Lovetocruise2002

1 hour ago, Sarah said:

I'm sorry if this question has already been asked - I tried to check before asking...

I live in the UK; am I able to use a company such as MEI to book my cruises with?

Travel agents are different here.  I've used one to book all my cruises (apart from the one next week) but not paid any different price to that advertised on the Royal website and I've not received any other perks from them either.

Next week's cruise was booked directly with Royal and after getting cut off 3 times on the phone, them not applying my C&A details, and problems paying the final balance I'm reluctant to use them again.

Thanks for any assistance

Sarah

Sarah, I don't know about MEI specifically but I live in Canada and I have booked cruises with a US based travel agent. Payament is in US dollars. Now, all those cruises are Caribbean cruises leaving from US ports so I don't know if that makes a difference? I have not attempted to book Europe cruises with them. 

The walkie talkie discussion reminds me of similar threads from before. Some interesting food for thought if you are going to go that route.

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

Has hubby clued into the concept that you've been surreptitiously planting subliminal thoughts into your kids for months now?

Yup!  But the damage is done lol....I have raised cruise fanatics.  When your dinner conversation last night is about how you move to Pinnacle status and your youngest is leading the discussion because she watches @Matt's scopes with you, there is no turning back from that.

4 minutes ago, KLAconQueso said:

Looks like I have a few more non-Oasis class years then! 

Enjoy them!  Seriously.

3 minutes ago, DocLC said:

Remember, though, that there's no guaranty when or if the 10 drink punch card will show up. Typically, it will not show up before the 4th day, although that policy may have changed.

Great point.  And don't they not even show up sometimes on shorter sailings?

Just now, DocLC said:

So true. I was looking at my cruise history and noticed that I only had 9 cruises before my son. Since his birth we've doubled that number and he'll be on his 19th cruise next month. Having a child is what really made us fall in love with cruising simply because it is so convenient with children.

This is way off topic but I'm going to share this anyway....while tossing summer vacation ideas around lately we asked the kids what they wanted to do.  We've done Disney the last two summers so that was off the table (waiting for Star Wars land to open before returning).  Thought about going to New York or Chicago for a land vacation .  We basically asked the kids what they wanted.  First question, "Is there going to be a lot of walking in NYC and Chicago?".  Yes.  Next comment from the kids, "Ummm....Why can't we just go on another cruise?" Wonder where they get these ideas from??

I have always said and still believe (so far) that cruising is the best value vacation.  Especially for a family.

56 minutes ago, KLAconQueso said:

or have young children.

^^^^This will be the reason! 

Not just young children, but older kids, tweens, teens.  That is the beauty of Oasis class!  Something for everyone.  And you can still see the ocean (in certain areas lol)

But I even love Oasis class without my kids.  There is just so much that class offers that other classes don't.  BTW...I heard that certain Moran girls were bored on Freedom class 

52 minutes ago, mworkman said:

Since i've not seen a city related to that chart....i'm suspect that's even in Canada 

Ok...You've caught me.  It's Bot City.

Just now, twangster said:

What city?  Is this even Canada?  or Toledo?

Ha...It's Canada.  But not near Alaska, so @Matt , I wouldn't be packing less if I were you.

Just now, tiny260 said:

Ouch, I'm guessing only an ex-Canadian could get away with saying that...

He's not ex!  He's still Canadian! 

13 minutes ago, twangster said:

True.  There was that day in 1947...

I'm just happy to see Canada finally got the internet and folks could find the blog.  Probably explains the increase.

Ok...since no other Canadians here want to help..check out our temps of late.  Because I am such a nice person, I even put it in Fahrenheit.  From mid-May to present. 

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

And the stubborn Canadian brings it all back to Hockey...

It's always about the hockey here, not the pizza, or the bagels, or the tacos lol

10 minutes ago, Tim B. said:

Now I understand what the Royal Caribbean Blog is all about - it's a support group for Cruiseaholics.

BINGO!

FYI....IT IS NOT ALWAYS COLD IN CANADA! 

Sometimes is it warmer here than in some parts of the US.

But great news that word of this blog is spreading!  Congrats on 8 years @Matt!  And many more to come.

Sorry @JLMoran...I think this is more similar  So off topic!! lol

7 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Your beard and his are equally impressive!

3 minutes ago, Todd W said:

That name sounds really familiar.   Our paths may have crossed in one of the facebook beard groups i'm linked to.   Thanks for the compliment. by the way, much appreciated.    Fortunate to have a wife who loves my beard and won't let me cut it and also doesn't mind all the money i spend on beard products lol

My first thought was Brent Burns or Joe Thorton lol

@Todd W, awesome pic!

23 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

OMG, I just saw that!! I LOVE IT!! I was wondering what was on your head!

Courtesy of our resident photoshopper.... @twangster lol 

10 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

Wait until you see the way they "present" to you, the Space Shuttle Atlantis ...... I can't go into detail because I don't want to ruin the surprise, but suffice it to say, it'll leave you "speechless".  My wife and I were down there in April..... we both started laughing because it brought tears to our eyes - it was a "bucket list" moment..... we're both "Space Nerds" --- We love watching the ISS when it goes over our area.

I know exactly what you mean by that moment!  Tears here too.  That was probably one of the best excursions we did ever.

5 minutes ago, Orange Crush said:

No dice for my October 2018 cruise.  Total price is several hundred dollars higher.  I think I'm about as low as I'm going to get, but of course I will still check obsessively until October.  

I always look at it from the viewpoint, "Did I save at any point from my original booking date?".  The answer is most often yes.  So that's a win overall right? 

9 minutes ago, Matt said:

I think everyone did.  I recall many years ago trying to use it.  Either I meant to and never did, or it wasn't combinable with some other offer. 

I'd be lieing if I told you I remembered that was a thing before reading this thread.

I knew I remembered this from somewhere...just found it:

2 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

No, I booked the Grandeur for April 2020 with MEI, wanted to get to Charleston, Cape and the infamous Coco Cay without flying as we will be on the Edge in January. Adventure I checked, I booked that so early with a great sale, I don't think anything can beat it. Under $4K fro GS including gratuities, taxes, insurance 

That's awesome!  For suites, it's a pretty decent deal, $200 off plus $200 OBC, not bad.  I want to book something else but I have nowhere else to fit it in.  I have a problem.....lol

25 minutes ago, Hockeyman55 said:

LOL 

I get excited taking the photos and look forward to seeing the results so on a typical night we were back in our room 9-10pm ish and would work on a few then for an hour or so. Then wake up and do it all over again. Think I averaged 5 hours of sleep each night 

Well the hard work and loss of sleep definitely paid off!  Your pics are beautiful!  

Just now, Boston Babe said:

Mine went down about $150 plus extra $100 OBC, waiting for Heather from MEI to rebook.

Is this for your Adventure sailing next year?

1 hour ago, Tim B. said:

By the way, these Cruises on the FOTS are 5 months apart from each other. I should become familiar with the ship on these two events.

So, do I have a problem now or what?

 

 

5 months apart?  That an eternity for some people here! lol

If you can do it, go for it!!!  That's great!

Anyone have any luck today with getting a good re-price?  Nothing for me...all my sailings either went up or stayed the same.

1 hour ago, twangster said:

For now?  Working on the stubbornness are we?

Nope. I have always been stubborn by nature. Now I just embrace it

8 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Nah, she's working on moving to Florida with her family and becoming an expat. 

#longtermgoals