RuthC

My experience with penalty dates before final payment is with longer cruises which were not Grand Cruises. There were no interim payment dates for them, either. Just the deposit, penalty date, then the final payment date---followed by a long cruise.

I have been able to order it for years. Perhaps the delivery for your cruise didn't arrive? Did your ship have a Coke machine that included it, but you have to pay extra? Could there have been a change in policy? Somehow I doubt that, though. Did you ask why it wasn't available on your December cruise?

The ships do carry Caffeine Free Coke, though. So, now you know you don't need to bring it.

We had a record low air temperature for today's date at -5ºF; first time below zero in five years. Wind chills were around -30ºF. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the mid-40s, with above average temps all week. San Diego's 51ºF is sweater weather!

In the Caribbean it should be $20/bag, and is available every day until the day before the last day.

The desk is inadequate, at best. Nothing like the size of the desk in the other inside or outside cabins.

Grand cruises tend to be longer than cruises that can be booked individually, although it is possible for a grand cruise to have two segments that can be booked one or the other. The Grand cruises not only have the pillow gifts already mentioned, but also have better food and better entertainment offerings. Sometimes even special pillow chocolates on formal/gala/dressy evenings. They tend to go to more exotic and off the beaten path ports. The cream of the crop staff and crew are aboard.

Even better, how about no hold music at all! That way I can listen to what I want to listen to on my radio as I wait. I can take the customary 'we appreciate your patience' interruption (although you are definitely trying patience), but I don't need to hear it every few seconds.

It was.

Not all of them. The salon will take the opportunity to make some money if one presents itself.

The ship will turn your passport over to the port authorities, as noted above. I have seen it happen when the ship was about to sail, and people had still not returned. I was watching from an outside deck. They did make it by the skin of their teeth. If the ship already has your passport, it's a lot easier for them than if it is somewhere in your cabin.

Huge is in the eye of the beholder. I find the Pinnacle ships HUGE, and stand by that observation. I couldn't walk from my cabin, forward of the aft elevators, to the mid-ship elevators without stopping to rest. The Vista and Signature ships are Large, while the R-class ships (and the late, great, S-class) were smaller. Of course, the Prinsendam was the perfect size. If we must speak of Royal Caribbean, there are words that exceed Huge to describe their ships.

My understanding is that making a reservation for open seating is only available on the ship. When you board you can likely see someone at the entrance to the dining room, can see someone at the general podium that handles all dining reservations, or can call.

You may have to work at it to get it, or even fight to get it ALL back (getting 50% back isn't terribly difficult, but getting it ALL back can take several tries), but eventually you should be successful. I know I have had to try twice a few times, and think it took three tries once. On rare occasion it has happened flawlessly, with no effort at all.

Tiny cabin. With the closest thing to a 'chair' being the toilet. I normally prefer inside cabins on every cruise I take, but refuse to book an inside on the Pinnacle class ships. On that class I won't book less than a veranda cabin, preferably an accessible one. The ship is huge, but if you can book near mid-ship, you won't have as far to go to get where you want to be when you start out from your cabin.

In addition to checking the roll call for your cruise, once on board, check the Daily Program. On a long cruise such as yours, it is likely it will be listed as a scheduled activity. There will be a reserved time for use of the court. Bring your own paddle! From what I have read from others, you will be happier with your own.

In my experience, HAL is pretty good at refunding the 1/2 price due 4* Mariners, but still hasn't mastered the concept that 5* Mariners are supposed to get a FULL refund for the first two dinners. I have had a fairly easy time getting 1/2 back, but had to fight like the dickens to get the rest of the pre-paid amount still due me. How long has HAL had 5* Mariners, anyway? It shouldn't be such a hard concept to master.

It was already posted, in post #12. Isn't that what you are asking for?

If the main bed is arranged as twins, it definitely won't be as tight, assuming the third bed is a flip. The access to the two twin beds will be in the center, with the other side of the bed against the wall. The aisle between the two twins will be twice as wide as the side aisles are when the beds are together, so a lot more room to walk. Both nightstands will be alongside the heads of the beds. Much easier to reach the cabin phone, too!

My experience in inside cabins on R-class ships is that the sofa bed is one that flips. The space between that bed and the foot of the larger bed is tight, but that is true when the sofa bed is closed, too.

I prefer late sitting for dinner, which has been at 8:00 PM, so am finished sometime around 9:30-10:00. HAL is starting late dining earlier these days, though. Then, I have usually gone to the show, which was scheduled for 8:00 and 10:00, but Hal has switched the time to earlier, if they have a show at all. After that I have loved going to the Ocean Bar to listen to the combo, or the Piano Bar to enjoy the party atmosphere that was always such fun. But HAL has dropped the combo on most ships, and there are no Piano Bars on HAL anymore. Billboard Onboard is no replacement for a true piano bar. Especially post-covid, it's as if HAL is making every effort to drive people out of the public areas at the earliest possible hour. It's very difficult to find fun on their ships anymore.

Why thank you! You have made my day. 🙂

I haven't seen Karaoke on a HAL ship in years. The last time I know I remember seeing was 2010, although it's possible it has been since then and I just don't remember it.

You should be fine with any of these cabins. Both sets of adjoining cabins are connecting, which meets your first requirement. C-1078 and C-1080 are not under BB King/Rolling Stone Rock Room (whichever is on your ship at the time you sail); they are under a hallway leading out of that venue. Those cabins are about as close to mid-ship as you can get. They are a decent distance from the bandstand, so should be quiet. C-1045 and C-1047 look as if they are under a dead area just before the edge of Billboard Onboard. I haven't been in an outside cabin along in there, and don't remember being in an inside that far forward on that side of the ship, so don't know for certain, but think they would also be all right. Besides, the music venues close down so much earlier than they did in the good old days, I would take a chance on either set of cabins, but think your best bet is port side.

For anyone not using a mobility device, maybe.