Tin can

I’d be amazed if people aren’t starting to leave the ship an hour after it docks in Piraeus. I don’t think I have ended a cruise anywhere in Europe where it has taken the 2+ hours mentioned above so maybe that was US port specific. The port is large though so it could take you half an hour to get to the berth for your ferry.

Interesting, I’m from the UK and found New York departing cruises lively with a crowd out for a good time but never experienced any overly rude behaviour. I’m not saying folks don’t wear shorts on any North East departing cruise but the standard of dress (for want of a better word) is significantly higher from New York than typical Florida departing cruises. Not that it matters and I’m not concerned either way but that’s always been our experience.

Not completely true in Europe and certainly not in the UK. Any Royal ship sailing from the New York area we have always found quite formal as well.

That is very unfortunate, we tend to cruise popular times and have got a reservation every night as long as we are totally flexible and can work around suite/pinnacle bookings. One night we can be the first in and the next the last table 😀 which makes it interesting.

We were on Explorer over the summer (same itinerary as you by the looks of your signature) so you got me wondering if we actually missed free breakfast 😀

I'm not sure they do breakfast on Explorer, I think that is just on Oasis class. The cost is reasonable though as you say and Diamond drink vouchers work for the milkshakes.

Just for reference it is one bottle of wine per adult of 'drinking age'. Obvious I know but I once caught the tail end of a conversation someone was having with security where a Mum and Dad with a couple of kids around 14 years old were trying to take four bottles of wine onboard. They were arguing that the two kids being over 12 are classified and charged for as adults by Royal. Some people 😀

Yes agreed, it's a very quiet afternoon at my business here in the UK and I have looked into this. I genuinely thought if the seven short one long alarm went off it was abandon ship but as you rightly point out it is to round us up for further instruction. I clearly need to pay more attention to the muster drills 😀

If it went off in a real emergency surely if you are being summoned to leave your cabin and attend your muster station it must be a consideration by the Captain otherwise why would he/she sound the alarm. To be honest though I don't know, its not something I have ever thought about before this thread..

I think it might be a possibility if you are being summoned to your muster station.

I disagree slightly, abandoning ship is that serious I would expect the Captain to have to consciously unlock something to activate it after reviewing the incident, consulting the coast guard and emergency services and probably Royal Caribbean HQ. Perhaps its me but I dont expect it to be an easily accessible button that someone could get mixed up with something else or your could accidentally activate it by leaning on it for example. Who knows though.

Mind boggling to think it can go off by mistake, I would have thought that with something as serious as 'abandon ship' that there would be a very strict procedure to activate it and it you couldn't do it accident.

I've never sailed with them but I think it's more a case of the problems that MSC are posing Royal in Europe with regards to pricing and itineraries. Just my opinion but this is coming your way in the States, I think it's obvious the ultimate goal for them is dominance in the US market.

Yes Royal will make an immediate return on a fleet of Utopias doing three nights to Nassau and Coco Cay but people will get fed up of that. I see it now in Nassau, on Anthem last Easter most of the New Yorkers couldn't be bothered getting off the ship. Just my opinion but this type of thinking is seriously leaving the door open for MSC.

I've just read the article and what a depressing read it was. Although UK based like yourself we cruise as much from the US with Royal as we do from Europe and even we are getting a bit fed up with itineraries going to Coco Cay. I absolutely love cruising with Royal but I had a look at the NCL website after someone mentioned the Iceland itineraries above and was amazed at the variety of cruises they offer. I really like the Royal product though 😐

We looked at the Fjords for 2025 and others may disagree but I think Haugesund and Skjolden (as lovely as it is) are not the best ports to visit.

You're right it's probably a 'Sunset View' now and $$$ , it was a long time ago and we couldn't believe our luck at the time.

Royal considers (or at least used to) some of the Aft cabins obstructed, we had a GTY a few years ago and got 6710 which was classed as obstructed and it was partially by the rear structure but it had a great large balcony.

This wouldn't surprise me at all for the 5 night Hamburg and Rotterdam itineraries and I think it would be out of necessity. We have taken many short Spring Break cruises from the US as it tends to coincide with the two week Easter holidays here in the UK. Nothing has compared to a short Royal cruise from Southampton especially if it has the big family groups and hen/stag parties. I'm no prude and I like a good time (often my Diamond vouchers are gone by late afternoon 😄) but that itinerary and the three nighters with drinks packages would attract a certain type of cruiser which would be too much for me.

She was great on our summer Greek Isles cruise, we had no complaints at all apart from the Wi Fi which was hit and miss but not a massive problem.

Yes we are, early fall colours sounds nice. Thank you for that.

Hi all We are looking at a one way Royal Caribbean cruise from Vancouver that has the same itinerary sailing both the last week of July and the last week of August. The August cruise is significantly cheaper and I was wondering why this might be, from a bit of research Canadian school holidays run until early September and the weather historically looks about the same. We are coming from the UK and mock flight bookings seem to indicate that flights are also significantly cheaper in August. Am I missing something that makes an Alaskan cruise at the end of July as opposed to the end of August more appealing and therefore more expensive. Any thoughts would be appreciated as its a big holiday for us so if its worth paying a bit more for July I will. Thanks 🙂

I don't know why (I should have expected it) but I'm amazed at how expensive they are! Perhaps I'm a bit behind with things but I have noticed aft balconies are now called 'Sunset View' or something like that and are even more expensive.

We got the train from Venice changing at Bologna and stayed a night in Ravenna, Ravenna was fantastic and we enjoyed it almost as much as Venice. I really don't understand why Royal doesn't at least advise people of alternatives to the 3hr coach directly to the port.

'The star is Alaska' is exactly my thinking for favouring Vancouver to Seward. I'm a bit out of my comfort zone though with this cruise, perhaps I am over thinking things but being from the UK its a big trip for us and I want everyone to be happy with the choice of ship/itinerary..