SkaterJasp

59 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

Thank you very much everyone for your input!

 

We decided to go with the Symphony. My TA called RCI and they quoted a price that was 10% higher than the price on the website. Not sure the reason, and supervisor was not available due to a weekend. They transferred her few times. She will call tomorrow and try to speak to a supervisor.  

 

Not a good booking experience so far.

Make sure your TA enter all the relevant information that could get you a discount such as crown and anchor number, state for residency discounts, etc… -OR- you could just book on the website than transfer the reservation to your TA. 

All 4 ships are good ships, they all have something different to offer. I personally like Anthem of the Seas better because it’s big but not too big. To be honest, they’re all really good.. the ports would be the tie breaker in your situation.

17 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

Symphony. But I think NCL might be better for your age.

If you mean age as in the 30s… Nope nope nope… I went on NCL and it was my. Worst. Cruise. Ever. Out of my 82 cruises, that one cruise on NCL Epic is still by far the worst experience ever…. No other cruise even came close to how bad the experience was on NCL. It’s the ONLY cruise line I would never ever go on again. 

Does anyone know where I can find the grilled clams (almejas gratinadas) around the port in Ensenada without having to go all the way out to La Bufadora?

44 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

Reminder to all to keep checking the prices on the cruise you are sailing as you wait on your RoyalUp. I caught a drop that allowed me to upgrade to a CLS from our JS without waiting for our RoyalUp and RCI selecting our cabin for us. It was only $20 more than what we had our JS booked for plus our low bid for the CLS. 
 

Since this was the suite we wanted, it was a no-brainer to upgrade ourselves. Glad we caught the drop, it’s gone now. We are sailing in December.

I did this too… the price to upgrade was less than the min bid for RoyalUp when I did it. 

2 hours ago, Betsynh said:

Since I’m traveling with my husband, do we EACH need the Navica app and separate appointments or can we do the testing back to back with the same eMed observer. Any idea? That wasn’t addressed in the video above. Thanks!

I think you would each need your own account so they can verify the information on your ID to the information on the account. Theres no appointment, you just get who you get when you log on. In theory if you have 2 computer / devices set up.. you can both do it at the same time with 2 different observers… assuming you have enough bandwidth. 

On 11/6/2021 at 7:38 AM, swdke said:

Where on the box does it say RX?  I purchased via Optum with emed telehealth services from the Royal Caribbean website and I can't find where it says RX on the box.

Lower left corner of the box. 

23 minutes ago, Btank said:

I believe that many of this ships are still closing the Windjammer for dinner - maybe this has something to do with relaxing the standards?

 

       --bruce T.

 

Dress Your Best was a thing before COVID and some ships even experimented with getting rid of formal nights… so it was something in the works for a while now ever since Quantum of the Seas came out. 

On 10/21/2021 at 9:17 AM, Maitaivegas said:

Just read an article that states the US will stop testing people coming into the US from Mexico if they are traveling by land. Phase 1 starts in November 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2021/10/12/vaccinated-tourists-cross-us-land-ferry-borders-canada-mexico-november/8429291002/

The US never tested people coming into the US from Mexico if they’re traveling by land. This is why Tijuana Airport is so popular for many people living in San Diego… park on the US side, fly to random Mexican beach resort for vacation, come back home without any COVID testing. Just have to pay the $17 each way to use the San Diego / Tijuana CBX Airport crossing. Phase 1 is starting to allow vaccinated tourists into the US via land crossing. 

I would check that site ASAP because the photos only stay there for 30 days before getting deleted from the site. 

The email would of just sent you to https://rccl-photos.com/ … if it ask you to log in, try using your e-mail than click on forget password. 

In the future, always get the code from the kiosk to download onboard… it’s free when connected to the ship’s WiFi and no internet package is required. You can still have your photos emailed. That’s what I always do.

The tricky part is figuring what email address you used for the photos. 

Ship - Miracle

Deck - 6

Stateroom # - 6189

Stateroom Category – Ocean Suite

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Yes

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No

Balcony View - No obstruction

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal with 2 loungers, 2 chairs, and a table.

Was wind a problem? - None

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - N/A

Any specific problems with this cabin? - No

Any other comments? Very Spacious
 
 

Also not to start any debates… but given the current environment.. it’s probably worth mentioning… Post COVID shutdown, I’ve been on Carnival Miracle and Ovation of the Seas… the atmosphere between the two are completely different. Based on my experience with these two cruise lines… it appears Royal Caribbean takes their COVID related procedures way more seriously than Carnival. When I was on Ovation, it felt like the rules are always being enforced and they did a pretty good job getting people to comply… down to making sure you wash your hands before entering the buffet at the hand washing station. Whereas Carnival Miracle was the complete opposite and felt like COVID didn’t exist. All the rules and procedures related to COVID appears and felt like they’re being treated as just suggestions. They’ll remind you to follow the procedure via an announcement but won’t actually enforce the rules if you choose not to comply. This is only my personal observation AND NOT how I feel about the policy and how cruise line staff decide to enforce their COVID procedure. 
 

Another noticeable difference between Royal Caribbean and Carnival is the buffet. On Royal Caribbean they have staff put the food you want onto your plate whereas Carnival is a traditional buffet. 

Royal Caribbean not having a ship year round on the west coast is the primary reason why I’ll still cruise on Carnival randomly. When I go on a cruise line I never been on before, I generally use Carnival is a baseline… as in what is being offered on Carnival should be the bare minimum on what to expect from a cruise. With that said… here’s my comparison between the two lines…

Staterooms:
The stateroom layout are extremely similar… however, there are rooms onboard Carnival Horizon that features 2 bathrooms… one with a tub and sink and another is a standard cruise ship stateroom bathroom. Most outside or higher category staterooms on most ships with both cruise lines will have a nice couch and bed with similar layout. The decor is a bit more refine on Royal Caribbean whereas Carnival is a bit more island vibe. The toiletries are slightly better with Royal Caribbean but not by much… on longer cruises, I’ll still bring my own shampoo and conditioner. 

Main Dining Room:
They’re both really similar and taste is a bit subjective. Presentation, service, taste are pretty much on par with each other. There are some dishes Carnival does better such as the Prime Rib while there are stuff Royal Caribbean does better such as the Beef Tenderloin. 

Steakhouse:
The appetizers on Royal Caribbean’s Chops is really good while the steaks at Carnival’s Steakhouse is significantly better than on Chops. Desserts are a draw between the two for various reason… they simply can’t be compared. Chops features a more classic traditional steakhouse dessert menu while Carnival’s Steakhouse dessert menu is a bit more modern, similar to that of Wonderland on some Royal Caribbean ships.
 

Chef’s Table:
The Chef’s Table on Carnival is cheaper AND is a way better experience and the menu actually changes depending on what’s available. The experience is more immersive and the food is more extraordinary with Carnival’s Chef’s Table.

Pools / Spa / Casino:
They’re pretty much the same, just looks different.

Night Clubs / Parties:
Carnival is known for their parties but to be honest, it really comes down to the crowd. I’ve seen some intense parties and crazy nightclub atmosphere on Royal Caribbean and the complete opposite on Carnival… this really comes down to the demographic on the ship.

Production Shows:
Playlist Production has lots of prerecorded soundtrack and relies a lot on screens. Think Vegas / Reno entertainment… if you are going in thinking you’ll be getting Royal Caribbean type production shows with huge set pieces and state of the art special effects… and a live orchestra  that rivals those on Broadway… you’ll be greatly disappointed. 

Onboard Activities:
You’re trading in Flowriders, Bumper Cars, Ice Skating Rinks for Rope Courses, SkyRide, and IMAX.

Priority Add On:
Faster to Fun, if offered, is just that… skip the line during embarkation, guest services, tender, etc… You’re not going to get added perks that you would expect from Royal Caribbean’s Key program.

Internet:
The internet service and speed is significantly better on Royal Caribbean as you can actually stream and go live using the surf and stream. You could in theory do so with the fastest internet package on Carnival… the service is a bit unreliable when I used it on Miracle and Panorama. However, it is still pretty decent for general web browsing. 

7 minutes ago, matymil said:

Im not familiar with the RCL system. Are points the same as days? 

Yes and no… 1 point per night…. Extra points if you’re in a Jr Suite or above… extra points if you’re in a room by yourself… so in theory you can earn up to 3 points per night…. And had you book your upcoming cruise before the end of September, your total points would of been doubled. So basically…
 
A standard room with multiple people in the room 1 point per night
a standard room by yourself (solo) is 2 points per night
Suite with multiple people in the room is 2 points per night
Suite by yourself is 3 points per night….
if you booked before end of September 2021… you just take what you would of earned and times it by 2.

My next Royal Caribbean I’m going by myself and I booked a suite… I would be earning 42 points on a 7 night sailing. Normally it would only given me 21 points. 

I already made Pinnacle Club and you can’t really go any higher… but the points still matters because every 350 points starting with 700 you get a free cruise. 
 

2 hours ago, fyree39 said:

We're chasing Diamond for no good reason. If another line I actually liked cruised out of San Pedro I'd switch for good. For now, I'll stick with Carnival and the occasional other line for a nice change. 

The only reason why I still cruise on Carnival (Platinum) and Princess (Elite) was exactly this… there was no other lines I like out of California that isn’t outrageously expensive (Disney… amazing but expensive) for quick getaway… Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas is coming to San Pedro with the test cruise on Monday and the first revenue cruise in a little over a week… So I’m excited… already booked 5 cruises on Navigator out of San Pedro.. my last foreseeable Carnival Cruise is on Radiance in December but after that I don’t see myself going back on Carnival or Princess with Navigator of the Seas out of San Pedro year round. The perks and rewards offered by Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program is significantly better. 

Comparing Royal Caribbean to Carnival… both have similar policies but I can say that the staff and crew onboard Ovation of the Seas did a lot more enforcing and making sure people are complying with the mask policy whereas Carnival Miracle it was a free for all and the rules and signs are just for show. 

1 hour ago, BeagleAgility said:

Thank you.  The "layer" thing is what confused me.  I was thinking one full mask on top of another - and not the "folds" that are incorporated into the mask.

You won’t know how many layers unless it says so on the packaging or you cut one over… it’s literally layers of different cloths stitch together and pressed into place. If your mask is 2 colors (blue on one side, white on the other)… than you know there are at least 2 layers… but odds are theres at least 3 layers as 2 layers mask are pretty rare. 

On Ovation of the Seas, I’ve seen them wear those disposable gloves and mask in the hallway. I wasn’t watching them clean the rooms or anything. On debarkation day, I notice them removed all the sheets and towels and placed them in a giant red bag. I didn’t stay around to watch them clean the whole room… but it did appear they took their job seriously. 

There are unpublished benefits if you sail out of Asia. On Spectrum of the Seas, you’ll have access to all the Gold Level Suite amenities such as both Gold and Silver dining, the Golden Elevator, and the Golden Suite Patio that’s located outside on top of it the Solarium.

In Hong Kong, they had Pinnacle Club members and Golden Suite guests go through a secrete way that by passed all the lines. 

also “The Gift” is an original production show onboard Anthem. If you been on Ovation, it’s very similar to “The Dream” but a bit longer with some added scenes. 

My bid on Navigator was canceled because I was able to do a guarantee suite for less than what my bid was for. Ended up with an aft facing jr suite on deck 10. 

1 hour ago, meghan74 said:

Hi everyone, I've tried searching the forum for the link to the lift and shift request form, but the links I found here do not work. I've also tried clicking on the "cancel cruise" link on the RCI website and that gives me an error. Do any of you have the correct direct link to the lift and shift request form? I'm trying to avoid time on the phone...

If you clear your cookies (“website data” on iOS) for the browser, it’ll work again.

On an iOS device, you are able to clear the website data for just Royal Caribbean by going to
Settings -> Safari -> Advanced -> Website Data -> search for “RoyalCaribbean.com” -> Swipe left to right -> Delete 

Everything else you just clear the cookies OR just the cookie for the royalcaribbean site if its an option.
 

It is surrounded by water. 

22 hours ago, wareaglefan444 said:

I have never cruised on royal before, nor have I been to Alaska. I have been on 17 carnival cruises but want to try something different. If anyone has any suggestions about which Alaskan intenary is the best please comment.  Thanks in advance

What are you looking for in a cruise? The one way cruises that goes to/from Vancouver on the Radiance class ships visit more ports in Alaska and is well worth the trip. You can even experience a few days on land on the Alaska end of the cruise. 

If you want something simple and experience a pretty awesome ship, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas are the way to go. There are many public spaces on these ships to enjoy the passing scenery such as the Solarium and Two70. There’s even unique experiences such as the North Star where you can enjoy the view of Alaska from a whole new perspective. 

Another option could be taking a 7 night round trip cruise out of Seattle and than hop on Alaska Airline’s frequent flight up to various parts of Alaska and spend more time in Alaska by land and visit Denali National Park. You can actually book an Alaska Railroad trip between Fairbanks and Anchorage that go through Denali National Park. They offer the same glass dome car experience that most cruise lines offer but at a significantly lower price.