twangster

It was free for me on Millie.  I was getting ~5 Mbs down, 3 Mbps up.   However in Alaska it acted like satellite internet does in Alaska - spotty at times.   It worked like Grandeur more or less.  

They don't call it Voom or a catchy name like that.  It's pretty obvious, like "Internet".  

I've had the room service Royal Burger on Allure and Harmony.  It was very good.   

5 hours ago, Stephanie said:

@twangster, I totally get that.  I'm actually a total germ-a-phobe and love the hand washing stations & all the hand sanitizers everywhere.  It's just that I'm a water-only drinker (besides alcohol). 

I just wish I could fill my own water bottle up b/c I don't mind the tap water & definitely don't enjoy paying $2 / bottle for bottled water. 

Having said that - I actually did not know how the freestyle cups work since I have never bought the drink package since I don't drink soda.  I will no longer be annoyed by the rule.

No worries, I drink the water station water a lot on cruises.  It's pretty easy to use one of their clean glasses to fill my personal water bottle, staff have never said anything or complained about dealing with my shortly used glass.

4 hours ago, Keeves said:

It has always annoyed me when I am at a buffet and the staff tries to take my empty plate, forcing me to get a new one for more food. I've always felt it to be a waste of dishwashing resources, not to mention pretentious. (Dahling, we're not the kind of people who use dirty plates. / But it's MY dirty plate!) And this is especially annoying when they start to run out of clean plates.

I consider myself fairly health-conscious, but it never dawned on me that this is required by health regulations. And now that you've educated me, I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of it myself. Thanks!!

On a kitchen tour the chef once said "Do you know why we are so careful with food preparation?"  After a few dumb guesses on our part he replied... "Because there are over 5,000 guests and crew on board but the medical center downstairs only has four beds".

On a serious note, things like noro are a thing because of guests, not because of the ship.  While not washing as many plates would save money, it's not worth the cost of sick guests.  

Wash your hands, it's easy to do, you only have two...

2 hours ago, melski94 said:

I have found that Southwest is no longer the cheapest option.

Southwest rarely is for me.  As a business traveler I routinely under 30 days notice, very often under 2 weeks notice.  In most cases Southwest is higher than the the big three.  

Having said that those $79 fares on Southwest between Tampa and Ft Lauderdale are coming in handy for my trans-Florida S2S cruises. 

I haven't sailed an RC ship in North America that didn't have hamburgers in the Windjammer every day at lunch and usually at dinner too.  Plus french fries.  

@F1guynz - when Ovation or Explorer are in Australia does Windjammer have hamburgers?

I would be shocked if Ovation didn't have them out of Seattle next year.  Food is loaded onto the ship in Seattle.  Food is pretty consistent across the fleet at least within a region.

7 minutes ago, Oliver said:

My biggest problem with the Windjammer is that I’ll eat too much. I just want to try everything! I don’t have a lot of self control 

I have the same issue at dinner in WJ.  It all looks so good I end up with a massive plate of food.  I really should scout the whole area before putting anything on my plate.

It is capacity controlled.  Keep checking, it may open back up if someone cancels.

You are always best to purchase anything in the cruise planner when you see it.  You can typically refund up to 3 days prior to sailing but if it disappears then you may lose out.

Radiance class have a clean aft with no superstructure blocking or impacting your view unlike some other classes. 

Typically RC uses Samsung flat panels that do have an HDMI input, but.. using that HDMI input is another matter.

On some newer ships the flat panel is often secured very close to the wall and it be hard to even reach the HDMI inputs.  On ships where you can easily reach the HDMI inputs, the supplied remote in your cabin doesn't allow you to select the HDMI input.  I've brought a Samsung remote from home and have been able to change inputs using that, but...  on some ships there is a gray telephone jack on the panel that connects to the ship's network so you can do interactive stuff like reviewing your account, ordering movies, etc.   In many cases I have to unplug that so I could change inputs.  

Bottom line - it's a lot of work.  You are better bringing a tablet loaded with some movies for the kids.  

3 hours ago, KLA said:

Omg ... so the number of people I saw on Allure walking up to the freestyle machine with a plain regular cup and getting furious when it wouldn't work for them...

That would make for an interesting scope...

Celebrity casinos are smoke free, fleet wide.   Not sure if you or your beloved are smokers so keep that in mind.  

Celebrity does tend to run higher than RCI but you can find the exceptions from time to time if you look for them and have some flexibility.  

Edge is hugely popular.  Rates have skyrocketed.  A lot of that demand is coming from established Captain's Club members.  Edge is the first new Celebrity ship in a while so Celebrity fans are running to it in droves.  In the wake of the mass migration to Edge are a lot of Celebrity ships that still need to be sold.  Lower demand on those creates potential opportunity for us all.  

Just now, WAAAYTOOO said:

I guess this comes as a surprise to me.  I always had the impression that Celebrity was pricier than RC.  I admit that I have never done the research to confirm that...it was just an impression.

Don't use the Edge in your pricing comparison.   Some suites land in Star Class full price territory at times.  

If you don't mind the older ships in the fleet, there can be great value in Sky Suites.  Compared to similar RCI ships (age, size) Celebrity is very affordable if you book at the right time.

3 hours ago, MikeK said:

    I m going on the Harmony next year so when I get my WOW bracelet  and the color doesnt match my outfit will I still be able to get past the fashion police IN the MDR on formal night.

As long as you don't wear a white Wow band after labor day... oh wait, that isn't a thing anymore.  

Here are some luminae pictures from my Millie cruise:

The MDR for steerage guests is just on the other side of those illuminated panels. I would never have known it though.  I never heard anything from the MDR.

As I stated earlier I wasn't in blog mode at the time and I was trying to be respectful to follow guests so I haven't captured it as I would if I sailed her last week.

My expectation is that the Summit luminae is very similar.  

If Matt wants to sponsor a return trip I promise to do much better next time... 

2 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

@twangster, how would you rate Luminae compared to CK?

Long winded answer to a simple question but if you know me, I am long winded.  Let me set the stage...

In 2017 I was on Allure in a CLS Sunday May 21 until Sunday May 28.  I ate in CK most nights, except for Hibachi once.   This was my second CK cruise and I had prime CK reservations every night, a lesson learned from the previous cruise.  As expected, I loved CK.  

I boarded Mille on Friday June 2nd, 6 days later.  

I love CLS.  The space and the cabin and CK and the suite lounge and on and on.    You know.  

Booking Alaska I asked myself... I'm going from the 2nd largest cruise ship in world (at the time), in a CLS, to a much smaller and older ship in a one level Sky Suite days later.  What am I doing?  Surely Millie would be a let down.  How could it not be?  The CLS experience is amazing!  Allure is amazing!  A mere Sky Suite?  Duh!

Millie was an awesome experience.  Very different from Allure at so many levels, all levels really.  Dining, entertainment, drink package (I had the DP on both), cabin, ship size and age, fellow guests, destination (Caribbean vs. Alaska) and so on. 

With that stage set, let me get to your question...

I give my Luminae experience the win over CK, and I love CK (except for lunch, which is kind of 'meh' IMO). 

Luminae breakfast is pretty much the same as CK.   

The Sommelier who handles wine requests is completely absent in CK.   On Mille, he nailed the wine pairings each night.  I told him what I was planning to order and he recommend the wine.  I went with his suggestion despite my own inclinations, the first time I had done so to this degree.   As a wine snob (at times) I am kind of particular about my wine glass.  I prefer a thin rim wine glass.  Luminae uses the same wine glasses I have at home.  Silly I know, but the devil is in the details. 

Service is pretty much the same - great in both.  No key card required for Luminae.  For Luminae the Maître D' welcomed me by name after my first visit and escorted me to my table.

Ambience.  The CK on Oasis class is impressive for sure.  Great panoramic views as you know.  Luminae is a very comfortable and cozy experience.  On a lower deck there are the common circular ocean view windows to the sea that we all have experienced somewhere on a ship.  Luminae doesn't have the panoramic views that CK does (at least on Mille class ships, I have no experience beyond that) but as I sit here writing this I give the nod to Luminae for ambiance.  However this, like food, is a personal opinion.  A great view is just that.  It doesn't make the overall experience complete, even if it does add to it significantly.   There is no lounge bundled with Luminae,.  Luminae is smaller than Oasis class CK.  From what I saw in the Anthem CK,  it's roughly the same size. 

Michael's Lounge (included with Sky Suite) is forward on the ship and very separate and distinct from Luminae.  I think Michael's Lounge may be impacted by the latest refresh announced but I'm not positive on that.

Food.  I can't recall a bad dining experience in either so I am hesitant to proclaim a winner since food is so personal.  For me?  Luminae for the win.  Not by much, but for me if a ship had both restaurants side by side and I could pick one, I'd probably visit Luminae.   Someone else may go the other way.  To each their own.  For me it was the flavors and sauces.  Heck, I might visit both.

Given all this when I see reviews that compare a Sky Suite to a Junior Suite on Royal, I have to disagree.    CK is available on a few ships.  Luminae is available on many ships in the fleet. JS provides dinner access to CK, S1/S2 Sky Suites provides access comparable to GS and above.  S1/S2 gives access to Michael's Lounge.  No such JS benefit.  

When I planned my Alaska cruise I had to choose between Radiance and Mille.  A JS on Radiance was very close in price to a S1 on Mille when I booked it. Sure I wanted to climb the C&A ladder but a JS or Sky Suite?  Sky Suite wins that battle every time.  IMO.

I joined the RCLBlog a few months after my Mille cruise so I wasn't in full blog mode at the time.  The only Luminae menu I took a picture of is this one, on display during the day outside the restaurant.  

The Sky Suite I stayed in is somewhat unique.  It's back by the Penthouse Suites and has a connecting door so it acts as overflow and a 3rd bedroom for the Penthouse when needed.  Because of that the decor is upgraded over a standard Sky Suite.

It's not a new ship.  Some cabins may looked dated if you are picky about certain items.  The AquaSpa cabins on the aft of deck 11 were recently added so they are 'like new' .  I was booked into one of these before upgrading to a sky suite.

I think some people have unrealistic expectations or had no idea they booked an older ship.  Because they are "shocked" it isn't a brand new ship they find every little flaw and highlight it.  Many deck 9 balconies have the pool deck overhang above them.  I see reviews from people who did no research complain about the 'obstructed' view of the sky.  

I had no issues with Grandeur last year and Millie looked better than Grandeur (not that Grandeur is in bad shape at all).  I sailed Mille in June and Grandeur in August was my next cruise.

If Summit is anything like Millie I think you'll be happy.

I ate in Luminae the whole cruise.  I thought about trying Blu but I didn't want to miss out on Luminae while I had it.  I did the buffet on boarding day and had no issues with it.  Great pizza (much better than RC).  A few lunches in the buffet just when I wanted to eat and run quickly.

There are so many sales these days I can see how people get confused.  50% off second guest based on the elusive "regular" price not off the last sale price that folks likely booked when they did.  

I guess this means I need to reprice all my cruises - just in case.  Expectations set accordingly.  

Oh yeah - the butler thing is somewhat overstated IMO.  I'm okay with that, I don't need someone unpacking my luggage for me.  No complaints but just think it's made out to be something more than it is.  

I think you'l like Summit. It's a sister ship to the Millennium I sailed to Alaska last year.    in fact this class of ship is called the Millennium class.  

They were all "Solsticized" when that ship hit the market.  

I really enjoyed Luminae dining which comes with a Sky Suite.  Unlike Coastal Kitchen on RC you'll eat all meals in Luminae.  I put myself in the Sommelier's hands at and he never disappointed pairing wine with my dinner choices each night.  Make sure to check out the Martini Bar (more than just Martinis).  

Like Grandeur she isn't a new ship but they have kept it fresh and modern.  

I'm looking forward to following along and I'm curious to know how similar she is inside compared to Millie.  Some of my Millie pics made it into my Alaska recap blog:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/5211-alaska-recap-celebrity-millennium-june-2017/&do=findComment&comment=51830

Enjoy your cruise!

Just now, Stephanie said:

FYI - the water / drink stations have signs posted asking you not to use your own refillable bottles for sanitary purposes.  Which, quite frankly, makes zero sense to me since the drink package gives you a refillable bottle that you are required to use.  

 

The drink package cup supplied is designed to be used in Freestyle drink dispensers that require no contact between cup and machine, or by handing it to a bar tender who knows not to touch your cup against bar equipment.  If you use the supplied drink package cup at a water station, the same rule applies since it is your own personal cup at that point.  

It's modeled after a common public health department requirement, much like using a new plate every time you visit a buffet.  It prevent the transfer of germs from a used glass onto the equipment.  The water stations tend to require you push a glass against the machine to dispense water or ice.  

It always irks me when I see people violating this rule.  Like people not washing their hands in a bathroom or dropping buffet utensil handles directly into the food.  Nice way to contaminate the whole dish.  

Just now, Boston Babe said:

But the newbies don't have a BOT like you to enlighten them!!

Credit to @4ensic for this price drop thread.

8 minutes ago, mworkman said:

Yep...were looking at your  

 

Just call me birdman, or birdbot, or snowbot.  Gosh, going to Canada soon, better buy a parka and mukluks.  

Is it just me or is that bird thinking something like... "That's it.  I'm done with you bird brains."

16 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Yup, no sale, everyone gets the basic "20% off on-board prices" for VOOM. And those on-board prices, as @twangster noted, are steep.

I'm wondering the drastic drop in the two device plan is because MSC offers their internet plan allowing 4 devices out of the gate.  Time will tell if they keep this 50% discount.  

8 minutes ago, mworkman said:

Yes they are....i was looking at 2019 cruises and my 11 night cruise for 1 device is $175.89  Thats with the 20% off savings as they call it. 

2019 prices don't seem to benefit from the current sale.  They have them pegged high hoping catch newbies that don't know any better.

I honestly believe the drink package prices run an algorithm based on sales trends for your individual cruise.  Low sales, prices drop.  High sales, prices go up.  

As people buy it, cancel it, cancel the cruise, book onto the cruise, etc the pricing engine dutifully adapts the daily price to suit.   

Looking pretty good for my Oct. 8  Snowbird cruise out of Quebec City. 

Look at me, I'm a snowbird!