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Matt, add us to the Feb 21 2016 Allure cruise as well ! Couldn't resist the Tax Free special combined with the awesome Club Royale discount.

Mike_ it is so much fun to watch new cruisers come to the realization that ....one Caribbean island is pretty much the same as any other...and that the ship itself is the real attraction. I'm sure I'll get lots of rotten tomatoes thrown my way for that...there are lots of beautiful islands and each one has its own charms but truly...sooner or later the ports become a nuisance and you just want the ship to keep on sailing so you don't have to get off ! I truly love the sea days the best ! I have my favorites (Curacao !) and I love going to the Caribbean, but....
 
If you were on the Jewel out of San Juan then you were on one of the island hoppers which is a GREAT way to see lots of islands if that is your goal, but an island a day is way too much for me these days. I HATE having to get up early EVERY morning (that means leaving the casino early and that is a bummer !) and go see more of the same thing I saw yesterday. I am also very annoyed that the casino is closed while in port (in MOST ports anyway) :)
 
I think you will enjoy Bermuda. I put that trip off for years b/c I didn't think I would like it much...seemed kinda boring. ....but truly, the water is more beautiful in Bermuda than ANY tropic Caribbean island (IMO). It is VERY expensive in Bermuda so you probably won't want to do too much shopping unless you have money to burn but I think you will enjoy it. September should be a lovely time to be in Bermuda as long as a hurricane doesn't get you. It should still be warm enough.
 
I like the NCL ships very much. I have not been on the newest ones (Breakaway or Getaway) but I was on the Epic and I loved it. The rooms were a tad snug but I found that RCCL did the same thing with their biggest ships....so it's a "trend" of sorts, I guess. Bigger ships...smaller rooms....more people...bigger profit. In fairness, I understand that the rooms on the Quantum class are a little roomier than the Oasis class. I haven't been on a Quantum ship so I can't attest to that...just what I've heard.
 
So back the point of this missive. The ships ARE the attraction. Some people don't like the really big ships but I do. I love Oasis and Allure. LOVE them. There is so much to do and the casinos are SOOOO nice. I don't have small children to entertain but if I did, I think I would want to have the distractions...I mean attractions...that the big ships have to offer to keep them amused. ...and there are a lot of them on the big ships.

Stephanie,
 
    I am excited about being on one of the newer and bigger ships, I have only completed two cruises so far, Jewel out of San Juan, South Caribbean, and Vision out of Tampa, for a Western Caribbean.   I always avoided Haiti, but Matt's reverence for Labade (sp?) piqued my interest, so I am now excited about going there too.
 
    Before I always chose cruises based on destination, now I am a little more attracted to the ships themselves.  However, I did see a Southern Caribbean cruise that did Grenada, and some additional islands like Aruba, which I thought would be new an interesting too.
 
P.S.  I also have one scheduled in September on Norwegian, from NYC to Bermuda.  I wanted to see what the other lines were like before making a commitment. However, I really like RCCL, so why change?  lol.

I think a Sabor-mania meet is a must-do meet!
 
Thanks for booking and for supporting our sponsor!

Just Called MEI and they are booking for me! Very excited to be apart of this group cruise.. Bring on the Fun and SAbor!

Matt, I also am planning on going and actually I plan on booking tomorrow to take advantage of the Tax Free Promo. I am going to book with MEI so I can be included In the group and I am very excited.. I would like to suggest we have a Sabor Meet up. Ever since you went on Navigator I have wanted to go and it would be a fun group activity I think.

Matt, Absolutely agree. I always make reservations. For me I not only am excited about the cruise but I love doing Pre-Cruise Planning like booking restaurants, shows, and excursions. To me it's all part of the fun! 

Hi Mike!

Great questions.  We had about a dozen people that booked into the package.  More people were there that we ran into but the folks that booked into the MEI package tended to be our "core group" and we hung out a lot!
 
On Quantum, dinner wasn't organized minus one meal, where we booked Wonderland for everyone who booked into the room package as a thank you.  On Allure, it will depend on if DD gets rolled out or not when we go.  At the very least, I think it would be great if we were booked together for early or late seating.  Obviously we will have to wait and see about dining.
 
Thanks for looking into the package AND supporting our sponsor. We had a blast on Quantum and I can't wait for Allure!
 
My wife was super jealous (technically this was my second cruise in a row without her) BUT I promise to make it up to her in the next few cruises. :)

Interesting.  I've seen restaurants like Chops busy but never really thought I wouldn't have gotten a table if I didn't have a reservation.  That being said, I always recommend making a reservation....why not, right?

Good point.  There's also usually some deals on the specialty restaurants for the first and second night of some cruises.  
 
The takeaway I always bring up with specialty restaurants is they rarely fill up to the point you cannot walk in and get a table. If you're a group of 4 or less, I've never had trouble getting day-of reservations or even walking in and asking for availability.  They are always looking to get more business!

Thanks. I didn't realize they were changing out the shows. Makes sense, then, that Chicago would be used since they have already paid for the rights. Personally, I'd like to see Starlight Express. It could be entertaining watching a bunch of roller scatters on rough sea days. ;)

DocLC Allure currently does have Chicago but in May will be losing it and will be getting Mama Mia since it is leaving Quantum

Yeah, they are pretty closed-mouth about all of it. I have a couple of the casino host/hostesses that are good friends and with whom I communicate outside of the cruise line and they tell me they really don't know anything either, so bugging them isn't going to get you much...at least, that has been my experience so far. I think they are kinda making it up as they go. One thing is for sure...you are going to have to requalify periodically - so gone are the days when you can automatically qualify for the free drinks in the casino, rebates, casino discounts on staterooms and waiver of the 5% convenience charge (even though I have been told that the waiver of the convenience charge will remain regardless of tier level....won't hold my breath on that one). I think this totally stinks.
 
I agree that they are probably modeling their program after the NCL program. To be honest, I have found the NCL program to be far more responsive in a number of ways than the RCCL program. For instance, after being a member of the NCL program for only 1 cruise, I was given a "free" cruise. Now, as we all know, a "free" cruise is far from free...there are plenty of hidden costs that are tacked on...nevertheless, I was given a free cruise on NCL and RCCL has NEVER offered me a free cruise of ANY kind. As for the downside of the NCL program, they never waive the 5% convenience fee except for the very HIGHEST tier levels (which I will NEVER be on any cruise line !) and their "free" drinks in the casino are very hit and miss. So I guess there are upsides and downsides to both programs.
 
Knowing how RCCL operates though, I anticipate that the new program will be harder to qualify for than the old one, have less generous benefits and just, overall, to be less beneficial than the old system. That's just the way things are going with RCCL. Charge more...get less.

Hi Jill, I am Stephanie the person Matt was talking about. So Yes I am a Casino Royale Club VIP member. The way you get this is by spending a lot of money in the Casino. I got in about 5 years ago when I had some money to burn and I qualified to get in the club. The great thing is I never spend as nearly as much as I did that one time but they don't kick you out of the club once your in your in. So you get Casino rates when booking also you can earn money of next cruises but I never saw them just give away a free cruise like on carnival. So here is the other thing in April they are about the change the whole way the run the VIP program so in april once I know more I will post more info...

Hi Jill, I am Stephanie the person Matt was talking about. So Yes I am a Casino Royale Club VIP member. The way you get this is by spending a lot of money in the Casino. I got in about 5 years ago when I had some money to burn and I qualified to get in the club. The great thing is I never spend as nearly as much as I did that one time but they don't kick you out of the club once your in your in. So you get Casino rates when booking also you can earn money of next cruises but I never saw them just give away a free cruise like on carnival. So here is the other thing in April they are about the change the whole way the run the VIP program so in april once I know more I will post more info...

Ok so I am on Quantum now and have been bugging the Casino Staff like crazy to give me an answer but they say the same stuff... They know as much as you got in the letter... I Will say this I just booked a 10 night on Anthem for January 2015 and got Casino rates and got to use a rebate so like you said that is still intact until March 2016.. I plan to call in April and have them give me a full explanation about this tiered benefit stuff.. I saw that NCL runs their casino this way.. Maybe they are trying to copy them with this? Who knows.. But If I get any more info I will post...
PS. Quantum is sooooooooooo Fantastic!

Wonderland is $45.00 per person, 150 Central Park is $40.00 per person, and Izumi is al a carte pricing.. As for the coffee issue at the Promenade Café they have coffee drinks that are included they are just made by seattle's best not starbucks. Hope this helps!! And Oasis is a great ship you should have a fab time

That's what I keep telling my wife! I'm not taking vacations by myself.  I'm going to work and doing research! 

Wonderland is $45.00 per person, 150 Central Park is $40.00 per person, and Izumi is al a carte pricing.. As for the coffee issue at the Promenade Café they have coffee drinks that are included they are just made by seattle's best not starbucks. Hope this helps!! And Oasis is a great ship you should have a fab time

Life in general is easier to cope with when another cruise is imminent

I say throw down $200 in the casino and if you can double it, you go on the tour!

Need to go on a cruise with you to "research" how to gamble properly on a RC cruise! I think the IRS will let me write off my gambling loses, right?

Well after reading your comments, I have switched our reservation to Embassy Suites. Looks like a nice resort and even a little cheaper than the Hilton FL. It also has transfers from the Air Port to the resort and transfers to the Cruise Port. :)

Hi, I personally live in Ft. Lauderdale and I think you should go with the Embassy Suites. I actually have a friend who works there and they just did some remodeling so its a good choice.

I'd love for the 3rd & 4th passengers sail free deal to return, but that's because it chiefly benefits myself  :D
 
I'd love to see a "Surf and Sip" promo: free internet and drink package