ptod

Amazing that the small vessel was even spotted!

The program does indicate that you can change or cancel up to 2 days before departure as long as your bid has not been accepted.

However, I have seen postings similar to yours on other forums in the last few weeks and the result was that RC had put everything on hold and started accepting people's bids.  Ymmv.  Good luck!

3 hours ago, FManke said:

Which ships require this?

Add Anthem to the list as well.

@RatedPG did you book the Odyssey trips on your own?  If you decide to go ahead with MEI Travel,  Keep in mind that you can move the booking to him/her and they could check for possible better pricing.

5 minutes ago, Susie said:

MEI rate is different than book myself or just the same.

The rate I got via MEI is better than the rate I saw online last night (US site).  Not sure what the rates have done today.

I seem to be a bad influence.  I like it!  

38 minutes ago, rjac said:

Where and how did you book this? Are you in the UK? If so, lucky mate!

I am in Connecticut.  Booked thru MEI Travel.

Earlier today I got an email from my TA announcing that the Odyssey was open for booking.  On a lark, I sent a response asking if there were any group rates available yet for the new ship.  She said there were and more to be added, but asked if I was interested in the first sailing.  I poo-pooed that idea but she sent me a quote anyway.......and I took it.  It was the most exciting hour for me today.

I booked it.

I am weak.

I blame my MEI TA and just to show her, we intend to go on the first sailing and have a mind blowing good time (no time to sleep on this 4 day trip)!

Please pray for us..... 

If your smart watch or Fitbit-like device (or anything else) has a special charging cable, buy an extra 1 or 2 and stash one in your travel kit.

A friend realized a couple days into a cruise that she had forgotten her Fitbit charging cable.  I have a different model so I couldn't help her.  While waiting for a show to start in the main theater, I suggested that she just stand up and ask the other passengers if anyone could help her - she was not brave enough.  Needless to say, I won the step challenge for the week.  Thank you 70's dance party!!!!

5 minutes ago, Jmccaffrey said:

This may be answered somewhere i could not find it but here is my question.  I know u earn one point for everyday on the trip. My question is that I am looking at booking 3 rooms. Do I get 3 points or one per day?

Each person sailing gets one point per day - extra point per day is earned if sailing solo in a room - extra point per day earned if you are in a suite.

10 minutes ago, ultron87 said:

This now has me thinking if I'd have any luck on my upcoming Symphony cruise with putting a "Hey let's play some board games at X time!" thing on the Community noteboard at the card room to find some fellow nerds, as I'll likely at least be bringing a game or two for me and the GF to play.

You might be surprised at how many people will stop and chat if they recognize the games you bring.  Maybe even like to join in.

Friends brought several Keyforge decks on a recent trip and had several people stop to chat/sit for a while.

Besides regular card decks, we like to bring a Fluxx deck (usually Pirate Fluxx or sometimes Zombie Fluxx - but never Monty Python Fluxx) and we have been known to bring Exploding Kittens (our 3 cats don't mind that we like the game). 

7 minutes ago, DanielB said:

Is the Key offered on Oasis?  I do not see it on my Cruise Planner.

Check for it under the Internet tab in the planner.

We did the Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour this past April.  It was our first time in Nassau and even though we knew quite a bit about the history of the island, the 2 local guides had lots of cool things to share.  We also now have a few restaurants that we would be comfortable going to on our own if we end up there again.

https://www.trubahamianfoodtours.com/tour/bites-of-nassau-food-tasting-cultural-walking-tour/

Our group ended up having people from several different ships and some on land vacations   We even met a couple that had just bought a house on the same road my brother lives on - small world moment.

One side note, we were surprised that we were the only people who carried water to the tour.  Water was available at the restaurants we stopped at but many people were surprised at the humidity in April and were dragging by the end of the tour.

We also use packing cubes and usually end up with 1 empty cube after we unpack.  Before we go gallivanting around the ship, we each put a set of clothes we can wear on the way home in the empty cube and drop it in our carry-on bag.  No worries about forgetting to leave out a set of clothes on the last night.  Never want to be one of those people. 

@michelle - thank you for following up and providing more information on group space.

I think we lucked into a sailing that has group space and my friends and I are currently reviewing some very excellent quotes from the MEI agent.  Group space for 2 being refundable is something that I probably read somewhere along the way but it never stuck in my brain.  It was an added bonus showing on the options we were given.

I am glad I reached out for some guidance and have learned some new things along the way.

Thanks again everyone!

Thanks for the responses.

I have reached out to an MEI agent and will see what happens.  Nothing ventured and all that..... 

I normally book my cruises direct with RC, however, I am considering working with a TA to book an upcoming cruise with 3 cabins as a test run for future cruises - one in particular that will likely total more than 10 cabins.

I haven't contacted any TA yet, but am looking for some general info on how working with a TA actually works.  I understand the basics - the TA owns the reservation, they may or may not kick in a perk for the trip, any changes to the reservation have to go thru the TA, etc.

People on various online forum suggest looking for a TA that has group space.  Am I going too far out on a limb assuming that the bigger the agency, the more group space they have?  If we use MEI as an example, would an agency that size usually have group space on some, most, all cruises with RC?  Is the answer the dreaded "it depends'?  Is group space usually found on the big ships, certain times of year or "it depends"?  The cruise I am looking at is in early 2021 so I am not close to the cutoff when TAs give back their unsold inventory.

I like to imagine that TAs live regular lives and occasionally go on their own vacations.  If we stick with MEI agents, do you find they generally have a backup agent when they are taking some time off?  Do they do what many others do and check work email while on vacation?  I know the true answer is "it depends".

TIA for any insights - I do have a MEI agent in mind to contact as way of saying thanks for the good info found on forum and MEI's sponsorship of same. 

Key seating in 270 is middle section of balcony.

Every time I have been in Mexico via land trips or cruises, the ice used during excursions was made with bottled/filtered water.  Just like private tour providers don't want to risk getting people back to the ship late, neither do they (or restaurants favored by tourists) want to have a reputation of giving anyone Montezuma's revenge.

When in doubt, ask if the ice cubes were made with bottled/filtered water.  I have never had any restaurant balk at answering the question quickly and emphatically that all ice was made safely for tourists.

Safe travels!

On 4/30/2019 at 2:54 PM, SpeedNoodles said:

Yeah, my Oasis Lagoon Cabana also has the letter "G" on it.  I'm really looking forward to the reports coming back from people going to the island over the next month or so.

On 4/30/2019 at 2:56 PM, Marc Van Niekerk said:

This would likely support that the letter is a grouping for the cabanas and not an assignment. Our Oasis Lagoon is G as well

 

I would be curious to know the dates for each of your sailings to see if G could be an area/group code or specific cabana code.

In talking with the Shore Excursion staff, it was explained to us that all cabanas are now to be assigned by the date your booked the cabana - not by when you booked the cruise.  If the cabanas are now lettered instead of numbers, it will take some reports to figure out the lettering scheme.  I would volunteer to investigate. 

On a side note - with the ability to bring music/speakers nearly everywhere on the island, please, please, please be mindful that not everyone wants to hear your music all day.  We had been in our cabana for 30 minutes or so when the guests behind us turned their music on very loud.  I was not going to suffer through that all day (the volume not the genre) so I walked around and asked politely for them to turn it down.  The guests next to the music player thanked me later for saying something as they didn't know what to say or do.  I am glad I got over my fear of saying something a while ago and now I have no trouble asking nicely first then requesting staff to step in if necessary.

18 hours ago, Jakejosa said:

Do you recommend water shoes for this area?

Can you book your specific cabana onboard the ship?

17 hours ago, wstephensi said:

In years past the cabanas included two sets of snorkel gear.  Is that still included?

How do you get to choose a cabana?  In the past we always got #1 and #2 (closest to the water at the old cabana location).  

There is no need for water shoes in the water at the cabana area, however, I found it easier to walk in the sand with water shoes on than wearing sandals or going barefoot.  ymmv

When you check in at the Cabana Cove hut the staff will ask if you would like snorkel gear.

On our April 6th sailing on Anthem, we went to the Shore Excursion desk right after boarding to choose a Cabana Cove cabana and were told that cabanas were now being assigned based on reservation date.  I will assume that if a Star class guest reserved a cabana that they will still get to pick.

I can also confirm 4 bottles of water in a cooler are provided - plenty of ice in the cooler if you want to bring wine or other beverage that needs to be chilled.

NO roaming bar staff in this area - small bar in same covered area where the buffet was set up and every frozen drink order turned into a Coco Loco.

Even if you send in a special needs request, it doesn't always mean your distilled water, cord or even a medical fridge will be waiting in your room.  If anything is missing, just ask your room steward and the items will magically appear.