Pima1988

We always dress up.  It has become a tradition that we love, we call it our date night.  We always book a balcony or above.  We stop at WJ to pick up some food to pick on, like bread, cheese, meats, etc.  Than get a drink from the closest bar and take it back to our cabin.  
He gets ready while I hang out. When he is done he will go on the balcony.  I close the curtains so when I open it again I am ready.  
To us its part off what makes it feel like a formal night.
I take 2 different dresses, but same shoes. 1 is the dress I wore to my daughters wedding...a high low....cut at the knee in the front down to the ankle in back.  The other is my go to for every wedding.   My hubby takes 1 dark suit and 2 shirts with 2 different ties.
Luggage to me is no biggie.  If I am driving it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 2 suitcases.  If I am flying the fact is we have spent so much money on the vacation we are not going to quibble about paying 25 to 50 bucks for checking luggage.

We always dress up.  It has become a tradition that we love, we call it our date night.  We always book a balcony or above.  We stop at WJ to pick up some food to pick on, like bread, cheese, meats, etc.  Than get a drink from the closest bar and take it back to our cabin.  
He gets ready while I hang out. When he is done he will go on the balcony.  I close the curtains so when I open it again I am ready.  
To us its part off what makes it feel like a formal night.
I take 2 different dresses, but same shoes. 1 is the dress I wore to my daughters wedding...a high low....cut at the knee in the front down to the ankle in back.  The other is my go to for every wedding.   My hubby takes 1 dark suit and 2 shirts with 2 different ties.
Luggage to me is no biggie.  If I am driving it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 2 suitcases.  If I am flying the fact is we have spent so much money on the vacation we are not going to quibble about paying 25 to 50 bucks for checking luggage.

We always dress up.  It has become a tradition that we love, we call it our date night.  We always book a balcony or above.  We stop at WJ to pick up some food to pick on, like bread, cheese, meats, etc.  Than get a drink from the closest bar and take it back to our cabin.  
He gets ready while I hang out. When he is done he will go on the balcony.  I close the curtains so when I open it again I am ready.  
To us its part off what makes it feel like a formal night.
I take 2 different dresses, but same shoes. 1 is the dress I wore to my daughters wedding...a high low....cut at the knee in the front down to the ankle in back.  The other is my go to for every wedding.   My hubby takes 1 dark suit and 2 shirts with 2 different ties.
Luggage to me is no biggie.  If I am driving it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 2 suitcases.  If I am flying the fact is we have spent so much money on the vacation we are not going to quibble about paying 25 to 50 bucks for checking luggage.

We always dress up.  It has become a tradition that we love, we call it our date night.  We always book a balcony or above.  We stop at WJ to pick up some food to pick on, like bread, cheese, meats, etc.  Than get a drink from the closest bar and take it back to our cabin.  
He gets ready while I hang out. When he is done he will go on the balcony.  I close the curtains so when I open it again I am ready.  
To us its part off what makes it feel like a formal night.
I take 2 different dresses, but same shoes. 1 is the dress I wore to my daughters wedding...a high low....cut at the knee in the front down to the ankle in back.  The other is my go to for every wedding.   My hubby takes 1 dark suit and 2 shirts with 2 different ties.
Luggage to me is no biggie.  If I am driving it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 2 suitcases.  If I am flying the fact is we have spent so much money on the vacation we are not going to quibble about paying 25 to 50 bucks for checking luggage.

We did a JS  with a unlimited dining on Symphony and loved it, but our next one on Anthem will be a GS.  When we did the $$$ th GS was really not much more.   No need to do Voom or Key.  We like Coastal so need for a specialty dining package.  
Just saying do all the numbers....25 pp per day would be about 350 for 2 for 7 days.  Specialty about the same foe 2.  
The perks of a GS is a suite sun deck....no worry about pool chair hogs.   Coastal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Voom, priority seating for shows, happy hour with free cocktails and food too.

We did a JS  with a unlimited dining on Symphony and loved it, but our next one on Anthem will be a GS.  When we did the $$$ th GS was really not much more.   No need to do Voom or Key.  We like Coastal so need for a specialty dining package.  
Just saying do all the numbers....25 pp per day would be about 350 for 2 for 7 days.  Specialty about the same foe 2.  
The perks of a GS is a suite sun deck....no worry about pool chair hogs.   Coastal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Voom, priority seating for shows, happy hour with free cocktails and food too.

Just did a JS on the hum balcony on Symphony.  No way could I see it take 4 people, let alone 5.   Even  3 would be hard for more than 5 days.
I would suggest getting 2 connecting balcony cabins.  This will allow you more room, plus now you will have 2 bathrooms.
Depending on the ship the balcony dividers can come down and you can use that way as access to the other cabin instead of the hallway.  IE on anthem or Symphony it will break down.  On Adventure or Enchantment it will not.
 

We did a JS  with a unlimited dining on Symphony and loved it, but our next one on Anthem will be a GS.  When we did the $$$ th GS was really not much more.   No need to do Voom or Key.  We like Coastal so need for a specialty dining package.  
Just saying do all the numbers....25 pp per day would be about 350 for 2 for 7 days.  Specialty about the same foe 2.  
The perks of a GS is a suite sun deck....no worry about pool chair hogs.   Coastal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Voom, priority seating for shows, happy hour with free cocktails and food too.

We did a JS on Symphony last month so we purchased the unlimited knowing that we were  it guaranteed CK.  The food, ambiance and service was beyond compare, except for CP 150 impo.  
We ate at Hooked for lunch 1 day with reservations for dinner 2 nights later.  Ate at CK the night before.  As soon as lunch was over we went to CK and cancelled our Hook dinner replacing it for CK.
There is always the conversation which restaurant does the steak better....chops or CK.  Purposefully we ordered the steak at CK the night before our Chops reservation.  CK won hands down
Ate at Jamies too. If I decide on our next cruise to eat at a specialty it would only be there over the CK. Their hand made pasta is excellent.  However, I do like the atmosphere better in the CK.    
Atmosphere is just as important to me as the food.  We avoid the mdr because the tables are so close that sometimes you feel like you could ask them to pass their salt shaker and they wouldn't even have to extend their ar!m completely.  Now imagine a large group next to you and the volume of voices while you are trying to enjoy your dinner.  In the CK it was never packed and we ate at 6:30
I also agree everyday we saw something on the menu that was definitely from a specialty restaurant with a variance of the side dish.  Ie  burrata cheese appetizer is from Jamies.  Branzino is from Chops.  Duck was  CP 150.  I think we also had the scallop cerviche which is also a 150 item. So for us, it eliminated the need to do specialty.
Finally, by going every night you get to build a relationship with your waiter.  Our waiter knew when we came in what drink we would have with dinner and our after dinner drink.  Hubby and I drink different things.  He even paid attention to the fact we didn't ever eat 1 particular type of bread so he always removed it and gave us the ones we thoroughly enjoyed.  When I told him i am too full to eat dessert he came back with 2 desserts with a dome covered plate and said take it back to your cabin. He did that every night for me.

We did a JS on Symphony last month so we purchased the unlimited knowing that we were  it guaranteed CK.  The food, ambiance and service was beyond compare, except for CP 150 impo.  
We ate at Hooked for lunch 1 day with reservations for dinner 2 nights later.  Ate at CK the night before.  As soon as lunch was over we went to CK and cancelled our Hook dinner replacing it for CK.
There is always the conversation which restaurant does the steak better....chops or CK.  Purposefully we ordered the steak at CK the night before our Chops reservation.  CK won hands down
Ate at Jamies too. If I decide on our next cruise to eat at a specialty it would only be there over the CK. Their hand made pasta is excellent.  However, I do like the atmosphere better in the CK.    
Atmosphere is just as important to me as the food.  We avoid the mdr because the tables are so close that sometimes you feel like you could ask them to pass their salt shaker and they wouldn't even have to extend their ar!m completely.  Now imagine a large group next to you and the volume of voices while you are trying to enjoy your dinner.  In the CK it was never packed and we ate at 6:30
I also agree everyday we saw something on the menu that was definitely from a specialty restaurant with a variance of the side dish.  Ie  burrata cheese appetizer is from Jamies.  Branzino is from Chops.  Duck was  CP 150.  I think we also had the scallop cerviche which is also a 150 item. So for us, it eliminated the need to do specialty.
Finally, by going every night you get to build a relationship with your waiter.  Our waiter knew when we came in what drink we would have with dinner and our after dinner drink.  Hubby and I drink different things.  He even paid attention to the fact we didn't ever eat 1 particular type of bread so he always removed it and gave us the ones we thoroughly enjoyed.  When I told him i am too full to eat dessert he came back with 2 desserts with a dome covered plate and said take it back to your cabin. He did that every night for me.

We did a JS on Symphony last month so we purchased the unlimited knowing that we were  it guaranteed CK.  The food, ambiance and service was beyond compare, except for CP 150 impo.  
We ate at Hooked for lunch 1 day with reservations for dinner 2 nights later.  Ate at CK the night before.  As soon as lunch was over we went to CK and cancelled our Hook dinner replacing it for CK.
There is always the conversation which restaurant does the steak better....chops or CK.  Purposefully we ordered the steak at CK the night before our Chops reservation.  CK won hands down
Ate at Jamies too. If I decide on our next cruise to eat at a specialty it would only be there over the CK. Their hand made pasta is excellent.  However, I do like the atmosphere better in the CK.    
Atmosphere is just as important to me as the food.  We avoid the mdr because the tables are so close that sometimes you feel like you could ask them to pass their salt shaker and they wouldn't even have to extend their ar!m completely.  Now imagine a large group next to you and the volume of voices while you are trying to enjoy your dinner.  In the CK it was never packed and we ate at 6:30
I also agree everyday we saw something on the menu that was definitely from a specialty restaurant with a variance of the side dish.  Ie  burrata cheese appetizer is from Jamies.  Branzino is from Chops.  Duck was  CP 150.  I think we also had the scallop cerviche which is also a 150 item. So for us, it eliminated the need to do specialty.
Finally, by going every night you get to build a relationship with your waiter.  Our waiter knew when we came in what drink we would have with dinner and our after dinner drink.  Hubby and I drink different things.  He even paid attention to the fact we didn't ever eat 1 particular type of bread so he always removed it and gave us the ones we thoroughly enjoyed.  When I told him i am too full to eat dessert he came back with 2 desserts with a dome covered plate and said take it back to your cabin. He did that every night for me.

We did a JS on Symphony last month so we purchased the unlimited knowing that we were  it guaranteed CK.  The food, ambiance and service was beyond compare, except for CP 150 impo.  
We ate at Hooked for lunch 1 day with reservations for dinner 2 nights later.  Ate at CK the night before.  As soon as lunch was over we went to CK and cancelled our Hook dinner replacing it for CK.
There is always the conversation which restaurant does the steak better....chops or CK.  Purposefully we ordered the steak at CK the night before our Chops reservation.  CK won hands down
Ate at Jamies too. If I decide on our next cruise to eat at a specialty it would only be there over the CK. Their hand made pasta is excellent.  However, I do like the atmosphere better in the CK.    
Atmosphere is just as important to me as the food.  We avoid the mdr because the tables are so close that sometimes you feel like you could ask them to pass their salt shaker and they wouldn't even have to extend their ar!m completely.  Now imagine a large group next to you and the volume of voices while you are trying to enjoy your dinner.  In the CK it was never packed and we ate at 6:30
I also agree everyday we saw something on the menu that was definitely from a specialty restaurant with a variance of the side dish.  Ie  burrata cheese appetizer is from Jamies.  Branzino is from Chops.  Duck was  CP 150.  I think we also had the scallop cerviche which is also a 150 item. So for us, it eliminated the need to do specialty.
Finally, by going every night you get to build a relationship with your waiter.  Our waiter knew when we came in what drink we would have with dinner and our after dinner drink.  Hubby and I drink different things.  He even paid attention to the fact we didn't ever eat 1 particular type of bread so he always removed it and gave us the ones we thoroughly enjoyed.  When I told him i am too full to eat dessert he came back with 2 desserts with a dome covered plate and said take it back to your cabin. He did that every night for me.

Late to the conversation, but like others I have never used my cup.  The machines are not always ideally located.  I.E. easier to show your sea pass card at the bar than carrying that cup and walking from the pool to WJ.  
My husband does use it, but only in the a.m.  he goes to the freestyle machine and gets Powerade before he hits the gym.  The rest of the day it sits on the dresser.
We stopped using lanyards yrs ago.  I also don't do the phone wallet/slots.  Found it too annoying.  I always take a pool bag with me during the day....towel clips, kindle, phone, sunblock etc.  So I just throw both of ours in my bag. That bag goes with me to the pool or port excursions. 
Putting it on a lanyard, you're just going to have to take it every time you want to go in the water.  Putting it in a sleeve you're just going to have fight getting it out when the wait staff at the Solarium comes around for your drink order. 
When we go to dinner or shows at night my husband than takes mine with him and places it in his wallet. 
Third reason...., due to our jobs, my hubby have multiple ones in our house since we need to wear them daily.  They get dirty.  Now think about this....7 night Caribbean cruise in May ...how much sunblock are you slathering on you everyday?  Now, let's add the sweat, around the back of your neck, your hands every time you yank down on it mixed with sunblock.   Not done yet....wearing it for dinner to use for your beverage package, wear perfume or cologne and you have a cacophony of lovely odors.  
In no way am I a germaphobe, (I work retail management), but after the 1st cruise long ago when they would hole punch your card we have never done it again.  Take a picture of the neck area for the lanyard before you where it and the day you get home.  It just made me go....yuck....hence, why no more lanyards.

I would think that means 11k.   We were there last month on Symphony.  Mariner was there the same day.  I talked to some Mariner passengers they said they had 3800 on their ship.  We had 5822.   You did not feel congested at all.  There were empty loungers  everywhere.  
Typically they have the ships arrive and depart at different times.  For example Mariner docked at 8 a.m., but departed at 3.  We rocked at 9 and departed at 4:30.  Most people will leave to get back to the ship about 1 HR prior.  For us that meant by 2:30 it was only Symphony passengers.  
I am 57 too.  I will caveat my post by saying we booked the day pass to the beach club on this cruise  so I can't say anything about the grill area for food.  If you don't want congestion and a feel of a private beach, splurge on the day pass.  Its not a 10 out of 10 its a 20 out of 10....you read that correctly.  Once you go there you will always buy it.  Everything there is amazing from the bathrooms where you get true hand towels to the loungers and lunch.  We got there and a front row lounger next to the beach.  The tanning ledge pool loungers were always available, only the beds at the pool were taken. The lunch is as close as you get to a specialty restaurant....you can order surf and turf.  You van order everything off their menu. Its too much food....they even gave us cookies to go bc i said i am too full.  The infinity pool was never packed. The solarium on the ship had more people. The beach was empty...again, 9k were on the island that day.  They have attendants to take your drink orders from your lounger just like beach beds and cabanas, however, if you do go to the bar you will get your drink in 2 minutes. No lines there at all.
The negative of the beach club is the snorkeling is bad.  You need to go over to Chill to snorkel.

I would think that means 11k.   We were there last month on Symphony.  Mariner was there the same day.  I talked to some Mariner passengers they said they had 3800 on their ship.  We had 5822.   You did not feel congested at all.  There were empty loungers  everywhere.  
Typically they have the ships arrive and depart at different times.  For example Mariner docked at 8 a.m., but departed at 3.  We rocked at 9 and departed at 4:30.  Most people will leave to get back to the ship about 1 HR prior.  For us that meant by 2:30 it was only Symphony passengers.  
I am 57 too.  I will caveat my post by saying we booked the day pass to the beach club on this cruise  so I can't say anything about the grill area for food.  If you don't want congestion and a feel of a private beach, splurge on the day pass.  Its not a 10 out of 10 its a 20 out of 10....you read that correctly.  Once you go there you will always buy it.  Everything there is amazing from the bathrooms where you get true hand towels to the loungers and lunch.  We got there and a front row lounger next to the beach.  The tanning ledge pool loungers were always available, only the beds at the pool were taken. The lunch is as close as you get to a specialty restaurant....you can order surf and turf.  You van order everything off their menu. Its too much food....they even gave us cookies to go bc i said i am too full.  The infinity pool was never packed. The solarium on the ship had more people. The beach was empty...again, 9k were on the island that day.  They have attendants to take your drink orders from your lounger just like beach beds and cabanas, however, if you do go to the bar you will get your drink in 2 minutes. No lines there at all.
The negative of the beach club is the snorkeling is bad.  You need to go over to Chill to snorkel.

Kinda like the people who say "if 'x' wins an election I'm leaving the country". While I know at least a few that have (Literally a workmate left the US for NZ aafter an election) I imainge it is abou t 1 in 100,000 that say it actually follow through.

Kind of funny people being mad that their non refundable deposit is non refundable 

I can't seem to get my documents, check-in time, boarding pass, communication with my Genie or luggage tags.  What's wrong?

I would think Royal Up will become extremely competitive.  Our cruise 3 weeks ago sailed close to 90%. We bid from a JS for a CLS and GS1 BDRM.... Our bid was considered medium.  
Found out at 8 pm on the day we sailed via text we didn't win. 
They had said on our sailing that RCCL  expected for SoS  the 5/28 sailing would be at 100%.

Everyone now!!!
Sweet Caroline...bom bom bom! Good times never felt so good..so good, so good, so good!

The bar will rise on the hour and half hour.  From Schooners you can see it and I can say without a doubt they will not force you off, but its a pretty boring bar.  First day or so people are packing it, but by the end of the week its pretty empty.  I compare it to the Bionic bar  which is next to it.  Its the check it off my checklist experience.  We did go on it a couple of times....for example if you have a reservation at a specialty on Central Park  at 6:30 you can have your pre dinner cocktail arou d 6:00 and ride it up to the restaurant for your 6:30 reservation 
The fun bar impo is Schooner or Dazzles.  Schooner overlooks the Promenade and you can people watch.  It also has the piano player.  When they do tribute nights you need to be there at least 15 mins to get a night.  Our cruise they did Billy Joel, Elton John and Neil Diamond.  People on the promenade would scream the song from below....sweet Caroline had everyone sing.... 
Got you singing it now😂
I never saw someone with a scooter on it, but there is enough room around the tables to fit it.  

The bar will rise on the hour and half hour.  From Schooners you can see it and I can say without a doubt they will not force you off, but its a pretty boring bar.  First day or so people are packing it, but by the end of the week its pretty empty.  I compare it to the Bionic bar  which is next to it.  Its the check it off my checklist experience.  We did go on it a couple of times....for example if you have a reservation at a specialty on Central Park  at 6:30 you can have your pre dinner cocktail arou d 6:00 and ride it up to the restaurant for your 6:30 reservation 
The fun bar impo is Schooner or Dazzles.  Schooner overlooks the Promenade and you can people watch.  It also has the piano player.  When they do tribute nights you need to be there at least 15 mins to get a night.  Our cruise they did Billy Joel, Elton John and Neil Diamond.  People on the promenade would scream the song from below....sweet Caroline had everyone sing.... 
Got you singing it now😂
I never saw someone with a scooter on it, but there is enough room around the tables to fit it.  

The bar will rise on the hour and half hour.  From Schooners you can see it and I can say without a doubt they will not force you off, but its a pretty boring bar.  First day or so people are packing it, but by the end of the week its pretty empty.  I compare it to the Bionic bar  which is next to it.  Its the check it off my checklist experience.  We did go on it a couple of times....for example if you have a reservation at a specialty on Central Park  at 6:30 you can have your pre dinner cocktail arou d 6:00 and ride it up to the restaurant for your 6:30 reservation 
The fun bar impo is Schooner or Dazzles.  Schooner overlooks the Promenade and you can people watch.  It also has the piano player.  When they do tribute nights you need to be there at least 15 mins to get a night.  Our cruise they did Billy Joel, Elton John and Neil Diamond.  People on the promenade would scream the song from below....sweet Caroline had everyone sing.... 
Got you singing it now😂
I never saw someone with a scooter on it, but there is enough room around the tables to fit it.  

Thing.   I was on Symphony 4/30-5/7. A couple of things.
1. We were told by Jordan in CK that the Solarium Bistro is suppose to open on the 5/21 sailing.
2. They said we had 5280 passengers   Approx 2300 passengers were 2 separate groups.  1600 with a Philippine finance group.  1100 with a Canadian insurance company.
3.  70s night is done on the Promenade.  We sat at the Copper Kettle.  Got there about 30 mins. prior. Sorrento is the optimal spot if you want to sit, but there were no chairs at least 45 mins prior....ticking off passengers so we they weren't eating.  A great place if you don't mind standing is by the photo kiosk.  They do the show right next to Schooners.
4. No Quest.  
5. Hiro is ending their run.  I believe the new aqua show starts 5/21. We saw them practicing on our cruise during the afternoon.  It looks like its going to be 80/90 music. I also believe Hairspray  will start than also.
6. Schooners sing along nights were amazing as always, but our piano player was ending his tour so this week has a new one.  He did a Billy Joel, Elton John Neil Diamond tributes.
7. Chops impo has gone downhill.  We tried it twice and both times I would rate it as poor.  Service was slow, food came out cold.  Trust me I was excited to go there just for the goat cheese salad is my absolute favorite.  We ate at CK the night before and i purposedly ordered the steak so we can compare it to Chops the next night.  At CK came out med/rare.  Chops it came out med to medium well even though we asked for med/rare.   We waited so long for our food we just accepted it and mived on.  Chops Branzino is one of my favorits, the skin was not crisp and it was luke warm.  If you eat there ask for a table outside.  Its terribly noisy in there.  It does not have that cozy steakhouse feeling like it does have on the Freedom class. The tables outside on the Park makes it feel cozy.
8. 150 is amazing...order the lamb wellington.  Jamie's is amazing too.  No complaints.  Hooked was eh for me, but my husband loved everything they served him, oysters, lobster roll and clam chowder soup.  I would say the soup is great.   
---- Ask any of them for a dessert to go.  They will gladly give them to you. We did that every night.  Playmakers will also allow you to do this....order wings and take it back to your room for your late night snack.
9. Try Vintages for your pre dinner drinks.  It is so cozy.  They will bring you a charcuterie board.  They get a 10 out of 10 for me.  Trellis bar too
10. Be smart when returning to the ship on port days.  There are 2 gangplanks.  St.Maarten, St. Thomas go to the aft .  everybody sees the 1st one they see.  Go to the next 1 . here's why, it will take you to another elevator bank and you won't wait forever.  For Coco Cay go to the bow gang plank. same reason.
11. If you can get the Thermal spa at a good price, DO IT.  Sea days we went to the pool in the a.m went to the spa before we got ready for lunch. The rain she were is so amazing.  On port days we would go straight to the spa.  Spent time on the beds, steam room and hit the shower to get the saltwater off. I had a JS,so we had a full bathtub.  If you have a cabin with that shower tube there is another beauty to it.  The locker room has showers . they give you nice robes too.  
12. Pool towels can be delivered to your cabin ....just ask the day before.  If you are going to the Beach Club no need to take towels they have them there.  If you can only afford 1 excursion The Beach Club is a must.  I have done loungers, beach beds, cabanas.  We got it for 89. per person.  Negative if you like snorkeling go to Chill.
Now for my bad
1. I have sailed on many classes, but I would say that I hoofed it almost everytime on this cruise compared to my other cruises.   The elevators were packed.  It was really annoying by the end of the week.  You can see the banks packed complaining on the pool deck ...15 that it skipped them for going up.  HELLO how about you walk it 1 flight to the WJ....I will touch upon this later.
2.  Sapphire Beach excursion is not worth the $$$.  This excursion felt like I entered a run down hotel site, but because of the beach they milked it for everything they could.  Beach was amazing.  No good snorkeling.
3. Chair hogs...no new tHing.  4 passengers complained in the Solarium regarding the covered beds. Someone placed towels at 6 am. At 8 2 different passengers approached the attendanAt 8:00 I approached at 8:30 and was told the clock started now...the other 2 came up and said I came to you at 8.   They tried to avoid, but everyone kept on them.  I get it, they don't want to address the passenger, but in the end they faced us.  They did remove their stuff.  Spoke to the couple that got it.  They were mad when their showed up at noon.   Where is my stuff ?   They not only took the bed, but 2 loungers.  Nobody cared about the loungers.  Attendant said here it is, you can't leave it for 5 hrs.
Seriously you have to be assertive when it comes to chair hogs
 
Big big thing. 
I would say 25% tested positive covid on sunday the day aftwr. believe it  was tied to 3 things
A. Elevators  seriously walk 1,2,3,4,5 flights.  
Hub and I saw maybe 1 couple on the staircase as we traversed alp week. , yet let's cram into a 6x6 elevator.  Lets cram in the elevator banks too.
B.  Be smart in the vasino. The tables they will make the ok use Pyrell, the sl ok vs the womy.
C. Pay attention to passenger----- I saw many women that did not wash their hands after editing the bathroom.

Thing.   I was on Symphony 4/30-5/7. A couple of things.
1. We were told by Jordan in CK that the Solarium Bistro is suppose to open on the 5/21 sailing.
2. They said we had 5280 passengers   Approx 2300 passengers were 2 separate groups.  1600 with a Philippine finance group.  1100 with a Canadian insurance company.
3.  70s night is done on the Promenade.  We sat at the Copper Kettle.  Got there about 30 mins. prior. Sorrento is the optimal spot if you want to sit, but there were no chairs at least 45 mins prior....ticking off passengers so we they weren't eating.  A great place if you don't mind standing is by the photo kiosk.  They do the show right next to Schooners.
4. No Quest.  
5. Hiro is ending their run.  I believe the new aqua show starts 5/21. We saw them practicing on our cruise during the afternoon.  It looks like its going to be 80/90 music. I also believe Hairspray  will start than also.
6. Schooners sing along nights were amazing as always, but our piano player was ending his tour so this week has a new one.  He did a Billy Joel, Elton John Neil Diamond tributes.
7. Chops impo has gone downhill.  We tried it twice and both times I would rate it as poor.  Service was slow, food came out cold.  Trust me I was excited to go there just for the goat cheese salad is my absolute favorite.  We ate at CK the night before and i purposedly ordered the steak so we can compare it to Chops the next night.  At CK came out med/rare.  Chops it came out med to medium well even though we asked for med/rare.   We waited so long for our food we just accepted it and mived on.  Chops Branzino is one of my favorits, the skin was not crisp and it was luke warm.  If you eat there ask for a table outside.  Its terribly noisy in there.  It does not have that cozy steakhouse feeling like it does have on the Freedom class. The tables outside on the Park makes it feel cozy.
8. 150 is amazing...order the lamb wellington.  Jamie's is amazing too.  No complaints.  Hooked was eh for me, but my husband loved everything they served him, oysters, lobster roll and clam chowder soup.  I would say the soup is great.   
---- Ask any of them for a dessert to go.  They will gladly give them to you. We did that every night.  Playmakers will also allow you to do this....order wings and take it back to your room for your late night snack.
9. Try Vintages for your pre dinner drinks.  It is so cozy.  They will bring you a charcuterie board.  They get a 10 out of 10 for me.  Trellis bar too
10. Be smart when returning to the ship on port days.  There are 2 gangplanks.  St.Maarten, St. Thomas go to the aft .  everybody sees the 1st one they see.  Go to the next 1 . here's why, it will take you to another elevator bank and you won't wait forever.  For Coco Cay go to the bow gang plank. same reason.
11. If you can get the Thermal spa at a good price, DO IT.  Sea days we went to the pool in the a.m went to the spa before we got ready for lunch. The rain she were is so amazing.  On port days we would go straight to the spa.  Spent time on the beds, steam room and hit the shower to get the saltwater off. I had a JS,so we had a full bathtub.  If you have a cabin with that shower tube there is another beauty to it.  The locker room has showers . they give you nice robes too.  
12. Pool towels can be delivered to your cabin ....just ask the day before.  If you are going to the Beach Club no need to take towels they have them there.  If you can only afford 1 excursion The Beach Club is a must.  I have done loungers, beach beds, cabanas.  We got it for 89. per person.  Negative if you like snorkeling go to Chill.
Now for my bad
1. I have sailed on many classes, but I would say that I hoofed it almost everytime on this cruise compared to my other cruises.   The elevators were packed.  It was really annoying by the end of the week.  You can see the banks packed complaining on the pool deck ...15 that it skipped them for going up.  HELLO how about you walk it 1 flight to the WJ....I will touch upon this later.
2.  Sapphire Beach excursion is not worth the $$$.  This excursion felt like I entered a run down hotel site, but because of the beach they milked it for everything they could.  Beach was amazing.  No good snorkeling.
3. Chair hogs...no new tHing.  4 passengers complained in the Solarium regarding the covered beds. Someone placed towels at 6 am. At 8 2 different passengers approached the attendanAt 8:00 I approached at 8:30 and was told the clock started now...the other 2 came up and said I came to you at 8.   They tried to avoid, but everyone kept on them.  I get it, they don't want to address the passenger, but in the end they faced us.  They did remove their stuff.  Spoke to the couple that got it.  They were mad when their showed up at noon.   Where is my stuff ?   They not only took the bed, but 2 loungers.  Nobody cared about the loungers.  Attendant said here it is, you can't leave it for 5 hrs.
Seriously you have to be assertive when it comes to chair hogs
 
Big big thing. 
I would say 25% tested positive covid on sunday the day aftwr. believe it  was tied to 3 things
A. Elevators  seriously walk 1,2,3,4,5 flights.  
Hub and I saw maybe 1 couple on the staircase as we traversed alp week. , yet let's cram into a 6x6 elevator.  Lets cram in the elevator banks too.
B.  Be smart in the vasino. The tables they will make the ok use Pyrell, the sl ok vs the womy.
C. Pay attention to passenger----- I saw many women that did not wash their hands after editing the bathroom.