DunkelBierJay

I cruise exclusive on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships because of their perks for me being Diamond Plus 340.  If I lost my status and perks, I would be doing lots more cruise line bouncing and/or a lot less cruise vacations.

Please forgive me if I am guessing your citizenship incorrectly, but by your name, I assume you are a citizen of India. I asked ChatGPT if an Indian citizen needs a visa on a cruise, and the response below came up, but I would not accept unless you can check it with the Honduran embassy or consulate and Royal Caribbean.
 
 

I completely agree with this...
Unrelated but sort of similar -- two cruises ago, a couple had our room on the first of a B2B, and they were three doors down on their second sailing. They lost a piece of luggage, and we gladly looked for them and even invited them to look with us. Initially they refused, which was fine. We didn't find their luggage and told them thinking it would be the last we heard of it. Later they came back and were quite rude and a little accusatory, and I asked if they talked to the stateroom attendant. They weren't able to because the attendant on their previous cruise signed off and a new one was in place. So, my wife and I and the new stateroom attendant were caught in the middle of a tense situation where we were expected to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Eventually, a couple days later, the officer in charge of housekeeping located their luggage wherever they stage it for cabin transfers for B2B guests and got it to them. Saying this, I don't think it's appropriate for guests to negotiate these things on board, and always use a TA and give clear expectations of what you want beforehand. If it's available, great, if not, there isn't anything you can do about it.
 
 
 

I completely agree with this...
Unrelated but sort of similar -- two cruises ago, a couple had our room on the first of a B2B, and they were three doors down on their second sailing. They lost a piece of luggage, and we gladly looked for them and even invited them to look with us. Initially they refused, which was fine. We didn't find their luggage and told them thinking it would be the last we heard of it. Later they came back and were quite rude and a little accusatory, and I asked if they talked to the stateroom attendant. They weren't able to because the attendant on their previous cruise signed off and a new one was in place. So, my wife and I and the new stateroom attendant were caught in the middle of a tense situation where we were expected to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Eventually, a couple days later, the officer in charge of housekeeping located their luggage wherever they stage it for cabin transfers for B2B guests and got it to them. Saying this, I don't think it's appropriate for guests to negotiate these things on board, and always use a TA and give clear expectations of what you want beforehand. If it's available, great, if not, there isn't anything you can do about it.
 
 
 

I completely agree with this...
Unrelated but sort of similar -- two cruises ago, a couple had our room on the first of a B2B, and they were three doors down on their second sailing. They lost a piece of luggage, and we gladly looked for them and even invited them to look with us. Initially they refused, which was fine. We didn't find their luggage and told them thinking it would be the last we heard of it. Later they came back and were quite rude and a little accusatory, and I asked if they talked to the stateroom attendant. They weren't able to because the attendant on their previous cruise signed off and a new one was in place. So, my wife and I and the new stateroom attendant were caught in the middle of a tense situation where we were expected to pull a rabbit out of a hat.
Eventually, a couple days later, the officer in charge of housekeeping located their luggage wherever they stage it for cabin transfers for B2B guests and got it to them. Saying this, I don't think it's appropriate for guests to negotiate these things on board, and always use a TA and give clear expectations of what you want beforehand. If it's available, great, if not, there isn't anything you can do about it.
 
 
 

Try to put yourself in the other guest's shoes. If I were asked to move, I'd be irritated. The hassle would be an imposition--a complication to worry about.  So don't try. Next time make sure your agent gets adjoining room.

Brilliance 2X
Navigator 2X
Serenade 2X
Mariner 1X
Independence 1X
Symphony 1X
Allure 1X
Freedom 1X
Empress 1X
Enchantment 1X

Brilliance 2X
Navigator 2X
Serenade 2X
Mariner 1X
Independence 1X
Symphony 1X
Allure 1X
Freedom 1X
Empress 1X
Enchantment 1X

I didn't even receive a Royal Up notice email on my last two cruises.

I didn't even receive a Royal Up notice email on my last two cruises.

I didn't even receive a Royal Up notice email on my last two cruises.

Hi there,
hope you can give me some good advices. I`m from Shwitzellan on Feb 6th we are going on ouer first Cruise starting in the USA. In Europe it`s a little Wild when you check in i heard it`s a little mare orgenized in the USA. We are in a Hotel nearby the Port, we arrive at the Day before.
Do you have some good advices, what we have to do exactly? When we arrive is there a Line for the different check in times, or do we have just to stand in line when it`s our Time or do we have to wait in the Line while we are waiting? In Europe it`s wild but easy, you have a check in Time but no one really cares. (most time)

No, we parked and headed over to the port on their shuttle van with our luggage. Their guys loaded and unloaded the luggage so no complaints there. Can't speak to check in times as our sailing was delayed because of engine trouble on Brilliance off Progresso. We boarded around 7:30 PM. Love Cafe du Monde. We drove straight down from closer to Knoxville. It was an easy trip.

Just a couple FYI’s:
The port of NOLA is much like if the port of Tampa were in a back alley, it is no way like the crazy Port Canaveral. Boarding times aren’t really a thing. There are about 5 luggage porters in total. The 4 senior porters boss the one porter who unloads, tags, and takes puts your luggage on the carts. There is one cop, she directs traffic telling them where to turn to cue in the ally. Last week there was a contracted person sort of directing traffic directly in front of the terminal, I hope she stays on. 
The folks who work in the terminal are as 100% old school New Orleans as you want them to be. Brush up on your Southern.
All aboard is at 2:30.
Cafe du Monde at Jackson Square is open 24 hours. However, the music and the artists displaying their works doesn’t really awaken from the previous nights party till the crack of 11 or 12. The Cafe du Monde in the mall that adjoins the cruise terminal opens at 9. The coffee and beignets are as good as Jackson Square but it lacks all the ambiance, live music, and powdered sugar from floor to ceiling. So…. it’s like kissing your sister and a poor imitation of the real thing.
There currently is a display of 15 crosses way up on Poydras Street as a makeshift memorial, but the event really happened down on Bourbon.
It takes about 8 or 9 hours to navigate down the Mississippi. Sail away is wonderful but head up to the Viking Crown ‘bout dusk for the best viewing, you get a unique perspective of just what the huge ship is doing. It’s incredible!
I’m sure you have a reason for overnighting in Mississippi. But I think you’ll have far less time to do the simplest, easiest visiting of the Quarter than you realize if you do so. Please reconsider, I think you’ll are selling New Orleans short and missing out on all the good it has to offer.
 
 
 

No. Your best case would be to see if there is a Facebook group for your sailing and inquire if anyone can tell you the full cost of the beverage package without any diamond discount.
 

This is a fascinating thread...it leads me to believe Royal should change the terminology from Gratuities to Service Fee to be cleaner in their practices. Make the Service Fee a line item on the contract and be done with the wild swings that people object to.
When I read this excerpt from the ChatGPT response, I had a moment of rage.
Just like their marketing, I get weary of the games Royal plays to show these huge profits when services are being taken away. One I'd like to see come back is turn down service...in that case, I assume Royal would require more crew and fewer staterooms per attendant.

Seems like this has to be answered by RCL management. I believe Mr Bailey is on Facebook. Maybe he can clarify what we the customers are paying for with our gratuity. Hopefully this document is not correct. 

Interesting fact finding from ChatGPT
https://chatgpt.com/share/67216364-2540-8006-be34-05aace39973d

Wow I hope everyone I’ve tipped in cash just pockets it without mentioning it to Royal! This is awful.

I hope the partner is able to recover and get better soon. 
As a business owner I am surprised how willing you are to have Royal take the loss because of the partner's health issues.  At this last minute they can't sell that cabin so they would lose the money which you seem to be perfectly willing to let them do. 
Does your wife's business casually lose $4k and not blink an eye?  If it's okay for Royal to lose $4k then why isn't it okay for your wife's business to lose $4k?   
Given the last minute timing if you had set sail and then the partner had their medical crisis would you expect Royal to fly your wife home to deal with it? Of course not.
If you had bought CFAR insurance you'd be fine.  You chose not to.  That was a choice.   You should lose the money, not Royal.  I don't want my cruise fares to go up so Royal can cover their losses for someone else's unfortunate life events.

You always have the option of moving your cruise to a later date.  This option only cost $100 per person…but of course you would have to pay any fare difference…but it certainly beats losing the entire cost of your cruise.

While disembarking for a port stop in Ensenada last month, we saw them selling bottled water just before the security line. We realized we forgot to bring water. The crew member REALLY wanted to give them to us on our diamond voucher, and we said no thanks....it made me wonder if they have to record diamond vouchers for bottled water...anyway, it didn't make sense to use the voucher for a $2 bottle of water.

While disembarking for a port stop in Ensenada last month, we saw them selling bottled water just before the security line. We realized we forgot to bring water. The crew member REALLY wanted to give them to us on our diamond voucher, and we said no thanks....it made me wonder if they have to record diamond vouchers for bottled water...anyway, it didn't make sense to use the voucher for a $2 bottle of water.

That would annoy the hell out of me - I have no use for Nassau, and LOVE Coco Cay. I wonder if the new beach club on Nassau will be open by then, and maybe they're going to be pushing that?