The Fun Researcher

1 hour ago, hallux said:

 

This was fixed, starting with the Bliss.  The Bliss, Joy and upcoming Encore (Breakaway+ class, their ACTUAL newer ships as they're the 3 most recently built ships) all have walled-off smoking areas in the casino.  Not sure about the Encore but on Bliss and Joy there are only 3 places you can smoke - starboard side of Spice H2o (adults only outdoor deck at the aft of the ship, think Solarium), as a player in the smoking section of the casino, as a cigar smoker in the Humidor cigar lounge.  Encore seems to be omitting Spice so that smoking area may move to the Waterfront from what I've read.

That's great to hear.  Thank you for the update.

Dan

3 hours ago, timf2001 said:

The "We Pick Your Room" categories are the guarantee-specific categories (WS, XB, XN, YO, ZI).  The "You Pick Your Room" categories are specific stateroom categories that have gone into guarantee status.  If you book the former, you can get assigned to any room in that category.  With the latter, you are guaranteed no worse than the category specified.  There's not always logic behind the pricing, as factors such as Going Going Gone can make certain categories cost more or less than their typical hierarchy.

 

For example:

If you book a category XB, you can get assigned any type of balcony from class 1A-2E.

If you book a category 6D guarantee, you'll never get assigned to a 7-8D or a class E, but could still get as high as a 1A (or whatever the best balcony cabin the ship has).

I don't even see where it says the type of cabin you are getting with a "We pick your room" option.  Say, in the case of an Interior on the Majesty, I have two options:

1 - "You pick your room" for an interior, which doesn't let me choose and actual cabin, but rather kicks me to an "Interior Guarantee"  which is listed as 2v, 4v or 6v

1 - "We pick your room" for an interior.  (This option doesn't say what level of cabin, 2v, 4v, or 6v, but how could it be any different?)

56 minutes ago, thistimeplease said:

It was the Anthem, not sure what class that is, but the Promenade was extremely claustrophobic .  Felt like a shopping mall to us. We loved getting pizza at Sorrentinos but I don't consider that the same as lobster rolls on the waterfront or snacks in O'Sheehans.  Haven't been on any other Royal ships but perhaps in the future.  To each their own and my opinion is that the BA is a much nicer setup than the Anthem.

Can't argue with you.  I've never been on the Anthem, and one of my concerns was just what you describe about the Esplanade.  O'Sheehans is a real plus for NCL in my books.

Dan

Thanks for the reminder.  I thought I had hit about as low as our fare would go for our cruise in March but it was down again today.

Between our two cabins, we're down over $1400 versus when we originally booked.  We've repriced a number of times already.

Dan

Great question.  I was wondering the same thing for a quick getaway cruise we're considering.

Dan

59 minutes ago, thistimeplease said:

Three cruises on BA never smelled smoke in Atrium.  If you like feeling confined the Promenade is the place to be.  We loved the Waterfront and all the outdoor areas of BA.  Probably wouldn't cruise Anthem again but would cruise RC.  O'Sheehans was a lot of fun and nothing like it on Anthem.  We loved the Atrium being in the middle of the ship where you could watch entertainment from O'Sheehans or the Atrium with beautiful views of the water.  The Promenade was dark and dreary and reminded us of a shopping mall.

It was the Escape and another ship in the same class.  It's a fairly common complaint (smoke spilling from casino to Atrium).

What Royal Caribbean Promenade are you referring to? (Freedom,  Voyager or Oasis class?)    They are the largest interior open space of any ships at sea.  The exact opposite of confined.

Also the Freedom and Voyager classes (and maybe more) have a deck 4 that is also very quiet with open views of the sea.  No restaurant open to that area, but it's quiet and open and wraps around almost the entire ship, plus the helipad area that is completely open and accessible. 

Dan

17 minutes ago, bizzy2010 said:

You're comparing the terrible western Caribbean itinerary, imagine how pissed we were that our more expensive st thomas etc..  ports were switched to western.  As for the disney prices. I paid i believe 3500 in may for 7 days on those stops,   i paid 2600 for a boardwalk balcony last week.  I guess there is a 1k difference, but not that huge. Perhaps it's where the balcony comes in that it gets more expensive, but i don't recall there being a huge difference on harmony, it wasn't enough for me to switch to inside and just buy the drink packages as an offset to the free boardwalk packages.  And my 2600 was for four people, vs 3 people on disney, so perhaps that's where the difference is coming from and i can see what you're saying. I will pay more for better service however, and disneys food and service is days ahead of rcc's on harmony. 

Here's my thought on on it.  Put 4 on your Disney cruise and I bet you'd be fairly close to double the cost of the Harmony, one of RCCL's flagships.  Consider that you can get the Ultimate Dining Package for ~$160 per person on Harmony, eating at specialty dining each night and you'll have much better food than the included Disney offering.  Now it comes down to how much you value the improved service of Disney, or their ships, or itinerary.

Dan

 We have not sailed with  NCL but looking at ship tours on YouTube, their pool decks are simply abysmal. Not inviting at all.    Plus we have direct feedback from friends regarding the atrium smelling like smoke due to the proximity of the casinos on their newer ships.  No thanks.  Plus I love Royals promenade on many of their ships.  So much nice than atriums IMO

We had a cruise booked on NCL but decided to cancel it when something better came along on Royal Caribbean.  I was looking forward to the late night O’ Sheehans on NCL and some of the fun looking bars but there were too many negatives vs Royal.

Dan

Thanks for the suggestions all, we're going with Ricardo Riley of Liberty Tours Jamaica.  We have a custom tour setup. 

Our tentative plans so far:  Doing the Martha Brae bamboo River Rafting, Touring the Rose Hall Great House and then hitting up Scotchies for some authentic jerk chicken or fish.

Dan

Regarding Disney cruise line...  I tend to say that if you want the Disney experience, go to the parks.  If you want the best family cruise for your money, do Royal Caribbean (or your choice of family line, Carnival or NCL)

Disney cruises are just way overpriced IMO.  I think a lot of families with young kids just default to Disney because it is consistently ranked as the top family cruise line on Cruise Critic and other sites.  Sure, I wouldn't argue, but you are paying an arm and a leg for it.  Plus you have pools that are a madhouse and kids, kids, everywhere.  We have a few friends who have cruised both Disney and RCCL many times and never went back to Disney after experiencing Royal and NCL.

Dan

30 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

 

Yikes.

Hopefully rectified by the Amped up they've got scheduled!!!

Would appreciate further feedback if you get it! Not too late to switch back to an ABC....... and save the flights...... LOL

I wouldn't worry.  AMPING the Freedom will make it like a brand new ship.  I was on the newly AMPED Navigator in March and it felt like a new ship (Except the cabins.  They just had new carpet and soft goods).  We were on the Navigator a few years prior and it felt like a different ship in March  greatly improved (and we already loved it before being AMPED).

Dan

1 hour ago, frank808 said:

Just wondering, where are the self serve laundry facilities on MSC Davina?  

Check in with the MSC forums 

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

IMO Princess has the best Pizza at sea. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Sorrento's on Anthem. It had a good amount of cheese and the sauce wasn't battery acid like the Pizza I had on Celebrity. The burgers on the other hand were an abomination.  When I read comments on this board on how bad they were I just thought people over exaggerated.  They were so bad. It was as if they were boiled or steamed. They didn't even have the consistency of being meat. I don't cruise for burgers or pizza so it's not a deal breaker if they are bad.

Agree about the burgers.    Honestly, I’m shocked they haven’t  realized it and have done something to make them better 

Dan

5 minutes ago, shippmates said:

Just got off the Adventure after 21 days.  Service was better in some areas than others.  This may be our last cruise to Canada/New England on this ship as it was too cold to use the pool or even to sit in the solarium on some days.  We feel this ship would be better suited for warm weather climates.  We knew getting on the ship that they did not have covered pools but we wanted to do this itinerary.

 

 

Agreed, not the best setup for cold weather 

Dan

12 minutes ago, LeeW said:

 

 

Oasis class ships no longer open the MTD dining room at 5:15.  Instead they use that room for early fixed seating and then open up for MTD at 6:30.  Since we like to eat early and don't want to wait for a whole dining room to eat in sync we don't do fixed seating dining.  Other Royal ships do open MTD early.  Folks on this board have also reported that MTD is a zoo now on Oasis-class.  Will see in a couple of weeks on Allure and next spring on Harmony if we will continue to sail on Oasis-class.

What?  They aren't offering MTD until after 6:30?  That would 100% keep us from sailing on Oasis class.

Dan

15 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

That lofty 3 story dining room is only on Voyager, Freedom,  and Oasis. Plus you really don't experience it from the periphery.  

 

On the other hand, the aft tables on Empress are crazy impressive.

 

Thanks for the photo!  That is absolutely gorgeous!  Love the view out the aft as well.  I need to try one of the smaller classes soon!  

Dan

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

That is why that side of the ship sells out faster.  😉 

Yeah, when my parents did their very first cruise about 15 years ago (Celebrity Summit) it was a northbound from Vancouver to Anchorage.  I had never cruised before, but after helping them plan their cruise I thought about where they should have their balcony cabin.  I'm glad we considered it because we came to the realization that starboard side would be facing land far more than port side.  They called Celebrity and got the VERY LAST balcony cabin available on starboard side.  When they got back from the cruise they were so thankful they did.  👍

Dan 

3 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

 The adventure is an Oasis wannabe- 

That's funny.  🙂

Funny because I think the Oasis class is a step down from Voyager class.  It's all in what you're looking for in a cruise.   There are things I like better about both classes but Voyager (and Freedom) class outweighs the Oasis class for us.

Dan

There's always those cruises and crew that are going to be at one end of the "bell curve".  OP I think you had the exception, not the norm.  ...at least that's our experience.

Dan

On 9/8/2019 at 11:26 AM, CruisesRMe said:

Hello Sherri,

 

I really appreciate your input on the Equinox.  We don't need the bells and whistles of the Oasis ship, we aren't much into the shows anyways but would go if it is a show that is interesting.  I love coffee bars and the World Class bar sounds like something we would prefer also.  Buffets are my most priority during lunch, because we tend to eat more "healthy".  

 

How is the food in the MDR (we generally eat at specialty restaurants and found the past two years of it declining) in Celebrity compared to RC?  Would you say its similar or do you prefer one over the other?  How do you get your dining room reservations for dinner if choosing the dining where you can go at anytime?  Can we reserve it online or do we have to do that on the ship and where would that be?

 

You have me more leaning to the Equinox...I also have to book a cruise down the road for next October, so thinking going on the Equinox first then next fall the Edge.

 

I appreciate your help here, thank you.  Linda

I can speak to this also.  We've sailed the Equinox and we felt that both the MDR and buffet were a small step above what we were used to on Royal.  Service was also a small step up.  Great crew.   You can reserve your dining room times online for each night. (if you have the flexible option)

Things we loved about the Equinox:  Indoor pool and hot tub area with true padded loungers.  The Sunset bar is a beautiful area to view the ocean and wake.  Actually, that entire top deck was wonderful to step out to in the evening.  Loved the silent disco.  The food and service were a small step up.  Loved Sushi on 5.  With the included on board credit, it was a nice "free" place for lunch a few days.  Having the drink package included was so nice.   We don't purchase the drink package on Royal, so it was a real treat to just order what we wanted, when we wanted.  We also liked the decor of the rooms slightly better than on Royal.  It's a little more clean/modern.

What I missed from Royal:  The royal promenade.  Love that area of many of the Royal ships.  I also missed having more activities.  No putt putt, no ice rink, no laser tag, escape room...  By about day 6 on our Equinox cruise, I felt like it was groundhogs day where things just felt like nothing was changing and just repeating.  Just an overall lack of activities.  Still a wonderful cruise.

Dan

On 9/7/2019 at 9:46 AM, not-enough-cruising said:

The drink packages are not "included" on the lines you mentioned. If you look at the bottom line cruise fare, the drink packages may not be line item listed, but you are paying for it. At least on Royal you have the option to choose not to buy.

I've priced shopped cruises for ourselves, and many times have found the Equinox with the "Two perks" (Drink Package and OBC) to be comparable in price to many RCI cruises of similar duration, on a variety of classes of RCCL ships.  However, the Royal cruises don't include drinks or OBC.

Dan

Short answer:  NO

Dan

14 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Sorrentos is the best pizza on the planet

Only at 1am after I've had one too many, and even then...

Honestly I've never had a problem with it.  The best?  No.  I still enjoy most slices I have though. 

Dan

6 hours ago, vacationlover_mn said:

I recommend doing a NB or SB, not the round trip one...  we really liked Radiance 🙂. We did NB with a portside balcony and had great views 🙂

Wouldn't you want starboard side on a North Bound so you can see Alaska while cruising instead of just looking out at the ocean?

Dan

We go on our desired ships as long as our schedule permits.

Dan