USFFrank

Try one of the 3rd party excursion companys. They may even be cheaper than Royal.

It's just as easy to (providing you have an internet package) stream any kind of Religious service on Facebook live, or YouTube whenever convenient.

IMHO there should be the option of getting the paper copy of the Cruise Compass upon request. I get the"save the waves" deal, but they don't have to make 2000 copies every day, just maybe a bunch on the first day, keep a running count of who requests it and reduce the daily copies produced as the cruise goes along. And besides, isn't it printed on recycled paper? Whatever doesn't get used could be recycled.

You are correct.

I don't see them changing what you can get with each tier, but it wouldn't surprise me if they made it more difficult to achieve new tier status. Like raising how many points you would need in order to get into each tier. For example, diamond status is currently 80 points. Royal raises the point requirement for diamond status to let's say 100 points effective, let's say on any cruise booked starting March 1. Now what about those who are currently between 80-99 points. I'm at 82 points currently, I would be grandfathered into diamond. Or let's say someone is at 75 points and booked a 5 day (or more) cruise before March 1. After their cruise is complete they too would be grandfathered into diamond status. But only from the points achieved from that cruise. Anything booked after March 1 (even if that cruise were to occur before the cruise booked before March 1) would fall under the new points and tier status requirements. There would be other scenarios that may come into play as well. It could get rather complicated. I would just hope if something like this were to happen that Royal's computer system is up to the task.

It's only illegal if you get caught.

From what was reported at the time, the port in Cuba was not able to take ships bigger than Sovereign class. I don't know how a Vision class ship would fit. Could they be tendering?

I agree with ships being able to sail to Cuba again. Would love to see all the old cars driving around there. But then again it would bring up the argument of Royal having to either build a new, or acquire a ship small enough to sail there again. Empress & Majesty were sold. I do believe someone high up the Royal food chain once said that they still have a ship small enough to sail to Cuba, but that would be either a Celebrity or Silversea ship.

The atmosphere is really nice in Central Park. As for the rooms, it all depends on your location. What it's overlooking. What it's just above and what it's just below. Allure of the Seas Deck Plans, Layouts, Pictures, Videos (cruisedeckplans.com)

The gift certificates bought thru Royal Caribbean can be used to both help pay down your cruise, or be applied to your account as onboard credit. If you would like to use it to help pay down your cruise, do so at least 2 weeks before final payment for it may take some time for the payment to show up. I've always gone to my travel agent at least 2 weeks before final payment and have never had any problems with redeeming them. To use as onboard credit (which I haven't done in awhile), I believe the latest you need to have that applied to your cruise is at least 2 weeks before you sail, give or take a few days. As for the third party gift certificates, those can be tricky. You have to read them very carefully. I had bought a bunch a few years ago at 10% off so it made allot of sense to get them and save money. I have not seen them available since, but nonetheless there were several hoops my travel agent had to jump thru in order to redeem them.

Here's one for the wish list. How about better cruise fare discounts for Diamond and higher on all cabins, not just balcony's. Sure the prices are better when they're at MSRP, but most of the time there's always a sale going on that's cheaper. If there's a sale the discount should be applied on top of that sale price.

Sure hoping there will be more Canada / New England itineraries for 2024. Rather disappointed with they are posting as of now.

Are you going on your own next month? If so try getting an all inclusive resort day pass. I liked the RIU, mainly because it's adults only. But if you're going with family who has not been to Nassau before, they may be interested in seeing the island. There's always the option for you to do one thing and your family do something else too.

The closest stops on Amtrak is either Sanford, Winter Park, Orlando, or Kissimmee. You would have to get other transportation from there to Port Canaveral.

That sounds like something similar from the cards you could get from the 3rd party companys. I bought a bunch thru AARP several years ago (offered at 10% off) and redeemed them thru my travel agent to pay down a few cruises. It wasn't easy, you have to jump thru a bunch of hoops, but they did it. I haven't seen those cards offered anymore for at least 2 years now. This link is from Royals website. https://www.royalcaribbeancertificates.com/

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Explorer of the Seas have its dry dock maintenance done in 2020? https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/06/09/explorer-of-the-seas-will-get-limited-dry-dock-august

Don't know where you can find discounted Royal Caribbean gift cards (the ones from 3rd parties that I haven't seen in several years were always a pain to redeem and could only be used to make or pay down a reservation). But gift cards purchased from Royal Caribbean can indeed be used for cruise planner purchases. Once you get the the redemption codes (there are 2 of them) you can either call Royal up or go online to put them on your cruises account as on board credit. It may take a few days for it to show, but once it does you can use that new on board credit for your cruise planner purchases.

Another thing to consider is, is your ship the only one in Coco Cay that day? If so the prices "shouldn't" be too bad. If there's another ship with you that day there will be more people who would want to go there (as well as the Coco Beach Club). Because of 2 ships worth of demands, Royal is going to jack up the prices of everything extra. So now everyone has to decide if it's worth it.

That's marketing for you.

In-port time at 2:40PM? I know that late is rare, but Ouch! And they say, don't book a flight out after your cruise till after 12:00PM. You would be lucky if you made a 4:30PM flight out today from TPA.

I'm pretty sure when I went to Nachi Cocom in 2019 that they called a taxi for us when we wanted to return to the port area.

It's been a while since I've been to Disney (and even longer since I've used their buses), but if memory serves me correctly, if your Royal excursion bus indeed drops you off at what's called the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC) there is not a bus that goes from there to Disney Springs. Someone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about this. What you would have to do then is get on the monorail at the TTC and get off at one of the monorail resorts (either The Polynesian, Disney's Grand Floridian, or Disney's Contemporary Resort) and get on one of the busses from there to Disney Springs. When you want to go back, simply catch a bus to one of those resorts, then take the monorail back to the TTC. Disney's Contemporary Resort is the closest stop from the TTC. Those busses go back and forth at least 2-3 times an hour. Something else you could do as well if you have the time is do a monorail tour of those 3 resorts. They are all very nice to walk around, and you do not need a reservation to do so.

If you really want to go there, and are using the transportation just to go to Disney Springs only, and not any of their theme parks, then it would be OK IMHO. Just remember to bring allot of money, or a nice high limit credit card, and be sure to be back to your bus on time.

I don't recall them lowering the minimum bid, at least on the cruises I've been on. But I have heard of people just bidding the minimum and actually winning the stateroom upgrade.

I did that back in 2019. Someone was walking around offering it. It was in a small boat that holds about 6 people, not a catamaran. Didn't go to any reef, they just stopped a few times and we went in. I was not impressed.