tonyfsu21

8 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I don’t know if @AshleyDillo or @SpeedNoodles mentioned this already, but there is an unconfirmed 5500 on board this sailing. It was not discussed at the Top Tier party but some crew have mentioned it. 

That partially explains the deserted deck 5 during prime time. 

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Don't feel bad.  The casino booking rules are NOT clear at all.  I have made this very mistake at least twice.  Actually, I don't consider it a mistake.  I think they do it on purpose to avoid giving you the FP.  How do you know you're going to need a NC cert. if you think that your award was for $$ off only ?  What in the directions tells you that if you do not have a NC Cert you will NOT get the free play and/or the OBC ?  Nothing.  You just have to know this.  It's BS.

So my new rule is, get a NC cert even if you don't know for sure that you're going to need it.  For us, it's not a biggie b/c we are always on the verge of booking something anyway.

You are very very fortunate to have gotten someone who would award you the FP.  I have never heard of that happening before.  The only thing they did for me as a "courtesy" was to allow me to book a casino comp when I had not purchased a NC cert before disembarking.  It was one of those situations where....when I left the ship I thought I had been awarded a $300 off only.  Once I got home I discovered that they had upgraded my cert and it was now a comp offer....but only if you have a NC Cert !  That's why I now never leave the ship without a NC Cert.

Thank you so much for the information! I guess I got lucky this time around. 

44 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

@AshleyDillo are they allowing you to take drinks out of the casino ?  If they are, I imagine it's just a matter of time until they put THAT to an end !  Enjoy it while you can.

I agree, it’s only a matter of time. Although, how on earth do you successfully police that one? 

13 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Yes and the easiest way is to buy the open-booking next Cruise certificate in the app. I brought mine yesterday, because I hadn't received my offer yet. 

How do I not know what this is? Can you please explain?

18 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Oh no, I don’t see anything but a line item for “CR Targeted Offer” and some other random codes. I booked it with the promo code through the CR website so I’m hoping they booked it correctly. I can’t deal with these people on the phone. 

After all these years of casino bookings, I have yet to master the process. Apparently casino instant rewards bookings (according to this rep) need to be initiated at NextCruise while onboard if you want the free play. I asked this person how this is realistic when the certificates are often received the last evening of the sailing. They granted me my $1000 in free play as a “one time exception” which was nice. I guess I need to go back to school on this because apparently I can’t follow directions. 

7 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

Casino drink package is convenient on this ship..down the escalator on the Promenade and bam...bar!

The “casino drink package” is the best drink package!

20 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Will be interesting to see how it handles a Spring Break sailing..rumor is we are at a slightly reduced capacity..and then with kids being in school less 3/4 berths taken.

I will be on with my kids in late March for their spring break so I will let you know.

11 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Quite possibly..it's also there's a ton of places to stuff people around the ship. Nothing has been crowded so far.

That’s really great to hear. Thanks 

4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

YES !

Look on your booking confirmation...see below.  On this one I had $100 Free Play (FP).  Sometimes both Dan and I will have FP so it will be listed twice in different amounts.  This is a pretty rare occurrence so I couldn't put my hands on one like that to show you !  LOL

I will also say that the FP is one of the things that the booking agents most commonly F-up.  You really have to check behind them very carefully.  As with all things, it's much easier to correct this while you still have them on the line than it is to try and call back and have it added, later.  This is NOT an intentional mistake it's just that most casino bookings (for us, anyway) are fairly tedious.  There are usually so many things to add and subtract...it's easy for the FP to be overlooked.  That's why  I NEVER EVER hang up until I have received the confirmation and looked it over carefully.  The only thing they screw up more often than the FP is the OBC that is supposed to be awarded as a function of your Next Cruise booking.  They almost ALWAYS forget to add that !

Since I had an issue onboard one time (and only once, thank goodness) with the casino not acknowledging my expected FP, I now make sure that I always bring along a copy (either printed or digital) of the confirmation that clearly shows the due FP.  Since I've started doing that, there hasn't been a repeat of them refusing to award my FP (of course).  

 

Oh no, I don’t see anything but a line item for “CR Targeted Offer” and some other random codes. I booked it with the promo code through the CR website so I’m hoping they booked it correctly. I can’t deal with these people on the phone. 

7 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

2:30pm and it's surprisingly uncrowded from my perch at Giovannis Wine Bar overlooking the Promenade.

Is it possible the outdoor decks on Icon are so fantastic that the crowd has actually moved from the normal deck 5 congestion to the outside? 

What time does the app say you set sail? I noticed next Sat it’s scheduled to leave at 6:30pm which is unusual. 

On 1/25/2024 at 10:22 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Yes.  If you reach 2500 points by 3-31-24 you will be Prime until 3-31-25 and will be eligible for the annual Prime comp cruise.  There are certain restrictions on what you can book for your annual cruise but basically any Caribbean 7 nights or less before 3-31-25.  I may be wrong about it needing to be a Caribbean cruise.  Alaska might be eligible.  I just can’t remember.  Certain holidays and I believe some summer dates are excluded and the ship must have been actively sailing for at least 1 full year for it to be eligible.

Raye- to piggyback on this, is there any way to verify free play on the cruise comp invoice or are we at the mercy of RC to follow through on a promo? I received some higher then normal free play offers and booked the Liberty for this Summer (can’t wait). Thanks for all the great information in this live blog, it really helps! 

On 1/25/2024 at 11:24 AM, cmich068 said:

Cruise ship supply chains are fascinating, read the labels and you'll find some interesting things - like how the Red Stripe cans served on board Royal Caribbean are brewed in Amsterdam.

I noticed that! Also the funky canned water left over from the Med season is always interesting. 

1 hour ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Breakfast at Olé this morning. Normally, we would never eat here. We usually book Club level and there is breakfast available in the club lounge. However, the Club Lounge is currently under renovations and they are offering breakfast here as a replacement. It’s a buffet. 

Our bellies are full. Good quality food here, and the place was packed. Service was just mediocre though. 
 

Was that ice coffee in the dispenser? It’s hard to tell. If so, awesome! 

22 hours ago, rsott said:

Ya it really is odd, the new Newcastle is a mix between an IPA and a brown ale, which is a terrible combination lol. The packaging is much different as well, easy to tell by the bottle/tap which version is being offered. I’ve tried looking everywhere online for a way to get the European original version, best solution I found was go to Canada lol. It really makes our cruise extra special that they have it! Not sure how they are able to source it, would love to know how

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kennygould/2019/03/07/newcastle-brown-ale-heineken-lagunitas/?sh=23b4352b1f27

Ok, I believe this is what I had at Playmakers on Symphony a few weeks ago. This version was also available in the pub. I had no idea there were different versions. I will keep an eye out now.

On 1/22/2024 at 1:30 PM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

See ya later “Tot Town”!

You have the best luck! Seriously an Icon inaugural sailing RU win is a unicorn. I wish I had that kind of luck. 

7 hours ago, rsott said:

Thanks everyone!!
Original Newcastle beer can only be purchased in Europe and for some reason on RCCL ships. The version sold in the states is much different and not very good. It was my favorite beer so I always look forward to enjoying them while cruising!! I always hold my breath hoping they will have it on my sailing This year we are going on Oasis, countdown is getting close!!

Wouldn’t the US sourced Newcastle be what’s on the ships? 

We have sailed NCL maybe a handful of times and the major difference is the ships. I haven’t found a cruise line yet that can compete with RC ships on any level. The food, Haven, itinerary and overall experience is probably not going to be much of a drastic change for you. IMHO you will find what you are looking for with Regent and possibly Tauck tours but these options are at a drastically different price point. My parents have been on the Arctic sailings with Tauck and still rave about it to this day and they can’t get enough of the higher end experience on Regent.  

11 hours ago, rsott said:

Can anyone confirm if they still offer Newcastle beer in the pub/playmakers on Oasis of the Seas or other Oasis class ships? 

Confirmed on Symphony NYE cruise at Playmakers and the Pub. 

30 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

I am pretty sure this has been stated somewhere, but I am not going hunting through the message boards for the thread(s).  

Any solid suggestions for hotels near Port Everglades?  Depending on arrival time a place with a great pool and pool bar would be nice.  Also, if staying so close what is the average cost of an Uber/Lyft to the port?  Just wondering.   I have only sailed from Miami and Port Canaveral.  PC we had a shuttle from Disney World.

thanks

Any of the hotels on the beach would be perfect for you. 
No Budget: Ritz Carlton, Conrad, Hilton, W Fort Lauderdale beach, Marriott Harbor Beach. Locals staycation at Conrad and Marriott harbor beach for the most part. 

budget: Hilton Marina

$15-$20ish for an Uber to the terminal. 

5 min or less I can make it from deck 5 to the Boardwalk Doghouse for 2 hotdogs and a beer. I am otherwise very aware and on top of my health walking 25k+ steps per day (cruise or no cruise) and consistent Peloton rides keep things in check. I don’t bother dieting because it’s overrated. IMHO it’s ok to eat what you want and get control of yourself by not overeating. It’s all mental. 

24 minutes ago, dwhelchel said:

So, cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale and will be parking at the pier.  (Yes, I know there are cheaper and maybe better options.)  My question is that we are doing a BTB and wondering how paying for the parking actually works.  My memory tells me that there is no attendant at the pay gate to enter the parking garage and you simply put in a credit card but I do not recall if it the machine asks you how long you will be parking there so it can calculate how much you pay.  (I have only done 7-night cruises where I parked at the pier.)

So I'm curious as to how to pay for the 14-night.  Any insight would be appreciated.

Ticket has time stamp and will charge you the 14 days when you exit and pay at the gate. I do not recall an attendant it’s CC only. 

Official Statement: you should follow the rules and stick to assigned boarding times. RC will follow up with a stringent message 24hr prior to embarkation telling you NOT to arrive early. 
 

Unofficial statement: arrive when you want and jump in line. I have never been turned away. I don’t like how embarkation is considered day one of a vacation yet 1/2 a day is blown by the time you arrive to the ship for a late assigned boarding time. 

1 hour ago, LGCruises said:

Would you by any chance happen to know that percentage? I’m curious as to at what point they decide that they can’t hide/not disclose this info.

I thought we were past this as a society? Why would the cruise line have to report this information? The cruise contract has specific language detailing the risks associated with exposure to pathogens in the health acknowledgment. I think you either choose to cruise or not cruise and that’s the end of the story. 

1 hour ago, LGCruises said:

Yeah, everyone makes a good point. My symptoms have been somewhat minor and I hope they stay that way. 
 

Hopefully this was just a one-off thing and cruising remains unaffected…

It’s certainly not a one off thing. I would imagine people can get Covid on cruise ships, airplanes, concerts and just about everywhere. Notifying the cruise ship that you tested positive for Covid these days is probably a waste of your valuable time.