Tree_skier

What information is incorrect on Royals website?

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

I have only done one B2B where we had to move. They moved my hanging stuff and “lost”  3 items of clothing so I am in the camp of “stay in the same cabin” or “move the stuff myself”.

 

I know lots of people say it goes smoothly and no problems but not my experience and not one I want to repeat.

I have 2 more B2B's booked. One March 2025 and one Dec 2025.  The first we have to move... We have a GS for the first leg and our DD and son in law are joining us for the second leg and we have a 2BR suite booked for that.  I could have booked the 2 br suite for the first leg but it was an extra $600 and I thought for 600 bucks I'll take the hassle and risk.

The second one is on Oasis and we have the same cabin booked for both legs.  

We were on Adventure for one of the same cruises that @SilkySal was on.  The problem was the vapers.  They think the smoking rules don't apply to them.  I saw people vaping in a crowded Promenade and never any enforcement of the rules.  It certainly didn't ruin our cruise but I really wish Royal would more diligently enforce the smoking rules they have in place.

That being said, Adventure is in fine shape.  I regularly walked the outside decks and saw never ending maintenance?painting going on.  She may show her age just a little but nothing that will detract from a great cruise.  

Thanks to all for all the updates and pics...  I'm glad it is working out for all concerned... I always enjoying seeing pictures of my old home town. 😉 

On 5/1/2024 at 9:08 AM, The Fun Researcher said:

Early is 5:15pm on the upcoming sailing and late is 7:45pm.  Not sure what time they are slotting in MTD currently.

I'm on Liberty for a CA/NE cruise in Sept and the earliest I could get MTD is 7:00

I'd take the OV guarantee for $30 without hesitation.  I've only done one B2B but moving wasn't that big a deal when we did it.  Unlike @firefly333 they moved my hanging stuff so I didn't have to pack that stuff.  

8 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

My guess is if you wanted something pressed or cleaned you would pay for it. Not be washing laundry in your bathroom sink. Cant cost that much to send it out, though I get free laundry so dont know the cost. If I ran out of tee shirts, I go into the next port and treat myself to a new tee shirt to wear, done that before. There are stores in the ports. 

 

Seems much ado over nothing to me. I also plan to do mardi gras on carnival where they also dont have laundry rooms any more. Things change. People pay for laundry or I buy a new tee shirt. Have I ever washed out something with a stain yes, but I dont do all my laundry in my cabin. I dont know what level you need for a free laundry bag so maybe I'm just not seeing the issue because I get it free.

DW is so thrifty she would wash stuff in the sink.  I finally convinced her that we can afford a bag of laundry over the course of a week long cruise.   As diamond I think I get $10 off now but after our end of the year cruises I turn D+ so I'll enjoy the free bag every week.  

I don't usually have to get anything pressed.  

Pre-cruise I always have my suit and shirts that need to be hung up in to the dry cleaners.  When I get them back I leave them in the plastic wrap and that seems to prevent any serious wrinkling.  On top of that I'll bring a can wrinkle release and I'm usually good for the week.  It's just underwear, socks and t-shirts that go to the laundry.  

The "leave it in the dry-cleaning plastic" is a trick I learned here on CC.  It's amazing how good things still look after flying across the country folded in half in my suitcase.

On 4/29/2024 at 4:10 AM, xpcdoojk said:

I am starting this thread because we fly out tomorrow for Houston, and I woke up at 4 something AM worrying about all of the things that I need to do, even though, I have done most of them already!  Went to bed last night with tornado sirens wailing, went outside on the front step to see the storm.  It seemed completely underwhelming, so I came inside after a few minutes expecting to see wind.  However the Welsh Terrier, Rodrhi, was impressed by the amount of rain, and despite me standing in the backyard with my umbrella encouraging him to do his business.  He pretended to.  This morning first thing I found was a piddle.  He is very good about not having accidents that said, the storm timing and rain level convinced him to let the consequences flow.🤣  One worry, of course, is the dog on his own for 35 nights.  We are spending 1 night in Galveston pre-cruise at the TownePlace Suites, and 1 night at a Hyatt Place in Frankfurt before flying home after our cruise ends in Ravenna, Italy.  I have 3 people and a vet (boarding) involved in his care.  I prefer to have someone house sit, but as we and our friends get older it is harder and harder to do that.  So, a near friend will spend several hours a day baby sitting for 17 days.  My eldest nephew will come take him to the vet for most weekends and bring him back.  Then our friend and former co-worker, Nurse Sally,  of my wife, Krystal, will take him to her house for 11 days plus take us to and from the airport.  I know the math doesn’t work and he will be kenneled at the vet for 13 nights.  He is a perfectly healthy three year old, but I prefer the vet to a regular kennel.  On a sad note, those who have followed my past threads might remember Lord Wellington, aka Wellie our Wire Fox Terrier, we had to put him down around the first of the year, right before our 3 plus month Airstream adventure.  He was a good boy almost 14.

 

Enough downer stuff.  

 

I hope the people on these cruises feel free to join in.  Adding insights from their perspective.  My perspective as many of you know is not typical!😂  

 

Now on to the important stuff.  We booked these cruises with a member of this forum, who will go unnamed but not un-appreciated, who is currently I believe on a cruise himself.  The TA of 15 nights was very reasonably priced (as most TAs are), but the 11 night cruise departing from Barcelona was not. We were able to get a corner aft on the TA with lots of space for my gear to dry between trips to and from the FlowRider.  (Board, board shorts, rash guards, and wetsuit are all packed as they were job 1 of planning).  The last leg of the cruise is expensive but not quite as bad as the middle cruise.  We are booked into the same cabins for the last two cruises a balcony on deck 12.  

 

Airfare was booked using frequent flyer miles.  I think the flights to Houston on American Airlines cost me $11.20 and about 16,000 miles.  We booked a Lufthansa flight from Venice to Frankfurt for about $300 outright including an extra bag for by Flow Board.  Then we spent about $300 more on the United flight along with 75,800 miles for the trip home mostly because we upgraded to economy plus seating.  I will now devote no more time to accounting unless specifically asked.  😉

 

Hopefully, this thread will benefit someone else’s planning, as I am always trying to pay forward all that I have learned from many of you in this forum. 

 

JC

 

Attached are some pictures of Rodrhi from the inside of the airstream.  The last two are of Rodrhi and Wellie doing what they do best.

I can't believe I am 4 days late to this party... Clearly I'm letting work and life get in the way of CC fun.  I'm looking forward to catching up and following along JC.  I'm hoping to do something similar for 2026 and am anxiously awaiting the next release of itineraries.

Enjoy!

Definitely a UFO... I see them all the time.  

6 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

Sure, but my understanding from the post by @Kellie in Texas is that the stuff-the-bag special for a flat rate is only offered at select times during the cruise.  Otherwise, items sent out in the bag are washed at the per-item price, correct?  

That is incorrect.  They usually provide the bag with out you asking for it later in the cruise however, you can ask for a bag from the steward any day of the cruise.  

9 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

I don’t get it?  People spend thousands on a cruise but have a problem paying for a piece of luggage?  Also, we have tracking devices in our luggage.  If misplaced at airport or pier we can track. Of course we carry on a change of clothes and a swimsuit, etc. for emergencies 

This has always perplexed me as well.  I understand that there is a slight convenience and a slight savings by traveling with a carryon only but the inconvenience of hand washing clothes or having to wear clothing over and over again seems to me to be far worse.  

On a seven day cruise DW and I take a 26" suitcase and a carryon.  Plus I carry a back pack for electronics, passports and meds.  The four day shorter cruises we still take a 26" case each along with my back pack.

For the sake of $30 all the fuss seems really counter productive.  Even if Royal had an affordable laundry room on each deck I doubt it would change my behavior.  Why do laundry on vacation.

3 hours ago, Smiley_Man said:

The caveat is that even if you buy The Key for two people in a cabin, you only get the internet for one device

3 hours ago, RFerrington said:

Is this true ?  I thought everyone who purchases the Key (which is everyone in the cabin) gets a 1 device plan.  I have never used the Key so I don't know, but that's what I thought....

1 hour ago, Smiley_Man said:

Definitely only one device per stateroom.

This is completely false information. We have purchased the Key several times.

Each purchaser of the Key gets their own activation for internet.  So, if there are two people in the cabin who have purchased the Key there are two internet activations available. If there are three purchasers in the cabin you get three, etc... 

Each purchaser can also use multiple devices however, they can only use one device at a time. 

On 4/29/2024 at 10:38 AM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I was on Explorer a few weeks ago and they wouldn’t let you use vouchers on debarkation morning. However, when I was on Allure the first week of April we were able to get mimosas using vouchers debarkation morning. No rhyme or reason as far as I can tell. 

SMH, stupid that it isn't a fleet wide policy.  My wife told me that the guy in front of her in the line was loading up on red bulls to take off the ship on that last morning.  He was using both his and his wife's D drinks.  

It's people like this who're going to ruin it for the rest of us.

I got it for our Icon cruise in Nov. for $42 recently with grat included and $38 on our upcoming Oasis cruise in Dec for $38 with the grat included.

14 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

When I was on Adventure several months ago they did not allow you to use Diamond Plus drinks on debarkation morning. There have been numerous posts about this issue. From my experience and from what I have heard getting loyalty level drinks on debarkation morning varies from ship to ship and sometimes from cruise to cruise. 

We were on Adventure in February and were able to get Latte's before debarkation with our vouchers so perhaps it is now fleet wide.  

2 hours ago, ChittyChittyBangBang said:

Very straight forward as far as rccl mobile application.  Select What restaurant, Who dines, Which day then What time!

Did you have to be connected to the ship wifi first?  

On 4/27/2024 at 2:43 PM, IrishWhisperer said:

We have just been told the cruise is cancelled. We disembark tomorrow.

Oh so sorry, what a disappointment.

It worked for me and my wife on Harmony out of Galveston.  As Biker said it may not work on all ships but it certainly won't hurt to try.

I'm feeling sorry for you all... 

Less than stellar day on top of it all.

2 hours ago, gatour said:

Wonder what they would think about my Sketchers.  They are slip on but have fake laces 

You’d be fine I imagine. 
 

19 minutes ago, Sonic2012 said:

Can I wear my glasses?

I don't remember if I had to but I didn't wear mine when I tried it.

42 minutes ago, pattak619 said:

We’ll be on the Symphony of the Seas end of May , is the Zip-Line complimentary?

Yes

On 4/21/2024 at 3:36 PM, LooneyCruzer said:

Day1 aft 11326

I'm going. to enjoy following along.  We want to do this same itinerary in 2026. 

We loved Odyssey when we were on her in 2022.  We had almost the same cabin... We were in 10326 🙂 

16 minutes ago, scubaslayer said:

I managed to score a good deal on a 2 bedroom aquasuite for next summer. So there weren't many to start with and honestly I was only able to book that sailing because it was running a good $2000 per person lower than every other sailing I have looked at.

Good score!  I booked a 2 br GS on Navigator the day the itineraries were released and scored as well.  Within a couple of days the same cabin, for four people, was over double what I booked it for.  I stopped checking prices after they all sold out.  The 1 br GS is still way more than what I got the 2 br for so I'm pretty sure, even if I did price out the 2 br, it'd be even higher.

chances are if you booked at a decent price a sold out category would price higher than you paid.