resordanis

13 minutes ago, Zetta83 said:

When are you cruise off? I thought they mentioned only added on day of sailing.

Not until April. There is a extra $25 each showing on travel summary, saying GUEST ON BOARD CREDIT, so presumably that what it is!

4 minutes ago, Zetta83 said:

They should just grandfather everyone before the change. Otherwise, where is the line drawn? E.g. Tomorrow they can change it to "All standard fare are only allowed to dine at the buffet for only 1 hour in sequence of your deck."? 🤣

Totally agree. Imagine was is going to happen once on board. Thank god, we can’t eat Pizza anymore! The queues at Alfredo’s, with who can and who cannot eat without the charge.!🤣

UPDATE Just checked travel summary and $25 each added to OBC😀

2 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Trust is hard sometimes. At least you can see it on your phone now instead of joining the queue at the pursers desk.

Ahh another 3rd world problem the app! Husbands birthdate is wrong and no matter how many phone calls I make it can’t be rectified!

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Word was on the other Princess changes thread that it is $50 per cabin ($25 each), which co-incidently covers the Ocean Now charge. They were just too damn stubborn to just grandfather the charge for anyone already booked.

Just saying the same to my husband. Must have been easier to say anyone with the old packages gets taken to the new package🤔

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

The compo wasn't meant to show until you have boarded and your folio has been established. 

 

PS: I think ours showed a couple of days ago for our cruise next weekend. I will have to check for the email, as I also have shareholder OBC pending and it is hard to know which is which.

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

The compo wasn't meant to show until you have boarded and your folio has been established. 

 

PS: I think ours showed a couple of days ago for our cruise next weekend. I will have to check for the email, as I also have shareholder OBC pending and it is hard to know which is which.

Thanks, I will live in hope then!🤞

4 hours ago, arxcards said:

These started a month or two back.

As mentioned, if you use it you will get charged.  It is a one off charge, the same for 2 nights as it is for 100.

 

If you have the current version of plus or premier packages, the charge doesn't apply. If you have the pre-Christmas version of those packages, you will get some compensation OBC.

 

We rarely used it last year. We are going to pay the charge and absolutely hammer it for cabin delivery. If they want to charge for the service, we will make sure to get value out of it.

We have the pre Xmas version Geoff but no compensation for us at this stage, but as our next cruise is 21 nights, it won’t break the bank!

8 hours ago, arxcards said:

I would agree. Reasonably priced and near OPT are no longer a mutual thing. If they can get out on the rail or light rail and stay at a hotel close to a station for a train or light rail to Circular Quay in the morning, they will be a couple of hundred better off.

 

We have moved over the bridge to North Sydney view for our next pre-cruise stay. We like it there, and it is above North Sydney station. When we cruise light, we will walk down the hill to Milsons Point and ferry over. With luggage, we will catch a train to Wynyard or Central and then another to double back to Circular Quay. Needing two trains when you are so close is a bit of a detraction, but it is otherwise more reasonably priced than those near CQ.

Prior to Covid we always stayed at View North Sydney. Since then we now stay at either Meriton Campbell St or Meriton Kent St. Both so easy to get to the OPT on the light rail.

Lots of eating options around both too!

5 minutes ago, cheznandy said:

For Chilli...there is a veterans get together 9am day 6 King and Country pub.

Also, coffee good for me, I have long black. Bar/coffee port side outside buffet so tried there. Now at Lattitudes and good, not strong and bitter like some.

Also kettles in rooms, been a while since we cruised Royal and can't remember if they took them away for Oz but we have one.

 

Kettles in rooms, thanks for that information. Great for us. Funny,  Ovation has kettles, but when Radiance was here, they didn’t. Ralph will be interested in the Veterans get to gather too. Thank you for the information. 

2 hours ago, cheznandy said:

Hi all. We are onboard .

So good to be back on Royal, check in a breeze about 10 minutes.

If anyone cruising on Briiliance soon needs any info I will try to help.

Don't have ship WiFi but will have my data in all the ports.

Beautiful day in Sydney today.

Have a great time Chez and Andy, so sorry we had to cancel out on this adventure, we were going to have a great time with you both. Hopefully we will be on Brilliance in December!

1 hour ago, Sparky74 said:

Have all lines done away with staggered boarding times?

The in-laws are sailing on Brillance OTS on Sunday and reckon I that everyone boards between 2pm and 4pm. 🤷‍♂️
Perhaps @gbenjo can give some insight. 

We were boarding this cruise on Sunday and had 12 noon, as has Chez. Unfortunately we have had to cancel. I think the timing is due to the ridiculous way Royal Caribbean are doing boarding at the moment, whereas if you don’t check in around midnight, you miss out on the earlier time. Hopefully that changes soon.

15 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

What are the perks on Celebrity for D plus these days?

And what’s the carry on allowance?

Chili,

We found Celebrity to be great. Drinks between 5-7pm (or some two hour window each evening except embarkation day). Breakfast/Brunch each morning in Tuscan Grill with Mimosas or Champagne (I didn’t partake😢 ) Speciality coffees. The good thing we found that once on board there was many things dedicated for Elite and above. Examples: We had a cocktail making lesson one day, it really was enjoyable and quite fun too participate. . Also our own tour of the galley. Washing I think, some internet.I think these things vary from ship to ship. Our last cruise was on Celebrity Eclipse just after getting off Ovation. Certainly a different experience and one I hope I can do again this season. I really hope Brilliance is better than Ovation, because if it isn’t we will pay the extra for Celebrity or Cunard. Just looking for a cheap cruise, and at the moment, nothing is cheap, but I can wait for last minute. Hope this helps Chili!

PS Carry on 1 bottle each!

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

I have a solo cruise coming and just for curiosity I thought I would check.

And you seem to be correct.   $1129 divided by 9 is $125.

 

 

 

Chili you don’t need the drinks package. Your 5 drinks a day should be adequate plus the bottle you receive too. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 save your money!

1 hour ago, marinating said:

Got a bargain on Queen Elizabeth, 5 nights Sydney, Melbourne, Burnie back to Sydney in a balcony for $610 per person! Went straight back in to book for a friend but not available!

That is such a good price. Congratulations. I have been looking at that cruise but can only see a much higher price direct. Good for you!

6 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

If you cruise is like any of the others I've been on to PNG, at Alotau the local bank will send some people on board just after docking to exchange currency.

 

As for Alotau township itself, I'm hard put to recommend getting off the ship.

Totally agree with your view on Alotau. We really wanted to go to Milne bay but we’re really upset with all hawkers around on the memorial. We really couldn’t experience what Milne Bay meant to us. I do realise they are just so poor. Some of the children were trying to get water from drain as they had nothing to drink at that time. We did wonder where all our foreign aid went (but that is another story). Rabaul we did find very interesting, but not in a hurry to go back to PNG.

43 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

3 on Brilliance October to Kangaroo island , January ,February.

And one on Ovation at the end of March ,with an overnight in Noumea,that’s looking like a party cruise.

You’re a party girl Cheryl!  And you’re going to say ,come on Noumea ?

You haven’t been to an overnight with Chili in Noumea!

I am not the party girl, but husband is definitely! October cruise with Cheznandy does that mean party? Couldn’t think of anything worse, than an overnighter in Noumea! Definitely not doing that one as we are on Royal Princess 6/4 to Japan. Looking for something January or February though!

21 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Are you on Brilliance Cheryl?

October and then December. No Ovation if I can help it! What about you?

1 hour ago, Cruisers47 said:

We are on Celebrity Edge over Christmas and looking forward to it.

 

i am assuming that since it is more expensive that Royal Carribean the food will be better, although the food on RC is ok.

have been on Celebrity before but not since Covid.

 

Eileen

We did a Celebrity cruise in March and found it much better than Royal Caribbean. We had just come off B2B2B on Ovation. Food was similar, ( but actually horrible in Coastal Kitchen)  but everyone’s idea of food is different, but better entertainment and better loyalty program benefits. Definitely looking forward to doing one again this season.

14 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

Yes..,I am now a dedicated RC cruisers after 40 cruises on various cruise lines.  We are nearly Diamond plus but I don’t think I can manage 5 drinks a day🤮
 

I just wish they had longer cruises in Europe.   A lot of the cruises are the same so B2B it not easy.
 

at Christmas we are doing Celebrity but I wanted to see how the Edge was.

 

i wonder how long RC can offer the best perks.   Although if they drop the perks they will lose customers.   
 

Enjoy cruising everybody.

 

eileen
 

 

Keep in mind, you can obtain extra water or coffee too. Sadly now we drink a lot of water 🤣. Whilst the drinks are good, the perks have declined since prior to Covid. This could vary by ship too. You will also get extra water and another bottle of wine as D+.  Taking away the Concierge Lounge was a big hit for us. Even the Pinnacles thought this on the last cruise of the season on Ovation . Sadly, all loyalty has declined with most lines since Covid. Speaking to the Hotel Director one night, he said as such and said they would be promoting the Key and full suites with benefits. We found Celebrity really looked after us as Elite passengers with our reciprocal arrangement.

Having having access to Coastal Kitchen many times prior to Covid.

,we were in a JS  last cruise of this past season and unfortunately booked in for the whole cruise. To say the food was disappointing was an understatement , it was nothing in comparison to the other 4 cruises that we did last season and could only use the main dining room. The quality of the food had certainly deteriorated. In fact, some of the other people who we sat near and were going thru to Vancouver, we’re going to WJ for their evening meal. We certainly did not think it was a “perk”. Prior to Covid the food was exceptional.

RIP. I always enjoyed Mr Guts posts. Sad news.

17 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

We weren't eligible for the free ones until now that many are getting close to the use by dates, and we're given to local libraries to distribute.

Same here, but very short date. Still good for Japan trip though.

10 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Picked up some RA tests for free, seems they will expire by February next year.  I know they aren't really needed for cruise check ins and such, but we find them useful when we return home after a trip, just to ensure we are covid free.

Our local member has had it confirmed that RAT tests (well the ones they were handing out for free) have 6 months after the expiry date. We will be doing the same, checking once we get home.

1 hour ago, Threedrones said:

I followed advice on cruisecritic and emailed Mona at mgutierrez@rccl.com. We, too, were requesting a table for two. She got back to me in three days with great news, our request granted. She also sent my dining room and table number. We sent our request two weeks prior to sale date along with our ship, sailing and booking number. Good luck.

Thanks I did contact the other email and got a reply back in a couple of hours, but they sent our request to ship! In past, they have sent me table details, so will use this email address and try again. Thank you!

32 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Rcldining@rccl.com

Thank you very much!