Jill

4 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

I will say this. They need to fire whoever is in charge of Marketing/PR.

Michael's Bayley FB post was tone deaf. Yippee!!! is how he starts? Does he not realize how that will be received by customers on July/August sailings that for the first time they realize that their sailings will be cancelled?? Not every cruiser keeps up with cruise news and boards like this. They trust Royal and what they are told. Bayley's FB message was totally tone deaf and put TAs in a terrible position today not to mention those poor customer service reps that man the phones who are now being instructed to outright lie to paying customers. This is a PR nightmare. It would have been better to announce cancellations FIRST and then announce test cruises. I get it, Bayley is rightfully excited about test sailings but did he even run this by his fellow execs and Marketing/PR departments before he announced on FB? If so, did no other exec stop and give him some pause as how this would be received by passengers on July/August sailings? 

This is truly an unforced error by Royal in customer relations and PR

He’s getting an earful on Facebook lol

“We were hoping and praying that our 7 day July 25th 2019 Family cruise on the Allure would go in 2021 (after being cancelled twice).  We were going to celebrate a 90th birthday, a retirement and a High School graduation.  Michael Bayley - you owe it to all your guests to CANCEL the July cruises ASAP so we can make other plans.”

“Since I was supposed to be sailing on the Allure July 25, I would have appreciated a notice of cancellation before seeing this. Very disappointed in Royal Caribbean’s communication right now.”

“Michael Bayley  wonderful news. A trip we bought in January 2020 was canceled for summer of 2020.  We are on July 11th cruise that will be canceled when you get around to it. And you will be keeping our money for another year being school starts up in early August AND you won't refund our FCC.   Again WONDERFUL NEWS. That makes it
 2 1/2 years you'll be holding our money.   Please just give us a refund already so we can go on other vacations with it.”

There’s a few hundred more...

I will echo the TA thing. If the cruise goes south (cancelled etc) you’re suddenly dealing with refunds or FCC’s and with different forms of payment being used, sounds like a headache in the making. 
 

Personally I’d call a TA (I use @Sharlawith MEI) and ask if there’s a group rate for that sailing. She got our group a great deal on Odyssey out of Rome (now cancelled because of covid). 
 

Good luck with whichever way you decide. I used to book all of ours and switched to Sharla about 6 months before Covid hit. So glad I did because she’s dealt with RC through all the FCC mess and has moved one cruise 4 times now and another one once. She’s pretty awesome  

Sorry @UNCFanatik See if you can move it to October/November. 
 

I’m hopeful my late October symphony will now sail. Hopefully the CDC won’t drag its feet approving revenue cruises. I guess Freedom will be our first clue how fast they approve. 

1 hour ago, Bob_KY said:

We loved Talkeetna Lodge and their back patio.  Denali in the background was phenomenal.   I haven't checked cruisetours lately, but did they quit going to Alyeska?

There are still pre cruise land tours. That’s my question. Should we do one through the cruise line or on our own. I posted the 2 available for our cruise above. 

If you search Air2Sea on the website it takes you to FAQ’s which eventually leads you to the website. 
 

https://secure.cruisingpower.com/choiceair/protected/home.do?brand=R

Completely logical to have cruises 6 months apart. Anything more than that is just being cruel to yourself 

@UNCFanatikfound this too. Harmony was in back in April for “nearly” a month for maintenance and classification inspection. When oasis was Amp’d that was a 50 day stay. 
 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25060-royal-caribbean-s-symphony-of-the-seas-enters-drydock.html

26 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

Symphony has been in dry dock since May 20th. They are 6 hours ahead of us which means 2 weeks would be tomorrow. You really think Symphony is leaving Cadiz tomorrow? 

Admittedly, you have zero idea of a. If Royal has applied for test sailings. b. if they had, has it been approved. There are 6 test sailings currently waiting for CDC approval and 4 approved. 

Vaccines. If they have unvaccinated crew and got vaccines even tomorrow, which wont happen, 2nd does if needed depending on vaccine wouldnt be until June 17 or 24. Symphonys fist listed sailing is July 3rd out of Miami. 

I want you to tell me how logistically it will be possible for Symphony to sail out of Miami on July 3rd on a revenue sailing within 31 days? I like my positivity/optimism sprinkled with a little reallity

Dont get me wrong, I would love to be sailing on July 17th. As to why I do not cancel, I have already planned by summer around this cruise. My step daughter has a shortened summer this year because of Covid. Out on June 11 and return August 15 and my other step daughter is a college student. My wife and I have requested vacations from our jobs that have been approved. My youngest step daughter also spends two weeks with her Father in the summer. If there is a way, we would like to cruise on July 17th as planned. We picked that date in Nov 2020 for the reasons stated above. 

And yes, you can still book the July 3rd sailing out of Miami on Symphony so they are operating in bad faith when Royal knows full well they are not sailing on that date.

I just found this on cruisemapper when I was looking for dry dock schedule. This sounds like she’s in dry dock through June  

The ship's first drydock was a month-long project (May 20 thru June 2021) at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz Spain. The drydocking was for routine maintenance works (done to cruise ships usually every 5 years) to keep them properly maintained. Symphony OTS's 2021 drydock included mainly technical works (propellers, fin stabilizers, bottom valves, hull painting) and classification inspection.

https://www.cruisemapper.com/deckplans/Symphony-Of-The-Seas-1730

10 hours ago, gatorskin76 said:

He is definitely going to need to do something, but if exemption is the route his public comments are a head scratcher.

He’s a lawyer. He’ll “craft” a statement that’ll make him sound like a hero. I don’t think he thought this part through initially and he’s got to realize the industry REALLY needs to be successful right out of the gate and knowing vaccination status is key for this start up. I really like the guy since he was my US rep. He’s allowed to screw up every now and then.

9 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

I am still trying to hold on to a glimmer of hope for my July 17th sailing. But each day she remains in dry dock plus 10 day journey to Miami, test cruise, crew vaccinated, ship fully staffed, etc it’s harder and harder to see it happening.

but I am very happy for you and share your confidence in your October sailing!

What would be interesting to know is what is the makeup of these cruises already booked? They have everyone’s age at time of booking. I would imagine a July sailing would have lots of kids so yes, a test sailing needed. I would guess my October would have few kids. I wonder if the status of a ship can change from sailing to sailing depending on how many kids there are. I’m really hoping these hybrid cruises aren’t going to require masks everywhere and on everyone, even vaccinated. That’d be a real bummer 

3 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

Symphony is currently in dry dock in Cadiz, Spain 

She’ll be out soon. Just an early technical dry dock. As long as she’s out, test sailed, passes and ready by October 23, I’m good! 

Woot! October will be my 4th try to board her! 2 different parents in a symphony Facebook group posted that their kids have been called back for the shows. Yippee! 

27 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

Anyone know where Odyssey currently is located? Any word on when it is to arrive in Port Canaveral? 

Here is where she is right now 7:45 am. Cruisemapper.com

This sounds like a future blog post for @Matt

@WAAAYTOOO hope you’re ok. Been a long time since you’ve posted 

I’d just be happy if you could use your free drinks at any time of day, not just during happy hours. Although 5 would be awesome. I would likely pass on the DBP if we get 5. 

Welcome to the boards! 

We always prepay our gratuities when we book. We always give our room steward an additional tip at the end of the cruise. My husband usually makes “friends” () with a pool bartender and gives an extra cash tip on the last day. We also will tip a bit extra in the specialty restaurants if our wait staff was exceptional. (Tip is included if you book a specialty dining plan). 

Specialty dining: we always do at least a 3 night plan. Our upcoming Symphony we are doing the ultimate because of the new restaurants: Hooked and Wonderland. We love Chops, Giovannis/Jamie’s. 

We are doing Alaska next May and probably won’t do specialty due to the port intensive itinerary. Might do one night in Chops. 

We also have a 12 night Holy Land/Greece and decided to do just a 3 night as again it’s port intensive and I’ve heard from several that you literally crawl back onboard, head straight to dining room, eat and fall into bed. 

Caribbean is a whole different vibe. Generally slow and relaxing. I suggest doing a 3 night your first time. This way you can experience both options. Make the reservations for sea days so your not rushed coming back onboard from port to get ready. 

I LOVE eating at Chops on Oasis class as you can sit outside in Central Park. 150 is also in Central Park and the most “gourmet.” 

Have fun! 
 

Go to Central Park and get a glass of bubbles

We are already booked on Radiance Southbound May 2022. Debating if we should do the land tour through RC or on our own. 

Not even sure if we can add the land portion since we’re already booked on the cruise. I’ll get with @Sharlaon that. 

We are booked in a JS so wondering if we’d also get double points for land tour too? 

So if you reply do one through RC, which one of these 2? 

A solution I see would be for DeSantis to grant temporary relief of the law while the PHE is in effect. Once the PHE is lifted, his law is in effect. But then again, every business in Florida would want the same. 
 

FWIW, I’m a constituent of DeSantis going back to when he was my Rep in the US House. I’ve always liked him but feel he in his mess kit with this one. It was too off the cuff and not thought through. I’m not a big vaccine fan but realize it is important to get cruises going again. 

Nice article! Hope she makes it! 
 

https://znsbahamas.com/second-officer-ivanna-seymour-aims-to-be-the-first-bahamian-captain-of-a-royal-caribbean-ship/?fbclid=IwAR27fJGWmcSlhusxNJfiHH-9kN2wSSB92V7fbIs0Zz7Ni8TCFayfBBOj5iE

16 hours ago, Traveler said:

Wow what a sell , Beach Club 160 $ for Symphony at September and Oasis at April Amazing  

I got it for $106 two sales ago for my October Symphony. I have a feeling space is limited so keeping the price high. Basically it was excluded from the sale. DX beverage is still what I paid earlier this month ($58) and ultimate dining is same price. 
 

Need a 45% off sale but doubt we’ll see it. There was one about 6 weeks ago but my OBC hadn’t been posted yet

On 5/22/2021 at 10:32 PM, dswallow said:

My first visit there was on Admiral's Emerald of the Seas back on a 3-night sailing on May 22, 1987. Again on July 3, 1987. And again on August 21, 1987.

Here she is! I beat you to CocoCay by 2 months! Lol 

Anyone think Royal might sail their most popular “family” ships as the vax/unvax ones and sail other ships as fully vax’d? 
 

That seems like a logical step. It gives an option for everyone