JLMoran

Actually, I went back to cruise-ships.com and recreated my "ticker" after seeing I had the same issue. There is no option to copy some bit of script that will dynamically update the time until cruise in the image. All of the offered options to put the "ticker" in your signature are plain HTML or (for Cruise Critic type sites) pseudo-HTML that always pointing to the same PNG format image file. Given that, I've gotten rid of all of these space-wasters and now I'm just using plain text.

Yeah, so I'm actually NOT going to the eclipse. Got sick with what felt like the flu on Tuesday, cleared out by end of day Wednesday but since then I've been hacking and coughing all day and through good chunks of the night. Just canceled all my hotel bookings this morning and I'm out over $100 for those museum tickets (non-refundable). I don't care that the weather forecast for basically all of South Carolina is going back and forth between "heavy clouds" and "scattered thunderstorms" for the afternoon when totality would hit. I'm pissed. I go to all this effort to cross off a bucket list item and I can't do it because I get a fracking bronchial infection?!? I know there's another one coming our way in 2024, a "mere" 7 years away. Let's just say I'm feeling pessimistic right now that I'll have any better luck seeing that one. And now I'm wondering what the hell is going to come along and f*** up these two cruises I've got booked.

I'd just add that when the rollout happens, you'll need to check each week what was newly announced. They don't necessarily announce in calendar order, just destination area. I want say they announced Mediterranean and Caribbean in early March, European itineraries in mid-March, seasonal itineraries like Bermuda and New England/Canada in late March, and the poor Australian / Pacific itineraries weren't announced until something like late April (way later than expected).

Hmm, guess I'll have another option besides chef's table, if it's still offered when I go on Freedom at the end of March. Is that something I should see in the Cruise Planner, or is it just offered on a particular day / time in the Cruise Compass? So far under Dining I've only seen the Chef's Table option along with the specialty dining packages.

Nice! Looks like that was a nice balcony room with some good views! I'll be on Anthem next October in room 7238 for their 5-nighter to Bermuda. Still have 424 days to go!

IIRC, ordering wine at Vintages via iPad is done using iPads specifically provided by the venue. These iPads already have the necessary wine list / ordering app pre-installed and are already hooked in to the ship's wifi. I think those iPads are also locked to using just that app, no using them for free web surfing or checking your Instagram feed. I also would guess that they're bolted to the tables and bar in Vintages, so they don't go wandering around the ship.

While there may well be a drink package offered, it might not be a bad idea to consider whether it would be fully worth it for that TP itinerary. First thought I had when seeing the question was, "Holy drink fatigue, Batman!" I know it's possible to still get your money's worth from a drink package without having only alcoholic drinks and just throwing in some premium coffees, fresh squeezed juices, etc. But to me that's still a lot to be drinking over that long a time. Also, how many port days vs sea days do you have? If it's really port intensive before you start "crossing the pond", it might not be worthwhile just because of all the time not on the ship.

I'm also in the "pay a bit each month" camp. I try to pay the same each month so when final payment comes around it's a few hundred left. I combine that with purchasing one shore excursion / drink package / internet service package each month leading up to final payment. Pay in full each month, and by cruise time it's all paid for and I can get off the ship with no extra balance due.

Great review @sandjb! Interesting that you found Liberty crowded. I'll be curious to see how Freedom feels when I sail her in a similar peak time next March/April, given they're sister ships and same layout. That's really odd that they kept you at the table for six instead of moving you to a table for eight or more, maybe with some other shipmates for company. I hope the view from the window offset the "cozy" aspects of it. Maybe they thought some in your party wouldn't be dining there every night and there would typically be room?

Not quite correct -- if we can't stream it or play from an over-the-air signal on our HDTV roof antenna, we don't watch it. ;)

Considering this was CruiseCritic.com, doesn't that just mean it was a day ending in "Y"? ?

The TRS-80 was a computer from back in the late 1970's, that was not at all affectionately nicknamed the "Trash 80". I had one of those (a Model 1!! With included tape drive!!) in my elementary school for my 4th and 5th grade "introduction to computers and BASIC programming" class. They really were pieces of crap, especially when compared with the Apple IIe computers that came out not long after; we had one of those Apple models in the middle school computer lab as the "special" machine, next to about 16 Model 3 Trash 80s, and you had to fight to get time on it since it could do so much more.

Do you live closer to Pittsburgh than philly in PA? Just checked on Google Maps: it's 6 hours from Pittsburgh to Cape Liberty, but only 2 hours from Philly. I sometimes forget how "wide" PA is, not to mention how much bigger than NJ.

"[Hey Siri / Alexa / OK Google], convert XXXX British pounds to US Dollars" ??

Welcome aboard, Wanderer! It's always nice to have another member join us from "across the pond", so we get some different perspectives and points of view!

Well, as a guy who booked his first cruise last December and saw a $2,000 price drop for the four of us in a February promo / rebooking, I'm going to miss those glory days!! I suppose this particular sailing I booked was a situation similar to what @Matt described; but I doubt it since the savings happened just over a year ahead of sail date, not last minute.

From Matt's article yesterday about some interesting facts from Royal's quarterly earnings call: So I think even the days of seeing an occasional "promotion" that saves a bit of money vs. original booking price may be gone, and we'll truly see the best rates only in the promo that's in effect when the itineraries for a given year are released.

Hey, I'm only 47 and just got my AARP membership card! Apparently, younger spouses of eligible individuals are allowed to join even if they're not yet 50 themselves.

To quote the penguins in "Madagascar" -- Well, this sucks!

Would it have made any difference to show them the email receipts on your smart phone, that indicated full payment of cruise and the individual excursion receipts that were all fully paid? Maybe combined with logging in to cruise planner on your phone so they can see the emails and listed reservations all line up? Or they would have just replied that you're clearly missing something there, and made you pay anyway? Asking because I'm keeping all of my receipts from Royal and my TA in a specific "vacations" folder and could easily pull them up on my phone if needed.

So there have been a lot of posts here lately about getting tables for two. I figured I'd turn it on its head and ask about being a party of only two or four, but wanting the biggest table possible so we have that "classic" experience of meeting new people and having good, long, fun conversation (hopefully with a lot of laughs). Getting a table for two apparently requires sending an email request or making a phone call to RCI. Does wanting to be at a big table also require this? On my cruise on Freedom we're a party of four and I seem to remember reading that this size party is normally placed at a table for four even with traditional dining. Also, from what I remember of the photos of most MDRs in Royal's lineup, those big tables are typically on the lowest floor in the central open area at the bottom of the stairs. Has anyone been seated at these who can describe the foot traffic around there during the dinner rush? Are you shouting over the bustle of dozens or hundreds of wait staff and passengers moving around you, or once everyone is seated does it reasonable settle down and you can have a good meal with good conversation? Side question -- do they have live music (piano, string quartet, etc.) during the meals in MDR? I've seen some photos that do show a piano in the center hall area on the lowest floor of the MDR, but just because the instrument is there doesn't mean it's actually played.

Am I the only who finds it humorous that the person asking about a glow party, with all the associated innuendo that's followed, goes by the screen name "Mushroom"? Magic ones, perhaps?

If I'm remembering right, isn't a mudslide Baileys and Kahlua? Virgin version would more or less be 2 oz of cream and 2 oz of coffee, shake vigorously? No chocolate involved there.

Sorry to add to the debate, but as a borderline asthmatic with asthmatic mother and brother, I can assure you that any exposure to cigarette smoke is a MAJOR trigger for asthma attacks. My mother was nearly hospitalized when a guy in a museum cafeteria that was clearly labeled a no-smoking area decided to light up a cigar and was smoking for several minutes before my dad (who nearly came to blows with the guy) finally got him to put the damn thing out. What's a borderline asthmatic, you may ask? I don't need a rescue inhaler on my person, and I've never had a "failed" peak flow test, but I'm damn close to it and have been on a daily inhaler for peak flow maintenance for over 10 years now. Before I was on that, whenever I'd get a bad head cold it would always turn into bronchitis with heavy wheezing, at which point I would get put on the rescue inhaler until it finally cleared out. And even with that, I can still get that bad with a really severe cold, and breathing any kind of smoke (cigarette or otherwise) puts me into a coughing and wheezing fit like any other asthmatic until I can get away from it. So yeah, I would have major problems with anyone smoking on their balcony if I was sitting on mine and downwind of them, butt cups / ash trays / safety canisters available to the person or not. I will be sure to avoid the areas that are designated "smoking allowed" and, if they're outdoors, probably have to route around them as I navigate the ships. And I'd pay extra to be on a ship where the entire thing was guaranteed to be 100% smoke free, and I could be sure of going to the casino without having to leave the second I pick up the cigarette smell (and I realize this probably means my plans to play craps on my cruises have been shot down the toilet, unless Freedom's / Anthem's casinos go smoke free).

I think @WAAAYTOOO has the right of it. I've seen a fair number of JS photos / videos while I had been looking at my own room selection options, and only the ones that RC labeled as a "JS with large balcony" had a lounger. I think the balcony area on the standard port / starboard side rooms is just too short / narrow to accommodate a lounger. Likewise, those regular JS rooms also have only a small round table on the balcony that can hold a cup of coffee or two and maybe a small plate for pastries or the like. [EDIT] Aaaaaand right after I post that, @melski94 puts the lie to my statement!