tonyfsu21

Here’s relaxing for you:

11 hours ago, TXCoastPatriot said:

Thank you for the confirmation…and warning.  Been a lot of discussions past few cruises with couples questioning if Icon is truly a family packed theme park.  Apparently there is truth to the rumors.

I’m out.

I wouldn’t outright dismiss Icon based on all the poppycock above. Despite the comments, there are PLENTY of areas for adults to relax on Icon. The Aquadome is pretty incredible and the hideaway is actually relaxing (maybe not during spring break). The noise level from the slides has been exaggerated. IMHO, the Icon is the best ship in the fleet for anyone! There are so many options for dining/drinks with live music venues all over the ship. 

On 3/23/2024 at 2:24 PM, tonyfsu21 said:

Something big about to happen with hard rock (possible collaboration). I was hanging with the family in base camp and they did an executive visit with the Hard Rock big shots and the RC top brass (Liberty, Holtz, Bayley, Freed and Hernandez) all standing within a few feet of us. 

^^^^^^ Hmmmmmm??????? You heard it here first. 

I believe I exposed the collaboration on March 23rd when I witnessed the RC executive team and Hard Rock leadership meeting at Base Camp on Icon while in Miami. Something was certainly brewing! 

On 4/24/2024 at 11:05 AM, jeffmw said:

#1 - I don't think they're ever going to install nets. While these incidents make news, I don't think suicide rates are any higher on cruise ships than anywhere else (in fact, they're probably lower). It's not a cruise ship problem. It's a mental health problem. 

#2 - Not to be morbid, but to be fair to our friends in the animal kingdom, my assumption is anyone jumping off a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean would probably drown. Sharks are out there, for sure, but they're not typically aggressively hunting humans. 

# 2: I wouldn’t want to find out. They may drown and then get gobbled up by Nessie the 17’ great white who is looking for an easy snack. Either way, not a good outcome. 

Carry on only. If you pack in a suitcase it will get flagged and force you to pay a visit to the security office to get bag back. 

1 minute ago, craftycruiselady said:

I agree. DR is an excursion must (unless you only want to float in the lazy river) there is not beach right there or anything good. Grand Turk we had a great day for mostly free (we bought food at margaritaville). The beach is beautiful, it was a bit more rocks than I anticipated but it is so clear you can see them ok. There is a starbucks for free wifi , shops, the pool and beach. You cannot take shells or rocks home, they will confiscate them. I saw a table and people getting their bags pulled aside. There was another ship in port with us and we did not feel like anything was crowded. HTH

I noticed it’s a bit rocky at Turks by the port but if you venture up the beach a bit it is probably up there with the best white sand beaches in the Caribbean (no rocks). 

3 hours ago, Canada Cruiser said:

Hi, just had itinerary change Labadee to Grand Turks. Wondering if there is much to do there... Found a beach/pool club but think it may be owned by Carnival. 

Thoughts?

It’s actually a great itinerary change. Grand Turk beaches are amazing. My wife & I were there a couple days ago and it’s perfection! There are public beaches adjacent to the ship and a stretch of white sand beaches (pictured) that rivals some of the nicest I’ve ever seen. This was our 4th or 5th time here and it never gets old. 

I have done this tour quite a few years ago. Basically it’s a kayak ride through absolutely frigid water to see a giant blowhole. IMHO it’s not impressive enough to warrant the bus ride or the kayak trip. I do not recommend. 

We had a great time on this excursion with the exception of the snorkeling which was not great. The experience was sub par and required a guided tour which is very beginner level. The guide brought you to the wall where it drops off to 7000’. Literally you see a few fish and the abyss which was less then desirable. The remainder of the excursion was exceptional. The beach break was absolute perfection with crystal clear water and lots of rum punch. Overall I would recommend this excursion for the time at the beach alone. 

9 hours ago, PhillyLady said:

Okay, there has certainly been a lot of hype about this ship, and a colleague (adult) is doing a back-to-back with her mother (senior) this Fall, so I was somewhat interested in learning more about the huge new Icon.  I have to say, I skimmed through your video just to hear at the end that in your opinion the ship is not too adult friendly.  We, as a mature couple, have always had a good time on our previous RC cruises, but there were a nice mix of ages.  We are not really into adult-only cruises, but we do not necessarily want to be on a cruise which is completely child-centered.  Did you do any grown-up things, like go dancing, listen to a band, or attend a comedy show, or anything that was not focused on the young one? Is there good shopping variety, or are there decent spa services? 

Anyway, it was a very nicely constructed video, and I cannot believe you even did pricing--very helpful to those interested in a future booking! Your shots were clear and interesting, your pace was great, the narration was smooth, and you covered a nice variety of topics. 

Yes, I agree the ship is probably way overpriced--that is what happens when there is a lot of demand.  

Sorry I cannot subscribe--your video is actually one of the few cruise videos I have ever watched on Youtube! After fifty years of cruising I rarely have a need to look at those types of resources.  But, I do like chatting a bit on this forum, so thanks for sharing.

I know your son will look back on these experiences and treasure them all, along with his father's excellent documentation.  Best wishes!

 

 

 

I would wholly disagree with this assessment. The Icon is certainly “adult friendly” and quite possibly more adult friendly than the rest of the fleet. I think it’s possible the surfside neighborhood may be a sticking point for some people because of the kid craziness but this neighborhood does an excellent job of containing the chaos. My parents (both seniors) were on the ship in February and can’t wait to go back with us all in November for Thanksgiving. They both agree it’s the best ship in the fleet with so many dining/drink and entertainment options that you can’t possibly see and do it all in a week. 

It’s been reduced to (2) questions based on what I saw yesterday before boarding Indy.

23 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Fingers crossed for you!  

No luck with RU once again, but….. We were on Indy by 10:55 am hanging out sans kids! 

23 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I've only won twice lol

We are headed out on Indy tomorrow and I’m awaiting news on a GS upgrade. Hopefully my luck turns around!

22 minutes ago, teddy said:

Something to remember...just because you can put a bid in for an upgrade doesn't mean there are actually cabins available.  Royal is all about maximizing their profits, so they hedge their bets for any no-shows and last minute cancellations.

In my opinion, the glory days of Royal Up were during the restart.  Now that ships are sailing full, not many are getting their bids accepted.

I agree. It’s pretty much a craps shoot unless you are Royal Caribbean royalty like @Mattor @Lovetocruise2002

I’ve been notified at the port on a couple sailings. Normally it’s a day or two before you set sail. 

On 4/5/2024 at 12:36 PM, Fastfaller said:

Agreed, if I can be on ship by 1100, grab a specialty coffee and a quick bite to eat then I am in heaven. Then you have all the time in the world to explore the ship, get the lay of the land. Then it's time to find a refreshing cocktail and start the relaxation. 

It’s so 2020 to abide by the specified boarding time!

16 minutes ago, Fastfaller said:

@tonyfsu21 that poster created another ridiculous thread bragging about her experiences that is why I am saying what I am saying. The post she made in this thread was a precursor to the other.

Oh, this is the continuation of that other obnoxious saga that made no sense. Got it. This is the same person that “owned the clothing company”?

On 4/9/2024 at 7:03 PM, Vancity Cruiser said:

You lost me at 'the second we set foot out of our limos'. 

I think they mean “bus”. The entire post is AI generated by a person who clearly does not speak the language or the lingo. 

21 hours ago, loki007 said:

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

If this is acceptable then what’s the line in the sand? Personally, I get up to the pool deck at 07:00 and sit on a chair and place our belongings on adjacent chair until my wife and kids arrive after breakfast (sometimes 9:00 or later). At lunch we still keep one person at the chair at all times. Even at 07:00 (especially on Icon) just about every chair is vacant with towels on it which is not ok. I locate the prime location that I plan to occupy for the day and if said location has a towel on it then I put the towel on one of the other unoccupied chairs and I take my seat. I have never had an issue. While you wait on RC to resolve the hog issue, I will be enjoying a prime chair pool side with my family because everyone has a right to a nice day at the pool. 

3 hours ago, Theron said:

You guys did not understand one thing, did I leave my valuables outside on tables somewhere? No, I left it in a safe box which has security code, and to access the safe box someone need to use key card to enter the room first of all.  so considering the security features it is supposed to be recoverable, the items should have been returned to lost and found, because the people open the safe box are only the supervisor or security officers. I’m still blaming it on my Caribbean security officers because they’re not truthful. They’re not honest that’s my point. If it is not my passport, I wouldn’t worry about anything else. I’m stuck in USA I cannot go to my country This is the ridiculous situation I would ever have in my life. 

You left the ship without all the important stuff you need to go home!!!!! This is a “you” problem and not a Royal Caribbean problem. I hope for your sake you are maybe stuck in South Beach or on Fort Lauderdale beach and not NJ or NY…… 

“He said, she said”. I hate to be so harsh, but this can only be blamed on one person and that person is you. Next time you should set a reminder on an Apple Watch or iPhone so that this does not happen again in the future. Once you are off the ship then you are on your own. I guess you could be stuck in worse places….

56 minutes ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

A Gobbler bowl from Wawa is a better Thanksgiving meal than the one we had in the MDR on Jewel of the Seas November '22.  The Centrum was decorated and the 8 day itinerary to the ABC Islands was great.

Reality is, no theme park, cruise ship, hotel, resort or restaurant is gonna beat holidayhome cooking. But I'm grateful Jewel's culinary staff worked so hard so Mrs Geezer & I didn't have to......especially the cleanup and dishes part. 

This is true. With that being said, I don’t miss a home cooked meal for a second while enjoying the Caribbean all week long during Thanksgiving. It’s really the best time of year to be cruising IMHO!

13 minutes ago, PhantomWolf said:

It is sounding like we should go try one of the specialty restaurants for Thanksgiving Day.  The other stuff sounds fun though 

For sure. 

I just checked my account and can confirm points have been reset to 0. Good luck!