Crazydancemom

I was messaging with them. They quoted $10 a person for airport to hotel and port to airport.  They quoted $7 a person from hotel to port. Were staying less than 3 miles away from the port, so we may uber as that's a lot for 7 people for the short distance. I haven't booked them yet as our check-in isn't until late April. So I haven't fully decided what were going to do.

Thanks for the info. We have a 345pm flight so I’m not super concerned about a late/delayed pick up from the port back to the airport. The pricing for our group of 7, which means multiple Uber or taxi, is quite appealing. 

We are a group of 7 adults flying in for our cruise in June. We are staying the night before in downtown. I came across Express Shuttle Miami. Anyone used them before? Good? Bad? Looking for recommendations without breaking the bank. We could do uber xl but then we would need 2 every time and I'm trying trying to prevent the group having to split up. We would need shuttle service from MIA to Downtown, Downtown to the Port, Port to MIA.

Adults only solarium, we often would go early morning and get breakfast and eat in the solarium.

My kids were all over the age of 16 and they loved 270 and hanging out there on sea days. 

We took Anthem to Bermuda out of Cape Liberty and there was a little motion forward in the Solarium on the first sea day, was August 2nd. Further back we didn’t notice it much and the lower you got it wasn’t noticeable. We sailed onto San Juan so coming back was closer to the east coast. A little motion the last night as well the further north we got. 
 

We are looking possibly going out of Cape Liberty next summer on Liberty OTS.

10 hours ago, SG65CB said:

Reading everything above and comparing all of the pros and cons I don't know if I could decide this for myself. For me it comes down to these pros: a non-amplified Allure with Mamma Mia, vs. an extra port (Coco Cay) on Harmony. 

 

The solution is clear. You said you are going on another cruise a few weeks later, so one trip on Allure and one on Harmony.

 

Maybe since Allure is less expensive, take that cruise with your whole group when you'll be buying more cabins. Harmony for the two of you. 

 

One big problem though: If you book a suite for the two of you on Harmony you won't want to go back to a regular balcony on Allure. Especially if it's a Grand Suite or more. 

 

 

This thought process is what I’ve been considering and wondering if I won’t want to go back to a balcony. Only issue is when we cruise in June with our grown kids, we have to go out of Cape Liberty as one is in grad school and we’re fitting in a trip between her semester break. Flying would add more days and just can’t chance it should something happen and she have to be home. Cape Liberty June 2023 has Oasis on 7 night or Liberty on 5 nights. My kids haven’t been on anything smaller than Anthem. I loved Freedom which is the same class as Liberty I think, but loved Anthem more. So I’m thinking we all would love any of the Oasis class ships. And I could do 2 within weeks of each other. 

14 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Is one port more convenient or more appealing to you?  We flew to cruises from both ports in the past, and for those who must fly, Miami is generally an easier/nicer experience as the airport(s) and cruise port are much closer.  Since the ships sail from different ports, you may want to consider the potential pre and post cruise experiences as decide,,,, for example, if you are adding days on land before or after, Miami and Galveston provide different experiences; perhaps one suits you better.
 

We live in Maryland so flying would be a must. I haven’t thought far enough ahead about adding days. Both cities would have different experiences. Thanks for the input!

9 minutes ago, Fontaid said:

Our anniversary is the 26th. Happy Anniversary to you next May as well. We've stayed in suites on Celebrity before (it was for our 25th anniversary), but never on RCI. We chose a Grand Suite. They seem to be well located near the aft elevators and come with full access to the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen. CK and SL are on Deck 17 right off the aft elevators, so Happy Hour and meals will be easy to get to. Perhaps not as easy as the $$$ suites on Deck 17, but easy enough. My vote is you splurge. If you go for a Jr. Suite, you can always try a Royal Up bid to get a GS or OS. Even if you don't win your bid, you can still get into CK for dinner on an "as available" basis. I hope you choose Allure and we get to meet you. If not, I'm still sure you will enjoy your cruise and celebration.

Thank you for all the information! Just gotta get hubby to agree to the amount, but I’m thinking GS minimum. We maybe doing a 2nd cruise a few weeks later with all of our kids and their boyfriends so I need to price that and try to convince the one solely for us is worth the extra. 

11 minutes ago, Fontaid said:

My wife and I are on the Allure 5/21/23 out of Galveston in a GS celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary! We live in the Greater Houston area, so it's a short drive to and from Galveston on a Sunday morning. Hence, no flights and no hotels if we were to go in a day early. Plus, it will give us a chance to see and use the new $125M RCI terminal in Galveston. It's supposed to open before the end of this year, but they have a long way to go at this point.

This is the one we would possibly be on. We would have to fly from the northeast the day before. Anniversary is the 23rd. Happy 50th to you next May! I’ve never stayed in a suite and it kinda is calling me for this special occasion!

1 hour ago, topnole said:

This.  Particularly if it is a big price difference.   It might be possible to get a suite on Allure for not much more than a balcony on Harmony.  It varies a lot, but I’ve seen it close.  I would do Allure if

the price gap is significant.  

Thanks!  Leaning towards Allure. Junior suite on Allure is only $184 more than an large balcony on Harmony. 

Thanks

Thanks for the inputs!  We did like the solarium pool on Anthem, our youngest was 16 at the time so we didn’t do any of the other pools, so that’s something to think about. Ultimate Abyss doesn’t matter to me. We’re booking May 2023 and Allure is out of Galveston and Harmony out of Miami. Only difference in itinerary is extra sea day for Allure and Harmony goes to Coco Cay. We haven’t been to Coco Cay yet. Allure is cheaper for a suite about $200. We haven’t done a suite yet, but thinking for 25 years being married we should splurge for it. 

I’m booking my 25th wedding anniversary cruise for my husband and I. The 2 ships that have the itinerary were interested in are Allure and Harmony. We’ve done 2 cruises with Royal, Freedom (just us 2) and Anthem (with our 3 kids) along with one on NCL (Sky with our kids). 
 

Is there many differences between Allure and Harmony for just us 2? Which is your preference and why?

49 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Option 2, the lift and shift can be great depending on the price you paid and what the price of wha5 you want to move to is.  You will need to compare. Since you are before final option 1 doesn’t do much fir you as it is only 125% on what you have paid. 

Thank you!  That’s what I suspected

Got my email this morning. We had 2 rooms book for August. One for my husband and I and one for our 18,19, and 22 yr old daughters. Going to take the refund on that room as the oldest got into grad school and couldn’t go anyhow. Have to talk to the hubby to determine what him and I want to do. This was the first one I had that’s been effected because of Covid. Is option 1 or 2 actually better for him and I?

I was on the August 1 sailing and activities showed up around May 20th and entertainment showed up June 6th, 8 calendar weeks prior to sailing. 

3 minutes ago, cruising texans 44 said:

Boarding was not the problem at Galveston it was getting thru security where only suite, pinnacle, and key guest were permitted in the priority line and everyone else was in another line. How was that handled on your Anthem cruise?

The key was put with the suite/pinnacle line. There was no one in that line and the other regular line only had a handful of people at about 1015am. It looked to take maybe 10 mins max for anyone to get to the point they were taking pre boarding pictures and then sitting people in long rows to eventually board.  Once we were onboard after our chops lunch, the line to get into the port was massive so I’m sure the wait time was very different. 

3 minutes ago, atush said:

For practical purposes (i have the key for my next cruise but havent used it yet) they say on TRs that The key board with Diamond/D+.  Not before?

We had key on Anthem 8/1 from Cape Liberty. Suite/pinnacle boarded and then they started row by row of diamond plus/diamond/key. We were gold status but had the key and placed in the 4th long row of seats. The key was not called out individually to board. They just stated they were boarding row by row. 

One of our 2 rooms just upgraded from interior to spacious balcony. We’re on Anthem 8/1. Spacious balcony was minimum $180pp and we bid $200pp.  We have 3 in that room so it was a great upgrade for $400. 

Awesome review and pictures!  Thursday can not come soon enough. Can’t wait to experience Anthem!

3 minutes ago, SuiteLady said:

I am not sure, but I believe it may only be deluxe??  I would check into this more.....I know you can get smoothies and just about everything, except alcohol, with the refreshment package- just not sure about JR milkshakes though.....

I will check onboard. My husband and I have the deluxe but my teens/young adult aren’t over 21 so they have the refreshment so they can get their specialty coffee and virgin frozen drinks 

So excited to read this as we board in just over 2 weeks. If I’m reading correctly, with refreshment or deluxe package we can get shakes at JR without the cover charge or any additional purchase?

Ours didn’t become available for show reservations until 8 weeks out, 56 days exactly. 

I’m on a 9 night in August. Here are the show times that we’re available for my cruise. 

Gift- day 2 at 6 and 845, day 3 at 745

Spectra- day 2 at 730 and 1015, day 3, day 7, and day 8 at 9, and day 6 at 730 and 930

WWRY- day 7 at 630, day 8 at 230 and 630