cgags47

15 minutes ago, buzzard05 said:

One thing to remember when you are calculating if it is "worth" it or not, is that the Deluxe Package covers everything on board (except Starbucks).  So if you drink a soda here and there, specialty coffees, etc. combined with a few beers/drinks throughout the day, it really isn't that hard to get "your money's worth".

Exactly. When you take into account specialty coffees, sodas, bottled water, etc., it’s not that hard to drink $50-$60 per day. 

If you want the drink package, then buy it.  And then check the prices all the time.  If it goes down in price, then cancel and re-book it.  

Thanks for those menu pictures!!

I know that the Starbucks drinks are not included in the Deluxe Beverage Package, but are the other coffee drinks from La Patisserie included?

7 hours ago, beccaewert said:

that’s what I told my husband

 

that I’d keep calling for him 

Good luck!  I hope it works out for you.

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Interesting to see how people happily believe Royal when they like the answer.  But if they don't, they call back and get a different answer.

 

Either way, with Royal, I would not count on the answer.

Well, considering I got the same answer speaking with two different people, what more do you suggest I do?

18 hours ago, beccaewert said:

Thanks for calling and sharing this information!

My pleasure! 

Only 60 Days left!

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I would, even if the facial recognition system recognizes you, the staff will probably want a current photo (due to the beard change).

That’s what I figured. Thank you!!

15 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That line is on the right as you enter the terminal and it's expedited check in not boarding. The facial recognition system (from your uploaded pic) loads the info to the tablets of the staff in that line  - they ask the health question, scan your document(s) and you pass through security (which probably has the shortest line of any, including suites) and then just walk on the ship (assuming boarding has started) - for us it was 5 min from curb to ship around 11 AM.

5 minutes, that’s awesome!

I’m going to advise everyone in my party to use the app to get through quick. And this may be weird, but should I wait to take the ID photo on the app? I currently have a beard, but won’t have when when I board the ship. Thanks!

Update - After speaking with Royal on the phone and through their Twitter feed, they confirmed the sailing is sold out completely, and that’s why it was removed from the website. 
 

phew...

3 minutes ago, rimmit said:

The only other option is that it could be closed as they have unexpected maintenance....   That did happen to us on a Grandeur sailing last year.  If I remember right we ended up getting cancelled 4-5 months out?  Can’t remember the exact time frame.  It was a 12 night cruise starting Mar. 22 2019 and they needed 6 nights for a quick dry docking.   They truncated the cruise to 6 nights and made it a Bahamas cruise instead of 12 night southern Caribbean.

Great, more anxiety!  lol, I'm sure it's just sold out, but I'm going to call this morning anyway.

5 minutes ago, rimmit said:

They typically just remove them from the website.  Popular repos sell out well in advance as do some spring break cruises.  I noticed the Anthem and Grandeur sell out on occasion a couple months in advance on select cruises as well.  Not super common but it happens.  We have kids and we sail out of Baltimore and Bayonne quite a bit so I am always watching those cruises.

Ok, good to know, thanks!

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I’ve also seen them temporarily list the sailing as closed while they sort out the guarantees.  A couple days later it was listed back on the site again.  It is also very probable that it is sold out. 

 

Unfortunately your call to Royal won’t yield you 100% accurate information.  Revenue does not share the reason why the sailings are listed as closed with the front line people that you are talking to. The person that you talk to will just make something up...most likely “inventory control” which seems to be a standard response for every sailing that is listed as closed.  They may also refer to it as a “code red” which means the sailing is closed to new bookings. 

Thank you as well!

I'm more concerned that they decided to cancel the sailing.  Which I know is irrational, but when you're 61 days away from your sail date, you get more and more anxious.

8 minutes ago, rimmit said:

3/22 is spring break for much of the north east.   Not surprising it is sold out as that is a peak week for RCI.

That's what I was thinking as well.  I just wasn't sure if that would cause them to remove the sailing from the website completely.  Rather than just put "Sold Out" on it.

1 hour ago, soremekun said:

Please post the outcome of the phone call.

Will do!

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Most likely sold out.

That's what I'm thinking as well.  I haven't received any sort of notification that it's canceled or anything.

2 minutes ago, soremekun said:

Hopefully not chartered.  Seems like not enough time to fill a ship of chartered.

 

 

I thought of a possible charter also, but you're right, it's very close for them to do that.  Also, a couple Anthem sailings in February have no staterooms available and they aren't shown on the website either, so my guess is it's just sold out.

Either way, once their office opens I'm going to call Royal to make sure.  My blood pressure spiked when I saw it though, and figured I'd ask on here.

These photos were great!  Making me even more excited for my upcoming Anthem sailing.  

Just a question about check-in at Cape Liberty:

If you arrived at 10:00, and they started boarding at 10:35, how long until you actually stepped onboard?  Did you use the Expedited Boarding with the Royal App?

My upcoming sailing (Anthem, 3/22/20) is no longer listed on the RCCL website, and on my Travel Agent portal it's status is "Closed" with no staterooms available.  Am I correct in thinking that this means the ship is 100% booked? 

As long as it's not mysteriously canceled, lol.

8 hours ago, Diver2014 said:

We were at Coco Cay yesterday on Harmony of the Seas.  The brochure they gave us said South Beach and over water bungalows are opening January 31.  I looked at that area yesterday and I don't see how they are going to be open by the 31st.

Well that's not a comforting thought at all.  I'm sure it will be ready by the time I'm there in March, but still...

Thank you for the response.  Maybe we'll have more info in February.

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

 

It's true, as long as at least one name stays the same, others can be substituted, I believe up to 24 hours in advance of sailing.

I knew I was on to something! lol

On this same topic, how have they been treating sail-aways in the colder weather?  I sailed out of Bayonne once in January, and they were serving hot chocolate on the deck during sail away, thought that was pretty good.  Are they still doing something similar?  I'll be going at the end of March this time around, so it "should" be a little warmer than beginning of January.

Do any recent cruisers have pictures or information the Cabanas on South Beach in CocoCay?  I know that the construction was pushed until December 2019, so I'm just curious how they made out.  Thanks!

8 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

Can you get someone else to go and change the name on the reservation?

I believe you can, as long as one name on the reservation stays the same.  

Can anyone else attest to this?

From what I understand, there is a menu that you can order from that your Cabana attendant would bring you.  You can also look on Google maps to see exactly how far away the cabanas are from the water, as well as any of the maps that are on the internet.  You can also use the cruise line maps of the island to see how far away the nearest food service area is.  

12 hours ago, hallasm said:

Did work fine for me - and I were quite happy with the WiFi speed of the Woom Surf package.

Ok, great.  Thanks!

2 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

The new platform works really well on Anthem.  You do not get anything at check in since you do not need to check in at a counter, you just show your information to someone with a tablet.  Once you access wifi on the ship, you use your last name, cabin number and birth year to verify who you are and to create your login.  It will then recognize tell you you have a one device package or four in the case of your friend.  Mine showed I had two devices, the one device package I purchased and the one I got free with our suite.  I was able to get a refund for the purchased one once I spoke to Ramon, the IT guru on the ship.  I never logged out of any of my devices, I would just hit the switch devices in my login.  Sharing a four device package among four different people could be interesting with this new process though.  Logging off is going to be important for a group on one package.

Interesting, good to know.  We all have it mostly so we can all FaceTime with our kids back home while they stay with Grandma and Grandpa.  So I don't expect us to be using it all that much.  Thanks for the info!

2 hours ago, hallasm said:

I did get no instructions at check-in - when I connected to the WiFi using my name and cabin Number the package was loaded as a coupon - easy to connect.

But if you have ‘limited IT knowledge’ probably not that easy.

Many ‘WiFi assistant’ round the ship during boarding.

 

18 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

When you connect to the ship's WiFi, you set up your own login/password and everyone in the party uses that login (up to the device limit of the package) to use VOOM. Don't expect anything in the room other than what I mentioned above. There'll be a VOOM specialist on board to help you if they need it, but it's easy to set up.

Ok, that works as well.  The WiFi system recognizes that you have an internet package based on your cabin/booking number.  Seems like it's pretty self-explanatory.