donolog

My wife and I did the 4x4 monster jeep & Virgin beach excursion in Cozumel and it was fantastic. Rarely does a description live up to its billing. You drive your own jeep, and it was legitimate off road experience. The trailing guide vehicle actually got stuck and our jeep had to pull them out. At the half way point you see a small mayan ruin then off to the "Virgin" beach. Again, color me surprised! There was a small branch and thatch lean to on a beach with no one else in sight where we ate lunch and swam for about an hour. Probably the best ship excursion we have done in a long time. Here are a few photos https://goo.gl/photos/hSFMPcFACtYu3o7a9

Actually I prefer no connectivity ... disconnecting from the rest of the world is one of the things I like best about cruises, but maybe that's just me.  ;)

Actually I prefer no connectivity ... disconnecting from the rest of the world is one of the things I like best about cruises, but maybe that's just me.  ;)

Welcome! Although I have never been on on Harmony, we just got off of Allure a couple of weeks ago and we love cruising so much that my wife and I got married at sea last year. the one piece of advice I have for your first cruise is to NOT over research and to NOT over plan everything. I would suggest traditional MDR dining and only eating in one specialty restaurant during the week. It is a little harder not to plan on harmony since you should book your entertainment in advance, but the magic of our first cruise was the wonderment of the unknown. We still enjoy eating dinner at a large table of strangers that, in most cases, are fast friends by the end of the cruise. For our first cruise, the only thing we had researched was which excursions we would be doing while in ports. Having no expectations going in, we had an absolutely magical experience. Our first cruise was in 2009 and looking back, as I often do, I wouldn't change a thing.

I have flown during all months of the year to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. I never fly a day before, since I leave from Dallas-Fort Worth International I have a multitude of different flights and airlines to choose from, so I have never had a problem flying in the same day. Since you are coming from LAX, which I was just at yesterday, you also have a multitude of flights and airlines but you also have a long flight. My TA has always advised to make sure there is at least one other flight, that will get me to the port on time, after the one I booked in case the airline cancels my flight or has issues, that way they can put me on that next flight. I always look for a flight to Florida at around 8 am, that way I know there are several flights after that if I am bumped for some reason. I have arrived at Miami and FLL as early as 9 am and have a short wait until the cruise transfer bus picks me up and takes me to the port. I have arrived as late as 11 am which I didn't like, it made me nervous about getting from the airport to the port on time. You can use other transfer services but I like to keep it with the cruise line so I won't have a problem with insurance if I have to cancel for some reason.
 
Now to the pricing. There have been many articles written about when to purchase and most sites and articles say about 2 months before your flight. I am in agreement with WAAAYTOOO, I want what I want and I want my flight purchased, so I will research it for about a month and if I find it has dropped in price I will purchase it. I have bought air tickets 330 days before my cruise and only once has it decreased in price, with most going up in price. I use a website to track the price so when it drops I can purchase them.
 
The way my TA explained it to me is if you look at a map of the plane seats, such as on SeatGuru.com, you will see Main Cabin seats start at row 9 through row 42. Row 21 through 42 are the cheapest seats but there are three categories of those and each goes for a different price, in other words closer to the front of the plane more expensive, all the way back the least priced. According to my TA the airline will only put one group of seats up for sale at a time, usually the least expensive, when those are sold the next group goes on sale and they are more expensive.
 
If you use Orbitz, Expedia, any of those sites they do include Virgin America but not Southwest. Southwest does not play in the sand box with others very well. They only publish their rates 6 months out and I have found them to be higher on several flights I have booked with Virgin and American. I absolutely love Virgin America. I use them to Las Vegas all the time, more leg room, better seats, just all around nice, helpful employees. I saw they have many gates at LAX, maybe they fly to FLL or Miami.
 
The only other drawback to booking flights early is the airline makes many changes to your ticket. I have a round trip to FLL in January 2017 that has changed six times already. The first three changes were flight numbers but the next three have been time changes and all three wouldn't get me to the port on time. I have had to call and American has been very nice in booking me on another flight with no extra charges but it is a hassle. The American rep said that they change times for many reasons, combining two flights into one, doing away with a midday flight, etc. All of these changes can make it hard to get a decent seat on the new flight.
 
I would also suggest that if you are buying the no refund air tickets you buy travel insurance that will cover the cost of your cruise and air tickets. I always do that and have had to cancel twice and got a full refund of the cost of the ticket.

I am not good with absolutes and superlatives.  When people ask me my favorite cruise, my favorite ship, my favorite color...I never know the answer.  That in mind, Norway is my favorite destination.  
 
There are some similarities to Alaska, but while the destinations in AK are beautiful, and there is much to see in terms of culture and wonderful people (we're planning on going back soon) - Norway stands out even more.  The fjord towns in Norway look like things you've only ever seen in movies or in Epcot.  The construction of buildings is unique, with a quaint feel, while meshing amazingly well with the technologically advanced city that shows itself just blocks in from the water.  People are among the most pleasant you can imagine, and most destinations are very 'trouble-free' with lots to do and see very close to the port.  Similar to Alaska, you can enjoy great views for hours as you sail through the fjords, though Norway seems to have a near monopoly on water falls.
 
As you can tell, I'm all in on Norway.  Bergen is probably the city that stands out most for me, but I'm not sure there are any losers to be had.  I don't know you, so I generally refrain from saying, "you'll love X" or "you'll hate Y", but I think a 12 night Scandanavian sailing would be pretty swell by the standards of many.
 
Now - all of that in mind, the Caribbean is obviously a totally different ball game, and the Harmony is a totally different ship.  This is amplified all the more by the contrast to the Netherlands, so I can appreciate the desire to branch out in that way - something I'm bias toward living in the Caribbean.  So, we can load the points on that side, and then the cruise nut in me says, "Go for the longer sailing!"
 
Whatever you chose it seems you have little chance of being disappointed.

Hello everyone!
 
I'm thinking about making a cruise with my partner in 2017. We'll be together for 5 years that year.
I've been looking through some itineraries and different ships to see what I'd like to do.
 
Basically two options have come to the top of my list.
 
The Harmony of the Seas, sailing 8 days in the Caribbean. And the other one is the Serenade of the Seas sailing 12 days in Scandinavia.
My first and only cruise to date has been on the Serenade in Alaska rougly 12,5 years ago, so I know that this is an awesome ship.
But, months ago we've seen the Harmony docked in Rotterdam and it really looked amazing as well. And we've never been to the caribbean, so that's something I'd really like as well.
 
My question is, which cruise would you recommend? And has any of you ever been on a cruise to Norway and the North Cape?

A general tip for anyone flying and checking bags.  We always "cross pack" our bags.  Meaning that we spread our clothes out across our checked bags as opposed to each packing our own bags.  This way if one bag doesn't make the flight and you don't get it before your cruise (something that we came within about 5 minutes of having happen to us) You at least each have clothes for the trip.

Logistically there are a few ways it could be done. One would be to use the same approach as is used for 3rd/4th person options where symbols are used to denote which staterooms have pullman beds and which have sofa beds. You can select a stateroom based on your preferences and/or your search for staterooms can filter only staterooms that match your preference -- the same could be done with symbols denoting staterooms denoting alternate mattress options.
 
Another way of handling it is to have mattresses that are firm on one side and soft on the other, and can be flipped based on preference, or the mattresses can have pillow tops that can be added or removed with a zipper -- selecting your preference could be handled the same way you choose whether or not you want separate twins or one king size bed in your stateroom.
 
And finally, they could, as you suggest, reclassify cabins based on mattress type.
 
Perhaps these are aspirations that need to be limited to luxury cruise lines or maybe suite class staterooms. If my future experiences are the same as past I'll be perfectly happy -- but some of these reports of overly hard mattresses is concerning.

Matt, I think they are;   444444444444444444    ;)

Thank you for all the recommendations! Tonight I booked Mr.Leo Brown for our tour of St.Marteen! I cant wait!

Logistically there are a few ways it could be done. One would be to use the same approach as is used for 3rd/4th person options where symbols are used to denote which staterooms have pullman beds and which have sofa beds. You can select a stateroom based on your preferences and/or your search for staterooms can filter only staterooms that match your preference -- the same could be done with symbols denoting staterooms denoting alternate mattress options.
 
Another way of handling it is to have mattresses that are firm on one side and soft on the other, and can be flipped based on preference, or the mattresses can have pillow tops that can be added or removed with a zipper -- selecting your preference could be handled the same way you choose whether or not you want separate twins or one king size bed in your stateroom.
 
And finally, they could, as you suggest, reclassify cabins based on mattress type.
 
Perhaps these are aspirations that need to be limited to luxury cruise lines or maybe suite class staterooms. If my future experiences are the same as past I'll be perfectly happy -- but some of these reports of overly hard mattresses is concerning.

Thanks BigKarl ... I find your insights on this topic useful, but I do have a question that I'll get to below.
 
First I'll say that I share your (and bcarney and DocLC's) general sentiments. When considering bumping up to a higher category I also consider whether I'd get more value by spending the extra bucks on shore excursions, specialty restaurants, spa treatments or even at the casino. Sure, I prefer the space of a JS, and I enjoy reading with a glass of wine on a private balcony, and like being able to look outside when I wake up, but at the end of the day a good sleep in a comfortable bed and a shower is all I really need from my room. In practice I've settled with the general rule of thumb that if it costs a little (i.e. < $500) to bump up a category, I do it, but if it costs a lot, I don't. If that means an inside cabin, I'd be fully prepared to do so.
 
But where I'm a little uncertain about this philosophy is with longer itineraries, especially ones with stretches of three or more straight days at sea. I haven't done one of these yet, but I hope to in the future. So that's my question for you BigKarl (and anyone else) as someone who has done longer transatlantic and Panama cruises, would you apply the same philosophy to a longer cruise, or would you avoid an inside or smaller outside cabin on a longer itinerary (especially when considering the significant discount for inside cabins on those cruises)?

Note that I've always had the same wait staff in MTD unless I've asked for someone new. That seems to be a Royal standard procedure.

I know I'm weird and old fashioned, but I rather like having a set, appointed time for dinner.  I also really enjoy having the same wait staff at each meal.  I would not enjoy a Norwegian cruise because of this.
 
As a youngster I also collected stamps and coins which went into albums in nice neat orderly rows, so that probably explains some of my proclivities.

I am writing this not to brag but to suggest the opposite.  I simply prefer the space in a Suite as opposed to any other Room.  I have sailed on Oasis class ships all the way down to the "Song of Norway"  (which by the way seemed HUGE for my first cruise ever in 1986). I have booked every size Stateroom minus the new Loft Size Staterooms.  I can afford (Barely) the Suites but as the years go by I ask myself if I would have been Just as happy with a Balcony or below Stateroom  and have been able to afford four times as many Cruises.  This becomes the new era of sailing for me as I was unhappy with my last sailing. Not because of the service as my room attendant, Waiter Staff, and ship Maintenance were excellent.  The Room 8504 was in fair to excellent condition considering its age but it was third room from the bow on the eighth deck just below the Windjammer. Paying for an Owners Suite I received the following:  Non stop noise from the Carts and equipment being moved around in the Windlammer from 3:00am until past midnight every day. Robes to use on our cruise(not to keep unless I pay $69.00 each) A basket of Fruit on night one. A plate of Strawberries on night three. An Excellent Concierge that escorted on and off the ship for priority boarding of all excursions. Exclusive Suite Concierge lounge (No Diamond Plus or below allowed).  And finally a 528 sq.ft. room with separate shower and whirlpool bath.
     Now,  as a Diamond Plus member paying for a Promenade room I would receive the following: Robes to use on our Cruise (one new Robe as a Free Gift for being a Diamond Plus Member). A basket of Fruit, four bottles of water and a package of mixed nuts and dried fruit on night one. A plate of Strawberries on night three. A plate of Petit Fours on night five. An Excellent Concierge that escorted on and off the ship for priority boarding of all excursions. A Diamond Lounge (Separate from the Suite Lounge but much larger). A behind the scenes tour of the Bridge, Galley, and theater. And finally a 179 sq. ft. room with a shower that you can squeeze into.
 
I asked myself on this last cruise 10/22/16.  Is it worth the room size?   To which I must weigh Comfort versus Number of Cruises I can afford to take.  I have come to the conclusion that with the knowledge of several cruises under my belt that my wife and I can cruise in a smaller, less comfortable room if we utilize the entire ship as our temporary home IE...  Spend more time in the Solarium, Centrum, and all parts of the ship.  This way we can literally afford four times as many cruises and have four times as many memories.  For those that say I get Double the Crown and Anchor points for a Suite, you are correct.  But, doing the math and taking four times as many Cruises would get me twice as many points and four times as many places to sail. I will from now on consider smaller rooms and many more new destinations to sail.
 
Happy Sailing to you no matter which way you choose or can afford to do so!

I got my first (and probably last for quite a while) gold SeaPass card on my last cruise. In the growing pile of blue SeaPass cards, it stands out quite nicely.
 

If you don't already know what cruise you want to book, my advice is to still spend the time agonizing at the computer before leaving for the cruise to come up with either the cruise you want to book, or at least a shortlist of two or three. For me it is frustrating to have someone else in the driver's seat while searching . But maybe that's just me.  :)

I'm on board Adventure over Black Friday.  Should I wait for Friday (in long lines) for booking, or should I do it earlier in the week and hope for a price adjustment?

With all the cruises I've taken before, this is the first time I'm actually booking onboard.  It will feel weird not spending hours or days at the computer agonizing over which ship, itinerary, stateroom, and week we'd like to cruise... it's part of the experience I actually like. :)

Final thoughts:
 
Loved my first ever cruise on Freedom Class, definitely won't be my last. I am also excited to try out my first Radiance Class(Serenade) cruise next November. The voom issue needs to be addressed on Liberty as I find it inexcusable to market it and sell it as voom and then discover the service on this ship is worst than dial up. 
Would I sail Liberty again? More than likely yes. 
 
Hope everyone enjoyed this little review/ Any questions feel free to ask and I will try to answer.
 
Thanks everyone! :)

It's only offered on those ships with a "Jade" section of the Windjammer.  Essentially, that means it's only offered on ships that do not have an Izumi.
 
To be honest, I don't think you're missing much as the sushi is made to order at Izumi and the "free stuff" is mass produced and refrigerated for quite some time before serving, which ruins it for me.  I just can't get over the cold rice when eating sushi and rolls.

Agreed.  Even if it was fresh, it's still pretty poor quality sushi.

Now that Royal has eliminated the different drink packages and there is only the one. I see it includes any drink up to $12. So if a drink or glass of wine costs more than $12, do I just have to pay the difference or is it just not included in the package?

This is what you get at Emerald right?

Having to wait until your cruise ship is 12 miles out of port before you can get the premium spirit of your choice ... now there's a first world problem!  :D