Censored

Matt raves about this being one of the best dining experiences on board.  From my experience at similar  Japanese cooking tables in various cities, I find them lack lustre with regards to the entertainment whilst cooking and the overall flavour of the food.  You will be surrounded by all other cooking tables with asian chefs all doing the same routine so its noisy as well.  Juggling eggs, slapping spatulas on the grill, for  about 3 items all cooked with the same oil and added soy sauce.  Add rice.   Would like some honest options on this and if and why you feel its worth a surcharge to boot!   

Since Sherwood Food Distributors are the official supplier for Royal , Im wondering if basically all the food is basically the same quality and simply cooked differently.  Certainly this must be the case with the main dining room, and all other free food venues on board?  Is the Filet Mignon the same quality in TMDR  as  CHOPS?    What about Coastal Kitchen?  Ive asked chefs on board , and many claim that the best food is in fact in the Coastal Kitchen., all cooked to order fresh.  Johny Rockets must bring in their own ground beef for burgers  which many have found to be flavourless. ,   The burgers available throughout  the ship definitely need a improvement  IMO.    

In the near future I will be cruising  for 2 weeks out of Bayonne, and in March 4 weeks out of Barbados. 

Anybody know of good value travel insurance companies?   Do some use Credit Cards?  Does OHIP cover nothing?     

Thanks for the responses. Im doing a B2B on the Anthem Feb 20.  Right now Royal will charge me $210 US dollars for the PCR test at the Bayonne terminal on disembarking . Its really not clear that if you test positive, Royal won't " still promise to get you home" and pay for expenses including a  jet if need be.   Princess Cruises does indeed cover this  in their fine print. I cannot find anything on Royal. 

I suppose I can take the test at Niagara Falls New York making an appt in advance? If I test positive then I can stay at the Seneca Niagara hotel.

Or ask the border staff if they will let me in since Im vaccinated.   I like to fly Porter from Billy Bishop Airport. No line ups and a very very short flight opposed to a drive of 6-7 hours and fuel costs and parking fees of $300 for 2 weeks.    ( still less than flying I know)   One final thought on driving .....last time I drove right through all the toll areas..will I get a bill in the mail? Will the border pick up on unpaid fines?   Are out of country plates exempt from tolls in New York state?  

Under current covid protocols, it is difficult to plan whether to fly or drive for many of us.  Factor in:  Costs of driving.....fuel, time, parking b2b,  VS  Flight... One hour or so, costs  $350 CAD return  more or less,  Uber to airport and to terminal there and back.    Now add in disembarking  costs at terminal  $210 US for rapid PCR , or Airport? Less cost? who knows?        Matt always says it is better to drive at all costs if you can. Not so sure for Canadians.   Further Matt recommends  a take at home antigen test.  Not so sure for Canadians?   Are antigen test sufficient for Flight and cruise?      Trudeau still wants Canadians to take  a PCR test for re-entry back to Canada. Really?   Finally,  If we get tested at the terminal on disembarking  and test positive, will Royal still honour the promise of "getting you home"??   Lets not forget Air2Sea  policies as well here.   What about that?  

Once off the ship, there is simply not enough time for shopping or any testing. Unless by February , there are kits you can buy and bring on the ship using internet .  I am hoping things change into the new year. But right now its $210.00  pay or cancel your trip. Or drive and do a Walgreens or local pharmacy if one wants to drive to the USA/Canada border.

Did CL and it was indeed a wow factor at first.  I prefer more spread out however, no staircases.  So OS for me. 

If you have been tested and retested and you know you are no longer contagious, I would do a nasal wash with saline, or use rubbing alcohol or whatever . You can still have dead covid  virus cells that will show up positive.   I do not trust all the testing  companies.  

Many land based resorts only charge $40-$110 as per my research.... ie travelling to Mexico,, Planet Hollywood  rate was $90 a few weeks ago.    To glibly just say "eat it or leave it "   thats the world of travel currently,  is fine and dandy. Say that to a family of four or six who have planned this for a long time and  indirectly say  "sorry about your luck, cough it up or cancel "??     You are on a cruise ship. There really is nowhere else to go.  They got you and they know it.   I dont mind paying.  How about just doing it at wholesale cost whatever that is rather than a business markup?    Honestly...from free to this..? is quite a dramatic jump.    

I took this from their own web site:   "

We'll Get You Home

If you or a member of your traveling party tests positive for COVID-19 during your cruise, we'll take care of things so you can focus on getting better. Costs related to onboard medical care and your travel home — even a private jet, if needed — are on us.*

For a Canadian family of 4 the cost is $1074.00 CAD  !    

RCCI needs to find a way to lower that down.   No time to go to a local Walgreens or chance the EWR airport  test .      By the way, with chances of being tested positive are high with omicron,  how does Royal implement promises to get you home?  Or Air 2 Sea?   

just got an email today, that testing will be done complimentary near end of your cruise.  Im going March 20 for 4 weeks GS

Barbados will require a negative molecular PCR test 72 hours.   I dont understand this post?

As of February forward , any sailings  Royal has stopped complimentary return home

PCR molecular testing.  It is now done at the Port Terminal at a cost of $210 US PP!

for a family of 4  in Canadian Dollars that's over $1,000,00   Really??   Why?  From free

to that?  Absurd!  We all need to protest this absurd cash grab. 

On 11/2/2021 at 1:02 PM, Matt said:

I always park at the port, especially Bayonne because of how isolated the port is.

They built a new garage and it's great.

hello. I am new here. I am unable to message anybody as there is a URL request. The message field simply won't populate.  My question is to offsite parking. There used to be one on 69 Hook rd. It's closed until further notice.  Bayonne terminal now charges $25 US a day. We are Canadians, so the exchange kills us.  Can you explain how the terminal parking works?  drop off your bags and park?  Whats the procedure at disembark ?  Drag you bags to parking?  how far is the walk?