Gears

Surprised you mentioned that...LOL! Not. ?

B2B is the bomb!!

The things we liked about Oasis Class: + Food - the number of options, places and variety was awesome. Specialty restaurants, ability to have breakfast in the Solarium as examples, 10/10. + Walking/Running Track - Two thumbs up Things we didn't like (resulting in being 3rd on our list): + Amount of deck space on the upper deck. Having a constant crowd in shuffling in front of you looking for open deck chairs...regardless of where you sit, showed the amount of deck space per pax was low. Clearly a result of how they have physically integrated the segregation of the suite class (from the rest of us peons) and the sheer number of people. People were frustrated and it's the first time we had to get out there for 7:30am on sea days to get a chair. And the Solarium... ??? + Having to reserve seating for entertainment. So much for looking at your watch and saying 'hey, maybe we can get a seat in the theatre?' (Canadian spelling) If the Aqua Theatre show is cancelled due to sea conditions...you're SOL. We understand why they have to do it that way, but it's not for us. + Merry-go-Rounds, Candy Stores...I can think of other things I would prefer to see taking up space. If we had kids Oasis Class would be at the top of the list. They just don't match up to why we cruise.

I have never heard of a pool on a cruise ship not being salt water (sea water actually). Any verifiable non-salt water pools on RCL?

We have been on multiple ships several times and every class of ship except Anthem. We have never booked based on a specific ship or ships, but given our experience if we had the option of going on the same itinerary/date/disembarkation port, there are ships, or rather classes, we would pick over others. 1. Freedom Class 2. Voyager Class 3. Oasis Class 4. Radiance Class That's just our preference on our style.

If I remember correctly, D+ and above used to have the option of breakfast in Chops. We used to comment on that, but haven't seen that in a while unless they still do it on the smaller ships.

Wow...backwards automation. Thanks.

...the preferences setting(s) for the embarkation day C&A gift (Welcome/Bonus Amenity) and other items? I know there has been much chatter about the state of the RCL website...and maybe I've been under a rock or something. I can find the PDF outlining the details and such...but the preferences setting is nowhere to be found. Search yields 0 results. Anyone?...anyone?...Bueller?

Suspect a prearranged service would be more cost effective than the 'taxi rate'.

If you are considering a guided island tour like that, book it ahead of time. You can walk off the ship and get a taxi for eight for sure, but a guided tour on a walk-off would not likely be available. If there is, they might have a couple of seats left and they are not necessarily going to go where you specifically want.

Shhhhhhhh!! That's an ultra classified military super secret. ???

18 cruises over 14 years. Some of which were in JS to get the double. We actually booked a 5 night in a JS to get us to exactly 175 in preparation for our B2B two months later. But...I also think we made out quite well when they switched the points system from one point per cruise to one point per night. We ended up with more C&A points than nights we had cruised when the switch was done.

On your own front door step, your own publication or in a place considered public property, yes. Anywhere and anytime...like a privately run comment board...not applicable.

We've been on the Freedom previously and we're back on for a B2B in...19 SLEEPS!!. Ooops...sorry, was that too loud? I will be sure to report back.

But I bet the gratuities get upped to 'suite level'. ?

Depends...is that an invitation? ?

HA! I saw the topic and was going to put in a @WAAAYTOOO to ask you to comment on Mama Mia...you beat me to it!! ??

B2B on... Freedom of the Seas - February 10th, 2019 (upgrade!) Freedom of the Seas - February 17th, 2019

I am shocked...just got an e-mail of our successful bid. We were below the waterline with an "Ocean View" on Deck 2. I low balled (as low as I could bid) for a balcony at $150ea...Shazzam!, we're now on Deck 6 with a balcony. And for less than we would have paid if we were to book it straight up (for the particular cruise, Feb 10 on the FOS).

The anchors appear to be deployed at least from the point the video starts.

Totally agree. This kind of practice is nickel and dime..and saying other cruise lines do this too doesn't change the nickel and dime aspect. When you, as a business, do this to your customers they start doing it to you. I circle back to why we started cruising in the first place...many of those reasons are no longer on the table. Nickel and dime this, nickel and dime that...yet merry go rounds, candy stores, cup cake making, water slides, theme parks, etc. Certainly makes us sit back and evaluate a bit more...and has caused us to delay booking our next cruise for the time being.

There is a discount for D and D+, but it has never been free. As far as C&A membership goes, only Pinnacle members are free. UPDATE: Ok, so we're talking about free DAYS...not "free Internet".

Not new to us non-US types.

We've been cruising since 2003 when we started on the Majesty. You are very correct, many things have changed. Some things better, other have gone the other way. If we started cruising today I can't say for sure if it would be with RC. I'll use Labadee as an example. Can no longer go to 'this part' of the facility unless you have one of 'these cards', can't have a chair on this side of the rope anymore without paying $40, zip line if I recall correctly was $39. To someone who has only been going there a few years they won't notice, but this concept is definitely across the board. Strawberry daiquiri on the top deck was $7.50 + 15% gratuity. Now, $12/$13 + 18% gratuity...with the creation of unlimited drink packages to make you feel like you're getting a deal on the $12/$13/drink. Quality and good service is being displaced by glam, glitz, candy stores, cup cakes and merry-go-rounds. Quality is still there in many respects and service is there, but it has waned. I estimate we've spent over $130,000 on RC cruises...but we can't eat in the Coastal Kitchen unless we upgrade to a stateroom that is way too large for our needs. The class segregation (versus loyalty benefits) is not a positive evolution...in our mind. Business transformation, sure. But RC is definitely going in a different direction than we are. Still RC fans without question and we are planning our next cruises...but we have picked up other brochures and that is something we haven't done before.