firegal2539

I reserved my dining for the different MDRs online but I think it was mainly for the ship to have any idea of what time, did I want 5:30 or 6:00 since I chose early dining. You have to reserve specialty because they are quite busy but I walked up one night at around 6:30 without a reservation and they sat me immediately. I don't believe they do reservations for breakfast or lunch.

DocLC, Since I am now retired, I only live about 10 minutes away from DFW International. Maybe there is a job opportunity calling to me. Candie

Sorry everyone but I think I posted this twice. This is what happens when you get old. I am TSA Precheck but they mentioned in the articles even being precheck isn't going to help. Talks are going on about using contractors to do this job, don't see how that is going to help. Since I have to fly for every cruise this is really disturbing to me. Candie

Raye, Shame on you :rolleyes:

MrsJares, Please take that picture off, I can't have that frosting taunting me. Those are so cute. When I left the class I would have immediately high-tailed it up to my room so I could eat the frosting. I would have been sick but who cares it is buttercream frosting. Candie

Ok I have to get on one of these big ships, I want to do a cupcake decorating class, if there is buttercream frosting I am so there.

All I can say is EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone and Happy Weekend, I just wanted to know if any of you have seen these stories and pictures that just recently happened at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The TSA Security line at Seattle was over a three hour wait and the luggage problem at Phoenix had four cruise lines passengers without luggage because it was sitting in a parking lot in Phoenix waiting to be transferred to San Diego and Los Angeles. What do you think about all of this? I have waited at security at McCarren in Las Vegas for two hours but it was under construction at that time. I guess they will be asking passengers to come to the airport four hours before your flight. Candie

Floski, This is what I found out about it. Royal Caribbean's new Royal Suite Class will feature the Royal Genie. Guests in Star Class will receive this new and complimentary service which offers Royal Genies trained and certified by the British Butler Institute which will serve as a personal assistant to help guests with nearly everything and anything, 24 hours a day. Candie

I truly believe that I am on a vacation that I paid a large sum of money to take . In a hotel, you get your bed made every day and if you want clean linens you just have to put a sign on the door. I understand the costs of clean linens, (washing, drying, ironing), the cost of the employees to do this work but cruise lines are making more now than they ever have and the services are going down. I think it was Princess who told me no more towel animals unless passengers ask for them. I am sorry but I love seeing them when I walk in to my cabin. No more candy on the pillow. Hard to get ice in the ice bucket, then why put a bucket in the cabin if they aren't going to fill it. These are all small things but it is my vacation and I want this kind of service. I shouldn't have to ask for all of the little things.

You can go to Google and put in Royal Caribbean Next Cruise and click on Royal Caribbean OnBoard Sales. It is dated 9/2015 I think and it tells you exactly what you will received when you book through NextCruise with a specific date. I always bring two or three cruises I am interested in and book one of them on board. I usually will book at least an 8 to 10 day cruise because that earns me $100 OBC on the cruise I am on. The deposit is usually $50 or $100. The NextCruise open booking program incentives are depending on the length of your cruise. 5-7 night cruises: $25 8-10 night cruises: $50 11-14 night cruises: $75 15 or more nights: $100 Open booking doesn't get you as much OBC!

Swimming, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins and shopping San Miguel, beautiful place and great shopping.

Matt, I don't think I would use the work pressured, but here are a few examples. The constant barrage of photo employees wanting to take your picture, embarking or disembarking. I have had a few put their hands on me and try to pull or push me over to the employee in the whale costume or whatever costume they are wearing. I don't appreciate being touched, pulled or pushed by someone I don't know. In the MDR the photographers wanting to take your picture and badgering you to do it, several times I have had to say no five or six times. The after dinner drink employee in the MDR really pushing that drink hard. Those would be some of my examples. As for poor training, I will refer to the newer, younger employees who don't seem to have the gift of making a passenger feel special. The room steward, whose rooms have increased steadily, and doesn't have time for the small things, towel animals, candy of your pillow, getting a bucket of ice for the passenger in the evening. I have had these problems and I think the customer service industry just requires a certain type of person to work in this area. My good, better, best experiences certainly outweigh the bad experiences. Many employees have gone above and beyond to make my stay on a ship memorable. Candie

Hey MikeK watch the ole fart reference, I have a seat at that table too and I prefer it to be called the "Finer with Age" category.

Monorailmedic and Floatme, It was so much easier with just a landline and a lot less confusing. I have an IPhone 6s Plus and am on AT&T. I am sure that the bills were OPERATOR ERROR and not AT&T. The first time I did it AT&T removed it, the second time, since the cruise was only 2 months after the cruise I had the overage on, I had to pay the whole $400. I always put my phone on Airplane Mode from the minute I hit the airport but possibly I might have changed the setting. I love to play my slot machine game on my phone. :angry: Like I said earlier my IPhone becomes a very expensive alarm clock. Thanks for the info. I wrote it all down and will try to follow through. I even asked a tech savvy person on the ship for help and he looked at my phone and said the setting were right. Anything computerized, I am in trouble. Congrats on being a paramedic and firefighter. I have worked with them for over 30 years, the guys are just a bunch of kids in a firefighting uniform. I love them all.

I have a suggestion, take me with you. My dream cruise is to do the Baltics, Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki and Bruge. I promise to be good Mike :D

See Raye, I was right, you can answer all questions about suites and their perks.

Monorailmedic, Ok I am tech stupid. I have questions. Every time I take a cruise everyone says buy the international package from your provider. My first cruise when I got home I had a $450 cell bill. Didn't make but 6 calls home and to check on my fur baby. The next time I purchased the package, set the phone on airplane mode, went to a bar that had free wifi and still had a $400 bill. Next cruises I refused to use my phone, it was now my music player and alarm clock. Obviously I am doing something wrong. I purchase the VOOM package, the cheapest one, do what you say, airplane mode, WiFi, will there still be huge charges from AT&T? Also, are you a paramedic, being nosey but I worked for my city's fire department and we ran our own ambulance service, over 100 paramedics. Thanks for any help. Candie

I read some TripAdvisor reviews on this excursion and it says you have to be able bodied. You start with water at your ankles and go as far as it goes above your head. You do have a floatation device but must be able to swim.

EmersonNZ, If you do cruise to your home port, remember to run home and do laundry, that way you don't have to carry so many suitcases.

I don't drink but I do know that wine is included in the all alcohol packages but you can't buy it separately. At about $8 a glass for wine, I am glad I don't drink.

I don't buy the photos because the prices are ridiculous. I wanted one when my grandson and I were getting off the ship in Ketchikan and it was around $29.95 for a 5x7. No thank you.

Another suggestion that some people won't agree with, don't pay off your cruise completely. Always leave a small balance, like $100 owing, until the final payment date and pay the balance about two days before final payment. The reason for this is if there is a price drop before final payment, if you have paid in full, you won't get any money back, usually the cruise line offers you OBC or beverage package, something but no money. Some people have gotten money refunded but on the two cruises that I paid in full and then the price dropped they refused to give me a refund for the difference. One was only about $50 and I was given OBC but the other was around $100 and again was offered $50 OBC. Go ahead and check every hour, no nothing will change in an hour but you don't know. One of my Royal cruises dropped $50 so I called and got the $50 taken off my balance. Did you book these cruises yourself or use a travel agent? Just asking because when you hear of a price drop you just notify your TA and they call and do all of the work. Candie

It depends on what time you dine. I had no problem booking on the ship the first day but after that my time and several others were gone and the time left was 8:30 p.m. Sorry I can't eat a steak that late at night. You will receive emails attached to your reservation, when you go to RCCL.com and look under Online Check-In. They will have an invitation for the wifi, Voom, and for beverage packages and specialty dining. The least you can buy in dining is 3 nights. The beverage packages don't save you hardly any money, but you get free minutes with the Voom package. So look at your booking at least once or twice a week. Candie

Peter, Hopefully WAAAYTOOO will see your post. She knows everything about suites on Royal and can answer all your questions. Candie