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Let's try this again! This weekend I'm taking the family on Mariner of the Seas for a 3-night cruise to the Bahamas and I'll be live blogging it! In fact, I'm starting this live blog just two days before we set sail, unlike @Lovetocruise2002 ancient Greek epic live blogs that begin in the months leading up to the dawn of time. Actual footage of @Lovetocruise2002 retelling her cruise highlights When last I left you all in my live blog, I was booked on Mariner of the Seas to enjoy a 3-night cruise, but then Hurricane Dorian forced my hand and I had to cancel. This is a 3-night sailing on the fabulous Mariner of the Seas and it will take us to Freeport Bahamas.... Just kidding. We're going to Perfect Day at CocoCay only. We were scheduled to go to Freeport, but the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian resulted in the port being skipped and instead, we will have a sea day. I am bringing the family with me on this sailing, and we are staying in a category 1K Ultra Spacious Ocean View Stateroom. This room is at the front of the ship and offers 328 square feet of space, complete with bunk beds, which my daughters think is the coolest darn room ever. The other interesting aspect to this cruise is the fact we will be attending a wedding onboard. Friend of the blog, Michael "Babyface" Poole will be tying the knot on Perfect Day at CocoCay! This will be my second wedding that I've attended at CocoCay, but first since the island's makeover. In addition to a lot of sweating during the ceremony, we are looking forward to seeing what an island wedding is all about. That's it for now. I'll be working Friday morning and then promptly pick my kids up from school the moment a half day counts, and then drive over to Port Canaveral to board Mariner of the Seas. If all goes to plan, should be there right around 1pm on Friday. Can't wait to get onboard....for real this time!

The more I thought about it today, the more I can see the point of those that booked 2020 sailings and getting just $50 in lieu of the perks. Yes, $50 is better than nothing, but it would have been a better transition away from this if they just said "okay, everyone that booked as of today gets it and that's it."

Hah..I think I was the one that pointed you in this direction. I know I commented to someone on that group who was looking for a friendlier site than that "other place that shall not be named".

Where is that intern from July when we need him?

Couldn’t make my reservation on day 2... Too many windjammer days later, I’m not getting anywhere near that scale ?

So unfortunately our cruise suffered the same fate as that of @RatedPG's - there was too much fog on the approach to the Dawes glacier, so the Captain turned us around in search of whales instead. Now that today's more of an extra sea day, I'm sitting on my balcony looking for whales and catching up on my blog. Let's rewind all the way back to": Day 2: Sea Day We woke up early to catch the first sunrise of the cruise and it did not disappoint - I didn't have my phone at the time, so there are unfortunately no pictures. Much of the morning was spent viewing the Canadian coastline from different vantage points. I was even able to catch a bit of a rainbow If you sail on Ovation or any other Royal Caribbean ship for that matter, make sure to take time to look at the amazing art all around. There are plenty of paintings, sculptures and other forms of media around pretty much everywhere you look. This is one of my favorite pieces in the Via on the way to Two70 And of course, the pandas are not to be missed! Today was a mix of watching the scenery go by on the starboard side and exploring different venues around the ship including my favorite, The Schooner Bar Jamie's Italian One thing I noticed on this ship that I didn't realize, or maybe it wasn't offered on my Anthem sailing last year, but Vintages onboard the Ovation offers Coffee Since Vintages is next door to Jamie's Italian, they offer some small appetizers from Jamie's around dinner time. These appetizers range anywhere from 3 to 5 dollars and include a miniature version of their meat plank, garlic bread, music bread, Italian bread basket, squid and bruschetta. I had reservations for the North Star at noon, but we were in an intense game of bingo and I lost all track of time. Luckily, since it was a sea day I found a time slot that didn't require reservations so I arrived early and stood in line. The day was drawing to a close which meant that it was time to experience another sunset. I don't think I'll ever get tired of these types of views. We had reservations tonight in Jamie's Italian and it did not disappoint - they bring out so much food. Meat Plank: Dessert plank: After dinner we went to the headliner show in the Royal Theatre. The performer, Nate Thompson did a tribute to some old school rock 'n roll classics. He was very energetic and really got the crowd into it. After the headliner show, I went to the other end of the ship to Two70 for the 70's disco party. As it was getting late, I didn't stay very long - had to be up early tomorrow to catch our approach into our first stop, Juneau!

I just booked a 2021 Double Dip cruise to Coco Cay and went to check out Thrill Waterpark prices. The 2-day pass is listed as $79 per person and the 1 day pass is $59.99. From these boards I know that a $79 1-day water park pass is a great price, let alone a 2-day pass so I added it immediately to the cart while I have these rock bottom prices. THE BENEFICIAL GLITCH comes when you add everything to the cart and go through all the motions of Yes I'm 40" and No I'm not 300 lbs, on the final final page of checkout, the price changes for the 2-day to $59 each. I thought I made a mistake and must've only chosen 1-day somehow even though everything said 2-day. I backed out and tried it again.. yep, you can get a 2-day Thrill pass for $59/per person right now! $118 total for me and my bf. This is Navigator January 2021. I booked it and it shows in my calendar as a Thrill ticket on both stops! Holy cow! Go check!! ?

Is it just me, or does it look like "The Zookeper" got kicked somewhere unpleasant by one of the other animals? ?

So first off I wanted to say Thank You!! to everyone on this blog who helped to make this an amazing cruise for us. We returned yesterday from our 3-night Navigator sailing. We really did have a great time, and I was forearmed against so many mistakes/ wastes of time because of the advice from you great people! I did want to just let everyone know a couple of things we learned on this trip, some of which I've seen others ask about. Izumi To-Go: On our Nassau port day, Izumi was open for lunch. We didn't get a reservation - were told they weren't really needed for lunch and that Jamie's would be open that day instead. BUT we were able to get Izumi to-go. I've seen folks ask about that and wanted to just share. It took about 20 minutes, and they gave us a bag filled with $65 worth of sushi and appetizers which we ate in the Viking Crown Lounge next door. They didn't seem bothered about it at all and we made sure to tip and say thank you to the waiter for helping. We had an Ultimate Dining Package and were determined to get the most out of it. It was purchased for $69/pp and never dipped lower. We ate Chops lunch embarkation day, Hooked Night 1, Izumi Night 2, and Chops Night 3. I really wanted to try Jamie's Italian and when we asked they said it would be open on our Nassau port day. It wasn't, Izumi was. But at least I'll have another restaurant to look forward to next time. I don't know how to go about confirming which specialty restaurant will be open on the Nassau port day, but that would be good information for someone to find out! ? Playmakers and others: On this Navigator sailing, RCCL charged then credited back our food purchased from Playmakers. Multiple people told us they would so I was ready to fight the charge if need be ?They wouldn't do the same at The Bamboo Room. One of the people who told us about Playmakers also told us the package would work on Captain Jacks at CoCo Cay, though we didn't try that out. Also, they DID charge me for Johnny Rockets. I'm going to try calling and disputing this since everything said it was included, but we'll see how it goes. Slides: If you want to try the slides aboard ship, go early! We got there fairly early on the Nassau day but apparently not enough. The line, especially for The Blaster (tube slide) was not quick. Once I got to the top I realized the lifeguards were waiting to set people up/ talk to them/ go over safety rules until after the guards at the bottom gave them the all clear signal. As a former lifeguard at a water park, they could really speed that up if they just blocked the slide with their bodies and did it all while the previous riders were getting out. We went about halfway up the tower before hitting the line and it still was about a 25 minute wait. The other mat slide had a shorter line and went slightly quicker. CoCo Cay: I've been to Labadee but never to CoCo Cay. It was wonderful! They were still putting up a few new trees and the existing ones were a little burnt from Dorian but everything else was really top notch. We spent most of the day at Chill Island with a stop at Oasis Lagoon just to check it out. There were plenty of open loungers at the beach but not nearly as many at Oasis Lagoon. Really there were plenty but also a lot of seat saving. I was curious and may try this next time I'm going; there were a couple of cabanas at Chill Island open but ALL of the day beds were empty. Anyone have experience just going to the excursions desk and making an offer to them? They were asking $199 for day beds before our cruise and I would've happily paid $99 for the day. Just a thought. Well, thank you all again for your help and if you have any questions please let me know. Now I'm restarting my count down for our April sailing on Independence with the kids! ~ Paul

An added benefit to this sailing is embarkation day will be our 11th wedding anniversary! This means we are firmly in the "middle couple" spot of the Love and Marriage game show! We have not made any plans yet to celebrate, but know we will enjoy a meal at a specialty restaurant. My wife refuses to spend our anniversary in the MDR ? Our plan is to take advantage of the Diamond Plus BOGO specialty restaurant offer and likely end up at Jamie's.

The preference for mattress feel and firmness must be a big deal, because mattress designers/engineers know even couples can't compromise on mattress preferences that they've even come up with options for each side of the bed (I'm looking at you, Sleep Number beds!) I think it will be close to impossible for a cruise line to satisfy all mattress preferences. Imagine that extra option that has to be added right after choosing your stateroom! ?

Update #4 I just electronically signed the documents sent to me by @StephanieH of MEI Travel. She got me a total discount of $258 for my B2B cruises from the original price I signed up for with Royal. She also got me $50 onboard credit from Special Groups rate and $25 from Agent (her) FOR EACH sailing. That's a total of $150 for onboard credit - almost covers the VOOM package for the trip. I am loving this! Thanks Stephanie!

Check is in the mail, Ashley!

These boardwalk/central park view staterooms are nothing but glorified interior cabins. Without the perks, they should cost just a little bit more than interior rooms. Like @elizbit said, privacy is a major concern. At least in an ocean view stateroom, the curtains can be left open most of the time.

So I just received an email back from RCCL and they're refunding the two charges for Johnny Rockets! Not sure how it happened in the first place, but glad it's getting fixed!

Please - per favore Thanks - grazie Where's the bathroom - dovè il bagno?

I'm locked in at $48 for next week's cruise. I'm not going to do better than that.

It's like choosing your favorite kid. Both are great in their own ways, just a little different.

Can you crash a Royal Wedding and reception on board? ? I swear there's a wedding on every single embarkation day at least, and there is just about zero resources for what it's like. "The first rule of Cruise Weddings is we don't talk about Cruise Weddings."

So that's not really the bad thing...they can end any promo they want anytime. I get it. Apparently, for those that have it booked..they are losing ALL the perks and getting a$50 OBC......are you kidding me? What a slap in the face from Royal. I get it Royal..you aren't making enough from the package..or losing too much. But at least honor those who have booked it and many who have probably paid extra or booked those cabins to get the deal. Real cheap and low blow from Royal IMHO.

Hello, Just checking in from new england and thank you Matt! Im a long time follower of your Youtube channel and now a member of this forum. My family have been bitten by the cruise bug when we cruised on the Anthem of the seas and can't wait until our next cruise on the adventure of the seas! I just wanted to say hi to all of the other cruise enthusiasts and thanks for the input and postings and insight into all things cruising. John aka, trashman

That’s kind of ironic because they were originally built for the Navy! Heck of a plane.

At first I agreed with your exact sentiment, so I reached out to RC support to let them know I was unhappy, and they doubled our OBC to $100 per room (we have 2 rooms booked). It helped soften the blow a little bit and I thought was a nice, courteous offer to help with the situation! I would recommend anyone else in the same situation give it a shot, can't hurt to try!

Yes.

Day 5, Costa Maya We woke up and decided we wanted to take advantage of the suite breakfast in Chops for the rest of the cruise. DS still wanted the buffet, so after DH, DD, and I ordered, I took him out to fix a plate and brought it back to our quiet corner in Chops. We decided not to get off the ship at all today, and after breakfast we had a shuffleboard tournament at our son's request - DD won by a mile. After shuffleboard, we went to the room to plan the rest of our day. We purchased internet for the day, and let the kids out of their electronic detox for a little bit then headed up to play mini golf. Parts of the course were 'squishy'. You would step up to putt and the turf would sink a little beneath you, but otherwise it seemed in good repair. There was absolutely no breeze though, and it was really humid/hot up there. While fun, we were all done by the 9th hole; we probably would have been much more comfortable out there on a sea day. Next up was the Windjammer for lunch, and judging by how busy it was, it seems like a lot of people didn't get off the ship today. After lunch, DH took a nap, DD played on the tablet (she was going through some serious video game withdrawal!), and DS and I went up to Splashaway Bay for the afternoon. Then it was back to the room to get ready for dinner. I had the garlic soup, the roasted beef strip loin (I think... maybe it was the pork loin. Good but not memorable), and the grand marnier souffle. Tonight was date night, and we dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean... but we couldn't really decide what to do. The casino wasn't calling us, and we didn't care about seeing Saturday Night Fever. We went to Vintages to try the Oberon Cab Sav, and it was very good. We then went to Olive or Twist for ballroom dancing which was a bust. The few people that were up there were playing cards. There was one other couple that was there for dancing, and we both left in the middle of the first song - the atmosphere was just off with recorded music and the lights all the way up. Off to the Schooner Bar for what was listed as "Piano Bar Sing-A-Long" in the Cruise Compass. Alas, there was no singing-a-long. There were four single women sitting in front of the piano, two other couples, and a few people coming and going at the bar. We were thinking we would hear Piano Man, Sweet Caroline, and the like. Instead we were treated to a good rendition of Santana's Smooth and a couple of ballads... nothing you would really sing along to. It was disappointing as far as what we thought would be an upbeat fun time, but it good people watching though. By this time, it was getting late for the kids. We decided to just pick them up and get them to bed because tomorrow was their big beach day. Poor DD was asleep on the couch in Adventure Ocean when I picked her up. ? Tonight we met Flap the bird and Opal the opossum. At least we think it was an opossum? Our menagerie was starting to take over.

I'm also going to need that in Greek and Croatian/Serbian for Montenegro. Thanks!

I hate what little intelligence I have being insulted.

English is a very widely taught language throughout Europe. I learned of this while stationed in there during my military years. More than anything, local citizens appreciate when you at least attempt to speak the local language, so maybe look into learning a few phrases. The effort is appreciated and seen as a sign of respect that makes people that do speak English more willing to assist you.

I hate this "catch-me-if-you-can" type of pricing that Royal does. Why make us have to monitor these prices, than book-cancel-rebook, when they can be straightforward with their prices. I hate being manipulated this way. We here know how to navigate these price trends, but what about those new to cruising? Does Royal prey on naiveté and gullibility?

I have enough trouble figuring out the math in $ with all the "sales" and BOGO and % off ships board prices!

"Lets see.....if we increace our prices, then drop them to the old price, they will feel like theyre getting a deal!"

I find this funny... I know which one I want, but which do I believe... the increase or the drop?

I'm currently in Anchorage for work, but got to fly over the glaciers up the Knik Arm and Prince William Sound yesterday. If I could have booked a cruise in flight.... I think I've sold my wife on an Alaska cruise for our 20th anniversary in 2 years!

Update #5 I called my travel consultant today to clarify some confusion I had with onboard credits. It turns out I had misunderstood what she said about me losing those OBCs if I canceled a purchase of cruise planner items. Everything is clear to me now. Sorry @Matt for bugging you last night with this question on FB Live. Thanks @StephanieH for the clarification.

Here's a benefit from MEI. I canceled my June 2020 cruise for the inaugural November 2020 and all I had to do is email @michelle from MEI. She did all of the fun canceling and re booking. I would not have had the patience for all of that.

I don't like carrying stuff. I don't even take my drink package souvenir cup with me. That's how lazy I am. LOL But your suggestion has given me an idea. I can grab a Cruise Compass from Guest Services and leave it on the table. But that would only be a partial solution because part of the pet peeve is the waitstaff taking away my plate when I'm not done with my food yet. One time I got some soup and bread. I only left the table to grab a soup spoon. When I went back, my food was gone. (Another pet peeve of mine is forgetting to grab those soup spoons, but that is entirely my fault)

That is truth there. Almost every cruise I have been on there is a bride in full bride garb waiting to get on the ship to get married. They normally look flustered and end up yelling at their bides maids. It's must see TV. So, if you see one of these situation please capture the tension as the group tries to get on the ship as well as all the Pinnacles and Suites members who are pushing forward to get on the ship too.

Agree completely with this !!

In my humble opinion, a gratuity that is mandatory is not a gratuity. What are we gratuitous for? Paying the extra 18%? This is just a tax levied by RCCL and kept by RCCL.

As an agent, I do my best to match OBC's. It all depends on the cruise itself. Some agencies offer very large on-board credits others offer none. I appreciate when clients give me the chance to match the other offers to see what I can do.

I also love my MEI agent!!

Looking at this another way, I have basically "interviewed" by phone my Travel Agents. In this age of the internet I always did things myself and felt very comfortable with it. Then I heard someone on the Disney blog speaking to "always using a TA" and the reasons why. I spoke to numerous ones over the phone and have cultivated an amazing relationship with my DCL TA over the years, so many previous cruises. I always felt comfortable knowing she was on my side keeping my family and our reservation at the best price possible, I sailed with DCL 10 X and actually felt a loss when I realized she ONLY booked Disney properties/cruises/vacations. I found this blog because of Scott Sanders at the DCL blog (he gave me the info and website & spoke highly of Matt) and once again "interviewed" for the position. Sharla of MEI was my cruise professional, when I speak to her or email her I feel like I am her top priority. My comfort in knowing I am receiving the best deal (while really nice, OBC is not the be all end all) lies solely in the fact of my relationship with her. I trust her with my family's vacation and believe finding a TA that you can TRUST is priceless!

Honestly, I think they just make it up as they go. As I mentioned in another thread, we just happened by Izumi one port day to find them open. Nowhere had it been published that they would be open on a port day. I think they just open when they want to !

After re-reading this, I'm moving it....

Booking on board usually gives you lower deposits, and then transfer to your TA.

I still do my research and then let the TA price it to me, I always book ASAP, if the price goes down on Black Friday, I have the TA reprice the cruise.

Thank you for your service. I was AF, but my wife had it a lot harder than I ever did. People always forget to thank the spouses.

Dont think it was french military as it was moving forwards ?

Apologies for the lack of updates - I’m finding that an Alaskan cruise is not your typical laid back Caribbean cruise. Up early, out late. You definitely don’t want to miss anything! Stay tuned for more pictures and updates later. Now it’s off to Skagway and the White Pass railway. Here’s a taste of yesterday’s Mendenhall visit.

The #1 tip I can give you is to fly out and stay in a hotel the day before your ship sails unless you live near your departure port. You don't want an airline/airport problem causing you to miss boarding the ship.