st5310
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Posts posted by st5310
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Since Royal has cancelled all cruises thru May 12, our May 10-17 Oasis sailing is also toast. As I always do, I had purchased a travel policy thru Allianz in February. I have been perusing the policy literature and the web site and the only thing I could find was a statement that the policy amount is non-refundable after a 10-day "change-your-mind" period. This is a unique situation, however, as the cruise line cancelled the sailing. Since Royal will reimburse with a full refund, the insurance is unnecessary. I am wondering, therefore, if Allianz will also refund the amount I paid for the policy; if they will make an exception to the non-refundable rule. For those of you who have had bookings cancelled, what happened with your insurance purchases? Did you get a refund or did you lose it?
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We are interested in a New Years cruise on Enchantment of the Seas that would embark on Dec 31, 2021, but cannot find a sailing for that date. There is an Enchantment sailing that leaves December 23rd, but the next one doesn't leave until January 28th. The ship disappears from the schedule between Dec 31, 2021 and January 28, 2022. The only thing I can conclude is that the Enchantment is going into dry dock or has been chartered for those missing dates. Anybody know anything about this? Or might there be another reason for the gap in the sailing schedule? Thanks.
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On 2/12/2020 at 6:42 PM, TNcruising02 said:
That's a good reminder that the cost of insurance is nothing compared to costs of having an accident or getting sick while traveling. People take a risk by thinking that nothing will ever happen to them, but it can happen to anyone. I've got an annual policy.
Please tell me more about your annual policy. We're doing 4-6 cruises per year and I'm thinking an annual policy would be better than buying for each individual sailing. Thank you kindly.
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We are booked on Oasis in May, both Diamond+, but our first time on this behemoth. Our suite is on deck 7 and we were wondering if anyone has had issues with slow elevators to the higher decks... i.e. do they stop at every floor? What is your experience?
My second question has to do with Chef's Table. As we were looking at videos of the ship we noticed the Chef's Table set-up is between the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen (on 17), but completely open with no privacy. On other Royal ships the Chef's Table is separate from the other areas creating a quiet space so the chef can explain the food and wine pairings and the guests can enjoy the intimacy of a private dining experience. This doesn't seem possible on Oasis given the location. How do they address this?
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33 minutes ago, davekathy said:
I was just on RC website and in my CP without any issues. I'm using a laptop, windows 10, Google Chrome.
Thank you! Switched browser to Google Chrome from Firefox. Working now. Firefox had always worked fine before.
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22 minutes ago, TexasBlue7 said:
Just off the Liberty of the Seas last week. No issues any place on the ship. Had the Voom package.
Good to know, but my issue is not aboard ship. I'm accessing from home. Celebrity and other cruise lines load just fine.
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Has anyone been having internet issues with Royal? Loading is slow, and then when I get to the specific sailing and click on the date the screen that comes up is blank. This has been the case for at least two weeks.
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58 minutes ago, DrHemlock said:
We've stayed in both 8000 and 8002 on the opposite side of the ship. If either of those is still available, here's why we think they're superior to 8001 and 8003.
The two you're considering are directly underneath the gym. I've spent time in the gym and can imagine that the sound of exercise machines and various movement classes up there could travel down through the floor as people go whumpa-whumpa-whumpa with their feet or weights. (N.B., I've no empirical evidence that this is the case.) Suites on the even-numbered side are beneath the card room and internet room, which one would expect to be generally very quiet. Our experience is that it's exactly that.
Also as ORV states above, the door at the front end of the odd-numbered corridor leads onto the bridge so you get officers frequently walking (and talking) back and forth as they enter and exit. The corridor on the even-numbered side contains only officer/official guest staterooms, and it dead-ends into a solid wall. No through traffic.
Either way, it's a terrific area to be in if you don't mind being close enough to the bow that there's a bit more motion than in the center of the ship. You gotta figure there's even more motion for the folks on the bridge who are farther forward than you. If you're reasonably good sailors, you won't have any problems. And if you do...well...that's what ginger capsules, etc., are for.
This is very good, DrHemlock, thank you. Cabins 8000 and 8002 were not available so we had to switch to the other side. I'm hoping the gym won't be crowded when we retire, so there should not be too much whumpa-whumpa-whumpa going on!
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12 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:
Oceania no longer uses the term "back to back."
There are "extended journeys" (multi-segments marketed as a single cruise with a single booking number) and "custom cruises" (unadvertised multi-segments joined by a single booking number) both of which represent consecutive segments. But, the importance of the distinction relates to the associated discounts/loyalty perks (search the several CC forum threads where we've discussed this in detail). So, the concept of B2B (back to back) really needs clarification when it comes to the "bottom line." And using the B2B term can only causes confusion at some point.
Over the past 18+\- months, Oceania has moved to not allowing multiple consecutive segments to be sold as separate cruises with separate booking numbers. As might be expected, some TAs have not "gotten the memo" and do make such bookings until corrected by the Miami O office. (One associated problem is that it took the IT folks some time to figure out how to allow website account registration of the "custom cruise" booking numbers (now operational).
Among other things, doing traditional "back-to-back" (w/ separate booking numbers) bookings can be problematic when it comes to things like PVSA requirements. And, as aforementioned, there are some Oceania loyalty perks vs fare discounts equations that can make for math challenges when itinerary length(s) are considered.
Thank you for this, Flatbush Flyer, but I just wanted to know if there was a difference between cabins 8001 and 8003.
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We have just booked a back-to-back in July 2021 on Insignia and I have a question about the cabin we are interested in--#8001 (PH3). My question is whether there is any difference between 8001 and 8003 with regard to location. I'm guessing not much, if any, but if you have experience with this suite please share.
This will be our 2nd cruise on Insignia, our first back in 2018. Thank you kindly.
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10 hours ago, SherriZ366 said:
Here is the link to the Google Doc spreadsheet of Concierhges
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Pz4Im5qh4cqd1zE5A9srLm3wGd0_SNZwTdbLTa59EF4/edit#gid=0
Thank you, Sherri... this is a wonderful service you provide your fellow cruisers; I use it all the time!
You may wish to know that the current concierge aboard Anthem is Ricardo Mock (not Monk); Alex Kuprk is in the Diamond Lounge, not Jorge Gutierrez. We are aboard the Anthem now thru 1/5...
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I can confirm that Ricardo Mock will be the Anthem's Suite Lounge concierge for our December 20-28 cruise as well. Just yesterday he reached out to us with the pro forma welcoming letter and a personal reply to our request for reservations in the specialty restaurants. His promptness in response to the latter is encouraging.
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We are headed out on Anthem in two weeks and notice the Suite Lounge concierge is Federico Taylor, with whom we have not sailed. Anyone have thoughts about him?
SherriZ366, thank you for your great work! An outstanding concierge does make a difference.
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8 minutes ago, golfpccc said:
I have this documents but Jorge Gutierrez is not listed. Also remove Nadja Durdevic from the Navigator and Mariner, she is permanent on the Liberty and presently in DL until her vacation in January. MJ in SL. Concierges rotate everyday 10 weeks.
Carla
Isn't Jorge Gutierrez listed as concierge in the Diamond Lounge (on the Anthem)? Or is that a different Jorge?
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Perhaps someone already mentioned this (I have not read all 9 pages of this thread), but MSC cruises has a Premium Plus beverage package, too. Their regular premium includes all the usual upgraded brands identical to Celebrity (Belvedere, Grey Goose, Johnnie Black, etc.), but their Premium Plus, called the Connossieurs Collection, entitles you to virtually every alcohol brand on the ship, including unlimited high-end cognacs and Johnnie Walker Blue scotch, among others. Someone on the MSC thread was kind enough to take a photo for me which I've attached.
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1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:
The reason for the Roll Call thread is to discuss the upcoming cruise with others on the same sailing.
The reason for the Meet & Mingle is to meet the folks on the Roll Call thread in person once onboard.
Understood, Host Clarea and thank you, but I must confess that I have always assumed the two to be connected. That is, assumed that if you are sailing the same cruise you would want to meet the other CruiseCritic participants in person. I think many folks who go to the thread also wish to join the meet and greet, but there is no link (that I could find) on the thread (even though it is called "the meet and mingle roll call). Evidently, "meet and mingle" in this case refers to the online thread only. I think it's confusing.
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4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:
That link is for signing up for the Meet & Mingle onboard.
The Roll Call thread here on CC is not the Meet & Mingle.
I stand corrected. But I thought the reason for joining the roll call was to participate in the meet and mingle. Clear this up for me, please.
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16 hours ago, 09Minidriver said:
How do you join the roll call?
The Key cost us $207 per person
I called Royal Caribbean to add it. I also saw it on the website when I was looking at drink packages, excursions etc.
The woman on the phone said there were only a little over 100 Keys for this cruise.
To join the roll call, go to: https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/ccEntry.do
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My experience is that burgers are notoriously sub-par on mass market cruise ships, especially in the buffet areas, i.e. Windjammer, where they are made in advance and sit out in the tray under a lamp. They tend to be thin, over-cooked, and dried out. I'm not a fan of Johnny Rockets and I have never sailed on Carnival, so I have not sampled a Guy's burger. We seldom venture outside Royal and Celebrity, but we took our first (and only) Oceania cruise in 2018. On their version of the buffet, each burger was cooked to order in front of you on a flat grill. Best I've had on a ship in 30 years of cruising.
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DW and I have eaten in WJ hundreds of times over the years on many different ships. Mostly lunch, mind you, but I certainly agree that it can be more relaxing, fun, and with less portion control, better desserts, etc. My issue with WJ, as with other buffets, is that many hands touch the serving spoons, and many faces get too close to the food, even with face guards. One never knows who had been looking and touching prior to you... did someone grab a bite and put it back in the tray? I have seen children out at the ice cream station forego cones and dishes and stick their mouths directly against the dispenser. And those are the ones I saw. Some of those children no doubt also go thru the buffet lines.
When we partake of the buffet in WJ we arrive as it opens so that we're as close to the first ones thru the line as possible. We also bring along lots of wipes to clean our hands. One cannot completely assure a sterile environment, be we do what we can.
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Luggage tags are one of those little amenities Royal has discontinued. Celebrity still sends them out (to suite class) as does Oceania. My guess is so do a dozen other cruise lines. Anyway, now I just print them out on my HP, laminate, and attach. Laminating makes the tag sturdier/stiffer so that it doesn't tear or shred when the suitcase is being shuffled around.
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Never been on a Cunard ship. I would like to know what is included in the price (if anything) for a Queens Suite level category. Drinks? Dedicated lounge?
Water? Specialty coffees? Can't seem to find any details on this on the web site.
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15 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:
Sure it is, you just have to pay the $136 difference, plus 18%.😉
Good one!! (LOL)
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12 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:
Yes I will probably have a glass because it's way cheaper than the $3,000 or more I would have to spend for a bottle. I have always wanted to taste the Louis XIII.
You're my kind of dude, Sea Dog! Life is too short NOT to drink the good stuff. In this case, the REALLY good stuff.
FYI... MSC Cruises has a category above their premium bev package that covers every brand on the ship. Not sure about Louis XIII cognac, but it does include Johnnie Walker Blue.
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Cruise Cancelled. I'll take the refund, but what about the insurance we paid?
in Royal Caribbean International
Posted
Excellent, Heymarco, thank you. I'll call Allianz later this morning. I may just transfer the policy to one of our July cruises, although my first inclination is to take the cash. The way things are going, our July back-to-backs may cancel as well.