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Wouldn't it be great when we can all finally log into Cruise Planner, the infamous Royal IT did the perfect surprise of another $18 drink package or something similar....

Well this just throws a wrench in my day! Now what else am I going to do at work today without being able to second guess my booked excursions and dinner reservations??!!

Final sea day was pretty relaxing. Breakfast in the room again. Day was spent packing, lounging at the pool, some casino time and more snacks. The rest of the crew returned to Giovanni’s for dinner while I caught the final performance of Mama Mia. Went down to the boardwalk to say farewell to Lusi. Called it an early evening to get some rest before departure. Jay left some very thoughtful gifts for me on our last night. He had provided gifts to each of the others on their “celebration” day but saved mine for the last night. I’d share pictures but then everyone would expect a Rolex. Up the dreaded departure day to head home. Stacy and I had breakfast in the CK while the others prepared for departure. I dropped by Next Cruise to put a deposit on the “free” casino cruise as did Katie. We all said some tough goodbyes to Putu and Benjie before Jay showed up at 915 to escort us off. We were off the ship in minutes after saying farewell to the best Genie we’ve sailed with. Also said goodbye outside to MO5AIC although we ended up with two of them on the flight to Dallas. Uber to the airport, smooth check in and on time flights. While waiting for our departure I was bored so booked the same room, same ship for September 10, 2023. Had dinner in the Dallas airport where we received a video from Jay with him saying “I’m standing in front of the Aqua Theater where are you guys?”. Landed in Palm Springs at around 930pm and a short drive home to see the animals. All in all it was an awesome vacation. Next I’ll have some random, final thoughts and close this out. Thanks for following along!

So you're saying the one lone hamster that turns the wheel needed a food and bathroom break?

Man you guys are tough! Sh*t happens! Apps and websites go down sometimes! It's okay! [Now, having said that, I have a sailing tomorrow and just got a Royal Up bid accepted, so if they don't get things back online soon so I can log in and see my new room, etc., I'll be leading the angry mob.]

Careful what you wish for - it might be $25 per drink rather than per day.

Day 6 is upon us. Two more days at sea. So far this has been a great trip. Some observations : 1. After having the Ben and Jerry's manager say our diamond drink vouchers were good for milkshakes on Wednesday, we were told that they made an error Thursday. The loyalty ambassador confirmed this and it is due to the franchise contract they have with B&J's. Another example of RCI being consistently inconsistent but it didn't put a damper in our trek. 2. On the subject of the loyalty ambassador, Ruby is fabulous. We had this sailing booked in the window where you could get double-double points for a suite. We had to rebook it outside the window for booking. My TA instead of transferring the reservation to this sailing, he cancelled it and created a new booking. With a quick email to C&A, Ruby had the ship righted so that we all get 28 points. (getting my 8 y/o closer to Diamond status on her own instead of freeloading ;)) 3. Pub staff are some of the best I've ever encountered. Shine, Rui, Jayson are top of the charts. 4. Amit in the suite lounge is probably the best concierge I've ever had. 5. Food in the MDR has been good to very good. Beef tenderloin on the menu for the second time tonight - that pleases me. 6. The sports staff are amazing. My daughter is a thrill seeker but was a bit timid around the flowrider and understandably so. The sports staff were incredible. Lori loved it! She's since gone back again and they even had her doing tricks. It seems like Liberty may be one of the least talked about ships on this site probably due to the fact she sails out of Galveston and is overdue for a refresh... That being said there has to be some more questions so come at me!

Well may when they come back up they will have that $19 a day drink package error

Better the web site going down than a ship.

This is what I live for !

Boarded Anthem this morning for a 12-night cruise to Vigo, Lisbon, Lanzarote, Gran Canária, Tenerife, Funchal and La Coruña. I will be doing a full recap when we get back but will be happy to try and find the answers to any questions anyone might have as we go along.

Embarkation: Short walk from the train station RCl put a tent for drop off luggage. That was a long line as only few people handled the luggage and one queue for all. Apparently this was a good time to check and ask questions as whoever was in a suit or bought the key could go directly to the front of the line and drop the luggage. Since we are sailing in JS we did just that and after 5 minutes we went to the next station. To so you need to go over a bridge (elevator available) the next station is a security check were they scan the hand luggage. Once this is done you go to another tend (with very good and needed AC) to do the check in following passport control. The next tent is the duity free and a station were they collect your passport (to get it back the day after). Once done you go out and take a shuttle to the ship , it's one minute ride. Sounds complicate but all in all from the minute we gave our luggage to the time we board it took maybe 10 - 15 minutes, not bad. Hifa port authority are in the process to build a new terminal which will make things easier, we will see.

This is RCL take 2 trying to call Hifa an home port. First they tried when C19 was still a major thing , it was at summer 2021 with Odyssey of the seas. We had two cruise booked on it but then it was cancelled, RCL changed the plans and we once again had to catch a flight to cruise from the US (back 2 back and one of them was on a star class so no complain ). This year they brought Rhapdody over and we gave it another try. The plans were simple , no need to worry about and flight being delayed nor to book hotels ,just board. Well plans are one thing and reality another. I had to fly for a business trip (yes they are also back) to handle some crises in one of our projects and fly back in , yes , less than a day before the cruise . At least it was not a long one over the Atlantic flight but short European one and I got to be there during historical times. Plans was to arrive home , do laundry, pack and get ready. Getting to Hifa port might be one of the easiest things to do as the port got a train stop adjust to it. Only issue is that due to maintenance the train is not working between Tell Aviv and Hifa at Fridays which is the embarking day. Since parking is very limited near the port I decide to take the car and park it near the first Hifa train stops (free parking near a football stadium) and catch a short ride to the port . That's what we did , 50 minutes drive , parking and walking with the suitcases to the train. As we arrive we just missed one of the train so we had to wait 15 minutes to catch another. We boarded the next train and waited, 5 minutes before it started I felt something is wrong , I got my suitcase but wait something is missing, yes my backpack with my passport. I left my spouse with the suitcases and went back to the car , let her wait for me at the port train station. Apparently some times it's good to miss the train , if we board the earlier train I would found it out only at port... So I found my backpack in the car , walked back to the train station and board the next train, at least my spouse got some new jokes to tell about me Embarkation process will come next.

I've had Bloody Mary's earlier than that. You can order them at the Windjammer bar, in the MDR if you're having breakfast there. They just don't open most of the regular bars until 10:30. Hey, the staff has to have SOME time to sleep!

Here we go , finaly a cruise we do not catch a flight to nor hotel. 5 days cruise which starts at Hifa , Israel and stops at: 1. Limassol Cyprus. 2. Rhodes , Greece. 3. Santorini, Greece. And one sea day. Lots of locals and first 5ime cruiser which is always interesting to see the reaction. Will try to do some short love blogs as it's can be a different experience.

Still down but feel strangely comforted by other people looking for pitchforks, too!

When I try to login it just returns me to the login page

#pitchforkEmoji !

Typical RC IT. It will be back up... eventually.

I believe it is only on cruises 6 nights and more. We had it last night and it was delicious! Very good sized too! We had a plate of the tails brought to our table to share…because we also wanted the beef tenderloin and other selections. The lobster was so sweet and plentiful!

I am praying that when it does come back up, prices will be messed up and I will be able to grab DBPs for me and Mrs Fan for $25. Hey, one can hope.

I hope they're not upping the prices in one fell swoop. Just thinking about those drink package increases on NCL gives me a hangover!

I really do try to be patient in these situations but with a voyage leaving tomorrow it would be very helpful if I could log in!

Offer to answer any questions the newbie has rather than offering too many suggestions. The things YOU think need to be known may not be what HE wants to know. And don't assume that the new person will have the same experience as you, even if you're doing the same things. Definitely a YMMV situation when experienced cruisers travel with new cruisers.

Good suggestions here. The thing to remember is that most of us on this board over plan things and try to understand every detail. For me, that's just how I am. I have come to realize that most others are not like that but still manage to have a good time. Show him the basics and let him make his own discoveries.

We received them on our recent cruise on the Explorer. Also, regarding Diamond Plus members having access to the Concierge Lounge, please see the update (dated 3/4/22) on the RC website. As of 3/15/22 Diamond Plus members do have access to the Concierge Lounge. Some ships have Suite Lounges and currently Diamond Plus members don't have access to those (unless they're in a suite). On the RC homepage click on the 3 bars on the top left of the page (to the left of the RC LOGO), then click "Crown & Anchor Society", then click "View Member Benefits updates", then scroll down to "Suite & Concierge Lounges". I hope this helps. On our recent Explorer cruises in May, we were in the Concierge Lounge prior to dinner, every evening. Happy cruising everyone!

I'd take care of these things: Get him checked in with check-in time and info added Book everyone's dinner together Book shore excursions When you get onboard, book the shows. Beyond that, let him stick with you or go on his own as he sees fit. But at least you have the core stuff down and you'll see him for dinner.

It just keeps taking me back to the sign-in page. Obviously down for whatever reason.

it is still down... when i have issues i come here to see whats going on...lol

My last RUB notification said while you haven't been upgraded yet (Harmony 2022) you are still in the running as our on ship staff may choose you for an upgrade up to some time after boarding. (I read into that you may be upgraded so be prepared to change cabins.) If not interested anymore you may cancel your bid. On the ship and didn't unpack just in case, but received an email at 1900hrs saying your bid was unsuccessful. I am 0/27 for now and honestly I go into with the idea that I love the cabin I'm in but if I'm upgraded its a huge plus. I enjoy the process but I would love to "win" the ability to pay a little more for a last minute upgrade just once. Oh well, I have learned to not read anything into this totally random process. Positive winning vibes coming at you!

I sure do love a lazy river and think it could be really cool too. Not to mention the pump system to keep the water flowing and moving us fatties who overindulged at Windjammer.

While we normally don't do GTY bookings, we took advantage of a great deal for double points in a Junior Suite GTY (slightly obstructed) for a 9-night Eastern Caribbean Nov 2023 sailing on Explorer. Two days after booking, Royal pushed the sail date to mid-Dec and gave us the option to move or cancel with no additional fee, My travel agent was able to score us a great Junior Suite without an obstruction and closer to the elevators. Lucky day for sure...and what a terrific way to obtain Diamond status, too!

Ok, so let me expound a bit on what I said in my last post. I have taken two cruises in my entire life. Cruise number one was on Adventure of The Seas in April, 2022. Cruise number two was with Carnival on The Breeze in September, 2022. Why Carnival? I listened to a friend. A friend in retrospect who obviously knows no better! LOL Both Adventure of The Seas and The Breeze are of a similar size and had very similar itineraries. So, I feel this is a very good apples-to-apples comparison. The Ships: Winner - Adventure of The Seas. My wife and I both found the interior of Adventure of The Seas to be far more beautiful and appealing than The Breeze. Also, we found getting around on AoTS to be easier and more intuitive. The Breeze felt blocky by comparison without any natural flow. Also, the promenade on AoTS is just much more appealing than the atrium on The Breeze. AoTS is like a nicely appointed high end hotel and The Breeze is like a Super 8 hotel. Food: I am breaking down the food in to categories: Buffet: Adventure of The Seas by a long mile. In almost every category, the Windjammer kicks tail over the Lido Marketplace buffet on The Breeze. I am not saying the food is perfect in the Windjammer, there are hits and misses for sure, but the food was just overall very bad on The Breeze buffet. Sodas: Royal for the win. Why? They have Coke products. Carnival has Pepsi. I am a Coke man. Pizza: Ok, The Breeze wins one. The Pizza Pirate on The Breeze was superior in my opinion than the pizza we ate at Cafe Promenade on AoTS. Overall Included Dining Options: The Breeze again. The included options on The Breeze include Guy’s Burger Joint, Guy’s Pig & Anchor BBQ, Pizza Pirate, and Blue Iguana Cantina. In fact, the burgers from Guys, the pizza from Pizza Pirate and the tacos from Blue Iguana were very good. MDR: Adventure of The Seas. The dining rooms in AoTS are far more elegant and beautiful and feel more open. The food was a notch above as well when compared to The Breeze. Cabins: Tie. I found both cabins on the ships to be comparable. The Breeze may have had more usable storage as well, but lacked in decor. I slept great on both beds. (I like a very firm mattress). Staff: Adventure of The Seas. And really, this was close. We got great, friendly service on both ships, but the staff on The Breeze really bungled debarking for us. And that is another long story for later. Entertainment: Adventure of The Seas. The shows, the entertainers, the options, and the venues we found to be just a bit better on our RC ship. Not to say The Breeze didn’t have good entertainment, just not as good as on AoTS.

3 Days Until We Leave!! The luggage tags have been printed!! My drama tonight was figuring out why my printer only wanted to print in grayscale! I ended up having to uninstall my printer and all the drivers and start over! Tim asked if we really needed them tonight - um, YES!! It's on the schedule! He offered to go to Office Depot to print them tomorrow for me, but I couldn't stop troubleshooting until it was done. It's fixed, but I spent way too much time on it. Yes, I have an obsessive side. We've been watching Invest 98L in the Atlantic because it's modeled to go right up the path of our itinerary next week. A little sad that we could be rerouted because we know Mom and Aunt Cindy were looking forward to the ruins and dolphin encounter. However, it's a cruise and I'm sure the captain will make sure we have some sunshine, so it's not a bad thing. It's got our Facebook roll-call group all a flutter! I think I'd be happiest if we got rerouted to CocoCay as that is one of my favorite places, and I know Kenzie and Kayla would have a blast at the water park. If we end up there and the wind is right, I think it would be fun to go up in the balloon. Look at me planning it out already! Tonight is about to the end and that leaves us one more full day/evening before we need to pack up our final things (charged electronics, etc), head over and pack Mom, and then we all head to the hotel. I, unfortunately, have a long way to go with the packing because I've had a busy week. I need Genie Jay!!!

I saw cleaner and thought of a packing hack that I used when I was traveling for work. Take your suits, dresses or sports coat to the cleaners before you travel. Leave the garment in the plastic bag that they use when you pick up your stuff and then fold it gently and put into your suitcase. The bag cuts down on wrinkling and you know that your clothes are fresh.

You are absolutely correct. You may not know if your RU bid was accepted until you arrive at the terminal for check-in. Actually, you might not find out until you're actually on board the ship.

So after check in there is a bar code, but no numbers. Using a camera, "read it" and you will get the numbers for the bar code. The last 4 numbers is the room assigned (unless more than floor 10), but subject to change.

There are a couple of options: https://ultramarsales.ultramarferry.com/en/routes-and-departures.html https://winjet.mx/en/schedules/

Thank you very much @Neesaand @KristiZ! @NeesaI agree completely about the Chops Holiday menu. On Cruise Planner the sample Holiday menu looked the exact same if not less options than the regular menu. Guests are being charged the $99 pp for the bottle of champagne. At least the Giovanni's sample Holiday menu had some new options just for the Holiday meal. I still don't plan on spending $95 pp for it though.

I tend to get stressed out about this kinda of thing too, but I think your best bet is to just book the dining package as a child for your daughter and not worry about it. They will likely just give her the adult menu anyway. If not, have her order from the adult menu. Basically, just play dumb. In the unlikely event that they push her towards the children's menu, just mention that has been no issue with your daughter ordering from the adult menu in the main dining room, so you don't understand why this is a problem now. To be honest, I don't think the wait staff is going to care. They just want you to be happy and for you to give them a "10" on the survey. Making your daughter sad isn't going to keep you happy and certainly won't make you want to rate them a "10". If you feel a little guilty about it, do what an American would do—add a little extra tip at the end to partly make up for the "deal" you just got. If I'm totally wrong and you do need to talk to the customer service folks onboard to "upgrade", I think you have a very good argument to just pay the difference between the price you paid for your daughter, and the price you paid. Bring a copy of the email receipt. But I doubt things will get that far.

I understand. Let me be clear on something: Everything I mentioned in my post is from my personal experience. We had 4 appointments and ended up only being able to do 2. My wife and daughter had to make a last minute appointment at a CVS 20 minutes away because of OnPoint. Meanwhile there are literally dozens of people on the FB group of our sailing and in several other Royal FB groups having the same widespread issues with them. This isn't just me taking this person's word. These guys are screwing everyone. As far as the message, I looked into her and it seems legit. But even if it isn't legit, that doesn't change the experience I've had with OnPoint, nor the experience currently being had by dozens of people just like us trying to get testing so they can cruise or travel.

I’m having the same problem.

FWIW, there have been reports on the cruise forums of them cancelling appointments, not sure if it was here, the other big forum, or both. I went with RapidTest&Trace in July b/c they had much better customer service than OnPoint and OnPoint always had a few red flags. Just one man's opinion.

Windjammer bar is open for BM breakfast. Relax, you won’t go through the DT’s

got a royal up a week or two prior, one while walking to the ship (had to scramble and get a porter to hand write the luggage tags and discard my printed ones) and another when I was told I didn't get it an hour after we departed. My guess is you are close but didn't get it however if someone is a no show or a late cancellation, you still may get it. I can also say it is pretty random, the one I got last minute my brother in law got his days earlier, we paid the same, had the same room and bid the same. His last name is alphabetically before mine but other than that something in their computer broke the tie in his favor for the unsold room and I got what appears to be the cancellation room. It happened during a covid surge and I assume there were lots of cancellations. Then again we both got royal ups in Alaska this last summer and the ship was sold out of suites for months online and sold out a week before of every room right up to sailing so some may have cancelled a week out because we got them too early for covid cancellations or airline snafus, both of which were prevalent at the time. Or it's just full of random wonkiness. Just stay loose, you never know, be prepared to enjoy the room you booked and also for the royal up.

It may seem counterintuitive but capping wifi speeds has been proven to cause more problems than it solves. WiFi is a shared medium much like the old days of ethernet hubs. When you cap or throttle users you prolong their session. If you are downloading a 10MB email attachment you will download all of that 10MB regardless how long it takes. For as long as you are downloading that 10MB you are consuming time on the radios of the access point you are attached to. Basically your activity is congesting the spectrum for as long as it takes to complete your download. The best solution that has been proven time and again is to get your download done as quickly as possible which then frees up the spectrum for other users. When users are capped the problem becomes more prevalent as the number of connected users grows. The spectrum becomes more saturated because all stations are consuming time slots for longer periods. The same logic applies to streaming. Some people assume that when streaming TV you have a constant stream of bits coming in but in reality you receive a series of data spikes that are buffered in your device. Each of those spikes is just like downloading something like a 10MB file. The best solution is to allow your device access to all the bandwidth that is available at that moment in time so that your spike of data is completed as quickly as possible. The worst case scenario is capping your throughput so that your spikes are smoothed out into one long constant download. That ties up the radio spectrum making it less available for other users. Shared medium always works best when users jump on and off rather than constantly consuming the resource. Think of a party line telephone. If one user is constantly using it no one else can. It only works if all users jump on and off as quickly as possible and for data that requires allowing them access to the whole pipe. Ask any WiFi pro and you'll hear this time and again. Twenty years ago it was thought to be a solution but since that time the WiFi professional community has come to the conclusion that user data caps don't work and make the problem worse. Royal is so outdated in their approach to technology.

Every time I've had breakfast at JRs we are always the only ones there. Maybe another table or two inside, but I feel like it's a pretty well-kept secret.

These are the Diamond + luggage tags we received. They were in our stateroom a couple of cruises after we reached D+ level.