Happy Cruisers

I must have overlooked it when I searched earlier (and I really did!); thanks for letting me know. Glad for the moderators to consolidate/move/handle this thread as they wish.

https://abc7chicago.com/cruise-ship-celebrity-equinox-decomposed-body-do-ships-have-a-morgue/13170894/ Since this blog now purports to cover Celebrity, too, this seemed relevant. Absolutely disgusting, heartbreaking and barbaric story coming out of Chicago from a cruise last August. Some poor lady lost her husband of 55 years at the start of the cruise, so Celebrity apparently stuck him in the cooler instead of the morgue. Morgue inop or not, the way this was handled was 100% unacceptable and likely amounts to abuse of a corpse. Shame on the parent company for even letting this lawsuit be filed - certainly, there would have been demand letters that pre-dated the lawsuit. Since the widow had to file a lawsuit to apparently get Celebrity's attention about letting her husband rot for a week, I hope it costs them a lot more than $1 million to settle this outside of court. Unfortunately, it probably will be that inexpensive. Simply disgusting by any and all involved - to the crew who decided to shove that man into a cooler for a week, all I can say is what Galatians already does - you reap what you sow. And boy am I glad I'm not them.

An 8 night southern Caribbean is literally one of the best cruises I've taken from Florida. It feels a little "long" when you're more accustomed to a 6 or 7 night cruise, plus there are usually some nice breaks from the ports with a sea day or 3 to enjoy yourself onboard. Agree with the others that recommend Aruba and Curacao - to paraphrase a Backstreet Boy, God must have spent a little more time on those islands.

He led a Royal Caribbean trivia on our 8 night sailing on Explorer last August. Being a devout reader of this blog and a follower of the podcast since (literally) episode 7, I thought I was going to be a star student. Nope! Super Mario knows his stuff! Congenial guy if you ever walk up to talk to him. He has seemingly embraced his pseudo-celebrity status well.

It most certainly doesn't hurt to ask, but in most cases the "stamp" in your passport is technically a visa, so they may not be able to give you "another" visa by stamping your passport. The reason I say that is because to the extent St. Maarten requires a visa for US passport holders arriving on a cruise ship (I'd guess yes), RCCL takes care of that behind the scenes on your behalf before you leave the US - so, for the St. Maarten immigration folks, stamping your passport (which has the effect of "issuing" a "new" visa) may not be possible. 100% ask if getting your passport stamped is your thing, but if you get met with a "no" that could be the reason why. I'm also a big fan of passport stamps. Fun to look back and remember old trips, isn't it? With all the electronic visa stuff kicking in in parts of the world, I worry the days of passport stamps (or even physical passports) are coming to an end sooner than we might like to think about sometimes.

I don't disagree. Super neat the first time we took Anthem almost 8 years ago, but the novelty wears off fast. It is no replacement for some of RC's more-excellent barkeeps, that's for sure.

Yea, exactly. That would seem to be a huge IT/booking glitch if it were the case. I think it is almost certainly an issue of overselling guarantee-level cabins, and then cancellations + Royal Up not working as well as usual at opening up the needed space to assign those cabins around. Plus, with anecdotal reports of this starting to happen with some notable frequency, man alive, this practice is going to be a great opportunity for the right traveler. Even if someone only "hit it" once every two years, that's still a free cruise every two years (admittedly, a big assumption to both of my posts on this topic is that denied boarding compensation will in the future be consistent to what is being offered today, but I kind of think that assumption is somewhat fair until Royal proves otherwise).

It would be interesting if it could be confirmed whether this is truly a "guarantee"-level booking issue. Can I know I'm "safe" from adverse selection if I pony up the money to choose my own cabin? And, conversely, can I assume going forward that the risks of oversubscription and denied boarding are only hobgoblins of the guarantee? If so, there's some opportunity here for people with the right flexibility. I travel for work and for years (pre-Covid) could usually plan on my Friday flight home from some of our offices having a decent shot at being oversold. Other flights were, too, but if I was just going home I'd game that when I had the right flexibility. I also knew how it worked, though - i.e., oversold or not, I knew that my elite status in the frequent flier program would likely defend me against an adverse selection/denied boarding situation if I didn't want to make a quick buck for hanging out in the Sky Club a while longer and taking a later flight. Once the rules can gleaned through observation (they'll probably never come right out and tell us), this could be a great opportunity for the right traveler who doesn't necessarily need to care about exactly when they sail but would value a stunningly good deal (some locally-based retirees might come to mind). I.e., observe the macro factors that some have pointed out here (spring break week locally, one of the first cruises the casino folks can use a certificate on - and, by the way, it's one heck of an in-demand ship anyway) and book a guarantee level cabin - then, cross your fingers and toes and hope for an oversold situation where you can get all your money back + a credit for a free replacement cruise. If it doesn't work out that way, oh well, it's a cheap game to play so long as you really don't mind taking the cruise to begin with. It's the same game I played with the airlines - I could fly out at 8 am Friday morning and likely not be in an oversold situation, or fly out at 2 pm with everyone else and have probably a 50/50 chance of scoring a quick buck from taking a later flight. Apples and oranges, of course, and the cruise version of this game is definitely not for most cruisers, but the opportunity is there nonetheless. One thing we can probably bet on is that, with RCI's mountain of debt, this oversold business is going to continue and we're going to need to adapt to the rules. Hopefully, the opt-out for those not wishing to play the game is just to not book a guarantee-level cabin. It would be nice if C&A members above a certain level could know they are for sure not on the chopping block, but as far as I know no one has said that out loud and I wouldn't depend on it. After all, Royal tells us that new cruisers tend to spend more on board than experienced cruisers...

Thanks, @Xaa! With our cruise taking us through the Med, I'm sure we'll find plenty of indulgences, on the ship or otherwise!

Thanks - yes, as I mentioned we're quite seasoned at eating clean, but our problem is that we log into an app literally every thing we put into our bodies (all macros, etc. to the number, if possible, every drop of liquid and any corresponding macros, etc.) and use that data to help inform our dietary intentions, workout regimen and other focuses immediately thereafter. We're bat guano crazy, I know. Just looking for some actual data behind what we'll be consuming on board, instead of being limited to using roughly analogous "plug" entries (since, for our purposes, that's an imperfect solution because of the inherent error margin - makes a difference for us). We weren't always health nuts - we were just going down the wrong path years ago from a health perspective and made some lifestyle corrections and now try our best to live by them every day if we can. And in reality, I probably won't let myself have the pizza anyway

Hello, fellow cruisers. Does Royal publish any nutritional information with respect to onboard dining? I'm not having much luck searching this board or their website for this information, and I do not recall having seen that information on board before. Even just calorie information like many states require to be listed on chain restaurant menus would be helpful (which requirements, of course, would not apply to Royal). It is easy enough to "eat clean" on board, but it would be nice to know how much extra time I need to spend on the track if I were to, for example, indulge in a piece of pizza from Sorento's one day. Thanks for any pointers!

Congratulations to all of the happy couples! When Mrs. Cruiser and I were first engaged, we considered having our wedding on a Royal ship. However, reading these stories and knowing how "carefully" Mrs. Cruiser controlled all things wedding related, I am oh so glad we did not go down this road! Great for the couples who can go with the flow, but that would have given us hives!

Lots of great advice here. What little I can add is that we did an adults-only trip on a Voyager class ship (Explorer) with some friends last summer and it was very well suited for that sort of vacation. Really balanced having a small enough ship to feel very manageable by our new-to-cruising friends, but large enough that the venues and entertainment were enjoyable and worth our while. I will say there are a few areas where Explorer shows its age a bit stylistically with certain now-outdated décor selections (it is ~20 years old), but in our experience the aging ship was generally well maintained.

This is a really fun thread to read through! Thanks especially to those who have shared pictures.

Not intending to hijack the thread, but I'd be interested to know if this has been offered on Odyssey in the past, as well.

Renew. Today. Honest to goodness, I submitted mine for renewal on Wednesday 1/4 and had it in hand last Saturday the 21st. I selected expedited service, sent it priority mail overnight to the State Department, and paid for them to send it back to me the same way. This is not the time to save a few bucks, select every expedite option they have. And, most importantly, learn from your oversight so that you're not in this situation ever again! God forbid you didn't realize until presenting for embarkation, then you'd really be out of luck. Just a point of order, you'll always want to review the entry requirements for each country you're visiting to ensure your paperwork is in order (e.g., that your passport is valid long enough). Relying on the travel company for handholding is a recipe for disappointment. 6 months is very common for American passport holders since we get "spot Visas" in about any country we'd wish to enter that are generally valid for a touristic visit of about the same length (with some nuanced exceptions, of course). There are many who might suggest you "go for broke" and not renew for purposes of your cruise. I would keep in mind that it is you (and not the proverbial "some guy on the internet") who would be denied boarding and denied a refund for your cruise if your paperwork is not in order when you present for embarkation. Choose your own adventure, but like all others on this forum, this is just yet another opinion of some guy on the internet.

We usually stay at the Conrad St. James, which is basically smack in between Buckingham Palace, on the one hand, and Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, etc., on the other, and across the river (~1 mile) from the London Eye. This is probably the nicest Conrad in Hilton's portfolio, and we've found the service to consistently be quite good. If you'll be in London on a Sunday, we always enjoy a walk through the Mayfair shopping district. It's open on days other than Sunday, of course, but it seems to take on more of a "street fair" type atmosphere that day. As much as the London Eye is touristy schtick, embrace the schtick and give it a try for a sunset or nighttime time slot. For a very modest premium, we booked a sort of "VIP" experience that (i) provided a semi-private lounge (with adult beverages) to wait in, and an escort to the capsule, (ii) fewer people in our capsule, since it was only the other "VIP" folks, and (iii) a champagne toast at the apex. My wife was a fan.

We're hoping the Edition opens in time....they took our reservation, but the opening date keeps slipping! We liked Rome Cavalieri (mainly because we can use points and because it is home to La Pergola), but it looked to us like it was a bit far from some of the ancient sites we're hoping to be within walking distance to. The W Rome is well-reviewed by other American travelers, too, so we're also considering that. I would appreciate any other suggestions people have, too. Not looking to hijack the thread, but does anyone have any "must do" restaurants, too? We're hoping to stop by Mirabelle and Aroma before the cruise (and maybe La Pergola, but I'm told that's a tricky reservation to secure).

Hi Dina, welcome and hello from Georgia! Just over four months away!

Interesting observation. This could be something that drives the Key. People who purchase the Key could be guaranteed cabin availability by 1 pm, and the non-Key people would have access "beginning early afternoon" or something equally as non-committal. Not saying Royal will or won't do this, but if the 25 rooms by 1 pm on turnaround day thing is a problem for stews, that's a seemingly perfect solution (i.e., one that reinforces or even grows a revenue stream). 4d chess going on in a Miami board room?

I believe there are several of them on this board, so I would think things would begin working themselves out soon!

Not to pile on, but there's also the possibility of delays checking in, checking bags and clearing security at the airport. True that the flight could also be delayed, but I wouldn't bank on it. Not sure where your 10 am is coming from geographically, but the chances of it being meaningfully delayed so early in the day are fairly minimal. If it were me, I'd also review the airline's policies for if I were to miss the flight because of something that was my fault (i.e., what happens if I wasn't there at the appointed boarding time) and factor that into my decision. I wouldn't expect the airline to make any policy exceptions if I missed the flight because it worked out that I could not get off the cruise ship in time. Even if they're willing to rebook on on the next open seat for no significant cost, as full as planes have been lately, you may not be able to get on the very next flight. And if they cannot accommodate you on a flight still that day, your overnight hotel/meals would be on your nickel, not the airline's. Look, have I gotten off a cruise ship and made a 1030 am commercial flight? Yep, Ft. Lauderdale in April of 2014. Was I excreting bricks all morning until my hindquarters hit the plane seat ? Yes. Did the possibility of missing my flight home hang over my head the entire cruise? Also yes. I think you've heard the arguments against your proposed 10 am flight - I suspect it just depends on how much money that early flight saves you and how meaningful that amount is to you. There are a bunch of reasons not to do that early flight, but it's a heck of a lot easier to save money than make money. And I'd say you "should" make it, but it's an absolute disaster if you don't.

Whenever we or anyone else we know cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, we use (or recommend) Ft. Lauderdale Shuttle & Limo - https://fortlauderdalelimos.org/ - and have for probably 15 years. The company is based in Ft. Lauderdale (obviously), but I've never had an issue with getting transfers around Miami, too. The man that owns it is called Jason, who is very helpful. Sometimes he will call himself "Jay" if he ends up driving one of the cars, but typically he's in the office and very responsive to service requests. Jason has taken wonderful care of us for years and has always been flexible with accommodating our requests. As a recent example, my wife and I were on a cruise in August when we ran into two dear friends aboard - long story short, our friends decided to fly home with us to visit a bit longer after the cruise and just take a commercial flight home from here, so they needed to join us in the car from Port Miami to the general aviation airport we use around there (Ft. Lauderdale Executive). I emailed Jason in a panic since I had only booked a car for my wife and I - he replied immediately "no problem" - darned if he didn't pull up in a 15 passenger luxury shuttle bus, so we had plenty of room all the way to Banyan. One other thing I like about Jason and his drivers - they'll text and coordinate with you as you disembark the ship and clear customs - when all goes to plan, the car will swing in to an empty space at the curb just as you're walking up. No waiting in that Florida humidity for you. Highly recommend.

I didn't see a Roll Call for this cruise yet; please feel free to remove it if I've overlooked an existing Roll Call. We've just recently booked and we're very excited for our first non-Caribbean cruise! Anyone else here going?

We did something similar a few years ago by tracking drink orders on a note in my iPhone. We didn't always remember to "log" the drink in real time (we were in vacation mode, after all), but would catch it up later against the drink "charges" for $0.00 showing up on our account. That was convenient enough, and was from a time before the Royal App was as important as it is now, so you're probably more likely to have your device available to you at nearly all times. We also tried to track the drinks we would have ordered without a package, and the drinks we ordered only because we had a package (e.g., a new drink to replace a half-melted one). That data point has been a very helpful benchmark for us when evaluating drink packages on subsequent sailings - i.e., how much did we order with the package vs. how much would we have really ordered without it? Those were two very different numbers for us.