The Sain

Just read entire thread in just over an hour.  We sail her a week from today.

Best tips I learned on this thread:

Install the RC IQ app

Go directly to Seaplex - book escape room, get booked for IFly and N. Star asap

Chops may be a bit of a let down compared to other ships

WJ is well laid out and satisfying with themed dinners

Lots of great seating areas to enjoy the views

Gotta check out what Diamond perks are available (our first cruise as Diamond)

Thanks everyone for your postings and contributions.  Love this community forum!

Biggest attraction for us in a JS is double points, priority boarding and discounts. We are going on our 6th RCL cruise and turning Diamond. Our first 2 cruises were not in a JS. Points add up fast. We have our first back to back booked in 2019 in a JS and will earn another 28 points. Double diamond is on the horizon.

We booked 1804 last week for a SEP 2019 cruise. It was listed as a VP suite but falls into a Junior Suits category. We will get double C&A points. We were seaching in the Junior Suite class on RCL website when booking and 1804 showed up. We booked this as a back to back cruise but will change to an aft Junior Suite for the second leg. Overall we will be earning 28 points total and so close to being double diamomd.

'GOING OVERBOARD. Isn't that like say the word 'bomb in an airport?

I like to go to the casino right before bedtime and drink a couple glasses of wine. I don't stay long because I start to get sleepy. So that keeps me from going overboard and its fun. :D

Wow, looking over my posting history and just realized I never shared how our situation ended up. We were both able to take the cruise, no loss of funds or airfare. It was epic!!!

We booked the BOGO offer and will dine in Chops 2x. We also booked the murder mystery dinner which lands you in Giovannis for dinner. We love the MDR too. I just like taking my wife to Chops because it's special for her, a real date night amongst a week of date nights while on board.

We love being able to board the ship ahead of general boarding as suite cruisers. A nice perk.

We cashed in 15,000 points to reduce the cruise price by $150. We already had an OBC of $150 and would rather get the price down. Will have to check with my travel agent to make sure it got credited. I did print a confirmation e-mail I got from BOA saying credit was being applied to remaining unpaid cruise fare balance.

Sitting on a foward deck at sunrise with a hot cup of coffee as we pull into a new port (its very peaceful and quiet)

Daily quiet time in the Sauna

Watching the running of the drunks as we are getting ready to leave a port....its a total hoot!

Saddest part - getting up at 0-dark thirty on last day and having to endure the infamous RCI exit strategy.:eek:

We are always in a suite and I think they are uncomfortable and not very soft. Pluse they are heavy and not ideal for tropical temps on the balcony. Bring your own if its important.

You click your red rubyshoes and wish you were already in Labadee :)

2x in an aft cabin for us. Will be deck 8 in Jan. A bit more vibration but nothing that bothers us. Best part is arrival and departures from ports - a commanding view moving foward or in reverse.

Will be a longer walk but plus is its extra quiet.

You gotta at least try it once.

First cruise - Monarch of the Seas....thought it was huge.

Next cruise - Rhapsody of the Seas....was ok..our older teens were board on sail dates to Alaska (we kind of were too) but entertainment in Schooner Bar was a blast

Next Cruise - Independance of the Seas (loved the promenade and larger ship activities) but always fighting crowds everyplace we went.

Last Cruise - Navigator of the Seas - perfect size ship for us with great activities.

Next Cruise - Granduer of the Seas - taking opportunity to enjoy balcony mostly and seek adventure in the ports. Smaller ship but the focus this time is R&R.

We figure any day on any ship is better than a day in the office. Looking foward to making new friends and laughing along the way.

This is a very nice thread and has us excited too. We will be on her January 6 to Jan. 16. It has been years since we have been on an RCI cruise ship. Our first cruise was our honeymoon cruise 30 years ago on the Song of Norway, which we loved. It was to be the "trip of a lifetime" for our honey moon. We have taken at least one (but usually two or three) "trip of a lifetime" every year since then.

For those of you who have sailed her, what are some of the secrets of the ship? We know about the aerial shows, but what else should we know? We will be Diamond on this ship.

We just booked for Jan 6th cruise too. Looking forward to sailing out of Baltamore and seeing St. Thomas. Labadee is ome of oir favorite ports. Hope to meet all of you on board.

My wife was very happy to share good news with me.

She mentioned to her supervisor that we had a cruise booked prior to her starting her new job but was resigned to the fact she could not go. Much to her suprise her supervisor said she will check bit felt sure that they could excuse her for the trip.

We will keep you posted with any updates.

Again, thanks to so many of you for your input.

First - Thanks everyone for your input. Here is how we plan to

proceed with the help and advice of our TA.

We will drop my wife from the booking and get back her port fees/taxes/ground transportation.

Her airfaire will remain as a credit for one year but will be subject to a $200 change fee when used in connection with future flight reservation. Of course the original ticket for us was just $247 each so it may still be a bit of a loss but no biggie.

I will earn triple C&A points on cruise in Jr. Suite and pay suplemental rate.

My final question is now this - my C&A points will now be greater than my wifes. When I hit Diamond and she doesnt does that mess us up from use of concierge services and Diamond events in future cruises as a couple?

First, I'm happily maried for 25 years and we love spending time together. That being said we love camping together but I also love camping solo which very few people will ever do.

While my wife would never enjoy a trip by herself I'm perfecfly fine with alone time. She is adventurious and loves socializing with groups of friends. I love this too but only for a fixed period of time. Alone time for me is the best way for me to recharge and she totally gets me in that regards.

Some asked whay I dont just change the booking to when she can go? We'll just book another cruise for a time that works for her in the future. Her new job does not provide her enough vacation time for a cruise this year. Thats a bummer no doubt but we will be in a suite ASAP.

My 2 kids are grown but single. We took them on a cruise last year but they are at that point in their lives where nailing them down for a vacation is like trying to nail jello to the wall. My wife and I choose to seize this time in our life to enjoy each others company until grand kids come into the picture...then I hear life changes again?

When we originally booked we paid just over 1k each. Will I be required to make a whole new booking? Or do we just drop her off the booking, get back the taxes for her and keep original OBC. The current posted prices are now too high so I dont want to rebook if possible. We transfered booking to our TA a few months ago and she is checking out our options as well.

Upcoming booking in a JS for DW & myself in Nov. She's not going to ne able to go but I still will sail. Airfaire and ground trans already paid for, cruise not PIF yet. I know we can get back the ground trans fee for her, loose $ for airfaire.

My question is, how much of her cruise faire will be refunded & how much do I have to pay as a solo cruiser? Lastly, I belive I will get triple C&A points...right?

Bummer my wife cant make this trip and no, we never buy cruise insurance. This is first time in 15 years our travel plans have been interrupted so we are ok w/o insurance and are still ahead overall.

Oh man, when the crowds let out from the shows or dinner and walked through the schooner bar it was epic. The host never missed a beat in letting the jokes fly. When anyone knows where he is booked please share. He was one of the best parts of the trip.

On our cruise to Alaska 2012 there was adult daycare in the schooner bar every night. The gentelman was so halarious and got the entire place so worked up having a good time. My son was 18 at the time and we loved every minute of it.

On Indy this pass November and no evening adult daycare. It ended up that most folks hit the kereokee lonunge but it was the same wanna be singers every night.

I really wanted one of the free shirts on the Alaska cruise that said....adult day care! Never won one...so sad.

We loved it on the Indy in Nov. Very campy theater troupe, awesome costumes, funny and moves at a good pace. Food was awesome and though we dont drink, we go all the free soda we wanted. For those thay do drink, never ever did their wine glasses go empty so they must have had a good time too. We will do this again.

We shopped inventory on Indy. They said if we find it chaeper on St. Marteen they would match it as long as I brought back a business card from the jeweler with the price offered. Ended up buying a Tag Heuer in St. Marteen (Link series for $2700) with no taxes and then got another Tag Heuer on boad (Formula 1) for $375 less then what was priced on the island.

I did complete a customs form for my on board purchase but never was asked to pay taxes when I went through customs...anyone know why?

How about the new Quantum class ship - Anthem is it? Isn't it due to come out late 2015? When will it appear for booking? Where will it go?

 

Interesting that Jewel may go to Los Angeles...! Where will it cruise to - Alaska? or somewhere along Calif coast?

According to port information it will sail from Port of San Pedro, Catalina Island and not sure where else.

Jewel to Los Angeles for 3 sailings