USCG Teacher

I was on two weeks ago and had the same experience.  Filet and tenderloin were fairly early on, we absolutely had the red/green disc, and the servers had no issue at all if any of us wanted to skip a particular meat.  Our experience was somewhere between 90 mins. to 2 hours, but that was definitely more of an us issue than a them one.  It was only about 60% full and still a long ways to closing, so we didn't feel rude lingering and enjoying a few glasses of wine...

Ok, I'm gonna try this blog thing again. We sailed Oasis in January to PDCC\Cozumel\Roatan\Costa Maya, and I attempted to "live blog". I think I posted about 4 times and it was like two days later every time, which by then I forgot all of the details of my days, so it wasn't a very good report.  SO I will try this again. For one- we will have more than one Wi-Fi plan, so that will make it easier on me not having to fight the kid to use the log in, lol.   This will be the same trio as the last trip, Myself, wife (Lisa) and 11yo Son (Chase). Wife has a Deluxe beverage plan, I have a Refreshment package (I'll be celebrating almost 2 years sober on this trip) and the boy doesn't drink much other than water and some juice, so he's going ala carte. 
This will be our first cruise out of NJ, and really excited to NOT be flying in. We live in South Philadelphia, right near the famous cheesesteak places and the Italian market (you may know this from the famous Rocky running scene-before the run up the steps) We are still going back and forth about getting there, I'm 99% sure I'll just drive but we have weighed the option of the train-but at the end of the cruise, I'm just going to want to get in and go.  As for the cruise itself, we are doing the Port Canaveral\PDCC\Nassau run that seems to be the most common run from Port Liberty. Our last time on Oasis we had a boardwalk balcony and actually really enjoyed it, when I booked this one right after the previous one I picked another BW Balcony, but picked the very last one in the back- hoping for a nice view of the water and the aqua show (noise doesn't bother us). I then transferred the reservation to a TA, my first time using one.  She got in touch with us a few weeks later to inform me that OV Balconies were available and would be about $200 more total for the three us to upgrade, so we jumped on that, moving to Deck 14, port side Aft with an ocean view balcony- we appear to be directly below the mini golf, which I assume won't cause much noise from above.  This will be the first time any of us have had an ocean balcony, so that adds some excitement. Ok, I've laid the ground work and bored you enough, I'll update with excursions and other plans we have made as we get closer to sail time!  Oh- last time we didn't do much on the ship other than Aqua show and Ice show, so this time we will be doing a lot more of the other stuff like comedy shows, headliners, game shows and such...I may even do a little Karaoke!   Excited to bring you all along for our little journey. 

Also, the spreadsheet is just for me 🤣. It is easier to have plan when I board to give to the person making the reservations.

PEANUT BUTTER TROPIC
Decadent & Velvety
New Schooner Bar Menu 2023

 
NOTE:
Those who've seen the menu were not sure about Skrewball and pineapple juice together in a drink, but many who've actually tried it liked it.  I liked it too.

Check your DMs. 👍🏼

This may sound boring to others, but this is one reason I enjoy going back on the same ship. I'm not a big show guy but I'll see everything once (except Broadway, just not my thing). When we go back, we don't feel obligated to see any shows again (besides comedy which changes of course) unless we decide to.
I'll likely make some show reservations when we go back on Wonder just to have the option (especially if my wife tells me she wants to see something again), but it's kind of nice to have the entire night free for DL snacks, dinner, drinks, a non-show activity, more dinner somewhere else (I like to eat), etc.

A "problem" with cruising is there's so much to do and sometimes not enough time to fit it all in !!  A nice problem to have though and probably common for a lot of us!  We like to have before-dinner drinks and not be rushed about getting to dinner.  Then while eating, we don't like feeling rushed to get to the show.  Your solution, USCG Teacher, is similar to what we'll do.  On some cruises, we find ourselves getting to bed after midnight though --  kind of late at our ages!  Oh well....  very excited about our upcoming cruises.  Enjoy yours!

In the early days of RU, I would win consistently from either balcony or JS to sky class (mostly CLS) but lately zero luck. I’m still bidding the same and on some occasions more money but still no luck. The demand for cruising is through the roof and the upgrade program has become a pipe dream. I still bid for every sailing but the expectations are set very low. 

Thanks, USCG Teacher.  Good suggestions.  Actually, the shows we've selected are mostly starting anywhere from 9:15 to 10:15 so we're thinking we'll ask the Concierge to get us the same dining time each evening.

You really expect the Royal IT department to act quickly updating things.

Yeah I was wrong about that, it was midnight and read it wrong, its 10:30. That's actually perfect. Hopefully on the ship at 10:45 and then we have an hour to explore before Chops at noon for a nice relaxing quiet lunch far, far away from the Windjammer. 

I want to point out that all the vintages are upset with my mother for inviting a strange man on our vacation. My mother is also upset because I told her once I get the blind gent on the ship, she will have to look out for him. 
Also @USCG Teacher I would appreciate all the insight. I have done European trains but never Amtrak for that long. 

I have to agree with @asquared17, this feels like a camera crew should be following you!
As an aside, I'm not sure if you've done long-haul Amtrak before or not, but if you have any questions/want suggestions, etc., please feel free to message me.  Otherwise, looking forward to see how this journey unfolds!

I feel your pain.  I am the family planner for our 12.  My family and my sister and her family. No vintages Started a google doc which no one reads.  Have to travel to venice , get to our hotel, spend 2 days in Venice,get to the bus station for the 2 hour shuttle ride to Ravenna,board the ship, find excurions in 4 ports and then get back to the airport.
Check in opened and 1 person did it.  So they can sit out and wait for their time while I am onboard enjoying the flowrider and drinks!  

No, not per person.  Per cruise.

Keep moving those goal posts, champ.  Sooner or later you're sure hit a point that people agree with you about!

I have to agree with @asquared17, this feels like a camera crew should be following you!
As an aside, I'm not sure if you've done long-haul Amtrak before or not, but if you have any questions/want suggestions, etc., please feel free to message me.  Otherwise, looking forward to see how this journey unfolds!

Well you got me reeled in. I do find it very fitting that this journey begins on Friday the 13th. 

Just found this video, made very recently. She claims exactly what I read. They drop you off on the opposite side to get you to walk through.  She shows the drop off point right at the 6 minute mark. At least now I know to be prepared to stop a few times on the walk back! 
 

Gotta give you credit, in your situation I would have given up the role of family travel agent a long time ago.  
I also would have insisted everyone pays a deposit right at the start.  You find out very quickly who is really serious when they have some skin in the game.  

Since a ship has several thousand guests there are always last minute changes going on.  RoyalUp is also around to manage last minute inventory that becomes available so it doesn't go to waste or given away for free to a Pinnacle or Diamond Plus member.  With folks like yourself submitting bids that's all in place and ready to go in the event someone cancels at the last minute.
Life happens.  Guests have unexpected events in their life or in a family member's life were all of a sudden a cruise vacation just isn't that important compared to something that just occured out of the blue.  
I had a real estate deal falling apart.  Had I not missed my cruise I would have lost the deal.  Only because I chose to make the real estate transaction more important did the deal go through.  It was hard walking away from a couple thousand dollar cruise but I had a good real estate deal lined up that saved me much more than that.
A child had an unexpected change in their bootcamp graduation date.  That was more important than a cruise so I walked away from the cruise.  What was I going to do?  Miss the graduation?  Nope.  
What happened to my cabin on those cruises?  I'll never know.  
When there are three, four, five, six thousand or more guests on a ship there will always be a handful of people who have last minute changes impact their ability to cruise.  
 
 

While this was unavoidable, and RC did offer a nice compensation, you still might need travel insurance, in my opinion. Many flights will cost more that $600. Especially if that is per couple, not per person.  I also always have hotels pre-paid, before and after cruises.   There could be transportation to airport or train station.  

You are exactly right. This is a one-way cruise, so folks have to pay to change their existing flights home to be from a different airport and earlier. Last minute flights are likely way more expensive. Travel insurance would cover that gap.
It could also cover any non-refundable costs for excursions outside of the cruiseline. If there were plans to stay in the debarkation city for an extended post-cruise trip, travel insurance would cover the costs to continue your trip.

That would make sense, sadly.  Hopefully someone with more recent intel can chime in!

"Welcome aboard folks.  The gangway's up and we'll be preparing to set sail from Kahului momentarily..."