3yorkies

It was only Izumi hibachi that you had to go there to book on Harmony. Regular Izumi could be done anywhere

On about 75% of my cruises I only do specialty dining, so I remove the autotips and tip more in the specialty dining rooms because I don't think the 18% on the UDP is adequate. I never eat breakfast and never eat in the MDR those trips. I never go to the buffet on ANY cruise. So it makes no sense at all to leave the dining tips in place since I don't use those servers. I also give room steward more directly, part first or second day and rest at the end.

I also prefer the ship's regular ice water than bottled. But I don't drink bottled at home or anywhere I travel unless in a country where water is questionable. Most countries now have safe water.

Grease is my favorite, Cats second, and Hairspray third. Hate, hate, hate Momma Mia, but then I never did like Abba's music. But Allure is my favorite of the Oasis class ships until they ruin her in 2025 with the refurb. I will so miss the best Crown Lounge in the entire fleet.

Great photos!!!

Agree! It is the only nice Crown Lounge left in the fleet. I was hoping they would just leave her alone. Hate those slides. And rumor is that Sabor will be removed, which is a favorite too.

I sail on Navigator frequently and find the port to be the best organized of all Royal uses. I always go online and get the 10:30 a.m. board time and it is always enforced. If you get another time, it's best to board at that time because the seating area in the room where you board is very limited so they stop people as needed to be sure there is enough room for everyone. That's also likely why the board by the times set. Interesting to hear how it works a bit later in the process, but at 10:30 it is seamless. I am usually on board by 10:45 sitting at the bar in the Bamboo Room by 11:00 after a quick stop to reserve my dining times for the UDP. Love that little bar! Say hi to the parrot for me.

I enjoy my 490 dollars worth of free drinks on each 7 day cruise!!! Would not go on Celebrity again unless I get to Pinnacle (only 386 points right now) as their drink program from 5 to 7 with limited alcohols sucks IMHO.

Thank you so much for information!

Thank you so much!!!

From being there for a week in the 1980s I recall penguins, seals, unique wild horses, and an amazing old diamond mining ghost town. Name was something like Kolcamp, but it was longer than that. It was only about an hour or 90 minutes from Luderitz. The vast desert and vast salt pans are endless and almost otherworldly. Sad that the port was missed.

What is google lens? never heard of this

I love Cape Town and pretty much all of Aftica. When I was 18, after high school, I flew to Nairobi and backpacked across Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana for 3 months. Greatest time ever! I would have loved this part of the trip!!!!

You used to have to go to the cage to get cashier to load your FP and tell them whether you wanted in on card for slots or match chips for tables. My last 4 cruises this year it has been automatically on my card. If you want chips you then go to the cashier to change it out.

I do this ship from LAX several times a year. Uber/Lyft are super easy there and prices range from 40 to 60 each way, depending on day and time. One tip: if you use them to return to LAX at end of cruise, book it the day before with a chosen time. I'm never in a hurry so usually do 9:30 a.m. If you try to book the morning you get off, I have heard others say the price is super high and sometimes you can't even get a ride for a considerable amount of time. You can also go to guest services and book on RC bus for about 35 a person, but it only goes twice a day and takes forever to load and unload. I prefer an uber

I get up around 10. Never eat breakfast on cruises or at home. I'm usually out until 3 a.m. or later. Lunches are included in the specialty restaurants on sea days. On port days I eat in the various ports, as that's part of the fun of going to the ports. If I want an additional snack late night on a ship with a Playmakers (or even when first get back on ship before my late dinners), that is covered by the UDP up to $20.00 a day. The only other place I may have a snack is in the Crown Lounge where I do tip if there. If I go to the Starbucks and get a cappuccino, I tip there. But I see NO REASON to tip the people in Windjammer and the MDR if I am never there. I have become friendly with several bartenders and a couple of servers in Chops on Navigator, and they all say they get to keep their cash tips. A few of the bars they share with the ones on the shift. All say they prefer cash tips. If they do share, it is their decision. It is not being used by the cruise line to actually pay part of their salary. Even on land if I charge a meal to a cc, I still leave the tip in cash. I bartended in college and worked as a server in high school, so tips are something I recognize as needed. I always preferred cash tips, as they are immediate and you don't have to wonder if you are going to actually get them. I have also had room stewards say they prefer cash. If it is true that the cruise line has to make up any deficiency from the gratuities on their checks, why would they NOT prefer to get cash tips as their check is still a regular check? And, yes, you are right that it is also a "feel good" thing in that I have always enjoyed thanking someone directly for good service and handing them a nice tip. I started cruising in the late 1970's and you always got envelopes in your room for your tips, but even then I tended to tip each day and then extra at the end. At some point the lines started changing to the auto-gratuity, and I don't think it was to benefit the employees, rather the cruise line.

Great news! I really love Allure compared to Harmony.

I have started doing the Unlimited dining in the specialty restaurants. Those tips are NOT part of the auto-gratuity, but you are charged 18% on the plan when booked. I never eat in the MDR or WJ on a cruise, only specialty restaurants. For that reason I remove the auto-tips and just add the money to my specialty dining tips where the service is almost 100% great and the tip that is in the 18% is not adequate in my opinion, so I prefer it go to the people who actually serve me. I just use cash at each meal. And I tip the room steward at the start of the cruise and add more at the end. Works for me and I feel it allows the tips to actually go to those who have earned it. Since my drinks are free with D+, I tip in cash on those too. I bring a large stack of 1's and 5's on my cruises. By tipping in cash I also know that the funds are actually going in the pocket of the intended person.

There are limited tables in the specialty restaurants. No such limit in bars

I cancel them, as I never eat breakfast and don't go to MDR if I have the dining plan. I never ever go to the buffet whether I have the dining plan or not. I eat on shore for lunches on port days and use the UDP for sea day lunches and all dinners. I use that money to then tip the servers in the specialty restaurants more since I don't feel the share of the 18% on the UDP is enough, so I usually add $5.00 for lunch and $10 for dinners.

São Tomé and Príncipe is an independent country and not part of Angola. And the ship was never docked there. It was anchored and people had to take tenders. The anchor was up as was the floating entry to the ship. They failed to return before the last tender. That's a risk you take when you don't use a ship tour.

It was 40% off!!! 235 on Navigator 7 day.

Yes, I always type up a list with first and second choices and a time "range" that works. I was just looking forward to doing in advance, but your suggestions are exactly how I have done the other times I have gotten the dining plan. I only get when it's a really great deal. Otherwise I just do some lunches and use my BOGO for 2 dinners. Since I'm a solo it makes it a little easier because I am pretty flexible.

I read that soon we would be able to reserve dining with the UDP. Has anyone heard any updates on this including when it will be rolled out? Have it on Navigator on May 10th cruise so hoping we can do before then.

St Thomas, I wouldn't since part of US, but otherwise I do. Some worry about losing it. I prefer to have it if needed, especially since I am always solo