brdjnr

wow! Good luck in your future endeavors!

I just canceled and rebooked our 3 night dining package on Wonder in August and did not get the option to make reservations.

Scheduled for Labadee and CocoCay, ended up in Puerta Plata. I'd seen and read negative things about the ship. Hogwash. Furnishings and colors are aged but she is in great shape considering mileage. Interior Promenade view. I feel I am in the vast minority on this, but I like these cabins. MDR Dinner was best food we have ever had in MDR. Service there was great as well. After several cruises with subpar food (in MDR), this was huge improvement. Good timing because I decided no dining, excursions, etc on this trip. Booked inside final payment date and wanted to see how it worked 'rawdogging' as the youngs say. MDR Lunch on 2 sea days were the worst meals I have ever been served on a RC ship MDR Breakfast was great. Every day except PDCC (room service). This is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do. Bar and drink service was ok to really good on ship Viking Crown lounge remains one of my favorite spots on any RC ship Miserable Day at CocoCay. I have never seen it as crowded as it was. Not enjoyable, at all. And we are huge PDCC fans, it is a highlight of our trip typically. Bar service not worth trouble. Voyager and Quantum in port. There were people lying on mats because all the chairs taken in our area on S Beach were taken. I have been there 8 or 10 times and this felt really strange. Never made it to Chill Island but Oasis Lagoon wasn't much better. Group of people with bluetooth speaker the size of two truck batteries didn't help. I will never again assume we can have a good/peaceful day there without spending money. Hopefully it was just a confluence of some odd events I am not aware of. Puerta Plata was fun! Met a nice couple we chatted with for an hour or so, hung out at the pool and did lazy river. I also destroyed my phone but thats another story. Embarkation / disembarkation were cake. Honestly I am not sure what RC can do to make this any better. I would prefer actual policing of arrival/check in times, but I am not sure how much that matters. I am not sure what the number on board was, but there was never any crowding that we saw. It felt strange at times. Then again, we never set foot in the main theater, windjammer, nor pool Which brings me to something that dawned on me the 4th night on this cruise (which we enjoyed IMMENSELY). We just hung out. Me and my wife of 32 years whom I adore and love spending time with just hanging out. No fear of missing a show or event. No fretting about reservations to specialty restaurants. Looking back, when it is just the two of us I think we enjoy Voyager class cruises better than Oasis. At any rate, this was stream of consciousness that hardly functions as a review. Mariner is one of my if not favorite ship in the fleet. The differences between Voyager and her arent as stark as I expected them to be frankly. Very enjoyable trip.

RC twitter account verified its Taino Bay.

Incredible review

we were there fall of 23 (not much help) but it was a pleasant day. Pool was nice and there were plenty of chairs and shade. The water slide was hilarious at the end and my wife and I still laugh at the video I got of her exiting it like a torpedo into the pool. The ride over felt semi sketch, but we survived.

We got same for our visit on 21st. Oh well. Taino Bay looks pretty neat.

We are supposed to be there this Monday. Isn’t sounding positive.

Cheapest August booking I could find on Star for our annual anniversary cruise was right around 4k for an interior cabin. Add in drink package some dining and an excursion (I know those are options) or two and you are easily looking at $6500 plus for a 7 night cruise. I am not meaning to debate if it is 'worth' it or good value or whatever. I just mean to say I am out on that. And I have no doubt the ships will sail full.

From your lips to whoever at RC makes that decisions ears.

last year we sailed on Mariner in August and October. Different itineraries, different cabins. Doesn't bother us at all.

Nice! Breezy Bay Beach Beds for our August / Wonder cruise for $218. I will spend that for it.

I enjoy Views and Queues tho I feel their run of the mill videos are too long (I think that has something to do with monetization but I am no expert). If you want to get absolutely wrecked, take a shot every time one of them says 'like'.

We have only been to Labadee once but we loved it. Going again next month (we hope).

I think I saw a few of those mentioned saying YT had changed their algo to require more OMIGOSH CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS??!! type headlining of vids. And it seemed many of them obliged, particularly Ben and David.

April 19 2025 Voyager

correct me if I'm wrong, but this linked one does not run afoul of the new rules because it doesnt add multiple AC outlets? At least that is my understanding.

@OCSC Mike we are that way. It is my wife’s very favorite port which means it’s also one of mine. We had a cruise on Adventure that swapped it for Nassau and that was enough for us to change it. we have never done a b2b but it’s appealing for the 2 stops there.

we have a Central Park view (not balcony) on Wonder in August. All we have ever had on Oasis class ships are balcony or regular interior so this will be a first for us. We are big fans of Promenade view on Voyager class ships. Cabin feels bigger and we like the bed configuration better. From what I can tell this puts us in the sizable minority, which can sometimes work out well for us. I have seen these priced tens of dollars over a regular interior, which I will take every time. At least on Voyager/Freedom class.

My Voyager sailing next month has it for 62.99. I bought it at 78, rebought at 72.99 now this. Canceling and rebooking is the easiest thing in the world.

We are a couple of cruises away from Diamond. We will do that then reassess where we are. We did Celebrity to Alaska for an occasion, and I really feel like that is where we are in our lives. Soon to be empty nesters and I don’t care about slides and kids programs etc. In fact, the fewer kids the better (we had 5, I’ve done my time lol). So our current plan is to reach Diamond (the inevitable benefit reduction notwithstanding) then status match to Celebrity. Canaveral is drivable, tho Celebrity sailings from there seem pretty limited for now.

I have often wondered if this would be worth it and what 'risk' might be involved. Let's just say I am going to get my moneys worth. But my wife some days may only drink a couple.

Thats tough. I can relate, we had an 8 night S Caribbean I had booked ages ago in a JS for an absurdly low price that sailed Aug 2024. Our daughter had her first child literally that week so we moved (charge). The rescheduled cruise then got CocoCay cancelled and added Nassau. I would’ve thought/hoped RC would waive the change fee for that one and I was disappointed. So 2 change fees later we are scheduled for Wonder this August. Newer ship but Central Park view (not balcony) cabin for more money than the original JS. Starting to feel like this cruise is j^nxed lol. Good luck with yours!

Mariner is a great ship. We have sailed on her 3x I think and bang/buck she might be the best ship in the fleet. I was disappointed when they moved her from Canaveral. We are sailing on Voyager in April, so I guess I will know better how they compare then.

This is almost certainly what we will do. CocoCay might be my wife's favorite place on earth. She loves it. Thus, I love it If they are pushing that beach club in Nassau, they can have it. No way I'm paying the $300pp that thing is going to cost.