WAAAYTOOO

Yes, that's the old Concierge Lounge. Going by the wayside on most ships. Very few remaining. I guess it was on the Voyager and Freedom classes.

Yes, I read about this last night on CC. Big PITA. I haven't heard a peep from GOES about this so I'm not sure how we would have found out about it except by the scuttlebutt method. Dan and I will both have to re-register our Global Entry's, I guess.

I agree with Tony. Unless this change is VERY recent, you can still book any cabin with a casino rate. The higher category the cabin, the greater the overall casino rate discount. The parameters have been tightened...you cannot apply a casino rate more than 1 year in advance and the deposits for full suites are all now non-refundable but you CAN still get a casino rate. You can no longer combine the certificate and a casino rate (except for the rare situation, such as Goofyfanatic and I experienced with an upgrade to an already comped cruise) so you will have to choose one or the other but you can still get a casino rate. Also, I have noticed that they are calculating the casino rate differently than they used to. Now, they will reduce the price of your cruise by all other means available (C&A balcony, senior rate, military rate, BOGO....whatever other discount would apply) before they calculate the casino rate but in the end, it all comes out to the same percentage off as when they used to calculate the casino rate as a single discount. I'm sure this helps their bottom line by not having the entire discount come from the casino line of business. While the overall discount is the same as it would have been using only a casino rate, now the casino rate is a smaller percentage of the overall discount. I know it's a little wonky but the benefit to us is the same. I am still getting about 44-50% (depending on cabin category and the individual cruise) off the full retail cruise fare between the various discounts they are applying. In cases where they discount an upgrade (as in Goofyfanatic's example) to a comped cruise, the discount rate is in the 80- 90% range as it was with Goofy's. My last cruise (Allure Thanksgiving) resulted in a 93% discount off of the full cruise fare in the same situation as Goofy's (discounted upgrade from an already comped cruise) so it is very important to have a TA that is familiar with how Club Royale works AND getting a good CR agent for your TA to work with ! Go see Michelle Cunningham !!

I really miss the old Concierge Clubs on the Voyager Class ships (I think that's the class that had them). They were a nice, quiet, somewhat sophisticated place to go and smoke. I was never a cigar smoker but I used to smoke cigarettes and that was a nice space - comfortable chairs, dark wood. I'm sorry to see it gone, even though I no longer smoke.

As I recall, the removal of the night club results in a combination of additional rooms + a specialty restaurant. I think most of us "seasoned" cruisers (with the possible exception of Kris) have learned to appreciate intermittent sea days. I recall, long ago, when I believed that the more ports you visited, the better the cruise, but those days are LONG gone. More than 2 consecutive ports in a row now and I am WORN OUT ! It doesn't help that I usually close down the casino in the wee hours so it makes getting up for an excursion the next morning (or should I say, LATER that same morning) something of a challenge. I've GOT to have my sea days just to recover ! PLUS on sea days the casino opens early and closes late. A great combination. On the more "popular" itins (basic 7 night western and eastern Caribbean) I rarely get off the ship at all anymore.

I have found that some browsers are more user friendly for doing the signature than others. I believe I had a lot of trouble with Explorer formatting and found Chrome to be easier....but I could have it backwards !! At any rate, if you find it isn't looking like you want it to, try changing browsers and see if that helps.

The wake would seem to indicate that you are heading due west ! I'm sure that's an optical illusion.

If you qualified for a Club Royale casino rate then you are still considered a comped Club Royale member. If you received your casino rate as a function of your MLife status then I don't know whether you are still a CR VIP or not. You would need to call to find out. There's really no way of telling with this wacky program. 888-561-2234

Watch out for the little labels that they put on your laundry items. They can be VERY sharp and irritating....I mean that literally. They're like little knives.

I’ve received further clarification on this new amenity. This new spa amenity is an “add-on” treatment. Buy one spa treatment and get a free add-on treatment. So it’s not quite the perk that it first sounded like it was but it’s still something new.

There used to be a sports bar just behind the casino on the Radiance class ships but I think those have all been repurposed now.

Looking into it , Candie. Hopefully we can do this one !

That’s very interesting. First time I’ve heard this. Thanks for the heads up !

I see the casino discounts but I don’t see where the certificates have been applied. The $630 each your “personal” casino discounts. The certificate(s) would be “round” amounts like $500; $750, $1000, etc. it is a very impressive casino rate. I will agree with that !

What are the dates ??

Doesn't it look like the O is about to topple over ? I don't know how the O class ships keep from capsizing....they look soooo top heavy ! I'm sure the weight in the bowels are more than sufficient but they always look so top heavy, to me.

There really is no logic. It's whatever whimsical algorithm they happen to be using at that moment. There have been times when I was sure that an upgrade was going to cost me a fortune only to find out that it was minimal and times when I thought the upgrade should have been minimal and it cost me a fortune.... However, GENERALLY speaking, the upgrade is based on what you originally paid and what the current price for the upgraded level. The current price of the level you are currently in has no bearing (at least from what I have been able to glean). The only advice that I have for you is....let your TA handle it. I have never come out better doing it on my own than I would have by letting Michelle do it for me. Granted, I am always dealing with a casino rate which throws a whole new variable into an already confused equation, but somehow, when Michelle gets involved, my BOGO50% always seems to work out to MORE than an overall 25% discount - sometimes significantly more. I don't know how she does it and I never ask...I just thank her and take the [always better than I could have done myself] deal with pleasure.

Me too !

I was speaking with a Crown & Anchor Rep earlier this morning (C&A points were wrong). At the end of our chat he said he wanted to remind me of a new perk for D+ that was just added this month. D+ now includes a free spa treatment ! Apparently this excludes Medi Spa so I'm not sure what it does include but, hey ! I had not heard anything about this anywhere before this morning. I asked if this new perk is permanent - yes. I asked if this new perk applies to all D+ in the cabin, even if both are D+ - yes. It's so nice to have a new perk. It's been a while !

Ugh. It’s Ttavel Pro, not Luggage Pro. I make that mistake a lot !

A few years back I purchased 3 pieces of Luggage Pro which had lifetime warranties. It has proven to have been a good investment. Between work and vacations we travel a lot and our luggage takes a beating. I have had a few annoying types of repairs like zipper pulls coming off but a number of fairly significant repairs like wheels being replaced and zippers breaking. It was pricey but over the long run, has paid for itself and the overall looks and condition is still very good. Be careful. Not all Luggage Pro has a lifetime warranty.

Ah. I understand your question now. It does appear that there might be less "openness" on this balcony than on others but I don't think the size is any different. Remember that you can ask to change rooms if you aren't happy with your location. Since you snagged a D1 then you basically have your pick of any balcony cabin on the ship. The real question, of course, is...is there a room with which you will be better off ?

Magnifique !

It may not be any longer. Who knows. I always wondered, though, why I DIDN'T get Champagne in Labadee !! I survived....

We did the dolphin swim in Curacao, too.