shot of Bailey's & pour that in too for an adult coffee. The ice cream makes it creamy & sweet & it's a delicious & free coffee drink. I've also asked for some entrees to be in an appetizer size & no waiter ever turned me down. I do that if I want to try a few entrees, but not the full dinner size. Thanks for the tips. Oh, french fries dipped in ice cream is delicious. That salty/sweet taste.
I found a double wall glass bottle made for loose leaf tea infusion or water and fruit cold water. I liked using my own premium tea in the filter basket and filling the bottle with hot water at the buffet. Amazon sells many variations.
Wow what a fantastic idea of covering left overs with shower caps! I use them for my shoes but didn’t think of covering left overs! Game changer. 😊 Lots of fantastic ideas!
@@LifeWellCruised Btw… we were on a cruise (Royal) one time with our daughter & son-in-love who are both vegan. First night we were in the dining room and the waiter asked if they liked Indian food… “YES we do!” They said enthusiastically. The waiter brought them that night and EVERY NIGHT after the Indian food the Indian CREW fixes for themselves! It was such a hit that the ‘kids’ a few years later ended up going to India for 2 months to learn how to teach traditional yoga. You never know what sparks the soul.
We’ve been on 3 cruises in the last 2 years and I’ve found your videos a big help. (Before that it was more than 10 years since we cruised and things were very different.) Every new one- like this one- gives me more ideas. Thanks so much!
I like to get fruit in a sealed container, add limes from the burrito bar, and bring packets of Tajin. I dislike the tea served in the buffet area, so I bring tea bags and sugar to make my own. I get boiling water in a small thermos and bring a quart container to brew my tea.
Thank you, you have really done your homework. I treat myself to crème brule once or twice a trip. The first night i ask the waiter to always serve me fresh fruit for dessert. That saves me from deciding should I or shouldn’t I. We do not have dessert but 3 times a year. I know crazy, right. I ❤ fruit so it makes me very happy. I always ask first night for a half portion for my main meal. This gives me leeway to experience more speciality and local food
I know some people may view this as taboo, or frustrated as it's already factored in, but double tipping will have your servers bend over backwards, forwards, and doing cartwheels for you. It may or may not also work with your room steward. $20 might have them swiping stuff from suites for you. Particularly specialty pillows, $20 is cheap for a better weeks sleep.
On all 5 Disney cruises we have been on WE HAVE ordered Mickey Bars for dessert! Also on Disney cruises they have sit down breakfast places but it depends on where you eat dinner. They also have breakfast buffets
Yes! Princess is amazing for allergies 💜 my then-2-now 4 year old boy has a peanut allergy and our waiter, Saul, on the Sapphire Princess was an absolute rockstar with it! We are currently going through exposure therapy with him, so it will hopefully allow us to have some protection from cross-contamination by the time of our next cruise.
Asking your waiter for a menu suggestion is a great idea. Ultimately the waiter is responsible for the food rating even if they didn't prepare it. They will tell you if the pork chop is dry because they want a happy diner who will give them a high score on the survey.
There's a lot of good stuff on here. I'll never remember them all so I'll have to watch again and write down my favorites. Make sure you have your cabin steward empty out your mini bar on embarkation day so you'll have more fridge room. And make friends with your bartenders. If you have a beverage package, a lot of them will give you an unopened "road pop" (us beer drinkers know what this is!) when you're ready to retire to your cabin. I usually hit up a lot of them on the first day and restock my own "personal minibar".
My favorite desert on HAL is bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce, which is only in the buffet at lunch. But if you go to the main dining room, you can ask for it.
Just had to tell you that I have looked at my friend like she lost it when she dipped her Fries into a shake. But after I tried it. I have to give it a thumbs up. Lol and you don't have to be one a cruise to do this because we did that at a McDonald's lol.
I always bring a tumbler and some stainless steel straws. I like the diy sangria. I will be trying this on my next cruise. Good hacks and tips as always.
When I’m craving soup but not the one that’s being served (re: NCL), I take a soup bowl, put some beans, veggies, chunks of cheese, etc from the salad bar then I have my bowl filled at the Asian soup station! If I have a coffee set up in my cabin, I bring that tray to the buffet to bring items back. French fries topped with some sliced cheese and then some warm gravy or au jus!
I was on the NCL Epic and ate at the steakhouse the food was good but fortunately bot enough for two. Actually I think the meals in the main Dining room were always great.
Love that VV has plenty of included foods and drinks. The Social Club has candy too at no extra cost. I will consider the tray idea because it is awkward to balance plates and drinks back to your cabin. I'll also bring a large thermos so i can make a pot of tea. I never thought about asking for wine glasses for the room, I'll do that next time.
On Disney, each adult is allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine/sparkling wine or 6 cans of beer. It needs to be in your carry-on bag and there is a corkage fee if you want it in the dining room. You can also bring your own soda or water - also has to be in your carry-on - this is very helpful for picky nonalcoholic drinkers.
Disney cruise (min 13:20) yes we ask for Mickey bar at dinner) Also can ask for second dish with just the meat vs getting the sides which for me usually don’t finish
I have very specific diet restrictions. On a RC cruise, they didn't have anything I'd asked for ahead of time. I wanted to get off the ship, but the chef made sure I was able to eat every night and confirmed the next night's menu before I left each night.
French Fries in a Milkshake! ABSOLUTELY! everyone in my high-school did this back in the 70's, {in Wichita, Kansas, USA} and I still like it. Just not as much now😮😂
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
I found your channel randomly when I was not even looking up cruises… I’d never even thought about cruises.. and was sitting in my little beach town in New Zealand… well I was so intrigued by your channel and got hooked watching… and now I have booked my first cruise I was so inspired ! We are travelling in December this year so thanks for the tips and fabulous travel ideas
@@Onlypanscontent congrats! That's awesome! Do you use a travel agent? If not, I know of a good one. They don't charge anything...just pass off the discounts to you. I'm excited for your first cruise and I hope you really enjoy it! It might be hard at first to figure out everything but I am sure you will get hooked. My husband had cruised before but when I married him, he took me on my first one. I didn't think I would like it but after just one day, I was hooked! Best of luck! Have fun!
My very first cruise on Holland America. I was in the dining room and the dessert was Key Lime cheesecake. I thought it was so delicious!!! The waiter surprised me and gave me a whole cheesecake to take back to my cabin with me!!!
😮 wow! That’s awesome!
On my last cruise, I made a Charcuterie style plate to go and snacked on it while watching a movie outside. It became one of my favorite things to do!
That's a great idea!!!
My tradition is ordering 2 cheese plates to go in the MDR, put them in my cabin fridge, then enjoy it as a midnight snack with wine on the balcony. I never thought about making a lap through the Lido to get some meats and other things though!
I love the tip to take your dessert to your cabin. I don’t like to feel stuffed. And a late night dessert while you’re relaxing and not have to go out or wait for room service sounds great.
So true!
Like that idea, can see myself doing this one many time hahahah
We do this all the time. Dessert n tea in jammies on the balcony
Ice cream and French fries….my friend swears by McDonalds ice cream and French fries dipped with the soft ice cream
We recently crusied norweigan and they no longer let you have take away from the restaurants(cagneys is where we discovered this)its for health and safety reason they said which is a bummer bc i always have tons leftover being a weightloss patient i did hear some ppl were able to from the buffet since its easier to get out unnoticed
We bring a bag of mini-candy bar mix. Not only for us, but we fill a glass in our room and add a post-it-note for our room attendant to help themselves. It’s been a big hit!
Cute idea ❤
I love this idea❤
Food hack.... ask for sauce on the side for eggs benedict. You will get it made fresh and it will not be one that has been pre-made sitting having sauce dry out.
Amazing
Dick move if you're the one making the sauce
French fries in chocolate ice cream is a classic. Think Wendy's chocolate Frosty and fries. 👍👍
We are not huge eaters anymore, BUT if I don't have to cook, or do the dishes that food that I do eat always tastes better LOL. I also don't have to make the bed or clean the bathroom. Win/win for me
Love the idea of creating your own charcuterie board/plate, bringing different size zip lock bags and a couple of resealable containers.
I purchased the cover ups from Dollar Tree with three different sizes and 17 covers total. Definitely will be packing shower caps or cover ups when traveling.
The children's menu banana split is the best dessert hack EVER!!!
My tip for the ice tea is to dissolve the sugar with a little hot water then pour it into your ice Tea - works a treat.
My wife has a lot of food issues.. Our head waiter told us to tell them what she wanted off the menu (anything). They are chefs and enjoy the challenge of creating any menu item to meet her needs. She has had some of the best surprise desserts this way.
So excited for my first ever cruise 🛳 I feel very prepared because of your awesome videos 👍 thank you
Hope you enjoy it! What an awesome cruise!! 🚢
@@elizapowell7262 plz remember, keep your passport/identification in your carry on bag you take on the ship which is with you at all times. No identification, no cruise! Have a wonderful time!
Same here. Ours is our honeymoon in January.
have fun Brooke!
Have fun and I know you will enjoy! I'm betting you will get hooked!
OK here is another one, we were on NCL Joy last month for 10th wedding anniversary and had a family suite so we could gather and have a pre-dinner party with our 6 friends also on the cruise. They did not really have any finger foods or hors d'oeuvres to order from room service. On that ship that has an observation lounge, they had late afternoon tea-style snacks out and I was able (with a few trips) to outfit an entire snack board with little pieces of quiche, cheese, tea sandwiches, cookies and cruidites. one of the staff even provided me a tray to help get things back to the cabin.
So smart! Thanks for sharing and happy anniversary 🛳️🥂
Hi Ilana. On our latest cruise, had the drink package for the first time, we’d get shots of Kailua/bailey’s at night and take back to the room to add to our coffee in the morning. It was quite the time saver not having to wait in the specialty coffee line and it was delicious!!! 🎉❤ Funfetti cheesecake the best!
My fav thing to do is grab a drink cup in the buffet and fill it with some soft Ice Cream. (Vanilla, Chocolate, or Swirl all work) Then I go to the coffee dispenser and slowly fill the cup and enjoy. Even later nights I'll do this with some de-caf.
😮 sounds great!
Afogato
The shower cap over your plate of food is genius! ❤
Right?! 😂
Thats a good one thank you
When and why?
Sometimes Dollar Tree has bowl covers that can serve as plate covers just like using the shower cap _plus the bowl covers come in different sizes.
I prefer to turn another plate upside-down over my filled plate, to make a cover. It also provides a small surface if I need to also balance a bowl or mug there!
I used your tips to have dinner the first night on Carnival and get the free wine, then I used your tip to make Sangria with the wine and fruit from the lounge, it was delicious! I brought a few cheap Tupperware with me, we used them all. Thank you, happy cruis'n!
Fantastic! So glad these tips were helpful:)
Is the wine per their selection? Or would we get to choose i.e. red, pink or white?
one thing ive heard in alot of groups to get around feeling overstuffed with two entrees , is to ask for appetizer portions of each entree
That’s perfect
@@remirez2k3 Great idea!!! This would be great for kids that can't eat as much. Definitely keeping this in mind for the next cruise! ❤️
Will be good for those who have had any sort of gastric sleeve surgeries also.
@@jodijo1968 totally agree
The other is ask for extra plate, seniors will do this all the time. The get something they both want and ask for an extra plate and tableware.
Here’s a tip I recently learned. Ask for a Hawaiian mimosa. If they don’t know how to make it get a regular mimosa and ask for a shot of coconut rum then pour the rum in the mimosa. You can also ask for a bigger glass and add a slice of pineapple and a cherry.
Collapsible food containers are especially great for traveling
I bring a French Press coffee maker (and a bag of my favorite coffee) on cruises. Hot water, milk & sugar are always available at the buffet (and kettles are in-room on Cunard). This way we get to enjoy a great cup of Joe any time we want w/o the time and expense of the specialty shop.
I don't eat sugar and i ask for strawberries and whipped cream each night for dinner in the MDR. It's delicious and sugar-free! I only have to ask on night 1 and the waiter will make sure i have it each night. I am sailing on Celebrity Eclipse right now :)
@@PaulaBrahanCan yum! Great idea. Enjoy! 🛳️
Thanks for this! I'm a no - sugar person! Great tip. 🎉
My refillable tumbler was a lifesaver on our cruise !!! I was able to stay hydrated on all of our excursions or a day by the pool . I also brought my favorite teas from home because I need to stay away from caffeine and the flavors are lovely.
When my kids were younger, they would make frozen hot chocolate beverages. It’s basically just hot chocolate mix stirred in cold milk and add soft serve vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream and mix thoroughly. Bring metal straws from home if on hand to better sip the beverage.
Excellent tips!! Dinner at the Lido Marketplace is definitely a great alternative to MDR. We did this on Mardi Gras and I still got my prime rib and mushroom soup without having to get dressed up! My favorite hack is to make a salad from Lido or Serenity (when their salad bar is open) and then get some Big Chicken tenders to add to the salad. Yum!
@@Tweedle104 great ideas
We like to eat a meal sized salad every day on a cruise. One of our favorites is taco salad. So at the buffet, I got a large salad and then went over to the Mexican food area and asked them to top it with taco meat. It was great!
Loved the tip about bringing a tray! We have 6 kids and our last cruise the buffet would have been easier with a tray! Such a great idea for families! Thanks for all the great ideas! ❤
So glad it helps! I would definitely do it with young kids :)
I always use a tray on my walker. It helps me around the house as well as a great way to use at the buffet. It sure makes my life easier!
@ScreamingEagleSid we are definitely taking a tray or two on our next cruise. It will make our buffet trips much easier ❤️.
Totally bringing a tray! Great tip!
For our next cruise we are bringing biodegradable to go carriers like you would get at a restaurant and some plastic grocery bags to stack and carry them back to the cabin. Tray is good but will still likely require two hands. My method will let me carry them with one hand.
On our last carnival cruise, we had late dining. The buffet served a lot of the same food as the MDA. We went to the buffet and got a "sample plate," just a bite of some of the things we wanted to try, and decided what we would order later in MDR.
Yes my friends and i went on a Carnival Magic and we always got the lava cake with vanilla ice cream and peanut butter, it was so yummy
I love the idea of the separated plastic leftovers box for putting fruit and/or cookies in for the cabin..my son will love to have something in the suite for snacking ..thanks!!
Shower cap idea…brilliant, thanks
Ice cream and lemonade for a free copycat chick fil a frosted lemonade
When I was a teen I'd dip my Wendy's fries into the frosty, so absolutely a thing to dip them into the soft serve ice cream. Sweet and salty!
Thank you for the information you provide. My wife and I are going in our first cruise in February. I have been watching your channel for a while now and what you share is going to make our cruise very easy to enjoy. God bless you and your family on your travels.
Glad the videos are helpful as you plan your cruise! Thanks for letting me know :)
I get the no alcohol package, and having a cola in the fridge for late night headaches is really nice. We also grab water with gas/sparkling water and still water.
I also have extra fruit in the fridge, regularly.
My most important food (really beverage) tip is make friends with your MDR waiter or waitress.
The Carnival MDR staff usually works the pool deck during the day and they'll come find you. I had one who even memorized my 4 digit code to charge my drinks. He would always bring me a double Long Island as soon as he saw me on deck and would keep me topped off so I wouldn't need to leave the smoking area or hot tub.
Since alcohol service in the MDR is ungodly SLOW, we could pre-order our drinks or wine bottle and he'd have them ready on our table for us when we sat down.
Bless your heart Gusti, wherever you are!
The chocolate lava cake is amazing!
Great tips! Instead of buying shower caps for your plates, you can just get those plastic produce bags you find at the veggie and fruit section, get a few of those to go, slip your plate inside and you are good to go! Sam's and Costco have the larger plastic bags by the fresh meat aisle, those are great too.
One thing I like about Princess is that usually they have the dinner dining room items on the buffet in the later evening. So if there is something you really liked or wanted to try, you can eat it there.
On Princess we ordered room service chili cheese fries at 10 P.M. after an excursion. Now you need the drink package, but if you miss dinner for an excursion, room service rocks
Awesome
We always get coffee & danish delivered early in the am to have on our balcony. I take my 22oz yeti & fill my yeti & add sugar & creamer once instead of using those small cups several times. Later when we go to eat the real breakfast, I still have hot coffee & I don’t have to wait in line at the coffee area.afterwards I rinse it out & fill with ice & a cold drink that stays cold at the pool.
Didn’t know I could bring the yeti/brumate. So I could have placed it inside my “checked luggage?”
I literally thought about it,but thought I would have to leave it w TSA,like we did recently about 3 items,due to size I had to check my carryon.
@ I put mine in my carry on I have with me on the ship with things I could need like OTC meds, sunscreen, a change of clothes. I only take the 22oz- the coffee size. I took mine last year, but I’ll check before I go next month on another cruise. Get a bright colored knock off so people won’t be as eager to steal it. When they used to give you a cup with your drink package, they were stolen all of the time. Have a great cruise!
Party Lyte before going to bed prevented me from getting hangovers on my cruise and I don’t normally tolerate alcohol very well. This made drinking more pleasurable.
I LOVE the passion fruit mango chia yogurt on HAL.I will get it for breakfast from room service, cover it and put in the frig for a later snack, plus it's SO much really cold!
We doo the H2o flask for water, snd cawfy!! Also like using the china coffe cups, hust heat them wirh hot water for a minute beforehand. It'll keep ur coffee or tea hot longer. I plan on bringing a tray next cruise since I'm wifey's personal room service 😅.
We've sailed Disney several times in the last few year. Yes the Disney ice cream bars are available if you ask for them. You can also bring any bottled water and/or cans of soda you'd like. But on Disney the water, soda, juices, coffee and tea are all free. You don't buy a drink package, you purchase your alcoholic drinks individually. Which we absolutely loved because we aren't big drinkers but do enjoy some here and there. To us this is a huge plus for Disney compared to any other cruise line!
Im so happy about Carnival to accommodate my kids sever egg allergy, the main dining room and the pizza place were the only places we felt comfortable letting him eat without any issues. The chef also let us know what he could make for him and the waiters were super aware and careful
We pack our Yeti Rambler cups. We have hot coffee all morning and then cold water all day!
We found magnetic hooks to be very helpful, along with non-surge protector power blocks with multiple USB-A & C plugs.
I’m definitely taking shower caps, a tray & reusable food containers on my next cruise!
Thanks for sharing! I love keeping my coffee very hot, so I get this
We hit hurricane Rita on Lobster Night. I was one of the few people who wasn't seasick. I had six lobster tails that night because they had more prepared than people showed up for dinner.
A cruise ship navigated a hurricane? 😮 Scary! Was everyone wearing life jackets?
You sound like the kind of person who could close down a buffet with me.
During our Christmas cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, my wife filled out a card for some coffee and pastries to be delivered to our cabin at 8:30 AM. At 5:30 AM the next morning our room phone rang. When I answered, a steward named David said he was on his way with our coffee. I asked why was he coming at 5:30 in the morning, and all he offered was that it was really busy in the kitchen. Not sure what the communication issue was as Royal Caribbean didn’t even offer a 5:30 delivery time., but we survived. 😂
My mom and I used to get a milkshake and fries at McDonald's when I was a kid, so good, milkshake or ice cream. Vanilla or chocolate is best. Unexpected combo but it's really good lol. God bless you all ❤
Thank you for these videos! You are adorable and they are very informative and great tips!
One of my favorites is a Guinness float with ice cream. Just the beer and ice cream.
I like the bring your own tray idea.
At 7:10 of your video, you suggested a tray to bring items back to your cabin, we have a collapsible lunch sack we use and reusable baggies. You can also bring the collapsible bottles for liquids-juices, etc. We will sometimes take cereal and milk and fruit to have in our room for breakfast on port days so we don't have to fight the crowds before off boarding at a port.
I love the Spa Cafe (included) on Celebrity ships. Smoothies with your drinks package, great little breakfast items like acai bowls, and my favourite, peanut butter on a bagel with thin slices of apple. Wonderful light items for breakfast and lunch.
That’s such a good one! I forget about that hidden gem
Since most drink packages don't include specialty coffees, I make my own. I bring a large thermal mug & head to the soft serve ice cream station. I fill my cup with the ice cream & then might add caramel or chocolate syrup & go pour hot coffee over it. I have been know to ask for a double shot of Bailey's & pour that in too for an adult coffee. The ice cream makes it creamy & sweet & it's a delicious & free coffee drink. I've also asked for some entrees to be in an appetizer size & no waiter ever turned me down. I do that if I want to try a few entrees, but not the full dinner size. Thanks for the tips. Oh, french fries dipped in ice cream is delicious. That salty/sweet taste.
Never heard of the fries and ice cream
I found a double wall glass bottle made for loose leaf tea infusion or water and fruit cold water. I liked using my own premium tea in the filter basket and filling the bottle with hot water at the buffet. Amazon sells many variations.
Wow what a fantastic idea of covering left overs with shower caps! I use them for my shoes but didn’t think of covering left overs! Game changer. 😊 Lots of fantastic ideas!
You can also get at the dollar tree a box of different sizes (actually made for food) shower caps.
@@katrinafarrar5816 lol now I’m wondering what else we can do with these 😂
@@shawndelaney9311 yes in Australia we get them in Aldi, known as 'food covers
@@LifeWellCruised Btw… we were on a cruise (Royal) one time with our daughter & son-in-love who are both vegan.
First night we were in the dining room and the waiter asked if they liked Indian food… “YES we do!” They said enthusiastically.
The waiter brought them that night and EVERY NIGHT after the Indian food the Indian CREW fixes for themselves!
It was such a hit that the ‘kids’ a few years later ended up going to India for 2 months to learn how to teach traditional yoga.
You never know what sparks the soul.
We’ve been on 3 cruises in the last 2 years and I’ve found your videos a big help. (Before that it was more than 10 years since we cruised and things were very different.) Every new one- like this one- gives me more ideas. Thanks so much!
I like to get fruit in a sealed container, add limes from the burrito bar, and bring packets of Tajin. I dislike the tea served in the buffet area, so I bring tea bags and sugar to make my own. I get boiling water in a small thermos and bring a quart container to brew my tea.
Love the fruit with lime and Tajín idea!!
This is a great video! So many ideas I never thought of. Definitely going to try the sangria and the plate covers. Thanks ❤
Love these tips! I always bring ziplock bags with me, but have never used them to bring food back from the buffet. So smart!
I bring the to go drink carriers with a handle from Chile Fil A to transport drinks around from the beverage station
Thank you, you have really done your homework. I treat myself to crème brule once or twice a trip. The first night i ask the waiter to always serve me fresh fruit for dessert. That saves me from deciding should I or shouldn’t I. We do not have dessert but 3 times a year. I know crazy, right. I ❤ fruit so it makes me very happy. I always ask first night for a half portion for my main meal. This gives me leeway to experience more speciality and local food
You are welcome! I love those hacks too.
I know some people may view this as taboo, or frustrated as it's already factored in, but double tipping will have your servers bend over backwards, forwards, and doing cartwheels for you.
It may or may not also work with your room steward. $20 might have them swiping stuff from suites for you. Particularly specialty pillows, $20 is cheap for a better weeks sleep.
On all 5 Disney cruises we have been on WE HAVE ordered Mickey Bars for dessert! Also on Disney cruises they have sit down breakfast places but it depends on where you eat dinner. They also have breakfast buffets
The PB is cool with the lava cake, but ask for Butter Pecan ice cream, instead of the regular vanilla. It's AMAZING! 😋
Yes! Princess is amazing for allergies 💜 my then-2-now 4 year old boy has a peanut allergy and our waiter, Saul, on the Sapphire Princess was an absolute rockstar with it!
We are currently going through exposure therapy with him, so it will hopefully allow us to have some protection from cross-contamination by the time of our next cruise.
@@CrusifoxMedia so glad to hear and I hope you get positive results :)
We went on a Carnival cruise and my sister has celiac disease and Carnival was so great on accommodating her needs
Fruit tray dessert ordered as an appetizer is great for kids.
Asking your waiter for a menu suggestion is a great idea. Ultimately the waiter is responsible for the food rating even if they didn't prepare it. They will tell you if the pork chop is dry because they want a happy diner who will give them a high score on the survey.
There's a lot of good stuff on here. I'll never remember them all so I'll have to watch again and write down my favorites. Make sure you have your cabin steward empty out your mini bar on embarkation day so you'll have more fridge room. And make friends with your bartenders. If you have a beverage package, a lot of them will give you an unopened "road pop" (us beer drinkers know what this is!) when you're ready to retire to your cabin. I usually hit up a lot of them on the first day and restock my own "personal minibar".
Genius extra tips!! Thanks for adding these
I just did this on Carnival Mardi Gras. This is a great hack.
I've been dipping french fries in soft ice cream since high school. Salty Sweet Treat and it's delicious!
My favorite desert on HAL is bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce, which is only in the buffet at lunch. But if you go to the main dining room, you can ask for it.
@@kayblock8821 yum!! I’m going to have to try
Just had to tell you that I have looked at my friend like she lost it when she dipped her Fries into a shake. But after I tried it. I have to give it a thumbs up. Lol and you don't have to be one a cruise to do this because we did that at a McDonald's lol.
I always bring a tumbler and some stainless steel straws. I like the diy sangria. I will be trying this on my next cruise. Good hacks and tips as always.
@@chanej2651 I’m going to be bringing my straws for sure my next cruise
If you like caviar and are on a Silversea or a Seabourn cruise it is always available we often get it at breakfast.
Wow!!
Well, I thought I've heard everything but these are some excellent tips! Thank you so very much
McD fries dipped in either a vanilla shake or soft serve sundae 😋
Good idea on the cookies and ziplock bags!
Glad you like them!
Yes! I always include baggies in my "you never know" supplies but never thought to stash myself some cookies or brownies.
Shhh we bring cookies home in baggies to remind us of the cruise. Of course our fav is white chocolate Mac nut cookies oh my so yum
When I’m craving soup but not the one that’s being served (re: NCL), I take a soup bowl, put some beans, veggies, chunks of cheese, etc from the salad bar then I have my bowl filled at the Asian soup station!
If I have a coffee set up in my cabin, I bring that tray to the buffet to bring items back.
French fries topped with some sliced cheese and then some warm gravy or au jus!
The fast food chain Sonic has a foldable drink carrier. We decorated ours with stickers and such and people were asking where they could get them.
I've dipped French fries in my ice cream for years. ❤
Been cruisin since 04 when I was ten years old. I go on Celebration in a few days :) I'm so excited. I learned so much in this video. Thanks!!!
Very exciting! I have a feeling we may be cruising together 🤫 (video out later today)
@@LifeWellCruised OMG! It's a Celebration!
I will sometimes get 1 or 2 appetizers then a desert in the main dining room. And the sea day brunch on Carnival was our ABSOLUTE favorite!!
Yes, I dip my french fries in my milkshakes since I was a kid (I'm over 70 yrs old)!!! Really good!!!
Yes you can get Mickey bars in the main dining or from room service on DCL.
Thank you, you are awesome!
I was on the NCL Epic and ate at the steakhouse the food was good but fortunately bot enough for two. Actually I think the meals in the main Dining room were always great.
Love that VV has plenty of included foods and drinks. The Social Club has candy too at no extra cost. I will consider the tray idea because it is awkward to balance plates and drinks back to your cabin. I'll also bring a large thermos so i can make a pot of tea. I never thought about asking for wine glasses for the room, I'll do that next time.
Thank you so much for the ziploc hack!! I’m going on a cruise in 3 days!! So excited to use some of these tips!!
On Disney, each adult is allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine/sparkling wine or 6 cans of beer. It needs to be in your carry-on bag and there is a corkage fee if you want it in the dining room.
You can also bring your own soda or water - also has to be in your carry-on - this is very helpful for picky nonalcoholic drinkers.
Disney cruise (min 13:20) yes we ask for Mickey bar at dinner)
Also can ask for second dish with just the meat vs getting the sides which for me usually don’t finish
You have provided a lot of great tips and hacks. Much appreciated.
I have very specific diet restrictions. On a RC cruise, they didn't have anything I'd asked for ahead of time. I wanted to get off the ship, but the chef made sure I was able to eat every night and confirmed the next night's menu before I left each night.
So I think the lava cake already comes with vanilla ice cream on Carnival but def recommend trying it with peanut butter, it is so good.
or get two! ice creams so it looks like Mickey Mouse ears. even better!
Great idea about zip locks and containers. Going to “steal” dome fruits next cruise.
lol 😂
French Fries in a Milkshake! ABSOLUTELY! everyone in my high-school did this back in the 70's, {in Wichita, Kansas, USA} and I still like it. Just not as much now😮😂