monctonguy

maybe they should treat this issue like smokers and non-smokers.....lol I don't want to be around and eat and use the same utensils as people that are dirty and just wiped themselves and refuse to wash their hands........ Maybe we need 2 buffets....one for hand washers and one for non-hand washers to try and make everyone happy.... Ok, so I am going a little far with it.....but these days nothing would surprise me...

I booked one for my last cruise...was an inside guar room...ended up on deck 10 with a virtual balcony which was great....but that's not the norm. I wonder now that Royal is willing to sail with empty cabins in order to keep prices high and not offer last min discounts, if that will affect the rooms you may end up getting with a guar booking?!

I am for sure..its my first 7 day cruise so I will defn plan on one meal... I have done Johnny Rockets before...but I don't think that's what people mean when they say specialty restaurant.....haha

Ok..so it is still a perk then...plus u used to get the reduced deposit. Now you still get the extra OBC...just no reduced deposit. But then you have to decide between the deposit back or no deposit back option which affects what you get as well. Hard to keep track!

I wont book that for my up coming cruise..but I may take a plunge and book a specialty restaurant....10 cruises and never done one yet!!! Heck, last cruise I didn't even make it to the MDR for a meal.....

It amazes me and disgusts me to see that.....its bad enough not to wash your hands if your just going back to your room or chair...but when you leave the bathroom and straight to the windjammer....come on....really?! Washy Washy.....lol

that's right..no swimwear...other than that...anything goes!

I thought the OBC was bigger when booking on board? Or was it just that you could take the OBC for booking a future cruise on your current cruise? ( my next cruise was booked onboard..$100 deposit and gave me $100 OBC on the cruise I booked it on....pretty good, no?) I am sure there was some perk to booking onboard....otherwise why bother? I still love cruising with Royal(for as long as I can afford them) but I would love to see a list of all the changes they have implemented in the past 2-3 years and see which favors the company and which favors the customer. As long as the ships are full they can do whatever they want....but sooner or later the scales will start to tip against them if they keep making these changes imho.

Info is posted here now on the blog.......while it may not have been that big of a deal, its just another perk or incentive that RCCL has removed, with no benefit to the customer. It really amazes me how many changes they make that helps their bottom line and removes the perk to the customer. But I guess as long as people continue to support them with their wallets, they can do whatever they want.

I know some ships used to have a "silent" party which was fun....but again that was a few years ago and not much seems to go on during the evenings besides the sit down and listen to some performers sing or play.

yes..I was on Indy and they had the 2 level bar which was packed..lined up actually to get in.....was so disappointed on Navigator with the nightlife..or lack there of.......

I know some nights on some cruises they have had a white party...kinda the same idea? I think NCL has more of these theme party's on the pool deck or in the clubs... if anything with RCCL, I have found the night life is not much at all...on one whole class of ships(Freedom or Voyager?) didn't they get rid of the 2 level night clubs which were packed the one cruise I was lucky enough to get on before they changed them.

Demand is driven by people willing to pay it..if your willing to pay it then go ahead. I would never pay a penny extra to go to Cuba more than Mexico or Nassau or anywhere else south. I realize its the forbidden that makes it exciting, but take it from someone who has been there many many times...I only go to Cuba cause its cheaper for us than Mexico or Bahamas.....its nothing different or special or worth more of your hard earned money IMHO. But the travel companies realize that its a cash cow and will see just how gullible people are with their money. It is a business after all. They aren't offering these cruises out of the goodness of their heart so you can enrich your education and experience.

Pretty sure it was shortly after that...I really don't think the cruise lines really cared or did it cause people didn't like the smell of smoke...it came down to risk to the ship and the money these type of things would cost.

Can't please all of the people all of the time...... It's always a contentious point when it comes to smoking on cruise ships...but I feel like they have done more than enough to accommodate both sides of the issue. Basically you have to avoid the casino and your ok...and I don't see many people hanging in there just to smoke..of course there are a few who do..but mostly those smoking ARE gambling...and the "nonsmoking" section of the casino is usually dead...but then they will say that its still too smoky in that section to sit and play. I seriously don't know how anyone lived 20 years ago when it comes to food allergies and smoking allergies and gluten and and and.....

ash trays.....butt buckets....lots of options...I don't throw them off my back deck at home or out the window when driving....never had a fire yet.. and I have done 10 cruises so far and never thrown ONE overboard yet...so don't lump me in with all the others that you assume throw them away. You cant ban stupid......throwing garbage over the railing is illegal too but some will still do it....so should we ban people from having a balcony rooms on cruises? As for the smell on balconies, I get that...perhaps one side of the ship could be smoking and one side not?.....I think there are options and solutions, rather than to just ban things... Its like the drink package issue...cause 1% of the users abuse it, the other 99% who don't will now be subject to have to buying it for everyone in the cabin over 21....not fair to punish the masses for the actions of a few.....imagine if society ran like that in any area of law or regulations or morals????!!!....."we cant control the 1% that break the laws and make it miserable for others....so lets just make everyone have to do/not do it"

Everything is so politically correct these days.....more so here in Canada than the USA but..... To ban smoking on balconies for the sake of fire?!.....how many cruises happen each year with how many balconies and how many fires happen??...Then some people will say 1 fire is too much. Well ok then, if one plane ever crashes that is too much so lets ban flying......lol If one person ever jumps off a balcony and commits suicide, lets fence in every balcony..... Come on....if its someone right to smoke, its someone's right to not smoke...and the issue with breathing second hand smoke well I am guessing what the ship spews out of its smokestack is worse...so lets ban that as well. People are so NOT tolerant these days it blows my mind...and I am only 40 yrs old. I remember when society was MUCH more tolerant of everyone in every aspect. Think back to even 10 years ago or so when smoking was everywhere, inside and outside. To have to pass by a few smokers for 15 seconds of your day outside on the pool deck is really not the end of the world. I have said though that one way to keep 99% of everyone happy, would be to have a smoking AND a non-smoking casino on the ship(or enclose half of the current casino or whatever)......I am sure the cruise lines could afford and it may even encourage more gambling at the end of the day!

Where did you hear this "rumor"? Another board or site or? I hope not.....if they do, would be interesting to see how much it hurts/affects business. If you are a smoker and stay at a non-smoking hotel or resort or eat at a smoke free restaurant, there are still places you can go to have a smoke. On a cruise, not so much....

They do have them in Cozumel...right across the street from Wet Wendy's....was quite popular and busy when I stopped by to take a look..those that were doing it and had done it before swore by it when I asked them. I believe it was $15-20 USD depending on how long you wanted.

For anyone who does "drink", the package is worth it. When you add up the things mentioned liked bottled water, soda, coffee, juice in the morning...it only takes about 3 drinks during the day to break even(or 4-5 drinks if you only drink alcohol and nothing else that costs money for the cruise)......so unless you have ONE drink or less a day on average than its not worth it......as soon as you have 2-3 alcohol drinks plus the extras you get, its worth it. Beer would take a few extra drinks to break even as the cost is about half that of the cocktails on average.

ah ok...I would say its safe to say I would have hit that probably a few times over my 9 cruises....so it really still is a secret to the formula...

Gym is nice on Navigator with some great view of the sea up there. There were classes offered but seemed to be low impact classes. I don't remember anything about hiring trainers for sessions and there was a age limit just cant remember what it was(pretty sure 16) Don't think the age rule depends on whether a parent is present or not so you may want to look into this if its a big concern/deal for your kids cruising.

Glad to hear Indy is still good...enjoyed my cruise on her and thought she was great.(really liked the 2 person CD team too and glad I got to see them before RCCL fired them) Everyone in my group thought they were some of the best and funniest ever. First experience on a ship with a promenade so it was one to remember for me. Would love to get back on her sometime.

Interesting...and surprising they don't have a more clear program and system. To spend over $7000 to get 1500 points which would get me some "free" drinks on my next cruise in the casino seems a little crazy?! I was on a cruise and a cpl I was hanging out with, she spent a fair amount of time in the casino. She did not put much in at all, but kept winning enough to play. She hardly drank while there. She won one night like $1000......and later that evening management came and talked to her and offered her membership into this elusive club... I have spent wayyyyy more time and money in the casino then she ever did(she wasn't even a gambler, but liked the "cute" machine she was on during the cruise) so it seems to be quite random. That being said, I know I am not a big spender/gambler like many who cruise so I don't expect much in return, but surprising when you hear or know forst hand of ppl that spent way less time and money than others but somehow magically get into the circle.

Thanks for the tips...looks like San Juan is popular during the time I am looking to book. Doubletree already sold out! $400 for one night at a Marriott is almost as much as I am paying for my week long cruise so I will have to pass on that!...lol I just need something basic....like it to have a pool....and a restaurant/bar or two within walking distance to enjoy.