sandthrush

For starters an interactive tv to check accounts, make reservations for alternative restaurants and excursions, order room service and movies that automatically come on your tv without a dvd, report cabin problems, etc. Anyone who prefers to go down to the front desk is of course free to do so and probably stand on line or hold on the phone and hope your room service was taken correctly. Other cruise lines have had this technology for years. ;)

Totally agree.

Your frustration is understandable. It's takes no time at all for a business to take your money, but seems to take forever to get a refund.

I know this has been answered before (and likely by you), but I cannot find it. The tiered discounts are "stackable" with all current promotions and do not impact things like the OBC that come with the promos as well, is this correct?

 

We are noodling a July cruise next year and I want to try and figure the cost with the current promos and other possible discounts like the platinum balcony discount.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

As pp mentioned, depends on the promotion. We just booked a cruise for Dec. 2015, about 3 days ago, with our online TA that we always use. We booked under the BOGHO sale that I believe ends tomorrow. I just received a phone call from our TA this morning, and she explained that Royal Caribbean's Quality Control Department "caught" a problem where we were given a Crown & Anchor discount on the cabin and an OBC. She explained we couldn't have both, even though the website allowed it (she claims it was Royal Caribbean's mistake). So we have to pay $50.00 more on my fare to keep our OBC given by RCL through the promotion.

Doesn't really bother me as it is only $50.00, but it's the principal of the thing. I wish Royal Caribbean would get their act together. Seems to me, if it is their mistake, they should pay the penalty, not us.

We always carry ours on. The last several times we have sailed from Port Canaveral, we were specifically asked by the baggage handlers if there was any wine in our suitcases.

Thanks for the advice, it is good to know the house wine is Santa Carolina. We are tempted to bring a case of Kendall Jackson, even though the corkage fees would be $216. The KJ is $54 on their wine list!

Don't even get me started on the KJ, it's one of my favorites, but not at that price. :eek: That's why we "lug" our own, or go on another cruise line. Unfortunately, we have never been big fans of HAL's wine lists.

This is what I do everywhere, unless I am required by the local authorities to carry it ashore, or I want to do something where it will be needed, like changing money. The ships daily newsletter should advise if passports are required to be taken ashore.

This.

We always do MTD and have never been given anything but a table for two. You should be fine.

Ditto this.

You will get instructions the last day of your cruise on what to do and how to do it…………………..its very simple and not any of the above ans.

This is the best advice, because, if I remember correctly, when we were on the Enchantment in July, we were given no meeting place and stayed in our cabin until they made the announcement, then we went directly to the gangway.

We are first timers for our cruise next week, but when our online booking window came open, I was able to make Palo dinner reservations with no problem. I guess we are "early" eaters, at 6pm, but when I was making the reservations, there seemed to be plenty of other times available. Also at that time I was able to book the Remy brunch, but we later decided that was not for us. Palo brunch was not available at that time, but I kept checking back and a few days later I was able to make a Palo brunch reservation.

Glad to hear this. We never had a problem paying the corkage fee, but it always seemed awkward. On our last cruise, DH had taken a bottle of white wine down to the MDR earlier in the day and asked to have it chilled. At the end of dinner, we were kind of waiting around for our server to take our card and charge us the corkage fee. She basically said "don't bother, no charge". We were grateful but I didn't want her to get in trouble. Another night we took a bottle to Chops, and the waiter was so apologetic that he had to charge us the fee, I felt bad for him. We were glad to pay it.

As far as the chilling of the white wine....I don't recall doing it on HAL, but on other cruise lines, DH takes the bottle down to the dining room mid afternoon and asks if they will chill it. He has never been refused.

We were on the Enchantment at the beginning of July, and yes, we paid the parking before the cruise. I believe they had 3 or 4 people to take money so at the time we went through, there was no delay. We arrived at about 11:15am.

Definitely eat more, but also we move around a lot more, so when we get home, any weight gained comes off easily.

Enchantment fan here. We were on the Enchantment for first time in early July and loved the ship. We prefer it to FOS, which we have been on twice. We have booked Enchantment again for February. Can't wait.!!!!!

I don't think the itinerary changed. The Wonder alternates between Itineraries "A" and "B". You are booked on the 5 day Wonder "itinerary B" - your ports of call will be Cozumel and Grand Cayman and 2 sea days. The Wonder cruise before yours is on "Itinerary A", which has ports of call to Cozumel and Castaway Cay and 2 sea days. Sorry you will miss Castaway on this cruise. We are sailing on the 11/9/14 Wonder which is itinerary A.

 

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I agree with this post, no itinerary change.

We were on the Enchantment at the beginning of July and it opened at noon on embarkation day.

I agree, keep trying online. I wasn't able to book the Palo brunch when our window to make reservations first opened. I kept trying and several days later an opening popped up.

It does zero to write, email, post messages on facebook. I've learned that thru experience. Could you kindly point out the post(s) that bullies you into dressing? I don't recall anyone insisting that you dress up. I really don't care if you don't. The thing I don't care for is when people complain that can't get into the MDR based on their dress.

I'm not going to point them out to you. I'm not going to play that game.

We just booked a late Oct. cruise on RCI Serenade. It is about the same size as NA. Have not been on RCI for a long time. We selected anytime dining.

 

The surprise? When filling out the usual bumph on line we were given an option for dining reservations. Not only could we make a MDR (or any other venue) reservation for anytime dining, we had the option of selecting the same or a different time each day of the cruise. 15 minute intervals from about 5:30 to 8 pm

 

We were also given the option of what size of table we preferred. The next option? We had the ability to add other guests to our table reservation.

 

I was amazed at this flexibility and the convenience and the fact that we were able to get it done quickly, get it done in advance, and with a very user friendly interface. It is a sign of the times.

On our last HAL cruise, during a wine tasting, we started a conversation with a couple next to us. They said they preferred RCI over HAL. At that point, we had never been on RCI. We decided to try it. We enjoyed it for the reasons you mentioned. We now have our 4th RCI cruise booked. Of course it also helps that they have several of there ships sailing out of Port Canaveral, about an hour and 1/2 drive for us. We also have our first Disney cruise booked, but don't plan on dining in the MDR.

We don't do formal night, been there, done it, we don't care to participate. We don't go to the MDR on formal night. Why we don't is nobody's business, and we won't be bullied into doing it.

However, for those of you that are so passionate about formal night, why aren't you contacting Holland America about it and demand that they create strict dress policies and enforce them. Instead of wasting your energy on these boards stirring the pot with snide, disparaging remarks your energy would be better spent on organizing a letter writing campaign.

The irony is that many passengers do not meet the "rules", even those who think that they do. From HAL's website:

 

"On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo."

 

So gentlemen, a jacket and tie doesn't comply, and ladies, those pants and nice tops don't either. :D

So true, excellent post, exactly what I was thinking. I am wondering just at what level of dress is the cutoff before I am labeled a lazy slob? ROFL

Since DH will only fly direct, we have flown Alaska Airlines from Orlando to Seattle several times. If we are going to Vancouver or returning from Vancouver, we take the train. We have also flown Orlando to Quebec on Air Canada.

We always book our own flights.

Just as an FYI, several weeks ago when we went to board the Enchantment in Port Canaveral, the baggage handler that took our luggage specifically asked us if there were any wine bottles in our luggage. Our wine was in our carry-on, so we were able to honestly answer "no". That is the first time we have been asked.

First time Disney sailers with the opportunity to enjoy either Remy or Palo for Brunch. We will be sailing Disney Dream 4 night 10/27. If you could only pick one, which one would you pick and why?

 

A little about us

DH and I cruised before on a short 4 nighter on RCCL 10 years ago for our honeymoon. This time around we are sailing with our daughters who have never cruised before. We look at the Brunch as our only time that it will be just the 2 of us enjoying each others company. Outside of this brunch, the majority of our time will be spent as a family.

 

We are not foodies per se, but enjoy top notch service, good food and are open to trying new things.

 

We enjoy cocktails. I love mimosas and I am a huge breakfast fan.

 

Both options are available during our sea day. Palo's only window is 10am, Remy is available 1150 and 1230.

 

Dinner is not an option as we plan to have dinner together as a family each night.

We are two older adults, no children. We will also be on the 10/27 cruise. It will be our first Disney cruise, but we have done about 30 other cruises on HAL, RCCL, Princess, etc.

We have decided on the Palo brunch. We are not big champagne drinkers and I saw a blog on the Remy brunch, and DH and myself decided it just didn't appeal to us.

There was no availability showing for the Palo brunch when our "window" opened for reservations, but I just kept checking back and was able to get a reservation yesterday. I am so excited :D

Many years ago, we took a Princess cruise from New York to Quebec, arriving in Quebec in the 3rd week of October. The cruise arrived in Quebec the evening before the last day of the cruise. We were looking forward to a day in Quebec. We had never been there before. The last day of the cruise, we awoke to snow in Quebec, and it snowed all day. I was raised in the north east, but have been in Florida for about 30 years. DH was born, and has spent all his life in Florida. He refused to leave the ship, so we spent all day watching it snow. I was sooooooooooo disappointed.

The morning of disembarkation, we had to get to the train station to catch a train to Montreal, where we were spending a few days before flying home. We got a cab, and the cab driver said that he didn't recall ever having to put his snow tires on that early in the year.

Lucky for us, we used missing Quebec as an excuse to book another cruise a few years later. That cruise went in the other direction, so we were able to get to Quebec a few days early and enjoy the city. No snow that trip.