RobWhatley

To be honest, the only place where I have seen loungers on JS were in the aft balcony cabins with the extended balcony.  I don't recall the regular JS having loungers.  It's been a while since I booked a JS though.

I don't know about suites but we got a balcony on the back of the freedom once.  It had 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs and a table.  And had plenty of room to spare.  If I ever get to go on her again you can rest assured I'll be looking for that one again.  The room was 1402.

You're only as old as you feel and when you can't feel anymore, then you're old!

Check out this blog post about how to stay in touch while onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise.

You can also use yellow post it notes and stick your message on their doors. It's not high tech, inexpensive and it works.

Traveled with the in-laws who are just as bad as teenagers!!!
Agree with the above, use the phones in the rooms and have pre-agreed meeting places - Solarium bar at 10am :)

I started at 36..single and no kids.....and did 10 cruises in the next 3 years......I did 7 in the first 2 years when I really caught the bug and could find some great deals.....
 
But I am not the one Royal makes much money from...I refuse to pay extra on extras on top of taxes and fees and upgrades and perks and gratuities etc.
 
I look for the cheapest/best deal.....buy the drink package(and they don't make any $ off me from that I can assure you) and I enjoy the ship for what it is and the ports but don't spend hundreds or thousands extra on top of the cruise fare like they want and expect!!

Well, I'm sweet and old and usually find my spot at the schooner.

I don't remember seeing them... The drink package could have been the reason...

You Pinnacle people always get the free stuff...

We sail this Sunday on the Oasis so I will have our cabin steward remove the extra "sitting around" water.  I get bottled water with my package anyway.

I would be lying if I said I didn't think this was a money grab.  I have been loyal to Royal Caribbean since the very start, never wanting or needing to cruise with another line.   I know the argument can be made that it is simple to walk to *insert dining venue here* and get your breakfast and take it back to your room.   That's not the point, the point is there is a perceived value in cruising, and by slowly eliminating all of these values, aren't they becoming less of a value and more of an expense?   I fully understand the bottom dollar, and I can appreciate all of the suite benefits, and specialized offerings Royal offers.  But to me, this feels like just one more thing that now has an additional fee outside of my cruise fare, and when will it stop?  
 
To roll this out in 12 days seems very ill-timed at best.  I sail on Allure in 45 days and I have the 12 night Anthem scheduled for December for my annual Christmas vacation.  I love Royal Caribbean but the disappointment is very real for me as a consumer who gets to choose where his discretionary dollars are spent.   I think it's time I start exploring what the other lines do and do no offer, and what their value is.  

Just booked the ultimate dining package for research purposes!

I recall that it was pretty good during the Sept Group Cruise. Seems as though @Matt was successful in doing a few Scopes from the cruise.

My last Freedom sailing was 11 months ago (end of May, '16).  As I recall it was usable, but nothing you could stream with.  Email, a quick news check, or Facebook as long as you don't go crazy uploading tons of photos were fine.
 
 

There's definitely nothing wrong with the small ships and Royal has done a great job revitalizing them. As long as you realize that they don't offering everything that is advertised on the bigger ships, you'll be fine. I started on one of Royal's smallest ships and wouldn't change it even now. 

We play roulette and have won a total of $150 in the last two cruises.  Not much but its better than loosing.

Well, I would like to tell you how much I have won, but I'm afraid someone from the IRS may be reading these posts. 

If you are a resident of USA or Canada, you can change the price by rebooking at any time up until final payment date. So as long as you haven't reached final payment date, you should be able to take advantage of the new price.
 
Also, this is a great example of why I use a travel agent. They re-price it for me and deal with the headache of prebooking.

We are going to Georgetown next month (30 days and counting whoo hoo) and we are going to the Cayman Distillery Co for a tour and taste testing of their 15 different liquors. It's $15 per person and we reserved directly through their website. We are then going to check out shops and do lunch somewhere. We have such big excursions planned the 2 days following, we wanted a nice leisure day in Georgetown.

It's not georgetown, but I've used cayman eco adventures twice now for tours and they are awesome ... both times around 12 people on the excursion.  it's sting rays, snorkeling, and starfish beach. $60 per adult I think.  SO worth it. They pick you up at cruise port.  Fruit/water provided and they sell beers on the boat as well. 
 
you stop at stingray city and there are ship tour boats with 50+ people crammed on to them... they look crazy. This is much more chill/less people. 
 
http://www.caymanecoadventures.com/

Rob,
 
There is a Margaritaville in Gerogetown GC. Pretty decent hamburgers and other food, balcony seating overlooking, the port and lots of Jimmy Buffet music & videos and shade. 

If there is one thing you do not have to worry about is finding ways to spend OBC on the ship!

Tell your friend I find it hard reading in a bar, it's too distracting.
Having to listen to people in bad English accents rave about how their drink tastes 'just like Dr Pepper', or the constant ramblings about the fine nuances of a good Scotch.

Might I recommend MEI travel, as a travel agent?  THEY spend time on the phone, not you  (or me).....it doesn't cost you one red cent more to have an agent working for you.   Best of luck, and Congrats, I'm sure you'll love the cruise......