TeeRick

There is another recent thread on this topic too.

Thanks for all of the insight as always. I would assume that the writer has no ship engineering qualifications but assume that CC would check with experts before publishing. At least I hope so. But I have learned a lot from this discussion. Thank you.

Thanks @orville99. We will be on Indy in a GS. We tend to order RS for breakfast on port days so no fee except tipping of course. And RS ordered from the MDR menu (no CK unfortunately) will also be included. All that being said, if I'm in a GS I'm not too worried if I had to pay a fee for RS in the GS (Grand Scheme) of things!

Ship names - there is also a trademark issue to consider in this argument. Presumably reusing a name does not need a new trademark.

Here is the article. https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/cruise-ship-drinking-water-what-to-expect

So maybe he will use Liberty as a name again.......😉

You asked for best way - not the cheapest way. If that's the case, we always use private transportation and a south Florida company called Larry's Limos. They are highly reliable and not too expensive. BTW you will love Symphony!

I have read that when the cruise ships of Celebrity and RCCL buy extra water from ports and segregate it, they then mostly use it for non-drinking purposes like laundry, cleaning, etc. There was a cruise critic article on this a couple of years ago. I have always found the purified tap water on board to be fine. However it does have some residual salts added so I do not use it in my CPAP machine. I ask for distilled and they easily accommodate that request.

I think many people forget to log out. Nothing sinister IMO for most. There have been a number of times in the past that I forgot to take my card out of the slot when I was finished. And had to go back and hope it was still there! Then I started using it attached to a lanyard.

The UDP for my 12 night cruise is still $358 pp with 35% discount. Plus $129 gratuities. So $974 for the two of us. For 2 specialty restaurants plus Izumi. Not really a bargain. The 5 night is $200 pp with 20% discount. Plus $72 gratuities. So $544.

Yeah it stinks now. I have not had it applied to my bookings for quite some time. Always some excuse (like a "sale"). I consider it another lost benefit.

Refugees from where? Did they say? Just curious.

Just looked this morning. Our INDY cruise next May is now offering a 5 night dining package at 20% off. Now $200 pp. Is this a good deal? Or wait for larger discount?

They should hold a charity auction for a noble cause on board for dinner with Captain Kate. It would raise a lot of money me thinks!

thanks. Seems like a very good strategy.😀

We can speculate forever - but we just need to be patient for RCCL to give us details of the Discovery ships. Possibly size and capacity are still subject to final decisions and economic analysis.

Yeah will keep checking. Not available yet. Cruise is May 2025.

We did Symphony earlier this year and overall excellent including the entertainment. I agree with others that Hairspray was kind of long and dragged in spots.

Going on as long as there have been buffets. On land and sea.

@bajathree thanks for reporting your casino experience here. We would normally not go on a short cruise. The comped gamblers usually play table games over slots I think but for a 3-nighter everybody is probably in the casino. It must be just cloudy with smoke! Not for us!

Have you booked the UDP on some of the older ships with fewer restaurants, and no CK? We will be on INDY for twelve nights in a GS. Only Chops and Giovani's and then others with food credits. That is a limited selection for 12 nights and the UDP price even with a discount is really expensive. So not worth it to us. We are hoping they offer 3 to 5 night packages once on board but so far they are not offered in advance online. We can use our D+ BOGO on nights one and two. Then a lesser dining package. The remainder will be MDR, Windjammer and maybe room service.

I guess it is ship-dependent. My last one was this year on Symphony and it was both edible and delicious. As I remembered it from before. Too bad the offering on some other ships has gone down hill.

Probably right but we will need to wait and see.

According to the scuttlebutt going around on the RCCL board, comments from ship's officers presumably in the know, the Discovery Class will be around 90,000 T which is M-Class size. But it is all unconfirmed at this point. I personally hope it is true!

I agree with the strategy of @leaveitallbehind . We have always made reservations asap after boarding. Assuming you are not in a suite? If in a suite (above a JS), the shoreside concierge will contact you about a week in advance of your cruise and you can make all your dining reservations (CK, Specialty).