Turtle05

I imagine Royal will keep every ship they can as long as it continues to make more money than it costs to maintain. As seen here and other threads, lots of folks still have love for the older, smaller ships. I'm not sure if this has been pointed out on this particular thread, but the smaller ships are able to go places the bigger ones cannot, such as places in Alaska, the Greek Isles, the Panama Canal, to name a few.

You would need to check your particular cruise contract. I suppose it depends on whether or not your deposit is refundable and where you are based on the cancellation policy.

Of the ones I've sailed on, I would not sail the Majesty again. Of all the ships, I would prefer Freedom class and newer, but I would consider Voyager class depending on other factors. At this time in my life, I would not likely sail anything smaller than Voyager class.

Those crown lofts look amazing to me. Can't wait to try one next cruise.

Thanks for asking this! My parents have an aft corner mini suite, and we are in the "neighboring" aft vista suite, so I wondered that, too. I was thinking about ordering extra breakfast off the extended suite menu.

So years ago I was on the Liberty when the New York Giants played the New England Patriots. I did not catch the game, but boy was it hard to figure out who won! It didn't help matters when the captain announced, "Congratulations to the New York Patriots!"

I just had to move my cruise from early June to early September due to a scheduling conflict. I had the cruise, flight, and excursions booked for my husband and I as well as my parents. When I went to rebook excursions, I couldn't quite get in everything I originally had. My husband and I were going to do glacier view sea kayaking in Juneau as well as a whale watching tour, but it appears as though they only offer one time slot for whale watching in September versus the two they had in June. Like I said, I'm stuck because of scheduling, but consider other options. I went in early May before, and that was a wonderful time.

Oh that's quite sad about the room service fee. I always enjoy breakfast in the room just one time.

Disturbing but probably isolated. I'd imagine the majority of the crew have no interest in such activity.

What a great thread! I always do anytime dining as I am an Extroverted Introvert, and my need to be with (or away from) people can vary from day to day (hour to hour, minute to minute, etc.).

 

I've had pretty good luck with dining companions when I travel solo, but there is one lady from my last cruise that stands out.

 

I was seated for dinner at a table for 6 which was me (40s), a group of four older ladies (travelling together) and a teen (18ish) eating solo (she was travelling with her Mom and Gran who were eating at the buffet that night).

 

3 of the ladies were great, the teen was quiet and respectful. Good conversation and stories, until our food arrived.

 

The 4th lady started in on the teen's food choices, not in an obviously rude way, but in a passive aggressive way. Her friends were mortified, and try to steer her onto other topics, but she was having none of it. The teen just got quieter. When the teen's second main arrived (she had never had pork belly and wanted to try it, not that that matters), the "lady" abandoned any pretext and started evangelizing about low fat, calories, et al.

 

Having grown up with the King and Queen of passive aggressiveness (especially when it came to food), I was not having any of it. Using all of my learned battle tactics, I let her have it. Every time a snide comment slipped out, I was on it. She was a tough bird too, took right up to dessert to silence her.

 

Both the teen and I had ordered two desserts, she had a fruit plate. When they were brought, she opened her mouth, looked at me, and thought the better of it.

 

I got a hug from the teen and the other three ladies when we left.

 

It was still a great dinner, I ate with the teen and her family later that cruise and had a blast.

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

Good for you!

Someone referenced the Ovation in Alaska elsewhere, and I checked and didn't see anything. Nice to know this is actually happening! I'm going to Alaska in June with Princess, but it's nice to see a newer ship out there. To me that's always been a downside to cruising Alaska. I know one cruises Alaska for the itinerary, not the ship, and cruise lines are typically going keep their biggest and newest ships in the Caribbean because that's where the money is. This is good, though I wish RC went to Glacier Bay, which is why I am going with Princess this time. I would be interested in some less popular ports, like Icy Strait Point or Sitka.

Lots of folks can't or don't want to talk about work: most folks in high level leadership, moderately high ranking military folks, police, probably a lot of lawyers, anyone in the medical profession...I could go on. Oddly enough, when I worked in manufacturing and bought parts for a living, everyone told me that sounded cool, to which I'd tell them it really isn't. Now when I tell them I'm a police officer, I get a dear in the headlights look most of the time and the conversation stops. But yeah, folks love to ask legal questions.

I like the idea of folks getting locked out of their rooms until they receive instruction.... sounds like a legit way to me...

The drunken college boy in front of us was trying to use his phone during the drill, trying to stick a cocktail glass in his back pocket, and trying to take photos of people in line and as they walked by. He lost his phone to the security staff, and had his cocktail confiscated.

:')

If you aren't very picky about color, you can wait until end of winter and check out coats on sale.

I would contact Netflix. What a weird thing to steal. Not sure about you, but I pay a whopping $8.55 for my NF. I feel like most other things I pay for cost more than that.

I apologize if this has been suggested, but have you considered just not getting off in port? The Oasis and Quantum class ships are a destination of their own, and really, in port is the best time to try a lot of stuff. Some stuff will be shut down, but a good amount should be open with no lines. Also, spa treatments are a bit cheaper while in port.

Shouldn’t the shoplifters have been handed over to the authorities?

Depending on the dollar value, it's usually a low level (misdemeanor) crime. Those passengers lost waaaaaaay more by being booted from the ship than they would if in a similar situation on land.

I've only been on one NCL cruis, and the money I saved going with a cheaper line ended up going towards specialty restaurants. I did not think the food was as good as RC. I abolustely LOVED the Allure by the way.

We joined two other couples at a table for six in ATD. The man we later referred to as the table **** announced that we could not discuss where we lived, what we had done for a living, or how many cruises we had been on. He also had not brought his hearing aid on the cruise. Needless to say, we were not disappointed when he left the table before dessert. After he left, we discussed the verboten topics with the other couple.

Ha, you should have led with, "Well I'm x from y and do z for a living, and this is my nth cruise."

I am pretty sure a pressure cooker would be tough to bring on a cruise, but agree fully. I would never watch the bag of somebody I don't know at all. We had a group of 5 couples we met on our roll call before we went last time, and even met them for dinner the night before the cruise. We would have watched something of theirs, but not somebody I had never even met.

I was using the backpack as concealment as an example not the pressure cooker inside. Devices can be made out of other things that aren't as out of place as a pressure cooker on a cruise.

I reckon the worst that could happen is the ship starts to sink, and you have no idea where to go or what to do.....

Book any bookable shows that are important to you.

Living in Israel, we're "trained" to look around us all the time, and report anything suspicious ... a back pack ranks high on the list....

Yes and to drive this home for American cruisers, this is what was used at the Boston marathon. Unfortunately the items to make various explosive devices are common household items. Obviously I'm not going to google said items to see if any are prohibited on cruises, but this is not something to take lightly. To the OP, I'm not taking a jab at you. This is a learning opportunity for everyone.

Please let us know the end result. I really hope it works out for you. I work in law enforcement and know more than I care to about the "system." I also spent a few months working in DSS court. Either way, your foster son is a lucky young man.