Summer Bee Sweet

I had a friend surprise me by coming aboard and it was the best thing ever. We met on a ship and have taken several cruises together. 

I'm not sure any city inspired the Royal Promenade.  Some people think they copied the idea from the MS Silja Symphony.  

Cruises are like ex-girlfriends: nothing gets you over the last one like the next one

At least it is actually using the lounger and not just saving it for later.

Two things. 
First the D+ terminal entrance line.  That was never a published or official perk.  
I recently told a story in another thread about how an unpublished benefit was lost when folks complained when the event wasn't offered on all ships.  HQ didn't know it was occurring until people complained.  The truth is the event was not supposed to occur, just some HD's were trying to be extra nice.  That is how D+ lost Port Canaveral and Baltimore terminal entrance privileges.  People complained that <insert name of other terminal here> didn't have a D+ entrance like Port Canaveral/Baltimore.  HQ said "What D+ entrance line?  That is not a published benefit for the CAS"  and so they laid down the law and instructed all terminals not to offer this unpublished perk.
Secondly, CAS priority queues at check in.
As far as priority check in queues for the CAS that was on the way out before the pandemic hit us.
Royal was working on frictionless check-in.  The app was central to that effort.  In 2018 at a tech event they vowed 15 minutes from curb to ship.  A side effect was that priority check in queues for CAS would become unnecessary.  You showed the app barcode to a terminal worker with a tablet and boom you were on your way.  That was occuring in places like Miami Terminal One and it was rolling out across the world to all terminals before the shutdown.
Keep in mind check in queues are different than getting into the terminal and going through security.  Check in queues are found after security in most terminals.
Aside from Port Canaveral and Baltimore, few terminals ever gave D+ priority entrance to the terminal or security.  Everyone queued for security except Suites and Pinnacle.  That hasn't changed minus Port Canaveral and Baltimore losing D+ entrance rights which were never a published perk for D+ (see above).   However with expedited boarding that didn't matter.  
Once past security is where the CAS queues were placed.  Back in the days of paper everything before the app existed those CAS queues were an important perk.  Those were the queues where you could wait 30 minutes or more.  The app changed all that as it streamlined the entire check in process.  The pandemic and the CDC threw a wrench in the machine because of the need to show test results and proof of vaccination but that occurs before check in and so the CAS priority queues have no bearing on that aspect of the current experience. 
With the app priority check in queues for CAS are obsolete and would provide no value if implemented.  Priority entrance to the terminal and for security was never a CAS perk so nothing is lost even with the newly imposed CDC protocol delays to enter the terminal.
Since boarding is now delayed a bit for extra cleaning time they are still commencing the boarding process with top down CAS priority just like olden days.
Back in the days when CAS queues were in place it wasn't unusual for the Diamond queue to be longer than the Gold and Pre-Gold queue.  I recall looking at the Diamond queue and saying forget that.  I chose the gold queue and was through check in faster than the entitled Diamond who chose to use the longer Diamond queue.  

Many people including myself prefer the new approach of any drink,  at any bar, at any time of day, including the private destinations.
The nightly happy hour event had to change.  It wasn't scalable with the growing number of Diamonds and during a pandemic it is a super spreader event.  Yes, the virus is still with us and impacting cruising.  
Personally I love the new approach.
Diamond is not being cancelled.  It is still one of the best loyalty levels on any cruise line.  The any time, any drink four voucher drinks made it even better.
If you have grown weary there is nothing wrong sailing with other lines.  NCL doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  Carnival doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  MSC doesn't provide a nightly open bar for loyalty tiers.  Despite that if the grass is greener somewhere else for you, by all means go there.  It's always good to try something different if for no reason than to remind yourself why Royal is still the best.  

Since Allure wasn't revamped, she has kept the 2-story Diamond Lounge located on deck 11..the best DL on an Oasis class ship!

It's still there.  Decks 11 & 12 aft overlooking the boardwalk.  

Oooo, the family LOVES the novelty of room service! Thanks!

Another suite perk that you might like is getting MDR room service. On a port day it’s nice to relax in the room and have dinner delivered 

Another suite perk that you might like is getting MDR room service. On a port day it’s nice to relax in the room and have dinner delivered 

Another suite perk that you might like is getting MDR room service. On a port day it’s nice to relax in the room and have dinner delivered 

Update- I got the suite!!! It was only about 500 is more to get the upgrade. I cancelled the Key which covered the difference + 100 back. I will have to buy the internet for 4 currently priced at 263.88. So I for me I upgraded for 163.88.

There are contingencies of people local to each port that sail the same ship and itinerary over and over.  For any Florida based frequent cruiser it's pretty difficult to find an itinerary or ship they haven't already done.  Folks who sail Anthem often from Bayonne have the same situation.  Same with West coast cruisers on Navigator and Texan's sailing from Galveston.   Allure from Galveston can only do one itinerary week after week due to the distances involved and ports that can be reached from Galveston.  Any returning guests once she starts sailing from Galveston will be repeating the same ports.
I've done cruises where I never left the ship once during that cruise.  I've done repeat cruises when I see an excursion on sale and book it.  Having dozens of repeat cruises booked I get to look across all of them and I can seek out the excursion deals and avoid them when the price isn't right for me. 
Every cruise is different in some way.  Different weather, different guests, different sunsets and sunrises.  Sometimes I book the UDP so dining is vastly different.  All still great to be cruising even if the ship and itinerary are the same.

I've been able to catch a reasonable amount on some sailings - it depends on where you are.  I couldn't catch a thing in Alaska unless I was in port - the wifi is just too unstable in Alaska on the ships.  I caught quite a lot on Caribbean sailings. Good luck!
(And now I've forever outed myself. Great.)

The crew that I have talked to tell me they do not get anything for serving a C&A drink, it's explained to them that this is expected and goes with the job.   That's why I always tip per drink.  If I have unused C&A vouchers I'll often ask for bottles of water near bedtime and even those I tip $1 per drink minimum, i.e 3 water = $3.
Drink package and regularly charged drinks are the only drinks that automatically reward the server.  
I also tend to come back towards the end of the cruise and give something extra to those that have earned it through great service.  I typically get shareholder OBC on my cruises which I cash out in the casino and use for extra tipping purposes.

I am often a solo female cruiser, and my advice is to live your best life.
I am a cautious woman, so I still do all the safety things I should, but mostly I am just free. I have done Europe as a solo woman and would often do special tours and group day excursion.............where more often than not, I am invited to join couples and friends. It will be your choice as to who you want to be around when invited and what you want to participate in.
The amount of freedom that comes with doing anything solo is amazing but if you aren't used to doing things alone, and even when you are, there will be small periods of loneliness but that can be easily remedied especially on a cruise. Most people who cruise are wonderful and friendly, so you won't ever have to be alone unless you want to be. 
 

Level 1: It's T-minus 45.  Got checked in and got my preferred time slot! I'll unnecessarily fret about how long it's taking to validate my vax card, but oh well
Level 2: T-minus 30. Holy cow my luggage tags are ready. My luggage has dust on it in the garage and I'm not touching them for another 4 weeks but gosh darnit I'm printing these luggage tag right now! Level 2 isn't much more exciting than Level 1 but those luggage tags are some physical artifact that the cruise is near.
Level 3: T-minus 2. My armpits are soaked from that 15 minutes of anticipatory hell constantly squinting and wondering "is that a second line or just an eyelash?", but the covid tests are negative. Level 3 is a Richter scale tier difference from Level 2.
Level 4: Liftoff. On board the ship. My flights made it, I got a great absolutely terrible night's sleep at the hotel like a kid on Christmas Eve, and I got through check-in with no issues. Let the fun begin.  Obviously Level 4 might as well be light years from Level 3.

@DellaStar I’m also on that sailing 
Here is the DBP with tax and grats
 

I get the survey each and every time I cruise…usually on disembarkation day…late that afternoon, or the next day.
I always fill it out completely…including the comments sections. Maybe that’s why I keep getting them. Sometimes it feels like I have homework! Multiple choice questions and essays!😂
Due to me doing lots of cruises over the winter on the Anthem, I hear from the crew about my surveys. Usually on the next sailing. Every time I mention a venue, or individual crew member…they subsequently tell me how their supervisors received my comments from upper management and post them on message boards in the crew area. As I understand it, they don’t identify the passenger who submitted the comments by name…so I sort of made it a game by using certain key phrases so they would know it was me. The crew members may receive certain perks for being mentioned in the comments…especially job/position security and consideration for advancement.
Bottom line…I believe the company takes the survey seriously. It’s an important metric in customer satisfaction and continuous product evaluation. I believe they read the comments and forward them…good and bad…to the individual ship and onboard venues. I would urge everyone to send in their comments…good and not so good. They do make a difference.

I read The Jetsetters because it’s about a women who won a cruise.
Haven’t been on Symphony, but my favorite spot to read on Allure/Oasis/Harmony is either the balcony, solarium, or suite sun deck

Day 2 has been great thus far. Today was our day at Coco Cay and our first visit here since it was completed. What was supposed to be a cloudy day with possible rain has been absolutely beautiful. We had reserved a beach bed at breezy bay and it has been well worth the cost. We love the island and it has brought us much needed relaxation to begin the cruise. We had a small delay getting into port as we were waiting for Harmony to leave. It was not a big deal and cruiser’s disembarked at 930. Until tomorrow…….

Brilliance and Serenade and nearly identical.  They both have the upgraded LED lighting in the Centrum.
Radiance and Jewel are very similar on the surface but there are some subtle differences such as that LED lighting is missing.  Jewel still has a NASCAR themed pub bar the last I saw which is pretty dated now.  I haven't seen reports on the pub since the restart so I don't know if that still is a NASCAR pub.  
There are some minor differences between the sisters in some specific cabins here and there.  Most people wouldn't ever be impacted, it's very limited in scope.  For the most part they are cookie cutter copies of each other.  The sculptures in the Centrum are vastly different as is some artwork.  Some venues are different such as a Champagne Bar or Vintages and some specialty dining venues on one ship or another.  

From what I understand, you are looking for transport options from Port of Miami where you debark from Symphony to Port Everglades to embark on the Odyssey.  I had a similar S2S last month so I asked about this at Guest Services.   They said at the time that Royal will provide assistance in getting you from Symphony to Odyssey.  I did not use the option because I had my van with me.  You may want to call Royal to ask about this assistance for what they call consecutive cruisers.  Of course, a Plan B will always come in handy.

We have never had any issues ordering drinks and giving them to someone else. You order the drinks, tell them you are using your Diamond allotment, and you can give them to anyone you want unless they are underage. Only restrictions are you have to order them and you only have 4 as Diamond or 5 as Diamond+  per day.