ARandomTraveler

Am I reading this correctly that the refreshment package on Spectrum is $40/day??!! That's insane! I'm booked on this ship next summer (12 day Singapore to Japan), and the only drink package available in my cruise planner so far is a combo soda-plus-Voom for $25/day. I've been waiting to see what the drink packages go for on Asian cruises, since that market doesn't drink as much alcohol as the US market.

Oh I missed the 50% refund. I thought they only got a 25% FCC, which isn't really a good offer for people who don't cruise much (it basically becomes a coupon with no value to them). A 50% refund is okay though. The value of 50% is really based on how much time and money one invested in the vacation to begin with. 50% back on a "local" Caribbean vacation is worth more than 50% of an international one. It's a much bigger bummer to pay the money for international flights, extra hotel days in those international ports, etc, and then have a very expensive cruise basically sit in the middle of the ocean for 4 days. I'd want more money back than 50%, but it's better than nothing. I usually spend about $6,000 "all-in" on a Caribbean cruise for 2 people. A 50% refund on a cruise that I would easily take again the next year would be sufficient for me. But next year I'm spending about $30,000 for an international cruise (most of that is airfare and hotels in 2 different countries). The cruise itself is supposed to stop at 6 ports that I would likely never visit on a land vacation, and would probably not book again anytime in the near future, so if it only made it to one or two ports and then sat in the middle of the ocean for 8 days and they only gave me back half my money, I wouldn't be very happy. All that other money I'm spending to take this trip is money I wouldn't be spending if not for the cruise. And if I knew the cruise was just gonna be a bunch of days at sea, no way would I spend all that money, and a $3000 refund (50% of the cruise fare) would not make up for that. But it's the risk we take I guess. It's also why I buy very comprehensive insurance that pays me if there's itinerary changes.

I buy it, but I don't get my money's worth out of it. I like it for the same "convenience" aspect that a lot of people say they get from the deluxe package. Sometime's it's just nice to know you can get a drink whenever you want and not think about it, and a lot of the drinks I get are things I would generally say "eh - I don't really want that" and therefore likely wouldn't buy. But because I already paid for it, I get it anyway (and then almost never finish, but don't feel bad about it). I drink the free water and flavored waters at the windjammer when we eat there, and I only got soda from the freestyle machine twice on my last cruise (and didn't finish either drink). I drank specialty coffee most days (but also never finished), and drank a frozen mocktail or 2 every day, just for the heck of it. But all that sugar starts to make me feel yuck, plus it's really filling, and I'm not someone who drinks that kind of stuff at home, so it's a fun novelty, but I know I'm not getting my moneys worth. That said, it's not very expensive, so I'm ok with buying it just to have the "all inclusiveness" of it. Now if it were $700/week like the alcohol package, I wouldn't buy it, but for under $200, I'm in!

They're calling that "Generous Compensation?"

Is Odyssey identical to Soeftrum? They're both ultra-class quantum ships I believe. On spectrum they have a "regular" Junior suite (on my sailing, the cost is $8800 for 2 people), but then they have a "Sky" Junior suite, which is $19,900 for 2 people. Both prices are insane, and I can't make out the difference between the two options other than one comes with sky class benefits. Id go for the regular junior suite if they knocked $2800 off the price.

They assigned me a time and a restaurant for night 1 with my unlimited dining package. 150 Central Park at 5:30pm, which I changed, but I definitely had a reservation.

Meh. Those beaches are just ok (haven't been to Labadee). I think you should consider paying for the water park on Cococay with kids that age. They're going to have to walk by it in order to get to the free pool and free beaches and they'll likely be disappointed if they can't go in, since every other day of your trip is going to basically be a pool and beach day already. Just my 2 cents. Not the most fun itinerary. Also, the water in Cococay had jellyfish and lots of seaweed in it when we were there 3 weeks ago. It's nice beach to relax at when you're an adult. Not much fun for kids.

If the airfare and hotel made it so I had to pick the Oasis out of New Jersey, I'd just wait an extra year and take the cruise when I could afford the better vacation.

I saw them weighing people for the zip line on Symphony. They had a bathroom type scale right at the top of the stairs. I would guess they do something similar for iFly

Oh ok - yes Symphony has this.

Yeah it's definitely going to be high priced this late in the game (you're cruising next month), but next time you sail, if you book 5 or so months in advance you'd get a way better deal.

The hotel I referenced above (Hampton Inn Miami/Brickell-Downtown) was a better price than what you're getting, and it had a free shuttle to the port, plus free breakfast. The caveat is that you have to book the hotel further in advance. I stayed there for 2 nights for a Thanksgiving cruise and with taxes and fees, paid under $600 total. I didn't take the free shuttle because there was too long of a wait for it, with so many people wanting to get on it. I paid for an Uber and it was under $20, got me to the port in about 10-15 min.

I was just on Symphony 3 weeks ago, but with your description, I have zero idea what the heck you're talking about, even though the pool is freshly in my memory.

I always have to fly to the port so that never factors into my decision. I always just pick the ship and itinerary that looks best to me, and then I can price shop the hotels and flights to that one place (vs picking the ship based on which port is cheapest to get to). So if it were me with the 2 options you gave, I would hands down choose Harmony out of Miami. I wouldn't even consider the one out of New Jersey. First off - who wants to start a warm Caribbean vacation from a cold location (if given a choice)? Second, the Oasis itinerary is garbage! Cococay is ok, but it's the best option out of the whole itinerary, which isn't saying much. I just cruised out of a Miami 3 weeks ago. Stayed at the Hampton Inn Miami/brickell-downtown. It's an average hotel, with average prices for that area of Miami ($250-$300/night if you book several months early, but closer to $450/night if you book last minute). They have free breakfast. It's very close to the free metro-mover. It's about 2 blocks from a CVS, and there's tons of restaurants on the same street as the hotel. Anything closer to south beach is gonna cost you around $1,000/night or more, so to me, $300-ish per night was cheap for the area. I usually have to pay closer to $600/night when I cruise out of Puerto Rico, which is my favorite way to sail the southern Caribbean, and next summer my hotel is $800/night (but that's because I'm going to Singapore and choosing to stay in the Marina Bay Sands). So it's all relative. I guess if you're used to driving and having that part of the trip be free, $300 might seem like a lot, but I thought it was a bargain, and would much rather pay the $300 and take a better cruise, than pay $0 and take a cold-weather start to Nassau and Cococay. (Of course flights are another cost, but I'm just using the hotel portion for simplicity).

Hmm. When I bought a root beer float they needed my drink package, but maybe they used the dining package when we got the milkshake.

I used UDP on symphony, but if you want a root beer float or a milkshake, that falls under the beverage package (refreshment and deluxe)

It seemed like the solarium on symphony was enclosed. Have you been on Symphony? I'm trying to figure out if that's what people mean when they say "enclosed"

Add another one to your list, there are actually 5 (Quantum, Odyssey, Anthem, Ovation and Spectrum)

You do have to wait until you board, but you don't have to go to a restaurant. They'll have a bunch of kiosks set up on the promenade where staff will have iPads to make the reservations for you. You can't miss them; they're right when you walk onto the ship. You can also go to a restaurant and do it I think (assuming someone will be at the front desk in the restaurants, which they may not be since most of them aren't usually open).

#4, hilarious 🤣🤣🤣

I had a burger at Johnny Rockets on Symphony and it was quite good. I'd eat there again. Fries weren't that great but that's ok because it kept me from overeating them. Coco Cay totally overrated.

I'm sailing on a Quantum class ship for the first time next year too (the Spectrum, which wasn't on your list but I'm pretty certain it's a Quantum class ship). I haven't had a desire to sail on a quantum class ship primarily because it seems like the whole ship is indoors, and for me, cruising is all about being outside in the sun. I booked the Spectrum, not for the ship, but for the itinerary, but after I booked it I watched a YouTube video and man does that ship look really nice! It does look like it's mostly indoors, but a very nice, fancy ship. I think it's brand new (or was launched just before the pandemic, and then sat for a couple years unused). I'll be interested in visiting the new, exotic ports for 12 days, but now I'm also looking forward to the ship.

Not sure about Oasis, but on symphony, one side of the bed had a wall outlet and the other side had a phone. I didn't realize until day 3 or 4, but the phone had a USB outlet on it that I was able to use to charge my phone. Shower had one dispenser on the wall that was a combination soap and shampoo. Sink had a bar of soap.

I agree, if only for the fact that I don't trust my knowledge of other countries laws, especially for things that are so different from my own country. Heck, camoflauge clothing is illegal in some countries (Barbados is one of them). I really have no idea if CBD is considered illegal in other countries, but it's not illegal in the United States on the federal level as long as it comes from the hemp plant.