bobroo

I've brought onboard olive oil, coffee, vanilla, and how could you not restock the spices in your cupboard when you visit St Lucia? All without a problem with Royal security or a cute beagle showing his sitting skills during customs. However, one type of related souvenir that I've seen denied by Royal security are conch shells. I bet I've seen at least a half dozen passengers over the years in heated confrontations with security that Royal will not allow animals or native cultural items onboard. Apparently this rule applies to an animals former house. The passengers are upset because they likely just spent about $25 for the pretty seashell and it is going to go into the trash. Like so many things cruising, your results may vary. Different ships have different rules. And, there will be people who will claim that they brought these types of items back. But if you carefully read your cruise contract these restrictions are buried in there--somewhere. The reality is, if you receive a NO from security; it's not like you can argue the call. So, on the whole it's just fine to bring the real olive oil from Greece or Italy, the good coffee from Jamaica or Columbia, or what might be considered a dealer quantity of oregano; just keep your fingers crossed that the cute beagle remains standing.

Ooooh! Haven't been on Wonder yet and was unaware. Thanks for updating all of us.

How about this hypothetical??? Jazz on 4 is a fairly small space square footage wise and is physically divorced by the ice rink from Casino Royale and it's amenities (the cage, the bar, alternate casino staff, the washrooms) but let's say Casino Royale woke up, found out it was 2023, and installed a non-smoking High Limit Room in the jazz club space. A high limit room would be space appropriate. While I think Royal should have added this type of action years ago and has been missing out on $$$ because they haven't, it means they would have to add cameras and security. It means they would have to train and trust certain elite dealers to the higher action. It means they would have to buy new tables and although all of Casino Royale is currently replacing and updating most of their slots; they for some reason view buying new tables or new layouts as though it were a mountain they do not want to climb. As much as I'd like to see this occur, I think there are a lot of obstacles to it being a really successful space.

Even though every Casino Royale is slow moving and a VERY beginner friendly casino, the objective should be to have fun. When you begin to think of your time there as a profit making opportunity or that somehow you are going to outwit proven statistical probability; it just plain does not work out over time. I'm not saying don't go to the casino, I'm saying celebrate other player's wins as if they were your own; place wagers for the dealers and keep them in on the action; high fives and lots of hollar'in; grudge matches with those you came with. The amount you lose is the cost for the laughs you had while you were there. Come out ahead? It's only bragging rights till your next time back into the snakepit. Sorry to step on your buzz.

If I had $7K and wanted a free cruise, I would take that money and just plain buy 2 new cruises and with the remaining funds? Enroll in a class at my local community college titled Statistics 101. This is a proven winning strategy.

On a related note, Mexico has issued a country wide No Outdoor Smoking policy last week.

Grandeur also does not have a craps table.

Carry on, beach bag, and the best wine chiller onboard:

Not mentioned in the article is the tax revenue per every passenger and crew member who docks in Nassau. I’d guess it’s about $15 a head….multiply that that by 3.5M and you’ll discover why Nassau is unchanged for the 35 years I have been visiting there. My offer still stands of King Louie VIII on me at some Champaign Bar to @twangster (or anyone else on these boards) if they can explain where all of this money has gone year after year….after year…after year.

Don’t chase points…chase experiences and adventures.

The only winning gambling strategy that I know for Casino Royale.......HAVE FUN.

You pay for the Costa Maya aviary in person. Never done it but I think it is really aimed for children. I'm not quite sure what might be hidden inside that treehouse, but everyone can hear the Macaws. The flamingos are totally free to see and yesterday afternoon they were quite frisky and drew quite a crowd. Then again, how could you not look at a dozen 6' tall pink birds that are behaving in strange patterns and in complete unison? If you are into birding, or might like to try some birding at Costa Maya or Cozumel; each of those ports has private guides for hire! It's amazing what goes right over thousands of unaware cruise passengers heads every day. (pun intended)

Anyone mind if we hear how the port fees and taxes are broken out first?

The pump to the FlowRider breaking is much, much more plausible cause. Jus’ Say’n

Complete foolishness!!!! Why on earth would anyone sell a 100% awesome city like Barcelona short?

Serenade consistently out preforms all the other Radiance class ships on Royal’s post cruise survey. It is #1. Additionally, there are many reasons Serenade was selected as the ship for the world cruise voyage. Theoretically, Royal could have selected any ship and they chose Serenade. Tell ya’ sump’in??

A new one I’ve brought onboard is a Goalzero crushlight to replace years of tea lights. Putting it on the lowest setting overnight in or near the bathroom is a perfect nightlight to find my way in the dark. Bonus: it recharges via solar! The magnetic pen cup I found on Etsy has also become a must have. With it there is no excuse not to jot down how much cash I leave with before dinner and the remainder the casino let me have the next morning.

If you asked 100 locals for the finest dining in Sam Miguel, I’m sure at least 95 of them will say Casa Mission on 55th Ave. Reservations are pretty much mandatory for dinner and you’ll want to end your meal with a Sexy Coffee; so much more fire value than saganaki; you may never eat Greek cuisine again. Also, make sure to peek into their Tequila Room, the home of real tequila and mezcal connoisseurs. Hint: you won’t find any gimmicky bottles shaped like a machine gun.

I’m certain that shoreside reads each and every word posted on this site.

Using an idea I brought up during the shutdown, I still think Royal should have a week long special online sale where C & A points can be bought for cash. The cost per point will be the average a passenger spends on cruise fare and onboard spend. Imagine from the passenger perspective: You can buy one point or buy 700. Imagine from the RCL Group perspective: receiving $$$ for literally doing nothing. I think there needs to be at least one tier added on top of pinnacle. Say about 3,000 points or so. Because if I was the owner of Royal, I would not want my well trained, compulsive customers to take their foot off the gas once they receive that measly 9th crystal block. Keep 'em hungry and aggressive!

This sounds very, very similar to the canceled Royal project of the Grand Lucayan in Freeport.

Matt's review is absolutely spot on! I would mention a couple additional things. The Royal Monkey/Sloth tours are likely the cheapest Royal excursion you'll ever take and it is very favorably priced to what you can do something similarly. IMO, it's really a no brainer; go with Royal. The sloth thing is cool and quintessential "I Cruised To Roatan" and perhaps quintessential "I've cruised Royal Caribbean a lot". So yeah, ya' gotta do it. But what people won't tell you is the highlight of the tour will be the monkeys. They are fun and you'll spend way more time with them. Nobody minds getting felt up by a spider monkey and trust me; that's going to happen.

Any of the 25 dive shops in and around the International Cruise Terminal (the terminal where Royal Caribbean docks) are going to give nearly identical Discover Scuba experiences. The shore area in that let's say 1-2 mile stretch is also all the same. That's to say there is not a particularly outstanding reef or attraction nor is there an area where it is something less than let's say the dive shop 3 doors down. There's kinda some stuff there to see, it's shallow, and it is a sandy bottom; overall an ideal Discover Scuba environment. If I were going to do a Discover Scuba off a cruise ship in Coz I would not discount the Royal Caribbean Discover Scuba excursion because it is about $20 more than you can get it for privately. The difference is going to be the rental gear Royal has onboard is going to be newer and in a whole lot better shape than the area dive shops, And, this is the big one; you are going to get a longer, more personalized experience. The classroom time and the time in the water will be the same no matter where you go, but you will be spending much time with the resident, on-board Royal instructor. Example: the fitting of the gear the day before, the walk down the dock to the dive site, maybe lunch or beers afterwards, or just bumping into one another later on the voyage.

Oooooo…..sounds like an Iguana Dropper. I’m going to double my travel time in order to get around “obstacles”.

I know that all the D and above here will be well, well past their free allotment of 4, 5, or 6 when they sail this New Years Eve. But….there are a lot of Diamond newbies these days and I think this new policy may come as a surprise to them after the ball drops in the Viking Crown disco.