JLMoran

Cabanas and bungalows both can accommodate 6 people (just double-checked that!), but the cabanas have the advantage of three dedicated walls instead of just one at the back, and they're big enough that they can house all six people inside. The bungalows, based on the description in that link, really only hold four people inside and then the other two need to "make do" with the outside loungers (possibly an issue if everyone wants to take advantage of shade). If you want to spend a lot of time in the water, and at least two people in your group are OK with being in the sun (maybe partly shaded if the bungalow's curtains are drawn), I'd say get the bungalow and save some money, since that link also notes they're much closer to the water. If you want a space that everyone could sit inside at once to enjoy lunch or take a break from the sun and water, and you also don't mind a longer walk back to the water, then go for the cabana.

Let's see: First anniversary is paper -- tickets for a cruise, of course!! Second is cotton -- upgraded 1,000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets for your cabin's bed Third is leather -- Ummm, I'm not gonna go there... Fourth is fruit -- The complimentary bowl of the stuff that comes with your suite booking! Fifth is wood -- Banister to the second floor of your crown loft suite! Sixth is candy -- That'll be the name of your genie! Seventh is copper and wool -- Of course, the bath and robes in the spa (they have copper tubs in there, right?) How far can we get with this? Ideas people (especially for the next few -- bronze, pottery, and tin!)

Kayla, just wanted to say congratulations and best wishes to you and your fiancé as you take the next step in your life as a married couple. Hope the wedding is great and worth all the planning-related stress and anticipation. Have a great honeymoon, and we'll look forward to the report after you're back. Don't spend too much time Periscoping or blogging or what have you; you're newlyweds, you've got better things to be doing!

Does this also apply for the flight portion, if you're taking a flight to/from the port city? I seem to recall that for flights, the current TSA regulations do require that all medications be in their original bottles.

So just from the "trying to think like a cruise line" POV, how could we interpret a change like this? Cozumel had too many ships coming in now on the originally planned day, and Allure had flexibility in the schedule to swap around port day and sea day to relieve some crowding / pressure on the port and its businesses?

SLLLLLLLL-APPY!!

That's horrifying... Ventriloquists can be really hit or miss. But I will say, if you ever get a chance to see Jeff Dunham, don't pass it up. I've seen him twice live, first time when he was still getting off the ground and headlining only the smaller comedy clubs. He's always hilarious and has some phenomenal material, not to mention the great collection of dummies he uses. Walter is the best, followed close behind by Peanut.

Honestly, I don't find it odd at all. Folks like us (yeah, I'm a web developer and software architect, too) tend to find places like this. I'd guess it's partly because most of us have gotten used to scouring the web for solutions to our day-to-day problems, partly because a majority of us got into this business in the first place because we're detail oriented, meticulous, inquisitive, and love to learn as much as we can about whatever we're focusing on as our current "project".

No problem. I've noticed that, at least for Mediterranean / Adriatic cruises, they seem to have some better offerings than what Royal has (either in terms of length or port selection). Not so sure about their US itineraries, as I haven't really looked. But I did notice that with Celebrity, Bermuda cruises seem to always be 7-night offerings instead of the more typical 5 that Royal offers. On the flip side, Celebrity's offerings for Scandinavia seem to pale in comparison to what Royal offers, at least with regard to Norway and especially Iceland offerings. I'm considering a couple of those Mediterranean options myself for a 50th birthday trip; I'd like to bring the kids, though, and they'd have to be cool with being on a ship that doesn't cater to teens so much. Of course, those are really port-intensive trips and the lack of on-ship amenities for the younger set might not be as big a deal to them vs. being able to see those locations. Bummer that Celebrity doesn't sail out of Baltimore. It's definitely a nice plus having a cruise port with offerings you want to take real close to your home!

I'm curious, since the kids are grown and you don't need those kid-friendly amenities -- have you considered trying out Celebrity or another line that caters more to (not necessarily older) couples and less to families? Or is Grandeur not only the Goldilocks of Royal's fleet for you, but is Royal itself your Goldilocks of cruise lines?

Not as old as you guys, but still got to enjoy plenty of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer; Jethro Tull; Moody Blues; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; and more as a kid.

@Sam105, I would definitely advise keeping a close eye on the updates from Royal. I'd also check with your airline and the hotel you may have booked; the hotel especially could be a possible trouble point for you and your family, as many (all?) of them have been operating as refugee centers for all the citizens who were displaced from their homes by the hurricane and putting that as a necessary priority over tourist bookings. I like Mr. Fain's optimism, but based on the most recent news reporting, I have some doubts (at least for the next few weeks). As of last night, the entire island was still without power. What few places had power of any sort were getting it by way of diesel-fueled backup generators, and the fuel needed for those is getting critically low; a children's hospital had to evacuate because they were out of fuel and on just a few hours of battery backup for the respirators many of those children needed. The airport itself is running on generator power, and at least as of yesterday or maybe day before was reported as not having any computer access of any sort, which is making flight logistics very difficult. Compounding this is an apparent lack of central organization on the ground to get things moving in the right sequence. Example given in the news report: food, water, and fuel have been delivered and there is a fair bit of it waiting for distribution; but it's just sitting at the port, unable to be delivered, because stronger emphasis was put on getting in supplies and less on getting the roads cleared to allow transport to all parts of the island. Feeling there is that until some better coordination and organization is put into place to best direct the teams on the ground, things will continue to move at a slower than needed pace. My personal take on this is that this will also have an impact on how quickly the electrical grid is restored.

Still plenty of options, just none that are ideal: - You and spouse in a suite, kids in a separate cabin (inside if you really want to damage their self esteem) - Junior Suite and regular balcony - Two JS rooms - GS for you, GS for them ...

Come join us for the 7-nighter NEXT October ---- 3 Sea Days and 3 Days in Bermuda --- We'll be on the ship for Halloween which should be a lot of fun. Nah, he'll be on Grandeur. Come up to Cape Liberty and sail out on Anthem with us on our October cruise! To paraphrase Iron Man: C'mon, you want to be on the humdrum ship or the fun ship?

Hey, I wasn't even looking at your ship when you were doing that!

Thanks, Mark! I got the email with this and saved it to my "Cruising Stuff" mailbox for when I need to a pre-cruise fix!

Big bon voyage to you and your family, and I hope you have an amazing time! Definitely looking forward to the post-cruise report, as this is one of those itineraries that I'm eying to book down the road. And dang! You joined a month later than me and are already over 1,000 posts?!?!? My hat is off to you, sir!

Can I ask what may be a stupid question? Why do the two-bedroom suites require at least five people for booking, when that means one guest is now forced to use the sofa bed? That would be like saying you have to book 3 in a regular balcony or a JS to get one of those rooms. I understand there are very few of those 2-bedroom cabins, so demand is WAY beyond what supply can handle and Royal is trying to make sure that only a group that will make full use of the space gets it. But if I could snag one of those for my family of four, I'd pay for that in a heartbeat! Especially for something like the 50th birthday cruise I'm trying to plan out, where I'd really like to do that in some style. Instead, I'm locked out from even seeing that option unless Royal's booking system slips up (like what happened with @WAAAYTOOO getting an ATS for just herself and her husband), or one of them opens up after final payment is due and they decide to let smaller groups have the option of getting it. Or is this one of those things where a good TA can work some magic to get what's not even visible to regular RCI site visitors?

Great post, Mark, and awesome job making all that lemonade and having what sounds like a fantastic time! I know there was another post here or in one of the other forums that either included pics of the Crystal Caves or gave a link to the official site, but if you have any pics of your own I'd love to see them. I don't know if I can convince my wife to do that on our trip to Bermuda next year, but maybe if I can show her enough photos... or a hurricane comes nearby again when we're there... And that was great to read about how the captain navigated you to keep clear of the storm and still make it to Bermuda. One of my mom's co-workers went out on Anthem just this past weekend for what should have been a Bermuda cruise of her own, and the timing wasn't vs. Jose's location wasn't in their favor. Jose forced a complete itinerary change and she's going to Maine and Nova Scotia instead. Hopefully she can also make good lemonade out of those lemons, especially since it's her first cruise ever!

I believe that’s correct, looking at my own booking for my family cruise next year. We are also two staterooms (connecting). Wife and I in one room, kids in the other. And when I log in to “My Cruises”, I see that each room is a different reservation number even though we all booked at the same time and through the same TA. @Matt, would it make a difference if the reservations were linked on RCI’s end?

Wait, doesn't this mean that your back-to-back honeymoon cruise will be a double Western Caribbean tour now?

I like the idea of a "cruise watch". However, I don't own any regular watches and the closest I get is my FitBit. If I sync up my FitBit to my phone after getting on board, then shut off the phone's Bluetooth connection, will that properly keep the FitBit locked to ship time regardless of what my phone says? If so, then "cruise watch" is a lock!

Welcome aboard @Mary Jes and @Paul&Karen! Let us know if you have any questions about your upcoming cruises or anything else! It's a great community here, whether your a 25-year cruising vet or a total newcomer like me. I've definitely learned a ton since joining here.

I'm the "Star Blazers" generation -- where Bell Bottoms were considered what people of the future would apparently still be wearing, and as part of military uniforms no less!