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Like everyone, I'm hoping for a slow return to sea beginning in November, but sadly don't think that will happen. While November would be better, I would be elated if there was a return in January!

Yupp, but that's 3 months of only 4 ships. I'm curious which ones they select

As @SpeedNoodles said, MEI definitely can work with Canadians. I have also found that many US based agencies can book for Canadians as well. However, choose your agent carefully. A good one is worth their weight in gold. And bad one, you cannot escape from even when you want to run. Don’t get swayed by low pricing. That is not all that matters sometimes.?

I'd be happier if it was December... ?

Yep. I buy my cruises from a US based TA and pay in USD. The direct RCL $CDN costs take an 'exchange cut' as do the $CDN credit cards. The least cost way is to online transfer CDN-USD and pay with those USD.

Don't tease @twangster!!...if only I had been cruising back when that was the case....there was a short period of time in 2008 as well

Many Canadian banks have US subsidiaries that offer CDN residents US based USD accounts and USD cedit cards. Transfers and payments can be done online eliminating the 2.5% exchange fee. RBC and TD have this service.

Some truth to that. But there's no cruise excursion that can get me to Alberta and back in time, so... (also, I've been rewatching TAR Canada, and it does a pretty good job of highlighting many, many places I've never been to in this country)

I will explain... If you are an RBC customer, you can apply for an RBC Bank account and RBC Bank Visa. This is different than a US dollar account. RBC Bank is a US soil bank based in Georgia (this is legally different from RBC Royal Bank, the Canadian soil entity) To pay your RBC Bank USD Visa...(in high level basic terms): + In your Canada based online banking, open a $USD savings account. (this is still in Canada) + Transfer CDN funds from your usual $CDN account to your fancy new $USD. Here is where the 'buy USD' exchange is done and online is your best rate. + Go to your RBC Bank (the US entity) and do a cross border transfer from your CDN $USD account to your US $USD checking account (or chequing for us north of 49 types) + Transfer from your US $USD checking account to your RBC Bank USD Visa to pay it. + You're done. No ultra crappy buy/sell rate and no 2.5% foreign exchange charge. There is an annual fee for the checking account, but what you will save more than offsets it. https://www.rbcbank.com/ Not sure what's going on these days, but you might be able to get this all setup online without having to go into the branch.

.....as long as its back before March 07!!!

^^^This right here is what some people don't realize. Also why we always pay in USD for our vacations. Unless we are vacationing in Canada, which never happens lol.

Right on...those we call the 'Junior Suite Days'.

There have been times when CAD has been greater than the USD. As a kid I remember taking a school field trip to the US. It blew my mind when I paid for some minor purchase in Canadian and I received more US money back as change. To a kid at the time it seemed like a perpetual money making machine. If we wait long enough who knows what the future may bring. Wouldn't it be cool to be paying less for a cruise and cruise planner purchases compared to Americans? One can always dream...

Thank you for this. I really enjoy looking at your pictures. Seeing the ones from Quebec (again) reminds me how I've only been there a couple times in my life.....and I spent my first 27 years living about two hours drive time from there. Goes to show how things can be taken for granted.

Been reading your review you linked... so far I'm about half way through. Thanks for sharing. Also, thanks for everyone's input so far.

As stated above....pricing. That's what got us to try MSC on the Divina. Nice aft balcony for half the price of the same aft balcony on the Navigator (both ships out of Miami for a New Years sailing). Enjoyed the ship very much. We then tried a YC cabin on the Seaside when it came to Miami. That is a different ball game. RCI came out later with the classes of suite cabins on bigger ships, but the pricing was too high for us. If you want to give it a try, get a YC interior cabin(yes, they do have them) and see if you like it, that's what we did. Then see if you want a YC balcony suite vs. an RCI Sky or similar. We have sailed in Grand suites and Junior suites, we wanted to try the YC "experience". At about $190 a day PP + tax, it was very nice, and on their newest ship. We have a YC booked for a 7 day Mediterranean sailing on the Seaside in the late fall 2021. Price is about the same, just under $200 a day PP + tax. With a different port every day, I won't miss the balcony. RCI wants $250 a day PP just for a lead in balcony on a Med sailing. We still sail with RCI mostly, but without wearing blinders.......... And, YES, YC is a ship within a ship..........

My itineraries from my Empress ----> Odyssey sailings were Eastern Caribbean to Southern Caribbean (both 8 night). So maybe "Caribbean" is close enough.

MEI can (and does) work with Canadians.

YES!!!!!! I'm hoping @Matt is right about her staying in Baltimore. Here's the key difference between her and Enchantment ..... The specialty restaurants. Enchantment only has Chops, While, my beloved Lady G also has Giovanni's Table, and, my favorite, Izumi ---- which sits on the backside of the VCL ---- amazing views from there (pictured). In a year of shitty news, we really needed this.

If you have the option to take this cruise in 2021, use the Lift & Shift option before final payment to move your booking over to the same cruise for November 2021. Gets you a few benefits compared to a straight-up refund: Price is locked at the rate of your current booking, as long as you take the same cabin class and category that all passengers are currently booked in; if you cancel now and book the later trip at some future date, you'll be paying that sailing's current rate If you do it before the current final payment date, you can still cancel that booking later on with no penalty, as long as you do it before the new sailing's final payment date No need to make the current sailing's final payment as long as you Lift & Shift before Aug 31, since you now have the new sailing's final payment date I think that by that time in 2021, the US will have finally gotten its spit together and we may even have a vaccine. But if you're dubious about sailing resuming even then, I would advise to go ahead and take the full refund now before final payment. Once you've passed final payment date, you can't cancel for a refund without penalties unless Royal cancels the sailing itself and offers 100% refund. Any cancellation done by you and not Royal after final payment must be done for FCC if you want to get back 100%; cash refund will still be subject to the usual post-final-payment cancellation penalty schedule.

Although there are a lot of things on the MDR menu I enjoy, one of the things I like most about it is the chance to try something I don't eat at home. I always try something I haven't or wouldn't normally eat at home. Whether it is an appetizer, salad or entrée. Being that the food is already paid for, I don't feel like it's a waste of money to try something I might not like.

I have a fever but it isn't from COVID-19. I have cruise fever and an itch I can't scratch. So why not join me for a wild and impossible cruise itinerary involving teleporting between cabins, ships and continents? The Captains have gone crazy and with the newly installed warp drives I'll be having dinner in the Northern hemisphere and eating breakfast in the Southern hemisphere. From the Oasis Lagoon at CocoCay to an Alaskan glacier the next day. From the zip line at Labadee through the Panama Canal down under to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the blink of an eye, this is going to be a wild ride. Cruise Itinerary: Haven't decided yet, we'll see how this plays out. Cruise Length: Haven't decided yet, we'll see how this plays out. Leaving from: Haven't decided yet, we'll see how this plays out. With a special waiver from the CDC (Cruise Denying Consulate) no ships or crew will be harmed or exposed in the making up of this fake cruise. Sit back, buckle up and enjoy the ride. ? Time to spin the hand sanitizer bottle and see where to begin this journey...

@Neesa I can't answer about whether RC accepts copies. But the county I live in allows you to request an original birth certificate via mail (would probably need to get the request notarized), or via a company called Vital Check. You might want to see what the options are for the county you relocated from.

That is the savings for us right there. We do not pay it off in Canadian currency. We pay off our US Visa with US currency, which we exchange at our local currency exchange (or train station also offers great rates). The local currency exchange offers rates that are considerably lower than bank rates so that is the savings. RBC allows you to open a US bank account and we basically call our local currency exchange, tell them how much to transfer over, and they transfer the amount into our RBC US account. From there the Visa is paid off and you are exchanging at a lower rate than the banks. Land vacations...over-rated lol

I would think this is one of the things that the healthy sailing panel will be addressing. The number of logistics they will be dealing with is truly mind boggling!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/08/19/no-royal-caribbean-still-has-not-sold-empress-of-the-seas

Good morning Joe. Regarding about being safer in Europe vs. US... Not sure I completely agree... but I can only speak from what I see and read/hear in the US. I would say honestly its all optics motivated by the hyper elevated political environment we all live in, advanced by a media that will do all it can to get clicks, views, and likes.... along with an upcoming election here in the states. Basically.... the news will hype anything to get attention. I say all this, along with the anecdotal stuff I have heard... Personally, yes I have heard of people dying in my neighborhood from covid, but each one was already in poor health. I've also heard of people that got hit head on in a car crash... and they were added to the covid death numbers. Also talked to people at my place of business that have tested positive along with their kids, and they said they literally never felt a single symptom at all. So, while I am sure each persons view and experience is different... I just think with all the conflicting information (right or wrong, true or misleading) makes it extremely difficult for everyone to make good decisions. With allllllllll that being said..... Dang I wish we could cruise! Personally, as soon as it sounds like they are starting back up.... I'm going to call my TA and say.... 'SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!!" ? Take care everyone. ~Cheers

As I am sure most everyone on here is the same as me... wondering when we can get back on a cruise???? (Particularly a RCL ship) While we wait with bated breath, cruising came up in a conversation with some friends the other day about possibly booking a short trip as soon as things get going again. This group of friends have been together on 2 cruises before... one on CCL and one on RCL. (And I have been on 3 other RCL cruises with an Alaska one booked for 2021). But for this trip in question, one of our friends has FCC with C**nival cruise lines (C**nival is a bad word in my house) :-) But for a short quick trip, I would gladly go just for the heck of it. It would most likely be a small group of friends, mainly looking to drink and have some fun.... so CCL really fits the bill for a short trip and that 'party' vibe. Now I know you are asking.... "Why am I talking about CCL when the title clearly mentioned MSC???" Just stay with me for a moment.... I'm getting there. (Besides, we all know you are 'working from home (cough cough), in your PJ's, reading cruise formus') :-) While browsing potential trips with CCL, I broadened up my search parameters and noticed new sailings from MSC out of Port Canaveral. I've never really even considered them due to mixed reviews in the past and various other reasons. BUT... in this most recent search I see they have moved some ships around (To port canaveral) and also have their private island available similar to RCL Coco Cay. As I dove deeper and deeper into the depths of MSC reviews on youtube... I came across their 'Yacht Club' rooms and area of the ship. Personally, I'm a frugal type cruiser that is happy in an inside or perhaps splurge on a Balcony if the price is right. But I've never even considered a suite style room on either a RCL or CCL ship, just because I feel the value is not there for me personally. BUT.... here's where I am going with this.... The MSC Yacht club area really seems to be a 'ship within a ship' area. Private dining, lounge, bar, sundeck, pool, etc. etc. And they have all categories of staterooms that you can choose from within the YC class. (Inside, balcony, suite, grand suite, grand suite Plus, super grand suite plus plus, super grand suite plus plus super awesome extra gold platinum, etc.) Just kidding on some of those... but you get the idea. With that being said... their inside YC cabin is a similar price point to a Jr. Suite or even a XL balcony on an RCL ship (Give or take, depending on the cruise and ship, etc). So my thinking is that as a value standpoint getting an inside cabin with suite level perks, and a fully private area on the ship (Thinking about the whole covid-19 thing)... might be a potential adventure I am willing to try out. (yes, slightly more then what I would typically spend for a cabin.... but I can see added value for what MSC is offering at this price point). Anyone on here have any thoughts on the newer MSC ships (Particularly the Seaside) and booking in the Yacht Club rooms, and how it may compare to what I know and love with Royal? Cliff notes: Sweet perks (pun intended) Private ship within a ship area (thinking covid) Wont break the bank (thinking about my wallet) Sample a new/different ship & cruise line (variety is the spice of life) New private island (thinking about the Coco Cay Competition) So.... with that literary challenge behind you.... tell me your thoughts I'm thinking of booking a Yacht Club room on the MSC Seaside.....Change my mind!

My MEI agent was able to move us from 8-night to 7-night. And we’re actually getting some savings out of it, I’m assuming due to the loss of night.

When I was a kid my first ever cruise was short I can’t even remember what islands we saw or the name of the company if it is even in existence combined with a few days at Walt Disney World in FL. Unfortunately did not get to go on another one until I was married and the 2 of us along with my mom took an Alaskan cruise on Radiance out of Vancouver. Our next was with Norwegian on Pride of America in Hawaii. We have also been to the Western Caribbean on Allure and to the Bahamas on Majesty. Our Western Med on Explorer this summer was an cancelled. We booked for next summer on Vision which is slightly longer and goes to some of the same ports and some different. Hope we will be able to go,

Wasn’t for me. I wanted to change my 7 day W Caribbean to a 7 day eastern but my MEI TA was unable to make that happen. I wanted the cruise I already had booked but the opportunity to get an insane deal on an OS on Harmony was too good to pass up. So after the L & S, I rebooked the original cruise! 2 for the price of 1. Ports are different even though both are W Caribbean so it’s all good!

My son ate this every night for a week and was thrilled

Interesting...like I said, never heard that before from any cruise company but first time for everything I guess....they wont get me on something like that....that's pretty dirty imho...50% sale, but limited so we dont know how many and imagine if any other business did that or a store....%50 off but you dont know till you get there if you get the deal..and its not cause they ran/sold out....

My Symphony sailing is 1/21. I was unable to get the sale price so that blows that theory! Sounds like the intern is back at work!

@Sharla with MEI is EXCELLENT! As @SpeedNoodles mentioned, they will help you! Sharla and her impressions of the RCB GP to Alaska is the topic of this week's Royal Caribbean Blog podcast! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend her. If you have allllll the time in the world, then, by all means, be your own travel agent, especially if you know the ins and outs of the travel industry, otherwise, get yourself a travel agent!

I have ALWAYS saved money booking in USD for flights and cruises(and usually flying from the US)...you must not be looking in the right places..I think I have booked once with Costco for the gift card in CAD..lol...and you dont need a US bank account or credit card either..lots of ways around it.. our dollar has been on the up swing as well.....I hope no one on the CERB is booking cruises anyways..wait till their tax bill hits next spring..lol…...

Great news..really going to try to get down to do a cruise on her once the borders open for us...dont want to miss out on the chance!

Sure does ..... that was my birthday dinner last time I was on her. The hot rocks are awesome.

Interesting. When I was reading about Enchantment, it said that part of the purpose of the "stretch" was to add specialty dining along with extra cabins, pool, and some other enhancements. So before that "stretch", it had no specialty dining at all, and after that it only got Chops? That... kind of sucks. I'd much rather be on a ship with 3 specialty options than just one, at least when I have a family that doesn't all like steak / meat as the primary entree option. And that placement for Izumi does look really nice! Does it still do hot rocks?

Sailed Seaside when she came out, not as good as Royal but at about 1/3 of the price i was very happy with the experience for what we paid.

Yes! Completely agree. I am a much more adventurous eater while on vacation! ?

Same. I was very "not wearing a mask on-board" and still am to a point, but have realized, even for my next cruise (not until September 2021) it's a big possibility. It's just a way of life now, pull into parking spot, turn off car, grab phone from holder, grab mask from center console, open door, exit, put mask, walk to store.

Which ship? Solarium Bistro? Symphony: Ovation: Or are you talking about Radiance or Vision class with a cafe in the solarium?

While we're waiting to come out of warp, I looked down at my watch. It was 5 o'clock.

the elevator rush thing is a classic, especially when it is a person on a scooter.

Maybe they can steal the Mushroom Risotto from Giovanni's? We have always enjoyed it.

Snails are disgusting slithering creatures and I will continue to do my part in their demise. We MUST keep them on the menu for the sake of the planet and those that loath all things slimy!... Just trying to do my part!

I will always credit @WAAAYTOOO for her advice on star class luggage when arriving at the port. “DO NOT surrender your bags”. LOL