RCVoyager

All of this and all of the recent self-caused issues are making me question my loyalty.  Carnival has had issues over the years, but I don't recall this much this fast.  Same with Princess.  I do hold NCL in lower regard, but that's just my opinion based upon their crappy MDR menus.  

 

I hope someone from RCCL monitors this board.  You are running your most loyal customers off.  Are you listening?

I've been on Carnival several times.  I think you will find it just fine.  I'm close to 50/50 on the two cruise lines.  The thing that tips the scale to RCCL for me is the Voyager Class ships.  To me, they are the perfect balance of size and intimacy.  Beyond that, there is no reason to choose one over the other... to me.  Carnival's menus are really good.  There ships are nice.  PRC is correct in my mind.  RCCL may just have made some loyal CCL customers.  That's too bad.

If I were Carnival, I would come up with a clever marketing strategy to incentivize disgruntled RCCL Empress passengers.  Maybe with proof of a cancelled booking some extra perks there.  They can say, "if they don't love you, we do".

I have the exact issue coming up on the Adventure.  I wonder if the cabin steward will save you a trip Guest Services?

This does not affect me as I am not booked on that ship, but man what a bad deal.  RCCL is in the business of over-delivering to make it so we can't wait to come back.  What they are doing to some of their best customers is the opposite of that.

 

There are other cruise lines.  I guess it's always good to have options.

 

Good luck to each of you.

 

Sad

Thanks.  Has this changed in the past year?  I don't remember a two-step process last year.  Thanks.

Even a seasoned cruiser has an elementary question sometimes.  I just completed on-line check in for our June cruise.  The print out contains a page that in big letters says "Luggage Tags".  Below is a luggage tag looking placard.  The text in between says "They are not real luggage tags".  What gives?  I can't find anything on the website that says where to get "real" luggage tags.  A little help please?  

 

Another question, has this changed in the past year?  We just sailed on RCCL last April, and I don't remember this.  Thanks. 

Very cool.  Impressive list.

Agreed with above.  Option 2 would be my choice.  Warmer weather in Florida and good weather in the Caribbean.  Florida can be relatively cold in February.  By late April that should be past, and kids should still be in school.

Thanks Doc.  I've done most of the lines myself.  I just noticed that PRC appears to be one loyal passenger.  Of all the lines I've done, I prefer RCCL and Carnival.  I've not done Disney, and I'm happy to travel with my kids, I just don't want to vacation with 1,000 or other people's kids.

Hey PRC.  That's an impressive list of past cruises.  Have you done any other cruise lines or just RCCL?

You'll be fine.  That port is in the business of getting people on and off of ships.

I think as long as you make name changes before final payment, you are fine.  As mentioned above, you don't want to add/remove the number of people in your reservation because it will screw up your stateroom assignments.  If you are booked into a room for two, you would have to change cabins to make room for 3.  If you have 3 and go to 4 people, you may be ok.  There are only so many cabins that have 3rd or 4th berths.

While I have not been there for a few years, I always liked cruising out of Miami.  I like all the ships and all the activity.  To me it puts electricity in the air.  I don't recall it taking longer than other ports, but as I said its been a few years.  I also like South Beach.  I think it's a pretty crazy place late at night, but I'm not a late night guy.  You should hold on to your wallet, but it's a cool place.

There is a nice beach with everything you need right in front of the ships on the town's waterfront.  It's inexpensive to get to.  You can rent chairs and shade.  Probably not very good snorkeling though.  We were in St. Maarten last April.  We went to Orient Beach.  It is nice, but they had a seaweed problem that kept us out of the water.

We are also interested in beaches where we can search for sea glass.

Sheraton Old San Juan is great for access to one of the great pieces of history in the hemisphere.  The pool is not great and there is no beach there, but it has awesome access to the old city.  I believe you can get it for less than $200 per night.

My family of 5 and extended family of 5 more is going on the Adventure of the Seas in June.  We're visiting St. Maarten, and the ABCs.  I'm looking for advice for beaches, forts, and other interesting things to do in the ABCs.

 

You can read internet sites, guide books, and RCCL's available tours.  But it seems to me that when you get to the island, confusion reigns and the cabbies on shore have their own "best beaches" to take you to.

 

A case in point to me is St. Maarten.  We were there last year.  We read the books and internet.  Orient Beach was THE place to go.  We went to the time and expense to rent a car and drive there.  We could see it was a nice beach, but it didn't have all the stuff to do as the beach right off the ship in town... and it was full of seaweed so the water was not nice.

 

I'm a seasoned cruiser, but still appreciate advise.

It's like America, but South...  sorry I couldn't resist.

If the new $15 minimum wage does pass in CA, it will be even more out of reach.  Other cruise companies may move out of CA... and rightly so.

RCVoyager, I agree that activities won't be in short supply. I was referring to the two lines in general and not this specific cruise.

Got it.  I think I misread you.  Happy Easter!

I read about last year's '80s cruise and they had some decent acts. I'd go for it. Also, I don't think you'll find Celebrity all that different apart from better food quality and less onboard activities.

There won't be less activities on a music cruise.  the live music will start at about 10:00 AM and go until 3:00 AM.  That's one of the real beauties of it.  I don't want to bore anyone with a personal story, but below I will report some of the highlights on the first BNL cruise in 2007.

 

First, the boarding process was really long, and we didn't know why.  It turns out we finally came to a door.  When it was our turn the door opened, our party of 4 walked in.  There was the all 5 members of BNL.  They posed for a complementary 8 X 10 photo with each group as the boarded.  A copy for everyone was delivered to the stateroom a couple of days later.  The band performed a sail away concert on the Lido Deck that afternoon.  They asked the fans that if we saw the band together on board to approach and chat or pose for a photo.  They asked for privacy if they were with their family.  They performed 2 full length shows during the 5 night cruise.  They had tons of appearances with the fans over the 5 days.

 

There was at least 20 other acts of similar genres on board.  Some we had heard of.  Most we had not.  On about the second night, the four of us were playing Blackjack together in the casino.  A band started playing in the casino.  At first, we wished they would stop because of the noise and distraction.  But, as the minutes went on, we all four started to like it.  After about 20 minutes, we abandoned the Blackjack table to join the gathering crowd around this unknown band.  They were amazing musicians.  They were very entertaining.  They were funny.  They music was great and not the normal "cookie cutter" music of today.  They loved performing for the gathering group.  The band is Gaelic Storm.  They are for me, the single best best band there is anywhere.  I have seen them at least 20 times in concert since that night in January of 2007.  They still play small venues.  They still meet and greet their fans after the show.  They know many of us by name.  In meet and greets they ask about my family.

 

On the last day at sea, at about 10:00 am, we were invited to go to our stateroom, remove all of our clothing, put on a robe, and come out on deck.  Not knowing what was about to happen, and unable to resist temptation, the four of us complied.  We arrived on deck at about 10:20 am.  We were lined up for a large photo.  On the count of 3, we ALL dropped our robes for about 5 seconds.  It is estimated there are 1000 barenaked people in that photo, and you can find it on the internet.  It was original, amazing, fun, and not dirty like many would think.  There are beautiful women in it.  There are children in it.  There are men in it.  BNL is in it.  It was a highlight of an amazing cruise, and as you can imagine, not like any other cruise I've been on.

Have any of you done a music cruise?  Sadly, RCCL is not in this game, because it is awesome.  Imagine a cruise where all of the normal entertainment has the week off and you are entertained both in concert and up close and personal by your favorite bands.  It's been a few years, but I have done three of these.  It is amazing.  There is usually a headline band and then 15 or so other acts in similar genres.  You will be amazed how many bands are doing it now.  There is a company called sixth man doing in on mostly NCL ships, and I think Carnival has it's own version.

 

I was on the Barenaked Ladies cruise twice and it was there that I first heard and saw a band that would turn out to be my all-time favorite band.  Anyone who likes music now... or ever has should look in to it.  Many bands old and new are taking part.  The Rock Boat goes out every year.  Kiss has a cruise this year.  There's county, rock, old rock, rap... any genre you want.

 

I've had photos taken with BNL, played Blackjack with Gaelic Storm, and seen as many as 5 concerts in a day.

 

Anyone done this?

Last year we went to St. Croix for the first time.  It was the island I least looked forward to on our trip.  As you can guess, it was out favorite.  We loved it.  We snorkeled for sea glass.  What a blast.

I notice you've done the Adventure of the Seas 4 times.  I love that ship.  June will be my third sailing on her.  My wife once invited me out for dinner.  She said she would take me to my favorite restaurant... wherever it was.  My answer was that dinner would not cost her a dime because my favorite restaurant was the MDR on the Adventure of the Seas.  Obviously the restaurant has little to do with it!  I really love San Juan and the Southern Caribbean.  In June, we'll go there again with 8 family members who have never been there.