S.A.M.J.R.

I don't drink coffee, so could be totally wrong, but I thought the coffee was free at Cafe Promenade (unless it was a specialty coffee).

So for a very short time, especially relative to the 39 years of experience the OP has, you could benefit from a price drop. Sort of like, for a very short time, you could go on cruises EXTREMELY cheap (compared to "normal").

I must be missing something (or have missed something in the past). We started cruising in 2013. So only 10 years ago, MUCH less than the 39 years OP has cruised with Royal. I remember learning back then that after final payment date (NOT the date you paid in full) if the price drops, your ONLY option is to get an upgrade. There was not an option for a refund OR OBC. We took advantage of that in 2013 and upgraded from a D8 to a D1 on Oasis. Now, can someone explain how I've known about this rule for 10 years, and the OP apparently never knew about it and is upset about it after cruising with Royal for 39 years? There's been some reference in the thread about this being a "recent change", but if this was the rule we booked under a decade ago, what change was made "recently"?

Please name one. For it to not be "to Royals benefit" means Royal would have to lose money on updating the card. Now, if they update the card and the person doesn't purchase an alcoholic beverage, they're out the cost of the card and the time to make the card. As mentioned, they don't have to be 21 to drink off their friends (or family) plan.

It can only benefit Royal to make the change. Anyone interested in getting their age changed from 20 to 21 is going to want to buy alcoholic drinks... more money for Royal.

THERE ARE ALREADY RULES AGAINST SAVING CHAIRS. And your "10 minute" idea? What if we change the speed limit from 70mph down to 55mph. That will cut down on speeders, right?

Well, I believe there is already a prohibition on chair saving all over the ship... at the pools, in the theater. How well is that working out? And, what will changing the rule from 30 minutes to 10 minutes accomplish? The time isn't the issue. It's the lack of enforcement. I thought you said it was simple and easy?

You're missing the point. Very few people here like that people put things on chairs and disappear for hours. However, please explain how you would KNOW someone is off doing something else vs being in the pool or in the bathroom? THAT'S the issue. Figure that out and you might have a solution. If you want to stick around watching to see if someone visits a chair, more power to you.

Didn't you say you're fine with people tying up a chair if they're in the pool? I mean, they're not using the chair when they're in the pool, right? AND, there is no way you can look at a chair with things on it but no person and KNOW whether that person is doing something you consider "OK" or "not OK".

Add us to the list that barely stopped walking when we disembarked Mariner at PC in July. Kiosks were working just fine.

"Dining structure in disarray" doesn't mean those assigned to early dining are getting bumped. If you are 3 for 3 with that happening, I'd ask what are you doing different? If that happened to me, the first time I'd think it was a "glitch". The second time, I'd be raising a stink at GS. It wouldn't even get to a third time. I'd be double, triple, and quadruple checking what was going on before even heading to the port. And no, I don't think anyone is "full of it" (at least as it comes to this topic). I'm not sure what gave you that idea.

I wouldn't be too concerned over a single report of a mix up. Is it possible? Yes. Is it worth double checking once on board? Absolutely. Would it suck if it happened? Of course. But I think the odds are against it.

And if a) there's either no one nearby or b) the people you told you were going to the pool get up and leave while you're in the pool? People who use the pool want SOMEWHERE to put their stuff (towels, a book to read for after their swim, sunscreen, sandals, etc) while they're in the pool. That's why SOME loungers are being "legitimately hogged" (IMO of course). Someone is in the immediate vicinity, using what's available to them, and their butt ISN'T in a chair. Other people want the OPTION of using the lounger to sit in at some point in the future. These are the "hogs" that need to be butchered. IMO again of course.

It seems many, many posters sail in suites with Royal. I'm just curious what the breakdown is on types of cabins people sail in. We're Ocean Balcony all the way. Multiple choices allowed. The list of suites I got here: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-rooms-are-included-in-the-suites-program

I'm sorry, I had to laugh. Your first statement is good. Makes total sense. Don't rely on random answers on the internet, get in touch with a lawyer and make sure you're set. Then you give an answer. LOL

I HIGHLY doubt you're going to find a cruise that starts in Florida, hits those stops and finishes in Boston. However, if you get in touch with a TA (or Royal directly), I'm sure they can put a quote together that includes the stops you want AND all the extras you want.

Or they could have a glitch and it's not available until 8am tomorrow. Or 3pm. Or their servers are in Kuala Lumpur and they forgot to set their clocks. Try at 9. Keep trying every 20-30 minutes (or whenever you're available) until you're too tired and go to bed. When you wake up, try again. Rinse and repeat.

You can post all the links you want. If crew don't follow them, nothing will happen.

I did but misread, and therefore misunderstood your reply.

And again, I ask... why would anyone need to use the "barcode trick" if they DIDN'T have a guarantee cabin?

If not used for GTY rooms, why is the "barcode trick" needed at all? If you have a cabin you've chosen, you should know the cabin number. If you have a GTY, you won't know the cabin until they tell you. The trick allows you to find out beforehand. Or am I missing something?

Because they don't know how it would work on Android? Why would they?

BUT, that relies on someone being at the same spot for 30 minutes+ to see that the hogs ARE actually hogging. If I walk up to the pool deck at 8:30 (for example), I have no idea if the chairs are legitimately taken or if they're being hogged.

Totally agree. That's why I think IF a system is going to be put in place, it needs to be one that's easy and not time consuming. Well, the entire issue is whether Royal wants to risk upsetting the "hogs" vs upsetting the "non-hogs"(?). The only way a "hog" is going to know the name tag of the crew member who took their stuff is if someone is hogging multiple chairs and the crew member "clears" the chairs that aren't in use. Maybe the policy could even be you can save ONE additional chair. So, for example, DW and I go to the pool deck and snag two chairs. She sits down in hers, I go to the hot tub, the bar, whatever. The crew member comes by and DW says "he'll be right back". Maybe they allow that, but not multiple chairs? Just a thought.

That's why I don't think lockers are the answer... CUBBIES are. A locker can be "hogged" even with nothing in it. Sure, a cubbie can be hogged, but at least there are things in it. Why exactly that makes a difference, I don't know, but it does in my head. There needs to be an easy way for crew to KNOW who has been gone from the pool deck for a while, without requiring adding something (anything RCI adds will require an increase in fees after all). That's why I lean toward arranging the towels a specific way (that wouldn't be some way a random passenger might do). And simply checking once an hour. If the towel is still arranged the same way, it means no one has disturbed it in an hour. If no one has disturbed it in an hour, the towel, along with anything else on the chair, gets taken to the towel station. IMO, this is simple, easy to see, and easy to implement.