S0nny

We do escape rooms all the time, and the ones on RC are some of the BEST in the industry for a comparative price. HIGHLY recommend!

I always bring a small USB fan and have never had any issues

yuuuuup ... A VPN might work if you don't want to bring a laptop. We didn't have any trouble using our VPN on our phone for our last cruise

@Christie Glad you found this review helpful! We did the UDP and UBP. In hindsight, we probably would have skipped out on both because we booked a JS; we had the option for CK for dinner. But I stand by my original recommendation. Book the PADI! And if you already purchased the UDP, I think you will still get plenty of use out of it based off your input. I can't wait to hear how amazing it was! Happy Sailing!

for sure! Looking forward to Cyber Monday with my fingers crossed

Y'all... nothing makes me more excited than paying that deposit and seeing your cruise show up in the Cruise Planner. Huge shoutout to @Sharla from MEI for booking us so easily You ROCK! This will be our first time on a Freedom Class ship and we are stoked This was originally booked for April of 2020 out of San Juan. Of course when the cruise was canceled we couldn't decide if it was better to Lift and Shift or get the 125% FCC. We chose FCC, but opted for the refund for the drink/dining package. Now seeing the prices go up by almost 500 smackers for the cruise and then almost DOUBLE for the UBP/UDP... we probably should have opted to lift and shift and FCC for the OBC. Oh well... you live and learn Just happy to see that little ticker in my cruise planner! Doin this cruise to celebrate another birthday for our friend group... I apologize in advance those who will be on the ship with us If you find me though, I will buy ya a drink to make up for the shenanigans!

Just keep in mind it will be hurricane season in October!! I'm still brainwashed to "dress to egress"

Me too!! I wear a mask every day anyways... Wearing it on a cruise ship means I just get a better view! haha

Matt's video hit the nail on the head (as usual). I agree with @emmef , I would purchase them now and watch for sales. Our last cruise we bought the UBP for $52 and The Key for $18 (roughly 66 and 23 AUD). Personally, I don't think we got much value out of The Key even at that price... We were always going to buy the internet package so in the end it wasn't too much more per person per day. But I felt it wasn't as useful for us on that voyage. We didn't tender at any ports, so the biggest advantage was moot. And being in a junior suite and Platinum, I would imagine there will already be priority lines on embarkation. Can't wait to hear about the cruise and whether or not you thought it was all worth it!

2nd dose of the Pfizer vaccine received on 1/19! I have injection site pain (I didn't have any on the first one), but that's it so far. Too bad they canceled my April cruise ? I was hopeful this little card would be my golden ticket to normalcy ... at least if only for a week or two...

We took a Lyft out of port to the airport! Super ease ?

Different folks different strokes I guess. We always only booked interior cabins as I had previously fallen into the, "you only sleep there " camp. But generally speaking, I find the double points, full size tub, dedicated table space, and walk-in closet to be incredible value for money. Often times with the Key, one can get similar perks for less. We really aren't in the room all that much, and I would prefer to spend the extra 1000$ on the UDP/UBP anyway. Coastal Kitchen is amazing... I just like the flexibility and variability that the UDP/UBP provide on Oasis class ships. For the OP, I think it always just depends on your cruising style. If you're sailing party isn't into drinking or trying all the new dining options, maybe GS would be a better option. But the cost of our UDP/UBP was about $1000 on our (previously upcoming) April cruise which I think gives you a lot more options than the GS would. Can't wait to hear about your choice and how well it goes for you!

Hi! Not sure if you have ever taken a train in Europe, but it's WAY easier than you might expect. If embarkation/disembarkation isn't in Venice, the train trip is about 4 hours and 20 Euro pp. I hope it all works out for you! Venice is on my bucket list too (especially since I had read how tourism in the city is changing) Venice Tourism May Never Be the Same After Covid. That Might Be a Good Thing. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

?? Touche! But the sad reality is... large enterprises only respond to large statements. I worked in customer service over the phone (selling auto/home insurance for one the largest in the business)... trust me... even if UKFamily were able to get a hold of someone who cared about their circumstance... the sad thing is they probably can do nothing to fix it. Companies this large have policies in place, and they will only get attention when it's escalated to a higher authority. And nowadays, what gets an immediate response is social media (we had a policy to give people who posted to social media almost anything they wanted... sooooo ... you call it being a Karen... I call it knowing the system ?)

@steverk beat me to it ? I use this website when searching because most of the time the work is done for me! This isn't the exact same room, but it's the mirror image. Hope this helps! https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/youtube.php?id=1346

+1 to this... I would start on Facebook and Twitter. Make mention of involving the press in the post. A lot of times they will escalate the issue to someone who can actually do something. What is unfortunate in the video is the recording starting from the middle of the selection process and not the beginning (which I would encourage you to go back and replicate if possible). As others have mentioned... their website is terribly glitchy. Any use of the back button, or reload option can further compound those issues. It's no excuse since it clearly looks like you're paying for 4 people. I hope it works out for you!

Ahhhh... The good ole' Spring "sale" that turns into the same Summer "sale", and so on... ? As others have stated, learn to trust your own search history and pay no attention to advertising. You're keeping a spreadsheet... I'd say you're one step ahead of your average cruisers. One thing I didn't see stressed, is your ability to reprice your cruise if there has been a fare drop (What is the Best Price Guarantee Program? | Royal Caribbean Cruises), and the ability to cancel/reprice onboard activities up to 24 hours prior to the activity. So even if you're seeing a better price now, just look on the bright side that you can get it for less than you originally paid!! What a DEAL! And if you don't have a Travel Agent... now is the time for a shameless plug. They DO still exist, they should be FREE, and a good one should be able to help you navigate all these reprices!

I typically reference the image below when running through this choice. Royal Suite Class | Luxury Cruise Rooms | Royal Caribbean Cruises We CONSTANTLY have this debate every time I start looking at new cruises (which feels like it's at least quarterly). I break it down by cost for amenities that we will actually use. I break everything up by cost (much to my spouse's dismay ?). Value can be such a subjective term, so I add some objectivity to the mix. Ultimately I would ask some general question. How many will be cruising in your party? Will you want internet? If so, how many devices do you want to have access? Are you purchasing the UBP or UDP? How much is exclusivity worth to you with regards to the sky lounge access, concierge access, or CK for lunch? Those are the biggest differences. Then I would break everything up by overall cost and compare the two. My personal opinion is: the cost difference between Junior Suite/Sea Class to Grande Suite/Sky Class isn't worth the cost (not at $1500 at least... but this is ALSO spoken as someone who has never cruised Sky Class or above). Because of the perks we normally buy, the transition from Junior Suite/Sea Class to Star Class would make a lot more sense. Also of note, with the addition of The Key, you can now buy some of the Sky Class exclusives plus have internet access for all members (for less than 1/3rd of the price). Might be a better value if you're on the fence!

Running to the MDR right when we get onboard to book all of our specialty meals with the UDP ? One day I will not be so OCD or such a worry wart about not getting what I want (that's one of the BEST BENEFITS of getting the UDP). We spent a good hour right when we got onboard to make sure we got all of our dining reservations sorted for the week... Not only did I not realize there are multiple places to make those reservations, but I also forgot that cruising is a fluid vacation... not a static one! Everything ended up changing after plans messed up our first nights' reservation! And we have never had any problems making a dining reservation for specialty dining. Maybe our preferred choice wasn't available when we wanted it, but we have always been able to make it work. UDP/UBP = Stress LESS Drink MORE!

One day I will be this bold... but I can barely send back something I didn't even order at a restaurant ?? +1 to this! We did the couples massage on our last cruise, and I almost smacked my husband when I saw the price ? (to be fair... I am the cheap one in the marriage) The massage itself was relaxing... but no different than any couples massage we've had in the past. The biggest "advantage" IMO is the ability to use the Spa waiting area to relax and decompress from the ruckus that is cruise life. I think that might include access to the Thermal Spa on-board... but I couldn't look at our cruise-planner since RCCL had the audacity to cancel our April 4th 2020 cruise out of San Juan! My personal advice is to skip the massage onboard, and get a massage done where you can control the factors that may be important to YOU! That may be affordability, quality, variability, or quality ratings. We always arrive into the port town a day early... Why not get one done on land, skip the cruise "TAX", and get your vacation started with a "happy beginning" ?

Harmony has been our favorite ship so far! But the experience we had on Empress sailing to Cuba was one of a kind. Even though we didn't have all the bells and whistles, the group we sailed with, the intimate experiences the crew gave us, and the unmatched service make it our clear favorite cruise! I missed not having a Broadway quality musical on board... but at least it wasn't CATS ?

I imagine it will eventually, but like @twangster said... I doubt it is super high on the priority list. Cruising into Cuba didn't start until 2016... I wouldn't be surprised if it took another 3-4 years to get back into a change in policy. And by then, we have another election so who knows. I hope they do! I would love to do the Empress itinerary again (this time without breaking my knee ?)

Good rule of thumb when it comes to customs... declare something. With my previous job in aviation, it was my job to collect the customs forms for the crew and consult with the customs agent with any questions or inspections they needed to do. Anecdotally I noticed that the crew bags that got inspected, were the ones who never declared anything on their customs forms ?. Since then, I have always declared ?

Oh no!! We must've gotten a dud. Cause our last Chops Embarkation lunch in the MDR with The Key was TERRIBLE ? That steak was dryyyyyy With regards to buying The Key... it really depends on how they handle the different classes and the new rules. We have a group cruise booked for April '21 on Freedom and I plan on writing a Live Blog about the whole thing. Could you possibly buy The Key now at the "cheaper" price with the notion that you can always get a refund/CC before the cruise if things aren't being handled to your comfort?