Don Pedro

I have not been able to find where I select the D+ gift preference on the new website. Previously there was a listing. Have they eliminated this option?

Try www.royalcaribbean.com/giftpreferences

Pardon my ignorance but is paying for Visa necessary if you do not get off ship? I love cruising but don't have any interest in getting off in Cuba.

I am not sure. We were given the visa when checking-in to board the ship and the $75 fee was later charged to our seapass accounts. The visa was collected by Cuba Immigration when we got off the ship. If you really don't want to get off the ship in Cuba you shouldn't need a visa so you may be notify the cruise line and avoid the fee.

That said, we hate to see you fail to take advantage of the rare opportunity to visit a Caribbean port that doesn't yet have a Diamond's International.

I would rather mow my lawn. Right now the majority of money spent goes to the government based on the way they use exchange rates and do not allow you to use dollars.

 

When and if they make changes I might think about it, but then again i did spend a year in GTMO back in 1980.

 

P.S. will not go to Russia either.

Go right ahead and mow your lawn. I've been to Cuba four times - 1948 as a twelve year old, 1957 when working the Cuba desk at Langley and on a RCCL ship last September and this April. Love it there and FYI US dollars are accepted almost everywhere in Havana.

Labadee Barefoot Beach cabanas can only be booked through the suite concierge. You'll get an email about a week before sail date from the concierge asking if you have any requests.

 

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This is pretty much correct. I think that on ships with genies they may get first choice. Anyway there is a pecking order for the barefoot beach cabanas. Guests in the star class cabins come first, then sky class, then pinnacle members. Junior suite guests cannot book on barefoot beach.

A few years ago I traveled fairly often with friends that had a legitimate service dog. If memory serves me correctly there was quite a bit more to bringing the dog onto the ship than merely parading it up in a service dog vest. Seems that they had to provide a current health certificate from a veterinarian and that some ports charge a fee for bringing the dog ashore while others (Jamaica for one) prohibited them entirely.

How you handle this partially depends upon how far out your cruise is. If you contact the Concierge too far ahead of time they will just tell you to wait until closer to your sail date. ...but generally, yes, you handle this through the Concierge. Since you are looking for a Standard cabana I think you can feel confident that you will get what you want.

 

 

I recommend that when your Concierge reaches out to you, immediately respond back that you want to book a cabana. Let them know which one you want and they will make a note of it. Since Star Class pax get first dibs on cabanas, you will just have to allow the Concierge to make your reservation at their earliest opportunity. ...but the sooner you let them know you want one and which one you want, the more likely it is that you will get the cabana of your choice. If it's any consolation to you, I have never failed to get a cabana when I let the Concierge know ASAP.

That pretty well summed it up. In our experience the Star class passengers tend to book the over ocean and ocean front cabanas so the chances of getting a standard cabana are very good. Never had a problem getting one yet.

While you are right, I imagine that many of the SL are now larger than the DL's on board.

 

Which is kind of odd, since there is a fixed amount of suites that can go to the lounge- and I don't think there is *that* many, but the D and D+ can run into the hundreds. So it's kind of odd that the DL on the Adventure is much smaller than the SL just across the 14th deck. More odd that the DL lost the outside part for the climbing wall- which was a great overflow area- at the same time the SL ADDED the outside part.

 

Doesn't make a lot of sense to have that large of an area of the SL vs the DL. Same size, maybe. But not twice as large.

I believe RCCL is moving toward catering more to the suite guests. As you are aware, on those ships with a CL the lounge is shared with the suite, pinnacle and D+ guests and often overcrowding exists. A suite guest, who may be paying $1000 a day for a cruise and is unable to get a seat in the lounge has a reasonable gripe. Suite guests, other than those in genie cabins, don't get three drinks on their card as do D and D+ and pinnacle.

On some sailings the large number of pinnacle guests is beginning to stress the lounges much to the chagrin of suite guests.

This is not new, it's already happened to Oasis, Allure, Liberty, and Adventure. I don't think they will be changing the policy.

I agree. It seems like a real bummer to all the loyal D+ members and unfortunately it may just be the first step in addressing the crowding in many of the undersized CLs. I don't see them building larger DLs in order to give away more drinks and snacks.

We've had them once or twice while we on Anthem, when we first asked in the CL they said they didn't have any mint, but, we looked after the server and the next night some mint appeared, it was nice, but not as nice as drinking them in Cuba.

Not quite sure how they make them in Cuba but the ones we've drank at both the Hotel National and at the Tropicana were excellent. I general do not care for Mojitos.

I think all of the ships a well designed and maintained but each has its own personality which will change from time to time. You may sail this year and love the food and activities then next year a new hotel director or executive chef comes onboard and things change.

Thank you for your service and our freedom.

 

You should absolutely be entitled to bring your dog along. Some people love to find something to complain about, but a veteran with conditions caused by fighting for our country shouldn’t be one of them.

 

Again hats off and I salute you!

 

Enjoy your next vacation wherever you go.

You are assuming facts not in evidence. Unless I missed something, the poster has not attributed his/her condition to military service. Obviously that does not lessen their condition and if they truly need the benefits of a service animal they should take the animal wherever necessary.

Nonetheless, they also need to be respectful of other passengers as there are people who are frightened or allergic to certain animals. It seems that the major grip is against those who are abusing the system in order to take Fido on the cruise vacation that he has dreamed of since being a little puppy.

Also, some service animals are required at home when the person is alone but not when they are accompanied by family.

It might be unreasonable to you but some may have not known this. Suites get first walk off most of the time.

 

 

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Suites and pinnacles opting to carry off their own luggage usually get off first. The other suite/pinnacle guests usually come after all the guests carrying off. On our last Liberty cruise there were about 1000 people carrying off their own luggage and eventually the suite/pinnacle guest were escorted to the front of that line.

This is true. Family who are P in Star Class may choose. My family chooses the black or dark Star Class card over White one (on Oasis Class).

 

 

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Makes sense because of the star class benefits.

The food there was beyond horrible. For some unknown reason we have had problems with Chops on the Liberty. Good luck

Know what you mean but we were just on last month and it has improved dramatically.

Exactly. Six week long cruises in a suite and you are diamond. Heck, three transatlantics in a suite and you could make it to diamond.

 

It is constantly repeated on here about loyalty. But C&A isn’t about loyalty and it isn’t a marriage. They give perks for doing business with them regardless of whether you only cruise with them. They don’t measure your loyalty. If you cruise with other lines they don’t divorce you and take away your benefits.

Crown & Anchor is not a loyalty program. It is a marketing plan on steroids.

Internet FREE to Sky/Star Class as well. Either they treat the P’s like Suite Guests or they treat the Suite Guest like P’s???

 

Even with open bar and cocktail hour drinks we still get the drink packages. One stop is Labadee so Package carries over to the island. It’s a PIA to run up to Deck 17 just to get a beer.

 

 

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Suite guests don't even get the D+ benefits, they do not have three drinks on their seapass card and on ships without a suite lounge either pay for drinks at the bar or endure the chaos of the CL. They also do not get the specialty restaurant BOGO. Pinnacles have a wonderful luncheon with senior officers that suite guests don't get. Pinnacles are treated much better.

One of the reasons she’s cheaper is they pack a whole lot more people on her.

 

Seaview 154,000 GRT, 5429 max capacity, pax to space ratio 28.4

 

Symphony 228,000 GRT, max capacity 6680, pax to space ratio 34.13

Good point especially when you consider that GRT is a measure of internal volume and not weight.

- large variety of meds / first aid stuff

- small container of liquid hand soap, as I hate bar soap

- alarm clock

- over the door organizer (great to keep things easy to find and get to, even by someone outside the bathroom with the door open when someone else is inside the bathroom)

- mesh shower caddy (no knocking over mini shampoo & body wash bottles)

- pop up mesh laundry hamper to put in the closet, as it makes the best use of extra vertical closet space and makes it easy to keep all our dirty clothes organizer

- small bag/purse for things I want to keep with me while walking around the ship (small bottle of water, book to read, seapass, chapstick, meds, etc) - I like a mini drawstring backpack

- larger backpack for shore excursions

- flip flops, even if not on a beach itinerary, as they make great "slippers" in the room - like hotels, the carpet isn't very clean and I don't want to get my feet dirty then get into bed

- at least 2 pens, to fill out forms (in the cruise terminal and on the ship), write a note to the cabin steward, etc, and as they always seem to get misplaced

Wow! If that is your "must haves" I'd be afraid to see you "nice to haves".

I think all the ships have gone to flat rate for Sabor now. We were on Oasis last summer, and I think the cost was $22pp flat rate.

Thanks, that is great news.

Due respect, I don’t know who or what is stopping you from wearing a tux or gown? Why charge you if you want to wear a tux/gown?

Perhaps you should reread my comments I was advocating having a formal affair not merely dressing formally.

Are you saying they have different menus?

Don't really remember about the menu Bob but on the Oasis it was ala carte. Not nearly as nice an experience as the Liberty.

For those who really enjoy a formal affair I think it would be nice if Royal Caribbean had a real formal night that was an optional event with a defined and enforced dress code. It could be held in a separate venue with waiters circulating about with hors d oeuvres and cocktails of your choice. Dinner would be from an upscale menu. Senior ship officer could mingle and dine with the guests. Cost for the event perhaps $150 to $200 a couple.

What is expected is no swimwear. Tuxes are not expected. Neither are suits. The daily Compass has some "suggested" dinner attire. There are no "requirements". Times have changed and there were shorts and t-shirts in the MDR on formal night on the Allure last week, along side of resort casual (hawaiian shirts and slacks), along side of suits, along side of very, very, very few tuxes.

 

I point this out because people should not be made to feel like they have to go and hide in the buffet or the pizza parlor because they don't own a tux and don't want to rent a tux. Dress appropriately for your style and come enjoy a wonderful dinner in the dining room.

LOL, so formal merely means no swimwear. I guess times have changed a bit more than I realized.

My previous comment tied backed to a remark that I made stating the RCCL really had not had a formal night in decades and even their suggested dress of a dark suit and tie did not constitute formal. It would be semi-formal. I fully agree with you that formal on a cruise ship is likely an antiquity soon to disappear.

So a dark suit and tie isn’t formal? So only a tux or dinner jacket etc qualifies? I’m just curious as to what you mean when you suggest a dark suit isn’t formal. I’ve been to many formal weddings and men typically wear dark suits in this formal occasion?

Times have changed but a dark suit is still not what is expected at an affair where the dress is specified as formal.

Not necessary.

 

Have no clue why they still call them "formal night". Nothing even remotely formal about them. You can wear whatever you would on any other night.

Amen and Amen! Why call them formal nights? Even their suggested dress code (dark suit and tie) is not formal.