twangster

5 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

 Near the end of the cruise, a guy on the elevator commented that everyone on the ship and their mother is from Canada lol.

No Canadian fathers on the cruise?

8 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

To my point, why are we paralleling loyality to booking a suite? I am very simply stating that the Pinnacles need to be somewhere else (whether it be the diamond lounge or another designated location) and not intermixed with people who have paid for exclusivity. It is of no concern to me how many hundreds of thousands have been spent over the course of X years to gain Pinnacle status. That’s wonderful and these people should be recognized but I just don’t think they should join the ranks of people who have spent lots of $ to enjoy an experience that is a cut above the average. And FYI for the $ I am spending (minus this time around because I was comped due to a casino error) it doesn’t take me a Pinnacle lifetime to spend $100k+ cruising RC when booking these loft suites it’s easy to cruise a few times a year and spend $30-40k. To my point, it’s apples and oranges. 

Because there is limited real estate on a ship and in all cases the Suite Lounge used to be available to others before becoming a Suite Lounge including OA class.

With respect, you didn't pay for Suite Lounge exclusivity.  That has never been policy.  So is the issue that it's called "Suite Lounge"?  If they kept calling them Concierge Lounge but kicked Diamond Plus out how is that any different?  It's just a name. 

3 hours ago, Todd W said:

As a Texan I have to chime in on this as well.    While the state as a whole is deemed conservative,  why the heck does that make any difference as to the opinion of the port?    You can easily read multiple threads here and other sites as well when it comes to cruising out of Galveston.   While the port itself has it's challenges, nearly everyone who's cruised out of there "generally" speaks very highly about the locals who are cruising on the ship as being some of the friendliest and polite people theyve ever met.    

With 3 cruises out of Galveston complete I can confirm Texan's are great to cruise with.  The TABC laws on alcohol while in port and on bringing back bottles is the only true negative.    Distance to a major airport is no worse that Port Canaveral and possibly the next gripe with Galveston. 

I'm not sure I see the problem.  

I can see it in Concierge Lounges on ships that don't have a Suite Lounge such as Anthem. I can see the hoards of D+ and P plus suite guests creating a very packed CL.  

RCI has already alienated some of the D+ level by converting CL into SL and denying D+ access to the very room they used to be able to access simply by changing its name.  That I think was a reasonable measure to create a better suite experience.  As a new D+ member myself I'm okay with this but it does have many long term D+ members talking about this "reduction in benefits".  As more and more CL disappear across the fleet I can see how this is being interpreted by those D+ folks.

Pinnacles tend to gravitate to certain sailings, especially "hometown favorites".  For Galveston or Bayonne I suspect P numbers are elevated compared to FL where there are many cruise ports and even more ships to distribute the P load across. 

In many cases I see Pinnacle in the D lounge despite an SL right across the hall.  In some cases I think they are there for the social aspects of the DL where friends who haven't made it to P are hanging out.  

I've only had SL access on Oasis class ships.  I'm not sure I even noticed there was Pinnacle present on those occasions.  I know of one P guy I met on my 1st RCI cruise and a year later saw him on Harmony in the SL.  We talked and joked at the SL bar for hours.  I certainly never felt like they were impacting my use of the SL or the Suite sundeck on Oasis class.

In my opinion Pinnacles have paid their dues by sailing a lot and I mean a lot.  Royal needs to reward such loyalty and the hundreds of thousands these folks have paid over the years compared to someone who drops $6k every couple of years for a GS.  As such I am fine with the current system.  

55 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

You know you have a cruising problem when you see numbers like that and think, "Wow, an ocean view balcony cabin just for the body! And a promenade balcony per lens!"

::raising hand:: Hi, my name is Joe...

This occurs daily.  New transmission?  That's a 7 night cruise to the Caribbean!  That sweet lens Art Sigma just released, that's an Alaska cruise!     New hardwood floors?  That's a Hawaiian cruise!

45 minutes ago, Hockeyman55 said:

For those curious I am shooting with a Sony A7iii, the iSkate and Columbus pictures I was using my Sony 70-300G lens. Just got this camera in April and love how much I can crank up the ISO for the lower light pictures and still get some pretty sharp photos. Also with me I brought my Rokinon 12mm fisheye lens and Sony 24-70 lens. Photography is a pretty big and expensive hobby for me, I do quite a bit of theme park photography also. 

Indeed.  I'm pretty heavily vested into my Nikon full frame.  The camera body is easy, it's the lenses!

I have the Rokinon 12mm and 14mm which for the price are great lens and f2.8 to boot.

Sony is really doing a great job taking on Canon/Nikon and leading mirrorless advances.  If it weren't for the lenses, I'd be pretty tempted to jump ship (pun unintended).

Traveling the world and experiencing different cultures and demographics is one of the benefits off cruising.  

To suggest that non-Brits avoid Southampton or non-Americans avoid US ports is very isolationist.  As a non-Brit I intend to sail from Southampton next year as well as other European and Asian ports and I'm looking forward to cultural experiences beyond my own.  That's how I grow and learn to embrace other cultures rather than avoid them as you suggest.  

The Voom perk was still present on Adventure 5/5/18 and Serenade 3/30/18 so until I see it myself, I'm righting this off as internet gossip.

Bring from the ship.  On some ships they are set up just inside the ship just as you step off.  On other ships they are setup on the pier and scan your card right there to obtain the pool/beach towels. 

Make sure you have your card scanned when you return them so you don't get charged the towel fee for not returning them.

8 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

That's the way I look at it, it's what we are willing to pay.  If not excepted no loss.  Very well put. 

Bottom line - the current upgrade system hasn't worked out very well for me (never) so maybe a change would be good.

As a frequent flier I receive a benefit of potential upgrades to first class.  Those were very common when I was top elite.  As a second from the top elite they aren't as common but they happen.  Over the years there have been changes to the upgrade system and the flier forums are full of people complaining when they don't get an upgrade.  I've always looked at it like this:  If I end up flying in economy that's the cabin I booked, so I've got nothing to complain about if I don't get my upgrade. If I want to fly in first class, I should buy a first class seat.

I feel the same applies here.  If I want a suite, I should book a suite.  If I want a balcony, I should book a balcony.  If someone else manages to score a  deal or get an upgrade that's awesome for them.  In the future if they outbid me, good for them, it was worth more to them than I was willing to pay, but in the end I will sail in the cabin that I booked and paid for.

However it works out please come back and update us so we can all learn something.

With a bidding system I'll have a chance at an upgrade at a price point that I am willing to pay.

in the current system I've never received an upgrade and knowing there are always a dozen or more Pinnacle on any given sailing I'm unlikely to get a complimentary upgrade ever in my future.

It beats checking the website 12 times a day hoping to see a suite deal pop up before someone else does.  

18 minutes ago, fonemanbob said:

And remember when you could check the box to be upgraded.  You can bet if R.C. starts bidding you will lose your deposit and current room and credits and who knows what else.  Oh your  bid was not accepted and and now you must re book at the new rates.   It is all in the mouse print.  L.O.L. 

I bet you won't lose your deposit , your current cabin or any promos you have.  If a bid is not accepted nothing changes with your booking.

If a bid is accepted your credit charge is charged your bid amount and they assign you the upgrade.

The FAQ on the Celebrity site addresses this:

Q.

What happens with the promotions I already have?

A.

You get to keep the promotions you already have. However, no additional promotions will be added to your reservation.

Q.

Does the upgrade include any additional promotions?

A.

The upgrade does not include any additional promotions. However, you get to keep whichever promotions you already have.

If Celebrity does not accept the Offer, the original booking will continue and persons associated with the booking will travel in the original stateroom category. Celebrity will not offer and guests will not receive any compensation, consideration, or other benefit as a result of the Offer not being accepted.

Just now, carlosalonsor said:

Blue Water Beach sounds nice. Would you recommend that tour?

In the past Red Stripe Beach was the default or go to Beach transfer.  That beach was consumed by a hotel being constructed next to it so RCI stopped offering Red Stripe Beach transfers.  The way I see it, this is the replacement excursion of a similar nature but now offered in an all-inclusive and transfer-only versions.  Red Stripe was transfer only.

I've not been to this beach so I can't provide more insight but it's something I might try on my next stop there.

17 minutes ago, Matt said:

I see someone got a meteorologist subsystem routine added to his bot mind matrix over the winter...

3 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

...and you ranked him "Definitely NOT a Robot".....

It's a free weather app, you guys are easy to impress  

Liberty still has it.  As ships like Indy and Adventure go through "re-imagining" they are converting them to card rooms, no smoking.  I'm assuming Mariner will lose it as well. 

Falmouth is a port where I always try to do an excursion.  There are no beaches close by without transportation of some sort.

If you are the type of person who prefers booking through Royal you can preview their Falmouth excursion offers here:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/destinations/shoreExcursions/subGateWayByPort/search.do?LocationCode=FMT&pager.offset=0

Blue Water Beach is close by and offered as transportation only or all-inclusive:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=FYQ8&DestinationCode=

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=FYY9&DestinationCode=

They have other beach excursions but pay attention to drive time depending on where the resort or beach is.

21 minutes ago, Garnet21 said:

I am taking a Western Caribbean cruise on Allure in 4 days.  A lot of people booked for that cruise are freaking out right now.  I refuse to worry!  

If you look at the forecast versus your route I suspect you won't be impacted very much by this system. 

I use an app called Windy.  You can select different layers such as clouds, wind, rain, etc. and you can move forward in time for a forecast.

By Monday as you are approaching Labadee invest90L looks like it will already be mostly through the Gulf and near the US coast.  By Thursday the Caribbean Sea looks pretty clear.

EDIT - I'm surprised Allure is doing Western next week, thought it was doing Eastern. 

Adding that my initial reaction to this concept is positive. 

I've never been granted an upgrade so the upgrade system right now is non-existent to me.  Somehow up this point the cruise line has (or has not) made cold calls or had some other system to offer upgrades if they have at all.  That or they attempt to dump their premium cabins at the last minute and a few lucky guests who happen across them get a deal.

This is potentially more efficient for them requiring no employees to somehow figure out who to make cold calls to offering them an upgrade or to sail with empty premium cabins.  It introduces a potential new revenue stream which could help to keep base cruise fares from going up.  

Maybe the Zenith crowd (Celebrity version of Pinnacle)  won't be pleased if they were the frequent benefactors of last minute upgrades.  I don't know if that was the case, just assuming that the top elite may have been the recipients of such upgrades in the past.

I would imagine now is good time to place low ball offers before news of this becomes wide spread.  With few people bidding, low offers are more likely to be accepted.  

Once it's main stream and well known, lots of people may bid.  

3 minutes ago, RCVoyager said:

I know I'm a Geography nerd, but Invest 90L is not in the Caribbean as TMobile suggests.  It is in the Gulf of Mexico.  It's a lot like advertisments for Caribbean cruises to the Bahamas.  The Bahamas are in the Atlantic Ocean.

Where invest 90L was located in this screen shot as indicated by the "X" is considered the Caribbean.  In fact that body of water is the Caribbean Sea.  

Where invest 90L is projected to move in the future is the Gulf of Mexico as indicated by the hashed area.  

I can't speak for all cruise lines however Royal Caribbean does not market the Bahamas as Caribbean, they market those cruises as "Bahamas" distinct and separate from cruises that visit the Caribbean.

TMobile is just my phone carrier, they are not involved in the notification. 

If she is 21 at time of sailing you are good.  She is legally an adult and able to sail unaccompanied.  Details here:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/whatToKnow/topTenFAQs/detail.do?pagename=top_10_faqs&pnav=4&snav=2&faqId=309&faqSubjectName=Top+FAQ)s

Just make sure she has the required documents (passport, original BC/DL, etc).  My kids at that age don't seem to think that stuff is important. 

In terms of medical power of attorney - I'm not a lawyer but my understanding is that her parents cannot grant you power of attorney because she is now an adult,  She could grant you power of attorney to make medical decisions but that is her decision to make. 

33 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

There's no keeping up. I can't get time off and I can't work from the ship. Oh well, I can only live vicariously through @twangster

Booked two more!  RCLblog Double Dip to CocoCay on Mariner Group Cruise here I come!

Helipad for a quiet sail away.

Forward public decks above the pool deck to catch the vibe of any sail away party on the pool deck while also catching some views.

If weather is bad, Viking Crown Lounge.

26 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

That means lots of blogs and scopes right? 

Potentially.  Have to see if if that volume requires or justifies an RCLblog press pass or not.