BrianB

This is for one of the sailings in November. On one they skip Nassau…on another they skip Port Canaveral. I received an email for each of my November sailings…but nothing yet for the December sailings.

My opinion… Royal panicked (understandably so) when the unprecedented shutdown occurred. The entire business was rocked with huge losses that had to be balanced with enormous, expensive debt in the form of long term loans with very unattractive interest rates. There was no bailout, no subsidies, no government assistance of any kind…to my knowledge. They were left adrift on their own without a paddle. Some say they had significant profits stored away for emergencies, but I don’t think anyone could have ever imagined or prepared for such a long period of zero income. They realized their industry was being demonized with everything from ‘Petri Dish Cruising’ to ‘Covid Cruises’. Public perception was at it’s worse. So they relied on their loyal cruisers when the restart occurred. Nobody knew how many would just stay away. So they offered incentives…double points, lower pricing, cheaper extras. Anything that would help bring back the regulars and help attract new customers. We were the priming for the pump. But I don’t think they were expecting such a huge response. For whatever reason…cruise bookings have exploded. Ships are sailing at over one hundred percent capacity. Cruise Planner purchases are at an all-time high. Onboard spending is better than ever. Loyalty levels are saturated with new upper level members. So they do what any other business would do…they start raising prices and see if demand continues. It did. So they raise prices even more. And people are paying more. Demand keeps rising so prices keep rising. I really think they are flabbergasted (and I don’t use that word lightly) that passengers are really paying such ridiculous prices for things that were so less expensive such a short time ago. Just as an example, CocoCay Beach Club was $88. Now…some sailings are over $300. Overwater cabanas have risen to a price where instead of renting it for a few hours, it’s more like taking out a mortgage. Yet people are paying. The demand is there. I don’t blame the company for acting like a for-profit business. But I think they should be able to figure out better ways they can reward their most loyal cruisers who helped ‘prime the pump’. At least come up with some way to improve the perception that we are as important to them now as we were at the beginning of the restart. For me…I really appreciate what I get with my loyalty status. I know any of the perks can be removed or changed at any time. I really don’t care about the lounge access…it’s not important to me. But, it is important to so many others. I love the new MDR menus and don’t eat in CK…even when I’m in a suite. I appreciate the drinks and…especially…the WiFi. I don’t know what can be done…but it’s fairly apparent that reading blogs and posts show there are many who feel under appreciated. This period of huge profits may eventually slow…or even reverse. And they will once again rely on the ‘Loyal to Royals’ to prime their pumps once again. Or, judging by the amazing comeback, maybe they realize they don’t have to anymore… Just my opinion.

At Port Liberty in Bayonne…the luggage is screened with X-ray machines in the port before being loaded onto the ship. My luggage is secured with a TSA combination lock. A few months ago, my large bag hadn’t been delivered to my room and my attendant found out it was being held by security. This was after dinner and the ship had sailed hours ago. I had to go down to deck 2 where security was waiting with my bag. Apparently a port security screener placed a red sticker on my bag which said ‘Iron’. I told them there was no iron and offered to open the bag. They scanned it in their X-ray machine, found nothing resembling an iron, and just gave me the bag. I asked why they didn’t just do that before I arrived and, finding nothing, send the bag on it’s way. They said their policy is once a bag is flagged by shoreside security…they don’t do anything without the bag’s owner being present. Scanning and then asking for it to be opened only if necessary. Oh, well. At least it wasn’t lost like I was beginning to fear.

I don't have a ballpark figure. I just cruise because I love it. I'm lucky to have made decisions in my life that have allowed me to be able to afford my cruising addiction. I didn't get the cruise bug until after I retired and a friend who was employed on a cruise ship invited me to experience what it was like. His intention was to get me to accept a position like his. Unfortunately for him....but very fortunate for me....I really enjoyed being a passenger. Much more than he enjoyed being an employee. So I turned down the offer and never looked back. I was hooked. I live near the ports in Bayonne and Manhattan. Easy drive...especially on weekends. My budget is personal and inconsequential...however I'm very appreciative of my ability to be able to enjoy as much time aboard as I do...and will continue to do so as much as I like. Hello. My name is Brian and I'm a Cruisaholic....*I love that line!*

I loved Bar Harbor for its unique scenery and small town vibe. Loved going on the excursions up the mountain, or just hiking and taking in the natural beauty. But…I hated the tender experience. Sometimes it would go smooth and the wait wasn’t too bad. But, most of the time there were delays and the lines would grow. Or after finally boarding an available tender…just sitting there waiting until they filled it before casting off. Which, on such large boats could take quite a bit of time. They usually hire whale watching boats to act as tenders and they can hold quite a few passengers on two decks. I’ve been following the news regarding the opposition to cruisers despoiling their pretty little town with our presence. In my opinion…it has less to do with a cruise ship’s emissions while sitting in the harbor (a convenient bugaboo) and more about the strange outworlders walking around the area turning their seemingly bucolic village into a bustling tourism economic driver. They apparently do not need the dollars that come in from cruise ships. They are not as reliant on this income as are so many other cruise ports. I believe there are many residents who want to cut the cruise cord before their economy does become trapped by being inexorably tethered to this revenue stream. That’s their choice. Oh, well. By the way…I love Saint John NB!….and St. John’s Newfoundland! Both beautiful ports with wonderful people!

When we sail from NJ to Florida/Bahamas we usually get buzzed by fighters as we pass some of the military air bases along the coast. Very exciting. The captain was asked about it during one of his talks and he said he really didn’t like it. He felt it was inappropriate and unnecessarily startled the passengers on the pool decks. Even though most seemed to enjoy it! Don't be such a buzz-kill, captain.

A WiFi package is sort of like purchasing a WiFi login. You can use the login password you create on pretty much any WiFi device…smartphone, iPad, laptop…computer at the RC Online venue. Purchasing one ‘device’ means you can have one device logged in at a time. Purchasing two means you can create two passwords and have two devices logged in at a time. Whenever you log in to another device when your limit is reached, you will be prompted to ‘switch devices’ and doing so will knock one of the others offline. For me…I have one device WiFi. I switch between my phone and iPad as needed.

Sailing solo leaving your wife, grown kids, family and dogs home…to reach Pinnacle Club status quicker. Depriving yourself of your loving family and pets just so your wife can enjoy the privileges of Pinnacle with you sooner than if you did it together is an enormously selfless sacrifice. You, sir, are a hero! I salute you!

Curious how they enforced the 5 to 8 limitation. Did they deactivate the key cards. Or did someone check at the door. Was there a sign board set up at the entrance. I’m sure lots of D’s weren’t aware of the changes and just expected to go in to what they believed was their regular Diamond Club as they usually did before.

Sorry you had such a devastatingly awful experience. I can’t imagine so many things going so bad for me as they did for you. Being forced to demand leaving mid-cruise, what with all the extra expenses and aggravation associated with that decision. Wow. I believe if you do that in the US without visiting a non-US port first, you would each be fined. I’ve only sailed from US ports so I don’t know what it’s like sailing from Barcelona or any other international ports. But, for me…I sail solo, am pretty easy to please, love the food on Royal, and play penny slots. Usually I just come and go to the casino because I cruise often and don’t want to drop too much on machines that have worse payouts than those in my land-based casinos. However, luck has been with me recently and I have enjoyed several hand payouts over my last few cruises. Darn those tax forms! I know what to expect when I eat at different venues. The buffet is just that….a buffet. Expectations aren’t very high going in but I’m usually pleasantly surprised. I’m one of those who are pretty happy with the new MDR menus. I like the food and especially the service. Maybe because I’m usually solo, eat as soon as it opens and know what I want before I sit down. I love viewing the menu on the app before I go. My servers know my preferences, my drink, and know that I like to eat and leave quickly. My food is served at the perfect temperatures and exactly what I ordered. The food is delicious. I love Chops, Jaime Oliver’s and Giovanni’s. I never had a bad meal at any of them. I never had to send anything back or ask for changes. The servers in each are phenomenal. I could be wrong but I believe the cruise line did not receive hundreds of millions in US government subsidies during the pandemic as the ships are not registered in the US. I believe they received nothing from the US. I don’t know how much, if any, other countries paid them in subsidies. Maybe you could share that info as that would be interesting to me. Hope you enjoyed your time in Italy with good food, good wine and found a casino with a willing shoe shuffler. Best of luck!

Doing back to backs gives us a good idea of how quickly they do the turn around after reaching a zero count. In Bayonne on the Anthem and Liberty…after virtually all the other passengers have disembarked, we are escorted off the ship and through the CBP facial recognition screens (when they’re working) and then stand in line in the baggage hall. Sometimes there’s a straggler or two coming off the ship behind us. Then, immediately after the zero count…which usually takes just a few minutes…we’re escorted back aboard. General boarding begins shortly after. Usually around 10:30 and sometimes before. There are times when there is a delay that keep us in the baggage hall for an extended period. Usually it’s a Coast Guard or Public Health inspection. Then all boarding is pushed back until the inspection is completed. Sometimes disembarkation can be delayed due to a late arrival time back to port…or an issue onboard…or with the port facilities or staffing. Anything can happen to cause a delay so it’s best to just expect it and hope for the best.

In my opinion… Royal’s neighborhood design really serves to spread out the passengers on the Oasis class. It feels like there is always somewhere to go where it’s exciting and loud…or someplace quiet, calm…even serene. Instead of having a particular vibe throughout an entire ship…they made it so it seems like I’m on multiple ships with different sailing styles and customers. Each neighborhood is separate but easy to get to. I can go from the party atmosphere on the pool deck to the quiet of Central Park…or the streetscape of the Promenade…or the low key style of the adult-only Solarium. The entertainment is varied and excellent…especially the AquaTheater show. Yes, there are lots of people. But to me, it’s not an overwhelming feeling of crowding and jostling. Just got to avoid the buffet on embarkation day…but that’s pretty much on every ship. I love the large ships and all they offer. The Oasis class is, to me…the best. Can’t wait to try Icon!

Prior to having the pier at CocoCay…there were many times when tendering was deemed too dangerous and we had to cancel the visit to the island. It was sad to have beautiful, calm, sunny weather with clear skies…but due to a far off storm, the sea swells were too much for the safe transfer of passengers into tenders. This happens very frequently to that other cruise line with the dock-less island next to CocoCay. Now, with the pier…it’s only very few and far between where a ship can’t dock at CocoCay. Usually it’s due to high winds…significant swells…or a combination. However, one time last year we were on the Anthem and an older, smaller ship was due to dock at CocoCay before us…but couldn’t due to the wind. Instead of cancelling the visit…they waited for us to attempt docking. Apparently the Anthem had better control and more power. Capt Sreko Ban got us docked! The other ship then used the Anthem as a wind break and was able to dock. Hey, what are friends for? Mi pier es su pier!

@RCIfan1912 If it’s a ship’s excursion…don’t worry. You’ll meet at a designated time onboard…usually in the theater…and then they’ll escort you to the tender when it’s time. When things are running normally, they will use the forward gangway for excursions. So a tender will be ready. If there is a delay, they will coordinate with the tour company ashore. If you’re going on a private excursion, it’s best to leave early…even if you end up waiting for awhile onshore for your tour provider. Either way…hope you have a great time!

1. The ship that I’m currently on. 2. The ship I was on before this one. 3. The ship before the one before this one. 4. The ship before the one before the one before this one. 5. The ship before the one before the one before the one before this one. *sorry…couldn’t help myself.

I think Bar Harbor is a well protected area where ocean swells do not get in…so that shouldn’t be an issue. Last week on the Liberty, we had an issue which caused lots of delays and annoyance. When we tender at Bar Harbor…floating portable piers are towed out to the ship and tied onto the sides by the gangway doors. On the Liberty we had one fore and one aft. They have hydraulic levels that can raise or lower the ramps. The ship uses large tenders from shore that can accommodate lots of passengers…much larger than the typical lifeboat/tenders on the ship itself. They are usually sightseeing boats that typically go on whale watching tours that are hired by the cruise line. They go back and forth all day. Because they are so large, if you’re one of the first to board it can seem like a very long time before you start moving as the try to fill the boat before casting off. This trip there was a problem with the hydraulics on one of the floating piers and we lost half of the tendering capacity. So it took a lot of time with lots of standing in lines. Plus, they tried to accommodate those with excursions who needed to meet ashore at a certain time. This time we anchored in a bay away from Bar Harbor. Usually we are just offshore from the tender dock. So it took longer to get to and from the ship. Many people were annoyed…but it is what it is. Anything can happen. I just try to go with the flow.

I do lots of b2b's...But I've never cruised out of Baltimore...yet!

…..unless you’re a Cruisaholic. To be sure, the price is a bit high right now. I found the sweet spot to be closer to $50 or $60. If you plan on cruising frequently, having the stock as a long term investment combined with the OBC is a pretty good deal. Getting $100 for every seven night cruise is nice. Even more for longer cruises. It goes towards my daily gratuities. Sort of like dividends on steroids. But if you only cruise once in a while, it’s not a very attractive stock at this time…even with the OBC. Not advice, just my opinion.

Good article. Some things are done a little bit different at different ports…or on different ships. Of course, most vaccination requirements and testing are no longer needed. At least for now. In my experience… On my b2bs…if I need to change cabins, I pack everything except what’s hanging in the closet. I leave the bags inside the room. On turnaround day, my cabin attendant uses a clothing rack and transfers the bags and the hanging clothes to the new room. He/she places the bags in the room and hangs the clothes in the new closet. As Matt said…it’s a good idea to coordinate with your cabin attendant. Usually I’ll go seek out my new cabin attendant a day or two before just to let him know also. If I’m in the same cabin…I’ll tell my attendant that he can skip my room on turnaround day. He changes the bed linen the day before. l’ll make my own bed. He really appreciates having one less room to do on the busiest day. Recently on my b2bs the letter instructed me to not do the muster drill on the second leg if I was in the same cabin. By sail away, it showed complete on the app. Sometimes, rarely, we won’t have to leave the ship. CBP will come aboard and a ship’s security scanner will be set up at the entrance to the venue where we are waiting. After everyone else is off the ship, we will show our passport to the CBP officer and then scan our new card as we exit the room. No need to leave unless we wish. But, if we do decide to leave the ship for whatever reason…we will have to wait until general boarding begins to re-board. Most times we have to leave the ship as a group. After virtually all of the other passengers are gone, they will lead us from the venue, and off the ship…scanning our old cards as we leave. In Bayonne, we go through the customs/baggage hall and to the facial recognition scanners…if they’re working. Otherwise we see an officer and show our passport. Then, they line us up in the customs/baggage hall and we wait for everyone else to complete the process. Usually there are still some stragglers onboard and we have to wait for a zero count before we can go back. Most of the time it’s pretty quick. We’re the first to board and we scan our new cards on re-boarding. Sometimes, if there is an inspection (Coast Guard or Public Health) then we have to wait much longer. It can get uncomfortable standing for a long time in the hall…especially in NJ in the winter. It’s cold! There are no seats. Port workers will scramble to find some chairs for the elderly, but usually we just have to stand. Back onboard, there is usually a Consecutive Cruiser lunch for b2b’ers. Back to backs are a nice way to extend a vacation. One of the best things about a b2b is the night before the next cruise…looking at all the luggage in the hallways outside cabins. That’s always been such a sad sight to see. But…not when you’re b2b’ing! Enjoy it!

Although I would like to try the high wire on the Oasis. That looks like fun.

I agree with Matt. This is posted by Nick Weir. It appears that it’s just part of a production show and not for passenger use. Just like the trick bicyclist they had as part of the production show ‘The Gift’ on the Anthem in the past. It was only for the show…not for passengers.

If it’s critical to have internet while on your cruise….you may be disappointed. StarLink is the service currently being used onboard Anthem. In my experience, it’s been fantastic!…until it’s not. As @twangstercommented above, weather seems to be one of the biggest issues. Even if you find a spot on the ship where the signal is strongest, heavy cloud cover and stormy weather can interfere with the connection to the satellite. There have also been instances onboard the ship where there was an internal problem causing an internet blackout period. One time there was a fleet-wide issue which knocked out internet for two days. Of course compensation was provided for the lost time. If you absolutely need to have connectivity on a schedule not of your choosing, you may be a victim of Murphy’s Law ‘anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!’ Good luck.

I’ve had a port cancelled even though the weather was beautiful! There were some swells, but not enough to really feel it aboard ship. However, the port was shallow enough that the swell effect coming into the harbor made the risk of hitting bottom too high. Either the port authorities, or the ship, or both decided to not make the attempt. I don’t recall ever having port fees not refunded after a port was cancelled…but, I think there were two cruises where we had to stay overnight in a port to let a storm pass and that caused us to miss the next port. We didn’t get the missed port refunded because we had to pay fees for the extra day at the overnight port. So it balanced out. The only times I’ve seen weather cancellations five days out is if there was a massive storm on a very predictable track. Not just hurricanes or tropical storms. Sometimes the port itself issues cancellations in expectation of a weather event. Any pre-purchased excursions that are cancelled should result in a refund back to the original form of purchase…credit card. I agree that a percentage off a much more expensive excursion seems unfair, but it’s something. Glad the rest of the cruise was brilliant! Hope you continue cruising and have wonderful experiences.

@smokeybanditKeep an eye on it. If the engine issue isn't fixed, there might well be a drop. Unusual for a NYE sailing, but possible.

I think Royal has found the perfect equation for balancing ship size and customer preference. Having large ships with multiple, distinct neighborhoods, gives passengers the unique ability to experience different cruising styles just by strolling from one neighborhood to another. Rather than committing to a smaller ship with a singular cruising vibe...customers can choose to sample from a smorgasbord of cruising tastes. I like larger ships...I hope after Icon, they get even larger. I don't believe they will...but I didn't believe they could after Oasis. Who knows...maybe they'll come up with an 'Island-class' ship. She just sits out at sea and other ships come and dock alongside. Impossible?