CruiseGus

It used to be, but on some sailings I've been on recently I think they are trying to promote more use of the App and don't automatically leave the compass. Personally I'm ok with not get all the "sale" paper that I just throw away without looking at. Just like I'm also glad to see them doing away with printing every photo and then having to trash most of them. Next time if you don't get a compass the first night tell your stateroom attendant you'd like one.

Unless your also looking to collect that extra point for sailing solo. According to @twangstersome have been denied when going the no show route. When canceling a second person that will also invoke a reprice I believe

That is because most business/corporate data way back in 1992 was either on a main frame computer or done by hand. (A business-class 386/33 with 4MB of RAM was from 1992). Then there is the software conversion factor when up grades are done. It costs loads of money to transfer data from an older system to the new one, so only a companies most critical data and summaries are transferred. As an FYI one of my retirement financials just upgraded their system, in the old system I could look up every transaction going back 10 or more years. Now it is only yearly summaries on line and I can still down load the Quarterly statements, but the transactional data is gone now, never to be seen again. They just started the transactional data anew in this new system and as long as they have it I will have that data, at least till the next Major upgrade

Congratulations on D+ Now buckle in because the next one requires 4x the points, of course there are a few trivial extras or maybe not so trivial along the way. Enjoy the rest of your journey

We recieved credit for a 1990's cruise about 10 years ago, but we had the Sea Pass cards. Without actual evidence I'm afraid you're out of luck.

Yes the vendors in the "Artisans Market" are both pushy and rude, always have been for at least last 8 years. The good thing is if you check the Labadee maps this area is very easy to avoid when there on a port of call. We like Labadee almost as much as Coco Cay

@AllenW I can now really see your point and I might have been a little disappointed also. I hope when you saw this you exited your cabin and took in the view from the upper open decks. NOTE to Self - Do Not book a Balcony Cabin on deck 13 for an Alaska cruise aboard a Quantum-class cruise ship @Bruin Steve you are correct about the those lower decks having the the higher deck on top of them. But if you look closely at the video and the pictures you should notice that on this ship the pool deck overhangs deck 13 by at least 4 feet. It over hangs by so much that there are even support beams attached to the underside of the overhang. This is something i have never noticed before on other ships. Now Icould be wrong on that and just have never noticed it to that degree before.

@CrimsonCruiser just like @CGTLH said those gratuities go into the "Tip Pool" that those in the "Beverage Dept" participate in. This pool is different than the pools for the Dinning Wait Staff and the Housekeeping pool. Those are the other 2 pools that I am aware of I don't know if there are others or not. If you have a cruise that uses the "new" cruise planner, go ahead and load a Soda or any other package into your cart then head to check out (you can remove the package there if you really don't want it like i just did). At checkout you will see a line item for the gratuity charge.

@CALFROM Actually the Suite Concierge will book the shows you want ahead of time just like your dining. When you get the email from them around 5 days out ask them to book your shows that require booking and tell them what you prefer. (ie aqua show first performance etc) Usually there are only a couple of shows that require reservations. Actually you can ask the Suite Concierge when they email you to send you a PDF file of the show schedule for the next week (week you will be on)

Common comments about cabin selection has always been "Cabins above you and Cabins below you" along with many saying never below the pool deck. Don't know if your view up would have improved one deck lower or not. I have to believe that your $336 can be applied after the best price that you can find offered, but without reading the terms i couldn't say for sure. Good Luck, Hope your next cruise goes smoother. BTW keep reading this forum lots of good info can be gained

I myself was curious about the overhang complaint. but then a quick search of Google "ovation of the seas cabin 13600 pictures from balcony" revealed what was seen. I can understand the OP's disappointment if trying to view the sail down Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier with the steep embankment. But as others have said it is Cabin selection and really not the fault of Royal. in reference to the pier at embarkation, since OP mentioned Ovation of the Seas I assumed that was the ship and it sailed this Alaska season from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91., a quick look at the pier schedule show that on any Ovation sailing there is only one other ship that being Celebrity Solstice. Although last year when i sailed from 91 it was a mess also, so probably typical when 2 ship are there. Again i understand the frustration, but I would agree with others that a 20% discount on a future sailing is generous. Personaly i don't see OP's complaint getting any better traction from Corporate, nor should it.

Yes Gratuities are added to the soda package, just like the are when you purchase individually, 18% In the newer version it shows as its own line item when you check out.

I am very glad to see this many ships sailing at near capacity.

Agreed with this philosophy when I was Younger, but after attaining my 50's it was just to much work to carry when I could roll.

Personally if you do a lot of traipsing around at airports, as i have done for business travel, I will gladly trade that "2 inches" of space for the convenience and maneuverability of a "4 wheel bag" But that's just my opinion.

Currently prices including gratuities is beer $8 to 9 each. Mixed drinks $15 if your willing to only drink the daily special $12. Irellivent of the package price a good figure for calculation is 6 to 8 drinks a day. You can pad that a little by figuring 2 specialty coffees or fresh squeezed OJ as one mixed drink. Just know also that 7 days of drinking every day can be overwhelming if you don't normally drink like that. Back when we first started cruising we did the packages and pretty much broke even or a little ahead. That ended when we hit Diamond status as we could use the lounge in the evenings. Now with the coupons its buy a drink when we need to.

A lot will depend on how all the Ports of Call now react to the news and any pressure that can be put on them by their peers to continue with their tourist economy

All sounds familiar. I even have my wife down to only a carry on and back pack. We can even do b2b that same way.ive to a port instead of flying Though I have relented when we drive to a port instead of flying, as long as she can do self departure she can bring what she wants.

2 luggage set ago, we switched from to hard case luggage. I am happier with it than our old soft side that we used to have. Any suit case can sustain damage so I'm not sure it can be prevented no mater what.

If you sail Solo in an interior double occupancy room (not the special solo cabin some of the larger ships may have) you will receive 2 points per night. This is the same as you get when 2 people sail in a Jr Suite.

@Jamielcc My advice to a "First Time" cruiser is always eat at the included options. In addition to eating dinners in the MDR (Main Dining Room - included in price of your cruise) you should also make sure you have at least one Breakfast and one Sea Day Lunch in the MDR (more if you want but at least one of each). My reason for this is it would be hard to make a judgement of what a cruise vacation is like if you start spending on upgrade that you may not get any value from. There is always opportunity to try Specialty Dining if you decide you like cruising and plan to do another one. Now my advice would change a little if your "First Time" is in a Grand Suite or higher, then I would tell you if on a ship with CK (Coastal Kitchen) eat there. Of course if your lucky enough to do your "First Time" as a Star Class guest, just let your Genie guide you. Of Course Matt's video is an excellent place to start your research.

At ALL airports that I have seen and have "Clear" terminal it is always faster than TSA Pre Check. Clear deposits you right into the scanner area ahead of those in line. A quick look at their web site now indicates that you only get expedited screening (ie Pre Check keep shoes on etc) If you have Pre Check also. Essentially what it does is allow you to cut the line ahead of those waiting to first see the document checker.

@twangsterthanks for that insight. Guess when I've been on Oasis class ships in a suite I have always partaken of CK access. May have to look if I ever make it to Pinnacle.

just need your Passport, it will cover all documentation requirements Also just noticed they now have a Renewal option which they did not have the last 2 times mine expired. Then i had to do the whole process again

Start with I'm almost over even reading any FB groups anymore, because there is so so much blatantly wrong information posted it's almost ridicules. Reading one, someone posted that for MTD Suites and Pinnacles can just cut to the front of the line. Now i have been in Suites on Non-CK ships but I'm not Pin yet. When i comment that i didn't think that was so, i was told it was one of the listed benefits. Well I looked and it does say "Priority Dining Reservations". Which I read to mean getting preferred TIMES such as at specialty restaurants. What say you folks, does that really give you permission to just walk to the front of the line for MTD?