Cruising With JT

Honestly the ports are secondary to me, even if Icon stayed at sea for 7 days I'd be okay with it. Not getting off anywhere except CocoCay

I'll be on this one! Can't wait for the biggest inaugural cruise ever!!

You're good!

Melody of the Seas sounds good to me.

That would be epic! I remember them doing that with Oasis, Allure and Harmony when Harmony came out many years ago.

It's just a rumor at this point. We really need to hear it from Royal Caribbean directly. They should announce something in the coming weeks if it is true. It would be a big bummer for sure since I know so many people are looking forward to this one. If it happens, that would royally be painful but I will just book another cruise.

Looks like I am slowly heading towards the decision to cancel as well, unfortunately. I am booked on Navigator 1/17 and as of now I am still on it, however with everything going on, not knowing what could happen with things on the ship and ports etc, and most importantly having an unvaccinated 4-year daughter at home, I don't know if I want to take any chances of bringing something back home and giving it to her. I know she can catch it at school too but their daycare is also impacted as staff/classrooms have had positive cases, so we are keeping her home for the next week and maybe longer. Sigh...don't know what to do... I had to cancel my LA hotel tonight before the 6pm deadline for a full refund...what's weird is the rates are now even less than when I booked the hotel a few months ago. Guess everyone is cancelling literally everything. Omicron has really impacted so much. Still blows my mind that airplanes are packed, sports stadiums and the like... wish i didn't have to fly to LA from Seattle to get on the cruise...

So sorry to hear about this happening to you...something no one ever wants to experience. I hope your 3 year old is doing okay? Take care and I know you'll get to get back on a ship sometime again in the near future.

That is a bummer for sure. I always look forward to AquaTheater shows. Looks like no "HIRO" on this sailing. Regardless, have a wonderful time and Happy New Year!

Hopefully we avoid another shutdown as that won't do anyone good and it will just leave people more frustrated and angry that we can't seem to get a handle on this thing and we'll be spinning in circles forever as new variants come out every year. Personally, I am going on Navigator of the Seas in 18 days. Am I cancelling? No. Am I aware that my cruise experience may be impacted? Yes. Am I still going to enjoy myself regardless if no ports or shows are there? Yes. As much as I love to visit ports and watch shows, the main draw for me about a cruise is the ship itself and the ocean views. I can walk around the ship and watch the ocean for days without knowing anything else is going on. Just get me out to sea and I am a happy camper. I will continue to mask up and protect myself and those around me. I wore my mask in vaccinated areas during my 4 cruises in 2 months and returned home healthy each time.

So happy Wonder is staying in the US area!

Finally visiting CocoCay after nearly 2 years of waiting was the best part! I was really happy and fortunate to go on 4 cruises in 2 months between August and October, and one of my favorite things about being back onboard was seeing all the smiles on the faces of crew members excited to see us back doing what we love, and vice versa. It had been a rough 15+ months for everyone and simply having the chance to go back out to sea and enjoy what we love most was truly the best part. And of course I love love loved the limited capacity, the amazing shows, the late night Sorrento's pizza and the drinks flowing nonstop. Cruising is back and I am so glad to be part of the comeback like everyone else! Here's to 2022!

Hi @MaryS! I am so happy that I met you at Thrill Waterpark and we got to go on the Slingshot together, that was so much fun I miss it and can't believe it's been over a month now! How have you been? I just wrapped up my 4th and final solo cruise of 2021 last week (on the Norwegian Encore, last ship to go to Alaska in 2021 and it was epic!). I shared a bunch of pics, reels and videos on my Instagram, Facebook and YouTube pages, more coming soon. Hope you enjoy and get to relive some of the memories that I posted from our Oasis cruise

Hey there! Was on a cruise on Oasis and not checking these forums! Ovation was not operating when I was onboard in August, but it sounds like it is back up and running from the last few cruises.

Looks like Royal is not going to extend this promotion, so here I am going through the website trying to book another cruise for Fall 2022 since I got nothing around that time! I got 3 in Feb, March, and April 2022 which will get me to Diamond status, but Diamond+ is the next goal! Pinnacle seems like a stretch lol.

Yaassss! That would be awesome!

Yes!! Fingers crossed Can't wait!

Booking with my MEI agent right now as I type this! Woooooohooo!!!

Haha, well Ovation of the Seas has a CK so maybe that sways your decision ? Sounds good regarding ships, you will have fun no matter what. Definitely try to get multiple glaciers if you can!

Hi @Lovetocruise2002 Thanks for following along my social media posts on Instagram and Facebook, and now uploading videos on YouTube slowly but surely! Just seeing this thread now returning from Ovation of the Seas yesterday from Alaska, and going back again next Friday 8/27 ? I'm a bit bias towards leaving out of beautiful Seattle and doing the Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier experience. The sailing into Dawes Glacier might even be better than the Glacier itself. Ovation stays pretty far from the Dawes Glacier so you really have no chance of experiencing any "calving"... I think Glacier Bay national park is the place to go if you want to see that, which unfortunately Royal Caribbean does not go to at this time, which is why I booked Norwegian Encore in October -- yes 3 times to Alaska in 2 months seems nuts but I live in Seattle and I am okay with driving 1 hour to port and going on a cruise to beautiful Alaska. Norwegian Encore does Glacier Bay later this season so I'd recommend that itinerary if you really want to see Glaciers, but Ovation of the Seas hands down is the nicer ship. I am not familiar with the itineraries for northbound/southbound but those little ships don't interest me, I need something big and has a lot to offer, as I am sure your children will want as well. I recommend Ovation/Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier out of Seattle OR Norwegian Encore/Glacier Bay national park out of Seattle. Side balcony was good for me but can't go wrong with that aft view...if you want peace and quiet though, the aft is much louder due to the sounds of the wake... Hope that helps!

Awesome, I hope it all works out!! I have one booked in February and April 2022 as well but am avoiding the "bad" months for cold/flu/Covid season Nov-Jan.

So like many out there, I am concerned that the Delta variant will throw the travel industry back into what it was when the pandemic first started, as the peak has not yet happened. Honestly hard to see this thing slowing down in Fall and Winter. I cancelled my November and December cruises, and am instead now going twice in August, then mid-September, and then again in October, avoiding the peak of Fall/early Winter. Anyone else changing their plans just so they can be out at sea, confidently? Who knows what a few months will look like from now!

Congratulations!! Hope it all works out for you logistically!!

Weird thing happened on my Oasis 9/19 sailing...check-in briefly opened, but only time slot was 3pm for a wellness check, then a few seconds later it disappeared and then it showed check-in not available and that they will email us. Royal IT at it again with their glitches.

How do they know if you're symptomatic? Like do they actually check?