ARandomTraveler

I have T-Mobile and am able to use my phone for texting and phone calls in the Caribbean (have used it in 15 places and it works), Mexico (used it in 4 places and it works) and Canada (never tried it here but my plan says I can). It also works in Europe, no special SIM card needed. I used it in both Italy and France a couple months ago for texting and internet (email and web searching, Google maps etc) with zero issues. Phone calls worked as long as I was connected to wifi, but I did try using it once when I wasn't connected to wifi and the call wouldn't go through. That may have had more to do with the way my phone was set up. But I did not need any special SIM card, I didn't need an international phone and I didn't need to change my phone plan, I didn't need a pocket wifi etc. It just works the way it is. I also have an iPhone. Not sure if that matters.

If you're only choosing between these 2 options, I'd pick the Allure for the "better" itinerary, but the ship is an additional bonus because I prefer the Oasis Class to the Voyager Class. I think the beaches are better on the Allure route than on the Navigator route (though I don't really like either itinerary). If you're open to a 3rd option, I'd look into a Southern route out of Puerto Rico. Hands down the absolute prettiest islands, and you can't even compare how beautiful and clear the water is in places like Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia etc, to those of Mexico, which in my opinion, does not have nice beaches at all. Plus, since you're sailing in October and worried about hurricanes, the southern route is outside the hurricane belt for the most part. Mexico beach water is not very clear, and it's a little rough and a little cold. Just not my favorite at all. Honduras had beautiful beaches and great snorkeling, but Costa Maya and Cozumel are both a big thumbs down for me. But, I'd still pick Costa Maya and Cozumel over Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Plus, the Allure is more of a destination than Navigator.

I also have the T-Mobile Magenta plan. I paid for wifi on the ship and as long ans I was connected to wifi, texts were free. In fact texts are free on all the Caribbean islands as well, mexico, Canada, and Europe, and that's without being connected to wifi at all. If you're on the ship though, you have to use wifi because you won't be able to connect to a land-based data network in order to get free texting. Free texting is not available in the middle of the ocean, unless you're connected to a wifi network.

I think the $15 surcharge is only in the event that you want the upgraded menu. That's how it was in November anyway.

I had the same thing happen a couple months ago. I had a cruise booked and then switched it. Even after I took my cruise, that previous one that I had switched from was still showing up as a past cruise. It eventually went away, and I did not get points for the cruise I didn't take.

So is mine. For the last 5 (or maybe even 7?) years, the only extra I've been buying is the refreshment package. But now I've been buying dining packages and internet too. I will say that if I was Diamond and getting 4 drink vouchers I probably wouldn't buy a drink package anymore, but I'd still buy the dining and internet. And I'm not against a day or 2 at the spa either, I just haven't done that yet.

On our last cruise I tipped an extra $10 per meal for 2 of us.

How did the other 2 adults react to being charged an additional $1700? That's a big price leap that it doesn't sound like they agreed to. I'd be pretty mad if I was them.

I'm ok self-insuring for things like lost deposits, and even sometimes ok with losing the whole cruise fare. But I get worried about out-of-country medical expenses. Everyone in my travel party is under the age of 45 and have zero medical issues, but it still worries me. That's why I'm supplementing my credit card's travel insurance with a third-party policy for our next trip, because I'm worried about the fact that the credit card policy only has $2500 of medical coverage, and $100,000 medical evacuation. Private third-party policies give you like $250,000 medical and $1mil evac.

Yikes. It sounds like you booked a non-refundable fare, which you shouldn't have done, given there was a possibility that someone might have to cancel. And you also didn't buy insurance, which could have covered you for having to cancel for work reasons (some independent 3rd party insurance has this benefit, and if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, it comes with the card automatically as long as you book part of the trip on it and the trip is at least 5 days long (but less than 60)). With those "shoulda's" out of the way, I think you should leave them on the booking. Canceling them risks having the remaining people's cabin re-priced at todays rates, as well as risks them having to move to a different room. It also risks the 2 who canceled being unable to re-join later if the ship is full (and would also subject them and their cabin mates to the current prices at the time of re-joining).

I would do at least 3 days early. I'm flying into Singapore to take a cruise that ends in Japan, and I'm trying to decide how many days to stay in Japan before flying back to the US. So far based on my research of the areas I'd like to visit, it seems like I'll need a minimum of 7 days. Japan has so much to see. Kyoto needs at least 3 days, as does Tokyo, at a minimum. So that's a week right there (a little more if you want 3 full days in each spot). Then of course there's Osaka, Hiroshima, Sapporo, Mt Fuji etc, if you want to make the trip even longer. That being said, you may be constrained by time, or money, and not be able (or wanting) to do an entire land vacation along with your cruise, and in that case, I would suggest flying in at least 2 days early, 3 to be the most safe, since the time change from the US to Japan makes it so you lose a day already. Im leaving the US on a Wednesday, arriving in Singapore at 6am on Friday (because of the long flight and time change). My cruise leaves on Monday, so this gives me 3 days. I feel safe with that, and would do the same if my cruise was starting in Japan.

Probably too soon to call out a new "normal" price, but it seems like the prices quoted for the refreshment package in last couple weeks have been in the $27.99-$31.99/day range. Is anyone seeing $23.99/day in their cruise planner anymore?

I think the thing that's supposed to be unique about that stuff is that it's only available on St Maarten. At least that's how it used to be. That stuff tasted like cough syrup. I've still got some in my liquor cabinet from 2015 😂

You still might be able to make a claim with your insurance, depending on the full extent of the coverage. If there's a cancel-for-any reason clause you can get 75% back in cash if the insurance is third-party independent insurance. If it's the insurance Royal Caribbean sells, you can get 90% back in the form of a future cruise credit.

Depending on the route, it makes sense. I'm on a 12 night cruise where balcony cabins are currently selling for $7k for 2 people. A Junior suite is selling for $10k. But it's not a basic Caribbean cruise so I think they can sell those more rare routes at a premium.

That recommendation in the other thread was from me, and it was more of a "call their bluff" suggestion. I told him that if he legitimately received a receipt that showed he has a refundable fare, he could show it to his credit card company and get the $200 penalty returned that he claims Royal Caribbean is keeping illegally. I think a lot of the talk that was going on over the pandemic about making disputes with credit card companies to get money back were frivolous and due to people being upset that they got caught up in situations where they should have purchased travel insurance but didn't. Making frivolous disputes on your credit card is probably not going to work for people in the long run. They'll either get the dispute denied, or end up with a note in their credit card account that they're making too many unwarranted disputes. There are valid reasons for disputing a charge on your credit card, and with written proof that you're owed money from a company who is refusing to give it back, or who has erroneously charged you, one should get their dispute approved. I don't suggest people use the dispute process to correct their own mistakes and bad judgement.

Yes!!

Cruise Critic is the only cruising forum I read (I'm not on FB), but I've been reading posts on here since 2013 I think, and Ive never (ever ever ever) read even 1 report of anyone saying they've been charged a corkage fee on Royal Caribbean in any venue, so I think you can be confident that won't happen to you.

Lol, all 3 of us had the same response within seconds of eachother. I'd say that serves as confirmation that the double points are in fact the only benefit one might not receive.

I think the only thing you don't get is double points if you Royal-Up to a suite from a non-suite.

It doesn't seem to be an organized function. It's more of a suggestion of where people in that age group should go that night, and then Royal apparently just hopes they find eachother. It would be nice if they set aside a reserved table or something so they could have a meeting spot and make it easier for them to approach eachother.

You can bring on 2 bottles of your own wine if you want.

Super rude. People should wear headphones.

Why don't you just call your credit card company and dispute the charge. Isn't that easier than wasting your valuable time trying to go to small claims court (where you'll most likely lose anyway).

To be fair to Royal, if you did the booking yourself, it's very clear on the booking page that you're getting a non-refundable fare unless you specifically select the option for refundable. I don't know if the people on the phone make it clear, because I don't book over the phone.