Jim S

Just received notification from RCI that all May 2021 cruises have been cancelled. Will lift and shift our Harmony Mediterranean cruise to next May on Allure.

Odyssey must be returning to Rome at the end of September 2022. We have just booked a 12 night Holy Land cruise 19-31 October ‘22. Looking forward to it.

We are booked on Harmony on May 9th for a 7 night Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona. Same dilemma here; do we pay our final balance next week or do we cancel the cruise under the RCI “Cruise With Confidence Program”? This would be the 8th cruise cancellation since March 2019 and we have already transferred our previous cruise credits to the Harmony cruise. Does anyone have any more information on if or when the May 2020 cruises are likely to be cancelled?

My understanding is that RCI would issue drinks against your seapass in the DL as well as in the bars. That would restrict the number of drinks to the allocated number no matter where they are taken on the ship. You would need to pay for any additional drinks. I recall hearing some time ago that RCI were considering issuing drinks against each seapass in the DL as a pilot to analyse the amount and value of drinks being given out.

I have heard that on the sailings on Quantum class ships from China and the Far East, the free evening drinks in the Diamond and Concierge Lounges are now issued against your sea pass and that D members receive 4 free drinks per day and D+ members receive 5 drinks per day. I have also heard that the free drinks have a value limit ($12?) and are available ALL DAY and not limited to between the hours of 5:00pm and 8:00pm. Is this a wind-up or is it for real? If true I think that this would work well and ease the congestion in the lounges each evening.

It really is my lucky day. Discovered that by bringing our cruise on Harmony one week forward that we save £1,040.00 for the exact same cabin and itenary. My TA managed to get RCI to change the booking. Whoopee, Happy days.

I’ve just booked that same cruise from Barcelona. Hope it does not get cancelled.

Thanks for that info WAAAYTOOO. Does L&S include onboard credit in the original booking?

These prices seem too good to be true and I am wondering if that is because the cruises in May 2021 are still doubtful due to COVID-19. I have now booked the Crown Loft Suite for the 7 night May 2021 Mediterranean cruise. Hope it does not get cancelled like my other 7 cruises.

After checking the RCI website today for a 7 night Mediterranean cruise in May 2021 I see that a Crown Loft Suite (LF) is only £150 per person more than a 1 bedroom Grand Suite (GS). This certainly seems worth the extra cost.

Has any of the forum booked a Crown Loft Suite on Oasis Class ships? Do the onboard benefits justify the increase in price over that of a Junior Suite, i.e. £330.00 per person for a 7 night cruise.

I stand corrected. I see from booking.com that there are some hotels not too far from the port. I never noticed any on the three occasions that I have been there. I suppose that I was just not looking for them at the time. However, I still think that it would be better to stay at the airport or in Rome and take a taxi to the port on cruise day.

From what I recall, Civitavecchia is only a port and there are no hotels nearby. Best stay at the airport and take a taxi to the port, but this is quite expensive. I was quoted £100 ($130) for a taxi from the port to the airport at the end of a cruise that was cancelled due to COVID. The cruise line may offer a bus transfer but I think that is also quite expensive.

Yes that is correct, and RCCL come into that category as well if they provide flights along with the cruise holiday. That may well be the reason that RCCL stopped offering flights to reduce their liability.

Yes, it is not a very recent thing. The change took place several months ago. It might have something to do with the Travel Agents wanting to take care of customer travel arrangements to their financial benefit.