Ampurp85

I mostly travel solo, I always do MTD because I don't want to be stuck at a table with couples, forced to make small talk. I did this once and hated it as my table consisted of two very Christian couples who were rude to an older couple and eventually me and my travel friend. Yes, the tables are close, and, in some cases, there may be an option to engage. I bring my Kindle and enjoy my dinner. I am never rude, I speak a friendly greeting as an acknowledgment, but I mostly avoid the small talk. I mostly want to eat my dinner and get out.

Math is a little off. The onboard price of internet is $29.99. So, you would get the 4 days and pay 7*29.99 for $209.93. Making it a $31 savings. I have not seen Chop+1 since earlier this year, it is not offered on any of my sailings from Oct-Feb 2024. The 3N package would be great and you could potentially also take advantage of the D+ BOGO, giving you 5N of specialty dining for the cost of less than 3 if you had purchased a la carte.

I do think we need to speak up, otherwise it won't change. I wasn't a fan of the MDR or WJ before the new menus and I'm still not a fan now. I feel like the WJ has too many reduced offerings. And the MDR isn't consistent. I sailed Mariner in Jan 2019 and was blown away by both. I understood it being lacking a little during the restart, even in 2021 it was okay. By 2022 it was worthless . I did find it to be more than okay on Freedom in April but I also went in with such low expectations that if it was just hot, it would be acceptable. I don't think it was bad of you and I don't think it has anything to do with being a suite snob. You have a refined pallette. Your taste are personal, you enjoy the truffle , the MDR feeds the masses. There is no "wow" in the food, the wine helped you vocalize the truth.

Please be advised that if you booked through air2sea that's not Royal. They work with Royal but they aren't anything but a vendor. I have used air2sea twice. I made sure before I paid to get assigned seats. You will have to contact air2sea or the airline in regard to any charges.

Lol you don't have to be a suite snob for that statement to be true. I pretty much always do some type of dining package. I see you, I hope you feel seen . But on another note, it seems like everyone is enjoying this cruise despite it not being on a big ship with actual suite class razzamatazz. You husband must really be good at the flowrider.

Most cabins on a ship are 2 person or 5+ person, so cabins that only hold three people will cost more, because they aren't as plentiful.

First potato donuts, then duck fat fries, and now a whoopie pie!!!!!! You guys are living the dream, my food dreams

Those pics look so good, the weather seems to be great for this sailing. How did the tender go? I have been hearing it's a mess a lot of times.

I agree wholeheartedly that paying for suites, I expect a certain level of service. That's part of .....well the main reason I won't pay with Royal. Hearing and reading about all the cuts but still raised prices, makes me weary to do anything but RUB to a suite. Also I would love a potato donut. Those fries look amazeballs . I just decided I'm having fries for dinner.

I have not done the transfer from Galveston but from Miami. It was a mess. We booked our flights by air2sea and they moved our flight a day before we scheduled to fly. We were originally on the 1st flight of the day, which got changed to the 5th flight from ORD. We landed at noon, the transfer didn't get us and the rest of the pax until after 1pm. We then had to pick up other pax, at other terminals. So we made it to the ship at 2:30. We were the last boarding pax and nothing was open for lunch. We paid $35 each for the transfer, so $70. A Lyft/Uber was $20 each way, cheaper, and we would have been aboard earlier. Considering how far the airports are from the terminal, you might want to look into something else. Or see if you can change your flight.

My brother's did not get confiscated, its USB powered. It looks like a travel thermos.

Wait please tell me those donuts use potato flour.... They look so good, I'm jealous. I prefer a cake donut to any other sweet. But I also prefer potatoes to any other food. If both were combined @Neesa my brother hated having to wait for certain hours for coffee and tea, he actually has both. But keeps the tea kettle in his office. I will find out which one and post it when I get a chance.

So my brother has this....... Amazon.com: Outin Nano Portable Electric Espresso Machine with 3-4 Min Self-Heating, 20 Bar Mini Small 12V 24V Car Coffee Maker, Compatible with NS Capsule & Ground Coffee for Camping, Travel, RV, Hiking, Office: Home & Kitchen I am sure you could find one that makes tea. Royal trying to standardize things by getting rid of things is sort of crazy. Why not just ask if you prefer the kettle or coffee maker.

I don't eat the lobstah, but those cannoli's look so good. Also weather looks pretty good in Boston right now.

I think there is a huge disconnect. I think @KJ777 want to do a cruise and park plus pickup as opposed to utilizing the shuttle from hotels and the ports.

No. The GS comes with perks that the rest of the party cannot participate in. SL, the suite deck, CK, etc. That's what you would pay extra suite prices for.

I tip as I go. I did a B2B where I had the same room, though not the same room attendant as they changed her for the second leg. So had I waited, she would have not gotten a tip. I do MTD and even though I eat at the same time, I have never had the same waiter because as a solo, they often put me at whatever table is available. I also do UDP for at least one sailing. I say that to say don't assume that you will have the same anything, it could be possible for the first week to be the end of a contract.

GoPort still services PC. I have them booked for Jan cruises; it is $29.99 now instead of $24.99.

No they are strict in their 750ml specifications.

The WJ food looks meh. I would have gone to the MDR first and then the WJ after since it stays open longer.

I was on the sailing a week before you. It was insane the number of children, on top of the Jewish group who chartered. I am sailing Galveston in Oct, I am wondering about the number of children then.

In regard to the age, maybe it's the itinerary and the ship. I saw very little in the way of children on Grandeur but even in Jan, just the week before, my Oasis sailing was full of them and the younger folks.

I echo Freedom. I have done Indy and Nav as well and would do them again but not before Freedom. Mariner was the first Royal ship I sailed but her shows feel really dated and after seeing the pics and reading @Lovetocruise2002 blog, Liberty has gone into the "NO" pile for me. I am also not a fan of quantum class as you really begin to miss the features of Oasis class. The Esplanade and lack of neighborhoods/aqua shows are apparent more so than on Freedom and Voyager class.

1500 points will get you a free cruise and the higher your points the better the options are, usually at the 6500 mark they are offering JS and suites. My last cruise in April I wanted to earn a cruise and make prime for the next year. I got 3200 points on about $2300 but I originally wasn't playing for the points, and probably could have gotten it for under $1700 had I been focused. On that list it was cruises up to 12n in interiors, OV and balconies. I never play more than I would pay for the cruise.

I also want to say it has been consistent now, that a majority of the cruisers are newbies or been on 1 or 2 cruises.