WAAAYTOOO

Elevator party, now that is a really cool idea! Of course, it will have some ups and downs.

I've always had MTD in the past, and never made any reservations. Just walk up, tell the person at the desk "table for two please", they get your cabin number, ask you to wait a minute as they decide which table, and you head in. Never waited more than 2 minutes. The beauty of MTD. Eat whenever you want. 

I don't think any cruise line is 100% smoke-free.  Even Celebrity, which is known for its "no smoking policy" still have a very limited area for smokers onboard.  IMO a line would be foolish to ever try and go 100% smoke free.  There are just too many customers (particularly in Asia) where smoking is prevalent.  I don't think they would shoot themselves in the foot like that, but you never know !!
Royal has been "experimenting" with smoke-free casinos in the last couple of years so they may be hoping to go smoke-free in the casino but that's about all I have "heard" on the subject.

Rude people pushing to get on the elevator without waiting for people in the elevator to get off....my pet peeve everywhere!!!!

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

Let me tell you something about this group.  I've never met anyone in this group that made me feel like an outsider looking in.  You will be welcomed with open arms...this is the most positive group I've EVER been associated with and I credit that to Matt and his positive outlook on life and cruising.  No need to worry if you are a newbie or not, or left out, or anything like that.  The only way you'll be left out is if you stay in your cabin or avoid the group...which BTW is hard to do!!!

I know we will never get discounts for our casino play. Although I worked at a casino years ago, I am a $20 a time guy at best and my wife less that. But I wish good luck to all those who do! Remember to "let 'em roll" and "double down"

I personally will be wearing nothing less than Dockers and a collared shirt for dinners. But that's just me. You cannot force people to be who or what they aren't. People are going to wear what they want unless they are forced to wear something different. The dining rooms don't have dress codes, but have dress suggestions. If RC was concerned with dress codes, they would have their staff's enforce dress codes. But they don't want the backlash from all the cruisers who don't want to have to dress up. Some people I'm sure feel they shouldn't be told how to dress. They are spending money like everyone else and maybe more. '
I know one thing though. I won't let whatever somebody wears or doesn't wear affect us or our experience.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Slots are easy, since the machine always knows what you're betting, but table games are still a mystery to me.  I have seen pit bosses walking around scanning tables with tablets in hand--maybe they're taking note of what the players have on the table at the time and the system figures out an average based on those samples.
I know some Vegas casinos are using machine vision in the cameras over the tables and RFID tags embedded in the chips (chips in the chips...) but I doubt Royal's that fancy.

To be honest, the only place where I have seen loungers on JS were in the aft balcony cabins with the extended balcony.  I don't recall the regular JS having loungers.  It's been a while since I booked a JS though.

I'm on this Harmony cruise in Feb. 19 too !!

Montocguy, have you ever called Club Royale to see if you are a member and if you are eligible for any discounts ?  They will NOT tell you (your friend's experience is very unique)...you have to find out for yourself.  I'll never forget the time that I finally called, after MUCH haranguing from my husband, to discover, completely unsuspecting, that we were eligible for a casino discount.  I guess we would never have known if I hadn't finally called !!  That was way back in "the day" of course, and these days it's completely different but you may WELL be a member and not even know it.

WAAAYTOOO, explained it to me this way, gamble what you gamble, but make yourself visible to the Casino host, introduce yourself, make a point to talk with them every night, then towards the end of the cruise ask the host how you are doing and if you have anything available. I was on Liberty in June and did all of this, we didn't gamble much but may have cycled through $2000-3000 during the week, so not much, but when we visited with the host towards the end of the cruise we had a cruise discount certificate waiting for us, not a lot of money but at least it was something...

I wish I knew the code myself !  Unfortunately, it's often a moving target.
Here's what I know:
1.  You are correct.  You no longer "join" Club Royale or are offered membership, like in the past.  Basically, anyone who puts their seapass card in a slot machine (or slide your card into a reader at a table) is "in".
2.  They no longer have Club Royale membership numbers.  Everything is tracked through your Crown & Anchor membership number so be SURE that you are a member of C&A and that they swipe your card EVERY time you sit down (or go to the craps tables, in your case).  That's how they track you and maintain stats on you.
3.  There is something that I call the "additional personal discount" that is based 100% on the casino rating you receive on your last cruise.  This is an additional casino discount that you get on top of the regular [reduced] casino rate.  The casino rate is a rate that is the same for everyone who qualifies for it.  So for those who qualify, you get the reduced casino rate, which varies depending upon the individual cruise and the type of cabin that you book. It's important to realize that the casino does NOT set the casino rate.  The casino rate is established by the revenue department. Casino rate discounts are graduated so they are the highest (percent-wise) for suites and cascade down, in percentage, to the lower room categories.  Since we generally cruise in suites, the percentage discount that we usually receive is anywhere from 42 - 50% off the FULL RETAIL cost (not the discounted rate but the full base fare).
The following is experienced-based speculation:
4.  There is no substitute for being recognized in the casino by the #1, Casino Host, #2, Casino Manager and #3 Pit bosses.  I recommend that if you want to be rewarded, you take the time to introduce yourself to the Casino Host and Manager, ask them what the best way to receive "rewards" is and tell them that you are interested in being eligible for cruise rates on future cruises and cruise certificates for additional discounts and/or free cruises.  They will, undoubtedly, tell you that.....
5.  The program is based on cruise points and program levels.  I have heard many explanations about how the points work.  I even received, on our last cruise, a published breakdown of how many points are required for specific rewards.  What I have never been able to figure out is how the points are actually earned, recognized and rewarded.  I believe it is all voodoo and you are rewarded based on recognition by the management.  Right or wrong, this is what I think.  Being in the casino a LOT and being seen by and recognized by the management is KEY.
6.  While it is not acknowledged out in the open, I do believe that the "old" Club Royale VIP members receive some kind of additional recognition in the program.  This is based solely on my gut feeling and Program management will never outwardly admit it.  There have just been too many times when, based strictly on points, we should not have received the reward(s) that we received.  I truly believe that we just get a little "kick" as long time members of the program.
7.  There is some "baseline" level that, if reached, enables the "free drinks in the casino" benefit and the casino cruise rate eligibility.  I cannot tell you, with any certainty, what that level is.  A number of months ago, frustrated b/c I couldn't "break the code", I called Club Royale and asked them what it took to retain all of the benefits that we currently enjoy (free drinks, casino rates and waiver of the 5% convenience fee).  The rep just said, "whatever you're doing, just keep doing it".  Good grief !  No help at all.  So, I just keep doing what I've been doing and so far, it's worked.  These are the benefits that mean the most to us so as long as we continue to get them, we will continue to cruise with Royal.  If they were to stop or be reduced, we would start considering other options.
The best bit of advice I can offer is make friends with the host and manager and be in the casino a LOT.  Even if you are not making large wagers, the length of time you are in the casino is paramount.
Good luck !!

Tony, I would not worry about the fares on any of the cruises that you have booked.  They are "safe".  The only thing that could gum that up would be if you tried to upgrade or change the reservations.  If they remain as they are, you are good.
What COULD happen though is, if you decide not to gamble, [according to  other blog posts] you might lose your status, meaning that you might not be able to get free drinks and waive the 5% convenience fee on cash advances.  ...and it might affect your ability to get a casino rate discount on any future cruises that you book.  BUT there is a chance [according to other blog posts] that we are losing those big discounts and ability to combine certificates, etc anyway.  So, as with all, things Club Royale, I just don't know !
I wouldn't worry about anything that you already have booked though.  I have the same (cruises already booked) and I will not be able to make any changes to them either not only b/c of the craziness with CR but also b/c of the non-refundable deposit bullsh*t.  The RCI glitter is definitely flaking off....

I wish I knew the code myself !  Unfortunately, it's often a moving target.
Here's what I know:
1.  You are correct.  You no longer "join" Club Royale or are offered membership, like in the past.  Basically, anyone who puts their seapass card in a slot machine (or slide your card into a reader at a table) is "in".
2.  They no longer have Club Royale membership numbers.  Everything is tracked through your Crown & Anchor membership number so be SURE that you are a member of C&A and that they swipe your card EVERY time you sit down (or go to the craps tables, in your case).  That's how they track you and maintain stats on you.
3.  There is something that I call the "additional personal discount" that is based 100% on the casino rating you receive on your last cruise.  This is an additional casino discount that you get on top of the regular [reduced] casino rate.  The casino rate is a rate that is the same for everyone who qualifies for it.  So for those who qualify, you get the reduced casino rate, which varies depending upon the individual cruise and the type of cabin that you book. It's important to realize that the casino does NOT set the casino rate.  The casino rate is established by the revenue department. Casino rate discounts are graduated so they are the highest (percent-wise) for suites and cascade down, in percentage, to the lower room categories.  Since we generally cruise in suites, the percentage discount that we usually receive is anywhere from 42 - 50% off the FULL RETAIL cost (not the discounted rate but the full base fare).
The following is experienced-based speculation:
4.  There is no substitute for being recognized in the casino by the #1, Casino Host, #2, Casino Manager and #3 Pit bosses.  I recommend that if you want to be rewarded, you take the time to introduce yourself to the Casino Host and Manager, ask them what the best way to receive "rewards" is and tell them that you are interested in being eligible for cruise rates on future cruises and cruise certificates for additional discounts and/or free cruises.  They will, undoubtedly, tell you that.....
5.  The program is based on cruise points and program levels.  I have heard many explanations about how the points work.  I even received, on our last cruise, a published breakdown of how many points are required for specific rewards.  What I have never been able to figure out is how the points are actually earned, recognized and rewarded.  I believe it is all voodoo and you are rewarded based on recognition by the management.  Right or wrong, this is what I think.  Being in the casino a LOT and being seen by and recognized by the management is KEY.
6.  While it is not acknowledged out in the open, I do believe that the "old" Club Royale VIP members receive some kind of additional recognition in the program.  This is based solely on my gut feeling and Program management will never outwardly admit it.  There have just been too many times when, based strictly on points, we should not have received the reward(s) that we received.  I truly believe that we just get a little "kick" as long time members of the program.
7.  There is some "baseline" level that, if reached, enables the "free drinks in the casino" benefit and the casino cruise rate eligibility.  I cannot tell you, with any certainty, what that level is.  A number of months ago, frustrated b/c I couldn't "break the code", I called Club Royale and asked them what it took to retain all of the benefits that we currently enjoy (free drinks, casino rates and waiver of the 5% convenience fee).  The rep just said, "whatever you're doing, just keep doing it".  Good grief !  No help at all.  So, I just keep doing what I've been doing and so far, it's worked.  These are the benefits that mean the most to us so as long as we continue to get them, we will continue to cruise with Royal.  If they were to stop or be reduced, we would start considering other options.
The best bit of advice I can offer is make friends with the host and manager and be in the casino a LOT.  Even if you are not making large wagers, the length of time you are in the casino is paramount.
Good luck !!

Tony, you definitely will not have to pay for room service from the MDR.  That much I know for sure.  As long as the food is delivered to your suite you can get as much as you want from the MDR during hours that the MDR is operating.
As for access to the CK/Suites Lounge, I'm not really sure what to suggest to you.  There are 2 Concierges - one in the D Club and 1 on the Suites Lounge but from my experience, there are numerous people at or near the doors of both the CK and the SL so "seeing" the Concierge might not really help you.  It can't hurt to try.  I'm sure that the correct answer is that only suites guests are allowed in the Suites Lounge but I also know that having them go to dinner with you in the CK should be easy to arrange.  The lounge is definitely more problematic than the restaurant.  I would just ask and see what happens but then you're alerting them to the fact that your parents are NOT suites guests so if the answer is not the one you want, then they will know for sure that your parents aren't eligible to be there.
I was in a similar situation last Feb. on Harmony and, in the end, we ended up just not inviting our non-suite guest friends to the lounge b/c we didn't want to make them feel bad that they weren't allowed in and we didn't want to put the Concierge in an uncomfortable position to have to deny them entrance.
One thing I will say....we were in a Star Class suite and our Genie made sure that our [non-suite] friends were always included in any activities that the Genie arranged for us.  They were presented with a bill for specialty dining (we were not) but they were never excluded and they always had reserved seats with us when we went to the theater or the ice show.  I was very grateful to him (our Genie)  for that.
 

Tony, you definitely will not have to pay for room service from the MDR.  That much I know for sure.  As long as the food is delivered to your suite you can get as much as you want from the MDR during hours that the MDR is operating.
As for access to the CK/Suites Lounge, I'm not really sure what to suggest to you.  There are 2 Concierges - one in the D Club and 1 on the Suites Lounge but from my experience, there are numerous people at or near the doors of both the CK and the SL so "seeing" the Concierge might not really help you.  It can't hurt to try.  I'm sure that the correct answer is that only suites guests are allowed in the Suites Lounge but I also know that having them go to dinner with you in the CK should be easy to arrange.  The lounge is definitely more problematic than the restaurant.  I would just ask and see what happens but then you're alerting them to the fact that your parents are NOT suites guests so if the answer is not the one you want, then they will know for sure that your parents aren't eligible to be there.
I was in a similar situation last Feb. on Harmony and, in the end, we ended up just not inviting our non-suite guest friends to the lounge b/c we didn't want to make them feel bad that they weren't allowed in and we didn't want to put the Concierge in an uncomfortable position to have to deny them entrance.
One thing I will say....we were in a Star Class suite and our Genie made sure that our [non-suite] friends were always included in any activities that the Genie arranged for us.  They were presented with a bill for specialty dining (we were not) but they were never excluded and they always had reserved seats with us when we went to the theater or the ice show.  I was very grateful to him (our Genie)  for that.
 

Tony, you definitely will not have to pay for room service from the MDR.  That much I know for sure.  As long as the food is delivered to your suite you can get as much as you want from the MDR during hours that the MDR is operating.
As for access to the CK/Suites Lounge, I'm not really sure what to suggest to you.  There are 2 Concierges - one in the D Club and 1 on the Suites Lounge but from my experience, there are numerous people at or near the doors of both the CK and the SL so "seeing" the Concierge might not really help you.  It can't hurt to try.  I'm sure that the correct answer is that only suites guests are allowed in the Suites Lounge but I also know that having them go to dinner with you in the CK should be easy to arrange.  The lounge is definitely more problematic than the restaurant.  I would just ask and see what happens but then you're alerting them to the fact that your parents are NOT suites guests so if the answer is not the one you want, then they will know for sure that your parents aren't eligible to be there.
I was in a similar situation last Feb. on Harmony and, in the end, we ended up just not inviting our non-suite guest friends to the lounge b/c we didn't want to make them feel bad that they weren't allowed in and we didn't want to put the Concierge in an uncomfortable position to have to deny them entrance.
One thing I will say....we were in a Star Class suite and our Genie made sure that our [non-suite] friends were always included in any activities that the Genie arranged for us.  They were presented with a bill for specialty dining (we were not) but they were never excluded and they always had reserved seats with us when we went to the theater or the ice show.  I was very grateful to him (our Genie)  for that.
 

Good luck !!!

There's a dollar to be made !  What else ?

Just a quick update to let you know what I found out.  I called the travel agent and they said they couldn't figure out why it wouldn't let me reserve the My Time Dining.  They gave me a number to call Royal to get them look at it.  I called the number and think I got the Guatemala call center.  I could hear many operators talking in the background and many were speaking Spanish.
But back to my topic:  The woman I spoke to said that she didn't know why the website wouldn't allow me to select times.  She guessed that maybe they would load later, but admitted that the message I got was odd.  She was able to access the reservations and made all the dining reservations for me.  They are now showing up in the calendar.  I can even click on the Modify button now and see the available times, in case I want to make any changes.

To be honest, I don't even know if Royal Caribbean still has a link to information about the Player's Club.  I couldn't find it...but that doesn't mean there isn't one.
You do not have to join the Club anymore.  It is my understanding that you are automatically enrolled in the program when you insert your Seapass card into a slot machine or have a dealer swipe your card at a table. HOWEVER, I recommend that if you want to be "noticed" and seriously considered for benefits (if you aren't a high roller...as I am not) your best course of action is to make sure that you make yourself known to 1) the casino host/hostess 2) the casino manager and 3) the pit bosses, in that order.  Tell the casino host, the very first time that you enter the casino, that you want to be considered for casino rates on bookings and the other benefits that come with being a member of Club Royale.  IMO there is no substitute for being known by the management.  You will be "known" one of 2 ways (or perhaps, both) - either throw a lot of money around (make large wagers, consistently) or spend a lot of time in the casino with more modest wagering.  I fall into category #2 as I do not make big wagers. 
Undoubtedly, the casino management will tell you that is a function of accumulating points.  As Marc said above, doing that with slots is a whole lot easier than it is with table wagering.  The slot machines tally your wagers very methodically (1 point for every $5 wagered, I believe).  Tracking play at the tables is much more difficult as it is a combination of swiping your Seapass card and depending upon the dealers and pit bosses to track your wagering and win/loss patterns.  ...and in the end, no matter what they tell you, I think it's really a matter of perception - whether management believes you have played a sufficient amount of time in the casino or not.  Obviously, if you have sufficient points then you have sufficient points but there are times, I know for CERTAIN, when neither Dan nor I had sufficient points but we still retained our status.  It's really a fickle program without much structure or metrics.  They will, no doubt, recite the rules to you, but I'm not sure that they actually follow them.  Just my opinion.

There's a dollar to be made !  What else ?