mlbcruiser

No, there was absolutely no financial benefit or additional perk at all to transfer to the TA I want to use. It all had to do with the ability to speak to the TA I want to transfer the booking to. The other TA deals only via the Internet. Usually, there is no problem doing it that way, but on occasion, that is not so convenient. The other TA is easy to reach by phone. Some things came up that makes it beneficial to be able to access the TA by phone for this particular cruise. I have dealt with both Teays in the past. In fact, the TA I am trying to transfer from  advertises (or used to. I haven’t I  checked recently) instructions on how to transfer bookings to this agency and to  receive something extra.  Years ago, I transferred a booking to the agency. That’s the only other transfer I’ve ever done, and it went seamlessly and quickly.
 

As I understand it, you may transfer a booking between 48 hours after 30 days after you have booked it. After that you can no longer transfer. When I called Royal Caribbean BEFORE I even initiated the transfer to make sure it could be done, the customer service agent in no way indicated that it wasn’t allowed. Instead, I was given instructions on what steps to take in order to do it. I have known people in the past who have transferred bookings without incident, even though it has not been recently. And yes, the TA I want to transfer to has stated his agency has been on both sides of the transfer process and has not run into this problem before.

We recently booked a Royal Caribbean cruise with an online agency. (We have cruised with RCCL many times but are not in the habit of transferring bookings.) Several days after we originally booked, there was a reason that came up that made using a different type of travel agency preferable, so we decided to switch our booking to a different agency. I know people sometimes do this and it’s supposed to be very easy to do.
 

I called the cruise line to let them know what I wanted to do and was given instructions that sounded a lot more complicated than I would’ve thought. I contacted both agencies involved. The agency I originally booked with agreed to let RCCL know they would release the booking. The agency I wanted our booking transferred to told me that once the booking was released, they would be able to use the booking number to get into the booking and pick it up. However, the booking never became available.  The agency releasing it said they would contact the cruise line again. I called customer service at Royal Caribbean again. This time to find out if there was a problem, but was given the same lengthy instructions on exactly how the requests needed to be done by the 2 TAs. I contacted the original agency a 3rd time! They again contacted Royal Caribbean as per the instructions and sent me a copy of their correspondence, letting me know it was ok with them if I wanted to forward it on to RCCL.

Today it will be 16 days since the original request. I called RCCL again 3 days ago. Same spiel from a customer service agent, who started reading the transfer procedure to me once more. I asked to speak to a supervisor, who had no enlightening information other than to say he could not access the booking as only the changes dept can.  He also told me that on February 23 the transferring procedure changed and that transfers now often take ten to thirteen days. It had been exactly 13 days by then.  Neither of the travel agencies involved, nor I, have heard anything further.

I can’t seem to reach anyone at Royal Caribbean who has anything to do with this sort of thing or who will try help find an answer to why nothing is happening. In the past I have always been able to get help or have questions answered when needed. This is not what I expect from Royal Caribbean Both TAs involved are very reputable and have been in business for years. Neither of them have ever had to go through so much red tape when doing a transfer. This is why I’m asking if anyone else has gone through something like this recently? If you did do a transfer, how long did the process take? Did you there’s nothing to you run into any snafus?  Also, does anyone have any tips as to who I might be able to reach at Royal Caribbean to help get this straightened out?  I’m moving into high anxiety mode! 

Thanks for any helpful replies. 

I’ve cruise to the Caribbean with Princess and did a Panama Canal cruise with Princess, besides the Alaskan cruise.  Most cruise lines have gotten more casual, but I think Alaskan cruises were more casual before that. Not trying to prove who’s right or wrong. Just wanted to check with regard to Norway. I have found on European cruises people do tend to dress a little more spiffy. Or did just a few years ago. Can’t say for sure now. Anyway I’ve got my answers. Thanks for replying.

Where are the shorts in the med clothes casual shorts? I ask because there are very stylish shorts that actually are made for eveningwear or a night on the town, and often made of silky or fancy fabrics. Sometimes you see celebrities like Taylor Swift, wearing them with matching shirts fancy wide belts. 

Well said & I agree. 

Thanks for the information. And the video link. Believe it or not, I won’t be uncomfortable if I’m not really dressed up. No I won’t go as a slob. Then I would feel out of place. I try to at least make sure I am wearing something that is a little bit nice and not what I would wear around on a daily basis. But just like one of you mentioned, I have heard other people and even read that Europe tends to be more dressy. So I’m not surprised to hear that. We have never sailed from England, but have from Spain and Italy, and I would say formal nights tend to be a little more formal on those cruises as well. i’m not sure how many formal nights are on a 60 night cruise but I am guessing maybe three? We used to dress up a lot for a formal night in our earlier years of cruising. However, we are older now and we all know what the luggage restrictions are. My husband’s  often just used a dress shirt and tie to serve as his formal wear. Or a Guayabera shirt in the Caribbean. Thanks for the input everyone!
 

Wondering if formal nights on Princess cruises in Norway are less formal like they are on Princess cruises in Alaska. Actually, we were just on Royal Caribbean in Alaska and it also seemed less formal than formal than we have seen on cruises to other areas.  Formal nights seem to be becoming less formal across-the-board anyway in recent years. Since Norway is going to be cooler and likely wetter than many warmer areas, I’m thinking people may carry the casualness over a little bit into formal nights a bit but we’ve never cruise to Norway, so I’d like to hear the experience of those who have if it was only moderately priced, main stream cruise line.

Thanks for any info!

Well, asking on Princess is a good idea. To some extent, I’m sure it is cruise line dependent. However, in my experience of over 50 cruises, it is somewhat location of the cruise as well. On a lot of main stream, moderately priced lines (and I would never include Cunard in this group since it already has a reputation of being more formal), dress codes are becoming more and more casual no matter what area a ship is cruising in.  
 

I have seen articles and reviews done by expert travel writers that mention certain differences, depending on things like area and even the dominant  nationalities of cruisers on a particular line as well as sailing to various destinations. Maybe they are not at all extreme differences, but there are still sometimes a few differences.
 

We’ve only done two Alaskan cruises.  The first was with Princess about 8 years ago. The 2nd with RCI this past summer. Before the first one, there was chitchat on the roll call and questions on the AK forum as well regarding less formal dress on formal nights on AK cruises. We’ve definitely noticed a more casual bent on Alaskan cruises than on certain Caribbean and Mediterranean cruise formal nights.  I just wasn’t sure about northern Europe. It seems to me that when the weather is cold and people need outerwear and maybe waterproof clothing or boots, the dress does tend to lean a little more casual on formal nights in the dining room and even on other nights. 
 

I’m not answering my own question,  although it may seem that way. I’ve never cruised to Norway, so I have no knowledge of whether it is similar to the formal nights in Alaska or not. I still appreciate everyone’s reply, and thanks a lot for taking the time to answer.

We are doing a Princess cruise to Norway next year. We have done two cruises to Alaska (one on Princess and one on Royal Caribbean) and formal nights there were definitely more casual and not as dressy as on cruises to other destinations. Of course, dress codes tends to be getting more and more casual and many lines no longer really require formal dress on their fanciest dinner nights. Hoping on Norway cruises the formality is scaled down. I’m not asking for the “official” policy. I am asking for what other passengers have observed on cruises to Norway. 
 

Thanks for any information.

We’ve had connecting cabins a number of times, and it doesn’t seem to us like it makes any difference at all with the noise. Just booked again and didn’t even give it a second thought. It was more important to us to be a few cabins closer to the elevator.
 

When we first started cruising many years ago, noise was often a problem from the people next door. Especially if we ended up next to partiers. You can hear things like a usually noisy sliding glass door to a balcony no matter if you have a connecting cabin or not. Bring ear plugs. They help, though won’t block out all sound. It’s much worse if you are under a dining room where the chairs are being dragged on the floor or next to any big show room, even when they are rehearsing. And of course, above or below any musical venue like a bar with loud music or something. I’m saving next to it storage room or another venue for a cruise is sometimes worse with regard to noise and most things. Seems like there is a lot of clunking and odd noises that come from those rooms so if your next one, can you hear it. 

The newer ships do a pretty good job of insulating from the noise of your cabin mates, as compared to years ago. Just the same, I guess everybody has their opinion. We again had a cabin with a connecting door on the Quantum this past July, and that wasn’t an issue at all.

😩 No wonder I couldn’t find a listing for it!  Sure not happy to hear that! Quantum class does not have Broadway style shows either. Since we originally started seeing them on the Voyager class, I thought that those ships still had them.  Sure wish they did! Didn’t really care for the Quantum. No Broadway shows on that style of ship but I didn’t like the layout or many other things about it. So we won’t be going back on that class of ship. Do like the Oasis class pretty well but just don’t like to have to jerry rig dining to work around shows. I believe the Freedom class, if I have the right name for that class, still has Broadway shows as well, but we haven’t been on that class. Thanks to all of ypu for the info, though.

Can anyone tell me the current shows playing on Explorer OTS & are they likely to remain the same for summer 2024? Most especially interested to find out what the Broadway style show will be. Thanks for any info!

OMG, is RCI STILL presenting cats?! We were with friends several years ago and saw it. AWFUL! The majority of the audience left before it was half way through. One guy in our group stuck through it with me. Why did I want to? Simply because I was going to be seeing a community theater production of Cats a couple of days after disembarking and wanted to get the gist of the story. Impossible to understand what in the world the performers were even saying. Hated it. However, it was MUCH better at the community theater! Go figure. Even 8 years ago people were complaining about this production on this website! 

Uh oh! I assume both elevator areas, forward & aft? We may be hearing a lot of noise then.
Oh, well, it is what it is. Appreciate the replies!

Thanks so much for this info! Just have to find out where the gangway is.

BTW, I believe the ice rink  is on deck 2 - just forward of the elevators. 

Hoping to hear from someone who has actually stayed in a cabin on deck 2 of Voyager, Explorer or any ship in that class. Especially in a cabin in the mid to slightly aft part of the ship. I'm a bit concerned about noise and vibration or other issues. If you have, please share your thoughts! Thanks.

Wow! Thanks for that great info! Trying to decide if we want to go for a cabin on the two. Have been on ships when we hear the anchor and various noises when we are down low. Mostly not too bad, but sometimes sounds and vibrations can be a bit much. I imagine on this type of ship they insulate for sound pretty well though. For that matter, we’ve been higher and had weird noises too.
Thanks again for replying!

Yes, I do know there is no deck plan for deck one. I am guessing it’s stuff to do with the mechanics, engine, and running of the ship. Possibly storage. But then, but I think what both of us are guessing are they crew quarters could be storage as well! Or offices and crew, quarters or something along that line. Probably have to be an inside person who works on the ship or has a lot of knowledge about the ship design and so on. Anytime there’s a dining room above there’s usually a bit of noise from scooting chairs or cleaning machines or whatever. Not sure about on this ship just the same, inquiring minds want to know, lol! Thanks so much for the info!

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually did ask on there but not exact cabins. Just asking the general question of what the blocked out areas are. Didn’t actually get a real specific answer but a sort of generally a good guess. Since they don’t show it on the deck plans, it’s hard for anyone to know for sure unless they have inside knowledge I guess of ships on that particular one. I only asked on the RCI boards  after it was some while with no responses on the cabin boards. Thanks for replying. I really do appreciate it!

Wondering if anyone out there knows what is located on deck 2 aft in the interior portion of the deck? Would like to know if it is crew, quarters, workings of the shift, a noisy area, or watt?  Also, what is directly below deck 2 aft?

Any information appreciated!

Does anyone know what is underneath the cabins on deck 2  port side near the rear elevators? Also in the center of deck two, across from these cabins? If anyone has stayed in any of these, did you have noises from the ships operations or any other issues in your outside cabin in the rear of deck 2? Really hoping for a quick reply! Thanks for any helpful info.

I’m so surprised at sp many posts! Basically, we are fine as long as the third bed is taken care of in the morning and then run out again in the evening. That was my real concern, at least. Of course everyone has a right to input your thoughts.  Happy, cruising everyone!

Yes, I had thought of an incentive. Even though the ship has those mandatory service charges, we always tip our cabin, steward, waiter, etc. extra. That is another thing I thought that I saw on a thread somewhere   -  that someone mentioned they had asked to the steward to visit twice a day and he did. However, I couldn’t find that thread ( it could have been the same thread. the once a day cleaning was first mentioned on) so posted this question.  I understand that maybe there isn’t enough staff or something but I’m sure our service charges won’t be adjusted for not getting a twice a day cleaning, it has been a hallmark of cruising for many years. If they will at least do the bed in the evening that’s fine. Make a trip I’ll be sure and ask her cabin steward when we first meet him or her.

Thanks for the input and info!

adding this in an edit. I missed a few of the posts above and only saw the last couple. That’s good to know that Royal officially understands about putting back folding beds. Thanks.

Thanks so much for replying and for the info., (even though it wasn’t good news for us).