bobroo

You can count on there being no hesitation on Mexicos part enacting that additional $40 head tax on cruise passengers. Canada will have no problem saying and enforcing a flat out “We don’t want you here.”

For those traveling to Mexico during your cruise, please don’t plan a flight home until 5pm or later. It is going to take a lot of time going through customs as nearly every passenger is going to have to pay the 25% tariff on the t-shirts, Christmas ornaments, and bottles of tequila shaped like a machine gun. It’s a fact, you as the importer of these Mexican goods; you will owe, and must pay 25% at the point of entry. Traveling to Canada or Alaska in the future??? Let’s cut to the chase folks, the Canadian related tariffs are all about putting an attempted financial stranglehold on Canada and get them to request statehood. Plain and simple. The Canadian reaction was to put a tariff on US imported goods. Simply put “we ain’t buying your shit”. My own projection, but it should come as no surprise if Canada were to say, “US citizens, we don’t want you here. Denied entry.” and Alaska season gets canceled and cruises to the Maritimes go to Coco Cay instead. For those who might feel that Canada will have to succumb and become part of the US: Nah, bruh. Canada will just buy there goods from another country. There are lots of good choices. Cruising took a terrible, terrible hit Saturday afternoon. Make no mistake about it.

Royal doesn’t even own subs are there is never any bass. Theater, pool, Centrum, the disco, Music Hall…..across the fleet all the music is very, very tinny sounding. This is particularly odd because there are all kinds of times and events when they definitely should be emphasizing the bass. “If it’s too loud, you’re too old”

Can the ports of Aruba or Curacao support a ship with 9,000 people aboard? Has an Oasis class stopped there before?

Just a couple FYI’s: The port of NOLA is much like if the port of Tampa were in a back alley, it is no way like the crazy Port Canaveral. Boarding times aren’t really a thing. There are about 5 luggage porters in total. The 4 senior porters boss the one porter who unloads, tags, and takes puts your luggage on the carts. There is one cop, she directs traffic telling them where to turn to cue in the ally. Last week there was a contracted person sort of directing traffic directly in front of the terminal, I hope she stays on. The folks who work in the terminal are as 100% old school New Orleans as you want them to be. Brush up on your Southern. All aboard is at 2:30. Cafe du Monde at Jackson Square is open 24 hours. However, the music and the artists displaying their works doesn’t really awaken from the previous nights party till the crack of 11 or 12. The Cafe du Monde in the mall that adjoins the cruise terminal opens at 9. The coffee and beignets are as good as Jackson Square but it lacks all the ambiance, live music, and powdered sugar from floor to ceiling. So…. it’s like kissing your sister and a poor imitation of the real thing. There currently is a display of 15 crosses way up on Poydras Street as a makeshift memorial, but the event really happened down on Bourbon. It takes about 8 or 9 hours to navigate down the Mississippi. Sail away is wonderful but head up to the Viking Crown ‘bout dusk for the best viewing, you get a unique perspective of just what the huge ship is doing. It’s incredible! I’m sure you have a reason for overnighting in Mississippi. But I think you’ll have far less time to do the simplest, easiest visiting of the Quarter than you realize if you do so. Please reconsider, I think you’ll are selling New Orleans short and missing out on all the good it has to offer.

Once upon a time when hospitality was synonymous with cruising: flowers, specialty dining credit, cakes, and booze were offered and frequently gifted by shoreside family, bosses, and coworkers. Today??? You can’t book a table for four at Chops without all parties consenting while standing in front of the podium.

Don’t use the app! Luggage tags are only accessible and printable by logging into www.royalcaribbean.com.

We could only book onboard sailing Jewel this year. It was $400 for two to sit at Vintages and well, well worth it.

Why isn’t Balcony Sex on the list?

For the curious, I based my high estimate on the following. Royal likes to price a day of a DBP at $80. They need to transport every one to and from the island so I’ll call that $20. Then they are feeding everyone at about the cost of a Giovani’s dinner for $45 or so. Add in some overhead and profit margin and I easily see $200. Then we add the Bahamas 50% on top of whatever that Royal number is and Shazam! three hundo could be a real low ball number. This “tourism levy” will be no small number either. From the viewpoint of a Bahamaian standing on a street corner on Front street; the ships are too big, the passengers too numerous and the Bahamas is comparatively being exploited as to all the wealth that goes on inside those oh! so many boats. The politicians see this street corner view too, and doing the simplest math 5 million cruisers a year multiplied by $50 bucks a head (which is absolutely in line with other counties visa costs) creates $250M in revenue a year for doing the exact same thing they already do. That’s easy legislation for anyone to sign their name on.

I wonder if the same people who are upset at Mexicos $42 tax per passenger will be equally upset if the Bahamas “new tourism levy” is in that same $40-50 price range? My guess for admission to this Beach Club? They’ll price this like Coco Cay excursions; meaning boats like Icon, Star, and Oasis class pay the most money, about $500 per passenger. Small boat pricing will start about $400 per person. And increased pricing from there during the most popular cruising months.

Well @WAAAYTOOO, you've brought us an interesting problem that we all should be paying attention to because there are lots of learning points. I'm not afraid to bring up an unspeakable option that I'm sure will receive a lot of downvotes but... bail on the Anthem/Seattle cruise. One could make a very strong best-option case for doing so.

I'll offer some grandfatherly advice for Coco Cay in December, January, & February: don't buy a $3,000 cabana because the weather can be dicey during these months and the value you receive might not match what you see in the cruise planner pictures. No matter your opinion what constitutes "cold" or "cold water"; the Bahamas in winter is too off-and-on to be spending major coin. Dial down your expectations and you will only end up happy. Perfect Day perfection is a coin toss in the winter.

www.cozumelbarhop.com

Calling @Vancity Cruiser to the Guest Services desk for customer assistance!

In practice what do people wear onboard on Christmas Day? Pajamas. Lots and lots of pajama wearing, even at dinner.

I disagree. The gangs could really become empowered in Port Au Prince if they extorted money from Royal Caribbean and I think Royal Caribbean's Destination: Labadee is a sitting duck with no means what-so-ever of protecting itself. There is no justice system to turn to if any of these gangs were to occupy Labadee and simply say "You don't own this, we do. Ya' wanna park a ship here, we want a suitcase of cash". You can tell me all you how bad the roads are but enduring poor roads will be no problem for the suitcase full of cash.....or they will just ride some stolen jet skis. And hey! If I was a Haitian gang warlord and disliked bumpy roads and sea swell, I would chop down the the zip lines and reroute them the opposite direction 'cause I'm lazy like that.

I think it’s funny Royal is using the ridiculous talking point that Port Au Prince is 128 miles away and that it’s some kind of impossible journey to Labadee. It’s the same argument complaining passengers make about Chitzen Itza excursions.

If they are shooting holes in a landing airplane, i’m sure it would never occur to those ol’ boys to shoot out the windows of a larger and slower moving cruise ship. Or, a series of hokes just above the waterline. Ya’ know, firearms being a God given right and all; their presence and use is just as common as blowing your nose. Everyone is entitled. No cause for concern here, their just plink’in….Labradoozies for everyone!!!

I don't know the number you are looking for but it is certainly worth mentioning that whale watching in Puerto Vallarta compared to Cabo San Lucas? PV is a whole lot more gooder. This is of course dependent on the behavior of animals, the time of year, and whether you are even going to Puerto Vallarta or not. But if it's December, January, February? You be watching the whales breach from your balcony when anchored in PV. Bring your binoculars.

Well.....when the Blue Lagoon snorkel excursion in Nassau sank this time last year and resulted in one death; I think the insurance and duty of care requirements have increased exponentially for excursion operators at their contract renewal. I don't think a lot of operators are renewing TBH. I am certainly seeing decreased snorkeling/scuba offerings on my upcoming sailings. This is all too bad for folks like the OP @Jamie384445, because the excursion and boat ride he would normally have gotten for St Lucia was really good.

Tell them you are a sworn member of The Rebel Alliance To Restore The Republic???

This is worth a mention, the Blog nor the posters here are/should be offering investment advice. They are not. These gains by Royal are beyond expectations and those who bought low have and deserve bragging rights. Does this mean you missed the RCL gravy train? No, not really. There are lots of goods things coming down the pike; being new ships and Perfect Day destinations. We all know the ships are sailing at full capacity for all of next year or more. With investment apps like Robinhood and Webull etc. where with 10 minutes of time you can open an account for free, trade commission free, and (here's the important part) buy fractional shares for as little as $1 or $5 ahhhhh..... nobody here is going to say you shouldn't be doing that. Even at todays share price of $205 or so. The same folks here will also not pass judgement how frequently you've been using your drink package.

^^^^ This adapter referenced above is EXACTLY the type of adapter Royal does NOT want brought aboard their vessels^^^^ This thing is nothing but a fire hazard.

Not to speak with a tinfoil hat but it's hard for me not to put Icons power outage in May, Icons small fire in June, an abrupt apparent policy change to power adapters across the fleet, and now Icon has some sort of substantial mechanical problem-- all in one related basket. If there is a bright side, Icon being docked and out of the weather next week is a darn good place for it to be.