S0nny

Is Odyssey supposed to have the “ship within a ship” concept for suites ?  I can’t remember.  I don’t see it mentioned anywhere.

I really dislike Cats....

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

Nikola Tesla (for the conversations)

 
Lady Gaga (For the entertainment)

 
And Jake Gyllenhall (because he looks like a super fun dude)

I'm not inherently a dishonest person... but I always just move the towels if I don't see anyone on them after about 15 minutes (I only do it when there are no personal items). The ONE TIME someone came back, we had been sitting in the seat for over an hour, so I simply told them there were no towels present when we showed up. I reminded them of the policy and told them their towels must have been removed by staff. Maybe not the most honest thing... but neither is not adhering to the very obvious rules...

As someone who was VEHEMENTLY opposed to annual fee charge cards or credit cards... I did A LOT of research on rewards cards. 
 
It’s 1) all about how many points you can earn and 2) the value of return on those points. (Conventional wisdom indicates that a 100:1 point return, as is the case with the RCCL card, is NOT a good return).  When you start researching options, you may find a RCCL Credit Card does not provide that flexibility you may seek. (Sometimes you may want to splurge on first class airfare, or find a great point conversion for other cruise lines <gasp>) 
Some of the “best” cards out there come with many amazing benefits (Amex Platinum and Chase Saphire Reserve come to mind), but these cards have a high annual fee. There are middle of the road cards with lower annual fees (and some with none, but high interest), but they offer more points for things like gas and groceries. 
 
Bottom line, if you want to get the card for the quick $100 OBC, it may be an easy and affordable option (provided you can purchase and pay off the minimum purchase to get the credit). If you want a card that can be used for your family to accrue great rewards with lots of options and benefits, there may be WAY better options! Check our the guy below who breaks down major rewards cards and definitely weigh most online advice with the notion these guys run for profit websites based off what people sign up for from their sites. 
 
https://thepointsguy.com/

Since we always arrive the night before, we always stop by a convenience store to buy shampoo and other toiletries. I’m not particular about that sort of thing (I barely qualify since my hair is thinning so much ??)... but maybe years of not caring about product is what caused it! Hahaha

If I had a dollar for every time I've been locked out of my account on the Cruise Planner and had to call in to have them unlock it, I could afford a Specialty Drink Package.

I would have showed up at the port ... You said two days! :). 

If you know anything labour Royal and their IT.......this is the norm. I am sure you will receive a few more glitches along the way with their stuff.

As someone who was VEHEMENTLY opposed to annual fee charge cards or credit cards... I did A LOT of research on rewards cards. 
 
It’s 1) all about how many points you can earn and 2) the value of return on those points. (Conventional wisdom indicates that a 100:1 point return, as is the case with the RCCL card, is NOT a good return).  When you start researching options, you may find a RCCL Credit Card does not provide that flexibility you may seek. (Sometimes you may want to splurge on first class airfare, or find a great point conversion for other cruise lines <gasp>) 
Some of the “best” cards out there come with many amazing benefits (Amex Platinum and Chase Saphire Reserve come to mind), but these cards have a high annual fee. There are middle of the road cards with lower annual fees (and some with none, but high interest), but they offer more points for things like gas and groceries. 
 
Bottom line, if you want to get the card for the quick $100 OBC, it may be an easy and affordable option (provided you can purchase and pay off the minimum purchase to get the credit). If you want a card that can be used for your family to accrue great rewards with lots of options and benefits, there may be WAY better options! Check our the guy below who breaks down major rewards cards and definitely weigh most online advice with the notion these guys run for profit websites based off what people sign up for from their sites. 
 
https://thepointsguy.com/

You rock! Thank you so much... I was curious, but didn't want to come across as rude since some may find the question offensive. Thanks ❤️ It will help should we look at upgrading in the future!

You rock! Thank you so much... I was curious, but didn't want to come across as rude since some may find the question offensive. Thanks ❤️ It will help should we look at upgrading in the future!

Hi @sonny!  Just to add to my original post....  The $1,000 total bid was the max bid for a JS.  Originally, my husband bid lower, probably in the middle.  Later, he went in and maxed out all the bids (for JS, GS, and OS).  He really wanted an upgrade.  Best $1,000 we ever spent!  We managed to get 5:30 reservations in Coastal Kitchen each night without a problem.   

I am with you and completely understand your fear @Lovestotravel

I've heard horror stories from my friends of bed bugs in their hotel room and rental car that left them scratching their skin off.  We are super paranoid, but like @Lovetocruise2002 said, we try not to let it stop us from travelling. 
Here's a funny story for you!  On our first cruise Oasis, we followed the same procedures we do for hotel rooms.  We left our suitcases near the door, stripped off all the sheets and inspected the seams with a flashlight, inspected the room and headboard and even behind the pictures.  We hurried up and put the bed sheets back together, and low and behold, knock knock!  Our stateroom attendant came to greet us!  Can you imagine?  She must have thought we couldn't wait to get it on .. ?
 

Congrats! I love your vlogs on YouTube ? Thank you so much for opening up about processes that a lot of us are curious about!

This has been the case on our cruises. I’m an early to rise person. I always try and wake up early enough to watch us come into port back home, and I always miss it (even waking up at 5 am!) 
I would always recommend travel insurance and flexibility when it comes to cruising. But a LARGE percentage of cruisers fly home the day of the cruise (at least in my limited anecdotal experience). 
 
To answer your original question, customs has always gone smoothly, and even though there are long lines, they are constantly moving. Anecdotally we have been off the ship and through customs in as little as 27 minutes (only slightly less than our friends thanks to our Global Entry card on Empress of the Seas returning from Cuba. But it has also taken close to 45 minutes on a partly full Oasis cruise. 

I was curious and tried to find statistical data about prevalence of bed bugs, but it’s apparently not monitored by the CDC or other regulatory or monitoring agencies. 
As a healthcare practitioner, my recommendation is an “ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure”. 
I would definitely recommend being overly cautious and check for signs. But I wouldn’t let it discourage you from something you may enjoy! Even 5 star hotels are at risk...
When in doubt; seek them out! If none are found; let the fun abound!

I nagged and NAGGED my husband because he  wanted to book The Key. He’s always been a bougie elitist... the quintessential champagne drinker on a beer budget ? We normally only get one internet package, so I wasn’t convinced of the added value...
Our upcoming sailing on Harmony is practically sold out... and while I was savvy by pre-booking our entertainment... With the ship being so full, there are so many factors with dinner (UDP and no reservations) and whatnot... I’m happy we have a little more wiggle room! I will post a blog of our trip and put details in there about whether it ended up being worth it to us! 
 

Thank you SO much for sharing! This is the first cruise we are going on with the Royal Up program, so I have some trepidation about it. I don’t know what minimum bids are vs. what is normally accepted (like... if I bid minimum, is there any chance?). I’m always curious about what that experience is like for other cruisers. 

Thank you SO much for sharing! This is the first cruise we are going on with the Royal Up program, so I have some trepidation about it. I don’t know what minimum bids are vs. what is normally accepted (like... if I bid minimum, is there any chance?). I’m always curious about what that experience is like for other cruisers.