Spring Valley

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/12567-royal-caribbean-orders-fourth-quantum-class-vessel-for-2019.html

What do you think the name is going to be?

Keith

We did this itinerary back in December, and like you, we really enjoyed the ship and the southern route from Port Canaveral, I would do this route again if it is offered next year!!:D

We did the same as you as we just enjoyed the ship and islands and didn't have much planned for any of the days, just decided what we wanted as we started each day.

The only thing we noticed was the average age of the people on the ship was around the mid-seventies, there weren't many younger people and probably only five kids on the ship, so the pool area and the bars were pretty quiet!! No fighting for lounge chairs by the pool, except for the Solarium, where it was the area all the seniors went to sleep for the afternoon!:rolleyes:

Keith

The best part of 1688 is that you pay for a D-1 cabin but get a Junior Suite sized room, less the walk in closet and bathtub!!

We just had 1688 on the Explorer last month and loved it, i brought my hammock along and had it out on the balcony. There was enough room for two loungers, a chair, and a table, along with the hammock!:D:rolleyes:

Keith

That's a great idea, we just had 1688 on the Explorer last month and you only had a couple of places where you could tie off the hammock and wished there were more places to do so, and a simple c-clamp would have been nice to have!! Great idea!!! I will have to bring them on our Oasis cruise this next December!:D

Keith

Looks like they will start taking reservations for the new Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood sometime in January, and will open in July. We have a cruise in December from Port Everglades on the Oasis and this new resort looks pretty cool for a pre-cruise stay. It looks like it is close to the airport and cruise port, so cabs won't be too expensive.

Here is a link to their web site:

http://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/

I think this place would get you in the mood for a cruise, as long as it isn't priced to ridiculously high!:eek::D

Keith

Just got off the Explorer and we went to Labadee, we couldn't get a cabana pre-booked as it said they were sold out, but once we got onboard we went straight to the shore excursion desk and there were over the water cabanas still available, so it is worth it to check once onboard!

Keith

We just got off the Explorer this past Saturday and had aft cabin 1688, and the trip down to Aruba the ship had to do 19.1 knots to get there on time, and we did, but we had to put towels in the cabinet doors as the whole room was shaking after we got over 18 knots, and even the railings on the back of the ship started shaking. It seemed as the propellers were off balance, or they were having to push the two remaining azipods really hard to keep the speed up!

We usually get aft cabins, so we are used to the vibrations back there, but this got to the point that it was annoying sometimes.

Port Canaveral sure is a mess though, getting into the port was a mess because of the launch of the rocket on 12-4 that didn't happen, as we heard people stayed on the ship to try to watch the launch from there. When we got off, they switched from dock 10 to dock 6, and getting in late and did not start debarkation until 9:30, sure had people mad as many were trying to make flights. We even had an older gentleman collapse in the dining room as we were waiting to start self-debarkation. When we got outside there wasn't a taxi to be found, we had to wait for 30 mins. for a cab to show up as most of them gave up on waiting for the Explorer and went over to the Disney and Carnival ships in port!

Hopefully Royal will finally learn how to unload a ship on time, it's not like they don't have to do this week after week, you would think they could figure this out by now!!:eek:

Keith

Get some crayons and color your black and white tags, it will make you feel like you are in kindergarten again!

Is that the Northstar, or is Quantum just happy to see us? :D. :p

Good one, Eric!

Here is a link to an article that shows how Meyer-Werft produces the Quantum and Anthem, lots of great pics at the end.http://www.meretmarine-orig.bronline.msp.fr.clara.net/fr/content/sur-le-chantier-du-quantum-et-de-lanthem-seas-12

You will probably have to have it translated to English!

Keith

We did this same trip last January, we got $45 airline tickets on Allegiant to Sanford, which is just northeast of Orlando, we got our rental van that we got for $58 from Dollar. We got in late so we decided to drive to Port St. Lucie and then finished the trip in the morning. There is no one-way drop fee in Florida so we dropped off the van in FLL and got a taxi to the port. The taxi was almost as much as the car rental because we had five people and when we left the airport there were six groups waiting for vans to the port so we decided to take two cars that were there waiting, it was a mistake cause when we got to the port there was huge lines trying to get in and the meter just kept ticking as we sat in traffic!!

We did this in reverse on the way back except we spent the day in Daytona after the cruise.

I would get the sunpass thing for the rental car as we aren't used to toll roads and didn't want to have to stop to pay tolls or worring about getting a bill in the mail if we missed one!!!

I would go for the Oasis...we did the Allure when it first came out and they are an amazing ship!! Nothing compares to them!:D

Keith

I wonder how much of the reason that Royal is dripping information on the Quantum is because of NCL, and they are trying to become more trendy on their new ships and Royal not wanting to give up too much of their new ideas too early to where NCL could incorporate them on their new ships coming out soon? What do you think?

Keith

Do we get to keep them at the end of the cruise? I need to start a new collection of wristbands instead of sea pass cards!!!:D

Keith

This article really explains how involved Richard Fain is and how he loves to push the envelope on technology and to push his employees to make things the best that they can be:http://cruise-week.com/cw082514final.pdf

I think Harri Kulovaara is quite the amazing man also, as he is the one that develops the designs for Royal's ships. I like his inflection in his voice when he talks, I wonder what nationality he is?

Keith

Here is a local news video on the new terminal and how it will work:http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/new-cruise-terminal-at-port-canaveral-almost/vCnrFZ/

Keith

Loving this. Makes it all very real! Can't wait for those doors to open to get her out into the open

 

 

 

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Doesn't it look like the top Quantum sign is lit with LED's in the letters?

Keith

The cabana's on Barefoot beach are flat on the ground and the beach cabana's on Nellie's are elevated behind a short wall to keep people out of the cabana area. The beach cabana's have a very good view of the entire beach and the ship. We had one this past January, and we loved it. We had 13 in our group, which we had the 6 use the cabana for the most part, the rest of our group used it as a "home base" to drop off their things as they went on excursions during the day and when they went swimming. It is well worth it as you have a place to keep your things safe if you are out and about for the day and your attendant gets all your drinks for you and anything else you need. I will try to post pictures.

Keith

At first I couldn't figure out why they didn't say why Richard Fain was leaving, until I read in another story that this is a newly created position for the company.

Keith

Will there be seats in North Star? What about air conditioning?

Yes, to accommodate all guests comfortably, there are 13 seats plus open area for a wheelchair. Guests must

be seated for the duration of the journey. There will be both air conditioning and heat in North Star SM.

Is this true that you have to be seated for the North Star? In the pictures they show people standing at the window. This is from the FAQ about Quantum.

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Quantum/14037726_Quantum_Class_FAQs.pdf

Keith

According to this chart,http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/fact-sheet/26/anthem-of-the-seas/ the Windjammer on the Quantum can seat 860, does anyone know what the windjammer seats on the Oasis class?

Keith

was that a one way rental though? My understanding is that one way rentals are super expensive.

We did two one way rentals in between our cruise, Florida doesn't have one-way drop fees if the car stays in Florida. I booked using Kayak, but I checked all of the sites to find the best deal.

Keith

We rented a mini-van for $30 plus fuel for five of us this past January, pretty hard to beat that!

Keith

If the windows could open, just think how much RCI could make charging for water balloons! :D

 

Eric

Now that sounds like fun, maybe an aerial wet t-shirt contest!:rolleyes:

Keith

Surely it would used in ports as well. Imagine that in a busy cruise port aerial shot of the other ships / harbour etc..

I think it would be cool as heck to say be in port in St. Maarten and have a Carnival ship across the pier from us and go up in the North Star and be hovering over them and looking down at their pool deck!!:eek::cool::D

Keith

Looks like the picture was taken in Beijing, China, look at all of that smog!