Introduction: Mexico City has been a recent interest of mine ever since the YouTube algorithm started recommending me videos on this mega city. Like most Americans, I was ignorant and incorrectly under the assumption that Mexico City was sketchy and had nothing to offer for travelers other than poverty tourism. However, after watching YouTube videos and reading more about this city, I quickly learned that Mexico City, and Mexico in general, has a very rich culture and history. It also is the biggest city in the Western Hemisphere. I was locked in this point to explore this city so close to home.Booking this trip was very random, I originally booked a vacation to go to EDC Vegas with friends (insanely fun time btw) but I wanted to extend my PTO for the rest of the week after because I was already taking a day off to rest and had the Friday off for MDW.
After exploring other options in the US like possibly other areas in the south west like Utah or Arizona I quickly realized how expensive this would be. Vegas has great prices on flights so I wanted to take advantage of that and go somewhere international, due to my recent interest with Mexico City and how it isn’t too expensive, it just made sense. I booked the flight and hotel instantly so I wouldn’t think too much about it.
I invited some other friends at first and received some maybes, ultimately I knew that this would end up being a solo trip. I have some experience with solo trips, my first one was Hiroshima while I was studying abroad in Tokyo, that trip gave me my first powerful global experience that has ultimately became my goal when i travel now. I also did Denver last summer to see a red rocks show ( stayed in a hostel which ended up being the same price as a decent hotel in CDMX 🤣). I didn’t have much of a structured plan for this trip except to see the historic district and maybe teohiucan if it wasn’t too difficult to get there.
Logistics: I stayed in a Roma Norte hotel from Tuesday Night - Sunday Morning.
Interests: architecture, food, electronic music, nature, history
Day 1: Arrival
I arrived into CDMX around 1045pm via Volaris. The Volaris experience sucks, honestly worse than Spirit lol. For about an hour we were sitting on the runway not moving without AC in the Vegas heat. Apparently this is due to them not having runway rights? Not sure about this but that’s what some googling told me.
For some reason I exchanged usd for pesos at the cash exchange counters instead of using an atm to take out pesos. Not sure why I did because I have travelled internationally and know that ATMs are usually the best options. Whatever, I just took the L there. I called an Uber to my hotel after rejecting many taxi drivers.
I arrived to my hotel hungry and looked for open places to eat that were close to the hotel. I did not want to walk too far as I heard that night time gets sketchy. I ended up finding a taco place right across the street from my hotel so I went there. The place was called Taquería LOS HUARACHINES (ROMA). Ordering was a bit tough due to the language barrier but I got 2 Al pastor tacos, a plate of carne asada with about 5 tortilla, and a Coca Cola. This was an amazing meal and exactly what I wanted. The Al pastor was incredibly juicy and probably were the best tacos I had in my life at this point. I’m currently based in Texas so I’ve had real tacos before but these were just something else. I walked back to my hotel and quickly went to bed.
Day 2: Roma Norte & La Condesa
I had no official plans for this day. I was still tired from EDC Vegas so I woke up pretty late and didn’t get out of the hotel until around 1130-12. Once I did get out, I originally just planned to walk around neighborhood and see what piqued my interest. I started with a coffee. I got an iced coffee as it was hot out, I don’t think iced coffee is a thing anywhere else besides the US so this was also a little harder to order due to language barrier. Luckily someone spoke English at the counter and helped me order.
I began to walk north, I stopped at plaza rio de janiero to smoke a cigarette (I’m not a regular smoker except on vacation and when I go to raves lol). Very cool spot. My first impression of the Roma Norte neighborhood was that it was a nicer, greener, cleaner version of nyc with a European flair.
Next, I ended up at I believe Zona Rosa? It was a pedestrian only area with a lot of shops and restaurants. I stopped in a few shops maybe looking to buy sunglasses or a shirt but ultimately did not. I continued my walk.
I saw there was some sort of park near me called Bosque de Chapultec. I decided that would be my next destination to walk to. I passed the el Angel de la indepencia which was very impressive. I finally got to the park and was wowed by how nice it was. I didn’t know it was such a big destination until I got there and saw there a bunch of museos and vendors set up. I bought a pair of sunglasses as it was bright out and walked around a bit to take it in. Finally, I decided to check out a museum. I chose Museo de Arte Moderno as I wanted to see some art. I much prefer modern art over traditional art too. I really liked this museum and connected with a lot more paintings that I thought I would. About of 1/4 of the way through I realized can use Google translate to read the descriptions for some of the paintings. I wish I took down the artists who created some of these paintings but I think I can find the artists again if I really wanted to.
I went outside to the sculpture garden and this was a little underwhelming tbh. I was also getting hangry so I went through it quick. I decided to get lunch at Los Pancheros as it was nearby and the Google reviews seemed good. I ordered Plato rachero & caldo xochitl. HUGE portions and incredibly good. I really liked the soup though, it was some sort of chicken and rice soup. It took a little bit for the check to come but it finally did and I paid and left.
I ate way too much and I had to lay down somewhere so I went back to the park and found a nice place to lay where other people were. It was some sort of fountain that I can’t find on Google maps but even though it wasn’t exactly “grand” it was very chill and everyone there just seemed relaxed lol. I laid there for about 20-30 mins until I was ready to go again. I saw on Google maps that there was a castle in the park!? I really wanted to see that. I decided to walk in that direction and also passed Lago de Chapultec. Wow that was beautiful, I wish I took my rest time there lol.
I finally got to the castle entrance but they weren’t letting people in anymore as it was too late, damn. I should’ve paid more attention to the times, I didn’t realize all the museums closed at 5. I decided to finish up my park experience and Uber to the historic center just to check it out. However Ubers were very hard to get at this time as it was rush hour and traffic was insane outside the park. I had multiple people cancel on me, I also canceled on someone after seeing how long it would take to pick me up and drop me off to the historic center. I eventually decided just to walk back. It was about an hour walk back so I had to tough it out.
Not much happened on this walk, just continued to take in the city. Stopped at glorieta de Los insugentes to take a break and smoke a cigarette. I felt a little sketched out here due to all the people constantly moving. I was a bit worried about being pick pocketed but I think it was just the tiredness making me anxious. I got out of there relatively quick and made it back to my hotel to rest before dinner.
At this point I decided I wanted to go to teohiucan the next day. I explored my options for getting there and eventually just decided on Uber because I don’t really like being in a group when going to tourist sites as I’m a bit “quirky” and like to take weird routes and repeat some areas a few times I also keep an inconsistent pace so that made the group experience out of the question. I could’ve taken the bus but did not want to deal with the stress that public transit can be in a foreign country lol. For dinner, I made a reservation at the sushi place Makoto as I wanted something other than Mexican food. Fabulous place, I ordered a glass of wine, sushi sampler, and the fatty tuna nigiri.
Day 2: Teohiucan
I woke up somewhat early for this day. I ordered an Uber and was off. It was really interesting to see Mexico City outside the nicer neighborhoods. I think this is what most Americans imagine when they hear Mexico City. It looked like the COD MW2 map Favela. I wondered what life was like in this area of Mexico City. I even saw a ski lift in use to bring people up the mountain to their house maybe?
I got dropped off at Teohiucan and entered in. I skipped breakfast because I assumed they would have something there. I was half right, they had some convenient stores. I just bought a pack of crackers and a electrolit and hoped that would get me through the whole time I was there lol.I walked around all the pyramids, I was hoping to climb them but I saw they were closed for climbing, honestly a good thing, I imagine they were getting a lot of wear and tear from that. I feel like these pyramids are underrated in terms of world wonders. They’re pretty big and the city itself was apparently one of the biggest cities in the world at the time.
My favorite part about this visit was this path that you can take that allowed you to walk on the outside of the main path. It was super peaceful and you got to see the pyramids at different angles with no people around. In terms of my favorite structure, I liked the citadel a lot due to the intricate designs on it. Some random things I liked there were the jardin and the things the vendors were selling that made the animal noises 😂 I thought it was hilarious how everyone was basically spamming it in chat. I should’ve bought one looking back
I was a little anxious about getting an Uber back but I got one relatively quick and got back to my hotel. When I got back I was very hungry and I found this place near my hotel with a deal that gave 5 al pastor tacos and a cervesa for $100 pesos. Amazing deal but then I saw the al pastor looked like it was dry and has been out for awhile. Unfortunately i felt too awkward to leave after sitting, a mistake that I learned from later if you keep reading. However the tacos were still decent. I was still pretty hungry and found a street vendor selling hamburgers, I ordered con queso and it was insanely good. I ate it in a park and then got some churros from Churrería El Moro which were also good.Again I was way too full and had to lie down. I went back to my hotel and took a nap.
When I woke up I was still full but I started experiencing the first signs of montezumas revenge. However it didn’t seem that bad and I wanted to go out for a rooftop drink. I went to Supra Roma. Great vibe. I had to stand by the bar the whole time due to not having reservations but the views were fantastic and the dj was decent too. She was playing house music. I definitely want to bring my friends here if they ever want to come to cdmx. I had 1 cocktail and 2 beers there. Was thinking about talking to people there but mostly everyone was speaking Spanish so I decided not to.
I left and was gonna call it an early night but heard some more house music being played across the street at departmento. I decided why not and paid the cover to check it out. It was ok. Dj was decent but the vibe seemed kind of “basic” other than the music. Nothing too unique about this place, just a terrace playing music with young people hanging out. I had 2 drinks and left and got a torta. I made it back to my hotel around 12am and this when things started to go south unfortunately. Montezumas revenge came back and this time even stronger than earlier. The alcohol definitely did not help. It quickly kept getting worse in terms of cramping and the ability to not go to the bathroom for more than 20 mins. I think it was the Al pastor tacos from earlier today. I did not get much sleep this night and was basically in survival mode lol luckily I had some water bottles to stay hydrated but I knew I would have to venture out to get more eventually. I basically spent the whole night on the toilet or curled up in pain.
Day 3: Recovery
I was hoping I’d feel feel better in the morning and I was somewhat correct. After 12 hours I could walk again although it was definitely difficult. I managed to make it to a farmacia where the pharmacist recommended me treda. I got that and more water + electrolit. It was around 1pm so I sat outside and drank my electrolit to see if I strong enough to do some sort of activity. After about 20 mins of sitting outside I decided I definitely could not and decided to just take the L for today so I could be full strength for tomorrow. I took my treda and was able to get some rest. When I woke up I was still feeling montezumas revenge a little bit but I knew I had to eat something. I ended up using Uber eats to get consomé de pollo from this place called Toks. It seemed like a safe option as it looked like a chain and I assumed chains usually have somewhat good hygiene standards. It ended up being way better than expected and I managed to put down most of it.
After eating, I took a walk to get more electrolit. I was still a little weak so I just went back to the hotel and went to bed. I was a bit bummed I lost a day but anytime you’re in a 3rd world country you should budget a day for stomach issues.
Day 4: Castillo De Chapultepec & Historic Center
I woke up feeling a lot better. It was actually crazy as 24 hours ago I couldn’t even walk straight. I took my treda and headed out. I was debating on if I should go back Chapultepec park to see the castle or if it would take too much time as I was planning to go to the historic center today. I decided to see the castle as I was thinking about it too much to skip it.
I took an Uber there this time and paid the admission. It was definitely worth it. The castle was so beautiful and there was so much history inside. I learned a lot about Mexican history and was able to take in some nice views of the city. My favorite part were the murals inside and the jardin. After, I walked to 7/11 to get more electrolit. I also got pringles as I was hungry but my stomach was still a little rough. From there I ubered to the historic center.
When I got to the historic center I was instantly overstimulated lol. It was a Saturday afternoon so it must’ve been the most popular day. It was a lot bigger than expected too. I didn’t really know where to start so I just started walking. My first stop was actually the adidas store as I needed to get my bearings and am a fan of adidas lol unfortunately there wasn’t much in there though that seemed exclusive. I know in Tokyo they’ll have exclusive stuff but didn’t see anything like that in Mexico City, bit disappointed but otherwise it provided a place for me to take a breath. I got out and started walking towards zocalo plaza.
Zocalo Plaza was just epic. The big Mexican flag with the cathedral behind it had so much swag for lack of a better term lmao it showed off the immense pride that Mexico has for itself. I really liked this area a lot.
I continued walking and ended up at these streets with vendors. This was even more overstimulating than the other areas. So much noise and people. I stopped in a store and got a can coke and kept on trucking along.
I decided to go to palacio de bella artes. I really liked palacio de bella artes as well. The architecture and colors were stunning. The Torre Latinoamericana building was also interesting. I decided to check out the museum inside palacio de Bella artes. At first i thought it was a bit underwhelming. I was not too big of a fan of the murals and it seemed like some areas were closed. I then came across the Dioses y Maquinas exhibit by Santiago Sierra Soler. This exhibit was an “immersive cinema installation” that told the story of the aztecs getting colonized by Spaniards. It was very powerful and really made me understand some of the politics of Mexico. Also globalism in general and how colonization impacted the world. It gave me that powerful global experience that I mentioned before. I think everyone who visits cdmx should experience this exhibit to really wrap your head around the politics of the country and how it became what it is today. When I walked out I began to see the two sides of Mexico, the native side and european side and how they interact with each other.
That exhibit made me want to learn about the Aztecs more so I ended up going to museo del templo mayor. This place was also impressive with countless exhibits about the Aztecs. It’s insane to me how there was an ancient city right under us. By the time I was done there I was getting hungry so ironically I got McDonald’s as my stomach needed something familiar. I got it to go and ate it near the palacio de bella artes. I wanted to go the sears rooftop after but couldn’t find the entrance so I just walked around the surrounding neighborhood. This part reminded me a lot of Manhattan.
I walked through the Barrio Chino and thought it was hilarious tbh. I did not see any Asian people and there wasn’t much Asian culture other than the lanterns i guess lol the restaurants also did not look too good. Cool experience nonetheless.
I ended my walk at a plaza San juan to call an Uber as it was about to start raining. I found the torre de telefons de Telmex structure also super interesting. I made it home and rested before dinner.
For dinner I went to this Argentinan steak house called Gardela. A bit risky after my stomach issues but I wanted to get a nice dinner on my last night. I got a dry aged New York strip and it did not disappoint. I ordered it medium rare but it was a bit more rare than expected. I ate it anyway and was wowed. One of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Amazing service too, can’t recommend this place enough if you want a good steak.
When I got back to my hotel I was having an internal debate if I should go out. I had an early flight and was already pretty tired and full. I decided to go out anyway as it was Saturday night and didn’t get to do anything the day before. I ended up at this techno club called yuyu. Pretty intimate spot. The techno was very good and creative. The crowd was also fun, I had a few shallow conversations with people but nothing deep. Mostly my fault though as I wasn’t making much conversation. I just drank beer, smoked cigarettes, and listened to good electronic music which is a solid night for me. I headed home around 2 and went to bed for my flight.
Closing remarks:I really enjoyed my time in Mexico City. Im not sure what my expectations were for the city but they were definitely exceeded. Definitely an underrated city as there is so much culture and history but I never here much people talk about it in the states. I will definitely be back as I feel like there’s still so much to discover and it was pretty cheap to get there and get lodging.
Not gonna lie though, I was bit nervous going solo here but once I got there most of the anxiety went away. In terms of safety, just be where you’re supposed to be (tourist areas & safe neighborhoods), keep your possessions zipped up, and don’t walk at night. I felt more sketched out in most US cities

Introduction: Mexico City has been a recent interest of mine ever since the YouTube algorithm started recommending me videos on this mega city. Like most Americans, I was ignorant and incorrectly under the assumption that Mexico City was sketchy and had nothing to offer for travelers other than poverty tourism. However, after watching YouTube videos and reading more about this city, I quickly learned that Mexico City, and Mexico in general, has a very rich culture and history. It also is the biggest city in the Western Hemisphere. I was locked in this point to explore this city so close to home.Booking this trip was very random, I originally booked a vacation to go to EDC Vegas with friends (insanely fun time btw) but I wanted to extend my PTO for the rest of the week after because I was already taking a day off to rest and had the Friday off for MDW. After exploring other options in the US like possibly other areas in the south west like Utah or Arizona I quickly realized how expensive this would be. Vegas has great prices on flights so I wanted to take advantage of that and go somewhere international, due to my recent interest with Mexico City and how it isn’t too expensive, it just made sense. I booked the flight and hotel instantly so I wouldn’t think too much about it.
I invited some other friends at first and received some maybes, ultimately I knew that this would end up being a solo trip. I have some experience with solo trips, my first one was Hiroshima while I was studying abroad in Tokyo, that trip gave me my first powerful global experience that has ultimately became my goal when i travel now. I also did Denver last summer to see a red rocks show ( stayed in a hostel which ended up being the same price as a decent hotel in CDMX 🤣). I didn’t have much of a structured plan for this trip except to see the historic district and maybe teohiucan if it wasn’t too difficult to get there.
Logistics: I stayed in a Roma Norte hotel from Tuesday Night - Sunday Morning.
Interests: architecture, food, electronic music, nature, history
Day 1: Arrival
I arrived into CDMX around 1045pm via Volaris. The Volaris experience sucks, honestly worse than Spirit lol. For about an hour we were sitting on the runway not moving without AC in the Vegas heat. Apparently this is due to them not having runway rights? Not sure about this but that’s what some googling told me.
For some reason I exchanged usd for pesos at the cash exchange counters instead of using an atm to take out pesos. Not sure why I did because I have travelled internationally and know that ATMs are usually the best options. Whatever, I just took the L there. I called an Uber to my hotel after rejecting many taxi drivers.
I arrived to my hotel hungry and looked for open places to eat that were close to the hotel. I did not want to walk too far as I heard that night time gets sketchy. I ended up finding a taco place right across the street from my hotel so I went there. The place was called Taquería LOS HUARACHINES (ROMA). Ordering was a bit tough due to the language barrier but I got 2 Al pastor tacos, a plate of carne asada with about 5 tortilla, and a Coca Cola. This was an amazing meal and exactly what I wanted. The Al pastor was incredibly juicy and probably were the best tacos I had in my life at this point. I’m currently based in Texas so I’ve had real tacos before but these were just something else. I walked back to my hotel and quickly went to bed.
Day 2: Roma Norte & La Condesa
I had no official plans for this day. I was still tired from EDC Vegas so I woke up pretty late and didn’t get out of the hotel until around 1130-12. Once I did get out, I originally just planned to walk around neighborhood and see what piqued my interest. I started with a coffee. I got an iced coffee as it was hot out, I don’t think iced coffee is a thing anywhere else besides the US so this was also a little harder to order due to language barrier. Luckily someone spoke English at the counter and helped me order.
I began to walk north, I stopped at plaza rio de janiero to smoke a cigarette (I’m not a regular smoker except on vacation and when I go to raves lol). Very cool spot. My first impression of the Roma Norte neighborhood was that it was a nicer, greener, cleaner version of nyc with a European flair.
Next, I ended up at I believe Zona Rosa? It was a pedestrian only area with a lot of shops and restaurants. I stopped in a few shops maybe looking to buy sunglasses or a shirt but ultimately did not. I continued my walk.
I saw there was some sort of park near me called Bosque de Chapultec. I decided that would be my next destination to walk to. I passed the el Angel de la indepencia which was very impressive. I finally got to the park and was wowed by how nice it was. I didn’t know it was such a big destination until I got there and saw there a bunch of museos and vendors set up. I bought a pair of sunglasses as it was bright out and walked around a bit to take it in. Finally, I decided to check out a museum. I chose Museo de Arte Moderno as I wanted to see some art. I much prefer modern art over traditional art too. I really liked this museum and connected with a lot more paintings that I thought I would. About of 1/4 of the way through I realized can use Google translate to read the descriptions for some of the paintings. I wish I took down the artists who created some of these paintings but I think I can find the artists again if I really wanted to. I went outside to the sculpture garden and this was a little underwhelming tbh. I was also getting hangry so I went through it quick.
I decided to get lunch at Los Pancheros as it was nearby and the Google reviews seemed good. I ordered Plato rachero & caldo xochitl. HUGE portions and incredibly good. I really liked the soup though, it was some sort of chicken and rice soup. It took a little bit for the check to come but it finally did and I paid and left.
I ate way too much and I had to lay down somewhere so I went back to the park and found a nice place to lay where other people were. It was some sort of fountain that I can’t find on Google maps but even though it wasn’t exactly “grand” it was very chill and everyone there just seemed relaxed lol. I laid there for about 20-30 mins until I was ready to go again. I saw on Google maps that there was a castle in the park!? I really wanted to see that. I decided to walk in that direction and also passed Lago de Chapultec. Wow that was beautiful, I wish I took my rest time there lol.
I finally got to the castle entrance but they weren’t letting people in anymore as it was too late, damn. I should’ve paid more attention to the times, I didn’t realize all the museums closed at 5. I decided to finish up my park experience and Uber to the historic center just to check it out. However Ubers were very hard to get at this time as it was rush hour and traffic was insane outside the park. I had multiple people cancel on me, I also canceled on someone after seeing how long it would take to pick me up and drop me off to the historic center. I eventually decided just to walk back. It was about an hour walk back so I had to tough it out.
Not much happened on this walk, just continued to take in the city. Stopped at glorieta de Los insugentes to take a break and smoke a cigarette. I felt a little sketched out here due to all the people constantly moving. I was a bit worried about being pick pocketed but I think it was just the tiredness making me anxious. I got out of there relatively quick and made it back to my hotel to rest before dinner.
At this point I decided I wanted to go to teohiucan the next day. I explored my options for getting there and eventually just decided on Uber because I don’t really like being in a group when going to tourist sites as I’m a bit “quirky” and like to take weird routes and repeat some areas a few times I also keep an inconsistent pace so that made the group experience out of the question. I could’ve taken the bus but did not want to deal with the stress that public transit can be in a foreign country lol. For dinner, I made a reservation at the sushi place Makoto as I wanted something other than Mexican food. Fabulous place, I ordered a glass of wine, sushi sampler, and the fatty tuna nigiri.
Day 2: Teohiucan
I woke up somewhat early for this day. I ordered an Uber and was off. It was really interesting to see Mexico City outside the nicer neighborhoods. I think this is what most Americans imagine when they hear Mexico City. It looked like the COD MW2 map Favela. I wondered what life was like in this area of Mexico City. I even saw a ski lift in use to bring people up the mountain to their house maybe?
I got dropped off at Teohiucan and entered in. I skipped breakfast because I assumed they would have something there. I was half right, they had some convenient stores. I just bought a pack of crackers and a electrolit and hoped that would get me through the whole time I was there lol.I walked around all the pyramids, I was hoping to climb them but I saw they were closed for climbing, honestly a good thing, I imagine they were getting a lot of wear and tear from that. I feel like these pyramids are underrated in terms of world wonders. They’re pretty big and the city itself was apparently one of the biggest cities in the world at the time.
My favorite part about this visit was this path that you can take that allowed you to walk on the outside of the main path. It was super peaceful and you got to see the pyramids at different angles with no people around. In terms of my favorite structure, I liked the citadel a lot due to the intricate designs on it. Some random things I liked there were the jardin and the things the vendors were selling that made the animal noises 😂 I thought it was hilarious how everyone was basically spamming it in chat. I should’ve bought one looking back
I was a little anxious about getting an Uber back but I got one relatively quick and got back to my hotel. When I got back I was very hungry and I found this place near my hotel with a deal that gave 5 al pastor tacos and a cervesa for $100 pesos. Amazing deal but then I saw the al pastor looked like it was dry and has been out for awhile. Unfortunately i felt too awkward to leave after sitting, a mistake that I learned from later if you keep reading. However the tacos were still decent. I was still pretty hungry and found a street vendor selling hamburgers, I ordered con queso and it was insanely good. I ate it in a park and then got some churros from Churrería El Moro which were also good.
Again I was way too full and had to lie down. I went back to my hotel and took a nap. When I woke up I was still full but I started experiencing the first signs of montezumas revenge. However it didn’t seem that bad and I wanted to go out for a rooftop drink.
I went to Supra Roma. Great vibe. I had to stand by the bar the whole time due to not having reservations but the views were fantastic and the dj was decent too. She was playing house music. I definitely want to bring my friends here if they ever want to come to cdmx. I had 1 cocktail and 2 beers there. Was thinking about talking to people there but mostly everyone was speaking Spanish so I decided not to.
I left and was gonna call it an early night but heard some more house music being played across the street at departmento. I decided why not and paid the cover to check it out. It was ok. Dj was decent but the vibe seemed kind of “basic” other than the music. Nothing too unique about this place, just a terrace playing music with young people hanging out. I had 2 drinks and left and got a torta.
I made it back to my hotel around 12am and this when things started to go south unfortunately. Montezumas revenge came back and this time even stronger than earlier. The alcohol definitely did not help. It quickly kept getting worse in terms of cramping and the ability to not go to the bathroom for more than 20 mins. I think it was the Al pastor tacos from earlier today. I did not get much sleep this night and was basically in survival mode lol luckily I had some water bottles to stay hydrated but I knew I would have to venture out to get more eventually. I basically spent the whole night on the toilet or curled up in pain.
Day 3: Recovery
I was hoping I’d feel feel better in the morning and I was somewhat correct. After 12 hours I could walk again although it was definitely difficult. I managed to make it to a farmacia where the pharmacist recommended me treda. I got that and more water + electrolit. It was around 1pm so I sat outside and drank my electrolit to see if I strong enough to do some sort of activity. After about 20 mins of sitting outside I decided I definitely could not and decided to just take the L for today so I could be full strength for tomorrow. I took my treda and was able to get some rest. When I woke up I was still feeling montezumas revenge a little bit but I knew I had to eat something. I ended up using Uber eats to get consomé de pollo from this place called Toks. It seemed like a safe option as it looked like a chain and I assumed chains usually have somewhat good hygiene standards. It ended up being way better than expected and I managed to put down most of it.
After eating, I took a walk to get more electrolit. I was still a little weak so I just went back to the hotel and went to bed. I was a bit bummed I lost a day but anytime you’re in a 3rd world country you should budget a day for stomach issues.
Day 4: Castillo De Chapultepec & Historic Center
I woke up feeling a lot better. It was actually crazy as 24 hours ago I couldn’t even walk straight. I took my treda and headed out. I was debating on if I should go back Chapultepec park to see the castle or if it would take too much time as I was planning to go to the historic center today. I decided to see the castle as I was thinking about it too much to skip it.
I took an Uber there this time and paid the admission. It was definitely worth it. The castle was so beautiful and there was so much history inside. I learned a lot about Mexican history and was able to take in some nice views of the city. My favorite part were the murals inside and the jardin. After, I walked to 7/11 to get more electrolit. I also got pringles as I was hungry but my stomach was still a little rough. From there I ubered to the historic center.
When I got to the historic center I was instantly overstimulated lol. It was a Saturday afternoon so it must’ve been the most popular day. It was a lot bigger than expected too. I didn’t really know where to start so I just started walking. My first stop was actually the adidas store as I needed to get my bearings and am a fan of adidas lol unfortunately there wasn’t much in there though that seemed exclusive. I know in Tokyo they’ll have exclusive stuff but didn’t see anything like that in Mexico City, bit disappointed but otherwise it provided a place for me to take a breath. I got out and started walking towards zocalo plaza.
Zocalo Plaza was just epic. The big Mexican flag with the cathedral behind it had so much swag for lack of a better term lmao it showed off the immense pride that Mexico has for itself. I really liked this area a lot.
I continued walking and ended up at these streets with vendors. This was even more overstimulating than the other areas. So much noise and people. I stopped in a store and got a can coke and kept on trucking along.
I decided to go to palacio de bella artes. I really liked palacio de bella artes as well. The architecture and colors were stunning. The Torre Latinoamericana building was also interesting. I decided to check out the museum inside palacio de Bella artes. At first i thought it was a bit underwhelming. I was not too big of a fan of the murals and it seemed like some areas were closed. I then came across the Dioses y Maquinas exhibit by Santiago Sierra Soler. This exhibit was an “immersive cinema installation” that told the story of the aztecs getting colonized by Spaniards. It was very powerful and really made me understand some of the politics of Mexico. Also globalism in general and how colonization impacted the world. It gave me that powerful global experience that I mentioned before. I think everyone who visits cdmx should experience this exhibit to really wrap your head around the politics of the country and how it became what it is today. When I walked out I began to see the two sides of Mexico, the native side and european side and how they interact with each other.
That exhibit made me want to learn about the Aztecs more so I ended up going to museo del templo mayor. This place was also impressive with countless exhibits about the Aztecs. It’s insane to me how there was an ancient city right under us. By the time I was done there I was getting hungry so ironically I got McDonald’s as my stomach needed something familiar. I got it to go and ate it near the palacio de bella artes. I wanted to go the sears rooftop after but couldn’t find the entrance so I just walked around the surrounding neighborhood. This part reminded me a lot of Manhattan.
I walked through the Barrio Chino and thought it was hilarious tbh. I did not see any Asian people and there wasn’t much Asian culture other than the lanterns i guess lol the restaurants also did not look too good. Cool experience nonetheless. I ended my walk at a plaza San juan to call an Uber as it was about to start raining. I found the torre de telefons de Telmex structure also super interesting. I made it home and rested before dinner.
For dinner I went to this Argentinan steak house called Gardela. A bit risky after my stomach issues but I wanted to get a nice dinner on my last night. I got a dry aged New York strip and it did not disappoint. I ordered it medium rare but it was a bit more rare than expected. I ate it anyway and was wowed. One of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Amazing service too, can’t recommend this place enough if you want a good steak.
When I got back to my hotel I was having an internal debate if I should go out. I had an early flight and was already pretty tired and full. I decided to go out anyway as it was Saturday night and didn’t get to do anything the day before. I ended up at this techno club called yuyu. Pretty intimate spot. The techno was very good and creative. The crowd was also fun, I had a few shallow conversations with people but nothing deep. Mostly my fault though as I wasn’t making much conversation. I just drank beer, smoked cigarettes, and listened to good electronic music which is a solid night for me. I headed home around 2 and went to bed for my flight.
Closing remarks:
I really enjoyed my time in Mexico City. Im not sure what my expectations were for the city but they were definitely exceeded. Definitely an underrated city as there is so much culture and history but I never here much people talk about it in the states. I will definitely be back as I feel like there’s still so much to discover and it was pretty cheap to get there and get lodging. Not gonna lie though, I was bit nervous going solo here but once I got there most of the anxiety went away. In terms of safety, just be where you’re supposed to be (tourist areas & safe neighborhoods), keep your possessions zipped up, and don’t walk at night. I felt more sketched out in most US cities

Type 1
But I take half (or less) the amount of insulin for a pint of Ben & Jerry's, as I do for a thing of macaroni and cheese.
And my all time worst numbers were from an all you can eat sushi bar.
Moral of the story isn't positive for ice cream..., but some stuff is significantly worse than others, while not being considered a sweet. Worse is that some of that stuff is more than twice as bad.

Tickets bought, rooms booked, car rental complete. Heading to Pacific City for 2 nights and Yachats for one night. Landing at PDX at 9:30 and plan to head over to Cannon Beach and explore areas as we head south to Pacific City.
We are interested in hikes, casual towns, relaxing sights and good local food, coffee, beer, live music, farmers markets and unusual iconic spots.
Hikes we pulled from ChatGPT:
Pacific City:

1. Cape Kiwanda Trail
2. Cascade Head Trail
3. Sandlake Trail
4. Nestucca River Trail

Yachats:

1. Cape Perpetua Trail
2. Amanda's Trail
3. Cummins Creek Trail
4. Oregon Coast Trail

Since we can only do a hike a day what do you think we should consider a priority?
We have a nice dinner Monday night but any Recs on casual spots?
Anything that is seasonally happening around these areas in mid June?
We’d like to explore north on Sun when we land. Is it safe to park car with luggage in Cannon beach? Suggestions on that arrival day given an 1:45hr drive down to PC? We’d like to see Cannon/ Tillmook
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
More ChatGPT suggestions:
Pacific City Casual dining spots:

1. Pelican Pub & Brewery
2. Stimulus Coffee + Bakery
3. Grateful Bread Bakery & Restaurant
4. The Oar House Bar & Grill

Other dining options:
Here are some great dining options around Pacific City and Yachats, Oregon:

1. The Schooner Restaurant and Lounge - located in Netarts Bay, near Pacific City. They serve seafood and classic American dishes with stunning views of the bay.
   
2. Grateful Bread Bakery and Restaurant - located in Pacific City, they serve baked goods, sandwiches, and soups. The bakery is known for their fresh bread and delicious pastries.
   
3. The Drift Inn - located in Yachats, they serve a variety of dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. They often feature live music, making it a popular spot for locals and tourists alike.
   
4. Luna Sea Fish House - located in Yachats, they serve seafood caught locally and prepared in a variety of ways. They also have vegetarian and gluten-free options.
   
5. Pelican Brewing Company - located in Pacific City, they serve a range of beers along with their pub menu, which features seafood, burgers, and sandwiches.
   

So my birthday is during the last weekend in June and I'm looking for recommendations on things to do and/or really nice dining and cocktails in Raleigh or the Triangle. Planning on flying solo, but I'm hoping to dress to the nines if I go out to eat.
Anyone have experiences with Crawford & Son, Oku's omakase menu, or Second Empire? I hate driving downtown, so other suggestions are most welcome!
My plan B and C are to do what I've usually done and just take a day trip to the beach, play in the waves, and gorge on seafood after or to order a giant sushi platter in and watch my favorites movies. Trying to break out and do something else though.

Just got back from Sandals Royal Curacao! This is a long review. I took over this subreddit to make it as informational as possible about the resorts, so here we go! Please feel free to ask any questions if I missed something.
 
Room:
We stayed May 22-27 in a Sunchi Swim-up Club Level room (HSUP). We were in Sunchi Building 8, which is the last building on one side of the resort. We stayed in 1253, which is the second-to-last room on the first floor. All that to say, Curacao is a long resort and you'll definitely get your steps in! But we were also right next to the dive shop, which was fantastic for us.
 
The swim-up room was amazing and highly recommended! We ended up using it more than the double infinity pool. They did a perfect job at keeping the in-room bar stocked with alcohol and juices/water (around 10am). We didn't have to call for anything once. So we would hang out in the pool (which connects across buildings 7 & 8, and there is a common area) and make our own drinks. Many times we were the only ones in the pool out of all the rooms. The swim-up pool is completely private, there is no entry except through a room, and there are a lot of gorgeous plants and flowers blocking it from the other side. Hummingbirds would be 1 foot away and were fun to watch. Floats are provided for each room. Use the ice bucket to keep bottles cool outside.
 
Ordering food from Room Service was consistently 40-45 minutes. At night it was quiet, as the music from the main area doesn't really reach building 8. No one would be in the swim-up pool after 10, it would start to get a little chilly with the wind. It gets very, very dark towards the Sunchi end of the resort. I recommend using the building side to reach your room, not the garden path.
 
Two subjective complaints:
(1) Housekeeping was very late. Some days they didn't come until 4-5pm, and the evening turn-down and towel replenishment didn't happen until 10pm. Between the swim-up and shower and wet floors, you NEED towels. We supplemented with the brown pool towels, grabbing them any time we went by the other pools. The late service could be because we were in the last building, but I'm not sure. The housekeepers did do a very thorough job and the rooms were clean and new.
(2) When we first checked-in, the back door's lock looked like it was forcibly broken and mangled. We had them replace it, but it still didn't lock. There is a second set of heavy wooden doors (blinds really) that do close and lock, so we weren't overly concerned. I don't think someone tried to break in, based on how the pool would make it hard to get to. But I can see someone getting locked out accidentally and having no other option but to break the door, since you can't get out of the pool area otherwise.
 
Restaurants/Service
The service across all restaurants and bars was outstanding. We never experienced a wait or long times to get our ordedrinks. The waitstaff were happy to talk to you and literally everyone says hello as you pass by. Concierge was perfect and accommodating as well. Restaurants had most of everything, and they would tell you what they're out of as you sat down.
 
Pietra - Our go-to breakfast buffet. At lunch they change the buffet to different food by country (Asian, Mexican, American, etc.). The food was all great at lunch. I ate too many fajitas.
 
Vincent - Reservation required. I recommend the Escargots and Foie Gras. They were out of the Cured Beef Bresaola.
 
Toteki, La Palma, Kishi - Food trucks. These were great for a snack. Get the cuttlefish and shrimp from La Palma, and the General Tso's Steak Bao Buns from Kishi.
 
Strand - For dinner, absolutely get the Snapper. It was my favorite meal of the trip. My husband liked the Surf & Turf at Strand better than Butch's. Strand also has a lunch menu with American-type items on it. The shrimp Caesar wrap was a nice light lunch.
 
Butch's - Reservation required. We went twice for dinner, once for breakfast. For dinner appetizers, try the Waldorf Caesar, Crispy Goat Cheese Salad, and Grilled Black Pepper Bacon (definitely that one). The Aged Prime Rib and Chargrilled Lamb Chops were great. We also had the Surf & Turf and Steak Diane which were very good too. Absolutely get the Willy Wonka Brulee - it was my favorite dessert on the resort.
 
Gatsu Gatsu - We went twice. The sushi here is so good. It's 4 pieces per roll. I recommend the Champagne Lobster and Caribbean Dynamite rolls. Shrimp tempura and crispy chicken karaage were our favorite appetizers. They were out of edamame and tonkotsu ramen.
 
Kanaal - Nice to pop into for a cappuccino or sweets.
 
Zuka and Aolo's - did not try.
 
Note: We wanted to order champagne (Veuve Clicquot) but the resort (or at least Butch's, Kanaal, and Pietra) was out of that and several of their Proseccos. We did end up getting 2 bottles of Prosecco though.
 
Scuba Diving
Scuba was great and the team was a lot of fun. You have to do a check-out dive if you haven't logged a dive recently (they do check your log book if you want to avoid the check-out dive). We did ours around 11am and were able to go on an afternoon dive the same day (we were waitlisted, but some didn't show up). You sign up for dives starting at 8am 2 days out, so if you want to dive Friday, show up on Wednesday morning at 8am to sign up. They do keep waitlists for each dive. The dive shop has lockers! Great for if your room is at the other end of the resort and you don't want to walk with your stuff every morning.
 
The dive schedule seems highly variable - while we were there, they did 2-tank morning dives Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and a 1-tank afternoon dive those days. Tuesday and Thursday they do a 1-tank morning dive, and 1-tank afternoon dive. I'm not sure about Saturday-Sunday since we weren't there. But, they said just a month ago they were only able to do 1-tank morning dives each day and no afternoon dives, as the water would get too choppy. And yes, the water was very choppy and it was windy all day. I saw a red flag or two at the resort while we were there. So you may want to check out the weather in Curacao the month you want to book.
 
They mentioned all the dive sites were 5-10 minutes away, but we were able to go Double Reef Thursday, the farthest site at 30 minutes. There were several turtles, a reef shark, squid, and a great variety of fish and coral. It was the best dive I've been in on years. However, they said it had been a month and a half since they'd been able to reach the site because of the choppiness. A couple on the boat had been able to go with an offsite-company and enter via shore, so that's an option as well.
 
City
You can take a cab from the resort to Willemstad for $49 each way. Our cab was private and air conditioned. The drivers were very nice. They dropped us off next to the CURACAO sign, and pickup was there too (they gave you a card and you call them 30 minutes before you're ready to leave). Right by the Curacao sign, there's a tiny alley with a white and blue cow - go down that alley for some great gelato. There's also an ice cream place near the sign that claims to give you an orgasm in less than a minute, but I didn't partake. There are lots of cafes and souvenir shops around Willemstad. There's a fresh fish and fruit market. You'll be near where the cruise ships dock. Check out the bridge and forts. Pop into a casino for some much-needed A/C. As an aside, a local man very persistently forced his help on us (where are you going, follow me down this alley, etc...) and wouldn't leave us alone and stop following us even after we said we knew where we were going, and ultimately asked for beer money, but the city seemed safe. There were several police officers around the streets we passed. Just be aware of your surroundings (as in any city).
 
Miscellaneous
The bus ride from/to the airport took us 40-45 minutes. It's a very nice and comfortable bus. You'll see a Sandals area at the end after you pick up your luggage. The airport was very nice and modern and quick to get through (we were first off the plane though). On departure, there seemed to be only one main hot food place after security, but they have a VIP/Priority Pass lounge that had some good light food on the buffet and a hot menu to order from as well. Check if your credit card has that as a perk to avoid the long line at the other restaurant. It opens at 1pm.
 
Spa/Gym - The spa was nice and clean. You have your own private bathroom/changing area in the table room versus a general locker room. The gym had a steady flow of people, but wasn't ever too crowded.
 
Curacao is HOT in May. Seriously. It was 86 every day, with a heat index around 96-97. Now, I was born and raised in South Georgia where it gets 95 with a 110 index in the summer, but this heat hit different. The UV index on my weather app said 11. Wear sunscreen and stay in the water. And get used to being wet - it'll either be pool water, ocean, or sweat depending on your location at the resort. It was mostly sunny every day, with a few clouds in the afternoon. No rain. At night it cools off well enough. Thankfully there's always a nice breeze going on. But stay hydrated and pay attention to your skin. Walking around the city with the heat was a bit much, we started at 9 and made it to 12 before calling it quits.
 
Tl;dr
I loved it! I highly recommend a Swim-up room, but maybe ask for a central building instead of on the edge of the resort (walking that far in the extreme heat with no shade gets old fast). Great service, wonderful staff. I would pick another month to go back though. May was just too hot for me!
 
Edited thoughts:

• People get out to the main pool EARLY - there were people laying out at 7:30am. We were able to find a pair of chairs around 10 the one time we went to the infinity pool, but not around 2 the second time we thought about going.
  
• This is subjective, but the beach was underwhelming. It's rocky on the side facing the ocean, and you aren't allowed to go down to the water. The side facing the inlet/strand just doesn't have that beach & open water forever feel. We didn't go down there except for the check-out dive (no dive pool)
  

Thursday 8/31: Day 7 (Osaka → Kyoto (Southern Higashiyama/Gion)
Train/ bus to Fushimi Inari Shrine (go early)
Train/ bus to Nishiki Market area 10am-6pm
Check Into Machiya Maya Gion
Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Otowa Waterfall
Then walk to Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
Starbucks Coffee - Kyoto Ninenzaka
Yasaka Chaya for a rest
Yasaka Pagoda
Ishibekoji Alley
Hokan-Ji Temple
Head To Gion
Kodai-ji Temple
Hanamikoji Street
Shinbashi-dori
Yasaka Shrine
Maruyama Park for a rest
Pontocho/Kiyamachi-dori (late afternoon/evening)
Kichi kichi omurice 5pm (waiting for confirmation)
Bar Liquor Museum
Niyama Kiyamachiten (yakiniku) 9pm
Pontocho Kappa (sushi izakaya)
Friday 9/1: Day 6 (Kyoto (Arashiyama) → Kobe → Osaka)
Train/bus to saga-arashiyama station (go early)
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Okochi Sanso Villa and Garden
Train to Kobe
Nankinmachi (Chinatown)
Shin-Kobe Herb garden and ropeway 10am-5pm
Steak Aoyama (reservation SET at 5:00pm
Train back to Osaka
Saturday 9/2: Day 7 (Osaka → Nara? → Tokyo)
Take train to Nara
Nara Deer Park
Nakatanidou (mochi)
Should i push the bamboo grove to sat morning? Or skip the ropeway? I kind of want to go back to the grove, but is the ropeway a cannot miss thing?
Thanks!!

We just got back, Italy is magical. Only been to Rome once before as part of Europe hopping trip about 10 years ago. Some thoughts and tricks on our 10 nights, hope it's helpful for others:
Weather: Don't stress too much on forecasts even a week out. Check before leaving and adjust wardrobe or add a light rain jacket if needed. Originally our entire trip showed rain the whole time. Realistically there was a 1 drizzly day in Venice and 2 hour of rain (ominous with thunder) in Florence. The rest of the time was cloudy or beautiful and clear. Cinque Terre was absolutely clear and 70, but dang that sun when hiking was brutally hot. App: Il Meteo
Download WhatsApp - everyone including hotels, restaurants, business, taxi driver (see below) uses it.
Esim: Airalo worked well for us Samsung S22 and Pixel 6. Did have to reboot my S22, but worked really well and between the 2 of us used about 5GB so couldn't gone with less data. One phone did the Europe regional and another the Italy Mamma Mia one. Some restaurants do have dead zones, some have Wifi, another was like these signs on the wall are your wifi....
Driving: You definitely need a car for Tuscany if you want to be on your own timetable, we rented out of Florence and returned in La Spezia. Beware some of the routes on Google Maps, although reliable there were 2 instances we went off roading when an asphalt road was right there. Then we needed to u-turn on the outskirts of Pisa and it was trying to get us to make this impossible stone walled turn and the locals were like yeah Google Maps has people do this and no one has made that so just turn back around. Also lesson learned for us - just do the rental company insurance, event though my credit card offers primary, we got a larger mid size SUV vs Fiat 500 and with the narrow streets, for me the reduced stress would've been worth it when we had to wiggle the car out some spots - but we came out scratch free. On a side note, we got a Lynk & Co car, which was neat and loved Android Auto as we use it at home. Rented thru Hertz. If you use the toll roads (which can make your life a lot faster sometime), make sure you grab a ticket coming in, we didn't get one for 1 segment, luckily getting off of it, the remote attendant spoke english, a little annoyed, but let us pay the fare from where we came from.
Parking: The meters we encountered in Montepulciano, Siena, Pisa seemed straight forward but sometimes card wouldn't work, the english translation was bad and cancelled out transaction multiple times. Just download EasyPark which seems to work everywhere, GPS your zone, link to GooglePay or credit card, license and boom, spin the clock - small fee less than 10%, but damn was it easy and you can add time or end early....
Trains: Download Trenitalia app, book any train instantly, get train status (where is the train currently), and see any station's timetable. Our Venice to Florence train did get delayed and stopped here and there in Bologna one weekend due to the flood damage, luckily our train wasn't cancelled. 5 days later, all trains seems to be back on track. Missed the big 5/26 strike by one day but I was seeing some trains via the app still scheduled. Basically be mentally prepared for any issues, booked an InterCity (assigned seats) from La Spezia to Pisa ahead of time but day of just waited to see when to schedule the regional from Pisa to Florence, so easy via app and you can see how often they run (30 mins for this route) and buy on demand as your schedule permits.
Booking museums/sights: It can be very tricky to google and find official booking sites as there are a lot of 3rd parties who want to get you a "front of the line pass" with a tour for a large markup. So I tried to book thru official sites as much as I can, for the life of us we couldn't get the Doges official to go through so did get those from Get the Guide for less than 5 euro markup for 2. If you are flexible and go off hours, you can do standby and avoid the nominal online booking fee and time spot, we only did these for some, not all. Maybe don't listen to me during summer months. But we did very little waiting - see below
Food: Note that I found classic italian cooking is much more simple, subtle and just pure flavors. Stuff was beautiful but by California standards, a tad underseasoned although some places did put out salt and pepper (default not request) for some dishes like a burrata. This is also coming from here in SoCal where birria is not enough it's birria ramen and hot cheetos encrusted this or that and 5 different types of toppings for mac and cheese - you know stuff for Instagram.... But I totally appreciated the approach and loved it.
Cities - we tend to do a lot on vacation, it may have been a touch quick but it was so fun, we did get a bit sick just with all the weather and change but nothing serious but was glad to get the downtime in Tuscany, we hit it hard first 2 places Venice and Florence. You may vacation differently, this was also our first trip abroad in 7 or so years so wanted to see ALLTHETHINGS.
Accommodations - We did mostly Airbnb which in Europe requires a meetup vs self check in. Did an incredible bed and breakfast (see Montepulciano) and finally a hotel in Florence for last night which I highly recommend for location and service - Arte Boutique (they helped me track down a lost backpack in a taxi, see below).
Safety - felt pretty safe and not scammy in all of our cities our Airbnb host in Florence said Italy overall is safe but he did confirm Rome you need to be more aware. Honestly we only carried 350 euro with us from US bank and that was plenty, near the end we were needing to use it up as everyone takes card, tap to pay, ApplePay and GooglePay freely. Taxi drivers do prefer cash
Staying calm story - we were ending our trip from Florence to airport in in my rush I left my backpack in backseat of taxi, it was gone before I realized we had our rollers and his backpack and duffel but not mine. Luckily my husband was like ok we will call the hotel (the only one we happened to book) who arranged the taxi, and luckily they tracked him down and he came back due to us allotting tons of time before departure. I had to pay the fare again for the backpack fare but was so relieved. We corresponded via WhatsApp after making the initial call to hotel.
Venice: 2 nights
- Sights: Doges (booked via Get the Guide) was cool, not the biggest museum person. Walk over Bridge of Sighs was uneventful from inside. St Mark Basilica had no advance tickets, but did standby for 3 eupp about 20 min before opening and got in within 10 mins, then hopped over to Campanile Tower w/o tickets, no line around 9-9:30 AM - great views.
- Eat: Faves were the quick bites chichetti (All'Arco, Cantina Do Spade), coffee and pastries and gelato (loved Suso). Our sit downs were not bad, just not mind blowing at Ai Mercanti and Imprompta (although seafood good). Also there's a small bar inside Cafe Florian if you want a macchiato for under 5 euro vs sitting down for a 12 euro cappucino and want a mini experience w/o wait.
It can be crowded mid-day but will calm down, very cool to walk or take vaparetto around and get lost, oops this alley dumps into a canal....
Florence: 2 nights
- Sights: Prebooked Galleria Accademia (a must, always a line), good museum experience if you don't necessarily need hours, so neat to see David here. Because not huge museum people, passed on the Uffuzi. Someone at lunch said hey Medici is cool, so did that on a whim w/o any wait and very cool, glad we did it on the fly. Prebooked Boboli Gardens, kinda tired by the time we got here and it had been drizzly and a bit humid, but nice to stroll. The larger fountain area you can't walk through anymore (Ocean fountain?). Also Piazza Michaelangelo for the Florence city center view. Lots of great shopping here, suggest start at Vale for a leather shop.
- Food: Ok so All Antico Vinaio although touristy is legit sandwich, very good and worth it. Tip: go to San Marco location, smaller wait by Galleria Accademia. GustaPizza was legit and very reasonable 7 euro for Margherita?! Fave gelato was Gelato Dei Neri and My Sugar. Mercato Centrale super cool to walk, shop for products, eat if you like. Trattoria Mario, email ahead for reservations - 1.1 kg florentine steak with small sides and salami/cheese plate all for under $70. Dall'Oste was good florentine but much pricier and touristy but had a good Montalcino wine there, book on website for discount for seatings outside of peak times, our 6 PM had 15% discount on food.
Tuscany: 2 nights Montepulciano, 1 night Siena
So beautiful, just the drive through Val D'Orcia. We stopped by San Gimignano and did the tower with no wait (150 stairs), Gelateria Donderia is overrated but fine, GO GO GO to Da'A'Mariani for sandwich here, sweet sweet man and just off the main street - recommended by Pasticcheria Il Criollo which was fabulous just outside city wall.
Stayed in Montepulciano, which was SO fabulous. Our true bed and breakfast was only 3 suites run on a property by 2 americans who moved to Italy - true hospitality and modern yet italian suite. They are booked solid this year, but it was sooo special. Huge breakfast spread every morning. It was true paradise there and the owners are gems - made awesome restaurant recommendations and reservations, driving route, etc. DM me if you want the name but don't bet on getting in for 2023. Restaurants in Montepulciano were Osteria Porto Di Baccio - great antipasto meat/cheese and pici, great typical osteria in wine cave then Le Logge Vignola which was very creative for a very reasonable price - you definitely need reservations for both maybe a few days ahead as both are fully booked by dinner. Gelato recc here would be Scarbia.
Siena - had the Siena OPA Si pass which I recommend, everything except the roof tour. Cathedral inside is a sight to see and includes works by Michaelangelo and Dontatello - ask worker where they are at, definitely do panaroma. This was helpful https://www.earthtrekkers.com/how-to-visit-the-siena-cathedral/ Walk to PastaZuf down the way from Piazza Campo for legit casual takeway pasta for 5-6 euro
Cinque Terre: 2 nights Riomaggiore
Yup, did Pisa as a quick stop on way to drop off car, it's neat and lots of parking (EasyPark app) to get in/out.
Stayed in Riomaggiore, CT is definitely touristy during the day but quiets down. Rick Steves was right, not overhyped. Every city is absolutely gorgeous. Did the hike from Monterosso-Vernazza-Corniglia - yes the HARD way with those stairs first leg but it was very rewarding and fun, can be tight in spots, started at 8 AM and ended in Corniglia around 11:15, start early as you can for less crowds. Train makes it easy to hop towns. Dinners included Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore (checked in at lunch for dinner reservation same night) and Ristorante Belforte - both great views and suprisingly great food! Tasting menu is way to go at Rio Bistrot. Quick bites include fried seafood, so good. Be prepared for all the elevation/stairs/walking.
Edits: Add safety section, accommodations, and staying calm story.

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1515960	tzuyang쯔양	버블티 7L 먹을 수 있을까?🤔 줄서서 먹는 아마스빈 버블티 먹방
1447047	HAHADO	ASMR Mukbang | Delicious Rare Wubbox Eating Spicy Noodles, Seafood /My Singing Monsters
1410747	Aapka Bhai Foody	5 स्टार जैसा खाना 🤩 रोड पर मिल रहा है 😱 Indian Street Food #shorts #youtubeshorts
1394801	A급 장영란	군침 도는 장영란 아들딸 먹방
1363046	Weni Noto	MANUSIA RAKUS JADI MUKBANG SILUMAN #shorts
1356494	[햄지]Hamzy	Real mukbang:) What do you think how much is this Salad bread?😯☆ Dessert is watermelon 🍉
1341846	Hongyu ASMR 홍유	ASMR RAINBOW DESSERTS 신기한 무지개 디저트 RAINBOW DRINKS EYEBALL GUMMY KOHAKUTO MARSHMALLOW EATING MUKBANG먹방
1332656	FatSongsong and ThinErmao	mukbang | food recipes | Chilli Sauce | Chili Chicken | songsong and ermao | Collection 1
1327794	[햄지]Hamzy	Real mukbang:) heating up stir-fried jjamppong more which is already hot ☆ dessert is melon 🍈
1317787	tzuyang쯔양	🔥오랜만에 신전떡볶이 격파🔥 매운 떡볶이와 튀김 신전김밥 먹방
1301273	문복희 Eat with Boki	SUB)요즘 핫한 불그리라면에 바삭 구운 통대창 먹방!🔥 불닭볶음면 너구리 레전드 꿀조합 리얼사운드 Tripes & Ramyeon Mukbang Asmr
1266666	Big and Fast Eaters	Shout out to eat! | TikTok Video|Eating Spicy Food and Funny Pranks|Funny Mukbang
1234686	PRISKA AQUILLA	ADA YANG TAU CARA MAKANNYA? #food #mukbang #viral #foodie #instant #asmr #candy
1183675	Big and Fast Eaters	I ate ribs for two days in a row | TikTok Video|Eating Spicy Food and Funny Pranks|Funny Mukbang
1157439	NEW INFO	ASMR MUKBANG | RABBIT EATING FOOD bell pepper 🫑 먹방 🐇 #04
1149044	tzuyang쯔양	초등학생 형제한테 인정받았습니다🤣 특이한 치킨 3마리에 떡볶이 먹방
1144616	푸먹_foomuk	즐거운(?) 찜질방 먹방! - 애니먹방/ Jjimjilbang Mukbang/Animation ASMfoomuk
1094692	기기묘묘	먹방 유튜버도 포기한 음식 #shorts
1087812	HUBA후바	Left or Right? ( Green VS Yellow Cocktail mix Food Challenge ) | Funny Mukbang | HUBA #shorts
1083804	[상윤쓰]Sangyoon	저 결혼합니다🎉 장모님과 로제마라샹궈 통대창 먹방 ! Mala xiang guo & Whole tripe Mukbang asmr
1030750	Mr sohag Facts	😔কাঁচা মাংস খাওয়া এই ব্যক্তি এটা কি করলো❓#shorts
1029053	MaddyEats	SPICY SPICY SPICY🌶️ CHICKEN SCHEZWAN NOODLES,CHICKEN GRAVY LOLLIPOP,CHILLI CHICKEN, CHICKEN KATORI
990858	Big and Fast Eaters	Handsome people go first | TikTok Video|Eating Spicy Food and Funny Pranks|Funny Mukbang
981342	Best Ever Food Review Show	Facing Peru’s Extreme Food!! Exotic Meat of South America!!
980454	Spice ASMR	ASMR EATING SPICY MUTTON KEEMA KORMA,MUTTON CURRY,EGG CURRY,BASMATI RICE,SALAD *MUKBANG*
952320	Mukbang Bersama Bent	Makan Silver Play Button⬜️ Eating Silver Play Button #asmr #mukbang #100ksubscribers
881485	Biku entertainment	Eating Challenge||ASMR||cream donut,elephant eating||bikram phuyal #biku #asmr #mukbang #funny
875551	Rans Entertainment	CIPUNG AUTO LAHAP!! MUKBANG BARENG NAGITA,SAMPE KENYAAANG!
873591	tanboy kun	MUKBANG CABE DIGORENG TEPUNG MANDI CABE !!
871324	Big and Fast Eaters	Today there is a beautiful woman washing the dishe | TikTok Video|Eating Spicy Food | Mukbang
818733	dedekiyaw	komen dong emoji dari kamu.. 🤤 #emoji #makanemojienak #mukbang #asmr #funny #lucu #kocak #dedekiyaw
803176	운동부 둘이 왔어요	[EN] 100회 특집! 안정환 & 유희관과 함께한 운동부 100회 한우 먹방 [둘이 왔어요 EP100]
793076	Munik ASMR	Asmr Mukbang - Seringas Aceita
782552	문복희 Eat with Boki	SUB)학교 앞 떡볶이 먹방! 바삭한 김말이 오징어튀김에 매운오뎅 김밥 순대까지 분식 꿀조합 리얼사운드 Tteokbokki Mukbang Asmr
782020	HUBA후바	REAL FOOD VS CHOCOLATE FOOD CHALLENGE ( Broccoli and Beef Steak ) Funny Mukbang #shorts
767290	Mukbang Bersama Bent	Makan Emoji 🍉🌶🥦🍳🍣, Next #makansesuaiemoji apa lagi?? #asmr #mukbang #videomakan
759038	PRISKA AQUILLA	MAHAL vs MURAH #food #mukbang #viral #instant #makanan #foodie #candy
734547	감스트GAMST	감스트 맛없는 음식 챌린지 14단계!! 후...
725958	Mukbang Bersama Bent	Makanan Kesukaan JOKOWI #asmr #mukbang #makansesuaiemoji #presidenri #jokowi #makananindonesia
721816	GONGSAM TABLE 이공삼	ASMR MUKBANG 편의점 핵불닭 미니!! 떡볶이 & 핫도그 & 김밥 FIRE Noodle & HOT DOG & GIMBAP EATING SOUND!
721721	FatSongsong and ThinErmao	mukbang | eating mukbang | food recipes | eating seafood | chinese food | songsong and ermao
708354	[AmiAmi]아미아미	ASMR 간단하게 불닭짬뽕 대창 1kg 리얼먹방 :) 1kg of spicy ramen daechang MUKBANG
670685	문복희 Eat with Boki	SUB)김치가 맛있을 땐! 흰쌀밥에 쓱 올려서 먹방🍚 동파육은 거들 뿐 Kimchi Mukbang Asmr
660367	Poopigirl	ASMR ORANGE #shorts #mukbang #asmr #food
657187	Ashley Loves Condiments	Based on actual events. #shortsyoutube #shortsfeed #eatingshow
653444	More Best Ever Food Review Show	Pizza Hut Vietnam Creates Worm Pizza!! Asia’s Wildest Pizzas!!
643698	흥삼이네 Heungsam's Family	온 가족이 함께 먹는 맛있는 제육볶음에 싱싱한 계란후라이까지~ (Stir-fried pork) 요리&먹방!! - Mukbang eating show

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT -- Today/Friday, May 26; Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28; Monday, May 29 --- Juan de Fuca Festival; Hood Canal Fjord Fest; Shepherds’ Festival; concerts; community theater; art studio for teens; historical society's online auction; art studio; work to learn party.
By Peninsula Daily News (www.peninsuladailynews.com)
• The 30th anniversary Juan de Fuca Festival begins today, bringing together more than 60 acts on five stages and dozens of artisan and food vendors at the free street fair in Port Angeles.
The Vern Burton Community Center and grounds, 308 E. Fourth St., is the hub for the celebration of music and art from around the region and beyond.
The street fair, which will also showcase 18 Juan de Fuca debut artisans — local entrepreneurs vending for the first time — will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today through Sunday.
The Five Acre School Soundwaves marimba band will play on the Community Stage outside the Vern Burton center at 4:15 p.m. today, and then comes the opening ceremony for the Juan de Fuca Festival at 5 p.m. On the mainstage inside the Vern Burton, live music starts at 5:30 p.m. this evening and continues through Sunday, with the closing act, the Americana band Rose’s Pawn Shop, starting its mainstage show at 8:30 p.m.
This year, those 17 and younger get in free to the festival, and students 21 and younger with valid ID pay half price.
Three-day passes for adults are $100, while single-day passes are $30 for today, $55 for Saturday and $50 for Sunday. The Juan de Fuca Festival’s new mobile app offers ticket sales and information, as does its website, JFFA.org.
• The Memorial Weekend fundraising festival in Brinnon continues this weekend with a new name and new focus.
It will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 251 Hjelvicks Road, Brinnon, off U.S. Highway 101. The gate fee is $10 per day. Children younger than 12 are admitted free with a paying parent. Active military and veterans are admitted free with ID.
ShrimpFest began 30 years ago to celebrate the plentiful Hood Canal Spot Shrimp and raise funds for such local causes as schools, food banks and animal rescues. This year it has a new name: the Hood Canal Fjord Fest.
No spot shrimp will be sold in bulk. However, the famous shrimp will be part of dishes made by some vendors, along with other seafood and specialty locally sourced dishes, some of which are detailed at https://www.facebook.com/HoodCanalFjordFest.
• Pianist Lisa Lanza brings together the cream of Port Townsend’s young musicians and some of their equally talented elders for a Memorial Day weekend concert Sunday to perform for the benefit of Ugandan AIDS orphans.
The 12th annual show will be at the First Presbyterian Church at 1111 Franklin St. in Port Townsend, which co-sponsors this historically sold-out musical event with Grace Lutheran Church.
“Sharing Music, Enriching Lives” will be at 4 p.m. Sunday. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. Pre-concert music will be performed at 3:45 p.m. by “Lambs in the Fold,” Jeni Little, Don Fristoe, Hank Snelgrove and John Snelgrove. A $15 to $20 donation, cash or check, is suggested. Masks are recommended but not required.
• Key City Public Theatre in Port Townsend will present PlayCraft Originals and 10-minute productions for Sips & Scripts at 7 p.m. tonight and 5:30 p.m. Saturday
All tickets are pay-what-you-wish for a chance to have a behind-the-scenes look at innovative stories in the works, according to a press release. Tickets and information can be found at KeyCityPublicTheatre.org, by emailing [email protected], or in person during box office hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• The Bunker, a free art studio for teens, has its next session today at the nonprofit Northwind Art School at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend.
Calligrapher Lindsey Wayland and painter Michele Soderstrom, who’s also a Port Townsend High School art teacher, are the two volunteers hosting the session. Middle school and high school students are welcome. The Bunker will be well-stocked with art supplies, snacks and drinks, and music will play all afternoon.
The Bunker will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Building 306 at the fort. Information and the parental permission form can be found at https://northwindart.org; click on Courses.
• Mia Torres will perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight at the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, 310 Hadlock Bay Road, Port Hadlock. No cover charge.
• AHA Auction for the Jefferson County Historical Society ends at midnight today.
All funds raised go to sustain the historical society’s core programs and build new ones, the group said in a press release. AHA stands for Art, History and Adventure.
To place bids or donate, see https://go.rallyup.com/jchsmuseum-aha.../Campaign/Details....
• Mike and Val James will perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Spirits Bar and Grill in the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, 310 Hadlock Bay Road, Port Hadlock. No cover charge.
• Sound Advice will play Motown, classic soul and rock favorites from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the Sequim Elks, 143 Port Williams Road, Sequim. Admission is $12 per person, $10 for Elks members.
• House of Hamill will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Quimper Grange, 1219 Corona St., Port Townsend. Admission is $20 per person; mask wear is requested.
• Port Townsend Urban sketchers will meet in Uptown Port Townsend at 10 a.m. Saturday. The group will meet at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler streets opposite from Aldrich’s Market.
After sketching, the group will reconvene at noon to share their work and take a photo. The event is open to all skill levels. For more information, visit www.urbansketchers porttownsend. wordpress.com.
• Spring Art Fair will be hosted by the Port Ludlow Art League from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The annual art sale is at the Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place.
The sale features work from local artists that includes jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photographs, textiles, woodwork, baskets, cards and books. Proceeds benefit the league’s scholarship fund. For more information, visit www.portludlowart.org.
• Work to learn party hosted by the Sequim Botanical Garden Society will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The work party is in the Terrace Garden at Carrie Blake Community Park, 202 N. Blake Ave. Gail Ditmore will discuss the care and growing of peonies. The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call Dona Brock at 360-460-8865, email [email protected] or www.sequim botanicalgarden.org.
• Shepherds’ Festival is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
The annual festival is at Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road. The free festival is sponsored by Clallam County 4-H, the North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle Guild and the Olympic Peninsula Fiber Growers Association.
Featured activities include sheep herding and shearing demonstrations, a farm animal petting zoo, fiber spinning demonstrations, a 4-H raffle, arts and crafts vendors and lamb kebabs and lamb chili.
• Art installation at Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend will continue through mid-August. Forty works form the Northwind Art’s Showcase program are on view in public reception areas. For details, see north windart.org and click on Courses.

Warning- this ended up being much longer than I thought when I started. Wall of text incoming!
Up front, to get my "bias" out there, VV has been my wife and I's go-to cruise line since our first Scarlet Lady sailing back when cruise ships were first starting to sail again after COVID. We absolutely love the VV vibe, service, food, and all there is to do on the ship. For other folks who have sailed VV in the past (and specifically on the Scarlet Lady) I thought I'd post a review with some changes we noticed on the sailing we just got off of. I really hope that this review is helpful, and shares both the good and not-so-good things we experienced in a fair way.
The Overall TL;DR- We had a a great time, but a lot of the shine when it comes to service seems to have faded. Dining in the restaurants was spectacular as always, but dining in the Galley was not a great experience for us on this sailing. We *really* enjoyed the new (to us) Its a Ship Show, but the Guilty Pleasures show didn't strike much of a chord. We had a lot of fun with the other "smaller" entertainment, and really enjoyed our time in ports. Due to our frustrations with the service on board we're taking a bit of a wait and see approach for our next cruise- I'm hopeful that this was a one-off bump in the road, but if it turns out this is the direction VV is going, it isn't a good thing.

The Review

Service Issues Lets get the negative part of the review out of the way. And keep in mind, while I'm not going to be real positive here, we did still have a great time on board, and didn't let this get in the way of our fun. That said, it did have an impact on our cruise, and I felt it was worth mentioning, because it is my wife and I's biggest concern about VV going forward. I will also admit that you notice a bad service experience much more than when it goes smoothly, so there is some bias here.
Our cruise started off with a big thud. The incoming sailing had been a chartered sailing, and apparently a bunch of people refused to get off the ship until very, very late in the morning, which delayed boarding significantly for some (early boarding groups were delayed more than the later groups). While this was out of VVs control, the port employees reaction was not. I understand that it was a stressful situation for all involved, but there seemed to be a lack of care from the employees who were managing the lines. They seemed annoyed, and irritated, and were short with waiting passengers, and for a long time were slim on letting us know what was going on. (YMMV, as the waiting lines are all out front, and some lines may have had better service than others- I'm only presenting what I observed around me).
Once we got on board, and went to our room, it was clear that the room cleaning had been rushed. While our room had been all made up, there were dirty glasses in our bathroom, and some "gross" stuff that had been wiped on the inside of the bathroom door but not cleaned (I wont go into any more details, but just say, it wasn't a pleasant thing to brush up against). That said our room attendant was FANTASTIC as we were able to get her attention, and she was mortified that something so bad was missed, and immediately got someone to come to our room to clean the bathroom. She then asked when our dinner reservation was and let us know that while we were at dinner, she'd have the entire room re-cleaned/made up to ensure that nothing else was missed.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the only room issue we had. We've had rooms directly under the Galley in the past, and never had any issues with noise. Our room (and our neighbors room) on this sailing, was directly under a seating area with heavy wooden chairs/stools directly on the tile floor. TIL that the sound of heavy chairs scraping on tile gets amplified greatly with the ship's steel structure. Every minute or two, there would be an extremely loud "GGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" sound. It took me a while to figure out it was the chairs in the Galley, and at one point I joked that someone must be playing shuffle board by sliding deck loungers across the floor above us. Luckily we had brought good ear plugs, or we would have suffered the fate of our neighbors who were unable to sleep much the entire cruise. We spoke to sailor services about this, and the person we talked to essentially just shrugged it off saying there was nothing they could do (in a very "I dont really care about your issue" way), and even said that it couldn't be that loud (narrator- it WAS that loud). Our neighbors said they went down and talked to sailor services about it every single day (as they were unable to sleep), and on the final day in Bimini, were told they could be moved to another room. So a lesson learned- while other rooms under The Galley are just fine, there are some areas you *dont* want to be. Avoid rooms directly under The Galley. VV- if you read these threads at all, an easy fix- put some Teflon sliders and/or rubber feet under the legs of the heavy wooden chairs/stools that are on tile in the Galley (like you have on the wire/metal chairs). It'll not only greatly reduce the noise, but will also keep the tiles from getting scratched up. The level of noise could have been a complete trip ruiner for us, had we not brought ear-plugs, and had we been treated like our neighbor cabin was.
Speaking of The Galley, this was the biggest negative change for us. Many of the servers in the Galley seemed either inexperienced, or like they just didn't want to serve anyone. One example was when we sat down at 11:55pm for lunch one day. The server told us most of the places didn't open until noon, then walked away. At 12:20, we finally got up and moved to a new spot, as a server had still not returned to take our order. A few days in, we found that the servers who worked the outdoor area at the aft of the ship were much more attentive and provided great service. That said, our food almost always came out to us cold, and the quality seemed like it had taken a nose-dive from our last sailing. The 2 big exceptions- the Sushi bento boxes were WONDERFUL, and the French Toast I had one morning was great. Unfortunately, we went from loving the Galley for a bite to eat on our prior cruises, to avoiding it on this sailing. (We ate a lot of steak bites and polenta at the dock, so all was not lost :D ).
One last thing we noticed- empty glasses/plates/etc.. all over the ship. In one case near the pool, a couple left took their towels with them, leaving a couple of plates and empty drink glasses. A new couple came and moved the dirty dishes next to the loungers, got the attention of a server and asked if it could be cleaned up. Over an hour later when my wife and I were leaving, the dirty dishes were still there. My wife and I like to walk laps around the ship a lot, and on both the top decks and promenade level, we noticed a lot of dirty dishes just sitting out on tables, the ground etc.
Overall, the issues that came up for us on the ship related to service were a huge contrast from our prior sailings. Sailor Services didn't seem very interested in resolving (or even empathizing with) the two issues we brought up to them, and the service in the galley (and general level of service on the ship) definitely feels like it has gone downhill. And holy cow this turned out long! Lets move on to some greener pastures!
Restaurant Dining
As we have had in the past, the restaurant dining was fantastic.
On the first night, as we always do, we went to Test Kitchen. For those who have done Test Kitchen before, on this sailing it was the Corn/Beet/Salmon/Lamb/Strawberry menu. While a lot of people complain about this menu, I quite like it, including the Asparagus Sorbet. Our server was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, and chatted with us quite a bit, answering all of our questions about how things were prepared, what they'd pair well with, etc. I had the test-kitchen Old Fashioned cocktail and loved it. I can totally see how Test Kitchen is not for some people, but my wife and I always enjoy the experience, and this sailing was as good as its always been for us.
On the second evening, we went to my favorite restaurant onboard, Pink Agave. Being my favorite, I am always worried that I'll be let down, but never am, and this sailing was no exception. We ended up eating with a passenger we met in line and had fantastic conversations for the entire meal. We ordered all of the small plates for the table, and enjoyed sampling everything. For our mains, I ordered the Ribeye (which IMO is the best steak on the ship), and my wife had the smoked pork. There was also sea bass on the menu, so we ordered one to split- surf and turf FTW! All the food was great! There were no misses at all, and our server, like at the test kitchen was amazing!
Night Three was The Wake. For appetizers, my wife ordered the Wedge Salad which she said was great, and I decided to try something new- the Bone Marrow, and it was very nice! My wife then had the Fillet, and I took the recommendation from our server and went with the Hanger Steak for the first time. After sharing, we both agreed- the Fillet was good, but the Hanger Steak was FANTASTIC. We had Spinach, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Asparagus for our sides, which all came out delicious. For dessert, we both had our favorite on the ship- the Lemon Cheesecake, and it was wonderful as always. Our server at the Wake was our favorite this trip. That evening we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, and our server was so kind, and genuinely happy for us. She brought even more joy to a very happy evening for us.
Night four was Gunbae. Food-wise this is probably our least favorite restaurant on the ship, but it is always a very fun and energetic evening! We both always enjoy the appetizers, but feel like the main courses end up being a bit over-cooked and don't have a whole lot of flavor. I think with Gunbae your experience can be heavily dependent on who you are seated with, and our table-mates were a ton of fun, so it all turned out great! We both really enjoyed the green-tea ice cream at the end (I don't recall ever having this before? Is it new?), and FINALLY, I won the counting drinking game (I'm normally the first or second person out). :D
For our final night, we did Extra Virgin. We've never done EV on the final night, and for us, I think I'd schedule it earlier in our itinerary, as by this point on a cruise were we ate entirely too much, a really heavy/rich dinner was probably the last thing we needed. The food was fantastic as always- for appetizers, my wife had the Crispy Artichokes which she enjoyed, and I had the meatballs where were delicious (though i was only able to eat about half of them). For our main, I had the Gnocchi, and my wife had the spaghetti bolognese). She passed on dessert, but I had the Whisky gelato, and it was very yummy!
The only non-shining experience in the restaurants was breakfast/brunch at Razzle Dazzle. It wasn't as good as it had been in the past (cold eggs and missing parts of our order) and it felt quite rushed. I don't have a whole lot to say about it other than that.
On the other hand, we had breakfast at The Wake on our disembarkation morning, and it was AMAZING. We split the banana french toast, and each had Steak and Eggs, and it was the best breakfast we had all week. It was a great way to end the cruise.
On past cruises, I always felt a little let down by The Wake. It was always good, and I enjoyed it, but it didn't really live up to the hype in my mind. On this sailing, The Wake absolutely lived up to the hype for us, both for dinner and breakfast. Pink Agave is still my favorite, but I was much more impressed by The Wake on this sailing than in the past.
​
Shows/Entertainment
I'll touch on the shows that were new to us on this sailing. The first show we went to was the Guilty Pleasures show, which ended up being a fun sing-along, interrupted by IMO, not very entertaining or funny comedy. Singing along to the songs was a blast, and they most definitely were the guilty pleasure songs that my wife and I belt out when we're driving alone in the car. Unfortunately between the songs was what I can only describe as a "plot-based standup comedy routine that told the same tired joke again, and again, and again." If it had just been a music/sing-along, I would have loved it. But hey, everyone is entertained by different things, so I hope there were those who enjoyed the show!
On Gunbae night, we also hit up the late showing of It's a Ship Show. It had a small-portion dinner (we've had first dinner.. why not have second dinner?!?) and the food was fine. The show itself is a variety show, with a very fun Emcee, a good band, a fantastic singer, and several very entertaining acts. We both really enjoyed It's a Ship Show, and would highly recommend it if its on your sailing. I wont say much more as I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it was a lot of fun.
On this sailing my wife and I were going for a more relaxed vibe, and as we'd seen them all before, didn't go to any of the mainstay shows (Duel Reality, UNTITLED, Ships in the night, etc..).
For the smaller activities, we did the VH1/Shake-weight workout which was a blast as always (though they seemed to tone down the innuendo a bit from prior sailings), and had a ton of fun getting our butts kicked in Dodgeball.
One thing we noticed on this sailing that disappointed us a bit- in the past the "Happenings" cast always seemed to be out and about, and a presence on the ship. I love magic/slight of hand, my wife loves art, and we're both foodies and love games, so we'd get to know (specifically) The Charmer, The Artist, The Foodie, and The Gamer, both during their events, and just chatting with them around the ship. This time around, outside of their specific events, we didn't see them out and about at all. Additionally, it felt like their events weren't really planned for a more full ship like we were on. For example, the Charmer's Lounge was done at the Sip Lounge. He worked his way from one end of the room to the other, table by table, spending about 15-20 minutes at each table. We were lucky that we picked the third table from where he started, and so we "only" had to wait an hour. Half way through the event, it looked like they started kicking people at the other end of the Sip Lounge out, to do afternoon Tea. I think he might have gotten through all of 15-20 people, when there were well over 50 who showed up to the event. Also, this was the only time I ever even saw The Charmer out and about the entire cruise.
Having those interactions was something we really missed from prior sailings, and perhaps we were just always in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they definitely didn't seem to have the presence they had onboard in the past.
​
Excursions
We did one excursion on this trip- in Cozumel we did the Snorkeling/Beach day/Cooking/Tequila Tasting, where they take you to a private beach/resort, have you snorkel off the beach, show you how to make a really tasty Guac, and let you taste some Tequila, all the while having a buffet for lunch and open bar. We had a very nice time on shore, and our guide was lots of fun. It wasn't terribly expensive as far as excursions go (about $80pp if I recall), and I'm very glad we did it. The only thing about it that gave me some pause- the description of the excursion specifically states that your price includes gratuities, yet the guide was specifically asking for tips. I didn't tip him as much as I normally would if gratuities weren't included, but it was just a little bit awkward.
We didn't do an excursion in Bimini, but were on the first tram to the beach, and spent the entire morning between swimming in the ocean and in the great pool they have at the resort. As always, Bimini was one of the highlights of the cruise, and was an absolute blast.
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Our Takeaways
First off, if you read this far, WOW. I didn't realize this was going to be such a novel, but here we are! :D Overall my wife and I both had a great time on our cruise. The food was fantastic, most of the shows/events we went to were a blast, and as always on a VV cruise, we met and got to know a bunch of wonderful people, while relaxing and spending some quality time with each other. Our excursion in Cozumel and time in Bimini were wonderful.
That said, this is the first time we haven't put down a deposit on a future cruise. One of the places where we always saw so much value in sailing with VV, and a huge reason we were willing to pay the VV premium was the level of service on the ship, and on this sailing there were a lot of misses in that regard, and for the first time, we didn't feel like we got quite as much value out of what we paid for the cruise (because of what is important to us, YMMV). That's not to say we wont be sailing with VV again- its just that we want to watch how things trend, and how things settle out as the other ships come online and the various ship crews get used to more full ships. As I said ages ago in the beginning of my review- we really hope that this was just a one-off not-as-spectacular sailing for us.
I've seen others talk about how the Scarlet Lady has become the defacto "Training" ship, and from our experience this sailing, I wouldn't doubt it. While that is a reason, it is not an excuse. If that is what's going on I hope it is a temporary situation, as I don't think the quality of a sailor's cruise should be affected by what ship happens to be leaving port the dates they can sail. So here is to hoping that VV gets this all figured out soon, and the experience on ALL of their ships gets back to what it has been in the past.
Finally, I'll just say, if you find yourself on a cruise, and something the cruise line does is letting you down, don't let it ruin your trip. While we were disappointed in several aspects of the service, my wife and I were still able to fully enjoy our cruise, and specifically our time with each other. It was a special anniversary trip for us, and it would have been an absolute shame if we let the issues we had with VV's service ruin it. Instead we filed our issues away, continued to enjoy all the ship had to offer, and will use our experience to shape who/where we do our next cruise with, rather than letting it run the experience in the moment.

I’m an incoming grad student who will live on the 114th street which is super close to the dining halls. Considering a meal plan but wondering people’s experiences.
Heard there are plenty of food trucks around campus? Specifically how are the Asian foods and prices? I’m a big fan of Asian food but wondering if one swipe at a dining hall is going to be cheaper sometimes (heard John Jay would have sushi on menu?)
I love to cook but probably won’t have time for all the grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning on a daily basis. Does it sound feasible if I typically get one bigger meal at one of the dining halls (or get 4 items from JJ’s), one smaller from a food truck, and rely on easy home-made veggie soup for the third?
I’m pescatarian and love veggies and fruits. Not a big eater but would love a big breakfast to relieve anxiety. Food options I expect to get from dining halls on a regular basis are: protein (tofu, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, omelette, seafoods), big portion of fruit salad, fresh juice, smoothies and froyo. Always down for Asian food. Would the dining halls constantly be able to offer these or is it cheaper & easier to just get them from some cafe/cafeteria/supermarket outside?
Also I’m thinking about swiping for friends’ meals when they come visit just for the experience.
Considering my expectations, any chance I’m going to end up wasting the swipes with a meal plan? Is the smallest meal plan worth the price? Heard it’s ~16 per swipe but single-entry with credit card is 19? Is it possible to pay individually for items at JJ’s?
Lots of questions lol. Thanks!

The Upcoming ALDI Finds Ad for 05/31/23 - 06/06/23 is now available. The ad actually starts three days earlier in some stores. A list of items in each category is included below.
Bold denotes items that are new since the corresponding Aldi Finds Sneak Peek ad was published.

• Home Goods
  • Easy Home Lumbar or Ring Cushion - $8.99 (each)
  • Huntington Home 20" x 34" Memory Foam Bath Mat - $9.99 (each)
  • Huntington Home 20" x 47" Memory Foam Bath Runner - $14.99 (each)
  • Huntington Home Hooded Beach Towel - $6.99 (each)
• Garden & Patio
  • Belavi 3-Piece Rope Bistro Set - $169.99 (each)
  • Belavi 80-Gallon Deck Box - $49.99 (each)
  • Graft or Fairy Castle Cactus - $3.89 (each)
  • Summer Tropical Plant - $9.99 (each)
• Apparel
  • Children's Character Clogs - $9.99 (each)
  • Crane Athleisure Dress - $14.99 (each)
  • Crane Ladies' or Men's Fitness Socks 6-Pack - $7.99 (each)
  • Crane Ladies' Bike Shorts - $9.99 (each)
  • Crane Ladies' Longline Sports Bra - $9.99 (each)
  • Crane Ladies' Skort - $9.99 (each)
  • Crane Men's Swim Trunks - $7.99 (each)
  • Crane Men's or Ladies' Walking Shoes - $12.99 (each)
  • Lily & Dan Children's Swim Cover-Up - $9.99 (each)
  • Lily & Dan Children's Water Shoes - $4.99 (each)
  • Lily & Dan Girls' Swimsuit - $9.99 (each)
  • Serra Ladies' 2-Pack Camisoles - $7.99 (each)
  • Serra Ladies' Premium Swimsuit - $14.99 (each)
  • Serra Ladies' Swimsuit - $12.99 (each)
• Kids & Baby
  • Bee Happy 6-Pack Bubble Wands or Jumbo Chalk - $3.99 (each)
  • Bee Happy Bubble Blaster - $4.99 (each)
  • Bee Happy Bubble Mower or Leaf Blower - $12.99 (each)
  • Bee Happy Narwhal Bubble Machine - $8.99 (each)
  • Hot Wheels Character Car - $3.49 (each)
  • Little Journey Safety Gate - $29.99 (each)
• Personal Care
  • Crest 3D Whitestrips - $29.94 (10 ct.)
  • Gillette Mach 3 or Venus Razors - $6.94 (each)
  • Herbal Essences Shampoo or Conditioner Assorted Varieties - $6.97 (13.5 oz.)
• Pet Supplies
  • Heart to Tail Assorted Natural Dog Chews - $5.99 (10.5 oz.)
  • Heart to Tail Double Treat Bones Bacon & Cheese or Chicken - $5.99 (20 oz.)
  • Heart to Tail Floating Pet Toy Assortment - $4.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Grooming Glove or Paw Cleaner - $4.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail IndooOutdoor Bed - $16.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Large Collapsible Pet Pool - $24.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Large Pet Travel Cot - $29.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Pet Anxiety Jacket - $9.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Pet Drying Towel - $6.99 (each)
  • Heart to Tail Pet Hat - $3.99 (each)
• Sports & Outdoor Activities
  • Bee Happy Nest Swing - $29.99 (each)
  • Crane 2-Pack Foam Seat Cushions - $6.99 (each)
  • Crane 5-in-1 Premium Backyard Combo Game - $19.99 (each)
  • Crane Backpack Cooler - $9.99 (each)
  • Crane Full Face Snorkel Mask - $14.99 (each)
  • Crane Premium Pool Noodle - $24.99 (each)
  • Crane Swim Goggles - $4.99 (each)
  • Crane Triple Water Slide - $19.99 (each)
  • Hedstrom Wowza Basketball, Football or Soccer Ball - $9.99 (each)
  • Intex Explorer 200 Boat - $19.99 (each)
  • Intex Fishing Fun Play Center - $39.99 (each)
  • Orca Paddle Co. EZ Setup Pickleball Set - $39.99 (each)
  • Sport Dimension Paddle Pals - $14.99 (each)
  • Step2 Playtime Patio with Canopy - $149.99 (each)
  • Stomp Rockets Stomp Rockets - $14.99 (each)
  • Summer Waves Giant Sprinkler - $49.99 (each)
• Beverages
  • Barissimo Blueberry or Honey Lavender Ground Coffee - $4.89 (12 oz.)
  • Barissimo Spring Flavors Coffee Cups Assorted Varieties - $4.19 (12 ct.)
  • Simply Nature Organic Tea Latte Concentrate Assorted Varieties - $2.99 (32 oz.)
  • Smartwater Spa Flavors Assorted Varieties - $1.88 (700 mL)
• Bakery & Bread
  • Bake Shop Berry Medley and Lemon Blueberry Muffins - $3.89 (14 oz.)
  • L'oven Fresh Lemon Poppyseed or Blueberry Breakfast Bread - $4.29 (20 oz.)
• Snacks
  • Betty Crocker Princess or Avengers Fruit Snacks - $4.97 (17.6 oz.)
  • Frito Lay Flavor Mix Variety Pack 28-Count - $14.98 (26.5 oz.)
  • Hostess Ding Dongs - $3.48 (12.7 oz.)
  • Simply Nature PB&J Bites - $4.99 (6 oz.)
• Dairy & Eggs
  • Califia Farms Camp Fire S'mores Oat Creamer - $4.54 (25.4)
• Breakfast & Cereals
  • General Mills Nature Valley Oatmeal Squares Cinnamon Brown Sugar or Peanut Butter - $3.14 (6 ct.)
  • General Mills Wilde Terra Maple Almond or Chocolate Cherry - $7.99 (15 oz.)
  • KIND Breakfast Bars 6 Count - $5.49 (10.56 oz.)
  • Post Berry Pebbles - $3.19 (10 oz.)
• Deli
  • Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen Pepperoni or Three Meat Stromboli - $2.89 (7 oz.)
  • Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns - $2.52 (20 oz.)
• Frozen Foods
  • Breakfast Best Egg & Cheese or Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Pitas - $5.99 (13.5 –15 oz.)
  • Bremer Three Cheese Chicken or Cheesy Ranch Chicken Skillet - $4.59 (21 oz.)
  • Disney Mickey Whole Grain Chicken Nuggets - $6.79 (24 oz.)
  • Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Bowl - $3.12 (7 oz.)
  • Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen Biscuit Crust Pizza Assorted Varieties - $4.99 (23.15–24.5 oz.)
  • Never Any! Sweet & Sour or Orange Chicken - $5.99 (22 oz.)
  • Sundae Shoppe Italian Ice - $2.65 (36 oz.)
  • Sundae Shoppe Vanilla or Strawberry Frozen Donut Dessert Bars - $3.19 (7.44 oz.)
• Fresh Meat & Seafood
  • Fresh Half-Pound Patties - $3.99 (2 lb.)
  • Fresh Sweet & Smoky Atlantic Salmon on a Cedar Plank - $10.99 (per lb.)
  • Never Any! Fresh Butterflied Lamb Leg Rosemary Garlic or Unseasoned - $6.99 (per lb.)

Corresponding Sneak Peek Ad post: (US) Aldi Finds Sneak Peek for 5/28/23 (5/31/23 in some stores)
Previous Aldi Finds ad: (US) Upcoming ALDI Finds for 5/24/23 (5/21/23 in some stores)
Archived Aldi Ad

As a 27 year old Salvadoran who has lived here his entire damn life, I feel pretty qualified to recommend my favorite places in this city. San Salvador is not a remarkable city; it's slowly getting better, but it's just like any other Centralamerican city. If you do find yourself here however, there's some cool spots that are not that well known.
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Coffee Lots of overrated coffee spots in El Salvador, be wary of overpriced cups and shitty environments, unfortunately cheap and good coffee is nonexistent. Do visit:

1. Carajo Coffee Shop (https://www.instagram.com/carajo.coffeeshop/?hl=en)
2. Café Fulanos (https://www.instagram.com/cafefulanos/)
3. Boards & Art House (https://www.instagram.com/boardsandarthousesv/)

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Food
Most of Salvadoran food is heavily influenced by either Mexican street cuisine, or American fast food. You should be on the lookout for typical food, seafood, and steak:

1. Bichos (https://www.instagram.com/bichoselsalvado)
2. Holandés Errante (https://www.instagram.com/holandeserrantebbq/)
3. Luma (https://www.instagram.com/lumapanaderia/)

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Drinks
If you're in for drinks in the city, it's hard to find someplace worthwhile and not ridiculously overpriced. If you're going to spend $5+ per drink, you might as well do it in a pretty spot such as:

1. Cadejo Brewing Company (https://goo.gl/maps/JXocHDwChP6AynGV8_
2. Lobby (https://www.instagram.com/lobby_es/) more on the expensive side, but you can find Happy Hour specials.
3. La Dalia (https://www.instagram.com/clubladalia/?hl=en)

Afterhours
I fucking hate reggaeton, and so should you. If your visit includes some partying, you might as well check some of the local party collectives

1. Funky (https://www.instagram.com/funky.wtf/)
2. OctaConcept (https://www.instagram.com/octaconcept/)
3. Onaki (https://www.instagram.com/onaki_collective/)

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San Salvador can be a very fun city if you know where to go, or a very average and boring place if you go wherever Google tells you to visit, so dig in!

My best friend is going to the University of Iowa in a few weeks, and I’m looking for a good breakfast place nearby. Whenever we have the chance before school, we go to a local restaurant for breakfast and have a nice conversation over a solid meal. I know he values a good, hearty breakfast, and I was hoping to give him a gift certificate to a breakfast place near the university. He typically prefers “heavier” foods (breakfast burritos, meat-laden scrambles, steak and eggs, etc.) to lighter stuff such as pastries, so I hope to find something that can lean into that. In my few minutes of research, the Pullman Bar & Diner seems promising, but is there anywhere else I should consider?

Breaux Mart
* Pork loin back ribs $1.99 lb
* Hormel no beans chili $1.79
* Blue plate Mayo 30 oz $2.99
* Chicken leg quarters, 10 lb bag, 49 cents/lb
* 75% ground beef $3.99 lb
* Bar-S weenies 12 oz 99 cents
* Early Dawn party wings 2.5 lbs, $4.99
* Vidalia onions 99 cents/lb
* Cool HWhip, $1.39 8 oz tub
* Reddi wip topping $2.49 7 oz can
* Philly cream cheese 8 oz, $2.49
* Tony's 12 oz $1.99
* Ro-tel 10 oz can 99 cents
* Dozen large eggs 99 cents
* Whole pineapple $1.99 each
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Canseco's
* Blue plate Mayo 30 oz $2.99
* Ro-tel 10 oz can 99 cents
* Chicken leg quarters, 10 lb bag, 49 cents/lb
* Bar-S weenies 12 oz 99 cents
* Pork baby back ribs $1.99 lb
* Hormel no beans chili $1.79
* Bush's baked beans 2/$4.00
* Dozen large eggs 99 cents
* Cool HWhip, 2/$3.00
* Philly cream cheese 8 oz, $2.99
* Vidalia onions 99 cents/lb
* Whole pineapple $1.99 each
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Robert Market
* Chicken leg quarters, 10 lb bag, 49 cents/lb
* Dozen large eggs 98 cents
* butter 16 oz salted or unsalted, $2.88 each
* Whole pineapple $1.99 each
* Vidalia onions 99 cents/lb
* Blue plate Mayo 30 oz $2.88
* Cool HWhip, $1.49 8 oz tub
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Rouses
* 73% ground beef $2.47 lb
* Corn on the cob yellow of bi-color 4/$1.00
* Whole rib eye (cut free( $7.99 lb
* Boneless pork loin (half) $1.77 lb
* Bottled water, 24 pack .5 liter $2.97
* Sanderson farms whole chicken 99 cents/lb
* Boneless chuck roast $4.99
* Smithfield marinated pork loin or tenderloin $5.99 18-27 oz package
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Winn-Dixie
(Yes, W-d has a S-ton of bogo's, but it's usually impossible to see the value when they list three items as Bogo with "save up to $x.99" without specific pricing. Frustrating.)
* Whole seedless watermelons $3.99 each
* 73% ground beef 1/4 lb patties, 2.5 lbs for $10.00
* Bacon - hickory sweet bacon 3 lb package $12.99
* Smithyfield sausage rolls, links, and/or patties, 3/$10.00 (mix & match)
* 80% ground chuck big-azz pack, $3.49 lb (Weekend sale 5/26 to 5/29 only)
* Pork loin baby back ribs or st louis style pork spare ribs - $2.99 lb (Weekend sale 5/26 to 5/29 only)
* T-bone steak value pack $5.99 lb
* Corn on the cob, yellow, white or bi-color, 4/$1.00 (Weekend sale 5/26 to 5/29 only)
* Bush's baked beans 28 oz $1.79 (Weekend sale 5/26 to 5/29 only)
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Zuppardo's
* Ground chuck $3.99 lb
* 80/20 1/4-lb ground chuck burgers, 10 count for $12.99
* Pork baby back ribs $1.99 lb
* Country style pork ribs $1.69 lb
* Beef spare ribs $2.99 lb
* Chicken leg quarters, 10 lb bag, 49 cents/lb
* Bryan juicy jumbo weenies, 2/$3.00 15 oz packs
* Vidalia onions 99 cents/lb
* Whole pineapples, 2/$4.00

A review of a Suite experience on Royal Princess to Alaska. Overall 5/10. Traveled with a small group with people staying in everything from an interior room to a penthouse suite. We booked with a travel agent and received a better rate than from Princess.com online.
Plus vs. Premier…. My travel agent sold me on the Premier Package upgrade and I wished I hadn’t… I was sent a direct mailer from Princess a week later and was offered the upgrade to Premier for free 🤬
The “Medallion Class Experience” wasn’t that great - I could have pulled out a room key just as easy as scanning this medallion around my neck. It’s just bells & whistles and not some amazing experience. Good start but needs an improvement - staff still has to ask you your room number repeatedly.
The menus were clear on how much a drink was before you ordered so you knew if you were within the $15 or $20 threshold. A lot of drinks are $15 or under. I had some good wine for $19 a glass but I think I could have managed at the lower package rate. However… the crew kept trying to upsell us on bottles - which is like 25% off the price but why would I buy a bottle when I can just order 4 drinks? The upselling got real old (see more below). The premium desserts… no body needs an unlimited amount of these gigantic portions - 2 a day is plenty!!. The unlimited fitness classes is why I really purchased the Premier package… NEVER got into a class!!! You RSVP in the app to book a fitness class, BUT they tell you to show up 30-45 min early because they are full. Why did I have to RSVP then? It was more like - get there an hour early and awkwardly stand in the gym space and hope you get a spot.
I also purchased the premier package for the 4 device Wi-Fi connections. It’s the worst Wi-Fi and barely connects and drains your battery very fast! You have to use the app for almost everything on board and it constantly crashes.
The people who booked the suite were told they would have access to the Thermal Spa for the week - nope. We received an email to purchase a pass for $129/person or $219/couple a few weeks before sail. I called CS and asked if we needed to buy the pass or if it was included - they didn’t know and said we had to wait until we got onboard to ask. Day 1 we went to the spa and they said they didn’t know what we were talking about - I pulled up the Princess Suite amenities and showed them - “yes, we see it does say that, but we don’t honor that on this ship. And unfortunately, the rates were pre-cruise and now the best we can offer is $149/per person.” We purchased it - mistake. The spa was very crowded, no locks on the lockers, and I took a small bag into the spa and an attendant threw it away!! It had my wallet and keys in it and was right next to me. I didn’t think someone was going to pick up my stuff as I was trying to relax. We booked a couples massage and were supposed to have 30 minutes afterwards to relax in the couple’s villa soaking tub. They were 25 minutes late starting the massage and we didn’t get the soak time. Best massage of my life, but it shouldn’t have been that stressful. One day we went to the steam room and went back to our room to shower and the door had broken, so they asked us to use the tub… tub never got hot water and wouldn’t plug. We packed up our stuff and showered back in the spa.
Suite guests should have also had access to the Sanctuary (like Retreat on Celebrity ships) but no, had to pay $40/per person per day if we wanted to go there - and some days were $100/pp.
Embarkation in Seattle was crazy. No signs, long lines for the wrong things, chaos. There was no priority embarkation. We waited 7 hours for our luggage so we couldn’t go to dinner the first night. Friends that boarded hours after us had their luggage quickly. There was no priority disembarkation at ports. Again, Celebrity has a priority lane at every port and separate entrance so there is no waiting.
There was no complementary ice service (supposed to be 2x per day). I asked for ice 3 times and finally gave up. Water is also nowhere to be found on the ship. I paid the room steward $ a day to bring us bottles so we could have fresh water. I also requested the evening canapés every day and received them 2x. We didn’t get the “chef’s welcome goodies” but our friends in a mini-suite got a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. We requested 2 pots of coffee and a few pastries each morning. They were always late, only 1 pot of coffee (2 cups) and sometimes forgot things like milk for cereal.
The excursions were also chaos. Everyone met in the large theatre and instead of saying “all people taking tour 510 stand up and go out.” And then so on… nope all went to exit and clogged the ramp because not everyone’s tour signs were out and no one knew where to go and people in the back were trying to push out and not miss their buses.
The food was ok… We had 3 evening at Speciality restaurants… The Crown Grill we ordered a NY Strip with 2 sides and the grilled prawns. Prawns were more like 20/24 frozen shrimp and the meal came out mushy and cold - they quickly replaced the plate with another dish. Sides didn’t come out until we had finished the steak. Service was very good but they did try to upsell us on an entree and wine. The Sabatini evening was very nice - very attentive and good food (still a bit on the bland side but understandable for as many people as they serve.) It takes a long to time to get a drink … anywhere - but especially at dinner. They have to send someone to the nearest bar to pick up drinks and run them back.
I had much higher expectations having been with other cruise lines. Princess just fell short overall for the price paid for a suite. Maybe splurge for the mini-suite but the full suite isn’t worth the extra $$$