twangster

In fact,  I did something stupid the other week!
After one too many scotches and in that mood where you just wanna book a cruise, I went and booked Carnival Mardi Gras! ? Realizing what I had done the next day, I've now had to book a trip to Coco Cay each side of that cruise so I don't feel so dirty!!

Look I'm sure the current situation is fine for 90% of the population out there. It's that 10% who really love cruising that would like to see more variety in ships and itineraries. So the minority convincing leaders to expand ports seems unlikely.
We've traveled to Miami before and are happy to keep doing so to have these experiences but it would be nice to spend that $6000 in air fares on more cruising!! ?
 
 
 

Convince your leaders to expand your ports.  Royal is trying to, that's why they spoke at the convention but they alone can't motivate your ports to expand.

Welcome to the message boards!
I know a lot of people who would be very excited to see that come to fruition and it may one day.  There is a lot of work that needs to get done before it can though.
Currently Brisbane is the only port capable of taking such a large ship.  Once several more ports of call expand to accept mega ships it could be become a reality.
Five, ten or fifteen years from now will be very different from today.  Hopefully in that period some more ports decide to grow to accommodate bigger ships because Royal isn't the only cruise line with plans for larger and larger ships.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem like Sydney will be able to grow to accommodate mega ships which is a huge blow to the effort to bring Oasis to Australia.
RCCL’s Associate Vice President of Marine & Safety, Captain Nik Antalis recently addressed the Australian Cruise Association conference and he was clearly trying to motivate the Australian cruise industry to start thinking about it.  Otherwise in a decade or two no mega ship will be able to call on Australia.  
 

Royal has had Spectrum in the booking system long enough to know if the region can support two Q ships in Asia at the same time.  It's possible with Spectrum now in China that they are looking to adjust capacity and have Quantum spend some of it's time elsewhere.   
Royal has been very successful in China but I'm not sure if that success would support Spectrum and OA5 at the same time.  That's a pretty significant bump in capacity, demand would have to be very strong, like Spectrum is consistently sold out months in advance kind of demand.
If OA5 goes to Galveston that could free up a Freedom class ship to find a new home somewhere.  Freedom class would fit into Australia now and be something new.  

Convince your leaders to expand your ports.  Royal is trying to, that's why they spoke at the convention but they alone can't motivate your ports to expand.

Ovation was the newest Quantum class ship until Spectrum came along but Spectrum was purpose built specifically for Asia.  So to say Australia is treated 2nd rate isn't fair.  Australia has had the newest non-Asian ship that can fit into Sydney for some time now.
If Australia had expanded it's ports 10 years ago Oasis class would probably already be there.  Oasis deployed in 2009 so Australia has had 10 years to work on this.  It's too bad Australia treats Royal 2nd rate.  

I was on the recent extended Empress cruise (due to Dorian), it was my first cruise, and I just wanted to say that was the best consecutive eleven days I've ever experienced, and I'm an old guy that's seen a lot. I'm a huge Royal Caribbean fan now, can't imagine riding with anyone else from here on out. I don't know if it's appropriate but I'm posting a sunset photo taken the night before arriving back in Miami.

With our fabulous dinner over around 10pm I was too full to retire so I changed into shorts and went for a walk outside on deck 6.  Venturing forward we were sailing into some sea mist from the warm waters yet cooling air and there were some clouds in the sky but I also glimpsed what I thought was something I've photographed before in the night sky.  So I went back to grab my camera and mini tripod.
I've often sailed into the sunset but tonight we were sailing into the milky way.

Capturing the milky way requires long exposures but on a moving ship in the ocean it took some playing around to find some settings that worked.  With the 10 to 15 second exposures I was using I managed to catch some lighting in a distant storm on the horizon.
The bow is dark at night so the bridge crew can keep watch.  The long exposures captured enough light to make the bow look like it's illuminated but it isn't, that's just low levels of ambient light 

The sea mist, clouds and moving ship didn't make for the best astrophotography conditions but I'm pleased with the results.  More lightning:

On land the stars would be more precise and clear, that's the problem with shooting from a moving platform, but I'll take the results.

I believe you have to go to Shore Excursion on board and provide the names and cabin of the other guests.
Personally I'd be very leery of a stranger on a ship coming over to me and saying "buddy, give me $25 and I'll get you a pass.  Just give me your name and cabin number".

I believe you have to go to Shore Excursion on board and provide the names and cabin of the other guests.
Personally I'd be very leery of a stranger on a ship coming over to me and saying "buddy, give me $25 and I'll get you a pass.  Just give me your name and cabin number".

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

I hear ya!  Now every time we go out to eat, our just turned 22 year old spend more time looking at the drink menu than the food part.  We have another one that's 20, so it'll be four drinks soon! 

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

Somewhat related:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/115156230/dramatic-changes-needed-as-next-nz-cruise-season-looms
 

So any ship but a brand new ship is a slap in the face?   Whose face is being slapped?   I just sailed Oasis on a Western Caribbean that she had been doing for 8 years.  It was an awesome cruise.  My face wasn’t slapped.  I’m sailing the TA to bring her to Europe.  Face not slapped.  Oasis is a beauty.  

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

When a bartender swipes a card the screen indicates if alcohol is allowed.  I imagine it might even prevent a bartender from attempting to charge an alcoholic drink to the account.  
Last year I cruised with a 20 year old.  The card also indicates non-adult status, I think it said teen or something but it was clear and stood out that she wasn't 21.  
I bought the DX on board for that cruise.  Initially they said both have to buy it so I pointed she was 20.  They had a print out they looked over and confirmed only me in the cabin was 21 or older so I was able to buy it just for me.  Last cruise that will happen. 
Now that she is 21 at home it's getting expensive having another person at dinner ordering a drink :).  I miss the old days...

Or Edge class. RCCL covers all brands, not just RCI. 

iFly employees are not Royal crew, they work for iFly.  
iFly has venues all across the country.  A select handful of iFly employees work on the ships.  
iflyworld.com
I would write them and note your experience.  They won't likely do or offer anything but at least you'll help other guests from facing the same experience.

Taxi.  Coming back after sunset took some time to call a cab but we had a late departure so it worked out.  

I know, I know.  I promised no more sunset pictures.
I lied.



What a way to end a wonderful day at sea.

When I speak of a small ship that doesn't feel small on the inside it's in no small part (pun intended) to spaces like this.



The forward elevator lobby and Centrum.

James Van Fleet Tweet this morning: