Allen2

Go EARLY and enjoy!

Are there rental car shuttles FROM Ft Lauderdale to the airport?  Thanks in advance.

One other point - Southwest is cancelling an average of 100 flights per day.  May wish to drive

Here is a thought: an hour plus/minus to get to airport, and park.  AT LEAST  an hour to check in and clear TSA.  Thirty minutes flight at a minimum.  Baggage pick-up another thirty minutes.  You can drive and be in control using the same amount of time and less money (airport parking in Orlando is not cheap) and a car takes more people than one $150 ticket.  I am a SWA fan, but have been "burned" many times with weather delays in Fort Lauderdale. 

Understand that Royal actually hired IT professionals instead of part-time high school students

We have done many B2B cruises, and enjoy most of all an end-of-season cruise in an exotic locale, followed by a transatlantic or transpacific.  Downside of doing this: no transportation at one end (port) or the other - or both.  Have three booked together around Australia, crossing to Hawaii, and third to Vancouver.  Highly recommend!!

If you do not speak Spanish, be aware that on some of the PR cruises most of the lounge entertainment features Spanish-speaking bands singing in Spanish.  You may not recognize the music - but sometimes that can be fun.

If you remind yourself that RC's website is among the most consumer-Unfriendly, you may gain the patience to work through (continuing) issues.  Because we all enjoy cruising so much, we usually overlook these issues.

Staff is flexible - remember that most likely the only staff knowing about a room exchange is your room steward - and he/she is working for tips. 

Remember, too, up to $250 shipboard credit for 14 days or more!

A balcony on a repositioning cruise may not be a good thing - if the repositioning cruise has a cold/rough crossing, it becomes hard to spend time on a balcony.  A window would do. 

May 19, 2020 - 7 night San Diego to Vancouver.  All Pacific Coast.  Need to plan ahead!

Having gone to Cuba on RCL, we really are sad about the rule changes.  Maybe RCL will "work" with you if you call and talk to a friendly CSR. 

Reality is that these cost-driven approaches will continue at Royal Caribbean's cost points.   This is unfortunate, but reality.   Alternatives ARE OFFERED - but at higher price points, which may be triple or more than RCL's daily rate.  This has become a case of a consumer making his/her own informed decision.

FYI - Just checked the Memorial Day "sale" for tour prices.  We have cancelled and re-booked twice, but this time every sale price was higher than paid for tours on the October Snowbird Migration cruise.  Also seems to be true for December cruise. 

Appreciate a great tutorial.  Would add availability of "City Pass" in much of Europe.

What a GREAT set of photos!  Thanks!

Interesting thought - the Empress is a great "little" ship after updates with terrific personnel.  Maybe the ABC Islands?

Points relatively easy to redeem, but be aware that the "best" value is the three or four day cruise - up to $1000 value for 50,000 points, or a 'worth' of two cents per point.  The other awards are worth one cent per point, and at a point per dollar, this is pretty low for a credit card.  Note, though, that points double on RCL purchases.

Think not, but you still can use the three drinks nightly (per person) in the various lounges.  Comment: nice little ship!  Great crew!!

Or the "Leaf Peeping" cruise Oct. 7 that spends the first two nights in Quebec City

Very interesting story about Carnival's Pinnacle project.  Still comes down to some of Carnival's shortcomings today, including no live music for shows. Carnival occasionally offers some great intineraries - and Cunard certainly does a much better job - at a larger price.

Tenders also can be utilized

Train rides that come to mind: the Southern most in Ushiaia, Argentina, into a national park, with train tracks that were built by convicts to transport convicts.  Also as an add-on, the train ride that goes to Machu Picchu from Cusco. The Rocky Mountaineer and an Alaska cruise, although pricey, is a great combination.  Oslo-Bergen train that connects with cruises in Norway. 

Great photo and memory!  When you look, lots of train rides available on cruises around the world.