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Loving this blog!

I lost my $50 OBC when mine was repriced yesterday. I already had used it but RC pulled it from the OBC I had gotten from my FCC's. I can't answer the rest of your specific questions but I 'm sure someone else will

I went Mid October to Bermuda. My experience wasn't bad at all. I remember no issues with the weather at all. It truly depends on the weather.

Really depends on how you look at it. I like to get it so I don't have to think about my bill at the end. I can be picky about coffee - for example - Harmony, hated the free coffee. Anthem, loved it. I do love a morning and possibly an afternoon specialty coffee. I drink a lot of water throughout the day and like to keep some in my room. A few of the days I may enjoy a mimosa or morning cocktail. Maybe a drink or two at the pool. Def a drink at dinner and possibly more after dinner depending on the night and who I'm with. For the record, I've never been drunk on a cruise ship and I don't like to be drunk in general. I have a low tolerance anyway. Add this all up and it basically works for me if I can get it at a price I'm okay with.

oops.

Incredibly good attitude about it. Glad you made the best of it, I'm not sure I could've!

That's great that they ask. I get uncomfortable when people find out it's not celiac because they immediately seem to think it's by choice but the itchiness and other symptoms I get say otherwise. I do understand the extreme difference between celiac and intolerance tho so my issues are nothing near a celiac's but I wish it was taken seriously and not as a fad type thing.

That's unfortunate. Adventure was a my first RC cruise a few years ago and it was pretty great concerning gluten free options and every cruise i've taken so far with royal they have more choices. I'm not celiac so it may be different for me.

Ugh. 3 years ago this week I was eating anchovy pie, Vernazza fish bake (normally wouldn't eat that but when in Vernazza...) in a little restaurant with an Aperol Spritz. TAKE ME BACK....

Alaska. Med.

Best quality is not asking me how my food is mid bite/chew.

Booked a few 2020 cruises which were canceled by Royal. Rebooked for this past March but canceled because I wasn't ready. ReRe booked for September - got the FCC's for down payment but for some reason they are dragging their feet on the $1400 still owed from the cruise planner purchases. Very frustrating.

Bookwork heaven - comfortable in bed while reading with the sunset sea in the background.

I don't see it changing anything for me. I only book with intent and when I'm concerned I book refundable.

I can echo everything everyone has said and will add a few: Expect people to question and comment why you're alone- have a reply crafted so you won't be caught off guard. It will happen multiple times if you are around people. I just posted this recently but people like to tell female solo travels how brave they are and let you know they could never travel alone. It's annoying but they mean well. Restaurant staff will also comment. You said Mediterranean - I toured solo in Italy in 2019 (met so many people I still keep in touch with, best trip ever) and every time I dined alone, which actually wasn't often, the wait staff was shocked and would ask me several times to make sure. Sigh. Do the things you want to do and don't let being alone hold you back. For dining at buffets - being a bag or book or something that isn't expensive so you can claim a table or a seat to get your meal. The Cruise Compass will say "solo trivia" or something similar. It was never solo when I went, always couples or groups. Solo travel is what you make of it. Cruises for me tend to be quiet and truly solo while land travels I met tons of people. I can waver between making friends easily or being completely unapproachable. Expect to be alone but know you have the opportunity to meet others.

....and you don't have to get it. If it makes people happy and they can afford it, that's awesome. You can say that about cruising as well for people who book Star Class instead of regular rooms and going on more cruises or just about anything.

Feel better and thanks for sharing!

I'm loving this blog. My last big trip pre 2020 was Italy and it was the best vacation I've had. How hot is it? I'm supposed to go back with a friend and I told them I refused to go back in any type of summer weather. I want this exact cruise for next year!

I'm loyal to no one and I fully acknowledge it sucks to be on a cruise and not get what you paid for. It's not okay. But as said many times in this thread alone, this is the state of the world right now. I'm feeling it in my own job - hiring for a job in my dept and usually get a bunch of resumes - I'm getting next to nothing. Add people getting sick and things are even more complicated. Friends in other fields seeing the same. My dogwalking company was short a few weeks ago and people didn't have coverage for their pups. None of this is okay but for a while this is what it is. No, it doesn't make sense to me that cruise ships are at full capacity right now....but don't we all know this a risk when we book cruises right now? I canceled my march one because I wasn't comfortable around so many people at this time. I scheduled for September hoping for the best but knowing what I'm in for.

Always. I leave a book and a bag (with nothing of importance) to be clear I AM STILL HERE. It's always worked.

We're all just cruisers here, no one works for Royal.

Nope! Whatever makes you happy is best!

You can't add without repricing but you can have a no-show - they'll just refund the port fees for that 3rd person.

My favorite game to play while solo traveling as woman is how many times I hear "YOU'RE SO BRAVE TO TRAVEL ALONE". sigh.

I think you need to look at overall costs and how much you actually will drink. Yes, the drink prices are nuts right now but we all know inflation is up so this isn't a complete surprise. You'd have to compare the prices of each cruise and what you're actually getting for your money. Royal is more budget friendly to me at this point plus, if the drink package is too expensive, I don't buy it and pay as I go.