jabberwk

Just booked this first leg of a B2B Alaska cruise. Looking forward to meeting others!

Changes in menu don't necessarily equate to less options or a less enjoyable experience. It means "different" - not worse or better. The menus haven't even rolled out yet and controversy is already being sowed. The menus on cruise ships have changed more than a few times over the past 4 or 5 decades. I know people who still miss the midnight buffet. I'm sure those with special dietary restrictions (low-salt, low-fat, vegan, etc.) will still be accommodated, no one will rush you through your meal if you don't want to be rushed, and no one will prevent you from asking for a quicker service if that's what you want. I'm also sure there will be enough choices each night to satisfy beef, fish, or chicken preferences. On previous cruises, if there was a menu in the MDR that was less than exciting for us, we'd go to Windjammer, choose that night for specialty dining, or order room service. There are more than enough choices when it comes to food when you're cruising. That will never change.

I understand the philosophy behind building bigger cruise ships with more options, and understand the popularity of those ships, but what about those of us who prefer the smaller, more intimate ships? As the older, smaller ships are phased out (as they surely will be) will any newer smaller ships be built and added to the fleet? Are cruisers like me going to be phased out as well?

Can a coffee card be used with room service? For instance, if I want a cappuccino with breakfast, can the card be used for that?

Thanks for the quick response, Matt! We'll be patient and see how things play out.

What are the COVID testing requirements for those US citizens who are fully vaccinated and both embarking and debarking from a European port (Amsterdam)? I have seen the updated requirements for US sailings and transatlantic cruises, but I can't find anything regarding cruises that start and end from the same port in Europe. We are arriving three days before our cruise starts. Will we have to get tested in Amsterdam?

Thank you! This is exactly the info I needed.

Our cruise planner is showing two different zip-line excursions - one called Dragon's Fire Flight Line and the other called Dragon's Breath Flight Line. Other than one being about $10 more than the other one, I can't see what the difference is between the two. Has anybody done either/both of these zip-lines who can offer recommendations?

Rec'd email from RC this morning. As of September 5th:

I've officially been moved over to Adventure. Same cabin.

Just received this email. Looks like we are being moved to Adventure with same itinerary. Dear Guest, The International Maritime Organization recently shared new speed regulations we must adhere to and as a result, we’ve repositioned some of our ships for our upcoming 2023/2024 season. Our original plan for Voyager of the Seas was to offer sailings departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida through November 4th, 2023, and Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida beginning November 10th, 2023. Instead, Voyager will now sail from Galveston, Texas beginning May 9th, 2023. Adventure of the Seas will now take Voyager’s place in Florida and will offer similar itineraries! Starting July 28th, 2022, we’ll automatically move you to the new Adventure of the Seas sailing departing on the same day as your original Voyager of the Seas cruise. You’ll receive like-for-like accommodations onboard Adventure of the Seas, and your amenities will remain the same. Your vacation is important to us. While we’re confident you’ll have an amazing time onboard Adventure and enjoy many of the same features as Voyager, we still want you to have the flexibility to make the best decision for you and those in your party. Below, we’ve outlined your options along with a few additional details.

It is NEVER inappropriate to be excited about a cruise. Lol. Welcome aboard!

I just returned from a cruise on Mariner during which I had to work. My log-in for work requires duel authentication. I tried with only one device, but there simply wasn't enough time to get the code on one device and then login to the other device. Service on the ship can be very slow and the delay in the code being sent/received could be lengthy. I finally broke down and paid for the second device. It was irritating since I was the only one in our party using internet, but it is what it is and I did what I had to do in order to be able to work.

Welp - after two transatlantics were cancelled, we decided to switch gears and do something completely different so we booked this cruise. Fingers crossed that this one sticks. Iceland has been on my bucket list for a while and this should be a great itinerary. Looking forward to meeting others on this one!

Cruise has been cancelled by RC.

Honestly, the only way to know if a drink package is a "good price" is to do the math. My husband and I are not big drinkers, nor do we buy lots of specialty coffees, shakes, etc., so unless the daily price fell below $40/day, it would never be a good price for us. We've never spent anywhere near the $60-$90/day we've seen offered on any of our cruises. Figure the maximum amount a mixed might be is around $15 and add another $2 for extra tip (that we always include over and above the included tip). Wines and beers will be a bit cheaper and drink specials will run around $10-$11 each. Specialty coffees run on average at $5-6 each. Shakes, bottled waters, juices, etc. are also included in the ultimate package. What are you going to drink? How much are you going to drink? Add up the numbers and that's how you can tell if it's worth it. And remember that if you buy one package, you have to buy for all adults in the same cabin.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't understand the intense level of negativity of some reviews. I spent many years unable to enjoy "luxury" vacations and now, as I am finally able to pursue my love of cruising, I try to look for the best in every cruise I take. Not every ship is for every traveler. Some want the bells and whistles, some want more intimacy. Bashing one ship or another because it doesn't meet your expectations seems pointless. I've seen many complain about the smaller, older ships yet my husband and I LOVE the smaller, older ships. We don't care if the wood trim is a bit outdated, if the furniture shows a bit of wear, or if there's no ice-skating rink or extravaganza-type entertainment. We get that these smaller ships are not for everyone, but I don't understand the hostility in some reviews. On the flip side, we hate the mega-ships with their millions of bells and whistles, but just because those ships are not for us doesn't mean they aren't great for those who are seeking that kind of vacation. There are folks who have legitimate complaints - issues arise and when they do they should be addressed and rectified as best as possible - but in reading some of the things people say, I get the impression that they will look for fault everywhere. Those folks will never be satisfied. When I'm on a ship, I'm not sitting in my own living room, I'm not sitting in traffic, I'm not being bombarded by news and media all day long, and I can forget the world for just a little bit. To me, that's everything. It doesn't have to be perfect. The crew works hard under very difficult conditions. I appreciate that and try to be kind in my interactions with them. I give extra tips even though tips are already included in most things. Bottom line is, I get back what I put in to my vacation. Just my two cents.

We have no desire to go all out with formal nights anymore. Our primary purpose for cruising is relaxation, secondary purpose is ports of call. We do dressy casual as a general rule for any night in the MDR. If we don't feel like doing that, we'll head to the Windjammer or order room service. We don't need more pictures with the captain or in fancy clothes with a backdrop of the Titanic staircase. Lol. Comfort is the goal for us.

Just an FYI for others out there who are building their C&A points from gold or platinum levels, it's worth your effort to reprice any upcoming cruises as your status increases. I recently went from gold to emerald. I went out to the RC website and did mock bookings for all my upcoming cruises (five of them), and found significant savings on several of them - one was a nearly $500 savings. I called my TA and officially repriced my cruises and had reductions in price for all but two of them. The two that didn't get reductions in price were because they were cruises rebooked after RC cancellations and I was already getting a better than advertised price. I'll hit diamond after my next two cruises and will be looking at repricing remaining itineraries again after that. Every little bit of savings helps.

This is great info! Thank you! I had been using a TA for a long time but started booking on my own with my last reservation. I didn't realize I could dive this deep.

Thank you. This helps a lot.

Over my next few cruises, I will cross over to Emerald status and then to Diamond. I have additional cruises booked out beyond that and know I can't use my increased C&A status towards discounts on already booked reservations, but could I use my newer status to upgrade to a higher cabin category on those already booked cruises? Can't seem to find this particular scenario discussed anywhere.

Once you cruise, nothing else will do!

British Isles Antarctica Baltic

I always shoot for an aft-facing cabin if possible. My favorite view.....