GUEST71919

4 minutes ago, DShock said:

 Is there a reason you morphed my comment to insulate that I thought people were stupid??  Disagreement is perfectly fine and I have been attacked as many times as any on these boards for giving my opinion, and most of it comes from people twisting words or the so called expert cruisers...if there is any such thing. I'm happy people choose to stay inside the ship, balances things out and gives us outside people room.   If I'm punched I counter, its that simple.  Read a post carefully before you apply words that weren't there.

I REPEAT, I was using that as an example. Nowhere did I say that you said that. It was an analogy about how we differ in opinion sometime. You are actually the one who needs to read carefully. Calling someone names is childish and inappropriate in my opinion. No one “punched” you, someone just disagreed and used an example.  In fact, I thought I went overboard to show that I was it trying to fight with you (Since your post did suggest that you are rather sure that you are right). If you chill and read it again, I think you’ll find that I’m right about that. But I don’t expect you to admit that. I’m done with this thread, I am not interested in the game.

1 hour ago, DShock said:

Let's face it, it's just a lot more fun out on the decks...and there are plenty of people you can meet there!  M&M I believe will disappear from RCCL ships #boring, #no fun, #I'd rather be someplace else!

Not knocking “having fun on Deck”, but even if you prefer that to the M&M’s that isn’t true of all of us. We like meeting others we have interacted with on CC. Different strokes for different folks - your idea of what is “fun” and “boring” is not universal and vice versa.  I personally find sitting around the pool deck drinking to be a waste of time, and so I don’t do it, but I would not suggest that someone else is stupid for spending their time that way. 

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

No wine on ours on Navigator in November 2018. In fact the only decent prizes on offer were some handcrafted seapass holders made by another member of the roll call. Everything else was just the cheap logo items.

On Serenade in December 2017, there was a bottle of white, a bottle of red, and a bottle of bubbly as the top prize. We actually won that, which was fitting as we were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary on board , but we don't drink... We would happily have opened it at dinner to share with our tablemates but it turned out they were non-drinkers too! 

In the end we left it for our cabin steward. 

Ah shoot, and I was going to donate mine to you! 😂 We  have our wine  to Carlington to see that someone on staff received it (he drinks little if at all). 

We got inexpensive rcl promo stuff on the last cruise - key chains, pens, plastic backpacks. Of course our purpose was to meet the others, we didn’t care if we got a prize or not. But it is nice of them to offer a few things (and ours was attended by both the activities director and  cruise director although frantically done).

It is hard to compare. We usually sail in the Haven on RCL but suites on RCL (the Royal version suite level is a “bit much” as my mother would say, somewhat over the top in terms of what we prefer). It is also so ship dependent. I would say that overall Rcl edges out NCL on entertainment and vice versa on food. We only sailed on Carnival once 8 years ago, but from what I can tell most of the other lines are less casual than CarnIval also – in a good way. As @Host Clarea suggested, It really pays to just search and read since there will be as many opinions as there are people. By looking at a lot of information perhaps you can come to a consensus for yourself. But in the end it’s just going to require you sailing to see for yourself! 😊

I realize that this is a well worn topic, but we enjoy dressing up those night. I don’t much care what others decide to do, although I don’t appreciate it when that relatively rare person seems to go out of their way to snub it like a child irritated by their parents 🤣 When in Rome....

My parents had fairly frequent formal occasions throughout their lives -  as a child I remember playing with my mother’s elegant long white opera gloves. We now live in a much more “casual” world and there are so few occasions where we can get dressed and enjoy ourselves. So we take advantage of it! PLUS, we like doing the portraits onboard those nights - it is a nice life record and we always have great photos for those Christmas cards 😊

They had wine on the Grandeur, in fact tons of it. DH and several others won a bottle during the M&M; since neither of us drink wine, I was trying to give it away (as was one other  “wine winner”). As it is so inconsistent across ships, maybe it is determined more by the opinions of the activities director than any actual policy?

M&M - we have had issues with some people not getting invites and missing for that reason alone. While I know that nothing will change, it would be so helpful if we had a working message system here at CC to make organizing those informal gatherings easier. DH and I enjoy getting to know others cruisers from CC, it would really be a loss to not have the meet and mingles.

1 hour ago, matj2000 said:

it does not matter if it is her first cruise.

 

If you ask, they will get you one.

 

Who would want to own one anyway?

I would agree that few would want one of those scratchy terry cloth ones, but the deluxe version is actually very nice. Whether worth the price is another question, but they do feel quite good on!  I too have never seen them in the Royal shops.

43 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

. Cause they never actually expect a suite passenger drop down to inside room.  

They should not count their pennies, I might fool them 😉

23 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

Also if the cruise line fills the ship by offering very cheap last minute fares they will 1, upset the folks paying full price. 2. train customers to wait for deals. 3. possibly attract customers that are very budget and are less likely to spend tons on the profit centers. 4. Have a hard time upselling customers from inside to higher priced cabin

 

OTOH, if the offer a free inside cabin to someone who always books a balcony cabin: 1 first question will likely be “so, is there an option to upgrade the cabin?” 2. folks who paid full price won’t know of your discount or might just think you are a degenerate gambler or (best case) decide they need to gamble more to get a free cruise 3 fill cabins with profitable customers.  So this is better for the cruise line particularly if the have a glut of upper end cabins available.  

 

Yes, the documentary was really about that issue - selling cabins late for lower (something happening less now, but...). I guess it is like many other things like hotel rooms, rental cars, airlines tickets  etc. where certain people get much lower rates than others. It is upsetting and unfair, but seems to be the way things are in business. It would be dicey business for them to try to predict outcome with that many variables. Won’t stop them for trying.

Funny thing you mention the cabin type - I did wonder what the cost would be to upgrade since we typically sail in suites (or even if upgrading was a option).  Now that you bring it up, I wonder how much that fact alone may have figured in?? Hmmm. God only knows what decision models that they are using, although from the point of view of a social scientist they often seem to be pretty far off the mark (e.g., assuming that what people say they will do and what they actually do is closely related).  Degenerate gambler 😂🤣 

34 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

I think it is great that you got an offer. I am hoping my family members get an offer, I am encouraging them to put their Seapass cards in the  machine when they are playing. I agree with the thought that Royal is trying to get people who use the casino, to sail more often. I love it when I get free offers!

What made me 2x as crazy is that we also have Delta companion ticket we cannot use before it expires - I wish I could have given both to you or anyone, it seems such a waste ☹️ But life plays that way with us sometimes. But yes Sandebeach’s family - put that card in!

 @sandebeach  Thanks for your reply 😊 But oh my, I would never have imagined that people were calling and complaining about the offer that we got!  I assumed RCL thought I deserved it, i definitely didn’t see it as taking from someone more deserving in some way, I just wasn’t quite clear why! 👀.  I do play in the casino, in fact I played much more on the RCL cruise before the last and at much higher levels, but I do not play at levels that I had assumed were compensated (that is at levels where my losses would likely cover the awarded cruise). I play every time I am on board (and would play more if the hours were not curtailed by port regulations).  Maybe we will run into each other in a RCL casino soon!

@ed01106  I think you could be right, it was the hypothesis of DH and it makes sense that the would assume getting certain cruisers onboard is in their best interest. I don’t know if you saw it, but there was a documentary made years ago and they went into great detail about the financial aspects - such as that the cabins are quite minor in terms of profit, especially the lower the category of cabin, and their real profit comes from things like alcohol sales and bingo (and they are constantly adding to those profit centers - art, specialty coffee, larger gift shops, and watch sales).

thanks again! And happy sailing!

On 6/25/2019 at 7:38 PM, 160july said:

I work in a school with over 2000 kids. Im in close contact with kids. I made it though flu season here just fine. Had my shot I havent beeen sick in years. Dh and I came off a cruise and he got sick on the drive home. Ive been sick a week and dh 9 days. Worst flu I have ever had. Im an fanatic about hand washing , not touching railings etc. UGH! Im going on plenty more cruises though. I figure dh is not a fanatic and he infected me since he got sick first. Guess he better becoma a fanatic too!

That is a problem for sure! I already have such a hard time trying to keep my hands from my face and using hand sanitizer (I try to use the stairs often, but I have always liked using the rail). But it only takes one of the family to touch the wrong button then move the hair from their face and it’s all over 🙄 

i know some people like to think it’s their fabulous immunity, and I hope that they remain well - but while traveling to places where you are unlikely to have immunity to their bugs, it is most likely to be an issue of luck (and just how many different hands are touching those buttons!). I knew I really liked that Grandeur for some reason, few hands and more who have lived long enough to know to keep using that hand sanitizer  😉

28 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

If you put your Seapass card in the machine while you were playing, it tracks your points. The complimentary cruise offers from the casino are randomly sent out. Even though you could not do this cruise, there is always the possibility you will get another offer. 

Thanks! I did use my Sea Pass and did use it when I played on the Allure although in 2018. I had seen people commenting about free cruises for high points, but I could not imagine that the money I put through the casino would warrant a free cruise (although it is possible that in playing I recycle more $$$ than I imagined 😂 )

So you are saying that the casino randomly sends anyone who plays at the casino that type of emailed offer not matter how little or how much they spend/play? I did not realize they would do that.

While I hesitated to post this, my curiosity was so great that I decided that I just had to know more and I hope those who frequent this forum can help me do that.

The background - I gamble some, mostly on cruise ships (my only opportunity usually). We were recently on a 9 day on the Grandeur that ended June 8th and on that cruise I played for maybe an hour or more on several days and lost around $120. Although I cannot guess how much cash went through the Video Poker and slot machines in total; I am pretty good at video poker and even with the terrible odds on cruise ships can crank through the same $20-40 for a good bit of time. While we are second-tier status with both MLife and Caesar’s Total Rewards, that is due entirely to a military retiree status.

Maybe 2-3 weeks after we returned from this Grandeur sailing, I received an email from Casino Royale offering me a free cruise. Say what?!?  The email showed a list of about 12-16 cruises in June-July 2019 (5-8 day cruises) for an inside cabin. Some of those listed were the hexed Cuba sailings, but they accounted for only around 20% of those offered. 

It was maddening, but there was just no way that we could go - I had just spent 2 weeks away from my practice and DH from his position and so leaving again so quickly was simply impossible. But I was so surprised to receive the free cruise offer (even if for an inside cabin) and could not stop wondering why I had! DH suggested that the offer could be based on RCL’s calculation of a gambling “potential” and I am sure that is possible.  But I would love to know what those cruisers who have gambled in RCL casinos far longer than I think about why I may have received this offer.  Thanks for any thoughts you can offer 🙂

I think it totally depends on the person (as a mental health professional I am certain that people vary greatly on what is “best” for them as individuals ☺️). When I was on a major weight loss journey, I would weigh 1-2x daily and found it motivating (and educational - the scale is constantly moving, sometimes for seemingly no reason).  But I am not the obsessive type, someone who is Iand would obsess over that constantly fluctuation) might be best to weigh weekly. This piece of info might be helpful to some  - the single long-term and very large study on people who have lost 30lb or more and kept it off for 2 years or more has shown that most of the people who keep off weigh daily. Good luck to everyone on their journey! 🙂

33 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

I also got an insanely cheap flight from ATL to FLL. 233$ Round trip!

 

Some how the fates combined to make this trip happen, truly one of life's finer moments.🙂

 

Thanks again Molly!

We have a companion ticket r/t domestic w/ Delta that we can’t use (along with the cruise we couldn’t use 🙄), too bad that I could not have given it to you (heck, I could have made it over there in 35 minutes 😂). Bummer, would be great if someone could use these types of perks/ bonuses!

2 hours ago, Retired LEO said:

I normally take the summer off due to the pricing and no single supplement. Since this Cuba fiasco they've waived the supplements and giving away the cruises. I'm basically sailing the whole summer for free. I can live with that price.

I had one casino offer recently (actually I was shocked to receive it), but with our work schedules there was unfortunately no place to fit even one free cruise. How do you manage to get so many offers? One day, if a miracle happens, we will have more time and would love to get so many offers that we can’t get to them all (especially if I moved closer to my sister in Orlando!).  Maybe then we can also jump on deals like this Allure Aug ‘19 cruise!

@Vacationlover2  this is not at all what we experienced on the Grandeur in May - in fact, we found it friendlier overall than Allure as with @Host Clarea thoughts on dodging 6000+ passengers (although we did not see either as a bad experience on the whole ). I don’t recall having a lot of contact with officers, but there was nothing notable in that regard in either the negative or positive direction. I very much hope that your experience was an unfortunate one off situation since we will be onboard with family for our 2019 Thanksgiving holiday.

You are entitled to get what you pay for. While it may have been impossible for them to get you the cabin due you on that cruise, there should have been a better solution than 20% off your next cruise in 12 months (after all, you may not to choose to cruise during the next year or ever).  I know that empathy at cc is far too rare, but it is completely reasonable for you to be unhappy with this situation and the staff’s lack of concern. And from the photos it looks to me as if this cabin falls under what cruise lines typically define as “obstructed” (it doesn’t require that most or all of the view is blocked). To me it’s not a matter of whether it would bother me or anyone else, but whether they are bothered by the obstruction they paid to avoid.

Sorry that this happened to your family.

On the removal of Diamond/+ benefits:

There was an issue when I was a recent RCL cruise on one of the smaller ships in the fleet regarding seating in the theater for Diamond/Diamond Plus members as the ship had taken their reserved area in the main theater. When I asked a member of the Sr. Mgt (someone with direct knowledge of the decision making on that issue) why they would stick it to the Diamond/+ members this way when they were (with Pinnacles) their most loyal cruisers, I was told matter-of-factly that Royal’s research showed that Diamond/+ members would be loyal even if they removed benefits from them (including this one). 

There is the obvious ethical issue of whether we should treat someone (s) badly because we can get away with it (especially in a case such as this when there was an agreement and/ or an understanding that this benefit would be there in the future so that cruisers may have relied in some part on to make decisions on where their loyalty bucks might go). Before the chorus comes in and points out that yadda yadda it’s in the small print/RCl has the legal right to change yadda yadda, I am referring here to larger issues such as what is ethical and reasonable.  When he said this I told him that I honestly believe that RCL is being short-sighted in this regard since I realize far too well as a social scientist that what people SAY they will do, or even what believe that they will do, can be *very* different from what they actually do. The significant risk that some loyal customers would change line loyalty due to principle was enough to negate any small savings the line got from taking their theater seats. 

His statements, and watching the response from a variety of business to customer opinions, says to me that if people have an opinion it is extremely important that it be voiced. Suffering quietly might make some people happy, but it won’t get you very far on issues like this. They can’t listen if people don’t talk to them. My 2 cents.

(Note. We were only Platinum on that sailing, but I was surprised enough by that action that I was very curious about the “why” and when in a conversation with a high ranking staff member asked).

We have never done it, but we have some cc pals we met our cruise last month that said  the pass absolutely makes a huge, positive difference in their cruises.

1. Combo of price (better, value) and dates (e.g., I have learned that I don’t want to travel to the new England and Canada route in mid-September, but the first week of June is perfect for me to visit Alaska).

2. Quality of and preferences (prefer small to mid-sized 75% of the time) regarding the ship.

3. Itinerary (variety and balance are important to us).

 #2 and #3 are at various times switched.

It’s a bit like juggling  🤹🏻‍♀️

Thanks from me too! I haven’t smoked for 10 years, but I am married to a guy who has not kicked the habit and it is better to know where they are located so he is not spending his vacation day searching.  Smoking is legal and we if we are free people then we get to choose for ourselves.. I wonder how many people realize that they use to given soldiers going to war packs of cigarettes and almost every military camp in WWII was named for a cigarette brand? My only point is that some people began smoking at a time when it was everywhere and accepted. Those people aren’t suddenly evil and immoral.  FYI I wish people would not drink, alcohol is far more damaging to the world as a whole than smoking will ever be, but I see no one yelling or moralizing about that (as they hold their gin and tonic).  

Also I’m so confused by the Bird and cigarette pictures. Our wildlife is damaged horribly by all the plastics we use and I would venture to say that the impact of cigarette butts to wildlife is very minimal in comparison. If there is a stand to take against smoking, and I have no idea why someone would choose this particular thread with a positive intent as a place to do it unless  the place to do it unless their need is just to fight with people,, the harm to wildlife seems an invalid one (especially when I have little doubt those same people buy soda in large plastic bottles and occasionally drink from a plastic cup).  Can't there just be an occasional thread where no one decides to throw virtual grenades?

3 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You're welcome.  I should have added the OV Panoramic Suite too.

Oh yes! The cost for us after it changed to a full suite was so much more than the lucky soul who happened to book it quite far back before the change and who sails the week before us.  But still, we really thought it would be a nice change from the usual RCL suite, it is certainly very unique (and we like the 2nd bedroom and half bath).

Apparently they have more pull than it may seem! A RCL Concierge told me that on the ship everyone from the Capt. down must respond to their emails/requests (by that I believe that he meant that they are not ever ignored). For example, I have known a concierge to call the activities staff together with the director in two to immediately address issues related to suite and top-tier guest issues/complaints. And they make efforts that are often times not obvious - like when 2 ships are scheduled for the same day at CocoCay and someone forgot to inform those ships so that both ships fully booked all the venues (so that the island is double booked); it this case, it will be the concierge who steps in and see’s that the “sort” of which guests are cancelled is not a random one. 😊