AGSLC5

Steph, thank you so much for the head's up on this ! I was able to book the BIG 8330 A1 on 11 Feb ! I haven't had it repriced yet at the CR rate but I went ahead and booked it online so that I wouldn't lose it. Later today I will have it repriced at the CR rate.
 
What a WONDERFUL surprise to find these big AquaSuites available online ! They usually hide them and do not allow just 2 people to book these 2 BR suites.
 
I am now going to cancel my May 2017 Harmony cruise, which I probably couldn't have taken anyway...I only booked it b/c it was the big A1 but I would certainly rather cruise out of FLL than fly to London !!
 
Good recon on this ! Thanks again ! I will let you know how it prices out in the end.

Thanks Guys, like I said this is the one place that truly gets my excitement! I will be happy to share when I come back.. Just to bad its so far away.

Thanks Guys, like I said this is the one place that truly gets my excitement! I will be happy to share when I come back.. Just to bad its so far away.

I want to hear all about it when you get back. I also agree with splurging on your honeymoon. And like Steve, I see it as sharing your excitement, not bragging, although I'll admit that I'm a bit envious. ;)

I did not think you were bragging at all... just an excited cruiser who scored a great deal. Congratulations!

I just booked what I think will be an awesome cruise and I had to share it here because you guys are the only people I know who will appreciate it and understand my excitement:
 
As most of you know I am a member of Club Royale and today I was able to book a 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite for February 2017 on Harmony. This qualifies for the new Star Class and I am soooo excited to try this out... The other reason I am excited is I got a Fabulous deal. The room before my Club Royale Discount was going for $11,000 for 2 people... I was able to get it for $6,200.00 for 2 people.. Man I think that's a deal and I just had to do it so I can try out the star class...
 
This was not meant to brag it's just you guys are the people I know who would understand by excitement!!

I am jealous you get to enjoy such nice accommodations but I know how happy you must be!  And like you said, honeymoons are a big deal so why not splurge!

Wow! That is an epic stateroom!

Just Changed my Harmony cruise from Feb 25th 2017 to Feb 11 2017... Got a fab deal on a 2 bedroom Aqua Theater Suite

I just booked what I think will be an awesome cruise and I had to share it here because you guys are the only people I know who will appreciate it and understand my excitement:
 
As most of you know I am a member of Club Royale and today I was able to book a 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite for February 2017 on Harmony. This qualifies for the new Star Class and I am soooo excited to try this out... The other reason I am excited is I got a Fabulous deal. The room before my Club Royale Discount was going for $11,000 for 2 people... I was able to get it for $6,200.00 for 2 people.. Man I think that's a deal and I just had to do it so I can try out the star class...
 
This was not meant to brag it's just you guys are the people I know who would understand by excitement!!

Steph I didn't even see any 2017 Harmony itineraries. I will call CR tomorrow. Where does this cruise go ?

On a side note, I was hoping to book on the group cruise in 2017 but I think this booking will get in the way. I wouldn't even be surprised if Matt and MCI choose the Harmony that month, we'll see I guess.
That happened to me this year, I booked the same sailing of the group cruise before knowing of the group cruise. By the time I figured it out it was too late to match my deal. Knowing my luck the same thing will happen again next time.

WOW, that's awesome. Sounds like you got a good deal, can't go wrong with a view of the Aqua Theater.
We're booked on the Feb 18th cruise for that year, we're excited too.
New fancy ship with water slides!! I'm expecting everything to be top of the line on this ship, should be the pride of the fleet.
We got a central park balcony, picked a room next to the plant/vine feature so we only have neighbors on one side. We booked a couple of months ago and the prices have already gone up at least 600 dollars if we booked today.
Can't wait, she'll be a nice ship.
 
Congrats though, that's a NICE room.

Steph, I am sooo happy for you. I got a similar deal on the Harmony in May. For some reason they had the big suites in general inventory instead of having them blocked off. You got a better deal than I did though...the Club Royale deal on my cruise (May 29 2016 London to Barcelona)was not the normal 50% that they usually offer and the BOGOHO was a better deal than the CR deal. I ended up paying $8681.56 (for 2 of us). Maybe I will try again and see if they are offering a better CR rate than they originally quoted me.

I just booked what I think will be an awesome cruise and I had to share it here because you guys are the only people I know who will appreciate it and understand my excitement:
 
As most of you know I am a member of Club Royale and today I was able to book a 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite for February 2017 on Harmony. This qualifies for the new Star Class and I am soooo excited to try this out... The other reason I am excited is I got a Fabulous deal. The room before my Club Royale Discount was going for $11,000 for 2 people... I was able to get it for $6,200.00 for 2 people.. Man I think that's a deal and I just had to do it so I can try out the star class...
 
This was not meant to brag it's just you guys are the people I know who would understand by excitement!!

I just booked what I think will be an awesome cruise and I had to share it here because you guys are the only people I know who will appreciate it and understand my excitement:
 
As most of you know I am a member of Club Royale and today I was able to book a 2 bedroom Aqua Theater suite for February 2017 on Harmony. This qualifies for the new Star Class and I am soooo excited to try this out... The other reason I am excited is I got a Fabulous deal. The room before my Club Royale Discount was going for $11,000 for 2 people... I was able to get it for $6,200.00 for 2 people.. Man I think that's a deal and I just had to do it so I can try out the star class...
 
This was not meant to brag it's just you guys are the people I know who would understand by excitement!!

Windjammer!

I plan my next cruise... and browse through royalcaribbeanblog.com incessantly... :D

I would argue that first, needing points updated sooner than the current cycle is a rare need.  Back to back cruises are the exception, not the rule.  For a vast majority, I am certain the current procedures satisfy the needs.
 
Second, if we could all come up with our list of gripes about Royal Caribbean, I am certain few if none would list this in our top 10.
 
Third, I believe the system is the way it is because Royal Caribbean cannot prepare for a cruise properly in a window of like 24 hours before the cruise.  There are a lot of logistics involved in preparing for each sailing and as I mentioned earlier, this scenario does not have a high frequency of occurring.
 
All that being said, I am not saying you are wrong in wanting a more agile system for C&A to keep things up to date.  But I also believe if this is among your top issues with the company, I would say Royal Caribbean is doing pretty well overall.

I can't help but visualize 300 Chinese people freaking out and screaming at the top of their lungs 'What!!?, no port!!, kinda funny when you think about it.
 
http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/09/01/angry-chinese-passengers-forcibly-removed-royal-caribbean-quantum-of-the-seas

On the topic of chasing points, I will say that RCI was extremely generous to me when I was approaching Diamond status. I guess I WAS chasing points. I had booked all of the cruises that would give me Diamond status when they announced that they were moving from a per-cruise to a per-night basis and at the same time, adding new levels. Needless to say, I was NOT happy when I found out that they had moved the goal post on me...but I called the Loyalty desk and explained that I had already booked all of the cruises to attain Diamond status and they "grandfathered" me and allowed me to move to Diamond level when I completed that last cruise. Points-wise, I was still short but segment-wise, under the "old" system, I had made it...and they honored their promise and made us Diamond anyway.
 
It was maybe the one and only time that I felt like they really valued my loyalty. Since then....not so much.

RCI has never comped me a room....but like you, I have been comped a room by NCL after just ONE cruise !
 
The level of play is going to be an even bigger issue once they implement the new program, I think. The worst part of the new program will be the requirement to requalify periodically, which right now you do NOT have to do.
 
I will take the comps while I can get them. As with all things recently, I fear the cost is going up and the benefits are going down.

Jerel, I could not agree with you more about Cruise Critic. I have sworn NEVER go to back to that site. The people on that site are so snarky and rude. I absolutely hate it and I will never use it again.
 
In contrast, the readers and users on this site are very courteous and positive. It makes a huge difference. Do we agree on everything that RCI does ? Heck NO but we aren't rude to one another even if sometimes "vent". I like it...and I hope it stays this way !

Ha! She knowingly and lovingly married a nerd, so she "gets" me in that regard.  Plus, I always tell here there are far worse things I could be obsessed with and if this obsession brings her cruise vacations and massages, then she should enjoy the ride!  :lol:

Thank you Matt for all the work you put into the site. I just love cruising and talking to you and other members of this community. As it has made waiting for my next cruise more tolerable and of course it is just fun to talk to fellow cruise nuts. Can't wait for the Group Cruise. I think we are down to 175 days until sailing!