jcc1025

Depending on your home bank we order some local currency from our back before we leave. Will be the most up to date exchange rate and has been very convenient. 

Much of the area around Catalina is covered by a Marine Protected Area and is either off limits to all fishing or highly regulated for both commercial and recreational fishing in the area. If you do go out need to find out what gear is approved and in which locations. The area is monitored by California Fish and Wildlife to insure compliance. 

We always print a copy just in case of some glich in the phone or trasmissions at the port on that day. The app check in is great but I always like to have a non tec backup in these situations. 

Might check when you first get on board. They may only allot a specific number of tables prior to sailing so they can accommodate those who come on board. We have seen this as well and then when we got on board they were selling single reservations and packages. 

Not unless you can convert on board credits to cash and I don't think so. Never done it but don't think you can convert on board credits to gambling credits on board. 

They use to show some of the standard excursions on each sailing but post Covid the choices are very fluid due to both company and local restrictions. As things relax they should loosen up but right now its hard. We are sailing in 30 days and the excursion list has changed several times with more coming on as they meet Royals standards I suspect. 

18 hours ago, DukeASUGirl said:

 

Okay, that is really good to hear! My husband hated San Pedro so much he doesn't want to sail Royal out of CA anymore and would rather do Carnival out of Long Beach, but if there are improvements in the works that could change things. I liked Carnival - don't get me wrong. I just liked Royal better, and he agreed on all points but San Pedro. Haha

I get it. You have to do what is best for you, vacations should be fun. I hate Carnival and refuse to sail with them so I am knid limited between Royal and Princess in the LA areas and we have some status on Royal and like the purks so will put up with the dock. If you can get the ealiest check in at 10:30 it is not so bad. Happy cruising ahead. 

18 hours ago, DukeASUGirl said:

 

Okay, that is really good to hear! My husband hated San Pedro so much he doesn't want to sail Royal out of CA anymore and would rather do Carnival out of Long Beach, but if there are improvements in the works that could change things. I liked Carnival - don't get me wrong. I just liked Royal better, and he agreed on all points but San Pedro. Haha

1 minute ago, jcc1025 said:

Jumping in out your post becuase we live in Long Baach and are also happy they are back. We have done four cruises out of the port, a cople of the test two day cruises and a couple of regualr 4 days. The port is not as good as most of the ports you might sail out of. Galveston and Ft. Lauderdale are much better but I understand that a new terminal out at the end of port area is in the works so that they can support bigger ships. We like Navagator a lot, but then we like about any ship although the Oasis class is our favorite. So I think the port experience will get better, especially as the new San Pedro warf project finishes next year. 

We are on the same seven day the end of this month and really apprciate your insite into the ports, its been a few years since we have been down there. 

13 hours ago, Ashland said:

Sorry you had a bad experience at San Pedro. It's our home port (45 min drive) and we sail as often out of it as we can. Perhaps it makes a difference as we use the suite check in line and it couldn't be easier. Our most recent cruises were January 2022, October 2022 and January 2023. Have to skip January of 2024 but we're booked again for February 2025. 

 

So glad RCI has returned to our coast and hoping they'll stay. And I certainly agree the iSkate Reach For The Stars is the best ice show fleetwide.

Jumping in out your post becuase we live in Long Baach and are also happy they are back. We have done four cruises out of the port, a cople of the test two day cruises and a couple of regualr 4 days. The port is not as good as most of the ports you might sail out of. Galveston and Ft. Lauderdale are much better but I understand that a new terminal out at the end of port area is in the works so that they can support bigger ships. We like Navagator a lot, but then we like about any ship although the Oasis class is our favorite. So I think the port experience will get better, especially as the new San Pedro warf project finishes next year. 

8 hours ago, Hutcha said:

 

What makes you think that tips added to the bill are shared by all those on board?

I have had several convesations with the bartends on the ships over the years and thay have all told me this is how it works. Since the bartenders rotate amoung the bars weekly, and some of the bars are better than others for tips its not fair to those in low volume bars. The barternders I have talked with are all ok with this and know it evens things out. Cash tips are held at the specific bar and shared amoung all those bartenders. Same way it works on land bases resturants. 

As on land and knowing what the issues are I confess to overtipping. After paying a lot for the cruise I don't worry about another doller to two for the servers. For the bartenders I use often I may put in a dollar cash for a drink and at the end of the cruise add another five or so. Like on land tipping in cash goes stright to the servers, bar backs, etc.. The tip on the card is added to their salary and is reduced by taxes and other elements and shared among all those on the ship. The bars on board share the cash tips amoung the bartenders and servers in that bar so I like that idea. Its a personal issue and I get it if people don't want to add more, this is just how feel being on the other side of the issue. Hope everyone has a great cruise. 

This is our favorite ship because of all the space options. Really feels smaller to us than some of the smaller ships like Radiace that we also like. The deck chair issue I beleive is true on every ship when you sail at high volume dates in popular locations no matter the size of the ship. We have sailed this ship during winter periods and found the deck chair issue not so bad. A full ship is always going to have this issue no matter what ship our line you sail. 

We always pack ours. 

May should not be a problem. I work on a whale watching tour out of Long Beach and its not bad enought this time of the year to cancel tenders in Catilina.

I admit that being from the service industry I overtip for the front line people just trying to get by, especially in Mexico so we always tip drivers, and food service workers including street vendors. Given the exchange rate a few bucks helps and its not a big deal for those of us who paid a lot more for our cruise. I know everyone will not agree with my position and that is ok but we are going down there in June and I have already started to stockpile ones and fives for our trip. 

19 hours ago, BennyandBo said:

Well there are those that are adamant that cut backs are understandable given the past few years and life everywhere right now. So with that mindset, automatic gratuitie cut backs may be necessary for my bottom line as well.

 

Also, I keep hearing about attitude from those hard working staff. Tude gets you zip from me. But unlike a cruise line, my tips operate on an individual basis based on performance after the fact. Not assumption of good service in advance or guilt that there employer doesn't pay them enough. 

I agree that a persons personal financial situation could impact their tip levels, however they are still taking cruise and so the cost of the tip is a small percentavge of what they were willing to pay for the cruise. 

Performace does count and I know that there are a lot of new crewmembers on the ships given that many of the past crewmembers did not return after covid. I happen to have worked in the service industry and tend to side on on how hard I know the work of the front line worker and their limited pay. 

My point still is, don't take your our objections with Royal on them. If you are mad at Royal or any other of the lines that are doing the sam thing, then vote with your feet and don't cruise, but taking your frustration out on the people who are trying their best does in tips does not impact the cruise line one bit. 

4 hours ago, BennyandBo said:

I'm OK with price increase in the sense that everything is doubling so no choice. And you are 100% wrong if you think they can't double rates and maintain bookings. Look at 2024 prices. Look at extras. Photo package just doubled, beach club, cabanas, water park. All at or very close to double. 

 

And again you miss my point. There is a difference between charging more and taking things away. 

 

It's like raising automatic gratuities and cutting housekeeping to once a day. Well, if those of you who say cuts are everywhere and it's just life now. I say cut the automatic gratuities once you board and give half as much in cash tips. Hey, cuts are everywhere right. Royal is obsessed with there bottom line more then customer satisfaction, so I might have to be obsessed with my bottom line on tipping.

Reduction in tipping will not impact their bottom line one dime. I will only impact the hard working people who are trying to do thier best for our trip. If you want to imact their bottom line the only way is to not sail. This is happening throughout the cruise industry, check out some of the other company boards, so if you really want to impact thier bottom line choose a different style of vactaion. 

We have booked out while on board up to a year and a half on board many times. The deposite is less and it is unlikey that the price of the cruise will go down and if it does you can always get a creidt. We get a small on board credit and don't don't really see any down side. Get it that they are usullay on none refundable but if an issue come up we move to to a later date and pay the change fee. Has always worked for us. 

On 4/4/2023 at 6:54 AM, Ine said:

Not all drivers accept US$ !

Ask them and if they say no, then take another cab. We visit Mexico a lot and most of the vendor want USD and if they say no the next one will say yes expecailly in these high tourist areas. 

We live in Souther CA. and visit mexico a lot. Dollars are always accepted and desired everywhere. Might want to know what the current exchange rate between paso and doller is when you travel there. Your always going to pay a little higher exchange rate which is fine but just to make sure it not out of the questions. As I type this the current rate is 18 paso to 1 dollar, it changes a lot so check before you get their and give them a break if its less your still getting a good deal. 

We have always had the package and when I go to bars that I frequent and ask the bartended for a can of coke not opened they have always given it to me to take back to the room for my wife. I never get more than one so don't think it is a big deal. 

• We took a b2b pre Covid with some friends, both of who were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Back in the day when the roll call sections and FB was more active. Our wife's got into the duck thing and went so far as to puchase special theam ducks on line to hide. It was so much fun and adictive, started looking for ducks all the time as we walked around the ship and trying to find uniquie locations to hide the,. 
• Fast forward to 2022 we were invited on a Covid two day shake out cruise on Radiance out of LA, about 500 passangers, mostly tour agents and frequent RCCL cruisers. Sitting at the Schonner Bar one afternoon and this person comes up and tell the bartender they found a duck. Bartender did not undersand so I explained it to him, since we were the first passengers on the ship in two years I wondered if it was a new duck, or a really well hidden duck from pre Covid.
• Its a great time and all ages can get involved. 

We have also sailed many of them and like them all for their own special reasons but Allure is our favorite. 

On 3/6/2023 at 6:37 PM, ShopperfiendTO said:

Hello,

 

We are on a cruise that ends in Los Angeles.

 

Our flight back to Canada leaves from LAX a few days later in the early afternoon but we want to visit San Diego instead of Los Angeles.

 

Can any one advise what is the best way to  do this (LA port to San Diego the morning of debarkation, then San Diego to a hotel near LAX the night before the flight?)?  We would prefer taking public transportation (e.g. subway/trains) to avoid the possible traffic jams if it is a viable option.  Mobility is not an issue.

 

We don’t have Uber/Lyft and are reluctant to sign up and use them unless they really are the best option.

 

Thanks for any help!

This is a tough one. Public transportation is not an option. Renting a car to make the drive down and back is probably you best option. You could take a cab from the port to a car agency and then drop it off at LAX on your return. 

The tender ride is about 10 minutes once they get going and the rentals are right at the pier location. Its a small town and so nother is very far away.