jshyoda

I agree the new program offers far less incentive to keep playing once you are up more than $1k at the tables. The CR Rep after my sailing in early November told me that you are no longer grandfathered into the program. You must requalify on each sailing for benefits for your next sailing. That qualification will also be applied to what casino rates you may be offered for future sailings as well as any additional discounts. So if you take multiple cruises a year and play in the casino the average of play does not count. Your play only counts from your last sailing. The certificates they hand out on the cruise are pretty much useless for me. The maximum value is $1k that can be applied to a future booking if you are unable to use the cert on one of their published cruises, and that is why I mentioned the threshold above. I will say that my level of play (dollar wise and time wise) has not changed from what I have been doing the last several years, but the level of comps/discounts/incentives surely has decreased. Benefits that I know have been removed are rebates, extra cabin casino rates for traveling friends/family members, onboard comps, extra discounts on cabin based on play now require the room to be repriced at the current room rate verses rate the existing booking was at. At this point, I am unable to name one positive feature of the new program for existing players.

So if it's your last stop before heading back to port do you have to clear customs again?

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Wouldn't it be just late September bookings based on final payment date?

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I would say the odds are much lower of that of getting a decent steak in the MDR without paying for the up charge steak. If you are going to do that you might as well goto one of the specialty places.

I would never use a coffee machine in a hotel/cruise room. Ever think how often they are cleaned or what a previous guest may have put in them.

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The driver said they were allowed. The app had no issues. I used it both ways from Airport to the port and back. The police were standing at both locations.

We got off the Allure on the 22nd and our flight was at 1:30pm and we used the luggage valet program

. The luggage valet program is very effective and I recommend it. We had no issues.

I used Uber on embarkation day and disembark day. Each fare was only $10.

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They did on Allure last night.

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We have arrived in the Sky Lounge seating area.

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What time will they allow guests on board?

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Ditto on Allure in less than 41 hours.

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So lesson learned is go ahead and book it, assuming you are not within final payment window, and then make the confirmation calls. If the price lowers, your good since you will be able to get the lower rate, but if they screw up on the price, then you already have the active reservation and confirmation.

I am also on the 15th sailing and will be crossing over to Diamond+ on this trip. Looking forward to sippy sippy and relaxation.

I was recently on the Majesty sailing on April 29th utilizing a free cruise certificate I received from the February 2016 sailing. On the February sailing I also received a rebate of $1,700 not to count the upside that I had from the tables. Now roll forward to the Majesty sailing and of course I altered my level of play but it was still north of average hourly bet of $75 the first two days. The Casino Host on the second night of the sailing said that he would have a certificate for me the next night and I was like ok. Well on the next night he said that since I was playing a lower amount that day by betting $25 hands it altered it that I would need to increase the my bet to over $100 per hand. I then asked him if I did that what my reward would be and he could not tell me. Here is the problem with the new program. Other than the table winnings, comped drinks, and casino rates on bookings there really is no known upside to the player like there used to be. One can very easily wager for less per hour and hopefully still win more playing in the casino vs the offer of a free cruise certificate that has limited availability to most and ultimately is not free once you factor in the travel costs, port fees, etc. I will be on the Allure on the 15th of May, but already realize that the Casino Hosts know jack about the new program and that their focus is to get me to wager more per hour to help them on obtaining their known weekly revenue goal. My goal is to take more money off Allure than what I board with.

We always use the same local licensed transport company. It is very convenient and price is reasonable, a total 125 each way from airport for a max party of 4. They also do pickups at the parks. You could also try Uber now days.

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The $495 is over the water. I was not offered a chance to pick a cabana. Last time we had the hilltop cabana.

I have reserved Cabanas each time we have visited and most recently in December when the price was reasonable, around $300. To my dismay when I reached out to the Concierge yesterday requesting a Cabana for our upcoming sailing on the 15th of May, I was informed that they have reserved one for me and the price is $495. I am sure some people will see the value in this, but I do not see having a 6-7 hour "hut" rental equal the price of one night in a grand suite.

15 days till Majesty and 31 days till Allure

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I had the same issue with a certificate I received in February. We already had a cruise booked in May and the cert had to be used by May 31. I already used a rebate on the May cruise so I was unable to double dip. So we just booked a cruise at the end of April to use the free one. "Free" is a relative description since you still have to pay the taxes etc and flight costs.

So if you maintain the same level of play, would one expect to receive OBC for a future cruise similar to the rebate that you received on the old rebate program? I am looking forward to the Majesty sailing at the end of April and Allure in May. It will be interesting to see how the program is different.