Snotarni

When I think “volatile slots” all I hear is the jingle from Heidi’s Bier Haus slot machine for some reason….

BINGO !  This is us....

Nothing is ever really free. But I will tell you that I have saved tens of thousands of dollars over the years through casino comps.  Overall, it's a winner for us.

On top of what everyone has already said, is a genie necessary, of course not. Does the Genie make a real difference? Depends on who you are asking. For myself, the Genie makes a huge difference because then I don’t have to be the Genie. That and many other points that others have already pointed out. In the words of @WAAAYTOOOlong ago, you cannot quantify the value of a Genie. The value is in the little things.

Honestly, it does depend a lot on the Genie.  We’ve had Genies who went waaay out of their way to make things extra special and we’ve had Genies who took short cuts and never bothered to make sure we felt extra special.
Dan is not a particular fan of the Genie, in general.  He feels a lot like @Neesa expressed - like the Genie is really more of a nuisance than a benefit.  I love having a Genie.  It’s truly a personal preference.  If you do not enjoy personal interactions, you may not appreciate the Genie’s function.  If you don’t enjoy being fussed-over in public, then the Genie may not appeal to you.  I enjoy the personal attention.  Dan does not.
If you have a large group, I believe a Genie is waaay more valuable than if you are a smaller family.  As @Bigred mentioned, having a Genie means being able to entertain in your suite and that can be an enormous advantage.  It’s just the 2 of us so we don’t require a lot of planning and executing large group activities.  In the past, I organized a couple of cabin crawls for large groups and the Genie(s) turned those into incredible party events.  I’ve long ago ceased doing that as it’s more work (even with Genie’s help) than it’s worth but if you have extended family or are part of a larger group, the Genie will be worth it.
It also depends a lot on why you are cruising in the first place and what “kind” of cruiser you are.  If you are cruising to get away, enjoy a lot of “down time” and relax, the Genie is probably not a great idea.  The Genie’s job is to organize activities for you and make sure you do everything you want to do.  Some people enjoy doing a lot of nothing…and for them, a Genie would not only be a waste of money, but a constant irritant b/c the Genie will be trying to “help” and you probably don’t want any help !  If you are a spontaneous cruiser who likes the flexibility to change your mind at the last moment then the Genie will be a frustration to you as you will have “plans” and you will (hopefully!) feel obligated to stick to them.
I recommend that you do it once and see how it goes.  

I think in general he is correct.  So many return guests don't leave the ship.  Why is that?  They are near the bottom in surveys just above Freeport.  That's doesn't say much about how Nassau is received by the cruising public.
If you are into drugs there is a beach you walk to be and you'll be offered a choice of drugs.  That's not a good look and a pretty poor family experience.
Royal is building their beach club next door to establish a place that can be something to do and somewhere to go because without it there is little point getting off the ship. 
Nassau needs to be honest with itself if it wants to change.  Griping about cruise ships guests not leaving the ship won't accomplish anything.  Someone needed to say it.  

Harmony was the first Oasis class with waterslides.  Waterslides represent a massive amount of weight installed high on a ship. 
Putting heavy things high up complicates the weight and balance of a ship.  They use lighter materials on higher decks.  More aluminum and less steel for example.  
The lack of a pool on Harmony in the solarium was thought to be a design trade-off allowing the extra weight on high decks for the water slides and a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Oasis and Allure don't have a hot tub on the suite sun deck.  Since Harmony was the first in class with water slides and a suite sundeck hot tub they tried it but at the cost of a solarium "pool" as a trade off.  
The irony to me is that the solarium pools on Oasis and Allure are wading pools.  You can't swim freely in these pools, all you can do is sit in cold water.  I don't see the allure of sitting in water especially knowing it's full of people who have been sweating in the sun and hardly anyone uses those showers to rinse off before going in the pool.  They aren't large pools so basically human soup. 
I guess Royal miscalculated how much people love human soup.  They probably should have nixxed the hot tub on the suite sun deck and made some other weight trade off to retain a solarium pool.  

Some takeaways given the historical trends.
Royal continues to experience significant growth in CAS top tier levels.  This isn't new.  Royal Caribbean is popular.  Cruisers love Royal.  Guests love to come back because they have a great product.   The problem didn't start in 2009, in 2009 it reached a boiling point where they had to act, just like the issue today didn't come about from a points promo in 2021, it's been building for years, we just reached another boiling point in 2022. Many of you love Royal so it shouldn't be a surprise that many others do as well.  Success breeds some challenges that requires Royal to adapt. Royal has faced this before.  Imagine if they did nothing in 2009?  Suite guests wouldn't stand a chance.  No one would. What was 300 to 800 eligible guests in 2009 is once again 300 to more than 800 who would be eligible guests today.    No single venue can accommodate these numbers, not in 2009 and not today.   In 2009 upset guests said they are done and are leaving.  Yet from 2009 onward CAS levels continued to grow year after year.  Royal doesn't want to see anyone go, but they'll do fine without all of those that decide to leave this time as well, assuming they actually do, which I'm am willing to bet not many did in 2009. Pinnacle levels are growing too just like other levels because cruisers love Royal Caribbean.     This change was inevitable just as it will be when they have to do this again at some point in the future. 

Do you ask for a quick(er) meal? Also, MTD or traditional?
I love the MDR, but I cant ever recall being in and out in under an hour.  75-90 mins has been what I would have considered a "quick" meal in MDR without skipping any courses.
For context, I've done traditional.
@smokeybandit I think you're going to enjoy this week's podcast episode. Going to have a lot of extra context to the change.

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May 4, 2023 - Mariner of the Seas.
Thanks!

I am booked on EX twice for the southern Caribbean route (ABC) - once in Jan and once in April.  Both are casino comps.  Not sure what amenities you may be looking for, but I will take the much lower prices, excellent itineraries and casino comp availability every time !  No waterslides, etc. but we don't do those things anyway.  If you have need of such things then I can certainly understand it. 

carnival awaits for pending reservation

And if you're not part of the GroupMe official chat for this sailing, make sure to pester @JC Pats or @Beci for an invite!

I wish I knew the code myself !  Unfortunately, it's often a moving target.
Here's what I know:
1.  You are correct.  You no longer "join" Club Royale or are offered membership, like in the past.  Basically, anyone who puts their seapass card in a slot machine (or slide your card into a reader at a table) is "in".
2.  They no longer have Club Royale membership numbers.  Everything is tracked through your Crown & Anchor membership number so be SURE that you are a member of C&A and that they swipe your card EVERY time you sit down (or go to the craps tables, in your case).  That's how they track you and maintain stats on you.
3.  There is something that I call the "additional personal discount" that is based 100% on the casino rating you receive on your last cruise.  This is an additional casino discount that you get on top of the regular [reduced] casino rate.  The casino rate is a rate that is the same for everyone who qualifies for it.  So for those who qualify, you get the reduced casino rate, which varies depending upon the individual cruise and the type of cabin that you book. It's important to realize that the casino does NOT set the casino rate.  The casino rate is established by the revenue department. Casino rate discounts are graduated so they are the highest (percent-wise) for suites and cascade down, in percentage, to the lower room categories.  Since we generally cruise in suites, the percentage discount that we usually receive is anywhere from 42 - 50% off the FULL RETAIL cost (not the discounted rate but the full base fare).
The following is experienced-based speculation:
4.  There is no substitute for being recognized in the casino by the #1, Casino Host, #2, Casino Manager and #3 Pit bosses.  I recommend that if you want to be rewarded, you take the time to introduce yourself to the Casino Host and Manager, ask them what the best way to receive "rewards" is and tell them that you are interested in being eligible for cruise rates on future cruises and cruise certificates for additional discounts and/or free cruises.  They will, undoubtedly, tell you that.....
5.  The program is based on cruise points and program levels.  I have heard many explanations about how the points work.  I even received, on our last cruise, a published breakdown of how many points are required for specific rewards.  What I have never been able to figure out is how the points are actually earned, recognized and rewarded.  I believe it is all voodoo and you are rewarded based on recognition by the management.  Right or wrong, this is what I think.  Being in the casino a LOT and being seen by and recognized by the management is KEY.
6.  While it is not acknowledged out in the open, I do believe that the "old" Club Royale VIP members receive some kind of additional recognition in the program.  This is based solely on my gut feeling and Program management will never outwardly admit it.  There have just been too many times when, based strictly on points, we should not have received the reward(s) that we received.  I truly believe that we just get a little "kick" as long time members of the program.
7.  There is some "baseline" level that, if reached, enables the "free drinks in the casino" benefit and the casino cruise rate eligibility.  I cannot tell you, with any certainty, what that level is.  A number of months ago, frustrated b/c I couldn't "break the code", I called Club Royale and asked them what it took to retain all of the benefits that we currently enjoy (free drinks, casino rates and waiver of the 5% convenience fee).  The rep just said, "whatever you're doing, just keep doing it".  Good grief !  No help at all.  So, I just keep doing what I've been doing and so far, it's worked.  These are the benefits that mean the most to us so as long as we continue to get them, we will continue to cruise with Royal.  If they were to stop or be reduced, we would start considering other options.
The best bit of advice I can offer is make friends with the host and manager and be in the casino a LOT.  Even if you are not making large wagers, the length of time you are in the casino is paramount.
Good luck !!

We're in!!!  Can't wait!  2 Sea Days!!

Just waiting on one more piece of info from the ship --  🙂 
And group chat is coming @JC Pats- I promise

Now we just need @Matt and @Beci to poke the intern and post the group events itinerary! 🙂
 

We got our shirts!!

We got our shirts!!

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May 4, 2023 - Mariner of the Seas.
Thanks!

The “eye” just passed by us (slightly to the north and east).  It’s been a pretty lame hurricane, as they go.  Very little wind and/or rain.  Trust me, I’m not complaining !   Good luck to those yet in its path or affected by its wrath (I’m a poet and don’t know it).

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Icon - October 5, 2024
 
Thanks!!!

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May 26 2023 - Independence of the Seas
 
Thanks!!

Thank you so much !
As [bad] luck would have it, our first cruise goes to Labadee and the next one goes to Roatan.  Ugh.  Still holding out that all of the testing will go away by Christmas !