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Oasis in San Juan November 2019

Just a couple of bow shots of Liberty docked in San Juan back in 2015...

Oh, those kind of night shots.

Given that ships aren't normally in port overnight, I feel like it's rare to get a photo of the ship all lit up at night. I've got one of Mariner from a few years ago when rough seas kept us from going to CoCo Cay, so we wound up with an overnight in Nassau instead. Anyone else have some good pictures of the ships all lit up?

Yeah, why not just buy her the refreshment package for unlimited juice/soda/mocktails? Take her drink vouchers and get your drinks off those, and save yourself some cash. Even if you went over by a couple drinks, it'd still be cheaper than a full package for yourself.

If you call you can order a mixture of packages. You have to do this if you're trying to purchase a drink package + VOOM internet and a non-internet one. But if you only need one alcoholic package (Deluxe) you can order the other 21+ parties in your cabin the Refreshment Package. It just requires a phone call since the system isn't set up to allow it.

Thank you so much for all of your amazing updates Matt! As someone fairly new to the blog, I appreciate all the effort you put into keeping us in the know

Hi @MaryS! I am so happy that I met you at Thrill Waterpark and we got to go on the Slingshot together, that was so much fun I miss it and can't believe it's been over a month now! How have you been? I just wrapped up my 4th and final solo cruise of 2021 last week (on the Norwegian Encore, last ship to go to Alaska in 2021 and it was epic!). I shared a bunch of pics, reels and videos on my Instagram, Facebook and YouTube pages, more coming soon. Hope you enjoy and get to relive some of the memories that I posted from our Oasis cruise

Mariner at the beginning of September as we were leaving Nassau on Adventure.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/10/29/royal-caribbean-extends-ability-cancel-cruises-shortens-final-payment-window-and-extends

omg it's been so long since I've seen MULTIPLE ships in a port I almost want to cry at this picture

Same night Nassau

Anyone else find it strange that Royal doesn’t have merch for sale on their website? I need a new phone case and don’t want to wait 2 months till my next cruise i would think haveing a merch section on their website offering all their branded stuff would make sense.

Solo cruiser here! Embrace the freedom. Don't worry about what YOU think others are thinking, they probably aren't even noticing you're solo. there are lots of ways to meet people on the ship or during an excursion, if that's what you want. but otherwise, just enjoy being with yourself.

I am both excited and terrified to begin my first live Blog here of my first ever Star Class sailing and also….our wedding! I can only hope it is HALF as good as the amazing bloggers I read religiously here! 48 DAYS! Here we go! The Story- My husband and I (I will explain!) booked this cruise for our wedding 2 YEARS ago during a Black Friday sale at an amazing price! We both LOVE cruising…so much so that we have a YouTube channel called BoosCruize so it seemed natural that we would choose to tie the knot in a small ceremony on the high seas! So after much research we decided on the Star Loft Suite 1720 on Oasis Of The Seas! This suite had a HUGE rectangular balcony that could fit guests and also give us the ocean view we wanted….and a Genie to help us pull it all off! What could go wrong?!? Enter…COVID As you can imagine we basically needed a new pair of britches every other day for the last two years as things changed. It’s a good thing I buzz cut my head or I’d probably be bald and NOT by choice LOL A year later we weren’t even sure if this cruise would happen but we also KNEW we wanted to be married. So when a company came to us and asked to throw us a huge West Coast “David Tutera” style wedding in Hollywood that will be published for magazines we obviously said YES! We now have two bi-coastal weddings Lol It was amazingly gorgeous but nothing was our choice. It was all chosen for us….right down to our tuxes. We feel BEYOND blessed but it also wasn’t what we had in our head two years ago. So now here we are….our guest list of 50 has gone down to 12 due to covid complications. Are we upset? HECK NO! We completely understand and are going to have the time of our LIVES on a gorgeous ship surrounded by people who love us! We can’t wait! Who: We are an LA couple. Jarell is an international Flight attendant (yaasss benefits!) and I am an actor who just moved from NYC in time for a pandemic to close Hollywood Where: We are sailing on the Oasis Of The Seas out of Miami in the Star Loft Suite 1720 with stops at Coco Cay, St.Thomas, and St. Maarten When: We sail November 7th-14th, 2021 I think that covers most of the back story and introductions! So happy to meet you all and take you along with us on this very special journey that is over 2 years in the making! Can’t wait to see who our Genie will be! For good measure I have included a photo of the happy grooms from our West Coast Wedding!

If you don'tgets satisfaction from a Royal Caribbean customer service agent call again and talk with another. Seems like everyone has a different answer or result.

@Sharla is the go-to around here.

Adding new restrictions to protocols that have already seen essentially zero cases found on board seems overkill without removing others.

VERY good idea.

I called eMed about ours. The three month extension is solid.

I know it's kind of silly to hope that it gets extended to cover my fall 2022 cruise (given that we expect the world to be back to normal by then dear god i hope) but I just like that it exists period and I would love if it kept going. Even though I never want to have to use it...i like the security net it provides.

Anthem in Nassau January 2019

That's great news. It covers my Nov 12 and my Mar 5 cruise.

2 Days..... So I took my Covid test and my results are negative. I had an appointment for CVS but they cancelled. Thankfully I had eMed test. I am just waiting on the rest of my party to get their results. Some did a free testing site and are waiting on their results.

New test kits should hit the market in a couple weeks anyway.

This has been posted and stated many times. They have an expiration date for December but there is a 3 month extension applied to the test

I know! It's strange that they would not have a good web presence. Logo merchandising is great advertising. I also thought it was very strange that they were not selling RC branded face masks onboard. The profit margin would be insane for something as simple as a face mask. Something with the Crown & Anchor logo, ship name, or Come Seek slogan and RC logo would be very popular. The shop on Oasis seemed very small and somewhat limited in selection compared to the other ships we've sailed on.

Cafe promenade is my go to location. Get to know the baristas and your dink will hit the counter before you finish the order! Flavor selections are kinda limited, especially on the sugar free side, but they will make anything you want. This even includes the blended coffee drinks.

The weather has turned to a strong Fall feeling in Minnesota! Today we are in the low 50s, but the wind and cloudy skies make it seem much colder! I did my civic duty today by absentee voting, our school district is in great need for the referendum that we are trying to pass! But enough with the day to day, this crew is ready for a vacation! Remember the one year old that had pneumonia 2 weeks ago? Well he was in for a well baby check today and he has a double ear infection. The poor little guy can't catch a break! He such a good natured baby, it's hard to tell when he's sick! Antibiotics have started and should be working by our flight Friday night. We are all doing PCR tests tomorrow morning. I am expecting the results about 12 hours after we take them. We are fortunate that the sample collection and lab testing are all done in the same building. Here's hoping all of our testing goes fine. I've been getting weird emails from Royal telling us to schedule Covid testing at the port for all of our vaccinated adults. The emails refer to us as being unvaccinated and between the ages of 2 and 11. A couple calls to Royal have given us different answers. I'm going with the fact that we all have our vaccination cards and will have our negative Covid tests so everything with be fine! Received an email from our Genie, Reyno, today. He is back on the Symphony beginning with our cruise! We plan to arrive at the port at 10:30am and hopefully have our granddaughter's Covid test done and be on board by noon! Enough of the logistics! Can it be Saturday already so we can cruise?!?!

I have only started cruising solo about 4 years ago and I LOVE it. I have done 3 solo cruises on RCCL, 1 on Celebrity and 2 resort vacations. My last was on Oasis this past September and I am thinking about Anthem for this Christmas. What I like about solo vacations is that you can do whatever you want when you want and no arguments (unless you argue with yourself) . The first night in the MDR can feel a little awkward but with the right waitstaff you will do fine. I enjoyed eating in the MDR solo because the waitstaff seem to pay special attention to us solo cruisers (at least I feel that way). Also there is no one at my table to judge me or comment if I want 2 desserts every night. I did have a few invites to join others at dinner because they felt sad that I was eating alone. I thanked them and told them that I enjoy my own company. I am also one that always carries my e-reader with me when I eat (I do it at home too). As @Ampurp85 said when people hear you're cruising solo they tell you how brave your are and they wish they could do it. I only had 1 little problem travelling by myself & that was at Thrill Waterpark and I wanted to go on the Slingshot and had to have 2 people but I managed to find @Cruising With JTand he went on it with me (he was cruising solo too).

If literally everyone onboard is vaccinated AND tests negative prior to boarding, can the masks rule not be relaxed?

That's exactly why my wife and I booked the inaugural, because we have no clue when or if she'll be back stateside.

Glad we got on her for March. Just may be our only chance to sail her.

Mentioned this in another post -- DD got a J&J shot in April, and when I asked to see her card, the only part filled in was the location -- Dept of Health in Piscataway, NJ (actually in the parking lot outside, LOL) . NOTHING ELSE!!!! Seriously -- nothing else -- no brand, Lot, exp -- nothing! And then the spot closed down for a while, (J&J was put on hold temporarily for side effects), and she called, emailed, filled out forms, called -- finally, I told her to go back to the site, go into the office building and find someone there to fix it. Luckily, they were able to look it up & fill it in for her.

We just cashed in our non refundable OBC in the casino this morning on Symphony

One time per sailing. It's usually a single waiver for all of the waiver-requiring events. I always forget to do it, but it's a great idea to get it in on the first day so you don't have to worry with it when you actually go to those events.

I always remind myself they're human beings just like the rest of us...anyone can have an off day here and there.

Definitely a real thing.

I was on a recent Odyssey sailing and they had branded face masks. The were ridiculously expensive ($13 each I think). My wife made me buy one though.

The coffee beverage card is usually $30 and allows for 15 beverages ($2 each) no matter what you order. If you do not use the entire card on your sailing, you can bring it on another sailing as well. This is not valid at Starbucks as mentioned before. You can use it for an after dinner espresso beverage in MDR.

@Booscruize,I think those would make for some unique wedding photos! But agree with @Neesa, and congrats on the big day!!

"Regular" coffee means basically just that--plain ol' coffee that you can add some cream and sugar to. You don't need a drink package of any kind to get that for free. "Premium" coffee is exactly what you mentioned--lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, iced coffee, etc. Usually served at a specialty coffee bar somewhere. The one caveat on the refreshment package is that it cannot be used at the standalone Starbucks kiosks on Oasis-class ships.

Days 5 & 6 These were the days I circled for this trip. A chance to get back diving in blue water. It was the first ocean dives since my strokes so I was a little nervous and my last dive in the lakes in Texas were not promising for me but there was no way I was coming here and not giving everything I had to dive. Curacao was 2 shore dives with The Dive Bus. I was the only one signed up so it was just the divemaster and myself. I explained my situation when I arrived and he was incredibly helpful. I had to suit up and then walk across the street to get into the ocean. I'm sure I was quite a site in full scuba gear walking across the street with a cane. Both dives were spectacular. The reef and marine life reminded me why I started diving in the first place. Nanna, the DM, was an angel. When my knee gave out getting out of the ocean after the second dive he didn't hesitate and carried my gear back to the shop. I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon. Came back to the ship and had dinner in the MDR. I don't know what I was thinking. It just confirmed by belief that the free food Royal provides is not very good. Service on the other hand is still top notch. Luckily it will be my last time in the MDR and Playmakers does have decent wings so it wasn't all lost. I had a 10:15 reservation for the premier of Royal's new show, The Effectors. It started slow but by no means did it stay that way. The lasers and drones they used and the singing and dancing was able to relegate Tap to second place on this trip. I didn't think that would be possible. I would easily go see it again if it was available. I was tired and thinking I really need to get to bed so I can get up in the morning, but by the end I wasn't ready for it to be over. Royal really outdid themselves. Thursday morning came quick and I had to get off almost as soon as the gangway opened to make my dive boat. I get to the pickup site and a couple told me they were running a little late at the shop. Found out later the reason they were late is they were waiting on me at the shop instead of the pier. The seas were unbelievably choppy. I'm glad I don't get motion sickness because they were the worst I've been in going diving. The 2 dives were fantastic and the crew on the boat were so helpful and understanding getting me in and out of the water. Now I'm ready for a real diving trip. I didn't have breakfast before leaving this morning so as soon as I got on the boat I ran up to Playmakers for an Impossible burger and fries. I'm loving the sports bar. Tonight I have dinner at Giovanni's and The Book at 270. I hate that we are about to be heading home. Alas I do have 2 more full days to enoy.

We’ll, time to wrap this one up. I’m just posting things probably only of interest to me at this point! Closing thoughts: - Romina was wonderful. Great personality, flexible and accommodating. - Regret not getting to meet @twangster. Maybe he is a bot. - Covid protocols are hit and miss. I was told verbally and in writing that no crew would come in the room when we were there. You must pick up food at the door from the cart. They all came in the room. - Service was outstanding, except for Giovannis. Service was so bad there at lunch that we canceled our dinner there and didn’t return. Thank you for following along with me. Stacy and I will be on a four night Navigator sailing in 32 days to celebrate her birthday. I might bore you again Happy Sailing everyone!

I'm with you on the traveling solo. I know what I'm getting into when I travel with a group and I just resign myself to the fact that I'm on someone else's time schedule. I won't even agree to be the ringleader or make the decisions because it will frustrate me when no one sticks to the plans anyways. For me, it's all about maximizing my time and getting the most out of the day, especially at the theme parks. I've really only encountered a handful of others who have the same mindset.

I’m on the same sailing and reached out to Captain Johnny via social media ...he told me they won’t have to test cruise and they look forward to welcoming us aboard on the 14th!

We will be onboard for 3 weeks starting late Nov. but I was hoping that numbers were going to be below 3000....oh well. I guess its a good sign that things are getting back to normal.

I love cruising solo, travelling solo, not as much anymore. Like others have stated, you have the upmost freedom. I hate waiting on others when I am trying to get somewhere to enjoy something. In the past I just had fun on my on, striking up conversations when I felt like it. People will gravitate towards you, often telling you how "brave" it is to vacation solo. This often results with invitations to join them, so you won't actually ever feel alone. I have never used the roll calls to meet up with other solos, but plan to on my Jan 22' cruises. Plus it is a great way to try things in a judgement free zone. I don't dance because I got no rhythm but I sure do try on cruise ships

I'll third the book carrying - which I do with when i'm not solo anyway. I enjoy getting a table in a nice restaurant myself, getting a glass of wine or a drink and eating my meal while reading. If you want to meet people, book a tour, tours are great for meeting friendly people. My March solo cruise - I booked spa services which isn't something I normally do. It depends on where I'm going and what my destination is but I tend to like the solo time. I don't necessarily need to chat with people but I do welcome it.

It’s finally happened!! Just got our long awaited Genie email for our sailing and we got Shane!!! I’ve heard nothing but RAVES and so we requested him and now it’s official! So excited!!!! Ok so is this the time that I send him my two year in the making prep/wish list and hope he doesn’t immediately give us to someone else?