lovetosail

Todays quick update:
Updates to Crown & Anchor Benefits
If there are any modifications to the benefits for Crown & Anchor members, we will revise this list to showcase those changes.

I'll continue to update this section anytime a new C&A benefit is changed. :)

We just took Amtrak from Virginia to Bayonne in October with 2 large suitcases and 2 carry on size. There is
room above seats for carry on size and in the front of each car for the large suitcases. 

We just took Amtrak from Virginia to Bayonne in October with 2 large suitcases and 2 carry on size. There is
room above seats for carry on size and in the front of each car for the large suitcases. 

We just took Amtrak from Virginia to Bayonne in October with 2 large suitcases and 2 carry on size. There is
room above seats for carry on size and in the front of each car for the large suitcases. 

Hey all,
Long time reader and cruiser with Royal Caribbean and reader of this blog and love every minute onboard their ships.
I was getting tired of trying to compare different options available on each ship and between suites and The Key. I've been working on this for a couple of weeks which started out for just myself, but turned into something more when some friends and fellow cruisers started to want more info and it's just grown and grown. 🙂
I hope the website https://rc.cruises will be helpful for everyone who cruises with Royal and needs to compare different ships, suites, The Key, etc.
You can change the different suites when you want to compare The Key vs Grand Suite, or The Key vs SEA Royal Suites without seeing unnecessary information to get a true comparison (I use this more than once a week myself! 🙂). There is also direct links to blog posts on Royal Caribbean Blog for drink packages, CocoCay, The Key, etc. (Matt said yes to using the logo which I'm very grateful to identify links to here).
Love to know what everyone thinks and any feedback, and I hope you find it as helpful for your cruise planning 😁

We did October 2022  and our group rescued 2 from our the nest.

We'll be doing our fourth Alaska cruise this next August 21 on Quantum...We've previously gone in July, then twice in June.  IMHO, May could be a bit chilly...Of course, even in warmer months, you will need a little cold weather gear if you're doing activities like a glacier helicopter landing or even just being out on deck for a viewing of Hubbard Glacier.  Being near that much ice gets very chilly.  But for many activities, the warmer weather is nice...especially if you do a land portion in the interior before or after...
If you really want to see whales, nothing beats a stop at Icy Strait Point...We've learned to get a non-ship tour there with one of the local companies that run small boats with 6 passengers or so...They get a lot closer to more whales than the big shorex boats...and no crowding at the rail to get a view.
Now, we're doing the round trip Seattle route on Quantum this time...but it would not be our first choice.  We're only doing it this time because we're taking our daughters and their significant others this time and both live in Portland and the younger one has a fear of flying...so Seattle is a short drive.  The best routes are the one-ways from Seward to Vancouver.  You don't have to backtrack, so you get more ports and/or more time in port with typically better hours...and you can add on days in the interior--Fairbanks, Denali/Talkeetna, etc.--which are awesome.  And Vancouver is a great town for spending an extra couple of days post-cruise.  And we've often found better deals on the one-ways that, even with paying slightly more for airfare, really don't cost anymore than the round trips.
As to ports being more or less crowded, I don't think it's often much of a consideration.  SEVERAL cruise lines do the Alaska routes and all of them keep their ships there for approximately the same season.  Icy Strait Point will typically have fewer ships--because the port won't accommodate multiple ships.  Ketchikan or Juneau, OTOH, can have a whole lot of ships...and often do...I wouldn't worry about it...Some towns get crowded and, if you are just wandering KIetchikan shopping, for example, you'll find a crowd. If you are off on a tour, you'll mostly be with just the others on your tour.  The White Pass Railroad in Skagway, for example, will be full to capacity whenever you go--so we always avoid it and do a small van private tour instead--through the Pass to the Yukon where we've toured Carcross or gone horseback riding.  Helicopter tours out of Juneau will get you far from any crowd--but, OTOH, they can be uite pricey.  (Hint:  Keep away from the shorexes for this and go with Coastal Helicopters).
Good luck. 

Mine March 1, 2024 has changed from cancelled to Adventure and same cabin. Haven't received a new invoice as of yet.
 

I agree 100% with Twangster's post. The smaller ships (Empress, Grandeur, Rhapsody, Radiance) are some of the best cruises I have taken. 

I agree 100% with Twangster's post. The smaller ships (Empress, Grandeur, Rhapsody, Radiance) are some of the best cruises I have taken. 

Looking to be there hopefully by Thanksgiving earliest -January at the latest. 

Looking to be there hopefully by Thanksgiving earliest -January at the latest. 

Having followed you in your move from VA to FL, I am now planning my move to FL from VA, thank you for this thread. 

I wish the RC website had an option to save a favorite cruise (itinerary) so you can come back and book it in the future.  There are so many cruises I want to take but I have to go through the process of finding it first out of hundreds of cruises. This would be a nice option to have. And maybe along those lines a way to save your favorite ship or write reviews of dining, excursions and other experiences. 
Also on the app: I wish that I could see my purchases BEFORE cruise sail date somewhere in my account.  Like all the packages I purchased, what my balance due is...just like on the website. 
Also in our account/profile a place where we can save our passport and vax card so we don't have to keep uploading it for each cruise. 
I'm new to both of these, so i'm sure after my first cruise i'll have more suggestions, but...
What are some of your wish-list items for a better RC website and app?

I don't think the CDC has been unfair. 
When you take the politics out of the equation the science supports restricting many activities including cruising.  The CDC does not have direct oversight over all of them, the CDC can only provide guidance for things controlled at the state level.  If states don't follow the CDC guidance that's within the rights for states to choose to do so, right or wrong will be determined in the history books.  The CDC does have the ability to influence cruise ships.  
While I wish this wasn't the case the CDC is right to prevent cruising at this time.    Without the ban, cruises would sail, there would be spread and deaths that occur and the media would have a field day all but putting the last nail in the industry coffin.  Right now the CDC is saving the cruise lines from themselves and the inevitable outcome if they were to sail today.  
Other regions have managed to better contain community spread.  As a result some cruising is beginning in a very limited fashion.  The US isn't there yet.  It will be at some point.  When it gets there the work that cruise lines and the CDC are doing right now will allow us to be prepared for that moment.  It won't be cruising like it was, not for several years.  
The CDC isn't to blame for the ban, Americans are. The CDC is just the messenger delivering a message we don't like.  Don't shoot the messenger.   We The People put us where we are with respect to cruising.  We The People can get us to a happy place where cruising can begin in a limited fashion.  Politicians will never agree and people who have a political agenda will make it political but at the the end of the day it's We The People that will ultimately move us to a better place.

Did it in April, booked thru royal, had a great time. Accessed the island on a small boat from a resort beach (the boat ride over was rocky) took about 15 mins. The island was small and beach & water was clean. I think they limit the number of guests allowed on the island there were 18 from our ship and 6 people from different resorts on the island. Drinks and food were included in price. I also was not sure about doing it since I couldn't find much info on it either but would book again. Would be happy to answer any other questions you may have.