Vibe

6 hours ago, h20skibum said:

+4 @dani negreanu  What has been happening has been horrible.  Praying this is resolved soon.

+5.  😢

9 hours ago, grouchomarx said:

Thanks for all your info. I had a boatmance. It didn’t work out. Feeling like an idiot. Had a lot of fallout, Yiikes I am a loser.

When one door closes, it gives the opportunity for another door to open. Take care.

Sorry that your cruise was canceled, hopefully everything is well with your travel companion.

Travel insurance policies usually have a “look back” period that varies between different companies and possibly your state of residence. The look back period is so you can review the policy terms and cancel the policy for a full refund if not satisfied.

Go to Royal Caribbeans website and find the page for the travel insurance then click on Learn More then click on view program details, scroll down and find the download after entering your state. That should have the fine print for you to review and hopefully have the policy cancellation information.

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

So...what is Tribute ?  I didn't see this event on the 3 night cruise (9-13) but it's an option to book on the following, 4 night.  Will there be some yet-to-be-named Tribute band onboard for the 4 night sailings ?  I went ahead and booked it but really have no idea what it is....

The Tribute show on my recent Utopia 4 day cruise was the rock cover band (I don’t remember their name) that was featured in the Music Hall on the other nights.  I saw them once as the Headliner show on another ship. Not my favorite music genre however they were excellent at what they did.

5 minutes ago, RCTransatlanticLover said:

Makes sense. When I was on the Harmony, there definitely was partying going on, but my stateroom was in the front of the ship and very quiet. So, as a sister ship, the Utopia probably has something similar. 

It does. The party’s on the Utopia seem to be more creative to appeal to the younger generation.  There were many older and/ or quieter people onboard that enjoyed the traditional shows and events. I am one of them.

3 hours ago, RCTransatlanticLover said:

I think the Utopia is a beautiful ship and I’m glad people are traveling on her, but my main concern is the party-like atmosphere that Royal Caribbean seems to be promoting. It reminds me of what Carnival is known for. 
 

I’m ok with people having a good time, but I don’t want to be around those who get totally sloshed and act reckless. Are there places on the Utopia (like the Solarium) where it’s a bit more peaceful? 
 

I’m not really interested in Coco Cay, Nassau or the Bahamas in general, as I’ve been several times and it seems to have lost its luster. 
 

I live in the central U.S. and for me, it’s not practical to fly to Florida for a 3 or 4 night cruise (even back to back). I prefer the longer cruises, like the transatlantic or Panama Canal, as they offer more C&A points and greater value for my money. 
 

I’m glad that Royal Caribbean is trying to reach a certain market with the Utopia, but I hope they don’t forget their longer voyages and traditional cruisers. 

I was on the Utopia 4 day, the demographic was the same as it’s been for all of my other Royal Caribbean cruises.  The party atmosphere is there if you want it and are willing to stay up very late. If you are not interested in the party scene, there are plenty of activities and places to go relax.

7 hours ago, Yorkvillain said:

What time are we meeting at Guest Services on day two to have our tips, port fees and all cruise fare charges removed? 

Are you going to leave a camera and an extra toothbrush easily accessible in your stateroom so that your cabin steward can take some interesting photos.

Disclaimer: This was intended to be humorous,  apologies if this came across offensive.

Happy anniversary. Thanks for sharing your vacation. Have a wonderful and memorable cruise.

I don’t see why people are so obsessed about the DSC, it is only a fraction of the total cost of your cruise. I find that it’s easier to keep the DSC in place. I can enjoy my cruise knowing that I contributed to the crew members compensation that they agreed to when they signed their contract. If someone goes over and above, I give them an additional cash tip.
 

We are so fortunate to have the time and money to go on a cruise. I don’t see why some people try to find a way to alter the agreed upon method that the crew gets paid to try to save some money at the expense of crew members that come from parts of the world that don’t have the same opportunities that we have.

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

"very low" is subjective. For 2024, guaranteed minimum wage is USD$666 monthly; compare that to the average wage in a country like the Philippines, where are a large number of crew come from at USD$330 monthly. 

There is a reason the cruise lines have no trouble finding labor, it is a financial windfall for residents of MANY nations.

One can not view the economics of a cruise ship through a North American or Western European lens.

We are all very fortunate to be able to go on a cruise vacation. The DSC is factored into the way the crew gets compensated. When passengers remove their share of the DSC it contributes to decreased compensation to the all of the crew (front line and back line).  Many people say that the cruise line should pay the crew better, but they don’t. Removing the DSC is just being mean to people that come from parts of the world that don’t have the opportunities that we have,

34 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

34 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I did have to draw the line on a few things that would have involved heavy lifting and being on the roof.  Younger me would have no problem with those things but older me is smart enough to know better.

Older me has realized that it is better to hire someone to do risky home repairs because it’s a lot cheaper than the cost of the inevitable hospital emergency room visit.

8 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

All the more reason to just pay their staff more and include the gratuities to the price of the initial cruise fare, right?

Yes. That way the payment of the crew will be incorporated into the total cost of the cruise. 

20 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I rarely of ever use the MDR, but yes, I do tip in the specialty restaurants. 
Stateroom attendants usually receive a tip (but not always) it is 100% dependent on performance. Just making the bed and changing the towels doesn’t warrant much 

Speciality restaurants automatically add a 18% gratuity.

Removing the automatic gratuity, rarely eating in the MDR and not tipping the stateroom attendant for the basic service saves  a lot of money 💰 at the expense of the crew that come from parts  of the world where people don’t have the opportunities that we have. 

9 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

No I do not. Those venues are listed as “included in my fare” by Royal Caribbean. 

Correct. Stateroom cleaning, main dining room is also “included in your fare”. You said that you give that crew a cash tip,

40 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If the service was exactly the same, then yes, I would tip the same. 
 

Furthermore; if the server at the $50 restaurant outshined the server at the $200 restaurant; I would tip the former more than the latter. 

The automatic gratuity system allows for tipping the crew that work in the Windjammer, Sorrentos, Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe. Etc. They work hard and long hours. Since you don’t contribute to that system, do leave a cash tip on the table at those venues?  

16 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Thanks for posting this Dani.  It is uplifting to see that people from all over the world is concerned.   I looked up the Dr and she sounds special and a great doctor!

I too see a Neurologist every 3 months. My next visit is 2 weeks from yesterday.  I will see if my Neurologist is familiar with this one.

The hospital where I see my Neurologist is currently experimenting with a new ALS treatment. The doctor in charge of it is part of a multi-institutional research team.

I wish you the best,  

36 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

This comment is just stupid. The steward does not know if he gets something or maybe more in cash until the cruise is over. And even if not he still has to do his job. 

Even though most employees (house keepers and food servers etc) don’t retaliate when they are mistreated by condescending behavior or reduced compensation; an employee that has reached their breaking point will unfortunately seek revenge.  
We are so fortunate to have the time and money to cruise, the crew accepted their position with the cruise lines with the current tipping compensation method in place. Even though I don’t agree with it, I leave the automatic tipping in place so that I contribute to the agreed upon method. I give extra cash to those that go over and above.

If you are going to remove your automatic gratitudes, you may want to keep your toothbrush in a secure location. You don’t want the cabin steward to mistakenly use it to clean your toilet,

I have been getting the email asking about preferences for my all of my cruises for at least a year now.

I leave mine somewhere on the ship for someone to take it,

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Exactly what I have imagined I'd feel on a short cruise on an O class ship. For that matter, a short cruise on any ship that I'd be inclined to sail on.

For those that have to fly to a port and only go on one cruise a year, I agree that a short cruise is not the best option.
For those that live within driving distance to a port and go on several cruises per year including longer cruises, a short cruise on an Oasis class ship is an excellent addition to their yearly cruise experiences.

17 hours ago, helen haywood said:

@dani negreanu Just read about the Hezbollah strike.  I have no words.  Thinking of you…

@dani negreanu Thinking of you too

@Hooked.on.Royal  When were you able to make reservations for the shows?  My cruise is in three weeks, the option to reserve shows is not available yet.

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us.

I think that they are marketing this ship to the same demographic that Virgin Cruises attracts.  Will this succeed, time will tell.

9 hours ago, cruisekap said:

Hello,  I have searched for the answer to this topic and only found older info.  I am cruising late Aug and during the cruise the check in for an Oct cruise will occur during the Aug sailing. Has anyone been able to do so?  I see some people have stated that you cannot check in on the app while on a cruise.  Since you can no longer check in on the website I was wondering what my options are.

 

Thanks,

 

Kathy

I will have the same situation soon, having check in open up for my next cruise while on a cruise,  While this may be inconvenient, I feel fortunate to have this “problem”