WAAAYTOOO

Once on board I may stalk the people in a hump JS on deck 6 and see how they like their cabin?

I see this as well on our cruise.  It doesn't bring me down past what I previously paid, but I'm sure will help a lot of people.  Thanks for the heads up Waaaytooo!

Today when I checked my cruise prices (as I do EVERY morning...at least once !) I noticed something I have never really seen before - that I can recall, anyway.
 
A real sale !
 
Maybe this was promo'ed ahead of time and I just missed it but for every one of my sailings, there is a dollar discount straight off the price....and none of the baseline prices appear to have gone up.
 
-$100 for my 26 June 16 Freedom
-$200 for my 23 December 16 Navigator (this is a Christmas/New Year's combo !)
-$100 for my 11 Feb 17 Harmony
-$100 for my 23 Dec 17 Adventure
 
What's amazing is that this discount is the same to every cabin category.  So it appears to be a straight up dollars off for every cabin on every sailing that I looked at.
 
Maybe I just picked some lucky cruises. 

Today when I checked my cruise prices (as I do EVERY morning...at least once !) I noticed something I have never really seen before - that I can recall, anyway.
 
A real sale !
 
Maybe this was promo'ed ahead of time and I just missed it but for every one of my sailings, there is a dollar discount straight off the price....and none of the baseline prices appear to have gone up.
 
-$100 for my 26 June 16 Freedom
-$200 for my 23 December 16 Navigator (this is a Christmas/New Year's combo !)
-$100 for my 11 Feb 17 Harmony
-$100 for my 23 Dec 17 Adventure
 
What's amazing is that this discount is the same to every cabin category.  So it appears to be a straight up dollars off for every cabin on every sailing that I looked at.
 
Maybe I just picked some lucky cruises. 

Floski, you are not alone. I did the EXACT same thing. Got caught up in the excitement and bought a watch for my wife and myself. Upon returning home to my wifi enabled iPad, I did my research. Lesson learned. The watch I paid $225ish for was available all over eBay for $120ish. Very disappointed in RC for allowing it. They have the guy who does all those seminars about "port shopping" and all the pitfalls running non stop on the ship tv, but allow a scam like that right on the promenade deck !!! Very disappointing

Last year, during the holidays, I discovered the nogretto (love that name)!  Seems the axiom about great minds is at work here!
 
I also created a drink that has yet to be named - 43 and eggnog.  43 is a Spanish liqueur that tastes a lot like butterscotch.
 
 
Definitely has to be made in a tiny glass or sugar shock can result!

OH....that sounds yummy !  I have never heard of 43 but you can bet that I will find it some time before the holidays this year !
 
Thanks for the "research" !

If you'll re-invite me during the holidays, I'll take a nogretto.  This is a concoction that I created - Eggnog and Amaretto.  Liquid candy !
 
Think of me when you have one.  They are SOOOOOOOO good.  ...but you'll probably only want 1.  They are so sweet and so rich. ...but yummmmmmm
 
Did you visit the Cruzan factory in St. Croix ?  That was extremely interesting and they were so hospitable and happy to have us come to the factory.  Don't miss it if you go to St. Croix.

It seems to be well covered already. But as slow as these hundred days will past, you can be sure the days on the ship will fly by. Time is not constant on a cruise ship, sorry Dr Einstein. 

Even this group loves cruising.https://41.media.tumblr.com/c9825783b03c2360c05676e6e568313f/tumblr_n1kravbbsT1tu2slgo1_500.png

The only people I've ever talked to that say they hated cruising had never been on a cruise!

Perhaps there are people who hate cruising...but I would have them committed for obviously being out of their minds !
 
You either love or hate Donald Trump.  Cruising is nothing but pure love.
 
:P

Thanks for the info.  I've been told you either like cruising or hate it.  Maybe the next we will take the kids...or not.

I'm hearing thing from folks on CC but not anyone on here, yet.  Preliminary information is very exciting !!!

We just finished our first cruise. The honeymoon we never had, taken as a 43rd anniversary celebration. I knew we'd have a wonderful time and I was sick with excitement each time I added an element to the cruise planner, running into the living room to let my hubby know the next detail I had added to the upcoming cruise. I was nervous about getting seasick,finding my way around, feeling like I was in a tuna can in the interior stateroom, etc. What I didn't anticipate is how MUCH we would adore the cruise experience. One unpacking, multiple ports to visit, come back to luxury and impeccable service and food. One day as we sat on the deck looking out at the awesome ocean color we had never seen before, we realized we had also found our destiny. We found the hobby we can both obsess about. He loves sports, I love quilting and flowers but together we are crazy cruisers!! The only thing holding me back is the money, but even with that said, we've already booked two up coming cruises in our anniversary month. Of course we started at the top with Royal Caribbean, so we will always stay with them, when possible. Our next two cruises , of course, have a balcony. If money didn't allow for a balcony, I'd gladly take the interior stateroom as it was lovely, but as it is, with each booked cruise, the room got higher on the boat and the balcony larger. :-D

I'm actually lucky that I DID get hooked (did I really just say that ???).  The first 2 cruises I took (Carnival and NCL) were really not much fun at all.  I was sort of "forced" onto my first Carnival cruise with a bunch of women that I didn't know.  Long story...but I had an ok time.  VERY short Bahama weekend cruise on the Elation.  Even THEN it was an OLD ship.  I think the whole trip cost me around $500, including airfare.  I shared an inside cabin with a woman I had never met.  She turned out to be a very nice lady.  I think we were the only 2 people on the entire ship that did not get seasick.  Lucky pairing.
 
The NCL Sky was a few years later.  It was just ok.  I traveled with DD, SIL and some friends.  No significant other at that point.
 
I dragged Dan (finally found a MAN !!) onto a short trip on Grandeur, then sailing out of Tampa.  He did NOT want to go.  His mother (a world class, world traveler) is not fond of cruising and she assured him that he would not be, either.
 
She was wrong.
 
TOGETHER, we found our destiny.
 
I think the reason that we enjoy cruising SO much is a combination of what the PP's have said.  Freedom to do what you want, when you want.  Everything you want and need right at your fingertips )or footsteps, actually).  The kind of service that you will never find on land.  ...and you don't have to cook !  ...or clean up the kitchen !
 
We have evolved over time.  Originally, we went for the ports.  We chose our cruises based on the itinerary...visiting ports we had not visited in the past.  Over time, we began to realize that we really didn't care WHERE we were going, but that the journey was the most important thing and that we just really liked being on the ship(s).
 
So...why do we cruise ?  Because we can !

I think everyone becomes jaded over time.  Familiarity allows for you to notice the flaws in anyplace.  
 
I don't spook very easily, but there are a few places that i simply do not like to be.  Falmouth would be one.  YMMV, but to me the area outside the gate is dangerous.  However, I am completely comfortable walking along in Roatan (Coxen Hole) with no concerns.
 
Belize would be another spot.  The area outside the "tourism village" is more of a turnoff to me.  I actually sat one afternoon and watched a "street pharmacist" and a police officer working together to shake down tourists.  After every sale and bust, where the officer would kindly let the tourist pay a fine and avoid arrest, they would meet up and split the proceeds from both the sale and bust.
 
Only been to St Kitts once, so we took a ship tour to get an overview.  It was great and it showed us a beautiful island.  On the way back to the port however, the driver let everyone know that he had no choice but to drop us off where we had to walk thru a market area outside the port walls.  He told us he did not consider it a safe place, and urged us to walk straight thru and get inside the port quickly.  Of course he also asked us not to mention it to the ship, as he didn't want to lose his job but his conciense wouldn't let him say nothing.
 
On the other end of the spectrum, I've walked all over Cozumel and Costa Maya/Majahual many many times and never felt unsafe or worried.  I jokingly say that here in Texas we usually consider ourselves Texans first and Americans second, so I fit in with people of the same mindset, as they mostly consider themselves Mayan first and Mexican second!!!
 
Of all the other spots I've been fortunate to visit in the Caribbean, to me its usually just common sense safety just like here in the states.  
 
Except Nassau.  Nothing good can be said about Nassau.   ;)

I will never pay retail price for anything I buy. All merchandise has to be at least 50% off. I shop at the Outlet Malls, unfortunately a lot of them have their inventory made just for the outlet store. It is lesser quality merchandise. I usually buy my MK handbags online at his store in the clearance section. I have gotten 2 of my 4 handbags for over 70% off. 
 
If I spend my money on Michael Kors handbags than I might not be able to take a cruise. Let's see, a cruise in one hand and a MK handbag in the other. I will pick the cruise every time.
 
Unfortunately Matt I spend my OBC in the casino. I just realized I have a handbag and shoe obsession and a gambling problem. Glad I am enjoying them.
 
Candie

John, you have a very perceptive way of evaluating your ports of call, I will grant you that !  I can't disagree with you about any of your conclusions.
 
I found, as I cruised more (in the Caribbean) that soon one Caribbean island became pretty much is the same as the next.  Obviously, some have a certain charm that you may really enjoy but truly...they quickly become synonymous with one another and to be honest, I cannot really distinguish one from another except in some extreme cases (for the life of me I can never remember the difference between Antigua and St. Lucia.  I always get those 2 mixed up !).  A beach is a beach.  Shopping is shopping and a conch fritter tastes pretty much the same no matter where you get it.
 
My least 2 favorite ports are also Falmouth and St. Kitts.  Of the western Caribbean ports, I am not particularly fond of Roatan or Belize although my problem with Belize is Belize City. I absolutely LOVE the REST of Belize (at least, what I have seen of it...which isn't all that much, to be fair).
 
The southern Caribbean island do appeal to me more than the more popular eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.  I love Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - particularly Curacao.  I find all 3 of those islands to be very quaint and charming.  I think you will enjoy these stops.

John, you have a very perceptive way of evaluating your ports of call, I will grant you that !  I can't disagree with you about any of your conclusions.
 
I found, as I cruised more (in the Caribbean) that soon one Caribbean island became pretty much is the same as the next.  Obviously, some have a certain charm that you may really enjoy but truly...they quickly become synonymous with one another and to be honest, I cannot really distinguish one from another except in some extreme cases (for the life of me I can never remember the difference between Antigua and St. Lucia.  I always get those 2 mixed up !).  A beach is a beach.  Shopping is shopping and a conch fritter tastes pretty much the same no matter where you get it.
 
My least 2 favorite ports are also Falmouth and St. Kitts.  Of the western Caribbean ports, I am not particularly fond of Roatan or Belize although my problem with Belize is Belize City. I absolutely LOVE the REST of Belize (at least, what I have seen of it...which isn't all that much, to be fair).
 
The southern Caribbean island do appeal to me more than the more popular eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.  I love Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - particularly Curacao.  I find all 3 of those islands to be very quaint and charming.  I think you will enjoy these stops.

MNorris - I truly believe you will really like the Oasis as well - good choice
I've been on all the Disney Ships and love them - but those prices Whoa!
 
like you said time for a change and Oasis has so much to offer a family

I actually had good luck with the Michael Kors on Indy! I had my eye on a bag that I knew I wanted, and it was the same price on board as on land... plus, duty free! Fun souvenir. :) 
 
I've had good luck with some of the perfume and cosmetics on board as well - better prices. 
 
I'm sure jewelry and watches are something different entirely. 

The last time we cruised out of Port Canaveral and went down a day early, we rented a car for the day and drove one way - then took the Royal Caribbean shuttle back to the airport at the end of the cruise. It was not prohibitively expensive to do a one-way car rental.
 
We picked up the car from Hertz at the Orlando airport. Because we wanted to visit the Cape for the day, we stayed in Cocoa Beach. If you book at the Residence Inn, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach (321-323-1100) the car rental office and the hotel are connected by a parking lot, so dropping off the car when you are done is VERY easy. It's no more than 100 steps from the Hertz office to the hotel. VERY convenient and you can keep the car as long as you want on Saturday. The car rental place closes (4:00, I think) but they have a drop box where you just leave the keys. They have no idea what time you drop it off. We arrived in Orlando (9:16 AM), rented the car, toured the Cape, ate dinner and dropped the car at the Hertz lot around 8:00 PM, then walked over to the hotel and had a very restful night's sleep before getting up the next morning and going to the ship.
 
The Residence Inn is very convenient to the port and they shuttled us over to the ship on Sunday morning. The new pier at Port Canaveral is very nice - lots of nice restaurants right there. It was all very, very convenient.
 
Unfortunately I don't have the receipts for the car rental but I recall that it was very reasonable to pick up the car at the airport and drop it off at the Cape. The Residence Inn cost $217.43 including taxes and everything, which isn't bad for a single night at the Cape on a Saturday night (that's the most expensive single night to stay in a hotel, in nearly all cases).
 
So it really depends on what you want to do in central Florida. If you aren't going to one of the amusement parks, I recommend going on to the coast the day before and spending the night nearer the port. Obviously if you are going to do something closer to Orlando you would probably want to stay in Orlando for the night and go to the port the next day...but I am such a worry wart...I always want to get to where I am going as quickly as possible to avoid last minute commuting delays...but that's just me.
 
I would highly recommend the Hertz-Residence Inn connection though. It worked out very well and the hotel got us to the ship so there was nothing to worry about once you dropped the car off.

Welcome to the boards, Hooked on Royal.  Glad to have you with us !

Here is what I recommend. Book all of the cruises that it will take to push you into D+. That way, if they DO change the rules on you (and I have heard these same rumors) then you can make the case that you had already booked all of the cruises you needed to make D+. I did this when I was about to make Diamond the last time they changed the rules, and they grandfathered me in as Diamond with no problem at all once I passed the original threshold. They were actually very gracious about it. I was surprised.