Reigert2008

14 minutes ago, Floski said:

Oh, don't tell me that.

I have to hope that once they get back in, the cdc will sign off and we'll be underway!!!

I think they are going to have to tell people something way sooner than that.  From a purely customer support position, it would be bad to wait until 2 days before the August 1st cruise to let people know the status of their sailing.  If customers need to make other plans or change up things, they would need more time than that.  I know many people may have "backup plans", but even with those they may not have committed much money to them too far in advance.

Each class (and ship within it) is unique and will always be a great experience.  I would suggest (like others) that you look at the Fleet Guide and get a good overview of what is available.  

As @Matt has pointed out in several posts and videos, the "latest and greatest" features tend to be on the "newer ships" so make sure you do your research to know that the item you saw on the commercial is available on your trip

One tip that I have heard and i still use is to figure out what your vacation is about.  If your itinerary is heavy on ports, then the ship is secondary, if the itinerary has more sea days, then then the ship is primary.  The key is to find the balance for your interests and plans.  

There is no "wrong way" to do a cruise which is something to remember and each member of your party can do totally different things and have a wonderful time.

31 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I don't think you'll see 90-day checkin windows ever again. There's really no need for it.

TIL that you really only need to check in 60 minutes before sailing time. Royal requests that you do it 3 days in advance to make it faster on the pier.  
 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/online-checkin-boarding-pass-completion

8 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

If it were just the Check in that was delayed because of finalizing protocols in a fluid time, I would be very understanding.

but it’s becoming more and more unacceptable with every passing day,  now 51 days out from July sailing, to have ZERO communication whether there will even be a sailing. NCL and Carnival has already announced July plans. Shows a lack of concern for paying customers and frankly is bad for business long term 

In this environment, 51 days is an eternity. I understand the frustration, but I would really start worrying until  the 30 day mark.  By then, ships will be sailing from Nassau and i Have the feeling that things will ramp us quickly in the next week or so (at least I hope).

14 minutes ago, RyanS said:

That is good info... I am in Texas and I am not sure what they did here. I wonder if Royal has access

I was thinking about this today. I’m sure there is a “master database” someplace that “could” be linked to when they check the manifest before the cruise and know if people are vaccinated or not automatically. And therefore not “ask” anyone to show proof.

7 minutes ago, Josh C said:

I don't think it does, I think people want to be the 1st to check in, to get the preferred check in time, also for those that are planners and checklist types, it's something check off the to do list. 

I 100% agree with you tho.. I'm on record saying they could announce things the day of and i'll be ok with it, as long as it's not announcing they're cancelling the cruise. 

Totally. I’m one of those “planner people” and my spreadsheet uses auto formatting and I have to admit the RED boxes drive me crazy,but at this point my cruise is still on, so I’m going with the flow.  We’re on Allure and still can’t book the entertainment yet, but at least we have set dining times do I don’t have to deal with the MY Time scheduling and changing it up.

I  Understand wanting to check in, but does checking in 90 days before really change anything more than checking in 14 days before?  We also check in ASAP, but with the current environment, I’m understanding on the hold up.  Id rather they get their ducks in a row so that when you check in, there are few changes afterwards.

I suspect this is also delaying all the policies since Royal probably wants them to be as close to being the same everywhere they can.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/05/27/floridas-vaccine-passport-law-holding-royal-caribbeans-new-health-protocols-cruises

note: our party is also within the normal “90 day” window to check in.

24 minutes ago, jack_c4321 said:

Has anyone ever tried bringing the park cafe sandwiches off the ship for a port day? I think they would make a great meal/snack if we were to go on a shore excursion far from port. Are there any regulations that prohibit bringing stuff like this off the ship and would it really matter if you just snuck it in a bag?

in my opinion it's not worth the risk to bring anything off the sip, except for the water/drinks that Royal sells as you are getting off the gangway (beverage packages accepted!).  I totally understand as to why you would want to, but i just don't want the anxiety of "sneaking" through security or finding out that an ingredient in the sandwich is banned by the local authorities.

 

25 minutes ago, RyanS said:

This is what I paid but I feel it is worth it. That is beverage package + wifi. Wifi alone is... $11/device/day. So in theory the drink package is $60 per day. At 10-12 per drink, that is only 5 drinks...

I can definitely drink more than 5! I also personally love the idea that I prepay my drinks and while onboard I do not have to worry about the price of each and every drink I purchase. Definitely makes it more "all inclusive" feeling.

We don't drink, so we do the Refreshment package to pre-pay for our mocktails, fresh squeezed orange juice, and my "fancy coffee".  We've never paid more than $25 pppd for it and it's easy to "break even" even at that price.  Most recently we got it for $18pppd which was a steal!

14 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

The Oasis-class ships give you a lot of variety and flexibility with the dining plan but if you've never sailed on one before, there are plenty of included options as well that you might not even feel like you are missing out if you don't get the dining plan. 

I know I've seen it on sale as low as $179 for the week for those ships.  You may be better off looking at what specialty restaurants on Allure that interest you and decide if you may be better off buying a 3-night dining package or going ala carte for those that interest you.

I agree, we don't do a dining package since we feel that we've already paid for the food  and only eat the included options.  Even on "smaller" ships, we have not yet been disappointed and don't feel like we are missing out on anything.

9 minutes ago, Ken Jensen said:

Does Ovation have a Starbucks?

 

Hello,

     I do not see Starbucks listed on the Royal page (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/ovation-of-the-seas_).  Please note that the Starbucks branded coffee shop is generally NOT included with beverage packages, so it would be an extra cost.  The Starbucks I have see on the ships also have a more limited menu than your regular locations.

However, the Cafe Promenade has a lot of options both "free to all" and included with beverage packages, and they use Seattle's Best Coffee, which is owned by Starbucks anyway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle's_Best_Coffee).

As a Starbucks Rewards Gold member since 2012, there is not much difference in the taste of the espresso based drinks.  

Hope this helps.

Until Royal announces it, anything written here would be speculation.  Your best bet would be to buy what you want now and then cancel and rebuy if the price drops.

More of an FYI, but the Boston Cruise port is "forever away" from "real Boston"  you can get there, but it takes some work.  You can ride the Silver Line bus to get to the South Station Subway station which then can get you anywhere.  Not sure of the cost for that, since we had purchased a 7 day Charlie Ticket which worked on the buses and subway for our trip.

We were in Boston last week and wanted to check out the port, and it was a hike for sure!

Well, we made it back from Charleston!  Had a great time and can highly recommend the following (it appears some places may have re-opened recently)

Hyman's Seafood -- https://www.hymanseafood.com/

Callie's Hot Little Biscuit -- https://calliesbiscuits.com/ 

Glazed Gourmet -- https://glazedgourmet.com/

Bitty and Beau's -- https://www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com/

Peace Pie -- https://peacepieworld.com/

Juanita's Greenberg's Nacho Royale -- https://juanitagreenbergs.com/

Charleston Water Taxi -- https://www.charlestonwatertaxi.com/

Of course, Fort Sumter, Patriot's Point

As a first time cruiser, you may want to stick to excursions offered by Royal (if no restrictions), as you get your "sea legs" then you can venture out to 3rd parties.  It will be one less thing to think about, particular if a port gets canceled for some reason. In my experience, the price of the cruise excursions has not been too far from what the 3rd parties offer, but YMMV.  Of course, if you know of a reputable 3rd party and can do the research that should work as well.  

Stay Safe.

We are also booked on the Explorer for a Southern Caribbean.  She's a great ship and we were on her for Alaska once.  It is totally a great mix of offerings from across the fleet so a good way to try it out. 

I also recommend that you research each excursion listed in the cruise planner to get an idea of the types of things that may be available.  We have only done one excursion (the train in Alaska), since we just like to wander around the ports when we visit ad checkout the area.  We also typically get back on the ship in the early afternoon and take advantage of things while the ship is a little less crowded. 

As many have said, there is no wrong way to do a cruise, so figure out what you like and want to do and go for it!

Stay Safe.

i personally believe that any COVID related items will be in the terms for the rest of time.  The receipts i have still list things about the ZIKA virus.

Stay Safe.

CruiseMapper.com says it’s en route to Cadiz, Spain. Not sure if that helps or not though.

1 hour ago, Hagar said:

This isn't for everyone but since I usually travel solo I use Royal's transportation. I have seen so many couples, and God forbid an entire family, on the bus with me. None of us like the price of a cab but there are so many ports where this would have been the best value for couples and families.

 

Probably preaching to the choir on this board but throwing it at the wall anyway ;>)

Speaking as a member of a couple, a lot of times it comes down to convenience.  We’ve used Royal’s option from the port to the airport many times.  Sure “ride share” may be cheaper, but there could be surge pricing involved when you try to book.  We like the convenience of knowing we have a ride and what the cost will be.  We always check the costs and try to estimate the ride share.  We’ve had good experiences and bad with both, but the convenience factor normally wins.

now for the party of 7 that I have to get to and from MCO to Canaveral, it’s a whole different ballgame….

sail safe

44 minutes ago, Snowchaser said:

I noticed something interesting to my on my Lift n Switch from last month.  We had a GTY balcony room booked for April 20, we lift and shifted to April 21 and when I received my email confirmation I noticed now that I had an assigned room.  Don't know if this was done accidentally or if its the norm for a L&S move?

Our experience with GTY rooms in the past has been positive.

 

We had that happen with our L&S from November 2020 to November 2021.  Our TA said it made her pick a room, so she did and then had Royal lower the price back to the GTY price since the L&S was price protected.

At this point, I would just “ride it out” to see what Royal offers if they cancel it. If you’re not comfortable cruising you could still use CWC (if eligible) and maybe talk it over with your travel agent to be ready and cancel if Royal doesn’t.
 

 If you’re set on a vacation during that time, come up with some “backups” and be ready to pull the trigger.

we have an August cruise and that’s our plan.

good luck!

We get the refreshment package and have paid from a low of $18 to a high of $22 (per person per day before tip). Sales come and go, so find a price you like and make the purchase. The you can cancel and rebook if it drops.  For our next cruise, we bought it at $20 back in November 2020 Andy then rebought in January at $18.

good luck!

As you can see below, we’ve had a mix of rooms, but generally go for the cheapest we can get.  We’ve upgraded a few times to a GTY version of a room when the price was negligible, or even cheaper with a rebate  via AAA.  We’re considered “cheapskates” by many family members since we don’t do speciality dining since “we already paid for food” and won’t “pay extra” for a balcony when  we can sit on one of the decks for free :).

like @twangsterstated earlier, there is no wrong way to cruise and people change over time.

basically, do what you want and don’t let other people bother you about it.

the only rooms I would “probably” never pick is an “ocean view” or “promenade view”  I’d probably just stay interior or upgrade for the balcony. I just can see myself standing and looking out the window very much, but I’ve also never had one of those rooms so….

Cruise Safe!

@twangster i've been wondering if Royal Up would be offered.  We've never done it, but i bet that does help some GTY people get upgraded as other people move up to other categories.

24 minutes ago, Curt From Canada said:

Before MAR 2020, I kept a database (with lots of input from this fantastic board).  Below is the data (a small sample, but with some trends if you look at it).  My plan is to start up again (as soon as the sailing begin ... I should have said that louder ... AS SOON AS THE SAILINGS BEGIN! ... and they will).  A few observations:

1).  A few get assigned very far in advance.  These appear to be outliners (and the frequency may come down over time with more data).

2). Just over a month before there is an inflection point where almost half have their assignment set.

3). Almost all have been set 10-19 days before sailing.

4). All have been assigned by the time you board. 

 

Stay Safe, Stay Apart, Stay Connected,

Curt from Canada

Thanks!  I feel like we could be BFFs   The thing i say to my wife the most and the thing she hates to hear is "So, I made a spreadsheet to...."