CruizinSusan70

Carnival Corporation is number one. Royal is two and NCL is three.

You have been on a total of 12 cruises, 11 on RCI and 1 on NCL. Since I have cruised on both RCI, six with 4 more booked, as well as Carnival, which you have not, I can give a first hand experience comparison between the two lines. You can only regurgitate what you have read on line or seen on a YouTube video about the Carnival cruise experience. If cruising on Carnival was so bad, then why are they the largest cruise line in the world? The typical NCL cruiser is into the freestyle philosophy and walks to the beat of a different drummer. RCI and Carnival are more alike than different. My first hand experience can back that up. Cruised on RCI for the first time in 2001 and on Carnival for the first time in 1986.

There's more than one gap though. It lists a 14 day sailing on March 8, but no corresponding 7 day sailing on march 15 for the back end. And then it lists two western 7 days on May 1 & 15 with nothing else for May, nothing for April and nothing for late March.

Possibly one day for festivities and then a 4 nighter for travel agents and VIP's.

Sandia en Fuego.....with extra serrano peppers. 🌶️

Since the Fall 2024 schedule just came out but hasn't gone on sale yet, it'll be awhile till the Fall 2025 schedule comes out. Starting on 10/19/24, she will be doing 3 different 7 day Eastern Caribbean itineraries as well as 1 Western Caribbean itinerary. They can be combined for 14 days. Don't hold your breath. They will announce the Caribbean dates and probably hold off on the transatlantic itinerary back to Europe during Spring 2025.

The NCL Escape has three itineraries of 14 days each on January 3, 17 and 31 in 2025 embarking from Galveston.

To the OP, I sure hope you have the drink package on your current sailing. If you don't, then please make friends with a kind soul that will hook you up with your drink of choice in multiple doses.

The Transatlantics on the Island, Sky and Caribbean have been open for sale. But there are currently zero cruises available to book in the fall of 2024 that start and end in the Caribbean. The Sun arrives in Fort Lauderdale on October 9. Her subsequent sailings for the end of 2024 and early 2025 have not opened up for sale yet, even though similar time frame sailings are on sale for many other competitors of Princess.

Any chance do you recall if the itineraries were 7/14 or 10/20 days in length?

To the OP...best of luck on your future cruises on whichever cruise line you choose to cruise on next. Happy sailing.

We may be in agreement about the state of MTD on RCI, but I will fully disagree with you regarding who the main competition is for RCI. You state it's NCL, who is number 3 in sales and I'll state it's Carnival, who is number 1. Because of their freestyle policy, NCL walks to the beat of a different drummer and even though many Loyal Royals will disagree, RCI and Carnival are more similar than different. The reason I brought up my cruise history is because how many lines a person has cruised on and how long they have been cruising gives them a different perspective over someone who has only been cruising for 10-15 years on a few lines.

Besides X, they also don't have the problem on Carnival or Princess. Both lines can handle MTD and traditional at the same time. And there is no way that you can convince me that a higher percentage of people that cruise on RCI want early dining versus those that cruise on Carnival. Large table, late dining and 2 hour dinners were great 20-25 years ago when the only entertainment options on board was either the lone show in the main theater or the casino. Nowadays with the plethora of entertainment and drinking options on board, 75 minutes in the MDR is just fine for us.

Could not agree more. Hoping that things will be slightly different on the Venezia when we sail on her next year. At the very least, we'll get to sample the new Italian restaurant, the new Italian/Mexican fusion restaurant and the two new Italian inspired burgers at Guy's. Here's hoping that there will be some major tweaks to the MDR menu. An expansion of more than 1 dessert option each night would be a great start. (Besides of course, WCMC, ice cream, fruit and sugar free option)

Don't know how many cruises or lines that you've cruised on, but I have cruised on all of the major mainstream cruise lines, been doing it for over 35 years and have over 50 cruises under my belt. Carnival, just like RCI decided to hop on the freestyle bandwagon and implement their version of the NCL anytime dining with their own version, yet at the same time offer the traditional early/late seating option for the traditional cruiser that likes to have a set time/table/staff. On Carnival all you need to do is check it on the app or at the MDR desk and request your table. You'll then be given an approximate time as to when your table will be ready. No need to stand in a line for possibly 30-60 minutes. And they start this process at 530 each evening and 500 on the two "formal" nights. With Royal starting things at 645 and utilizing the old fashioned stand in line method, they are taking a step backwards and not being innovative at all. It really is pathetic.

Jimbo, are you implying that the current state of the MDR food is flat lining?

There's six of them on deck 4 on the Excel Class ships. FP category located within the Family Harbour section.

It would have been nice if the oddball was fleet wide similar to other cruise lines that can juggle set time with MTD starting at 530 with substantially less hiccups than RCI has.

It's not that big of a deal to take the price in the US and just add the additional 18% gratuity. The problem is because of the Dynamic Pricing policy that RCI has that allows for fluctuations of the price according to which ship you're on and when you sail. Every other cruise line has the same cost whether you cruise over New Years or the first week in December or whether you cruise on the newest ship in their fleet or on an older rust bucket.

Please enlighten me as to which ship in the fleet can you currently pick 530 as an option for MTD? I won't hold my breath.

As long as you don't mind eating after 6:45 pm. And you pick that time months and months before your sailing.

So I guess you'll be in line for the Wizard of Oz on the Icon?

You have a year till your Venezia cruise. It will be totally different than what is offered by the rest of the fleet. As Ms.Duffy says, it'll be Carnival "Italian Style."

LOL, LOL, LOL. That is the best joke I have heard in ages.

You paid 72.99 pp plus 18% 13.13 = 86.12. So, if it drops below 72.99, then cancel and rebook. Others beat me to it. Good luck. The Dynamic pricing policy of RCI, which NO OTHER cruise line has is what really sucks about RCI.