Loyal2RCCL

Do you have cabin pics? We'll be in the same room next year.

 

Also, what private dining options are available for non gold seapass holders? Do they have a Diamond breakfast area?

Yes, I do have pics of the cabin on my other computer. I'll try and upload them here tonight.

There isn't a Diamond breakfast area as the ship now has a Diamond and Concierge Lounge. You can get your specialty coffee in there as well as a light continental breakfast. The lounges are located in the Top Hat Lounge.

I had 8588 on the 2 day prior to the 3 day repositioning to Colon. The suite was fantastic. Completely new fixtures. There was a ton of storage. It will be interesting if they have fixed any of the minor details, like the drawer in vanity that was not fastened and such. Nothing major though and the air did work perfectly there. That wrap around balcony was perfect. They somewhat ruined my planned sail-away party with guests as we left Nassau early without announcement, but it worked out and I sure had space for guests back there.

 

I also really like the 'secret' staircase about 4 cabins forward on the inside that goes up to the Spa and is great for a short-cut to the Solarium and the new Park Café.

 

We had GS 8016 on the repositioning cruise and we had air conditioning issues. It did not work at all. Oddly it got really warm only at night. They seemed to be working daily in the suites on port side and our sink was out of service the first day. They also had major water issues on deck 7 and 8 and shut it down without notice the night prior to Colon from just before midnight to after 4 am.

 

The air in OS 8502 was better, but the water was out there as well. While I heard other complaints from the suites on starboard side they did not seem to be facilities related, but service issues. OS 8502 was simply an amazing suite. Here, for instance, they took the suite attendant away for the entire second day for training without replacement and we ended up having to call for pressing as we could never find anyone to send it with. We had sent ours much earlier on the port side as the attendant was there.

 

I am booked on the return from Panama in a JS aft and was going to upgrade to a GS, but after my experience with Vision, I think I will now just opt for those JS in future as I was happier there and liked that I could more easily pop up to the Spa and Solarium. I can just purchase the beverage package and book specialty dining for meals for that money and leave happier as my expectations will more easily be met.

 

That said, the current concierge on Vision was fantastic and it was a pleasure sharing all of our many issues with her, even though there was not much she could do except for being the wonderful person that she is....

 

I do not have as positive comments to make about some others, but I do not believe in hanging out individuals for bad service online as I hope RCI takes care of issues internally and have to think that our experience was the exception and not the norm.

The ships are usually not 100% complete when they leave a major drydock. Typically there are still a few items/issues that need to be resolved over the course of the first few weeks after they re-enter service. The severity of what still needs to be completed seems to be related to how extensive the dry dock is. In the case of these major refurbs, you can typically expect more work to be ongoing during the first few sailings.

I agree with you that Vision is a wonderful ship.. she was still in great shape before she went in for her makeover, and I can't wait to sail her again now that she's been refreshed.

Some ships have already started decorating. Freedom's Christmas tree is already up as of yesterday.

When did RCL start naming their ships "_____ of the Seas?" And which ship was renamed to become the Empress of the Seas? That's where I met my husband in 2006 so the Empress is very special to me.

Soveriegn was the first ship to bear the "of the Seas" moniker. Nordic Empress was the ship they renamed Empress of the Seas after her refurbishment.

If it requires his signature, you could always sign his name.

She was docked next to us last month in Kusadasi, Turkey... still sailing with Louis Cruise Line..

I saw it last night on TV for the first time and I liked it. It's about time they came up with a good commercial after the flops that were Nation of Why Not and Shell Phone.

I´m sorry I meant we dont use the MDR :p

 

The only thing I am not a fan of yet is that there are A LOT of pay restaurants, looks like most of them are. The complimentary restaurants dont even have a name lol. Its ok in the end we are buffet people :D and that pool grill looks great.

 

Its a long way to go, I know I shouldnt even be worried about this yet. Jewel of the Seas in January is coming up first!! :cool:

You may want to rethink this on NCL.. they have the worst buffet and MDR food I've ever had.

3pm is too late to really enjoy Blue Lagoon. You can book an excursion directly on the BL website which is what we did and it gave us all day to enjoy the island at a better price than what the ship charged.

I see you took another tour that is not from the ship. Are you comfortable taking non-ship sponsored tours. Are they cheaper or more expensive than the ship tours.

I always take private tours. Not only are they less expensive than the ship sponored tours they are a much better experience overall, and you get to see so much more.

This has got to be the brightest answer I have read in I dont know how long.

 

Everybody is flaming the OP because to them -the ship is the destination- or -they have been to Nassau several times- or - they want to have th eship to themselves-

 

Well, that might be for other people, but not for the OP its clear. We dont know if its the OP first time to Nassau, or they did want to enjoy and make the best of the already super short stop there.

 

If it happened to me I would be upset and I would also like some type of compensation because I booked a cruise that will stop 7-2 in Nassau and it will not happen, for whatever reason you wanna call it, blame who you want, its just not happening, hence I AM NOT GETTING WHAT I PAID FOR. If it was weather related I would understand and I would appreciate the fact that they are doing it for my own safety and be glad they are not putting me in any risk. But you are taking time out of my already short time in port becaus eof your faulty ship. Why would I have to take the consequences of your faulty ship and not say a thing or be compensated even in the smallest way?

 

Now I do understand the part of the policy that ports might change for whatever reason. I am ok with that, but again, its because of RCIs faulty ship. Its not because the weather will not allow us to dock, or because Nassau will not let the ship dock, or because they want us to leave earlier. It is RCIs fault. Why would I have to be responisble for it and sacrifice my time on the island?

 

Flame me all you want but I think the OP has a valid point. OP booked a vacation that will be affected and not be what it was supposed to be because of the companies fault.

Do you also expect the airlines to compensate you when they have a delay or cancellation and didn't get you to your destination at the time you booked? Using your logic above, you wonldn't have gotten what you paid for. :rolleyes:

At least these people are getting their port call in Nassau (The World's Largest Flea Market). They can still enjoy the beaches, bars, water and local sights. Losing 1 hour really isn't that traumatic.

Really? R.C. isn't doing enough for the inconvenience this has caused! 340.00 - Advanced Purchase hotel...non-refundable

207.00 - per ticket change fee, per person

If you booked non-refundable hotel and air.. perhaps you should have protected those investments with TRAVEL INSURANCE. :rolleyes:

You'd complain too if you went through as much trouble as I did to get finally find and book this Blue Lagoon Excursion, with several weeks of frustrating emails, phone calls, and internet searches. But hey, feel free to jump to conclusions and assume I have no reason to be upset. Well played.

 

And to reiterate, I'm not in the we-want-compensation camp, just stating that I am miffed about the whole thing, and evidently we take our vacations and the money we spend on them (and the time and effort in planning them) a whole lot more seriously than most people on here. We lead miserable daily lives and these trips are one of the only bright spots, so that's honestly why we feel that way.

 

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Honestly, if you were going to Blue Lagoon just for a beach day.. it's not that big a loss! Just hop a cab over to Paradise Island and enjoy one of the free beaches over there that are equally as nice as those on Blue Lagoon.

Exactly. As much as I'd like to be able to do my Nassau excursion (which now I can't), the bottom line is, and I'm quite sure we can all agree on this, that any port stop of 6 hours (which this is going to be) is completely useless. By the time you disembark, get off the pier, get to where you're going, and then get back with plenty of time to spare before the all-aboard, you really won't be able to do much at all. The wife and I are now going to be stuck spending about $120 for 3 hours of beach time at one of the local resorts near the pier.

You don't have to spend any money to spend the day at the beach in Nassau.. there are plenty of nice, free beaches on Paradise Island.

IMHO 6 hrs in Nassau is PLENTY.. and most times I just treat that port as a "ship day".

I know in the main dining room, you can select two entrees (or actually do one as an appetizer size). The Portofino menu has quite a few entrees I would like to try that I've never eaten before....but would like a backup for lack of better words. Chops will be easy. Steaks are steaks. But I'd to be adventurous at Portofinos. Does anyone know the policy?? Thanks.

I seriously doubt you'll be able to finsih 2 entrees with all the other food items they serve. If you order multiple entrees, they will charge you and additional $10 per entree. If for some reason you don't like your entree choice, they will gladly swap it for another without charge.

Also, you can order any of the pasta entrees as a smaller "side" portion without the additional charge.

We missed Coco Cay on my Freedom cruise because of rough seas and you would NOT believe the lines at Guest Services of all the angry, demanding people. I felt terrible for those poor souls working behind that desk.

Oh, I believe it. I'm always shocked at what a fuss people make over the smallest things.

What an outrage! They should give everyone a free cruise for life for cutting the port times short by an hour or so.

On my last cruise we missed a stop in Greece due to the port closing because of wind/high seas. Maybe I should call and demand some sort of compensation as well?! :rolleyes:

You could also head to the "secret" balconies on Decks 11 and 12 aft to watch the Aqua Show.

My reason for posting this is to give information on those affected by the cancellation... NOT to start a debate on how unfair RCCL is in their compensation offer.

I personally think they are being fair in their offer. They've given plenty of advance notice and for those that say they only have 1 specific week of vacation.. you can always cruise on Oasis leaving the same week and still receive a generous OBC.

Of course there will always be a certain few people that will never be happy with any amount of compensation.. but honestly.. if you're not affected by this cancellation, what difference is it to you what they offer? -- (Which BTW they're not obligated to give you anything in the first place)

I hope all those that have been affected find suitable arrangements on another cruise and enjoy their vacations.

Dear Travel Partner:

We are writing to provide you with important information regarding your clients booked on the February 23, 2014, sailing of Allure of the Seas. Please provide this information, as soon as possible, to your clients booked on this sailing.

Allure of the Seas has been experiencing excessive and unanticipated bearing wear in one of its three propulsion motors. All three motors are fully operational, and there is no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of our guests and crew. However, since the rate of bearing wear is directly related to ship’s speed, we have had to limit the ship’s top speed. This has reduced the rate of bearing wear and will ensure that all of three propulsion motors are fully available for maneuvering and emergencies until repairs can be completed.

We have explored numerous repair options. Regrettably, there is no satisfactory solution that does not involve taking the ship temporarily out of service. We are very sorry to say that because of this, it will be necessary to cancel your client’s sailing in order to make the necessary repairs.

Royal Caribbean International will provide all guests booked on the February 23, 2014 sailing of Allure of the Seas with a full refund of their cruise fare paid. Cruise fare refunds will be automatically processed back to the original form of payment. Please allow two to three weeks for all transactions to be processed. Please note that our Travel Partners’ commissions will be protected for this sailing.

As an alternative, guests may move to the same stateroom category in any of the following sailings for the same cruise fare rate they paid for their February 23, 2014 sailing.

Allure of the Seas: February 2, 2014 or February 9, 2014 sailings

Oasis of the Seas: February 1, 2014, February 8, 2014 or February 22, 2014 sailings

Guests who choose this option will also receive a $200 per stateroom onboard credit for interior, oceanview, balcony and neighborhood staterooms, or a $400 onboard credit per stateroom for suites.

Also, if your client booked air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, they will receive a full refund. If your client did not purchase air transportation through Royal Caribbean International, we will assist them by paying for their airline change fee, up to $150. We ask that they please send a copy of the receipt for the change fee along with a brief note explaining that they were booked on the February 23, 2014, sailing of Allure of the Seas to the following address: Royal Caribbean International, Customer Service, 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132-2096.

A special help desk has been established to assist you with moving your clients. The desk opened on November 14, 2013 and will remain open until November 29, 2013. All reservations that are not changed by the specified close date will be cancelled and ineligible for the compensation offered.

For Individual Reservations: 1-888-281-9344 ext. 28546

For Group Reservations: 1-888-281-9344 ext. 28623

Thank you for your assistance in notifying your clients about the cancellation of their February 23, 2014, sailing. We sincerely regret that we will be unable to deliver the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation they were looking forward to. We understand that our guest’s vacation time is very precious and can assure you that we did not take this decision lightly. As always, we thank you for your ongoing support of Royal Caribbean International.

Sincerely,

Royal Caribbean International

This just reported on Seatrade:

Allure will be out a week for repairs in February

Royal Caribbean International has reached a decision on what to do about the propulsion issue on Allure of the Seas, which has slowed the ship for the past few weeks. The vessel's Feb. 23 cruise is canceled for a week of repairs at Grand Bahama Shipyard in the Bahamas.

Allure of the Seas has been experiencing unanticipated bearing wear in one of its three propulsion motors. All three motors are fully operational, the company said, and there is no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of passengers and crew.

However, since the rate of bearing wear is directly related to speed, the ship's top speed has been limited. This has reduced the rate of bearing wear, and will ensure that all three propulsion motors are fully available for maneuvering and emergencies until repairs can be completed, the company said.

'We sincerely regret that we will be unable to deliver the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation that our guests were looking forward to,' said RCI president and ceo Adam Goldstein. 'We understand that our guests' vacation time is very precious and can assure you that we did not take this decision lightly. But it was very important to us that we bring Allure back up to speed so that she could continue to deliver the amazing cruise vacations our guests expect.'

The world's largest cruise ship entered service in 2010.

We boarded Radiance in Seward this past June, and they were boarding at 11am.

despite the testimony of you and others that the roof is sometimes retracted, you can expect this poster to continue to claim that the roof is NEVER opened.:rolleyes:

I honestly wonder if that person has actually ever cruised RCCL since most of the information they tend to spew is inaccurate. :D:eek:

You can quote the 'policy' to me, and all I can reply with is, my TA denied the OBC coming from her....and I know her well enough, that she isn't worried about losing my business if she tells me the truth, that she gave it to me, instead of RCI. She doesn't have to make RCI look better in my eyes by telling me they gave me the OBC, when I asked her about it, after the cruise.

You're TA is obviously not telling the whole story, or the truth. The policy is no OBC after final payment from RCCL.

Patty - the interiors are booking for 399 (versus the 559 I paid), OV and balcony guarantee for 499.

Disfan - that is why I'm so frustrated, they just kept repeating "not an eligible rate...." If someone can provide a logical answer I would gladly accept it, the thing that bothers me the most is that nothing Resolutions said, or the situation overall, makes sense to me.

Those rates are the R Sale rates and are applicable to NEW BOOKINGS ONLY, which is why you're being told you can't upgrade. You're not eligile for that rate code.