Fairlynew

I really would like to try a Central Park or boardwalk balcony because I love to people watch but I hate the tube showers 

CK is awesome.  But specialty restaurants are also great.  In a junior suite, you have limited access to CK for dinner.  With UDP, you have lunch and dinner access to specialty dining.  I was last on harmony in August 2018.  I became friendly with a couple in a junior suite.  They were able to get dinner reservations in CK for 3 evenings. 

Having said that, I enjoy the MDR for dinner.  I like the CK for a relaxing lunch and breakfast, neither of which is an option for a junior suite.  
 

My recommendation would be to keep the UDP and pick and choose a few nights to eat in CK.  Some menus are definitely better than others.

I might be mistaken but I seem to remember that you can’t make MyTime reservations on the CP unless you have pre-paid gratuities.  Hopefully someone who knows more will correct this if I’m wrong 

I’ll second Sharla, except I would open a bottle of champagne/sparkling wine!

Can you still enjoy a cocktail in the theater?    

Royal Caribbean banned a couple who took 6 cruises over 3 years and had constant complaints.    Sort of made me wonder why they kept trying.   Writer includes comments from RC   

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24711659

I am SO happy to hear this!    Have a great time on the college visit!    If the heat there is anything like it is in NC, being pushed in a chair might be a plus

In terms of mask enforcement, what is the standard for actively eating and drinking?  Do you have to remove and replace mask each time you take a sip or a bite?

You will love Coastal Kitchen!  You won't need to do any specialty dining.  

On the flip side, the Aqua Theater 80s themed show is absolutely fabulous.  We just skipped Cats.  

Wow-mine has not yet opened for an August 27 sailing on Ovation.

Are suites getting any type of priority boarding?

This may be a deal breaker for me.   I am fully vaccinated and see no reason to wear a mask.  

18 minutes ago, rjac said:

AYSM! Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for those jeans?

Someone who either doesn't own or know how to use a pair of scissors.

If someone else has posted this, I apologize, but I found this article to be very interesting.  The Points Guy is/was on Celebrity Edge and interviewed Richard Fain.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/why-cruise-ships-slow-to-return/

Interesting.  I am on ovation in August and cannot see any menus on the app- not CK or mdr 

Where did you find the CK menu?  My app is not showing any menus.

Thanks.

Thank you for suggesting this.  I had not thought of doing so.  The reviews were really good.  

We are sailing August 27, 2021, and there are very few excursions at any port and some are sold out.

I am currently booked in a Sky Class suite.  I sailed Sky class several times and love it.  I am considering upgrading to a Star Class suite, but it is a lot of extra money.   There are no kids in our group-a lot of discussions about Star talks about the benefits to kids.  What are some of the intangible benefits for adults?  I know things will be different post-Covid.  Do you think this will make the Genie more valuable?  I am pretty self-sufficient.  What can the Genie do that I can't do for myself, with the help of the suite concierge?

Many thanks.

Well, if it is really bad, we can suffer together!

I think it varies.  I found out about 2 weeks after I placed the bid.  I got the option to bid about 2 months before the cruise, so I found out about the upgrade about 6 weeks before sailing.  I don't know how typical this is.  I have seen others comment that their bid status was pending up to about 12 hours before boarding, at which point it switched to not accepted.

Our cruise is August 27.

This excursion looks interesting but very long.  Has anyone done this one?  If so, did you enjoy it?  My fear is spending 7 miserable hours if it is a poorly run excursion.

Here is the description:

Breathe in Alaska's wild essence while on a seven-hour jetboat adventure that traces the length of Tracy Arm fjord to offer up-close views of the twin Sawyer Glaciers, plus wildlife sightings and lunch on board. Relax in the warm, spacious cabin or on the top observation deck of a deluxe jetboat, with an experienced captain at the helm. An onboard naturalist guide shares all about the ecosystem of Tongass National Forest, as towering ice-carved cliffs covered in dense evergreens surround you along the shore of Tracy Arm fjord. You'll enjoy the rare chance to see both the South and North Sawyer Glaciers, two massive tidewater icecaps — one of which is only accessible by small expedition boat — that extend more than a half-mile wide and are known for their spectacular calving ice displays. Feast your eyes on bright-blue ice backdropped by sky-piercing mountain peaks — and keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, as black bears, bald eagles, harbor seals, mountain goats and whales are often seen in these remote parts. On the return cruise through Stephens Passage you'll savor a picnic-style meal featuring Alaskan smoked salmon served with more eye-catching wilderness scenery throughout the Alexander Archipelago. 

Happens to us all!