Linda R

In most cases I go for the newer ships.  I love all the shows, restaurants, and things to do. Also more places to be away from other guests to read or play c  I usually only take smaller ships in Med when the ports are usually more important.  Everyone needs to decide what is best for them.  Or try on ship one cruise, and another one next cruise.  I have been on every cruise ship that RC offers.  And scheduled on Odyssey.   Love cruises

I hate hate hate it that Royal Caribbean allows smoking in the casinos. One, because I'd love to play. But besides that, I can smell it wafting into the Royal Promenade from the ships that have that spiral staircase from the Promenade into the Casino. 
So I don't agree that their air filtration system before was great, and I hope that it gets better from here. 

I have never smoked and also do not tolerate it well.  If the casino was non-smoking I would be  playing the tables, now I just play a slot machine near entrance.  
Would much rather play tables but I understand why they have part of it smoking.  The non-smoking side is still smoky and smells in my opinion. But I can deal with it when on a ship.    It is always hard to please everyone and they do their best to accommodate everyone.

I assume they are only for UK residents?   Am sure curious what will happen in mid September.  I have a cruise then.  Plus I am in US and the cruise goes to other countries.  France, Norway, Denmark, etc.    I would sure like to know as it affects flights, pre-paid hotels in London, etc.    No telling what will happen, so I will wait and see.
But glad to see the sailings starting out of Southampton!

I've read the entire CDC update to the CSO. It has to be understood in the context of the original NSO and the initial CSO issued right after the NSO expired in October, '20. I went back and read that 88 page monster too.
First, both documents are incredibly complex and reveal the extent of interagency involvement in the NSO and CSO. The Modification issued this afternoon outlines the steps to take the cruise industry from Phase 1 to Phase 2A. Phase 1 dealt with crew health status on ships operating in international waters and wishing to call on US ports for supplies and fuel. Phase 1 extended and codified the color coding system that had evolved, described these and required cruise ships to be coded as green before they could port in US ports.  Phase 1 has been applicable since that system was codified, I believe, sometime in late December shortly after the issuance of the CSO. What's happening now makes sense in that context.
Phase 2A lists, in great detail, a requirement for  cruise lines and port authorities to enter into separate contract agreements (by cruise company and cruise ship) for doing typical cruise ship embarkation and debarkation things as well as handling a passenger or passengers with suspected or confirmed COVID without stressing local and federal resources - like happened in March and April. There are recommendations that cruise ports figure out how they are going to handle multiple ships embarking and debarking in a single port with an eye towrd setting limits to how many ships can operate from a port at one time.  Everything you'd expect would be required is required to insure the chaos that occurred as countries imposed lock-downs last March isn't repeated when cruise ship operations are green-lighted.  Some of the chaos involved the refusal by port authorities to allow cruise ships to port and disembark passengers. This can't happen - ships with sick passengers cannot be barred from porting - and that is in the CDC phase 2A update.
As well there were some pretty harry medevac scenarios carried out at sea for seriously ill passengers. You'll need to read the document in it's entirety to see all the requirements. Given my limited understanding, outside of observing them myself, of what's involved when a cruise ship with passengers ports, what's in the most recent CDC update is complete and extensive. I don't have any problems with what the CDC is requiring in Phase 2A and, IMO, it is definitely moving the process of getting cruise ships operating again. One can argue it's typical government over-reach and unnecessary regulatory intervention. Fine. Complain all you wish to. It won't matter. The path forward is clear and it involves a lot of stuff many of us think is unnecessary but it is what it is - accept it. 
The stuff released today certainly doesn't come close to what I think people wanted - a green-light to go ahead and start cruising your hearts out. That IS NOT going to happen. It's a process that is going to take a while to work through. My gut tells me it will move quickly considering the scope of what's required but I'd say a July restart could happen if the lines get through phase 2A quickly but there will be only a few ships per company starting out and this will slowly expand over time, a long time.  
I believe it will go like this after Phase 2A is completed: 2B involves test cruises, crew and ship's company only, and a by ship certification process for that. Phase 3 involves test cruises with select live passengers, phase 4 is closely monitored revenue sailings. This isn't defined anywhere I could find in the two documents (the CSO and today's mod of it). I'm reading between the lines and I may have missed it in that monster 88 page CSO.   
I would not be surprised at all that the cruise lines, having experience with such agreements between themselves and ports that have already authorized cruise ship operations in Europe, Israel, Asia and now the Caribbean, can comply quickly with all the technical aspects that were revealed today and identified as Phase 2A. That includes submitting these contract agreements to the CDC for review and approval on a company and then on a ship by ship basis. I've also read that port authorities in FL have been doing extensive preparations to restart cruise ship operations. It seems to me all parties should move ahead quickly in satisfying the CDC requirements for 2A. I also could be harboring a lot of wishful thinking.
It's noteworthy that in several places within the modification document, there is mention of considering the role of vaccines and vaccinations in fashioning the contracts. For example, the CDC requires that ports establish standards for embarkation and debarkation within terminals that provide for mitigation measures consistent with those required by the CDC for congregate, housing facilities or federal transportation hubs (e.g., similar to prisons or government provided/subsidized housing, airports, bus terminals, train stations). In the case of cruise ports, that would be masks and distancing for porters, guest relations staff and all port employees that might have contact with arriving or departing passengers. Certainly, if everyone involved in embarkation and debarkation at a port is vaccinated, that changes the dynamic of mitigation measures and the CDC acknowledges that. But mandating vaccinations for port authorities is left up to individual ports. That's the CDC acknowledging that there are legal implications here for requiring employees to be vaccinated to work. As I said, I'm all for this, just like I'm for mandatory vaccinations for children to attend school or adults to go to college. Israel has made it very clear to their citizens, "you'll be left behind" if you don't get vaccinated. YMMV, JMO.
I think the cruise lines were caught of-guard with the CDC release late on Friday afternoon before Easter weekend. The CDC was definitely feeling the heat. It's clear to me that the requirements detailed in Phase 2A didn't just get done in a week. They are incredibly robust and cover all manner of things that involve reducing the risk of a COVID outbreak on a cruise ship producing the scenes we saw last March and into April. I think the lines will get their act together quickly after some obvious scurrying today and will get through Phase 2A as quickly as they can .... and the CDC handles their review role expeditiously. I'm going to take a wait and see approach. Let's give the parties time to absorb all of this and react. I'll start ranting again if the entire month of April passes without some indication that stuff is getting done. I expect this is going to affect June sailings you might have booked from US ports. I think those will be cancelled sometime this month. July cruises are at risk but there's a chance, especially those after mid July.
   

Still not getting hyped about this until ships are actually sailing.  CDC has dragged this out for so long, I have lost faith that they will do anything in a timely manner.  

Everything @twangster said.  My husband uses a wheelchair or scooter full time.  The one time we sailed in a regular balcony stateroom we had difficulty getting it over the door threshold, difficulty finding a handy outlet to charge it, and difficulty walking around the scooter while it was "stored" or "charging".  When I say we that was me and my then 8 year old son. Definitely get on waitlist for a disabled cabin. It is well worth it. Also in the regular balcony room it is near to impossible to get a scooter over the higher threshold and out onto the balcony.   The lack of and scarcity of disabled cabins on ships is one reason why we book two years out.  If you book far enough out- then you can have some chance of getting a disabled room. 

They cater to food restrictions very well. I have celiac and they always do gluten-free foods for me, including breads.  Once a friend of mine did not like seafood, and they accommodated for them.  My husband does not drink so he did not have any wine but still enjoyed the experience.  All the meals I have had at Chef's Table have been different.   The people, wine pairing and experience are worth it to me, no matter what they serve.

They cater to food restrictions very well. I have celiac and they always do gluten-free foods for me, including breads.  Once a friend of mine did not like seafood, and they accommodated for them.  My husband does not drink so he did not have any wine but still enjoyed the experience.  All the meals I have had at Chef's Table have been different.   The people, wine pairing and experience are worth it to me, no matter what they serve.

My husband sometimes uses a cane, and he always get treated as if priority check-in, so he doesn't have to wait in longer line.  I expect check-in to be different now also.  Less people there at one time, etc.  We are Diamond Plus and often in suites, and sometimes the lines to check-in are shorter at the regular stations!
I like the idea of 2 larger beds and 2 baths.  The things you get in JS is coffee/tea pot in room, bathtub, and Coastal Kitchen for dinner only. Those are good perks for me but maybe not for everyone.  Just need to decide what is of more importance and most comfortable  for you and your mom.  Enjoy

They cater to food restrictions very well. I have celiac and they always do gluten-free foods for me, including breads.  Once a friend of mine did not like seafood, and they accommodated for them.  My husband does not drink so he did not have any wine but still enjoyed the experience.  All the meals I have had at Chef's Table have been different.   The people, wine pairing and experience are worth it to me, no matter what they serve.

I really hope you get to because that means my cruise on her just after New Years will be sailing!

I have a Christmas cruise on Allure scheduled and would love for that to happen. 

I am also booked in December B2B cruises and really hoping it is a go!

crispy all the way, but will say that is too crispy for me. I have a nice butcher who has the most amazing bacon which when cooked is magically chewy and crispy at the same time!! 

Who doesn't love a balcony cabin?   It seems a lot of people do because balcony cabins are one of the most popular types of cabins offered to cruisers.  What could be better than reading a book, eating breakfast or enjoying a favorite beverage on your very own balcony overlooking the ocean?
Budget minded cruisers can't always afford the extra cost associated with a cabin that includes a dedicated balcony exclusively for that guest.   Enter the obstructed balcony.
Cabins with obstructed views are nothing new to the cruise industry.  For decades cruise ships have had oceanview and balcony cabins in places where ship equipment or superstructure ends up blocking the view.  The obstruction could be a lifeboat, window washing equipment or structural pieces that are required in various places around a ship.  
Quantum class ships feature a design where the lifeboats are stored near the level of deck 5 for quick access in the event of an emergency.  Their location while optimal for quick and easy access in an emergency it does mean they obstruct some views for select balcony cabins on deck 6.
The good news is these deck six cabins are offered as obstructed balconies at a discount perfect for budget minded cruise guests who are willing to accept an obstruction in the name of saving money. 
It's pretty clear when selecting these cabins they are obstructed so no one should be surprised the first time they walk into their cabin.

 What isn't clear when selecting a particular obstructed balcony cabin is how obstructed one cabin may be compared to another in the same category.  Not all obstructed balcony cabins are equally obstructed.
Lifeboats are supported and lowered into the water by davits.  Davits are very strong structural towers that can raise or lower a fully loaded lifeboat.  The davits that support lifeboats themselves are an obstruction that also block the views for some deck 6 balcony cabins on Quantum class ships.  Davits can block more view compared to a lifeboat since davits are taller than the lifeboats they support.  
Consider this picture of Ovation of the Seas.

The deck 6 obstructed ocean view cabins within the green area in the picture merely have to look over the lifeboat which sits close to or just below the height of the balcony railing.  A few cabins in either direction the lifeboat davits impose a much greater obstruction.  The cabins highlighted in yellow may be partially blocked by a davit towards one end of the balcony.  
For someone picking a cabin on a deck plan it isn't immediately evident which obstructed balconies have less obstruction versus cabins that have greater obstruction.
Now we get to the whole point of this post.  Here is a preliminary guide to which cabins have davits in front of them and are therefore more obstructed.  

Using various videos and photos from Odyssey of the Seas during her construction and conveyance I've estimated which balconies are more likely to have a greater obstruction.  Since no guest has actually sailed on Odyssey when this post was written this is a preliminary version until guests can begin boarding and provide feedback with respect to these obstructed balcony cabins.
Since this is a preliminary guestimate follow through with your own research to make sure you pick the best obstructed deck 6 cabin for your needs.
Note that each ship within this class has slightly different variations of lifeboats and where davits are placed.  In addition there are at least four different types of lifeboats used on each ship.  Consequently you need to be careful drawing conclusions based on guest feedback from other ships within this class.
The image above may be a little blurry from web page compression so I am also including a PDF version that should be easier to read.
Odyssey Deck 6 Obstructed Balcony Guide.pdf
Obstructed ocean view cabins are a great way to enjoy all the benefits of having your own balcony while saving money if you don't mind an obstructed view.  If you book early you can often enjoy your pick of cabins within this category all at the same price.  By selecting carefully you can enjoy a much less obstructed view while saving hundreds of dollars that can be put into beverage packages or shore excursions.  

I am on the same cruise, but am from the US.  Wish  it would just get cancelled so I can move on.

Heyyyy...looks a lot like mine..cept add:
January 2022: Harmony*
April 2022: Oasis (placeholder til I decide to move the deposit elsewhere)
Contemplating a 2-night Indy sailing end of January 2022..3 cruises in a month isn't too much, right? ?

You might get on a wait-list for disabled balcony cabin.  I think chances are good there will be a cancellation.  Good luck to you

I have 9 booked cruises right now.  3 this year and 6 for 2022.   I am planning on all of next years to be sailing.  But doubts on this Sept. out of Southampton.  And confident that this coming Decembers will work out.  2 of my bookings are on Celebrity Apex and the rest are all RC ships, including the new Odyssey.

I have 9 booked cruises right now.  3 this year and 6 for 2022.   I am planning on all of next years to be sailing.  But doubts on this Sept. out of Southampton.  And confident that this coming Decembers will work out.  2 of my bookings are on Celebrity Apex and the rest are all RC ships, including the new Odyssey.

That is why I booked  BtoB cruises, but who knows.  And the reason I think my Sept. cruise will not happen as it is 9 days.  It was booked pre-pandemic.
Fingers crossed for our cruises!

That is why I booked  BtoB cruises, but who knows.  And the reason I think my Sept. cruise will not happen as it is 9 days.  It was booked pre-pandemic.
Fingers crossed for our cruises!