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Agree that it sucks about losing the ability to book a refundable JS but the amount of the deposit really doesn’t bother me. More up front just means that I will owe less at final payment.

I think guests need to stop trying to police other guests. If the crew aren't dealing with it, it must be allowed.

Navigator of the seas at Mazatlan. Announcement said it happened during maintenance and there were no injuries

"Oh &%#@!"

I really don't understand any kind of shopping beyond souvenirs and forgotten items on a cruise ship. Good pricing generally requires supply in excess of demand and sellers competing for limited consumer dollars. Neither exist on a cruise ship. I wouldn't call high prices a scam. It's always up to buyers to find good deals. It's not up to sellers to offer them.

Bingo ! We are much too close to the magic 700 to be distracted…but once we get there, all bets are off. We should make it on our October Mariner cruise.

Reassuring to see the lifeboat floats in a non standard orientation.

Definitely not loyal. On multiple occasions Royal has provided an over the top experience and on multiple occasions Royal has stated loud and clear they feel no need for any loyalty in our business relationship. From those multiple occasions where they threw me under the keel it was absolutely clear we have nothing more than a business relationship. I sail multiple lines and during the restart I made a point of spreading my money across five different cruise lines. Two of those were Royal and Celebrity but the other three were not in the RCG family. Royal is the line I like the best, right now, but I will continue to test the waters elsewhere to validate I still feel that way and Royal will continue to throw me under the keel when it suits them. I do most of my cruising with Royal but I'll eagerly cruise with other companies when something catches my eye just as Royal will drop me like a wet paper bag full of groceries if they can make a dollar more with a cancellation. I feel like we both have a very clear understanding of our business relationship and it is not exclusive in either direction. I think we are both okay with that.

There are still many out there who don't blink at losing the $250pp deposit for suites. For me, when I heard the news this morning, it doesn't matter in the long run. However, we are type to not book unless we have every intention of going so the money will have to go at some point either way. Not a big deal. What will make it a big deal for us is if they change the policy in place right now that allows you to change ship/sail date for $100pp penalty.

Agreed. Other than the JS change, there's no change to the suite price, just how much you have to lay out when you book it and place a deposit. I see this as a change to reduce "suite hogs", and maybe they make a few extra bucks on cancellations.

Wait, are we talking about Mexico or the USA? I'll await my deletion

We're going to be fine. @Neesa taught me the way. Whatever happens, no matter how bad, just say to yourself "This is not going to ruin my cruise". Just doing that and you'll be amazed at what you can allow to roll off your back freeing you for the enjoyment part. I also add three deep breaths. Sometimes just three deep breaths can change everything! Our biggest problem is that we were both too stupid to book back to backs. We're going to want another go around.

And probably the art auctions.

Stay away from the jewelry on board, too.

Just an update about the Manhattan trip. We get outside to the taxi place and asked if there was a van that could take us round Manhattan befor go to the Newark airport. And there was, for just a few dolar more than we did pay for the Royal Caribbean tour that was cancled. Now we are at the airport waiting for our flight. So we are happy this was possible. Thanks again for all feedback and suggestions! Me and my wife will make our comments about the small issues we tought there was onboard in the Survey later..

IMHO some of the promenade/boardwalk/Central Park shopping options are a complete waste of space. I would have preferred another bar/dining venue in the majority of the higher end retail shops. There’s no need for Cartier, Bulgari or Tiffany on a mid tier cruise ship. I feel RC missed the mark on this and should offer a nice mid to high end watch and jewelry shop (slightly higher end offerings then the current shop on promenade), mix in the logo store, mercantile, sugar beach and a beach lifestyle store with name brands and it’s covered. Swap Bulgari and Cartier (which by the way don’t even sell the love bracelets which is what 99% of people want) with a dueling piano bar or possibly the Tiki style bar that they have on Mariner. I have a close friend that is an executive at one of these luxury brands and insists the ship outposts are not money makers and actually dilute the brand. Tear them all out and replace them with useable venues!

The reality is, things can go down anywhere at anytime. Every place in the world has somewhere that someone should avoid in the name of safety. Practice situational awareness regardless of the country you’re in.

glad to hear no one was injured

I don't see this s being hugely impactful. JS being NRD is a slight bummer given that a JS isn't really a suite on most ships.

I live in Mexico, and I totally understand when tourist feels uneasy or insecure coming here after seeing terrible news like this. However (and not trying to play down this tragedy) the recent reports suggest that this was a confrontation between criminal groups. As others have pointed, criminal groups rarely targets tourist. However, recently just before a FOS cruise on Miami on spring break, my wife and I where eating in South Beach when we were caught in the middle of what looked like a gang fight with guns involved, luckily no shots were fired but this happened right next to us, obviously I would feel uneasy coming back to SB any time soon. So I could understand If someone would prefer staying on the ship when visiting a Mexican port of call.

So.... what are we thinking? She made it on the ship? She's sitting at a hotel, miserable while her husband is having the time of his life while making the crew run around for no tips? They both missed the ship? They are both on board and loving it? Its all been a giant troll and we all fell for it? I need to know how it ends!!

I still can’t believe they’re going to put a brand new O class ship on shorties. It’s either a stroke of genius or a BIG mistake.

I bet you’re a lot of fun at parties.

I would bring back the tried and true old dinner menu…immediately!

WOW ! Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face ! If Royal Caribbean is truly the object of enmity here then you have just handed them the ultimate "win" ! They keep your money and you get nothing but unhappiness and resentment. I wish you and your husband full healing and a quick and joyous emotional turnaround. I have been perpetually unhappy before....and it's not healthy. I hope it all changes for you very soon.

I hope this incident does not affect the remainder of the cruise itinerary. A number of years ago, while sailing on EX out of Bayonne, we sailed through a wicked nor’easter which subsequently damaged 2 lifeboats (not to mention a great deal of damage to the ship, itself). The lifeboats were inop after it was all over. The Captain announced that, had the ship been at full capacity, we might have turned away at our ports-of-call b/c we would not have been in compliance with SOLAS requirements. Luckily, we were not at lifeboat capacity so we were fine.

Exactly! The ship is not a regular bar... especially a family ship like RC. I think it's cool for a kid to be able to go up and order a shirley temple or a mocktail of some sort. That's why I was kind of surprised at the original topic of this post, which was a guy calling people out for bringing kids on rising tide. It never even crossed my mind that a kid shouldn't be allowed on there!

This is not a popular opinion but I hate the fact that children are allowed to sit at bars on ships. If the legal drinking age is 21, then bars need to be off limits. I am not talking about the space around but the actual bar top. Tables surrounding any bar is up for grabs but it peeves me to my core to see children seated at the bar. Any place in the states would lose their license . In regards to rising tide I sort of agree, its not an amusement ride, it's a novelty bar. Someone under 21 should not be taking space up in a place not designed for them. I think parents also need to be cognizant of the message they send to children by normalizing certain behaviors.

Every cruise I've ever been on has been different in one way or other, things offered on one might not be offered on others. First Royal cruise I was one had a buffet type setup beside the pool one night at 10pm, haven't seen it since, but it's not something that would let ruin my cruise. Menus have changed a few times, some WJ's are better than others. The handful of changes they've made recently don't bother me and honestly probably won't affect most people in a super negative way. Unless I get asked to go down to the engine room to get on bike to help propel the ship I'm not going to be too upset.

I would bring both. I don't think the typo you are describing would affect you - only if your info was wrong.

Forget famous companies - the United States of America is the world's largest debtor (more than double the next highest, Japan).

Yes, unfortunately it's fairly common knowledge that Invicta watches are cheap and the prices on the ships aren't good. I'm sorry you weren't familiar with the brand. In the future, I suggest checking prices online for anything like this. I actually bought one on Amazon a long time ago for like $65 to be my cheap watch that I wore to run errands, didn't care if it got scratched, etc. I expected it to die after 5 years or so. Somehow it has lasted over 10 and still serves its purpose. Dumb luck probably.

I want to think she embarked. I hope she did and hope she finds some peaceful moments on her trip.

Did the same thing last July & had a great time. I’m sure the OP is convinced by now but here’s another poster who burns easily & isn’t even a beach guy but loves sitting in the shade at CocoCay (in between repeated food runs).

This is one of the oddest rants I’ve read. I cannot fathom not taking a vacation because of concerns raised by others in blog posts, particularly one that I had already paid for. I enjoy cruising. I love being on the ocean. I love sleeping to the gentle rocking of the ship. I enjoy exploring the ports. I like sitting with a book while the ocean goes by. I enjoy talented musicians every evening. Once a day service is fine for me, and I have never gotten room service. To me, the cabins are small for eating. But, food is not really my thing. Even if it were, however, I think I would try the cruise for which I already paid.

Me and Super Mario! He has a roped off office on the pool deck

For the few followers on this live blog, the second half of the kids Christmas gift, the Quantum sailing is in just a week and I’ll be live blogging that as well. I’ll start a new post for it soon. Also, somewhere in this blog I mentioned I was trying to convince hubby to let me book the 11 night sailing on Explorer over Christmas 2024. I did it! TA Kelley booked it for us a few weeks ago along with both sets of grandparents and hubby’s siblings and their kids. Now I just need to find something between our quantum sailing this year and our quantum sailing September 2024. Hubby’s not worried I’ll find something, I always do. Kids are dying to go on Icon but I’m more of a let’s go on lots of cheap cruises instead of one super duper expensive cruise to places I’ve already been to too many times.

1. Release the shows schedule early tethered to if I purchase the UDP I can look at it and make my dining reservations BEFORE I board. Boarding day should be reserved for making adjustments, it would just relieve some frustration on day one. I think they would sell more UDP if reservations can be secured before hand with the UDP. 2. For goodness sake standardize the suites product, it is different across the fleet and I think if the product was the same across the ships it would generate a better feeling of value, and possibly more bookings = more revenue. At minimum a Sky class experience for the Grands & higher, Sea for the Juniors. (Star on the smaller vessels seems not needed, ie. too small) 3. Along the same lines the Suites Lounge has become wildly popular and address in some way the capacity problems. If you stay in a suite you are afforded this amenity & if not then please enjoy another venue or make the lounges bigger with an additional concierge because one can't handle it. 4. This may be off putting but reaching 700 + nights sailings and achieving Pinnacle means a huge investment was made with the company, Pinnacles should be afforded "free room service" always no matter what class of cabin they are in as well as 9 drinks per day! Depending on the amount on board say 20 have a special luncheon service just for them.** 5. Open the theaters early before the shows and just allow people to enter at their leisure. 6. I've repeatedly stated allow cabins to be booked with or without Genie service (the Star ones) Have the service as an add on at booking for certain cabin types. ** I am not Pinnacle, but want to be one in the future! Only about 33 seven night sailings to go!! @FSUFAN thanks so much, this was fun!

My Day 1 changes: 1. Enforce the chair hog rules. 2. Change the recommended tips to a mandatory service charge. 3. Replace Cats with anything else. 4. No smoking in the casino. 5. Add about 25 tap beers to the Pub selection.

Honestly, you staying home might be best for everyone else on the cruise, including the staff. Sounds like you were going in looking for nothing but negatives and weren't going to be swayed. Unfortunately, sounds like your husband is still going with the purpose of making a point to the people that don't deserve it. I hope he gets on and its the best trip he ever had, and he wonders why the two of you have been so negative for months before even boarding. You not going is just silly and a waste of money. You sound hard to please, you'd rather just throw away your money rather than even give the cruise a chance to impress you.

This is likely the best outcome since you are determined it will be a terrible experience. With that outcome already decided in your mind that would most likely have been the experience you would have created for yourself on board. I hope you have a safe and uneventful journey home.

That strategy is short sighted and punishes the wrong people. If you feel that strongly about the direction of the line, that’s fine. You shouldn’t cruise until you see a change back in the direction you like. I used to go to Disney World all the time but their guest policy changes ruined the product for me, so I stopped going. The hard working crew members deserve better from you if you continue to sail.

Here is my comprehensive video review of Wonder of the Seas in 2023. I review the drink package, unlimited dining package, WoW bands, ports of call, and much much more. Enjoy. If you don't want to watch it I can sum it up that we will continue to happily cruise with Royal Caribbean.

We all live in a ...

Use the price difference from the VIP to buy some pics.

My wife is the shopper in my house...she laughs at the "sales" on every cruise. Short of buying a refrigerator magnet onboard, we never bother with anything else...even the liquor bottle prices are extremely high compared to what's available back home.

Some would pay big bucks for that opportunity!

Well Matt....You know what you can do with your opinion. But yes NOBODY will be getting tips this week. I made it to Florida and DH and I have fought non stop for 2 days over this. He is determined to not let his money get wasted. If Royal Caribbean wants Very Unhappy Guests due to there cut backs, here they come. As for myself I have decided not to go. Too much negativity. This is NOT the trip I purchased a year ago!!!!! Haven't been anywhere since 2011 and it will take years to be able to save for another trip, but I just am not in the mindset to make this work anymore. So ultimately no tips from me. No additional purchases. The gravy train stops here Royal. As for DH. I wouldn't count on anything but attitude and unhappiness. He is very very angry. He feels also feels Royal took our money then cut back everything. He thinks we should be grandfathered in to how things were at final payment. Any cut backs after that date should not be our problem. Like pre tipping old amount of $14 instead of $16 if paid by certain date etc. But after that how to handle the rest we no longer agree. I'm done trying to feel anything but disgusted at Royal Caribbean. Now I have to figure out how to get home as cheap as possible. I'm in no mood to make lemonade. I just give up. So folks NO TIPS ANYWAY!!!! The End.

Flowrider time is broken up into 4 times - boogie board, mixed wave, assisted stand up, and advanced. To try stand up, you must have previous stand up or surfing type experience. You then must “show” boogie board ability by loading and then going back and forth on wave. Stand up can be tried during mixed or assisted stand up times. Policy is that staff may NOT help you load. You will be given 2-3 tries (depends on ship and staff) and then either you won’t be able to try again all cruise, all day, all session, or for 1 hour (depends on ship and staff).