Jill

We are! Even though I swore I’d never sail an icon class again! Never say never!

Just booked 3 cabins for a family thanksgiving at sea!

Utopia April 21st but I may be too late posting! If so, I’ve got Celebrity Apex out of Southampton in June

Just booked 3 cabins for a family thanksgiving cruise! Have never sailed on a major holiday

We’re doing the fjords this summer out of Southampton on Celebrity Apex. You might want to check their itineraries as I felt they were better than what Royal was offering and Apex is a stunning new Edge class ship. Got a great group rate of $4800 with classic drink package and basic WiFi Anyhoo, I’m researching transfer options now: Blackberry Cars, Jewels Airport Transfer, Eddie Manning (limo.co.uk), Day Trip (just used them twice in Europe in December) Hotel: we have reservations at Harbour Hotel in Southampton Staying 3 nights afterwards in London at a boutique hotel called Aragon House

#2. St Maarten is our favorite. About to put a deposit down for Star with St Maarten, San Juan and CocoCay. Tired of St Thomas because the time there is too short to do anything. St Kitts is our least favorite. Haven’t been to DR but stopping at the new port (Cabo Rojo) in October on oasis

We became D+ back in 2022. We will never make Pinnacle so we feel our loyalty stops at D+. Our plan is to switch to Celebrity for the big bucket list cruises outside the Caribbean and stay with Royal for the Caribbean. HOWEVER, with the news this week that all oasis class ships (except Symphony and Allure) are going to short cruises, it’s going to force us out. Not a fan of Icon class (although about to put a deposit down on Star because celebrity is offering nothing out of PC for our dates). Freedom class and lower are all showing their age and have no desire to sail them. Royal has really left us no other choice. We usually do one bucket list a year and one Caribbean. We will likely stay with Celebrity but I also am not a fan of infinite balconies, especially for warm weather sailings. We prefer newer ships Just not sure where to go next. I know Virgin is not for us

That’s why I mentioned I wasn’t sure what that would look like given size restrictions on the river ships. Viking’s entertainment brought onboard in some cities was ok but some was just old people hokey. A comedian (a clean one), maybe a night with karaoke? Something that engages

Well worth $200 per person! Go for it!

I’m super excited for this. Sailed Viking in December on the Danube and left thinking about choosing a different line next time. (AMA or Avalon). I really hope celebrity improves the nightlife experience because Viking was boring. Thankfully we were a group of 12 so made our own fun. Looking/wanting something with a little bit of a younger vibe. Not sure what that looks like given size constraints on river ships. Really just the one lounge as public space. We weren’t planning another river until 2027 so this is perfect timing! I will add this: due to the ever changing water levels on these rivers, next time we will get cancel for any reason travel insurance. This past year was awful on the rivers as there was flooding in June and October that turned river cruises into hotels and bus tours. One thing I hate are bus tours! We were lucky that water levels weren’t an issue for us.

Just did this with Viking. I will say I was disappointed in the markets. 80% food (overpriced) and drinks. Very little in way of ornaments, Christmas decor We did enjoy the cities themselves. Especially Vienna

Haven’t been on utopia yet (April) but I’m voting Oasis. I’m not a fan of the climate controlled, chlorine smelling enclosed solariums. Allure is my next favorite as she still had an “outdoor” feel along with symphony. Harmony I still liked. I generally avoid pools on cruise ships so no pool isn’t really an issue for me. Next is wonder and Utopia will likely join her as least favorites because they’re enclosed

As of a news report several minutes ago, Mexico tariffs have been put off for a month and Trump and Trudeau are apparently in talks right now. My guess is nothing will happen at midnight tonight.

We loved our junior suite on Odyssey. It had that split bathroom set up. Toilet and sink on one side and tub, sink and separate shower across. I could get showered then move across the foyer to the sink/toilet to get ready then hubby could have the other side to shower and shave

Song of America was sailing as the Olympia under Celestyal cruises. She just was sent to the scrapyard last year. We saw her in Santorini and Kusadasi in 2022. She was our first royal ship in 1991.

Is this on oasis? If so, can you change the date? The October 18 sailing has Cabo Rojo as a 4th port leaving only 3 (non consecutive) sea days.

I have nothing to add to the logistics but chiming in to say this is an awesome trip!

So I can’t use the $20 playmakers credit for lunch?

Have I been under a rock? Since when do you get the additional discounts from UDP now with Chops+1 and 3 night? I can get Chops+1 and my second restaurant can be Royal Railway for $50 per person. I paid $193 with gratuity so $293 if I add Railway. I had Railway booked at $283. So I’m basically getting Chops for free. It also has the $20 credit for Playmakers, Izumi in the Park credit etc. Is this new? I thought only UDP had these

I had read in a Facebook post that someone went backwards and got hurt.

We did night 5 because you leave st Thomas so early plus we didn’t get off the ship that day. We had unlimited dining so never went to MDR ESC was fantastic!

So I’m sitting here just north of St Augustine waiting for Milton. We were supposed to be on Utopia right now in one of the new Sky Junior Suites. I should’ve left the Facebook group lol. They’re skipping Nassau tomorrow and going to labadee. So they got cococay, sea day, labadee and sea day. I had @Sharla cancel us on Sunday as we were in the cone and all coastal and St. John’s river areas are under mandatory evacuation. We also live on an horse farm and having large animals outside in these storms is stressful so I probably would’ve worried the entire time. Apparently we’re getting 100% refund from Royal. They extended that to many people. We’ve sailed 8 times in October the last 10 years and this is our first with a hurricane.

We were just notified last week that our October 2025 oasis 8 night will now stop here. I’m excited for this cruise. 2 new ports for us: curaçao and Cabo Rojo

Maybe we will bump into you in the suite lounge. Trying the new Sky Junior suite.

I’ve only met a deck supervisor once and that’s because she was married to our favorite bartender and he wanted us to meet her. I would speak with the hotel manager as well. I’m not good at confrontation lol