twangster

Newer ships too. I've only sailed on four of the Quantum class but had cabin wifi issues on all of them. Leaving the door open a crack worked wonders. All steel construction makes for bad wifi. Steel, walls, steel ceiling, steel floor, steel door. Edge class on X and Wonder have access points in the cabins. That is the only way to improve reception in cabins.

Suit yourself, to each their own. I use a TA because it doesn't cost me anything and they have access to a booking engine that can find things that are much harder to find on the Royal website. A good TA can also access group rates (without using those group rates in a shady manner). The trick is finding a good TA. For some people "good" equates to best perks or most OBC. To me a good TA provides great service. Like many things in life once you establish a relationship with a good TA there are added benefits for a long term relationship.

Are there any fees not originating from Royal? If they charge a penny for anything like a booking fee or cancelation fee beyond what the cruise line charges run away fast. For me the value of a TA isn't the OBC or perks but how long they have been doing Royal and how well they know how to work the system. Be careful shopping for the most OBC or perks. Thar's danger in them thar hills. There is a finite amount of commission they get. Those agencies who carve into commission to give perks don't have anything or much left to justify hours on the phone when the proverbial stuff hits the fan. When I've gotten "good deals" like big discounts or big OBC I've eventually always been let down by those types of agencies when things didn't go right. Some just flat out refuse to call Royal or they make up policy so you don't get price drops because that reduces their commission and they would be underwater on the booking since they gave big perks from that commission, so they refuse to do price drops. Some don't even want to do cabin changes because that is time and there is no money in the booking to cover more time spent on it. I had one agency offer me a rate less than the website. It turns out they were manipulating group bookings, charging me something between group rates and website rates so I appeared to get a discount. My credit card was charged by Royal and also by that agency for a few hundred. When the crane fell on Oasis my FCC wasn't as big as it should have been since Royal only saw the lower group rate figure as my cruise fare, not what I paid before taxes and ports fees including the charges paid directly to the travel agency. Seemed like a good deal at the time. Cost me FCC when they cancelled the cruise. Low bid rarely nets the best experience. Shopping for the most perks is like contracting the lowest bid. It can work out fine but when it doesn't it's a Royal PITA.

On a typical Oasis class cruise just over 50% of the guest count have never sailed with Royal. That's 3,000 guests who have never seen it. Those are guests that are lining up at the Bionic Bar. In December on Oasis it was busy most nights. I'm in agreement it's a gimmick and after trying it once years ago I haven't been back. It's not there for me. It's there as a gimmick to splash in videos about all the cool things on Royal Caribbean that the competition doesn't have. It's a marketing tool. In that role it is successful.

Prior to the shutdown is was routine on Quantum class for the main theater to be first come while the Two70° show required reservations given it's a smaller venue. When Odyssey started doing the same last year it was simply emulating what had occured for years on Quantum class in general.

Don't forget about the two 50% beer/wine coupon one time coupons on each CAS seapass card. By themselves the two 50% off one time coupons aren't huge but when combined with four free CAS drinks it might make the math of the DX that much less appealing.

No. It was supposed to be added in the amplification that was cancelled at the beginning of the shutdown. As a result no Bionic Bar at this point.

You have to call.

Star Class cabins are some of the only cabins where you can't separate the mattress into two single. It's hard to find detailed and specific Star Class information since the vast majority of cruisers never sail in Star Class so threads involving Star Class can deviate slightly. If if doesn't please you ignore it.

Odyssey Entertainment Guide OY Entertainment Guide 2021.pdf

I once scored a GS but it was during a hurricane when a lot of folks cancelled. One time I got an accessible JS. Not a fan of accessible cabins and I don't like being in one when I don't qualify or need it. Yet that is what they assigned me.

Or maybe it's the new policy and not someone who grabbed years old verbiage.

I know right? So bizarre.

I was struggling to understand why a Star booking in 2024 I made two weeks ago had no price difference compared to a never cruised with Royal guest so I called. The CAs balcony and suites discount doesn't apply as it was not combinable.

Book Later certs are NRD. It's right in the T&Cs. They can't be converted to refundable. To book refundable onboard visit NextCruise but you may not like the reduced OBC, refundable cruise prices for refundable along with standard deposits.

They quietly updated the CAS balcony discount terms and conditions on 12/16/22 when they published the latest benefits page. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/crown-and-anchor-society-benefit-grid.pdf 15 Balcony and Suite Discounts are a per stateroom discount applicable on balcony and suite categories only available to Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members. Savings are not redeemable for cash and are non-transferable. When reserving, a valid Crown & Anchor Society membership number must be included in the reservation. Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members will receive an increased discount for making a reservation for a sail date outside of six (6) months. Within six (6) months of sailing, if the guest cancels and reinstates the booking, applies a fare change, changes categories, or changes the ship or sail date of the booking, the discount will be automatically adjusted to the lower value. This offer can only be combined with the Onboard Booking Bonus while making a reservation onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. This offer cannot be used with certain restricted fares and is not combinable with any other promotion or offer, including, but not limited to Shareholder Benefits, and other dollars off and onboard credit offers, MyCruise® Rewards Credit Card Program Upgrades, Companion Fare and Free Cruise promotions and benefits. Single occupancy guests paying 200% cruise fare are eligible for Offer. Single occupancy guests paying less than 200% cruise fare will be eligible for a prorated value of the Offer. Prices vary by ship and sail dates; space is subject to availability at the time of making your reservation. Please call or have your travel agent call our exclusive pre-cruise number at (888) 437-1953 to answer additional questions or to make arrangements. The information listed above is valid beginning on sailings departing December 16, 2022 and onward.

The GP and OP on Oasis and Allure have balconies with a private hot tub. The Panoramic Ocean View Suites (VP) on Voyager and Freedom don't have balconies.

OBC from a Book Later NextCruise cert didn't appear after two weeks so last night I called and they added it manually. It now appears in the cruise planner at the top. This is a 2024 cruise so there is nothing in the cruise planner yet but my OBC appears now.

In my experience tne ability to book seat assignments varies one booking to another. It all depends what the fare class they book with the airline for that specific trip. I wouldn't book on the website. Do it on the phone and ask them. You can search on the website but call and talk to A2S. if you don't like the answer thank them and don't book it. Most times I can get seat assignments well before final payment but they have to do it. I can't always pick my own seats myself so I look at the flights, see what's open and ask them to grab the seats I want.

Just an FYI. I converted a Book Later cert between Xmas and New Years. I hadn't seen any OBC added so I called tonight and they added it manually. Easy peasy. Keep any eye on your booking after you convert it. My OBC is now showing up in the cruise planner.

On Oasis class the standard "stagger" group dining varies by venue but is typically 15-20 guests every 30 minutes so that is likely where they are drawing the two or three seatings for a group size of 35. To get the whole group at once requires the buyout fee. That is pretty standard for corporate group bookings which may be where they are drawing the fees for buying out the whole venue from. Unfortunately accommodating a large group does impact regular cruisers. I'm not aware of anyway around the fees to secure group space for mass specialty dining bookings.

Grand Panoramic and Owners Panoramic on deck 17 have fixed nightstands that don't move (Allure and Oasis). The king bed can't be made into two singles. The 2BR ATS feature a Duxiana king mattress in the primary bedroom and I'm trying to find out if it can be split. The second bedroom can be split, it's the primary bed that is in question.

If you booked through Casino Royale then that is likely a number associated with Casino Royale for internal tracking purposes.

If the cruise you were on when you purchased the Book Later certificate was booked through a travel agency their phone number appears on the Book Later email. The Book Later certificate has probably already been assigned to that travel agency so you may or may not be able to call Royal directly.

Full Suites and Pinnacles - yes.