mac66

We were on the 11/28-12/5 Oasis cruise. I heard there were about 4000 aboard but I don't believe the ship was over half full. Never had a problem finding a table in the WJ at breakfast or lunch. We did main dining for dinner, some of us went to the Solarium for lunch and b'fast a few times. We (6 of us) walked into all the shows without a reservation. Never had an issued finding deck chairs either around the pools or the Solarium. It was very nice being on board with the ship half full. Probably the best service we've ever had on an Oasis class ship. Of course late Nov/early Dec is a slow season anyway, during the holidays your mileage may vary.

Just reporting in after a 2 year hiatus. We canceled 6 cruises in 2020 and 2021. Just got off a RCI ship last sunday. Re-Booked the Rock and Romance cruise on the Summit in Feb and a 12 night southern Carib on the Equinox in March.

Just got back from a cruise, Coco Cay, Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan. I tried to book Coco Cay but it was filled. Ended up diving in Roatan and Costa Maya privately. No problem using their equipment although my wife insisted that I spray everything down with disinfectant/sanitizer before using it. Both my wife (who didn't dive) and I got tested when we got back just in case because we both elderly mothers in an assisted living facilities that we visit often.

Just got back from Coz. Been there many times. Snorkeling at the national park is always fun. Two years ago my wife and I did the Secret River tour. It was fantastic, so much so that we tried to book it again this year when we took our adult children. Alas, they have an age limit (65) through the ship and we couldn't book it privately. We had turned 66 since the last time. As a fall back we ended up doing the Cozumel Bar Hop. It was fun (some people on our hop had done it half a dozen times) but it rained the whole time. In the past we've rented a jeep and toured by ourselves, hired a driver w/beach/wild side bar stop, snorkeled at the national park, hired a snorkeling tour right off the beach and did an all day beach resort. All of those were fun.

If you are emerald on RCI you will be select on X. You will automatically be elite on X when you reach Diamond on RCI. There is no picking or choosing involved. Just go with the flow and you'll be fine. BTW, we kinda like Celebrity better than RCI but specifically set out to reach Diamond on RCI to be Elite on X. While points totals are different on either line it turned out to be easier and cheaper to reach Diamond than Elite. We will probably never get higher than Diamond/Elite on either.

We're leaving on a 12 night cruise on March 15. The only way we aren't going is if the cruise line cancels. We are 65 and in excellent health. You pays your money and takes your chances.

We use Cru Con quite often. They are easy to work with and are very responsive. They often add perks to the deal.

LOL...Pirates of the Royal Caribbean

Actually it does make some sense in that RCI will have two captive ports where cruisers will have to spend their money exclusively with RCI. Not to mention that it looks like a land based vacation destination in itself.

Skip the package altogether and bring your own. Problem solved.?

Been in Jr. Suites twice. Once was a regular suite and the second time we booked a guaranteed and they gave us a handicapped JS. It has larger bathroom with and open shower and wheelchair access to the balcony. Neither one of us are disabled but It was actually very nice. A few comments.... You should have told the room attendant about the hot water pot and the balcony doors. They can't fix it if they don't know about it. You missed a great opportunity by not eating in the coastal kitchen. The two big bonuses of a JS is double points and eating dinner in the CK. Of course we enjoyed the additional space, the walk in closet and the large bathroom.

I lost a hearing aid one time. Don't know where or when but the next day I checked at the service desk and someone had turned it in to security. Dang things are expensive to lose. i've since bought a retaining cord for my HAs to wear onboard.

I agree. Better to get your feet wet first before jumping in whole hog.

Do you need all the extras? Can you afford it? Then why not? On the other hand, it sounds like you got suckered into buying everything. Skip the dining packages, food is included in the main dining room. Take two bottles of wine aboard, pay for booze as you go, skip the paid Coco Cay thing (there is plenty to do onshore and plenty of free chairs/umbrellas on coco cay) but keep the shore excursions.

Typically you have to go up and make reservations for the first night. Thereafter you can make reservations after dinner for the next night. Should not have a problem getting in. When we were on the Allure you couldn't book more than one day ahead. As for getting in, you probably will have to knock the first time you go up there (we went around noon of our first day) . At dinner there usually is someone at the door who will recognize you and let you in without having to knock. We had a great experience in CK when in a JS on Allure.

We've been on Oasis class ships 3 times and Freedom/Voyager ships 5 or 6 times and a couple times on the smaller ships as well. The Oasis class ships are nice for families and tend to have lots of kids aboard. There is lots to do (climbing walls, flow riders etc, etc) aqua theater, ice rinks, broadway shows, central park, board walk etc. The Freedom/Voyager class has many of the same things (no central park, board walk, aqua theater, or broadway shows) but on a smaller scale. Two of the three Oasis class cruises (once one the Oasis once on the Allure) were pretty crowded. The other one (Allure) not so much. Of course that depends in larege part on what time of the year you go. I personally like the Freedom or Voyager class ships. The service and food seemed to me to be better than on the Oasis class ships. The bigger the ship the more you dilute the experience IMO. Having said that we never had a bad cruise and are booked for another Oasis class ship (Harmony) in Nov. We have two Celebrity cruises booked on smaller ships before then.

Cruise Critic has Roll Calls to meet up with other cruisers before hand. If they get enough registered RC will throw them a meet and greet party on board. Go to CC and look for the Roll Call page. Enter your ship and sailing date. You'll have to join CC (free) to get on it however. CC is about the largest cruise forum on the internet.

I recently read somewhere of a couple who did 8 SxS cruises in a row. Some were on the same cruise lines, some were in different cities (Miami-Fort Lauderdale). I think they did 4 different cruise lines as well. It was interesting to read.

I would guess that the WU Flu would have run its course by 2021 so you'd be relatively safe booking for 2021.

Wish we could do a B2B as well but with 4 parents in their 90s at home we can't be gone a month. And...thanks for the video. It really gets the juices flowing.

JL Moran, Are you perhaps on the August 16th sailing out of Dublin? Nevermind, I see now you're on the Aug 2 cruise.

Best perk IMO is the ability to eat dinner in Coastal Kitchen on Oasis class ships.

Yeah, this^^^^^^^^

I know this is and old thread but I've been on keto for more than 2 years and have gone on 4 cruises. I've found it pretty easy to not eat carbs except for some of the sauces that come on the meat and veggies. I scrape most of them off. I only drink water, plain iced tea, black coffee and scotch/bourbon on the rocks. When I think of it I order extra veggies instead of potatoes or rice or pasta or corn. If i forget I just don't eat those things. Always get the cheese plate for desert minus the crackers. Never eat the bread or buns. Never have a problem avoiding the sweet stuff, but that's just me. I don't cheat even a little bit but I eat well.

It's a mortal sin to share drinks with a drink package. They will make you walk the plank if you get caught. For the love of everything HOLY, don't ever, never, ever share a drink!?