Russ Lomas

8 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

We did not get a reply and our request was NOT honored. My husband went to the dining room upon embarkation and made the request in person, and they accommodated. We sent the message two weeks before the cruise as I had seen recommended.

On the Oasis last month, our travel agent made the request for 2 tables of 8 and one table of 6 near each other and linked all the reservations.  Once aboard the Oasis, everything was messed up "Royally".  They said they were sailing full and to wait to the 2nd night, and they should be able to accommodate our group.  Night 2 rolled around, and they told us that now that everyone knew where their tables were after going to dinner on night 1, it was now too late to move people (see the irony here in their responses?)

It was not until much complaining and running things all the way up to the maître d' that they finally got us close to each other on night 6 of the cruise.  For the first 5 nights of the cruise, we were not only in different areas of the dining room, but on all 3 dining levels.  Very frustrating when you book a multi-generational family group two years in advance and make the request to be seated together and they are unable to do so.

I feel badly for those who have booked this cruise at the very high asking price for the original longer legs.  I really have no idea of what percentage of cabins RCCL were able to book at those rates.  We would have loved to do them, but the price and time off work could not be done at this point in our lives.

We are very glad that RCCL has started selling shorter legs so that people such as us are able to join on a few shorter legs.  We are so excited to be able to travel with RCCL to many ports we have only dreamed of visiting one day.  We are loyal to Royal, but are so tired with the same old Caribbean ports they keep visiting over and over and over.

I know that those who booked the long segments got a lot of perks included in the price and got prime choice of cabins, but it would be nice if prices have been chopped as much as others have reported here if there were some additional perks RCCL could add (you know they would not reduce the rates that were agreed to in the cruise contract).

8 hours ago, jacobtsf said:

On the off chance that we do decide to book one of the summer legs, is there a way to know which 3 person interior or ocean view rooms have a sofa bed instead of a pullman bed (other than trying to google each room individually)?

try the deck plans on cruisemapper.com.  They seem to show more detail than the RCCL deck plans on their website. (see the bottom of the image pasted below for the legend)

Glad we chose to take the train to NYC via Amtrak then and not drive and pay for parking for the week.  The train saves me driving 10 hours each way and will actually end up being half the price as driving myself and paying for parking.

4 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Looked over the segments today. I’d love to do some in the 4th, but the cruise budget is used up for 2024. ( I might be able to squeeze out a couple out of Galveston yet.)

 

I could tell the kids and grands we’ve decided not to take them all on Harmony and that’d free up more than enough to go.  Do you think they’ll be okay with it?!!!!  Lol.  

You deserve some alone time.  Book a couple legs without the kids and grandkids.  We really liked some of the legs of the 4th segment as well.  Booked one of them (and had a hold on another consecutive segment) but wife told me that was too long away from the kids.   Looking forward to a very port intensive cruise on a class of ship we have not yet sailed.  We are getting tired of the same old Caribbean ports that we keep visiting over and over due to the time of year when we can usually travel.

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

17 legs are supposed to be open now

@Ourusualbeach

 

Use wcfriends code for a 10% discount

Cannot afford the financial cost or the time to do the world cruise at this point in our lives, but I am excited to have got our awesome travel agent to get us a cabin for next July for 15 days with you on the Serenade.  No flowrider on the Serenade, so I should not injure myself on that cruise (hopefully) like I did on the Bella cruise.

8 hours ago, Traveller1212 said:

SORRY… corrected heading to say ‘for my cruise CAN$ price charged a 60% exchange rate’ 

Just tried it on a cruise we have booked and it is coming back at a difference of 37%

23 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

Thanks for info.  I need to see if there is even a Starbucks on Mariner.  Don't care about Starbucks, but I do like a latte in morning.

You can use diamond drink vouchers (if you wish to) or just use the refreshment package and get unlimited lattes at Cafe Promenade all cruise long.  As someone else said, there is usually a machine in the diamond lounge where you can get free lattes and other specialty coffees (machine made) for free.  The diamond lounge was out of order on the Oasis a couple weeks ago, so they had us getting free specialty coffees at the Vitality Spa instead (just had to show your sea pass)

21 hours ago, Bizaro86 said:

On adventure of the seas right now for my first RCL cruise. I had read they changed the dining room policy (after we booked) but thought it was only entrees that were limited?

 

We had our first meal tonight and I was denied a second appetizer, so royal saved the 8 tortilla chips and 2 tbsp of spinach dip that would have come with a serving of that. I'm not generally someone to complain but thought that seemed ridiculous. Is my waiter correct in the rules (in which case the solution for me will just be never cruise Royal again) or is it a poor training of the waiter issue (in which case I'll say something while on board).

That is 100% a waiter issue and not an RCCL policy.  We had multiple appetizers and desserts every evening on the Oasis last week with no questions.  Once or twice we had 2 entrées as well.  Told the waiter in advance, and he brought one out and then when taking away the 1st entrée plate, they just asked if we still wanted the 2nd entrée.  Mention this issue to your head waiter if it is still happening on your current cruise.

1 hour ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Yes only menu items now - no substitutions!

Asked for a baked potato last week instead of rice and got it no questions asked.

1 hour ago, ocean sounds said:

Bon Voyage, FOB 🛳 🐶 🏝 !!  Cheers 🥂.  
 

thanks for sharing your trips with us !

Wave if you see yourself in this line

Sitting at our gate in Buffalo waiting to board. Time for a little pre-boarding (pun intended) snack from the Cheesecake  Factory

5 hours ago, schmeed said:

It's an option on the RCI website.

For example:

Cannot see a Watchlist anywhere on the Canadian RCCL site at all.  Can you describe the process you used to get that page you took the image of?

UPDATE - I just logged into the American RCCL site.  Found it right away.  Guess it is a feature they do not wish people using their booking engine from other countries to have the option of using.

4 hours ago, teacherman said:

Thank you.  I had previously heard that it was 2 bottles per cabin.  So had planned to take 2 bottles even though we had one adult and one child.

That is what we usually do as well, since we always have one adult in each cabin with each child.  I wonder when we will get the email on this because if they do not inform guests of the change of policy, I can foresee many people showing up when we cruise in 10 days with 2 bottles for a cabin with one child and one adult registered.

Looking forward to reading more.  We are on the cruise March 12th on the same itinerary as well.  If you were able to post a photo of  the stand-up flowrider hours, it would be very much appreciated.  They post it at the desk by the flowrider (the one in the app is usually not accurate).  This way, I can try to plan out how much time my wife (and children) will be flow-widowed on the cruise.

On 2/25/2023 at 8:10 AM, wrldtrvllr said:

How will you get there? Can you pick up a cab at port, any idea in fare? Or will it be a shuttle? Thanks. 

You can just grab a cab at the port.  I have no ideas on pricing since the last time we did it, it was over 10 years ago.  

We have booked a private tour with Victor Bodden tours in 2 weeks for our group of 22 (he is giving us a 29 passenger bus for the day.  They offer private tours where he takes you to the beach and offers other add-ons if you are interested in them, but he also has set tours you can join as well, many ending up exactly where you want to go.  https://www.boddentours.com/roatan-fun-n-sun

I cannot say for sure but a review I read on tripadvisor said that they had to rent gear like paddleboads and snorkeling gear and recommended bringing your own snorkel gear to save money.  We are on the Oasis in a couple of weeks and will be sitting 5 feet away from you on the other side of the rope sectioning off the "Tabyana Beach" area from the rest of West Bay Beach.  We will take our own snorkel gear and snorkel the exact same place you will snorkel.  It is an amazing beach to visit and snorkel (but can be done for 1/4 the price that the cruise lines charge for Tabyana Beach for the same experience).

Agreed.  I leave my phone in the cabin and request printed menus every evening and a printed Cruise Compass on the bed every evening.  I vacation to disconnect, and being forced to constantly stare at a screen is not my idea of a vacation.

29 minutes ago, soremekun said:

I just emailed my travel agent to book me for April 2025 on Odyssey.  Royal Caribbean opened up bookings just in time so I get full benefits of my Next Cruise certificate.  Hopefully prices don't go crazy overnight.

Too bad your travel agent does not work right now.  I was just chatting with my travel agent.  He is up looking for deals for his clients right now.  Hope the prices hold for you til your agent gets into work tomorrow.

20 minutes ago, soremekun said:

Looks like Odyssey just opened up for bookings from Cape Liberty.

Prices are actually reasonable on those sailings I looked at.  Too bad, I have no desire to visit those ports in the middle of winter.

On 2/18/2023 at 11:56 PM, PompeySailor said:

Hey

I noticed in your signature you have Oasis for March 11th 2023 😳

I sail on Oasis on March 12th 2023 on a Sunday 👍🏻
 

Looks like you either a day or year early 😉

Thanks for pointing that out.  I will have to change that (as well as add other upcoming cruises on my signature that I have booked).  Only 20 days til Oasis now.  Cannot wait!

Cannot make reservations on the app prior to getting on the ship's WIFI.  That is what sucks about the dining package deals.

10 hours ago, George C said:

For several reasons adventure, 6 days , larger ship with great ice show , more entertainment.

Adventure is the same class as the Mariner (and actually a tiny bit smaller when comparing gross tons)

9 hours ago, PompeySailor said:

Adventure 👍🏻

Taino Bay Puerto Plata would be the winner on this 

all included resort at port with day beds and pool 

You can eat at a really cool restaurant 

with excellent local delicacies (Sanmangu)

Sounds and looks great.  Now I just need a cruise that stops in Puerto Plata.

Take the one with six days.  5 days is just too short

It seems to be the normal price now unless you purchase on deals like the Black Friday sales.  We paid under $20 per day CANADIAN funds (gratuities included) on our summer 2021 cruise.  Now they are asking just under $40 Canadian per day plus 18%.