JLMoran

If it includes free tequila, how bad can it be?

Im assuming these lanyards are not the same as the luggage tag sleeves I've seen posted elsewhere. Can someone post a link to show what they are / where to get them?

If it looks more like pudding and it's served in a massive bowl, that's a great sign! Looks like they have all the chocolate powder / coffee powder on the top rather than mixed in, but if the lady fingers are broken up in the mascarpone and the espresso is swirled throughout, I might find myself tasting a contender this time next year.

You might be interested in sailing on Random Wind - we did it a few years ago and loved it:
https://randomwind.com/index.php/2012-07-19-17-39-29/paradise-sail
It's not a catamaran, but an actual sailboat.  Lots of fun!  Here's my fat gut using the Tarzan swing:

Thanks, Doc. Now I'm going to have to book reservations at Giovanni's on both Freedom and Anthem. Otherwise I can't say I'm continuing my quest for the ultimate tiramisu. 
For the record, the best I've had so far, in order:
The one made by my wife's uncle's girlfriend (professionally trained pastry chef) for a family gathering Mom's (served in the traditional glass cylinder, no less!) A restaurant here in northern NJ that, sadly, I've forgotten the name of as we went to it years ago (it may not even be in business any more) Always a favorable sign -- When it doesn't look like a cake (because it isn't one!), and looks more like someone dropped it in transit from prep bowl to serving bowl. 

We did Giovanni's for the first time on Rhapsody a week ago Thursday.  I'm still full from the meal.  Dessert wasn't an option unless I risked damage to some of my internal organs.

So right now, Bayonne has Anthem and Vision of the seas. Would Liberty replace one of those (presumably Vision), or would Bayonne become home port to three ships?

After making a few posts regarding using a travel agent and the fact that some of the benefits are not easily quantifiable, I thought I'd mention a few of the unusual things that my TAs over the years have helped me with that go beyond finding the best deal or some added agency incentive like a specialty dinner or some onboard credit, not that those aren't enjoyed, too!
When I ended up in the hospital less than 24 hours before leaving on my cruise with appendicitis, my TA handle all of the arrangements of getting the trip rearranged so that we could still make our cruise.  This was largely taking care of precruise stuff like hotel and DisneyWorld stuff, but it was still nice to have someone else do it. When my father-in-law wanted to snorkel in Alaska (don't ask me why), the TA worked with the cruise line to get a waiver that would allow him to participate.  The excursion required guests to be younger than 70, but she was able to work with the cruise line to get this limitation waived. When I booked to sail on the new MSC Seaside, my travel agent advised me of MSC's Loyalty Match Program.  As a result of my status with Royal, I will receive all of the top loyalty perks that I wouldn't otherwise be able to enjoy including  welcome back cocktails, onboard discounts, fruit basket in the room, complimentary thermal suite access, complimentary gift, complimentary photo, complimentary specialty dinner, complimentary champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries upon arrival, priority embarkation/disembarkation, complimentary dance class, Welcome Back Party, late stateroom checkout, etc. These have a definite value to me and my TA was also able to get an additional discount because of my wife's occupation. When I booked a Celebrity cruise, my TA was able to use my loyalty status to obtain a free upgrade that I didn't know I was available. I've received onboard credits because of sales that were available but not advertised by the cruise line as well as lower deposits. While there are many other reasons to use a travel agent, many of which have been posted previously, I thought I'd try to mention some of the more extraordinary things that my TAs have been able to do over the years.
Please share some of your experiences.

My TA (MEI's Jacki) automatically re-booked my Baltic 2018 Cruise on Navigator of the Seas during a recent sale and saved me $500 dollars.  I found out about the sale from her re-booking notice.  While booking the Cruise she recommended the Panoramic Ocean View, which I think we will like better than the more expensive Balcony we were considering.
Recently we had to move a B2B Cruise on Oasis from September to August and all it took was an email from me.  Later that day all the re-booking was complete with no hassle to me.
I even booked a Disney trip through her, and it was much easier than digging through Disney's web site.

The value for a TA to me is the time they save me, especially when there is a problem that needs to be fixed.  There have been a few times RC has messed something up on their own, including accidently cancelling my entire reservation for a group cruise.  I alerted my TA that I had gotten an email about something being cancelled and they spent hours on the phone with RC to fix it and to get me some bonus OBC for the trouble.  That is what makes a TA so helpful.  

After awhile, it's hard to remember exactly how many days one has cruised.  Plus, I though the Allure sailing was my son's 15th, but he kept insisting I was wrong. The spreadsheet proved that I was wrong and that it was his 16th.  Could be an age thing, though, on may part. :)
I do feel short changed, though.  I've been cruising for 23 years and have 163 nights under my belt.  My son has been sailing for 8 years and has 118 nights under his belt.

IMO the best beaches in Bonaire for good sandy surface along with incredible snorkeling within 25 yds from shore are over on Klein (little) Bonaire.  Quick water taxi away.  very primitive but makes for a wonderful day!

OK, so I just buy one 4-device package for myself and then give the login to my other family members. Sounds good!
And that is totally like renting the cabana. Wish the site would have made that clear!

I'll see your fire medic / ambulance manager turned IT manager and raise you one cancer researcher turned software architect. ;)

I'll see your fire medic / ambulance manager turned IT manager and raise you one cancer researcher turned software architect. ;)

Cabins are fabricated in "sets" of 2 - one room has the bed by the balcony and one with the bed by the closets.
 
 
Look at the deck plan of the deck you are on.
 
Find the nearest set of connected staterooms (you will know them by the set of double arrows, indicating  connecting rooms)
 
Picture yourself in the HALLWAY looking at the cabin doors
 
The cabin on the right (of the "set" of connecting rooms) will have the bed by the balcony.  The cabin on the left has the bed by the closets.
 
Then alternate (balcony, closet, balcony, closet) until you get to your room and that is where your bed will be placed.
 
Make sure you orient yourself in the HALLWAY before you start "counting".
 
 
 
RBRSKI, according to this method, 11300 on Oasis will have the bed by the closet.  You will have to let us know when you get back !!

So I wanted to compare my currently paid price for the Oct 13, 2018 5-night Bermuda sailing on Anthem against the 100 hour sale. I go onto the RCI site and do a search just for any sailings to Bermuda on anthem in October, and the only sailing listed is for the 7th.
 
I was thinking maybe that sailing is already sold out, but in the past, I've seen sold out sailings listed with a "sold out" label on them. Plus, that sailing was only announced last week with the seasonal Caribbean / northeast sailings.
 
Could that sailing really already be sold out, and Royal just doesn't say that any more on the site?
 
The part that worries me is that if they don't list it now, it may not be listed for any other promo than the one in effect when I booked. Then I'll never (ok, my TA Heather won't ever) be able to rebook for any kind of savings or OBC. I suppose that would mean I really did get the best possible price, but I always figured there'd be something small I could at least qualify for. Especially when Anthem seems to get "bonus OBC" or other offerings like "balcony for ocean view price" all the time.

I finally told my wife about our anniversary cruise in Oct. Yesterday was our half anniversary and so I had a tee shirt made with a picture of Serenade of the Seas on the front and on the back was 2017 and the dates and names of our ports of call.
She completely lost her mind!
I'm glad I don't have to keep this secret any longer and sneak around on Royal Caribbean blog! :D 

I am going to attempt to add pics from our GS suite on Liberty...

Considering how far off your cruise is, I'm wondering if fully paying it off in the next few months makes sense. If a promo comes along that reduces the cost of your cruise, and you've fully paid it off, there's no way to reduce your final bill since it's already paid off. I think I read elsewhere that if that happens, Royal just gives you the difference as onboard credit, and this may be acceptable in your case since you want OBC pre-applied for your trip.
 
I kind of look at that the same way I look at overpaying my taxes and getting a refund -- that's an interest-free loan you can't redeem until your trip, and in the meantime you might want / need that money. Might be better to hold off fully paying off the trip and putting that OBC money on your account until just a few months out, rather than over a year out.

Considering how far off your cruise is, I'm wondering if fully paying it off in the next few months makes sense. If a promo comes along that reduces the cost of your cruise, and you've fully paid it off, there's no way to reduce your final bill since it's already paid off. I think I read elsewhere that if that happens, Royal just gives you the difference as onboard credit, and this may be acceptable in your case since you want OBC pre-applied for your trip.
 
I kind of look at that the same way I look at overpaying my taxes and getting a refund -- that's an interest-free loan you can't redeem until your trip, and in the meantime you might want / need that money. Might be better to hold off fully paying off the trip and putting that OBC money on your account until just a few months out, rather than over a year out.

Considering how far off your cruise is, I'm wondering if fully paying it off in the next few months makes sense. If a promo comes along that reduces the cost of your cruise, and you've fully paid it off, there's no way to reduce your final bill since it's already paid off. I think I read elsewhere that if that happens, Royal just gives you the difference as onboard credit, and this may be acceptable in your case since you want OBC pre-applied for your trip.
 
I kind of look at that the same way I look at overpaying my taxes and getting a refund -- that's an interest-free loan you can't redeem until your trip, and in the meantime you might want / need that money. Might be better to hold off fully paying off the trip and putting that OBC money on your account until just a few months out, rather than over a year out.

Considering how far off your cruise is, I'm wondering if fully paying it off in the next few months makes sense. If a promo comes along that reduces the cost of your cruise, and you've fully paid it off, there's no way to reduce your final bill since it's already paid off. I think I read elsewhere that if that happens, Royal just gives you the difference as onboard credit, and this may be acceptable in your case since you want OBC pre-applied for your trip.
 
I kind of look at that the same way I look at overpaying my taxes and getting a refund -- that's an interest-free loan you can't redeem until your trip, and in the meantime you might want / need that money. Might be better to hold off fully paying off the trip and putting that OBC money on your account until just a few months out, rather than over a year out.

If you're mainly thinking the Grand Suite is mandatory to keep everyone in one space, and you aren't so keen on the suite benefits that Matt mentioned, may I offer an alternative that can save a sizeable chunk of money: Look at booking two connecting balcony rooms instead.
 
When we were looking to book our first cruise last fall (family of four, two older teen girls), we also were first thinking we'd have to book a grand suite to have enough space for all of us. But my jaw dropped at how much more a grand suite is compared to a standard balcony. Yes, it's twice the square footage of a regular balcony room. Yes, it has the suite benefits that Matt mentioned. But on Freedom of the Seas (sister ship to Liberty), a Grand Suite room would have cost us four times the price of a superior balcony room, even though it's "only" double the square footage. And the suite still gives just one bed plus a sofa bed (our teens did not want to sleep in a sofa bed together). Once we realized the ship offers connecting balcony rooms, and saw how much money that would save us (heck, it's the same price as a Junior Suite for more square footage!), we knew that was our best option. That saved money was now available for excursions, spa treatments, internet packages, and drink packages.
 
What you get with connecting rooms:
two bathrooms two beds (three if you split the bed in the second room into the two double beds) about the same square footage as the grand suite IIRC you can remove the divider between the balconies and get a combined balcony that's comparable to the grand suite your teenager will have his / her own space Just a suggestion. If you really like the idea of the suite and are OK with the added cost, by all means go for it!

I always shake my head at the idea of a selfie stick. As posted earlier, it means you're using the lower-quality front camera on your smartphone to start with. Odds are you won't be holding it very steady if its extended all the way out.
 
"Back in the day", if you wanted to be in the picture, you'd politely ask a passerby if they'd mind taking a photo for you, hand them your point-and-shoot, and presto! Now, because it's a smartphone, I guess people are less willing to do that for fear the stranger will run off with their expensive device or something. Or they're just becoming more and more antisocial.
 
I thoroughly plan to do that old-school way of it when I'm on the ship, for sure. And when we're on an excursion I'll most likely ask our tour guides to do it, too.