Any Royal Caribbean cruisers try Virgin?

[sellwingri]

I was given a free cruise offer on Scarlet Lady and decided to take them up on their offer.  As a Diamond Plus on Royal, will I enjoy the change? I’m apprehensive about dining options and what appears to be a ship for those younger than us (60’s).  Anyone help me out on what we’ll enjoy and what we should make sure to do? 

[pl281]

@sellwingri

 

While I haven't been on Virgin yet, I've been following the board as we have a cruise coming up in March.

 

1) Based on reviews posted so far the age range is anything and everything

 

2) There are a number of dining venues  - you need reservations but they are pretty much all included in your fare - so you have many options

 

3) My understanding is that while there are daily activities - it isn't as formalized as what you might be used to on Royal.

 

We normally are on Celebrity but figured we would try this out just to see what it is like

 

I would look at some of live reviews that have already been posted to get a better idea

[Nap3025]

We are Celebrity cruisers and Virgin wasnt for us … loud techno music everywhere, very uncomfortable and weird seating everywhere including on the balcony, dorm room like cabins, food was good but impossible to get a second reservation in the Italian restaurant we particularly enjoyed and no main dining room to fall back on.  Eating outside of the galley was like eating in a loft with exposed electrical wires. Just not the luxury and comfort we are used to although the staff were very good.  Shows were very strange and definitely not for 60 year olds!  No artwork on stairways or corridors …felt like we were in a metal submarine.  We spoke to many people on our cruise who felt the same. The first time cruisers were raving but obviously have nothing to compare it to. 

[jchipgcs]

I was personally a fan.  I don't like the big mainstream lines much at all and prefer very small ships like Windstar.  I also hate constant loud music.  I liked the vibe on Scarlet Lady better than I did on Celebrity Apex, having been on both just days apart.  We were also traveling with another couple who constantly does RCCL, Celebrity and NCL and in her words, "she's never going back" to them after having a ball on VV.  It is very personal though.  Polarizing in fact.  Some people will love it and some will not but I happened to be one who loved it.  

[peteukmcr]

We are Royal Caribbean cruisers with 22 cruises with them under our belt.

We sailed on Scarlet Lady in August 2021. Thoroughly enjoyed it. 
Here’s our summary from my review

 

Summary & Conclusions 

So, has Virgin Voyages built a ship that is attractive, providing a wide variety of comfortable accommodations, numerous venues providing great service and food with a wide range of activities and entertainment? Well, in our view the answer is a definite yes!

Positives

Lack of announcements during the day means you aren’t being disturbed constantly and being encouraged to attend activities.

The staff are engaging and provide a great service. The ‘uniforms’ are quite casual but distinctive enough for you to recognise them.

As mentioned earlier, servers enquire as to whether you have any food allergies or special dietary requirements before taking your order, a great service.

Being able to message “Sailor Service” via the app instead of lining up on deck 5 works well.

The technology touches of electrically operated curtains, mood lighting and the services available via the in-room tablet were nice.

The offering of ‘snacks’ at several venues was a nice touch.

The huge variety of seating on the open decks should be enough to appeal to a wide range of ‘Sailors’.

The attention to detail in the decoration of venues making them different was excellent and the variety of places to visit on a ship this size is good. 

The size of the ‘formal’ restaurants and the variety of seating in Pink Agave, The Wake, Extra Virgin, Razzle Dazzle, Gunbae and The Test Kitchen was exceptional.

The minimalist look and furnishings in the rooms may not be to everyone’s taste, we liked it.

Negatives

Are there any negatives? These will vary depending on people’s tastes and expectations.  Please bear in mind, these are solely our opinions.

If booking online, not having the ability to choose your cabin is a disappointment us.

There is a large overhang from deck 15 so for those cabins on deck 14 this could result in a lack of sun on your terrace at times. Also, we did experience noise from the movement of both people and furniture above. If we had been able to choose our location, we would not have chosen deck 14.

Perhaps the size of the main pool will be disappointing to some, but not to us. But the fact that there is only 1 main pool on a ship this size is a surprise to be honest.

The bathrooms in the cabins are a little snug and there is a lack of drawers and shelving, but it is manageable. The unique use of the “Seabed” as a sofa may disappoint some, but we got used to it.

The lack of notifications via the app or TV regarding disembarkation was something we did miss.

The balcony furniture is a little strange considering the space provided and some will expect lounge chairs in place of the small metal chairs provided.

Directions and signage around the ship are a little too subtle, so finding places can be a little challenging at first. 

Public conveniences don’t appear to be in the most ‘convenient’ of places.

 

Would we sail on Virgin Voyages again? Yes, thanks to the generous future voyage credit offered onboard and ‘Sea Blazer’ discount earned (as sailors on Scarlet Lady in 2021) we’ve just booked Valiant Lady for 2022. 
 

My full review is here

https://highseasescapades.co.uk/244183-2/

 

[drewdawg199]

FYI you can book your voyage online then call to change your cabin (based on availability of course).

[benjaminnicholas]

I prefer this to RCI BECAUSE it's so different.

 

My concern is that I'm going to really miss the perks that come with Viking ocean.

 

We shall see.

[johnnylikely]

On 12/7/2021 at 4:01 PM, sellwingri said:

I was given a free cruise offer on Scarlet Lady and decided to take them up on their offer.  As a Diamond Plus on Royal, will I enjoy the change? I’m apprehensive about dining options and what appears to be a ship for those younger than us (60’s).  Anyone help me out on what we’ll enjoy and what we should make sure to do? 

Wow, how did you get a free cruise? If you like food - Virgin is excellent. I'm no foodie but it was easily some of the best food I've had in my life anywhere- they really put a lot into it- it's a shame they don't advertise that more!

I saw with a lovely older couple at dinner and they loved it!

[sellwingri]

On 12/19/2021 at 8:20 PM, johnnylikely said:

Wow, how did you get a free cruise? If you like food - Virgin is excellent. I'm no foodie but it was easily some of the best food I've had in my life anywhere- they really put a lot into it- it's a shame they don't advertise that more!

I saw with a lovely older couple at dinner and they loved it!

I have no idea how I was picked for a free cruise but I do spend a lot of time in the casino on Royal and the Virgin casino group is who reached out to me.   We’ll see how it goes on Scarlet Lady.  We have dinner reservations at the steak, Italian and Korean bbq restaurants but the other 2 days are still up for grabs.  I’m up for different types of food but my husband is a meat and potato guy so we’ll see.

[CruzinMermaid]

I'm also in the over 60 crowd, just back from my first Virgin Voyage - had a fabulous time and am booked again next Fall. It is not tired nor dated.

 

Some of the seating is uncomfortable but most of it is not. A lot of seating is the modern, low to ground style though I managed to find plenty of places to sit which did not have my knees in my chin.

 

At this time you may only make dinner reservations for one restaurant once during your voyage. That said you can walk up and request a table, the crew is amazing and will likely find you a seat. I had dinner in one restaurant and dessert in one I wasn't going to visit for dinner.

[Dr3rdeye]

My wife and I are younger--mid-40s--and have gone with RC twice. Writing this on board Virgin. Virgin, IMHO, is better: food is much better, vibe is a lot more interesting and entertainment is more innovative. I like the vibe of the ship too: basically, a sort, well, "Anglosphere Modern." Somewhere between US and UK: Think fried tomatoes and baked beans as options for breakfast along with mediocre sushi but ALSO pretty good Mexican food and beef served without a lot of gravy.  Anyway, we're fans. 

[Doug S]

My wife and I are 60. We tried Virgin (Nov 26 sailing) after many Royal cruises. There was a fair amount that was positive, but overall, it really wasn't for me. My wife liked it a bit more than I did.

 

Entertainment was lacking, and somewhat strange. No venue where you could seat a sizable crowd and have a quality guest entertainer, of which there were none. Ship's ensemble staff tried really hard to conduct some kind of emersive / interactive entertainment, but for the most part it was a swing and a miss, and was sometimes awkward and uncomfortable. One show had a lot of attendees get up and walk out when they asked you to approach strangers and talk about erotic memories. Pool party on the scarlet night was just some mediocre singing and dancing I could do myself, splashing about in the shallow water. I kept waiting for the wow, but it never happened. Stargazing night was a waste of time, with a few crew members telling greek mythology stories on the aft deck and telling attendees they could write messages and tie them up in the tree. I'm no prude, but I guess I just ain't woke enough for all that. Simply not enough on board that I had any interest in seeing/doing. 

 

As many have said, the seating was not comfortable. I usually felt like I was sitting on the ground. My wife has had foot surgery, and I always had to get up first and help her up. Never a problem with  normal grown up chairs. Our first table in the Test Kitchen was a booth arranged so tight (bolted down), the table touched my stomach when I tried to slide in. I am big and tall guy, but never have that problem elsewhere. There was only about a foot from seat-back to table (not exagerating). 

 

Never been on a cruise before where everybody was so glued to their phones. I like to disconnect when cruising, and put my phone in the safe, but Virgin has very little communication outside their ap, when it was working. Throw in free wifi and a lot of passengers might as well be home on their couch cuz they never got off their phones. i think that results in less intraction with other guests.  Looking around the Galley most were sitting there texting away. Communication was severely lacking overall. Even disembarking most had no idea when they could leave. I understand the attempt at no cruise director, and less paper, but Virgin has gone too far in the other direction. I never saw anything but a blank screen on the Virgin Channel in the room. Great place to communicate with the passengers, but I only saw dead air. 

 

Food was a mixed bag, with some really good, and some I'd not go back to. Left the Test Kitchen a bit hungry after 2 hours of small courses. Galley was decent once I figured out the routine, but it was mildly crowded at times with our light passenger load. I see problems if they are anywhere near capacity. Coulda used a deli / pizza place on the lower decks that was good for a quick bite like on royal. Fast food you had to go to Galley for grab and go options.  I really liked the soda from the freestyle machines. Nice not having to buy a coke or drink package. We drank enough, but not nearly enough to warrant a drink package, so their ala-cart system with OBC bar tab worked fine for us.

 

We missed the large open space of a promenade or atrium. Being a taller guy, I could easily touch the ceiling in most corridors and passenger areas, so it felt a bit claustrophobic. Shops were clustered down a passageway and not that inviting. The roundabout with the stairs almost goes there, but stops short of being that impressive open space I would have liked.  

 

THE GOOD: The port staff was very helpful. Onboard crew was generally very nice and helpful, but changing restaurants every night it was hard to develop any relationships with wait staff. Elevators were fast, with no waits, but our cruise was way under capacity. Embarking and disembarking were actually very easy, but again, not many passengers to clog the works. The covid testing and delayed boarding for a deep clean were understandable and well handled. The one acrobatic show in the red room was not ice show quality, but it was pretty good. Not sure if I would like the bracelets, but they actually worked well. We got relocated without our knowledge to an accessible room and it was very spacious. Bed was the most comfortable we've had on a cruise, but it was not one of the beds that converts to a couch during the day. Definitely less storage, but it was enough. Plenty of plug and usb outlets in room, including on the bed side. AC worked well. Overall Ship was very clean and beautiful. Dress was very casual and comfortable so you can pack pretty light if you want, but remember to have a red outfit for scarlet night. Private resort in Bimini was very nice if you like a beach day.            

 

Told myself I was not going to write a review, but looks like I almost did...

 

Doug (who is looking forward to his February Royal Cruise)

[benjaminnicholas]

You can see a theme here already.

 

The older gen doesn't get this line.  They complain about it being 'woke'

 

That's what Virgin does.  They shake things up.  It's always been that way across all of their products.

 

Change isn't for everyone.

[Doug S]

3 hours ago, benjaminnicholas said:

You can see a theme here already.

 

The older gen doesn't get this line.  They complain about it being 'woke'

 

That's what Virgin does.  They shake things up.  It's always been that way across all of their products.

 

Change isn't for everyone.

I agree, part of it is the woke factor, but a large part of my issues are universal. It's not woke to want more entertainment, games, and maybe even higher quality featured entertainers. Entertainment can be edgy without being either boring or offensive to the point that a good percentage of passengers just walk out. I just think Virgin has not found the sweet spot there yet. Its not woke to want a chair that is comfortable for someone over 6 ft tall. Dining is always subjective, and not a woke/unwoke issue. Some of the wokest people I know eat junk and dont know what a fresh vegitable is. I have pretty diverse tastes, and am a bit of a foodie, but just felt some offerings tried so hard to be edgy, they neglected taste/flavor. Again, some food was really good, but its fair to say that some was not. Preferring larger venues, higher ceilings, and beautiful open spaces is not a woke issue. Granted, the umbilical phone connection is not as predominent in my gen, but plenty of old geezers were tied to their phones too. I'm tied to my phone at home. I prefer cruising to be a break from that.

 

So, yeah, Virgin is different and may appeal more to the younger, woker crowd, but I don't think you can put all the negative issues into the woke bucket. 

 

To each {his/her/their} own,    

Doug

[helengirl]

I was on Virgin a couple of months ago. My 27 year old daughter and her friend loved it. My 26 year old, also a girl, hated it. My husband and I (60) were eh - we would take it again if it were really, really, really cheap, but only if really cheap (and I would bring tons of books or games or something to fill my time since there is noting to do on board most of the time). If you have every heard of GTL, this is the cruise line that does that. GYM all day 24/7 - they have a million athletic activities and venues, but watch that if you do not show up for a free reserved in advance class as you will be charged. TAN go to the beach and tan - so, yeah that is normal. LAUNDRY - replace it with PARTY. SO GTL becomes GTP. Gym tan party. That's the theme. Party/drink hard at night. Sleep in. Exercise or beach all day. Take a nap. Party all night. Repeat. Oh, and eat.

 

TERRIBLE entertainment - some extremely crude (if you are okay with passengers having oral sex with a horizontally cut watermelon on the female's lap and a banana on the man's lap, and a sex therapist tell you why you should have sex with anyone and everyone, then this show is for you). Only saw a band playing one night and a strolling folk trio a time here and there. So no music to sit and listen to or dance to unless you are into the late night loud music disco scene, which was hopping for sure (and that is good for those who like it). They advertise no usual entertainment but um yeah no entertainment - only one somewhat acceptable show (Dueling Reality - think Romeo and Juliet meets unsuccessfully-trying-to-be-Cirque-du-Soleil with no fanfare or costumes, etc). You have to reserve everything - a PAIN. No comedians (if you care). No show with singers/dance.

 

If you do not like to be attached at the hip to your phone - everything is on an app on your phone (from restaurant reservations to the key to your cabin and everything in between (and all has to be reserved)) and the app did not work 50% of the time - this is not for you. We spent at least 20% of our cruise messing with the app and not being able to reserve restaurants and get into our room,... so go to guest services - again and again and again.

 

Food from okay to good to great but you have to reserve restaurants and it is a PAIN. Give me a main dining room please. If you go, the Test Kitchen is a must - ask for both the regular and vegan offerings as some of those are really, really good. You can have both - its not too much, especially if you share the vegan dishes in the middle of the table. For non "fine dining" think food mall. Decent though. Again, be ready to order on your phone and it is pretty slow.

 

Decor - think Ikea, but better quality. Very flashy in places. Definitely planned for Instagram photo ops. When we first got on, our comment to each other was we felt the color and sparseness of cabin decks/stairs, .... were similar to the crew decks of other ships - gray, metal, and stark - but we got used to it. No storage in cabins unless you count a drawer at the bottom of the bed that we did not discover for a couple of days. I just lived out of my suitcase (which I never do) - don't want to be bending down to the floor to get stuff.

 

Don't think the passengers are young - that is what Virgin markets to, but 95% of the passengers when we were on were 55+.

 

Boarding SUCKED. It took 4 hours.

 

So, if this sounds like a bad review, I will qualify it by saying a cruise is a wonderful, luxury experience so, of course, it is a blessing and we had a wonderful time. But compared to Royal, Celebrity, Princess, Holland, MSC, Cunard, and even Carnival, um no (unless on super sale). And forget comparisons to Seaborne, Crystal, Azmara,... but that is a different class so should not be compared. But, my 27 year old will say it is the best cruise she has ever been on out of 50+ cruises - but I qualify that with it is the first time she had a friend with her so having someone to do stuff we old folk won't do makes a difference and her best time might be because of that. My 26 year old will say no Broadway or song and dance shows - nope not for me, no matter what else might be good.

 

I hope this helps! And have fun! As I said, a cruise is a cruise is a blessing!

[helengirl]

5 hours ago, benjaminnicholas said:

You can see a theme here already.

 

The older gen doesn't get this line.  They complain about it being 'woke'

 

That's what Virgin does.  They shake things up.  It's always been that way across all of their products.

 

Change isn't for everyone.

Hi! Not to start anything, but I think woke is being used incorrectly. Virgin makes a point about being different, and it is. No broadway shows, no main dining room, no comedians, etcetera. Woke is defined by Merriam-Webster as "aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)" There is nothing on the ship that has to do with racial and social justice that I can see unless you count that they do not discriminate as to gender, color, sexual preferences, and physical size in hiring. Or that they have, for instance, a male mermaid wearing makeup. Nothing to do with woke. The "older gen" made up 95% of the passengers when we were on board and many of the "older gen" loved it. Just depends how much you are into partying and sex/sexual innuendo. And, I spoke to many entertainment crew that said they realize what they hoped to be interactive entertainment is not working and they will be adjusting. The "older gen" were just bored - not being racist or woke or whatever you are saying. As I said, just to clarify for others - not trying to start a debate. 🙂 Happy holidays!

[_tacocat_]

3 hours ago, Doug S said:

 I have pretty diverse tastes, and am a bit of a foodie, but just felt some offerings tried so hard to be edgy, they neglected taste/flavor. Again, some food was really good, but its fair to say that some was not.

I thought 99% of the food we ate was really good/flavorful, with two notable exceptions.  The corn pudding at the Wake looked revolting to me (husband ordered it, I didn't touch it).  He said it was basically corn flavored flan.

 

The other miss, if you can even call it that, was Gunbae.  When someone asked our server if the meats were marinated/seasoned, he told us that usually KBBQ is spicy but basically said that they had to dumb it down/make more bland to appeal to a wider range of palates.  I thought it tasted okay, but it was missing heat/flavor that you're supposed to have.  A guy at my table ordered the wagyu upcharge entree and looked pretty pissed when he basically got a plate full of unseasoned meats.  I probably would be too at that price!

[Doug S]

4 hours ago, helengirl said:

I was on Virgin a couple of months ago. My 27 year old daughter and her friend loved it. My 26 year old, also a girl, hated it. My husband and I (60) were eh - we would take it again if it were really, really, really cheap, but only if really cheap (and I would bring tons of books or games or something to fill my time since there is noting to do on board most of the time)..........

Mirrored my thoughts but you said it much better.

[Doug S]

3 hours ago, _tacocat_ said:

I thought 99% of the food we ate was really good/flavorful, with two notable exceptions.  The corn pudding at the Wake looked revolting to me (husband ordered it, I didn't touch it).  He said it was basically corn flavored flan.

 

The other miss, if you can even call it that, was Gunbae.  When someone asked our server if the meats were marinated/seasoned, he told us that usually KBBQ is spicy but basically said that they had to dumb it down/make more bland to appeal to a wider range of palates.  I thought it tasted okay, but it was missing heat/flavor that you're supposed to have.  A guy at my table ordered the wagyu upcharge entree and looked pretty pissed when he basically got a plate full of unseasoned meats.  I probably would be too at that price!

Agree in part... To me Gunbae was just an evening of scorched meat. Minimal flavor unless you sauced it up yourself. I had also heard all the raving about Razzle Dazzle's Fried Chicken sandwich and it was not good. Way too breaded - very dry and crunchy. But the cookie dessert there was great. Any attempt at Mexican food on board was a fail. The guac in Pink Agave was smashed chunky avocado that was still partially frozen. But being from the capital of Tex-Mex, I am a hard sell. Test kitchen gets a hard no from me but Extra Virgin and Wake were very good. My Gnocchi and New York strip In Extra Virgin was my fav meal of the cruise. Appetizers were also good there.  Clam Chowder in the Wake was very good. Galley was good for breakfast, Lunch was ok, and never ate dinner there.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Doug S

[benjaminnicholas]

1 hour ago, Doug S said:

But being from the capital of Tex-Mex, I am a hard sell.

 

To be fair, comparing Tex-Mex and Chilango-style from CDMX (what Pink Agave is getting inspiration from) are two very separate things.

 

Mexico City rarely deals in Tex-Mex.  They do things their own way.

[Doug S]

Just now, benjaminnicholas said:

 

To be fair, comparing Tex-Mex and Chilango-style from CDMX (what Pink Agave is getting inspiration from) are two very separate things.

 

Mexico City rarely deals in Tex-Mex.  They do things their own way.

Totally Understand. I've had Mexican food from all over, and like most of it... but partially frozen guacamole? I don't think that's a thing in any Mexican style... And the tortillas on board... not good.   I know its personal preference, but the Mexican food offerings on board seemed to me like they were made in England. Maybe I just got bad servings?

[Jasukkie]

Such a polarizing ship. I appreciated the fresh look and overall vibe. The layout takes some getting used to but it's like that on a lot of the new or amplified ships on Royal now too. I'm more of a DIY cruiser. I'm happy to sit and read a book, or just people watch with a cocktail. I rarely go to shows on Royal anymore, been there, done that. 

 

No one has really brought this up yet, but hello, child free? Fantastic! I love kids, really, I do, but not so much in packs or loud extended family groups. I'll still go on Royal, but this just felt so much more like a luxury experience without kids around.

 

Food was top notch, the galley can use some tweaking though. Bar service is more quality over quantity. Really, service in every area was very well done. Not knocking Royal, it's just a friendly, less formal feeling that I liked. 

[FalklandIslander]

I’m about the same age as the OP and I cruised exclusively with Royal Caribbean for nearly 20 years.  I didn’t expect to try another cruise line as I thought Crown and Anchor had their hook in me deeply enough with the loyalty perks.  We decided to try Virgin primarily because they require all passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated and secondarily because there are no children onboard.

 

The boarding experience was very good.  We proceeded through a series of very short queues (each about two to five minutes).  Swabbing for a Covid test sample was one of the first and verification of a negative result was one of the last.  Verification of travel documents was somewhere in the middle.  The whole process took (for us) 34 minutes from when we stepped out of the Uber until we stepped onboard Deck 5.

 

Pros:

1. No children.

2. Everyone onboard fully vaccinated.  No mask requirements (theoretically upon demand of crew, but it seemed no passenger was ever asked to wear a mask.  Probably masking would only be asked if a breakout were to occur.  Crew were often masked.)

3. Much better food and dining options than Royal Caribbean.  We always choose the healthiest food option, regardless of taste, and the options were very tasty.  My lunch of the 2nd day, crew had passed the word up to Edward, the executive chef, that we’re vegan and he came to ask us what, if anything, they could do to accommodate us.  I told him that there are ample options for vegans who don’t care about healthy, but for those who care about healthy eating, the options were limited.  He asked a few questions, then told us we would be taken care of.  We were!  Every time we went to a restaurant, they knew as soon as they scanned our bracelet that they needed to prepare a healthy meal for us and they did.  Every meal was whole food (no refined or processed foods), plant based, without sugar and every meal was fabulously delicious.  Our only possible complaint is that food was wasted.  Huge complements to executive chef Edward.

4. Nice views from the well-equipped fitness center.

5. We didn’t have to queue at all to disembark.  What a contrast to the nightmare of disembarking from Royal Caribbean.

6. Internet, tips, and all meals included in the voyage price.

 

Cons:

1. Smoking is allowed onboard.  Time for the 1970s to end.  Nicotine gum and/or patches should be offered to the nic addicts.

2. Shows and restaurants booked very quickly.  We were not able to try all the restaurants and were not able to see all the shows.  A pro for most passengers but a con for some: shows were mildly adult themed (I wouldn’t take anyone under about 12-14 to such shows) but I definitely would have taken my late grandmother.  The most prudish of passengers would probably feel mildly uncomfortable.

3. “Bonfire” on the beach was not a bonfire.  It was a gas flame inside a metal orb.  It was free (i.e. included in the voyage price).  I would have been very disappointed if it had been a paid excursion.

4. The swimming pool is about the size of a large hot tub, but there was satisfactory spacing for lounging around on deck.

5. We had technical problems with the sliding door to our terrace.  First someone from housekeeping came to “fix” it.  He was able to get it to close properly.  Then the problem repeated, so the same person from housekeeping called for someone to come from engineering.  The third visit was from engineering and he got it to close, but told us he would have to return to replace a part with an improved version.  He returned, replaced the part, and we didn’t have anymore problems with the door after that.

 

Due mainly to the policies of everyone onboard being fully vaccinated and no children onboard combined with the outstanding TLC we received from executive chef Edward (and all his staff), we’re now loyal Virgin cruisers.  We discussed booking Royal Caribbean’s nine month round the world cruise (we were very tempted) but decided that we’re not going back to Royal Caribbean as long as they allow unvaccinated persons onboard.  The only other changes Royal Caribbean could make that would prompt us to give them another try would be to either ban all smoking onboard (passengers and crew) or to establish a strictly vegan dining venue.  I imagine those changes are probably five to ten years in the future, but I’m open to being pleasantly surprised.

[sellwingri]

Thanks all for the many comments.  I was able to make reservations for the steak, Italian, and Korean restaurants on line but not sure where else we’ll eat.  My husband is a very basic meat and potato guy so it should be interesting. Hope we do not eat in one of the places with the low chairs.  I’m going to try and keep an open mind and if it’s bad, its only 5 days.  I’ll spend more time in the casino. We sail on Allure of the Seas over New Years and board Scarlet Lady 13 days after we get home.  
 

Merry Christmas all!

[_tacocat_]

4 hours ago, sellwingri said:

Hope we do not eat in one of the places with the low chairs.

The only low chairs I saw for dining were at the Dock/Dock House, but there are a few different types of seating options there.  All the main restaurants either had normal tables/chairs or banquettes.