Midwest Cruiser

Good Morning all. Welcome to the 7 Night February 26th 2023 Cruise.

Well thank you all. Made it official this morning. Booked the UPS on Oasis, and also pushed our Wonder Sailing. We have strictly only booked with Priceline cruises and have had excellent luck and service every time. This time it was just a easy transfer of dates and No cancellation fees. Also they have a nice OBC promo going on right now. Below are the 2 OBC you can get for the price range of your cruise. I'm not affiliated with Priceline, Just thought this would be good for the group. Priceline Exclusive: Earn Up To $2,000 to Spend on Board For a very limited time, we are DOUBLING our exclusive $1,000 on board spending offer, giving you up to $2,000 to spend on board. Amount varies based on the total price, found on your invoice, minus port charges, port expenses, and taxes, and outlined as follows: $50 per $1-$999 booking, $100 per $1,000-$1,499 booking, $150 per $1,500-$1,999 booking, $200 per $2,000-$2,999 booking, $250 per $3,000-$3,999 booking, $350 per $4,000-$5,999 booking, $500 per $6,000-$7,999 booking, $700 per $8,000-$9,999 booking, $1,000 per $10,000-$14,999 booking, $1,500 per $15,000-$19,999 booking and $2,000 per $20,000 or more booking. Hurry, offer ends 05/14/2022! Earn Up to $1,000 to Spend on Board Cocktails, specialty dining, spa treatments - along with other purchases made on ship - are on us! When you book a qualifying sailing departing on or before 12/30/2024, we'll give you up to $1,000 to spend on board, which you can put towards almost anything you choose! Actual amounts vary based on your total price, found on your invoice, minus port charges, port expenses & taxes and are outlined as follows: $25 per $1-$999 booking, $50 per $1,000-$1,499 booking, $75 per $1,500-$1,999 booking, $100 per $2,000-$2,999 booking, $125 per $3,000-$3,999 booking, $175 per $4,000-$5,999 booking, $250 per $6,000-$7,999 booking, $350 per $8,000-$9,999 booking, $500 per $10,000-$14,999 booking, $750 per $15,000-$19,999 booking and $1,000 per $20,000 or more booking. Redemption form must be completed at least 21 days from date of departure for the onboard spending to be issued.

@Judith poler Here is the CA Levels and the Benefits associated with each Tier. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/countries/crown-and-anchor/pdf/CAS-member-grid.pdf CAS-member-grid.pdf

Yes you are correct that it does not have a balcony. That will be missed but I am ok to drop that for this sailing to experience the UPS and have Star Class. This Oasis cruise would fall on roughly the 10 year anniversary of my wife and I's initial meeting.

More Background. We could move our Wonder GS sailing at $9500 Jan '23 to a November '23 $7200. And book a Oasis Ultra Panoramic for $10,900. That is where I see the biggest cost benefit to switch is for the Oasis we would be gaining the Drink package and Dining package. This alone on our Wonder sailing would increase the price of the GS to roughly $11400. Not to mention all the other perks of the Star class.

@Neaxan Look at what the KEY cost is for your sailing. You get the VOOM surf and stream with the Key. If the KEY is within 3-5 Dollars a day buy the KEY and it will pay for itself with the Priority Embarkation and Debarkation along with the Embarkation Chops Meal in the Main Dining room. Buying onboard is a steep increase in cost.

@Brad J The Key is worth it only if you can purchase it for around $21-24. With that cost point it is a win because of the VOOM internet, CHOPS embarkation diner, and priority Embarkation. Our cruise, the KEY is priced at $35.99 per person/day and internet is $27.29 per person/day for 2 devices that would be justifiable in my eyes if we didn't get these with our Room level.

To those that have sailed on both ships, which one is your favorite and why? We are currently booked on Wonder for Jan '23 8 night sailing in GS, We have sailed on Oasis(amped) and Symphony. Looking at possibly doing a date swap for Wonder which would lower the price for the GS and Book Oasis in the Awesome Ultra Panoramic Suite at a great price. Just trying to see what everyone's thoughts are on Wonder before we decide on sticking to the current sailing or doing the switch and add. Thanks

No updates to discounts on the Deluxe drink package on the Cruise Planner Yet.

My wife is able to see the deck plans and other items on the APP but I'm still stuck on the initial screen "we're working on the Fun"

@Ampurp85 it does pertain to the US pre cruise testing. Although there is mention of the UK in the paragraphs above, Bayley explicitly mentions the CDC, since they only govern(which they shouldn't) cruises out of the US ports, in the CDC and RCL relaxing the testing sometime this summer.

From Royal CEO on March 30th At CLIA 360 Bayley added: “I think from everything we’ve learned about the CDC, who tend to guide a lot of this, is that when they really believe that it’s really moving from a pandemic to endemic, when they really believe that the positivity rates have declined to such a degree that it really poses no risk, I think that’s when we’re going to start seeing the government and governments start removing these testing requirements ... I think we’re going to see that probably by the summer.” https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/cruise-line-presidents-provide-update-on-cruising-current-events.html

@Matt I beg to differ. According to a quote from CEO Michael Bayley at the CLIA 360 Event in Ft Lauderdale on March 30th, stated "Bayley added: “I think from everything we’ve learned about the CDC, who tend to guide a lot of this, is that when they really believe that it’s really moving from a pandemic to endemic, when they really believe that the positivity rates have declined to such a degree that it really poses no risk, I think that’s when we’re going to start seeing the government and governments start removing these testing requirements ... I think we’re going to see that probably by the summer.” https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/cruise-line-presidents-provide-update-on-cruising-current-events.html That is hopefully the direction we are moving.

Dark and Stormy Obviously the Margarita on the Rocks with Salted Rim If you can Find Earl, He was our bartender up in the pool area/ Mast Bar/ Lime and Coconut/ Trellis bar on Symphony brand new and Oasis amplified, ask for his trash can drink. Its also our favorite to ask the Bartenders what their favorite drink to make is and try that.

You would hope that CLIA would fight hard for the CDC to drop that Test to Cruise requirement.

I'll Echo what @Firephotog51 stated. Be prepared to Disembark as soon as they give the all clear. You will not be disappointed with your spot at CC. This was our location for the day by getting there as it opened up.

Thank you.

This will be our first time in a Suite and Sky class. Is there a protocol for bringing say another couple up to the Suite deck or To coastal kitchen for supper or is that not allowed?

That's what I see as the first thing that would get removed hopefully soon. Looking at the other topics in here and that is starting to become the big problem.

@GatorCruiser I agree. The trend is down for all metrics even with the new variants. Moving about in the complete public setting you are around individuals that may or may not be Vaccinated and a large majority of people don't think a thing of it.

I agree that the CDC is a piece of the puzzle and another big one is obviously the Ports of Call. I would thing if they opened up the cruises to everyone and you weren't allowed off the ship if you were unvaccinated would probably be acceptable for the time being for them. I know I would be happy just to get on a cruise ship. I do also agree it will be the testing dropped 1st which would be a great start.

Hey @Matt, Do you have any insight into an updated Amplified Schedule for the Fleet? Here is the one before the shutdown and here is one as of now. Would be really interesting if they were going to move forward anytime soon?

@Andy & Sheryl UnwinFor me the Tub is almost a deterrent, I'm 6'7" and do not fit in the Tub/shower combo. Of which we will have on in our GS on Wonder(I'll be taking Bath showers HAHA). Wish I would have booked 1 day sooner to get the Owner suite with the shower and the bath tub separated.

I don't disagree with @Matt in what has worked in the past might continue to work, but if those players are at the end of their prime and new and upcoming player are ready to fill that roll(pre-March 2020) what gives. Lets look at it from a numbers based approach of roughly 79,800,000 cases of Covid in the US, say 25,000,000 were before the shots gives us 50,000,000 after 255,362,450 Fully vaccinated or 76.9% of the US 332,400,000 US citizens 305,362,450 vaccinated/natural immunity or 91% protected to some degree and of those 91% how many that aren't in that category are cruising or would cruise. (all Numbers are rounded roughly from the CDC website FWIW) I fully understand this only takes into account the US and there are great number of awesome Cruisers from outside the US and other countries are higher or lower then us. I'm looking for where peoples comfort level is in all of this. I still think at some point the band aid needs to be removed.

Honest question non political or to start any skirmishes,.... At what point do we just rip the band aid off and go on with our lives and our health as we individually see fit, without the protocols. This is the only industry held to these standards, none apply for hotels, or going down the road of Disney(where you can go into all theme parks back to back, during the course of a week and not be subjected to the processes as a cruise). I feel fully comfortable going out into public knowing that individuals I may be around in a restaurant or at a game or show might not be vaccinated or maybe symptomatic/asymptomatic. I would feel the same way on a cruise if the opened it up wide open. 100% pre March of 2020. Just my thoughts.