Joseph2017China

9 hours ago, LinRon3 said:

I was going to start a new thread, but seemed close enough to question we have about booking shows before one even gets onboard.  A friend at the local pool today, going on the Harmony in April, was really dejected as he found out he and his wife was 'locked' out of both the skating shows in studio B AND the Grease production show.  He had no idea that one could book these shows BEFORE you get on the ship...nor did we.  We have always booked shows FIRST thing once onboard. Is this something new for Royal?  If so...we HATE it [as of course, our friend...who is planning to write a complaint to Royal...a fart in the wind, but heck, would feel good].

So this prompted me tonight to ask for more information on this NEW policy [new to us anyway]...and how to navigate around this horrible development?  We live in Florida, and we are accustomed to having things booked like the first minute after midnight the maximum alloted time by all the snowbirds coming down in their RV's for the winter...all computerized...really [especially state parks...some that are IMPOSSIBLE to get into].  So, is this what is going to happen on booking the shows on a given Royal ship?  Everything booked out the first few minutes after midnight when such bookings open up?  Being locked out, a month in advance of, say, one of the major attractions like the Grease production show on Harmony [like our friend is now]...well, that changes the whole complextion of why even go in the first place [we book the mega ships ourselves, mainly due to the shows aboard].  We've never had a problem booking once on board...but now who knows.  Any words of wisdom here that we can cheer our friend up, and perhaps take some of the SCARE out of us [we have two Royal cruises later in the year].  More rat race it looks like; not just for the lido lounges!

Although shows do fill up, they hold back some seats for those not reserved.  Plus, this is not something new and discussed for decades.  At 60 days out, entertainment reservations open, and you can book.  No, you don't have to wake up at midnight, I did not.  The only issue I had was the mystery room, which is not really a show, but I did get an acceptable time but many times were filled.  

What is the complaint, that it opens at 60 days instead of boarding day?  Any day it opens, the idea that a show can fill up will still exist.  

I'm sure you will get to see Grease....just go to the line with no reservations, and you will be seated, although maybe in the back.

Good news everyone......hot tubs are optional just like the swimming pool.  

23 hours ago, angelhelly said:

Good afternoon.

I've hear so many conflicting info that I do not know what to expect.

 

We are going to the Anthem next month, we have the UDP and we want to do Izumi.

 

I have read the following scenarios

- Prix Fixe menu 

- Have $20 per person to spend

- Have $35 per person to spend.

 

Did someone that went there recently can have some feedback on what to expect? We are creating our list to book during embarkation and we want to understand so we evaluate how many times we'll do izumi.

 

Thank you!

Izumi is dinner so it is $35.00

Playmakers is pub food, so it is $20.00

There are some other "pub food eating places" in the fleet, and those are $20.00

1 hour ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

I'm not asking them to do any special plating. This has nothing to do with substitutions or anything like that.  I just don't want my meal needlessly extended by only being permitted to have one entre at a time delivered to the table. Read my first post. 

I read you post. You said, no bread, no apertizer and no desert, you only want a plate of food.  I get it, that is why I said if you don't want to sit down to a full 3 course meal, than the WJ is the place to go, where you get to pick what you want, and eat it in the speed you want since you don't want to wait to be served.  It's OK to be different, but the MDR is different than the WJ and each place is suited for a certain group.  They will however bring you another plate once you finish the first one, just like they don't serve all 3 courses at once.  It just isn't set up for that.  

1 hour ago, STEVE-O said:

I spoke to several staff members who collect them or rehide them where they'll be easier for kids to find.

If you don't care for the fad....walk on by

Sorry, a staff member will never tell you they throw them out.  Staff members are trained only to say happy, and positive statements.  But I consider it like a child's game, like an Easter Egg hunt, but I just don't understand the adults that get into this.  Like why would an adult pick it up in the first place.  Unless money was hid inside or something like it.  I do walk by, once I discovered it did not contain candy.

1 minute ago, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

Or it's what has been reported on multiple sailings by multiple passengers in multiple reviews. There's no "click bait" here Jeffrey...it's not like I have paid advertisers in this thread or something. 

 

If you LoyalRoyals don't want to acknowledge the change fine, but kindly stay out of my thread about it. 

Seriously, go to WJ and you can pick what you want, like multiple pieces of meat and no veggies or bread, or desert.  In the main dining room, it is a 3 course sit down dinner, where your food is plated already, and it is predetermined as in the menu. That's the great thing about a cruise, you don't need to eat where you are not comfortable with.

Basically the poster wants to scam the system and figure out how to fix once on board.  Plus, is the baby even booked yet?  Maybe they just need to figure out on the ship, and not ask such questions here, unless, they actually need to book the baby then they need to call.

On 3/26/2023 at 9:31 PM, LoungerOnBalcony55 said:

I eat quick. I like to get two entres, hit it and split it. No appetizer or desert nonsense. Keep that bread basket away from me. 

 

I'm really not looking forward to having to get into some back and forth if I'm told I can only get one entre after another. And what if I don't "sufficiently" clean the plate? Am I then forbad from from dining further? 

 

This entire policy seriously is the stupidest most obnoxious way they could tackle the food waste problem.  

If all you want is the piece of chicken on the plate and not the sides that come with it, or any apertizers or dessert, why not just go to the WJ, and you can place several peices of meat on your plate, and skip all that you don't want?  

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

This is purely a staffing issue, not financial. Room stewards are among the lowest paid crew on the ship, so this isn't exactly saving RC much money.

I believe, they are far from lowest paid.  The staff you see, or never see are most likely the lowest paid, the ones washing the clothes or cleaning the ship.  

Sounds like a little kids game, not for adults.  I bet most are thrown out if found by staff.  I can't imagine an adult, hiding 25 ducks on a ship, for other adults to find but I do wish they would hide cans of beer, and that would be a win!

No, they can't be D+.  D+ is a earned level, and they must earn that level by cruising 175 days.  

9 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi All,

 

If RCL is reducing stateroom service to once a day, how is this a cutback for them?  If the majority of salary for stateroom attendants comes from gratuities and we are paying the same, how is RCL saving money by doing this?  And why would this result in them having to clean 2x as many cabins and not 1/2?  Are they halving the number of stateroom attendants on ships?  Why would they do that if they hardly pay salary with majority coming from guest tips?  And with half the number of cleanings, why does the work double for the staff?

 

Trying to understand the reasoning behind the move.

 

Thanks.

It is a cut back because it is less employees.  You are trying to throw in tips as their pay, but are you forgetting that they get room and board also?  Plus they have a salary, and other benefits.  Don't try to understand a companies finances.  I don't ask how McDonalds can sell a hamburger for $1.29 either.  Not my business why.  Plus for most people, they really don't care as long as the room is cleaned daily.  

I'm just curious why the daughter is 25 years old, and the mother is still trying to manage her?  Should the daughter not be the one calling and taking care of things? The cruise line shouldn't even be talking to the mother at all, once they discover it is not her account.  

I don't think a person should keep the status they were when they become of age.  Think of a kid, having one cruise and getting to be Diamond Plus.  They need to work on their own status, like everyone else, but I do agree, they should keep any points they got on their own.  

I also don't think people living together should be matched either.  They should only be matched if they are legally together though marriage or other legal ways. 

It is recommended not to book flights before 12:00.  It is recommended to be at any international flight 3 hours early.  (9:00).  It will take an additional hour for the process of gettting off, immigration check at port (most ports do this), get taxi, and make it to airport.  So latest needs to be 8:00 which is very doable and common.  But anything before 8:00 you are risking things.  So stick with the 1:00 and have no worries, or stress

2 hours ago, orville99 said:

And yet, we have won suite upgrades six times since the restart with minimum bids, four of which were after ships started sailing at full capacity, and at least three were upgrades to categories that showed as sold out when we placed our bids.

Cool.  Since you got 6 upgrades, you must have taken it all from others.  I was making a point that upgrades were mostly non existent, and most are from lower cabins to the next one up which are minor upgrades.  However, you must be the only person ever to post that you are getting upgrades and on a regular basis.  All we ever hear is that people are not getting any

no.  Choose you lunch based on boarding time. Plus you don't need a reservation in many cases on boarding day.

Getting an upgrade, under the old way, and with the new bidding has always been extremely rare except for a small period of time.  Don't try to over guess this, since the odds of getting an upgrade is slim to none, but bid a really high number and maybe you will get it.  I would guess just getting what you want in the first place is better.  

Create her account, and than you manage it.  

Not that they have no Diamond lounge but rather, the ship is in the Asian market, and some "names" of rooms were reimagined to reflect translated words that have more meaning, thus  becoming a selling point to see more suites.  

Not everyone will enjoy the same things and some people really just wants to sit around on their vacations.  Yes, it's a "family" vacation and a very nice gesture, but at the end of the day, you will never be able to convince him to like it.  

His excuse is lines.  I now a person who has an excuse of not wanting to drive 3 hours, than pay for parking.  His entire family wanted to go but him so they did not.  

So if he as no issues with your Daughter and kids going, than don't push it, leave him back home, but whatever you do, don't give up your fun with family over it. 

They have trams, and I highly recommend not taking scooter to sandy areas......not very friendly on the controls and wheels.  

On 3/20/2023 at 2:34 PM, FOPMan said:

It is a big issue if transferring into or out of a wheelchair is an issue. 

If that is the case, than the poster will need a HC room since no way can a person that is immobile do it.  I believe the discussion of door width so to determine if a wheelchair or scooter is allowed, if it is foldable. 

1st. Ports

2nd. Price

3rd. Ship

Pretty easy.  I pick where I want to go, than the price, and than what available ship.  There are things I like about every ship in the fleet, and things I don't like.  But the bottom line, is that I am going to go where I want, and enjoy every evening on the ship.

I see people with car seats all the time.  Why is it an issue to bring?  They don't weigh much, and easily checked on airlines etc.

1 hour ago, Luv2teachandcruise said:

See, you are not reading what I am saying, you just want to argue amd make your point. I'm so proud of your younger than 20 year old child who owned his first home, so did I, but thats not the point.   

 

My son loves cruising but you keep spewing out your opinions and trying to make them facts. 

 

Anyway, have a great life.

Sorry but you said your older son was miserable in the ship and does not want to go until at least 21?