crystalspin

In 2014, we got an offer to upgrade from an OV to a Vista Suite which is one step up on the Zaandam. We were booked as a triple, with my mom as Guest #3. I called to ask how much additional for the third passenger and the answer was NO ADDITIONAL $$$. Now, a lot of things have changed in cruising in ten years, but coupled with your email, it seems you pay the upgrade price per person for the first two and the 3rd and 4th, just get to move up with you! You should call first thing, and ask, as others will have gotten the same offer. ETA: have a deck plan handy!

They are equivalent. Same short distance from the stairwell/elevators, even same arrangement of furniture in the cabin. (For what it's worth, as you enter the cabin and stand in the "hall" by the closets, the head of the bed is to your right. The sofa is near the balcony door with its back on the same wall. The only thing I see is that 7046 is a 'triple' meaning that the sofa makes a bed for a third person. My PCC has warned me that we might be bumped from a quad if a "family" needed it and have to take a double cabin at that time (and the cabins might be picked over at that time). NOW, no one has reported this new practice actually happening, BUT lots of chat on CC about the "3rd and 4th passengers sail free". So I picked a double in a place I could live with. 6039 is a double, equipped only for two pax.

At that point, ask for a supervisor, and then the supervisor's supervisor if necessary. My PCC was the one who connected me to the Pricing Specialist.

If you mean on only one cruise per year, you have been misinformed. As of last Black Friday Cyber Week (late November), a Pricing Specialist applied it to FIVE cruises for 2024. Sadly, we had to cancel two, but still have a B2B2B (three cruises) in October with the AARP perk on each.

I am not a teacher, so can't help with that. I did have to provide proof of AARP originally, probably via Membership number? They say to wait 3-4 days between validating your AARP (prob. any of the programs) and booking.

"Best Value" fare (including HIA) has always been refundable, while "Best Price" fare has not. There is a third level fare, called "Advantage" that you can call (or ask your PCC) and get that has a refundable deposit but no perks. I don't believe that buying HIA separately invokes refundability, just the original fare. They may have just added it to the list.

The asterisk indicates ONLY a shower (i.e. no tub), not that it has a glass door.

It probably changed when all wine went to $20/bottle corkage fee, instead of the 1 "free" bottle per adult. Here is current non-alcoholic policy: "Items such as sodas, energy drinks or other non-alcoholic items are not allowed on board in any form. Plastic water bottles are not allowed. However, an allowance of six liters, twelve (12) cans or cartons (500 ml in volume or less) or six (6) cans or cartons (1 liter in volume or less) of water are allowed per stateroom. Any amount in excess of this allowance will be not be allowed onboard. Water in plastic bottles will not be allowed onboard in any quantity, including in ports of call. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding."

The AARP may need to be re-validated once a year, but it is good on more than one sailing per year. Ask to be connected to a Pricing Specialist, they are wizards.

I forgot about that possibility!

I watch the safety video (as well as the flight attendance demo) as if my life depended on it, because, you know...

Here is your Roll Call https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927876-april-2-12-2025-10-day-western-caribbean-explorer/#comment-65122095 It looks (from the second post) that this stint is offered combined with the following Panama Canal to Seattle cruise(s). It could be that a number (up to half???) of cabins may be set aside for the combo cruise. My experience with situations like this is that if I call my PCC, she can call Inventory to free up the cabin I want. (This goes both ways, as cruisers that want the full trip, do not see the cabins reserved for the short legs.) You can make a "dummy" booking for the full/combo cruise and see if more cabins are available.

"With the elite beverage package can you order a bottle of wine for your dining table to be used? If not is there a discount with the elite?" As others have said, the answer is no for both. But not really both -- you can order a bottle of course, just not off the EBP nor discounted. There is nothing keeping you from buying a bottle OR a Sommelier Suite (group of bottles) in addition to the EBP. Here are sample suites and prices: https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Sommellier-Suite-2024.pdf

We boarded Rotterdam's sister Koningsdam on 29 December 2022 -- a full-ship New Year's Eve cruise. We went to the Lido for lunch and were pleasantly surprised at the lack of chaos! The chaos was open-seating at MDR for dinner! People sitting and standing all down the hall with pagers. We ate all meals at the Lido for our 16-day B2B, excepting HIA-included Pinnacle Grill dinners and HIA plus additional dinners at Tamarind and Canaletto

I believe it depends on the port, whether the ship must be zeroed out, but changing cabins does not affect you having to leave the ship. You will get a transit card that lets you skip most of the boarding process. I have not done it, but have read many accounts of switching cabins on CC. You pack up everything from drawers, desktop, and bathroom, but NOT hanging clothes -- which are moved for you closet-to-closet.