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Eternity? Is that like the Hotel California? "You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave..." For some reason I keep getting images of a funeral parlor, or line of caskets in mind. "This is our Eternity series, because only the best for your loved ones". Elegance works though.

Today was all to prepare for Izumi....Wow, I thought. Embarkation Day We woke up with a task before heading to the port. Unsuccessful in our attempt to fill a prescription the night before, we packed our bags, loaded our rental and headed to a location of the drug store chain we use. Since filling it would take 20-30 minutes, I decided the best way to get close to our original schedule would be to take the bags to the port and return. It worked well, and within about 45 minutes we were dropping our rental at the off site location very close to the port. I called a ride share, and were entering Port Everglades. .. Entering the Port and Check-In it’s necessary you have your passport and cruise docs ready to enter the port and terminals. This is where having a print out of your set sail pass is handy, even if you are using the Royal App. A short line of cars to enter the port gave us a chance to get everything ready for the officer at the gate. We entered the building with our passports and mobile phones in hand. We had our backup printed set sail pass at the ready just in case. When the port staff saw that we had our apps ready for scanning, we were ushered to a central area where our Mobile SeaPasses were scanned and our passports checked. Those who did not have expedited check-in with the app we’re on either side of our area as best I could tell. We turned a corner to our right and went through security with the suite guests and Pinnacles. Wow, I thought. After security. We entered a separate line adjacent to the suite guests, which was shorter. I gather a small percentage of overall guests are able to use or even know about expedited check-in. There were a few ahead of us, and when we went to the check-in desk, we provided our apps with SeaPass cued up along with our passports. The agent checked everything against the pics we uploaded at home during online check-in, handed us boarding vouchers and we were on board in as long as it took to walk there. Wow, I thought. We headed straight through the Royal Promenade and up to Central Park to Giovanni’s for lunch. They now only offer the Central Park balcony lunch perk on sea days on Allure. Still, it was a great, restful way to spend the first hour or two on board. We ate in anticipation of off-setting hunger waiting for our 9:00 pm Izumi Hibachi reservation. Wow, I thought. After lunch, we circled aft to the Boardwalk to check things out and then to the Royal Promenade to walk to the forward elevators. Up to deck 10, turn left and enter our adjoining staterooms at about 1:30 pm. This was pretty seamless...or frictionless... Wow, I thought. Most of our luggage (except mine —> more below) arrived within minutes. We explored a little and decided naps were needed. Naps didn’t last, so a few of us explored the ship. It is no lie that Oasis class ships are easy to navigate. Despite the monstrosity of Allure and the number of steps you take, you never feel lost or disoriented. Wow, I thought. *Back in the cabin* *Knock on the door* *A man hands me a slip of paper* I had a summons to the naughty room!!!! *What???? Me??? I didn’t try to break the rules...this time....I put it in my pocket. Wow, I thought. Soon, our stateroom attendant introduced herself and we had lots of laughs as she talked about going to muster. We decided to go early which had its merits as it was in the Blaze nightclub. It went longer than hoped, but not too bad. They made us watch the “Wash Your Hands” video and the James Bond style safety video. No wow...An episode of Royal crush would have been better. After sail away, which was fun on the bridge wing while failing to get on PTZTV, I headed down to the naughty room on Deck 2 with a couple of my kids, and the staff there were very nice. They found my bag, scanned it and said I had power strips which are verbotten. *Scratches Head...* *Really?* Anyway, I opened my bag and they were there. In my packing rush, I threw in a couple of the surge protectors thinking they were power strips. Nope. Surge protectors. *My bad* To be continued... I’m baking in the Solarium while docked in Nassau and need a beverage while writing this...

I came here for the sordid details - (the title made me think something else).

We sail on our first cruise this Friday from Seward, AK to Vancouver aboard the Radiance of the Seas. I plan to bring the laptop and since I didn't see a live blog for Radiance I thought I'd give it a try. We travel to Anchorage from Philadelphia on Wednesday. The flight gets in late so we traveled a day early to rest up before cruising. We're flying American through Phoenix. With two 5-hour flights we'll also have another first - flying 1st Class for at least one leg (Philly-Phoenix) and on standby for the upgrade from Phoenix to Anchorage. Flights were arranged using points on my AA account. We'll have all day Thursday and Friday morning in Anchorage before we head to the convention center to get a shuttle to the train depot where we'll meet my sister-in-law and her husband (they are doing Denali) to take the train from Anchorage to Seward. I was able to use points for 2 nights at the Crowne Plaza in Anchorage. Any "don't miss" attractions/restaurants in Anchorage? Pre-purchased: Voom for 2 ($22.38/day); Refreshment package for 2 ($297.36 for 7 days). We also got the RC credit card and used it to pay off the cruise and other purchases (excursions, refreshment package, etc.). Accumulated 30K+ points so converted it to $300 OBC! Here's the itinerary with excursions we purchased. We go the best deals in March - 3 months before sailing - on the excursions.: Day 1 (6/22) - Leave Seward, AK 8 PM Day 2 (6/23) - Cruising - Hubbard Glacier Day 3 (6/24) - Juneau Discover Juneau’s natural splendors as you board a waterjet-powered catamaran in search of whales before exploring the massive Mendenhall Glacier. Enjoy complimentary binoculars and snacks and pass snow-capped peaks and islands dotting picturesque Stephen’s Passage. Look for humpback and orca whales, sea lions, and bald eagles while learning about their behaviors from your guide. Explore the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, where you can visit with Forest Service Rangers, enjoy interactive exhibits and roam nearby trails. JU40 Day 4 (6/25) - Skagway Discover Skagway’s rich gold mining history along the scenic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, viewing historic landmarks, panning for gold, and savoring a scrumptious buffet. Travel via vintage rail car, passing picturesque vestiges of the Klondike Gold Rush. Meet vivacious pioneer characters at Alaska 360 Dredge Town, where you’ll engage in gold panning. Relish a tasty menu of salmon and barbecue ribs while relaxing at Taiya Inlet’s Pure Gold Buffet. SK62 Day 5 (6/26) - Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. We're doing separate excursions: I'm going birdwatching while my wife is cooking.... Explore the avian diversity of Hoonah’s lush temperate rainforest and its surrounding tidal waters with a local expert — the only dedicated birding tour in Alaska offered to cruise guests. Your guide will show you the best places to scope for seabirds, ducks, gulls and bald eagles, then lead your small group down a trail through mixed forest and grasslands to find a wealth of passerines. Binoculars, rain jackets and the highest-quality spotting scopes will be provided. Whether you are an avid birder or a casual birdwatcher, your guide will help you get the most out of your Alaska experience. What’s more, a portion of the proceeds for this tour go to the Juneau Audubon Society for research and development of birding in the Hoonah area. IC44 Capture the essence of real Alaskan flavor by experiencing a fresh seafood meal the local way. Participate in a festive tasting session in a rustic setting, hosted by an engaging, experienced Alaskan fisherwoman and wilderness chef. Discover what sets the region’s seafood apart, including local fishing, preserving and cooking techniques; watch an expert filleting demonstration, and grill your own catch-of-the-day sample over a custom-made wood grill. IC36 Day 6 (6/27) : Ketchikan Explore Ketchikan's illustrious history while viewing historic landmarks and enjoying coastal scenery onboard a Coast Guard-certified vessel that doubles as a bus and a boat. Journey on land via bus, as you pass the antique clock in Whale Park and Ketchikan Creek's salmon ladder. Drive straight into Tongass Narrows channel for a dynamic boat ride, where you'll see fishing canneries and charming waterfront communities. You might even spot bald eagles, whales, and other native animals. KE29 Day 7 (6/28) - Cruising Day 8 (6/29)- Arrive in Vancouver at 7AM From Vancouver we are renting a car and heading to Seattle, WA for 2 nights (Holiday Inn using points) before heading back towards Vancouver. We still have a night to book between Seattle and Vancouver before taking a red-eye home (Vancouver-Chicago, Chicago-Philly). Now to start packing!!

Intro As my kids are getting older at age 23, 20 and 18, we are doing what may be the last vacation all together as a family. We’ve been looking forward to it for quite a while. We are sailing to Nassau, Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya on a Western Caribbean itinerary. I am using my phone for this live blog, so enjoy the inevitable typos. Getting to the Port We flew in the day before our sailing and stayed at the Spring Hill Suites in Dania Beach, about 12 minutes to Terminal 18 where Allure docks. I tried an off site rental car company called Sixt for the first time. They advertise high end cars at lower prices than conventional companies,. As of the writing of this blog, it has been pretty good. The only caution is that getting to the company’s shuttle stop across from the terminal and from baggage claim on no sleep can be challenging. I went ahead of my family to get the car to avoid schlepping. I met them later with the car outside baggage claim. Prior to arrival, I received an email asking if I wanted to make a dollar bid online for additional money, sort of like a blind auction, to secure a Mercedes for the rental. I thought it was a little strange, but I didn’t end up using it. We rented a BMW X3 SUV which is brand new...nice. If you liked Sprockets on SNL, you might like this experience as you move like Dieter to the techno music being played in the rental office while waiting in line. We are glad for the car because we had to make an unscheduled prescription run the night before embarkation. I was also able to go to Dr von D Mizzell-Eula Johnson State Park to see Billy Hirsch’s @CruiseHabit scoping spot for myself. Seeing those sail aways in person is incredible, It was great hanging with Billy despite what Matt may say. And I see you @BigDogRon...:p We will get to the terminal a little before 11:00 am this morning and I can’t wait to share more. Photo 1 — Spring Hill Suites, Dania Beach Photo 2 — Sixt Rental Office Photo 3 — Billy Scoping Photo 4 — Big Dog Ron — I’m crushed ? Feel free to check out my IG @dunkelbier_jay for more pics and little videos.

?? @Blondie511 apologizing on behalf of @JLMoran, @ellcee,and I for completely taking this thread off topic.

This looks like soooooo much fun! Every cruise director in the fleet should watch these videos. Get rid of the tired, boring 70's night and have events like this where people have fun and really enjoy themselves. A real vacation. Instead of passengers having to pretend they like the Village People and KC and the Sunshine Band songs; Turn the subs down low, make the girls wearing bikinis sit in a pile of glitter and let passengers get their moneys worth out of their drink package. I woud sooooo sign up for 7 nights of this!!!!

Every question I had in my mind before reading vanished when I read it was British reality tv show. It also mentions a show called Geordie shore! I would replace the S with a W A show where parents can sit and proudly watch their children having sex on tv. Nowadays people have very little respect for themselves never mind anyone else

It's difficult to quantify what "crowded" and "long lines" constitutes exactly. One person's short wait is another person's "worst wait ever". Personally, I don't put much stock in reviews as a means of determining which ship you should or should not sail on. This isn't TripAdvisor where you're trying to figure out if the hotel is in a bad area of town or has bed bugs. Rather, so many complaints end up in subjective areas of preference and opinion. I read the reviews too, but use it for entertainment value.

My nephew found friends for life at the teen hangout. Now he let's them know what cruises we are taking and vice versa with his friends. We have become friends with their parents. Now my nephew is graduating from college next year and the friends are joining us for a graduation cruise. We are calling it Florida-Illinois graduation cruise.

In am returning right now from Harmony of the Seas. It was our first cruise ever! My hubby and I took our14 year old son, and I just wanted to share his first time with the teen club, which was VERY important to us on our vacation. The first night, there was a meet and greet in the club, and he said that it was PACKED! The kids seemed to exchange Instagram addresses, phone numbers etc. the first night and then arrange to meet up throughout the week in groups of 5-30 kids. He had a blast! The kids met for lunches, dinners, Flowrider sessions, and the late night dance parties were amazing he said. The Hush silent dance party with the headphones was the best party of his life he said. They had games like Battle of the Sexes, which was a boys vs girls very competitive game, karaoke, and many other events. They had an ice skating party, which required long pants, so pack those too! My son is pretty outgoing and had no problem making lots of friends and tearfully told us this morning that he had the best week of his life........ my hubby and I felt like we had a “date” with it being just the two of us for the majority of the week, so keep that in mind parents! To sum it up, have no fears about your teen making friends and finding lots of kids to do fun things with all week! Have a great trip!

SMH. And here I ignored my initial reaction and kept it on point. What's wrong with y'all? ?

I'm paid to keep mine in the gutter. (i'm a tv censor) all my fault!

Hey, my mind isn't always in the gutter. Every so often it has to come out to feed.

@ellcee and @JLMoran...great (or not so great) minds think alike! lol

We'll be on Independence in November and the negative reviews won't stop us. We also have been on Liberty after the dry dock during spring break and never experienced the crowds as described. Maybe the crowds are just normal to us as we cruise during school breaks and the 3rd and 4th person occupancy rate is higher than non-school break times. I sometimes use the negative reviews as a lesson on what not to do. I tend to be realistic as nothing is perfect on any cruise but the bad isn't really all that bad.

Difference was there wasn't some idiot filming everything that went on or cctv on every corner! Nowadays everything gets filmed and stuck on social media or your every move is watched If that happened back in the 80s or early 90s it would have ruined my growing up years lol My eldest who's now 28 used to go out on a Friday night and roll in mid sat morning all apologetic, and I used to think back to how I vanished for 3 or 4 days at a time without even telling my mum I was going out lol of course still gave oldest a lecture for being inconsiderate and a lightweight lol

Club Med in the early 90's wasn't too shabby, either. ?

Exactly where my mind went. ?

Maybe 20 yrs ago I would have,then again maybe I did and I just can't remember lol the 90's just sort of came and went lol ??????

Ha! You beat me to it!

Hey, whaddaya think this is, a Disney ship discussion?? ??

Aloha! My name is Lanny and I am from Atlanta, GA. I took my firt cruise on NCL's Pride of America this year. I feel in love we cruising. I meet so many wonderful folks aboard. I will be sailing on Royal for the first time in October on Mariner of the Seas. Lanny

It should be quite simple for RC to keep the WJ open for extra few hours, even if it will be limit to one section. Two more things I would love to have are : Ability in the WJ to walk and bring some more food without losing the table and without the need to leave someone to watch. The other thing is some kind of a timer on the pool chairs , once someone is leaving the chair he can start this timer (for 10-15 minutes) and if he is not returning by that time he will lose it.

I will be going to Bermuda June 21. We have a Royal excursion to Hamilton. I will be willingly to shop and let you know the prices.

Coneyraven said it perfectly. While the merchandise at the Dockyard is pricey, it is also quality for the most part. This is NOT like a bunch of Caribbean shopping huts. These are true artisan shops so I would think that, as long as you're prepared for the prices, you will be fine. I purchased a lovely linen wrap a number of years ago b/c I had forgotten to bring one from home (and it is COLD in the ship casinos !!) and to this day it is my favorite even though I have dozens of wraps.

I'd love later hours for WJ. I don't need 24 hours, but open till midnight seems like an simple change.

I sat here for 10 min deciding if I was going to reply but I figured 1. You all seem like really nice people and 2. it’s not CC so hopefully this will not be taking in a combative way but more an FYI... I have a close family member in jail (will not go into details and its complicated anyway) but it is definitely not a resort. He also developed medical issues while in there and the care is definitely just enough to keep him breathing at times. Also things like education really helps to prevent these people from being repeat offenders. Totally can see how people who do not have insight would think differently as I did before this entered into my life. Also I know it differs greatly from state to state and the type of facility you are in. They are all definitely not resorts though. @Sweety my stepfather is a middle school teacher for 20 years and it scares my family every day. It’s APPAULING that we can’t keep our schools safe. They should be the safest places in our country. It’s not like every little girl and boy are dreaming of being teachers these days so it also scares me to think of what the profession will lead to in the future. Thoughts are with you and your family.

Having sailed on Liberty and Freedom, both of which have the new cabins (Liberty got more than Freedom did) I'm a bit surprised. I noted a lot of people complaining about it even before Indy went into dry dock. Especially on some other forums. I wonder if the complaints you have seen are because of the pre-dry dock complaining or if there is something to it. With a seed planted, people will 'find' it so because subconsciously they are predisposed to, having read dire predictions. It could also be that she is selling really well right now due to all the hype. Perhaps she is carrying more than she will once everything falls into a pattern and settles down. Summer crowds on any ship tend to be high just because it is summer so perhaps that is a factor. Having sailed her just prior to dry dock I'm going to hold my judgement until I experience it myself, but I will be booking Indy again, for sure.

And this would be a great idea....if my other obsession (disney) didn't require having a Disney Visa that I put my cruises on so I can rack up disney trips at the same time!! So many choices ? Jane

Was the coke included in the drinks package? If it was then at £45 per day that's not to be sniffed at ? Probably the only time there's been a straight line on an RC cruise

This is cool! My daughter still texts and snapchats with the other 12 year olds she met (3 years ago) on her first Vision cruise. Jane

It has been 2 years that we were on Anthem. Then they were $5.00 minimum. After seeing how empty the casino was on Rhapsody in February, R.C. might want to adjust the minimums downward. Heck they could not get enough gamblers for any poker tournaments. And most of the tables were empty every night.

Dating myself here......but Club Med vacations in the middle and late 80's were a lot of fun. I miss those days.

It was a charter. Enough said.

Opus? I'm sorry, I'm about to show my age, but I'm thinking of a penguin.

Just off my very first cruise on Harmony of the Seas! I was on the 10th floor, room 10709, a boardwalk balcony. I was right above Johnnny Rockets. I could see the Fine Line show on my left and the carousel was on my right. It was very noisy, which surprised me, even when the balcony door was locked fully. That darn bell ringer at the carousel! Late at night sometimes groups of people on the Boardwalk would yell and scream, just having a good time, but I prefer quiet to sleep. If you want a quieter inside balcony, please choose a Central Park inside balcony, it was very peaceful, very green, MUCH quieter. My parents had the oceanvie balcony across the hall directly, room 10708. It was absolutely perfect! It was very quiet, great unobstructed view. In each port, they had the ultimate view , each port had the view on THEIR side of the ship, starboard side. We all gathered on their balcony as we went into each port, watching them tie off the ship and the guests going on and off the gangway. I did not realize how COOL it was to have a view of pulling into ports and having this side of the ship to see it from. Hope this advice helps you when choosing a room! ?

Just wanted to say hello! I’ve been reading the blogs, and posts for a long time now, and finally decided to setup an account. I’ve been cruising with RCCL since 2002, first ship was Voyager of the Seas, and basically have been doing the Voyager class ships. This August I will be doing my first Freedom class (Liberty of the Seas). I am kind of set in my ways, hence why I stuck with the Voyager class. My girlfriend talked me into going on Liberty. She has a 13 year old son, and I have a 7 year old daughter. For me girlfriend and son, this will be their first, for me this will be my 10th, and my daughter her 4th. Anyhow, just wanted to say hello!

Ahh yes, the Carole Holding store .....

"Busted in Cozumel", is that a Kenny Chesney song? If not, it should be!

Love the kettle in the room idea. And to my knowledge, it is as @JohnUK said above that for UK sailings, there is a kettle available in every room. I would also say that they need to bring back the small touches too like the chocolates on the pillow, the loving cups, and the midnight buffet. Those are the things I miss the most. As for what should they add, I would love to see RC have the options like Celebrity where you could pick a couple of perks to go with your booking and last but not least, a pool, bar, and eating area on the suite sundeck (but it looks like they might be headed that way already).

While on Empress of the Seas, WJ was open until 9pm. They were open again for late-night snack (burgers, hot dogs, nachos, chicken wings, desserts) 1030pm-1230am. Sandwiches only station in WJ 12:30am-1:30am. Keep in mind they do not have a 24-hour food option available on the ship. I think they should at least adopt the late night snack in WJ fleet-wide. Sorrentos is the only hot food option on the newer ships other than room service.

Correct. First cruise I'll have been on where the ship stays in port on day 1 and basically serves as your hotel. A lot of history in Quebec City. I'm looking forward to it and 13 nights on Adventure.

aka...SPREADSHEET TIME! ?

@Th3CruiseGuru, do be aware that buying two of the Deluxe + VOOM packages may not be as cost effective as buying two Deluxe packages and then a single two-device VOOM plan. Since you can share the code for the 2-device plan with anyone you wish, if each of you is using only one device then this might be a better option. I've repeatedly priced out the combo package vs. whatever current sale price is offered for Deluxe and 2-device separately, and I've yet to see the combo sold for a better combined rate than buying the two separately. In fact, on most of the "deeper discount" sales for the drink package, getting the combo would have been more expensive even if I just bought for myself vs. getting the deluxe package and single-device VOOM! As with most things on the Cruise Planner, gotta be prepared to track the prices and do some math here and there. ?

this is definitely the way there headed I have been on several cruises since I heard of complimentary breakfast not one had it seems to me the suite class will get it no soup for steerage ?

Send an email to [email protected] and include your reservation number, ship name and departure date. Ask them for the entertainment lineup and they'll respond with all the bands, comedians, headliners, etc. (usually takes a couple weeks).

One of these is from Harmony, the other Serenade. Harmony was 2017 but Serenade was 2018. I don't recall which is which is which. Both state WN (Southwest) is 11:30am to 6pm. Other airlines allow later flight times. Southwest I've heard has a small storage area at FLL so they can't hold bags longer. Plus Southwest when I have flown them is a stickler for the 4 hour rule not allowing bags to be checked before 4 hours prior to flight time. Note you have to do this several days before the end of the cruise. On Serenade I had to ask for the form. When I saw another guest carry one into an elevator I realized my cabin attendant didn't deliver one to my cabin. They not only checked my bags but also printed my boarding passes. I'm elite with Delta so I get free checked bags. This was respected and I was never charged. This is why it has to be done several days prior - so they can validate any fees and flight times with each airline. Even though you are on WN they have to verify flight times and the airline has to 'accept' your bags against your flight reservation days prior so it's not just about the fees or lack of.

I totally agree with Doc. We aren't huge cruisers like many of you (we've been maybe 10 times) but the Itinerary always drives the choice. Best by far: Barefoot Cruise to the very, very southern Caribbean with 35 people on board. That cruise line is now defunct (for safety reasons) but talk about small ports. We are doing southern Spain for the first time on Indy in August.

Back of the line, lady!!!