Neesa

Crown loft, two bathrooms...score!!

DCL catching up, not passing....YES! My personal perspective, my thoughts. We started sailing with DCL when our daughter was much younger, we are Platinum so we watched a transformation before our eyes. The price point far outweighed the offerings and by 2018 we were beyond bored (my humble opinion) We headed over to Royal and have sailed her ever since. Albeit things are changing at Royal as far as costs going up & other things being cut our experience with Royal gives us joy at a much better price point. We just feel it makes more fiscal sense when you compare the two companies. (We will sail DCL new Wish ship this summer but I booked it day 1 at what I believed a fair price I am crazy curious about the new ship.) But I know it's a one and done type situation. With Royal I'm at the Next Cruise desk and/or at my computer CC in hand on new itinerary release dates. Be that as it may I think Royal does a better job of keeping things "fresh" where DCL does get mundane. Repeat guests are what a company needs to stay "a float, hahaha" and while kids are never in short supply I think the DCL pool shrinks due to the never changing product offerings as well as the price point. Royal is doing her best to go after the DCL crowd and if you have sailed recently, and now with Icon her sights are reaching that goal and making it happen. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that DCL homeport deal shrinks and Royal continues to make waves around the world. Oh boy I'm full of fun puns today!!

On our last Harmony sailing embarkation day we meandered up to Coastal Kitchen for lunch after a walk around and the check in at muster. Between the other suites guests & Pins there were zero empty tables. Embarkation lunch was packed, again not one table. I learned my lesson, I book embarkation lunch at a specialty when #CK is not available on the ship, otherwise we will visit #CK first. Lesson learned, plan for an unhurried first day luncheon experience. Fair is fair, those who arrived ahead of us enjoyed their experience but sadly the tables didn't even free up quickly as people seemed to stay at tables until cabins opened up.

The RUB dilemma, I get it. I took great care and loved my Serenade OS cabin, the balcony was fantastic. When I won the 2 bedroom owners suite on deck 7 I for a second did think when i entered, oh no! I was never on deck 7 ( I loved it) but the balcony was smaller then I expected as well as the no hot water for days back on the aft. Also, I did notice moving forward even the minimum bid prices are ridiculously high. Actually I'm excited for your review of that cabin, seems like a "score"

@asquared17Oh heck yes! Following along. I was the water package cancel person. They gave me something other then spring water, at my request they took it back and I was refunded refundable OBC within the day. Like @Ampurp85 I don't have social media either, this is it so I also learned something today. We don't even facebook, just never felt it added anything to our lives. Kiddo put up a fight at first, now she doesn't even miss it. ( I think) I prefer Jaime's as well to Giovanni's for Italian. Did you submit a RUB? Details please, lol! Harmony was my first Oasis class and my first Royal sailing. We tried it after DCL became full of themselves, cost ridiculously high and product diminished. We are going to sail her new ship the Wish, but Royal is where our heart lies now. Ugh, Symphony has continued to escape me, 2 sailings on her canceled, I'm hoping to sail her while everyone else is on the Icon!

[email protected]. Super responsive and participates here as well. She was priceless to our family during the shutdown. Been using her talents going on 4 years now.

RC desserts don't wow me. I either have a glass of wine with dinner or the banana split ice cream sundae off the kids menu. It's good in the MDR but really good in #CK. Baked Alaska, we enjoy that one also!

Yikes, price! The price point is high enough. I fear if they designated it Star on the Ships that run that program the price would most likely price us out. I can be my own genie, I maintain I enjoy a larger cabin and I wish I could purchase it without the Star price tag or designation/perks. This one is perfect, I enjoyed the Star perks on my one Star sailing but I would rather pay a little less for my cabin. In my perfect world you purchase your cabin and then had a choice to add on the "Star" package.

@Ampurp85 is on the money, as soon as you connect to the ships wifi, sometimes even while in the terminal waiting to board you can go in the app and reserve the activities. They are very strict with age I believe because of liability of course. While they limit players it's a true laser tag experience. Others even adults excited and running around in wild abandon. They do in fact take care though to create groups that are balanced for lack of knowing any other way to explain it. A four year old will be a hard no. Perfect excuse to hit the Next Cruise desk and book a 5 year old birthday cruise!! Haha, see what I did there? When my kiddo was 15 (little weightlifter, natural) the way she carried herself and communicated she looked much older. Royal would not allow her in the fitness center without wavers and an adult to supervise, like mentioned above they know their age. Have a great sailing, there are so many things to keep you occupied you probably won't even miss it!

@sammy79 big fans of the two bedroom grand suite! (When there is no #deck17, I enjoy a Crown Loft for sure) We stayed in the 2 bedroom on Odyssey & Adventure (huge balconies) and finally my lovely Serenade, balcony on deck 7 was smaller but the space is comfortable. Two bathrooms, well everyone knows I'm a super fan of that with a teen. Sky class amenity(yes on Odyssey it was great) or similar WOULD be nice on the other class of ships but it's a nice respite while on vacation. I sound like a broken record but I just wish Royal would get their act together & streamline the suite product across the fleet. It's a really enjoyable cabin.

My daughter enjoyed it, she did not use the goggles. They were not consistent with types of clothing. Whomever was in charge of the contraption called the shots. It honestly seemed tough on the staff as well. She did say, one and done.

I am in Sky on the Wonder (Crown loft) June 25th, 2023. I will give you all the details while onboard. We booked this on another sailing with friends, parted ways and were going to cancel. (Well teens parted ways, so.....) Devil on one shoulder had the phone dialed to cancel, Devil on the other was waving around my credit card, needless to say....

On my evening walk I was actually contemplating sending an email to Mr. Bayley questioning the reasoning and playing dumb asking if it slipped thru the cracks. Lone behold I'm home and read @Sea Squirrel comment and honestly don't want to call attention to the amenity in place thus maybe causing them to be tampered with or stripped down, now I ponder like Winnie the Pooh, what shall I do?

I understand the cost of a cabin in the Suite category is almost always a bit cheaper on the smaller ships then the bigger ships. I can kind of understand how they can't extend Sea,Sky,Star to the smaller ships but the product is such that the price is going up, up, up for a lesser experience in my opinion. Why not just include the wifi? Why not a special embarkation lunch even if in the MDR? Streamline the suite product onto itself a bit more. It truly is something I was contemplating this afternoon and was wondering what everyone here thinks about it. Come on Royal read this post, please?

Hahaha.....NO! While I did enjoy the consistency of the products and they worked well the fragrances were powerful. I would love to know how they landed on those specific ones. Didn't complain as the product is superior to the regular combo detergent type soap in a regular cabin in my opinion.

Our Harmony out of PC ALL suites and Pins were escorted to a roped off comfortable area. First we watched Star being escorted onboard and then the announcements started. Pinnacles were invited to board and then "all suites guests". Very orderly and oh so quick! Love stepping onboard each and every time watching the ship come alive!

We are North of Tampa & drive to Florida ports & even then drive over one day early. Long story short we were driving across the State to Miami, due to a brush fire out of control halfway there Alligator Alley was closed by the State Police. Everyone on that road had to turn around and go back the way we came, we then had to cross Florida another way. If it had been same day we would have missed the ship, no doubt. The added hours and the added traffic we would have arrived to wave bye bye to our ship. The only port we drive same day is Tampa, but even then we leave super early just in case, it is literally 30 minutes from our home. I never take for granted we are within driving distance to the ports, we are not the most skilled drivers down here,

My concierge requested laundry detergent, softener and dryer sheets when I asked what I could bring besides $$ of course. They do their own laundry and apparently that stuff is expensive on the ship. I purchased smaller versions but multiple of fragrance free items, I thought he would kiss us, he was so grateful. Tried to pay us for the items. I was mindful of limited space considerations so no big jugs. His smile was priceless. Keep your space uncluttered for ease of movement and cleaning as well as gift him/her a day off. We do this at least once each sailing, just get enough towels, they really appreciate it.

No truer words....

I love this! You want to make sure your wife enjoys the views. This is a very caring gesture and TBH I would look at the deck plans and choose the cabin you feel will be enjoyed the most. Then watch for price drops, promotions etc. Time is so precious, we can't get it back. Sail your sailing with the utmost joy for the both of you, Happy Cruising!!

What a wonderful journey. I had so much fun on your cruise! I am so happy it worked out and your family will have forever memories. Thank you so much for taking us along, Cheers to you!

It is so personal, right? I mean when I woke up early morning of the Icon release credit card in hand I felt like I was punched in the face. The ship's enormous offerings of bells and whistles didn't speak to me. I honestly don't know what I was expecting but I knew even at day one pricing my enjoyment would not equal the price I would be paying. That said my style of cruising at this stage in my life isn't Icon. Clearly though it speaks to many many others and for that I am happy. The company will charge what we are willing to pay for the experience. I personally believe that if you are careful and choose what you know you and your family gravitates to then it is an amazing value vacation. Same with Coco Cay Cabanas pricing. Previously I indulged in a few cabanas, Bare foot Beach, Oasis Pool, Water Park X 2. I loved the experience, I loved the home base as well as the comfort. Moving forward the prices being what they are I will enjoy a beach bed or lounger. Maybe a Coco Beach club pass, maybe. It's about my personal feeling of cost=enjoyment. I'm weird like that, if I feel it's fair I enjoy it more. While I enjoyed my one Star class sailing Sky is my happy place, but again full circle there is something for everyone with Royal and I still feel it's a great value vacation if you know how to make the most of your own choices. Prices going up everywhere, while I am not a Jason Liberty fan at all I get it. I am blessed to be able to vacation once in a while & I choose cruising every time.

Just wonderful! Great looking out @FionaMG

I really enjoyed your blog. I was impressed at all the excursions, I loved that you really visited all the stops. Thanks so much for the pictures as well, reading about your adventure made me crave that itinerary. I really wish Royal would do a "special sailing " for about 14 days? Out of Florida, I think that could be a money maker. Instead of my monies being spent on airlines flying to Barbados, my monies would be spent on the longer southern itinerary, yes I like that idea. Thanks again for sharing.