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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/18/2017 in Posts

  1. Since fmanke found the new drink package/MDR attire/gratutity topic in terms of popularity, I must add to the equation with the lanyard from the recent group cruise onto which I pinned a flag of every port I visited since I began sailing RC...I'm debating adding pins from some short European sailings years ago...but my wife insists that I don't because she doesn't want full certification of my geekdom. Mexico will be added in 49 days...
    4 points
  2. Matt

    Free Soda Packages

    As Doc suggested, you could simply give the kids the refillable mugs and let them just use that. I think in most cases, that will work for them. Alternatively, you could go to Guest Services to bequeath your drink package benefits to the kid(s). Not sure if they can fix that for you, but it seems like a reasonable request.
    3 points
  3. FManke

    Lanyard or not?

    If you put all those on at once, you'd look like the Mr. T of lanyards! I pity the fool who don't wear a lanyard!
    2 points
  4. Sorry, just now seeing this! We sailed Star Class over New Years on Anthem of the Seas. We have also stayed in an A1 on Oasis, but prior to the Royal Suite Class. Great room. I remember listening to Len's podcast and being a little concerned that the Star Class experience wasn't quite what I was expecting. And honestly, it wasn't. But it was fabulous in it's own way. We would definitely do it again. I'll address your specific questions first and then add in some other experiences. Someone answered your question about cabanas on Labadee being included. They're not, but he will handle booking that for you before the rest of the suite guests get a stab at it. You'll get the one you want. However, we did have "private" tours with other Star Class guests. We were offered a bridge tour and a theater tour. He also booked the escape room for the Star Class guests (not on Allure, but just giving you ideas). We asked about dinner on our balcony one night. He suggested that we not do that because all of the food is delivered at once and the later courses wouldn't be as warm as they would like. This is why I think Chef's Table on the balcony was told no. I'm sure if you pressed hard enough, you might get your way, but it's not the experience you want them to have. Weddings are conducted through a separate department of RC. This is something you would want to work on WAAAAAY before you ever have contact with your Genie, so I wouldn't imagine they would be of any use. Ok, now let's talk about a typical day in the life of a Star Class guest. Your Genie will deliver a hand written schedule for you the night before with your Cruise Compass. On this he will have activities that he has "scheduled" for you. These are activities that he will meet you at to either a) get you to the front of the line or b) put you in the best seats in the house. This could also include escorting you off the boat to meet up with an excursion or private tours. Don't want to do something? Not a problem, just tell him. Want to add something? Same thing. Our Genie usually touched base with us at breakfast. Not really sure how he knew when we were eating lol. He would go over his schedule and if we had anything else we wanted to do or any concerns. Then we would see him briefly during various parts of the day. For example, Anthem has bumper cars. We would meet him in front of the arcade and he would walk us to the front of a two hour line and put us on the next set. We would show up 10 minutes prior to a show at night and there was Derek, smiling holding the best seats for us. We ate in the MDR one night and he went in earlier in the evening and put up a reserved sign by a window for us (wish we did this more often). On San Juan, we arrived at port at 3 PM. You could imagine the amount of people who were ready to get off the boat by that point. He walked us to the front of the line. In terms of specialty restaurants, we were basically told "Be Our Guest." At Izumi, which is normally ordered a la carte, we were told to just go for it. Whatever we wanted. Chef's Table was included. We also received a variety of gifts from our Genie throughout the week. This was a cool bonus. I wouldn't worry too much about people saying "my Genie wouldn't do this." There are generally reasons why they can't do something or suggest against it. In the end it all works out and is an incredible experience.
    2 points
  5. Hello All, I wanted to see if we could commence a running Cruise Director and Activities Manager list here on the Royal Caribbean Blog Boards. As many of you know, the Cruise Director can be very influential in providing a fun and interactive experience while on a cruise and for this reason the question is often asked "who will be the cruise director on my sailing?" However, as with any position of importance, the Cruise Director also enlists the assistance of his or her Activities Manager to host a number of events throughout a sailing (e.g. trivia, bingo, karaoke, etc...). Therefore, I would also like to keep the list updated with the current Activities Managers whom many of us develop strong relationships with based on our varying degrees of participation in ship events. While I know there are similar lists maintained elsewhere on the internet, my desire is to provide an easily accessed (thanks in part to the long-term edit function of these boards) and more user friendly document than what currently exists. In addition to receiving regular updates from the fantastic blog community that fill these boards with Royal Caribbean knowledge everyday, I also hope to leverage Kat's evergrowing Periscope community to obtain real time and accurate updates as to who holds these very important positions throughout the Royal Caribbean fleet. Below is my first stab at a draft of the list based on information I was able to retrieve from various social media and online content. As you can see, there are some blanks, which I am sure many of you will be able to assist with filling in. Please feel free to respond here with any list updates or any comments as to the format or layout of the document. I would like to thank all of you in advance for any assistance you can provide with making this list a useful resource for Royal Caribbean cruisers.
    1 point
  6. We went on the Oasis in February of this year. Had a great time! I suggest you go online and reserve the shows prior to sailing. Our experience was that we arrived at the show about 30 minutes ahead of showtime and especially for those shows expected to be packed, there were "ushers" to scan your seapass card and they actually turned away people that did not have advance reservations until 15 minutes before showtime. Reserve prior to sailing!
    1 point
  7. FManke

    Drink prices went down

    If that's the case, it seems to be working as more people than ever are cruising. Keeping the cruise fares as low as possible allows more people the opportunity to cruise. And once you've cruised, they've got you. Also a la carte pricing, allows people to get what they want by paying for it, but allows others not to have to pay for what they don't want and/or won't use.
    1 point
  8. FManke

    Free Soda Packages

    I agree with DocLC. Wait until you get on board to do anything. If they can fix it, and I don't see why not, great. And if they can't you haven't lost anything by waiting to get the soda pkgs. I don't see why it matters who in the room gets the free soda pkgs, as long as it's not more than two free per room.
    1 point
  9. FManke

    Drink prices went down

    I'm not looking for free drinks, as I don't drink anymore, 19yrs this year. I was just curious about how cruising might have changed over time. Good information though.
    1 point
  10. monorailmedic

    MDR seating

    That's around the upper limit - but with proper planning they should at least be able to get you at two tables in a somewhat "sectioned" area. You'll want to ensure your reservations are linked, that your dining request is noted, and that as soon as you board you go to the MDR to speak with someone about your request.
    1 point
  11. DocLC

    Free Soda Packages

    I'm not sure if you can change it--perhaps someone eye will chime in; however, you can give the regulable mugs to the kids to use at the Freestyle machines during the cruise. The primary disadvantage, if you can't get it switched, is that they will only be able to get sis at the machines, not at bars or in the restraunts.
    1 point
  12. clmsnskr

    MyCruisePhotos.com

    You're welcome. Also, for reference a lot of websites only secure the pages that need to be secured (ie: login, checkout, etc). It slows down performance a bit to encrypt every page on the server, then make your browser to the work of decrypting every page. It is a performance reason that many websites choose to only put the pages the need to be secure behind https. Just look for a green lock on any website's login, personal info, or billing info pages and you'll be good if it's present there. Informational pages...doesn't really matter if they are secure or not.
    1 point
  13. That's true, and I'm sure I'm quicker than room service, even as old as I am, with one bum knee! And I get to keep the tip!
    1 point
  14. Depends. Is that free tequila a silver reposado, or some yellow mystery liquid with a worm on the bottom?
    1 point
  15. melski94

    Price Changes

    I really don't understand this. I'm not sure if this is because you are in the UK. I thought the price when you made a deposit was the price you paid. In the US, we can take advantage of price decreases which I understand you can't in the UK. Almost always, the cruise costs more at final payment but I only have to pay the price that I agreed upon when I booked (unless I change the reservation by adding another person, in which case I have to pay current price). Who told you that you owed 700 more? Was it Royal Caribbean or a TA?
    1 point
  16. clmsnskr

    MyCruisePhotos.com

    That's the website to use to order photo packages. I use them every time I go on a Royal, Celebrity or Disney cruise. They don't have every sailing listed, but they will list yours in plenty of time for you to order your package. It does have a green lock once you get to to the checkout page. Alternatively, you can just put this in your browser's address bar and it will have the green lock: https://www.mycruisephotos.com/ It is based in the Cayman Islands. They do not charge a foreign transaction fee, however your bank might (They state this on their website). My bank does not charge foreign transaction fees so I wasn't charged any when I ordered my photo packages. "MyCruisePhotos.com is a Cayman Islands registered company. Please check with your bank and ask about your credit card's policy relating to online shopping from a foreign company for items priced in US dollars. For a card-by-card breakdown of conversion fees, visit BankRate.com. BankRate.com is not maintained or endorsed by MyCruisePhotos.com, we are not responsible for outdated or incorrect information."
    1 point
  17. Lyrical

    Lanyard or not?

    We ordered from AMAZON, and love these. Laynards: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0178IZVO6/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 luggage tag holders/RCI size: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M5MDAS0/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Luggage tags Laynards https://www.amazon.com/Over-Door-15-Pocket-Organizer/dp/B000TCVUA8/ref=pd_sim_198_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000TCVUA8&pd_rd_r=CD52JE41B2S4NHDRV2XZ&pd_rd_w=Qe8Kv&pd_rd_wg=pptC0&psc=1&refRID=CD52JE41B2S4NHDRV2XZ over the door hanging organizer that is great too!!!
    1 point
  18. DocLC

    Lanyard or not?

    For those with kids, Adventure Ocean will provide a lanyard during registration that has a safety clasp.
    1 point
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