gmerick

Time to check prices again -- My balcony cabin just dropped almost 40% in price. Sailing 18 Jan 2024, Anthem of the Seas, Category 2F.

To me, a "10" means: First, I received service that I cannot suggest improvement upon, Furthermore, the service I received went above ond beyond that first level of expectation. If I am prompted to give a "10" rating, that breaks the "First" expectation. I don't participate in ratings inflation.

Even if this deal is a "too good to be true", I have booked it for my 11 night 18 Jan 2024 sailing on Anthem. I have a solo cabin, but was still charged the $88.99 price. Works out to a lot less than internet alone. I had been planning on buying The Key at $25/day if it ever dropped in price. Lets wish for everything, -- The package says it's for two - maybe that means I get unlimited internet on TWO devices. When dreaming, dream big.

Like everything else RCCL does, they offer a Premium Northern Lights excursion. For just $149.95 you can get a guided tour of the sun deck at 11:30PM with an experienced Atmospheric Scientist guide, and guaranteed viewing of Aurora Borealis. Experience the wonders of cascading light sheets, brilliant green, blue, and pink discharges. Enjoy champagne cocktails under the crisp night skies while the captain dims all navigation lights, and the cabin stewards close all balcony drapes to enhance your viewing experience. And then there will be the CC members who compare the pitiful viewing on RCCL as compared to Viking or Celebrity.

Some C&A levels get complimentary days of Voom. Can't do a hotspot, because traditional hotspots relay WiFi to Cell network. Could do a WAP connected to a Wireless Router, but that technology is way beyond most home user levels, and then it would only work within range of the WAP. Defeats the entire purpose. Just sign in and sign out of the Voom account, and share each free day between the two of you, knowing only one can be logged in.

2 months before cruise, I reserved 7:30 MTD most nights, and 8:30 for two nights with late port call. Each evening I would chat with the hostess, and change the next days time if needed. Never was a problem. This even worked for dining on day 1, as I had the Key lunch on arrival, and moved my day 1 dining time to fit the evening's entertainment.

Dedicated time slot for IFly, Flowrider, North Star. This is just an additional time slot for the standard free experience. I went to the Key flowrider session -- it was just me. I can only fall down so many times, and I need a break. I left after 20 minutes, because a lot of the experience is the comradery between rides.

Pick MTD -- if you like your "My Time" can be as late as the Late MDR. I've not found a "can't miss" fun and games show on RCCL. If I'm in need of that kind of entertainment I'll show up, take as much as I can stand, then leave. The Early MDR has too much drama, waiters too busy. The general type of folks in Early are the same ones that towel the Solarium at 5AM, stand in line at the departure sally, push in front at WJ, elevators, theater entrances. Oh, and the Early seating has the kids table. I scheduled 7:30 MTD every evening, and rescheduled frequently for late port call, tribute band at the wrong time, or Flowrider under the stars.

I had the Key during my Jan cruise. I had coffee, fruit, danish delivered every day (instead of an alarm clock), and gradually woke up on my balcony, then went down to MDR for Lox and Schmear, or Kippered Herring, or Eggs Benedict, or something else decadent. The Key only cost $4/day more than I would have spent anyway for internet. For me it was a very good deal, even though it contributed nothing to my morning coffee, or breakfast dining.

Will you be checking in via the App? or via the Website?

MDR Menu bonus: They now list the days curry entree. I had curry several times - always good flavor. And because the curries benefit from time spent in the kettle, were of consistently good texture. I do wish they had been delivered to the table while still piping hot.

Bought Key 3 times now. I'll do it again. I wait until the price is down to a couple dollars per day over the internet price. What I get: Internet - I would have bought it anyway. No lines no waiting when boarding. Take 3 suitcases on board myself, and immediately leave them at the dining room while I have filet mignon for lunch. Uncrowded seating at the front of the balcony for WWRY. 3 uncrowded hours on FlowRider (one session all to myself). Leisurly breakfast on departure. No waiting in line to depart. My bags were waiting for me right next to customs.

Just off 11 night Anthem. Ate in MDR every evening. New menus, and they were exactly as posted previously. The menus listed as "at least once" were repeated, so three nights saw a previously presented menu. Giving it a fair evaluation comparing to the 3 previous cruises on this ship, with same itinerary. The food variety, and quality as prepared is comparable to previous years. What has changed is the plates are apparently taking longer to get from the chef to the table. Steaks, chicken, fish, even lobster were not piping hot. Instead they arrived at the table at about 125 degrees, and with a dried out surface texture. Grilled asparagus was particularly disappointing; it definitely showed that it had been expertly seared on a grill, but it had significantly deteriorated by being held at steam table temperature for far too long. It was wilted, and had a mushy texture at the table. Creme Brule is supposed to have a crisp sugar crust when freshly flamed prior to presentation, instead it had a taffy like layer over the custard. The presentation is likely attributable to staffing, as there didn't seem to be as much waiter attentiveness, and the waiters seemed to be very rushed. There did seem to be more supervisory staff in the dining room, but my impression was they were evaluating staff, and troubleshooting, and as a result, not focusing on the customer experience. I'm certain that once post-pandemic staffing issues are resolved service will once again return to it's accustomed levels. I will give the benefit of doubt to the MDR, and I have booked the same cruise for next year, although the deciding factor was that Next Cruise booking only required a $100 deposit instead of $450. I am also going to wait for a price drop on the fare, as the current rate is over 2.5 times what I paid for my latest.

The crew that mask are wearing RCI dark masks over N-95 masks. I see no reason to wear a blue surgical mask or a designer cloth mask. Airports, airplanes, elevators, malls, busses, theaters I wear an N-95. Like a previous poster, I breakfast on my balcony. When the stateroom attendant is in the room, I'm on the balcony with the door shut; for both of our sakes. That's just what feels appropriate and comfortable to me. Small ship cruise in November I didn't mask on the boat -- came home positive. On Anthem next week I'll be masked. As always -- you do you, and YMMV.

Checked Cruise Plum for all 7-night Solo September sailings from US ports. $1600 including grats and taxes is less expensive than any advertised rate for a balcony. $1600 base fare is 5th least expensive out of 31 sailings. Cruise Plum doesn't separate out the Promenade views from interiors, so adjust as needed. If you're sailing in September, grab it.

Haven't seen the slippers anywhere, but I've seen the bathrobes in Windjammer, Casino, 270, Promenade Shops, Pool, Hot Tubs, Solarium.....

I'm sailing 24 Jan 2023 Anthem OTS 11 night Eastern Caribbean (me and 6000 of my closest friends!) I'm sure someone will post what becomes of the 8 so-far published menus. (Day 1) - Welcome aboard (first formal night) - French night (first caribbean port) - Caribbean night (at least once) - Italian night (first Mexico port - ???) - Mexican night (second formal night) - Royal night (at least once) - British night (Day 11) - Bon Voyage This leaves three nights without a unique menu, and two "at least once" menus, and one menu that may not appear because we on the wrong side of the gulf.

I started out snorkeling on cruise excursions. Priority for going ashore, short walk to a boat, short ride to a place with interesting things on the sand. Because my distance vision isn't the best, I would dive down and get close to the coral, wreck, stingrays, turtles. Problem was I could only stay down there about 4-5 minutes before taking a rest break on the surface. The boat crew also made everyone wear a nasty airplane life vest, and until I got all the air out of it, made diving difficult. I read of the scuba excursions and made excuses, then one summer I went to a local dive shop 100 miles away, and got certified. Sorry, but I never tried the Discover trips, and when I returned to the ship that fall, I went on the "real" 2-tank dives. What's scuba got over snorkeling? -- A longer relaxed time with the fishes. Instead of a half dozen or so descents to the sand, and half an hour on the surface looking down at the sand, I can make my leisurely way up close and personal with the scenery. -- There are only a small handful of spots appropriate for snorkeling at each port-call. Each dive operator has a dozen or two dive sites to chose from dependent on the interests, skills, abilities of the divers. -- Diving can get me to places where sometimes only thousands (or even hundreds) of other people have ever seen, and to get to these rare places I don't have to climb a mountain, or sail the Drake Passage. It's only a short boat ride from the cruise pier. (Although I would like to dive the Larsen Ice Shelf).

Thank-you -- Much. (and if the price drop never happens, that means the ship is filling up and folks are enthusiasticly cruising again. That's a good thing. At only $100 I won't have too many misgivings about passing it up.)

I tried the private FlowRider and I-Fly times listed on my Key letter. I also did the group lessons on both, and the free "public" sessions on both. All the Key gives you is access to one extra session just like the "public" ones -- these are not lessons. It may be that the Key sessions have fewer participants on your sailing; it was no different on mine. 6 people on I-Fly whether Key, public, or lessons - advantage of lesson is double the time flying. About same participation on Key FlowRider as some public sessions. The FlowRider lesson only had 4 "students" so we alternated for the full hour (and I did learn to stand up). Two of the public stand-up FlowRider sessions toward the end of the trip only had 3 participants, due to cold weather. The two of us who brought wetsuits on board had the place mostly to ourselves for the hour.

On the topic of NextCruise, deposits, and OBC: I will be booking my 2024 solo balcony cabin during my trip next week. Deposit: I'll be paying $100 OBC: Will I get $100 or $200? My big concern: Current fare for the 2024 cruise is > $3500, final fare after price drops for my 2023 cruise is <$1500. I'm expecting at least a $1500 price drop during the coming year. Will that OBC go away when I reprice?

Dining highlight was when a string ensemble or quartet stroll through the dining room while playing.

For me, the evening meal is part of the entertainment package. It begins with a friendly chat with the Maitre D, then the hostess who checks on my wait team and table, and calls my escort to my table. Sure, after the first night I could simply go straight to my table, but why miss the opening act. Bread, drinks, menu presentation, and the prologue extoling the virtues of the evenings repast. Again, I've read the menu in the app, and also looked at the vegan, kosher, and diet menus, but a lot of artistry goes into introducing the meal. Let me enjoy it. I'll now get a break to enjoy some interesting bread (dipped in savory olive oil, because the assistant waiter noticed I enjoy that), and read the menu. The waiter comes back and we agree on several appetizers, 2 entrée, and defer consideration of desert. I'll get a few moments break, the head waiter (daily), or even (at least once per cruise) the dining manager stops by for a greeting. OK, now I'm well started on a meal. Yes, I dine solo. I also dine late. I like a table near a window. I like to people watch. If the meal takes 2 hours, what of it? it's very hard to convince me I'm in a hurry to get anywhere when the Anthem OTS is proceeding at it's own stately 18 knot pace, and won't be stopping anywhere for the next 60 hours. Not to say that on my last trip (Feb 22) I did want to get to WWRY in the theater, and I mentioned to the waiter that I would only be able to stay for 52 minutes. On that one evening, I appreciated a Readers Digest version of dining, and was in time to join the reserved seating line at the bow. Sorry, but I'll leave the Windjammer to the fast food crowd. Give me a piano player, strolling violins, and ambiance while I dine.

Other than the "2F" studio balconies on Quantum class, the remainder of the fleets one-person studio cabins don't appear in RCI's online booking. If searching through another web site shows a good solo rate that can't be found on the RCI site, it's probably one of those solos. I've been successful at simply calling in, and booking by cabin number, and a studio cabin corresponding to that good rate is available.

Yes, prices are high. 24 Jan 2023 cruise Category 2F cabin 7648 (studio balcony) Fare: 2022.00 Balc suite nrd: -163.00 30% savings NRD: -713.00 Port Fees: 196.11 Total: 1342.11 18 Jan 2024 cruise Category 2F cabin 7648 (studio balcony) (there is only ONE cabin of this category showing as booked as of today) Cruise fare $6,054.00 30% off every cruise $-2,157.00 Balc Suite NRD $-326.00 Taxes & fees $194.87 Total price $3,765.87 USD That's a 280% increase.