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ddled

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  • Posts

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About Me

  • Location
    south texas
  • Interests
    cruising,wine tasting,beaches,golf,fishing
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Royal and Celebrity and Princess
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    anywhere-best cruise was voyager ta or med

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ddled's Achievements

Cool Cruiser

Cool Cruiser (2/15)

  1. booked on board for a 100 pp deposit. When I cancelled they tried to tell me that they would have a 900 penalty because after 2 months it reverts back to regular policy. I asked them how they were going to collect that? I had only paid the 200 and final date is 2 months away Had to talk to a suprervisor to get it fixed .
  2. When we were on Allure in January the cruise director said all Oasis Jazz on 4 were scheduled to be converted to a smokeless casino by April. I guess they have. No way can they duplicate that club atmosphere outside when the weather is bad. Acoustics and atmosphere will not come close. And I bet that within a year the jazz groups will be gone too. Anyone want to take me up on that one? The CD said there is still a jazz club on Icon. For now. I'm sure that casino will make them more money-no question about that. Another move to standardize all the customers and decrease offerings.
  3. INTERESTING. We were on the Allure last week and there were a lot of kids on board for January. I just assumed parents taking their kids out of school. Maybe there was more to it. Didn't know about Yeshiva. Thanks
  4. Cruise Director on Allure says that no way because someone up in Royal developed the app and will not change it.
  5. Just a further update from this cruise. Out of 39 people in this group 11 have tested positive since we got back. All drove to and from the ship. Symptoms range from very mild to the worst they have felt in their life.Most of us did not wear masks, neither did 95% of people on board-workers or guests. All of us were vaccinated, some have had Covid previously. I guess you can either say we are careless for going, or this is the new normal and it's how life will be from now on. Take your pick.
  6. Sailed the Allure last week from Galveston. My wife and I are D+ but this was our first on an Oasis ship-wow what a difference. Was it perfect? no. but it was a lot of fun in so many ways. We are retired teachers living in a resort in south Texas. I am a travel coordinator volunteer and had 40 people on board.Some had been on Oasis class, some had not cruise at all. Generally the ship made a good impression and they had a good time. The inevitable size question came up but was in the minority. The elevators are like a microcosm of the experience. There is no way that any elevator system can take the full load at dinner, shows letting out, embarkation, or just when everyone is there. Waits to get on sometimes were 10 minutes or so. They were frequently full. But-you cannot have the attractions you have on Allure without a crowd to pay for it. Mama Mia cannot be done with its 30 or so cast, without a big ship to support it. You will know there are people on with you. If that bothers you do not pick this class. When we sailed last week a ships officer said that we were at 5700-double occupancy capacity. In January. No holiday. Not spring break. Just normal. Embarkation, Debarkation-went like a dream.The new terminal in Galveston worked like a dream. No. lines no delays, no problems. We did something different this time. We ate lunch before boarding at a new seafood restaurant in Galveston called Katies. If you want fresh seafood, this is the place. They have their own fleet, and know what to do with it. I kind of liked not having to hunt up lunch on board-I know I paid for it, but seafood that good is worth it. Luggage was in room by 3, Ship left on time, no problems at all Service and training. We were a group of grouchy old people sometimes hard to please. I did not hear any complaints about any service-many compliments. Hats off to the training- it shows. Food- we ate in Chops, Park 150, and Giovannis. Had most dinners in MDR. 3 Breakfasts in MDR. Some in Windjammer. Food was consistently good, fresh and well served. Of course the speciality restaurants are better-its what we paid for. The menu in the dining room is smaller than I remember. They do repeat some of the items each night-shrimp cocktail most nights for example. I always found a couple of things to order, and was pleased with the entire food service. I am, admittedly a little like Mikey and eat most everything, but most nights most people liked the choices. I would not want to see it go down any more though. Taste of Royal was superb. Did not try all the food venues-too many for that. Sorrentos pizza was nice at midnight. Breakfast in Solarium was packed. Had the only omelet station onboard. Only eggs Benedict was in dining room. Windjammers was small, always found a table though. Park Cafe had a nice assortment of Breakfast and lunch items and was much less crowded. Hot dogs at the Doghouse were very good. Wine list was adequate, cocktails were well done. The diamond system loaded on your Sailpass card works like a charm-we are not big drinkers and the best we did in a day was 7/8 available to us.Didnt need the drink package. Entertainment- this is what we went for and were not disappointed . Mama Mia, the Aqua Show, and The Ice show were fantastic. Thats why you wait for elevators-great. The talents at all the shows was over the top-best I have seen on a ship. One hint-reserve the shows at the pool and the ice rink early in the cruise. They had to cancel some of both due to seas that while they were not that high, featured unpredictable waves that stopped the show. They rescheduled -thats why you want to get them early. The 2 comedians were about average- they do a g rated show in theater first night then adult the rest of the week in Comedy club. Luke warm reviews. The headliner was very good. Singer named Clint ..... The Jazz club featured a fantastic quartet and visits by several members of the orchestra and the headliner for a jam session usually in their last set Royal in their infinite wisdom is closing the jazz clubs and replacing them with smokeless casino. The band for now will play at other venues on board including the Promenade which is totally unfit for serious music. Noisy, traffic, bad acoustics. No dance floor. I have a separate thread on here about this if you want to discuss it. Too bad. The house band was Wanderlust-very good at what they did-mostly top hits. Dazzles is a strange place. The way it is set up half the chairs face away from the band. A band is too loud to talk over, but it is a. pretty place for sure. The floor is glass, not suitable for any serious dancing. Flame me if you want, but the only glaring mistake in entertainment is that there is no country band on board. They had one the first month and it was taken away according to the cruise director. He says he asks for it back in his weekly report but no result. Wonder has one! There were probably 3000 Texans on board-someone in Miami needs to talk to the guests and the cruse director. Royal is way too top down on this one. There are 31 musicians on board. They were all great . No classical music either . Rosario Strings gone. The Schooner Bar was packed-he was very good. Bow and Stern guitarist was good, Boleros had a very good latin band. All in all, what is on the ship is first rate. If they leave it its ok. If they start cutting it will sail without me-not that they care. I am 71 and not the market Royal is aiming at. Ports- Roatan was fine-good beaches, small pier area, Costa Maya-did the bird Aviary this time. Only 14.00 Maybe best value on the trip. Lots of colorful birds and it is over the dolphin tanks so you can see everything there too. Cozumel-rained all day, not fun for anyone. Never planned to get off, been there done that. Snorkeling is good, Mayan ruins not big-go in Costa Maya or something. Shopping is good I hear. Misc. All in all it was a very good cruise. So good that we booked a 14 day on Symphony TA in October. You cannot do everything on an Oasis class in 7 days. If you really like small ships-this is probably not your pick. But there was a lot to do and it was really fun. Covid was on board-We have had 8 positives in the first 24 hours back. Not many masks being worn, so be aware. Never mentioned of course on board. We did have to turn around the first night to get within helo range from Galveston for an air evacuation. 3 ambulances met us in ports. Not all that unusual. Price for a balcony was good, no complaints there. All in all I was not ready to leave.
  7. To answer the occupancy question we were in Theater waiting for Mama Mia to start and there was a ships officer-hotel side I think-4 stripe it looked like and I asked her. Not enough families using triple occupancy to boost it to technical full. level. Sometimes Guest Services will tell you. Sometimes CD will tell. I really feel that Royal is trying to force or attract only people that all do the same few things-no room for different desires. Even if you do not like Country you have to admit that there is at least a few people in Texas that do. Jazz lovers are a lot smaller group, dancing is gone-no floors. We had a group of 250 polka dancers on board. No floor so they floored over the ice rink for them. Condensation makes it impossible to slide your feet, and it does not work. Floor in Dazzles is glass-pretty, but no slide. Boleros has some type of tile stuff. Dance floors are made of wood. Period. That is for real dancing-not just standing and twitching. Hasn't been part of Royal for a long time. Why we do Princess when we want to dance-ballroom, country, Latin, etc. But I digress.
  8. I think live entertainment is in danger period. on Allure there are 31 live musicians. Some bean counter is trying to figure out a way to reduce that I bet. They were all tremendous last week-great talent. The informal jam sessions in the jazz club were mind blowing. The idea of a ship that big is that you put up with things like the long lines at the elevators as a trade off for more variety over smaller ships. The last night was a country dance. Canned music because they had no group for it. Future? Hope not but the new normal is upon us. Allure sailed 100% cap last week in January with fewer families than most out of Galveston .. I know the companies are trying to make up for last 2 years but I would think filling the ships would be an indication that things were on the right track and to leave it alone?
  9. They are gone-just a matter of time in the next few months. Every thing is numbers and I am sure that is the business way, but I also doubt that there is an amenity on board that has a majority of passengers doing it during the cruise. Some people never see any shows, some never get in a pool, or ride the zip line. Lots of things on board are done by a minority but what do I know?
  10. Just off the Allure and was told by Cory the cruise director that Royal is taking out all the jazz clubs on Oasis class and replacing them with smoke free casinos. Time frame is April to be done. It is not on the website deck plans as a change but there you go anyway. It is I am sure based on numbers from Wonder, and the business of Royal is to make money, and the 80-100 of us that were in the jazz club cannot compete with all the gamblers this will be attracting..All that being said-I still don't like it. It was the only semi decent dance floor, the atmosphere was great, and there is no way to count if anyone goes on a cruise for a jazz club. I am sure the gamblers will love it, but there was only 1 jazz club and there is already a casino there with 1/2 non smoking..They say that at least for now, the jazz band will stay and play in the Promenade-a totally inappropriate venue for jazz, Dazzles, Schooner and outside in Central Park. I hope that the jazz band does not go the way of the country trio that was on Allure the 1st month and then taken away. Whoever in Miami does assign the bands must have a different mind. Why put a country band on a ship with several thousand Texans on it? I know-don't bother flaming me-not all Texans like country, but some of us do. The only country band on Oasis class right now supposedly is on Wonder. Icon will start with a jazz club-at least for the beginning. I will write what other wise was an incredibly good week on Allure later, but wanted to put this out on its own. Cruise directors apparently do not have. any power getting bands they want-or so Cory told us. He says he asks for one each week in his report. No response from onshore. Top down for sure.
  11. just an update on my original post. I managed to get 200.00 from AA by filing a complaint. Said they gave it to me as a good will gesture. Better than nothing!
  12. kikkib-if that is the case then probably all the offers on there are the same? If so that is really underhanded. Its their cruise line but I don't have to sail it. Still can't get past the age limits on shore excursions especially in Cozumel. Just came off 14 days on Princess-more and more it is what cruising on Royal used to be. I couldn't hold the page long enough to read the fine print-kept going away.
  13. just tried website and then called-technical difficulties-call back in 2 hours. Been that way all day. The only fair thing to do would be to extend the Black Friday sale another day-any bets?
  14. Just got off. Island was closed at first, but lines got longer at Coral and they opened up Island. Dine my way worked well-we had 5:20 and did not wait at all. Palm is fine if you are aft. I thought Coral or Island very much easier to get to .
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