tmarkwald

The problem is availability on Brilliance - they cannot book us into ouroriginal cabin class at all - sold out. So, they are going tohae to come up with alternatives by March 27

I can't imagine anyone has made flight arrangements that they need reimbursement this far out.

they can't anyway - max lookout time for flights is 330 days!

Amazing job! I think you should start working for the cruise line and do this on all the ships! And then the inevitable updates!

I know it's dated, but the info and pictures were amazing. There are a few things I would mention - and this is simply My opinion!

The dining - I always do dinner in the main Dining Room - maybe a specialty a week, depending. but NEVER the My Time Dining - that's when you get in those little 'table for 2' spots. I can have dinner with my wife 365 days a year - I don't need to be confined on a ship - I agree with you on that. But I do early dining and ask for a large table. I have met and stayed friends with the most amazing people that way.

And, I always order at least two different entrees. just in case.... Multiple starters - same reason, and on lobster night - 5 lobsters, keep the veggies. They are small. I actually got those tips before leaving on my very first cruise.

The other thing I do with respect to dining is I ask what the Filipino and Indian dishes are for the say. The table waiter will bring over the maitre'd and he will arrange that. There are many times when thye will bring a large plate of naan bread, huge bowls of rice and several big bowls of assorted curries, etc. Sometimes awesome! People at other tables just stare and cannot figure out why we are being treated special. All you have to do is ask.

That brings me to another point. Royal Caribbean allows you, immediately upon boarding, to remove the 'automatic gratuities' from your Seapass account - unless you're on the My Time Dining... They will provide you with envelopes just like in the old days, and you can give it to the applicable people personally. I have found that there is a certain level of expectation for tips when someone doesn't even do any thing for you.

Classic case is the maitre'd as I mentioned above. On a cruise a couple of years ago he promised me faithfully, for about 5 days, he'd take care of us on one thing or another. He did nothing. I eventually gave up asking because i knew he was just giving lip service. He got NO tip. Instead, my poor waiter, who kept going to ask him daily, got the tip for service above and beyond.

I suppose I got to the point where I had a certain level of expectancy for the service and when the bar was set higher and higher, an encounter with someone who clearly wasn't of the same calibre as earlier staff may have jaded me a bit. But, for every one of those staff members, there are dozens lined up begging for the work. They work hard, and I enjoy givign them the cash they need when I leave the ship.

Anyway, great writeup! thanks for that!