USCG Teacher

I just checked in last night and received at 10 AM boarding time, so I have to assume that porters will be around and at the ready when your family arrives!

And THIS is why I keep turning to you all for advice, I never would have thought of the room service option! So, it sounds like I'll go with asking Monday evening to start with (being sure to emphasize that I have a plan B if it is a big inconvenience), and if it is, I'll order a few through room service. Well done, team, and many thanks!

I had the same experience; I could not even enter a bid without also providing CC information. In my case, I used the same card that my reservation was booked under, but it seemed as though Royal Up did not have any of my payment information on file.

So, as a newly-minted suite haver, I am very excited to try out CK. Here's my dilemma: I love a soufflé for dessert, doubly so if it is not chocolate. The Grand Marnier Soufflé from the MDR is one of those "cruise items I must eat" items. It is served on night #2. If I let the CK staff know the night before of my irrational love of this dish, would it be problematic for the staff to get one for me? From what I've read, it is likely that they would certainly try, but the bigger issue here is I don't want to be "that guy." If it is a P.I.T.A. for them to do so, I'd be more than willing to just dine in the MDR that night. Alternatively, would it be an inconvenient ask to pop in the MDR after dinner and ask for a serving of soufflé to go? Looking for some experienced feedback here. I know how overstretched the crew is right now, and while I appreciate every staff member's efforts to provide top notch service, I also don't want to be stressing anyone out so I can get my sweet nom-nom on!

Oh yes, he'll be more than welcome to have several portions of the same item OR many different selections. In my experience, the dining staff take it as a personal challenge if a person requires a larger portion to be filled up, and I've never seen them fail!

Sounds like a lot of CK lunches in my future!

I mean, @KristiZ obviously nailed it with world cruise, but failing that I'd have to go with Antarctica #1 and Australia/NZ #2.

Right? It's such a silly thing, but I also always really enjoyed it. Maybe it's something about going to bed every night thinking about how I was going to start the next day's adventures, or maybe it's just because I'm a glutton. Maybe both?

I know the CK filet has something of a legendary status around these parts, and I as recall they're a night #1 speciality, so that's 100% on my to do list! Thanks for the tip of the ribs as well, I'll definitely keep an eye out!

Thanks for this, Kristen, I'm looking forward to trying CK, and I'll definitely seek out Dudesh!

I can't remember the exact day I received it, but it was right around 75 days. I thought for sure I wouldn't hear anything until Mid-July at the earliest.

Thank you @OCSC Mike, very helpful!

Here I am, 51 days out from my Oasis of the Seas cruise out of Bayonne, and low and behold I see those magical words in my email inbox: Your Stateroom Has Been Upgraded. My minimum $700 bid moved me from a JS guarantee to a 1 Bedroom Aquatheater Suite! I am beyond stunned, the timing, the acceptance, all of it! So Suite Snob crew (this is in fact a term of endearment!), help a dad who's never stayed in anything bigger than a Promenade View room taking his kids on their 1st cruise with the lowdown: what do I do now? Do I cancel my MDR reservations if we're going to do CK, or will the concierge do that? I suddenly have so many questions that I hadn't even thought about! Any advice/pointers/experience would be greatly appreciated!

Saw a quick little overview video on YouTube, looks to be about 15-16 people.

I think we all know what the problem was...

This is ongoing issue right now. Another thread is covering it pretty extensively:

I was on a similar excursion in Cozumel in the pre-pandemic era, and my wife and I were paired with another couple. I was the only one who could drive stick, so that pretty much decided the driving situation. Obviously a different company in another time, but RCI setting up a tour like that has precedence.

So, odd hypothetical: what happens if you win a RU, but then have to miss the cruise with a positive test? What happens to the RU money? Is it rolled into the FCC, refunded separately, or is it just...gone?

Ah, fair enough! In that case, I'll echo @KristiZ's sentiments about Georgetown as a good starting spot. Good food in the area, interesting neighborhood, but not a ton of Metro stations if you're not near Dupont Circle or Woodley Park. It's also a pretty healthy walk to the National Mall. There will definitely be a number of choices available in Georgetown. Given your parameters, I'd probably be looking just north of the Capitol building, too. It's not nearly as much of a neighborhood as Georgetown, but there are usually quite a few choices in the area right around Union Station (which is worth a visit itself!). Easy access to Metro stations on the Red Line as well as the Circulator Bus, which is perfect for tourists. You can walk to the Capitol building easily, which is on the far eastern edge of the National Mall, and convenient to the Air & Space Museum and the National Gallery of Art but that's quite a walk to get the western side where the Lincoln Memorial and the wharf are (that's where the Circulator bus comes in!). It's also convenient to one of my favorite places to eat in the area, Cafe Berlin. Can't go wrong either way, imho. Just keep in mind that the Metro in DC is NOT open all night, so keep an eye on the hours depending on when you're there, or else you'll be limited to bus lines or Uber/Lyft. Also, don't sleep on the Ethiopian food in DC. A large number of refugees in the 70s and 80s ended up putting down roots in DC, and there are quite a few fantastic restaurants and markets in the city as a result (there are 2-3 within a block of the U St. station on the Green/Yellow line, near the original Ben's Chili Bowl). Have a great trip, and if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to do my best to help out!

Wait, *I* might actually get to help @Matt out with something for a change?!? I actually travel to DC with my family fairly frequently. Is there a hotel chain that you prefer due to loyalty program points/status? I can probably offer some specific suggestions.

Seems like an amazing place, thanks for the video. Based on your conversation with Lucio, I'm assuming you had a great time! I'm guessing you had the VIP package? How did the food and beverage work? Was it all inclusive, a credit amount or a la carte? Looks like a great place to bring a family for a relaxed beach day, it'll definitely be on our radar next time we hit Costa Maya!

After Mariner's big adventure in Freeport, I'm glad to see that this is what the thread is about!

Correct! The only thing you'll have to carry is what you plan to carry on. The porters will even take the bags straight from your trunk/hatch, and they won't even grumble about it for a small gratuity! In your situation, I'd be more concerned about disembarkation than drop off. Even there, if you just look for the porters you'll be in good hands. Well worth the money you'll tip them.

Not sure if you've seen it already or not, but there's a whole subsection on the boards dedicated to Celebrity (and Silver Sea). It's not as active as the Royal threads, but there's lots of good info there: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/forum/12-celebrity-silversea/

On a computer, in the top right corner of your Cruise Planner, you should see your initials in a circle. If you click on that circle, you get a drop down menu, and "Order History" is the 2nd selection. That should give you access to all of your past purchases. Word of warning, it will NOT tell you what you paid per person, just your total paid. You'll have to do the math yourself for individual prices.