lovesthebeach2

Yes the crew works long hard hours. But we’ve spoken to a few…one in particular who has said they own a NEW home, completely support their family (one young child), plus their parents that live with them, including food for 500.00 a month, now they didn’t say that was the amount they bring home, just their expenses. Since most live in other countries, their expenses may be way less than we’re used to receiving, so they’re doing ok. That doesn’t mean we don’t tip extra for good service, because we tip at home too.

Do you mean email?

So you can contact the concierge before boarding and have them book your CK reservations before you board? We want the same time every night. How far in advance do we request that?

Now that we can use our drink coupons anytime, it’s been a long time since we ventured to the DL for HH. We’ll have to go again on our next cruise

That’s what I figured. Thanks

I thought the exact same thing, luckily we don’t need the pull out (only 2 of us) but I wouldn’t touch it. I feel so bad for the room attendants now, our last cruise he was so busy with 25 cabins, we only saw him on the day we boarded so he could ask for our requests. Although he did replace the towels every night during our service, we did miss coming back to the room with the blinds closed and the lights on. Every night the room was pitch black when we got back. I always like to get to know them and now that they’re so rushed and exhausted, it’s not always possible,

I don’t stay in suites much, but I knew Oasis class has the perks, I’ve been in suites on that class. But I just assumed they all at least have internet! For what people pay for a GS, royal should at the very least throw that perk in!

I didn’t know this. Is there a list of which ships have these perks? And which don’t?

I never knew he had a forum on his blog. 😳

Just an FYI, we once asked our favorite bar server if they get the gratuity for drinks they serve for Diamond and above and we were told YES! We always tip extra….that insures good service, but it’s good to know they do get the gratuity for the Diamond and above drinks, because I often see (including posted here) that they don’t. We have seen that recently that less and less people giving extra tip when they get drinks. Not sure why, but we noticed

Not sure if this will help answer your question, but in the app if you go to the ship you’re considering and pick a date, you can see the excursions offered for that itinerary. That may be what you’re looking for?

So glad you were able to get a new passport! Now you can exhale and relax. Enjoy your cruise!

funny I was thinking the same thing.

I agree that the experience was intensive, therefore the very high price….BUT….how many can actually afford that, especially families…..Turns out not enough. I don’t want that to happen to Royal. I love cruising! Regarding the movie popcorn….When I was a Teenager I worked for a couple of years in a movie theatre and did many jobs there, one was the concession stand. Suffices to say, I will never eat movie popcorn, even though I agree, it smells fabulous, but my DH does even though I told him the stories of the popcorn!

As others have said here and in other threads, there will be a tipping point, but Royal will continue pushing ahead until that happens. If people continue to book, and the ships continue to be filled and even overbooked, they will continue their course. But I’ve said before, they should be taking a look at Disney. They pushed and pushed their prices higher and higher and they went too far. It cost the head of Disney his job and he was fired. I just read in the Orlando Sentinel the other day that ridiculously expensive Star Wars 2 day experience that was an average of over $1,200 per person, per day is closing. When that opened I felt bad for Disney for being so greedy, and the guests for paying the enormous amounts., because I knew it would fail. Royal isn’t greedy in the same way, but if they think we don’t notice the cuts, it will be their fail too. We’re still cruising, but we’re not gaining any weight on them. 😁

we had the exact same experience with the food in the MDR, in lack of choices as well as lower quality and food being over cooked and served cold. I think I saw in the paper this week that Princess was bringing a ship to Pt Canaveral and for the first time in a long time, I’m thinking of booking if it comes there. We’ve only been on 1 Princess ship - the Pacific Princess AKA The Love Boat - on its last year of service before it was sold. The food on that ship was the best we had ever had on any cruise up to that point and even afterwards. I’ll watch the reviews. .

Feel free to drop off your extra bottles of wine and champagne……I think we live close to you 🤪

We always bring our 2 bottles home, but we must drink more wine than you.😉 On a B2B do you get 3 bottles for each one?

Same….only difference in our list is to add wine….

I’m also a budgeter (is that a word 😁) and keep track of expenses…. I always have. I could figure out how much we’ve spent so far, but I wouldn’t want DH to know. 🤫 And I know where our money comes from, and the answer to where it needs to go next is simple CRUISES. 😁

What do you have to look for the bedbugs? Can you post a pic or link.

this was what we did, I see I booked it less than a year before the cruise, but in early 2021 things took longer to show up in the planner. The OP shouldn't wait to book excursions. The good ones go fast

Ours was a full day. We took a bus to the big lake, then the boat through three locks to the Pacific. Then a bus ride back to the ship. It was awesome. Got back exhausted around 645pm. Ran up to WJ for food because we were starving (I should have brought snacks), grabbed a couple of glasses of wine each, then Up to the room to shower and that was the extent of the night. It was totally worth it! BTW we were on Serenade

We had booked the same itinerary to Panama well over a year before the trip, and as soon as the excursion to the locks was available, I grabbed it. It sold out quickly and so many didn’t get to go.

The staterooms aren’t usually open until at least 1pm, most times a bit later than that. But I have also seen the crew cleaning staterooms where some have left very early, even before us, so they are working before 8am. Also, I always bring wipes to clean the room. It only takes a few minutes to sanitize, and I bring a clear small plastic bag (the one that comes with my newspaper) for the remote,