xxHadleyxx

Sigh. Checked email today while in port, sailing Brilliance, and had the email. We booked the 2020 Allure westbound TA the week it was released. I love Central Park balconies but chose to spend about $30 more to book in Boardwalk specifically because I wanted the soda package, and we thought we'd enjoy Johnny Rockets too. (At booking time it was actually about the same price fir ocean view, I chose BW for the perks) I didn't log in to check, but I think that is a 12 night cruise? Maybe longer? So two soda packages costs 240 at least, plus another 25 for the meal. So they take away 260+ dollars worth of promised benefits and give us $50 obc as "compensation"?! We're down over $200. Totally unethical on RCIs part. As others say, the right thing to do would be grandfather in those who already booked. Or, if IT can't figure that out, give OBC in the amount needed to buy those benefits onboard on the booked sailing. At a MINIMUM, cancellation with no penalty should be offered (and that would still be crap customer service, as prices have gone up for that time period at just about any destination in the months that I've had the booking and believed RCI would be giving me what I paid for).

I am continually amazed by this. I used to think there must be some kind of passenger file or something---but then we had a waiter on RCI whom we had had previously on a Disney sailing (4-5 yeasr prior) who recognized us, asked about our sailing companions on that prior cruise by name, etc. We were stunned, and of course there would be no transer of profiel between those cruise lines! I guess people who tend to be great at remembering others are more drawn to this kind of work?

I'm sorry you are out money. That said, I think *I* would have caught it. Like you, I am familiar with refundable and nonrefundable deposits on cruises---which means I am aware both exist and I feel it is ON ME to confirm that I am getting the type I want. I ALWAYS ask for refundable deposit prices if that is what I want, and reconfirm as the actual booking happens that it is a refundable deposit (if that is what I am thinking it is). Then I look over the documents when the email arrives and specifically check names, DOBs, ship and sail date and that the deposit is listed as refundable so that I can call and remedy the situation within the hour if something is amiss. Knowing that both deposit types exist it would never occur to me to expect the cruise line to give me one particular kind without my asking for it.

Just a thought, why not put the 13 year olds who really want to do this activity on checking the app and booking an available slot for themselves?

((that said, even heading east this spring with one who was 20, waiters all TA offered wine to all three of us at dinner when pouring from bottles we bought. German raised young man sitting with his family at dinner or in the lounge? No one cared. Had he been out with friends instead of parents might have been a different story. In all honesty we had forgotten that he was technically not supposed to drink on that itinerary until partway through---we're used to mostly sailing where he can, and it is 16 for beer and wine where we live, so it had kind of fallen off our radar until someone else pointed it out seeing him having a beer in the lounge--oops)

Not unless there has been a recent change. It was always dependent on the embarkation port in the past (embarks in North America then it is 21, embarks in Europe or Australia then it is 18---I am not sure about Asia). Had recent (a year ago) experience with a kid in those middle years being able to drink heading west but not east on TAs

I can't have the only kids in that age range who save their money and take cruises without us by this age, can I? I mean, mine are only lowly Diamonds (very near D+. but not yet)---largely because we did not start on RCI untll they were 11 and 13 and even then sailed some other lines as well---though even if every cruise we ever took was RCI we'd only be halfway to pinnacle----but kids who grow up knowing cruise vacations are a great value and enjoying them DO end up sailing on their own dime and without parents fairly young (or, at least mine do. My 22 year old will be sailing with their 21 year old fiance this fall, and my 20 year old with a family friend whose never been on a ship this August).

As others have said, you will be Diamond Plus on your first cruise cruise AFTER the cruise on which you have your 175th night. (or point if you get double sometimes). I think some people are judgy about young people in the lounge, but not very many. Others might be surprised/curious about how you hit that level so young, but are not negatively judging at all. My kids are 22 and 20 and both Diamond. Both are highly likely to hit D+ well before they are out of their 20s. It's rare that someone even mentions their age, even rarer that it is done in a negative way. 2-3 times I have seen someone be snarky with my oldest and say something like "it must be nice to have had parents who paid for so many cruises" in a negative tone. My kid just smiles sweetly, pretends to miss the tone, and says "yes! It was great growing up on ships"

all of the above, plus (my favourite "dessert" on the ship) virgin frozen mudslide. Tastes similar to a chocolate shake.

I was also on the Brilliance TA, and the flatware there was wrapped per normal, we thought not wrapping on Quantum in China was specific to letting people choose chopsticks or flatware and never thought it was fleetwide---only wished it would be.

on our Asia cruise flatware (and chopsticks) were in bins and napkins nearby. we loved not having to take a whole set if we just wanted a napkin or just needed a fork. I never saw anyone "pawing" over flatware or touching non handle parts---but thees were in flat bins with all the handles facing the same way---not buckets

OP, I believe Jewel is boarding in Civitavechia all season, right? (I know that is where we embark in August). In which case, the remarks about how you should "get off" and tour and take the pier shuttle off the ship are not going to help much. Yes, there are a number of stores where you can buy bottled water should you wish to (personally, I think the ship#s water tastes just fine), though none are immediately visible from the pier entrance. Assuming it is still there, the closest is one which caters heavily towards crew. If you have google maps you can easily look to see which store is located between where you start (are you taking the train down that morning? If so, the crew store is between the station and the pier but about a block inland) or staying in a local hotel the night before in which case another store may be more convenient for you.

McDs is usually easy to find and well labled---which means it is often a meeting place when people do not know the city well to know local cafes---may not mean people want to eat there, but.... Or he could have been like me, and my 20 year old, we live in Europe and have for most of my "kid's" life, but his accent is American. Maybe you'd be all judgy of him too if he were looking for me at McD's in a city after touring for a bit on his own?. we got to lcoal cafes all.the.time---but sometimes I really want a place I know will provide me with ice in my Coke and free wifi (and takes credit cards! I don't like carrying a lot of cash) without having to flag down a waiter for the bill when I am ready to go.

My understanding is that sailings out of Singapore are much closer to how RCI operates in most of the rest of the world, than the sailings out of Shanghai, but if you want to see a fairly detailed review of the sailing out of Shanghai, I made a thread about it after our cruise in March:

From Germany this is the number they dial to get the RCI offices here to ask: 00800 769 25 227