twangster

Would the two of you please stop giving them ideas?!?!

It just appeared today for Anthem in January.  And its $79!!!!!
Sold!  It wasn't there yesterday.

On Harmony recently a little girl boarded the elevator with one.  The conversation with (presumably) her dad went like this:
Dad:  "Where are you"
Girl: "I'm on the elevator"
Dad: "What floor?"
Girl: " 6, no 7"
Dad: "Where are you going?"
Girl: "Deck 16"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I'm going to Windjammer"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15 and find us, we are by the pool"
Girl: "I'm hungry"
Dad: "Get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I need to eat"
Dad: "GET OFF AT DECK 15!"
Needless to say all this was at top volume and everyone else in the elevator was exchanging glances.  Seriously?
I've flown a bunch and I'm a million miler with Delta.  It always amazes me how you will see people boarding the plane yacking away on their phone while striking people with their 2 carry on bags, coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other, oblivious to how loud they are as they waddle down the aisle.  A couple times they are on speakerphone.  Seriously?  Come on people, have some awareness of your surroundings, have some respect for your fellow travelers.  
So yeah, I am okay with people who use them responsibly, but I don't want to be resting my eyes by the pool  when "BLEEP:  Dad!  Marcus pushed me!!!!!!", "BLEEP:  I did not!!!"  - Actually happened on a Carnival cruise, went on for a lot longer than it should have.  

Just posted this in another thread, but it's related to the "No Dairy"  
Through a conversation with RCI I was emailed a form for "Special Needs" .  The form covers a lot of different needs, its 3 pages long.  One page has the following related to dairy.

On Harmony recently a little girl boarded the elevator with one.  The conversation with (presumably) her dad went like this:
Dad:  "Where are you"
Girl: "I'm on the elevator"
Dad: "What floor?"
Girl: " 6, no 7"
Dad: "Where are you going?"
Girl: "Deck 16"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I'm going to Windjammer"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15 and find us, we are by the pool"
Girl: "I'm hungry"
Dad: "Get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I need to eat"
Dad: "GET OFF AT DECK 15!"
Needless to say all this was at top volume and everyone else in the elevator was exchanging glances.  Seriously?
I've flown a bunch and I'm a million miler with Delta.  It always amazes me how you will see people boarding the plane yacking away on their phone while striking people with their 2 carry on bags, coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other, oblivious to how loud they are as they waddle down the aisle.  A couple times they are on speakerphone.  Seriously?  Come on people, have some awareness of your surroundings, have some respect for your fellow travelers.  
So yeah, I am okay with people who use them responsibly, but I don't want to be resting my eyes by the pool  when "BLEEP:  Dad!  Marcus pushed me!!!!!!", "BLEEP:  I did not!!!"  - Actually happened on a Carnival cruise, went on for a lot longer than it should have.  

From Grandeur MDR,  August - September 2017.  Bermuda/Bahamas.  See PDF below.
Wines varied by bar and will likely vary over time and by ship but this should give you an idea of what is typically available and the price in $USD.
Naturally there are frozen concoctions and bartender special drinks beyond this menu.
Drink Menu GoTS August 2017.PDF

I'm new to this site and brand new to Periscope as well.  I watched many live broadcasts from last week's group cruise on Harmony of the Seas and have started following many #rcperiscopers now.  What a great way to preview a ship and learn about cool spaces before boarding.  I'm sailing Harmony is 5 days and I now know so much more about the ship despite having sailed Oasis and Allure.  Very cool!
I was a little surprised to see scopes from some of the shows.  I started watching some but then stopped because I want to see the shows with fresh eyes and be surprised when I get to see it live.  RCI entertainment is the best.
I think the whole concept of scopes is incredible and I found myself following more users and tuning in live whenever I could.   When I cruise and when I participate in forums like this one I always try to be positive and helpful to others, avoiding things that would hurt anyone's cruise experience.   Small things like not being a chair hog, or hogging the railing at sail away or on the open air viewing platform on the White Pass train.  Small things can go along way to everyone on board having a great cruise experience.  Having sailed Carnival many times, I really appreciate the nature of my fellow passengers on RCI, such a better experience.
I'm active on some other cruise forums and this weekend came across a user review from someone who sailed on the same sailing as the Harmony group cruise.  I've attached a screen shot of that review below.  I can see things from this perspective.  I've sat behind someone in the Aqua Theater on Allure who was recording the show on their phone and it was kind of distracting, almost annoying.   Maybe they were scoping, who knows?
I may try my hand at scoping a cruise one day but I think I'll leave the shows alone.  During one of scopes I watched this week from someone on board he mentioned not scoping the MDR out of respect for other guests.  I think that's great.  
Keep the scopes coming and many hearts to all that do!
Thanks!

FLL is a breeze.  Suggest a window seat on the left side of the plane after the cruise.  This was Allure after our cruise in May as we climbed out of FLL.

On Harmony recently a little girl boarded the elevator with one.  The conversation with (presumably) her dad went like this:
Dad:  "Where are you"
Girl: "I'm on the elevator"
Dad: "What floor?"
Girl: " 6, no 7"
Dad: "Where are you going?"
Girl: "Deck 16"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I'm going to Windjammer"
Dad: "No, get off at deck 15 and find us, we are by the pool"
Girl: "I'm hungry"
Dad: "Get off at deck 15"
Girl: "I need to eat"
Dad: "GET OFF AT DECK 15!"
Needless to say all this was at top volume and everyone else in the elevator was exchanging glances.  Seriously?
I've flown a bunch and I'm a million miler with Delta.  It always amazes me how you will see people boarding the plane yacking away on their phone while striking people with their 2 carry on bags, coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other, oblivious to how loud they are as they waddle down the aisle.  A couple times they are on speakerphone.  Seriously?  Come on people, have some awareness of your surroundings, have some respect for your fellow travelers.  
So yeah, I am okay with people who use them responsibly, but I don't want to be resting my eyes by the pool  when "BLEEP:  Dad!  Marcus pushed me!!!!!!", "BLEEP:  I did not!!!"  - Actually happened on a Carnival cruise, went on for a lot longer than it should have.  

I saw what you dd there.  I had an Awesome Allure Adventure Almost six months ago.
No updates yet for Allure 12/24 on their home page so plan on ports as booked.  They'll likely see how some of the 1st cruises back to now closed ports go before making further changes.

For me it appears after selecting Activities, in the banner at the top for both cruises "All Access Ship Tour", plus in the list of 'Onboard Activities' below.
Well look at that, darn it,  Sprinkle Time Cupcake Decorating Class is full.  

I booked ~45 days away, it was there from that point, listed under activities, same price both Anthem cruises.
Heads up - long pants and closed toe shoes required (no flip flops).  No video but photos are allowed (obviously).

This is a direct quote from my husband on a weekly basis..."Sabrina, why are you constantly on on these cruise sites? I don't know where you think the money is coming from?!"
My response..."I'm the Home Genie! I need time off once in a while too and when you fund our cruises that is you showing appreciation to your Home Genie" ?

FLL is a breeze.  Suggest a window seat on the left side of the plane after the cruise.  This was Allure after our cruise in May as we climbed out of FLL.

Sounds like a bad or new agent.  I asked for a quote for this sites Alaska group cruise next June and quickly received it.  Since it has become a long email thread with quotes for different cabin types.  We've gone back and forth due to my indecisiveness but that's on me.   
Here is an example of different cabins being offered direct versus through an agency.  This is for the Explorer of the Seas on June 22, 2018 - the Royal Caribbean Blog Alaska Group Cruise which I am booking today.  Category 4U Inside Virtual Balcony.  Direct RCI is showing 4 cabins available to book on deck 9.  Multiple agencies are offering 12 cabins available to book on deck 9.  
 

Confirmed.  I took a photo of the Vitality Spa smoothie offerings on Harmony a few weeks ago.  Mine came out to $6.25 and was covered by the deluxe package.  i didn't try to add  any supplements.  Mine was very good.  

So a couple things...
RCI executives do have a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders.  Duh!   Same goes for any publicly traded company.  
People were outright and blatantly violating the rules and sharing drink packages.  In one of Michael Poole's scopes recently he observed four people signing up one person for the DP for this purpose.  It's very difficult to place the enforcement onto front line employees.   Bartenders can't follow people to see if they hand off a drink.  An ugly confrontation would result in any attempt to place enforcement solely in the hands of front line employees and that leads to a potentially larger negative customer experience.   
The common trend in the industry is to require everyone over 21 to purchase a DP if anyone does.   In considering how to deal with this problem of theft they had to make a choice.  
Trying to enforce it on the ship with front line employees would likely lead to inconsistencies and awkward situations where customers come up with excuses like "I'm not sharing my drinks, he's just holding my drink while I stretch".   There would be YouTube videos and social media moments creating a negative impact to the brand like "They suspended my DP for no reason, I did nothing wrong, bad company!" even though this person is lying through their teeth.  
On the other hand by following the industry trend it makes it a consistent policy applied across the fleet without placing the burden on front line employees.  Customers will know it when they attempt to purchase a DP just like other lines.  I completely understand why they went this way.  
I've contacted them and have direct knowledge of the exemptions and how those work.  I honestly believe those are a reasonable approach to dealing with the relatively few individuals who truly need one.  The vast majority do not require and should not be eligible for an exemption but for the small number of folks that properly do there is process to recognize it.  Is it perfect? Maybe not but it does address most customer use cases.  
If the masses start to abuse the exemptions, they'll likely have to adapt to that too.  Blame the abusers who attempt to circumvent policy and rules to benefit themselves.  

The local governments are in control of the reopening date.  They are asking for the cruise ships to return. Cruise line officials are ensuring they can fulfill that request in a safe manner.    Cruise ships in particular are a form of tourism that places less demand on resources compared to fly and stay tourism.  Cruises arrive in the morning and leave later the same day unlike fly and stay tourists who stay overnight when crime can be higher and who place greater demand on resources such as food, water, policing and potentially medical.  Crime can be higher in part because there is no money coming in and people are growing desperate in a large part because they have no income.  
Local governments want to reintroduce tourism to bring income but also to bring a sense of normalcy back, which itself helps to reduce crime and stabilize the region. Cruise ships are the ideal answer for how to a slowly reintroduce tourism.  
 This isn't the first hurricane to have this effect, many islands have gone through this before.   When I cruised to St Marteen  in the late '90s it was soon after that islands last such hurricane hit with similar devastation.  
EDIT - in another forum I participate in a similar thread is evolving.  A resident of St Thomas is posting and they want tourists back.  They are not sure how they are going to pay the rent this month and while they are not fully restored (no power at home yet), they are eagerly waiting to welcome us with open arms.  They need the money.  So for anyone that does go to a recently opened island, be generous, tip well.  An extra $5 or $10 is nothing relative to the cost of a cruise.

If you have Voom Surf and Stream you can stream the parade on a phone or tablet while on the ship.

The local governments are in control of the reopening date.  They are asking for the cruise ships to return. Cruise line officials are ensuring they can fulfill that request in a safe manner.    Cruise ships in particular are a form of tourism that places less demand on resources compared to fly and stay tourism.  Cruises arrive in the morning and leave later the same day unlike fly and stay tourists who stay overnight when crime can be higher and who place greater demand on resources such as food, water, policing and potentially medical.  Crime can be higher in part because there is no money coming in and people are growing desperate in a large part because they have no income.  
Local governments want to reintroduce tourism to bring income but also to bring a sense of normalcy back, which itself helps to reduce crime and stabilize the region. Cruise ships are the ideal answer for how to a slowly reintroduce tourism.  
 This isn't the first hurricane to have this effect, many islands have gone through this before.   When I cruised to St Marteen  in the late '90s it was soon after that islands last such hurricane hit with similar devastation.  
EDIT - in another forum I participate in a similar thread is evolving.  A resident of St Thomas is posting and they want tourists back.  They are not sure how they are going to pay the rent this month and while they are not fully restored (no power at home yet), they are eagerly waiting to welcome us with open arms.  They need the money.  So for anyone that does go to a recently opened island, be generous, tip well.  An extra $5 or $10 is nothing relative to the cost of a cruise.

If you have Voom Surf and Stream you can stream the parade on a phone or tablet while on the ship.

Yeah, agree with you.  No consistency across the fleet either.  Freedom is $44, Anthem $46.  Grandeur back in August was $41.  Then there is the "free Voom" with deluxe bundle, except that is measured against the on board price, not the pre-cruise deluxe only price.  Confusing marketing.  My Anthem Voom/Deluxe bundle went from $54 one day to $56 the next day.  
I also think longer cruises should have lower prices.  12 nights on Anthem the combo Voom/Deluxe is almost $800 per person.  I think not.   

The local governments are in control of the reopening date.  They are asking for the cruise ships to return. Cruise line officials are ensuring they can fulfill that request in a safe manner.    Cruise ships in particular are a form of tourism that places less demand on resources compared to fly and stay tourism.  Cruises arrive in the morning and leave later the same day unlike fly and stay tourists who stay overnight when crime can be higher and who place greater demand on resources such as food, water, policing and potentially medical.  Crime can be higher in part because there is no money coming in and people are growing desperate in a large part because they have no income.  
Local governments want to reintroduce tourism to bring income but also to bring a sense of normalcy back, which itself helps to reduce crime and stabilize the region. Cruise ships are the ideal answer for how to a slowly reintroduce tourism.  
 This isn't the first hurricane to have this effect, many islands have gone through this before.   When I cruised to St Marteen  in the late '90s it was soon after that islands last such hurricane hit with similar devastation.  
EDIT - in another forum I participate in a similar thread is evolving.  A resident of St Thomas is posting and they want tourists back.  They are not sure how they are going to pay the rent this month and while they are not fully restored (no power at home yet), they are eagerly waiting to welcome us with open arms.  They need the money.  So for anyone that does go to a recently opened island, be generous, tip well.  An extra $5 or $10 is nothing relative to the cost of a cruise.

So a couple things...
RCI executives do have a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders.  Duh!   Same goes for any publicly traded company.  
People were outright and blatantly violating the rules and sharing drink packages.  In one of Michael Poole's scopes recently he observed four people signing up one person for the DP for this purpose.  It's very difficult to place the enforcement onto front line employees.   Bartenders can't follow people to see if they hand off a drink.  An ugly confrontation would result in any attempt to place enforcement solely in the hands of front line employees and that leads to a potentially larger negative customer experience.   
The common trend in the industry is to require everyone over 21 to purchase a DP if anyone does.   In considering how to deal with this problem of theft they had to make a choice.  
Trying to enforce it on the ship with front line employees would likely lead to inconsistencies and awkward situations where customers come up with excuses like "I'm not sharing my drinks, he's just holding my drink while I stretch".   There would be YouTube videos and social media moments creating a negative impact to the brand like "They suspended my DP for no reason, I did nothing wrong, bad company!" even though this person is lying through their teeth.  
On the other hand by following the industry trend it makes it a consistent policy applied across the fleet without placing the burden on front line employees.  Customers will know it when they attempt to purchase a DP just like other lines.  I completely understand why they went this way.  
I've contacted them and have direct knowledge of the exemptions and how those work.  I honestly believe those are a reasonable approach to dealing with the relatively few individuals who truly need one.  The vast majority do not require and should not be eligible for an exemption but for the small number of folks that properly do there is process to recognize it.  Is it perfect? Maybe not but it does address most customer use cases.  
If the masses start to abuse the exemptions, they'll likely have to adapt to that too.  Blame the abusers who attempt to circumvent policy and rules to benefit themselves.  

If you have Voom Surf and Stream you can stream the parade on a phone or tablet while on the ship.