xtremegk

Correct. Have to use your vouchers for those drinks, unfortunately.

With only one kid (4 years old), we like the Ultra Spacious w/Balcony. We do spend a little more time in the room than pre-kids since he needs some down time (doesn't nap, but some time where he's not using all his energy is useful to avoid being overtired at dinner) in the afternoon and he goes to bed earlier than we do. It all comes down to cost & value, though. This summer, we have one of the coveted US balconies on Deck 7 on Oasis. Next summer, we're doing a Surfside balcony on Icon because the value wasn't there in the price differences even with OV balconies. Might be worth pricing connecting cabins and seeing how the price/value works for you, as well. That's another option we commonly look into, especially if there's any sailings that don't have the full solo supplement (which you wouldn't have to deal with). The differences in AO wouldn't affect them at 3 & 5, that's really at 6+. If I were in your shoes, my choice would be driven by length, itinerary and embarkation port. If I could snag an US balcony on the preferred sailing, I would...but I'd let the other factors drive the ship choice.

But it's not the same fish, chicken, beef, pasta, vegetarian or Indian offerings each night... Pecan crusted salmon and fried cod nuggets are hardly similar. Just struggle to see where there's a lack of variety.

This is not meant to be a cheerleader post, but I'm struggling with all these posts saying the variety and choices are the issue. There are 6 appetizers and 7 entrees on the menu every night. Every night's entrees include options for fish, chicken, beef, pasta, vegetarian and Indian. What are the expectations that I'm missing here? Are the people bemoaning the lack of "variety" upset that the non-changing "Classics" are gone, so they don't have the choice of the same thing every night? (Nevermind the fact that at least one Classic is on the menu each night, so is it that the Classics are gone or that YOUR personal choice from the Classics is gone?)

@RCCL Fan Always love your reviews. Maybe it's just the writing and photog/video styles (former network radio reporter myself, 10 years between ABC & FOX), but I always feel like you and @Sea Dog have such a relatable style to chronically your experiences. And as a big ship fan married to a small ship fan...you bring up a lot of points that are making me scope out some Vision class itineraries. My concern lately has been activities for the kids -- we have a 4.5 year old who is ALWAYS on the go and looking for what's next. O & Q class are easy for entertaining him.

We've used the inflatable rails in the past with our now-4.5 year old. Never had issues, easy to pack.

And to add a note to this since it sounds like OP is not familiar with EWR: if your Barcelona flight is out of Terminal B instead of Terminal C, do NOT exit the terminal to go to the AirTrain. United has buses available from one of the Terminal C gates to take you to Terminal B, remaining airside (within the secured area) the entire time.

My wife got the apology/OBC email and her email is not attached to the cruise booking or cruise planner purchase...so it may have gone out to a wider mailing list.

More than fair response by RCI. Honestly just expected the cancellation and refund, so happy with this.

If showering space is important to you -- and not tub -- then I'd definitely stay with what you have, especially if you're on the taller side. The tub/shower combo is tough (I'm 6'3" and it's tight on height). The plumbing change raises the tub floor.

Minus the billions in debt they took on during the pandemic.

You took screenshots because you had the same feeling most all of us did -- it was too good to be true. Royal doesn't have to honor anything.

Yes, you can bid on any/all available to you.

I'd hesitate to call their previous schedule 2 cleanings -- it was more like 1 cleaning, 1 freshen up...rather than try to call it by "cleanings" or "cycles," let's say a regular cabin cleaning takes the steward 15 minutes, a freshen up takes 5. Under the old method, that'd equate to about 360 minutes...the new setup is 375 (without popping in for 3+ and ice, etc.). And my guess, purely guessing, is mixture of A & B. Some didn't come back, Visa delays are excessive, and Royal needs to pay back a ton of debt.

Was Explorer's solarium really that much warmer? Yes, it has a little more deck coverage above, but it's still open to the elements.

When has Royal said kids will be allowed in the solarium on Odyssey? As has been mentioned, they had Explorer up here for years with no indoor pools and no issues. It is maybe a day and a half down, day and a half back that the weather is at its coldest. If parents can't set expectations for their kids that there isn't somewhere to swim those days (or possibly more as it is WINTER, even in the Caribbean, and may not always be warm), that sounds more like its the parents problem. Is the solarium open to kids on rainy days on Odyssey now? On Oasis class? We sailed to Canada at the end of my with our then-3-year-old. We made clear to him: if it was warm enough, he'd get to swim the day we got on and likely no other day as it would be too cold. He had no issues.

Agreed entirely here. Will never remove grats, just consider them part of the fare (I research and plan our cruises, DW just asks the cost -- "That includes taxes, fees and gratuities?"). Extra cash to those who go above and beyond.

I'm sure the indoor pool gets busy on family-heavy sailings in the winter...but there aren't that many of them from the Northeast (really just the school holidays). My folks sailed one of the 11-nighters in January and the indoor pool was by no means packed on the early or final days. Remember, before Anthem, Cape Liberty was home to Explorer year-round for many years, with no indoor pool. This market has worked without an indoor pool in the winter before, and I'm sure it will/can again.

I personally wish they would add room service as a perk, as they had during the restart. We had it for our cruise on Adventure last May, and it's nice to have a hot breakfast in your room on a morning with a port call (and not have to fight the Windjammer crowds). I don't pay the $8 service fee for room service, so having that included was a nice perk and something that would make me consider The Key again.

Maybe I'm completely in left field here, with the discussion of homeporting...is there any chance Utopia ends up in Asia? Wonder was initially designed for the Asian market. The work put into converting her back to the NA market makes me think they won't "undo" it to send her once things open. Bayley suggested in the earnings call that 2024 was the realistic expectation for the Chinese market returning. Obviously, they once intended for an Oasis class ship to head over there. Sure, things have changed drastically with COVID, but if they're expecting a rebound once the market reopens, would they not plan on sending a similar class vessel? Just spitballing and could be completely off base. Many of you on here have far better insight into this than I.

My folks were on Anthem last month and Capt. Ban confirmed the change to Odyssey. One of the questions asked during Captain's Corner was whether it was his preference to change ships or stay aboard Anthem and continue on the new itineraries. They had another employee, I believe NextCruise, also quietly confirm Odyssey would be the Cape Liberty replacement.

No Ultimate Abyss to block the views, so that's something to note. From renderings, it appears the balconies aren't the curved ones that Oasis class has, so don't know if that will have an impact on many cabins have views. There are suites on the aft corner, so who knows how that affects things. We booked a Surfside balcony and went with the second from aft in hopes of having a view, but no expectation of having much (the aft-most balcony has the grey crew space next to it, so we passed on that).

So far, I'm not seeing that. We booked for August 2024, family of 3 (myself, DW, DS). Only cabins that hold 3 were available to us, no cabins that hold 4 or more. Most ships, I can book almost any cabin with 3 (we're booked in an ultraspacious balcony this summer on Oasis since DS loves the actual bunk beds). The family infinite balconies with the interesting layout aren't available to us...not even Surfside balconies that hold 4. Maybe they'll open them a little earlier than they do now though? It's the first time they're advertising a neighborhood geared towards young families...but there isn't really much in the neighborhood that isn't available on the other ships. Splashaway Bay, arcade, carousel. Sure, the "mommy & me" bar concept is new, but the real change is really just having them all in one neighborhood. I almost feel like the goal with this ship is to keep the families away from the non-families who maybe don't want to deal with a ton of kids. By putting a family specialty restaurant, a family-themed buffet, having AO one deck below...it's basically containing all the family-oriented activities to one area of the ship, leaving those upper decks (aside from the water park) open with fewer families.

I remember theater staff making a fairly big deal of this on the TA leg of the repo from NJ. Set and crew disembarked in Barcelona.

Given the waiters aren't supposed to have cell phones out while working, the likelihood of a selfie while actually working (the idea of showing your family what it is that you do) is very slim.