TLex

Same rule onboard, though you might find them backing off a little and requiring the second person to get a soda package instead of Refreshment.

Bob, sorry to belabor this question, but have you heard or read anything recently WRT the Diamond+ or Pinnacle on-board discount for the deluxe beverage package? I never told you, but last November on Adventure out of San Juan, only by the outstanding assistance of Guest Services was I able to purchase it with that 30% discount; the online "flyer" did not even mention a beverage package discount. So I've been concerned that Royal was possibly eliminating this altogether.

I ask because I already purchased the Refreshment package for the DW because she cannot drink alcoholic beverages when it was also previously at 30% discount on the Cruise Planner. Obviously, I am going to plead that we can't have two deluxe packages when she cannot consume alcoholic beverages and try to buy just one for me. But I am noting that once again there is an alleged 50% discount sale on the Cruise Planner which, as I recall, is really 25% per package and if the 30% D+ discount isn't available anymore, may be the best price for Liberty of the Seas in October 2018.

BTW, I asked some friends who were sailing RCL for the first time to inquire about this at the GS desk; unfortunately, they really didn't understand the question, I suspect, and were told "Huh?" Not unusual! :D:D:D

As always, mil gracias. And Carol, if you're strolling thru these postings and see this and have some up to date information as well, please provide! :-)

VR,

T Lex

Bumpin' only to "see" if "Merion Mom" is still out there.

If she is and she sees this, we had a question WRT using the D+ discount versus purchasing online via the Cruise Planner.

Thanks,

VR,

T Lex

Don't miss out.

 

Buy now at $48 then cancel and re-buy if it decreases.

Carol:

Just checking. Still better if D+ to wait and purchase on board?

Last November on Adventure of the Seas the D+ discount wasn’t listed as in that photo you posted in Spring 2017 but Guest Services, after I asked them to check, confirmed that it was still available and sold it to me for the D+ discount. For which I’ve meant to thank you because it was a significant savings. :D

Right now, for our October Liberty cruise, the Planner was showing only a 20% discount so I didn’t buy.

Thanks,

VR,

T Lex

Bob, we never saw the Diamond breakfast section in MDR but must confess we didn't look all that hard for it! :)

But AoS did institute something new for Suite (gold card) and Pinnacle and that was breakfast in Chops on deck 4 near the theater. We ate there five times during our voyage (25 Nov - 02 Dec 17) and loved the service, menu, outstanding coffee and juice (although we often got Starbucks from our beverage packages on the way in). Andres explained that this was a recent innovation and from the number of folks who took advantage of this, I hope it stays.

BTW: I owe you much information but, quite candidly, I was so disappointed about this particular cruise that I have hesitated to write on it...yet. On the Royal Shuttle to the airport, many of the passengers were quite openly angry at RCL.

Overall, our own experience was not particularly diminished but if you have read about the inability to even get into the Windjammer at times due to severe overcrowding and the fact that almost all of the shows to which we went were so poorly attended, even from Day 1 (and less than 100 I counted for the headliner show on Thursday evening) and that we had one of the worst shows we've witnessed in over 22 years of cruising with RCL, well, that would be accurate. We sure hope your future cruise on AoS is far more enjoyable.

And proving how we still remain "loyal," booked a very nice room on Liberty for next October 2018. Going back to our "roots" by sailing out of Galveston!! :D

VR,

T Lex

Not for us! Waited from 0340 to get to the kiosk, got our luggage tags, then just as we got to the front of the counter, a Stern lady told us we had to open all our luggage if we were going to San Juan, told us she wouldn't do it, then sent us to the back of another line!

😡

Fortunately, another gentleman assisted us, told us she was wrong, we finally got the bags checked through, cleared security thru TSA pre-check, sitting in comfortable area near the gate.

That first Bloody Mary is going to taste SOOOO good.

Word of advice if going from MCO: love this airport/shopping mall but be earliest in line. 🤣

VR,

T Lex

Thanks! ALWAYS your thread, I'm just "helpin'". 😀

We're at the Hyatt Regency Airport now. Had a quick snack at the food court and rearranged packing for tomorrow. BTW, folks, we took a breath and paid $14 on Amazon for the heavy plastic luggage tags with the wire "screw-in" attachments. Glad we did! They work great with the printed color tags. And they're reusable.

Orlando is definitely overcast right now. But no concerns for tomorrow's flight. Already got our boarding passes. Incredibly, we're A 16-17! Need to go play a lottery or something! :D

Airport is already decorated for Christmas. Will try to upload photos later. And enjoy Epcot!!

This time tomorrow..... drinking on the Adventure! :evilsmile:

VR,

T Lex

BTW: I never hijack or post uninvited. Would you object if I can feed into this one for "one stop shop" on this voyage or would you prefer I open a separate thread? This is YOUR Live from Adventure.

We're staying at the hotel where you are tomorrow night and flying in I think with you guys on Saturday. Had to stay to spend Thanksgiving with the family. And if Bill Oh is reading, he's going to love that you are doing the Aruba Trikes! If they have a spare, we may try that, too.

Hope Orlando is drier than it looked yesterday! Have fun at Epcot!!

VR,

T Lex

Thank you, Chris, for doing this.

Now I can save on an Internet package and just imbibe while you post for the adoring public!

:D

VR,

T Lex

P.S. I will try to open a thread with photos as well and perhaps dovetail with a different perspective. Can't disappoint Bob after all of these months....Carol would KILL ME! :p

Bob, I will let you and all know as soon as we get there on Sunday! :D

VR, BR,

T Lex

P.S. Seriously, I will check on all excursions availability and whether specific areas are now open....

October 16, 2017 at Noon EDT (next update Friday, 10/20 at 5 PM EDT)

Royal Caribbean leadership recently returned from visits to St. Thomas and San Juan and will be visiting St. Maarten on Wednesday. We continue to be impressed with the progress the islands are making to rebuild, and are excited to announce our return to St. Thomas with the Adventure of the Seas on November 10. In the next few weeks, working in conjunction with the local governments, we will announce the specific dates in November for our return to San Juan and St. Maarten.

Upon arrival in St. Thomas guests will be able to enjoy a vast array of activities, dining and shopping. Downtown shops are open and have full power, the majority of restaurants and bars are also open, and the boats and catamarans that are used to enjoy the waters of the Caribbean are ready for guests. We are also partnering with the USVI government to restore Magen’s Bay, one of St. Thomas’ most popular tourist attractions. The beach will have its grand re-opening coinciding with Adventure’s arrival on November 10. Magen’s Bay will be joined by Secret Sands Beach, Secret Harbor Beach Club, Lindquists Beach, Honeymoon Beach on Water Island, and Abi Beach – all open for guests to enjoy.

We anticipate no further changes to our scheduled calls in St. Thomas, San Juan and St. Maarten for sailings December 1, 2017 forward.

Just posted on Royal Caribbean website. FYI.

VR,

T Lex

If the onboard price is $55, then your price onboard with the 30% D+ discount would be $38.50, which would make it better to wait to purchase until you are onboard.

That's what I calculated. Thanks O Wondrous

Oracle!!!

You really are an encyclopedia of Royal.

Or perhaps better phrase is a Royal encyclopedia!! :D

VR,

T Lex

I agree.

 

And we are at T- one week and counting. I'm heading down to Virginia on Sunday to wait it out. :)

Mazel tov (in advance)!! :D

VR,

T Lex

Bob, Carol:

Forgive the utter redundancy, but after the sheer exhaustion this week of trying to find a hotel room (11/25/17 cruise....which Carol WOULD'VE been with us! :D But darn good excused absence!!) and FINALLY seeing that SWA is restoring full flight service on Saturday, 7 October, I wanted to confirm for the umpteenth - and hopefully - last time that D+ discount for deluxe beverage package is, in fact, 30%.

The sale on my Cruise Planner is $44 or 20% off of the onboard price which, of course, makes the current on-board price $55. And, of course, as usual, AS ALWAYS, Royal may well change that price before the actual voyage occurs.

So if my poor mathematical skills are at least somewhat accurate, I'd be better off waiting to buy the package on board with the D+ discount.

Or would I?

I turn to you two legendary mavens for guidance...

:)

VR,

T Lex

My experience is you cannot depend on Starwood reservations. I can find and send you what I received from Sheraton...on the ground.

If you show up and they deny you accommodation, Starwood reservations probably can't help. I can't take that risk.

Good luck!

VR,

T Lex

No idea what that gibberish in the parentheses is. Tried to put a laughing smiley face. Actually, Scotch works much better!!!

VR,

T Lex

Good evening. Did the hotel send you and email or call. We have reservations at Sheraton OSJ for 12-1-17 to 12-2-17. I could not get through to the hotel so I called Starwood. They confirmed the reservation and said all was fine.

We booked through a third party, not directly with the hotel. That might be an issue too.

I don't know if we should make other plans and just cancel the Sheratan.

Typing on cell so forgive mistypes.

I've confirmed that no Sheraton properties will accommodate until after 1 or 9 January 2018. We received not only the form notice directly from Sheraton Old San Juan (and it was clearly from the actual property, not a CONUS based Office), but also Old San Juan cancelled our reservation before we could!

Sheraton Resort and Casino told me when I called at 0945 CDT my time this morning that it was cancelling all reservations through 9 January 2018. Some rooms were damaged by the storm. All remaining rooms were snatched up on long term Government contracts to house first responders, both civilian and military.

On my online chat tonight with a very professional and courteous Marriott CSR, we both learned that no matter what the Marriott reservation website States, AC Condado is running on generators and housing only first responders; Renaissance is closed to all but first responders, and Stellaris won't guarantee any reservations at this time.

---sigh---- I'm tapped out. Taking travel pillow to sleep in the airport and catch a shuttle on Saturday morning. Will NOT risk flying in on date of sailing.

Good luck, everyone!! We're going to need it!

(And beverage package!! 😁)

VR,

T Lex

FYI: saw your post and just to let you know, Sheraton OSJ cancelled our reservation. For 24/25 November. It is not accepting any reservations or confirmations until after 31 Dec 2017...or later.

So we had booked a new reservation through the CONUS website for Starwood (Sheraton), got the confirmation number and then I called the actual property this morning and was informed that the reservation managers were cancelling ALL reservations through 9 Jan 2018. Apparently, many rooms were damaged by the storm and all of the others are booked on long term contracts for Government first responders. There will be no room at the Sheraton properties for your vacation.

Go to See Puerto Rico and read the list of hotels that are open or will be open after a certain date and then, my advice, contact the property directly rather than go through a reservations office somewhere in the CONUS.

And good luck!

VR,

T Lex

I did not think that the MDR served lunch on the Embarkation Day but perhaps with AOS out of SJU (since it departs so late) it does.

Was the MDR open for lunch that day?

VR,

T Lex

Move up to the OS with the walk-in shower.:)

Yup!!!! Looking forward to it.

But, FWIW, I kind of preferred the RS on Mariner and Serenade for a REALLY big shower. :D

Thanks, Bob. As always. ;)

VR,

T Lex

Nope. Same thing. Like to see something different.:rolleyes: I still have my Geneva Convection card from when I served in Vietnam.

Carol took care of the spell check so ill just add that I've kept mine, too, about 30+ years worth.

And, FWIW, they didn't work so well there. Or just about anywhere else!

VR,

T Lex

P.S. doesn't matter. I'm personally prohibited since 2003 from doing that! Captain Tiege on Rhapsody of the Seas. :D

I'm so excited for you Bob, I lived in Panama in the early 80's (military wife),by colon at ft gulick . A nd I loved it. Also visited costa rica-friendliest people ever. You will have a great time!!

Those WERE the days, when the School was still there and before it became Fuerte Espinar.

But still need "proof." :D Do Shimmy Beach, Uncle Andy (at Fort Sherman), and Teddy playing piano at the Sunday brunch at the Club "ring a bell?"

This may be a great trip, beats flying from Houston, but I totally agree about Colon. And I've been there.

Lived down there nearly 18 years, made plenty of Canal transits, including an awesome ride on Iowa in 1985, loved catching peacock bass on Lake Gatun, but I only went back once, in 2009, and it's totally changed. Won't be returning soon even though in-laws are still there. Folks, do the excursions, especially if you can get one to Fort San Lorenzo, but be careful!

VR,

T Lex

Bob, Hello, twice in one night! But this time we're on AOS in late November so once again seek your counsel.

We've been on RCCL cruises since 1995 but have had a major hiatus since last cruise on Serenade in 2015. We had OS on Voyager in 2009 but same or larger on Mariner, Allure, and Serenade (Radiance class, of course) on later cruises. So was wondering: AOS is "sister" of Voyager and Explorer and we've got 1320 this time. If I recall correctly, balconies are quite small for those suites compared to the later Voyager class vessels. But this one's a hump, essentially across from 1620, and I was wondering, if you know, whether the balcony might be a "tad" larger.

So, are you planning to sail AOS again sometime this year? I've been fortunate to meet some the "CC Legends" (like Carol in 2015, that one was a terrific time); perhaps given your clime you might consider later this year?? :D:D

VR,

T Lex

Bob, thank you and Rukkian very much!

And now I can count myself among those whom you have helped!! :D

VR,

T Lex

Regular coffee is free everywhere on the ship.

Bob, I had written a question to you on another drinks thread but I guessed you missed it because I never saw your response. I'm crushed: I think I must be the only poster in Cruise Critic who never got a nearly instantaneous answer from you!!! :D

Showing my age: years ago when there were still categories of wine packages (gold, platinum and diamond) and RCCL had just introduced the various drink packages (e.g., Ultimate, etc.) someone prepared a comprehensive spread sheet that set out, in detail, how much one would have to drink against then current drink prices to "break even" on the package costs.

Fast forward to 2017: do you know if that was ever updated (I remember seeing your posts on a thread about it) or if it's even "worth it" now that we're down to the two principal packages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)?

Thank you for any advice!

VR,

T Lex

Ahhhh. We are sailing aruba,bonaire,curacao,st maarten in September.

 

Enjoy

 

Bill

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

Thanks.

You think Bob went to sleep? He usually answers immediately.

:D

VR,

T Lex