tbretthauer1

1 hour ago, KG1924 said:

So I'm going to New York next week prior to my cruise out of New Jersey....should I not go because I don't know the safe and not safe areas??? EVERYWHERE has crime, I live just outside of Chicago. I would feel much safer in Nassau then certain parts of my home city! Even when vacationing in Aruba there were armed guards and it's considered a low crime area....different places do things differently. You can't live your life in fear of what may or may not happen-that's a guaranteed way to miss out on some great things. Just be aware of your surroundings as much as possible. Nassau is hardly my favorite port but you better believe I'm getting off the ship that day-plan on checking out the craft brew place near the pier.

 

Omg is this national stupid people respond to me day?  I never said don’t go!  I said that it isn’t low key and beautiful.  That is it!  And FYI, New York is a thousand times safer than Nassau.  I never said I wouldn’t go.  Never said I was afraid to go.  I freaking went there on a cruise AFTER I stayed on the island for a week.  Never said I didn’t enjoy myself there. The horrific logical fallacies being used here are unbelievable.  Despite your straw man argument you have failed to address what I actually said.  Try reading it and then come back to me.

2 hours ago, mattb31 said:

 

Then don't get off the ship. Quite frankly I've never seen anything in Nassau that I haven't seen in any American city as a tourist. Avoid walking alone at night, be diligent of your surroundings, don't book tours through shady operators, etc. It really isn't that hard. The threat of robbery and violent crime is present literally anywhere you travel. Crime in the Bahamas was down 14 year over year in 2017 and 7 percent YOY in 2018. The main area the State Department mentioned wasn't even a tourist area, and the other part of the message, was again, in regards to shady tour operators.

 

Nassau is whatever you make of it. I've had a great time on snorkel excursions or going to private islands for the day. The "party" atmosphere certainly doesn't randomly make its way to people who don't seek it out.

Dude!!! Are you kidding?  I have spent significant time there both from a ship and a residence. I know what it’s like. I didn’t say I wouldn’t go. I said that claiming it has natural peaceful beauty is ridiculous. I also said I am going to Coco Cay and excited about. What is wrong with you. 

2 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Are you sure you weren’t in NY in Nassau County. These things are reported several times a day and yet I’m still alive at 58.

Been to New York hundreds of times. The main tourist areas are extremely safe. Not so in Nassau. I watched crime on the street you get off the ship on. But excellent use of survivors bias fallacy. I presume you live in NY. That means you know safe and not so safe areas. Tourists in Nassau won’t. And the warning was overall for violent crime. I have never seen an armed guard in a Pizza Hut. I did in Nassau. 

6 hours ago, mattb31 said:

 

Just so were not fear mongering here the Level 2 Bahamas advisory is the same level that was issued in Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and UK.

 

Freeport sucks, but the Nassau hate here is so overblown.

The level two advisories on the other places you noted are for potential terrorist activity. The warning for the Bahamas is for violent crime. Which do you think is more likely. But tell me more about fear mongering. 

6 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Yeah...considering that poster you referenced has never been to Coco Cay (and perhaps not even to the other Bahama destinations...), their negativity is beyond belief.

 

While we are not fond of Nassau after stopping there several times in the past, it also isn't the depiction given by that same negative poster.

 

As most intelligent people know (like you),  Coco Cay is a private island - with cruise ship access only, so any security issues in other places aren't even relevant. That other poster you referenced has no clue.

 

We're looking forward to enjoying Coco Cay later this year, especially now with even lower prices. 👍

I also should mention I was COMPLIMENTING Coco Cay because it is safer and more relaxed than the other Bahamian cruise ports. 

6 hours ago, mattb31 said:

 

Just so were not fear mongering here the Level 2 Bahamas advisory is the same level that was issued in Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and UK.

 

Freeport sucks, but the Nassau hate here is so overblown.

I have been to Nassau multiple times including a house rental for a week. Nassau crime is VERY high and to pretend it isn’t is putting your head in the sand. Additionally, the individual stated that they didn’t like the party atmosphere. The cruise port at Nassau is the definition of party atmosphere. During my week stay on the island there were two shootings. Multiple fake taxi robberies, I was offered drugs multiple times down town. Yeah, my personal experience on the island is soooo over blown right?

6 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Yeah...considering that poster you referenced has never been to Coco Cay (and perhaps not even to the other Bahama destinations...), their negativity is beyond belief.

 

While we are not fond of Nassau after stopping there several times in the past, it also isn't the depiction given by that same negative poster.

 

As most intelligent people know (like you),  Coco Cay is a private island - with cruise ship access only, so any security issues in other places aren't even relevant. That other poster you referenced has no clue.

 

We're looking forward to enjoying Coco Cay later this year, especially now with even lower prices. 👍

I have been to the Bahamas multiple times. Maybe you should check before making statements you have no clue about. I actually rented a house in Nassau for a week once. During that week there were two shootings at local bars. Several people that live there warned us about fake taxis that rob cruise passengers. I truly hate when people make statements in ignorance. 

On 5/6/2019 at 2:34 PM, ramidon1 said:

Pros:  no tendering, music and dancers to welcome you, food was fresh and delish, drink servers were frequent and quite quick, lots of different areas to explore.  Floating tiki bar was great,  could walk waaay out on sandbar...watch out for stingrays....do the stingray shuffle!  Fireworks just prior to departing COCO Cay were great but need to be later as it was not dark enough!  A very worthy effort tho.  Loved the beer tap at the buffet!  Lots of bathrooms around.  

 

Cons:  Oasis lagoon cabana was underwhelming.  Poor and limited seating in the cabana, poor location...could not even see the pool past rows and rows of the free chairs... zero service except for regular bar servers.  No towels in cabana.  Music at lagoon pool was obnoxious and relentless.....got louder as afternoon progressed.  We were hoping to relax and nap in cabana but music was too much.  Did not realize it is set up as such a party scene....not described that way—would have never wasted the money on the cabana.  Pool water was cold in the morning but warmed up as day went on.  Waterslides.....per our twenty somethings in the group....1.5 hour wait for the big slide with only one ship at coco....what will it be with more than 1 ship??

 

Overall impression.....it feels pretty disney-ized, miss the natural relaxed beauty of the Bahamas.  Plenty for everyone to do and lots of opportunity for RCCL to get their hands onto more of your $$.  It’s nice and all but personally not really anything I’m looking for on a cruise.  

 

Natural relaxed beauty of the Bahamas?  Is there a different Bahamas somewhere that you go to?  Every cruise stop in the Bahamas lacks natural relaxed beauty.  Freeport looks like an industrial harbor and unless you take an excursion to the national park it is kind of a dump.  Nassau is pretty much a meat market at the port and overshadowed by the man made island Atlantis is on.  Not to mention the US state department has issued a warning about the Bahamas for lack of safety and high crime.  What you described sounds like a blast.  If you wanted to take a nap, you could have stayed on the ship and slept on the pool deck.  Nobody would be there.  I never understand reviews like this

10 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Welcome.  There is a huge thread called "New Program called The Key". It likely will answer any question you have about the program.

Ok, from what I am seeing, the smaller ships struggle with it but Harmony seems to get rave reviews which is what we are on.  It’s also what I watched the video for which explains a lot. Thanks. 

2 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Welcome.  There is a huge thread called "New Program called The Key". It likely will answer any question you have about the program.

Thanks

1 minute ago, NRWPA said:

I've never cruised Royal Caribbean before but was offered a complimentary cruise (casino) in November. I looked at the beverage package for that cruise and the price today is $47 pp/pd + 18% gratuity. It sounds like the price for the beverage package can fluctuate? Do I need to book and pay now to get this price? Is there any way to tell if this is a sale price and how long the sale lasts? I was booked by a third party so the info regarding onboard items wasn't available to me ahead of time - the google searches I did said the package was $63-70 pp/pd. Sorry, I'm used to NCL and Princess so this is all new to me. Any help is appreciated.

You can book anytime until the day of the cruise but you have to pay when you book.  You can cancel and rebook if the price drops but I think they cut the cancel ability off a day or two before sailing

12 minutes ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

Actually...the reviews in the 2600+ post thread about The Key shows numerous people with non-positive experience posts on a variety of ships.

I just joined CC today so haven’t read it. The YouTube videos for it were positive. That’s all I saw. 

5 hours ago, KB Cruisin said:

For me, the problem is the chaotic implementation.  I bought it for the same price.  We leave in a few weeks. I would definitely find it worth it if all the things that were promised actually happen, but, from the reviews, it seems the value keeps getting diluted further and further.  I just don't know how it will be implemented right now.  Thinking of canceling for that reason.  It is a lot of money if you don't get what was promised.  Hopefully, for you, it will be much more consistent by August so you will know if you will get the value promised or not.  

What ship are you reading about chaotic implementation. I have seen several reviews for oasis class ships and they have all been exceptionally positive.  

This confuses me.  I have only been on one cruise and didn't use the public restrooms much but....I would think the opposite of you.  If I am in a small cramped cabin with a tiny bathroom with a thin door between the two and in there with another person (I am cruising with my cousin/best friend), I would think courtesy would dictate going to the public restroom for the less pleasant olfactory episodes so as not to punish them in the room.  The public rooms are typically bigger with better scent control.  Just my $0.02 

On 4/20/2019 at 5:53 AM, ElliotReevey said:

Hey,

 

My wife, son and I have just booked Harmony of the Seas for August this year. We are thinking about the drinks package but not sure we will get our moneys worth given that we can't drink too much as we will have our 5 year old son with us.

 

I have seen alot of information about discounted drinks packages, cheaper before you board, different prices for different ships etc.

 

How much is a good price for the Deluxe drinks package on Harmony of the Seas? At the moment when I login it says $51 per day which works out to $842 for me and my wife but theres no sign of whether this is discounted or normal rate pre-boarding.

 

For those who bought the package on Harmony how much did you pay?

 

Thanks!

A couple weeks ago I paid $42 a day.  It is the lowest I have seen since booking our cruise

We booked the Key for the August 25th sailing on Harmony and paid $24.99/person.  It is worth every penny to me but that is a subjective thing with this type of program.