Loracpin2

On 3/23/2024 at 10:23 AM, lx200gps said:

I didn't even know there was a Titanium level  

Titanium is the reward level you receive when you spend "more nights at Marriott properties than at home when you have a Global Corporate position🤩". I must admit that once our 3 children (now 55, 52 and 50) were in College and on their own, I did reap the benefits of those rewards points to travel Internationally with my husband.    

27 minutes ago, CruisingHogFan said:

i wouldn’t consider it a upgrade. You may enjoy it but a lot of people avoid them at all cost including me. You open the window the a/c shuts off and all the cool air is sucked out of the room in minutes leaving you with a hot/sticky cabin that takes awhile to cool back down.

Maybe in the winter but no way in the summer!

Another the glass is half full poster!!!! 

On 4/23/2024 at 10:33 AM, Jimbo said:

There is ALOT of "Loyal to Royal" crowd here so be prepared to get blasted as you will learn to know Royal does no Wrong !

Agree with your reply 100%. We are Diamond with RCI and, after our Oasis sailing July 2023, posted in detail why we would never sail them again!! The reply blasts were fast and defensive!!!

Although we still book with Celebrity (Elite+ and have said this many times before) ever since RCI purchased the line in 1997, little by little, year after year Celebrity has been in a downward spiral!!!. 

11 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

We Italians are all about family. If school fits into the plans then great. If school doesn't fit into the plans then there will be a lot of empty desks.😁

YES WE ARE!!!! Thanks for posting this reply!!!!🥰

I've posted this on other Oasis related threads but will post again.

We sailed the Oasis last July to join our Daughter, Son-in law, two Granddaughters and another couple. Ship was filled to maximum capacity of 6800.

-Cabin stewards were overwhelmed and did the best they could under the conditions.

-Reservations for shows was not an option because everything was booked solid.

-Pool areas were always filled to maximum capacity. Impossible to find a seat.

-Windjammer was a nightmare. Wall to wall crowds. Windows and windowsills filthy with caked   on foods, and food that was mediocre at best.

-Food quality was not much better in the MDR and the $560 we spent for a family dinner to eat in   Chops was a joke.    

Our Diamond status is no longer an incentive to book RCI. 

2 hours ago, cruisegirlppp said:

Totally get it, daughter would not have survived USNA without her smuggled miniature rice cooker.

I love this because I'm the daughter of a USMA graduate!!!!!

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Well as I see it there are three types of people; those who know and understand the rules, those who don't know them but will learn, and those who don't believe the rules apply to them.

 

 

Agree 100% and it's certainly doesn't apply to cruise lines. We live in a large HOA with lots of Rules pertaining to what Additions and Modifications owners can make to their properties. There are many that don't think submitting detailed requests must be reviewed and approved by the Community. I've lost count on the number of Owners who think the Regulations don't apply to them!!! 

As a result of all the comments previously read about how long it was taking for renewal, I sent mine expedited on March 13 for a June sailing. New passport arrived 16 days later on the 29th!!  

On 3/27/2024 at 8:55 PM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Didn’t love the plastic plates in Windjammer 😱🤣

For Free I might go 😉

Didn't notice the plastic plates. Was too busy trying to look out, not only the filthy window I was sitting next to, which was minor compared to the dried caked on food all over the windowsill. Fortunately, a ship's Officer was walking by and I showed him. As he was shaking his head, he took a picture with his cell phone, and apologized as he walked away.  

On 3/26/2024 at 3:02 PM, LB_NJ said:

FYI,  it is of course VERY subjective however I have sailed both cruise lines in the last couple of years and my experience is that Royal buffet is worse than Celebrity and the Royal MDR is either the same or worse than Celebrity depending on the ship and the particular cruise.

 

 

We hadn't sailed with RCI for over 10 years but sailed Oasis of the Seas last summer only to spend time with our Daughter, Son-in-Law and 2 Granddaughters. Not only was the food subpar, in both the Windjammer and the MDR, the cleanliness of the Windjammer was below subpar. I know I will get slammed for this but......I wouldn't book another RCI sailing even it was FREE!!!!  

1 hour ago, lx200gps said:

Before our last trip out the the MCT, we stayed across the river in Weehawken, almost directly opposite the MCT. There are two Marriott properties in the same building, a Residence Inn and an Envue, both across the street from the huge ferry terminal, many rooms having great Manhattan skyline views. A large parking garage attached to the hotels was around ($25?) per day, far cheaper than at the MCT.  Rather than drive through the Lincoln Tunnel or cross the GW Bridge, we parked for the week at the ferry terminal and took the ferry across the Hudson. From the ferry terminal at W 40th, it was an easy 15 minute walk north up the pedestrian-only walkway to the MCT. We will do that again whenever we sail out of the MCT. The ferry system is very conducive to traveling with suitcases, getting on and off the ferry was dead easy, and as it was around 8AM on a Saturday when we did it, the ferry was pretty much empty.

Thanks for the detailed info. Since we only stay at Marriott properties (Husband'sTitanium status as a result of 39 years of Corporate travel) will look at Residence Inn. 

1 hour ago, jargey3000 said:

my bad....had the "O" right....some days it seems like an oasis....

Just thinking of the Oasis makes me cringe.

Sailed her last summer to be with Family!! Spending time with them was Fantastic! Sailing on the ship was the worst cruise we've ever taken!! 6800 passengers that included triple and quad occupancy (double is 5400) and that was the least of the issues!!!!! 

On 2/21/2024 at 12:57 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

MSC have a deck 13 but no deck 17 on their ships as it is an unlucky number in the Italian culture. 

I always recall my Italian Maternal Grandmother telling me this when I was about to choose June17,1967 for our wedding date. We chose June 24th instead and have been married for 56 years. 

38 minutes ago, PDperks said:

Thank you. I’m just wondering about the comfort level.

My only experience has been sitting on them. I don't know if, when it's turned into a bed, additional padding is put on. Not sure how much a difference it would make unless you booked a Higher Class suite.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-reflection/accommodations

Above is the link for Cabins on the Reflection. We have travelled Concierge class on all S-class ships and the sofa is usually made up into a bed by the staff while your at dinner.

You can also google the various suites to see which would be the best for the three of you.

2 hours ago, Wayward Son said:

 

Definitely not NJ, but if you're flying into La Guardia, Marriott has a Sheraton in Flushing that is very nice, and exceptionally priced. Free shuttle from the airport. Front desk ordered a car for us to the port. We sailed the Escape in November on Marathon Sunday, and we were at the port in 25-minutes. Driver knew what he was doing.

 

 

Thanks but we're not flying in. Driving up from PA. Flushing is definitely out of the way. 

Family Group (7) sailing out of NYC on the Norwegian Joy in mid July. We all prefer spending the night before in a Hotel in NJ that is the easiest ride from NJ to NY. Would very much appreciate any Marriott Properties recommendations. 

Thank you in advance.  

We were there July 2023 on the Oasis which had 6500 passengers (ship was booked to almost max quad capacity). Serenade was also docked there. Took more than an hour to get off the ship. Got almost half way to the CocoCay entrance looked at each other and decided to go back to the ship. 

52 minutes ago, baypeople said:

Funny, we like the Reflection best of all.  There's much more seating on the deck outside of the Ocean View Cafe.  But, I do miss the glass shows and the ability to blow glass.

Our favoirite is still the Silhouette for one special reason.

As we were sailing out of Sicily one evening in September 2015, we saw Mt. Etna erupt from our port side balcony. Listening to the rumbling sounds and then watching the lava flow was an overwhelming experience.

It was the only topic at dinner that evening for those who got to see it, not realizing that the majority of those who were still in their cabins on the starboard side of the ship when it happened didn't. 

QUOTE..."Reflection is the most different of all the S class. It has a higher passenger capacity, some find it feels more crowded" 

I completely agree! We have cruised on all 5 of Solstice class ships and the Reflection is our least favorite!! 

22 minutes ago, the penguins said:

I have been following this saga with it's wide range of interesting views/comments/suggestions and offer the following summary:

You cancelled a cruise due to a medical issue and accepted that the cancellation charge would be 100% 

You will receive a full refund via a combination of a refund from X (taxes|) and your insurance.

Your travel agent fulfilled their obligation by making the booking and presumably handling the cancellation and are therefore entitled to their commission.

OBC as it's name suggests is for Onboard therefore as the booking was cancelled there is no OBC.

However if there was any possibility of the value being returned in cash then clearly this would be paid to the Insurance Company and not yourself as they are the ones who have now paid.

CC points are awarded at the end of each cruise but as you didn't sail no points are due.

We to have experienced a similar issue as I collapsed at home on the morning of departure and it was a "toss up" between which would arrive at the house first:  our taxi or the ambulance. The ambulance won by about 20 minutes.

We called the cruise line (Royal) and advised that I had just been taken to hospital and they refused to discuss any form of refund until the cruise had finished on the basis that I might join the ship later - not likely as it was a Transatlantic. Once the cruise had  ended Royal sent me an email confirming the full cost, the sum being refunded as fees and my insurance refunded the balance withing 7 days of me submitting the documents.

We also "lost" our Crown and Anchor points for the cruise which would have moved us to Diamond+

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

13 hours ago, calicakes said:

I never even mentioned money back when I posted. All I talked about was the elite points.

If no other customers receive the points when they cancel their cruise for medical or any other reason, what makes you think you would be the exception? To quote the lyrics from a famous song....."You Can't Always Get What You Want" 

25 minutes ago, calicakes said:

That is awesome that you didn't you think you were entitled.  

Yes, and even though we are both originally from Brooklyn, we wouldn't have thought we were entitled then either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!