happy cruisers 2

Thanks to each of you for your input.  We've asked the suite concierge if it's possible to assist in our request and he says he will work with the restaurant team and try to coordinate it.  We have truly found the suite concierge (others) to be very helpful in the past.  Not that we ask for much, but when we make a reasonable request they always seem to try their best.

For you suite cruisers:  Once we get the usual pre-cruise email message from the Suite Concierge, is it reasonable to ask them to try to arrange a specific dining request?  We chose My Time Dining in the MDR (with a reservation for 6:45 each night) and want a table for two by a window.  I forget if the concierge can work on this before boarding or if it's best handled by someone in the dining room after we're onboard.  Thanks.

On 3/30/2024 at 9:45 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

You can always consider pre-purchasing lunch at a specialty restaurant.  This is what we do.  Yes, it's additional $$ but it is so worth it for a calm, enjoyable boarding day reward.

WAAAYTOOO, you guys (and others) have convinced us that this should be our plan.  We'll be on Mariner, so chose to book Jamie's.  Thanks for your help!

4 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

If the airline changes your flight more than a couple hours, typically you can change it to any other flight that day for free

We purchased first class seats on one of only two non-stops.  We originally selected the 1:45 pm flight, as it worked much better for us than the 7:20 am flight.  So....  our only other option now would be the early flight, which doesn't suit us for a couple of reasons.  We will probably just go with what the airline wants us to do, which is leave and arrive much later than we had initially agreed to.

11 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

For a September sailing, assuming you did not make final payment yet, you are still free to change flights and you would not be charged a change fee by Air2Sea. 

Unfortunately (I guess) we have already paid in full.  This situation is probably another reason to work with a TA, which we now have started doing.

1 hour ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Have you tried to call them? I book frequently with Air2sea but have never tried to change after final payment. However, with a 2 hour difference, it would not hurt to call and at least ask if they will waive the change fee. 

This is what I intend to do on Monday.  We booked flights through Air2Sea in Dec. 2023 for a Sept. 2024 cruise.  Original departure time was 1:45pm, which we liked.  After 5 changes by the airline (one in Dec, three in March and now again today), we now depart at 5:14pm and arrive at 10:22pm instead of 6:53.  Of course September is still a few months away, so who knows how many more changes this airline could still come up with?!!  So aggravating.  It makes no difference what you select initially, it seems that it will always change and not in ways you will like.

4 hours ago, Humding said:

This may sound petty to some, but when I pay this kind of money for something I expect better service.  

Many of us, I'm sure, totally relate to your frustration.  It's maddening.  I'm hoping this is fixed very, very soon and that you can select the time you are wanting.

I agree with AshleyDillo.  I go to the app to make sure I get the desired arrival time and then later I return to input whatever else is needed.

Once this is all sorted out you'll be able to let it go a bit.  Meanwhile, I kind of know how you feel.  Have a wonderful cruise and enjoy Alaska!

I needed to set up a new password in order to log into RC and Celebrity sites on my computer, but the new password doesn't seem to work on the phone app.  What's going on here??  Is Royal Caribbean communicating anything to anyone about this?

We've done the Hop On Hop Off in Boston, but many people chose to not hop off.  Instead they stayed on, maybe to get an overview of the sights first??  (I speak from experience on this.)  Thus, there were some stops where people were waiting to get on the bus but there weren't enough seats for them.  I'd suggest making sure you allow enough time to get back to your desired location in time.  Granted, our driver was very entertaining, so we enjoyed his running commentary!

Theron, I'm very sorry for your situation.  You made a costly mistake.  You're also making some claims that are unsubstantiated, and just your theory of what may have happened after you left the ship.  Personally, I think the safe is the best place for cash, credit cards, passports, etc. when you are not needing to carry them.  Whoever took your cash and other items, they will have to live with the guilt the rest of their lives -- something they will probably come to regret doing.  I hope you do recover some or even all of your items, but this is a lesson learned and you'll have to move on from it.  Again, I am sorry this happened to you.

11 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

You can always consider pre-purchasing lunch at a specialty restaurant.

Had thought about that, but we probably wouldn't want that amount of food while waiting for cabins to become available.  Will keep it in mind though.  Thanks!

15 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

You may not fill your water bottle directly from any dispenser, though.  You must fill a glass and pour that into your water bottle.  But, yes, you can do that.

Filling a glass first is the only way I would want to do it.  Even at that, I know some people can't be trusted to do the right thing.  Wifey is wanting to use less plastic bottles.  We'll see how it goes.

11 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

I usually spring for the extra cost and get some food at Playmakers.

Thanks, AshleyDillo.  I was thinking this might be one option.

Will soon be on Mariner for the first time.  Boarding probably around 11 or 11:30.  Do you guys have any recommendations for where you like to head immediately to sit, get something light to eat, have a drink or two on Mariner?  (Thinking something away from the hubbub of the WJ and the masses.)  We like to sit and relax a while before the cabins open up.  We're diamond and will have an owner's suite, if that opens up any additional possibilities for a place to do as I mentioned in that first hour or two aboard.  Thanks for any suggestions.

22 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I'd suggest having your room steward keep your ice stocked, too. The next morning it's perfect ice water.

Great idea.  Thanks!

Alright.  Windjammer it is.  I appreciate your help, Biaggio and loki007.

Does anyone know of a sanitary system on board where we can refill our own water bottles?  I don't recall if the Freestyle Coke machines offer this.  Or perhaps something in the Windjammer?  (Would prefer to avoid drinking tap water from the stateroom bathroom, and also want to avoid using so much plastic.)

Congratulations!  Same situation for us in May.  For us, the main thing is the 4 complimentary drinks (up to $14) per day, excluding Starbucks of course.  We like to purchase internet access for the entire cruise, but if you don't do that you would get one free day for one device.  I see those as the two main items that would be new for us.  There's a few other changes, but nothing that I will get too excited about.

I guess I should add the Crown Lounge access too.  That will be new for us.  Others might have better info on this.

After lots of online searching, we decided this long cruise (and much more costly than any we've ever done) needed single trip insurance.  I wasn't finding any annual plans that would even come close to giving us our cruise cost back if the unforeseen event caused us to cancel.  Hated to put out $2,500 for it, but needed to.  If anyone comes up with different solutions, please let me know.

13 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

We stayed at Harbor House, and it was fantastic.

We also stay at Harbor House.  We like the food options within walking distance and indoor secure parking (Port Parking) is very close too.  For us, we like to be in Galveston the night before the cruise and know that we made it there and are ready to go!  Yes, it will cost you more than other places though.

We are doing a long cruise (over one month) that will be expensive.  Any suggestions on how you would insure it?  I'm looking at an annual plan, but the dollar amount for the cruise (that insurance would reimburse) is nowhere close to the actual cost that we'll put out.  Yes, I would hate to lose the money paid for the cruise.  But I also want a decent amount of medical and possible evacuation coverage.  It seems that a lot of the plans wouldn't fully cover the cost of the cruise.  All suggestions welcome!  Thanks.

Additional info:  Further research seems to show that a lot of annual plans don't cover the actual cruise cost (or at least not much of it).  I'm thinking that annual plans probably don't work so well for a longer and more expensive cruise that costs upwards of $20,000 or $30,000 or more.  Maybe they're good for the medical aspect, but not so good for getting cruise cost back?

On 2/26/2024 at 3:39 PM, Biaggio said:

RCL has so many different itineraries if you’re willing to fly. We cruise several times each year from our home ports in Florida. Still, we also enjoy transatlantic, Mediterranean, and New England cruises that require a plane ride. Looking to do a Panama Canal cruise even though we’ll have to fly to or from California. 

You guys in Florida have such an advantage (for cruising, anyway).  Flights are becoming quite unpleasant lately, but yes that is what we need to do for some variety in ports.  A couple of NE/Canada cruises are coming up and we're also wanting to someday do the Panama Canal.

On 2/26/2024 at 10:30 AM, KWong said:

I went on Regal Princess over New Year's. Skews older, not that many bells and whistles in terms of activities. Really nice ship if one of your main goals is to relax and not do too much.

This sounds good, KWong.  We'll certainly keep it in mind for future possibility.  Thanks!

20 hours ago, Suzanne Elise said:

Please don’t stop watching the news.  We will never be able to cruise again.  I’ll explain. We did our budget cruise in part because my husband was laid off from a news network, then 9 months later I got laid off too. It’s tough times in the news industry. 

I'm very sorry for your lay-offs and I wish you both the best.  I won't stop watching.  

Your info is very helpful, SebagoSue.  We're happy to know that we won't be held to a strict schedule or reservation.  Thanks for your reply!