TXcruzer

I just set my account up as a cash account, we don't spend much on board, pre pay most all we can. Early debarkation morning (around 5:00 or so as I am an early riser) I go down to GS, there is never a line, and pay the final bill with my AMEX, never any holds, never any "suspect" charges after the fact, as they can not charge anything else to that card but for the one single transaction.

find yourself a nice carry on sized bag with 360 degree wheels

And I generously tip my waiter/waitress and my room attendant just like I do “at home” I don’t tip the maintenance man nor the laundry staff “at home” and choose not to while cruising. I consider clean linen, dishes, and operational functionality to be covered in full by my cruise fare.

Then it isn’t a gratuity, it’s “salary subsidization”

The listing of “other hotel services” is what causes me to cancel the auto gratuity. I can’t imagine who else in “hotel services” I would tip.

Don’t mess with the gift certificates, it just adds extra unnecessary complicated steps. Call Royal, and tell them you want to pre purchase OBC; as long as you have the reservation number they will simply take your CC number and add the credit to the folio.

Just buy one, if you use up all the punches purchase another. Side note, I like to get "large" sized coffee in the morning with 2 shots of espresso, they will punch your card twice for this drink, thus the coffee card really isn't a good bargain for people like me; also on many ships they will not allow you to get frappuccino type drinks with the punch card.

I wear tailored shorts, and a collared shirt with dress sandals or flip flops in the MDR all the time

Purchased my Chill Island Cabana for Symphony July 2020 @ $799, they are now listed at $1299.00

Top of the world observation deck

If that is truly the case, then I have cost more than a couple people their jobs. Rarely do I rate anything on the survey above a 6 or 7

With the current status of the California ship to shore power regulations (CARB); I find it very hard to believe Royal would make the financial commitment to California based cruising anytime soon.

Are we to also do away with first class airfare and suite class benefits?

If you have a passport, they already have your facial biometrics (if you have global entry they already have your fingerprints) BTW, this is CBP scanning your face, NOT Royal Caribbean.

We have had the key twice now ($19.99 PP/PD both times), once Oasis class once Freedom class. With regards to the disembarkation benefit, we personally found self assisted disembarkation much more preferable to key disembarkation, especially if you are on a time crunch. I would buy The Key again but wouldn't pay much more that $20 PP/PD; currently it is at $31 for my Feb 2020 Oasis, and not yet listed for July 2020 Symphony.

both outfits you have described would be more than acceptable in any venue on any evening

Standard boarding. We are Diamond C&A but that mad about 2 minutes of difference.......maybe.

I was on Freedom 2 weeks ago. We arrived at the terminal around 10:45. We dropped off our bags and had check in completed by 11:15. We had a seat in the waiting area until about 11:40 when they raised the gates and began boarding. We had a great cruise and I am sure you will as well.

I love the cuff link idea, that’s incredibly creative!!

Last week we had our shuttle pick us up at Hilton Caribe at 10:00, handed luggage off to the porters at 10:20, were checked in and in the waiting area by 10:45, onboard at 11:05.

There isn’t enough information or any real facts in this article to know much of anything.

There were no indications that anything had ever happened and there was no restricted access to any areas on deck 11

FWIW we just dis-embarked Freedom yesterday and it was business as usual on the pool deck with every third window open

I just returned yesterday from San Juan, this was our 4th southern itinerary from there. We always stay at the Hilton Caribe, the rooms have been renovated very nicely and the grounds are very lush and tropical. The staff are top notch. Our family tradition is to have dinner at Oceano the night before embarkation, it is a $7 Uber ride from the hotel, right on the beach, and a great place to have a 5 Star dinner and watch the sun set. As mentioned above Uber can not pick up at the airport so we grab a cab to the hotel, after that it is Uber all the way.

It is in the Melissa/Anna area ( I live in McKinney), they also just recently opened a location in Denton.