Engineroom Snipe

Very interesting discussion. I doubt I would ever make Pinnacle in my lifetime. I do enjoy my present Loyalty Perks but there is so much more to see outside of cruises. If I had a cruise point for every time I have camped in a forest, I would be double Pinnacle. Again, a very lively discussion as I sail away on a future cruise, be it Royal or other. I am sure that each cruise line has a similar discussion regarding their loyalty program. Regards to all.

You are so loyal to Royal. I understand this. If Royal is not loyal to those have cruised to get more than 1000+ points, why would anyone want to follow in your footsteps? I am so many cruise points much lower than you. Is it worth it to be loyal to Royal? Each sea day is so much more expensive than in the past.

Oh, to only have the problem of getting Pinnacle access perks........ I do not have to lose any sleep over that thought! 🤣

Well stated. Floaties and Class Three life jackets are not "self righting". This means the person will float on top of the water but their face will not be self righting and they will drown floating on the water face-down. You are very experienced and I appreciate your comments on this matter.

I have gone to the Loyal Ambassador with specific complaints about my cruise. Not to make noise, not to get credits, just to first person report my observations. The most I was offered later that evening was a bottle of wine which I refused. My critique was not to get something more, it was just feedback. Two days later, I was offered much more than a bottle of wine which I refused again. I sensed during the last day of the cruise, panic started to ensue. I was directly contacted by my cabin attendant that it was urgent to contact the food service director about my concerns. That was in April, 2022, during the opening after covid. Crickets ever since. The ships are sailing full at record pricing. I doubt anyone is getting any type of this compensation in the current cruise environment. Cruises are running at 107% capacity. Money talks, and the rest of us can walk if we do not want to pay the current fares.

I was on the Vision of the Seas this past April and the ONE pool available for all ages was shutdown due to a similar incident late morning on a sea day. Imagine this on an August Cruise where kids sail free only having ONE pool area. When that pool area gets shut down for any reason, game over. Too many young people with so much pent-up energy with nothing else to do except a rock climbing wall (which may not be available at that specific time). Nothing else for children to do onboard but shuffleboard and the rock climbing wall. As anyone could imagine, the four general public hot tubs were packed during this time. Literally, if someone lowered a body into the tubs, someone would be forced out by displacement. On the Vision, I would much rather do the free steam and sauna rooms multiple times a day before using the pools. I enjoy swimming and being in the water, but I could not move or turn around without trying to avoid children and adults. I was not trying to swim at the time. I was just trying to walk slowly from end to end for a bit of water exercise. I find a good place in the shade and just chill, watch the ocean go by, sip a cold drink, maybe do some word puzzles, and appreciate not having to do anything at all. Pools and hot tubs can be fun under the right circumstances but these were heavily overloaded.

You are being very generous and kind with this comment as we get back on topic (which I am guilty of driving off into a tangent with my drag racer remark).

I am going to end the discussion as quickly as I can regarding all of the brief comments: Drag racers are not the only ones leaving skid marks on this thread. 🤣

Sounds like the name of a new detergent: D+P Laundry Detergent, take you dirty clothes to another level of clean. 😁

The old adage, "If you've got it, flaunt it." This expression originates in the 1967 movie The Producers, written and directed by Mel Brooks. The phrase was shouted out the window by Max Bialystock (played by Zero Mostel): "That's it, baby, when you've got it, flaunt it! Flaunt it!" "That's Entertainment" (1974).

In general, my travel agent's group rates (where I get to pick my cabin for no extra cost) have been lower than the best Royal pricing including any discounts at any time from announcement to cruise. I only used military discounts when they were available in 2022 for one cruise in 2022 and two cruises in 2023 that I booked in 2022. This occurred when the cruise lines were trying to fill rooms during their recovery from shut-down.

The two times I used the military discount in the past, my booking went to non-refundable. I am not saying that you are not correct. Your experience obviously was different from mine. This change was emphasized by my travel agent when we went for the discount. That is why remember it so well.

I agree with all of the posters. Military, Senior, Police, and "State" discounts are normally only offered when bookings are not meeting expectations. In most cases, they come with "non-refundable" deposit clauses. They also allow a price to go lower without having previous bookings requesting a price adjustment if they occur before final payments.

It is the little things around the edges, as you mention that I miss. Does it ruin my cruise or cause me to want to stop cruising? No. It was these little items that I used to look forward to that have disappeared. There used to be multiple carving stations at the Windjammer and now I have to search to find the one if it is there at all.

In so many words, you must compare how many nights and sea days you have during your cruise. Compare them to just buying them out right without any package. You arrive on your embarkation day to make reservations without your discount and find only four nights of special dining package are available at the times of your choice. It might be cheaper to do that then settle for seven nights and say three sea days at times that are not convenient for you. The unlimited dining plan can be like an unlimited drinking plan where you indulge more and at times that you do not want but feel that you must "get your monies' worth." It may be better to pay full price for a meal that you want when you want it than settle for a meal at a specialty restaurant that happens to be available just to get your "monies' worth." I have constantly weighed the unlimited dining plan against the cost but have been disappointed that reservations cannot be made until onboard which can severely limit my choices. Nothing "unlimited" about their unlimited dining plan. LOTS of limitations placed on trying to use it.

European shot (1 fluid ounce), American shot (1 1/2 fluid ounce), American 'double shot' (2 ounces), from my observations, they are using European shot measuring devices (a jigger has two ends for measurement, one ounce and one and one-half ounce, I see the small one being used onboard ship). When I see them using a pourer, it takes a full four second count for 1.5 ounces. I have never seen a four second pour onboard. Four seconds is an eternity when you are a proficient bartender which is why Royal hires them in the first place. I do not think they intentionally pour "weak drinks", I think this is the way they are instructed to pour them. I have cut back my drinking for many years for health reasons but I still am quite observant when they make a drink for my wife. I find my favorite bartender and make sure they get "appreciation" when I see them make a proper drink.

I tend to agree with your supposition with what I can see concerning prices at multiple websites. Many more fall cabins available this year than last as prices have been kept elevated after banner seasons last fall and this winter. I did three cruises in 2023 booked in 2022 at very low prices. Doing two this year after booking them last year at half of their current listed prices on Royal's website last year. I am avoiding "add-ons" concerning dining, excursion, drinking, etc. as those prices have more than doubled (in some cases, asking 250% more). I got some very good deals through a TA at half the prices for two cruises next year. Even if frequent cruises just do one cruise less per year or try another line, that can lead to significant stagnation. If I cannot get a cruise for what I think is a good price-point, I will just hold onto the cash or try something else. I like Royal, understand supply and demand, and I think demand is leveling off starting October of this year where prices will not be constantly raised without resistance.

OMG, you had to mention the "T" word. 🫢😮🤣

@TeeRick You might want to try and wait for specials which occur before and after Thanksgiving since you are one year away. At worst, I believe you will still get a 15% discount and at best you might do better. I have been offered the UDP 40% off with gratuities included on the Odyssey sailing this November for $270 per person for a seven day cruise non-holiday. Please read all of the fine print. Unlimited is not truly unlimited. There are many add-on surcharges for different venues and a-la-carte pricing allowance is limited to one per day. Lunches in specialty venues are normally available on sea days only. Choice reservation times fill up quickly. You might not get the times of your choice if you like to be spontaneous and do same day or even next day reservations. Normally Izumi Hibachi/Teppanyaki reservations are completely filled by mid afternoon on boarding day. These reservations must be made at that particular restaurant unlike the rest where you can reserve multiple restaurants at one specialty restaurant. Important clause: "Subject to availability." What's Included Specialty dining for dinner every night of your sailing and lunch on sea days. For venues with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $20 food credit — with the exception of Izumi in the Park, where you’ll receive a $10 food credit. Credits can only be used once a day. For ships with Izumi Sushi, you’ll have a choice of a prix fixe menu, or a $39.99 food credit for the a la carte menu. For ships with the following venues, these are included with an additional surcharge: Izumi Hibachi/Teppanyaki — $15 surcharge. Chef's Table — $49.99 surcharge. Empire Supper Club — $130 surcharge. Wonderland by DaDong — $24.99 surcharge. These will be charged once onboard. For applicable sailings, Holiday Celebration Dinners are included with a surcharge. These will be charged once onboard.

Interesting discussion without hyperbole. So many data points to analyze and make calculations upon with no crystal ball to look into the future. Royal is still afloat in the sea and I will not complain about it. I am not blindly loyal to Royal but I enjoy cruising with them when I do. Thank you to all who buy their stock. I hope you get reasonable returns.

Only one other ship in port. I was on the Vision and I remembered looking on a port website ahead of time and figured our total capacity with the other ship was about 9000 passengers max. I believe it was the Allure of the Seas because of all of the slides. All of the Coco Cay prices were much lower, less than half, for almost anything so I guess demand was not high. This made sense because we were on Coco Cay the week AFTER Easter week when most students would be back in school. Cannot argue about the chairs and umbrellas blocking the view if you are not in the front rows. We spent time in the regular heated pool which had a nice view OVER the umbrellas.

On Hideaway Bay on April 9 this month. We were one of two ships there and we were off-boarded second. Looked over the side until we saw passengers moving off the ship and then hit the gangway at about around 8:30am. We were seated by 9:05am and at the the time, had the pick of the entire place. Did not fill up until around 10:30am. We stayed until 4pm for a 4:30pm all aboard time. The highlight was the heated pool since the day started windy and cool. By lunch it was very nice but not many people in the protected ocean area. The DJ seemed to study his crowd and had music that was lively but not too loud. You could have a conversation in the pool area. The large inflatable beach balls seem to really entertain the pool crowd but you could find a quiet place in the pool away from the action easily. Waiting lines for food and drinks were minimal all day. The food selection was somewhat bare minimum. The coconut shrimp was the exception, freshly fried and larger than I expected served with very fresh French Fries. Nothing seemed pre-cooked as they were almost too hot to eat right away. Five of them would fill a normal person who was not extremely hungry. The shrimp dip had pineapple in it which complimented the coconut shrimp flavor. I only paid $19 per person and except for the heated pool, I could do without it. For us it will be dependent on the time of year we go. If you are going during the warmer months, I would stick to the no charge areas and have a better food selection. Just my humble OPINION.

The latest financial report states that they have had 107% occupancy averages. I have watched cruises at near maximum life boat capacity over the first quarter. I cannot find information about how many three and four passengers per cabin on a specific cruise. A ship can be near total life boat capacity with many empty rooms. Example: Vision of the Seas 1018 staterooms 2,443 maximum passenger capacity 2,036 double capacity, 100% occumpancy Their are 407 more passenger spaces available to maximum capacity. If 1/4 of the staterooms have four people in a cabin: (Mom, Dad, and two young children) About 254 staterooms and 1016 passengers. If 1/4 of the staterooms have three people in a cabin: (Friends and Family trying to split costs). About 254 staterooms with 762 passengers. If the rest of the staterooms are double occupancy, Only about 332 cabins are needed to obtain maximum ship capacity. There are 178 empty staterooms because the ship cannot exceed maximum passenger capacity. Before any one attacks me for my suppositions because the "Vision of the Seas" does not attract families like say, an Oasis class, think again. It sails out of Baltimore on a 9 day cruise this August with a "Kids Sail Free" tag. Its price is significantly lower than Oasis class during the same time period from Bayonne. Families can drive to Baltimore from a very large geographic area and avoid flight costs, security hassles, and baggage costs. So a ship can easily sail at maximum capacity and have a significant amount of cabins empty.

On all of the deck plans available for the Vision of the Seas, it is listed as "Park Cafe."

I stand corrected, the Solarium Cafe on the port side aft, deck 9, of the Vision. "Girlfriend"? 🤔