R.J.

After traveling as a child on a cruise ship, I found that being on a cruise ship for a holiday is either in your blood or its not. Well for me its in my blood and probably DNA. Subsequently I've passed (passing) it down to my children. 4 years ago when I wanted to give my family the memory of a life time, as a newbie I made the mistake of booking a SKY class room, I could not understand why someone would be stupid enough to get a room that's basically the same size (SKY Loft - Grand Loft) for a much higher price. I paid for the drink package, I paid for the restaurant package and I went all out on the shore excursions. If it was something to make the cruise better - I got it. Well I was wrong, for the entire cruise I hade "GENIE ENVY". (If you feel the need, you can read my previous post) Every time you attend a wedding if you've always been the bridesmaid, your always longing to be the bride. Unfortunately (or fortunately) if I set a goal or a task I MUST complete it. This can can take anywhere from a day or it can take YEARS. So that I could share my story, based on Matt's recommendation, I created a you tube channel Cruisiest (https://www.youtube.com/@cruisiest) I'm nowhere near the level of blogging like Matt, all I like is a raw footage - you see it as it happened. What's WORSE than GENIE ENVY ? STAR Class Envy !!! What do I mean ? If your in a Grand Loft suite, what do you really want to be in ? Obviously the Owners Loft suite and if your in the Owners Loft suite what do you want to be in ? Obviously the ROYAL Loft suite. We are by NO means wealthy, however if your going to do something - DO IT RIGHT. Episode ONE - The GRAND LOFT SUITE I've said that there MUST be an element of TRUTH in any prank or surprise. So how do you get your family to the back of the ship with a royal genie and into a Grand Loft Suite ? Simple, you tell them Royal Caribbean have stuffed up and we DONT have a room because the cruise is oversold. Someone is going to come and get us and see if they can help. While we are trying to fix the oversold room issue, lets go look at some of the rooms that we have on offer if you choose to cruise in the future. So for the family, this all makes sense and lets go see what we will probably NEVER stay in. My MISTAKE was that the genie had put posters up in the room and thus while the surprise worked, they figured out that they were going to stay almost straight away. Episode TWO - The ROYAL LOFT SUITE How do you get the family into the BIGGEST room on the ship, without tipping them off ? Its easy MISDIRECTION !!!! Send them links with all of the different rooms and tell them that your staying in the same or similar room that we were in before. Let them know that that its too bad that we cant stay in the super-duper rooms that they can see in the videos that you sent. Bank on the fact that they haven't paid attention to the room on their boarding pass that your staying in and continue to reinforce that they will be in a room that they are familiar with. And hey presto, you've got them to the back of the ship. They know this is to be expected and they have a mindset of they know what's going to happen. GOTCHA Episode THREE - The OWNERS LOFT SUITE ITS IMPOSSIBLE - You CANT do it again !!! Or can you ? Learning is defined as a change in behavior as a result of experience. Obviously they have learnt what I do and how could I possibly surprise them again ? Give them what they expect, but NOT what they expect. What does that mean ? The element of surprise is a VERY strange thing. THE TRILOGY - that's the answer !!! We have a you tube channel, we have been lucky enough to stay in a Skyloft Suite, a Grand Loft Suite and the Royal Loft Suite. What's missing ? The Owners Loft suite. How about we create a FAKE video of the ONLY STAR class suite that we haven't been in ? Sure why not - lets do it !!!! Remember MISDIRECTION is essential. Every cruise I have the boarding passes printed in color and laminated. How do you reinforce what they expect ? You give them boarding passes to a room that they already know and its not the room that they are actually going to stay in. While we were waiting to check in, I gave them the ACTUAL FAKE boarding passes and when we boarded the ship, I switched them to the Owners Loft suite - the REAL ones. So you tell them that its ALL arranged - from arriving at the ship all the way to the genie that will escort you to the room. They are ALL IN ON IT. Why is this important ? Because that is what they expect !! You get them to the room they think they are in for the FAKE video, when in fact its REAL and this is a real video of the Owners Loft suite that they think is fake when indeed its genuine. (If that makes any sense) I mentioned at the beginning that I am VERY goal driven and for the most part MUST complete tasks that I set myself. Well that completes the trifecta for this ship and what can I do next ? Should I tell you ? - Well OK you've got this far - why not. I've told you that I plan as far ahead as it takes. The next surprise will be one year from now and it will be in the Royal Loft Suite. But there's a twist, the room can sleep 6. How can you surprise them, when they've been surprised with everything else ? People in their nature are happy to share knowledge and experience and want to share. I've told the girls that they can each take a friend with them on this cruise. Can we say that we have "Contacts" on the ship that can show them where we have stayed. i.e. the Royal Loft suite? Yes. Who would not want to show off where they have stayed in the past? Again it needs to make sense, what do they expect? Do we have contacts that can fast track us on to the ship - YES. Have we stayed in the room that we are going to show their friends - YES. Are they happy and looking forward to showing to their friends where they have stayed - YES. I've told the girls that we are going to get get two adjoining rooms. Probably without a balcony. Will this work ? OF COURSE IT WILL. Ironically is you watch any of the NON surprise videos on https://www.youtube.com/@cruisiest youlll be BORED out of your brains. Just goes to show that a special moment when ALL of your PLANNING works out CAN and WILL HAPPEN. Look forward to sharing with you upcoming surprises. Until next time, P.S. Yes of course I've learnt, when the girls go into the Royal Loft Suite, there will be posters up for someone's birthday, but they will be FAKE, otherwise they'll think or know that this is their room. What Am I going to do? Hey that's a good idea, I'll ask them, all at the same time to peel off the poster that they can see and underneath will be another poster that says GOTCHA - WELCOME ABOARD.

Don't worry. It has literally been updated 2 minutes after I made my previous post. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/terms-and-conditions/promotions Double Points applies to new, individual, and named existing bookings on all Eligible Sailings made through June 30, 2021. Double Points is available to existing Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members. Double Points provides Crown & Anchor Society members double Cruise Points on sailings departing on May 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 (“Eligible Sailings”).

Can you please tell me where the updated information is referenced ? As of this moment the terms and conditions do not reflect the information that you have provided. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/terms-and-conditions/promotions The terms and conditions still state "Double Points applies to new individual and group named bookings, and named existing bookings on all Eligible Bookings made before January 31, 2021. Double Points is available to existing Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members. Double Points provides Crown & Anchor Society members double Cruise Points on sailings departing on January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022 (“Eligible Bookings”)." I have a cruise in April, 2022l and I am very happy to see the information that you have provided.

Well you live and you lean. This is the response that I received from RCI customer service. “I apologize for the confusion, I used the incorrect words and thank you for the clarification and understanding.” Double Points on sailings: As you indicated, double points offer is eligible on all your sailings and it only excludes Chinese citizens not departures out of China.

I hope that you are well. I just got a response from RCI with regards to an enquiry that I made about the Crown & Anchor Society Double Points Offer. The reason for the enquiry was because I was unable to enter anyone's C&A number during the booking process, which is a condition of receiving the double points. I received a response which included the following " Please be advised that all your reservations qualify for double cruise points as they were created before the 31st of January 2020 and its applicable for all sailings (Except China departures)." I made the bookings in part to obviously cruise and the other to get the double points. Do I need the points, not really but I am very goal driven and unfortunately I have set a goal of Diamond Plus and have made specific plans to achieve this. I was shocked and dismayed when RCI said (Except China departures)." A few of my cruises are out of Asia. I never recalled seeing this and I know that I looked through everything that I could find online with regards to the promotion. As you can see in the terms and conditions it states (Please see below) "Offer excludes residents of China" not (Except China departures)." I researched through some of the RCB blogs and it also mentions (Except China Departures). Is there somewhere that I have not seen or is this just a faux pas that has been repeated ? PROMOTIONS TERMS AND CONDITIONS Double Points applies to new individual and group named bookings, and named existing bookings on all Eligible Bookings made before January 31, 2021. Double Points is available to existing Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members. Double Points provides Crown & Anchor Society members double Cruise Points on sailings departing on January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022 (“Eligible Bookings”). Cruise Points will be applied once the guest has paid their booking in full and completed their sailing. When reserving, a valid Crown & Anchor Society member number must be included in the reservation. Offer excludes residents of China. Is there some information that I don't know about.

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Thankyou all for your responses. I have just checked my cruise planner and it is even worse than before. After I updated my spreadsheet with non sale prices, low and behold there is another sale on. Most of the items that I had booked earlier that I had updated outside of any sale are exactly the same price WITH the new sale offers. The Private Photo Session now is 60% off, however the price has gone up 21% when no discount was offered. First sale the price was 70% off $159.99. Sale over the price was $ 159.99 New sale the price is 60% off $199.99 I'm no mathematician but this is just NOT RIGHT !!!

I have a 7 Night Perfect Day Bahamas Cruise in October this year on the Oasis of the Seas. Day 3 is a stop in Orlando from 13:00 - 21:00 I used to live in Jacksonville, however I don't know much about things to do in Orlando that can be done on an afternoon day trip. The shore excursions offered by RCI range between approx.. $50-85 per adult. There is myself, partner and two daughters 10 and 12. Am I better off staying on the ship ?

Many people think that sailings may not resume before March, 2021. What do you think will happen to the "Crown & Anchor Society Double Points Offer", each time the sailings are further pushed back / cancelled will they just add 12 months to the last round of push backs / cancellations ? A couple of other questions based on the RCI website Double Points Offer, it states that "Single Cruise & Suite" get 3 points a night. I don't wont to sound pedantic as they are NOT using plain English. Are they simply saying that a single cruiser booked in a suite gets 3 points a night ? (Or 6 points during the offer) It also states that a condition of the double points offer is that you enter your C&A membership number during the booking process, however when I do this during the booking process it will not accept my membership number. (I am a member, I have a login and I have cruises listed in my account.) Even after making a booking without entering my C&A, the cruise will appear under my login. I don't wont Royal Caribbean to say as per our website you are required to enter your C&A membership number during the booking process. Even though it doesn't work. Also I don't want to be forced into making a booking before the end of January, 2021. Only to find out that the cruise that I book does not qualify, because the offer was not pushed out further. Thoughts ? (Ironically the exclusivity of the lounges will be lessened as more people will be entitled to use the facilities. As they have have been able to move up in the hierarchy. You will have to make a booking to use the lounge or they will only let you in based on your total points within the category that you are in compared to the other person that is also trying to get in.) A quick calculation, if you stay in a suite during the double points period you could reach Diamond + (Plus) in 43 nights of sailing.

With the recent ring in the savings sale, I spent $2,000 on shore excursions, photo packages and other treats to be enjoyed on board the vessel during our cruise. I was quite proud of myself and thought of all of the savings that I had just successfully made. (Just in time) After the sale was over I entered the new post sale price information in to my spreadsheet and to be honest I was disgusted. Not one of the items that I purchased matched what was advertised with regards to the discount that was advertised during the sale. In fact 3 of the items, the price was no different during or after the sale even though they advertised 45%.70% and 20% OFF respectively. In fact one item that I purchased was cheaper after the sale was over than during the sale. I love sales and more often than not I will purchase something because it is on sale and if it wasn't, I would more than likely not take a second look at. I don't know why but if I don't purchase something that is on sale, I feel like I am losing the value of what is being saved. (I'm sick - I know) If something is $100 and there is a 20% discount, I feel that I am loosing $20 if I don't purchase it. (Haven't started looking for a therapist just yet) One example here was the private photo session. The item was labelled 70% OFF (not up to 70%) Price $159.99 after discount applied. After the sale was over the price of the photo session was ..................... $159.99. ZERO change after the 70% discount was no longer applied. The price should be $520, if indeed there was an actual discount of 70% OFF. If it was not so heavily discounted I know that I would not have purchased this particular item. I know that I can cancel and get my money back. But this is not the point that I am making here, if you make a statement that states a fact that is not true. You should be held accountable or not make such a statement. Would you consider this a scam ? Is it just me or am I wrong ?

Captain and First Mate 2-Pack Cruise Lanyard & Waterproof ID Key Card Holder Clip picture. May the games begin !!!

You can always start a debate with these ones !!!! A pack of two, one is labeled Captain and the other First Mate. You tell me who is going to get the Captains Lanyard or should you ask your wife first ? ? https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Retractable-Organizer-Essential-Accessories/dp/B07S851HTB/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=2-Pack%2BCruise%2BLanyard%2B%26%2BWaterproof%2BID%2BKey%2BCard%2BHolder%2BClip.%2BMatching%2BRetractable%2BBadge%2BReel.%2BTravel%2BOrganizer%2BBag.%2BEssential%2BCruise%2BShip%2BAccessories.%2BCaptain%2BFirst%2BMate%2B1%2BBlue%2B%26%2B1%2BLite%2BBlue&qid=1609338173&sr=8-2&th=1 2-Pack Cruise Lanyard & Waterproof ID Key Card Holder Clip. Matching Retractable Badge Reel. Travel Organizer Bag. Essential Cruise Ship Accessories.

Well the best intention was there. I am not surprised that that didn't happen to me. I found out what extreme paranoia was, that was for certain. I was convinced a few times that she new when she made totally innocent comments. As you can see from the video, I made it all the way to the end. More surprises are already in the pipeline, all we need is the ships to start sailing.

I'm going on Oasis of the Seas (Sorry about the typo)

The $20,000 cruise surprise (Ovation of the Seas)