Atlantix2000

Travel insurance is a perk but it isn't quite as generous as I initially thought.  My wife and I just took a trip to Greece with her sister and I purchased our flights to/from Europe using my card.  I figured all three tickets were bought on the card so we should all have the insurance.  However, the fine print says only the cardholder and immediate family (spouse plus kids) get the insurance.  We ended up not purchasing extra insurance for her.

I've found the Chase Sapphire Reserve a very useful travel credit card but yes, there is a serious sticker shock at the $450 annual fee.  My wife certainly thought I was crazy until I explained the benefits.  I think she remained skeptical until I used the points (including the sign up bonus) to completely cover the airfare portion of our honeymoon (~$1200 value).

Here's the highlights for those that aren't familiar:

3 points per dollar spent in travel and restaurant categories (my 2 biggest expenses anyway).  1 point per dollar on everything else.  Points are nominally $0.01 each but if you use the Chase website to redeem them for travel (you book your flights/hotels/etc from chase.com) you get a 50% bonus so they are worth $0.015 each.  So your travel and restaurant spending ends up giving you the equivalent of 4.5% cash back.

$300 per year travel rebate.  (The first $300 in travel expenses are credited back to you on the same statement as the charge.  This alone means the annual fee drops from $450 to $150 as long as you use the card for travel costs which is the whole point.)

$100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck signup fees.  (I'm not clear on whether this is per year since those items are good for 5 years and I don't need to renew yet.)

All Chase credit cards actually earn the same type of points (called Ultimate Rewards) so you can get additional benefits by pairing the Chase Sapphire with a Chase Freedom card.  The Freedom has no annual fee and each quarter it earns 5 points per dollar on a single category (like gas, grocery, restaurant, Amazon, etc) and 1 point per dollar on everything else.  So if you keep track of which card to use when, you can earn 5%, transfer the points to the Sapphire's point balance and redeem with the 50% bonus to get an effective 7.5% cash back!

Long story short, as long as you use these cards correctly, they give benefits far greater than the annual fees.  Of course, carrying a balance and paying interest negates those benefits very quickly!

That's 24, but maybe the Aqua Theater pool doesn't count because guests don't get to use it?

Close to shore the water won't be clear anyway because of all the people stirring up the bottom as they move around.  I found you had to get a few yards past the bulk of the people to actually see the bottom.  In general the snorkeling area is deeper than you can stand but not by a lot.  Of course, if you try to go down and push off the bottom, you'll disturb the plants and reefs you're trying to see.  There may be some areas around the perimeter of the snorkeling where you can stand on a more rocky surface but I'm not sure what the views will be like.  There are floating platforms in a few places where you can rest or hang onto the ladders and look around.

You might be thinking of Coastal Kitchen on the large ships but that's for guests in suites.  That's a sit down restaurant.

I did a slight variation of this for my honeymoon last fall.  I don't remember exactly what they called it but it was BOGO for 2 specialty dinners but both had to be used on nights 1 and 2.

Yes, you will give up a certain degree of advance planning - you will only pick a time and night for your first dinner.  They will pick the restaurant and they might pre-assign the second restaurant as well.  Just plan to check and change your reservations (if necessary) when you board.  I can't remember anyone posting that they were unable to eat in the restaurants of their choice though as noted above some flexibility might be needed on the time of the second meal.

Of course, there's always some small chance a restaurant is completely booked.  You would have to make a full price reservation to be absolutely certain of your schedule.  Overall, I think the savings with this deal are well worth the risk!

20 hours ago, LaBay0715 said:

And does anyone know if you can take anything on board?  ie preferred water brand, vitamin water or gatorade.   Thank you all for your input.  

Officially, no, you can't bring any of your own drinks on board.  The only official exception is two bottles of wine per stateroom.

That said, most people report being able to carry on a case of water or soda (or put it in your luggage) without being stopped.  Any alcohol beyond the wine limit will be confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.

It's the same as a hotel with an in room safe.  Someone can come override it if necessary but they don't give that ability to every member of house keeping.

I recently bought a safe for my house.  It comes with a preprogrammed (and unchangeable) code that is known to the manufacturer and I can set (and change) my own code.  So that works the same way as well.  Someone else knows how to get into my safe but will only do so in an emergency (and after I prove that I'm the owner and have forgotten my code).

Honestly, I think the website looks like a phone app.  I've noticed that on several recent website designs.  Rather than maintaining a separate version of the site for mobile users, just go with the minimal effect for all.  This made sense a few years ago, but modern phones might as well be laptops, so I've got mine set to always show the full desktop version.

23 hours ago, monctonguy said:

Come on man.....lets not go there. ...

 

That's what your going to bring to this conversation/discussion.....smdh.

I think it's a fair question.  Does a blurry picture of a Royal ship on that website really mean Royal is offering it for sale?  Has Royal used that company for past sales of their ships?  Considering most of their recent transfers have been with Pullmantur (where they have a 49% stake if I recall) do they actually bother to advertise such sales or just have high level corporate discussions?  Is there any reason not to dismiss it as a rumor?

22 hours ago, monctonguy said:

Its not a "rumor" if its actually listed on a website for sale.....no one said its sold. But it IS for sale...no?!

Depends on whether you believe that website is genuine.  I could make a website that says Harmony is for sale and if you believe me I've got some bridges for sale too!

When a Royal cruise stops at San Juan for the day they use the docks nearer to Old San Juan.  It's the cruises that start/end in San Juan that use the Panamerican Pier across the harbor.

2 hours ago, MaryCS62 said:

Can you request a later departure time if they assign you an early one?

You can ask guest services for a different departure time if you want.  However, it doesn't actually matter. You can just stay on the ship longer, there's no penalty for "missing" your departure time.  If you put your luggage in the hall on the last night, it will be waiting for you grouped with all luggage from your assigned departure time which will make it even easier to identify if you get off later!  If you want to keep your luggage with you, then it really doesn't matter when you get off the ship.  Of course, the passengers from the next cruise will want to get on as early as possible and they can't board until the last departing passengers are off the ship.

Cruise Critic has a huge thread where people are reporting that when (and if) they can get through to anyone on the phone they are being told it will take until Monday before the entire database is loaded on the new site.  If that's the official company line, then maybe they shouldn't have made the new website live until then!  If you aren't leaving in the next few days, I wouldn't touch the website!

I'd say it all comes down to how far out is this cruise?  If the only remaining inventory is accessible cabins, I'm guessing the poster is fairly close to sail date in which case I wouldn't be too worried.  I also thought I'd read that accessible cabins aren't released for general booking until they are fairly certain they won't be needed by someone with a handicap.

7 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The information I was given was that we would have to purchase the entire bottle of whatever liquor(s)/wines we wanted to serve.  There was no charge for having plates, glasses, napkins, etc. delivered to the suite but if we wanted a server, there would be a cost.  I do recall that I thought the charge for the server was very reasonable.

I'm curious what happens if you don't finish those bottles.  Do you get to keep them in the room to finish later?  Considering you can't normally bring/buy liquor for consumption on board, it seems like throwing a "party" for a few "friends" would be an interesting way around the rules.  Of course, the bottle price is probably insane!

Table numbers will change every cruise because they have to reconfigure the layout based on the size of the parties.  (More tables for two requested this week, multiple parties of 12 that week, etc.)  They probably have a generic numbering system that starts with table one in a certain corner and goes around the room.  So 640 is probably in the same general area each cruise but I've never seen a map.

Andrew

5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

They save the best cuts of meat for the END.  They will try and fill you up on cheaper cuts.  They certainly aren't BAD options but if you are a real beef lover I recommend you pass on most of the preliminary "rounds" and save plenty of room for the picanha, which is the last cut they will offer you.

Based on your description, they really only bring each cut of meat to your table once?  That's very differerent from the Brazillian steakhouses I'm used to where the servers continually wander the dining room and you can get as much or as little of whatever you want.  I've even asked for a specific cut and that server will be at my table immediately!  I'm not certain I would like the Samba Grill version.

Keeping with your example, if they drop the price of your cabin from $950 to $750, they are under no obligation to tell you or  automatically refund the difference.  But if you notice such a change, you can call and rebook your cabin for the lower rate.  However, this is processed as a cancellation and new booking which means you would lose any perks (on board credit, etc) from the original booking but gain whatever is being currently offered.  You may or may not also be subject to cancellation fees (someone else can chime in on the details).

Depending on all the details, that lower price may save you something or actually end up costing you.  Of course, it never hurts to call and check!

Adding a person may not carry a change penalty, but it does have another risk.  If the lifeboat capacity of your section of the ship (muster station) has reached its limit, you won't be able to add another person to your room.

18 hours ago, tiny260 said:

This is a little file I put together, the sizes and the refurbish dates are speculative, I filled the information in from many different sources, they are approximations...

Royal Caribbeans_Ship Size.xlsx

Enchantment of the Seas is larger than the rest of her class.  She was cut in half and had a new middle section inserted.

The next roll out will include May 2019 - April 2020 just like the last roll out included May 2018 - April 2019.  It may sound like a weird place to cut the year, but the April/May timeframe is when the repositioning cruises for the upcoming summer occur.

10 hours ago, pjb said:

It makes NO SENSE to charge MORE for a 2-device plan than it would cost to get two 1-device plans. Even two of the representatives I talked to admitted that. I'm not sure why I should have to "show that a multi-device plan should be cheaper than multiple single device plans",  that is just common sense.... But if you want to get into the details - which it appears you do... given the information given to me by the representative,  if $230.22 represents a 20% discount, then the regular price would be $287.78 ($31.98 a day). If they were really offering a 30% discount as they are advertising, the price would be $201.44, and  $230.22 - $201.44 = $28.78.

I agree it would be normal (or even common) for there to be a discount for multiple devices, but that doesn't mean it's true for your specific sailing.  These forums (and others) are full of posts about inconsistencies in answers and prices between ships and sail dates.

The price shown in the cruise planner is always supposed to be the price AFTER the discount is already applied.  In other words whether they applied a 20% or a 30% discount, the discounted price is $230.22.  That would mean the original price was either $287.78 or $328.89.  The representative may or may not have been able to see what the original price actually was regardless of what they said to you.

In my opinion, you should simply look at the current price and decide whether or not that is worth paying.  You can always cancel and repurchase if a better deal comes along so why not lock in the cheapest option currently available?  Right now that's two single device plans.  It might be different next week!

Sorry, I don't understand your complaint.  Here's my math:

You show the price for a 1 device plan is $113.31.  If that is 30% off, then the on board price for 1 device plan is $161.87.  If we assume there is no discount for multi-device plans, that would mean a 2 device plan should cost twice as much or $323.74.

You show the price for a 2 device plan is $230.22.  If that is 30% off, then the on board price for a 2 device plane is $328.89 which is very close to my previous calculation.  If that is 20% off as you claim, then the on board price would be $287.78 (a difference of $41.11).  I have no idea where you got $28 from.

Looking at it another way, $230.22 / 2 = $115.11.

These numbers are simply too close to be an error of 20% vs 30% discount.

It seems to me that the banners are correct unless you can show that a multi-device plan should be cheaper than multiple single device plans.

Magic, but based on personal experience, I'm convinced age and cruise experience are considered.  (Kids are probably a factor as well but I don't have any yet).  On our Enchantment cruise last fall, we had a table for 6 with 3 couples:

Couple 1 - My girlfriend (now fiance) and I are mid 30s, first cruise ever for me, second Royal cruise for her (3rd overall)

Couple 2 - Mid 30s couple approaching 10 year anniversary, first cruise on Royal (2-3 overall)

Couple 3 - Mid 20s couple on their honeymoon, first cruise ever

Couldn't have picked a more logical combination if you ask me.