JSB_Z51

Anxiously awaiting too.  Good Luck everyone

Have any of you done bloodwork to determine if your booster was necessary or just going by recommended CDC timelines?

4 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

It is the total cost for the 2 of us.  That is our family/household...so I don't know how the price is affected with additional family members.

Interestingly enough, the price for our Allianz annual policy has been the same for the past several years....so it doesn't seem as though COVID affected the price at all.  It is my belief (based on nothing) that b/c we have never let our annual policy "lapse" that we might have been given some kind of "preference" pricing.  That could be entirely false !  I really don't know.

Our original annual travel policy was with USAA but a number of years ago they quit offering the comprehensive travel insurance so we switched to Allianz.

Appreciate that.  Seems reasonable to me agaist the backdrop that the policies I have quoted in the past were about 150 to 175 a person.  So 3 trips a year "pays" for itself.

On 11/2/2021 at 3:48 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

We also do an Allianz annual policy.

Our policy (July 21 - July 2022) cost $700 total - $623 for coverage and $77 for "assistance" whatever that is.  This policy covers all travel (not just cruising) and has a COVID rider.  Coverage $$ are below:

 

The bad news is.....we have yet to take a single trip !  So it may have been a wasted expense, but we make a point of keeping the travel policies current (they never lapse) and hopefully we will be traveling again before it has to be renewed for 2022-2023 !!

Always enjoy your posts.(birds of a feather lol)

Is that cost per person or family/household?

23 hours ago, Matt said:

Please do not comment on the efficacy of masks, vaccines, mayonnaise, or anything Covid related. This is not allowed on this forum, period.

Mayonnaise?

Interesting, Do they have an actual wood fired smoker on board?  

If you book a Suite, Concierge will escort you and get your group off first.  Earliest we have booked was 11:30 and had no issue but it is a risk.  A risk that might be further mitigated by booking through Royals air2sea. Good luck

2 hours ago, SuperStarian said:

I would love a noodle bar!

YEEEESSSS! Ramen and some pork buns too!

I'd like to see a high quality Brazilian Rodizio.  We live to eat and it's quite possible that we have been known to plan vacations and cruises around restaurant reservations lol.  That said, we often turn regular a la carte meals into family style meals where we all try each other's dishes so I would really love to see a Spanish Tapas experience.   Also Love the OP's idea of Korean BBQ.

Lastly but likely less practical, a dessert venue would great along the lines of Italian and French pastries, espresso, capacinno, and after dinner drinks.  

Getting hungry writing this.

I thought wiping out was part of the fun? .  Definitely had my share of spills, my favorite activity on the ship.

Slightly off topic, if your budget allows, I'd recommend Flow Rider lessons. We don't really need lessons but it allows for many more rides in a hour than you would normally get and you may learn a new trick or 2.  

Pineapples? What are you really trying to say?

Ask your TA especially if you OBC was on a prior reservation that was cancelled.  My OBC did not travel with my subsequent cancellations and rebookings.

3 hours ago, BrianB said:

The cash refund option was only for the actual amount paid…at least that’s what I understand. Don’t know how you got more than you figured but, oh well!

That's what I thought too.  I am about $400 over refunded now.  One of the amounts was exactly $150 which was OBC and never anticipated getting that in cash.  And while I don't want the extra $$$$ that I am not entitled too, I have little to no desire to waste time calling them as I don't think a customer service agent will be much help. 

If I am stuck on what entree to order and ask my waiter, do you think I should get A or B, generally A AND B arrive in my experience.  Enjoy

19 minutes ago, BrianB said:

 It took a while to understand all the applicable credit card refunds and what was eligible for the 125% and what was not. 

Not sure if I understand this correctly. Are you saying some cash refunds are actually 125% of what was paid? I requested my 8k refund June 18th.  Up until this week I was still owed 1k.  Instead I got roughly 1600, which isn't 125% but is still more than I was owed. Their refund process is awful from an accounting perspective. IMHO, they need an IT technology infrastructure overhaul.

We usually do a 3 night specialty dining package and dine in the Coastal Kitchen the other 4 or 5 nights for dinner.  Imo, coastal kitchen menu is slightly more limited than MDR, but better quality and service.

That said seems like a small waste of money if you have UDP. Alternatively try CK and go for dinner again at a specialty restaurant the same night.

1 hour ago, cruisellama said:

Wonder if we'll start seeing booking and rule fatigue?  A point where most good natured cruise enthusiasts will just say - "we're waiting until the craziness ends to rebook".    Lots of disappointed folks with the wave of recent cancellations and the uncertainties with port requirements.     (We bit the bullet and got the jabs, but the ever changing requirements with port visits, masks on/off/on, and pre-tests is killing the vacation buzz.)

This is my family for sure. Waiting for some sense of normalcy which seems a long time away. 

17 hours ago, twangster said:

Honestly the fact that they will allow full refunds due to protocols for Odyssey is very reasonable.  However it's all or nothing, just like Cruise with Confidence.  

We will have to agree to disagree on what's reasonable.  Given the unique circumstances OP should not lose money as protocols have changed.  Completely reasonable ask IMO. I'd escalate to corporate

I believe there is a pretty good pinnacle and suite guest party where they serve smaller portions of signature items from the specialty restaurants.  We live to eat so enjoy this perk. 

I would escalate and not accept that as an answer.  He is canceling because of the new protocols.  Ask 3 different reps, get 3 different answers.  A little googling and you can get some email addresses of real people at Royal to escalate to.  

2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I think that is the Champagne-turned-R Bar ?

That's it!

11 hours ago, CGTLH said:

 

Really wish they had better access to fresh lime juice on the ship. Too sweet for my liking using sour mix and Rose's lime juice isn't the same. Slow bar plus a great bartender will muddle/press/squeeze the lime wedges they have for fresh juice. 

I have become somewhat of a amateur mixologist since we started cruising in 2015 with Royal.  That said took a mixologist class on Navigator in 2015 at the one bar on the ship that used only fresh squeezed lime and citrus.  What a difference and I cannot longer use the mix stuff.

I believe most ships have fresh lime at the one bar by the service desk with the oversized couch in a frame that people like to take pictures in (Boleros maybe?) and ships that have the rising tide bar also have fresh squeezed lime I believe. 

Imagine the horror of noticing your minor daughters passport expired about 5 days before sailing?  That was us in 2015, as we thought we had another 5 years but minors expired in 5 not 10 years.  For this situation I was lucky enough that I work in NYC. About $500 or $600 later I had a renewed passport in my hand the following day using a service that somehow was able to turn it around super quick.  Given the environment unlikely such a service e exists today.  Good luck. 

16 minutes ago, Matt said:

Which sailings exactly are you referring to as being new?

not sure I follow.  Just wondering when you can book a trip sailing in July 2023

Seems like you can book through April 2023 today.  Any idea when the summer or more specifically the July bookings might open up?  Thanks in advance!