Photos from Fantasy Eastern Concierge cruise

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Since it's right across the hall, let's go check out the concierge lounge again.

There are two happy hours every day with wine and beer (maybe mixed drinks as well though I only had wine). There is a also a non alcoholic cold drink available at 4pm every day. I have the recipe and photos I'll share soon.

My favorite were the shrimp in the salsa. So refreshing with a glass of white wine. Really hit the spot in the evening.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Here's Vana White, I mean Andy, showcasing the case of games in the Concierge Lounge. The tv always plays classic cartoons.

Side note to share: Andy is my long-lost half brother. He looks exactly like my dad did at his age. I know this because we were celebrating my parents' 35th anniversary and my sister and I had treated for their vow renewal on board. I found my parents' old wedding album and Sis blew a few photos up large to take for the VR. Dad at that age looked just like Andy. Turns out Andy is from Germany and only a year younger than me. I said to mom, didn't dad spend a year in Europe on a Rotary exchange right after I was born? Yep. Julia, another concierge, piped in that Andy's parents look nothing like him (they were on the cruise over from Germany). Hmmm...

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Here's a photo of our stateroom (12518) the cat V so you have an idea of how much space you have in the room.

There is a lot of room under the bed. Look what's under the bed! Yes, our luggage has arrived and we are showering and changing for dinner.

Sis and I had two large hard case suitcases and I had to have my shoes. I cut it down to 9 pairs for the 7 day cruise. But you see they fit neatly under the bed. I think I have a better photo somewhere, but I found this shoe holder for honestly $2.99 at super Walmart. It's plastic and folds flat and fit fine in my suitcase and under the bed holding my 9 shoes.

 

[emmebear]

thank you for the review. i've booked 12020 and am so excited! it's hard to find reviews online for these rooms and this really helps so thank you again.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

thank you for the review. i've booked 12020 and am so excited! it's hard to find reviews online for these rooms and this really helps so thank you again.

yeah I know it is! That's why I decided to take so many photos!

You'll like that you aren't too far from the lounge but also not exactly across the hall from the door to it. The one bedroom is incredible. My parents have high expectations though they had never been on DCL and they were blown away. Dad kept pointing out things like the silver leaf frames and saying "you know how much that costs?"

Thanks for the feedback and let me know if you have any questions.

 

[emmebear]

the deck plan says that i am close to the elevators and stairs. any idea how close the elevator is to my room? would the noise carry over to my room?

i'm excited about the happy hour! i'm considering bringing a few bottles of wine with me on board but the happy hour may eliminate a bottle or two.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

We had the dinning rotation AERAERA. I requested this because it meant we would be in the more formal decorated dinning rooms on the more formal attire nights, we'd get to experience all three looks to the AP (Crush from Nemo, Pirates, and the Animation), and AP is the most Disney of the dining rooms so I wanted to get that one first so mom and dad realized where they were - this was not the Cunnard QE.

I loved the art details - in the ceiling, in the floors, on the tables. Be sure to look around!

The menu was different all three times here.

The paint brush butter knife is available for purchase in the onboard gift shops.

Golden Breeze
Vodka, Amaretto, Galliano, Orange Juice, and Pineapple Juice

This is the only drink I would recommend from their dinner menus.

Grilled Pacific Black Cod
With sautéed Morel Mushrooms on a Sweet Potato Purée

Cookie & Cream Sundae
Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Wafer Cookies, and Whipped Cream

but with Chocolate Ice Cream!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

the deck plan says that i am close to the elevators and stairs. any idea how close the elevator is to my room? would the noise carry over to my room?

i'm excited about the happy hour! i'm considering bringing a few bottles of wine with me on board but the happy hour may eliminate a bottle or two.

I think you should be the same place as my parents just opposite sides of the ship. They weren't the closest rooms to the elevators. I would say it was probably 15 feet or so. It was convenient to the elevators but not next to them.

The rooms are set back - you have a long hallway and that massive master bath between your bed and the deck hallway. You won't likely hear people in the halls. And there aren't people, other than your neighbors going down the halls - it's not like the floors where the Midship Detective Game takes hundreds past your room.

The elevators and stairs are in a center area and not really near the room doors.

We brought a soft backpack cooler that has wheels as our carryon and had three bottles of wine and a bottle of champagne. We didn't need all that. Even with five friends in other parts of the ship and a deck party after Castaway Cay on a friend's massive verandah on the very back of the ship, we had too much wine with us. A bottle or two might be nice to enjoy in the room but don't think you need to stock up.

Also your fridge will have coke products and bottles of water already in it too! Any more you need you just grab from the lounge. Don't bother bringing mugs for fountain drinks like we did.

 

[emmebear]

thanks again for the help. i appreciate it!

will they charge me for drinking the items in the fridge? or is it complimentary?

loving your review! keep it coming.

 

[Toria]

Thanks for posting, luv the pics!

 

[jilljill]

thanks again for the help. i appreciate it!

will they charge me for drinking the items in the fridge? or is it complimentary?

loving your review! keep it coming.

No charge for those drinks.

 

[Slappy32]

Thanks for all of the pics and reviews! We are sailing on an Eastern on Sept. 8. We are in 12528, which is all the way at the end of the hall. There will be four of us in a family stateroom. 3 adults and our three year old daughter. I'm the only one that knows we are doing concierge and will keep it a secret as long as I can. Did you ever make a special request of your concierge while on board, and if so, how did it go? I was also thinking about trying to upgrade to a suite at embarkation if the price was right. Looking forward to more details!

 

[Debs Hill]

I am seriously loving your report! At the 4.00pm drinks hour/or the evening one can you get smoothies/virgin cocktails for the kids?
What is on offer for breakfast?
Debsx

 

[luvslikepi]

Here's Vana White, I mean Andy, showcasing the case of games in the Concierge Lounge. The tv always plays classic cartoons.

I'm so glad they're showing the classic cartoons - they've become so lost to the kids of today. Can't wait for Lilly to be born because I have a huge Ink and Paint Club collection she'll be growing up on.

Loving the TR - love the pics, the details. Can't wait to read more.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Thanks for all of the pics and reviews! We are sailing on an Eastern on Sept. 8. We are in 12528, which is all the way at the end of the hall. There will be four of us in a family stateroom. 3 adults and our three year old daughter. I'm the only one that knows we are doing concierge and will keep it a secret as long as I can. Did you ever make a special request of your concierge while on board, and if so, how did it go? I was also thinking about trying to upgrade to a suite at embarkation if the price was right. Looking forward to more details!

That's so exciting! I LOVE keeping good secrets and having surprises. Sis was surprised with having the Sisters from Buffalo show up on our cruise. Dad was surprised with the one bedroom suite and concierge - or at least he didn't know that mom had purchased that - he was really pleased with the one bedroom - he thought it was incredible. It was so cute at the concierge check-in when he turned to mom to ask "How did we get concierge?" and mom replied "you paid for it". "oh".

I think you should keep the secret until you get there!

As for special requests. I can't say that we intentionally made any special requests of the concierge, but many special things happened. It was more like just in conversation with the concierge - who are SO friendly and outgoing - something would come up that such and such would be nice and then magically it happened. I think my mom might have asked for crackers to be out with the cheese and that didn't happen but wasn't a big deal. I remember most vividly my sister and I talking with PJ about the aquaduck and he told us we had to do it at night. And we said we can't since it's only open until 10pm and we have dinner at 8:15 and are never out before 10. Well you will have to hear more about that story later in the trip report...

I would say that we didn't make any special requests, but often things we mentioned would be nice, happened.

The concierge really bend over backwards for each guest. They really get to know you in the seven days and make every effort to make you spoiled rotten. Real life is hard to get back to when you get home!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I'm so glad they're showing the classic cartoons - they've become so lost to the kids of today. Can't wait for Lilly to be born because I have a huge Ink and Paint Club collection she'll be growing up on.

Loving the TR - love the pics, the details. Can't wait to read more.

Congratulations on your bun. You will also be pleased that they show classic cartoons in every stateroom on the tv. One channel shows a loop that seemed to change daily. The classics we saw ranged from the 1930s through the 60s. It was really interesting to see those really old ones too.

Also on tv is an On Demand option that has all the ABC tv shows and all the Disney and their other companies movies - like Money Ball and National Treasure 2, etc. Dad spent a lot of time on his couch watching movies. You can pick up where you left off (or fell asleep). I started a few movies before falling asleep but never finished one of them!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I am seriously loving your report! At the 4.00pm drinks hour/or the evening one can you get smoothies/virgin cocktails for the kids?
What is on offer for breakfast?
Debsx

Thanks! So about midway through the cruise I caught on to the fact that around 4pm Kristina, the bartender from Ireland that was in Concierge lounge, would come around with these fruity creamy drinks on ice. She would come up to the sun deck with them as well. They are non alchoholic and made of mango and passion fruit.

I am not sure they have a blender for smoothies/virgin drinks in the concierge galley. My sister asked for a virgin frozen drink from Skyline, one of the adult bars in Europa, and the server went to the Tube to have it made. They might and I might not have seen it.

They always have soda in cans and a selection of fresh looking juices in covered pitchers as well as milk out on ice. And their fancy coffee machine makes excellent hot chocolate. They have a nice selection of teas as well.

At 5:15 (I think) and then again at 7:15 they have happy hour with wine and their fairy tale champagne out. I think you could get beer as well and I think they have liquor though I only had the wine. Kristina and sometimes an assistant is there to serve and they'll serve you seconds - or at least I did.

Since it's free you don't have an opportunity to tip with each drink. I asked at the end of the cruise if Kristina was part of the concierge team that she would be covered somehow, but she said she's part of the bartending team and used to be in Ooh la la. So I handed her a tip on the last day. Not sure how the bartenders and the people who keep the food so fresh are covered. But I just gave money to Kristina. Again not sure you are supposed to, but as you might have figured out, I felt I made use of the lounge and her services.

Breakfast is continential and I have photos as soon as I get through day one. Still have a few more to post from after dinner!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

So after waddling out of Animator's Palate, my parents wanted to go to the Match your Mate in the Tube in Europa.

Dad got a cognac and the rest of us passed - none of these tempted me tonight and I was feeling a bit done in from the long first day (that day seems the hardest - the early morning to get to Port, the stress of check in, etc.)

This ended up being the only time I went to the Tube and Sis and I left before the show started. It was WAY to loud (and I'm a 33 year old that likes to go out). Again, I was probably just not in the mood for it. The other nights I thought of going in to see a comedian or special act the space was full and they wouldn't allow more people in (this would be 30 minutes before the show). Other times I walked by late at night and they were playing lame music with two people in there. Not really sure what to say but I didn't experience the Tube as I had thought I would.

I got a message or saw that Mom was attempting to contact me via a text that was blank on her Wave Phone so Sis and I waited in this little court yard area outside Ooh la la and the Italian themed carousel bar and Barcelona's bathrooms. That Europa area is so hard to explain. That is one area that is really over Imagineered. Great for photos but not too practical or enjoyable for actual use as bars.

Anyway, in this crazy court yard are two tables and some stools facing a mirrored wall and on the other side is a buffet under heat lamps and food is placed in the evenings.

Way too full to eat, but never too tired to take a photo, I can show you but not advise you as to how any of this tasted.

So it wasn't long before I was back here

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Apparently I took photos from my bed as soon as I woke up - dedicated aren't I?

This shows you the three nice hooks on the wall in our room. You could probably make better use of them than we did. Also on the right you see the Blue Ray DVD player and get a sense for the storage space.

I liked the look of the closets and found that even with all that Sis and I had packed (at least two outfits each day) we had tons of extra room. Definately could have a couple more adults in this room I think.

View from the bed

Yes we have no bananas... in the fruit bowl.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

This is the eary morning taken from one end of the one bedroom verandah looking forward towards my room.