WAAAYTOOO

The new terminal at Canaveral is very nice. There are some nice restaurants near the terminal and it is a very easy in and out.

 

The only complaint I have about that new terminal is that the new traffic area where the busses drop off is so narrow that the busses stick out into the traffic lane and cause congestion. I don't know why they didn't make that lane just a little bit wider so that the busses do not stick out into the driving lane. It isn't a big problem it just seems like a design flaw that could have been easily avoided.

If yours is a standard 7 night cruise, most likely the formal nights will be nights 2 and 6. That is the usual config.

Roger. I wasn't sure of the start date for the new program. I guess it will be May on the Harmony then ! I was able to get a Aqua Suite A1 for just the 2 of us ! I was very surprised that they had released the A1 suite to general inventory so early ! I snatched it right up though...can't wait.

I'm with you, Doc. I really don't need to see my cabin attendant much. As long as I see them early and they know that I want ice twice a day and 4 towels every day then I'm pretty much good-to-go.

 

We dine on our deck usually at least a couple of times during a 7 night cruise so the cabin attendant is often required to clean up quite a little mess. I always tip them extra in those circumstances but I really don't need them skulking around when I'm trying to relax.

 

Stealth is better !

I also think that both St. Croix and St Kitts are underwhelming.

It also depends on what your OTHER expenses are relating to cruising...primarily airfare. If you live in Florida (or within a reasonable driving distance) then it makes sense to take lots of less expensive cruises. If you have to pay for airfare (like I do) every time you cruise then are you are likely to have fewer, more upgraded cruises.

 

I have gone to suites exclusively. I love the upgrades and b/c of my membership in Club Royale, I am basically able to get a G suite for almost the cost of a balcony...Jr. Suite for sure.

 

It appears that the new suites tiers are fair. The only perk it looks like I may lose is the prioritized tender service and I'm not 100% sure that about that one. Overall, I am pretty happy with the new suite tiers...at least, I think I am. I will have to wait until Feb. to see how things go.

Depending upon what perks the TA provided you, they MAY send you the entire cruise docs package in the mail. I think most TAs do that. If you get the cruise docs in the mail then you will get the nice, preprinted, self-adhesive luggage tags. I am still annoyed that RCI quit giving those to everyone.

 

You should ask your TA when to expect your cruise docs and luggage tags in the mail. That's a good way of both asking and demanding at the same time !

It depends upon what kind of stateroom you have and whether or not you booked with a travel agent or if you paid extra for cruise documents to come to you in the mail.

 

If you are not in a Grand Suite or higher and you booked your cruise directly with RCI, then you will not receive anything in the mail. All of your cruise docs will be generated through the online check in process.

 

If you ARE in a GS or higher OR your TA offers paper cruise docs OR you paid extra for the cruise docs then you will receive a package in the mail that contains a cruise brochure and your luggage tags.

Unfortunately, it looks like this hurricane is headed right for jbjargleason's itinerary. While it seems like getting out of port is not going to be a problem, I think the rest of the itinerary could be impacted...or maybe it will have gone by that area by the time the cruise gets going. At the very least it looks like the ship will have to go around the storm so the itinerary is likely to be impacted in some way, as far as I can predict.

Karl, I have not noticed any cutbacks re: the D or Concierge Lounge. I find the service in the premium lounges to be excellent. My only compliant is that they are generally so crowded, especially in the evenings. Other than that, I am more than satisfied with the availability of drinks, snacks and service.

I have never heard of a suite upgrade but perhaps they happen. Unless you are a D+ or Pinnacle I wouldn't count on it

While I have never tried to carry on my "big" luggage, I have heard others comment that the major problem with carrying on all of your luggage is that the big suitcases will not fit through the scanner.

 

I'm not sure they would do if you try to bring a big suitcase through that would not fit through the scanner. You may end up back out front with the porters anyway.

 

As far as sodas and water are concerned, there have been a number of discussion threads on this topic of late and most agree that while it is officially prohibited to bring water or soda on board, unofficially they allow it through so long as it is unopened and in original packaging....but there is always the chance that they COULD prohibit it since it is the official policy not to allow it.

I don't know if you are thinking of using the Valet Luggage Service or not but the 11 AM departure may be too early to qualify for that service.

 

I absolutely LOVE the Valet Luggage Service and highly recommend it for those flying out of FLL.

I have none of these social media albatrosses....so I would not be able to take advantage of this even if I wanted to...which I do NOT. Good luck to them, though. I'm sure the rest of the matrix folks will enjoy it immensely.

On my cruise on the Oasis in Jan 2015 I was called by RCCL about 3 night before the cruise and offered to upgrade my Boardwalk balcony to a D1 oceanfront balcony. It was our first cruise as D+. We took it. No additional cost. Other than that...never.

The island hoppers out of SJ are excellent cruises - especially if you like the southern Carrib islands like Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao (my personal fave). I have done this kind of itinerary quite a few times (Serenade, Adventure and Jewel...all multiple times with the exception of Serenade). HOWEVER...I will say, that after a while, you get that inevitable sense that "once you've seen one Caribbean island, you've seen them all". I'm sure I'll get some pushback from that but I was told it would happen by someone more experienced than me (at the time)...and I'll be darned if it didn't.

 

I AM a late-nighter and having to get up early EVERY morning to get off to go see another island that looks pretty much the same as the one I was on yesterday became somewhat tedious. If I was forced to expound on the major differences between St Lucia, Barbados and Antigua I would be pressed to do that even though I have visited all of them many times.

 

So back to the positive. For those who really enjoy the islands and maybe HAVEN'T been to the more southern (and in my opinion, exotic) ones, this kind of island hopper is ideal. I LOVE San Juan and I love being in the "deep" Caribbean where it is ALWAYS warm...I just don't want to do it 6 out of 7 days anymore.

 

I love sea days where the casino is open early and stays open all night !

There is usually a 70's Disco night. I have also heard of the "white" night but I think that is a hit-or-miss kind of thing and is probably boat-specific. I think many of the ships have their own kind of specialty nights but they usually aren't well published. Makes it hard to plan, doesn't it ?

I agree that they seemed to have put a lot of resources into DD to just up and abandon it. I'm not complaining. I love traditional dining but it does seem like a very expensive experiment. I can't see them undoing the big renovation. That would be insane. My guess is that we just have 3 separate main dining rooms now...and forever (on the O class, anyway)

So are you saying (Nicky) that you were charged a gratuity when you got a drink even though you were on a bev package ? If so, that was wrong and you should have had it removed from your bill. The gratuity IS included in the prepaid bev package. Now...are the bartenders going to still want a tip when they give you a drink ? Of course ! But you're not obliged to give them one and they certainly cannot add it to your bill without your consent.

It depends on who you ask. Officially, no. In reality, I believe that the cruise line looks the other way. I have seen people bring entire cases of bottled water (and sodas) onto the ship in the open.. Would they have the right to confiscate it ? I think so. Do they ? I don't think so.

I don't have small children any longer but I can tell you that from an adult perspective, having the DreamWorks characters on board is an absolute joy ! You can run into them in completely unexpected places and it just lifts my spirits when I see one and they want me to take a picture or just give me a big hug.

 

I don't know if they kids like 'em but I can sure tell you that I do !

I agree. It's a deficiency that they need to remedy

That's interesting. On most of the ships Chops is the b'fast location for Gold card holders. If Chops is open to everyone on sea days I wonder where the Gold card holders eat b'fast on LoS.

I have never heard of anyone other than Crown & Anchor selling "Next Cruise" cruises on board the ship.

 

Did you go through this travel agency (World Travel Holdings) for your original booking to Bermuda, SJ and ST M ? If you did then they just re-booked you through the same TA that booked your original cruise. They are very bad about doing that without asking if that's what you want to do.

 

If you did NOT book your original cruise through the TA then I am very confused and have no idea what could be going on.

 

It sounds to me like you have no idea who these people (World Travel) are and that you did not book through a TA for your original cruise.

No, I do not