Peter D

Wonder of Seas 30 Dec 2023 and then Icon of the Seas starting 13Jan2024.

https://www.paulogata.com/shows/

4 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

By all means have your TA investigate. It was posted by a very reputable source last month that RC changed the benefits for the "new" Sky Class JS on ships other than Utopia, Icon, and Spectrum (Star wasn't out yet). He mentioned that you will not get free internet like you normally would in Sky Class on the other ships

I think I also saw the post referenced here, but I do question difference being only with Voom.  If it were just everything except free internet, that would be one thing, but the perks listed, being same as Sea Class perks are: Coastal Kitchen for dinner only (based on availability), no access to suite lounge, and (presumably) no Concierge service.   If it is truly everything except internet, then that is really pathetic.

I wonder if the point of this whole Sky Jr Class was to make regular Jr suite more appealing.

6 hours ago, Jill said:

I’m having my TA confirm about perks. Pretty sure website wasn’t updated. It’s the same group of 8 junior suites on deck 6 that utopia has as sky class. I just looked at the deck plans and the sky suites start April 27, 2025. I heard that eventually all oasis class will have these 8 sky JS

I am glad to hear you are having your TA confirm, but the concerning thing about 'Pretty sure website wasn't updated' is Royal updated the website to state "Sky Junior Suite Exclusives" but not actually update the perks which are identical to the Jr Suite Sea Class perks.   The Utopia Sky Jr suite states "Sky Class Exclusive" and is the true sky class perks.

At this point based on all the discussions, I am very leery of this whole Sky Jr Suite program.

19 hours ago, Jill said:

Oh I realize the “math.” Currently holding 2 sky JS. There’s only 8 total and all 8 still available. As soon as one gets booked, up goes the price. If we go through with the booking, we have the first 2 of 8. That’s why I had my TA snag them. If we can get OBC, I’m happy! 

Just out of curiosity, which ship are you looking at for Sky Junior Suite?  Double check that the perks are indeed sky class perks, because ships like Oasis are calling it Sky Junior Suite and only quoting Sea Class perks.  

10 hours ago, AandD said:

We are going to be up there next summer and are thinking about taking a late flight. 5:30. Has anyone ever used Port Valet ? 

 

This is something similar to what we did in August 2023.  As everyone else mentioned, Port Valet works great and highly recommended.   

We used the late flight as an opportunity to go walk around If you like walking around aquarium and Pike's Place Market.   As long as you don't mind some walking, there is a relatively easy and very cheap option to get from cruise port to Sea-Tac airport.

A short walk from the cruise port (past uber/lyft station) is a stairway up to main road.  There you can grab a public bus that will get you to downtown (close to aquarium and Pike's Place Market).  When you are ready to go to the airport, another short walk to Link Light rail WestLake Station and you can take the train directly back to SEA-TAC airport.  

If the goal is to see Alaska, Serenade (4 ports) or Radiance (ending in Seward) are better options than Quantum.  The Radiance itinerary ending in Seward gives an opportunity to do things there if you have time.  There are Fjord cruises, fishing trips, and Seward Sealife center which kids may enjoy.  You can even take the scenic train back to Anchorage, which is a fun thing to do as well.

The Quantum has way more things for kids to do while onboard and the itinerary is not bad either, although Dawes Glacier is very hit or miss when the ships try to go there.  I was on Quantum in August and ice in water prevented ship from getting anywhere near it.

The options have tons of pros and cons, but there are really no bad options here.  No matter which you choose, you'll have a great time.   

Have you asked your kids which they want to do?

Quantum class ships are definitely better choice for kids based on the Seaplex alone, in my opinion, and Quantum class ships do have an indoor pool.  I think the Radiance class ships only have outdoor pools where kids are allowed (Solarium pools are supposed to be adult only).  The ports of call are probably equivalent though some may offer excursions that might be more appealing kids.

I think only the Radiance class ships do the northbound/southbound cruises from Vancouver to Seward and back. 

For an easy comparison, you can check out the following videos 

Here are the RCL Blog YouTube tour for Radiance  

and Ovation 

Hope that helps.

For what it is worth, Royal was selling coffee card during Black Friday deals for $12.99 for 7 day cruise (on my Icon sailing Oct2024) as well as 3- and 4- night Utopia sailings.

On 12/13/2023 at 8:52 AM, NoobCruise said:

Nice work.

Basically this means for me if you drink cocktails the drink package makes sense since you typically only have to drink 6 drinks a day to break even.

If you drink beer, or seltzer then you are up to 10 a day and that might not make sense for many people.

 

It further complicates the break even when you figure in free drinks.  Adding 4, 5, or 6 drinks for D, D+, and Pinnacle, brings these numbers up in the 10-16 drink range.  Honestly if Royal offered C&A members free drink value (say $40-60/person/day) to the onboard savings, buying a drink plan would look a lot more appealing over just 4-6 free drinks.

slick indeed. 

I tried to check pricing on a current booking.  The mock RCL booking was ~$75 more than my current booking but with supposed OBC.  Called travel agent, who could not match what RCL website was saying to my booking reprice, so they called RCL.  RCL told them the mock price was for new bookings today only.  My price would be $265 more to get a $250 OBC....

Maybe contact the Agency rather than the agent?

GTY suites look like the best value at the moment.  

Not knowing anything about how travel agencies do business with the cruise lines, Is it possible that these prices are offered to general public at a high price, but travel agencies are offered lower prices to fill out their group blocks?  Or did travel agencies already get the 'pick of litter' and this is what's left?

2 hours ago, Jill said:

I don’t have any dining options yet (October). Do you have the immersive one? I’d like to see pricing for that if you have it. Also the description 

I do not have any pricing for August either.  I was just going by the description on the RCL page.  I am also interested on the pricing when it comes out.  I expect more than Chef's table ($85), but hopefully less than Empire Suppler Club ($200).

Maybe it is being replaced with the 'Immersive Dining Experience"?

As a fan website, any answers you get here need to be taken with grain of salt.  I recommend consulting the Royal Caribbean website for this topic.

Travel Documents | International & Domestic | Royal Caribbean Intl.

and

Travel Documents & Requirements | Royal Caribbean Cruises

Under the 'Unacceptable forms of identification" it states 

• A temporary driver's license (paperwork without a photo I.D.)

If your interim Ohio ID has a photo on it, it may work, but there is a risk.  I would also not expect a college ID to work.

As you did not mention when your cruise is, maybe you still could receive your official drivers license.

Finally, make sure your birth certificate meets the requirements listed here:

Can you use a birth certificate for a cruise? | Royal Caribbean Cruises 

Good luck, hope it all works out for you. 

Is Chef's Table complimentary with Star Class UDP or does it still require an additional surcharge?

5 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

The sale was listed as running from 11/9-11/24.

Where did it say there would be additional savings today? What is the scam exactly?

I am not asking for additional savings.  That sale starting 11/9 was listed as 'pre Black Friday early access'.  I read that as preview of things to come, but the prices during that first weekend were the lowest they have been during the whole early access when it ended on Wednesday at midnight.  Then the actual Black Friday sale starts today and the prices are higher than ever.  My point is Black Friday used to mean something, and in year's past there have been some very good deals.  One should be able to expect early access pricing is just a preview of things to come.  That is not the case, so much for the "Biggest Sale of the Year- Black Friday". But good news, they just kicked off the new "Biggest Sale of the Year- Cyber Monday".  

It is pretty sad that prices for things I got on November 9th as part of the Black Friday 'early access' were much cheaper than actual Black Friday.  What a scam Black Friday has become.

On 11/20/2023 at 7:20 PM, calvink669 said:

This 200 doesn't include gratuity either.  2 people is $200 X2 = 400 + $72 gratuity for a total of $472.

Interesting.  I booked it as soon as it was announced (as placeholder TBD) for two different nights on my October 2024 sailing, and the charge was only $400 for each night.  This $72 gratuity is a new addition.  Seems they either planned for the gratuity to be included or they forgot to add it originally.

Leave your husband home and get inside cabin 

If you factor in the loss of deposits into the cost of a different sailing date/ship, then you will see the true cost of changing.  If it were me and I saw a different sailing/ship, this is how I would rationalize it.

As a side note, downgrading may allow you to pick a room at the same price.  Staying in the same room for a back to back 3 and 4 night cruise is nice, and the GTY balcony almost certainly will not be the same room.  

This is what I was afraid of.  We are going on Harmony in April, so hopefully it will be back by then...  Thanks for the confirmations.

Does anyone know if the escape room on Harmony of the Seas is currently operating?

The more I see on this Sky Jr Suite, the less I like about it.  I had booked it on Utopia when it was available.  I did question the location (deck 6 adjacent to Schooner Bar-port side and Photo/excursion desk-starboard side).  Sill I liked the idea of it at first.  As time went on though, It seemed to me that it was just a very expensive Jr suite, so I just rolled it back to a standard Jr suite. 

Now it seems that most other ships calling it Sky Jr are not actually giving any sky perks is definitely a head scratcher. That almost feels like false advertising.

3 minutes ago, JFCruise said:

Update:

I finally realized why, when mocking a non-GTY booking for 3 people, it only showed me 5 available cabins.

For some reason, the only cabin type that I'm offerred is a JY, which is a Sky Junior Suite. After about 5 minutes of research, those were previously only announced for Icon class, so it seems those are going to be on at least Harmony as well.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/harmony-of-the-seas/deck-plans/2334/06

Be wary of the Sky Junior suite on Harmony from suite perk perspective.  If you look at the details it claims Sky Class Exclusives but only lists Sea Class perks.  Not sure if that is mistake or not.

Sky Junior Suite

An incredible intimate suite with a great view, plus added suite benefits.