DunkelBierJay

I tweeted at them requesting a timeline, and they just said to call their toll free number.

I was able to get to the cruise planner from the main login page, but it looks like you have to start from scratch probably because everything has not been moved over. I wish I had screenshots of my calendar for my next cruise. At least I have my email confirmations. Does anyone have fear that previously made reservations will disappear?

There's lots of REALLY good advice here, and I totally get that's overwhelming. I am a relatively new cruiser myself, and have five under my belt with RC. I will be taking my family on Allure for the first time in June and can't wait. I expect to be doing a live blog in the live blog section of this message board. Despite this...I can't help but wonder if you are experiencing any frustration with where to start specifically in the Cruise Planner. With the cruises I have been on and the hundreds of dummy bookings I have done, I remember how non-intuitive the Cruise Planner can be until you get used to navigating it. So, my first question is...have you associated your reservation ID to your sailing in the Cruise Planner? My second is have you set up a Crown and Anchor membership number yet (so you can get credit after your sailing)? My third is, do you have a good travel agent (not necessary, but it may affect how some responses come your way)? If you have done those things, that is half the battle. The rest is figuring out what you want to do and when, as well as where to click in the Cruise Planner. It is NOT intuitive, but you found the right place for help! This site and the message boards have been priceless resources to me in figuring out how to plan things out, especially when it comes to making reservations on Oasis class ships. As soon as it was available for my sailing, I made my reservations for the things I absolutely wanted to do...like the comedy shows and the aqua shows. I also did Izumi Hibatchi, 150 Central Park, Mama Mia and a few other things which now show up in my Calendar in the Cruise Planner. I learned a few things doing it because we are in two staterooms, so if any of this fits your situation, I or a whole bunch of people in this community can give a few tips. You could also do some searches on key words that interest you and Matt's posts may have the answers you are looking for. If you like podcasts, his are the best about cruising I have heard...hands down.

I have a June sailing on Allure and saw that when I went to make show reservations. Regular bookings are free like before. The way I took it when I saw it was that it is similar to the kitchen tour lunch in the MDR that is offered. I was easily able to book the show for free for everyone in my party.

I don't think you are over-reacting...I think caution is a good thing. I think that RC will have a very good handle on the risks for the ship and passengers in port. I like what @WAAAYTOOO said about staying on the ship. RC's security will be heightened I am certain especially since these ferries dock in controlled areas. It has me reconsidering renting a car and driving around Coz when I am there in a couple months.

My kids did not receive Gold benefits while booked in a separate cabin from me a few years ago.

Big Binder clips...cross utilization is the key

My wife and I will share a plan. I like to go on and do stuff in the morning, and she likes to do it in the eveningm so it works out well. I'm more addicted than she is, and from time to time I checking at work. I wasn't about to let my kids fight over who had access by having them share a plan, so I made each of them pay for their own using the multi-device discount since they all have jobs. Since my lowest drink package on a 9 nighter on Navigator this time last year, I haven't seen a drink package as low as what I got on that sailing. It was $38 a day per person. Huge bargain. Since then, the lowest I have seen on my bookings has been $45.

I double checked what I bought for our next sailing with the family...there are five of us in adjoining CP balconies on Allure and I bought a 4 device plan on sale that netted out at $7.49 pp per day on the Cruise Planner.

One thing my wife an I do is get one plan and share it. Then we have fun kicking each other off the network!

got it...I should have known that...

So, when there's a sale, all you have to do is enter the per unit cost...cool! I bet you would have a market for selling that spreadsheet! Is there a macro that changes the color coding?

Absolutely brilliant. I may adapt your analysis to include a row for cruise planner sales and perhaps Surf and Stream per device cost when discounted in the Cruise Planner. This would add 12 rows per discount level for comparison if I do 1, 2, 3 and 4 devices. If the Olympics are boring tonight, that's what I will do.

Has anyone seen if the chat feature on the new app is available?

All being Gold does is get you some discounts listed on a sheet of paper in your stateroom on embarkation day. I never experienced it getting me on board any quicker than my first cruise. In fact, on a couple of sailings the Gold check-in line was longer than the non-C&A line. I would call the C&A line (866) 562-7625 for assistance in enrolling your husband if it didn't work online the first time.

You can run quotes on various third party sites like Roam Right, Travel Guard and Allianz. They all offer similar products and coverages. Most recently, I bought a policy for a five nighter on Roam Right for $96.00. I am not certain if Royal's insurance covers parts of your trip not booked through them.

Wow...there almost certainly is a US airport you can drive to to save money...fares from my part of the world range $178 to $183 US to San Juan. I have been tracking fares for the month of May for a few weeks, and they have stayed steady.

Ive been tracking Southwest and JetBlue flights from Nashville to San Juan and it has consistently ranged between $178 US and $183 US one way. If you can price out a connection through a second tier airport like Nashville, Fort Lauderdale or Tampa, that takes international flights, you might save a little cost.

I've used Allianz, Travel Guard and Roam Right whether cruising or doing something else. They are all reputable and competitive with each other price wise. I tend to use the company that has the easiest to navigate website at the time I am ready to book. I have never filed a claim. I am just paranoid about facing a horror story medical evac situation from a foreign country, so I think the $200-$300 cost is worth if for a family trip. Beware though...if you Google travel insurance, and you watch a lot of YouTube videos...you might get nothing but a travel insurance carrier's ads running on what you watch...over and over and over and over....I tried googling "I BOUGHT THE STUPID TRAVEL INSURANCE, QUIT RUNNING THE AD" to no avail.

On my first cruise on Enchantment a few years ago, a ship tour was listed in the Cruise Compass, and my wife and I took advantage of it. I haven't seen it since. Now that I have completed five Royal Caribbean cruises, I laugh a little at needing a tour back then, especially on a small ship, but it really helped save some time and get some insider tips from the guy doing the tour.

I was just looking for Mariner's repositioning cruise from Europe to the US, and nothing is there yet either...

@JLMoran I’m curious about your trip insurance choice from your original post. Did you get RC’s or a travel agent’s insurance for the cruise itself? Did you compare it against a third party like Roam Right or Allianz?

@BrandonOwen wouldn't know, but new Platinums get pin envy when they see this...

So....when do you get your pin?

I can be sensitive to it too, especially if I am dehydrated and it's been a while since I have eaten, like the early morning. My favorite strategy is sucking on a hard ginger candy (I order them from Amazon) and a glass of water followed by a meal including a green apple. Every ship has piles of them in the Windjammer. To me, it gets me back to feeling great the quickest. I have used dramamine and bonine, and I don't like how they make me feel. I have not tried the patch, because I have only been queezy a couple of times.