barbeyg

First, to answer your question, the amplification is very nice. While the ships are similar, the experience will be somewhat different. Only you can know if it is different enough to justify a price difference. Personally, if this was us, I would keep watching prices on the cruise booked. We recently cancelled Odyssey for December, because we weren’t taking a pricy cruise with all the restrictions. It took 2-1/2 weeks to receive our FCC. We watched pricing for Oasis class ships for the same week in December, and booked an OV balcony on Oasis for less than $1500, mid-ship. Lower than the other ships that week by $600! We were able to use our FCCs for this cruise because we waited until we received them. If you cancel and don’t receive your FCCs before final payment, you MAY be able to get a short extension on final payment. BUT, if you can’t use them, you are looking at having to book another cruise for each person with those FCCs before next September, or lose them. Personally, I would watch for decreases on the ship you are on. Who knows what might happen?

Yikes on the blouse, And me too, @Neesa. I get all my makeup, etc by May, then wait for late Sept (or later) to order again. There are granola bars my husband is (im)patiently waiting for me to order for him. They have dark chocolate in them, and that would be a total mess in our metal mailbox. I told him to ration himself across the summer, but did he? No.

I’m waiting as well. For expiration dates and a bit of cooler weather.

Yum on the fruit smoothies. Hmmm….wonder if those would be available for the Diamond drinks? Will have to check when we are onboard. Enjoying your live blog. Thanks for sharing!

I’ve seen photos of people watching on the tv in the cabin for their group to be announced. Not a video, just a listing of the groups, and when it is time for them to assemble. I’m not sure about early walk-off. I’d like to do that too, as we have a 12.5 hour drive home in December.

Around the internet, I’ve seen reports of anywhere from a couple of minutes to 30 minute waits. For a period of time, they were slower than that, but they seem to have improved after being slammed. I think a lot depends on the time of day you call in.

Also, these are HSA approved, so if you have an HSA and want to use to pay for them, that’s an option.

Aww, he loves these crazy women. He want to Royal Up for both cabins, but it’s not in the budget. Plus, I already have to get them a badge that says, “If lost, return to Cabin ####. If they are across the ship or on another deck from ours, they will get lost all the time. #DirectionallyChallenged

This. And in Skagway, if the border is open, renting a car to drive out to the Yukon is amazing and allows stops that the train doesn’t. We plan to do this again next year, as long as the border is open.

I understand. My hubby is distressed that we have balcony cabins (side by side) booked with my sister and aunt for AK next year. He has gotten used to JS at a minimum. He just asked me again a bit ago about Royal Up, and was disappointed I told him no (yet again) that we booked close together and would be separated. He is hoping to catch me in a weak moment. It is hard to go back, isn’t it?

I do have one, thank you. My sister and aunt are older and can get around, and we don’t care if it takes them a little bit longer to walk out to the boat, since we booked private for just us. I know all the boat tours say that there are two big steps down into the boat. My hubby and I plan to help both down and back up. Do you think that is doable? We are both in great shape, so we’re hoping this shouldn’t be an issue. We told them we would get them on this boat, even if we have to borrow a dolly.

So glad to hear you had a great time! We are counting down the days till next year.

Our Canadian friends could always cross while canoeing the Boundary Waters. No tunnels or shovels needed. Unmanned crossing. BYOC -bring your own canoe. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233396

Thanks for the confirmation, @BrianB. The accountant in me is over all the ones I never checked because they were sold out in the past. I will def be checking going forward.

Jill, I think I read here before that you can still request them to check the price on a sold out category, and if it has decreased, get the new price. I think it may have been @Lovetocruise2002 who shared that tidbit. Of course, I may have just been dreaming….

Brian, I’ve always been able to reprice cruises to the current price before this when our cabin price went down, as long as we hadn’t made final payment. Never turned down when I called, as long as before final payment, and been doing it for years. I would think that even with the single fare supplement, if the price is lower, it’s lower. If I’m wrong, I’m sure someone will let us know. Hope you can reprice for the single supplement.

This cruise is a balcony cabin for us and our family. We like to travel in at least JS, but since we are treating, we needed more affordable. We are booking some great tours too, so every time the price goes down, I yell ‘cha-ching!” That said, our GS for next year hasn’t budged at all. I keep checking on that and a CL on the same cruise to surprise my hubby, but the CLs aren’t budging either. I think RCI is not going to decrease the price on the suites until they have to (if they aren’t selling, etc). JMO.

Have a wonderful cruise! Sounds like you have more than earned it.

If you get them made, I will buy one.

Hope you get one soon. Ours keeps going down, and it's blowing my mind. This is the third year we have booked for May, had to cancel the last two for obvious reasons. We are hoping the 3rd time is the charm as we are treating my older sister and aunt to AK. It's their first, and probably last, AK cruise.

I bet this trip is the most anticipated. Congrats on getting to meet and love on your newest granddaughter.

Awww. Happy anniversary to you guys! We are celebrating our 36th this year. It's wonderful to live and love so long, isn't it?

Our balcony cabins were booked for a May 2022 cruise last November at about $3300 each. We have gotten multiple decreases on the price in the last year, most being in the past few months. After calling about a $170 decrease on our cabin yesterday, we called again today on both cabins we have booked, saving an additional $601! We are down to $2058 on our cabin (we get the Diamond discount), and just a bit more on the other. This is including tips, and is mind-boggling for an AK cruise. I suggest checking the pricing again today, since some of our sailings have gone down since yesterday. Good luck!

Falling in line, like good little soldiers. I expect RCI to line up shortly.

We have booked suites several times. Rule of thumb for us is the Quantum and Oasis class only. You get the best bang for the buck with those classes, and the accountant in me can justify the cost. Dedicated suite lounge and restaurant. If a cheap RoyalUp came along on the other classes, we might hop on it, but it would have to be cheap.