Bazza

For my last two cruises, dining opened up at about 170 days out and shows opened up at about 150 days out. Keep checking your cruise planner. There's no set date. I have noticed that they usually pop up on Fridays. Your drink packages will probably start to go on sale about 3-4months out. We're sailing in March and our drink package just went down to $43/day last week. Also keep an eye out in a few weeks for Black Friday. Last year they had many sales in the cruise planner during that time. So anything you pre-purchase now can be re-priced then as well.
 
 I couldn't agree with you more. I love this community here. Over the years I have learned so much myself from the people here. And even after many cruises I am still learning new things. The people on these boards are wonderful. Not critical or snarky like some other boards and always positive. ?

If you've never done a behind the scenes tour before, then yes, it's worth the money. Do it.
Available to all guests. You should see it listed as an option in your Cruise Planner.

UPDATE.
Had a phone call from RCCL yesterday 24 Oct, to my work phone. A lady explained she could offer a JNR Spa Suite. If I was to upgrade to a JNR Spa Suite the price would be $3000 on top of my $4463 (then changed the deal to $2500) so this put the suite at $6933 in total to inc fees.
I explained that you have JNR Suite Garrantee for $5800 and dropping in price over the last two weeks and inc $100 on board credit I explained that would be a change over,  (without fees) $1388 how about I pay that right now so you have sold a suite. Reply "no can't do that".
So lady's and gents we are no better off, RCCL will not drop the fees of $2200 if we would like to upgrade.
Its sad when other can make changes without fees and I cannot. I asked why, she wouldnt answer.
I then got alittle angry and asked is it because we are in Australia and certain rules or because I am military in the Army again wouldn't answer the question other than explaining this is the best deal they can do.
Again told the lady we are not cancelling our balcony only upgrading, no not interested.
So I said you have now lost a customer.
 
Take care everyone, travel safe where ever you go.
Paul & Karen

I booked it through RC. I'm newish to the Charlotte area (been here 3 years and have failed to actually settle roots to stay until the last 6 months to a year) and hasn't found anyone who knew of a good travel agent with cruise experience here. 

I think at this point I'd say that it's "normal", if not necessarily common. The costs will sometimes go up (see the above-mentioned cabanas, which are currently $495 but much earlier in the year were $395 or $450 for my particular sailing), and sometimes they'll mysteriously go down without any announcement (see the multiple threads here over the last couple of weeks as the Deluxe Beverage Package mysteriously dropped from $55 per person per day to $45 or $43 or even $41 for a couple of people).
I think one thing that everyone has agreed on at one point or another is that the presence of a "sale" banner means very little, either for excursions or base cruise fares. Those are just a way of drawing attention, and the actual prices are whatever the sales and marketing folks at Royal think they need to be at that time based on availability and demand vs. what they need to sell to meet their sales and profit forecasts for the shareholders. If there's a really big price drop, odds are it's because they're selling way below the required quotas (say, because they changed the rules around drink packages and suddenly no one is buying them) and they need to make up some of the slack to get back to where their forecasts say they need to be. Better to have a discount promotion and get a flood of sales that provides modest profit, than to lose money because they overpriced or pissed a bunch of people off and didn't take corrective measures.

As @RestingBirdsmentioned above, we had a set MTD reservation of 7pm, and were seated at the same table every night.

If I remember rightly, Grande and Chic are the two used for traditional dining, while Silk and American Icon are used for MTD.

That's what this message board is all about...helping everyone! Don't feel bad for asking questions!

They used to be different menus, now all the same.  Two are for MTD, two for traditional.  You'll be assigned 1 for the duration of your cruise if you have traditional.  If you show up at the exact same time every night for MTD then you'll likely end up in the same one/table each night.  If you show up at random times each night for MTD you may be placed in either of the 2.  Formal night will apply to all 4.  As @Floski said, if you have any issues you can talk to the staff and they'll do what they can to help you.  We were assigned a "prime table" in MTD by a window...Long story short we asked to be moved the following night, and we were.
I say all that, but I've never been on Ovation.  But, from what I heard it should be correct.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Well, first off, those aren't stupid questions.  You didn't already know the answers, so how could they be?
I'll try my hand, but the smart veterans will be able to help you better...
 
1)  I'm pretty sure you keep the same DR, but if you were to ask for other arrangements, I'm sure you will be taken care of.
 
2)  Technically, I'd say no, but the staff is very accommodating and I'm sure will do all they can.
 
C)  I believe so.
 
4)  I haven't done MTD yet, so not sure.
 
AFAIK, all of the MDRs are essentially the same thing, only on different floors for space-saving purposes.  So I'm not sure 
what the benefit would be to changing, especially every night.  One of the enjoyable parts of our cruises is to get to know the
wait staff during the duration of our cruise; they learn your likes and dislikes and are great at making you comfortable.
Now, I've never been on an Ovation class ship, but I would assume the premise is the same for all of the ships.
 
d

Just booked the refreshment package for both of us for all 27 days... will just monitor the sales between now and departure!
That was around 33% reduction since yesterday - crazy!

mmmmm RCL still playing hide and seek with the internet packages.... Honestly RCL.... you don't want to see me without internet.... it's not pretty I tell you.

Hi Emerson
I am glad I am not only person going on the site every hour to see what is there!! The Shore excursions for the Ovation cruise from Sydney around NZ seem to change every time! 
However, my Voom packages are all still showing up (at the very high costs unfortunately!) so must be just yours for now?!
Barrie

As an IT professional the only responsible thing is to thoroughly test your code in a real-world environment. I admire your sacrifice in being willing to do your own user acceptance testing..... 

I always use a travel agent.  Let someone else fight my fights!

Welcome Bazza.  We live  in Australia and have been to Dunedin twice - going again in November on Radiance.  We have planned to hire a car and drive around Dunedin as we are going with friends who haven't been before.  Pegasus car hire have the concession at Port Chalmers.  All others you would need to catch a shuttle bus or taxi ($30) to the city to pick up a car.  The drive from the city out along the Otago Peninsula is a great way to view the glacial harbour.  You can go out along the top of the peninsula and come back along the southern shore line of the harbour.  Lanarch Castle is a main attraction but I imagine you would have seen enough castles in the UK.  At the end of the peninsula is the Royal Albatross Centre.  They have tours of the breeding grounds of the albatross and also have boat cruises in the afternoon where you can watch the albatross taking off from the cliff tops.  This might be too late though to get back to your cruise ship. There is also a fur seal colony that you can walk down to view.   Cadbury's Chocolate factory have tours and it is good value.  You can book online rather than going through the ship tours.  The Otago Museum has a great Maori History gallery as well as several other galleries - all free admission.  And of course Dunedin is known for the steepest street in the world.  You can drive up Baldwin Street and lookout over Dunedin.  The railway station is a great architectural piece to have a look at.

Thanks again everybody - much appreciated.
Craig - I am hoping they allow the 6 bottles based on a post I saw where 2 per cruise seemed ok - even if they take the 4 off us initially and deliver 2 each time we 'start' a new cruise! And 30kg is heavy until you see my wife's handbag and shoe collection!!!     
Twangster - I will keep looking an hoping that Thanksgiving Day next month does indeed offer a Black Friday super sale (as well as the Cowboys winning on the Thursday!).   
 
 

Thanks KW! Found a good bike ride tour for Wellington - well two different tours - one with normal bicycle and one with an electric motor bicycle which may be the better option as it includes a mountain climb for a great view of the city!
Definitely looking at the bridge walk/climb as a cousin did it and said it is amazing. 
Much appreciated. 

Hi Bazza,
I've been to Wellington for a brief overnight stay and just enjoyed walking around town. Loads of restaurants, bars and cafes.  However the Te Papa Museum comes highly recommended. Next time I visit I intend going there.
Can't help you with the other ports unfortunately (except Sydney, do the Bridge Climb!).

I'm hoping for that black Friday or cyber Monday sale!   And hey, I keep hoping for my Detroit lions not to embarrass themselves on thanksgiving!   Jane

If you're staying in any kind of suite, even a JS, that will be a really quick jump! Instant platinum!
Actually, that brings up a good question -- if you're on a B2B, and your C&A level changes after the first leg, do you get the perks of the new level on the second leg? So when they become Gold after the first of their 3 sailings, they'll get the (admittedly minor) perks on the second and third legs?

The bottom of your SeaPass card will state which dining room you are in
You can wait to get onboard and buy a drink package later at a prorated rate.  As long as you have 4 days left in the cruise, you can buy a drink package.
Yes, you can switch devices as many times as you want. The package references how many devices can be logged in at one time.
If you're doing a back to back cruise, you will be escorted through the back to back process.  It does involve a brief period getting off the ship.  You will get a letter  in your stateroom towards the end of your first cruise with instructions.
Usually that means some aspect of your view is blocked.  In your case, that usually means if you peer down from your balcony, a life boat blocks the view down.
 

Welcome and a virgin 3 cruise B2B?  I'm impressed!
I've never sailed from Sydney so my views and perspective are from North America.
1 - There are some Cruise Compass found on this site but sadly none for your cruise(s) that I could find.  Typically cruises 7 days or longer have two formal nights and some of the longer ones like 12 days also have two smart casual nights.  Formal here in North America may be different in practice than formal in Australia in terms of attire.  
2 - For North America the US Thanksgiving has traditionally been a time when RCI offers specials on some excursion and drink packages.  151 days is still a long ways put so be patient, check often.  RCI has introduced new bundles over the past few months, who knows what else might become a bundle, keep checking.
3 - The number of devices logged in simultaneously.  If you purchase 1 device, you and your SO could both use it, but only one at a time.  I often bring a smartphone and tablet and switch back and forth as needed with a one device package.
4 - Here in the U.S. you do disembark and reboard usually first between B2B cruises, uncertain about AU.
5 - Top of lifeboat - You can look straight out but looking straight down will be impeded by the lifeboat.
 
 
 

Will security allow you to board with 6 bottles of wine on the first cruise?  Having never done a b2b I don't know.   
30kg is heavy.  In the US we are only allowed 22.7kg and I struggle with that.  :-)   
There is a thread that discusses drink packages in detail.    https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/4757-drink-package-and-exemptions/