island lady

Wow...RCI is just now doing 2025 Asia bookings? I have had another line booked going from Hong Kong to Vancouver TP for months now for 2026! 😮

Yeah, you don't look too "elite" to me....mostly just plain old Duck Tape Dave. 😄 😄 Happy to do cheers with you and Kathy anytime we get the chance when you two good friends are on board! 🥂

And you are not alone. I don't like their way too early pay in full policy either...but it is what it is.

Pricing for booking Enchantment B2B in a GS compared to newer mega ships. Giant ouch!! 🤑

Not yet. It has been a year since we paid them in full....and the rules change a bit from what I understand when a company files for bankruptcy. I am currently going through the hoops they have lined out with their insurance company. If we get anything at all, it won't be much...if at all probably.

I would hope you did not book with American Queen Voyages river cruise as an alternative. We had to pay early with them for our B2B this coming June as well...in full...at time of booking. Now...they have filed chapter 11 ...doubt I will ever see our money back again from that one. I am not so worried about Viking, they are quite a bit more solid. We loved our 3 week cruise with them last year from Bucharest to Amsterdam. Now have 5 more bookings with them. Yes, early pay off...but they do it on purpose since they are so popular and are very small ships that book out early. Not looking to get burned again, but we love the line.

My posts are simply heads up for pax asking about trying to get on earlier than their check in time and to let them know there can be delays. Me? If I am cruising out of PC, I arrive early...drop our bags with the porters, park and then walk over to Grills for relaxing Bloody Marys on their deck while the masses fight their way through the lines. Then we saunter later over to check in when the lines thin down. Oh yeah, this was the stress we went through before boarding Wonder last week. Just awful. 😄

I actually don't pay much attention to them. I pick my check in time early, and being in a suite and being Pinnacle...I just check in when I want. Most times we simply walk right onto the ship after check in, since we get there later than the general boarding times usually.

No not new. Been there for awhile. Head towards the Dolphin pens, and find the Flamingos (they are usually quite vocal). Just behind them is the steps up to the check in. 14.00 per adult. Don't need to prepay or reserve, and don't let the "tour guides" try to book you. Pay direct when you get there. The bird enclosures are only accessible from the rope bridges. It's freaky...but you get used to it. Just try to wait until you are the only one on them, and hold onto the stainless steel "rope" handles.

Will be interesting what we find on Allure in early May. Booked too late to score a CLS, so I simply grabbed a JS. We usually never do a shortie cruise, and in fact one week is too short for us., but we have never been on Allure, and thought to grab a visit before she leaves our local port. Plus I really wanted to see Mamma Mia anyway. Not even sure how many Pinnies lately are actually frequenting the short cruises.

Though ironically, even if you make Pinnacle....you are not allowed into the Concierge Lounge (unless you are one of the 41 Pinnies on full world cruise). Also not allowed for breakfast in Chops even for full WC Pinnacles. 😉 Exceptions are for GS cabins and above, which are very limited on Radiance class ships.

You are not alone. For that last 20 years...we have been loyal to Royal. Yes, you are starting to lose benefits as an over 80 point Diamond...and myself as being a Pinnacle for while now ....am losing benefits as much as you are. Pinnacles are now the "Red Headed Step children" on RCI. And I am also now booking other lines. 😉

Post Covid.

Indeed. And you pay for all the theme/amusement park features on the new mega ships on RCI...even if you don't use them also. 😉

Or you could do these. 😭🤕😫😩 They all convey our loss. 😉

Your scheduled time is arrival time at the terminal for check in. Not boarding time. Actual boarding time can be delayed for many various reasons. Medical emergency, Coast Guard inspections, Noro or Covid outbreak, mechanical issues...etc. You will simply sit inside the terminal (if there is room)...if not...you will stand outside the terminal in line.

That's for sure! We are doing our best in the next 2-3 years to discover as much as possible, while we are still alive and kicking to be able to do so. 😉

I remember many Lunch with an officer events (before it became Cheers with an officer)...but I think it was always 350...later lowered to 340 to match up with the other perks at that level? I actually don't remember any lunches that were less points than that...but perhaps the breakfasts they had on some ships? They had a nice breakfast on Freedom many years ago for all D+. And that was before they added the Pinnacle level.

Kind of like what Viking does. They love to advertise what they DON'T offer. 😉

Sorry...no. Though you both can use your vouchers together at all the other venues. You have to use your vouchers for drinks the Crown Lounge anyway.

We used to call ourselves "Pits" Pinnacle in Training 😄 On Wonder the 340 D+ were on one side of deck 5 "Cheers with an Officer" lunch and Pinnies on the other side.....being 15 minutes apart starting time. Enough for the officers to scoot over to our side when done with their speech on the D+ side. 😉

We actually adored the "Diamond Events" prior to the added keyed access Diamond Lounges. Especially the ones on Freedom in the forward lounge. Just beer, wine, discount on liquor and passing around little jars of bar mix. So many good people we met at those. 🙂

Agree to that! 🥰

One exception for us, was of course the World Cruise on Serenade. Only the 41 Pinnacles on the full World Cruise were allowed in the Concierge Lounge, plus the suites pax. Each night there were only 6-10 of us in there...and sometimes just us. We were allowed in as quarter cruisers, being the only Pinnacle couple in a GS. Chops for breakfast was strictly suites only. And very empty each morning. Pinnacles have their own breakfast area on deck 5, main seating on deck 4.

Same as us last week on Wonder. We also are fine with that. Was no worry about room for all, even with 93 Pinnacles on board. When you think about it...it saves them the drama they would get from the Pinnies. And as in $$....the Pinnacle event they used to set up. In that designated temporary lounge somewhere, they had to have attendants, food set up, and usually the LA (or another officer) holding court. Many times no one even showed up. Really was a waste. All we really do is grab a glass of wine at the SL bar for a few minutes....until they collect us for our table in CK. We always have early dining in there. Last week more than half the tables were empty each night. And we did enjoy our breakfast in Chops each morning.