crookedhalo

Actually the Park Café has been there for quite a while (I won't go so far as to say since the beginning):D. When we were on GOS in 2006 (our first RCCL cruise) it was called the Solarium Cafe;).

Try trinityreservations.com. They specialize in stay-park-cruise specials and the prices are very reasonable. We are booked in the Ramada in Newark (near airport) before our Anthem trip. Paying $202 for the room, but it includes transport to and from terminal and parking for up to 21 days. Since it's a 12 night cruise and parking is around $20 per day...we're coming out ahead of the deal;).

I also use this site when we are flying to someplace as well. Only thing to know is you will have to pay the reservation in full on booking BUT you can cancel up to day before with no penalty. And their customer service is top notch:D

Yeah, this six drink thing is a myth. It will vary depending on the price you are paying and the type of drinks you like;).

For our upcoming Anthem cruise we paid $39 per day (I don't include gratuity because I'd pay it one way or the other). I drink martini's at late afternoon/

night which are around 12 per. So, three martinis and I am there.

I enjoy having things paid for in full before I set foot on the ship - makes the bill at the end much more friendly and I don't have to keep checking my balance (though I probably will anyway:p).

Thanks everyone! Sort of figured they'd not allow it, hence my question. Oh well, no matter as the GoPro will come with for diving;)

Yeah, think I'm going to pass until they figure out how to load the drink packages on so that you don't have to carry your sea pass anyway:p

Ditto Clarea...they seem to have adopted a dynamic pricing structure on the drink packages. Depending on when your sailing is the price can be different (i.e. high demand time vs. low demand). Also, if you look at the fine print the price is '20% off price on board'. Posters have been indicating that when comparing what they paid against the onboard price it truly is 20% off.

To get the best deal you had to have bought it when they first pushed them out in March time frame. They started monkeying with the prices sometime in April it seems.

I bought my Premium package in March and paid $555 per person (gratuities included) for a 12 night cruise which equals $46.55 per day BUT when my friend went to buy hers in June it was $44 per day PLUS gratuity which equals $623.04 per person for the 12 nights. Basically, I got almost two days free compared to her! SMH:(

We mailed our renewal apps from MD to PA on 7/1/16. Just got new passports yesterday! Quick service right now:p

So, DH is thinking it could be cool to mount his Go Pro on his helmet or chest. Anyone done that before? Guess the better questions is can you do that - any info greatly appreciated:D

Crystal Geyser is a well known regional water in the mid-Atlantic. It's great - not enhanced with junk. Just nice spring water:)

DH is also very sensitive to soaps (Tide and All really mess him up). We only use A&H Free at home. However, he has never had an issue on any of our trips. He makes sure that the room is cool and his skin is dry before going to bed (to avoid the sheets getting damp). Don't know if this will hold true for you, but good luck!:D

This is also impacting trips at the end of the year. Our 11/27/16 sailing has been switched as well.

Back to the drawing board I guess:p

Hmmm on my upcoming Anthem trip I've had the trip repriced 2x (price drop and then balcony GTY) and both times fully expected to pay the higher current Port fees & taxes (about $17 pp) but each time they've kept my original taxes and fees.

You could look at any of the Presidential Family Suites - I believe they can sleep up to 14 people. Easy way to do this is to go to the main page of Royal's website and find the link to Staterooms. Find a stateroom category you like and then follow the link to ships that have that category - easy peasy!

Though personally, we travel with three other couples yearly on cruises, and we all get separate cabins - gives you a bit of personal space if you need it;). I love my down time:D

Am I the only one who saw the two - count them two- chocolate fountains:eek: - first thought was 'oh that's not going to go well' with pictures of children and fingers running thru my mind:p

If you have already purchased the drink package the 18% gratuity would have been included in the final price you paid. You will not be charged any additional gratuity on the ship (unless you want to tip extra - your choice;)).

Can any of you folks from across the pond let me know whether handing an additional cash tip straight to your server is considered bad form.

 

I thought I had got my head round this extra tipping lark but now with the mention of people using envelopes is my handing cash in slightly bad taste (although probably gratefully received).

 

Thanks (a tipping confused Brit)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

You can tip however you would like and feel most comfortable with. In past years envelopes were left in your cabin near the end of the trip with suggested people to tip (this was before auto tips) and it allows you to tip without everyone knowing what you are tipping. They no longer leave the envelopes, but you can usually get small tip envelopes at GS. I like to use the envelopes because I will usually write a small note on the envelope:D. It's all personal choice and If you don't feel anyone deserves an extra tip above the auto tip then you are fine:).

Well, they seem to have done away with the diving board (or hid it so well I can't find it:eek:).

Question to any divers out there - we are doing Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia on Anthem this coming November. If you could dive in only two of those ports - which would they be and why?

Thanks!:D

It is not being offered on all ships/sailings. If it is available for your trip you should see it once you log into your cruise planner. You will see a '20% Off' superimposed over the image of the drink package that is on promotion (not all drink packages are 20% off). HTH

We are on Anthem in November for 12 nights. We have a D5 balcony and are paying about $124/pp per day (including port fees & taxes - excluding gratuities). Always find great deals in that sweet spot between Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas holiday cruises:D.

But before we could begin traveling at that time of year we were in your shoes and for Anthem, I think that's a great price. Just keep your eyes open for guarantees - they pop up and then disappear. They can be a great opportunity if you catch them early enough ;)

I thought the same but on our recent Anthem cruise the prices were higher onboard meaning the 20% off was really 20% off if pre-purchased

I understand that... but if I go to pre-purchase the package now... it would be $75 more pp than when I purchased it 2 months ago. Both with 20% off...

 

2 months ago $39.20+18%/day... today $44+18%/pp

Exactly what I was talking about;). When I bought it in March/Early April, price online was showing $49pp per day so $37 is right. My friend bought it last month and the price was almost $45 pp per day - so I'm happy I sucked it up and bought it then. Since DH and I usually drink $10-$12 drinks, $37 will be a cinch for us (plus soda and bottled water too boot:D).

We've booked at least three guarantee cabins (maybe 4?) over the years. The one from Carnival was assigned while we were in transit to Miami so we didn't know until we arrived at port. For one of our Grandeur trips we found out about 2-3 weeks before (too late to get luggage tags I remember - had to get at terminal). The most recent one is for our upcoming Anthem trip. Changed from our DO balcony to the XGTY on Wednesday of last week, assigned a Deck 12 D5 within 24 hours. Quickly called C&A and had the cabin number changed to one that was not connecting:).

We've been happy with all the guarantees we've tried (but then again we don't have any motion issues and love all areas of the ships for cabins):D.

We bought package in March for our November sailing. Glad I did when it first came out because they started fooling around with pricing and changing the per day price based on the sailing date. Because we bought before all this, we were able to get the premium package for $37pp per day instead of $49 pp per day. Well worth buying early:D

Fellow cruisers! Just out of curiosity, what prices do you get with this discount for example to Anthem 12 night cruise sailing 18/12/03? I was really disappointed as the C&A page offers me this discount with every 3rd night off but I can't use it because I'm not from USA/Canada. It feels ridiculous that I can see the offer but I have to pay 8 nights extra because I live in a wrong country :(

With C&A discount and booking XGTY have a total of $3200 for a 12 night trip for two in a D5 - including port fees, taxes and gratuities:D - we're happy.

We have sailed both CCL Pride and RCCL Grandeur out of B'more. While I hate Freeport and would personally choose the Grand Turks itinerary with CCL, it would all come down to dollars for me. If both trips were close in cost, I would have to go with CCL again. The ship just offers more...Guys Burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina and Bonsai (that one's an upcharge).

I have been on Grandeur after the refurb and honestly, I didn't like it as much. The Centrum area just feels way to confined and choppy since they did away with library and card room:(.

JMHO YMMV

But you loose any C&A discount you may have. I have $200 discount on upcoming cruise and would loose it to get $76 OBC (where that figure comes from who knows:confused:) so we just stuck with the $250 we saved earlier this week when the base sale began.

BUT it does pay to keep checking, but I'm pretty darn sure I priced myself out of any more drops by taking the XGTY currently offered (they assigned cabin next day and it was a D5 on deck 12 - so I'm good if there are no more drops for us;))