Brilliance 12-15/12-19

I just want to make clear even though there were some real wacko
passengers, the staff of the Brilliance was terrific.
Especially in light of some of the passengers they had to deal with.
Rusty at the Champaign bar, Eric and Freddy at the Schooner bar, and Ann
who was their supervisor were standouts.
Plus the food and service in the steak house/grill was outstanding and
worth the extra $20 each. It was EVERY bit as good as Shula's or
Morton's.
Plus they even had ONE non-smoking bar, the lobby bar.
I won $270 on a slot machine too.
But the entertainment was pretty average, at least in my opinion.
Adult karaoke was much more entertaining than the actual paid
entertainers in the showroom.
There were two male juggler/gymnasts from Australia and a female Charlie
Prose type another night, not too good.

Heard from my friend's daughter...she hated the cruise. She said the
ship was beautiful, but several things disappointed her. She said
although there appeared to be a youngish crowd onboard (she is 22 and
her boyfriend is about the same age), it was dead at night. No disco?
Is that possible? Also, she said after second dinner seating, there
was no food available anywhere but from room service. You know kids,
they don't start making their plans to go out until 9 or 10 p.m., so
not being able to get food after 8:30 was a disappointment to them.
Also, I understand the weather wasn't so good. She said they could
only sit out in the sun one day.

She's not a rowdy party type girl, but she was hoping for something a
bit livelier. She had been on the Carnival Imagination last year, and
while she said the Brilliance was a beautiful ship, she had a lot more
fun on the Carnival cruise.

Jo-Ann

(DaFlaBear) wrote in message ...
I just want to make clear even though there were some real wacko
passengers, the staff of the Brilliance was terrific.
Especially in light of some of the passengers they had to deal with.
Rusty at the Champaign bar, Eric and Freddy at the Schooner bar, and Ann
who was their supervisor were standouts.
Plus the food and service in the steak house/grill was outstanding and
worth the extra $20 each. It was EVERY bit as good as Shula's or
Morton's.
Plus they even had ONE non-smoking bar, the lobby bar.
I won $270 on a slot machine too.
But the entertainment was pretty average, at least in my opinion.
Adult karaoke was much more entertaining than the actual paid
entertainers in the showroom.
There were two male juggler/gymnasts from Australia and a female Charlie
Prose type another night, not too good.

I just want to make clear even though there were some real wacko
passengers, the staff of the Brilliance was terrific.
Especially in light of some of the passengers they had to deal with.
Rusty at the Champaign bar, Eric and Freddy at the Schooner bar, and Ann
who was their supervisor were standouts.

I agree, the staff are fantastic. Though, by the time of your cruise, 12/15
they had switched some of the staff. Rusty was off during our 11 day
11/24/03
cruise. We missed him, a lot. He was stationed in the Champagne Bar on our
11/11/02 BOTS cruise.
Finally met Eric, although briefly. He wasn't the bartender in the Schooner
Bar, 11/11/02, or this year's 11/24 cruise. But, heard lots of people sing
his praises, online, through various online sources! Last year Arvin and
Joseph were
the Schooner bartenders. This year Arvin was in the Champagne Bar, along
with Marly. The Schooner bartenders this year were just as terrific, Emilito
(from the Phillipines) and Myron (from , I want to say Trinidad, but DH
says, no.. Grenada).
Btw, Ann was also the Assistant Bar Manager, nice enough to us..(on the
surface, anyway, initially), and the other
paxs, (although, we quickly detected that she was very, very phony) but
well hated by the crew, shipwide. As the cruise went by, we could
see why. Same Bar Manager this time, Guy Charles, from St. Lucia. 4th time
sailing with him. (pronounced French, not phonetically, although, he seemed
to be unperturbed by the cruiseline practice of abbreviating proper names
down to a level that, mostly, American's could wrap their tongues around!
Nice man. Ran into him the first day, nice to be
remembered...big hug and a kiss, addressed us by name.
Our cruise was wonderful, the best cruise yet. Food was good to great in
dining room, outstanding, as usual in Chops and Portifinos.
Met loads of new friends, again, another nice mix of paxs, age range wise.
Average age, late 40's to 50's, early sixties, with lots and lots of young
newlyweds onboard..20's
Btw, there was more than 1 bar that was non-smoking, besides the Lobby bar.
The Solarium and the bar in the library area of the Colony Club were also
non-smoking. I was actually, quite, relieved that there were places to
smoke. Right before we left, 11/23, Mr. Tractor posted a review of the ROTS,
and, specifically, mentioned that smoking was significantly, limited. (mid
cruise, IIRC) I was
so relieved to see ashtrays on the Schooner Bar..we headed straight to it
after dropping off our carry-ons in the stateroom. I even went so far as to
ask the Bar Manager, Guy, and the Hotel Manager (name escapes me, right this
minute, the more I think of this, the more I realize that I don't and won't
remember his name) if there is to be a change in the smoking policy. The
answer was
no... not only that, they stated that they could not understand why or how
the ROTS cruise that Mr. Tractor was on, could have instituted a change in
policy. Don't get me wrong... I'm not, in any way, disputing or denying Mr.
Tractor's account of HIS cruise, neither were the BM and
HM......furthermore, they DID say that if anything, the Schooner Bar will
NEVER, EVER be designated non-smoking...that, in fact, the SB, on all ships,
fleetwide, are always to be designated smoking, fleetwide. I even went
further than that...just to be sure...I took a cruise compass with us,
compared the compass, word for word, with the compass from 11/11/02...same
legal speak/company cover their ass, party line.....to quote..RCL BOTS is
*primarily* a non-smoking ship..blah, blah, blah!...even goes on to say that
smoking in bed is forbidden! Anyway, I had, totally, forgotten that the
Daily Compass from the 11/11/02 cruise stated/said, the exact same thing.
I'm thinking of posting/doing a review...I know it's a bit tardy/late...what
can I say?!...I suffer, greatly/badly Le Syndrome, lack of sea legs! (my
term...I know, I know, silly! And, I do know the real/official term for the
malady, and it ain't pretty, by any means...it, plainly, sucks, big time! )
Last 2 cruises, it lasted 6 weeks! Cripes/Yikes! I really, really hope it is
a much shorter period, this time around.
Lots more to say, I'll get to it, eventually.
In the mean time, anyone who hs any questions, just ask! Either here, at RTC
or via email.
Eileen




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In article , EileenMcDonald
wrote:

furthermore, they DID say that if anything, the Schooner Bar will
NEVER, EVER be designated non-smoking...that, in fact, the SB, on all ships,
fleetwide, are always to be designated smoking, fleetwide.

They don't make the policy. There is no never, ever. I live in a state
where tobacco was a major crop. It was just banned in all bars in my
county. A statewide ban is being proposed and while it may not be next
year, it is probably only a matter of time for the state. I don't think
anyone even imagined that a few years ago. If smoking generaly becomes
banned in bars and indoor public places in the United States which is a
trend that seems to be spreading, the cruise lines will probably end up
doing the same.

--
Charles

Charles wrote:

If smoking generaly becomes
banned in bars and indoor public places in the United States which is a
trend that seems to be spreading, the cruise lines will probably end up
doing the same.

You're correct Charles; they probably will. And perhaps a few special
ships (lines?) will emerge that are specifically geared to smokers and
those who are not bothered by, or paranoid about, second hand smoke.
Although I might miss the company of many interesting, non-smoking pax
whom I have met on ships, overall I would be delighted to sail on such a
ship.

Howie - remembering all those cruises where he lingered in the dining
room after dinner, laughing and chatting with very cool people from many
different places.

On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 00:51:28 -0500, "EileenMcDonald"
wrote:

.furthermore, they DID say that if anything, the Schooner Bar will
NEVER, EVER be designated non-smoking..

Go ahead and bet on NEVER EVER; I'll bet on the growing swell of
legislation banning smoking in all public places to reach the cruise
ships in the future.

On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 08:07:29 -0500, Howard Garland
wrote:

You're correct Charles; they probably will. And perhaps a few special
ships (lines?) will emerge that are specifically geared to smokers and
those who are not bothered by, or paranoid about, second hand smoke.

Anyone who does not smoke, and is stupid enough NOT to be paranoid
about second hand smoke, should enjoy their second hand diseases.

Although I might miss the company of many interesting, non-smoking pax
whom I have met on ships, overall I would be delighted to sail on such a
ship.

I hope you get that chance, and love the experience so much, that you
decide to retire permanently on one.