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The library on Symphony was pretty empty last time I saw it. No books either. I found a couple of spots that were good for reading.....just to the left of El Loco Fresh is a covered area overlooking where people zip line and Boardwalk far below. At the far end of Central Park there are two alcoves with a "balcony" and two chairs above it. It's technically on Deck 9 but can be a quiet place to relax and read and enjoy Central Park from one floor above. (But don't tell anyone, I don't want to lose my favorite place).

@Sharla.....what happens if a cruise was booked before September 30, 2021 (expiration of the double points booking promotion) and originally scheduled for January 2022 but moved to 2023 during the pandemic? Could it be moved back to 2022 and receive double points if same reservation number is kept?

@JennaRCB....we are in the same "boat" so to speak with struggling to find excursions for our Brilliance trip end of May. None of our Croatia ports are listed in the cruise planner....yet. I am reading Rick Steves guide to Med cruise ports and working on some ideas but nothing planned. Mykonos we plan to explore the town and the flour windmills on our own.

We check our bags getting on the ship but always "walk off" with them at disembarkation. Just seems faster that way. Never worried about losing a bag......UNTIL NOW!!

It's an interesting concept. I have thought more about the possibility of when I am no longer working and have enough free time and bank account to do as I please. I always liked the story of the elderly lady that "retired" and instead of moving in to a retirement facility, she spends all of her time on a ship. Her room is cleaned every day, enjoying an abundance of food and entertainment, and her retirement home travels to interesting ports and locations each week. Her family and friends would book a cruise so they could have a "family reunion." The math worked for her situation compared to what a full service retirement home would cost. Might be fun to live that lifestyle but still have time to see friends and family.

We have a trip to Venice planned at end of May and booked airfares a month ago. I think people are starting to feel more confident about travel and prices will continue to rise. Did you look at Google flights to compare fares?

@jbrinkm.....hard to pass up the connecting balconies on a floor and location of the ship that you prefer. And having 2 separate rooms for the adults and teens is a win! BUT........if you are bidding on a 2 BR, and would be comfortable having everyone in the same suite, it might be worth a bid. I would trade my 2 balcony rooms for a 2 BR Aqua Theater suite every day.

Yes, we were on Oasis and Symphony.

@Linda R.....what type of room did you have before the upgrade and what did you upgrade to? Were you aggressive with your bid?

Congrats to @Swar, @Linda R, and @Boardgamer for your upgrades. Starting to feel like my upgrade bids on Oasis will not be accepted. 18 days away and everything still pending. We are currently in a JS.

No smoking in the casino......seems like it would be a great time to move forward with this. How do the other cruise lines handle it?

Congrats on your Royal Up to an Owners Suite. Must have been an aggressive bid, 32 days out is impressive!

No sure about Odyssey, but we typically stay in a JS and have been successful making reservations at Coastal Kitchen. Typically have to go early or after 8 pm to get a slot, but it's worth it. Good luck!

This is good news and great timing for everyone sailing after February 15th......including ME!!! Wish they would have kept the casino smoke free.

Thank you @cdixon22, that is very useful info. We are looking forward to our jetski excursion.

My wife and I are scheduled for the jetski tour at the end of February on Oasis. We will each be a "driver" and it will be our first time on a jetski. We have done ATVs and other motorized craft. On a previous trip to CocoCay we watched the jetski excursion. They were giving instructions including staying with the group and absolutely no alcohol permitted or consumed by anyone before the excursion. We watched them go out with the more experienced and faster drivers in the front and there was a guide or two that escorted the group. I don't think they were allowed to explore on their own or saw any sights except for coming and going to CocoCay. Will know more in a few weeks and can report back if you'd like.

Congrats @BrianB...that will be a great room on Anthem. The RoyalUP news has been quiet lately, and started to wonder if the team in charge of picking the winning bids had run out of good mojo. Still no word on our bids for Oasis at the end of February, but hoping for the best.

Following along, enjoy your sailing on Oasis and in STAR class. Hope to try that one day. Which cabin type are you in? You mentioned Aqua80s show, are all activities taking place again: music hall, ice skating, etc.? Is the casino still smoke free?

I wouldn't be bored. We just did a Bayonne-Port Canaveral-Coco Cay-Nassau sailing on Oasis that we had done previously on Anthem. The ship really WAS the destination with so many options for entertainment, music, food, and fun. We did the comedy show and the Aqua80s multiple times.

Can you use the "perk" on a cruise that is already booked but has not sailed yet?

Congratulations! Symphony is an awesome ship. So much to see and do, you might need to plan a 2nd cruise!! Don't forget to bring cash with you, always handy for the casino, tips to hard working staff, and small trinkets in port. Make sure you are registered for Crown and Anchor Society, the cruise line loyalty program, and start earning points for future cruises. Most importantly, don't overthink or overdo it. Planning is important but too much can cause stress. Sometimes the best trips occur when you allow random things to just happen. Enjoy your time together, the ship, the destinations, and vacation time.

@Beanmama.....you should be able to squeeze in a quick trip but check the Kennedy Space Center hours to make sure. They have been closing earlier due to COVID.

Following along.....we are on Brilliance end of May and looking to for best way to get from Ravenna to Venice. I think you can take the train, bus, or private transportation. No word yet on if Royal is providing transportation.

@dancernl.....removing the divider on the balcony will make a nice outdoor space. Hope you can make it to KSC this trip or in the future.

@dancernl.....congrats on your upcoming cruise on Anthem with the family. Sounds like you have a great trip planned on a fantastic ship. We did the same itinerary with our kids on Anthem a couple of months BEFORE Covid hit. They were 20 (daughter) and 17 (son)) at the time. We were in a balcony cabin, and the kids in a virtual balcony down the hall. FWIW, they liked our room better. We went to Kennedy Space Center but have also been to Ron Jon's Surf Shop on another trip. Best wishes for a great trip and feel free to ask me anything about kid related activities (our son loved the Seaplex for basketball) or the ship itself. Stay safe!