WAAAYTOOO

2 minutes ago, Ela said:

Thank you for this (depressing) reply...I appreciate it as all and any information is helpful to me.

We've booked a package with our TA which included hotel. fights and cruise...so it will be interesting to see what we are offered at this stage and by by which of them...RCI and/or the TA

The latter are insisting that RCI failed to notify them and I can confirm it was an accidental discovery for us so seemingly we are the ones informing the TA (who also told me that there are another 11 bookings who are yet to be informed about their cancelled holiday....)

Happy days!

If RCI do this too often they won't be in such good shape for long methinks...

Thank you again for taking the time to reply.

 

Is yours an Asia sailing that is [potentially] affected due to the current medical emergency ?  Believe me, I understand your frustration and disappointment...but what would be yours and everyone else's reaction if Royal Caribbean kept their ships sailing from a port from which a known medical emergency has sprung ?  I'm sure (my guess) that Royal has chosen to relocate the ship(s) to a safer port of embarkation to HELP keep this situation.  I do realize that the majority of your frustration is directed at the fact that you did not receive prompt notification of these changes and that you had to hear about it incidentally.  

This is going to be a financial disaster for Royal Caribbean.  They have basically put ALMOST every new ship that they have built into the far east market.  I know that doesn't help your disappointment, but Royal is doing this out of absolute necessity.

Good luck with getting your holiday plans rearranged, and I mean that sincerely.  I know it is going to be a mess for a while...just realize that while your holiday has been disrupted, Royal is having to deal with thousands and thousands of people in your same situation.  My best to you, truly.

15 minutes ago, pezgirl said:

The idea of being by myself on a 'bed' relaxing looking out at the ocean for a small amount of time just seems priceless right now.

It will be, too (relaxing, I mean).  

1 hour ago, Karannk said:

There are suites available on decks 9 and 10 on this particular sailing. I was thinking deck 9?

Is the long walk comparable to our current long walk on Anthem from 8720 Aft to Midship for everything ALL the time? It’s a bit tiresome, but I could handle that. The Aft balcony views are stunning. Plus, we figure that we need the extra steps with all of the extra eating.

As it is, we are taking the elevator from deck 8 to deck 14 each time to CK. 

The bathrooms do look disappointing. It’s nice to have a tub though, I guess?

Yen has arranged a Next Cruise appointment for us today after dinner. Apparently we can book onboard and still get the benefits of booking through BJs ($500 gift card, $50 OBC) PLUS the Next Cruise discount ($300) AND the current sale? 

Hmmm....I agree with Ashley...if you only have 9 or 10 to choose from, definitely go with 9.  We did deck 8 twice and deck 9 once and I can definitely tell you that the room and balcony are smaller on 9 than on 8.  I don't know, b/c I was never in one, but I suspect that deck 10 is even smaller, yet.

It's a long walk.  Probably a bit longer than the Anthem trek but, as you say, you're used to it now so probably won't be that much of a burden.  My advice to you is do NOT book a SC suite on 17 b/c once you do, you will never want to make that long walk again !!!!

It sounds like it will definitely be worth it to you to use NextCruise.  Those are pretty nice incentives.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the ATS, but have you checked to see if there are any Star Lofts or the Grand or Owner's Panoramic Suites available ?  It's true that the ATS tend to be the least expensive of the SC rooms (actually, the new Panoramic suites up front may have stolen that title) but Deck 17 is sooo sweet.  I love the GPS.  The room is incredible.  The balcony sucks...it's really small, but it's more than a fair trade-off for us.  We have the OPS booked 3 times between Dec 2020 and Jan 2022.

Have a great time, Twangster !!!

48 minutes ago, Ayanna said:

There is a 15 minute time limit between drinks,  the bartender will not swipe your card until then, if you have the drink package.  Or your might get charged if its earlier than that. 

Not true.

I only had 1 thing drop in price with the WOW sale and that was the refreshment package for our May 2020 Majesty cruise.  It went from $28 PP/PD to $19 PP/PD.  $19 is the price I have been paying for refreshment packages in 2020 so I went ahead and purchased it.  The DBP was $51 and I think that's as low as it is likely to go.  I am not buying any DBP b/c we don't drink enough alcohol to make it worth the cost (plus, we drink for free in the casino and Suites lounge (realizing the Majesty has no Suites lounge), if we need to) but we do want our water, juices and cappuccinos.  

Seems like a bizarre glitch....but we can outsmart 'em !!!

My recommendation would be to book a "ghost" 4th person and then just have that person be a "no show" at the pier.  I guess the big question will be whether or not it increases the prices substantially.  You could declare this person to be a minor and then when Kids Sail Free comes along, you could reprice the cruise.  I don't even know the cut-off age for KSF...but I would make their age below that cut-off so that they would be "free" once the KSF starts.

Wow !  $40 PP.  I thought I had a bargain for $50.99.  Great job !!!

Just now, Ampurp85 said:

Thanks @WAAAYTOOO

You are so welcome !!

Just now, Ampurp85 said:

@WAAAYTOOO So anyone who shares a household can be linked in status? Or is specifically a significant other and children? I ask because my brother and I have lived in the same house for years, he will just start cruising this year.

As far as I am aware, it only spouses/significant others and children.

Just now, MonicaY said:

Doesn't that mean the husband would always have to find the wife to get into their cabin?

Welcome to the blog, Monica  !  Very good question.  Actually, they will be able to get another set of room keys from Guest Services so that they will each have a key to both rooms.

I don't think they could make this more confusing if they tried !!  Why in the world they don't just ask how many BEDS you want to reserve is beyond me.

1 hour ago, AnnieBanannie said:

Hello, i'm going on my first cruise in Nov 2020. Just stumbled across this blog and youtube channel. Love everything about it, thank you! I have a questions for gold member benefit, since this is a gold member benefit, if only some members in the party has gold status and others don't, does that mean only the person with gold status can use it? Example: It's my first cruise so i'm "pre-gold" status, however my boyfriend has been on a few cruises before and he is "gold" status. So only he gets the priority check in and private departure lounge? 

Welcome to the blog, Annie !

Yes, persons can only use the perks to which they are entitled, based on their own C&A status.  HOWEVER, "couples" and children can be status matched to their parents or significant other as long as they share the same address.  So, if you and your BF share the same address, you can have him link your C&A account to his, thereby bestowing Gold status to you.  Most likely this can only be done after you have completed 1 cruise, but after your first cruise, you can get a status match if you meet the criteria.

It is my belief that the days of forty-anything are long gone.  Haven’t seen a drinks package in the $4X range since the first of the year

The day pass for our cruise (7 Feb Anthem) is still $93.99, which is where it has been for some time.  I guess it's not selling all that well on our cruise.  The cabanas are at the same price they've been at ($1049 for the beach cabanas and $1499 for the OTW cabanas). but the beach cabanas are showing "sold out".

21 minutes ago, JG1209 said:

I just checked.  The CocoBeach Club day pass is now $199 a person

Yikes !!!  There must be more than 1 ship in port that day.  I paid $50.99 for our Beach Club day passes.  As far as I know only Anthem will be in port that day.

18 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

I thought I read there was a 10min interval between drinks that was supposed to be "enforced".   

No, not on Royal Caribbean.  I think Carnival does this.

14 days confined to quarters.  OMG what a mess !

1 hour ago, Rhc said:

How often can I get a drink?

5, 10,15 minutes or more?

There is no minimum time between drinks....but they will "Cut you off" if you become visibly intoxicated.

Also remember that the crew will be the same from cruise-to-cruise, so it is possible to be spread by crewmembers.

29 minutes ago, Karannk said:

We’ve seriously been bitten by the SC bug. Looking at cruises in October 2020 on Oasis out of Port Liberty. I have my eye on a 2BR ATS. The balcony looks amazing! Anyone on here been in that suite before? Is it as amazing as it looks? It has to be, right?

We've been in the 2 BR ATS 3 times - all on Harmony.  It is definitely a unique suite and I highly recommend that you try it.  If possible, get one on deck 8 as the suites (both balconies and rooms) on 9 and [presumably] 10 are much smaller.  I think you will find that the SC suites on the Oasis class far surpass the ones on Quantum class - mostly due to size and location.  The separate bedrooms are a big advantage if you have others traveling with you (it's always just Dan and me so it's a waste for us but still nice to be able to put our luggage in the second bedroom !).  The balcony is completely unique and there's nothing like it anywhere else.

IMO there are 3 downsides to the ATS.  1.  It is a LONG walk all the way back there and you will get tired of doing it every time you want to go ANYwhere.  2.  It is very much isolated from all of the other suite amenities - primarily meaning that it is a long way from Deck 17.  3.  I feel that the bathrooms in the ATS are a big disappointment.  Once you have experienced the very big and impressive bathrooms in the other SC suites, the small and uninspired bathroom in the ATS is disappointing.  No bidet !

The 2 BR ATS were our first experiences with SC so we didn't really realize how much more convenient it is to be on Deck 17.  So we don't book the ATS anymore but I am glad we did it and they are fun suites !! No stairs, which is a huge advantage for us.

Without knowing the nature of your concern, have you demanded to speak with the Hotel Director ?  As we have learned from others with onboard issues, it is unlikely that you will get any results once you leave the ship.  It is important that you voice your concerns before you leave the ship. Once you speak to the Hotel Director and still don’t get a resolution, THEN try and contact someone at Headquarters.

Is there a swimup bar at the Beach Club ?

6 minutes ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

Hopefully they were clean . I would have gotten a chuckle out of it personally.

Clean, as far as I know.  I did not touch anything to find out...

In nearly 50 cruises with Royal Caribbean the worst thing I've encountered was a drawer with the previous occupant's underwear in it.  We found the room attendant and had it removed but never have I ever been concerned about bugs.  If there WERE bedbugs in that room at any time and Royal Caribbean was made aware of it, trust me, the entire room would have been fumigated and the mattresses tossed.