billdauterive

For those who haven't seen my latest YouTube video, Royal are currently looking for crew volunteers to apply for an Icon Of The Seas mini-series. The point of the series is to show the behind-the-scenes of starting up the new ship, from the crew member's perspective.
 
What do you think, should I apply?

Event schedule posted here: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/royal-caribbean-blog-serenade-of-the-seas-group-cruise-events

As crew members, we also have to online-check in 😅
 

We're going on a cruise this month!

Sounds like an overbooked situation to me.  I can’t imagine how the Radiance mess would be affecting Brilliance.
Just 1 word of caution.  IF you booked your cruise using a casino offer of ANY kind, and especially if you upgraded a casino offer, the way they calculate cruise fare is bizarre and will never work in your favor.  The 100% refund is what it is… no worries on that BUT the 100% FCC will disappoint you, I promise. Be very careful when seeking an FCC based on a casino upgrade.  If you didn’t use a casino fare, ignore my comment.

Good advise.  FYI, prime waives the 5% fee to charge your seapass so I always do this instead of bringing on a bunch of cash (DON'T DO THIS IF YOU CAN'T STICK TO YOUR LIMIT!).  I also do it for the reason you mention of making sure the pitboss comes over to see the initial 1st bet, plus getting credit card reward points.
I think time is also a much larger aspect of attaining table points than people realize.  It doesn't appear to be linear as the rate of points I get seems to grow at a faster rate the longer I'm there, even though my betting pattern never changes.  For example, I might get 50 points after an hour of play, 110 points after 2 hours, 250 after 4 hours, and 600 after 8 hours.  Purely anecdotal but it seems around 6 hours of constant play at the same table seems to be where the points rate really starts to take off in my experience.

Good advise.  FYI, prime waives the 5% fee to charge your seapass so I always do this instead of bringing on a bunch of cash (DON'T DO THIS IF YOU CAN'T STICK TO YOUR LIMIT!).  I also do it for the reason you mention of making sure the pitboss comes over to see the initial 1st bet, plus getting credit card reward points.
I think time is also a much larger aspect of attaining table points than people realize.  It doesn't appear to be linear as the rate of points I get seems to grow at a faster rate the longer I'm there, even though my betting pattern never changes.  For example, I might get 50 points after an hour of play, 110 points after 2 hours, 250 after 4 hours, and 600 after 8 hours.  Purely anecdotal but it seems around 6 hours of constant play at the same table seems to be where the points rate really starts to take off in my experience.

I can verify this.  Any fully comp'd casino cruises are denied, but "dollar off" casino rates are still eligible just as normal pay ones are.

Correct*
*at least in all my experiences

I can verify this.  Any fully comp'd casino cruises are denied, but "dollar off" casino rates are still eligible just as normal pay ones are.

This made me kinda giggle.  Can you imagine RU if Royal had created it and was operating it ?!?  😬

Day 6 on Navigator returning to Los Angeles.  



Inside joke perhaps?

 
 
 

It can be but not guaranteed.  It always depends on the weather that week.  It's also possible (although rare) to be really cold to the point of needing a coat when outside.  Its also possible to be really warm to the point of sweating even in shorts. 
I would recommend looking at the forecast as you get closer to know if there will be an extreme.  "Normally" you'll probably just need a jacket at night that time of year.

June 17, 2023
On board the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com Group Cruise on Navigator of the Seas Matt and Marissa become members of the Pinnacle Club!
 
 

Yes, the uncovered are the normal North lot spots.  The South lot is across the street at the bottom right of the picture.  Terminal 14 parking is off the screen to the left.
The North lot is definitely walkable from anywhere.  I personally walk from the South lot as well as the distance isn't that far, it just doesn't have a marked cross walk for the street crossing.

Yes, Ovation has been stopping in Skagway this season.

0% chance of getting on a tender in time to make a 8:30 3rd party excursion (unless 95% of the passengers are staying on the ship).  I would give AT LEAST 2 hours from tender start time to when you'll actually be able to board one after all the royal excursions and statuses have finished.  I learned this lesson the hard way a few years ago in Belize when I missed my 3rd party excursion that was booked to start 2 hours after arrival.  I didn't set foot on land until 4 hours after arrival even though I was up and in the tender line 30 mins before it opened that morning.

I came across a pretty decent deal for X on the West coast so I thought I'd share it.
Then I figured a running thread with deals may be helpful.
Here is one:
October 22, 2023 on Eclipse, LA to Cabo San Lucas and San Diego.  
Six nights, prices shown require no loyalty, or state, or age, or any qualifiers, in a guarantee cabin.

 
These are NO PERKS, "Cruise Only" so not "Always Included".  
 

For $349 pp for 6 nights plus taxes in a verandah it's a pretty great deal and the $1,148 per person savings can buy a lot of drinks, each!
More savings if you go with an interior or oceanview!
If you live on the West coast and have thought about trying X, it's a pretty good deal.

🎶Amarillo by morning...🎶

Just off Ovation from last week where the port weather was terrible (rainy, windy and 40s).  You would never have known it inside the ship as the temperature was very much normal inside temperatures.  So if you normally wear shorts inside, you'll be fine wearing shorts on the ship.  If you're normally freezing inside and need a jacket, you'll need a jacket on the ship.  But definitely bring layers as you might be spending time on the outside decks viewing the scenery and wildlife.

Just off Ovation from last week where the port weather was terrible (rainy, windy and 40s).  You would never have known it inside the ship as the temperature was very much normal inside temperatures.  So if you normally wear shorts inside, you'll be fine wearing shorts on the ship.  If you're normally freezing inside and need a jacket, you'll need a jacket on the ship.  But definitely bring layers as you might be spending time on the outside decks viewing the scenery and wildlife.

I've always thought developing a private island off Belize with a pier would be a boon to Galveston cruising.  It could be a big destination by itself, a la coco cay, or just a small jumping off point with nothing more than simple beaches and to be able to tender to the mainland.  It would allow another option for a port so it's not the exact same 3 each time, and could be a big winner like coco cay has become.

So this is a bit off topic, but I found out something very interesting today.
It seems that the casino host can create a special card (similar to a Sea Pass card but good only in the casino, only good for the current cruise, and good only for machine play.  Will not work at the tables) that directs all of your casino points to someone else.  IOW, if I use this card when I play the machines, all of the points earned would go to Dans account or vise versa.  I know there are people who play someone else’s card in order to accumulate points for that other person, but I always thought this was “cheating”.  Not so !  It’s completely legit and I got such a card tonite !  So, going forward on this cruise, any points that I accumulate playing any machine, will go to Dans account and allow him to accumulate points more quickly, therefore, qualifying for a higher instant reward comp certificate.  I was stunned when I learned about this.  It seems completely counter to Royals attitude of minimizing casino perks.
This “hack” seems hugely advantageous to couples !  Since Dan and I have both already achieved Prime for next year and have no hope of reaching Signature individually, this combining of points would greatly advantage one of us to push forward to perhaps getting to Signature.  …and that is in addition to improving our onboard instant reward comps.
Who knew ?  I haven’t used the card yet but I will try it tomorrow and see how it works !  We still have 4 more days left on this cruise.

Awesome info, thanks!  So if I'm reading this correct, no Alaska itineraries are affected.  That's really what I was wondering as far as blackout dates. 😀

These are the blackout sailings I see in my offer: