twangster

Not automatically. Suite guests in the Royal Suite product (Quantum and Oasis class) are free to purchase things in the cruise planner that overlap with Suite perks. A GS guest could for example purchase The Key (if it's offered) and other than embarkation lunch or priority access to select activities really get no other benefit they don't already get. The system doesn't look at your cabin and guide your purchasing. If you are successful with Royal Up within the timeframe when the cruise planner is closed in the days before the cruise talk to the suite concierge upon boarding.

As written the PVSA can only be bypassed for interests of national security so like ATRA it will take Congress to change or modify the law. Congress has the power to do many things. I never would have predicted the ATRA (Alaskan Tourism Restoration Act) would have passed through Congress but it did, quite easily. I have no insight if the new bill will receive similar support in the same Congress that passed ATRA.

If it moves forward I think we'll see new opportunities. New ports, new native corporations taking ownership of existing, etc.

Makes sense. If cruising is such a vital part of the state's economy we shouldn't have that dependent on a foreign nation. If I'm not mistaken there are lobbying groups in Victoria that would love to see a cruise ship ban enacted or the current ban made permanent. If they are successful they could cause a lot of harm to Alaska's tourism industry. It's better to get ahead of that in case it comes to fruition. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/09/16/alaska-senator-introduces-bill-permanently-allow-cruise-ships-sail-alaska-without

Gambling for sure but I've heard bar sales are pretty slow in China. Very few would consider a drink package, bars rarely have a line, bartenders standing around with little to do sort of thing. One issue faced by cruise lines in China is breaking the stereotype that cruises are just for gambling. The concept of cruising for a vacation has been hard to put forward but Royal was making headway in this area with an increasing Chinese customer base that was booking Royal in other regions having experienced the product in China. Guests were beginning to see cruising as more than just gambling.

Your choice. Both are acceptable scenarios.

I think it buys them some time to evaluate the pandemic and hurdles they faced with getting her to China, whatever those hurdles may be. October 2022 isn't that far into the future but a long time in terms of the virus and variants. If China remains "hurdled" then maybe she spends the winter in Florida. If the pandemic winds down to something easier to manage then maybe she heads to the Pacific. They'll have a better idea in the coming months. Cruises typically have a long sales cycle . They want it open so they have a longer window to sell it. It says a lot about the uncertainty of the pandemic that they aren't opening the winter of 2022 on Wonder just yet. My guess would be keeping her in Florida since she is there. Then in the spring they could send her to Europe and onward through the Suez. That's a SWAG without any foundation to support it.

On Odyssey last week our CD Mike S. from Canada was explaining that he is heading to Wonder next. He explained that Bobby Brown is the "take out" CD for all new builds but Bobby is retiring. Bobby is also heading to Wonder. The plan, Mike explained, is for him to assume Bobby's role as "take out" CD for new builds going forward. It's also customary to have two CD's on take out cruises consequently there will be three CD's on the Wonder to start. There will be Bobby with Mike in training as take out CD and a 3rd CD since it's a new build. In hindsight he did add a comment about Wonder's future that was a glimpse into this change citing "some hurdles to getting her started in China". He said "it might come to Europe, it might come to the states, nothing has been announced". It's been announced now. Crew rumors are cheap and easy to come by so I found it interesting but never imagined it would come true so quickly.

Yes to Portside BBQ. I'm guessing they've known this is coming for some time now and they have been able to schedule some minor updates to suit the US market. There is some time between the anticipated turn over date and the inservice date. Maybe they are keeping her in the shipyard after accepting the ship into the fleet. Not really sure.

It's coming back at least to fulfil the Allure TA Westbound to Port Canaveral in Florida that it's assuming. After that is unknown.

They already earmarked a DL on Wonder on deck 4 like her sisters (or most of them). The "Golden Room" will presumably be repurposed to Jazz on 4. There are star cabins, just not very many at the moment.

Paging @Lovetocruise2002 - I think she verified RC would test.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. (refund)

When Allure was first cancelled from Galveston they moved me from an A2 on Allure to a Grand Suite on Liberty. Not happy but that's all they offered. Refused to include drink package or UDP or Voom or gratuity. My only viable choice was a refund. Not happy at all but that's where it ended up. With so few Star on Wonder, it's not going to be pretty.

Starboard Side BBQ.

If your Symphony cruises is CWC eligible then talk to them first, explain what you are thinking, they may just move you rather than doing a CWC, issuing FCC and having you rebook. Consider a CWC as worst case. Often if you ask, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Looks like there have been some updates since April. Deck 3 Deck 4 Deck 5 Deck 6 Deck 7 Deck 8 Deck 9 Deck 10 Deck 11 Deck 12 Deck 14 Deck 15 Deck 16 Deck 17 Deck 18

Apparently you need 3 guests to see pricing. Then you have to call to remove the 3rd guest. Royal IT.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/22772-wonder-of-the-seas-deck-plans-revealed/&tab=comments#comment-243133

Typically for a ship swap there isn't any action required. The deck plans for the two ships are very different particularly for suites so it will take them sometime to figure out cabins such as yours.

I'm not sure Wonder was going to have Star Class since it destined for China. I'm guessing they will have to rethink that now that she is destined for America.

Wonder will replace Allure in the Med. Allure bookings will be moved to Wonder!

My printer/scanner has a USB port and allows me to scan to memory stick. It's one page at a time but I just stand there and flip the pages between scans.

I am submitting mine to Matt.

I am. If you have them, please submit them to Matt by email.