MightyMike

We just heard the issue was resolved. We heard there was a missing person from the last cruise.

In line with you here! Are you past the metal detectors?

I just heard that the mother of my partner probably only has a week or so to live. As luck would have it, we also have a Royal Caribbean cruise scheduled soon. We insured the trip, but we are subject to pre-existing conditions restrictions. The way I read the policy, any claim for this reason probably won't be successful if this forces us to cancel. My question is: Assuming insurance won't help, how merciful is Royal Caribbean in these types of situations? I know back in the Covid days there were options, but I suspect those days are gone. The cancellation penalty is 100% now, but will they help us out if we reschedule instead? Just trying to get the experiences of others. We booked directly through Royal Caribbean.

I'm not sure speeding up the meal really benefits us passengers. Perhaps some, especially those with young kids ready to move on to the next activity, but not most. It does definitely benefit the cruise line. If they can somehow squeeze just one more sitting in for each waiter and assistant waiter for My Time Dining, the labor savings would be huge.

Could you elaborate? Was it worthwhile just because you got to see the inner workings of the ship or were there aspects of it that were truly special? Were there gifts? Was there anything in particular that made you feel it was worth every penny? I only ask because I have reserved this tour on my next cruise and am debating whether or not to keep the reservation. It sounded cool at the time, but my mind pictures something like a college campus tour where a guide leads a huge bunch of people from place to place--with a brief explanation at each stop. If it is just that then I'm probably not interested. At $159 per person, I'm looking for assurance that this will be memorable.

A lot depends on how far in advance the reservations were made, how close to the sailing it is now, etc. Lots of variables. But you are correct in that prices have generally gone up. It can be fun to watch prices go up after locking in a reservation though! I reserved my next cruise over a year ago. The cruise price for the same room has since doubled. I reserved flights about 10 months in advance. The same flights have more than tripled in price.

Many (if not most) of the hotels have a shuttle to the port. Even if they don't, there are plenty of other options available. Easy. Hotels aren't inexpensive there. Seems they aren't inexpensive anywhere now. Harmony has the better itinerary, hands down. I don't even get off the boat in Nassau anymore. What time of year are you sailing? It can get cold on the first and last days of NJ sailings.

Muster drill is infinitely better. Embarkation and disembarkation is usually a breeze now. Anthem doesn't have a rocking problem--other than how her Atlantic itineraries can take her into rougher seas than her Caribbean counterparts. She isn't as wide as Oasis class (and now Icon class), but Oasis class is the exception there.

I'm genuinely curious why one would not use their cell phone as an alarm clock. Not trying to offend--just curious. I have a camera but don't use it anymore. The cell phone works for that. Royal Caribbean doesn't seem to want to print the Cruise Compass anymore. The app's for that. I used to bring walkie-talkies. Now we can use chat for free. It just seems natural to me to use the cell phone alarm clock as well. I do bring paper copies of boarding passes and shore excursion receipts, but that is just because I have waited behind people in line fumbling through their phone trying to get the bar code to show rather than just breezing through with paper copies at hand.

This. Maybe it is legal in this situation. Maybe the percentages and amounts are legal. But crossing international boarders is a unique situation. You are putting your fate in the hands of overworked and underpaid boarder agents who have power over you. Maybe they know the law perfectly and let you through. Maybe they don't. Maybe they think they can manipulate the situation to extract a bribe out of you. It's not worth it.

The last Cruise Planner sale had the soda package at $7.99 and 24-pack of bottled water for $13.99. It's still more expensive than bringing our own, but at those prices it was worth the convenience for us.

Is there a compromise solution? I appreciate the complete room cleaning in the morning, but in the evening, the only things I ever need are to pull out the sofa bed for my kid and perhaps exchange some used towels. That doesn't take long. Could the cruise lines cut evening service to just those types of essentials?

It is pretty easy to cut them in half.

It is already happening. One member of the social media group for our upcoming cruise posted a review of his recent Thanksgiving cruise. It wasn't pretty.

In the same boat here (pardon the pun). I booked Harmony and was initially excited about the switch to Wonder, but have been reading some negative reviews. When they pack 6,700 passengers onboard, shows get completely reserved almost immediately. Wonder's larger Windjammer has more seating, but is still a zoo. Lines form for almost everything. Guest Services is overwhelmed morning to night.

We have gone both ways on this. Juice is free for breakfast and I'm fine with lemonade or fruit punch for lunch. However, it was nice to have a regular stream of sodas (and refills) at dinner. You're not hearing it from me, but keep in mind those freestyle cups can be a giant loophole. I'm guessing a lot of family members with the soda sticker on their card are not the same ones holding the cups.

Is the policy exactly the same for refundable and non-refundable fares?

It doesn't make sense to me why everything gets booked so soon. Everyone gets the opportunity for one reservation to each show, right? Sounds like they simply don't have enough shows. Entertainment is what distinguishes Royal Caribbean from the other cruise lines. If they can't deliver at least a couple shows to each passenger, then they might as well be Carnival.

You should be able to see the purchases electronically under Order History on Cruise Planner, but I don't think you can see them in the app. The only things I can see on the app are those which have a specific date and time and appear in the calendar. It is an excellent idea for the app. If they truly want to be paperless, they need to address that. For now, print and bring your email purchase confirmations. I had trouble getting my son's soda package on Symphony of the Seas last April and I'm not sure it would have been resolved if it were not for the paper copy I brought.

Did registration just open today? I've heard rumors that registration opens on the first day of the preceding month. If it just opened today for your cruise, that would seem to confirm it.

It's all just part of a cycle that is unfortunately all too common in American business. Right now, demand is high and staffing is low. If it lasts too long, the brand gets tarnished. Eventually they recognize this as a risk and start addressing their staffing problems. Then, for economic reasons or otherwise, they realize they hired too many people and are now in a slump. There isn't enough work for the staff. Layoffs begin. Repeat.

The recycling mentality is so pervasive within Royal Caribbean that they even recycle their sales! 😝

Yes, prices are higher. I am on a cruise in April and the price for the same room today is more than double what it was when I booked. However, that same cruise--more than 4 months out from sailing--is already practically sold out! All interior rooms are sold out for a family of 3. All ocean view rooms are sold out for a family of 3. All suites are sold out for a family of 3. All Boardwalk and Central Park balcony rooms are sold out for a family of 3. The only thing left for a family of 3 are a few ocean balcony rooms. This is with 4 months to go! Royal Caribbean is not going to leave money on the table. As long as demand stays this high, their pricing algorithms will continue raising prices.

Basically, yes. Wonder was originally planned for Asia. They moved her to Florida and she took over all of Harmony's itineraries. Then Harmony was moved to Fort Lauderdale.

Good review. We tried to get on Harmony for next spring but were bumped to Wonder instead.