Leaderboard

Not a great review writer but will give it a shot! After the stress and anxiety of Saturday, we headed to PC a little after 9:30 Sunday morning. Arrived about 45 minutes later and pulled into the garage. I have to say even though I knew she was big, I was not prepared for HOW BIG. Harmony is a beast! Port workers a little rude (are you dropping off or not?!?!) so we drove past them. Gave our bags to the porters around the corner & parked on the second level. A quick walk to the security area. We had our passports and vax cards in a clear plastic holder easily visible and printed Set Sail pass & negative test results from CVS. From turning into the garage til we were seated in the suites waiting area took maybe 15 minutes for the 4 of us including taking our pictures. Could not have been quicker or easier. Ducks in a row folks!! Boarding opened right around 11 for suites and pinnacles (saw a few prominently displayed gold name tags silly to me but hubby wants one!!) and after a few photos, we were on board! Our first drinks on Rising Tide which became hubby’s favorite bar!

It's simple. The kids don't really sail free. Their cost is built into the prices for passengers 1 and 2. It's marketing. If you want to sell a cabin of 4 people and you want to charge $500 per person, you could charge: 1) $500 per person...total cost = $2000 2) $1000 each for passengers 1 & 2, kids sail free...total cost = $2000 for 2 parents, 2 kids 3) $750 per person with a sale of $500 off each for passengers 3 & 4...total cost = $2000 4) $1000 for passenger 1, BOGO 50% off for passenger 2, $250 each for additional passengers...total cost = $2000 I could keep going, but depending on the details of the "sale", some versions work out better for 4 adults, some versions work out better for parents with kids, but Royal gets the amount they want for the cabin.

Skshh…..I agree with this…..over.

Remember they often raise the prices of guests 1 & 2 for this, so it's not always the best deal. It's a marketing tactic to get people interested. Some people do indeed save money, just don't think you're automatically going to save.

Crew no longer has to double mask in public or mask at all in crew areas. I've seen a few outdoor crew not masking at all this week, too

They were flown directly to the Jerry Springer show

Walkie Talkies SHOULD be on the banned items list

I like Sun Bum for going to the Caribbean because it's reef safe, so I can use the same one for the whole cruise including port days.

Supergoop unseen sunscreen is my favorite for my face.

Anthem is getting there. Even though we're at about 78% capacity, it does seem like a full cruise. But, after several months of reduced capacity, I'm really happy to be getting back to pre-shutdown cruising. It was a unique experience having so few cruisers...but it was also strange. For me, there was always a nagging feeling of worry. The masking/distancing protocols; the constant unease over onboard infections and possible quarantine; the sudden change in itineraries due to onboard numbers; vaccinated-only venues; mask on/mask off/constant masking; really weird seeing entertainers performing in the bars and lounges for no audience; Windjammer closed for dinner due to lack of guests. But the one constant was the crew. They were so happy to be back! Excellent service with wonderful attitudes! Even though their restrictions were so much more involved than for the guests. They still did their best to make the cruise as wonderful as possible! I like seeing capacity increase. It means we're getting back to where we were before the shutdown. I really missed that...enjoy your cruise!

Success! We were upgraded from an interior cabin to a spacious ocean view balcony. I bid $250 pp, maybe I could have gone lower, but it’s still a deal! Totally pumped and glad my kids won’t have to sleep above us in my husband’s “fart cloud.” (His words, not mine.)

I am sure the option of getting vaccinated was probably already considered. Don't you?

Boarded today with the Costco Covid test and no questions asked.

This morning I was checking the price of our trip Aug 13, 2022, Port Canaveral, on Mariner. Look what I saw:

We packed a separate carry on luggage after reading Sabrina’s ordeal. Lo and behold, our luggage missed our direct flight to FLL!! We did get our luggage tonight but I was getting anxious.

It's to keep @Big Dawg Ron out. I approve.

came here to write this. You can use everywhere but as someone who breaks out and has sensitive skin this is my first choice.

I believe walkie talkies are allowed (they are not on the list of prohibited items, although they specifically single out baby monitors and Hamm radios), however: There IS NOT a 100% chance that they will reliably work aboard the ship. There IS a 100% chance you will annoy pretty much everyone around you. Don't be that person. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/prohibited-items-onboard-policy

There are also towel stations on Coco Cay so you don't have to carry towels on and off the ship.

Put minimum bids on all the rooms. No expectation of ever getting one. But I won a 1 bedroom grand suite, sky class! Super excited! We leave on Symphony in 2 days.

The prices do not change. We just won our Royal Up to a 1 bedroom Sky Class grand suite and are so excited! I just put minimum bids on all the rooms with the thought I would never win one but did!! Just remember the bid will be x2 and no more, meaning if you have 6 or 2 people, you only get charged for 2.

Both my husband and I are retired military and the military discount has been hit and miss for us. We have gone on eight cruises with Royal and have only received a military discount twice. We have had better luck getting Florida resident discounts. The only advice I can offer is to keep checking for price drops and discounts. Good luck and thank your dad for his service.

I told DW last night about your fiasco with the luggage and how I am now going back to packing an extra set of clothes in my carry-on like I did before we were married. She hates dealing with carry-ons and would check everything if it were up to her after her years in the military dealing with carrying gear on a plane. She just looked at me. Nope, not spending a week in the same clothes because you don't want to deal with a bag. Sounds like you otherwise had a great spring break. We are now counting down the class days left. My seniors can tell you exactly how many they have left (so can I ).

I've been on a lot of cruises, where the food and/or service is terrific, while simultaneously folks at the next table are complaining their food is disappointing. Everybody has their own expectations. I am not a foodie and I'm easily pleased. I've very much enjoyed and appreciated my shipboard dining experiences, and I very much count my blessings. I'm disappointed to hear others do not receive the same food and service that I receive. And in fairness, I also was not on Independence of the Seas.

Very common. Last week's sale on the soda package said 15% off and listed at $10.99 a person per day. When sale ended, the soda package was $8.99. Disregard the "sale" title. Look at the Cruise Planner weekly, make note of the prices regardless of the sale. You will eventually figure out a "good" price vs. a "bad" price. There are websites that give you an idea of the prices, including "sale" prices for various ships on various sailing lengths. These are generally good guidelines to follow.

I'm so glad they changed the seats in the Rising Tide Bar when they built Harmony (and presumably, Symphony....but I haven't been on SY yet). Those little pencil seats they had on OA and AL were almost as uncomfortable as the metal chairs they use outside at Giovanni's/Jamie's. ALmost.

Both did the emed Covid tests and NEGATIVE! Two more days!

You and a great deal of others misunderstand and misapply HIPPA laws. HIPPA laws prohibit and penalize health care providers from disclosing private medical information belonging to a patient. A cruise line can ask about your medical history and not run afoul of HIPPA laws. This is especially true if you are the one providing the information. That is called a "waiver." If you ask your doctor to write you a note containing medical information, that is also a "waiver." In either event, a cruise line doesn't even need a waiver for HIPPA because HIPPA simply does not apply. That is just clarification. I'm not passing judgment one way or another as to your (or anyone else's) medical history, decision not to vaccinate, etc. You do you.

I'm hoping they won't need masks soon. It's not really fair that if passengers don't need them, that crew should at least get the option to wear them or not.

2 negatives this mourning. We are good to go.

Lovetocruise2002 glad that you guys were able to overcome the lost luggage and have a great time , we were on Oasis just prior to covid . Aqua 80 was fantastic we thought , everytime i hear a song that they use i think of that show . The escape room is a must to work together .. I had a coworker plan on flying out of buffalo the same wknd you left only to have their flight delayed then cancelled , they ended up driving to Florida but not for a cruise .. We can't wait to go again .

Your message came off more caustic than kind and honest to me. This is a message board about cruising, not trying to convince people to make personal life choices. Let's keep it that way.

I just used an MEI agent for the first time. She was able to get me rooms that I didn’t have access to when I was trying to book it myself. She was also able to get the cruise for $1000 less. I’m sold on using an agent from now on.

She does Many hours spent on the phone daily.

I have them as my back up plan every cruise that we've done since cruising resumed we've always tested at Walgreens or CVS and have always tested negative and had our test results in less than 24 hours. We are on Wonder sailing out on April 8th I have the free government test kit our backup plan my hope is to never have to use it but to have it just in case. If I do use it I'll post something but I'm hoping to not have to.

Hi @mamie! Not from Charleston, but it is a favorite for my wife and I. We LOVED the seafood at Fleet Landing restaurant. Then for dessert, the Peninsula Grill has the best coconut cake I have ever had. Also, we stayed across the Ravenel Bridge in Mt. Pleasant and had a short commute to historic Charleston with much better hotel prices. Have a wonderful time!

I think people that try to use the elevators at the exit of the theater when the show lets out should be prepared to wait or walk to another set of elevators if they are able. I don't there can be enough elevators added for cover those peak crowded events.

We ate at MDR the other nights. Hubby & son went back night 6 for scallops but, like my MDR lobster, they were undercooked. My son & daughter ate there night 7 for the sashimi & cauliflower fried rice both of which were pronounced excellent. But I never went back. We had no problem connecting with our MDR waitstaff beginning on night 2.

Yay! Was hoping you would do a recap!

Yup. We *did* save about $250 on our sailing for Harmony in September, but I've definitely checked on Kids Sail Free before and not had it be any cheaper.

Yep

Just gonna roll with the $1600pp on the Crown Loft. (18 rooms left) Also putting in the minimum bid of $1650pp for an Aquatheater 1 Bedroom (2 rooms left). Sailing is in 24 days - I’ll repost once I know more.

I enjoyed my Independence of the Seas cruise in November. Was there something specific you didn’t like in the buffet? In my experience, buffet food tends to be more plain to appeal to more people. Exceptions are the Asian cuisine, which I always enjoy. I thought the MDR food was very good and served warm and didn’t order room service. As for MDR service, we enjoy the dining experience and like to give ourselves about 1 hour and 45 minutes to eat so we can chat and slowly enjoy one meal and courses. But we did have a show one night where we needed to be out of there in a hour and they were able to accommodate us. I think there is a staff shortage just due to people who test positive, but overall I really enjoyed my cruise. At the end of the day, we are traveling during a pandemic and I felt like RCI did a good job with the circumstances

We're going on our first cruise in a few weeks, and we picked it because it coincided with my work schedule (I'm a teacher, so my vacation time is pre-determined), and it leaves from Bayonne so I can take a cab to the cruise port and not have to fly anywhere. That was a HUGE selling point, honestly.

Got checked in last night! It opened at literally 12:05, so that does seem to be the standard. Thanks, all!

We just returned from the Mariner and purchased 2 Voom packages for my husband and I, then the $1.99 chat package for all of the kids (I refuse to pay for internet for 4 kids without jobs, lol). We also had to purchase the $1.99 chat package for ourselves, as it’s not included with Voom. The chat notification popped up on my Home Screen and occasionally on my Apple Watch. Not sure if that’s because I almost always had the RC app open, or if they’re making improvements to the feature.

If you have a legit medical exemption I'm sure your doctor can write something. But if not, don't except an exception. In fact, you probably should just not book anything for a while. That, or just get vaccinated.

On Allure Star a few weeks ago, the genie met us at our room with a porter/cart. There were five of us. When we got on the elevator, our genie used a special card to make the elevator that was going up to go down. He stopped others that wanted to go up from entering the elevator. Our genie then handed us over to a special worker and the porter handed over our stuff to another porter. We were escorted thru customs then the porter packed us into a cab to go to the airport.

What generally happens is ship crew bring luggage up to your deck and the nearest crew elevators. Cabin attendants take it from there to a spot closer to your cabin. The issue is that cabin attendants works starting at 6am that day beginning to clean the cabins as previous guests depart. They get time off midday before their afternoon shift starts and they work into the evening. During that time before they come on shift no one has been been moving luggage down the hall closer to your cabin. It's there but placed anywhere so there is room for more bags coming up and off the elevator. As cabin crew come back from their midday break they start moving the luggage horizontally closer to cabins where it belongs. So it's common to see your bags down the hall somewhere if you spot them before the cabin attendants come back from their break.