CGTLH

13 minutes ago, Snowchaser said:

Just curious if anyone here knows, can you get to the Helo pad on Symphony?  We we sailed on her last month and we walked all over looking but couldn't find a way though we could see people standing there via the ships video feed.

Access to the helipad on Oasis class ships is restricted to crew only or guests during special activities.

Technically speaking the Diamond discount is $25.99 towards any Voom plan.

$25.99 just also happens to be the cost for a single device, 24 hours of continuous service of the Surf package.

As already mentioned, when signing up for service it will automatically apply the discount.

1 hour ago, CaitlynRC said:

Do they have a menu outside their entrance

No menu posted outside the entrance. Sometimes they might display the theme or a nightly "action station". Example might be Mongolian, where you select vegetables and a meat and they stir-fry it to order.

1 hour ago, CaitlynRC said:

that can be seen from the app

Sometimes the app might post the theme for the night. While the app might not post the nightly theme, the paper version of the Cruise Compass normally will.

Keep in mind the theme only covers a small portion. Just because it is Italian night doesn't mean every dish is going to be Italian.

In a nutshell, no menu along the lines of a listing of everything offered for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Looking at the posting history. Seems they got a RoyalUp to a Crown Loft suite.

For a Crown Loft you'll get complimentary VOOM Surf and Stream for everyone booked in suite. Beyond that you'll have Coastal Kitchen access for all meals. Plus access to the Suite Lounge that'll offer complimentary water, soda, beer, and wine from 11a-11p. In addition a cocktail hour that is somewhere in the 5p-8p time range.

Never seen Fever Tree onboard.

Tonic, when canned, I want to say is Seagram's. Ginger ale, also when canned, Seagram's. Finally, ginger beer Gosling.

Ginger ale and tonic from "the gun", I'd assume since Seagram's is a Coke product it is that brand of syrup. Not working the industry, I have not idea if a generic syrup is used. For the ginger beer, only seen it available in cans.

25 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

Cruises from that long ago had a different point system and converted differently.  My 7 day cruise from 20 years ago is 8 points for some reason.

Point conversion circa 2011

1-4 Credits = (Credits x 7) + 1
5-7 Credits = (Credits x 7) + 3
8+ Credits = (Credits x 7) + 13

Math in your case (1x7)+1=8

Poster's case might be (2x7)+1=15

I've seen it before on a Canada/New England sailing on Anthem while docked in Canadian ports.

11 minutes ago, 10-42 said:

I tried a search in Royal's site and all it returned was, Excursion Times are in Ship's time.  So, what I can gather from here is that, IT DEPENDS.  

Unfortunately... best bet is to keep an eye on the Cruise Compass section of the site for one to be posted matching voyage. 

7 minutes ago, 10-42 said:

So, as I though, the ship's time is constant, it doesn't change with the time zones?  I understand if the ship is repositioning, there may be some changes.  But, a Caribbean or Alaskan cruise, it stays the same regardless of port of call?  

 

I've done Eastern Caribbean where time was kept on EST (-5) while the ports were AST (-4). Was sailing on Wonder when Daylight Savings Time started and we didn't change time until morning of day 6. This was due to ports visiting on the Western side not observing DST. Had we shifted time on Sunday morning we would have been two hours ahead of Roatan (CST -6) vs EDT (-4).

Ship time and local time aren't always the same.

Added: That being said, if a ship is going to be spending a majority of the sailing in a different time. Normally they'll adjust ship time to match the time zone. Looking at the Compass @twangster for Serenade they adjusted time on morning of day 3 then adjusted again morning of day 7.

2 hours ago, CruisingNewb said:

It turns out that I am a dummy.  No Playmakers on the Ovation. 

Ahhh... That would definitely explain why it wasn't listed.

Odyssey-Ovation, dang ships starting with the same letter.

35 minutes ago, jcfoshe said:

I do not have much faith in Royals accounting system at the moment.

Welcome to the club. Some how got double charged on a split payment for final payment. When I got an invoice after submitting for the shareholder it showed a balance due.

Contacted my TA, found out when the credit was processed somehow the payment that went towards to booking was refunded vs the extra charge.

18 minutes ago, KevinJ said:

With the 50% deal it's difficult to figure out what the single prices would be. It also means a single purchaser isn't getting any deal at all.

When purchasing in advance the price shown online is always going to be the discounted price.

Solo sailing I have booked

Different sailing with the old style cruise planner.

Yes, shorts can be worn for lunch. Venture to say the only thing not allowed would be showing up in swimwear.

27 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Is it just me or is Playmakers missing in the Dining section of the App?  

I've always seen it listed under the "Bars & Lounges" section of Dining.

21 minutes ago, OrlandoDad said:

My question is, can my wife and I get an extra key to their room, or better yet arrange to have my key open their door as well as ours?

Yes, an extra key card can be made. Combined access, I've haven't heard anyone being successful having one card to access two staterooms.

Only the one on the far left, multi-tap, is the least likely to be confiscated.

Middle, an extension cord, could confiscated. Far right, power strip, would likely be confiscated.

Of the three, I've seen all on the pick-up/naughty table post cruise as confiscated items. One I've seen the least was the far left.

Strong chance time slots for 7pm will be available. Major question is will it show up online or onboard.

47 minutes ago, TheRick said:

do they add the 18% gratuity to the drink?

Yes

47 minutes ago, TheRick said:

what do the robot bartenders spend the money on?

Money is used the poor soul that has to clean up when ever they miss. Don't forget someone also has to change out the empty bottles and restock supplies.

11 minutes ago, Cruisin_with_the_Oldies said:

13 days until Harmony of the Seas! Question: Guest #2 wants to use a debit card for onboard spending account. Do you know how much they 'typically' put on hold? (trying to convince her to use credit card instead!) 

From what I recall using a credit card it was whatever the daily charges might have been each day or $100 the first time it was used that day. Then at the end of the sailing it was a combined charge for everything. By the end of the sailing I'd have multiple daily charges pending and one combined charge. Problem is the daily ones sometimes took a week to drop off.

If they are hard set on using a debit card. What might work is setting up a cash account then using the debit card to pay it down once it hits $500.

1 hour ago, Pooch said:

Massachusetts.  If he had arrived at the trip destination, he would have made the cruise.  It was not possible to get to the trip destination.

Reading the policy again it seems that delay due common carrier or weather condition is not a covered event for trip interruption. In my mind it makes the policy horrific if any extended travel is required.

One attempt to at least get something might be making a claim for any unreimbursed expenses incurred trying to chase a possible flight under the Travel Delay portion of the policy.

@AshleyDillo you got any further input or thoughts? Link to policy: https://coverage.archinsurancesolutions.com/description-of-coverage/EGMlQm1EP5Pm7SXcmmOt4cu0P6BBziSv9ghc40glkeTVuLlipDfj2wQbY2LZlUlpYQ88

Silly as it sounds... Think the claim was denied due to never arriving at "Your Trip" destination. Had he arrived to the embarkation city missing the sailing then the claim might have been valid.

Just to make sure I'm reading the right policy. What state does your brother reside in?

On 4/27/2022 at 5:08 PM, Andrew72681 said:

hey guys. This trip has been a mess and with service lapses, cold food, things never arriving, and today a room that smells like sewage, I’m dumping this liveblog now. Spending the energy to chronicle it all just adds to the thought that I wasted a ton of money. 

Yikes, just saw the post elsewhere of what all happened.

10 hours ago, jreese said:

The concern is changing the tip from optional based on service quality verses a mandatory tip amount. It should be listed as the cost, not hidden in the promotional cost then added at checkout.

When dining at a specialty onboard it is automatically added as well if not pre-purchased. Same way buying a beverage onboard has a gratuity/service charge automatically added or a beverage package purchased in advance having it added.

My feeling is the change with the new Cruise Planner adding a gratuity/service charge is bringing it more in line with the onboard charging style. Before it was a mystery how much the server might have gotten, if anything, buying in advance. Now it is at least implied the server should get the gratuity/service charge.

1 hour ago, jreese said:

Pre-cruise purchase and I don't like this practice. We pay mandatory gratuities daily and we used to have the option to give additional based on actual service.

Early on between the different versions of the Cruise Planner the end price was the same. Example the old version of the Cruise Planner might have shown the restaurant for $59 with nothing additional. While the new version showed $50 then at checkout added $9 for the 18% gratuity/service charge. Still the same price in the, just a lower advertised price at first. I'll add many customers got tricked when their booking was migrated over to the new version. Suddenly dining bookings went down in advertised cost. However, after they were canceled and booked again the new 18% gratuity/service charge was discovered.

If the concern is being able to add an additional gratuity post meal. You'll be presented with a $0 check with a line to provide additional gratuity.