J_Keeble

I've been on around 8/9 cruises now and always had either the BOGO dining package which is cheaper but not always available I don't think or the 3 night, I find it just breaks the cruise up a little nad gives me something extra special to look forward too. saying that its certainly not essential as other have said - there a many options of where to get delightful food.

I usually have a cruise song, so every cruise I find a song and end up playing it over and over and over while getting ready in the shower or when in the room getting ready for dinner. its drives my fiancé mad! But when I listen to it back on shore it instantly reminds me of the cruise that I listened to it on.

ive just been looking at this blog post ... https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2018/04/30/royal-caribbean-releases-royal-amplified-fleet-upgrade-schedule and was wondering if anyone has figured out when Navigator goes into dry dock to get AMPED? saying that I've just looked and think its January? can anyone back me up with my thinking?

Some great opinions on Mariner, I really would love to go on this ship but flying all the way from the UK involves a long flight and with the 2019 schedule full it will have to be put on hold! Personally I think this will be a huge hit with cruisers and would certainly do the weekend sailing is I lived in Miami / Florida

someone on one of the facebook groups has said that spectrum is showing up for Gibraltar mid April, I will try find the link.

some really great pictures here, I have never invested in a camera but I now have a go pro, I wonder how that will fare.

Thanks for the updates! I go in October and cant wait!

Like yourself I was in a junior suite and there was a separate line which got priority. I arrived around 10:30 at the terminal and there was ample suite seating which were comfier than the generic terminal chairs. I think there was also complimentary drinks as well, such as tea coffee water etc The check in was one of the easiest I have been through, although there was an outbreak of Norovirus so it was a little delayed.

personally I think the st tropez is a waste of space, I'm very surprised they haven't put another speciality restaurant on the front like a hooked maybe???? lots of chairs for sunbathing though

thanks @twangster have you any pictures of the balcony? I may have missed them so if I have I apologise.

hmmm I'm not too sure, I didn't even try one :( I'm feeling like I missed out now but I was simply too full to eat another morsel. she did say they were great though!

I would assume they will be taking feedback over the next 6 months and be making some additions, but that's only my guess.

I only took them on my phone but I hope it gives you an idea :) it was set price of around $44 I believe. don't hold me to that though.

Having been on Symphony's Maiden voyage I got to try Hooked restaurant, we had this booked up for day 5 of the cruise at 8pm. the restaurant was fairly busy but we were seated in good time and met the waiter Robert who was outstanding. I've attached some images for you all to drool over. Main Menu^ These were a sort of pre starter, very hard to explain what they are but it was like breadcrumb / cheese straw but in a cluster .... whatever they were they were scrumptious take a look at the oyster shooters! Calamari which was not rubbery in the slightest Muscles in a white wine sauce, one gripe was that the pot was a little too deep to get the remaining sauce out but I got there in the end Shrimp Coktail, pretty standard really but my father in Law ate it all! Clam Chowder ... faultless Captains platter which is a lobster tail, this fell straight out the shell, shrimps and a whole filler of cod which was one of the best meals ive had on a ship my fiancé grace had the roll , she admitted she ordered wrong but the flavour was still amazing now for the Sides! the mac and cheese was to die for! we got 2 portions, fries and corn on the cob were all fantastic another picture of my half eaten captains platter one of the shooters, certainly an experience to be had if you have the drinks package we didn't have much room for desert but here they are well and truly HOOKED for hooked overall as I've heard a few say the menu could have some improvements I guess but its very early doors for Hooked but I can certainly see it being a hit on other ships in the future. would I go back Most Defiantly

I was on the maiden voyage and loved the ship and itinery. I took a royal caribbean coach into Marseille and that was $18 per person with coaches going every half hour so that was great. As for the ship, We loved hooked. they do special shooters with an oyster in which is certainly a new experience. the food quality was amazing, our server Robert really was exceptional. ive attached some images of the food for you to all enjoy

I had been monitoring my April 7th Sailing and the rooms were slowing disappearing. being a maiden voyage I would presume it is sold out.

There is no Quantum class ship for the summer season from Southampton, there is however Independence and Explorer. Im hoping that Spectrum will head to Southampton before she goes to Asia.

I wish we knew that date ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

good point! maybe they will make some announcements early April / May are my thoughts.

Does anyone know when Spectrum of the Seas sailings will go on sale? Being from the UK I'm very curious to see if it will be making a short visit to the UK

great blog twangster, as always some great pictures!

It will certainly be a one off I reckon, but I certainly will get some pictures and periscope the room.

Personally I like the double points and a bigger room is always nice to have, the highest I've ever climbed is the junior suite but I took the plunge and have a crown loft on symphony in April 2018.

With the rest of the 2019 deployments coming in a few weeks I'm wondering what Caribbean sailing there may be from October to December 2019? does anyone have any guesses at all?