Fairlynew

Thanks for the information.   I decided to go with a 5 day mother/daughter trip in October.  We have seen very little of each other this year due to covid and she couldn’t take enough time off to due canal crossing.   I’ll save that one for another time tho I am sorry to miss the chance to be on the same ship as the mysterious Twangster

Thanks for the information.   I decided to go with a 5 day mother/daughter trip in October.  We have seen very little of each other this year due to covid and she couldn’t take enough time off to due canal crossing.   I’ll save that one for another time tho I am sorry to miss the chance to be on the same ship as the mysterious Twangster

Just to start emphatically state they should not plan on purchasing you a cabin gift. I want my MEI guru to keep ALL of the tiny stipend she receives for my booking. Inquire if and when they are sailing and then call RCCL and purchase her a surprise gift if possible, a bottle of champagne perhaps? 
I am sure though recommendations of their outstanding services and warm assistance to your friends and family for future bookings would be appreciated all the more. 

Its the thought that counts.

You can still tell them you’re doing it for them.  

You can still tell them you’re doing it for them.  

You can still tell them you’re doing it for them.  

I ve been to Nassau in March and may and castaway cay in March.    I found the water to be uncomfortably cold all three times.  Of course,  I am cold natured and a whimp.   I don’t even like the ocean in NC until July.     

It has happened to me a few times.  It resolves itself within  a few minutes, usually.  Once it took a little longer to fix, but when I got in, I discovered that my minimal Royal Up bid had been accepted.  

It has happened to me a few times.  It resolves itself within  a few minutes, usually.  Once it took a little longer to fix, but when I got in, I discovered that my minimal Royal Up bid had been accepted.  

It has happened to me a few times.  It resolves itself within  a few minutes, usually.  Once it took a little longer to fix, but when I got in, I discovered that my minimal Royal Up bid had been accepted.  

We sailed out of Baltimore on Grandeur and the seas were disappointingly calm. We enjoy a little rocking motion while we sleep but the water was smooth as glass all the way. Apparently a hurricane in the Gulf sucked all the energy out of the Gulf Stream and didn't give us any wave action to enjoy.

Based on this, it looks like I should try to reach Diamond before trying Celebrity.  I also will postpone the canal until I make Diamond, then I can choose between Celebrity and RC (although RC seems to transit the canal very rarely).
The historical significance is the reason this particular cruise is on my bucket list.  The engineering feat continues to amaze me!  My daddy was a civil engineer and loved David McCullough's book.

Thank you for the pictures!  I was excited before, but seeing those pictures has increased my enthusiasm.  It was less than $200 to add a second person to the room (pricing is so weird), so if my daughter decides she will get too sea sick and my husband decides no, I really will not lose much money on a solo sailing.  
 
These days, I am not worried about guaranteed sunshine for this time next year-I will be happy with a guaranteed sailing.

Thank you for the pictures!  I was excited before, but seeing those pictures has increased my enthusiasm.  It was less than $200 to add a second person to the room (pricing is so weird), so if my daughter decides she will get too sea sick and my husband decides no, I really will not lose much money on a solo sailing.  
 
These days, I am not worried about guaranteed sunshine for this time next year-I will be happy with a guaranteed sailing.

Yeah, the only issue with a weekend cruise is that getting to port will cost more than the cruise.  I'm slightly beyond driving distance-at least any distance I'm willing to drive!    I can tack a short cruise on the January cruise-going to Labadee and Key West to get the point for Diamond, but it won't give me the double points, so I'm not sure it's worth it.  

IF the cruises I currently have booked (2) make it out of port with me on them (and the odds are decent since 1 is Alaska 8/21 and the other is Caribbean 1/22), I will have 79 points at the end of the second cruise-obviously one away from Diamond.  I have looked at several options to take advantage of the double points, but nothing is jumping out at me, except the Panama Canal crossing, which I am not sure I can make work logistically, even though I have decided a balcony room is fine-what a sacrifice, right?  
Having said all of this, should I really try to find something to get that extra point?  Should I really focus on 2021 to get the double points because they will be valuable in the future? 
My hope is to do one or more cruises in Europe in the summer of 2022, if that makes any difference.  That was also the goal for 2021, but we all know how that worked out!  In the past, some of the Celebrity itineraries in Europe have been more appealing.  I know that Diamond is the highest match on Celebrity; should I focus on Diamond status prior to trying Celebrity?
I have several weeks of unused vacation-if I don't use it, it will automatically go to sick leave-not as bad as losing it since they will pay out sick leave at retirement, but I'd rather use it!
I know each situation is unique, but I am interested in the wisdom and experience that this group so freely shares. 
On a somewhat related issue, I may need to change my user name....I chose it because I didn't want people to make mean comments when I was truly new to Royal and relatively new to cruising.  I needn't have bothered.  Ya'll are all wonderful and kind to everyone!

The bar in Wonderland is a lot of fun, and usually quiet.  It is a fun place to enjoy the view and atmosphere without eating the weird food.  
I will say that The World desert is really good.  When we were at the bar one night, we asked if they could serve us desert only for a price.  The bartender called the manager who agreed and said it would cost $10.  We were full that night but told them we would we come another night.
We were sailing Sky class and ate all dinners in Coastal Kitchen.  We did not like the deserts in CK one night and told the waiter that we were going to take advantage of the desert offer at Wonderland.  The restaurant manager came to our table and arranged for us to have free desert in Wonderland.  He said he could have it brought up but thought we would have more fun going down there to sample the atmosphere.  He was right!  It was great fun, and we would have gladly paid $10 each, but there turned out to be no charge thanks to the CK manager.

The bar in Wonderland is a lot of fun, and usually quiet.  It is a fun place to enjoy the view and atmosphere without eating the weird food.  
I will say that The World desert is really good.  When we were at the bar one night, we asked if they could serve us desert only for a price.  The bartender called the manager who agreed and said it would cost $10.  We were full that night but told them we would we come another night.
We were sailing Sky class and ate all dinners in Coastal Kitchen.  We did not like the deserts in CK one night and told the waiter that we were going to take advantage of the desert offer at Wonderland.  The restaurant manager came to our table and arranged for us to have free desert in Wonderland.  He said he could have it brought up but thought we would have more fun going down there to sample the atmosphere.  He was right!  It was great fun, and we would have gladly paid $10 each, but there turned out to be no charge thanks to the CK manager.

I was Gold on Royal when I did my first Celebrity cruise.  I chose Celebrity over Royal on that occasion taking all aspects of status and climbing the C&A ladder out of the equation.  It was a better ship for money.  I could have climbed Royal faster and deferred Celebrity but I took status off the table and looked at the choice on the basic merits of the ship (itinerary was identical).  No regrets.    
Even as I have reached C&A milestones it wasn't lost on me I would have been here one cruise sooner if only... yet looking back I made the right choice and I'd do it again.  

IF the cruises I currently have booked (2) make it out of port with me on them (and the odds are decent since 1 is Alaska 8/21 and the other is Caribbean 1/22), I will have 79 points at the end of the second cruise-obviously one away from Diamond.  I have looked at several options to take advantage of the double points, but nothing is jumping out at me, except the Panama Canal crossing, which I am not sure I can make work logistically, even though I have decided a balcony room is fine-what a sacrifice, right?  
Having said all of this, should I really try to find something to get that extra point?  Should I really focus on 2021 to get the double points because they will be valuable in the future? 
My hope is to do one or more cruises in Europe in the summer of 2022, if that makes any difference.  That was also the goal for 2021, but we all know how that worked out!  In the past, some of the Celebrity itineraries in Europe have been more appealing.  I know that Diamond is the highest match on Celebrity; should I focus on Diamond status prior to trying Celebrity?
I have several weeks of unused vacation-if I don't use it, it will automatically go to sick leave-not as bad as losing it since they will pay out sick leave at retirement, but I'd rather use it!
I know each situation is unique, but I am interested in the wisdom and experience that this group so freely shares. 
On a somewhat related issue, I may need to change my user name....I chose it because I didn't want people to make mean comments when I was truly new to Royal and relatively new to cruising.  I needn't have bothered.  Ya'll are all wonderful and kind to everyone!

IF the cruises I currently have booked (2) make it out of port with me on them (and the odds are decent since 1 is Alaska 8/21 and the other is Caribbean 1/22), I will have 79 points at the end of the second cruise-obviously one away from Diamond.  I have looked at several options to take advantage of the double points, but nothing is jumping out at me, except the Panama Canal crossing, which I am not sure I can make work logistically, even though I have decided a balcony room is fine-what a sacrifice, right?  
Having said all of this, should I really try to find something to get that extra point?  Should I really focus on 2021 to get the double points because they will be valuable in the future? 
My hope is to do one or more cruises in Europe in the summer of 2022, if that makes any difference.  That was also the goal for 2021, but we all know how that worked out!  In the past, some of the Celebrity itineraries in Europe have been more appealing.  I know that Diamond is the highest match on Celebrity; should I focus on Diamond status prior to trying Celebrity?
I have several weeks of unused vacation-if I don't use it, it will automatically go to sick leave-not as bad as losing it since they will pay out sick leave at retirement, but I'd rather use it!
I know each situation is unique, but I am interested in the wisdom and experience that this group so freely shares. 
On a somewhat related issue, I may need to change my user name....I chose it because I didn't want people to make mean comments when I was truly new to Royal and relatively new to cruising.  I needn't have bothered.  Ya'll are all wonderful and kind to everyone!

IF the cruises I currently have booked (2) make it out of port with me on them (and the odds are decent since 1 is Alaska 8/21 and the other is Caribbean 1/22), I will have 79 points at the end of the second cruise-obviously one away from Diamond.  I have looked at several options to take advantage of the double points, but nothing is jumping out at me, except the Panama Canal crossing, which I am not sure I can make work logistically, even though I have decided a balcony room is fine-what a sacrifice, right?  
Having said all of this, should I really try to find something to get that extra point?  Should I really focus on 2021 to get the double points because they will be valuable in the future? 
My hope is to do one or more cruises in Europe in the summer of 2022, if that makes any difference.  That was also the goal for 2021, but we all know how that worked out!  In the past, some of the Celebrity itineraries in Europe have been more appealing.  I know that Diamond is the highest match on Celebrity; should I focus on Diamond status prior to trying Celebrity?
I have several weeks of unused vacation-if I don't use it, it will automatically go to sick leave-not as bad as losing it since they will pay out sick leave at retirement, but I'd rather use it!
I know each situation is unique, but I am interested in the wisdom and experience that this group so freely shares. 
On a somewhat related issue, I may need to change my user name....I chose it because I didn't want people to make mean comments when I was truly new to Royal and relatively new to cruising.  I needn't have bothered.  Ya'll are all wonderful and kind to everyone!

IF the cruises I currently have booked (2) make it out of port with me on them (and the odds are decent since 1 is Alaska 8/21 and the other is Caribbean 1/22), I will have 79 points at the end of the second cruise-obviously one away from Diamond.  I have looked at several options to take advantage of the double points, but nothing is jumping out at me, except the Panama Canal crossing, which I am not sure I can make work logistically, even though I have decided a balcony room is fine-what a sacrifice, right?  
Having said all of this, should I really try to find something to get that extra point?  Should I really focus on 2021 to get the double points because they will be valuable in the future? 
My hope is to do one or more cruises in Europe in the summer of 2022, if that makes any difference.  That was also the goal for 2021, but we all know how that worked out!  In the past, some of the Celebrity itineraries in Europe have been more appealing.  I know that Diamond is the highest match on Celebrity; should I focus on Diamond status prior to trying Celebrity?
I have several weeks of unused vacation-if I don't use it, it will automatically go to sick leave-not as bad as losing it since they will pay out sick leave at retirement, but I'd rather use it!
I know each situation is unique, but I am interested in the wisdom and experience that this group so freely shares. 
On a somewhat related issue, I may need to change my user name....I chose it because I didn't want people to make mean comments when I was truly new to Royal and relatively new to cruising.  I needn't have bothered.  Ya'll are all wonderful and kind to everyone!

Based on this, it looks like I should try to reach Diamond before trying Celebrity.  I also will postpone the canal until I make Diamond, then I can choose between Celebrity and RC (although RC seems to transit the canal very rarely).
The historical significance is the reason this particular cruise is on my bucket list.  The engineering feat continues to amaze me!  My daddy was a civil engineer and loved David McCullough's book.