tonyfsu21

I’ve done this several times with my family of (4). This room is large enough to be comfortable for 2 adults and 2 kids and it’s our go to stateroom preference.

This is fair enough warning in my opinion.

And perhaps another increase will thin the herd…… Cruising is a bit crowded these days.

I’m glad. They should increase them even more because the crew deserves to earn a decent living and they work really hard for the guests. Gratuities is something I don’t mind paying.

Same as it always is…. Possible. I do t think the meteorologists on this forum can predict the next hurricane. I would say book it.

I’ve sailed Star class twice and I seriously enjoy the suites but find the genie experience to be uncomfortable. I prefer to do things on my own. I did find that the genies respect this and it never turned out to be an issue. I always respect them with a significant tip regardless of the services that I decline.

The additional tipping varies for each & every guest. There is no right or wrong answer and I’m sure the crew is grateful for anything in addition to the auto gratuities or the 18% added to your bar tab. To just throw something out there I would say $1 extra per drink with exceptional and attentive service and maybe $100 extra to the stateroom attendant on a 7 day voyage (more for suite attendant and royal genie in star class). I end up tipping more cash up front (maybe $200 or so) to the attendant because my young children make a mess and I feel guilty. I’m actually curious if people tip upfront cash like I do or wait until the end of the cruise?

This is a true statement. RC has a pretty great loyalty program (and suite program). The competition has done catching up to do. Let’s also not forget about the grand slam that is Coco Cay! None of the other cruise lines are making these significant investments in not only the programs but also the infrastructure.

FYI- some of you may want to check out Uber Charter which is now available on South Florida. It looks like you can reserve from 6-55 guests in the Tri County (Miami/Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) area. This could be helpful for larger families/extended family with lots of luggage. I don’t know about pricing but I would expect it to be competitive & convenient considering it’s Uber.

It’s generally true that you have to pay to play. I personally think RC loyalty program is rather generous. I think there is and always should be a clear line between what you pay a premium for (suites) and what you earn via loyalty to a brand. It sounds like maybe you should just book Grand Suites and take your double points with the added benefits.

Maybe they should stop following my actions walking into the Windjammer and start following my actions walking into the casino. Some people never learn.

Haha, yes I wash my hands but not to walk into the WJ where I don’t touch or eat anything.

Yuck. That is precisely why the windjammer is a “no go” for us. I am one of the people who skips the “washy washy” when I walk through the windjammer but I can guarantee you that I would not be caught dead eating in there (for some of the reasons you mentioned). Normally when I enter that place it’s to either find my kids or make my way to Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen on Freedom.

For 7 days, I would say it’s worth it for $700. The JS perks are nothing to brag about but the substantial size difference going from balcony to JS justifies that cost.

I can confirm you can 100% very easily walk from this hotel to the oak wood plaza via sidewalks and only 1 major street crossing.

Not within walking distance.

We belong to the beach club at this resort and frequent it often. If you can get a decent rate I would advise you to stay there and enjoy the resort experience and close proximity to the port.

This Centric is in a great location on Las Olas where you are in walking distance to lots of dining options. Bombay Darbar, Rocco’s Tacos, Louie Bossi’s and Lobster bar are some that I frequent and are all excellent.

Hilton Marina has a water taxi stop on property. You could take the North route and stop on Las Olas where you have plenty of dining choices.

I have received this email and actually received the upgrade at the port.

Very bad idea. You could technically make it time wise as PE to MIA on any normal Friday down here (10:00-11:00am timeframe) would be a 40 min drive down I-95 express to the 112. The major issue is the unknown regarding just one random highway traffic incident that throws off your whole game. Also, important to note you may have issues with a ship delay due to customs exc. I recommend you fly out 1pm or later and take a ride share from PE to MIA.

100% improvement from the Ramada. Location is good. 5 minutes from Dania Pointe for dining or the rustic inn. The port is 10 min away. I can’t comment on the actual hotel since I have never been inside but I drive by it often and it’s your standard issue Fairfield.

Which one? There’s one downtown and one that they call “airport/cruise port”.

At the end of the day it’s a Springhill Suites so I would imagine there would not be glorious reviews of a mid tier travelers hotel. I can only confirm location is good in regards to proximity to many dining options. This place is also far enough away from the higher end and more desirable locations ($$$$) yet still close (less then 10 min) from the port. I don’t think you can go wrong here.

It’s new & location is ok pre cruise. Lots of great spots to eat & drink near by. Flagler Village is a very artsy and up & coming Fort Lauderdale neighborhood. I recommend Sistrunk Marketplace to grab a bite to eat close by.