RedIguana

All the cruise lines consider double occupancy to be full, with a minor correction for the ones with solo cabins. Double occupancy = 100%. Triples, quads, and the assorted others can bring the ship to maximum capacity, expressed as a percent over 100, such as 115%. I have been on sailings over !00% occupancy, a few close to 100% occupancy, and some well under 100% occupancy, both pre and post pandemic. It is not unusual for off season Florida cruises to be under 100%. I expect my December sailing to be less than 100%. The amount of passengers clearly has an affect on housekeeping. Pullmans and sofa-beds do not set up and change themselves. Trash generated by 4 is usually greater than 2. 4 people use more towels than 2, and in my family, the young ladies use more towels than I. Empty cabins do not have to be serviced twice a day.

For regular cruisers from the US it probably does not matter much, although in this case of how much grats have gone up over the last few years it is not unrealistic to see if a change in "extra" tipping is happening. For cruisers from non-tipping or less tip happy than US countries it can be informational. Although I am from the US, I do try to find discussions on tipping for any new country I may be visiting so as to fit it with the cultural norms. I also have no problem asking the waiter at a restaurant, cab driver, etc. when in a new country about their tipping culture.

Are you implying there are times when the machine is not Broken? What alternate universe is this in? 😜

This is actually one of the few instances it would be quite low as far as contaminating the food, as it is cooked after handling the tongs. As @firefly333 would most likely attest to, it is the uncooked stations that have the most risk. Utensil to hand to mouth contamination is obviously a different concern.

The interesting part is that the PVSA is 34 years older than the Jones act. The sad part is that RCI actually uses the term "Jones Act" in their FAQ. Q What is the Jones Act/Passenger Services Act/Cabotage Law and how does it affect me? A The Jones Act (also known as the Passenger Services Act) does not allow ships of Non-U.S registry to embark and debark guests at two different U.S ports, since travel between U.S. ports is prohibited on foreign flagged ships. Note: Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands (St. Thomas; St. Croix; St. John) are not in the category of U.S ports under this act. Guests cannot pre-plan or purposely embark or debark a ship in a U.S port that will violate the Jones Act . Any guest who insists on debarking the ship in a port which violates the Jones Act , will accept responsibility for any resulting penalties (penalty amount is determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection). Cabatoge Law is the term used in Europe - Similar to the Jones Act, the Cabotage Law is the transport of passengers between two points in the same country by a vessel registered in another country. This law does not affect guests joining the ship or leaving the ship in different ports in Italy.

I snagged a 2 bedroom villa at a Sheraton (1000 + sq/ft) in St Lucie for under $180 including taxes for my pre cruise hotel in December. 1 bedroom villas were under $150. I was pleasantly surprised to find something that low that would comfortably sleep a family of four. The Hampton's and Marriot's in the area appeared to have basic rooms under $130. Vancouver last May/June was $300 per night for a basic room at the Pan Pacific (with a $30 dining credit) pre cruise and the suite at The Moda was about $350 post cruise on a weekend night. Vancouver prices are a buzz kill.

Well if we want to get a timeline started I have it available for a late December cruise, on Equinox, out of Florida.

New rollout, might not be populated for all cruises yet. Also, if it follows the Royal Model, the number sold will be limited and/or not offered on all cruises or ships.

To get to the page in the pictures. I had to choose manage reservation, click on beverage packages, which I think brings up this screen.

At some point in the summer of 2022 (when they had the elevate promotion with Premium BEV/WIFI/GRATS/OBC), they were also offering some sailings with no solo supplement. Due to online TA OBC offers, it was monetarily beneficial to book separate cabins (extra $150 or so OBC). Ended up booking 2 Concierge Class (C2's) that were next door to each other and connecting (vs booking as connecting cabins, sometimes booking as connected cost more). As @Jim_Iain stated, a suite size without the suite size cost. My wife really looked at me like I was crazy when I told her I booked us separate cabins (OK, to be fair, she probably looks at me like I am crazy quite often). She really enjoyed all the extra space once we were on board though.

The E-mail itself just let you know it was available, with no real details. It then linked to the cruise planner, which when you click on the icon of the X-pass would give the description as posted in post #1 here. I have not checked on the app, just the computer web-site, but there is a new tab (link) in the cruise planner titled VIP Passes that will bring you to it.

I wonder if they have the capability to code the keycards to allow access to 2 rooms?

I was on Princess to Alaska this year under their Premium package, which is 4 devices per person. I travel with a laptop, phone, and tablet. It is a nice touch to not have to log in every time I pick up a different device.

It is strange wording. The question is whether it upgrades you whether you have the basic or not, as in upgrades you just from basic or also upgrades you from nothing. It appears to be extremely similar to Royal's The Key program other than this strange wording. The main differences being there are no flowriders, ziplines, or rockwalls to give special times to, and The Key is good for one internet package per guest, not 2. But the wording in The Key about internet is not ambiguous like this.

The sign? Well technically the sign is outside the crown lounge 😈 I'll see myself out now......

Is your Travel Agent UPS? The Jones Act is for cargo. Passenger Vessel Service Act is for people. As @LeeWpointed out, it starts and stops in Canada, so the PVSA is irrelevant. A "distant foreign port" would only be required if it started and stopped in 2 different US ports.

Unless I am getting confused with some of the other lines I have been on, the drink station at the windjammer is open from at least 6 am til midnight. Water, coffee, tea, lemonade, maybe a fruit punch.

last Celebrity I was on was Infinity Sept 2022. If I remember correctly Celebrity just doesn't have that super thick and gooey cheese layer Royal has. But I have strayed a bit in the last few years, so I may be confusing it with HAL or Princess. The rest of the food on Infinity was a step up, but it was pre 2023 changes.

5 Night on the 19th? Looks like they are bringing back escargot and French onion soup every night. Although one of the few things I prefer Royal over Celebrity is the French onion soup.

Hmmm...."We are committed to providing our guests with the highest level of service and QUALITY" So are we really going to get 45 day dry aged steaks? USDA prime at least? Average run of the mill USDA choice? Lowest retail grade of Select? Or are they going to source from the lowest cost meat that can be legally sold in the US for human consumption (Standard or commercial grades)? If they are not providing Prime for any of their upcharges or choice for the MDR, you might as well sail on carnival.

The only way they would know their own product is to use it. And they would have to use it as 80-90% of their customers do, non suite, and with no "special" management treatment. Not going to happen unless they are specifically trying to see what the product is like. As they are not getting on a ship without using their real names, it would not take long before the officers on the ship knew they were there and made sure they were well treated.

The only reason I have not tried VV is because of their non-traditional cabin styles on balcony and below. I'm usually book balconies or junior suites (mini-suites), not full suites. I'm not sure VV suites are in my budget, and the balcony cabins all have a weird bed by night couch by day setup and very minimalistic cabins. Minimalistic as in very little storage or desk space. Fine for 4-5 nights storage, not good for longer. And although I do some 4-5 nighters just because I find close in deals and can drive to the ports, I find 7 nights too short. Desk barely large enough just for my laptop, with no other in-cabin counter space. Yes I have that 17.3 inch gaming monster. I do hope they add in more traditional cabin setups on any new ships they build, especially since it appears they are doing the 7 night cruises now and have branched out from just POM.

The price on the one cruise I am tracking jumped a few days ago, I assume it will go back to roughly what it was when the new "sales" take effect.

What really scares me is this statement she made: "we spent a lot of time in the MDR, enjoying the really GREAT food". Bolding is mine obviously. I am really hoping they all did not just do the suckup groupthink where no one was honest and hence just spouted to each other that the food was great, when the MDR no longer serves a single cut of protein I would consider decent enough quality to cook myself, much less order out.

Pretty soon cruise prices will be based on gratuities paid per day, with cruise fare, taxes, and port fees extra.