twangster

I would check back around 120 days out. It's not unusual for things like MDR slots not to get loaded until then even if some cruises do populate earlier. Check monthly if you want to but historically it seems like something or something else was often missing from the cruise planner until the 100 day mark (or so).

The chat feature in the app was rumored or suggested to be free but very recently it was discovered that this feature carries a charge on Quantum in Singapore. Asia is a different market and we don't know yet if ships in other regions will also charge for the chat feature. Keep in mind this chat only works on the ship with other guests on the ship. One of things I was suggesting above is that chatting off ship with friends at home could make life easier for a teen.

Welcome to the message boards! The reality is we don't know. The pandemic has thrown a wrench in many plans and Explorer's amplification is just another example. The good news is that Explorer was in pretty good shape when I sailed her in 2018. They had been updating areas prior to the concept of amplifications so it's not like she is run down and sad. My cabin for example was a plain interior cabin but it had been refreshed already and was in better shape compared to some ships that were since amplified but didn't get their cabins touched. The biggest "thing" missing is water slides. Those were supposed to come (we think) during the amplification. We just don't know what the plans are for her to eventually get her slides. So while Explorer hasn't been officially "amped" she remains a great ship.

There is a Concierge Club on 13 of 25 ships however since the OP is D+ the lack of a Concierge Club on Symphony is important since they mentioned having access to the Club as a D+ member. D+ do not get access to Suite Lounges (unless they are staying in a full suite like everyone else). This has been a point of contention for D+ members as Concierge Clubs have been removed in amplifications and new suite lounges installed. It's widely believed that the Concierge Club on Anthem was going to be converted to a Suite Lounge during her dry dock. Odyssey should launch with only a Suite Lounge. Explorer was to lose her Concierge Club during her amplification. The Concierge Clubs are slowly going away and since D+ aren't allowed in the Suite Lounge it's an important distinction particularly for Oasis class since none of them have a Concierge Club.

Dawn was slow to break through the cloudy mist on this morning. The sizable city of Panama appeared through the mist. Then a bridge appeared. Not just any bridge. The Bridge of The Americas connects North and South America. A nod towards yesteryear on display. A ship ahead of use is jostled into position for it's journey. While we may our way towards our path. This will begin our day going through the Panama Canal, a marvel of engineering.

Welcome to the message boards. When i booked Grandeur i noticed the refundable checkbox was missing, but then noticed it quoted me refundable by default.

Not a great market right now in which to sell a cruise line.

Azamara was the only RCG with no talk of new builds and only old ships that did duty for other cruise lines. All other RCG brands have recently built new ships and have new builds in process. The writing was on the wall. The pandemic only delayed this transaction. I'm pretty confident it would have been announced months ago were it not for the virus.

There's a lot of pent up demand and people are grabbing anything that might sail right now. Grandeur has limited suites and balconies so some categories sell out quickly.

We are all waiting to see what will happen with pandemic protocols. Many of us suspect check in times will be enforced but it's not clear if suites or C&A status will be allowed before the official check in time. We just don't know right now.

Like @WAAAYTOOO I have used Hertz and their drop off location near the port. Hertz also has a shuttle to the port but the port has asked they do not run the shuttle before a specific time, 10am I think. The shuttle is free but I like to be at the terminal early which was allowed pre-pandemic. The cruise terminal doors may not open until 10am but the lines start early. I chose an Uber from the Hertz location near the port for under $8 to the terminal so that I could get to the port earlier than when the free shuttle started operating. In my case I stayed in the Orlando area for the abundance of cheaper hotels. I like having a car for mobility for things like last minute forgotten items, bottles of wine to board with, sunscreen or anything I didn't want to fly with. It's also nice to choose a restaurant for dinner close by but not having to accept only restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. The quickest route from Orlando to the port includes a toll road. I set my phone's GPS to avoid toll roads and took a few minutes more to reach the port without any tolls. It was still an easy drive without the more direct toll cost.

As I was in the self debark line getting a ship once I looked at Uber and Lyft and then checked my regular car rental company. They had a rate for ~ $25 one way plus gas and tolls. All in I was under $35 to rent a car. That was cheaper than Uber or Lyft and allowed me to drive at my own pace. I had plenty of time so I skipped the toll road. On another occasion I had planned to use Cortrans one way to the port from an Orlando hotel that was on their shuttle route. Then a crane fell on Oasis and the cruise was cancelled. Cortrans was easy to cancel for a refund. Cruising solo changes the math so how many are in your group can alter the cost models since Uber/Lyft is a total price versus shuttle services that are per person. The least attractive is the Royal transfer service but it's a solid plan D if everything else falls through. Just book later flights.

Now that I'm in the region known for Oranges and Pinnacles I'm getting ready for the next update to this virtual cruise. I'm thinking somewhere the CDC stole from me for the fall of 2021. They might be able to ban the cruise lines from talking about such a cruise but they can't stop me from virtually sailing there...

I'm not sure pegging Celebrity as targeting an older crowd is completely accurate at least in contrast to Holland America. Royal targets family and multigenerational cruisers. Celebrity targets a more upscale audience who isn't looking for zip lines and ice skating rinks. There will be some children but not nearly as many as Royal. Cruisers without children, cruisers who want a slightly more refined experience without spending true luxury rates. There are plenty of 30's type working professional cruisers who just want something a little more upscale over the family oriented experience. Small things like not having to check out towels in your name because there is less chance guests will take them home. Less likely a guy in a muscle shirt will crash the MDR at dinner sort of thing. There may be a slightly older crowd but more so because that is the demographic more likely looking to spend a little bit more for an elevated upscale experience. However it isn't a silver hair cruise experience.

I do think the cruise lines are trying to send San Juan a message in the wake of the decision to contract with a private 3rd party to take over cruise port operations there. It seems multiple lines have altered their plans to sail from there, sometimes reducing ships homeported or ships visiting there. You have to know the 3rd party and the port used past trends to build the business case and their financial models so by reducing calls or departures it has a serious impact on the business prospects. The cruise lines proposed using a shared company fronted by several lines to manage the port but the San Juan government wouldn't even return their phone calls. Instead the port went with a 3rd party without a full RFP or process normally used for government contracts. There were calls of corruption and kickbacks to the principals involved. Royal's recent announcement to place a ship in Barbados instead of San Juan I believe was also influenced by this (in my estimation). Faced with reduced ship traffic that 3rd party has got to be reconsidering the value of the contract.

Welcome to the message boards. For $1k more I would recommend a Grand Suite but also keep an eye on Loft Suite which are sometime close in price to a GS. A JS will get you a few dinners in Coastal Kitchen and early boarding on day one of the first cruise, by about 90 seconds earlier over D+. A GS is Sky Class on Symphony so you'll have full access to Coastal Kitchen for all meals, dedicated seating areas for entertainment, complimentary Voom internet plus access to the Suite Lounge and Suite Sun Deck. The priority access to entertainment is well worth it on Oasis Class if it is your first time on this class or a particular Oasis class ship. You'll also get access to Barefoot Beach on Labadee as you mentioned. There may even be a suite sail away party on the helipad which is the only way to access the helipad on this class. The suite lounge on this class has complimentary beer, wine and water from 11am to 11pm. Lastly with a GS or better you have the suite concierge at your disposal. Keep in mind there is no Concierge Club on Oasis class but there is a Diamond Lounge. Without staying in a GS there is only the DL for all Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members. For a first time Oasis class cruise I'd highly recommend a GS for at least the first leg if not both. If a loft suite is close in price for either leg I'd highly recommend spending a few bucks more for it. Changing cabins is easy on a B2B so I wouldn't let that be a factor if the same cabin isn't available for both legs.

Yes

Many Med ports are not near the centers of attractions so a long bus or train ride is common. Barcelona is one exception. It's enough time in port to either pick one attraction and cover it well or skim a number of attractions and (along with several tens of thousands) get a glimpse at several attractions to check them off a list. In truth each port stop could be several days by land on their own merits. A river cruise is a better way to experience Europe to sample several cities. A month on land will yield enough time to feel like you have covered several cities well. A Med cruise on an ocean liner will give you an overview of Europe so as to better plan a land vacation but you could easily spend a week at each city by land so you need to make a choice to do Paris for example by land one week, plan another trip and fly to Rome, then plan another week to do another city and so on. There is just so much to see, so much history, so many attractions that a week on a Med cruise would never be enough time to do any port city well.

Banff and the greater area is beautiful and all... But there are no cruise ships anywhere close to Calgary...

Welcome to the message boards! I assume this is for Quantum? In the past the suite concierge would email in as little as 4 or 5 days away but it was more typically around one week out. In the case of RoyalUp they may have already sent their round of emails and they might not see that you have been awarded that room yet. There have been so few sailings since the pandemic it's not widely known how the suite concierge are operating these days or in Singapore.

Navigator lost the Peek-a-boo during her amp.

Royal has been closing the indoor smoking lounges as ships have gone through refreshes and amplifications. Explorer may still have it's Connoisseurs Club but I'm pretty confident that will go away when she eventually gets amplified. Oasis class has long had it's "Cigars Under the Stars" mention where cigarette smokers will gladly give you dirty looks for smoking a cigar outside on deck 15.

They've had four ships stationed there for months. Must have liked it ? P&O has used Barbados as a homeport. During the time the RC ships spent there some local authorities probably whispered sweet nothings in Captain Johnny's ear. They didn't want Grandeur doing more of the same competing with so many in the RCI fleet for the Caribbean market. Also sends a message to San Juan. Checks a lot of boxes.

Like we saw with Empress when they thought outside of the box and built routes beyond the cookie cutter mainstream this is sort of the same. A lot of destinations not normally reached by Royal's fleet so something different to garner attention. I don't think this is in anyway related to the CDC. Hedging one small ship doesn't really accomplish anything in terms of bypassing the CDC. The target audience will result in a lot of Americans on board but some Brits as well given the easy flights to the former British territory. The Concorde used to fly between London and Bridgetown and one remains in a museum at the airport there. No doubt the homeport will appeal to some Brits as well. Cool move.