kadmgs

High biscuits are my favorite but I love the little hummingbird pix.  So sweet

I don't know how to say this, maybe just pull the bandaid off...I LOVED the STAR class experience, and I have designs on booking another Star Class cabin BUT and here goes, oh dear oh my....... Sky class is the perfect sailing experience for me BUT I had to experience STAR to understand this.
I enjoyed embarkation so much, I enjoyed Derick even more, he was very grounded and understood right away we wanted to be present in the experience and didn't want to ONLY check off boxes. 
I enjoy a large cabin and a balcony space I can spread out on, I'm content spending hours out there. We normally eat in a snack type way, my daughter and her weightlifting has us eating smaller things more frequently so while reservations for lunch and dinner were amazing to have, we did cancel a few lunch dates for a more brunch or even one time linner situation; as there was a great deal of time spent meeting Derick on time for things that were set and we sometimes sail a bit looser then that. 
**as suspected we canceled a dinner for the last night .... we eat sparsely the night before disembarkation for a more comfortable morning and drive home, we were just going to grab picky bland things from WJ I thought his head would pop off. He secured us an early table in Chops, so funny!
I thought I loved the laundry but good for pressing that's all. Several of my shirts and one cardigan were toddler sized when I received them back, shame on me totally on me I should not have sent them. Lesson learned, no biggie. 
I like to walk and I felt like a proper jerk on the golf cart going to and from Barefoot Beach beeping at people walking on the path, I was trying to disappear myself it's not that far but I did feel special at the same time, weird dynamic. Love the Bare Foot Beach experience. 
I enjoyed the seats chosen for us in entertainment venues but in Sky if I arrive at the proper time I can secure great seats myself. 
I LOVED how stress-free and easy disembarkation was, as no one ever dwells on this process the ease in which we arrived at our SUV was priceless.
I am so happy and blessed I enjoyed my STAR Class experience, I will do it again. But to say I will only sail STAR is just false, it's wonderful. But Sky class is my happy place. While my daughter will beg to differ, hahaha I created a Star class snob, boy does she miss Derick!
Our next sailing is on the Mariner so that will actually be a pretty proper shock. We are in that little Panoramic Suite 1804 for the first time, no balcony but two restrooms. 
Will I reach for my Star again?  Yes, but personally for me I hope you are sitting down reading this...... Sky is my sweet spot, my perfectly adequate happy place! I too am in shock by this admission, lol. 
Humble and kind, have you heard that song? That is my center, I tell myself that everyday and my blessings are to many to count. Thanks for sharing your time with me!
 

I told DW last night about your fiasco with the luggage and how I am now going back to packing an extra set of clothes in my carry-on like I did before we were married. She hates dealing with carry-ons and would check everything if it were up to her after her years in the military dealing with carrying gear on a plane. She just looked at me. Nope, not spending a week in the same clothes because you don't want to deal with a bag. Sounds like you otherwise had a great spring break. We are now counting down the class days left. My seniors can tell you exactly how many they have left (so can I 😆). 

“There is strong demand. And obviously, with the environment being what it is, there's been an opportunity to raise price, and we've been capturing that opportunity.”
if they're being that brazen in their increase & there's no pushback from consumers, it's probably a matter of when, not if RCCL & other cruise lines follow suit, unfortunately.
i think it's already started, somewhat with the lack of true promotions on the cruise planner

I booked my cruise on the Radiance out of Galveston going to CocoCay, can't wait to see it next February!

We have done this as well and didn't have an issue. 

We have about 8 weeks until our next cruise. It will be our first on an Oasis class ship. The Symphony.  I am excited because we are going on this cruise to experience the ship and not for the itinerary. As much as I love dogs I am looking forward to not walking our dog every day. 

When I wake-up tomorrow morning, I'll have 49 days until my next cruise on the Ovation of the Seas, Alaska.  It's been a long dry spell.  The thing I like best about cruising is sea days.  I just love sitting in a bar, on the balcony, anywhere on the ship where I can see the Ocean, land masses, inside passages go by.  Not to mention the great tasting food and drink.  I've never enjoyed a vacation more than one on a cruise ship and Royal makes it even better.  

I spend time in the room and on the balcony so I need to be comfortable.  I go back to the room almost every day around 3 & read (or snooze) on the balcony til dinner at 6.  

Same... haven't used it for hanging a curtain, but have used them for hats, lanyards, etc.

The 1 to 2 ships already docked at Cococay is the only legit reason I see here, even then. I'm sure Royal can allow 1 ship a week or even every 2 weeks outta Galveston to dock there. The sale number argument dont make sense since Royal never actually attempted to sell a normal Cococay itinerary out of Galveston thus far. The only sailing to Cococay from Galveston thus far has been repositioning cruises.

I’m not sure how we go back to a lesser room.  October cruise is a JS on Explorer to get to Diamond.  I think it’s gonna be rough!

In fact after just checking now, Carnival Dream currently sails to their private island Half Moon Cay from Galveston every other week. Which is near Cococay. Its an 8 nighter but they also stop at freeport, Nassau, and Key West as well. Royal can skip Freeport and make it a 7 nighter easily. So Geography is definitely not an excuse. 

Its not Geography, as I stated in my post Carnival had regular 7 day itineraries to Nassau, Key West, and Jamaica from Galveston (prior to KW shutting down). Royal could easily do Nassau, Cococay, Jamaica or Grand Cayman in one 7 day itinerary from Galveston. I can't tell you how often I've heard complaints down here from frequent cruisers about how Royal needs to broaden their itineraries from Galveston as Cozumel and Costa Maya is starting to get tiring.

Not sure if this was discussed before,  but we love Cococay but hates having to fly to Florida all the time just to get onto ships to visit Cococay. I'm still confused as to why Royal rarely visit Cococay from Galveston sailings. It doesn't seem to be a distance issue as Carnival had itineraries to Nassau Bahamas and Key West from Galveston often on 7 night itineraries previouly. In fact I never understood why itineraries from Galveston are so limited in general. Its also just as doable to places like Panama Canal from Galveston vs from Ft Lauderdale. 

Only one extra set? Are you sure about that? lol

The judge may or may not want to go after airlines for similar reasons.  But in order to do so, a case involving the airlines would have to come through her court.  Whoever filed the current lawsuit may be attempting to set a precedent by suing the cruise lines first because they believe it is an easier case to win.  That kind of thing happens all the time.

A mix of politics and merit.  
Real people were impacted by actions of the Cuban government.  However the US government and/or many states will gladly take your land when they need or want it right here in the US.  Here's 10 cents on the dollar.  Eminent domain is alive and well.  
There are many people who did have land and property seized in Cuba so the issues are real and like everything else opinions fall depending if you and someone close to you was impacted.  
However at this point it's mostly a political conversation. 

There was a couple on board with a us a few years ago that danced in the Centrium every night. She was always in sparkly/sequined boots, either bunny or cat ears, and hot pants/short shorts with fish nets. He was always in cargo shorts or Demin shorts with a Hawaiian shirt, sometimes the sleeves were missing. Didn't matter the song, they were dancing and had some signature moves. They were definitely the star of the show whether they knew it or not. As we were waiting for our departure group to be called, two ladies were sitting behind us talking about "Sparkly Boots" and wondering if they had participated in 70's night. I turned around and said yes, they did. The lady asked me how I knew who she was talking about and I said the whole ship knew... ?. 

I told DW last night about your fiasco with the luggage and how I am now going back to packing an extra set of clothes in my carry-on like I did before we were married. She hates dealing with carry-ons and would check everything if it were up to her after her years in the military dealing with carrying gear on a plane. She just looked at me. Nope, not spending a week in the same clothes because you don't want to deal with a bag. Sounds like you otherwise had a great spring break. We are now counting down the class days left. My seniors can tell you exactly how many they have left (so can I 😆). 

This is interesting and almost guaranteed to go to the 11th Circuit on appeal. I would like to see the evidence to prove the "cruise ships were taking passengers outside the travel categories allowed by law." If I remember correctly, cultural education was a listed travel category. The judge is splitting hairs if she states that "excursions to nightclubs, landmarks, rivers and beaches when they began traveling to Cuba in 2016" are not a part of cultural education. I would question her understanding of culture if that's the case. 

It wouldn't hurt to order it now. We aren't sailing until July, but we ordered a 4 pack in January to have on hand. I don't remember exactly when they expire, but I do remember that we noted they would still work if we have to test for our November sailing.
 
BTW, love your username! We had it on VHS as well. 🙂

I find the "fat" on pork belly a problem as well if it isn't cooked long enough. Honestly, they have to basically fry it or smoked it to the point that it looks like bacon for me to get past the gross mouth feel of the fat. I figured out with the filet that I don't in fact like truffle (I already knew this, but gave it the ol' college try), so I know going forward to order the filet without the truffle oil. I have a feeling that's what you tasted that was funky. To me, it has a medicinal/petrochemical flavor that I just can't jump on the bandwagon for. 

I told DW last night about your fiasco with the luggage and how I am now going back to packing an extra set of clothes in my carry-on like I did before we were married. She hates dealing with carry-ons and would check everything if it were up to her after her years in the military dealing with carrying gear on a plane. She just looked at me. Nope, not spending a week in the same clothes because you don't want to deal with a bag. Sounds like you otherwise had a great spring break. We are now counting down the class days left. My seniors can tell you exactly how many they have left (so can I 😆). 

I told DW last night about your fiasco with the luggage and how I am now going back to packing an extra set of clothes in my carry-on like I did before we were married. She hates dealing with carry-ons and would check everything if it were up to her after her years in the military dealing with carrying gear on a plane. She just looked at me. Nope, not spending a week in the same clothes because you don't want to deal with a bag. Sounds like you otherwise had a great spring break. We are now counting down the class days left. My seniors can tell you exactly how many they have left (so can I 😆).