steverk

I do a lot of 5 day cruises out of Galveston. No real difference in atmosphere.

It sounds like you really don't have many options. Either a Radiance class or nothing. If that's really the case, then there really isn't much of a decision

Speak for yourself!

I had a nightmare once. It was the last night of my cruise and I didn't have another booked. Terrifying!

While I agree that an announcement has to be very, very soon to be here by 2027, I wonder if it is possible for Royal to hide the slots using a shell company or some other way to obscure the orders.

I agree. Stay 2-3 hours north of Galveston. Save money and break up the trip

I have decorated my door!

I'm with @matt. Forgetting my passport at home. Everything else can work itself out with a little hassle, and maybe money.

I just asked the Captain on Explorer. He didn't add much other than the current plan is for a class of ships the same size as Voyager class. I'd take that as confirmation that the program is still in progress. However, there was no indication of timing.

Unfortunately, booking directly with the airline or an aggregator, like priceline, would have triggered the same, or even greater, penalty. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

Any idea when the release the short Caribbean cruises? I noticed they aren't out yet.

I said I would no continue on this thread, but I cannot allow this to remain unchallenged. 3 US flagged aircraft were struck by gunfire within 1 week in Haiti. Whether the passengers were tourists or visiting for some other reason is a distinction without a difference. To put another way, a terrorist located anywhere in the world isn't going to choose a target and then reconsider based on the target's reason for being there.

Ouch! I just booked number 6 on this sailing! Lol!

NextCruise has a way of being dangerous at this time of year. I plan booking a bunch tomorrow. Is there a limit to how many you can book there?

I agree about those being less than desirable seats. On Radiance, it appeared they weren't on the balcony, but they were the ones way on the side of the balcony. Terrible seats. But hey, they're advertised as "exclusive" not as "good"!

I was able to put a hold on a suite. Went back to look some more, but it was gone. So, I guess they are in the process of loading now.

I feel your pain.

As @teddy mentioned, Labadee has been discussed at length, and I have nothing to add about it. I visited Puerto Plata back in January, so maybe I can put your mind somewhat at ease. The first thing to note is that Puerto Plata has the nicest secure area I've ever seen. It has a small beach, lazy river, flowrider in addition to extensive shopping and dining. Therefore, you don't need to leave the secure area to enjoy this port. Second, the Dominican Republic values tourism and recognizes that passenger safety has to be a priority. While I was on my walking excursion, I saw dozens of police cars patrolling the town and port area. We had no issues and felt very safe. That doesn't mean I'd walk around alone at night, but it seemed great while we were there. As far as things to do nearby, the fort is about a 1/2 mile away. It wasn't much, but it was a pretty spot. The town was interesting, but you'll want a taxi to get there. There's a cable car going up a mountain about 1.5 miles away. I didn't do this one, but it is a national park and is supposed to have great views and decent hiking.

So this is the week they should be released. I know they came come out at any time. But when are they usually released? Tuesday night about midnight or some other time?

This is going to be my last post on this thread. I can see that many people are willing to take the risks to go to Labadee. Fair enough. There are risks everywhere in life. We can't just sit around clutching our pearls all day. However, early in this thread, there was a letter produced that showed a large number of people that have concerns. The concerns are spelled out, and it's fair that they aren't comfortable taking these risks. A productive response would be to acknowledge those concerns and show they are not as serious or probable as the people believe. There are a few attempts at this, and I applaud those that tried. However, I'm surprised by how many people are so intent on getting back to Labadee that they are willing to dismiss those concerns and risks out of hand as illegitimate and then insult the people by calling them "complainers." If this describes you, then you should be ashamed!

It's a legitimate concern to the "complainers" is it not?

Their travel insurance won't cover them. Is that not legitimate?

So what's your point? Some nutcase in Dallas took a shot at a plane, so we should gladly sail or fly in to every war zone in the world? My larger point is we should try and be understanding of those that feel differently than us. Calling people who are troubled by developments in Haiti complainers is to dismiss their legitimate concerns.

I think this is out of hand. Whether or not you agree that going to Labadee is a security risk that should not be taken, it is a reasonable position. 3 aircraft have been hit by gunfire in the last week. These direct attacks on Americans are a significant and recent escalation. Many people, who are not comfortable with the situation, are booked on cruises that are past the final payment date. They have only 2 options. Take an uncomfortable risk or cancel the cruise with no refund. A little understanding is in order before we label them as "complainers" and then continue to criticize them.

Looking over the posts in this thread, they've taken on a dogmatic, almost religious, fervor. It's clear that some don't feel comfortable going to Labadee right now and some don't. Neither side is going to change. So I think it's time to move on from this thread.