Katems75

Thanks, everyone!  I'm disappointed that the Christmas decorations won't be up that week, so I think all the more reason to take the prettier, more modern ship!!

Hello, I've only cruised twice, on Oasis and on Harmony.  I am looking at a Symphony cruise but other family members want a Freedom cruise.  The itinerary doesn't matter to me, I don't care about getting off the ship, I care about the ship, itself.  I know Symphony is fairly new and I know while Freedom is old, it was dry docked in 2020 so that's good.  

Symphony is a seven day cruise, and Freedom is eight days.  The cost is the same.  I loved Central Park on the two Oasis class ships, and duck hunting is big in our family.  The small size of the Freedom and the lack of Central Park has me worried.  Can someone who's been on Freedom since the dry dock weigh in, especially if you're also familiar with the Oasis class?  What are the rooms like on Freedom, decor wise?  We would get an ocean view balcony on either.  Freedom currently has few fewer rooms available, due mostly its size and its fewer ocean view balconies I imagine.  We were on deck eight on Oasis and Harmony and loved the proximity to the park.

Also, any chance the ships will be decorated for Christmas if we sail November 15 or 16, THROUGH Thanksgiving week??

Thank you!

22 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

Best deal for me are refundable group rates. Group rates I get better discounts plus my solo DP340. Find a ta with group rates to pick cabins for your group. 

 

If the 7 day is a good deal, I'd book b2b. Do 14 days rather than 9 if the ports were that boring as you say. 

Booking a back to back is an interesting idea...how does one actually DO this?  Is there a way to link the cruises?  If I booked a six day back to back, should I anticipate the six day to be a younger, rowdier crowd?  I've heard the shorter the cruise the more crazy it can be guest wise.

How does one book refundable group rates?  Do you need eight cabins?

I'm looking at the nine night Eastern Caribbean/Perfect Day for August 9 on Symphony, along with a LOT of seven night Bahamas/Perfect Day cruises on the same ship in June, July, and August.  It's almost $1000 more for the nine night cruise vs. the seven night cruise.  That just seems really odd to me, that the additional two days would be so pricey.  Is it Eastern Caribbean vs. Bahamas?  I don't care about the ports, I'm a cruise day girl, not a port girl, so that doesn't matter to me.  I don't know why this nine night cruise got stuck there amidst all the seven night ones throughout the summer.  It seems really strange that they interrupted their regularly scheduled seven night Bahamas/Perfect Day cruises for this random nine nighter to the Eastern Caribbean...

Any insight on any of this?  Any thought that maaaaaybe the price would come down?  I've been watching it for months and it hasn't gone UP, so that's something!  If we have six or seven rooms is there a better way of booking for a discount?

Thanks!

If the above doesn't work, go to 'Need Help Using the 'Forums' and scroll down to my own 'How do   I stop receiving emails from this site?' post from September 14.  It's currently the last one on the first page.

I believe a few people on here are travel agents...how would I get contact info?  I believe the people on this board know RC well and know the ins and outs but I don't know for certain who they are or how to contact them in that capacity.  If this isn't allowed, where else would you suggest I find a travel agent who knows RC as well as the people here?

Also, is it really totally free?  I'm really not sure how travel agents work I'm afraid!

Thank you.

Thank you all so much! All your advice worked! Now I can concentrate better on work and come here afterward! 

I enjoy browsing here and asking questions and such, but somehow I seem to be on a list where I receive constant email notifications of posts here that I may have commented on or liked or showed an interest in and my phone is going off constantly.  I don't see a way to unsubscribe from emails and when I click manage notifications or mange followed content it just takes me to the Cruise Critic site.

Please help my phone to stop buzzing!!

We were told to lean back so our heads wouldn't hit.  I was worried the whole time my head was going to hit.  Do most people ride down sitting up 90 degrees??  I hated sliding in a halfway laying down position.  Only did it once, was not impressed, too much to worry about with the head, arms, and legs!

On 8/31/2023 at 3:27 PM, harryfat1 said:

This brings up the next question – how early do most people fly in pre-cruise?  I assume most people play it safe by flying in at least one day prior to sailing.  Especially with various airline delay issues, we saw last year and this year (we all remember the Southwest debacle from last winter), the high risk of flying on the day of the cruise is too stressful for the 8+ anal scale people.

 

Having said that, when I was younger (more clueless days), I once flew a red eye on my first Caribbean cruise in the '90s.  Back then airlines were more reliable, and I felt OK to arrive at FLL at 7 AM on a red-eye from California and take the shuttle to the port for the cruise.  No way I would do that nowadays.

 

Seeing last winter storms' impact on airline flights, arriving 2 days pre-cruise doesn’t sound as anal as once thought.

 

This reminds me of our red-eye story: Back in 2013, we were going on the Carnival cruise sailing out of Boston to see the US/Canadian Northeast region.  Having never been to the historical Boston area, I booked a 2-night hotel in the area and red-eye so I could maximize my 2 days in town.

 

Got on the plane around midnight and after 2 plus hours of them trying to start and reset the plane’s flight instruments, they declared that flight to be dead.  Everyone had to de-plane at 3 AM and we all had to call the 800 number of the airline to re-book our flights as there were no on-ground agents there to help the couple of hundred people from the plane.

 

There was a big family group of around 10 people, and they were going on the HAL cruise out of Boston that next morning after the red-eye landed.  Well, that’s not going to happen now.  So half of them were on the phone with the airline and the other half of the family were on call with HAL at 3 AM trying to figure out how to catch the cruise ship at the NEXT port of call as they won’t make it to Boston on time. 

 

During busy traveling periods, it's not that easy to find 10 empty airline seats from point A to point if most of the flights are already full.  Easier to reroute 2 people on a different flight.  Not so easy to reroute 10 people. 

 

Think all of them were ready to cry at the airport as they realized they were going to miss the first few days of their cruise as they had to deal with connecting flights on another airline to get to the port where they all could board the ship.

 

As for us, after a while on the phone with the airline, we were able to find 6 seats to Boston on a later flight but that would be at a different airport. So we all drove home and got back at 6 AM after not sleeping the entire night.  Took a morning nap. 

 

Called the hotel to explain that we can’t make it to day 1 of the 2-day hotel reservations.  The manager was kind enough not to charge us for the first night booked and just switched the reservation for one night instead of two.

 

Total mess. After that, you couldn’t pay me to go on any red-eye flights to arrive on the day of the cruise…

How could the family of ten board the ship from a later port when just a few posts before this one it was mentioned that you can't board any later than ninety minutes before departure??  This family of ten would definitely be boarding way later than ninety minutes before departure and the manifest would be closed, right?

16 hours ago, harryfat1 said:

But before you get too comfortable, the workers are trying hard to get you to check in at your assigned muster station while you are still on the Promenade deck.  You were supposed to have watched the video on your App on how to put on the lifevest and know the sounds of the emergency drill and so on. 

 

This is one of those “things are better now” compared to pre-covid.  In the old days, you had to stand outside the Promenade deck about 30 minutes prior to the ship’s sail away with thousands of your fellow cruisers in the heat to listen to the long announcements and watch the workers put on the life vests in front of you.

 

If you really go back even further, in the really old days, everyone had to take the vests from their cabins and put them on while standing on the deck.  They stopped that after a while and for a while it was no vest, but just showed up.

 

Now it’s easier as you just go to your muster station, let the workers at that station scan your phone to signify you were there and you understood the rules and you are done.

 

On paper, I applaud the idea as it’s fast and efficient since nobody likes to stand outside.  But the 9.2 anal/paranoia person in me always wonders how many first-time cruisers really paid attention to the app on this and really know what to do in an emergency?  Do they even know where the life vests are in their cabins?

 

You all know full well that if something goes wrong on some future sailing and people don’t know enough about how to use/find the life vests, there will be tons of talking heads on National news shows asking why people are unaware of the life vest process because it was simplified/turned virtual back in the old days (current)...

I didn't think the life vests were in the cabins...I thought they were at the muster stations??  Yikes, I've only done two cruises but I guess I am one they didn't get through to!  One was pre covid and one post.

Looking for a longer cruise than seven or eight days, but finding not very many leaving from the USA next summer on Oasis class!  So what exactly is a back to back cruise?  Would it be the exact same cruise two weeks in a row?  Is there any discount for booking that?  Is there a special WAY to book it?

Also, what is a repositioning cruise?

Thank you!

Doesn't everyone need a credit card on file while they cruise?  Therefore if one incurred any medical bills the card on file would cover them and you'd get off the ship just fine.  Not understanding the posts that say if you owed anything they wouldn't let you off the ship...seems to me your card would be charged and you'd be free to leave without even doing anything.

Thank you again, for everyone's replies.  My takeaways are:

Alaska is beautiful.

Alaska is very expensive.

No one regrets doing an Alaskan cruise, and MOST would do them/have done them again and again, but not all.

Excursions are a must and excursions are expensive.

A land trip is probably better for truly seeing Alaska, especially if you view 'cruises' as warm, tropical floating resorts and not just a vehicle of transport.

Princess is best for Alaska.

Small ships are best for Alaska so they can use better, closer ports.

The weather is indeed often chilly and surprisingly rainy from what I have gathered.  And mist can obscure your views.

Ice floes can prevent you from seeing the icebergs you've come to see (which is another reason perhaps a CRUISE to Alaska is not the best option).

Thank you for giving me so much to think about. While I think hiking a glacier and sled dogging would be fun, in general I do not think an Alaskan cruise is for me.  However, I am now better able to advise my family as they plan their trip and I hope they have the best time ever.  I will enjoy looking at their pictures.

Oh this is interesting...I learned about duck hide and seek on my second cruise back in May.  It was on RC and we found at least 14 ducks.  It was super fun and I'm a little disappointed to hear so few are found on Princess ships.  (I am here as my family is considering an Alaskan cruise and I was advised Princess is best for that).  On RC the ducks we found all said to NOT hide in pool areas (no pools, no casino, no bars, no shops).  Love the duck Christmas tree!!!

My mom had so much fun with this phenomenon that this weekend I will be hiding ducks in her plants on her front steps.  When she goes to water them and finds them I just know it will make her day.  🙂

I appreciate everyone's responses and gorgeous photos!  I'm very much on the fence.  The cold, or even just 'not hot' weather is truly a turn off.  I've lived in upstate NY my whole life so I am no stranger to cold and so for me 'vacation' is somewhere decidedly NOT COLD!!  I don't ski, either.  

Thank you to the person who said to book a smaller ship that can get in to more ports.  I'm concerned that excursions are so necessary and so expensive!

Eeek, lots to think about!

My extended family wants to take an Alaskan cruise, which has never appealed to me.  I understand it's beautiful and all, but the thought of taking a coat and hat and mittens on a CRUISE is depressing to me.

So what are Alaskan cruises REALLY like?  How is the weather and what would be the warmest time of year?  Are you still in coats during the warmest time?  Which ships are best for cold weather?  Are people standing around on their balconies shivering?

If you don't book excursions, can you still see the beauty of Alaska, or are excursions necessary?

Most importantly...would there be ducks hidden on the ship??? 😉

3 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

That Carne Asada looks soooo much better than other photos I've seen.  

Royal really needs to get smaller plates.   The photos seem to have lots of empty plate showing.  

I hope this is sarcasm!  They seriously need to increase the portion sizes.  I was on Harmony May 13 and portions were TINY.  Meat was THIN.

Do you think the guys in the video who kept getting cold food had a more likely chance of that since they had the 8:30 time slot?  I have 5:30 in two weeks on Harmony and am hoping that may increase my chances of getting hot food...

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

you have to turn them on. 🙂 Click on your name, click on Account Settings, click on Signature, and then turn on View other people's signatures.

 

Thank you SO much!!!

3 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

 

 

I don't know how it works on the phone, but in a regular online version (desktop/laptop) it appears under my every post (all the reviews that I've ever made are linked in the signature):

 

 

In any case, here is the link 🙂 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2930782-oasis-april-2-9-2023-a-wonderful-cruise/

 

Oh wow, I am on a laptop and NO ONE has signatures like that! I am very used to them on the DISboards so I thought I knew what you meant, it's just that no one's signature shows up at all, nor is there anything for me to click to show it...I don't have an 'expand signature' or anything.  😞

Thank you for the link!

6 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

it's in my signature - just click on Oasis. 🙂

I hate to appear so ignorant, but I don't see a 'signature'.  If I click your name on the side it doesn't bring up anything called 'Oasis' either.  Help!

Besides the WJ where else on Harmony can you eat (for free)?  I know about Park Cafe on deck 8, but where is Solarium Bistro?  Johnny Rockets is pay except for breakfast, correct?  Are there any other free little places?  Isn't there a dog house and Sorrento's somewhere that's free?  What else am I missing?

Hi, posted on Florida Departures but only got one response and my trip is in two weeks so I need to figure this out.  I filled out the online reservation form for SAS but instead received an email from Premiere 1 Driving Services saying Steve, from SAS, gave them my info.

I need to go from Fort Lauderdale Airport to TRU Hilton in Miami West Brickell.  There was a hotel drop off list on the SAS site and TRU wasn't on it but I figured that wasn't a complete list but now I assume SAS truly doesn't go there and must have tried to give my business to a friend.

Has anyone used Premiere 1 Driving Services??  Anything good or bad to say about them?  We are a party of 11.

Thank you.