F1guynz

I've never seen a captains table dinner except on the Love Boat 🤣

We had an owners suite on Indy and loved it.
Yes they have a suite lounge with pre-dinner drinks. It had a lovely view during sail aways.
You get breakfast in Chops which is a nice place away from the chaos of the Windjammer. The food was nice but similar/the same as the breakfast you would get in the main dining room I think.
we loved Indy and would say it is our favourite ship, I am sure you will have a wonderful time.

That seems misleading to me.
I wouldn’t pay it but if I did I always take screenshots of each screen in the booking process.
I had an experience in the past where I needed a screenshot to prove I was entitled to a partial refund. The Call Centre wouldn’t believe me but once I sent the screenshot to guest engagement I got my refund. 

I was looking at a sailing using the new deposit rates and I saw you now have the option to book any suite with a refundable deposit. For an extra $9700 NZD on top of the original $14,500 NZD (Gulp!)

I was looking at a sailing using the new deposit rates and I saw you now have the option to book any suite with a refundable deposit. For an extra $9700 NZD on top of the original $14,500 NZD (Gulp!)

Strong possibility of refunding the deposit for that cruise 🙂 

I was looking at a sailing using the new deposit rates and I saw you now have the option to book any suite with a refundable deposit. For an extra $9700 NZD on top of the original $14,500 NZD (Gulp!)

I was looking at a sailing using the new deposit rates and I saw you now have the option to book any suite with a refundable deposit. For an extra $9700 NZD on top of the original $14,500 NZD (Gulp!)

Going to try to keep this brief-ish (or not, I’m long-winded) with few or no pictures. Too hectic with extended family & I eat too much to take pics of every item.
Background
This is a "bonus" family cruise for us after my generous FIL had such a good time on last year's family cruise (we normally take one every 5 years as the anniversaries of my wife's parents, her sister, and our own are fairly close together (May-June) and different multiples of 5 years apart).
My FIL splurged last summer b/c it was their 50th (our 20th) and got us all suites on Harmony. Now he's spoiled and when he learned about the suite neighborhood on Wonder he booked this cruise shortly after we got back from the last one.
Anyway, it’s my wife's parents, us (mid-40's, no kids), and my SIL/BIL (mid-40's) along with my 13 and 9-year-old nieces.
We may not leave the ship except for Cococay (love it there and we have a Beach Club cabana after getting an OTW cabana last summer before prices went nuts). This is mostly due to family preferences. When we cruise without the extended family we do things very differently (i.e. frugally, different eating habits, excursions, etc.)
That said, I am not ashamed to say I cruise primarily for the ship's amenities and the food & drink, especially since we've spent 20 years going around the Caribbean because it's just too damn convenient to drive an hour to Port Canaveral to go anywhere else. (With the exception of our 2018 Alaska adventure which was our best vacation ever.) So taking advantage of the suite perks for what will likely be the last time for a while works for us.
Day 1
-Parking & embarkation at PC went smoothly as usual. They actually began boarding well before 10:30, earliest I’ve seen.
-Unfortunately a 12:12pm SpaceX launch was scrubbed. Would have been cool to watch from the ship. 
-Redesigned WJ is nice. Not crowded at all if you go early (which has been my experience on most ships). No day 1 paella (my favorite) but selection was fine & I can always find stuff. Indian food was good as usual. Dessert was actually better than usual.
-Suite neighborhood is very nice and having everything in one area is very convenient. I only have that one previous experience in a GS on Harmony & the room, SL, & suite deck are nicer on Wonder (absolutely nothing wrong with them on Harmony, just having the suite deck above your room is very convenient).
-Park Cafe has a few less offerings (less paninis, no more quesadilla I used to get, no chips of course), but my 3 cheese panini was hot & crispy & I was served the largest kummelweck I’ve ever had.
-My first experience at El Loco Fresh was about as expected. The premade burritos & quesadillas weren’t very good. Making your own tacos was better but I thought the guac was pretty bad.
-Dinner at CK was very good. Had escargot & filet mignon.
-All staff in the SL/CK have been excellent. We have a favorite bartender named Ajit who has made off menu drinks including an adult milkshake for my wife who doesn’t drink much (he said he opened Wonder & is opening Icon). Our server, Jimmy, was friendly with a good sense of humor. We will have him all week. They have also taken great care of my 9-year-old-niece who has severe nut & sesame allergies. The CK manager asked my SIL to just order ahead & he’ll have them make whatever she wants.
-Saw InTENse, the aqua show. I understand why it has mixed reviews. It has a lot of non-diving aspects that some people might not like compared to other aqua shows. We liked it but most shows aren’t really my thing.
-Our cabin attendant is friendly & efficient, no noticeable difference from any past cruise but of course suites still get serviced twice daily so perhaps he’s still on the old schedule & not overworked.
-So far, in general, have not noticed hardly anything significantly diminished from past cruises. Just sharing my experience of course. Not trying to say the complaints of others are unwarranted.
-I’ll try to keep the updates coming but may not have downtime everyday like this. I just happen to be chilling on CocoCay today.
-Questions are welcome & I will get to them when/if I can.

We have had Ovation since at least 2017 and it will still be here in 2025.
There is only so many times you can watch the same shows before boredom sets in.

Just got to Port Canaveral..
Qantas lost our bags in San Francisco.. looks like I’m going to be the proud owner of a lot of Royal Caribbean merchandise!!!
 
 

Perfect day prices jumped dramatically a few months ago.  People here in the USA are all grumbling about it. 
Last year, I stayed in a Thrill waterpark cabana for $599 USD. You can touch it for twice that now.

I did and would have jumped at the chance but I have a work colleague going to Antartica at that time and we can’t be away at the same time. My wife’s family are doing repo cruise.
as it maybe sometime before we see an Oasis ship down our way decided we will have to go to them.
‘Cruise planner prices are way more expensive than we pay around here.
 

Due to the lack luster itineraries and new ships down under we have booked to go on Harmony next September instead. Excited to try an Oasis class ship.

Due to the lack luster itineraries and new ships down under we have booked to go on Harmony next September instead. Excited to try an Oasis class ship.

We have had Ovation since at least 2017 and it will still be here in 2025.
There is only so many times you can watch the same shows before boredom sets in.

We have had Ovation since at least 2017 and it will still be here in 2025.
There is only so many times you can watch the same shows before boredom sets in.

I always enjoy the onboard experience down under as some of the complaints I see in the US market do not apply down here.
1) The casino is non-smoking in Australia/NZ
2) Gratuities are included
Most of my gripes relate to the land and Internet experience.
For example, you used to be able to change your cabin number or upgrade your room on the website, 
I would like to be able to search on cabin type by price.
 
However, the main change I would make is to change star class bookings to earn 3 C&A points per cruise as they are next level suites.

I always enjoy the onboard experience down under as some of the complaints I see in the US market do not apply down here.
1) The casino is non-smoking in Australia/NZ
2) Gratuities are included
Most of my gripes relate to the land and Internet experience.
For example, you used to be able to change your cabin number or upgrade your room on the website, 
I would like to be able to search on cabin type by price.
 
However, the main change I would make is to change star class bookings to earn 3 C&A points per cruise as they are next level suites.

I always enjoy the onboard experience down under as some of the complaints I see in the US market do not apply down here.
1) The casino is non-smoking in Australia/NZ
2) Gratuities are included
Most of my gripes relate to the land and Internet experience.
For example, you used to be able to change your cabin number or upgrade your room on the website, 
I would like to be able to search on cabin type by price.
 
However, the main change I would make is to change star class bookings to earn 3 C&A points per cruise as they are next level suites.

I think the hardest requirement to meet would be having a nautical themed last name.
Anyone named Hull, Ocean or Keel should be a shoe in for the job.
 

I think the hardest requirement to meet would be having a nautical themed last name.
Anyone named Hull, Ocean or Keel should be a shoe in for the job.
 

How about Stormy?  

I think the hardest requirement to meet would be having a nautical themed last name.
Anyone named Hull, Ocean or Keel should be a shoe in for the job.
 

I think the hardest requirement to meet would be having a nautical themed last name.
Anyone named Hull, Ocean or Keel should be a shoe in for the job.