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Congrats to our friend @CHRIS WONG on being featured!

Mission accomplished!

From Allure of the Seas, October 2021. The offers are typically consistent across the fleet. Current offers implement temporary changes for pandemic protocols. Offers are subject to change as protocols evolve. Gold Platinum Emerald Diamond Diamond Plus Pinnacle Youth

Since borders are opening up and vaccines requirements easing I thought I'd share my experience on Allure of the Seas getting tested for travel to Canada after the cruise. In my case my booking appears to be a standard one cruise (no B2B) US booking. This means that testing for me normally wouldn't be required. I had communicated with the guest services team before boarding given my unique scenario of not appearing to need a test yet actually requiring a PCR test for travel to Canada. I knew that guests that are known to require a test would receive a QR code and instructions sent to their cabins. Since that didn't apply to me I waited until day 3 and visited guest services where they produced a QR code for me to use. I've obfuscated the QR code in the photo below since I don't know that it is the same for each ship and sail date so don't try to scan this code with your device. When using an iPhone the camera recognizes the QR code and pops up a link to follow based on the QR code. You have to be connected to the ship's wifi but you do not need to purchase a Voom internet plan to use the QR code. The link from the QR code opened in my phone's browser. Scrolling to the bottom there is a button you can tap to proceed. This opens a new page where you enter your details. For the purpose of this demonstration I chose a fictitious address in Manitoba. The next step looks for the closest location. Since this was on a sea day I was very curious what it would offer for locations near me. Picking another random address in Canada very far from the Caribbean where I was at the time it found the Deck 3 Conference Center some 3,337 miles from Whitehorse. For the purpose of setting the location of the ship they had given the Deck 3 Conference Center the address of the terminal in Port Canaveral where I boarded the ship. After selecting the only option presented, the Deck 3 Conference Center, I was able to select a time for my appointment. In my case I had been told that normally PCR testing for international travel is done at 6:30am and the antigen testing for other guests required for other purposes such as consecutive cruisers would occur later after the PCR testing. Surprised to see the 8am time being the earliest time offered guest services assured me they would look into it and let me know. They did follow up with me and the next day I received a call on my cabin phone to let me know they have adapted the process so that all testing starts at 8am, at least on this voyage. I do have a Voom internet plan on this sailing so I was able to receive the email confirmation for the test once I had completed the scheduling steps above. This isn't a requirement. I was never asked for the confirmation code. It is not required to have a Voom plan but it was comforting to see the process work very similar to how pre-cruise testing appointments have worked for me in the past on land. I am an early riser by nature so on the morning of day 7 I dropped by the deck 3 conference center at 6:30am just to make sure I was good with my 8am appointment. At 6:30am there was no one around so I breathed a sigh of relief that the process was working as guest services said it would. At 8am there were crew on hand at a kiosk with paperwork ready for the guests that needed to be tested. They asked for my cabin number and handed me a paper with stickers attached. The stickers had a barcode, my name and birth date. On this occasion consecutive cruisers or anyone needing an antigen test were directed into the conference to the right while guests requiring PCR testing for international travel where directed into the conference center to the left. I didn't take any pictures because there were other guests present including children. There are several testing stations and I was directed to take a seat in the section for Accula testing. Accula is an approved FDA test with an emergency use authorization. I handed over my paperwork and watched as they applied one of the stickers to a vial that would later contain my sample. When instructed I removed my mask and tilted my head back. The lab worker ran a swab around the ring of each nostril without going deep. If anything it tickled slightly but was in no way painful or difficult to sit through. With that I was done and directed to exit. After testing I went to breakfast and carried on with my day. It was a very easy and straightforward process. As I await my results my only advice for anyone from any country that requires a PCR test onboard is to keep an eye out for the testing letter with QR code and instructions. If you don't receive it by day 3 call guest services or drop by and ask them.

We are currently sitting in the Orlando Airport waiting for our flight home. This was our second time on Allure, and she did not disappoint! We choose an Ocean View Balcony guarantee and were assigned room 10726. It was the next to the last balcony cabin at the aft. We were pleased with the cabin, and especially pleased with Sam, our wonderful stateroom attendant! The crew were friendlier than ever and we found the ship to be very clean. The Windjammer food was excellent and I did not mind being served the food at all (especially after seeing a man walk out of the bathroom stall and out of the bathroom without washing his hands). Wearing the mask inside was not an issue and most guests, and all crew, were wearing them properly. We did two specialty restaurants on this cruise, Chops Grill and Giovanni's. Both were excellent, my wife preferred Chops, and I preferred Giovanni's. This trip included our first visit to Coco Cay, but it certainly won't be the last! What a fun time! I envied those staying on board for a back to back. I'm hoping that we will be able to do that in the future!

WE ARE BACK!

IIf it was just one drink out of many I wouldn't even take note of it. But that's just me.

Today I sent some photos of the room to a friend who hasn’t seen it. In case there’s anyone here who hasn’t seen it (which I doubt) here is Suite 1740. No pictures of the downstairs bedroom as Taylor was sleeping off a little motion of ocean feeling.

Last night after all my diamond drinks had been consumed I approached a bar, put down my card along with a cash tip and asked for two bottles of water. Bartender didn't swipe my card, just handed me two bottles of water. Treat your bartenders right and they'll reciprocate.

In my experience, I doubt it would help. I'm just happy to have questions about things like The Key instead of "will my cruise actually sail?" lol

As a former business traveler I took many business trips solo. I chose not to eat my meals in a drive through so I just got comfortable eating by myself in regular and nicer restaurants. I basically told myself cruising solo is like a business trip solo. With that established I booked my first cruise solo and haven’t looked back. Tips? We are all different so that’s tough. I have zero hesitation eating solo in specialty dining or the MDR when cruising solo. I generally find most waitstaff accelerate service when solo which I appreciate so I can move on to another activity. Pre-pandemic solo was great for scoring seats last minute in theaters because there is often a single seat available in prime locations. What I love about cruising solo is that everyone is in a good mood and it’s generally easy to strike up a conversation in a bar. So I can escape when I feel like it and just sit in a corner of the ship by myself or I can sit at the bar and engage with others when I want to.

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to give a quick update - I did email Michael Bayley's office and another person higher up in guest relations, that was yesterday afternoon. I received a call from a wonderful gentlemen today and we are working on getting me off the fence of whether or not to go on the cruises. Thanks for the advice everyone. I will provide you with the final resolution.

The twangster GoFundMe going live in 3, 2, 1 ...

Theoretically a room for 2 at the start could end up a room for 3.

My wife and I have a cruise booked with our 3-year-old for May. I'm hoping he's eligible and fully vaxxed by then. My wife has a PhD in biochemistry and has spent her career studying infectious diseases. I've spent the pandemic working in a hospital. We have our reasons. Many reasons. Science being the #1 reason. Same reasons he's been given all his other vaccinations.

Day 8 - Departure. Up early with the vibrations from docking. Stacy, Shari and I had breakfast in the Coastal Kitchen. Most of the others slept as late as possible. Katie had an early appointment at Next Cruise to plan the “free” cruise from the casino. Romina met us in the suite at 830 with two gentlemen with luggage carts. It may have been 10 minutes from leaving the room until we were checked in with the Go Port Canaveral folks for our transportation. Very smooth. Go Port worked well for us again this year. It’s transportation from the airport, the hotel room, transportation to the ship and then the return to the airport. There was a large selection of hotels in both Orlando and the Port area. Clean and comfortable passenger busses and friendly staff. I recommend them. Grabbed a quick bite of airport junk food in Orlando. Had a bumpy ride to Dallas for our 3 1/2 hour layover. We ate at Fridays in Dallas before the flight into Palm Springs. It was a long but smooth travel day. And that wraps up the trip. I do have some comments on random things to post in a bit.

We love sailing during the holidays. There is definitely a festive feeling in the air and they decorate the ships very nicely. It is pricey - so be prepared - but it's really fun. We are doing a B2B on Allure this year for both Christmas and NY.

Good morning to all. For anyone interested we have 3800 passengers on board. I was on this ship 3 weeks ago with about 2700 on board. Now that we are sailing with more than 50% capacity the Windjammer is now open for dinner...Happy sailing to all.

It’s almost time for Chops and Mama Mia. As I came in to shower I noticed this was just like my shower at home. Except St Thomas isn’t visible through the window at home. And, there’s no windo in my shower at home. And this one is bigger. Ok, the only thing they have in common is water

OMG that first segment is so dreamy. All those stops in Chile, Brazil, ANTARCTICA.

Not if the bureaucrats and Big Pharma have anything to say about it...

I've said all along that it is too much fun for the people who normally work in the background to be thrust in to the limelight. They won't relinquish their new found power until forced to do so.

Day 2 dinner was at Izumi. The only thing different about it was our entertainer/chef, Gerry. He was the best we’ve had, in land or sea. His laugh is infectious (probably a bad word to use) it was really pretty much the same jokes and antics but he had a new way of doing it all! Ask for him if your going anytime soon. I didn’t take one photo this time but you’ve all probably seen fried rice in the shape of a heart. There was no launching shrimp through the are and into your mouth. CDC must object to that. Our show was the Aqua theater at 10 p.m. At about 10:05 the CD came out and announced it was canceled due to rough seas. Rescheduled for Thursday. Some of the crew did the casino and then dancing and some of us just went back and hung out in the suite.

I hated not being able to take off the satin wristband they give me at Coco Beach Club without damaging it. So when I saw that in some ships they were also using the same bands for vaccinated people instead of the rubber/silicone ones, I came prepared. I made sure I did not tighten the closure when they handed me the band at the port. Instead I used a tiny rubber band (from the Rainbow Loom craze) to hold it in place. I was so glad I could take it off when I went swimming or when I was in the shower. A wet satin band on the wrist feels gross . I also hated when the "tail" dipped into my food at dinner.

Here's why it doesnt matter: 1. Cruise ships can sail again, and this extension won't change that. In fact, a few regulations have been rolled back. 2. It will expire in January

Just keep sitting there, reach around, push the button, and enjoy the whoosh!!!!!

After several months there could be some new couples on board. I guess it wouldn’t be a good cruise to fool around. 273 days for an angry husband to track you down. It would just be a process of elimination.

This isn't the place to debate Covid-19 or the efficacy of masks, politics, end of story. Get over it and leave it out of this forum.

The DT family isn’t at dinner tonight. This is the rest of the crew

Sure, they offer this AFTER the double points promo eligibility is over.

Perfect Day. Stacy and I had a quick breakfast at the WJ. We all met Romina in the hall outside the dSuite and she escorted us out to the waiting tram. After a quick ride to the Beach Club she turned us over to their staff and we were escorted directly to cabana#19. The cabanas are amazing for sure. I took almost the exact same photos that @wannabecruiseexpertposted so I won’t post them all again! The bar was well stocked. The food seemed never ending. The two attendants were very responsive and fun. The crew napped, floated, swam, and ate. In between doing those things they would eat. I walked around as much of the island that you can get to. Went back to the ship around 230 for a 330:departure.

You mean like the sign they put on the doors saying " Crew Only"? If you took notice of that sign then you wouldn't have walked through parts of your floor used as a quarantine area!

Do you want to bet your cruise on it? I would not.

Look what was waiting for me after dinner and a couple of hours taking night photos around the ship: I’m positive that I’m negative and I have the paper to prove it.

Headed down to Houston today and my friend didn't have her vaccine card. We were only about an hour from home but figured would call CVS since they always advertised they would replace it. We were told they "no longer replace lost or damaged cards." Anyway wasted a couple hours and picked up the original card but wanted to let people know that replacements may be am issue.

Tonight’s sunset.

I hope and believe that once the vaccine(s) is approved for ages 5-12, it will eventually be required to cruise. Eventually schools will require it just like the other vaccine requirements for the past 150+ years. Also in response to earlier comments about not basing their kids vaccine decision on cruising, I completely agree. You should get your kids vaccinated for their health, your health, your family's health, and your fellow human beings health. Cruising is just another excellent reason for people to vaccinate.

Yes, I dont blame you. We live in a weird time where we can pack stadiums full of people crammed together unmasked and uncertain of vaccination status but somehow masking on a cruise ship is a thing regardless of vaccination status BUT somehow its ok to have a dining room full of unmasked people for 2 hours while dining. But that causes less Covid risk than say if you walked unmasked in the spacious promenade????? Walked down the hallway on your floor to your room? I know Royal feels compelled to follow the CDC when sailing from Florida but I wish they would ignore the CDC from Florida as they are not bound to follow them. BUT Royal will ignore Florida's vaccination laws and are willing to see how the penalties play out down the line. Strange times indeed....

Amen to that !

I wouldn't call it a scam. I bought an Invicta watch onboard a few years ago which was originally priced at about $400 and was on sale for about $150. When you look online you are seeing "End of line" deals. These appear to be the ones that Royal sells onboard also. So the price posted "was" the original price when the watch was first launched, but because it is now not being produced any longer it is reduced. You will find the same watch on the likes of Amazon at similar prices but if you look at the Invicta site you will see that they were originally at the higher price. The lesson here is that you should shop around and go online and see where else you can get it but I think the word scam is a bit stong!

October 24…For the first time since the re-start, the Windjammer Buffet has opened for dinner on the Oasis of the Seas. The passenger count for this week’s cruise is finalized at 3,630. That’s almost 500 more guests than last week. Almost 1,600 more than just four weeks ago. For a ship that holds approximately 5,600 double occupancy…the numbers are rising steadily. Hopefully we keep moving forward…back to normal cruising once again!

I hope one of these colors match the Royal bands! ha ha

We were on a Christmas and New Years cruise a few years ago out of Baltimore.....and on boarding day it was snowing.... This was the Grandeur of the Seas.

Young children? I got scared and I'm a full grown adult!

We were on Sovereign of the Seas years ago and were lounging at the pool. There were a very large couple lounging with heaping plates of chicken balanced on their stomachs. After eating their entire plates of fried chicken they both set down the bone plates, walked over and got into the pool. Crumbs and a grease slick emerged as other swimmers quickly jumped out of the pool. They had to drain and clean the pool and needless to say the crowd was not happy with the chicken eaters using the pool as their bathtub!

Just got word that thos of us who were booked on the back to back which has moved from Allure to Wonder next Spring will be allowed to stay onboard for 4 extra nights free of charge. The original Allure sailing was due to get to Barcelona on 8th May with the next cruise around the Med starting that day. However, when they switched everyone over to Wonder they rescheduled the crossing to arrive on May 4th with the next cruise on May 8th. Those of us who had back to backs were told we had to leave the ship and make our own arrangements for the 4 nigths. Well today they have advised us that we can stay onboard for 2 x 2 night inagural cruises, free of charge. Just got this from my travel agent... We're excited to share that your clients can remain onboard for an extra 4 nights to enjoy the inaugural celebrations with us from May 4, 2022 - May 8, 2022! Below, please find some additional details. If your clients wish to remain onboard Wonder of the Seas for our 2 inaugural sailings, here's what they can expect: We're extending the option for them to join us for 4 additional nights in their current stateroom during our 2 inaugural sailings - at no additional cost to them! The details are still being ironed out for this exciting event, so we'll send you and more information (including their booking numbers) once we have them in December. Lastly, some of our inaugural sailing events are utilized to help Travel Advisors familiarize themselves with our ships. As a result, some events during both sailings will be unavailable to our guests. There's no need for them to worry, though - there will still be plenty of awesome activities and experiences for them to enjoy onboard Wonder of the Seas.

During @Matt live Youtube Q&A yesterday he admitted to stepping out on Royal (one time) and cruised on another line, I have unearthed a highly classified photo of his indiscretion on his way to formal night.

Embarkation Day Since this was a last minute and comp solo cruise I made the decision not to fly in a day early. Figure worst case is I lose a small amount of money and a wonderful vacation but a night hotel is money better spent in the casino. Even after reading other peoples issues with CVS I still reserved my covid test with them. I have a 9 am appointment on Thursday for my test and of course on Wednesday I get an email saying my appointment was canceled. It was the same store that canceled my flu shot the week before. I was going to move the test but the pharmacy assured me it wouldn't be a problem. Luckily I was able to find another store in the middle of nowhere to schedule for me and they were nice enough not to cancel and I was negative so my first hurdle was cleared. I felt confident in my flight since Dallas is the headquarters of Southwest and it was the first flight of the day. I got up at 4 am and headed to the airport. Got checked in and they boarded the flight on time. I'm thinking this is looking good. I was on the first row aisle and had a full view of the cockpit. I noticed something weird going on but wasn't too concerned until they announced over the speaker that the co-pilot was in an accident on the way to the airport that morning. Luckily there was a backup that was actually at the airport that morning and he headed straight over. He received a nice ovation when he came on board. After that it was an uneventful flight and we almost even made it on time. I had a 1 pm check-in so I had a couple of hours to kill at the airport. I was luckily able to find an outlet where I could charge my phone and met some people who were on my flight headed to the Odyssey also. Turned out they were friends of one of my cousins. Chatted a little before they got to leave for their earlier check-in. Finally it came time for me to head to the ship. Went to the Taxi stand and they put me in one. Unfortunately I think I had the only taxi driver who had no idea how to get to the port. I told him Port Everglades and he handed me his phone to type in the address. Then he missed his turn at least twice and then we went around a few times before he got me to the drop off. He was a nice guy but it would have been nice to not stress about getting lost going 5 miles. Once I got there I was on the ship in 30 minutes and the entire staff at the port were friendly and helpful. Went straight to Wonderland and booked all my dining for the week and got great times for everything I wanted. Headed to Giovanni's for lunch and ordered the giant meatball and lasagna for lunch. They brought me some amazing garlic balls first and they were very good. Shortly after came the meatball.. It was very impressive but after eating that I barely touched the lasagna. After lunch headed to my muster station which was right next to Giovanni's and then headed to my cabin. The cabin was quite spacious and I liked the balcony even though it is right under the overhand from 14. The bathroom is tiny but the shower is bigger than any I've had on previous cruises so to be honest was a great tradeoff. Had our groups meet & greet at Lime & the Coconut. Was nice to meet a bunch of new people. Having almost all of cruises out of Galveston I'm used to everyone being from Texas. It was nice meeting people from all over. Afterwards headed to MDR for prime rib, which was pretty much the only thing I enjoyed on my first Royal cruise. Was not as good as I remembered but was at least edible. I went to check out the 270 venue and it is very impressive. Looking forward to the 2 shows I have reserved for there. I then had time to kill and headed to the casino before going to the first comedy show. After that I was pretty much dead and headed to bed around 11. My first impressions of the ship are almost all positive. I wonder if some of it is the fact we only have 1500 people on board and nothing is crowded. The ship seems smaller to me than I expected The new esplanade feels a little cramped and I wonder if it get overcrowded when the ship is full. The 270 experience and the Royal theater are both impressive. I plan on checking out the music hall soon and heading to Playmakers after Coco Cay to check out the sports bar. The staff is extremely nice and wanting to help wherever they can. The covid protocols aren't that bad. Royal does a great job keeping Vax only areas so you don't always have to have your mask on. Looking forward to the rest of the week.

You'll have to let me know if there is a break in your schedule to meet up. Sea day? Have your people can call my people.

Or maybe because there is still an emergency going on as defined by actual experts, even if the internet experts disagree. Just because you haven't felt the effects of it, millions of others have, and still are. It's not like Yurtle the Turtle, you don't have to see it yourself for it to be real. I also wonder if anyone who thinks this is wrong has considered that they are not seeing the cases because of the precautions that are in place, in other words maybe it is working, and we should not stop it yet.