firefly333

My friend does all lines out of Galveston. He loved jubilee. He also did prima and princess. He just books them all. Prices are less on royal out of texas I think is the issue. That port seems like carnivals bread and butter per john heald. Jubilee is their newest ship and has more specialty included food than previous classes.

I would write and explain first to mbayley@rccl.com.. if you just dispute a small charge your credit card writes it off or if bigger writes to rcl. I did disputes with amex. If rcl gets a charge back usually that card will be blocked for future use with rcl if they disagreed. It's not true getting a charge reversed closes the issue with the merchant. Try asking the vp office and explaining it first is best imo.

I just saw a TA offering multiple dates for icon. Seems like $2700 and up. Insides and OVs. Not balconys. Maybe sept was lower than that. Clearly royal is discounting rates for TAs. Icon to me for familys with kids, I'm solo. Just doesnt call to me. The only date that was over 3k was nye. Rates were for 2 people. Not sure if I can book those rates or how it would work, just looking. I honestly believe demand isn't there for those huge prices people post here. And dont believe the hype that rcl is choosing to sail icon under 100% if they could sell all the cabins. I'm ready to see new ports or more unusual, not just newer ships. Lost my enthusiasm.

I was also thinking about carnival is bringing in a 4th LNG ship they announced. How many ports set up for LNG, how hard is it to set up.

I dont see rcl retreating but I think prices will get softer as they add inventory. Last release I found same ole and booked a TA and this release this week, nothing. I think I'm burnt out on what I'm spending to cruise. Not getting the value from what I'm spending. Not on strike but not feeling like booking either. Going on what I booked but not booking more at this time. Moving to PC and had in mind cruising more but might cruise less, or less royal. Makes no sense to book the same ports and ships I already have booked for ever higher prices. There are a group of posters here who seem to book at any price. I've hit my wall. Lol and still moving to PC.

There was a post from a TA that rcl is hiding inventory, not showing it all at once even to TAs. Airbnb also had bad earnings. The bloom is off the rose on people renting and then getting charged high cleaning fees perhaps. These could also be the canaries in the cold mine. Didnt rcl just announce yet another oasis class ship for 2028. Consumers are starting to tire. Imo demand is dropping. Record earnings over last year from rcl, but there are signs for those of us who follow the stock market.

Just my thoughts. Expedia had a earnings call 4 days ago. See this sell off? What they said was demand for travel is dropping. Those after covid who would pay anything are gone. You already see casino deals for icon. They say they are not sailing full right away, because they want to make sure everything is right, could it be people just didnt book and that why icon was sailing less than full. I booked this xmas and solo code was working. I booked 6 months after others on my roll call. People want you to believe rcl is so inept for 6 months they couldn't fix it so the code quit working. I see other holiday dates that I can book cheaper with the code working booking direct, for thanksgiving xmas and even new years eve on older ships for 2025 too. Rcl inept or having trouble filling older ships. Someone this morning said they are light consumer service stocks. Coke and Heinz earnings said their pricing power is falling, consumers are pushing back against higher prices. I've seen sites with cheaper icon prices, imo to fill ships, then they act like demand isnt falling off. I see signs the consumer is pushing back at higher prices. Here is EXPE chart after they said they see travel demand falling. You can see on the chart where they had their earnings call. Time imo to sit back and wait ... deals will be back. Give it some time.

Maybe its changed. Lomg ago I remember a mom called and was allowed her baby as a 5th in a 4 pax cabin. Used to be allowed from what I've read.

@Ourusualbeachmight know. I havent seen a additional taxes on top of the port fees and taxes. Maybe it's how it's broken out. It says a percentage tax on the cruisefare? What percentage?

I did chichen itza and some others forget their name. So hot. All the Japanese had umbrellas for the sun for shade, not us. You can swim there and there is a restaurant with chips and dips and frozen margaritas I spent time in. In mexico chips and dip not free, just noting. In the usa they come free.

Interesting. My sister and bil did their honeymoon to the one in arizona. It's been 11 years and he loves trains so they are planning to go back this may. Dinner is in the Fred Harvey restaurant which I presume is related to what you mentioned. Food seems to get good reviews though not sure what is served there. The train.com

I second this. I would not do it from cozumel where a ferry is required. Cozumel is a island.

People throw around the term double pts because they are lazy at math. 3 pts total possible. Not 4. Simple addition, not multiplication. Saying 1 extra pt for each I guess is longer to type.

Because you are adding a 5th pax to a 4 pax cabin, not designed for 5, but rcl allows it if you call.

We did both times of course. That's why we knew first one was advertised at a lower HOA and HOA president herself assured us they had plenty if something came up, ... except they didnt have 100k plus extra when the elevator failed inspection. The sidewalk is sloped and water is still going down into the elevator shaft and now needs a architect to redesign the sidewalk now too. Hence the assessment first year I bought. This one we have the financials and also saw the tower I'm buying the board said $741 a month HOA just hasnt voted yes on it. My realtor dug and read that is how we found out about the unapproved HOA increase. I said after the first one let's make sure and found out again the advertised HOA will be increased by the time I close. Though at least they had the current HOA on the listing correct, unlike the first one, who was off by $25. But close. It's hard to predict something like water had been going into the elevator and ruined the motor etc and it all had to be replaced immediately. Twin towers over there I had looked at going real cheap right now. I passed, luckily but I heard all the balconys are being removed and rebuilt. My realtor says 19 units for sale in there. And another ocean front is also being hit just as hard by new inspections. The one I looked at in twin towers had original electric panel, only used in florida, which wouldn't pass to get insurance. My agent saw it and recognized immediately as he has worked in that area a lomg time. I wasnt up to changing a electric panel, dont know what's behind it. I saw a unit for sale oceanfront there now at $169k. Asked my realtor and he said that condo all the balconys are being removed and replaced. Scary stuff going on there. Where I bought is smaller, and only 3 stories. Fewer units to pay when something goes wrong. The new condo is much taller and newer. Though a bit further and not on the beach, only waterfront. But yea scary stuff going on there along the beach. My realtor has seen assessments of 40k to 55k in the last year. We dug both times for all we could get hold of from HOA. It's the stuff the HOA doesnt know that's scary. Inspections are now tougher to pass.

Its $50 on a balcony booking early. I get that or the next cruise obc which for me is less $$$ refundable solo. $75. .. for $25 more I can fool with next cruise is all I'm sure of.

Dup

Will there be any Panama cruises released? Or is this it? Disappointed. I was hoping for something unusual.

I get a separate tax bill for my florida condo. Not the same as my neighbors. Agree makes a difference if you are a florida resident, but all taxes arent the same for all same sized units. Mine was based off what I paid and up from there. Comes in nov, due in nov. To me that's nuts. Dallas I get 4 months before due, not sent the same month as due. Dallas comes before florida but not due until january.

As far as I know somehow they come up with a assessment for each unit, lol even though each has the same sf and floor plan, maybe based on whatever you paid. And then to rent out even one unit I pay each year for a Florida business license I think is stupid but pay. Also I cant even get any deductions but maybe if I move there on the rented one. Cant claim over age 65 deduction if I dont live in florida. So paying high taxes imo. Taxes go up about $300 a year, but property prices arent rising so idk why. I'm sure some posting here know more than I do, but I'm just holding the oceanfront for now. It's not a good time imo to buy just to rent out. It was a good time when I bought but not now. That bldg collapse really hit condos. I saw a agent on CNBC saying high end miami really hit bad eight now. Not selling. There are deals right now imo. But prices could fall further. I just want to move now. I was a house flipper 50 years ago, not my first. And I have alerts set and watch listings. Both my condos are safe buys imo but I wouldnt buy now unless I had a good reason..prices are still falling. Florida isnt a deal, insurance crazy high for another thing.

From where, i dont see any from florida

Yea my oceanfront is built during the hey days of NASA. 1961. First year I bought they assured us HOA fully funded by then the elevator didnt pass. And I got a assessment for $3500 to fix the elevator. Now they want to paint the exterior, in 3 stages. 1 stage a year and HOPE the increase will cover painting. Imo condo prices are soft all over florida. I can even buy pretty reasonable downtown miami. I had a alert at that port too but HOAs there are mostly over $1000. I draw the line at $1000 a month, though with my luck going to be there on one or the other the way insurance and wages for gardeners and stuff going. It is crazy, but I'm still moving there. I've had enough of texas. It's not my home state lol.

If you book nonrefundable $100 obc for a balcony and reduced deposit. I do group rates with a TA and the obc isnt combinable and for a refundable rate I got $75, full deposit. My TA I'd get $50 so all I gained was $25 obc. For a inside I'd lose $25 obc. No discount, just obc which I cant combine with early booking or something and the reduced deposit is only for nonrefundable. Not that great to me. Buy 100 shares of rcl stock and get obc. Combinable with anything seems like. You dont even have to hold it, just buy, show the shares, the obc posts. They never ask later to prove later. Best obc imo. Lol

My 2025 I can book very little but the year before they start showing up. Chefs table does include wines.

I want some longer cruises and not worry. Booked a TA and another 10 day leg. But now that I'm not worried about home I want to book further afield. Even on harmony when I went before you, a artic blast came thru. My pipes could have burst. 5 degrees was forecast. Just time for freedom. Also I'm older than you and my cruising days are numbered. .. time to cruise while I can. I'm thinking I'm allowed some plants on the balcony, not a back yard like your wife wants, but I can play a little? Though this place is even bigger than I probably need, when you live near the ocean I found before more relatives came to visit lol. Need space for guests. Who knows, but I'm locked in now.