KeywestK

Serenade, hands down.

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We no longer consider the dining experience on Royal something even remotely special. But I would say the same for the other mass market cruise lines we've sailed in recent years--Celebrity, Carnival, and MSC. The specialty restsurants on all of those cruises were hit and miss. All that said, the only cruise line with at least a decent buffet dining option was on MSC. Their pizza was fabulous. I actively stay away from the Windjammer buffet on Royal.

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We had a great tour several years ago in Bar Harbor with Oli's Trolley to Acadia national park. We'll be repeating it again in August. You can book it online in advance.

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You made a great choice. The Serenade is beautiful, as are all 4 of the Radiance-class ships, and you will love feeling like you are on a ship, with tons of glass overlooking the water. It's my fave, and I'm looking forward to our next cruise on this beautiful ship.

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I always bring my corkscrew too! I usually order a glass of wine at the bar asap then I have a wine glass, back to my room, and fill it up with the wine I brought on board. Last cruise, I walked down to the MDR with a glass of wine in my hand each night.....

 

 

 

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And we complain about RCCL being cheap with their cutbacks. Quite an objective, spending no money on vacation

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Also keep in mind that balcony cabins on deck 7 (don't know if it's all balconies though,) are obstructed looking down due to the life boats below. Our deck 7 balcony was obstructed looking down. But we had a great larger balcony due to the end of hump location--my personal favorite! But we did have to look straight out to see the water. Certainly not a deal breaker, but I've learned to choose cabins on deck 8 for that reason.

Another vote for Universal Barcelona. Lovely hotel and very convenient location.

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Glad to hear the food in the WJ has improved. Our last few Royal cruises we avoided the WJ because it was pretty bad.

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Okay, so here are a few things to keep in mind....

 

Contacting Special Needs will get you a return email promising that a mattress topper will be placed on your bed when you board. Keep in mind that this mattress topper is nothing more than folded duvets, so it does nothing to soften the bed. The egg crate mattress toppers that RC used to provide, have been banned for health reasons. This is why I always bring my own. The one I bought can easily be found on Amazon and weighs just one pound - it fits in my carry on and takes 10-12 breaths to inflate (it is the Klymit Static V).

 

There are firm beds (which I like, because I sleep on one at home) and then there are beds that are like a rock with no give whatsoever - this is the type of bed I had on Anthem in January.

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After you decide on your perfect packing list, create a Master Packing List, put it in a Word document, and print one out for each trip. Each list can be adjusted to meet the needs of that particular trip--land trip, cruise, etc.

This has been a lifesaver for me, especially since the old memory ain't what it used to be!

I can't speak for Anthem, but on the Radiance class they are are hard and I have asked for extra padding and they have brought it.

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Rcldining@rccl.com

Thank you so much!

What is the email address for RCL Dining? I can't find it anywhere. TIA.

I am sure Mr. Bayley is happy to know that.

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Like many long-time cruisers, of both RCI and other cruise lines, of course we've seen the "chip away" effect. But, at the end of the day, cruising is still a very good bang for your vacation buck. We take cruises and land trips. Those land trips are waaaaaaaay more expensive than any cruise we've ever taken. On a cruise, I can choose how we allocate those "extra" dollars, and believe me, after cruising for the past 24 years, there are not a lot of add ons we are interested in. The biggest benefit my loyalty level gets is our balcony discount. On our two upcoming cruises, I saved $226 and $326 respectively, off the price of our cabins, and that is very sweet. We always have OBC, which will pay for a specialty restaurant or two. So if they take away (yes, still pending) the free internet, and if they increase the daily gratuities, believe me, I'm fine with that.

Radiance-class, hands down. Very sad RCI will likely never build any more of that class and size.

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We've been paying $450/pp deposit for the longer itineraries for many years--so this is nothing new. I booked one of the 10-night Serenade itineraries for 2020 yesterday, and I like the idea that my balance will be that much smaller, so it's all good!

OP, I also never knew about the muster station limits before reading this thread. Very good information. If you plan to book one of these 10- or 11-night itineraries, don't wait too long. They tend to sell out.

I've been researching HOHO tour bus in St. John, NB, and in emailing with the tourism office there, I learned that you can only purchase the tickets for the bus via the cruise line. The HOHO only runs on cruise ship days. They have virtually no info online. Doesn't seem like a great way to operate, but I guess they don't generate enough business to make the information easier to access.

The end-of-hump cabins on the Radiance-class ships are larger than the standard balconies. Those are my faves.:D

Love, love, loving this review. Thanks so much for sharing your family vacation with us. So happy Princess #1's luggage made it to the ship in time. You have a beautiful family. The little princesses are adorable!

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While it's disheartening to learn that we might lose our free one-day internet per person, I can't say I'm surprised. Things change, and benefits can disappear at any time. BUT, when we lose our D balcony discount, that could be the point when I actively start looking elsewhere. Our next cruise is is August on Anthem. I'm disappointed we might not have our free internet days.:(

In checking out the website for the Big Pink HOHO tour bus in St. John, I can't find anywhere on their website how much it costs. The website tells me where to go to buy tickets, but not the price. Does anyone have experience with these tours?

If all else fails, I can buy tix from RCI as an excursion, but prefer to do it on my own. Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

Have Elite benefits changed in the past few years? On our last X sailing on Eclipse a few years ago, we were Elite thanks to our RCI Diamond level. I remember having 3 drink coupons every evening during cocktail time, along with access to Michael's Club. We also had the Elite breakfast every morning in one of the specialty restaurants that included cappucinos and lattes. Are these benefits gone?

Hey Jake, Your enthusiasm makes me smile! Enjoy the planning, and I hope you have a great cruise.