Christmas / New Year's Cruise

[John&LaLa]

On the Anthem last year for New Years. Certainly crowded. Huge advantage of indoor pool areas going out of cold weather.

 

I do agree that largest negative was the selling of "limited" champagne/table packages for New Year's Eve in most venues. The "limited" number seemed to be governed by how many they could sell. If one particular party interests you, I would suggest you pay for a table.

 

Neither of us drink champagne so didn't think it was worth investigating, but that was wrong. We walked into 270 and the person at the door said you can sit anywhere here isn't a reserved sign and there wasn't a seat in the whole lower level. We finally wandered around and felt like second class citizens squeezing into the Music Hall which was the land for people with no reservations.

 

Have done New Years on Carnival and NCL and never saw this huge corporate greed on NYE like RCCl. People are already paying a huge premium to sail on these cruises and then they force you to buy a table for hundreds more. Provided the feedback that would never sail with them over New Years again without a response and we booked the NCL Breakaway instead this year.

 

Never did Christmas but we have our 4th NYE book for this year on the Freedom. Fun night and We love it. There are more families traveling together and I always like seeing families together on ships. It's nice.

 

We do agree that we don't like the reserving of tables. Does seem like RCCL just found another way of making money. Kind of not a nice feeling though for the majority of the crowd who does not have a reserved table.

 

Other than that we love it.

 

Here is the issue as I see it. We have become a first come first serve society. So people tend to camp out to secure the prize seats at an event. In the case of almost every event onboard, there are not enough seats to go around.

 

When you go to the Centrum shows on ships that have them, there may be 200 actual seats available and 1000 people that want to see the show. Maybe I can't get there an hour early because I'm at dinner. It's just the way it is. So Royal decides to put a surcharge on the limited seats available and gets crucified. Should they hold a lottery? This is how I see NYE.

 

This theory transfers into almost every activity, from good seats in the theater to loungers by the pool, to seats in the WJ, etc..

 

People will always be disappointed that they can't partake in an event or see a show.

[grandgeezer]

If you are interested in doing a Christmas/New Years cruise, and it doesn't have to be RCL, check out the 14 day cruise on their sister ship Celebrity Equinox out of Ft. Lauderdale leaving December 19. You can get a balcony guarantee for $1601 p.p. including all port charges and fees. If you have a good travel agent, you should be able to get them to kick in all/most of your gratuities. Drink package, internet, and other "free" perks cost extra.

[troykahack]

Here is the issue as I see it. We have become a first come first serve society. So people tend to camp out to secure the prize seats at an event. In the case of almost every event onboard, there are not enough seats to go around.

 

When you go to the Centrum shows on ships that have them, there may be 200 actual seats available and 1000 people that want to see the show. Maybe I can't get there an hour early because I'm at dinner. It's just the way it is. So Royal decides to put a surcharge on the limited seats available and gets crucified. Should they hold a lottery? This is how I see NYE.

 

This theory transfers into almost every activity, from good seats in the theater to loungers by the pool, to seats in the WJ, etc..

 

People will always be disappointed that they can't partake in an event or see a show.

 

I would hope one day Suite guest would have priority to any chairs/seats.... premium location too.... get what you pay for... we do have reserved seats at most shows but not the Comedy club or poolside. Pay to Play

[crosby99]

We did a 12 Night Holidays Cruise on the Serenade last year. December 23 to 4 January out of Fort Lauderdale...

 

We had a great time, Christmas in Labadee, New Years Eve in St. Johns and New Years Day in St. Maarten.

 

Lots of Christmas Decorations all over the ship... A super New Years Eve party with different types of entertainment in all the different lounges. Unlimited Champaigne starting about 11:45pm...

 

The New Years Eve Dinner in the MDR was terrific. Individual Menus. All your NYE Party Favors (it was also one of the formal nights)...

 

I have attached the Menu for New Years Eve

 

Have a Great Time.

Dennis & Sue

 

Looks like same menu we had on Allure

[crosby99]

We did a Christmas/NY cruise few years ago on another line and loved it. People were gathering in the main plaza, free champagne and NY treats, balloons, etc. It was a lot of fun.

 

From what I read it is very different on Anthem which we booked this year.

 

Can you tell me more about this table reservation through buying champagne? This is the first time I'm reading about it.

 

Yes RCL sell champagne packages all week. Quite pushy on the sales. We had a drinks package so thought why bother.

Came out of dinner and every table was reserved with ice bucket of champagne on.

Spoke to our regular waiter in pub he explained situation bought a bottle(as seemed no choice) & with that the pub was extended as a table was brought over from Sorrentos in prime spot just in front of bridge.

Had a really good night was just $100 I had not budgeted for....at least though the £ was better value in New Year.

[John&LaLa]

I would hope one day Suite guest would have priority to any chairs/seats.... premium location too.... get what you pay for... we do have reserved seats at most shows but not the Comedy club or poolside. Pay to Play

Probably only the Star Suites.

 

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[bettty45]

We are on a Christmas + New Years cruise on the Navigator (23 Dec - 3 Jan). No specialty dining rez available for Dec 24, 25 or 31 or Jan 1. I'm thinking there will be "special" pricing...meaning EXTRA charge. No thanks. MDR will have to do for us this trip.

 

I love Holiday cruises ! So much fun.

 

Our sailing also has LOTS of non-suites availability....esp balconies !

 

 

 

We too will be on the Navigator for this cruise!! We have been on this ship before and loved it. It will be our 45th anniversary and we have done many holiday sailings because that's when we had time off. Yes it is expensive and more children and families but also festive. We are typically alone for the holidays so we like the family feeling. We don't do the MDR usually because we like to not dress up and do our own thing. We have done 40 cruises so we have had lots of dressing up [emoji3]. It's fun if you haven't experienced it but we enjoy the more casual dining and meeting different folks every night. I think a holiday cruise is great fun but I can see why some wait for less expensive sailings. We are from AZ so hope we meet you on the sailing!!

 

 

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[CruisnDeb]

Never did Christmas but we have our 4th NYE book for this year on the Freedom. Fun night and We love it. There are more families traveling together and I always like seeing families together on ships. It's nice.

 

We do agree that we don't like the reserving of tables. Does seem like RCCL just found another way of making money. Kind of not a nice feeling though for the majority of the crowd who does not have a reserved table.

 

Other than that we love it.

 

cruiseforus we will be on the Freedom with you! It will be our first Holiday cruise and we will be one of those multi-generational families (17 people ages 20 to 76). I'm really looking forward to it :) Have you been on Freedom for NYE before? Any advice on what to expect?

[cruiseforus]

cruiseforus we will be on the Freedom with you! It will be our first Holiday cruise and we will be one of those multi-generational families (17 people ages 20 to 76). I'm really looking forward to it :) Have you been on Freedom for NYE before? Any advice on what to expect?

 

Have not been on the Freedom for NYE but we have been on the Liberty. It's great, you will love it. The ship is all decorated and NYE is so much fun. It will be a formal night and at dinner they usually give hats, noisemakers etc.

 

The main party is on the Promenade and it will be packed, but fun. They will do the countdown and at midnight they have a big balloon drop. After midnight there will be parties at various places.

 

I did like it better before they started those reserved tables. Our first NYE cruise was on the Explorer. No reserved tables and the promenade was filled with people, no tables around with reserved signs. I don't think they will go back to that. RCCL makes money on those tables, so they will probably continue with them. I can't tell you too much about the tables because we never had one.

 

But it's a lot of fun & you will have a great time.

[John&LaLa]

Have not been on the Freedom for NYE but we have been on the Liberty. It's great, you will love it. The ship is all decorated and NYE is so much fun. It will be a formal night and at dinner they usually give hats, noisemakers etc.

 

The main party is on the Promenade and it will be packed, but fun. They will do the countdown and at midnight they have a big balloon drop. After midnight there will be parties at various places.

 

I did like it better before they started those reserved tables. Our first NYE cruise was on the Explorer. No reserved tables and the promenade was filled with people, no tables around with reserved signs. I don't think they will go back to that. RCCL makes money on those tables, so they will probably continue with them. I can't tell you too much about the tables because we never had one.

 

But it's a lot of fun & you will have a great time.

 

So, do you advocate removing all the promenade tables from Vintages, Sorrentos, the pub, etc. prior to the evenings activities? Just curious

[cruiseforus]

So, do you advocate removing all the promenade tables from Vintages, Sorrentos, the pub, etc. prior to the evenings activities? Just curious

 

Someone just asked me what to expect on the NYE cruise & I answered her as to my experiences. That's It. I said it's a great time & we love it. I also said I don't care for the reserved tables. I was on a NYE cruise with them and a few years ago without them. I prefer without them.

 

I am not here to get into a debate about removing tables or not.

[John&LaLa]

Someone just asked me what to expect on the NYE cruise & I answered her as to my experiences. That's It. I said it's a great time & we love it. I also said I don't care for the reserved tables. I was on a NYE cruise with them and a few years ago without them. I prefer without them.

 

I am not here to get into a debate about removing tables or not.

 

Sensitive aren't we. I truly was just curious.

[cruiseforus]

Sensitive aren't we. I truly was just curious.

 

Was that Sensitive remark really necessary?

 

I don't think so.

 

I just answered someone giving my opinion. That's all. Not into debates about RCCL policy's. They do fine without me.

 

We love cruising& we love Royal and I just wanted to tell someone who asked me about how wonderful NYE will be.

 

THAT'S IT

[Doug S]

Here is the issue as I see it. We have become a first come first serve society. So people tend to camp out to secure the prize seats at an event. In the case of almost every event onboard, there are not enough seats to go around.

 

When you go to the Centrum shows on ships that have them, there may be 200 actual seats available and 1000 people that want to see the show. Maybe I can't get there an hour early because I'm at dinner. It's just the way it is. So Royal decides to put a surcharge on the limited seats available and gets crucified. Should they hold a lottery? This is how I see NYE.

 

This theory transfers into almost every activity, from good seats in the theater to loungers by the pool, to seats in the WJ, etc..

 

People will always be disappointed that they can't partake in an event or see a show.

 

That pretty much sums up my feelings. I don't like fighting crowds of people competing for extremely limited space, whether its a cruise or something local. I avoid big movies on their opening weekend for that reason. Kind of a social claustrophobia. If you do manage to score a front row seat on one of these cruises somebody squeezes in and stands in front of you so you get a good view of their back. Even had people wedging in front of folks in scooters and wheelchairs. Just not my thing to be sardined in like that. On NYE on my cruise it took over 20 minutes to make your way to a nearby bathroom on the promenade and back. Some like the big crowd scenes, but I'll pass.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Doug S
redundantly redundant

[bouhunter]

Either way it will still be better than winter in Michigan.

 

Anything is better than winter in Michigan:D

 

Our last three New Years Eve's have been:

 

Vegas

Key West

Tampa

 

This year will be Fort Lauderdale prior to boarding Allure.:)

Edited October 14, 2016 by bouhunter

[kmkristianson]

Just wondering...we are departing on new years eve, on Adventure....with the late departure and muster, should we do an early dining (normally we would do my time at 6:30 or so) or dine after muster that night? If they do some kind of champagne deal, would that be when you first get on the ship?

 

I know it is pure speculation, unless someone has past experience....either way looking forward to a great time!

 

And a special request to those on the first sailings after dry dock....photos please!!!

 

Karen

 

Go Cubbies!

Edited October 14, 2016 by kmkristianson

[rt1092]

Does anyone know if they will have church services on Christmas?

[TBone2K]

Does anyone know if they will have church services on Christmas?

There was a midnight mass on our cruise. See my earlier post. Anything else is usually left up to passengers to organize.

[Hoti4]

Quick question with the champagne tables on nye do they have a limit per table or is it a table per cabin? We r travelling with another family 8 of us in total n just want to make sure if we decided to go with getting a table to make sure we add this to our budget n if its per cabin make sure we budget for that. Thanks

 

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[John&LaLa]

Quick question with the champagne tables on nye do they have a limit per table or is it a table per cabin? We r travelling with another family 8 of us in total n just want to make sure if we decided to go with getting a table to make sure we add this to our budget n if its per cabin make sure we budget for that. Thanks

 

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Probably need two tables then. The chairs are the key.

 

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[Hoti4]

Probably need two tables then. The chairs are the key.

 

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Thanks.

 

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[MISSGJ]

Heads up for anyone on the Allure Christmas/New Year. The drinks package is now showing as $42 a day which is the lowest I've seen it for this cruise.

[MR_BUTCHIE]

What is included with your reservation is it just a table and 4 chairs or is something else included

[MonaCK]

Yes RCL sell champagne packages all week. Quite pushy on the sales. We had a drinks package so thought why bother.

Came out of dinner and every table was reserved with ice bucket of champagne on.

Spoke to our regular waiter in pub he explained situation bought a bottle(as seemed no choice) & with that the pub was extended as a table was brought over from Sorrentos in prime spot just in front of bridge.

Had a really good night was just $100 I had not budgeted for....at least though the £ was better value in New Year.

 

Was the $100 per table, or per person?

And do you think that they'd let you exchange the champagne for something else? I -hate- champagne...

[crosby99]

Was the $100 per table, or per person?

And do you think that they'd let you exchange the champagne for something else? I -hate- champagne...

 

Bottle of champagne gets you a table and an unofficial reservation...the was no shortage of chairs we had 7 at one point around the table.

The whole thing was very unclear and we never realised until the night BUT basically if you hadn't bought a bottle of champagne you couldn't get a table as all the bottles had been placed on them.

I hope this makes sense :)