Vancity Cruiser

I thought I would have a huge problem with this but when I ended up on another cruise line that had self service it wasn't really that big of a deal after the first day. Just made sure to wash and/or sanitize my hands again after filling my plate. Of course it was at greatly reduced capacity but I feel that as long as one takes care of their own personal hygeine you should be ok.

2 hours ago, steverk said:

The nextcruise pricing seems to match what your travel agent can get. Booking on board will get more on board credit and a reduced deposit for nonrefundable fares. The reduction can be significant.  For example,  i booked a 14 day Greenland cruise.  Normal deposit was $900. On board it was $200. The obc was $300.

Based on this. It makes sense to wait book on board if you're going to be on board within a within a week or so, but I wouldn't wait any longer. 

They can actually have you linked to your travel agent. When we book on board they ask if we want our booking transferred straight to our agent

9 hours ago, 12thman said:

My advice is travel in a group only during the day. You can see Pike Place Market, Space Needle, etc. Use common sense. Avoid homeless encampment as drug dealers, mentally disabled, and other's have been know to harass and rob tourists. If gas prices remain high Uber and Lyft diver's are quitting. 

Well there’s a positive endorsement

Over the last couple weeks I have had managed over $1400 dollars in savings over 3 cruises! It continues to surprise me because when looking at new cruises prices seem to be going up

I like the analogy @Matt used on his livestream that getting rid of the protocols is like saying ‘hey our team is in first place, we should get rid of our best players, we don’t need them’. I don’t like the testing either but it is what has made cruising able to happen and keep numbers low.

7 minutes ago, Peter D said:

With today's announcement of CDC dropping the cruise ship warning, I am hopeful that things are going to change soon (maybe even by June 1 as suggested earlier in this conversation).  I actually think (hope) vaccination requirements will go before testing.  They could either continue requirements for all to be tested (vaccinated and not) or I could also see them just requiring unvaccinated cruisers to test negative (no testing for vaccinated).

I think the cruise lines will continue to phase out the requirements and hopefully soon. 

I feel this could be a highly likely scenario. In order to board you need to show either proof of vaccination OR a negative covid test. 

21 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Right, but if there's no concerns for cruising, why do I/cruise lines need to test to get on, for some test to get off, have rooms available to quarantine, make crew wear masks, make new crew members quarantine etc, etc.

I don't know.......I don't work for the CDC or the cruise lines lol

Maybe they are saying there is no risk because of the protocols? Who knows what the CDCs thought process is.

29 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I think it definitely opens the door to changes. You can't say "well there's no concerns over cruising" and also  say "well here's all the crazy stuff you have to do to cruise"

The CDC does still mention being up to date with vaccinations in its statement.

28 minutes ago, LovetoCruise87 said:

Hello all. After our sailing later this year we will finally reach Diamond status. My question, is there a huge difference in the discount on a balcony stateroom from Emerald to Diamond?

No. The balcony discount at diamond is $25 more than at it is Emerald.

1 hour ago, Bel-Air said:

We are sailing June 11th on Allure of the Seas. We are not vaccinated and saw the current health protocols have vaccine requirements up to May 31rst. This is cutting it close. Thoughts on if Royal Caribbean will drop the requirement by June 1rst, in time for the summer?

No cruise lines have given any indication that they are even considering dropping the vaccine requirement. From everything I have heard and read we shouldn’t expect the vaccine requirement to be removed for cruising at any point in 2022

9 minutes ago, carlosalonsor said:

So, it's $100 aprox pp for heated stone lounge chairs, a dry sauna, and a wet sauna?

Yes, and a couple different showers depending on the ship

Can confirm Radiance is now available on the app for her first sailing on April 23rd!

6 minutes ago, CJS2766 said:

I hope that is the case for us as we are staying at the Marriott Waterfront as well. I would love to explore as we have never been there, but after watching the YouTube video travelling around most of the city, it did not give me the warm fuzzy feelings I originally had about visiting the city. Thankfully we are only staying in Seattle a day before the cruise. We have a afternoon flight home thank goodness!

We stayed at the Marriot as well. The boardwalk area is clean and nice to stroll. And like I said, we walked from there to the space needle and had no issues. I feel you will still enjoy your time there

You can access the Thermal suite at any time during the day when you have the pass. 

Side note, no Royal ships have a jacuzzi in their thermal suites.

Homelessness and crime is an issue in Seattle as it is in most metropolitan areas. It is quite visible in Seattle but crime against persons is not high so you don’t really have to feel unsafe. We stayed at waterfront last September and walked everywhere (including to the space needle and back) and never felt unsafe. We did have one unnerving experience while in a target liquor store where we watched two separate robberies (of alcohol, not the cash register) in a span of minutes. No weapons were used. The perps simply loaded up duffel bags of alcohol, while security officers stood by and watched, and walked out of the store! It was quite surreal actually. 

We walked around pike place and went for dinner on the waterfront and like I said, we never felt unsafe

5 hours ago, jay1021 said:

After looking at the video one more time, I'm even more confused.  I'm thinking that, MAYBE, the sign is welcoming the crew to THEIR new home, The Ovation of the Seas.  MAYBE, when it's time to actually start cruising again, they will move the ship to pier 91.  

Okay, I'm going to my room now, get in bed, curl up in the fetal position and just wait for cruise day to find out everything I need to know about embarkation day, then!

Yep, the sign says, "WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME" then at the bottom it says, "Ovation of the Seas".

You are correct. The sign was for the staff signing on and said ‘Welcome to your new home’. It was docked there I assume to make it easier for the arriving staff. Royal definitely sails from Pier 91, not Pier 66

3 hours ago, Tret said:

Has anyone had any luck with this program? I have a cruise in June/July but was looking at taking another one in December as well.  Was curious if I should book now or wait till on the ship in June/July and go to the next desk while on the ship?

I usually just purchase a next cruise certificate. That way you still get the on-board credit but can apply it to a cruise later on

They must be doing some work on the app this morning because I just checked to see if Radiance was available it now shows that my Navigator and Oasis sailings are unavailable n the app as well

1 hour ago, Pattycruise said:

Well, if I decide to order another 6 pack of E-med test kits for my upcoming cruises you can be sure those pre cruise testing requirements will go away!

Please order another 6 pack ASAP!

On 3/6/2022 at 10:29 AM, luvstodans said:

Thanks for response. Royal Caribbean is doing the PCR tests for flying home for Grandeur Guests from Barbadoes, the day before debark. Not sure where you got the information but it does not conform with what they guest have been told in writing on Grandeur ? Anyone else have information? 

Royal quit testing international travellers needing to get home from US cruises around the time omicron started increasing, I doubt they are going to provide it for US travellers needing to return from Canada.

On 3/22/2022 at 5:09 AM, Jim Bonaventura said:

I am sailing on Radiance to Alaska in August. I just noticed that the app says Radiance hasn't been added yet to the app.

Is this so? If it is, do they not use e muster? Is check in done the old fashioned way, on the website?

I'm confused...(as always)

I am concerned about how emuster is going to work as well. They are down to 29 days to get Radiance on the app before her first sailing.

On 3/22/2022 at 7:14 AM, Eaglelover said:

I'm on Radiance in early May (Alaska, obviously) and have had the app for more than a year... Still waiting for that particular ship to show.  By the way, I'm officially within 45 days (today) and nothing allows me to register.  I thought the 45 day window was the policy / procedure.  Am I correct?  Are these two things related?

I am on the Radiance first sailing on April 23rd LA to Vancouver and checkin just opened yesterday at 30 days out. Could only check in online as Radiance is not available on the app. Ironically, while checking in online every page was reminding me to download the app before sailing lol. I’ve had the app for years Royal, it’s your move to get Radiance on the app.

Any signs that the US will be following Canada and eliminating the need for fully vaccinated international travellers to be tested before flying into the US?

8 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

We still talk about this night at the chefs table whenever I see my BIL. I remember this like it was yesterday. Literally a fist fight between an entire big family to the point where the security could barely pull them apart. There was clearly tension since the second we sat down between the mother & son due to his new GF that was at the table. Words started to fly after the booze was flowing and Dad punched the son (I can’t recall what either son or GF said to mom which infuriated dad). I wonder if that entire family was put in the brig & kicked off the ship? You see the craziest things at the chefs table and it’s certainly worth the cover charge! 

They were flown directly to the Jerry Springer show