MikeK

Yes, it's in "the basement" on deck 4.
You might want free cappuccino, espresso, lattes, etc. from the complementary coffee machine.
You might want to check out the snacks during the nightly 3 hour happy hour.
You might want to grab pastries and whatever else they put out during breakfast hours although you can find them elsewhere.
You might want to be in a room with no windows.
You might want to see the Diamond concierge about something.
There's nothing wrong with it; it's just in a crappy location compared to say Freedom class that still has the DL in the Viking Crown.

Most, if not all, US Cruise terminals use facial recognition now, including Canaveral. The one exception to this is if you only use a DL/State ID and Birth Certificate, then you have to queue to be seen by an ICE rep. That line can move at a decent speed but you're still waiting. This is another value of having a passport, among the many many others previously discussed. 

Check in is currently at 45 days out. You can see the exact date for your cruise by clicking on your profile (head and shoulders icon) in the app and scrolling down the page a bit.
Yes, still assigned times.
You can 'bag' your preferred time in the app without needing any documents on hand and then go back and finish off the rest at leisure.
Uploading vaccine certificates is not mandatory and can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Just take originals with you to port.
Have a fabulous cruise! 😊

No personal experience but I've read of this happening a lot and from everything I've read you don't have to worry about it at all. When you get to port you just show your son's vaccination card along with everyone else's.
And don't be surprised if you receive several more of these e-mails before you sail.

We put last name and first initial so that if we need to follow-up, we can state more clearly which bag is missing.

Cruises are like ex-girlfriends: nothing gets you over the last one like the next one

It's in your blood now.  It's hopeless to resist.  Welcome aboard!

Many people including myself prefer the new approach of any drink,  at any bar, at any time of day, including the private destinations.
The nightly happy hour event had to change.  It wasn't scalable with the growing number of Diamonds and during a pandemic it is a super spreader event.  Yes, the virus is still with us and impacting cruising.  
Personally I love the new approach.
Diamond is not being cancelled.  It is still one of the best loyalty levels on any cruise line.  The any time, any drink four voucher drinks made it even better.
If you have grown weary there is nothing wrong sailing with other lines.  NCL doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  Carnival doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  MSC doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  Despite that if the grass is greener somewhere else for you, by all means go there.  It's always good to try something different if for no reason than to remind yourself why Royal is still the best.  

This is my answer, no one else's  LOL:
In the case of cruising, I believe bigger is always better.  I haven't ever done a Transatlantic sailing so I'm only assuming that the seas could become a little rough at times and I believe that the larger the ship, with anti-roll fins, the better it handles the rough seas.  I also believe that the ship is MY destination.  So, a suite is always my goal, finances allowing.  
Bottom line though - Cruising is the goal, no matter the size or room, just enjoy it.

Being able to see them in the app helps but I don't blame you. It got worked out but something screwy happened in the app/system (shocking, I know) with our pre-made comedy reservations and they moved to a different night. The concierge took care of it of course, even telling me "I will walk you down to the show myself if I have to."

Since I pay my RC card completely off every month I use mine to buy any large purchase.  I don't get the double points but even with single points it adds up.

you are correct.  I also emailed them for my reservations but I always like to confirm and don't assume anything.

Since I pay my RC card completely off every month I use mine to buy any large purchase.  I don't get the double points but even with single points it adds up.

You just take a cash withdrawal at a game table (or get money from your seapass account on a slot machine) and it is just like any other “purchase” using you seapass card.  Just keep in mind though, unless you are at least Prime level with Club Royale, you will be assessed a 5% “convenience fee” if you take money at a table.  Although I have never used the slot machine method, apparently there is no fee to get money this way (at a slot machine).  Let’s say you have $200 OBC from BoA on your seapass account and you go to the casino and take $100 on the slot machine.  Then, your account will Show a $100 casino withdrawal and you will have $100 remaining in OBC.  It’s pretty simple and this is exactly the reason that we both use the BoA cards.

Random tip - I always bring small bath puffs along so that the liquid soap from those dispensers lathers up nicely. They sell small ones in the travel supplies at target or drugstores, and they’re cheap enough to just throw away at the end of a cruise. 

I went on this cruise, plus I live in Europe. Everything on that itinerary is easy (and safe) to do on your own. 
If you have any specific questions you can DM me. Going on Wonder again next week (same itinerary)
 
Tourist trap: all those websites and on-site sellers who sell you 'skip the line' tickets. For all attractions you can just go to their own website and buy tickets in advance. This is as 'skip the line' as it will get and much cheaper. Especially in Rome there are a lot of fake sellers out there. They even show you an ID so it looks like they are 'official'.

We stayed in Loft Suite on the Harmony April.  This wasn't our first Loft Suite stay or suite cabin so we pretty much knew what to expect.  Go to the suite lounge/Ck when you first get on board and eat lunch at the Ck.  Lunch started about 1130 so we sat in the suite lounge until then.  Visit the suite concierges while your waiting for lunch to set up any reservations you might need like the comedy club.  Then walk over to the Ck concierge and get your times you want to eat there.  I didn't care for the lobster recipe so next time i will eat lobster at MDR.  Our cabin was right next to the elevators so I would take a quick trip in the suite lounge in the mornings for a sweet roll and coffee.  If you have a large travel coffee cup and have room bring it with you it will come in handy for the quick trips to the suite lounge.

We also use Jacki.  She is a nice lady and is always there for us.

This is a fan site, and not affiliated with Royal Caribbean. Nobody there will read your complaint.
I doubt when they advertised the amplification of Explorer of the Seas (and Allure), they had no idea that the pandemic would hit and cause them to shut down for over a year and lose billions of dollars, making the amplification fiscally impossible.  I would never consider that "false advertising".  
Personally, I'd go anyway.  You haven't "lost the money".  You are choosing to do so by not going on the cruise.  You could still have a great time if you chose to do so.
Good luck.
(I can't speak for anyone else, but personally, I sleep quite well at night).

On our last cruise a Large family in line (right in front of us) waited till it was their turn to start searching for paperwork.  Needless to say it took them forever to get it all together.  There are only 4 things you will need to check in.  1.  Passport or certified birth certificate with picture ID.  2.  SetSail pass  (it is better and faster to have a printed copy instead of off your phone) 3.  Original Vaxx card.  4  Proof of negative covid test.  (again it is better and faster to have a printed copy.  Use the one on your phone as the back up)  Paperclip or attach these together in some way for each individual

I print Covid results and the setsail pass.  I write each person name (family of 6) in large sharpie print  at the top.  
Covid results:  circle Name, date of test, and result
Passports get a sticky note placed upside down (so it sticks to the page and acts like a bookmark) with each persons name at the top of the sticky note, it is stuck to the page with the passport photo.
Vax card paperclipped to inside back cover of the passport.

I hold all paperwork and the passports (in a small pouch) and pass them out when we get close to the line-I can do this quickly because of the names sticking out/written on top..  
No one had to fumble with their phones (though I suspect the "kids" would be fine.)

The Pier agents love the paper and the organization. (they say so!) We move very quickly.
I collect all passports once through the check in process and deposit them into my pouch.
I collect the setsail pass paper after we scan onto the ship (yes-you still need that setsail pass available-learned that the hard way after I diligently put all my paperwork away.
All paper is used as scrap by me for notes to myself  (like Tip, Safe, Fridge, toiletries for the end of the week)
Onboard we can all use the app for the setsail pass until we get a hold of our seapass card.

If you don't like to use paper I highly recommend a screen shot of the Covid results and setsail pass ...so they are all in a row in the phone, then there is no fumbling to change between apps and "find things".  Also, wifi at the pier can be spotty, so you shouldn't be relying on the wifi to find your documents.
 

On our last cruise a Large family in line (right in front of us) waited till it was their turn to start searching for paperwork.  Needless to say it took them forever to get it all together.  There are only 4 things you will need to check in.  1.  Passport or certified birth certificate with picture ID.  2.  SetSail pass  (it is better and faster to have a printed copy instead of off your phone) 3.  Original Vaxx card.  4  Proof of negative covid test.  (again it is better and faster to have a printed copy.  Use the one on your phone as the back up)  Paperclip or attach these together in some way for each individual

On our last cruise a Large family in line (right in front of us) waited till it was their turn to start searching for paperwork.  Needless to say it took them forever to get it all together.  There are only 4 things you will need to check in.  1.  Passport or certified birth certificate with picture ID.  2.  SetSail pass  (it is better and faster to have a printed copy instead of off your phone) 3.  Original Vaxx card.  4  Proof of negative covid test.  (again it is better and faster to have a printed copy.  Use the one on your phone as the back up)  Paperclip or attach these together in some way for each individual

Swinger of the Seas.  They could decorate it with pineapples.
 

Be aware, even though you have a 10:30 arrival time, that does NOT mean the ship will be cleared for boarding at that time.  That is your check in time not your boarding time.