steverk
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Everything posted by steverk
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Returning to the ship while in port
steverk replied to Rick LaTouch's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
Always remember, the times on cruisemapper.com are departure times. I.e. the time the ship will be actually leaving. All aboard is usually 30 minutes prior to that. They can be even earlier for tender ports. You want to be on board laughing at the pier runners well before all aboard time. -
I've sailed Voyager many times. In fact, I'll be on her again at the end of April. No worries at all. About 6 months ago, she was hit by a rogue wave. Water splashed out of the pool and made mess, but no real damage. Nothing to worry about.
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Harmony of the seas need suggestions
steverk replied to Spdracr39's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
Depending on the price, you might consider renting an aqua theater suite. -
Also gty is non refundable deposit.
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It's not a stupid decision at all. It's essentially the same as booking a hotel room at a non-refundable rate. The wisdom, or lack thereof, is all in the math and your preferences. If you're ok with getting assigned a less than perfect cabin, you're fairly certain you'll really want to go and the price is cheaper, then it's probably right for you. That said, more than once, I've called my travel agent and asked about any group rates she might have, and she had them for the same price or less than the gty. In these cases the group rate is a better deal. I pick my cabin and have a refundable deposit.
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It depends on your policy. Many policies will cover a situation like this but you need to call the insurance company and ask.
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Can you purchase a policy through royal Caribbean?
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My wife loves this one https://www.amazon.com/Foldaway-Rechargeable-Portable-Lightweight-Compact/dp/B098CRFFNN/ref=asc_df_B098CRFFNN/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532971543020&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16478889909755490309&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1026777&hvtargid=pla-1453736493837&psc=1&mcid=5e0a792da05a332ab1c353f08a05996a&gclid=CjwKCAiAloavBhBOEiwAbtAJO6I2RcbPf3cQVS3lFluyxka73vnm5TcMaOGJwPnoMXuZG8BrgpdFIhoCjAYQAvD_BwE
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allure returns in 2026 All Things Galveston
steverk replied to Galveston Steve's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
Good morning and let me give you an early welcome to Houston. The 1:15 estimate to the port is reasonable assuming you are doing this on a weekend morning with no constructiondelays. During the week, 2 hours would be a better estimate. If there's a construction delay, then all bets are off. Checking Google maps is probably your best bet. Enterprise rent a car on Galveston is 4.5 miles, so the distance isn't too bad. I've never hailed a cab or uber on Galveston, so I can't really give you any advice on how long that will take. After the cruise, I would expect it to be pretty easy to get a ride though.- 965 replies
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- new cruise terminal updates
- texas
- worlds first zero energy cruise terminal
- harmony of the seas
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- allure of the seas
- uber update
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What time is the first luggage group usually called?
steverk replied to jbrinkm's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
To the OP. my normal advice would be to self assist. However, you've indicated that's not an option So, I'd get the earliest t6you possibly can. Go to guest services and confirm that's what you have. Then just hope everything is running smoothly and ahead of schedule. In most cases, you should be called by 8am and out of the terminal by 8:30. However, there's tons that can go wrong, so there's no guarantee. Best of luck to you! -
New booking schedule out of Los Angeles
steverk replied to Carpe Diem's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
I was pleasantly surprised by the pricing on Navigator sailings for winter 2026. -
A 3 night weekend cruise makes a lot of sense for someone who can drive to the port and enjoy a weekend away. They will pay a premium for it and probably spend more on board. The downside for the cruise line is it has to be paired with a 4 night cruise during the week. This makes far less sense for someone who has a job and wants to maximize their vacation time. Cruise lines must have concluded that the advantages of the short weekend cruise are worth the trouble of dealing with the hard to fill week long cruise. For me personally, I'm not flying to a port for anything less than 6 or 7 nights. However, I will drive an hour for one if the price and timing are right.
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What would you do? Unclean bathroom glasses
steverk replied to Pattycruise's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
If you really feel the attendant is failing to do his/her job, then you probably need to bring it up to the head of housekeeping. I'm sure the issue will be addressed. Be advised though, you'll probably get very crisp, very impersonal service for the rest of the cruise. -
I can confirm what @LoveToCruise says. I've booked it 4 times. Each time it was a great experience. To get the lower price, book it at full price in advance to reserve your time. Then ride it enough times to show that you and your party don't really need a lesson. Then talk to the activity manager and they will refund the difference between your purchase price and the lower price. (discount is a refundable OBC).
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All you can do is keep checking. Somebody will cancel and you'll have a brief opportunity to book it. Good luck!
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NYC tour with RCL before getting to the airport
steverk replied to Goldie 2001's topic in Shore Excursions
I took it to La Guardia. We were late getting docked and the terminal was hopelessly backed up. We had to wait for at least an hour longer than planned, so we were late getting started. Therefore my start time of 10am should not be taken as normal. It's also possible that they removed some planned stops to get us to our flights on time. We had great driver. He took us in to Manhattan. We were allowed about 45 minutes to explore the world trade center area on our own. We drove around Manhattan where the driver pointed out significant landmarks like the bull on Wall Street and some historic buildings. Then we went on to La Guardia. Was it a great tour? No. But it was a decent way to pass some time and see a little of New York. When you consider the cost of cab fare to La Guardia from Bayonne, I thought this was a bargain. -
I believe you can get pizza in the park Cafe located in the solarium
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Rhapsody - Good Traditional Ship?
steverk replied to WannaCruise's topic in Royal Caribbean Discussion
I like vision class ships, but they are a slower experience than the newer ships. As long as you're aware of this, I'm sure you'll have a great time. That said, I have a couple suggestions. First, travelling over Thanksgiving may be a better option. Most schools and universities, at least in the USA, have the whole week off, so it works we'll time wise. However, most Americans prefer to celebrate with a family feast at home, so demand and prices are often more reasonable. My other suggestion is to consider voyager class ships. They're usually price competitive with Vision class but have far more amenities. -
13 nights. Have fun!
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I just finished my Sydney to Auckland cruise on Celebrity and had a wonderful time! For anyone from America is considering a similar cruise, I'm going to give a quick lessons learned. 1. Both Australia and New Zealand are beautiful countries with fun, clean and safe cities. Both have extensive natural areas that are worth seeing. Both are proud of their heritage and their native populations. Be sure to spend extra time there 2. Most places will take your credit card without issue. That's more true in Australia than New Zealand, but you don't need a ton of local currency. 3. I didn't see very many currency exchanges, so bring some local currency with you. 4. People in both countries are very friendly and helpful. 5. Most of the New Zealand ports are industrial ports and require a shuttle bus to go ashore. On my itinerary the ones that required a shuttle were Dunedin, Wellington, Napier and Christchurch. Auckland, Bay of Islands and Tauranga did not require a shuttle. On my cruise, the shuttle cost $10USD. 6. Do your research ahead of time. Lots of stuff to do in each port, but you don't want to just wing it. 7. The plugs in Australia and New Zealand are different than any other country I've ever experienced, but they are compatible with each other. Be sure to get the proper converters before coming on the trip. I hope this helps someone. To all the Aussies and Kiwis, thanks for the great time!
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I just boarded Celebrity Edge in Sydney on Feb 4. I arrived early and just walked on. No line. No waiting.
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It's been a while since I've sailed vision class so my memory may be faulty. With that in mind, I believe it's 2 US plugs but only 1 European. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.
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I agree with OP that the gratuity is excessive on a soda package, but it is what it is. That means, you know the hidden strings. You choice is to either take it or leave it.
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