JimnKathy

I highly recommend the chat feature, especially if not everyone in your group signs up for the Voom package.

...I want to thank you for getting the kinks out during Week 1! 

Sprinkler system malfunction on the Royal Promenade

We are thankful that nobody was hurt.  

Let your cabin steward know your requests on your first day and they'll make it happen...doesn't hurt to hand them $20 during the conversation, either.

Happy Sailing!  

9 hours ago, TheSeaCallsMyName said:

Another place is on Deck 5 behind the Aqua Theater. There will be joggers going by but it is so peaceful watching the wake.  I agree with Central Park.  Depending on the time of day but the Solarium can be a place to enjoy reading also.

 

One of my favorite spots on the ship.  

1 hour ago, JasonOasis said:

The one venue I think in a few years time Royal will take look at either updating or even removing is Bionic Bar.

I agree with you regarding the bionic bar, but with a twist.

While enjoying several wonderful conversations with the Food and Beverage Director for Specialty Dining on our last cruise, he brought up some of the operational challenges of the Bionic Bar. He said that it experiences about 20% downtime due to issues with the robotics and that RCL is always evaluating the P&Ls of this attraction to ensure the profitability of the offering is commensurate with the space it takes up on the ship.

One thing my wife and I both enjoy about the Oasis class ships and their amazing amenities is that you can sail on the same ship multiple times and create a new experience for each sailing. 

We are doing our third Oasis class adventure (sailed Symphony twice thus far) on Wonder next month, and since we're traveling with our 31 year old son this time, he and I will try out some things (rock climbing, flow-rider, etc.) that my wife wouldn't be interested in doing at all.

Variety is the spice of life.

Happy sailing!  

Park Cafe is a very underrated gem on any of the Oasis class ships. It's by far our favorite breakfast spot when we sail. Happy sailing!  

Yes you can!  

Not all the specialty restaurants are open, but the ones that are can accomodate you provided you embark in time to get seated during their lunch hours.

Sounds like he needs to contact his County's local health department to determine what he needs to do to fix the problem.

Could be as simple as just getting another verifiable shot.

The only construction delay video I found was dated July of 2020. It would be interesting to know if the OP would let this site know the specific YouTube that referenced this rumor so we could actually check it out for ourselves.

It wouldn't be the first time that somebody heard something on the Internet from somebody else who heard something from another "source" who says something happened...jest sayin'.  

4 hours ago, kittysoul said:

i had been thinking that it was just the 14th floor regardless of side, but then it hit me that I thought i heard somewhere that it was just on one side.... so thanks!

The port side of Symphony has the same "secret" access as Harmony.

Haven't heard anything, but please give us a review of the overall experience when you return from your sailing.  

The outdoor tables at Chops are wonderful. We sailed a B2B on Symphony last September on an Unlimited Dining Package and enjoyed the outdoor seating twice...you'll love it.  

On 1/13/2022 at 9:13 PM, bluer101 said:

I haven’t see wonder load on the app either. We are booked for the second cruise on March 11, can’t wait. 

We'll be on the same sailing...can hardly wait for it!  

1 hour ago, Neesa said:

Air2Sea put us on Bahamas Air same day, I thought okay they say it's fine and its 50 minutes in the summer! NO, don't do it. How bad could a non stop from Orlando to Bahamas be? BAD! 

Come in at midnight the evening before. Especially with the cold weather right now and everything else, including air crew shortages. 

Our 50 minute flight turned into a 5 hour ordeal, long story short we were the last people on board, and if not for Air2Sea I'm not sure they would have waited because at that time once we landed we had to still check in and test at the hotel before we were allowed to board. 

I wouldn't wish that out of control sinking feeling on anyone. Heed our advice get there as soon as you can.  Have a great sailing!

Great illustration of the guarantee that Air2Sea will get you to the ship, but there's no assurance it won't be a stressful process in doing so.

Given how unpredictable commercial air travel is these days, flying in the day of a cruise is playing with fire. At the very least I'd tell anyone to fly in no later than the night before.

6 hours ago, Cruising With JT said:

Still blows my mind that airplanes are packed, sports stadiums and the like.

We were discussing this exact issue yesterday at a family gathering...the anti-cruise industry attitude is ridiculous.

How about a Star Trek replicator to replace 21st Century room service? 

On 12/30/2021 at 7:04 PM, twangster said:

Some of these countries have 20-30% vaccination rates. Many don't have very much of a health care system during good times.  

It's a symbiotic relationship.  Cruise ships need ports as much as ports need cruise ships.  

Yes, the pandemic sucks. 

Exactly.

The ports aren't closing down to be azzhats to the cruise industry...heck, their local economies get hammered terribly when they can't do business.

The challenge these 3rd World nations have is that their healthcare systems really struggle with all of the issues related to the pandemic.

From what can be surmised in my part of the country (West Tennessee), the Omicron variant is a minor issue for the fully-jabbed citizens who are otherwise healthy. It's mostly those who already have several co-morbidities AND who aren't vaxed who are experiencing anything other than minor cold symptoms requiring hospitalization.

While I could be wrong, I would be surprised if the worst of this pandemic isn't behind us by the end of January.

On 1/1/2022 at 2:57 PM, SpeedNoodles said:

People read what they want to read.  Some of my FB acquaintances read "some ports were canceled" as "all cruise ships are stuck on the ocean and not allowed back into port and passengers will wither away at sea so you shouldn't go on a cruise!!!!!!!!"

My holiday-food-filled belly could probably stand a bit of "withering away" for a few extra weeks...why NOT do it on a RCL cruise ship?   

Can't really blame Royal for tightening mask mandates.  The entire industry is financially leveraged to the hilt due to to the shutdown. Another CDC shutdown would throw the cruise lines into bankruptcy.

On 12/22/2021 at 3:22 PM, SpeedNoodles said:

I can see being disappointed.  I can NOT see being upset.  This isn't 2019, and things have changed dramatically even in the past 10 days.

I agree. While many folks I know are testing positive for Omicron where I live (West Tennessee), nobody who is jabbed up is being hospitalized or dying from this variant. 

There are many positive signs that this virus is becoming endemic. As Matt indicated in today's blog update, the situation on sailings this past week were all very manageable. 

Yet again more reason to use a good TA. My TA keeps me up to date on all this stuff without me having to lift a finger.

12 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

If you want to kick it up a notch, you can place them in luggage tag holders, especially for people who may eventually cruise a lot.

I second this motion! We bought these tags for our last cruise a few months ago...we'll never cruise again without them.  

We sailed on a Symphony B2B and were consistently dazzled with amazing customer service from start to finish. There were many occasions where the crew was just as excited to be on the ship as we were. 

Our favorite thing was having the opportunity to enjoy the Coco Beach Club experience for the first time. What an incredible addition to Perfect Day at Coco Cay!