karl_nj

I've been charged, occasionally, but it's sort of random.  Same thing on other cruise lines too, sometimes they charge, sometimes they don't.
If they don't charge me, I just add it to the cash tip I give them at the end of the cruise.  So in my case, either the cruise line gets the cash, or the wait staff does.
 

There is a glass blowing shop at Dockyard in Bermuda.  My wife bought some earrings there a few years ago, when we were on a cruise.  Unfortunately one broke on Thanksgiving day.  We were both kinda bummed out, since they were nice earrings and they always reminded us of the first cruise (and only) we went on together without our children.
Normally I have a few vacations planned ahead, but I hadn't booked anything for 2019 yet.  I had been mulling over a few options for spring break, including a few cruises.
That evening I emailed my Travel Agent to see if there were any connecting balcony cabins still available for the week our kids are off for Spring Break.  I figured if there was anything available, it was meant to be.
A few minutes later I got an email back letting me know that 2 connecting balcony cabins were indeed available.  So, of course, I told her to book it immediately!
Anyone else ever come up with tenuous reasons for booking cruise vacations?
 

There is a glass blowing shop at Dockyard in Bermuda.  My wife bought some earrings there a few years ago, when we were on a cruise.  Unfortunately one broke on Thanksgiving day.  We were both kinda bummed out, since they were nice earrings and they always reminded us of the first cruise (and only) we went on together without our children.
Normally I have a few vacations planned ahead, but I hadn't booked anything for 2019 yet.  I had been mulling over a few options for spring break, including a few cruises.
That evening I emailed my Travel Agent to see if there were any connecting balcony cabins still available for the week our kids are off for Spring Break.  I figured if there was anything available, it was meant to be.
A few minutes later I got an email back letting me know that 2 connecting balcony cabins were indeed available.  So, of course, I told her to book it immediately!
Anyone else ever come up with tenuous reasons for booking cruise vacations?
 

Go check the prices for a Disney cruise that week.  That will make you feel better ?
 

Go check the prices for a Disney cruise that week.  That will make you feel better ?
 

Go check the prices for a Disney cruise that week.  That will make you feel better ?
 

Yup.  Especially since the only one that Royal still serves after the menu changes is the Strawberry one.
No need to wait for the 2nd formal night, just order a strawberry daiquiri.  Then you'll get some rum included too.
But before they changed the menus, there were some more interesting varieties.  

I think both mworkman and you were the ones that actually skimmed the article.  He quoted from it.  This article from 2018 is talking about an incident from 2017.  Please read it again, more carefully.  As you said, reading is fundamental!
 

Easy mistake to make!  One would assume that an article from 2018 was about a recent event!  
My guess is that whatever settlement that the lawyers wanted wasn't making progress, so they told their clients to go on TV to try to pressure Carnival Corp.
In any case, I do feel bad for the people effected.  It sounds like it wasn't handled very well by the cruise line.
But I do think that all the cruise lines try to sweep this stuff under the rug.  My mother-in-law had her iPad stolen from her walker on Anthem of the Seas in the main dining room.  Royal basically told her it was her fault.
 

If you haven't listened yet, there is a brand new CruiseHabit podcast, and Episode 1 is all about Celebrity Revolution, the new revitalization project similar to the one they had a few years ago when they went and "Solsticized" their older ships.
https://www.cruisehabit.com/Podcast

If you haven't listened yet, there is a brand new CruiseHabit podcast, and Episode 1 is all about Celebrity Revolution, the new revitalization project similar to the one they had a few years ago when they went and "Solsticized" their older ships.
https://www.cruisehabit.com/Podcast

If you haven't listened yet, there is a brand new CruiseHabit podcast, and Episode 1 is all about Celebrity Revolution, the new revitalization project similar to the one they had a few years ago when they went and "Solsticized" their older ships.
https://www.cruisehabit.com/Podcast

I've had 3 people request access to the sheet. Please like this post to confirm if you are one of them, just so I am sure that they are real accounts and connected to the blog.

QM2 is 150,000 gross tons,  236' high total (keel to top of funnel) minus 33' draught = 203' above the waterline.  
OA class is ~225,000+ gross tons,  236' from the waterline plus 31' draught for a total of 267' (keel to top of funnel)
The bridge clearance (from the waterline ) is 215ft.  
Definitely no myth OA can't go there.

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on Anthem.  In general, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The ship was beautiful, and handled spring-break-sized crowds of mostly fellow NY/NJ residents with ease.  It was great to have the kid-free solarium "pool" area, along with the indoor and outdoor family pool areas.  And the family pools were not filled beyond capacity, unlike Disney Cruise Line (I'm always wary of letting my kids swim on DCL, since it always appears to me that the pools are dangerously over capacity.)
However, not a big fan of the "new" MDR menus.  Way too many "everyday" items for both appetizers, main courses, and desserts.  And the every day items were always boring.  Most of the time the only salad available was a Caesar wedge.  I'm not sure why they don't rotate though some other more interesting salads.  Or, why not do something with more veggies and a vinegrette if you are going to only offer one salad every day.  And the fish of the day had the same issue -- the fish changed every day, but you get it with the same exact sauce. mashed potatoes, and veggies every single day.  They only had a cold fruit soup one day, and it was the strawberry one.  I feel the previous "spice" menus had more variety, and more interesting choices.
It almost feels like they are trying to make the MDR more boring to convince you to go to the specialty restaurants, much like NCL.
 

I hope they ended up with very loud neighbors...
 

Not that it matters anymore, due to the vacation schedule issues, but the mini-suite on the newer NCL ships since Breakaway is basically the same as a regular balcony, but with a huge bathroom.

I hope they ended up with very loud neighbors...
 

I hope they ended up with very loud neighbors...
 

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on Anthem.  In general, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The ship was beautiful, and handled spring-break-sized crowds of mostly fellow NY/NJ residents with ease.  It was great to have the kid-free solarium "pool" area, along with the indoor and outdoor family pool areas.  And the family pools were not filled beyond capacity, unlike Disney Cruise Line (I'm always wary of letting my kids swim on DCL, since it always appears to me that the pools are dangerously over capacity.)
However, not a big fan of the "new" MDR menus.  Way too many "everyday" items for both appetizers, main courses, and desserts.  And the every day items were always boring.  Most of the time the only salad available was a Caesar wedge.  I'm not sure why they don't rotate though some other more interesting salads.  Or, why not do something with more veggies and a vinegrette if you are going to only offer one salad every day.  And the fish of the day had the same issue -- the fish changed every day, but you get it with the same exact sauce. mashed potatoes, and veggies every single day.  They only had a cold fruit soup one day, and it was the strawberry one.  I feel the previous "spice" menus had more variety, and more interesting choices.
It almost feels like they are trying to make the MDR more boring to convince you to go to the specialty restaurants, much like NCL.
 

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on Anthem.  In general, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The ship was beautiful, and handled spring-break-sized crowds of mostly fellow NY/NJ residents with ease.  It was great to have the kid-free solarium "pool" area, along with the indoor and outdoor family pool areas.  And the family pools were not filled beyond capacity, unlike Disney Cruise Line (I'm always wary of letting my kids swim on DCL, since it always appears to me that the pools are dangerously over capacity.)
However, not a big fan of the "new" MDR menus.  Way too many "everyday" items for both appetizers, main courses, and desserts.  And the every day items were always boring.  Most of the time the only salad available was a Caesar wedge.  I'm not sure why they don't rotate though some other more interesting salads.  Or, why not do something with more veggies and a vinegrette if you are going to only offer one salad every day.  And the fish of the day had the same issue -- the fish changed every day, but you get it with the same exact sauce. mashed potatoes, and veggies every single day.  They only had a cold fruit soup one day, and it was the strawberry one.  I feel the previous "spice" menus had more variety, and more interesting choices.
It almost feels like they are trying to make the MDR more boring to convince you to go to the specialty restaurants, much like NCL.
 

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on Anthem.  In general, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The ship was beautiful, and handled spring-break-sized crowds of mostly fellow NY/NJ residents with ease.  It was great to have the kid-free solarium "pool" area, along with the indoor and outdoor family pool areas.  And the family pools were not filled beyond capacity, unlike Disney Cruise Line (I'm always wary of letting my kids swim on DCL, since it always appears to me that the pools are dangerously over capacity.)
However, not a big fan of the "new" MDR menus.  Way too many "everyday" items for both appetizers, main courses, and desserts.  And the every day items were always boring.  Most of the time the only salad available was a Caesar wedge.  I'm not sure why they don't rotate though some other more interesting salads.  Or, why not do something with more veggies and a vinegrette if you are going to only offer one salad every day.  And the fish of the day had the same issue -- the fish changed every day, but you get it with the same exact sauce. mashed potatoes, and veggies every single day.  They only had a cold fruit soup one day, and it was the strawberry one.  I feel the previous "spice" menus had more variety, and more interesting choices.
It almost feels like they are trying to make the MDR more boring to convince you to go to the specialty restaurants, much like NCL.
 

Just got back from a wonderful cruise on Anthem.  In general, the cruise exceeded my expectations.  The ship was beautiful, and handled spring-break-sized crowds of mostly fellow NY/NJ residents with ease.  It was great to have the kid-free solarium "pool" area, along with the indoor and outdoor family pool areas.  And the family pools were not filled beyond capacity, unlike Disney Cruise Line (I'm always wary of letting my kids swim on DCL, since it always appears to me that the pools are dangerously over capacity.)
However, not a big fan of the "new" MDR menus.  Way too many "everyday" items for both appetizers, main courses, and desserts.  And the every day items were always boring.  Most of the time the only salad available was a Caesar wedge.  I'm not sure why they don't rotate though some other more interesting salads.  Or, why not do something with more veggies and a vinegrette if you are going to only offer one salad every day.  And the fish of the day had the same issue -- the fish changed every day, but you get it with the same exact sauce. mashed potatoes, and veggies every single day.  They only had a cold fruit soup one day, and it was the strawberry one.  I feel the previous "spice" menus had more variety, and more interesting choices.
It almost feels like they are trying to make the MDR more boring to convince you to go to the specialty restaurants, much like NCL.
 

Disney still has "included" room service, w/o an extra free.  It's NCL that started everyone on this whole charging for Room Service nonsense.
 

Just disembarked Anthem yesterday.  I took a photo of the room service menu.  It says $7.95 per room delivery.  I didn't try ordering room service, I rarely did even back when it was free.