DonnaK

I thought it was very worth it! Something fun and different to do that's not very expensive if you can get a discounted/sale price.

Where did you get those rechargeable fans?!

We have $200 OBC booking direct for our next MSC cruise

This has been our experience too. We always book direct, and have always received excellent customer service.

We sailed in an infinite balcony on Ascent last year, and had very mixed feelings about it, and thought I would not like to sail in one again. When planning our Apex cruise, I was looking for the Porthole Balcony, but the Prime Concierge Balcony (which I know is an infinite balcony) was significantly less expensive than every other balcony category. So, we decided to go with it despite the infinite balcony. My question is about the Concierge class - in what ways is it an "upgrade" from regular balconies? What can the concierge do for us?

where are these?

Thank you for your replies!

I remember 7+ years ago, I was able to book a Next Cruise for a Celebrity cruise while onboard a Royal Cruise, and vise versa. Is this option still available, or can you now only book a Royal cruise onboard Royal ships, and a Celebrity cruise onboard Celebrity ships? (We will be on Celebrity Apex and wish to book a next cruise on Independence of the Seas).

I agree. We sailed with Graeme on Ovation about 15 months ago, and he had a huge impact on the activities program. We especially loved his bagpipe name that tune! He's a good guy too, very humble. We had many chances to speak with him 1:1. He's had great mentors, training under Joff and Mike S. at the beginning of his career. It's only a matter of time before he's promoted to CD, and a dynamic one he surely will be!

We are also Diamond on Royal, but have started to get disillusioned by their prices, and decreased quality of food and service. We tried the Meraviglia last November and we blown away by the experience in the Yacht Club. We selected a YC interior cabin, which was priced less than a balcony on Royal, and included beverages and internet. We loved the food - much less salty and better selection than Royal's menus. And, we didn't miss the balcony because just steps away from our cabin, we had the whole Yacht club outside area. Not at all crowded, and service was unbelievable!

We don't think it is any more formal than RCI. We also don't dress formally on any cruise.

Thank you!

How about Independence? That is the next ship we are considering.

I love the Quantum class ships, and have been on Quantum once and Anthem many times. We will Rock You is a great jukebox musical! I would pick Anthem over Quantum. Above all, we love the Edge class Celebrity class ships! The food and service are superior to RC, and there are generally fewer kids. Entertainment is on par, although no Broadway/West end musicals. I would pick Edge over either of the RC ships.

On our recent Liberty cruise, we enjoyed the quiet outdoor area connected to the crown lounge. Does anyone know if this outdoor area of the Crown Lounge is also on Freedom and Independence too, or just Liberty? How about Voyager class ships?

Radio, thanks for sharing your cruise with us! It was *almost* like being onboard with you! Do you have kinks to your previous reviews? I catch the ones on the RCCL board, but I miss the live post for other cruiselines. I used to get the links from the "Cruising with Radio" website, but it doesn't seem to have been updated in a long time. I would love to read them, even if they aren't live anymore. And about the stowaway pianist, that is my husband's dream job! We practically stalk the pianists in the elevators on our cruises so my husband can live vicariously through them! lol

Some cruise directors add their own special activities or entertainment to the program, and for those of us who enjoy going to these events, it's good to know where these particular CDs are. I would cruise with Mike S. again and again. He was very much visible/involved, and he had many different activities scheduled that other CDs don't do. Even on Oasis class ships...we were on Symphony this past summer and Eric Rodas was out and about all the time, and quite involved. We had an itinerary change, and he scrambled activities around to accommodate the change very well.

Does anyone know if this outdoor area of the Crown Lounge is on Freedom and Independence too, or just Liberty? How about Voyager class ships?

@Radio Regarding Nassau and the British Colonial, did you purchase a Day Pass (from where?) or did you just walk over to take a look and have lunch without purchasing a Pass?

Wow - I'm so sad to hear these negative reviews. We sailed with Dennis a few times on Mariner about 12-15 years ago and thought he was great - a mover/shaker, out and about, very energetic and energizing, and nothing at all like the descriptions above.

If you like shellfish/seafood, do not miss the embarkation day lunch at the Windjammer. Lobster tails and claws, mussels, shrimps, cerviche, etc. It was wonderful!!! (They had other non-seafood choices too)

I think it's Sapphire Beach

This is not exclusive to Anthem. We had this experience last month on Symphony, and last year on Liberty. It was a huge turn-off because besides being annoying, service wasn't so great or 10-worthy. I did not rate them as 10s and included in my comments why.

We did Ovation to Alaska last year, and people dressed casually every night regardless of the theme.

Thank you all!