HtownHolly

What is Club Royale??

So about the OBC... that can't be spent until you're actually onboard, right? Can you use it when booking excursions beforehand?

And also to split up bookings between DH and myself, so that we can share the discounts and entice friends & family to join us. More fun with others, but sometimes the pricetag can scare folks away from trying it out that first time.

1 hour ago, Hutcherl said:

I haven’t seen any discounts that made me change the cabin(interior) that I normally pick as I climbed to Diamond level C&A.    Maybe I’m missing something but in my experience and how I sail,  moving up the ladder is more hyperbole than anything.   Only mentioning because I hope your expectations are met as you move up.  I got caught up in the climb,  too, only to find that we haven’t realized any significant benefits in getting to diamond.  Just my experience.  

It's not a prestige thing at all! Mostly, I'd like to see discounts on balcony bookings. No aspirations to be a regular "suite" sailer, or anything like that :)

2 hours ago, Matt said:

Here's a blog post about last minute cruise planning https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2017/06/05/last-minute-royal-caribbean-cruise-trip-planning

I've bookmarked this now. Thanks!

I'm having to stick with quick short "local" (Galveston) sailings - I work and have a kid in school (and *I* am in grad school, too), so can't do the long stuff. Interior is fine, to move up to a C&A level that will allow for discounts where we want them :)

Thanks all!

Are they primarily discounted cabins that haven't sold? Sounds like you're suggesting that "last minute" would mean within 3 months of sail date. I had no idea if it meant like the week before or what, haha.

Cheap way to cruise Alaska (that was my first cruise, with Celebrity years ago), but airfare pretty much kills off any savings, hah. I'm thinking of easier ways to run up the points total and start getting some balcony discounts.

So, tell me about these. Is it an art or science? Tips/tricks?

You get cruise points for actually sailing, not just buying, correct? If so, no reason to not get them.

Just called. They told me it could take 10-14 business days to post. So, guess I should have them end of the week.

We got back on 12/30 and my C&A is still in Pre-Gold status he website says it could take "up to 10 days" for points to be applied... it''ll be 2 weeks tomorrow. The cruise we took doesn't show up in my Past Cruises listing.

Yes, I'm being impatient

I'm just skeptical of being able to scrub the whole thing top to bottom in what... a day?

Oh man, I wouldn't want to be on the next sailing!

We got ours at check-in, before you get onboard, at the terminal. It'll have a sticker or printed part that indicates if/which drink package you purchased (if you did that ahead of time).

My daughter and I got a huge kick out of the Wash Your Hands video onboard. In part, because we are pretty sure it was done by the same team that did the Dumb Ways To Die animation:

Enjoy, if you've not seen this :)

https://youtu.be/IJNR2EpS0jw

167 people did NOT make their mother proud.

You can also turn off roaming, so that if you leave it on it will ONLY kick in when there's a non-extra-charge network available.

Just now, SPS said:

I'm not. I'm usually in the prep stages of the NEXT cruise already!

That's why I'm not very productive, LOL! Planning that and a ski trip right now... for November and December. Oh, Lordy...

I'm curious exactly how anyone is productive at work, in the first couple weeks after a cruise. I sure am not, lol! Also, anxiously watching and waiting for my C&A status to switch from Pre-Gold, lol. It's been 10 days!

Improvements to the pool deck will be great! I liked all the hot tubs, but the decor was rather drab.

Plus TXDOT is notorious for deciding to make pretty major construction projects start at the drop of a hat, and they rarely go as scheduled. They tore up Loop 610  south at 45 for about 3 months this past summer - it was like they didn't want ANYONE driving to  or from Galveston, with how it impacted traffic (alternate routes were already torn up - like I-10 east at the Beltway, and 288 at the south loop... it was horrible).

Love this. I sincerely hope they bring Oasis class ships to the new terminal. Has this been further confirmed anywhere?

Guess I should be glad I didn't mention out loud that we got a FREE TOWEL MONKEY in our deck 2 oceanview room one night. Mighta sent someone into a rage.

18 hours ago, ranchlady403 said:

We have solved the hard mattress issue two ways. 

First -  we roll up a 3" mattress topper as tight as we can get it and tie it together.  Stuff it in a suitcase and fill the rest of that suitcase with whatever else we are taking.  This requires 2 large suitcases for most trips.  BUT - the comfort of the softer mattress is worth it.  Just remember to take it off of the bed when you come home.

Second - if we are flying and can only check one bag - we ask the room steward for 10 extra pillows.  We put them under the sheet and remake the bed.  We have a "pillow-top" mattress literally!!!  

 

Or both! Haha, good job :)

Ah, no. I wouldn't cut it that close. Even leaving from Hobby (the airport on the south side of town), it would take about 45 minutes to get to the airport from Galveston with minimal traffic (by taxi/car... dunno about any kind of bus or coach). Plus, snags happen. I'd build in a bit more cushion than that... especially if they fly out of IAH, which is another hour north from Hobby.