Nunagoras

This. Drinking policies has more to do with law of the land than companies. In fact legal age to drink in the US and UK is 21. In the EU it is 18. Regarding the spa pass, well, it is embarkation day age that matters. Maybe the ship might to provide such a little surprise experience for her birthday, but don't count on anything too fancy.

Again, those little things... As I remember on my unique RCI experience, Allure in Europe a few years ago, they only offered a special buffet experience on Rome day to welcome a big gay partly charter that was there at the time. It was very shellfish focused and they had a huge dessert section with a chocolate fountain and the fruits to dip it into, plus a huge welcome aboard cake of some sort... Maybe, these days they'll only to offer such things on special occasions...

Well: Actually; I'd consider pretty much all MSC ships, except for the smaller and older Lirica class ones, as being European land hotel 4* standards ships. Each class has an identity. I believe the Seaside class, from where the Seashore is part of, is sort of classy ships to enjoy the good sunny days, especially for the US market. There is currently a mix of both the European heritage and some American vibe. To give an example; instead of a grand piano for classical music in the atrium like on the older classes, on the Seaside class there is now a place for a rock band to make their shows. And I could go on and on. You'll have a nice time, granted you enjoy the new car smell in areas! Regarding the photo package, it seems that it is part of such a bigger special moments package you purchased or your TA offered you. It seems a triplet photo with 2 regular ones (one during dinner on gala night and one with captain) plus a bigger studio one. I had a similar thing once from my TA. They use to have a huge list of those special moment packages listed on their brochures.

By reading CC boards there are some things that are becoming pretty much noticeable on me. Among those: The market has changed a lot on the last 20 years, but there remains being a certain number of ones that seems to not noticed or don't want to notice or accept it. On top of that; part of the "Voyager-to-Oasis" cruising generation are now entering their 50's-to-60's; kids free on their lives, awaiting retirement and, perhaps, awaiting a time when to have such a quiet holiday time becomes essential. Simply; the mainstream mega-ship segment cruise lines decided to go after the 20-30 yo with little kids generation, and the little bit more premium classic experience lines might no to be ready to capture all of those, because prices are a bit higher and ships are a bit smaller. Are there opportunities? Yeah, but even Voyager class ships are ageing right now... I've no magic wand on cruise lines directions, but it would have been great if the whole industry didn't put apart what seems a relatively good part of the cruise demand and of the cruise money. Viking and Virgin are being surprisingly good at capturing that very segment, even though that wasn't really Virgin's primary goal! We need perhaps one more adult focused line so that the prices may normalize a bit. Or X will need some more ships, just to talk about RCI group. Yeah, we need more vessel for the 3k pax segment!... But I doubt it will happen. For me and for now my strategy is sadly to cruise less, but when cruising, at least I'll to go on no less than X, or an X and above like product experience. No need nor for those so many kids, not the childish designs of some of the modern mainstream ships. Maybe I can try the older ships, but if so, I keep my expectations adapted to the reality. Older ships are ageing...

I went inside one for a couple of hours with my bank's top board at the time. It's X for Germans! Marella is definitely 3*. I quickly understood your, and perhaps my own misleading post!...

Actually this chart reflects some 20+ years of working in the financial market analysis field as well as my personal experience, not only cruising, but visiting cruise ships in my own town cruise terminal for work purposes. I'd say TUI (TUI Germany with their "Mein Shiff" fleet, not TUI UK now known as Marella Cruises! Marella is 3* cruising, surely!) is X for the Germans (like AIDA is Carnival for the Germans) and a few other Europeans. TUI is almost at least half inclusive, priced at X level, with ships with X sophistication and product specification, maybe, even a little notch above that. Cunard is a particular case, like it or not, part of the same segment for various reasons, with a top section ranging the top of the tops in the whole market. Both above RCI for certain!

No solid information to definitely rank them, once they're a new build trying to settle down in the market. I'd say 4*+, despite them being quite on the rampant side of the pond in certain areas. I forgot to put HAL sort on the top side of the 4*+ segment as well.

Again: Understanding market segmentation is key here on this and other details. By EU land hotel standards: 4* - RCL, CCL (Costa, P&O and AIDA for the Europeans), NCL, MSC. 4*+ - X, Princess, Cunard, TUI. 5* - Oceania, Viking, Explora, Azamara. 5*+ - Regent, Silversea, Seabourne, Hapag Lloyd, Cristal. From here one can to chose from what better suits them. In land hotels here I only get 2 room services on top 4*+, on 5*/5*+ hotels, or if I'm a suite guest or top fidelity member on every other 4* class hotels. No more, no less. Sadly; 4* class is basically no frills these days. On top of that, sadly, ships, like hotels are understaffed and will continue being understaffed for years. We will sadly to need compromises. Oh, guy: But I want those extra details! Read the market segmentation chart above on my post, please.

Certainly one more most won't like. For me it's ok, granted that there is a daily attendant host on the nearby to help with any eventual request at any time. Ships are understaffed and will continue understaffed for years. As far as service levels go on land hotels from where I live in Portugal: 4* (mainstream) = 1 service per day. 5* (Premium+Luxury) = 2 services per day. That said and like in so many other cruising details RCI as a 4* (mainstream) line is following exactly the EU 4* (mainstream) market service level and that is what I expect from them, either way. X as at least a 4*+ to not say 5* line will follow most likely the EU 5* land hotel service level.

Maybe; considering the obvious differences, of course...

That would to be the ideal scenario in RCI's case, but that will only go on if the market conditions do turn something more favorable till end 2024, early 2025 when the decisions will be made. Otherwise they'll just to pick whatever else the shipyards have "regularly" on offer. Something similar to the X Edge class with less decks, LNG/Green Fuel Cell powered would be perfect...

With the current shipyard orderbook being delayed for such an year in average and pretty much good to finish its delivery cycle by 2026-27, I don't believe anything really that new on the whole cruise industry to come really solidly booked before late 2024, early 2025. That will give cruise lines the needed time to factor how the post pandemic and hopefully post Ukraine war market conditions will be. Surely RCCL will need to replace all the vision, Radiance and Voyager classes one or the other way in the next 10 years from now. I believe most of those ships will be either way Quantum/Oasis/Icon classes plus the ever possible surprisingly even bigger behemoths they can make elsewhere. Smaller ports in Europe and elsewhere will end up given to the X market niche. There could be 1 or 2 exceptions though for those markets where a medium sized ship makes good sense to feed that local demand. Baltimore and Tampa on the US might to be those ports. I believe those words from said Captain to be accurate. RCI may have a new Radiance+ class of some sort to serve those markets at modern mainstream service levels. I believe they'll to have a small "sub-fleet" of some 3 ships for that.

MSC works differently region from region. For example: Here from where I live there are some sailings on where the unique way to book is under those all-inclusive promotions.

Obviously; all my sympathy with your situation, and my hope all goes well for you and your cruises. Regarding your particular situation, and as said by @SirWolf, please contact the special needs department on your situation, or even better let your Travel Agent to do so. That said, and while not guaranteed, they are by the most part very attentive to those situations. I can say this for first person experience once I'm legally blind individual whose main need is for assistance on embarkation and debarkation at ports with no airbridge, or on tender ports operations. Sometimes they are late, oh so late, on answering to some requests, but generally they're good at adequately answer any special request.

Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere! Yesterday the RCCL blog announced some 10 new things about the brand new Icon of the Seas. While most of them are basically improvements/evolutions from the past generation venues, there were 3 things that stood out on me from the post: 10 new Icon of the Seas designs preview more of the cruise ship | Royal Caribbean Blog First of its all, let me to say that it seems that in some photos it seems that they've somewhat slightly dimmed out the brightness level on most of the color palette. Great if true! Second: "The Lemon Post Bar" seems very nice as concept to join generations around a family friendly bar for adults and kid friendly drinks. Me thinks; add an ice cream parlor to that it'll be perfect! I've been one of the most vocal Icon naysayers for sure, but there's a thing where I'm more than happy with their initiative: The new crew areas! C19 has been a mess of its own, but if for the life of our cruising crew it is paving the way for a better life environment for them all; I can say; it was worth the effort. Crews deserve to be respected, praised and honored as they are: The brave souls of the high seas! Bravo RCCL for this initiative to let the crew to feel a little bit of what we, the passengers, have available for our enjoyment! Surely those mockups show some childish crew areas, but all the ship seems childish as well... Either way; the crew areas seem now to match the pax ones, and that is a strong evolution. Hope all cruise lines to follow suit!...

While being marketed as a Musica class ship, the Magnifica is sort of a ship of her own class that is in the middle between a regular Musica class ship and a Fantasia one minus the YC. One of her pools has a retractable roof so that it can be an enclosed pool. She also hosts some premium jacuzzis as part of the enclosed Spa relaxation area. Otherwise; weather permitting, all pools will be open as regular like the previous poster has said.

If purchased beforehand you even save the 15% service fee, and possible EU state VAT, if you embark from an EU port, added onboard, so on itself it is a wonderful deal!

There are some threads here at CC where some of both the US and EU drinks packages are shown, and a common thing on both is the "Easy selection" page which is page 2 or 3 of said menus. Everything shown there is included on your package. Otherwise it is mostly all the nonalcoholic cocktails plus the alcoholic ones using well/house trademarks.

As said above, officially you can't carry on any drinks aboard. At least here in Europe they'll "close their eyes" if you purchase a case of water on the duty free shops after port's security once they rely on ports authorities. A refillable bottle to use at the buffet comes also handy if you don't have a drinks package. Difficult to find anyone without at least the Easy one these days on their basic fare though.

It really amazes me how from time to time those very old threads resurrects freshly to reavive our fond memories of our own cruising history!... Yeah! The Allegrissimo was perhaps the best value AI packages both at sea or at any AI resort one could find elsewhere in the world. Sadly it ended up out of both renting opportunities on the newer ships and of the abusers... Wonderful while it lasted!... Back to MSC's coffee just back before the pandemic: Regular Coffee ranged from Segafredo to Lavazza automated machines depending on ship. Mostly OK, sometimes odd. Specialty coffees are usually great and well-priced for the venue's quality; trademarks would vary from region to region. Segafredo in most EU sailings, Lavazza Blue on the UAE, Santista, a Brazilian trademark on Brazil. Out of the rented spaces; Venchi uses great coffee, but I have never had Jean-Phillipe. In conclusion: MSC has generally OK regular coffee, and superb specialty upcharge one. As a coffee "buff" myself, I'm grateful for it. And as a regular MSC cruiser, it feels like their coffee drinks do have some "soul" to themselves like pretty much every mocktail/cocktail they serve at any of their bars. Pro tip: In every ship they have at least a small bar, usually round the atrium area, where you can order pretty much every specialty coffee drink you may imagine, even those most "exquisite" concoctions, inside your drinks package! Obviously those locations are sort of "hidden" on the newer ships with the specialty renting coffee vendors.

Rules vary leadership per leadership. Didn't know Carnival themselves involved at those ventures... My thought was based on what I know here from the EU...

Yeah! I know. I was talking about specialty full charter nude cruises which are a very specific niche market, only occupied by AIDA, Costa and as far as I know TUI.

Another even further difference arising now: Sooner rather than later; Costa will give its place to "Carnival Fun Italian Style" and, presumably, totally disappear from the high seas, meaning that we'll have such an Italian inspired Carnival sub-fleet, while MSC will retain all its pure Italian influence from their Italian owners...

If not shown on the dailies, they'll have those activities shown on the social board by guest services. As far as I remember, and apart those places where such events are a no-no like on the United Arab Emirates cruises, they have had both LGBTQ and AA meetings as a social guests events. Obviously those activities won't have ship leadership.