umanemo

Quick question. The masking requirements, FFP2(N95) or the blue corrugated paper ones?

11 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Because the exact date hasn’t been confirmed. That article simply says “early November”.

 

If it’s the 1st, fantastic - we’re good to go. If it’s the 14th, there’s a problem. But we just don’t know.

 

Presumably Royal are waiting for confirmation from the CDC before they decide how to proceed but right now, as things stand, most non-Americans can’t sail on that TA. And time’s running out …

Though unconfirmed, many of our Florida friends have Emailed us of the 'news' that the CDC has already set the Nov. 1 date to end the moratorium on Europeans disembarkation. Something to put in the hope chest!

Maybe someone can verify this. Fellow cruisers from Spain, avid Royal fans (Pinnacle) who were on board the Harmony's reboot cruise this summer, have just explained to me that the CDC has announced no restrictions for European passenger's disembarking after Nov. 1, 2021 at US ports. "It was in all the international press some time ago.", they said.

I have found this from Sept. 24 2021:

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/international-travel-restrictions-will-be-rescinded-early-november

That reads to me that we have a GO! 'ALL ABOARD' for the Harmony of the Seas 2021 Spanish Transatlantic!!!

Why do I see recent threads here containing ambiguity over this approval?

7 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

The only test you’ll require is the free one provided by Royal at the port when you check in.

 

But - if you’re flying to Spain to join the cruise I would strongly advise getting tested before you leave home.
 

You don’t have to, but it’s for your own peace of mind as you really don’t want to fly all the way to Barcelona only to test positive, be denied boarding by Royal, be forced to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days and have to book a last minute flight home.

 

Thanks for the heads up. We are Americans full time touring in an RV over here in Europe so that helps to know where to expect to take the test.

I then am assuming another test on board before disembarkation at Canaveral also.

We are concerned though that we were only offered a 1 P.M. "Wellness Check" reservation at the terminal. Now I am thinking that's the time they will test us. How long for the results to clear us to board? We were hoping to have lunch in Chops (UDP) as we usually do but if the test takes an hour...

Anyone had luck with rolling back that reservation time for the test?

Thanks again everyone for your interest and answers to this post. Sea you soon!

I am sorry if this is repetitive but I have not found a thread to review on the COVID testing protocol for the Oct. 31 T/A.

How will it be handled in Barcelona? At the cruise terminal or do we look to test somewhere in Spain?

We would really like to hear from one of the recent passengers of their testing experience in Barcelona. 

Thanks so much!

Didn't know where to post this but I was just curious, as we just got off the Allure TA to Barcelona on March 13, 2020. It may be our paranoia in these stressed times but it sure seemed like we were rushed off the ship and no one was saying a word about anything, virus-wise. We are just being cautious to ask if any passenger on this cruise is experiencing any virus symptoms or has been diagnosed with the virus. 

1 hour ago, stevea36 said:

Unfortunately, my T/A is not until September, westbound, on Brilliance (also known as the Arctic Crossing).  It's probably the most expensive T/A they have (and it totally sold out in 90 days !!).

 

Brillance was a GR8 crossing. Layout of the atrium was about 90 degrees clocked to the stbd so it was a little different from Voyager and we loved Voyager. Smooth sailing this Fall!

27 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Balcony tables for two on Allure are awesome, especially being on the middle deck, it is a great view. In my opinion the Grande is the best of the three in decorations. A soon as you board check out where your table is as numbers change sailing to sailing.  There are about 4 tables that have the giant highjack covered chairs, they look good but are a Pia to carry on a conversation, if one of those try to switch out. Love Allure, happy cruising

Thanks for the heads up about the chairs! Will check in with maitre d' asap!

1 hour ago, stevea36 said:

Unfortunately, RCI changes the table numbering between sailings.  I would suggest that you go to deck 4 and see the Maitre'D as soon as you board to see the table location and request that it be changed if you are not happy with it.

 

THX Steve! We're fairly confident this will work out. Our assignment requests have always been very satisfactory. We were just curious as we are more frequently Freedom Class cruisers and haven't been on these Oasis ships yet.

Have a great T/A, see you on board!

Just wondering it anyone would be able to describe the seating assignment of "balcony  table number 404 in Deck 4 Grande" on the Allure OTS? I just got that confirmed for the 2020 March 1 T/A. Has anyone been assigned that table before? Its our 50 wedding anniversary/renewal of our vows cruise and our travel coordinator got us this "Balcony" seat for two on this passage.

Thanks for any heads up as to the location. I just couldn't find any floor plans of the Main Dining aboard the Allure OTS.

Thanks everyone! Glad to hear that the Oasis Class Ships are with the same program as the rest of the fleet. We have gone T/A - 7 or 8 times on all the other classes of RCCL liners but I had suspected that the different atmosphere of the predominantly "Family and Kids" intent and the exaggerated "Flashy-ness" of the Oasis Class Ships may have given RCCL pause to offer the open bar on these liners. Great to hear this perk is consistent across the fleet. We deserve it! 

What do you recon the Allure T/A will do in March for a Nightly Diamond Event Lounge? I'm sure there will be the typical overflow venue assigned to these happy hours but as I have not done the T/A on an Oasis Class I was just wondering???

So sorry if this is proven a redundant post but I tried searching every way to Sunday to find any previous posts on the subject and couldn't get a hit on any combination of words.

I have an NCL Freestyle Cruise Reward Deposit for $250 credit to a booking. It is valid through May 7, 2018. Has anyone sold one of these and transferred it? NCL has assured me that they are fully transferrable.

Interesting watching the various Cruise fare Bourse's (such a word?) to see that over the past 8 years there has been great attention to the Vision of the Seas for her Trans Atlantic passages. Even this year up against such giants as the Allure, Escape and Constellation she has held her ground! Anyone have an explanation for this phenom?

BTW, I'm "onboard" with the in-crowd this time with this fall's T.A.

Just made a dry run of the Allure TA this fall and found the C&A reduction albeit at the final stage of booking. Very tedious indeed!

RCCL should be aware that for us at least, we were often "Sold up" a cat.

or two when we could see all the discount tiers on one page

!

To me, that is not a well planned sales strategy. Wish there was a website that listed all cruises and their respective membership discounts comprehensively.

Just made a dry run of the Allure TA this fall and found the C&A reduction albeit at the final stage of booking. Very tedious indeed!

RCCL should be aware that for us at least, we were often "Sold up" a cat.

or two when we could see all the discount tiers on one page

!

To me, that is not a well planned sales strategy. Wish there was a website that listed all cruises and their respective membership discounts comprehensively.

Last round of booking I was instructed by an RCCL agent to check the quarterly posting of ship/departure date discount & OBC "booking codes" somewhere on the C&A member pages. Have these gone away? Or was I dreaming?

Everything "shows up" on X-rays. Whether or not the security personnel interpret the image as a wine bladder is a different question.

Maybe the foil mylar bags but even the 2 mil clear plastic film? How do you know that?

I wonder about sunrise on the Viking crown instead.

 

Sent from my KFJWA using Tapatalk HD

Frankly, That work's much better. On the last TA there was a solar eclipse! The wonderfully informed staff indicated that the event would occur sometime around 6:15 AM, completely oblivious to the time zone that we would be in that morning. I went up to watch the astronomical event from the open deck just outside the Diamond CL and it was spectacular. The sun rose with fantastic colors and then, two hours later; you see, the staff forgot that we would have changed our clocks the previous evening and that we had crossed into the advanced time zone as well, but the solar event was also viewed and it was very special to have observed it at the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Very Kewl indeed!

So sunrise in and behind the VCL was unimpeded by the D+/P aristocracy and there was a certain pleasant solitude on board at that hour but at this time of day I just didn't have that same craving for an extra dry Hendricks martini, go figure.

The area the thread specifically started about was the Viking Crown Lounge which it touted on the RCCI web pages as a Public area. The interactive picture of the ship where you can click on the areas shows VCI as Public as well as text descriptions.

Totally barring anyone except "upper tier" from that Public Room during sunset times was and is the issue.

The consensus seems to be sharing the space with a group is OK but shutting it down exclusively is a problem to many.

I am so glad that someone has interpreted my drivel as I expected it to be understood, exactly! I was almost beginning to believe most of these angry replies myself and doubting that I was writing in any intelligible language.

I appreciate you seconding the motion!

Yes, It Isn't About the Free Cocktails, we all have money, but it's all about garnering one of the best venues onboard - during one of the best times of the day - and for the entire length of the itinerary! Concluding that those of us who paid full fares (without privileged D+/P discounts or comps!) were excluded from what is likely to be, to most of us loyal's and newbie's alike, RCI/RCCL's most recognized signature design of their fleet and maybe THE most valued public venue.

You illustrate my point exactly... once again, you are another with such passion, you got to love the spirit of it!. I just can't justify it, sorry. It only matters to those whom it matters. Like I said, I only started this discussion to obviate that what's good for the few is good for the many.

Thanks for your participation.

the vcl is advertised as a public area. It is also a signature feature of the ship. And while it is understandable that any given area may be closed off from time to time for a private function, it is also understandable to be disappointed that the vcl is off limits late afternoon/early evening if there are too many top tier guests on board.

 

On oasis/allure when there are too many d members they close off the dance club on deck 4 (which i don't believe would otherwise even be open at the time of the cocktail events). They don;t close off the vcl.

 

I don't begrudge anyone for being disappointed at not being able to visit the public, signature lounge of a ship for their entire voyage. I think a lot of people on this site just like to be mean to other people; it's called being a keyboard cowboy. They wouldn't dare act that way face to face with anyone, but since they aren't impacted on their vacation and have internet anonymity they resort to making straw man arguments and being nasty to people while never addressing the actual concern.

+1!

I'm confused?

 

Did you a) specifically request something for your anniversary, or flag it on your reservation and they failed to deliver it, or b) did you really expect them to search you out from amongst the almost 20 Million passengers that sail on RCL each year and serendipitously recognize your special day ?

 

a) gets you a legitimate right to gripe, b) gets you nothing but pity and sarcasm

Well we did notify the Assistant Restaurant Manager, but the traditional flagged piece of cake that we have been surprised with on every special occasion that we have been so fortunate to have been aboard an RCI vessel was missing?

I think even my Facebook notifies me of the birthdays of many of those hundreds that I have friended. That's what a database is good at, it shouldn't even phase the monstrous servers that RCI must be running. Think of it, they know every cruise that all of those millions of past passengers have taken... a birthday pop-up! should only take up a few picoseconds and bits these days.

Plainly, they blew it.

OH! My wife and I were on the October 27th Liberty TA. There were so many grumpy people! The crew looked so defeated by the end of the trip. We felt really bad for them.

Maybe they missed their daily fix of VCL sunset vitamin D?

Many venues are closed at times for a variety of reason. One’s C&A status does not enter into the mix. Groups all over the ship will be assigned to a venue and others not part of that group are not permitted access. Happens all the time. In fact, there may even be activities that only C&A member have access, and other passengers cannot use that facility for that short time.

 

enjoy

M

Yes! You are right. I look forward to those exclusive perks also, but I do not wish to impose my elitist fantasy's at the expense of any other passengers dream wishes, as little as we like to realize it we are a village while aboard and compassion for that notion is warranted. It was just a shame that they used the VCL every night at sunset from 16:00 to 21:00 excluding not only us but those many who would have experienced those fantastic once in a lifetime special moments as well!

Two points come to my mind as I read this thread:

 

1. Even when I have been on ships where the Olive or Twist Lounge was used for "Happy Hour" for C&A top tiers (whether D and up or D+ and up), the Seven Hearts and Cloud Nine rooms were open to the public. The same view is available from there, umanemo.

 

2. Apparently, umanemo has been on cruises where the VCL was the DIAMOND and up lounge. Didn't complain THEN, did you, about all of the OTHER people who couldn't be there?

Point taken, We were not Diamond until this passage but I get your point. On our first TA aboard the LBTS in 2011, those who were (Diamond) back then went to Sphinx, but D+ and Pinnacle? I really don't know where they were as we were allowed along with all other passengers to pay for cocktails and sit in the Olive & Twist for a sundowner. The VCL didn't come into service for a nightly exclusive "Gathering" venue until the Spring 2013 TA passage and then it was initiated straight to "Diamond+/pinnacle status loyalty members only!". It has been exclusive to that tier level right from the start of this new program on the LBTS.

BTW, Cloud Nine... in 2013 was Closed, It was being used for rehearsals for an upcoming piano concert that was to début later in the cruise. And as we were aiming the pointy end of the ship West on this TA direction the sunsets wouldn't have been visible through the bulkhead between the Cloud Nine and the 7 Hearts. It was investigated though but both inaccessible to our wishes.

Good advice for those going forward though. Those side rooms off the VCL deck are a good option if available.

Thanks for the insight!