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Hello, All! Been a while since I've been here. Several times in the past, I've done a second "mock-booking" of my existing reservation, to see if I would come up with a lower price to no avail. With the current 2021 sale going on, I was able to see that booking an available cabin RIGHT NEXT TO MINE was $79 cheaper so I decided to call RCCL. (Not a bunch, but, hey, every bit helps!) To my surprise, not only was the basic rate $79 cheaper, but, I actually qualified for an additional discount as a resident of MICHIGAN! This has NEVER happened for me. In my experience, those discounts have usually been available for those in the home port state. At the end of the call, I had a $244 discount off my cruise fare! If not for finding this blog a few years ago, I wouldn't have known that re-pricing an existing reservation was possible.

I guess the best news here is that Royal Caribbean has any money to purchase anything ! A bit of reassurance, I suppose https://seekingalpha.com/news/3590167-royal-caribbean-acquires-remaining-stake-in-silversea?utm_medium=email&utm_source=seeking_alpha&mail_subject=rcl-royal-caribbean-acquires-remaining-stake-in-silversea&utm_campaign=rta-stock-news&utm_content=link-3

I always try to buy mine within 14-15 days of putting my deposit down to ensure that I get "cancel for any reason" and coverage for pre-existing conditions activated.

Id be surprised if there IS a Royal Up program, and if there is, it wont be a big savings. Probably wrong, as my wife points out, I usually am.

Actually, no cash involved. "The remaining one-third stake held by Heritage Cruise Holding Ltd. was paid for in the form of 5.2 million shares of Royal Caribbean Group common stock, which represents about 2.5% of the total common stock."

No numbers analysis for me, just thinking about the statements already made and where they logically lead. My vote for first ship to sail is Symphony. It's been stated that the bigger ships are more profitable with smaller passenger counts, and she's the biggest (as well as the newest) they've got. She's also got all the bells and whistles, making it easy for the people who book on her to enjoy their time even while social distancing. I think it will be the radiance class ships that are the last to return to service. They're smaller than vision class and from what I've seen do mainly more-boutique itineraries. Which Radiance ship specifically? My bet's on Radiance, which if I remember rightly is the ship assigned to the Alaskan sailings. I think with Canada shutting down their border for the foreseeable future, Alaskan sailings are going to be the very last to resume, even though they're typically the 7-night duration that regions like the EU are looking to max out at. When Alaska does open up, they'll put Ovation back on those sailings before any Radiance class ship, since she's bigger / more bells and whistles / more profitable with reduced passenger count. I think Empress will actually sail before the Radiance ships, or at least before the last one, even though she's smallest of them all. She can do the 7-night Bermuda sailings out of NJ that go nowhere else while Anthem / Adventure / Freedom can do the 5-night version. Alternately, she could be put on a purely Canadian itinerary, say from Montreal to Halifax and back, avoiding the problem of a closed border with the US; and yes, that might even make it possible to leverage the double standard that exists with flying into the country from the US today, making it possible for US passengers to do that sailing while Canadian passengers fly to / sail out of Bayonne. So there you go, for whatever it's worth. ?

It's hard not to. I know.

I think this was the intention from the start, they're just completing the plan.

Please add Mariner of the Seas November 23, 2020 and please everyone do the we are going to sail dance, appreciate it! Updated my list on page 83 !

Repriced our b2b for 2021 saved over 300 on the pair. No savings on our Nov 29, 2020, we already repriced it last go round. We do it most everyday, learned it here and appreciate it every time we get a price drop. Hopefully they start up ASAP.

It was mentioned in a press article a few weeks ago that Aida would do ALL German routes with these ships first before restarting their normal schedules (Baltic, Med etc ) And my friend who works on AidaMar has been told they will be back on ship beginning of August.

Bless you dear! I have kids who like to fight too. Hooray for puberty. My husband doesn't understand why I enjoy traveling or getting away, probably because he doesn't do the housework or take care of our kids like I do. He's also a Marine so (thanks to Parris Island) he isn't a big fan of sand and says he got his "traveling bug" out then. Which part of the reason he doesn't go places with us. Personally I enjoy new experiences and helping others have them too. My Dad has always told my Mom about the beauty of the ocean. She has always wanted to visit the Caribbean and I want to help her see it before she gets to a place that she can't as my Dad has. I really hope that we can all get back to our happy place soon, whichever ship that may be. @Neesa I'm glad for your sake that you found out. I think that cruises like that should have a warning for others trying to book that aren't part of that group that it "may not" be appropriate for people with kids. I used to work at a hotel and they would have swinger weekends. The sanitization of things like that is insane! Not all "couples" think about the person staying in that room after them.

Saved over $700 on my Harmony sailing last summer with a military discount. It was after final payment so it was applied as a well used OBC. So it pays to check even after final payment.

I have an inside cabin for the kids on our Mariner sailing in Dec. At my last repricing the booking rep tried to get me to upgrade them to a balcony. He did not try to get me to upgrade my suite. I suspect that RCCL may begin to limit inside cabin sales.

It would seem by this move that RCG, I guess would be the correct new acronym, is confident in these seemingly rocky times, that they have a positive outlook for cruising in the future. It should be a good sign for all of us.

About a month ago the price of the balcony category for a Greek cruise dropped. I was able to move from a studio balcony to an obstructed balcony and save over $900. Plus now I get double CAS points for being solo. Double win.

Friday, June 10, 2020 MIAMI – July 10, 2020 – Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has purchased the remaining shares of Silversea Cruises, a pioneer and leader in ultra-luxury and expedition cruising. The move to full ownership comes two years after Royal Caribbean Group acquired a two-thirds share of the cruise line in July 2018. “Silversea has been a great fit for our company from the very first day,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “The cultures of the two organizations have proven to be harmonious, and guests have responded favorably to the combination.” Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, who took over the company from his late father, will serve as chairman of Silversea. Roberto Martinoli will remain the brand’s president and CEO. “Manfredi and Roberto have brought a fresh point of view to our company, as well as deep knowledge of their brand’s unique audience,” Fain said. “Their skills – and Manfredi’s inimitable style – will continue to play an important role in growing Silversea into the future.” Said Lefebvre: “The combination of our companies has been everything I hoped for. The skills and resources of Royal Caribbean Group have helped us grow and flourish. We share a vision about the bright future of cruising, and I look forward to being a shareholder in the broader Royal Caribbean Group.” Added Martinoli: “Thanks to the incredible resources and skills of Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea will grow and thrive. Today marks another key step in our drive to uncontested leadership in ultra-luxury and expedition cruising.” The remaining one-third stake held by Heritage Cruise Holding Ltd. was paid for in the form of 5.2 million shares of Royal Caribbean Group common stock, which represents about 2.5% of the total common stock. Perella Weinberg Partners LP served as financial advisor and Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP served as legal advisor to the company regarding this transaction. Barclays Bank PLC served as financial advisor to Manfredi Lefebvre and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP provided legal counsel.

It has not returned to Symphony. I have a sailing in May 2021 and my TA said Symphony never has and most likely never will have the Chef's table. I am probably like @WAAAYTOOO not too picky, but I am not adventurous as my husband. Let's put it this way...snails....I'll pass on it everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. Same with sushi! Now if you offered me any Indian dish, including goat and I am good to go! The 1st time we did the Chef's table and I looked at the menu I swore I was only going to like maybe 3 items. I decided I would at least take 1 bite. To my surprise I enjoyed every single item they served. After that we have always done it on any ship that offers this option. To me I think they try to push the envelope just a tad. For example, the soup was a smoke tomato bisque with parmesan croutons. The scallops were served as shaved carpaccio with some type of vinegarette. The fish was branzino with parsnip puree. The steak course was a filet with asparagus (can't recall how it was created). As you can see it is not too far out there, just enough to make you feel like you are getting a meal that can't be found anywhere else on the ship. The Chef's that come out to meet you are typically the Executive from 1 of the Specialty restaurants. They are usually the highest end restaurant. IE. On Adventure Chops is their highest end, so that was our chef. On Anthem,, we had the Wonderland chef since they classify that as the highest end.

I keep checking religiously every day but we got the cruise so cheaply to begin with (we accidentally scored a massive senior discount) that it would take something of a miracle for the price to drop below what we're paying. With the current sale, the going rate at the moment is still nearly $700 more!

I saved $30 today on my Brilliance cruise! Now 2 DX cost more than the actual cruise! Just waiting on @Matt to book!

UPDATE!!! With the current sale going on as of today (July 9th) I called again to receive another $144 off of our cruise fare. In just under one month, we have now saved $388! Keep checking those prices! FYI: I use the price alert feature on the Shipmate app to monitor prices. It sends me an email each time the price changes (up or down).

Hmmmm......I guess maybe because I am germaphobic I see things differently. I believe we should always be distrustful of people because in my experience they are always self-serving and rarely good. Yes, cruises are normally social but we have to make concessions, it is going to be the new normal. We need to let go of what we used to do and think about what we can do now. That is the problem: people are insane, they want to do the same things over and over, yet expect different results. I think people should take all reports with a grain of salt and apply some critical thinking. We know COVID is airborne and that 20% of people show no symptoms. Herd immunity isn't happening and antibodies don't last long. Vaccines aren't for everyone and may or may not work. So, social distancing and mask help to curb infections and protect better than doing nothing. Who cares if a stranger can't see me smile, at least I am up walking about a cruise ship, enjoying my pina coloda...opposed to struggling to breath.

Two years ago life was a bit easier and carefree. Also, this lady was at dry dock. Click the link for a video of what the Symphony of the Seas looked like then at dry dock, still getting some work done. I hope that she will be filled with smiling faces and laughter soon. (preferably mine and my family's lol) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YWQZCBK5N0&t=11s

Update: So I sent my TA an email last night with the links to Royals site that has the info listed saying that it looks to me that I don't have to stay on the same ship. Lo and behold today at lunch I get a voice mail and email from the TA " Oh look I talked with Royal and I am able to get you switched to Symphony!". Yeah thanks That is all I wanted to hear. But why did "I" have to do all this? It was her job in the 1st place. And that is why I am going to go with MEI for all my future sailings.

Obviously, you are a Saint. May God bless you and keep you. ???

Aida looking to start sailing in August, short itineraries, half full ships but it's a start https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23205-aida-to-offer-cruises-in-august-on-three-ships.html

I think @twangster was booked on that cruise ? But seriously when they released the Fall 2021 dates they had that sailing listed with "charter" blatantly in the itinerary name, yet it was allowing bookings. Finally they "canceled" it due to a full charter ? and gave folks who had booked it an OBC offer to move their deposit to another cruise. And that's how I ended up with a $200 OBC on a random placeholder sailing in April 2022 ?

Just pulling a guess out of the air, Michelle, so please don’t take anything I say as being “in the know” or a solid prediction. ? The original question was simply what we think the first and last ships to sail would be. I’ll stand by my statement that Ovation will sail Alaska before any Radiance ship; but if they do indeed keep two Radiance ships in service there for round-trip and open-jaw sailings, then it would be a toss-up in my mind for which resumes last. Really? I thought that all Radiance class ships were smaller than Vision class, but maybe I’m thinking of the Voyager class. (that also came out before Radiance class, if I’m remembering right) I’m honestly not sure if Vision class has any future at this point with Royal. They may well have to sell them off for scrap the way Carnival has done with some of their oldest ships. Radiance class can serve their itineraries just as well, and it gets the oldest ships (besides Empress) off the books.

I went from 104 days to 446 after my L&S. However, if I could have went on a cruise with the new social distancing and other safety protocols I would have. I would assume like @twangster said that the interior cabins might be used for crew. So I still think Royal Up would be put into play. Anything less than 5N I would just book an interior since I am solo.I think they would offer to move those in interior to OVB or even Jr. suites to ensure they are following protocol. I doubt any of the nicer Sky and Star class suites are available as people rushed to book those under the guise of 'if I get stuck being quarantined, at least I have a nice room."

Unfortunately, if it was booked with an FCC you would get refunded with an FCC. So sucks

If you cancelled your March cruise using Cruise With Confidence, you would receive only Future Cruise Credits for that cancellation - no cash refund option is available for CWC. For any cruise that Royal cancels you would/will have a choice of cash refund or Future Cruise Credits.

Like a plane ride, train trip or ferry ride it's almost certain that symptoms of a viral infection that occurs during the transportation will only present themselves days after the transportation has concluded. That makes them appear to be safe. By the time someone has symptoms they've been involved with so many other activities it becomes difficult to know for certain it was the plane/train/ferry where the infection occurred. Maybe it was in a visit to a store the day before, maybe it was at church the day after, maybe it was that pub that just opened after the trip, or the person who picked you up in their car, etc. In the end those modes of transportation are just as risky or more so compared to a cruise but it's more difficult to know they were involved with an infection so it's easier to give them a green light and mark them as safe.

I know a ferry is a mode of transportation. ? I just thought it was interesting. Especially as overnight routes will have some of same issues/requirements as cruises in terms of making things like buffets, cabins, and public areas safe for travel during covid.19

Ask a RCCL booking rep or supervisor. While repricing my cruise last night the booking rep. stated he could combine the FCC for my suite and the DDs' cabin by completing a "form." It was not what I was after so I ignored it. Hope this is helpful.

Yes, but a lot of businesses are just standing pat, with the current social and business climate and the uncertainty of the upcoming election.

I’ve had this same problem in the past. This is the first cruise I’ve ever been able to reprice at all, let alone twice in a month!

We went on this excursion in January 2018. Here are my memories of it. The 45 minute ferry ride was a bit bumpy, but neither my wife nor I deal with any kind of motion sickness, so I'm not a good judge of whether it was bad. The ferry does have restrooms down below. The ferry was completely full both going to the mainland and returning to the island. The bus ride was around 45 minutes or so and there was air conditioning on ours. We had two guides One of them gave us a soft pitch on something they were selling. To be honest, I can't even remember what it was, so it obviously wasn't that intense. I do remember he talked a lot about a lot of things, not just whatever he was selling. At the ruins, we went as a group as far as the part that overlooks the water, then made our way back to the bus individually. The tour guide we had was awesome...you could tell that Mayan culture and history was a passion of his. We had 40 minutes to get from the overlook back to the parking lot on our own. The guides told us that anyone who wasn't there at the required time would have to pay for a taxi to take them (and someone who would wait for them) back to the ferry. It was hot for us when we went (we are from Maine). I'm glad we had hats and sunglasses because there is very little shade as you are walking through the ruins. There was an option to take a shuttle rather than walking at the ruins, but that cost extra. There is a lot of shopping by the parking lot at the ruins. It reminded me of how most ports (that we've been to) make you walk in a maze to get through them so you go by the most shops possible. We went to La Playa Xpu-ha Beach Club for the beach break part of it. I enjoy the local food, so I enjoyed lunch. We relaxed on the beach for...maybe a couple hours...I am not 100% sure. We were almost late getting back to the ferry in order to get back on the ship in time. One of the tour guides escorted us straight to the ferry and ensured we all boarded. I suspect that normally, they let people walk back from the bus drop off point on their own in order to encourage shopping. Since we booked through Royal, we were not at all concerned about missing sail away. That was a level of comfort I have remembered when we have done things on our own in ports. I don't know if I would go to the mainland from Cozumel unless I was on an official Royal excursion. Edited to add that we really enjoyed the excursion and would certainly do it again.

Do you have any other FCCs, refunds, credit card disputes, or future flight credits to keep you busy?

TUI Cruises is starting July 24th with 3 and 4 night cruises to nowhere from Hamburg. 60% capacity - they only offer balcony cabins, junior suites and suites. Masks only where social distancing (1.5m) isn't possible. Sadly have no leave days left, otherwise we might have used the opportunity to sail on Mein Schiff 2 for the first time.

Good news!

My wife says I do that on every cruise. I like people in moderation.

You are 100 percent correct and have to agree with both of you!!! While I may not be a mother, I usually am the one that is the chef, I also take care of the yard, home repairs, and vehicle repairs. I work 240 hours a month at my full time job (24 hour shifts) and then work about 64 hours a month part time. I can tell you that for me cruising is peace of mind, it is comfort, and mental stability. Being home just isn't cutting it either, with the twin 14 year olds that constantly argue, and are in need of time away from each other due to them being isolated since mid March a cruise is EXACTLY the therapy that all of us in this house need at the moment! Like you have said @Lovetocruise2002 a cruise vacation represents quite a few things that you just can not explain to those that have not gone on one or gotten hooked on cruising. For me right now it is almost as if I have lost the comfort of a close friend.

Exactly, the entire ship. Forgive me but I just can't stop picturing looking up at the transparent elevators, and then if they are packed in, I am laughing just thinking about the types of prints left "behind"

Same. I'm hesitant to rebook my extras for my Oct. sailing. I may just sit on the money until closer to sailing. It may cost more if we do get to go, but then I won't have to worry about waiting on refunds again.

A couple U.S. based airlines have moved past the distancing concept. They are back to normal seating. People at a pool outdoors or a house party indoors for a couple hours are spreading it. It's a lottery right now. Pick the right seat on a plane next to someone who is asymptomatic and you'll probably be infected by the the end of the flight. The airline industry needs to be grounded. They should just stop pretending. At least on a cruise ship the maximum time I spend next to a stranger is at a show or muster drill. I can choose to skip a show or leave 10 minutes in. Stop the shows and that's solved. In the WJ I can be in and out in 20 minutes, if I take it to go 1/3 of that. Walking through a grocery store isn't the primary source of spread. That's kind of what a cruise is like. Walking past people but not sitting beside them for hours and hours. That pretty much is an airplane ride. On a plane I'm stuck next to a stranger with no escaping it. If they start coughing or sneezing all I can do is scream inside. Every time you board a plane it's spin the wheel and see if you get the virus. It's much safer on a ship.

Really enjoyed looking back on this one Twangster! To be honest, it made me a little sad because of how much we miss it, review got me all excited! Hope all is well sir, amazing photos as always.

That is awesome. I always track my cruise price once booked. I actually called RC last month when I saw a price drop that appeared to be lower than my original cost. Sure enough, I reduced my cruise $750. That reduction paid for my drink package! ? And for those wondering, the call took less than 10 minutes.

Down $215 so far and my TA got an original price that was $260 less than I expected to begin with so that’s $475 less than I had planned to book. I watch every day!

Translation: @twangster wanted to make sure his photos were even more impressive