negc

Aruba would be my first choice for good(sandy) beaches (either Eagle or Palm) but if you want a good beach in Curaçao, take a taxi to Blue Baie beach where they offer a sandy beach (unlike some of the rocky beaches nearer to Willemstad, restaurant, and clean rest rooms. It is part of a condo resort and is very well maintained. Well worth a bit of a ride. We have found that the taxi driver who takes you there is more than willing to return at an agreed upon time to return you to the ship.

Just be careful, as colors fade and stuff shrinks. i would only use it for socks, underwear and t shirts that are light colored, as a red t shirt turned pink on us. They also seem to dry in very hot temps, so stuff can shrink. Pajamas are OK to go, but I don't put anything i really care about in that bag.

If you eat at the same time nightly, the traditional is probably best for you. The menus and dress code are the same, whether it's MTD or Traditional.

 

We prefer having tablemates, so we always choose traditional (late, as we eat late at home)....hubby and I eat almost ALL of our meals together at home, so having tablemates is a HUGE BONUS! We enjoy eating with others! In MTD, you will be "hard-pressed" to find someone who wants tablemates.

As usual, this poster's comments about MY Time Dining diverge from reality and contain the same canards despite continuous attempts to others to dispel those myths about MTD, but fear not the next time someone asks about MTD she will continue to post the same untruths. First of all you can eat at the same time nightly (or different times if they better fit your daily schedule) in My Time Dining. The difference is that the same time you wish to dine isn't restricted to the two times set for traditional dining. If you wish to dine with others you can easily find others on the cruise who would be pleased to join you. My Time diners are not anti-social. If you happen to be served by a wait staff that you like, you can ask to have the same team and the host or hostess will make an effort to accommodate you. Tables for two are close enough together that you can frequently become acquainted and it is also like having tablemates. We were reluctant to try MTD when it was first introduced but we have become strong advocates because of the advantages it offers and our positive experiences with the way that RCI carries it out.

Give it a try and you might enjoy it.

This is completely false, the anthem has no reservations anymore. All 4 restaurants that were part of dynamic dining have been converted to main dining rooms...600, my time, or 830 just like a normal royal ship. No matter what time your dining will be assigned to chic, grande, American icon, or silk

I believe that the poster was referring to the specialty restaurants such as Wonderland and Jamies, not the main dining rooms such as Chic, Grande, American Icon or Silk, so reservations are still needed to dine in the specialty restaurants on the night and at the times they want so the question and original answers were relevant.

I thought we were talking news...NBC quit reporting news years ago

Let us know when Fox starts to report news.;)

I hope they really are planning to release the itineraries soon, getting ants in my pants over here :p

Every year they begin to release their itineraries on or about the same dates - late February/early March and April. They seem to feel that schedule works out well for them so there is little reason to think it will be any different this year.

We had a party of 11 and made a standing reservation for 7:30 in MTD on the Serenade repo cruise from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale last November. We even requested, and got, our favorite waiter from several previous cruises. Speak to the host in the MTD dining room and he or she will do everything possible to accommodate you. No need to confine yourselves to the two traditional dining times if they don't work best for your group. On those occasions when our group chose to eat in one of the specialty restaurants, we simply informed our wait staff that we would be absent on that particular evening- no problem.:) On the rare occasion that the people who had our table before us were late in departing, we had, at most, a five minute wait while the staff cleared and reset the table for us.:)

Our Princess cruise had Glacier Bay on its itinerary, while our RCI cruise obviously did not, but I really didn't feel its absence detracted from our enjoyment of the cruise or our appreciation of the wonders of Alaska. Hubbard Glacier more than compensated for the absence of Glacier Bay. We will be returning to Alaska this June on Radiance of the Seas and looking forward to it with great anticipation.:)

We have done cruise tours with both Princess and Royal Caribbean and while both offer a superior experience, we were considerably happier with our RCI cruise tour for several reasons: the tour in Denali with Princess was the limited Natural History tour while the RCI tour we chose offered the Tundra Wilderness Tour which took us deeper into Denali and showed us much more wildlife including a mother bear with her two cubs who actually walked past our bus and down the road as we watched in amazement. RCI tour was fully escorted which was not the case with the Princess tour, and included several land tours which matched what Princess also included. Some of the properties that RCI used to lodge its guests were IMO superior to the Princess-owned properties. (Specifically the property used by RCI in Fairbanks and the Talkeetna Lodge in that little Alaskan community.) Princess put us up in the Captain Cook in Anchorage while RCI used the Marriott Downtown Anchorage - both good properties close to good restaurants and sites of interest. Our RCI tour guide and bus driver were with us for the whole land journey and added immeasurably to our enjoyment of that part of the trip. An added feature of our RCI experience, and one that I am not sure is available through Princess, was the ability to upgrade from the coach transfer from Anchorage to the ship to the Alaska RR train which was a highlight of our trip. Equipment on the train cars used by both lines was similar although on our Princess trip the seating arrangement had two people facing backward towards two people facing forward with a table in between. Much preferred the forward facing arrangement of all seats on the RCI train cars.

Both lines offer a good product but we thought that Royal Caribbean's beat Princess' hands down.

You will not recognize the name of the performers, unless you're REALLY into the "cruise circuit" entertainment thing...

 

The "guest" entertainers are great...but they are unknowns...they rotate between ships and cruise lines...

As is freequently the case, this information reflects one poster's opinion and isn't totally accurate. We have often seen guest entertainers who, while they may now be in the twilight of their careers are not "unknown". On recent cruises we have seen such "names", as Marty Allen and Bowser and others who while they certainly wouldn't qualify as current "stars" are names you might recognize.Some of the "no names" actually are quite talented and put on a great show. If you email Royal Caribbean at web_reservations@rccl.com (remember to place an underscore _ between the words "web" and 'reservations") several weeks before your cruise, they should be able to provide you with a list of scheduled performers.

I just got off the phone with a Royal rep about booking a room for a family member and I was just told that the window that is in an ocean view on the Anthem opens Is this true? I said to him are you sure He said yes it is just like having a balcony room with the air but you can't stand outside.

I swear that some of there reps have never ever been on one of their cruise ships so it is always advisable to take anything they say with at least a grain of salt. ;)

We had a group of 11 in MTD last Fall on Serenade and they were able to seat us (all adults). together at the same table with the same servers every night (usually around 7:30) and on that cruise at least (repo from Boston to FLL) While the table normally sat 10, adding an extra seat did not present a crowding problem. I noticed that there were usually a number of tables open towards 8 PM and a bit later. Contact them in advance and they should be able to accommodate you.:)

Jonathan Isip now on Serenade but previously on Brilliance of the Seas. Whenever we have learned that he is working one of our cruises we have requested to be seated at one of his tables and have been rewarded with excellent service. His wife, Michelle is also a server and the pair are wonderful people. Jonathan was actually on deck to greet us when we boarded the Serenade in October for the repo cruise out of Boston.

I thought they always pre-recorded the morning shows albeit I have only been on three cruises. Given the hours they put in I wouldn't expect the CD and his staff to up at the crack of dawn to record the show.

I agree with those who mentioned that the morning show is almost always recorded the night prior to its broadcast. That has been the situation on every RCI ship we have cruised on. I have never had a problem with that and not sure why anyone would object or would actually expect it to be broadcast live.:)

We prefer traditional dining..because we enjoy having tablemates! you are unlikely to get tablemates with MTD. What you choose depends on your likes!

If you are cruising with friends who also have MTD you can definitely have tablemates and if you make friends onboard you can always invite them to dine with you if they have mtd. No need to confine yourself to the two traditional dining times, especially if one is too early or too late. We were skeptical of MTD when it was first introduced due to a less than auspicious experience with Princess, but gave it a try and have been going with MTD ever since. When we took traditional dining we usually had excellent tablemates but on occasion we had tablemates who were definitely less satisfactory and in some instances we actually had to ask to be moved to another table. RCI usually did a good job of assigning compatible guests to a table but once in a while they were unsuccessful. I can think of at least one frequent advocate of traditional dining with whom I would not want to share a table.;)

Ships of the Radiance class are my favorites in the RCI fleet although we have sailed on and enjoyed every class of their ships. Each has its own special features and we try to accept and enjoy the differences. The Jewel and its sisters offer terrific views of the ocean from almost everywhere throughout the ship, a smaller passenger contingent, and shorter distances between your cabin an all other locations on the ship. I especially enjoy the climate-controlled solarium which allow me to enjoy the pool regardless of outside weather conditions and if the glass roof actually blocks the harmful sun's rays, that is all to the good in my opinion. While it may not have all the bells and whistles that can be found on other (usually larger) ships) Jewel is not lacking, IMHO, any basic necessities to provide a great cruise experience. Unless you absolutely have to have those bells and whistles you can have a wonderful time. Entertainment, aside from special features like the ice shows, and the broadway type shows such as CATS, Grease,Mama Miaare generally similar on all their ships, so any shortcomings on a particular cruise are likely due to the individual performers on that cruise and don't necessarily reflect the quality you will necessarily find on Jewel for your cruise.

I recommend that you resist the urge to compare this cruise with others you have taken on RCI or any other line. Each cruise offers a special experience that needs to be enjoyed for itself.:)

Right on. Meet you there. ;):D

Will look for you and any others who wish to join us.:)

Just as an FYI ... if you opt for an indoor movie ... the theater seating is VERY steep, be careful going down and up the stairs to the different aisles. (I'm not the most graceful person ... and provided a bit of pre-movie entertainment for the other guests one evening ... :o ) .

The Cinemas on Radiance class ships (Radiance, Brilliance, Jewel and Serenade) have stadium style seating. While the stairs may be a bit steep but the distinct advantage is that you won't have someone who is tall or has a big hat or "big hair" sitting in front of you and blocking your view of the screen.

If anyone has to "search" for things in the buffet after their first day's visit, they may also have a problem finding their way back to their cabin.;) Items aren't hidden or moved from one place to another from day to day. They are pretty much clearly labeled and in the same location every day. I prefer the buffet with its wider variety of food choices over the "so much nicer" MDR with its slow or sporadic service, and controlled portions. (An ice cream scoop portion of scrambled eggs just doesn't cut it for me).

The last time we tried having breakfast in the main dining room, my hot cereal and my French toast were delivered at the same time leaving me to decide whether to eat the oatmeal first and let the French toast get cold or vice versa. If we do it again, I guess I will have to remember to ask the waiter not to deliver both at the same time, but it should have gone without saying.

In the meantime we'll continue to go to the Windjammer and get what and how muchIwant for breakfast.

Anthem and all Royal Caribbean ships now dock at Crown Bay. We were there several weeks ago and liked it. I think cab fare to downtown was $5pp and fares elsewhere on the island were similar to what we previously paid at Havensight.

....it's been a long drought for us - 6 years since our last cruise....just booked the Brilliance out of Tampa in January! I'm sure I've missed a lot of changes - anything to share? New "do's" and "don'ts"? So thrilled to get out to smell the sea air again, and relax!!

no smoking in your stateroom or on your balcony; Not sure how long ago it started, but my time dining is now available as an alternative to the traditional two seatings at dinnertime;

We regularly use Priceline to find a good but relatively indexpensive hotel in the FLL area ( frequently a cost of approx $60 a night including a complimentary breakfast). The Dania Beach area is right off 95 and there is shuttle service to the pier available. The area includes Hyatt, Springhill Suites, Quality Inn and others with similar facilities. Large mall with several good restaurants are nearby.

I hope my explanation makes sense. Here's my problem with removing gratuities and paying my waiters and stewards in cash. It means that the people who serve me in the WJ and other venues on the ship, get a smaller amount from the pooled cash. I think that means I'm stiffing those members of the crew. In addition, I see my waiter in the Windjammer and know that he is going to get less from the pool from people who remove their gratuities and give the tip directly to their MDR waiter. SO, the only way I know of to make sure I tip ALL the crew members that wait on me is to do the auto-pay and slip the extra cash to my cabin steward and waiters.

Works for me. I sometimes wonder about how bothered some are about the relatively minor cost of gratuities in comparison to the total cost of their cruise. Who among us would work the hours and under the conditions that the crew on a cruise ship work for the compensation they receive? It may dwarf the amount they would earn back in their homelands but there is a reason so few US citizens are found among a cruiseline's workforce.

Consistently Inconsistent as usual.

That "inconsistency" is likely due to the number of Diamond Plus members on a particular sailing. On the Serenade last August, D+ members had access to the CL on the 8 night Norwegian fjords cruise but on the subsequent transatlantic when there were well over 300 Diamond + members onboard, they were relegated to the Diamond lounge and Diamond members ( a similarly large number) were able to use the Safari Lounge for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres each evening. Trying to cram over 300 D+ members into the CL along with Suite and Pinnacle Club guests would have totally overwhelmed the facility. Not sure what else they could have done given the numbers involved. RCI is, to some degree at least, a victim of its own success and the result is sometimes disconcerting to veteran passengers.

rotation on Freedom, Jewel, and Liberty

 

Adventure OTS - Capt Tomas Busto (started rotation 10-29-16)

Adventure OTS - Capt Shawn McDuff

Allure OTS - Capt Tore Grimstad (started rotation 9-24-16)

Allure OTS - Capt Ron Holmes

Anthem OTS - Capt Felix Shrecko Ban (started rotation 10-1-16)

Anthem OTS - Capt Henrik Loft Sørensen

Brilliance OTS - Capt Ole-Johan Gronhaug (started rotation 9-23-16)

Brilliance OTS - Capt Stig Nilsen

Empress OTS - Capt Carl Graucob (started rotation 9-12-16)

Empress OTS - Capt Diego Lombardic

Enchantment OTS - Capt Toni Tomljanovic (started rotation 10-24-16)

Enchantment OTS - Capt Angel Oviol

Explorer OTS - Capt Rick Sullivan (started rotation 10-8-16)

Explorer OTS - Capt Kjetil Gjerstad

Freedom OTS - Capt Espen Been (started rotation 11-6-16)

Freedom OTS - Capt Toni Calne

Grandeur OTS - Capt Ante Cavala (started rotation 10-27-16)

Grandeur OTS - Capt Thordur Thorsson

Harmony OTS - Capt Gus Andersson (started rotation 9-4-16)

Harmony OTS - Capt Johnny Faevelen

Independence OTS - Capt Iv Vidos (started rotation 8-27-16)

Independence OTS - Capt Thore Thorolvsen

Jewel OTS - Capt Lis Lauritzen (started rotation 11-6-16)

Jewel OTS - Capt Dustin Castelsky

Legend OTS - Capt Kjell Nordmo (started rotation 9-25-16)

Legend OTS - Capt Arild Hansen

Liberty OTS - Capt James MacDonald (started rotation 11-4-16)

Liberty OTS - Capt Rune Johnsen

Majesty OTS - Capt Anders Ingebrigtsen (started rotation 9-19-16)

Majesty OTS - Capt Pehr Pehrsson

Mariner OTS - Capt Malvin Bardnes (started rotation 9-5-16)

Mariner OTS - Capt Claus Andersen

Navigator OTS - Capt Aris Medina (started rotation 9-3-16)

Navigator OTS - Capt Frank Martinsen

Oasis OTS - Capt Per Kristoffersen (started rotation 10-29-16)

Oasis OTS - Capt Rob Hempstead

Ovation OTS - Capt Flemming Nielsen (started rotation 10-13-16)

Ovation OTS - Capt Henrik W Loy

Quantum OTS - Capt Erik Standahl (started rotation 10-16-16)

Quantum OTS - Capt Charles Tiege

Radiance OTS - Capt Göran Peterson (started rotation 9-20-16)

Radiance OTS - Capt Trym Selvag

Rhapsody OTS - Capt Johan Malmberg (started rotation 10-17-16)

Rhapsody OTS - Capt Tobias Oster

Serenade OTS - Capt Krzyszthof Szymkarczuk (started rotation 11-1-16)

Serenade OTS - Capt Tor Olsen

Vision OTS - Capt Michael Lindberg (started rotation 10-29-16)

Vision OTS - Capt Marek Slaby

Voyager OTS - Capt Sindre Borsheim (started rotation 10-4-16)

Voyager OTS - Capt Sverre Ryan

On his FB page, Capt Thore Thorolvsen announced his marriage to Capt Lis Lauritzen. Congratulations and best wishes are due this great couple. Not sure what, if anything, this will mean for their rotation schedules or ship assignments. :)