Biker19

Welcome to CC. RCI's IT and CSRs are like that - thankfully, the on board experience is much better.

Then the only problem you'll have is the long wait line.

No one other than RCI and Plusgrade knows the criteria used to set pricing. Keep checking the inventory and you'll likely see a large drop in inventory when wins are handed out (usually the same day). Good luck.

Not at all - been that way for a long time.

You can't - you have to call. Finding connecting 2-3 persons cabins online can also be a challenge - better call for that as well. Use a TA instead of RCI.

Again, one needs to temper expectations when it comes to RCI CSR info.

That is likely the exception - most folks find out the real assignment (besides the known assignment via the barcode trick) much further out than one day out.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. Is £20+ per day worth it to you to eat at some place other than the included venues?

Other then RCI and Plusgrade (who administers Royal Up), no one knows what criteria is used to award Royal Up wins and how that may affect regular paid cabins.

Talk to the MDR host as soon as you board to see what's available.

Getting a can is YMMV depending on staff - officially, no, but some/many report being able to get one.

Pricing is dynamic all the time. There's no such thing as "full price" even though RCI likes to invent prices from which to put the cabin "on sale".

Seems a bit higher in Australia: " Australia’s cruise industry has resumed sailing at full force, but the return of cruise passengers also brings additional risks. Recently, a cruise passenger was fined $3,300 for breaching Australia’s biosecurity laws, which highlights the importance of understanding the risks associated with bringing items into the country. The passenger had just completed a cruise to New Zealand from and to Brisbane, Australia, when customs officers found a significant amount of illegal materials in his bags. Importance of Following Biosecurity Laws in Australia The Australian cruise industry was severely impacted by the pause in operations worldwide, with many cruise ships banned from docking in Australian ports for an extended period of time. Photo Courtesy: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry However, the industry has now restarted, with a number of cruise ships sailing from Brisbane on the Gold Coast, including Quantum of the Seas, Pacific Encounter, Carnival Luminosa, ms Europa, and more. The restart of the industry is a welcome development for many businesses that rely on tourism, but it also brings challenges. Following a cruise that originated from New Zealand and ended at the Port of Brisbane in Australia, a cruise passenger was fined $3,300 for bringing in two live plants, a coconut shell, seed pods, betel nut, mustard sticks, shells, coral, and dried plant materials. It serves as a reminder of the importance of being aware of the risks associated with bringing items into the country. Photo Courtesy: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry The rules in Australia are clear and declared risk goods will be inspected by a biosecurity officer. If false or misleading information is provided, or if directions given by a biosecurity officer are not complied with, fines of up to $5,500 may be issued, and criminal charges may be brought. In that light, the cruise passenger was let off easy. It also comes as the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal has received over 100 cruise ship calls in nine months since its first opening on June 2, 2022. Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd’s (PBPL) Chief Executive Officer, Neil Stephens said, “The Brisbane International Cruise Terminal has 139 bookings for the 2022/23 cruise season, with a current forecast of 199 in 2023/24 – a 43% increase anticipated on this first year.” According to Dr. Chris Locke, the Deputy Secretary for Biosecurity and Compliance, the recent fine for breaching biosecurity laws is the first of its kind since the resumption of international cruising following the pandemic. Dr. Locke emphasized that this incident should warn all cruise passengers to understand and follow Australia’s biosecurity laws. “It is fantastic to have cruise ships back at our ports, but we do not want anyone to go home with more than they bargained for by breaching our biosecurity laws. Australia is a unique place and the protection of our precious environment and wildlife is why we are so vigilant when it comes to biosecurity.” “We want to ensure that everyone on board cruise ships disembark with great memories, not infringements or pests or diseases that could potentially devastate Australia’s plants, animals and agricultural systems.” The risks associated with bringing plant material into Australia are significant. Plant material can be highly attractive to pests and diseases. These pests and diseases can feed, live and reproduce on and in the plant material and remain viable for prolonged periods of time. There is also the potential for significant animal biosecurity diseases to be associated with plant products, including foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever, which are high-priority pathogens for Australia. The country actually increased penalties for biosecurity breaches on January 1, 2023. For a single penalty point, the fine went from $222 to $275. For a 12-point penalty, it is now $3,300 from the previous $2,664. If you are traveling to Australia, it is essential to comprehend the significant risks associated with bringing items into Australia. Be aware of the risks and your responsibilities when bringing items into the country; otherwise, your cruise might turn out to be much more expensive than you bargained for. " Cruise Passenger Fined Over $3,000 for Plant and Food (cruisehive.com)

" Audrey Oswell, president & managing director of Atlantis Paradise Island, is urging the Bahamas to take a closer look at Royal Caribbean's planned Royal Beach Club. Oswell called on the public to petition the government to 'put on the brakes and follow through on a serious examination of the impact this proposed project will have on our environment and our businesses.' On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean said it got the government's green light to open its first Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island, with plans for the 17-acre project to begin receiving cruisers in 2025. Environmental concerns In a statement, Oswell alleged 'potentially devastating impacts to the Paradise Island coastline and the pristine beaches with any expansion of beach areas, overwater cabanas, seawalls, jetties or other structures.' She particularly cited concerns about potential impact to the thriving coral reef at the north seabed. Oswell also said the impact of additional boat traffic in Nassau harbor to ferry guests, supplies, employees and other support service workers has not been adequately addressed. Further concerns by the Atlantis chief pertain to desalination and wastewater treatment, emergency services/evacuation for large numbers of people using the Beach Club and the privatization of Paradise Island's last public beach. Lost business downtown? 'The proposed beach project would assure that thousands of RCI visitors to Paradise Island will bypass our downtown, negatively impacting merchants, restaurants and other venues that rely on tourism,' Oswell asserted. In taking her stance, Oswell is challenging one of Atlantis Paradise Island's major customers since Royal Caribbean sends many cruisers to the attraction on excursions. Government plans environmental impact assessment Bahamas Tourism Minister Chester Cooper told Eyewitness News his ministry is aware of Atlantis’s concerns and assured the project will be 'vetted properly.' Cooper also said the project's approval is subject to an environmental impact assessment and an environmental management plan, and Department of Environmental Planning and Protection is aware of the questions raised by Atlantis and remains satisfied these will be addressed as a part of the normal process." Atlantis chief calls for Bahamas to reconsider Royal Beach Club (seatrade-cruise.com)

Review of the new block and a couple of other amenities:

No.

If you follow the history of RCI recently, no. Biker, who wouldn't expect front line CSRs to know about this until tomorrow at the earliest.

Also, look through the roll call and/or social media threads on ideas.

A cruise on a Quantum class ship should work.

They don't - your phone just happened to have a more reliable wifi chipset than the laptop.

Be glad that they even answered the message at all as in the US they might not. Aussie refund rules might be somewhat different than the US, but yes, that is the typical customer response from RCI (and very likely most major cruise lines).

If internet access is that important, never book a cruise because you are always at the mercy of a lot of things, even beyond RCI's control. Grandeur has Starlink but there's no assurance it will work all the time reliably.

You can eat as slow as you want, but the waiter will want to get all of your orders at once.

You don't have to take/pay for a lesson but to ride stand up, you need to be able to load yourself and stay up long enough to satisfy the staff.

Welcome to CC. If you want someone notified, quote their post or use the @BennyBrun call out.