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Royal released their schedule for 2022, and most of the dates seem to have Allure docked internationally. So I am guessing they will be doing the refurbishments then? Which is unfortunate for me as I was desperately waiting to sail a refurbished ship with Oasis of Seas no longer porting from Florida. Leaves me with Harmony since I already did Symphony.

Once Allure is refurbished (assuming they do not remove anything that was stated to be added) what will be different between their refurbishment and the one the Oasis went under in 2019? As the main thing I was interested in was the new 2 story music hall and the karaoke room, which both of them would've had. Is there anything different in the refurbishments?

3 hours ago, Matt said:

You can cancel up to 48 hours before your cruise with no penalty under the Cruise with Confidence program, but that gets you a 100% future cruise credit.

To get a refund you still have to cancel before final payment date (or if Royal Caribbean cancels the cruise instead of you).

Prior to final payment, you have to choose the refundable option correct which is like an extra $100-200 per guest in booking cost but you get 100% refund? If you choose the non-refundable option and cancel prior to final payment you lose $100 per person right?

When it opens I want to book Allure of Seas for May/June of 2022. I believe Royal updated their cancellation policy? If you select the protection to get a refund if you cancel how late can you do it? I thought I read you can now cancel a few days before you sail when before it was like 2-3 months prior and you'll get 100% money back?

Can someone please explain the cancellation policy for if you choose the refund option or the nonrefundable option? Is it really a 100% refund or will Royal keep a little bit of the money?

I am asking because if Allure is not renovated by May 2022 (which I would know when 2022 starts) then I would switch ships to sail the Symphony again (or Odyssey of the Seas if no other group joins us).

I'm actually thinking of booking two ships when they release the full schedule for 2022 just to have a backup in case renovations are not done.

Ok I'm more than a year out from sailing date in May 2021. I know 95% of the rooms have to be available. What's the trick to booking a connecting room lol. It shows an option to show connected rooms when I do 2 rooms. I have 3 guest in each room. It shows the arrows for connecting rooms but doesn't allow me to book both rooms. It's either the room with the door and then 2 units down for every connecting room. Is this something I have to call and get them to give it to me (and they probably will upcharge me) or what's the deal. Anyone had success booking connected rooms online?

2 hours ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

I find the refundable fare to be about the same price (or more) than if I just make the change and pay the fee (because I'm going on A CRUISE just maybe not that one LOL). I'd cancel and re-book when it got closer and plans became 100%, however, we all know fares go up so it's a horrible gamble. 

I've never done a refundable cruise. I've always booked max 3 months out, and the past one I booked it two weeks beforehand and scored the best price since a year out from sailing. The only reason I am doing refundable this time around is because I am booking so soon. Priceline Cruises has shown the best prices, even for the cruise we did last year. So I just want to keep my options open being so far out between cruise alerts I am getting and priceline. That way with refundable I can get my money back 100% between now and 90 days from sailing in May 2021.  I am still waiting for prices to show between 800-900 for a balcony for this silly refurbished allure. Lowest is like 1000 for interior room, which I  wouldn't mind but I think we will need that extra space with putting a crib/pack n play inside the room.

Thank you guys. I see it now. Before they used to do it before you selected your room, so it was throwing me off. There was a blue box where you choose refundable or non-refundable rate.

Are there no more refundable options for future cruises? I am looking to book Allure of the Seas for May 30, 2021. I am 100% going on this date, the other people booking would like a refundable option + I want one too in case I decide to cancel booking and book with an agent that may offer same price + extra perks. Right now I am just trying to secure room, as I know the prices will go lower later this year for those dates.

When I go to book on direct website and other places there's no refundable option. Anyone else seen this sort of thing too?

You can definitely do 4 people in a room if it's just 2 adults and 2 kids. Unless your kids are extremely crazy and all you guys do is stay in the room then maybe it's not a good option. So I wouldn't let anything scare you from booking 4 people in a room. With that said you can easily pay the same price and just get a  room next door. The question with that is are your kids old enough to be in a room next door by themselves with you being comfortable or is mommy and daddy going to sleep separately and have one stay with each kid.

For my sake, kids are sleeping in their own room just like they do at home lol. Life is easy with just 1 kid, but once you start adding more (like me) things get more complicated smh.

The best is Oasis class. All of them are the same. We first went on Oasis years back before it was amplified with slides. It's different an experience to go on a big ship with the neighborhoods. Look into ANY of the Oasis ships, find the best pricing and book it. There's only very small details different between the ships in that class, and since it'll be your first in the class the only thing important is which one is cheapest for your dates.

I am not sailing on Oasis, but rather Allure in 2021. But curious if anyone knows if the room decor has been updated for Oasis of Seas? I know the rooms have new door locks, but I am talking more about the inside. I went on Oasis maybe 5 years ago, and sailed Symphony earlier this year and did like the inside of Symphony much better. Not that it matters that much, just curious if they upgrade rooms too

1 minute ago, twangster said:

This can vary by region so you do have to careful with this answer. 

In the U.S. only a cruise booked as refundable would receive a 100% refund up to final payment due date.

If you do not specifically request a refundable fare the booking would be non-refundable deposit.  In that case there is a $100 penalty per person to change ship or sail date (or cancel).  Any difference between the deposit and the $100 fee is offered in the form of future cruise credit that is valid for one year.  FCC is awarded for each named person on the booking in that person's name.  Only they can use it in the future.    

For example if the deposit is $250 per person and you cancel a non-refundable booking then $100 is lost to the fee and $150 is awarded in FCC per person.  If the cruise had a $450 deposit the $100 is lost to the fee and $350 is awarded in FCC per person.

For most cruises final payment due date is 90 days out.  For some shorter cruises it's 60 days. 

Full suites are typically only available as non-refundable.  There are some exception but generally speaking full suite are always non-refundable.  

Thank you. Everyone who would come would pay full cost upfront. That breakdown is perfect. Do the refundable cruise which is typically more money you get 100% refund, do the nonrefundable (which I always do and is cheaper) then you risk losing $100 per person if you cancel.

Great job explaining!

I will be booking a cruise in summer of 2021. I have no intentions on cancelling but there are some family members who said they want to come. Since the cruise is so far ahead if we booked in January of 2020, what is the cancellation period to get 100% refund. So if we paid $4,502 with taxes, that the entire amount is refunded. Is it 3 months from sailing date? We will be booking most likely not direct with Royal as I've never been on a cruise where booking direct gave you the cheapest rates.

This way I can let the interested parties know they can lock in good rates and have until x day to cancel to get ALL of their money back, not even a dollar missing.

I mentioned Odyseey with the Oasis because it's the newest ship so it should be more in direct comparison to the Oasis class for popularity vs. the older class ships. So was looking for feedback from people who have sailed on Oasis class ships for the holiday.

The pricing is not of concern, I honestly think $1000 is pretty cheap really for new ship on holiday week.

24 minutes ago, ellcee said:

+1

haha, to be fair I didn't actually dine at any respectable NY pizza spot. Just wanted to take a dig at NY since my wife is from Jersey. I had one of those cheap slices off the tourist area. But to be fair when most people talk about having a NY pizza who are not from the area they are generally talking about from the times square area or at least the dozen+ people I've spoken to were.

1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

Last time I tried Sorrento's pizza was the first and only time I've tried it, last year when I sailed on Freedom pre-revised recipe. I'm on Anthem in 16 days, will have to try a slice. You know, in the name of research...

I'm a fellow pizza snob (I'm from NJ, after all), and at least pre-update the pizza on Freedom was not horrible but not good by any stretch.

Definitely don't forget to post your thoughts in this thread! I'll eat any pizza, I'm just too addicted to it. I think the taste was just a downgrade from before so mentally I shut off and prevented myself from eating there. I tried to force myself one late night to give it a second chance and regretted it. With the old recipe I could grab a slice every night and never complain.

Jersey has some decent pizza. The best I've ever had is in Wisconsin (racine to be specific). I've had amazing pizza also in St Louis. Wasn't too thrilled about NY pizza, I think NJ has them beat. Now mind you my favorite is just your basic pep and cheese.

I was on Symphony of Seas. Friend was on Allure of Seas.

I'm not a picky person. I understand the quality of food for cruises vs. nationwide chain (applebees, red lobster, etc) vs. mom/pop vs. fine dining in major city. I don't mistreat cruise food for fine dining, or compare local restaurant to nationwide chain. You have to know what to expect on each level. My taste buds generally line up with other people, friends and strangers when discussing dishes.

It was the best pizza to begin with but it was something you can enjoy real quick. It was a step above Cici/Stevie Bs initially, then the remake brought it below their level. And when your mentioning Cici/Stevie B's as your competition your already at the bottom of the totem pole lol.

Have you experience it at all yet?

Not sure what everyone else thinks but I have no idea how the new pizza recipe are getting good reviews compared to the last one. I am a big pizza lover, and although cruise ships pizzas are nothing to talk about...at least the last recipe before it was changed you could actually eat. This new recipe is like cardboard now. For me to turn down pizza there has to be something SERIOUSLY wrong. It was difficult to finish a slice and trust me there's not one food that comes close to pizza for me.

So I thought maybe it's all in my head since I knew they changed the recipe. Nope, my friend just came back from his first cruise 2 weeks ago and it said it was the worst pizza he's had. It's below Stevie B's and CiCi's pziza to me. This guy is not a picky eater either and will eat up some free food (especially late at night after drinking) and he avoided the pizza.

Lets hope in a year or two we get another revamp recipe. Something just doesn't taste right with the toppings and crust this time around.

Curious what the gameplan is considering you want to eat breakfast and catch a flight at 12:30 in ft lauderdale when your at the miami port. When's the latest a person should start to attempt to get off the boat? Carry own luggage or have royal take care of it? All the other flights are around 5:30 which leaves a lot of time with suitcases and no room.

1 minute ago, soremekun said:

Are things different from a computer?

Completely forgot the website exists LOL. Pulled it up and it definitely works. I hate it when these large companies release apps and it doesn't work fully. They pay so much money, like 100k+. I could've built it for 40k (or 20k if I'm not greedy) and it would've been fully functioning lol.

7 minutes ago, soremekun said:

When you sign un and visit the cruise planner, are you able to book your entertainment?

Cruise planner I assume is the middle icon at the top. Where if you click it the screen will show Day 1. The first thing it shows is 6AM "We're finalizing activities schedules". Is that way there's no option?

I can scroll down to 8PM, will see show 1977 in Studio B, click it and the Reserve now button is grayed out. Says below, "for reservations, please call"

I'm not in a rush, just curious if its just me. On oasis of seas I didn't do the shows until day 1 when we entered the cabin and did it from their tv.

How do you book reservations for the shows in advance? I'm sailing on June 8 for symphony and I don't see the option to do the shows. Someone have a screenshot perhaps of what theirs looks like?

Anyone happen to know the differences between 4I, 2I, 1I boardwalk balconies on symphony of seas?

4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The atmosphere will be pretty much the same but without so many children.  Definitely no need to worry about it being an "old" crowd.  The big ships are magnets for all age groups.

Ok, just trying to give him as much information as possible. He's a night owl and although he's a fun person individually, depending on your personality you still want to have some sort of energy around the ship at night. I know there was in the summer months because that's the only time I've cruised and I've also read in the off season it attracts an older crowd. When we sail we get all the age groups but perhaps most of it is late 30s to 40s with children, then sprinkle in some 50+ who is cruising with their with family (like my parents did). For all the events, rather its the game shows, comedy, karaoke, motown singing, there was always a lot of energy as we are from a big city so it feels like home to us lol.

Side note, I didn't really notice a ridiculous amount of children when we sailed. There were kids around, but the ship is so large that I noticed more adults than kids. Perhaps it's because I'm a parent and I don't notice it that much or probably its perhaps I don't pay attention to people at all.