cruiserRay55

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If it was an actual lift and shift (price protected) then the seniors discount should have still applied.  The only thing that does. It carry forward is the port fees and taxes. 

You are right.  I will wait for RCL official announcement and then ask TA to check for the price again.  However, the cruise fare I paid is less than 1/2 of the price listed for 2022.  I am ok if nothing changed.   

I just contact with my travel agent yesterday before 5 pm.  They are able to switch my July 2021 Ovation of the seas to July 2022 Ovation of the seas without any issue.  I even get the same cabins for both of the bookings.  These bookings already L&S  one time from 2020 to 2021. The only issue is the price a little higher due to the taxes and no senior discount.  Not sure why since they are identical itinerary.  Just FYI.

18 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Ports don't matter.  It is itinerary type

I am sorry if someone already asked.  How about Alaska itinerary?

Could I lift & shift northbound/southbound to round trip or round trip to northbound/southbound?

Thank you for your answer.

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Oh when you booked yesterday for July you had to pay a full payment correct? 

No, I only paid $500 deposit when I booked cruise for July 2020. 

Good news.

I was able to use Lift and Shift to change our Rhapsody of the Seas sailing on July 2020 to Odyssey of the Seas sailing on July 2021.  The same oceanview guarantee cabin.  Btw, I just booked Rhapsody of the Seas yesterday.  Save us $ 1300.

7 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

What if they booked after today?  Can they still lift and shift prior to August 1?

Terms & Conditions

Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) “Cruise with Confidence” program allows individual guests and guests in non-contracted groups who booked a cruise on or before August 1, 2020, for cruises sailing between June 12, 2020 and April 30, 2022, to cancel their cruise up to 48 hours prior to the vacation start date and have the option to either (i) receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to the full amount of the cruise fare the guest paid for their cruise, or (ii) move their booking to an eligible alternate sailing and receive our “best price guarantee” for the re-booked sailing, or (iii) opt in for our “best price guarantee” on their current sailing. “Eligible alternate sailing” means a booking in the same stateroom category sailing with RCI on the same product and cruise length scheduled within four weeks before or four weeks after the date of the original sailing but in the subsequent year. For those sailings, RCI will protect the guest’s original price and/or promotion so long as the guest moves the eligible booking to the alternative sailing on or before August 1, 2020.

It seems like it is ok for people who book after today.  Have to call Royal Caribbean to confirm though.

23 minutes ago, jp2746 said:

Has anyone confirmed that this has to be a booked cruise that was booked yesterday at the latest?

CRUISE WITH CONFIDENCE ENHANCED

FAQS

 32. If my client booked prior to August 1, 2020, is he/she eligible to Lift & Shift at any point prior to

sailing?

Guests are eligible to rebook under the Lift & Shift guidelines between now and August 1, 2020. After

this point, Lift & Shift expires and is no longer eligible.

Sorry for duplicating If someone already posted this.  Actually I was VERY surprised to receive an offer for a complimentary veranda stateroom since I didn’t play a lot in the casino.  Have to book by APRIL 25, 2020.  However, it doesn’t mention the block out dates and the limitation.  These are the sailings mentioned in the email though. 

Celebrity Eclipse

September 6 and 13, 2020

Celebrity Millennium

September 4, 2020

Celebrity Apex

November 7 and 21, 2020

Celebrity Edge

November 29, 2020 and December 13, 2020

Celebrity Infinity

November 30, 2020; December 5, 14, 23, 28 2020;

December 10 and 19, 2020

January 2 and 11, 2021

Celebrity Equinox

September 4 and 25, 2020; October 5, 2020

November 6, 2020 and 27, 2020; and December 9, 2020

23 minutes ago, robtulipe said:

At 60 to 31 days prior you will only get back 25 % of the cruise fare plus port fees and taxes. At 30 days or less prior or If you simply do not show up RCI will still refund port fees and taxes.

Is 25 % of the fare more or less than the TA $100 PP cancellation fee?

Even if the 25% refund is more but not a large amount more I would wait to see what develops with Covid-19 in the area you are to cruise in.

Also any prepaid gratuities, excursions and on board purchases will be refunded either way.

Thank you for your answer.  We just don’t know whether Royal Caribbean will charge us penalties if we don’t show up.  I just don’t want to lose the cruise fare plus TA cancellation fees plus RC penalties at the end.

We are also worried about catching COVID-19 or being quarantined in the ship.  Therefore, we decide to cancel the cruise.

What is the best way to cancel the cruise?  I am asking this question because we booked the cruise through online travel agent and this travel agent would charge us $100pp if we cancel the cruise.   

Should we cancel before the cruise or just not show up?  We already pass the final payment date and almost 30 days prior to departure.  Thanks for anyone suggestion.  

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Not cheaper when you add in the taxes, fees, taxes on the fees, etc.  Buying Aquaventure tickets direct thru Atlantis = $135 x 4 = $540.

 

Four people at Comfort Suites in Feb 2020:

 

Room x 1 Night :

$339.00

Est. Taxes & Fees:  

$228.71

Grand Total:

USD $567.71

 

Hotel Alerts: 

Starting 11/15/2019 new fees will be apply. The following tax and charges are applicable. 12 Value Added Tax, 11.2 Resort Levy, 5.00 USD per person per day Housekeeping charge, 17.87 USD per person per day Utility Surcharge and 14.56 USD Hotel Service Charge per person per day. 40.00 USD added to the rate for 3rd and 4th adult, plus Valued Added Tax. Children 16 years and over are charged as adults. Children 12 years to 15 years are charges 37.43 USD per child per day (Housekeeping, Utility Surcharge and Hotel Service Charge), not included in total. Restaurant open for lunch and dinner. Free complimentary parking 24 hours.

If you have Choice Privileges Rewards points, the damage to your wallet will be only 30,000 points or 6,000 points plus $180 taxes included.  It is a pretty good deal for me.  

It's been at $107 for my sailing in August on the Oasis.

I have a neighborhood balcony GTY for the August 2019 sailing on the Oasis.  I already got deck number from eDoc and muster station.  However, no assigned stateroom showed yet.  The interesting thing is that my friends booked an inside GTY later than us.  They already got the assigned stateroom.  Still inside cabin, no upgrade for them though. 

On our first ever cruise, we played Bingo by accident.  We even didn’t know how to use the machine on Royal Caribbean cruise.  The couple in front of us had to teach us the rules and let us to get the machines first.    

Then my boyfriend won the first round and I won the second round on our first ever cruise Bingo.  Ouch….

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

You need to change to the same dining type.

 

If you cannot do this pre-cruise by contacting whoever booked the cruise, then go to the dining room as soon as you board and request to change. 

 

You can also try to get on a waitlist for a dining type.

Thank you so much for the quick answer.  

Sorry for the silly question.  Two of my friends want to join us to cruise together in August.  The problem is that we have late dining room time and my friends have my time dining.  Late dining room time was not available when my friends booked the cruise.  How could we have dinner together?  No buffet, thanks.  All suggestions are welcome.   

In Messina, we used CITY SIGHTSEEING MESSINA bus service. 

The bus departure from Messina around 10-10:30 and arrive in Taormina around 11:30.  The same bus will take you back to Messina around 3:30-4.   You will have 3 hours to visit Taormina.  Not a bad option and it only costs $28 per person.

https://www.city-sightseeing.it/en/tours-to-taormina-fromlow-cost-transfers/

In Messina, we used CITY SIGHTSEEING MESSINA bus service. 

The bus departure from Messina around 10-10:30 and arrive in Taormina around 11:30.  The same bus will take you back to Messina around 3:30-4.  You will have 3 hours to visit Taormina.  Not a bad option and it only costs $28 per person.

https://www.city-sightseeing.it/en/tours-to-taormina-fromlow-cost-transfers/

3 minutes ago, Monk86 said:

 

 

Just off Bellissima aswell (Apr 15 to 22nd) and had same experience re vouchers. 

 

Got water aswell in MDR once they checked the card...dont know what they were looking for.

 

In any case, it was my first and last cruise with MSC. RCI all the way anymore.

 

Enjoy all.

It was also my first and last cruise with MSC.  RCI all the way anymore is also our final thoughts. Lol

Btw, just heads up, MSC close all the pools including hot tubs at 8 pm.  Not too many things to do at night. 

43 minutes ago, styles27 said:

 

lol wow ok. Should be interesting. I drink a LOT of water. Thanks!

Bring your own bottle and get your own water from buffet area. It is the only place you can get free water. 

4 hours ago, styles27 said:

Thx.

So they don’t serve tap water?  Has to be bottled?

No free tap water, no free ice tea, and no free coffee in MDR.   

2 hours ago, styles27 said:

 

I’m glad it worked out for you with the vouchers. 

Could you explain the free bottle of water in the mdr please?  We sale this Sunday on Divina, first time on MSc for us. 

Thanks!

 

 

It is very simple.  They will try to sell you bottle of water.   Simple say no and tell your waiter that you are US resident.  That's it.

Just off the April 13 sailing of Bellissima.  We booked a fantastica inside cabin in 2018. After checking with customer service and showing our old e-ticket which includes 12 drinking vouchers, they gave us 12 vouchers per person.  No problem at all and no question asked. 

In addition,  1 L bottle of water was also provided for free in main dining room if you are American customers.  However, you have to ask your waiter in the first night though. After first night, our waiter brought us a bottle of water without asking again. Just FYI. 

We were on Allure last November and purchased BOGO dining package.  Allure only allowed us to use in the Samba Grill and the Giovanni's.  However, we were on Harmony in 2017 and also purchased BOGO package.  Harmony allowed us to use in 150 Central park and Wonderland. 

5 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I read on MSC website that the drink vouchers included in the Fantastica experience will only be given till March of 2019 cruises. Will these be replaced with any other drink coupon/voucher for already booked cruises beyond March 2019?
Can someone point me to some further info please?

It seems like MSC change the Fantastica drink voucher policy again.

***Drink package consists of 12 beverage vouchers to be used in bars, restaurants and buffet and includes wines by the glass, beers, non-premium spirits and cocktails, soft drinks, mineral water, hot drinks, and gelato in a cone or cup. Child version without alcohol also available (applicable for non-Caribbean cruises only). The 12-drink voucher package will be included with the Fantastica Experience for cruises until the last Winter sailing, which will vary by ship.

..."The 12-drink voucher package will be included with the Fantastica experience for cruises until the last Winter sailing, which will vary by ship"...

Not sure what does it mean though.