Moltar

Freedom Class or Radiance Class:

Freedom:

Large dedicated Kids pool and waterpark for kids

Royal Promenade and everything that comes with it

Viking Crown Lounge

Promenade OUTSIDE deck to relax and smoke

The overall layout and passenger capacity

Radiance Class:

Every bar & restaurant has views to the sea and you NEVER feel like your not on a cruise

Sea/Ocean viewing elevators

The best Schooner bar in the fleet

Viking Crown Lounge/Rotating bar

Promenade outside deck to relax, talk and smoke

Passenger capacity

Runner Up: Quantum Class

Aside from Odyssey, they are all weather ships. Almost every activity is inside. Blizzard, thunderstorm? no problem go swimming, ride bumper cars, go skydiving, etc...

Royal Esplanade has more shops than Oasis class!!!

270

Smoke lounge on Esplanade deck.

Music Hall

9 hours ago, Sassy19305 said:

We sailed on Azamara (Alaska) and had the equivalent status from RCL (we are D+). If you enjoy great food, Azamara was wonderful. The beds were among the most comfortable we have ever slept in while sailing. The showers were even smaller than the ones in RCL cabins. If you are into the big production shows on RCL, then Azamara doesn't have anything like that. It's a much more intimate cruise, with very little up charge. They did have the best borrowing library I have ever seen on a ship.

We did an 11 night Rome to Greece cruise on Azamara in 2012 for our Honeymoon and it is still to this day the best cruise from service to food to the ports we have ever been on. 

4 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I brought a banana from the WJ for a BBC to the Schooner Bar. I didn’t think I needed to tell them to just use half the banana, but I should have. They used the whole banana and it wasn’t small. 😳

 

This sounds dirty…. Lol.

1 hour ago, craig01020 said:

My January cruise offers Paradise Cove for $80 pp. Is it worth $80 for only 3 hours?

Your call. Labadee in and of itself is great. The beach furthest from the ship harborside I personally think is the best. I recommend that beach for Labadee. I paid $60 15 years ago for Paradise Cove. If you want that Gilligan Island feel, Shangri-La type beach. I would do it. This is just my opinion, not fact!
 

Paradise Cove is the new name for Malfini Beach. DO IT.

2 minutes ago, soapbxking said:

what are the better excursions on Labadee?/

 

I can't say currently. But back in the day Malfini Beach was literal Paradise on Earth. Now it changed names and incorporates learning Haitian food and culture tour.

Yes. Was there 2 weeks ago.

12 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Two things help in my book. One, I always have another cruised booked within 30 days of the end of a cruise. Two, I enjoy life on land and participate in numerous activities that I would terribly miss if I was always cruising.  

Totally agree. Philippines and Thailand for 3 weeks next summer!

Summer 2024 will be out by our NYE cruise. Definitely booking one or 2 while onboard.

Thanks for these updates. Cruising on her for New Year’s Eve this year.

54 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I'm not familiar with that thought process.... stop dreaming about cruising?  WHO DOES THAT????

Hey! I have one for December 🤣

Waiting for 2024 Summer schedule to come out. Going back to the Philippines for 2023.

When you get back from a cruise for you to stop or calm down on constantly daydreaming and thinking about your next cruise. Constantly going on forums, constantly going on Royal Caribbean website and looking at your cruise planner, constantly looking at deck plans, constantly looking at future cruise possibilities…. ?
 

Usually takes me about a month to two months to calm down a little bit….

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

I'm on board now and have not been asked at any bar. I've never been asked on any ship

Strange, since last July I have if I don't tell them off the bat. They always ask, "Use you Diamond voucher?" . 

Next cruise I'm in the big leagues, going from 4 drinks to 5 drinks a day! Yay me!

1 hour ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

Diamond benefits get extended to everyone in the cabin, regardless of who is actually Diamond.

Fake news.

Book onboard for the crazy low deposit and like someone else said reprice when you get home. Rather lose $100 bucks than $750 should I have to cancel.

Never noticed. Every dinner in the MDR we are out in about an hour and a half.

One of my favorite class of ships. I feel your pain, one of my European cruises we had a room close the centrum elevator...never again booking in that location. The ship layout as a whole though, I do love. Every place you go you almost always see the sea.

1 hour ago, LeeW said:

Sounds like you are looking at surf/stream.  Onboard will still have multidevice discounts and that is cheaper than single device plans.  But do you need surf/stream?  We get a single device surf plan which runs about $25/day onboard.  Sharing the plan works fine.  And unless you are planning on watching video online the surf plan may meet your needs.

 

We have seen some discounts onboard, especially later in the cruise but not all that common - Symphony was a bit cheaper back last August than when we were on it in April.  Might have been encouraging purchases while sailing half full.

We always book 1 device and we share the login as well, saves us $$$$

Cruising this itinerary for New Year's Eve on Voyager. Thank you for letting me know about Cosol Tours for St. Lucia and Silver Moon for Barbados!

15 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We'd have enough time to solve all the world's problems on my Serenade cruise next year.

 

Can't make Voyager this NYE, but take a look at my signature list. Anything appealing🤔

I’m going to the Philippines next year so I have no cruises for 2023 but I am definitely booking 1 to 3 for 2024. I’m serious I will look at your upcoming cruises and try to line one up I’d love to meet you and your wife

8 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Why go thru effort of showing your seapass to ask a question. That's way more pretentious 😉

 

BTW, still waiting on your tale of Pinnacle behavior 😇

 

It would be so boring and seen as what’s the story here. Quick summary, a woman who is friends of Susie Freckles bum rushed my mom in the casino and welllll….. let’s link up on a cruise and I’ll tell you in person? Seriously, you always go, I’m sure I can get on one that works with me and wifes schedule. You can even tell me how much of a a-hole I’ve been here, I’m nothing like that in person tho 😉

16 hours ago, Heymarco said:

Pinnacle is a badge of pride for people too afraid to try something new. 🙂

Funny but accurate!

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Because it gets you things. Plain and simple.

 

Please share this encounter, though

So does your sea pass card that says pinnacle member…. I understand it’s natural to want to defend yourself. But the reality is there’s no need to wear the pinnacle pin unless you’re trying to brag because everything you claim to get from the pin all you Gotta do is show em the seapass card

The real question is why the pins worn all week. Get over yourself. I have a story about a Pinnacle encounter this past week on Oasis....

Looking forward to hitting up Labadee August 8th on Oasis. Thanks for the post and replies.