la_croisiere_s'amuse

Did you by chance book through different sources? Some TAs don't participate in the Royal Up program, so if your June cruise was booked through one of them, that would explain it. If not ... perhaps just something else to add to the long list of Royal IT unfathomables. 😉

I'm glad you decided to give her a chance, and glad your experience was overall a positive one! 🙂

Sancho, DH and I also enjoy getting dressed up and having formal night pictures taken on every cruise. Yes, we are definitely in the minority but I don't let it discourage us. Besides, we typically get several compliments and if some of the other passengers think we're loonies, at least they keep it to themselves. 😉 So my advice would be, if you enjoy dressing up, GO FOR IT!! ☺️

FWIW, for me it works about half the time. 😉

I think the point was that Bermuda requires a negative test, not a separate negative test. Consequently, RCI would be unable to eliminate the testing requirement across the board, unless they wanted to temporarily suspend sailings to Bermuda (which I agree is unlikely). Of course, as Charles4515 pointed out, they could always require testing only for the sailings with itineraries that require them. But that sounds like a supreme headache to me. 😕 I guess time will tell!

Lobster Thermidor and scallops ... 🥰 🥰 🥰

Since you mention that it's been awhile since you cruised with Royal: just FYI, they are typically not called formal nights anymore, but rather "Dress Your Best" or "Dress to Impress." On most itineraries, there has been a definite decrease in level of formality in the past few years. That being said, if you want to go for a ball gown and tuxedo ... knock yourself out! 🙂

Agreed! I only got to take advantage of it once, but it was several hundred bucks worth of spa time. 😄 Oh well, at least now I won't be obsessively checking prices once we've made final payment.

Also ... YES!!! I know that some people are perfectly content in inside cabins, but Alaska is one itinerary where you really want to be able to step outside at a moment's notice.

Connecting balconies have slightly less noise insulation because of the door instead of a solid wall, so you're kind of rolling the dice--some neighbors are definitely noisier than others. They are also sometimes configured differently, but I'm not sure about the Ovation in particular. Personally, I don't find 10 extra square feet to make that much of a difference. I'm more likely to choose a cabin based on a location I like. Other people feel differently of course, but if the price difference is more than a few bucks, I would probably pass.

Isn't it great that we are under no obligation to click on threads? 🙂

At dinner, I have been more impressed with the appetizers & desserts than the mains, but I still find myself going back because they are just that good. I also enjoy the quieter atmosphere at night. Also, while you can make reservations, they will let you eat there without them if they have tables available. There are almost always plenty.

Rows and rows of them, yes. 🙂

I would be very surprised if you noticed a significant difference between the "amped" Mariner and the Freedom-class ships, now that the flow rider has been added. The Mariner is actually one of my favorite ships in the fleet. 🙂

It's the curse of the asterisk. 😉 "Up to x%," "select," etc. It's unfortunate, but if you want to make sure you're getting the best possible deal, you really need to monitor your cruise planner(s) closely. Sales go up & down, but the base price can too. As you noted, lately everything's been going pretty much exclusively up, but you never know for the future. Hope springs eternal. 🙂

Well ... yes and no. In the early days of the return to cruising, final payment deadlines were significantly pushed back, meaning that frequently the protocols had been announced. But now that the final payment windows are back to what they were, that's not necessarily the case--especially since protocols can change very quickly in response to surges and such. 😕 That being said, I totally agree that it's too early to stress about it now! Heck, by next June we could all be under shutdown for a virus that doesn't even exist yet. 😆

True! Every policy that I'm aware of, however has a window of around 7-10 days after booking in order to get pre-existing conditions covered. Since the OP booked six months ago, that ship has sailed, so to speak. 😉 The two most strategically smart times for booking insurance are 1) immediately after booking, if you're concerned about pre-existing medical condition coverage, or 2) right before final payment so you don't lose out if you decide to cancel.

Unfortunately the glaciers (Hubbard, Dawes, Glacier Bay etc.) are never a guarantee. Like any port, they can be unsafe due to a variety of factors. I've missed them due to weather, and it's a bummer, but the Alaska itineraries have so much natural beauty with or without glacier viewing.

Well, since you are BY FAR the best source of reliable information on this board, maybe we'll let this one slide. 😉

Ken, I'm not sure I'm seeing what you're seeing ... 🤔 I see a reference to Izumi Hibachi (not sushi, which is what the OP is concerned about) with a $10 surcharge, and the only $35 I see is a surcharge for Dadong.

Unfortunately this is no longer the case. For now, entertainment reservations are onboard only.

I also meant to mention that if you booked in September, you probably weren't charged gratuities, and if you rebooked today, you would be. So be careful about canceling and rebooking for the "lower" price--in all likelihood, it wouldn't be.

Okay, you made me curious so I had go and check my own cruise planner. 😁 Unfortunately, mine also says $20 credit with no mention of $35 for sushi. And as much as I'd like to say "oh, I'm sure you'll be fine" ... that may be overly optimistic. 😕 If you want to come armed with the screen shot, and are willing to do battle with guest services, you might get $35. But I can 99.5% guarantee you that it won't be done automatically as a "grandfather clause" purchase. My guess is that there's a terms & conditions disclaimer that says you can cancel and get your money back, but that's it.

I don't have any personal experience, unfortunately, but there is a Cruise Critic subforum specifically for disabled individuals cruising in Europe: https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/forum/775-europe-disabled-cruising/ Hopefully that will be a helpful resource for you. 🙂

Yeah, that's a relatively recent development. 🙁 I'm like you, photos are a high priority (we have a digital photo frame that we use exclusively for cruise photos) so it's worth it for us, but I definitely liked it better when we didn't have to whittle them down.