rolloman

Should be interesting, Celebrity came out with Le Petite Chef...similar to this and it was a fun experience and worth the up charge.

Somewhat similar to what you are asking, on a recent Carnival cruise the Guest brought an air mattress and inflated it outside on their balcony.

In essence you contradict yourself. You say free drinks are hurting the bottom line and then you proceed to point out the great windfall Royal generates from its alcohol revenue. Now why is that? Maybe free drinks spur on paid drinks? Let's say I normally don't drink but then I feel compelled to get my 4...so this causes me to eventually drink 6 resulting in a wash or possibly a win in revenue. The fact is, the program is working quite well. No one at Corporate has screamed the crown and anchor loyalty program is killing us. The only one screaming are the armchair loyalty program specialist on this board who are convinced they can build a better mouse trap.

I saw you mentioned before your offers are down...not sure what to make of it. I am sure there are variables associated with the offers. Maybe the fact I go on other comped cruises with Carnival factors in? Celebrity will soon sail out of PC so that will make it easier than going all the way to Fort Lauderdale/Miami.Looking forward to that!

Keep spinning...you clearly stated it is your belief they may soon provide a 50-60 dollar credit in lieu of free drinks. I said to that "believe what you want" no where did I dispute earnings report break downs.

They have not decreased for me. If anything, I am getting more.

You fail to share the fact these once a month cruises are casino comped. So one reason the ships are packed is because of the re-vamped program you participate in. I bring this to your attention because it goes against your argument.

Believe what you want. Giving away drinks which is of minor consequence to the bottom line versus an onboard credit which could be used for something of higher consequence is ludicrous. Even if the credit was used for drinks that basically is a lesson in futility. Keep in mind, all cruise lines are giving away drinks in some shape or form.

Royal is not going to give anyone 50-60 dollars a day. Secondly as I earlier described, the cost per beer is a few cents compared to the $8.00 they charge you. You cannot base your discussion on full retail price. Lastly, the only ones complaining about too many Diamonds are people on this message board. Changes in the past have been made because of the popularity of the program, such as over crowding in the lounge. They fixed it with drinks everywhere. The next step will be to get rid of the lounge altogether and turn it into a revenue generating space.

They are going to get a good laugh at Corporate with this one...

Exactly...the actual cost they pay for the ingredients versus what they sell them for equates to a massive money maker for the cruise line. For simplicity, a single can of beer costs them under .50 cents yet they sell them for 8+ bucks. I drink beer, I get 5 drinks a day for D+...so for under $2.50 a cruise day they get my loyalty. Trust me, they are not moved by that figure. Keep buying those drink packages people so I continue to get my 5 drinks a day...

So funny how some of you think the free drinks for D and up is some kind of a financial killer. The mark up on those drinks they sell onboard are incredible. Especially when you factor in the drink package. It is also humorous to hear...the ships are selling out... in reality, they may be sailing at or near capacity, however they have not been sold at full asking fare. The fact is, the loyalty program has been a huge success for Royal and by no stretch of the imagination is it considered a hinderance.

The old laundry perk...it is not as rosy as some here want you to believe. First off, if you use the wrong bag, you will be charged on your sign and sail account. There is a special bag for the "free" laundry and it is small. Good luck stuffing as much as you can into it without tearing. Secondly, when and if all your clothes come back, each item will have an obnoxious sticker placed near the label. It is not hard to peel off but when you get home, often you will forget about it. However, you will be reminded the next time you wear the item. It is not a good look for you to be digging into your underwear to ease the chaffing while you are perusing the local Walmart. Lastly, the items come back folded into a Rubics cube shape. Good luck ironing that out. Me personally, I gave up on that perk a long time ago.... not worth the hassle.

Better beach with sugar sand and not a rocky bottom, friendlier vendors, more food options, better snorkeling and boating options, tons of shopping and you don't have to worry about being shown on CNN with a bag over your head. However, while there is a flowrider and swim up bar, there is no makeshift roller coaster. By the way, did you apply for the open Secretary of Tourism job in Haiti yet?

Grand Turk is an upgrade.

No...there will be no charge...only a refund if applicable.

You might want to run for office within the Haitian government. I hear there are some openings. Maybe Secretary of Tourism?

You paid what you paid. If the port is cancelled, you will get an onboard credit of a couple dollars.

Yes, it is a nice clean safe beach with beautiful water. They have a nice shopping area with the typical stores. Effy, DI, Pirana Joe etc. A super large pool, with a flow rider, swim up bar. Food is good at the Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville restaurant. I am pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

Why is that important? There is no need for me to divulge personal information. Regardless of my knowledge on the subject...you have been here for a while, the signs are everywhere, for instance, how about news articles that point directly to posts or comments stated on this board? It does not happen by accident. As a matter of fact, I was reading a member quote in a news outlet article yesterday on this very topic.

Once again, your post is not factually correct. There have been incidents at this port. Everyone is focusing on the gangs attacking the port area. In reality, Labadee has solid structures, food and is a major step up compared to living conditions currently experienced by everyday residents. Therefore, there is a chance residents make seek refuge away from the violence and try to settle in the facility. By the way, as I mentioned over the weekend, and met with laughter, the US Marines did arrive and set up security as well as airlift the embassy staff.

I have mentioned this to you before. This is a forum to discuss all things cruising. The OP is on topic with this post. Secondly, Royal Caribbean, similar to other Corporations, has staff who monitor social media. I assure you hot topics like this one are being read and discussed internally. This is not an assumption on my part.

I posted a link over the weekend (which got taken down) about the US considering sending Marines into Haiti. A couple of posters took exception and well guess what, we sent Marines in to evacuate the Embassy and add security yesterday. I won't be surprised if sometime in the near future and out of an abundance of caution some RCCL traffic gets rerouted.

You are all in on this topic...makes one wonder why? It seems it is in your best interest to tout Labadee as the safest place on earth. Are you compensated by Royal Caribbean for posting positive views on this topic? Here is the latest news...Violence is battering Haiti's fragile economy and causing food and water shortages (yahoo.com)

I was on during Thanksgiving, and I sailing again on the voyage when you get back. If you can, let us know your perception of the ship once you board.