Todd

It would help to know what port and ship he was to board. Royal has crisis management teams that handle these types of issues. If you post a little more information then the members here  will be able  supply information. Royal will be able to tell you if he is on the ship or did not get on the ship.  
 
You can contact his ship using the information below:
 
Onboard Extras Print This Page   Q:  Can I contact people back home from the ship? A:  Your friends and family can contact the ship by calling (888) 724-7447. Or from outside the U.S. they can call (321) 953-9003. The cost is $7.95 USD a minute and can be charged to their MasterCard® or Visa®. From outside the U.S. additional long distance charges will also apply.
 
 
You can also call the main US Royal number 24 hours a day.... But if after hours you will need to press the replies like you are booking a new cruise to get through to a live representative who can provide information.  If you press any other reply after hours you will go to a message center.
 
 1-866-562-7625
 
Hope this helps a little and that things work out.

First thing, fire your Travel Agent and post negative reviews anyplace you can.  Any agent who says  "Those ships that run the short cruises are really old and tired"  does not understand the market.  The normal life of a cruise ship is about 30 years  Brilliance of the Seas  was launched  2002 and a 30 million plus refurbishment  2013, Navigator of the Seas was launched in  2002  and  refurbishment in  2014. Both these ships are great ships in excellence condition.
 
I would not use a agent if I was booking simple cruises,  it is very easy to handle on your own.  And yes I am being very hard on your agent but it is earned by the actions.

Matt's information It is operating.  Link to post and photo

The proof is on you and not on customs. You need to be able to prove that you did not purchase on the trip if asked. But as I have said before customs officers are very smart, they can tell the difference between old and brand new jewelry.  And even if the line officer cannot they have experts who can. You can use sales slips, photos, appraisals, insurance paperwork all to prove purchases.  But many times the officers really do not need proof they just need to ask the questions and based upon training and years of handling people they will know by your reply.
 
The best thing you can do with customs is be 100% honest. And if they do make a error and charge you for a old item, you can apply for and get a refund.

You can added these packages to your shopping cart and just leave them in the cart until about 3 days before the cruise and pay at that time. Or you can pay now, the major difference is that if they are having a sale or change the price. They can stop sales, change pricing etc, until the purchase is paid.
 
Unlike the cruise fare once you pay the deposit the price is locked in, for these extra packages the price is not confirmed until paid in full.

Sorry to hear about your problems on the Radiance!  After 61 cruises, only 2 cruises have been horrible; both on the Radiance of the Seas back in 2004 & 2007.   I guess some ships never improve.  Overall, RCCL puts out a good product, but they seem to be all about the bottom line now!   They make rules for the guests to follow, then don't enforce them!  The dress code is non existent.  Lower the standards and more guests/money will follow.

Sounds normal for the new RCI that is not at all interested in CS only interested in their bottom line.

I understand were you are coming. I had a 14 day cruise book on Ovation Dubai to Singapore for May 25th.... But the cruise Gods also did not want me on that cruise. Had a Real Estate deal come up here and could not be away for those 16 days. So I traded the cruise for 8 townhouses.... yes it hurts when you are looking forward to trips but at least you will have a good trip.
 
It maybe worked out for the better. I booked a short cruise end of this month to replace it. And now I see that Royal is going to move the Legend of the Seas next spring to be sold. While the Legend is not the Ovation in any way some really great deals on 10 day Singapore to Dubai trips. Also Dubai to Spain is really low pricing. Inside cabins under $50 per night and Suites for about $110 per night. 

Have had several unique events on cruise ships over the years. I was on one cruise line that went bankrupt during the cruise, it was a river cruise in Europe. The captain and crew dock the ship and said we all have no jobs, sorry and they left the ship or really I should say river barge. Another trip again on a very small ship here in SE Asia, the crew had a disagreement with the local river patrol and it was not a fun time. I been on a couple of first cruises for ships and was given special photos, and cups commemorating the first cruise.
 
A couple of storms with big waves and very high winds. I was trying to take pictures and the crew was telling me I could not be on deck. But it really was not that bad because of the size of the ship. With the high free board and ocean liner design (QE II) it really handle the weather well.
 
For my partner Reynaline I am sure her most unique cruise event will be on our next cruise at the end of the month. After five years together I need a better name for our relationship.  

Another reason not to pre pay the daily tips. The only thing that gets Royal's attention is money. So if you went to guest services and removed all the tips and gave them your list of problems as the reason it would get attention.  Also on the guest questionnaire list the problems. Now I would be talking to Royal Customer service about the refund they owe you. If they do not take care of this, with all the documentation dispute with the credit card company.
 
Also do not fall for the line that if you dispute it will effect your ability to cruise on Royal.  A very important part of the merchant service agreement with the credit card companies is they will take no negative actions against card holders who file disputes. I also would have met with the Hotel Director before paying the on board charge account and leaving the ship.

2500 members strong.

I think any of the food outlets they are overrun with passengers can have issues from time to time. I have found in my opinion Windjammers works better on the smaller ships. It is a very nice place on the Legends Class, that I never found crowed, I cannot say the same on the larger ships. I think one of the problems is the staff, they are just not setup to handle big rushes and they tend to shut down. So we as passengers need to think smart, go to other places that are not as busy, the MDR I find to always be quite for breakfast (not last day) and lunch. Or have a snack and eat in Windjammers in the off times, early or very late. If the ships has Johnny Rockets, that can be a good choice as many overlook it. Yes a small cover charge (Lunch Dinner) but quite and great to sit outside and watch the sea.
 
Maybe I'm a little strange but I love the open ocean air. Given a choice of being inside a great outlet inside the ship or outside in the fresh open air I like it outside. I could never understand with private boating my friends buying boats that had all the space as inside cabins. Give me a open Fly bridge sports fisherman and I'm a happy guy.

From US Customs:
 
Can I bring seashells, sand, driftwood or other beach mementos into the U.S.?Seashells are generally allowed into the U.S. if they are not taken from endangered or threatened species (CITES protected), and they are completely sanitized from the creatures that inhabited them, and any other agricultural material such as sand, clay, soil, etc.  A traveler may bring in a reasonable amount of seashells for personal use as a memento of their trip.  Large quantities of seashells being brought into the U.S. for the purposes of using them in crafting, landscaping, or for commercial use are prohibited.
Stones/Pebbles/Sand are generally acceptable in small quantities as long as the item does not present a threat to American agriculture and the harvesting of the item was not detrimental to the any species and/or the environment.
Driftwood is discouraged as pests may have inhabited the wood.  Also some wood is protected.  For example, both the Sonora desert and the Sea of Cortez are protected ecosystems, therefore, it is advised not to pick up mementos from these areas.  Be aware that just because the item is sold in a shop does not make it legal to own - possession of a protected item can subject you to state and/or federal prosecution
All these items must be declared upon arrival to the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, on the arrival declaration form.
Contact the Fish and Wildlife Service on whether the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) requires an import permit to bring these items into the U.S.  See CITES Website.  It is recommended that individuals check with the proper foreign government authorities to determine if there are any restrictions under that country's laws pertaining to the exportation of seashells, etc. The U.S. importercan find contact information for proper foreign government authorities at: http://www.cites.org/eng.

The proof is on you and not on customs. You need to be able to prove that you did not purchase on the trip if asked. But as I have said before customs officers are very smart, they can tell the difference between old and brand new jewelry.  And even if the line officer cannot they have experts who can. You can use sales slips, photos, appraisals, insurance paperwork all to prove purchases.  But many times the officers really do not need proof they just need to ask the questions and based upon training and years of handling people they will know by your reply.
 
The best thing you can do with customs is be 100% honest. And if they do make a error and charge you for a old item, you can apply for and get a refund.

It is almost like getting to the airport and being told your selected seat is not available but we do have Business Class seats to place you in do you want row 4 or row 8...... You have two great cruises you cannot lose here. But I would take the longer of the two because I like days on the ship. In the end you will have a great cruise. 

Yes I have read 4 days, 3 days, and 24 hours all in different places within Royal information. Like so many things Royal many different answers.

Shaking the magic RCI 8 ball and the answer is  ... probably. It would seem logical that you could but RCI is notorious for having multiple possible answers to every question ... if you try and get told no, ask someone else, repeat this pattern until you either get the answer you want or get tired of asking and move on to something else.
 
I have never tried it but believe I have spoken to others that have successfully done it so I really do think the answer is yes :)

With Ovation of the Seas, making its first port call to Dubai, the Director of the port is making some very big claims. Normally when a port director makes a claim like we will have the best cruise port it is just that a PR claim. But when the claim is made by UAE member Dubai, everyone should take notice. They said they would have the tallest building in the Word and did, they claimed they could build  the World's finest made made island and did, the airport is rated number one in the World. Dubai really understands tourism and the value of it.   Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. is the  DP World and chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation chairman and CEO and these claims this week. Dubai will host one million cruise passengers by the year 2020.     "Mina Rashid is the number one cruise terminal in the MENA region in terms of traffic and infrastructure, but we are set to go all out and make the passenger-friendly facility the best in the world,"    "We want to increase the number of cruise ships calling at Dubai Cruise Terminals in order to meet our target of one million cruise passengers a year by 2020." "Dubai has experienced a 22% growth in the number of cruise ships and a 33% increase in cruise passenger traffic between the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 cruise seasons, from 109 ships and 373,000 passengers to 134 ships and more than 500,000 passengers respectively." He further stated that with the ongoing development projects,  Dubai's position as a global city and the premier cruise hub in the world will be strengthen. Royal has been targeting Dubai as the key to  cruises from the Middle East and transit cruises.  With the Ovation of the Seas , just this week being the largest cruise ship to ever dock in the port.   Jamal Humaid Al Falasi, Director of Dubai Cruise Tourism, Dubai Tourism, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ovation of the Seas and its dedicated crew and guests to our fascinating city, and are honoured to be its first port of call in the region with an overnight stay and major passenger turnaround.
“Our business relations with Royal Caribbean date back to 2009, when the line commenced its first Gulf cruise itinerary with Dubai as its home port, and the commitment is becoming stronger and more mutually beneficial year after year. We are pleased that Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas® will home port in Dubai for the 2016/17. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Royal Caribbean and further developing Dubai’s reputation as a cruise destination.
 
 
 
 

I am going with Todd on this one.  I have a friend who just recently (NCL) had his bags lost - never got ANY luggage delivered the entire cruise.  I recommend taking enough with you that you COULD survive the entire cruise, if necessary.  Obviously, you could never carry all of your clothing....but enough essentials that if push came to shove, you could survive.  Toiletries, 1 complete change of clothing, medications, documentation and anything you would NOT want to lose (cameras, jewelry, etc.).

In my carry on it a complete change of cloths, swim suit and anything I would need for the first day. My carry on also includes phone, laptop, camera and and any credit cards, funds etc. I also carry complete documentation, with the idea that even if my bags are never delivered I can complete the cruise. And remember you only need to carry to the ship. Your carry on bag could be a roller bag that you check until you get to the ship and then roll it along. 

The Singapore / Hong Kong to Australia repositioning cruises, or the return cruises always seem to be great deals with Royal. While harder for US Clients becasue of flying times, for SE Asia and Australia New Zealand residents they are great. Anyone looking for a very interesting longer cruise these are wonderful choices. Also very safe part of the ocean for travel both from a security and weather standpoint.

It also comes down to declaring the watch and then paying the duties and fees. And while some people maybe can bring in a watch without declaring, the same can be said for bringing  five tons of Cocaine into the the country, it has been done without detection before but also people are in jail for being caught. The link below talks about a couple of these cases and how US customs handles these things.
 
https://beckertime.com/blog/to-declare-declare-your-rolex/
 
Here is part of what is said.
 
"So you are on your way back from a great trip and are not sure whether to claim your newly purchased Rolex for duty.  You purchased one Rolex watch which you are hand carrying, so you have Rolex U.S.A’s blessing, but when presented the green customs card on the plane or ship, the question usually comes up as to what to do.  If caught smuggling a Rolex past customs, you can be fined six times the duty of the watch, or the price of the watch itself.  Additionally, if you going through customs just coming off a plane/train from a vacation destination, the customs agents know what to look for when scanning luggage as well as wrists. Even though Customs Agents reportedly look for illegal drugs being smuggled, other items such as high priced watches or diamonds stand out when standing in the customs line. "

Here is the close hotels to the port under four miles.
 
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Port Canaveral 1.33 miles from cruise port  Address: 9009 Astronaut Blvd, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920   Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach 1.48 miles from cruise port  Address: 8959 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920   Radisson Resort at the Port 1.78 miles from cruise port  Address: 8701 Astronaut Blvd, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920   Holiday Inn Club Vacations Cape Canaveral Beach Resort 2.23 miles from cruise port  Address: 1000 Shorewood Drive, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920   Royal Mansions Resort 2.57 miles from cruise port  Address: 8600 Ridgewood Avenue, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920   Discovery Beach Resort 3.53 miles from cruise port  Address: 300 Barlow Ave., Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931   BEST WESTERN Cocoa Beach Hotel & Suites 3.63 miles from cruise port  Address: 5600 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931-3920   La Quinta Inn & Suites Cocoa Beach Oceanfront 3.67 miles from cruise port  Address: 1 Hendry Ave, Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931   Las Olas Beach Club of Cocoa Beach 3.81 miles from cruise port  Address: 5100 Ocean Beach Blvd, Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931

I must admit I'm pretty tempted to do this cruise as well.... We have a new years (Dec 30th 2017) cruise booked out of Sydney but tempting to book this one (Or why not both).

It seems that Harmony of the Seas has had more than it share of problems on its first cruise. Now to be fair to Royal it was a pre cruise that was added to the ship before the first official trip. And on these cruises it is normal for some work and final touches to be done. But it appears the Harmony work goes far past final check list items
 
But if you Google Harmony of the Seas, the news you see is now all about problems and not the largest cruise ship in the World. Some terms Royal never wants to see in a lead news story about its newest Flag Ship: 'dangerous', 'chaotic', building site, 'should've stayed in dock', complaints, angry passengers,Mutiny. Here are a few of the links, and not from second or third rate news outlets from leading news providers:
 
 
Harmony of the Seas: World's biggest cruise ship's first voyage was 'dangerous' and vessel 'should've stayed in dock'
 
Harmony of the Seas maiden voyage to go ahead despite complaints over 'chaotic' test trip
 
Mutiny on the Harmony: The biggest cruise ship in the world is still a building site, angry passengers say during its maiden voyage
 
Is this part of a new negative pattern with Royal, rushing to build more mores add routes and grow the company? But all the time failing to take care of the current business they have and provide great passengers service. Maybe it would have been better not to bring two mega ships online within a couple of months? I am a fan of Royal cruises but is this rapid growth ready in the best interest of the company or passengers?
 
Here is a short video shot on the first cruise
 
http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2016/05/27/3263781061834457455/960x540_3263781061834457455.mp4http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2016/05/27/3263781061834457455/960x540_3263781061834457455.mp4