Rose City Cruiser

Make sure you have all bookings in your party are linked.

I thought the OBC was for 50% of paid cruise fare that is to be credited to your onboard account.  I assumed this meant I would receive nothing since it was a comped cruise. 

The interior promenade-view rooms does have a padded "bench" situated where the window is.  That is pretty much the most obvious difference between a standard interior room and an interior promenade-view room.  Some of these rooms of located mid-ship so you may find some value in shorter walking distance to the forward/aft of the ship.

Rooms are usually ready by 130pm. So we usually get a quick bite to eat, confirm our dining reservations for the cruise and explore.  We quickly change in the room and drop off the carry-on once they are open and hit the pool deck until it is time for muster drill. 

First, congratulations on your anniversary!  I hope you do give RC another try.  Like others have recommended, booking with a TA will avoid the website issues you experience.  Also, TA who specializes in cruises are a wealth of information that you cannot gain by simply watching YouTube videos such as stateroom selections, itinerary selection, etc. 

9 minutes ago, DunkelBierJay said:

Thanks. I would have advised them of that if they hadn't already gone to Guest Services. I sort of wish they tried to have a conversation with the attendant first, but they are learning, and overall I am proud of how they're handling things. I think it's the first time, they didn't see an attendant not long after entering their rooms. They entered a few minutes after 1 pm on Sunday and didn't see her all that day. I can't think of a time I hadn't seen my attendant relatively soon after getting in a room.

As long as they are safe and having a great time!  Hope they enjoy the rest of their cruise.

Sorry to hear about your children's experience.

Personally, I would not have escalated to Guest Services that quickly.  I would have written a note in the room for the attendant to take care of it before I returned.   

I would hide my toothbrush.

+1 for the Southern Caribbean. 

We did a 9nt Southern Caribbean out of PoM in April on Navigator.  ABC Islands just have a different vibe compared to the usual Eastern/Western Caribbean ports.  Namely, little to zero vendors harassing you at the terminal.  Great snorkeling/diving in Bonaire.   

Enjoy your cruise!  Congrats to your daughter on her graduation!  ERTW! 

They will add 18% gratuity on top of the $7.95 service fee if you order from the room service menu.

Sorry to hear the cruise did not meet your expectations.  I understand megaships are not for everyone.  Did you purchase The Key?  That may have help alleviate some of the line/crowd issues that you experienced on your cruise.  What stateroom category did your family stay in?  Could an extra $4k buy you into one of those coveted Loft Suites?  That might enough to change your next experience on OA class ship.

My June 24 sailing is now a Key West & Perfect Day Cruise. 

Working on a cruise ship is the country club compared to the working conditions in their home countries.  They deserve more by our standards.

51 minutes ago, Matt said:

This sounds like perhaps he/she was simply asking why you hadn't tried a specialty restaurant. Obviously they are trying to drum up business for that, but hard to believe they were giving you any kind of a hard time for dining at the Windjammer.

It is a typical sales tactic to ask the client why they are have not purchased a dining pkg to overcome their objections.  If price is the reason, they may offer you a discount such as a BOGO deal.  Some may not respond well to this.  I just view it as the employee is just doing their job by offering everything that is available to enhance your cruise vacation. 

10 hours ago, RWDW1204 said:

6:50PM update: The Majesty of the Seas June 5th sailing has swapped out its scheduled stop in Havana to Costa Maya, Mexico.

In an email sent to guests, the cruise line added guests on this sailing will receive a refund in the value of 50% per stateroom the your cruise fare paid as a credit to their onboard account during the cruise.

8:00PM update: Royal Caribbean has indicated a new update will be available by June 6, at 6:00PM EST.

50% cruise fare refund is not a bad deal. 

For US residents, I wonder if you can submit a claim due to travel advisory issued after you purchased your insurance.  Or take advantage of CFAR if you have that benefit in your policy. 

 I hope it is good news at 6PM tonight.

Anyone know where the June 5/6 sailings are heading instead of Cuba? 

Message from Royal's website says they have made changes to June 5 and June 6 itineraries which are no longer making stops in Cuba. 

Which ship will you be sailing on?  Some ships have a cover charge to Johnny Rockets and you may order anything off the menu.  Some ships offer a la carte pricing. 

1 minute ago, monctonguy said:

Sailing Harmony?

Allure Nov 17

I am in a similar situation departing from DTW to FLL for Nov 16 & 24.  Looking at current prices, may have to book with points/miles. 

Glad everything worked out.  Thank you for sharing this experience with us.  This is a situation that we all could experience.  We all need to review our policies and understand what the coverage actually entails. 

But first, book another cruise!

If you have an Android phone/tablet, you can use Puffin web browser to play the FB desktop version.  *Warning* It does use a lot of data.  So I recommend wifi.  Unless you have unlimited mobile data plan.

It is OK to re-evaluate your options.  Your priorities and preferences for an enjoyable vacation may change over time.  One should search for that cruise line that can accommodate your needs and wants. 

My wife and I have sampled a few mass market cruise lines before becoming "loyal to Royal".  I know mega ships are not for everyone but the Oasis class blew us away.  Since then we have sailed Freedom class, Voyager class and even the "tiny" Empress.  We love them all.  We also like how Celebrity will status match your C&A tier when we choose to have a different type of cruise experience.  

At the end of the day, it is impossible to make everyone happy.  

Have to look at Royal's main competitor, Carnival.  They have been offering Faster To The Fun passes for years now.  If people are basically throwing money at you for access, you can only say no for so long.  Especially when they have shareholders to answer to. 

17 minutes ago, janesta said:

I was able to get the $2.5B links yesterday. I've gone from level 79 to 209 and gained about 65k LP so far and have lost almost $700M in chips already.  How are you able to get so much LP so fast?  Also, do you get more coins daily and for mining the strip at the higher levels?  I didn't notice much of a difference today.  Without the huge free chips yesterday, I don't see how I could get to a free cruise in less than years. 

Been playing "Bet the Farm" at $2M per spin.  I find this game gives a lot back on their wheel spin bonus.