cruiselife

She's trying to avoid this

Check daily and obsessively like the rest of us! lol

Here is some good drone footage showing several of the beaches in St Maarten. The video is only a few months old so it should give you a pretty good idea of how they have recovered so far. 

Here is some good drone footage showing several of the beaches in St Maarten. The video is only a few months old so it should give you a pretty good idea of how they have recovered so far. 

Here is some good drone footage showing several of the beaches in St Maarten. The video is only a few months old so it should give you a pretty good idea of how they have recovered so far. 

So, what do you do on Quest night?

Me neither.  Draws too much attention.

I wear bling flip-flops with my formal dress.  Comfort above fashion.  Sorry

Indeed!  I'll check with the rest of our party to see how they feel about not using the MDR until day 3.  Thanks for the tip!

Here are screen shots from my cruise planner for Harmony (sailing July 28, 2018):

Not sure what sail date you are looking but I just did a mock booking in March 2019 and it still shows up.  It would be listed in the description.

Great experience for the family. Recommended for strong swimmers, but life vests are available for intermediate swimmers.
Consider having a driver to take you so you can stop and do other things and be a part of a smaller group - we can recommend a driver.
It is beautiful there and you will have an exciting time climbing and jumping off the rocks of the waterfall and high platform. 
The experience is AMAZING! Between the tranquil waters, pleasant vibes and the wonderful tour guides, your time spent here is well worth it. Very therapeutic and you are able to hike all the way to the top and jump into the "lagoon" . www.coolblueholeochorios.com

Hi All
Before every cruise I put together a pre-cruise play list and CD for everyone in our party.  I’m currently in a rut and need help from the best cruise blog group in the world.  What are your favorite songs, artists that get you pumped for your upcoming cruise.  
Looking forward to creating RCCL blog play list.  
Dan 
Placerville CA

They are not always available and I'm not sure what the criteria is for them to show up.  Possibly they oversell a certain cabin type long before final payment date knowing some people will cancel.  
They are also not always the best deal, it all depends on sales trends and inventory available. Here is an example for the Symphony TA for balconies:

The GTY or "We choose the room" is more than picking a cabin yourself.  I've been watching this nearly daily to see if I can score a better cabin.  Options come and go.  Somedays only GTY are available, other times you can't choose a GTY booking.

I originally set out to make this video as a memory for my wife and I, but I know that we always enjoy watching videos before we visit a new port so I wanted to pay it forward in a way. This is my only video currently, but feel free to subscribe to my channel and I will be posting more videos with improved picture quality and editing in the future that will detail various travel related experiences. Many will be cruise related and if they relate to Royal Caribbean I will share them on here. I am currently working on one for Doctor's Cave Beach in Jamaica from this same cruise.

This was our third time to visit Cozumel together. On our last two cruises we took a cab downtown to explore on one and did an all-inclusive beach day on the other. This time we wanted to try something that we had never done before. We decided to rent some scooters and explore the East side of island and then head downtown to eat afterwards. It was an awesome way to spend a day in Cozumel. The ride along the coast alone was well worth the cost of the scooter.

The scooters were $55 to rent for the day including full insurance coverage. It was also $7 for them to refill the gas for you, but you could fill it up yourself if you wanted. Your cost may vary depending on what kind of deal you can get. As you know, everything is negotiable in Cozumel. They also had Jeeps available for rent but they were more expensive. A cab ride out to the East side is also very affordable, but I think the scooters are what made it really memorable. It was also great to be able to explore downtown or anywhere else on the island without having to worry about tracking down, waiting, or paying for a cab. MAKE SURE that you take a video or photos of the scooter before you leave because they did try to say there was extra damage on our friend's scooter, but the video cleared that up. I have heard this is a common scam in many ports that offer rentals of any kind. I owe the RC blog a thank you for that because I'm fairly sure that's where I heard about the scam in reference to jet skis.

Rasta Bar had very affordable food and beer and it practically felt like being on a private beach. For reference, Rasta Bar is a few miles past Mr. Sancho's and Paradise Beach after the road begins to curve left nearing the East side of the island. I really can't say enough about how beautiful it was. The beers were $3 and the menu items ranged between $5-$15 depending on what you ordered. We weren’t that hungry at the time so we only had some guacamole and a few beers, but the food looked good. We hadn’t even planned on stopping there but the place was so cool we ended up staying for most of the day. Had we come prepared with towels and sandals we may have stayed all day. You can find more information on Rasta Bar on Trip Advisor where they have a very solid rating.

We ate downtown at the Thirsty Cougar. A few years ago we had a waiter on Navigator that was from Cozumel and he recommended it to us. Ever since then it’s kind of been our go to spot to eat and have drinks. It’s in the touristy section of downtown across from the other cruise port, but this place is not a gimmicky tourist trap. They are frequently rated in the top 10 restaurants in Cozumel on Trip Advisor and currently sit at #11. We always share the nachos and they are incredible. They’re so big there’s no need for us to get anything else. Our friends tried the ceviche and the fish tacos and they both said they were really good. The Thirsty Cougar is also known for their massive frozen margaritas and their large selection of unique flavors. Every time we have been we have had ridiculously good service as well. I highly recommend this place even if it's just to stop and grab drinks and appetizers.

Whatever you decide to do in Cozumel, you really can’t go wrong. But if you’re looking for something to try I highly recommend exploring the island on your own. This is our favorite cruise port and it was really cool to get to explore it freely with our own transportation.
 

I originally set out to make this video as a memory for my wife and I, but I know that we always enjoy watching videos before we visit a new port so I wanted to pay it forward in a way. This is my only video currently, but feel free to subscribe to my channel and I will be posting more videos with improved picture quality and editing in the future that will detail various travel related experiences. Many will be cruise related and if they relate to Royal Caribbean I will share them on here. I am currently working on one for Doctor's Cave Beach in Jamaica from this same cruise.

This was our third time to visit Cozumel together. On our last two cruises we took a cab downtown to explore on one and did an all-inclusive beach day on the other. This time we wanted to try something that we had never done before. We decided to rent some scooters and explore the East side of island and then head downtown to eat afterwards. It was an awesome way to spend a day in Cozumel. The ride along the coast alone was well worth the cost of the scooter.

The scooters were $55 to rent for the day including full insurance coverage. It was also $7 for them to refill the gas for you, but you could fill it up yourself if you wanted. Your cost may vary depending on what kind of deal you can get. As you know, everything is negotiable in Cozumel. They also had Jeeps available for rent but they were more expensive. A cab ride out to the East side is also very affordable, but I think the scooters are what made it really memorable. It was also great to be able to explore downtown or anywhere else on the island without having to worry about tracking down, waiting, or paying for a cab. MAKE SURE that you take a video or photos of the scooter before you leave because they did try to say there was extra damage on our friend's scooter, but the video cleared that up. I have heard this is a common scam in many ports that offer rentals of any kind. I owe the RC blog a thank you for that because I'm fairly sure that's where I heard about the scam in reference to jet skis.

Rasta Bar had very affordable food and beer and it practically felt like being on a private beach. For reference, Rasta Bar is a few miles past Mr. Sancho's and Paradise Beach after the road begins to curve left nearing the East side of the island. I really can't say enough about how beautiful it was. The beers were $3 and the menu items ranged between $5-$15 depending on what you ordered. We weren’t that hungry at the time so we only had some guacamole and a few beers, but the food looked good. We hadn’t even planned on stopping there but the place was so cool we ended up staying for most of the day. Had we come prepared with towels and sandals we may have stayed all day. You can find more information on Rasta Bar on Trip Advisor where they have a very solid rating.

We ate downtown at the Thirsty Cougar. A few years ago we had a waiter on Navigator that was from Cozumel and he recommended it to us. Ever since then it’s kind of been our go to spot to eat and have drinks. It’s in the touristy section of downtown across from the other cruise port, but this place is not a gimmicky tourist trap. They are frequently rated in the top 10 restaurants in Cozumel on Trip Advisor and currently sit at #11. We always share the nachos and they are incredible. They’re so big there’s no need for us to get anything else. Our friends tried the ceviche and the fish tacos and they both said they were really good. The Thirsty Cougar is also known for their massive frozen margaritas and their large selection of unique flavors. Every time we have been we have had ridiculously good service as well. I highly recommend this place even if it's just to stop and grab drinks and appetizers.

Whatever you decide to do in Cozumel, you really can’t go wrong. But if you’re looking for something to try I highly recommend exploring the island on your own. This is our favorite cruise port and it was really cool to get to explore it freely with our own transportation.
 

I just experienced that type of weather forecast... clouds, wind and waves.  There was definitely motion for most of the cruise.  
I think there's no shame in taking Bonine or some other medicine preemptively if you are worried about it. The main side effect of these kinds of medicines is it makes you drowsy at some point, so an afternoon nap is hardly much of a price to pay.  
The bottom line, is don't let the weather forecast scare you.  The Captain will always look for the smoothest path possible, but motion in the ocean is not to say you cannot have a good time either.  

Wind by itself is not an indication of how much motion will be experienced. 
While wind does drive waves, not all waves are equal and it's much more than wave height that determines if you will feel motion. 
Waves crests and troughs that are close to each other (high pitch) tend to have less effect compared to when they are spaced out (low pitch).  The difference between the crest and the trough are also a factor in feeling motion.  Lastly wave direction relative to ship heading plays a big role in feeling motion.     Sailing directly into the wind and waves can feel fine but if the wind and waves are coming from the side you might feel it more.
All this to say you can't look at a wind forecast and expect to know if there will be motion felt.  Often with moderate winds you feel nothing at all.  In fact three of my last sailing had high winds at times where they had to close the upper decks but the ship exhibited no motion at all.

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

I literally had the exact same experience as the person above me. My wife and I went on Navigator in 2015 and were incredibly impressed with the MDR food as well as the Windjammer. When we went on Liberty in April of 2017 we expected the same. While it wasn't terrible, there was definitely a shift in quality from what we remembered. We still had great service and the food was still very much acceptable and at times great.
In my opinion this shift in quality is due to the recent changes to the "dining experience" on cruise ships. Now you have to pay what they will call a "small fee" to enjoy the same experience that used to be provided in the MDR. I will never be convinced that a meal for $30+ a person is a great deal. I would say that's about what it is worth, and probably even relatively expensive for the average person. We ate at Sabor on Liberty because they were running a $15 promotion at the time and it was good food, but it wasn't any better than what I could get for the same price in my home town. (Except for that Avocado Margarita, that is worth twice as much as it costs)
Even with the lower quality we noticed in the MDR we still choose to dine in the MDR mostly every night because we believe the value received from the complimentary meal in the MDR far exceeds the value received for the fee in the specialty restaurants. I definitely have a thing against specialty restaurants and kind of see them as a microcosm of what the future holds for the cruise industry. I wish that cruise ships were taking steps back towards an all-inclusive experience rather than taking steps away from it, but the wheels are already in motion and I don't think it can be stopped. From a business perspective I'm sure it's a great revenue generating move for Royal Caribbean, but from this cruiser's perspective it's starting to feel like I'm being driven towards paying extra if I want the same quality of food that used to be included.  

Title:. To sea, or not to sea?

Couldn't agree more. The charge for these restaurants is even more ridiculous when you consider that you are not eating in the MDR or Windjammer that evening and you technically already paid for it. I just don't want to see the industry turn cruise ships into a giant strip centers at sea that are specifically designed to generate a certain amount of revenue per square foot. I worry we will have to buy tickets to shows in the coming years. My wife and I's favorite part about cruising is being able to go out to a great dinner, see an awesome show, and then go listen to great live music and dance late into the night all included in the cruise fare. I fear that is going away one small change at a time (Specialty Dining Fee, Room Service Fee, Escape Room Fees, Corking Fee, etc.). If this continues ships might as well have passengers with 1st class tickets that can afford to take advantage of all of the amenities and others with 3rd class tickets that can only access the Windjammer.
Obviously this is hyperbole, but I do see this as the general direction that the cruise industry is sailing. I think the question they are all asking each other around conference tables at Royal's corporate office is, "How can we generate more revenue from the passengers on the ship". While this a valid question for a business to be asking, I think they are going about this wrong. I think the question they should be asking is "How can we create the best possible experience for our guests while keeping all of the costs within the standard cruise fare?" In my opinion, the first question will ultimately lead to less revenue and ultimately failure while the second will lead to more revenue and success.
Even with all of the changes cruising is still the vacation with the best value. I just want it to stay that way.

Personally I don't even care what "promotion" they have running, because I know that the price of the cruise is going to be approximately the same price no matter what the "deal" is. Seasonality is the only real impact on the Royal Caribbean cruise rates in my opinion, but I can only speak for the Galveston market which is much less diverse.
I love Royal Caribbean and I think it will always be my favorite cruise line. I've enjoyed them so much in the past that I haven't even wanted to try a different cruise line. However, now we have sailed on all of the best ships Royal Caribbean has to offer in Galveston. Recently we came across a great last minute rate on a Carnival Breeze sailing and we couldn't resist giving it a try. That's actually the same way we have booked our other Royal Caribbean cruises.
My wife and I have been married for 2 years now and we're in the planning stage of having children. It is very hard for us to book a cruise 1-2 years in advance when we have no idea what will be going on in our lives during that time period in terms of kids. This new pricing strategy, coupled with the non-refundable deposit policy makes it incredibly difficult for us to get a good deal on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It's unfortunate, but a great example of how these new policies can effect loyal customers and give other cruise lines a chance to win over a customer's business. Hopefully they've thought that part through, because it definitely played a large role in our decision to try a Carnival cruise.

I think I generally agree with this.  It's a big part of why I advocate just to book early. Pricing has become relative, rather than a constant.