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Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/04/2023 in all areas

  1. I realized that I never recapped my thoughts on the UDP. As you remember, this was an experiment for us to see what level of specialty dining is right for us on future cruises. I am glad we tried it, but it will probably be our last time with the full package for a few reasons. On the plus side, we enjoyed all of the specialty restaurants that we tried. There was enough variety of food was enough to keep it interesting on an Oasis class ship with all the different restaurants. The food quality and service was really good. The price is also good when you figure in the cost of UDP for the week divided by the 7 dinners and 4 lunches we had. It added up to less than $20 per meal. On the negative side, there was just too much food. I would probably never eat a full meal at lunch and then follow it up with a full dinner, especially if I had breakfast. I think it may have worked better if the ship had portside BBQ or Playmakers where we could have had a lighter lunch. We also missed having the same waiters for each meal in the main dining room. I definitely can see why some would rather pay extra for the improved food quality vs the MDR, but we like the MDR food. We will definitely still use specialty dining going forward, just not the UDP.
    4 points
  2. I am on Navigator as we speak. Two of these bags were delivered to our room and I've gotta say these bags are very substantial, very well made, and very attractive. When I get home in a week I'll post some actual photos.
    4 points
  3. FireFishII

    Corny Jokes

    In honor of being -11 degrees and Mt Washington breaking the record for the coolest wind chill (-106 degrees). . . .
    3 points
  4. Navigator, Freedom, Oasis, Odyssey, and Wonder have them. Mariner does not.
    3 points
  5. Day 4 - Ensenada We stayed on the ship again today, but so did a lot of others. It really felt like a day at sea with fewer things to do. I took a couple of calls in the morning for work, and then we ventured out for breakfast up in the Windjammer. We've found that breakfast at WJ is great for us because of the variety. We wandered around after that and did a lot of people watching and chilling. We grabbed lunch around Noon and then got into our suits for an afternoon in the water. We attempted to enjoy the main pool and sit in the chaise lounges in the shallow water for a while. I had successfully fallen asleep and a mini-human jumped over the middle section into the water next to me, which splashed me in the face and promptly woke me up. We hung out for a while longer and when more mini-humans joined forces, we vacated and went to the Solarium pool. We ended up in the water for over three hours, and were very wrinkled when we finally got out. We attempted the dining room again, and this time I ordered the Chops Grille Filet Mingon for $19.99. I ordered it medium-rare, and was a touch on the rare side, but it was excellent overall. It came with a choice of peppercorn or butter sauce, and I chose the butter. It was just melted butter, and I didn't use it. I ordered a baked potato with it, and they brought out mashed potatoes instead. I didn’t bother saying anything because I finally had good food and the mashed potatoes were fine. After dinner, we wandered around to various venues looking for a place to hang out, and ended the night in the Schooner Bar with the piano music and vocals that were okay. Came back to the 2nd and final towel animal of the cruise. Apparently, they don’t do them every night anymore. I miss them!
    2 points
  6. 2 points
  7. 2 points
  8. We had a 1030-1100 check in time. Got to the port at 1030. Onboard by 1050. No one was inspecting check in times as it really wasn’t necessary. A much nicer experience than boarding in Boston back in October. No one was yelling at people as they went through security The longest wait was actually in traffic leading up to the porters. Security wasn’t bad at all
    2 points
  9. So true about people not knowing. Our cruise on Allure leaves tomorrow…I snagged the earliest check in time possible on the day check in opened back in December. Meanwhile my SIL (who has never cruised before) waited til a couple weeks ago to check in for herself and BIL and was “so happy the latest check in time was the only one still available…why would you want to get there any earlier than you have to just to sit around and wait?”. I was so baffled by that statement til I realized she was probably imagining it more like checking in for a flight and couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to sit and hang out at the airport for five hours or so before departure.
    2 points
  10. 64 days and counting!!!! Cant wait for the worlds largest cruise ship (for now)!!!!
    2 points
  11. I have never asked them to serve me multiple of a course at the same time, but any time I have ordered multiples they had my second plate at the server's station waiting for me to finish my first. Since all the dishes are plated separately in the galley I think it's as much a space at the table issue as it is old school proper etiquette. Your server is fetching stacks of plates with lids and bringing them back to their station to distribute for efficiency purposes. That's why you will often see them use an entire plate for a single side order...that's just easier for them to carry to dining room. It shouldn't be an issue to ask for both plates at the same time, but it's going to get crowded at the table when multiple people do this.
    2 points
  12. We rented a Casita on our last cruise and yes, all day. We like the button you can push service even though we were in front of bar so they were always available! You get water included in an ice bucket and we ended up getting a nice fruit plate that was delivered to us. We liked how we can have a designated space to relax. You choose your Casita location when you sign up on ship.
    2 points
  13. You should be fine with the day you've reserved. The only time I observed crowds on the pool decks and solarium were during sea days. I believe you'll enjoy the casita (we only live once)!
    2 points
  14. SteveK

    LGBT Cruisers

    Maybe the admins can add a 'rainbow' avatar (with LGBT across it) so LGBT members can select and ID themselves should they wish to.
    2 points
  15. If it helps at all, I just got off Navigator this week and spent every morning of my 3 night cruise up on the jogging track at 5am. At 5am, the chalkboard signs for the reserved casitas already had names on them for the day ("Welcome, Smith Family!"). So, it really is aaaaaall day. I also agree with @14Terry- it was flipping COLD up there on the pool deck! I felt sorry for all the people competing in the belly flop competition - there I was wearing a coat and wrapped in my blanket while they were in swim trunks only... Pool deck and Solarium were NOT crowded, but the hot tubs were!!!
    2 points
  16. Tonight was the parade of nations with all of the staff carrying their nation's flags. It was really fun. Lot of national pride out on the Dancefloor! today passed by in a blur. At one point the seas got quite rough outside but the ship wasn't bouncing too badly. There was a lot of pushing to shop and use the casino because they had to close those around seven, once we entered Chesapeake Bay. There was a comedian this evening, they had captains corner today, lots of live music both in the day and in the evening, and then they had a flash mob this evening for about five minutes. They've been practicing that Flashmob all week and it was cute. then came the parade of nations which was really nice, followed by a big dance party. My puzzle buddy and I were at the table a couple of times today, but the puzzle table seemed to be newly discovered by families today. Lots of families with kids crowding around wanting to work on the puzzle so my puzzle buddy and I left the table whenever that happened so everybody could get a chair and get a turn. Café latitudes had a long line all day long and naturally, I got one last scoop of Ben & Jerry's. The ceremony honoring the veterans this morning was really nice and they had a very big cake afterwards which was beautiful. I'll include a photo below. I've come to bed relatively early so I can finish my book and donate it to the little library next to the puzzle table. I've got the TV on and of course it's playing the "wash your hands" song. I'm self assist in the morning so I'll be barreling out of here and grabbing a cab for the airport. all in all it's been a good trip and a nice break, which is really all I wanted. And every time I cruise solo, I figure out things that I like, things I don't like, things I want to do differently next time, things that I look forward to each cruise. It's certainly a different experience each time. I mean this time I tried gambling! And had those massages, which I haven't had in years. and with this cruise, I've sailed all of the classes of ships that royal Caribbean offers, so now I have a great frame of reference when planning. Thank you so much to everybody that followed along and commented… It's been really fun sharing my photos and adventures with you. Safe travels!
    2 points
  17. Well, it didn't really make sense as clearly there were many many couples who chose to not share their table with other couples and were consequently seated at eight-tops all around the restaurant. There were plenty of tables to go around. The servers were on top of things and didn't mind seating people by themselves it was just the hosts that seemed to have been instructed to try to get singles to share.
    2 points
  18. Maggie M

    Crown & Anchor updates

    I'm OK with not making Pinnacle in my lifetime - I don't really need another nametag... LOL - I must say, I do love the cruisers that are very proud to wear those nametags though - I just wish they wouldn't complain to the Diamond concierge about every little thing. My parents are at 163 and never received a crystal block at 140...I wonder how back-logged they are? I'll hit 140 on our next cruise!
    2 points
  19. If you are planning to buy a Voom package (as @SpeedNoodles said, you can do everything with it when it is cooperating, just make sure you turn off mobile services), the only thing you might want to add is if AT&T has any type of International package for the days you'll be in port/on shore. Verizon offers a package where you activate it and then just pay $10 per line if you use it in one of the approved countries for a 24 hour period. If you really need to stay connected for the full time, you could see if you have an option like that for your trip. Otherwise, just stick with the ship wifi.
    1 point
  20. Thanks for sharing your cruise with us! Also, thank you for your honest recap of the UDP. My wife and I purchased the UDP for the first time for our upcoming OCT sailing. We usually get the 3-night dining package. I have a feeling we'll come to the same conclusion. We figured we'd give it a try, especially since this upcoming cruise is not as port intensive as the last and we can enjoy some lunches onboard on the sea days.
    1 point
  21. Yeah, they did not have anyone directing cars to a specific unload spot this time. So some folks got to the end of the porters and they just stopped in the traffic lane and unloaded luggage. Only slightly irritating. Got there at my assigned check in time of 10am and was on board by 10:40. So even with knuckleheads stopping in the middle of the street in front of the terminal, it was pretty fast for me. I am 3 for 3 in having a good boarding process at Bayonne. Hope the streak continues .
    1 point
  22. Thanks @FionaMG for all this great info! This is getting me excited about our May 2024 cruise! And giving me some great places to start researching. I really appreciate you spending the time!
    1 point
  23. There are US beaches that will be hotter than Coco Cay in summer due to the breeze that Coco Cay gets. Just take the same precautions there that you would anywhere else in the sun
    1 point
  24. GatorCruiser

    C+A Glitch???

    It’s also a way to update your crown and anchor points if they don’t do it automatically after a cruise
    1 point
  25. I think I will try to mail a letter to myself on my next cruise.
    1 point
  26. 1 point
  27. We are only staying for 2 days and don't plan to be in the room a lot; so size is really not a concern. A friend stayed there approx 4 years ago and recommended it, especially due to the location.
    1 point
  28. Arrival time enforcement may depend on the port. Recently at Port Liberty in Bayonne, they have been waving people in without checking their times. It seems like it’s pretty much back to the old ways…go in, check in, and then sit in the rows of chairs waiting for boarding to begin. But it is Bayonne in winter. It could be because it’s not very comfortable waiting outside…especially when there is no real seating or shelter area.
    1 point
  29. That is unfortunate! Why can’t people just follow Commandments 8-10? Look out for your neighbor! Life is not just about you; but help, and be your brothers’ keeper…
    1 point
  30. 1/2 the people on a sailing are brand new and probably don’t know to grab a check in time. I recently joined 2 cruises late and was able to grab 11:30 time slots.
    1 point
  31. Thank you for bringing us along. One day I think I will try a solo trip. Question: if you mail a letter, what post office will it be sent from?
    1 point
  32. deButler

    Be like Chris Wong!

    Looks like a few of us on here will be joining Chris on his journey in March across the pond to Spain. We should plan a meetup at his office for a slot pull or something.
    1 point
  33. This is also the case on Odyssey! We loved hitting up Starbucks in the WinnJammer or cafe.
    1 point
  34. I certainly get cost:benefit ratio wrong but I never do something that I have decided isn't worth it in advance.
    1 point
  35. NP, I'm standing on the shoulders of the others who figured it out here.
    1 point
  36. When they see my belly, they know it's good to bring mine both out.
    1 point
  37. Except that RC clearly states "CBD Oil / CBD Products" are prohibited. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/prohibited-items-onboard-policy
    1 point
  38. As a follow up, in case anybody is wondering, the Dinner on the Edge(Magic Carpet) was really nice. I must say though, that although the food was decent, it really was the atmosphere that made the experience special. Our dining time was just before sunset so we were able to enjoy a nice sunset while we dined. The experience is not like Chef's Table and I'm not sure if everyone on the Magic Carpet that evening had the same menu. One strange thing that happened is that right before dessert was served, the Host and the Chef came over to our table and spoke to us as well as the couple at the table next to us. They asked how our meal was and to offer a 'special' on the cost of the dinner. All of us were a little confused, but said "OK"!! The next day we checked our account but didn't see any change. We waited one more day then asked the Suite Concierge to look into it. They did verify it was a valid offer and said they would credit our account for the difference. I would recommend the Magic Carpet for sunset views and al fresco dining. An example of the menu is attached below:
    1 point
  39. It appears the coolers are delivered wrapped up. Photo courtesy of Warren Caesar
    1 point
  40. 3 More Sleeps!! I'm officially done with work for the week and my co-workers are all super jealous - just like I like it! The staging is almost complete and we've officially taken over the kitchen table and every other surface with all the stuff we're taking! I know I'm totally an over packer, but I just like to be prepared. 18 days on a cruise or away from the comforts of home is a long time. I've been caught on vacation without things I needed and I vowed not to spend a fortune on a necessary item I had forgotten at home again. The hospitality industry loves it when guests show up without an essential item - they seem to charge the most for those types of items. I'd rather spend vacation money on something fun or exciting versus a necessity. Hence, the reason I over pack. It's kind of funny that I seem to pack more when we sail in a smaller cabin. When we sailed in a suite, I still over packed, but I had way more places to unload our stuff and didn't have to worry about how to manage all the little things. Knowing we're going to be in a pretty small space, I feel the need to over-organize. I just watched Danny's cabin tour from Harr Travel again just to see all of the spaces. I love his videos because he shows everything in the room without making you motion sick watching someone whip around their camera. Although, I've started muting him because I'm kind of over hearing how he always brings along an extra converter to take advantage of the Euro plugs in the room and brings a portable charger so he can charge his phone at the bedside overnight since there is no plug available. It's super helpful for me to watch the videos so I can plan out where things will go, which then helps me know how to pack for organizing our stuff. This cruise, I'm bringing a hanging closet organizer for our shoes, an over-the-door shoe organizer for all of the bathroom, sunscreen, and all the little misc items (I've come to really appreciate this one), several drawer organizer collapsible containers (from IKEA), magnet hooks & clips galore to hang anything I can to keep stuff off the table, a magnetic white board week-at-a-glance to keep track of our days, and another white board for leaving notes for our cabin attendant along with the magnetic cup for pens. I feel like things are coming together. I'm open to suggestions for maximizing space in a small cabin. Have any? Tomorrow is laundry day and packing clothes with any last minute stuff on Sunday! We're mostly saving Sunday for the next Eagles game - crossing our fingers for one more win! Hubby got some Eagles magnets to add to our door decor in hopes of that win. Okay - break's over! Back to the packing!
    1 point
  41. T Minus 5 days!! OMG! It's Wednesday already! Where did the time go?? I still have so much left on my to do list before we leave for 18 days! I'm normally way ahead of things, but this time I'm almost wishing I had a little more time before the cruise - while at the same time wishing I was already on the ship! I made the mistake of ordering new walking shoes recently, and now I'm in a panic over the fact that both of the two pair I already received were so stiff that as soon as I took one step I lost my socks inside the shoes. I just ordered three more to try and they say they'll be here on Friday. I need a new pair because we plan to be in the gym on this cruise and I've fallen out of love with my current pair. Now, I'm not promising that will actually happen because I've not worked out on a cruise ship yet, but it's on our list! We figure 18 days will ensure we'll finally do it. Hubby always asks me after I go through my shopping phase before a cruise if I have everything and don't need to do this for the next cruise. I always tell him yes, but let's face it - a cruise is just another excuse for a shopping spree! Considering how many cruises we've been on, you'd think he would stop asking! On my massive pre-cruise checklist, there is actually a line item that reads "shop for necessary items" - while some of my shopping may include some unnecessary items, it's still part of the cruise planning and I take it very seriously! Okay - off I go to return the shoes to the Amazon drop off and run some other errands because we're running out of business days!
    1 point
  42. Wrap-Up, Final Thoughts & Observations (cont.) Cabin · We had a Central Park balcony cabin on this sailing (11597). Our friends had the adjacent cabin (11599), and my wife’s uncle was just down the corridor (11587). I’m glad we chose the forward (waterslides) end of Central Park away from the huge video screen. We were right above where the musicians play in the evening, above Giovanni’s Table, and across from the Park Cafe. To be honest, we never really noticed or heard the video screen on our end of the park. The “bridge” that cuts CP in half (where the living plant walls are located) blocks the screen completely. We could only see some light reflections off the glass structures down in CP (promenade skylights). It was thankfully toned down in the evening, so it wasn’t distracting to us down in CP or on our balcony at night. · Yes, these new bathroom doors have a magnetic closure that bangs every time you close them! Also, as others have stated in the past, please make sure to push your cabin door completely closed when you leave your cabin as it does not automatically close and lock every time! · It may just be my imagination, but it felt like we had more closet and drawer space than on Allure and Oasis. No complaints there! Entertainment · The Aqua Theater show, “inTENse: Maximum Performance!” was awesome. We always love these shows in the Aqua Theater! Truly awesome, can’t miss productions if you have never sailed on an Oasis class ship! · “Tap Factory: Energy Machine” in the Royal Theater is worth seeing if you did not catch it on another ship (we saw it on Odyssey). Think tap dancing meets Blue Man Group drumming. It was more of the same… some of the performances are taken directly from the other show. The only major difference is the addition of female performers to the cast. The lead drummer was definitely the same performer from Odyssey… my wife believes the gymnast was the same as well… I guess they rotate the cast? I think we may skip it when we’re on Wonder again this October. · “Voices” in the Royal Theater was also awesome! I was very skeptical after hearing the initial negative feedback, but I always give shows a shot and form my own opinion (even "Cats" ). People had complained that the screens behind the performers on stage were too distracting. All six of us agreed that this may be one of Royal’s best productions. If you love vocalists and music from different eras, then you will likely love the show. If you find the screens with the canned performers distracting, try to focus only on the stage! We didn't think it was that distracting. · “Ice Spectacular: 365” in Studio B was excellent as well. Another unique experience only on Royal ships that we never miss! · “The Effectors II: Crash & Burn” in the Royal Theater. I enjoyed the show, but half of our group did not care for it. I think the early stoppages due to technical difficulties contributed to their strong opinion! Some were confused… I tried to explain it’s a simple plot! Bad guy escapes with help from new sidekick, tries to seek revenge by capturing each of the Effectors, and eventually is captured once again. You do not go to see this show for the plot or necessarily for the music and vocals. It’s mostly about the technology including the lasers, drones, and drone “vehicle” that flies above the audience on the lower/main level (think of the plane in “Flight” from what I understand). Many of the scenes were almost identical to the original ”Effectors” on Odyssey (scenes introducing the characters Pixel and Lume). I would like to see this one more time, but down on the lower/main level since the drones and vehicle that "flies" toward the end of the show will pass directly overhead. Also, the laser effects are likely better down on the main level of the theater. · We did see the “Adult Comedy LIVE” show in The Attic on the last evening. Both of the comedians were actually hilarious. We usually blow the comedy show off, but since we finished packing early we were able to catch the show this time. · One complaint! In the Royal Theater, the Key reserved seating section was in the center, but on the upper level on this cruise! We always had prime seats down on the main level in the middle of the theater just behind the suite guests. On the upper level, if you sit in the first few rows, the railing blocks the bottom of the stage and if you move up higher you're naturally too far away. The next time we see a show in the Royal Theater (assuming nothing changes), I think we’re just going to arrive a little bit earlier and sit in the middle of the theater on the lower level. The Key seating in the other venues was fine. Getting there! I'll be back tomorrow to finally wrap it up! Have a good night everyone!
    1 point
  43. I'm back! I'll try to wrap this blog up! Final Wrap-Up, Random Thoughts & Observations Let me start off by saying we all had an amazing time on Wonder this month. I love these 8-night sailings! That one extra night makes a world of difference psychologically. For some reason the cruise seems soooo much longer! Oasis class continues to be our favorite! Airports & Cruise Port · Islip/LI MacArthur Airport (ISP) is an absolute pleasure to fly into and out of especially when you are able to book a non-stop flight early in the AM. We’re lucky that Southwest flies into Orlando (MCO) and Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) from here and that we can purchase the resident parking pass for MacArthur. · Orlando Intl. Airport is a zoo! I know, I understand why… it’s an international airport and centrally located. We finally applied and made our appointments for TSA PreCheck for next month, so hopefully the terminal experience on our return flight next time will be less stressful! · Port Canaveral was also a pleasure to navigate. Traffic was heavy getting into the terminal (Cruise Terminal 1), but once we exited the hotel shuttle bus it was really easy to navigate. It definitely helped that we booked the earliest boarding window (10:30-11:00) so there were no lines entering the terminal, going through security, or checking in with the Royal folks. The Key was handy because once we checked in with the Royal folks, we noticed that they started boarding the suite and Key guests. Perfect timing! We just walked past the waiting area and boarded the ship… no sitting/waiting/standing in line at any time in the terminal! We were in the Royal Promenade by 10:20am! Hotel · We really liked the Marriott Residence Inn (Port Canaveral). Comfortable and so close to the port (we could see the ship from the hotel). Exactly what we wanted. Definitely not for anyone looking for a resort hotel experience. I can’t quote the cost as our friend used her points to book the rooms. They offer a nice continental and hot breakfast buffet, but there is no restaurant on the premises (I guess because it’s a Residence Inn - rooms have kitchens), just a bar that makes appetizers and bar food. They offer a shuttle to the port ($12/person each way) at designated pick-up times… we used the shuttle on embarkation day only. We used Uber (just $18 for the 4 of us) to get us from the port back to the hotel on debarkation day so we could collect our friend’s car at the hotel (minimal daily fee to park). Dining Experience · We were fine with the new MDR menus and felt there was enough of a selection each evening to satisfy everyone. We did not go to the MDR every evening so I cannot comment on what we may have missed due to the changes. · MDR service was not nearly as good as past cruises (actually, the worst to date). The service on our last two (post-shutdown) sailings on Oasis and Odyssey was much, much better. Our waiter was embarrassed by his assistant. The assistant waiter could not get our drink orders right (screwed up more than once) and would at times completely forget to deliver to some of the folks in our party. Five of us would have a glass of wine while the sixth person at the table was still waiting for their beverage for an uncomfortable period of time. Our waiter apologized profusely and explained his assistant was new and still in training. At times, he had to grab another assistant for help to get our drinks. I felt bad for our waiter as he was frantic much of the time. With that said, we’re not ready to give up on the MDR just yet! · The Key Chops Menu embarkation day lunch was a little disappointing overall compared to what we had experienced in the past. You could see the MDR staff was a little disorganized. I'm assuming our waiter was relatively new. There was a serious communication problem with the server that took our order. Many of us had to repeat ourselves more than once while placing our orders and we still wound up with the wrong sides on some of our meals (eg. broccoli instead of mashed potatoes). We had to wait on beverage refills, etc. My mac & cheese was lukewarm to room temp and the filet was tasty, but you could tell it had been sitting a little too long before being served. · Service in the specialty restaurants was excellent as usual (Hooked, 150 Central Park, and Giovanni's on this sailing). The waiters all went out of their way to ensure that we were completely satisfied with our meals. The only annoying thing (and we all had to laugh) is that they lowered the light levels in both Hooked and 150 CP way too much! It wasn’t lowered to a normal mood/romantic lighting level, but rather to a level that we started using our phone flashlights to see the menus and sometimes the food on our plates! · Service at the Coco Beach Club restaurant was outstanding! We all loved our waitress and the food was delicious as expected! I still feel the filet at the Beach Club is the best we’ve had to date with Royal. I’ve tried the filet in just about every restaurant except for Coastal Kitchen (we haven't sailed in a suite yet ). · Room service (only continental breakfast) was always on time and what you would expect. Hot food (oatmeal) and coffee was hot and cold food/beverages/fruit was cold. · Loved having the Starbucks machines/products in the Café Promenade. We made sure to work our DBP and ordered hot/iced coffees, cappuccinos, lattes, and Frappuccinos (I love the caramel) every day of the cruise! We never pay a-la-carte for Starbucks while onboard… the Lavazza coffee is usually good enough for us! Stateroom Attendant · Our stateroom attendant (Dennis) was excellent. He was efficient and very friendly. We only had to ask for something once and it was done (eg. C&A robes, open balcony divider, tighten the door handle screw on the balcony door, wine bottle opener and glasses). We never had to look for him as he seemed to always be in the hall! YES, they still turn the room over TWICE daily. Perfect Day at CocoCay · The beach club was just as amazing as the last time we visited (OCT 2021). Even with the ship at full capacity this time (Oasis was at 35% capacity last time), the beach club was not crowded. Once again, we were the only ship in port. We had purchased the day pass at just over $100, so we felt it was well worth it for the resort feel and service we received. Our last minute addition to our party had to pay a hefty $240 to join us! We grabbed it again for this upcoming OCT sailing at $88.99 on Black Friday! Beyond that, I think we’ll be checking out Hideaway Beach when it opens likely in very early 2024 (supposedly timing the opening with the launch of Icon). · As previously mentioned, the service and food in the beach club restaurant was excellent! The drink service was also excellent as usual… never felt we had to wait for service anywhere in the club including while on the beach relaxing on the loungers. · We felt the ocean here in the Bahamas in January was a little too cool to swim in (gave it a shot!), but the infinity pool (which can be heated if needed) was at a perfect temperature! Cool enough and refreshing, but no initial shock when entering the water. · We walked around most of the island after lunch and most areas were busy. Surprisingly, the Oasis Lagoon pool had plenty of available loungers unlike the last time we were here! We may check it out next time as you can come and go as you please from the Beach Club (they give you a bracelet to wear if you leave and plan on returning). Yes, it was a Perfect Day and we still can't get Royal's Perfect Day version of the Bill Withers' song "Lovely Day" out of our minds! To be continued!
    1 point
  44. 90 days and counting! We need to get together at sail away and send Matt a Royal Caribbean Blog fans picture and drink together.
    1 point
  45. Jill

    C+A Glitch???

    This worked for me. Also was fixed when I went into the app
    1 point
  46. We love all the Oasis class ships, including Allure. All the entertainment options are fantastic. There are many specialty dining options and we really enjoy those in Central Park. I agree that I wish it had a Playmakers, but with so many other choices we still think it’s a great ship.
    1 point
  47. This is the cooler being sold on board.
    1 point
  48. We have seen Royal do this in the past on a few ships. The problem we saw was how bad the Royal staff were treated and how some cruiser claimed they only went the restroom even though we had not seen anyone in those chairs at all. We saw one very intoxicated individual become very hostile to the staff member...So hostile, we contacted security. Everyone knows it needs to be done but Royal needs to back their staff or better yet, have security do the tagging and removal so they could use their bodycams to record any negative reactions.
    1 point
  49. Yes and no. We planned on doing a whale watch and a trip to Mendenhall but with the schedule switched to just the whale watch, so I didn't see Mendenhall (at least up close, we could see it from the bus on the way to the whale watch boat) so I really can't compare it. From what I've seen, I think the Dawes glacier and it's fjord is prettier and it was cool getting up close to it, and being basically at sea level with the floating ice. We also got to see seals on the ice by Dawes and they were small and camouflaged so I'm not sure we would have been able to see them from the ship, and I don't think they are in the Mendenhall lake (I think it's a freshwater body of water enclosed by land, vs the salt/brackish water connected to the rest of the ocean/inside passage). Along the way the boat's crew kept an eye out for animals, and at one point spotted a bear but it ran away when the boat got close. I think you might see bears and mountain goats, and certainly bald eagles from Mendenhall. They brought us to an area they knew sea lions hung out, which was really cool, and they kept an eye out for whales but unfortunately none of them popped up. From the ship you probably wouldn't have passed by the sea lions (they were hanging out in what the crew called an island but was more like a large floating rock), and you might see whales but the ship wouldn't stop or point them out. So the pros of doing Dawes is a closer, but different view and a potential to see a lot more wildlife. But like you said, canoeing by Mendenhall glacier also means an up close view, and I'm sure your guide will point animals out, but you aren't going to get whales, seals, or sea lions, and I don't think there is that much floating ice. But if you don't do Dawes, you will save a lot of money, you wouldn't be cooped up on a small boat for 5.5 hours, and you wouldn't be as rushed as we were once we got to Juneau. I guess in the end it's hard to compare the experiences, and it's all up to what you want to do. And despite them both being glaciers, they are different.
    1 point
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