Chadster

I'm looking very forward to being on a Radiance-class ship for my Alaska cruise. It looks so well-suited for that!

So far, Oasis has been the only ship in the RCCL fleet on which I've sailed, and I can already tell I'm going to miss Central Park something awful. My balcony overlooking the park was utter bliss, especially when the acoustic guitar players would begin in the evenings.
I shared pictures of Central Park with my friends and they were in awe that it was on a ship!
All that being said, I'm looking forward to expanding my horizons. Anthem will be up next, along with Independence and Mariner this year, and Serenade next year. It's looking like I'll get a sampling of almost every class and who knows? Maybe my answer will change by next spring! 🙂

I have definitely worn nice shorts with a collard shirt in the MDR. I'm on vacay, pants are for work! 

Oasis although I’m on Symphony in a week. Then on Wonder than odyssey. I’ll come back in a year and tell you! Lol
I’m a big Central Park fan and miss it on every ship that doesn’t have it. 

Delorean of the Seas?
 
1.21 gigaknots!

Please let us know if the onboard prices and percentage off figures matched up once you get back to our time.

Has anyone toggled from one cruise to another on the app with spotty/slow network connection? The developers put some fun messages that scroll through while the connection tries to make the switch. The last one even acknowledges how long it is taking before it starts the messages over. 😆 (Found this out in my dead zone office building when wi-fi was disconnected)

This is what Boleros lounge looked like during the October 3-10, 2021 sailing on Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston. Table and chairs were placed on the dance floor and no dancing was allowed at all!  Also no dancing was allowed in the Star Lounge. Even if they were the only couple on the dance floor, if a couple tried to dance they were quickly reprimanded and told to sit down. Very sad to see people treated this way, especially older couples who simply want to quietly dance with their partner. 

I got back from my first solo cruise last week; I was so lucky to meet up with some great fellow solo cruisers at a meet-up event we had on the first day. But even though we did a lot of things together, I also had a great time just doing some things on my own, too. I also struck up conversations with so many other great folks. But even if none of that would've happened, I definitely don't feel like I would've felt out of place even if I spent the entire cruise in full solo mode. Everyone on board felt so welcoming, and it was so much fun to take part in things -- or just to lounge and enjoy the views!
The above activities are just a taste of what we got to enjoy, even though we were all technically "solo". Toss in the carousel, a dance party or two, and it was an utter blast -- even if they clearly kept me around as the trivia "ringer". 😉
Point is, don't let your "solo" status. Make it the cruise you want, whether that's time with others or by yourself. I hope you have a blast, Donna! 🙂

I had a “charge without card present” notification pop up on my phone from AMEX for $470 from Royal and at first I thought “what the hell is this”?  LOL ….. Then I noticed I had an email and saw we won our upgrade bid to go from a Grand Suite to a Crown Loft Suite.  I was a little worried it may be a crappy location, but no …… it’s # 1720 …… so happy!!!!  I really didn’t think we’d get it for only $470 total.  Can’t wait for Saturday even more now!!

 

Glad you were able to get something from them!  
word of warning:   I had added an old cruise from AGES ago-lots of struggle since they hadn’t maintained records. Flash  forward a few years, and I’m trying to add a current cruise they failed to give me credit for and the agent REMOVED that 7 night cruise credit saying it shouldn’t be there. 

You've clearly never dealt with hurricane season. 🤣

I was just thinking the exact same thing! Fear not -- I don't need to know until late November! 😄

I've had dreams like that too...

...but then I remembered I had an MEI travel agent to handle those kind of problems!

Hope you sleep better tonight @Sharla!

I think you meant to say "drink some wine"

I dreamed last night that Royal Caribbean started selling FCCs- like a gift card, but it was restrictive like a normal FCC (can't be used for taxes, gratuities, etc, and must be by Dec 2022). All of my clients thought this was the world's best idea and I kept trying to talk everyone out of it!  

And then, of course, none of the FCCs worked. I can't escape it all even in my sleep 🙂
 

I have to agree with so many about a lot of tips, both for gambling on Royal and gambling in general. My September trip on Oasis was my first Royal cruise, and I told myself before I went that I was only going to play what I could afford to lose. Unfortunately for me, I didn't keep that number constant. I kept letting the siren song of the casino draw me back, telling myself I could lose a little more and still be okay, and I ended up a lot more down than I planned. Not to the point where I've wrecked a bunch of things, but it did definitely make me kick myself. From now on, it's hard-and-fast limits plus any free play/earned play from points...then done.
On the upside, after a reminder earlier in this thread to check offers, I see that the points I earned have already gained me a $100 instant-savings certificate, which will come in handy. Still, lesson learned -- walk away when I win and know how much I can truly stand to lose.

I have to agree with so many about a lot of tips, both for gambling on Royal and gambling in general. My September trip on Oasis was my first Royal cruise, and I told myself before I went that I was only going to play what I could afford to lose. Unfortunately for me, I didn't keep that number constant. I kept letting the siren song of the casino draw me back, telling myself I could lose a little more and still be okay, and I ended up a lot more down than I planned. Not to the point where I've wrecked a bunch of things, but it did definitely make me kick myself. From now on, it's hard-and-fast limits plus any free play/earned play from points...then done.
On the upside, after a reminder earlier in this thread to check offers, I see that the points I earned have already gained me a $100 instant-savings certificate, which will come in handy. Still, lesson learned -- walk away when I win and know how much I can truly stand to lose.

I have to agree with so many about a lot of tips, both for gambling on Royal and gambling in general. My September trip on Oasis was my first Royal cruise, and I told myself before I went that I was only going to play what I could afford to lose. Unfortunately for me, I didn't keep that number constant. I kept letting the siren song of the casino draw me back, telling myself I could lose a little more and still be okay, and I ended up a lot more down than I planned. Not to the point where I've wrecked a bunch of things, but it did definitely make me kick myself. From now on, it's hard-and-fast limits plus any free play/earned play from points...then done.
On the upside, after a reminder earlier in this thread to check offers, I see that the points I earned have already gained me a $100 instant-savings certificate, which will come in handy. Still, lesson learned -- walk away when I win and know how much I can truly stand to lose.

During one of our last pre-pandemic cruises,  hubby was trying to download funds from our credit card for the second time on a slot machine, and noticed that it would no longer do so. He had planned to use the money that he cashed out in other slot machines and at table games.  A staff member in the casino told him that so many people try to use the slot machines as a free ATM that they allow people to use it only once and then they lock them out. After verifying that hubby was a Prime member and that he was truly trying to gamble on the slot machines, etc., they did something to unlock him and he was able to continue the process. 
 
Now we just charge the money we  will use to our room - it’s tied to our credit card, there are no extra fees, and we earn double points with the credit card.  
 
If we do want actual cash, we both are currently Prime, and they will waive the transaction fee for Prime and higher-level members. However, we no longer see any point  in carrying around large amounts of cash. 
 
 

I have to agree with so many about a lot of tips, both for gambling on Royal and gambling in general. My September trip on Oasis was my first Royal cruise, and I told myself before I went that I was only going to play what I could afford to lose. Unfortunately for me, I didn't keep that number constant. I kept letting the siren song of the casino draw me back, telling myself I could lose a little more and still be okay, and I ended up a lot more down than I planned. Not to the point where I've wrecked a bunch of things, but it did definitely make me kick myself. From now on, it's hard-and-fast limits plus any free play/earned play from points...then done.
On the upside, after a reminder earlier in this thread to check offers, I see that the points I earned have already gained me a $100 instant-savings certificate, which will come in handy. Still, lesson learned -- walk away when I win and know how much I can truly stand to lose.

1. Remember that the casino know you are captive , its not that you can go to other casino next door ... Therefore   you will see things like single odds craps tables and not so good odds at the machine (just my impression  anyway).
2. If you are playing the machines remember to check how many points you have at the last day. points can be converted to free play (without any impact on your status) for example if you have 1000 points you can  can convert them to 20$ of free play. Many people are not aware to it or just forget to do so.
3. Since its a cruise expect to see many first timers in the casino , do not be surprise to see people splitting 10s  or standing on 14 against a face card / taken a card on 13 against dealer 6. Anyone is allow to do it , you just need to decide if you want to keep playing there or go to another table. 
4. Check during the first day if you got any free play , many time the casino will give everyone between 5 to 100 $ in free play which is good only for the first two days.
5. Ask the Casino manager how many points you accumulate during the last day , mainly if you played the tables , sometimes you are entitle to some cruise vouchers which are not automatically being processed.
6. Always show your card and use it at the machines , even if you are going to play just with 20$ , remember , its not about how much money you put at the beginning its about how much you played with this 20$ . For example if you are playing blackjack and play 20$ each hand for two hours and you win every second hand and lose the following one you considered as you played average 20$ for two hours . Same with the machine , if you started with 20$ and played for 1 hour 5 $ each hit,  winning every second hit (in average) you actually played total of  1800 $ (5$*60 minutes * 6 (playing every 10 second) .
7. Do not start a game few minutes before  a show or dinner time , saw many people that got good hands  , saying "just one more hand" and missed shows/dinner , its never good for the relationship 🙂 
8.  Remember your plans for the next day , you don't  want to play until 2-3 am when you have early excursions ... 
9. If you used the option of getting money from your on board account and you are lucky enough to win some money and hold to it until the end of the cruise , consider to go to the guest services and pay your on board account using cash  , (that is if you are not collecting points on your credit card , in that case ignore it)
10. Have fun , you are on vacation not at work ...

I knew it was you, Pat -- that's why I said it like that. 🤭 Consider it payback for the early birthday shoutout at dinner that one night. 😜
You folks really did make my cruise 10x better, though as I said, I know I would've had fun being much more solo, too.
To anyone reading this thread and feeling on the fence about a solo cruise, I think everybody should try it at least once if they get a chance!

I began my Oasis cruise a couple of weeks ago on My Time Dining in the MDR. They put me at a table for two that was a booth-style seat on one side and a regular chair on the other. I was seated on the booth side, and there was a couple at the table on my right. (I ended up spending most of the cruise attached to the dining reservation of a group of fellow solo cruisers I met, and we all ate at a standard 8-person round table.
For breakfast, I was always at a two-person table, often with the same booth-seat setup, though I had a few days where I was at a table with two traditional chairs, and tables were spread out a bit.