Hagar

Our dining was fine; we just didn't try the MDR.  Not because of the food, but the MyTime issues.  I love the MDR, I just hate waiting around hoping to get a table.
Besides, I'm on a cruise.  If my dining gets bad enough, there are olives in martinis.

I always remember this fun fact from a customer service seminar.    If a customer has a bad experience they'll happily tell, on average, 10 people.   If they have a great experience they'll typically tell 2 or 3.
People love to complain - keep that in mind when you're reading the bad reviews.   Definitely worth considering, but I wouldn't take it as gospel.

We lost one piece of luggage in Galveston a number of years ago.  It was never found or returned.  THAT is why we carry our luggage off now, unless we are in Star Class....and even then, it stays with us the entire way.

Again folks, you are selecting a terminal ARRIVAL time not a boarding time!  The time you select may or may not have anything to do with when you are allowed to board.  I have walked straight onto the ship with a 10:30 arrival time and have also had to sit in the waiting area for 30-40 minutes even with a 10:30 arrival time.  Boarding begins when the ship is cleared and that time can vary.

Not vastly.  The CK menu is a bit more limited, IMO, but at least the CK menu still has a "favorites" menu that is always available.  One difference that I noticed is that the food is much hotter from the CK than from the MDR.  I often got tepid to cold food from the MDR.  ...and of course, the atmosphere and pace of the service is far more appealing than the madness of the MDR.
Frankly, breakfast is where I truly appreciate the CK the most.  It is sooo nice to have a place to go where you don't have to fight or hunt for a seat.  Yes, the breakfast menu is static but I never leave hungry and I am grateful to have a reasonably quiet and sedate place to start the day. The evening menu changes but the "favorites" are always available.

I don't know the measurement but what we do is use 1 of our suitcases as our safe.  That is where we store his wallet, my purse and our money.  We have color copies of our passports and when we get off in port we carry them and leave the originals in the suitcase also.  I have read about who has access to the safe in the room and I trust our suitcase with a TSA lock more than using an in-room safe.

Able to check in for this second leg of my B2B. Switching cabins unfortunately but I'll trudge on!

We were able to get ours, even though my new roomie is from a different state ( ex-roomie was from the state of matrimony but divorce after 32 years is a heckuva change for an old phart like me :>) 

We were able to get ours, even though my new roomie is from a different state ( ex-roomie was from the state of matrimony but divorce after 32 years is a heckuva change for an old phart like me :>) 

swinging and cruisinforabruisin as the OP soitenly twisted my mind retired "LEO" brain around the pole ???

If it's still a close call, NOT flying would make the decision for me personally :>)

If it's still a close call, NOT flying would make the decision for me personally :>)

Makes me miss the old "Diamonds in December" promo (but not sneezing at all of the double points I have racked up as a solo cruiser this whole year ;>)

I picked up the habit of getting blank Thank You cards at $1.25 tree. I like being able to put a little note in with the money and letting them know what little or big thing(s) they did that made us happy. But we do also do prepaid gratuities so a small pack of 8 is more than enough for the few people who we feel go above and beyond.

Still down but feel strangely comforted by other people looking for pitchforks, too!

Must agree wholeheartedly with Savannah Jack! As a Pinnacle member, I admit to being spoiled rotten but have seen them multiple times on Royal ships and would gladly pay to see them on land.
 
Seems funny to type "see them" as I am missing my canal cruise today and a AN cruise next month due to a retinal tear ;>( 
Modern medicine is wonderful though as well as faith of course so maybe can keep the HM in April ;>)

The survey question seems to stress so many passengers out that I wish they'd find a different way to ask it - or to not ask it at all.  I hate it.

On Wonder in March. I had last cabin on deck 10 port side, and it was "Wonder"-ful!

I have received a drop in air pricing that resulted in a credit card refund, pre-covid. One of my customers received the same thing at the end of 2021 for his family of four. Air2Sea did make sure this the fares qualified for the refund but that just amounted to checking to make sure the lower fare wasn't a special pricing issue, like a "flash sale" or a restricted rate (like only flying on Tuesday /Wednesday).

Having different levels of accommodations is pretty common in the travel industry.  Planes and trains have first class for example which can be purchased at a higher cost and come with better accommodations and perks.  Hotels have larger rooms with better amenities.  Theme parks get in the game with premium ticket options that include more perks and better access.
Having different levels across the product portfolio is pretty common in any business.  Premium products come with a higher price and offer better amenities for those that desire them.
Loyalty programs are great and encourage return business.  Loyalty programs have no bearing on premium products and vice versa.  The two are mutually exclusive but there can be overlap to some degree.
As a Pinnacle member in the Crown and Anchor Society I do enjoy a range of perks that reward me for my loyalty.  The benefits of being Pinnacle include some of the same perks that suite guests pay for.  I appreciate that Royal does give me these perks at no additional cost as a reward for my loyalty.  
I don't view it that suites are able to buy the perks I have earned in the loyalty program.  It's the opposite really.  Some of these perks exist because of the suites product.   As a loyalty member Royal gives me some of the same perks that suite guests have to pay for and I think that is great.  

Suite guests have always gotten better benefits, but remember that they are paying for those benefits.
As a Diamond Plus guest, you get to book an inside cabin if you like and get similar benefits.
I'm not sure why there's so much disdain for suite guests because it's been this way for decades in terms of suite guests getting additional benefits.

I didn't wear the robes when I was built like my earned nickname (Hagar the Horrible), but I can and do now that I have lost 80 pounds 😇 
 
A minor stroke in 2020 and then DW of over 30 years wanting a divorce last year were both good motivation. Twenty pounds to go still............

I’m sorry about the reasons but congrats on the weight loss!  I have a good 40 to lose myself!  Jane

To be fair, when some of us suggest that people contact RC on social media, we mean message them from their social media platform.  The reason for this is that you can typically get a faster response without sitting on the phone.  We don't mean go onto their social media pages and bitch publicly.

An extra feature advertised with this service is that you don't get charged for an overweight bag. Loved it in June and July on Ovation even though weight wasn't an issue for me for these 7-night runs 😇