EmersonNZ

Good advice. We will certainly do that. I think the idea for Ovation will eb to try the complimentary choices and say a couple of signature (maybe different ones than on Navigator... and Chops, did I mention I like steak?). If we were to say book a couple of signatures towards the later half of the trip can we cancel them once on board if we find we really want to head back to a complimentary restaurant again? I am thinking maybe looking one or 2 with the idea being you know you can cancel if you wanted gives the best of both worlds... or.... are there so many spaces available that we'll have little issue getting a seat if we wanted to a signiture restaurant on board? This all really is new to me so sorry about the questions :-)

Sounds like good advice. We certainly like a Coke Zero now and again and I love a good coffee. I don't think either of us drinks enough alcohol to warrant the alcohol packages (I imagine 2 to 3 a day for my wife and 1 or 2 for me is a limit. I'd happily sit on non alcoholic cocktails all day and a coke etc).

I just can't imagine it.... I think about a month at a time would be my limit. Maybe month on month off.

Well we were going to book our first Royal Caribbean cruise but after reading your latest blog and listening a few podcast episodes on my runs lately.... I just booked 2 cruises!!! First Cruise is a 12 night 'South Pacific & New Zealand' on the Ovation from 28th Jan 17 departing Sydney and including stops at Noumea (New Caledonia), Mystery Island (Vanuatu), Bay of Islands (NZ) Tauranga (NZ) and Auckland (NZ) before heading back over the ditch to Sydney). For this trip we have a Superior Ocean View Balcony room and it'll be just Keryn and I. The second cruise is a 14 night South Pacific & Fiji New Years eve cruise at the end of 2017 on Voyager. This time we have stops in Mystery Island (It really is a mystery as I know the area and never heard of it until I saw it on RC), Vila (Vanuatu), Suva (Fiji) Lautoka (Fiji), Normea (New Caledonia). This time we are going with a Grand Suite to try something a bit different. This trip we are including a friend (Andrea) with us. So.... now what! (apart from checking into a treatment program) Any specialty restaurants that are must dos? Chops looks like a must do for me (Give me MEAT!) but on Ovation especially it really looks like there are so many options. Since we 'saved' nearly $6k NZ (about $4.5k US) on not doing a suite on Ovation my feeling is some of that can go to enjoying as many of the restaurants as we like etc. I think we'll pass on the drink packages (Though I may get the non alcohol one). Internet looks 'reasonable' compared to what i am used to on Disney. Any hints for RC first timers are really welcome.... what have we done!

I just went through the booking process for a Ovation cruise in late Jan 2018 and under its suites category it still had the usual benefits. I thin they would find it hard to include them at point of sale (and make a big deal on the benefits) and then take them away. I also booked a suite on Voyager for 2018 (actually new years 17/18 cruise) out of Sydney and again no mention of a change etc. Personally I would give RC a ring to double check if it was a real concern as it seems pretty strange.

We are currently considering booking a RC cruise (Likely out of Sydney around NZ or maybe Hong Kong to Sydney). Living in NZ we thought it'd be nice to cruise closure to home. We also thought the difference in DCL v RC we could upgrade to a suite which would be a nice treat. We have no children so not too interested in the kids clubs other than they attract children away from pools etc :-) We've done a number of DL cruises before and was wondering what was the difference might be and have a few questions for those that have done both. We are considering the Ovation our of Sydney if that helps Is service comparable to the two cruise lines Do you see more people drunk etc or is that not really an issue? Does the casino take up too much space on board (We really aren't too interested in gambling)? Are the staterooms of simular quality/size? Would you consider the main dining rooms of simular quality as far as food? What would be your reasons except for cost to travel RC v DCL? We are just a little gun share to try RC as we 'know' DCL but then again maybe it is time to take the leap?