dodgestang

I always ask the concierge to arrange private table with a window for dining ahead of time and then follow-up as soon as I board ;).

Also.....I always travel with this:  Everyone's device gets charged....only 1 plug used

https://www.amazon.com/Charging-Station-Thopeb-Included-Cables/dp/B07WGY6KBQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1BQ5D0A06IRP6&keywords=4+port+cell+phone+charger+station&qid=1691948801&sprefix=4+port+cell+phone+charger+station%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-6

When you 'check-in' to the ship (usually 30 days or so before sailing) you will get a time to come to the pier.  Also since you are in Star class you can coordinate directly with the Genie about a week out and fine tune your arrive time since they like to walk you onto the site.......at least I think that's a star class suite.....I get them confused sometimes.  If it isn't.....then just show up at the time you get on your setsail pass when you check in and look for the suite lane

On 5/19/2023 at 4:34 PM, janelle said:

how did you pay for pro shoot sitting?  i think i want to arrange that.  is that different from the photo package?

I did it on board.  They called me and asked if I wanted to, so I did.

We always bring a blutooth speaker....we use it xclusively in our cabin.  Love music all day and everyday.....when on board in cabin is really the only place you CAN'T find music

If you are sitting at the table and order the wine, you get to pay...so yes?

Mine was never changed from 1 point.  But I'm at D+ now so I don't really care.

The overwater have paved walkway area to water then easy transition to wide decking area.  The attendants all ride 3 wheel bikes right out to the cabana. 

I take it you left the ship and forget to cash out a couple chips after your last sailing? 

17 hours ago, Pooch said:

We sucked it up and took an 8 night ABC cruise in October to get to Diamond.  2 cruises, 15 nights total in suites during Covid double points promotion = 60 points, gold to Diamond in 2 cruises.

I guess that beats my never cruised before so no status to D+ in 8 cruises

I just gamble to have fun.  It turns out my level of enjoyment puts into Prime on the first cruise I take every new fiscal year.  You'll go crazy trying to keep track of it all and ultimately fool yourself into thinking you're 'getting one over on them'.......

We were going to be a few points shy of Diamond Plus when we went to AK in August....so when we got a free cruise offer for a Jr suite in July...we took it...it put us over the threshold for AK and we got an extra cruise in for good measure.

With that said.....I don't think the benefits are really there to 'pay' for a cruise just to tier up most of the time.  Since this was a port fees and taxes free cruise that we drove to the port to take and the benefit would be 5 free drinks per day (instead of 4) for 4 people on AK cruise.....So $13x7x4= $364 it worked out pretty closely to be a wash.

2 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the wave pool, IMO.

It is if you like waves.  Just without the dirty water.  Sheesh. 

The water park has a wonderfully fun wave pool that I spent hours in last time I was there.  Was like being at the Jersey shore right after a storm

I hate going to the concierge club on Anthem....it is just too far away from everything and there is no easy way.......the elevators are such a long walk and there are no back stairs or anything for public use to short cut the treck.......I suppose what I'm saying is......how many people actually go

Make sure you tell your CC you are cruising.  They love turning off CC the 2nd or 3rd day at sea when RCCL starts hitting them with hold funds/auths against your on board account....and then you are at sea...and its hard to straighten out until you have solid cell service for calls and text messaging.

43 minutes ago, NJCruisers said:

Yeah, that cabin is definitely out of our price range but good for you!

Just pointing out the weather....sitting outside, drinking wine, soaking in the sun.  It had rained the day before, but even then, kids were out on the balcony whale spotting.  I wouldn't let the threat of rain dissuade someone from getting a room with a view.  That's what I meant by different experiences

1 hour ago, steverk said:

Occasionally, you'll hear someone question if it even makes sense to purchase a balcony. You can put me in that category.  Don't get me wrong, on a sunny day, sitting on your balcony in Alaska is tough to beat.  However, Alaska is a chilly, rainy place and it is rare that sitting on your balcony is comfortable.  On my last cruise, the balcony was 3x the price of an interior.  I prefer taking 3 cruises on an interior to 1 cruise with a cold, damp balcony.

We've had extremely different experiences in Alaska

11 hours ago, NJCruisers said:

We will have to use whatever works best with our work schedules and airports.

If you use air canada and/or connect through Toronto Airport....you will miss the cruise.  I literally watched Air Canada cancel a flight out of Philly the day before the cruise and tell passengers how they wouldn't get to Vancouver now until 2 days later (the day after the cruise left port) because of their inability to get flights in the air with crews or get ground crews in place to support the flights that were flying into/out of Toronto.

12 hours ago, JMoff said:

I'm flying to Canada for the Vancouver departure on Sunday. Can I fill out two ArriveCan things before I leave? The email from Royal implies you have to do the second one after you pass through customs. I'd rather just have all this done ahead of time if possible.

The APP only supports one trip at a time.  Royal email will tell you to fill out another one while at airport waiting taxi (or something like that).....the first one is hard because of the info needed, the second one is easier because your travelers are 'saved' in the app

Don't use Air Canada is my only advice I can offer

20 hours ago, ColdRingo said:

Interesting - what's the additional customs check for?  I'm assuming we'll have to hit customs the day prior when we arrive at the airport (and we'll have the ArrivCAN stuff all ready to go too).  We're on the same cruise - can't wait!

Customs is always confusing.  Even if you fly into Canada in the AM of the cruise, you fill out arrivecan for that flight, and then you fill it out again for the cruise.  It is like a prefill out that you are coming back in x number of days.

20 hours ago, Kathleen said:

Thank you. We were fortunate enough to get a 1030 arrival time. So arrival around 10 or 1015 should be appropriate?

We did a 10:30 check in, starting the walk the escalator at the hotel at 10am and where on board by 10:30 (we had to sit waiting for ship to open up for a several minutes along with all the walking between stations where we did things )

Only takes about 10 minutes with good timing, I will warn you though.........there is a LOT of walking involved...it is an interesting process.

Walk down long hallway to ship check in, then double back on a lower level and walk long hallway to customs, then double back again and walk hallway to waiting area to board ship.