Jamesszy94
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Posts posted by Jamesszy94
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1 minute ago, tonyfsu21 said:
I don’t personally like the windjammer, however, it’s a better option than the main dining room IMHO. The food in the dining room has gone way down hill & fast!
The last time I was on Ovation (March, 2023), the MDR food was nothing to scoff at, like it wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything amazing either, but I remember when I sailed on her back in 2016 - because she was still relatively new at the time, I remember the MDR food being so good! Maybe for my upcoming New Zealand cruise... I'll avoid the MDR and finally try one of the specialty dining venues...
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LOVE seeing the ICONic new ship from Royal! Here's to many more exciting days ahead for all of you.
Legitimate question though: Why does everyone not like the Windjammer?
I mean my guess would probably be because the food is kinda crap?
I don't mind Windjammer food honestly... but that's just me, as long as I'm fed, I'm a happy camper, but interesting to get other people's takes on the Windjammer.
- tingtang and PPPJJ-GCVAB
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What would be considered "smaller" size though? (in the context of Royal Caribbean)
Is it smaller than Icon but bigger than Oasis?
Is it smaller than Oasis but bigger than Quantum?
Is it smaller than Quantum but bigger than Freedom?
Is it smaller than Freedom but bigger than Voyager?
Or will it be smaller than Voyager but bigger than Radiance?
I have a feeling it'd probably be somewhere between Radiance and Voyager class - Maybe 120,000 GT?
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11 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:
Do you have traditional dining or My Time Dining? If you have My Time, you will get a table for 2 if you request one.
If you have traditional dining, then use these instructions from the Australian RCL website:
I have traditional dining for 5pm. Thanks, I'll follow the link
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On my last cruise in March, we were put with two other couples in the main dining room, I don't mind this normally, but I would have preferred just a table for two. I'm going on another cruise in March, How do I request one before I get on the ship? Cause the reataurant manager seemed convinced that there were no more tables for just two people on my last cruise.
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6 hours ago, Pattycruise said:
If you cannot see your cruise use the "link a missing cruise" feature in the app or on the website.
If it does not allow you too I recommend you contact Royal Caribbean and have them fix this issue-even have them verify you are booked!All good, the cruise showed up today.
Might have just been delayed.
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I've used both US and AUD to tip waiters/room stewards before, they'll take any because like someone said above, it means they can spend it onshore on what they want
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10 hours ago, ChessE4 said:
That doesn't make a difference. Our cruise showed up in maybe a week. Perhaps try using a laptop to view your CAS account and see if the trip is there.
The trip is not there when I use a laptop
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Starting a roll-call here for anyone else that will be on this cruise.
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Mine also won't show... but I've only paid the deposit...
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On 12/12/2023 at 9:22 AM, asquared17 said:
we actually didn’t even clear it with each other!
yeah, let’s go, gang!!! fun times for all!!!
guys i’m fading fast and the weather was only so-so today. so while they may give me my vintage card early… i am glad we have the 5pm dining slot tonite
That menu looks so good!! And I love your dress!
Glad you're having fun!! So jealous
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1 hour ago, Chili said:
How many fingers have you got , I have 11 . LOL.
I believe Royal and our state Gov was assessing a terminal at Kembla before COVID.
I think we should get a plan for something in the new year.
Brisbane is supposed to be Oasis capable but it’s can’t fill Quantam .
OPT is supposed to be Oasis capable but I doubt the terminal could process 6,000 people.
But Kembla with a nice terminal with a train station in it would make sense. It’s quite a nice train ride and a destination in itself.
I've got a feeling the reason that Brisbane can't fill up Quantum is because the destinations that it goes to are pretty much all the same, it's literally just some combination of Tasmania/Queensland and/or South Pacific. For most people those destinations are one and done. There's no variety, so people are going to pay less money to cruise to somewhere they've been before...
The thing is, Kembla is based in Wollongong - which is still about a 45min-1 hour train ride.
Honestly my last cruise back in March - the checkin and embarkation process at the OPT was a complete s**tshow (for lack of better word). They didn't have enough counters open, and then when we finally got a spot at one of the checkin counters, they couldn't verify our identities which meant we had to wait even longer because other people also couldn't verify their identities. People were waiting in line for almost an hour, there was no ventilation inside. Just an unpleasant checkin experience. So yeah, you're probably right, it probably won't be able to handle 6,000 passengers... which is why OPT needs a seriously multi-million dollar revamp, or just build an entirely new port altogether. But we all know what the government has been spending their money on recently....
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44 minutes ago, F1guynz said:
Six months seems like a long time for a dry dock and I don't recall any ship being out of service that long.
I think any dry dock will be more of a technical update/ refresh rather than adding anything new. Odyssey is the newest Quantum (ultra) class, and it basically has mostly the same features as Ovation.
This website compares the two ships.
Odyssey of the Seas vs Ovation of the Seas - Ship Comparison (cruisespotlight.com)
Yeah, you're right. 6 months is a long time for a dry dock. I guess during those 6 months she'll just be sent somewhere else...
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21 minutes ago, Chili said:
We are just a hillbilly backwater,nobody cares about us . LOL
Theres strong possibility port Kembla may get a terminal. Don’t know how big a ship can get into Kembla but the Wharf looks like it will take a Oasis class.
Plus Andrew Forest is currently building a L.N.G. Facility there .
Yeah but hasn't the Kembla cruise terminal been in the works for the past 3 years now... I've heard about it since the start of the pandemic and nothing has come to fruition.
Yeah, you're right about us being a hillbilly backwater country - nobody does care about us! It's not like we have the 14th highest GDP in the world...
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1 hour ago, Chili said:
I have a hunch that a Quantum might go to Ravenna and it’s probably Ovation.
Royal is building a new terminal there and I think they will increase capacity with a larger ship with a extended season.
And Voyager whose home port is Ravenna is supposed to be coming here.
Why can't Royal build a new terminal in Australia!!! The OPT really needs a revamp!!! When will major corporations of the world realise we matter!!!! I feel like Australia never gets anything new!! Can Brisbane even fit an Oasis-class?
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1 hour ago, mattymay said:
Ovation is a strange one. It does the usual Transpacific (Sydney-Honolulu-Vancouver) in Apr 2025, but then it doesn't make it to Alaska. That means there are 3 (Anthem, Quantum, Ovation) on the US west coast. So there is a chance that any of them could come back I guess, but Ovation has to go 'somewhere' for that 6 months? We might know more in Feb if they show up on the next round of releases.
I'm thinking maybe she's going into 6 months of dry dock so she can get upgrades or something maybe. Then at the end of 2025, she'll be back in Sydney with Quantum/Anthem and then Voyager goes back to US in April 2026? I guess like you said, we'll find out in Feb
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3 hours ago, mattymay said:
I think he meant 25/26 season. Anthem is in Singapore until Mar 2025, then heads to Alaska to replace Ovation until Sep 2025.
The question is where does Anthem go after that? If you base the answer off previous years, then Alaska ships come to Australia, which would be Anthem and Quantum. But...throw in the poor Quantum sales, the carbon reduction @Chili has info on, and the Voyager returning rumor.. it's really hard to say!
Do we get 2 Quantum's and 1 Voyager? or will they reduce capacity and go with 1 Quantum and 1 Voyager?.. and if so which Quantum?
My uneducated guess is... that they have been reading this blog and see our constant whinging about the same old ships. So... it's Anthem in Sydney and Voyager in Brisbane. It's a long wait until April to find out.. although there might be some hints along the based on other releases.
Does that mean that after March 2025, Ovation will no longer come back to Sydney? Thank goodness! I mean don't get me wrong. I've sailed her twice and I like her a lot, but it's about time Royal changed it up a bit. I guess Aussies are just stuck with Quantum class for the foreseeable future!
(Come on Royal! Give us an Oasis-class or even a Freedom-class; at this point, I'll take Oasis... heck even Allure)
I feel like cruises sell better in Sydney, so they might give a Quantum to Sydney and then leaver Voyager in Brisbane like you said. Two Quantum's would also be nice I guess, one could go to the regular South Pacific/Australia/New Zealand cruises, and maybe the other one can go to Asia/more exotic destinations. I guess we have Brilliance here in Sydney too, but I think she's only down here for 2023/24? What even was the point of that? I know she replaced Enchantment, but was Enchantment supposed to homeport in Sydney long-term or something?
3 hours ago, mattymay said:It just never got the Amp that Mariner and Navigator got which disappointed a lot of people here.
"Maybe if we paint the hull RCI blue they won't notice" - someone at RCI
I have a Resilient Lady cruise next week out of Melbourne. Feel like I'm cheating on someone
, but this is what happens when you don't change things up, people want to try new things. I am hopeful of the Voyager return.
Omg! I hope you enjoy your Resilient Lady cruise! Been looking at maybe sailing her, but prices are very expensive....
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8 minutes ago, CruisingOz said:
I recieved a survey from Royal which was all about South Pacific options and to rate them. Places like Solomon Is. PNG, Apia, etc
My dad really wants to visit Tuvalu.. because of the current rising sea levels...Too bad no cruise lines really go there.
I've never been to Noumea, Mystery Island, Vanuatu etc. They sound like great places, but every cruise line that cruises to the South Pacific is almost always those destinations and the occasional Fiji one... would be nice to visit other destinations in the Pacific... Nauru, Norfolk Island, PNG, Samoa etc.
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1 minute ago, CruisingOz said:
Anthem will be here next season. Quantum is off to a full dry dock and Ovation is also due within the next uear or two
I thought Ovation was here until 2025? At least according to Royal's website... but then again, they've changed ships before last minute. I mean... I guess Anthem is a change? It is still a Quantum-class though, but I guess the entertainment might be slightly different and the decor... Is Anthem going to be based in Brisbane or Sydney?
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12 minutes ago, Bubbleman7 said:
Jamesszy94,Prices on the 11 night have just dropped. I was able to switch from my ocean view spacious up front cabin to a balcony at no charge. They were 1500 more when I booked back in January. Since I am going solo I was willing to do the cheaper cabin as I have to pay for double occupancy. The kids start back to school so that may be why so many open cabins.
Haha yes. I've been looking at these particular ones for a while now, hoping that balcony prices drop a bit more before I pull the trigger. I think if we're gonna sail to places like Milford/Dusky/Doubtful sound, you need a balcony, but my dad thinks getting a balcony is pointless and expensive when I'm basically paying for it.
The thing is, the 11 night one is on January 29th.... I get off the Disney Wonder on January 23rd, so it's like, I'll be back to work for 6 days then gone again for 11 nights... I don't think my manager would really like that.
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I've been looking at this cruise or the one on March 12th.
The one on March 12 is 10 nights, but doesn't travel to Dunedin or Christchurch, whereas this 11 night one does.
Enjoy your trip. I might see you onboard depending on which one we decide to book.
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15 hours ago, Chili said:
I was on it after the amp that you mentioned and what a botch they did.
I think they did the important legal stuff and run out of money.
Half the seats were recovered,some carpet was replaced but there was lots of ugly stuff. The suite lounge was only half painted and there was still masking tape hanging off the ceiling for months.
They supposed to put in a couple of new bars,like lime and coconut,playmaker but didn’t.All that happened was a heap of new cabins where the solarium was and a water slide.
I believe they had another go at it in Europe recently but I don’t know about that.
Shame. Hopefully by the time Voyager comes to Australia, all of the problems will have been fixed.
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2 hours ago, mattymay said:
I've solved the lack of variety issue by booking Star of the Seas for 2026. Used up the entire years cruise budget in one go!
But was it in a suite????
11 minutes ago, Chili said:Voyager is a bit of a old wreck but it has class.
The first mega ship and I love the venation glass in the theatre.
What do you mean bit of an old wreck?? Her maiden Voyage was in 1999... of course she's going to show her age. As long as her interiors still look good and Royal Caribbean take care of her, that's all that matters. But also wasn't she literally removated
amplifiedback in 2019???? I'm sure she's still got a good 10-15 years. I'm worried that they'll scrap the Vision class ships slowly in the next few years though... since they can longer keep up with the latest and greatest... hopefully Royal doesn't just stick to building bigger ships, would be nice if they started building medium sized ships again (smaller than Quantum/larger than Freedom) -
20 minutes ago, ScottishRobbie said:
Speaking to the captain on Quantum this morning, that may well be the plan for Voyager
If I remember correctly, Voyager has home ported in Sydney before... I remember we've had a Voyager class here before, but can't remember which one. But that would be good if they homeported all year around. We only have P&O and Carnival that homeport all year around... don't get me wrong P&O and Carnival are nice, but nowhere near the same as RCI..
I just hope that Voyager takes us to more exotic destinations - like Fiji or Asia
How likely is it that once Icon, Utopia and Star come online, they send us an Oasis-class ship...
Mods Gone Wild!!!! Icon Inaugural Sailing - January 27 - February 3, 2024
in Live Blogs
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I see, yeah, these are valid and fair points and I can understand why people would be turned off by the Windjammer.
I do try to avoid the Windjammer during the peak hours - but we have no choice for breakfast... might just order Room Service this time or try somewhere else. But usually I go around 7-8pm where it's not as crowded because most people are either at the shows or the casino/other activities - anyone recommend any good places to have breakfast on QN class ships?
You're right about the proper buffet etiquette, so many times I've seen people just grab the food with their hands or they drop something on the bench or the counter next to them and then they just leave it there or put it back into the food.