Clover18

It had nothing to do with passenger counts. The ship was turned away at 4 ports due to Covid and they gave everyone onboard 50% of fare for that. We had two rooms. The experience was bad because the situation was exacerbated by sick crew members. One day we stopped and floated near another RCC ship for several hours while they offloaded crew members. Not a fun journey 

We agonized over using our FCC before December 31. Our experience on Odyssey last Christmas was so abysmal that we weren’t sure we wanted to sale on Royal again. However, we know that there are exceptions to every situation so we decided to book harmony over Thanksgiving. It was really too much money to sacrifice. Trusting that are next experience will be much better.

If you are in a suite or even a junior suite go directly to Coastal Kitchen and book your dinners for the week. We were in. Jr. On odyssey and ate thee every night because we booked as soon as we boarded. 

Our TA reserved them for us when we booked back in April. You can’t just show up and get one. You have to reserve in advance on the planner or thru your TA. If you have reserved one, You then arrive at 9:00 at the check-in to select the one you want for the day. First come first served for choice of casita. 

There are two casitas on deck 14 next to the aft pool. One of these is perilously close to the smoking section and if that bothers you don’t pick that one. Then the rest are up on deck 15. Only two people can comfortably sit in the lounger at a time. The provide towels and four cans of water. You can safely leave your stuff there. 
 
If you purchased one for the day, you have to report to the lime and coconut bar, at 9 o’clock. Keep in mind that the Casitas are assigned on a first come basis, so you gonna want to get up there early if there’s a certain one you want. Biggest disappointment in these for us is that there’s absolutely no shade. You will be having a roof over your head but there’s no protection from the sun.

There are two casitas on deck 14 next to the aft pool. One of these is perilously close to the smoking section and if that bothers you don’t pick that one. Then the rest are up on deck 15. Only two people can comfortably sit in the lounger at a time. The provide towels and four cans of water. You can safely leave your stuff there. 
 
If you purchased one for the day, you have to report to the lime and coconut bar, at 9 o’clock. Keep in mind that the Casitas are assigned on a first come basis, so you gonna want to get up there early if there’s a certain one you want. Biggest disappointment in these for us is that there’s absolutely no shade. You will be having a roof over your head but there’s no protection from the sun.

Don’t expect to get an exemption from wearing a mask. I hate them a rip mine off my face as soon as I sit down at a table for a drink or am walking outside on the deck. But EVERYWHERE inside you need to wear one. 

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

We may get go up to the next cruise desk to see if we can get on Oasis or Allure next winter. The ship is just as crowded this week as it was over Christmas. In some ways more so. Seems like more kids but I haven’t asked anyone official. 
 
Very sad that Daniel Marks has not been at schooner bar this week. Not sure if he is sick. We arrived to hear him last night as he was on the schedule but he did not show up. Bar staff did not know anything. He is not on the schedule on today’s cruise compass. 
 
Pretty sorry to miss St. Thomas. With all the other reports coming out we knew it wasn’t going to happen. I’m not sure where we’re going to dock at Puerto Plata. On the cruise mapper website it says our ship is headed towards Amber Cove, but that is a Carnival built pier and playground, so I’m not sure if they’re letting us actually dock there or if we’re stopping somewhere else.
will keep updates coming. 

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Transparency by the Captain I’m sure is much appreciated 

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

Hello friends. Captain Per of the Odyssey Just announced this evening that we will not be stopping in St. Thomas or San Juan Due to Covid.
We will receive a one day cruise fare cabin credit/refund for missing St. Thomas. We are going to dock at Puerto Plata in the Dominican republic to replace San Juan. We will also “arrive early” in Nassau on Saturday. 
Many of us saw the writing on the wall, particularly those of us who were on odyssey last week and who experienced the cancellation of Curacao and Aruba.
this back to back was a long time planned for us, we booked in April 2021. But our only big disappointment was missing Aruba. We really wanted to swim in a warm ocean, and now that’s not going to happen. The waters in the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean are not that warm right now. But, that is part of the travail of travel. I think the captain of the odyssey of the seas is doing the best he can under the circumstances.
Happy new year to all of you lovely cruise critic people. Cheers!

I’m on the symphony right now. Here’s the thing… This morning all we were told is that due to health and safety concerns the port would not let us dock. That is literally all the information we received all day. I learned the port information by checking here throughout the day. Had the captain come on board the pa and explained it was a last-minute port decision that impacts all cruising it would be a different feel on the ship. In addition I think people would be more understanding and less upset about it had more information been shared. It also would not have been nearly as bad if the entertainment staff was not also quarantining. So their ability to change programming on the fly to accommodate an extra sea day is very limited. So when you start adding up all the accommodations we are doing from the passenger perspective and not getting any accommodations offered from the cruise line, at leads for a larger batch of unhappy passengers. To be honest, this cruise has been two years coming for us and we chose not to cancel understanding the protocols and expectations would be different. And we are having a nice vacation but it is not a great first time experience from a brand perspective.

Just read that San Juan denied symphony access. Apparently they now require a negative test to get off a cruise ship taken two days before . https://www.cruisehive.com/puerto-rico-implements-strict-requirements-symphony-of-the-seas-denied/62626

Yup. You nailed it. Completely let down. 

The ship is definitely too crowded!!!

Matt want to take a quick moment to thank you for all you do. It doesn't go unnoticed. I'm thankful for a place  to go with real info instead of the "OMG" ficticious  nonsense I see elsewhere...  Ok , you can get back to keeping us informed now... 🙂

@Clover18 thank you for posting first hand information,  Please keeps us informed if that is possible.
Wishing you good health and a safe return

Really wish they would allow us to swap ships for upcoming sailing. Called to try to get off of Odyssey and onto something without an outbreak and it was a big NO lol