AlohaLivin

1 hour ago, Philip Dickson said:

My level shows as Choice.  I don't play much and only received $200 off offers before pandemic.  Starting Oct last year, I have received emails every month for comp cruise. I have B2B on Mariner later this month and Harmony in August.  I would say 4-6 offers have gone unused.  Not sure why some are getting offers like this and others are not.  Maybe its because I haven't sailed since the restart.

and @BCruise

It is definitely hard to find the logic. We had a lot of FCC sitting there that will finally be used completely by the end of April, maybe that has had an effect. I don’t recall the points total for me on the S2S in November, but then I use the poker machines more than I use slots (although I do use the latter also). Thanks

I had some of these offers pre-pandemic, at least twice in the 6 months prior. I use the casino some each day of a cruise, the last time on a S2S in Nov, although I don’t use the casino at a high enough level to hits status levels that lead to earned cruises. But since the end of the pandemic cessation of cruises I haven’t received any and thought  it had to do with the current demand. 
 

Do you mind sharing what your level of play has been post-pandemic? Maybe there is still hope for me!

31 minutes ago, Pattycruise said:

Poster is upset, understandably with a major health crisis, and a loss of what he  feels is big money on a fixed income.  I think his reaction is reasonable for what he feels is a bad situation.  We can educate him and if he comes back (or others new to the board read his posts and responses)he’ll see a bunch of posts with good info.  The posts that chastise….in my opinion are not productive and make the board look bad.

I agree - the lack of empathy and the pile on on the boards, any of them, is sometimes astounding to me. How could they be anything other than “one and done”.

2 hours ago, bryresangel said:

Good evening!

We are EXACTLY 21 days out from our cruise. I know people have had a lot of success with the .pdf form and emailing it in, but I would prefer to try to use the online system first, because I am a sucker for punishment it would seem. Will it cause issues if I submit the request both via the e-form and emailing the .pdf? My current plan is to submit the e-form, wait a week, then submit the .pdf. I welcome any suggestions or comments as to how solid of a plan this is.

No, it hasn’t for us. We have done both a few times since as you seem to already know the online system can be a problem (in our case, there is often an error when submitting more than one cruise).

On 3/2/2022 at 7:47 PM, Pattycruise said:

No idea.  I hit Diamond and Diamond plus during these “Covid times”, so I’ve no idea what “used to be”

It used to be everyone was included, only since Covid did they make it diamond plus and Pinnacles only. Are they’re changing back everything but that. I just didn’t know if you knew or not. Thanks

33 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

I think it’s more about separation anxiety then it is attempting to impress anyone. Watch enthusiasts (especially Rolex collectors) are very passionate and enjoy wearing their watches. I get that part, but not the clothing at all. 

Okay, you know that telling a mental health professional that you have separation anxiety from your Uber expensive watch is potentially dangerous?! J/K

22 hours ago, Pattycruise said:

I’m on my second half of a B2B on Anthem and finally was privy to the Captain meeting having hit Diamond Plus. 
they announced number of cruisers  last week winter break was roughly 2800 and this week 2425…of those figures half (or slightly more than half) were new cruisers.  For those who have heard the numbers over the years….is this typical?  Are there higher amounts of new cruisers because people are “ready to be back to normal”? Or has it always been this way?  I’m thinking if this is a new phenomenon that sales will be looking better for Royal fairly soon.

Have they not dropped the top tier “temp” change to Diamond plus+ as yet? The other Covid-related changes, like the pinnacles now being allowed in the suite’s lounges, seem to all be returning to pre-Covid status.

I leave my expensive jewelry at home, including my wedding ring set, Diamond earrings and formal jewelry. I have nothing to prove to anyone on the ship or in ports and I skip the worrying about them being lost (although I do take my wedding rings occasionally). I cannot imagine putting enough money into an item of clothing  that I would be upset if they were ruined so I can’t speak to that part.

On 2/27/2022 at 8:54 AM, JSB_Z51 said:

To all who recommended cruiseplum......THANKS!!!!! Way closer to want I am looking for to target what cruise to go on.  Thanks again.  

 

Nice to have those price data points too!

12 hours ago, CGTLH said:

Cruiseplum.com might work. Until you start digging down you might not see the higher category staterooms with a category.

Example if looking at an Owner's Suite the initial results would show a Grand Suite if available. Once you pick the Suite category it will show the OS.

Our favorite!

8 hours ago, Temeculaguy said:

If they provide it for suite guests they would increase the price of the suites accordingly.

They already charge plenty.

11 hours ago, jaullram said:

Perhaps check the Cruise Compass' that are posted on this site.  I would choose one of the Oasis class ships and see if anyone posted the schedules from an 8-night cruise.  I know I have seen itineraries similar to yours in the past.

I was doing that before I posted and spend a good while at it - however, I did not run across one that was similar. So I thought someone might know offhand. I thought it was worth a shot to ask.

20 hours ago, 12thman said:

We'll be doing Vancouver to Alaska later this year. What's your recommendation?

The Landis. Make sure to ask for a room on the upper floors. We had a 2 bedroom - had a lovely enclosed patio with a table overlooking the city, walking distance from everything, full kitchen, and full den. A wonderful find! I should add that there is a fabulous coffee/pastry across to the street on the side; a CVS directly across the street, and next-door to the rear of the building is an amazing handmade pizza pie shop. Best vacation ever paired with the Alaska cruise.

Hi!

Any ship (a) doing an 8 day E Caribbean (St. Thomas and St. Maarten) and Perfect Day very recently? This is our itinerary for Symphony in the spring, but it will be a newish itinerary for SY at that point and I would like to get an idea of the possible schedule from a ship with a similar schedule currently if possible. Thanks! 

I have no recommendations for Seattle. But if you ever decide to sail from Vancouver to Alaska tag me and I will give you the name of the most wonderful hotel for such a reasonable price. We spent 6 days in Vancouver post cruise and this was basically an apartment in the middle of everything!

Here is my tip - take the vaccine band off and put it with your card in the clear plastic cover attached to a lanyard. This is allowed.
 

I wanted to take mine off to shower on the Symphony 3 weeks ago and so had them cut it off and give me another - the woman at the desk at that point told me that I didn’t even have to wear it, I just needed it with me to show. So tucking it in with the sea pass was perfect since it could be readily seen! And no, I don’t have oppositional defiant disorder but I have been known a time or two to figure out a way the rules can fit uniquely

@PG Cruiser - Miami 3 weeks back was a light blue (so was Allure in Ft. Lauderdale / Everglades the next week). The master plan is murky if there is one

6 hours ago, JasonOasis said:

It all depends on what you were looking for in the cruise planner. I purchased among other things the UDP and the DBP for my upcoming Wonder OTS cruise, the UDP was definitely a deal at $190 dollars per person taxes and fees included and the DBP was $1090 dollars for two people.  While the DBP is more than what I paid for our October 2021 Symphony cruise what I had to keep in mind is the beverage package has gone up for the 2022 cruise season.  According to Royal's website the UDP price now tops out at $89 dollars per person per day.  That is expensive but when I look at liquor, wine and beer prices here in Chicago they've all gone up as well so one can only expect Royal to raise their prices as well to cover the higher prices they are being charged.

I'm just hoping the price comes down once the supply chain issues are dealt with and inflation is back under control which is why I didn't purchase the DBP for any of my remaining 2022 cruises.

 

Quick side note for those of us who think Royal is expensive I just happened to look at NCL's Unlimited Premium Beverage Packages and they range from $99 dollars per day to $128 dollars per day.    Royal's 2022 UBP prices are looking more and more like a deal compared to NCL.

As someone who also sells on NCL, I have to point out that almost every cruise package includes a free drink package (for all cabin levels). For suites, there are always fee drink packages, at least 3 speciality meals, etc. 

Maybe the ones in the jacuzzi would have preferred the Oasis cruise a couple of weeks back (FYI I doubt many are jealous in either case,  just some don’t prefer to be given little choice but to watch )

I have found a few 50% off at Cococay (like snorkeling equipment and floats), but mostly minor offers. Explorer and Grandeur 2022 have no real sales (and Labadee for fall 2022 isn’t even showing so no sale there). The “sale” for 20.99 for the surf internet packages was the same as the price before Black Friday. The prices for cruises are a good bit higher than we paid so nothing there.  I still think the whole “free” cruise giveaway that was and then wasn’t is still super wierd.

I’m in the ‘straight but now narrow” category so cannot speak to what the meetings are like, but I saw multiples LGBTQA+ meetings on each sailing for the two cruises we just completed. I know some meet up’s for groups have changed as a result of covid, but the Friends of Bill, LGBTQA+, and Veteran’s self-led meetings were still listed on the Symphony and Allure

9 hours ago, RWDW1204 said:

Why Labadee over Coco Cay?  

A number of reasons. It feels less hectic, it has a suite’s beach (small, but a great lunch), and it still has bungalows (vs. cabanas only that I just priced too high to be reasonable for a couple in my opinion for the partial day we would use one). The water is also a bit warmer. 

I actually prefer Labadee to Cococay and so hope it will still be on the schedule for our August 2022 sailing

On 11/17/2021 at 10:00 PM, svcruiser said:

sorry to hear that.. our experience was way different and everyone provided necessary space to kids for being kids!!! I would say we had close to 50+ families with young unvaccinated kids and lot more teenage vaccinated kids.

We also have not seen or heard anything onboard either the Symphony or Allure the last 2 weeks to suggest a bias against families or children in either action or speech (and most certainly nothing of the kind of highly negative commentary suggested by the phrase “dirty, dirty unvaccinated people”). Who knows what people perceive, but I have seen zero evidence (with ships full of children and with a number of families with multiple young children in the CK on both sailings) that there is any discrimination against families with kids. Yes, there are areas of separation since the younger children will not have been vaccinated, but I haven’t seen any indication that it was done with any derision or prejudice (much less malice).

4 hours ago, Goldie 2001 said:

Is it true that you do not have to check out towels at the pool if you have a suite?

Our experience is that the cabin attendant in a suite will bring the pool towels to you if requested (and replace them if they are left with the other soiled towels in the bathroom).

I’m onboard the Allure so I’m sorry I didn’t get to read through all the responses, but wanted to note that on the crown loft suites some of the upstairs bathroom have a large shower and others have instead a large tub that doubles as a shower. A great suite, near the CK (I still prefer an OS but the CL is a close second).