rockmom

Hi @MacGuffin3,you are asking this in the Royal Caribbean forum. You should ask it over in the NCL forum, someone there might have the answer.

yeah, once you get spoiled, it's hard to go back. For ours in February we have the CL and 2 GS. My travel buddy and I are in the CL, she wanted me to go for the Aqua suite, but I absolutely love being so close to the suite lounge and Coastal Kitchen on deck 17. But you do have to deal with it being a 2-story suite, so there are stairs. But there are two full bathrooms, which for two women traveling together, is heavenly.

you'll hear from the concierge sometime the week prior to your sailing. DO NOT MISS THE SHOWS! Aqua, Ice, Broadway. All fantastic. Booking for those will open up somewhere between now and 30 days out, and they book up quickly. Use the online cruise planner, not the app for pre-cruise planning. Try and reserve the aqua show early on in the sailing. It can get canceled if there's rough seas, so if you book it early in the sailing, it will be easier to rebook. I wouldn't wait for the concierge on that--but if there are changes while onboard, that is who will help you. Suite class (sky and star) is amazing on the Oasis class ships! I've got a crown loft booked for February on Harmony--can't wait!

I love Allure! She has held up well, I'm sailing on her again in October. Be aware, if you weren't already, that since she wasn't 'amped' due to Covid, there are no slides. I'm not a 'slide' person, so I love the more open views of the wake, and no big slides over the pool area. But I know a lot of people, especially those with kids, are shocked when they see that there are no slides.

They are very different. Labadee more rustic, but with the largest overwater zipline anywhere (I think). I'm a chicken, but my travel buddy did it and can't wait to do it again. Coco Cay is fully developed with a lot included, but I'm guessing 2 20-year olds would want to get the Thrill Water Park passes. As far as included items, it's very easy to find lounge chairs and umbrellas at no charge. The huge pool is included for everyone to use. Lots of beach front. But you do pay for things like going up in the helium balloon (never seen it happen, always grounded due to wind), kayaks, snorkel gear (bring your own), etc. Google Coco Cay videos. There are a lot of them that are full island tours, same for Labadee. Food is included at both, and if you have drink packages they work at both. Much more variety of food on Coco Cay.

I can't answer that question, but I've been watching for those for several months now for my April 2024 sailing and so far, nothing. All the cabanas, floats, balloon, zip line, waterpark etc are available. But no Beach Club passes. 😕

Prices will vary not only from ship to ship, but from sailing to sailing and fluctuate based on 'sales' and current inventory of available packages. One thing to point out is that if you purchase the package, you cannot choose your days or times until you are onboard the ship. That is the tradeoff for the lower overall price per meal. You will need to choose from what times are still available once you are onboard. Obviously prime times book up first--and may have been reserved by people paying for individual restaurants (and paying more) because they are able to choose their dates and times when booking on the Cruise Planner.

Starting to see quite a few reports of those being confiscated. Just because it says on the site where it's sold that it's 'cruise approved', doesn't necessarily mean that it will work on all cruise lines. I have started bringing the small ones without a cord--making sure I choose NON-SURGE protection.

I'm on Harmony in February of 2024 and there have been some starting to appear, but still not many. You've got over a year, so give it some time.

Since the return, post Covid, MyTime doesn't start until later--such as 6:45. So those that don't want a late seating book their time using the Cruise Planner (at the bottom of the 'dining' tab). Otherwise you can go get in the no reservations line--but again, My Time doesn't open until the early, fixed dining is finished and those guests have left. We used to do My Time and would pre-book the 6 pm time for each night, but now with the later start time, we have opted to choose the early fixed dining time.

you aren't 'penalized' but if you know you're not going to show up, please let them know. That way someone from the line waiting to get in will be seated sooner than later. It's the nice, courteous thing to do.

The 3 times I/we won, we found out at different times--as far out as 40 days, as close as a week. FYI, just because you don't see rooms available, doesn't mean they won't open up. That's part of the point of Royal Up. If someone in a Jr Suite wins a bid to a higher category, that would open up the Jr. Suite. Or, if someone cancels at the last minute, that would open up a room. And you could potentially not find out until you're in your room and already unpacking and then have to move.

We have found that we like a 2-top along the railing, if we are seated in one of the upper dining rooms. It's fun to watch what's going on below. However you are correct, there is a walkway. We do enjoy windows as well, but we know that at night the view will be of us, lol.

Or they complain that since it's dark outside, all they are seeing is their reflection in the window.

The drinks in the Concierge Lounge during happy hour are complimentary if you are grand suite or above, and you also cannot bring guests that are not staying in a suite. You can bring tip money. 🙂

No self service bar. There is a happy hour each evening from about 5 to 8, but they make the drinks.

So the history is that it was built as part of the airport a zillion years ago (1960) and is owned by the county. Hence the 'county jail' vibe, lol

I wouldn't be bothered by the overhang, but that room is directly under the pool deck for the main pool. So you might have a lot of noise, even very early in the morning when the crew is dragging all the loungers right above you, washing down the deck, and setting them up for the day. Then of course during the day, that's a very busy area right over you.

I see you're in Florida, so you might have a chance to see them locally. I want to say they live in Georgia, but you can see from their tour page, they go all over the place. They keep their FB page up-to-date as well. Nice guys. http://slipperywhenwetband.com/

Yep, and when Jon Bon Jovi himself did a couple of cruises for fans in 2019, he brought Slippery When Wet along.

Exactly. Then enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's at home before Groundhog Day 2025, aka Bella 2.

perhaps.... I have Feb, April, Sept, Nov. I see a gap in there, lol

I guess I need to put my TA on alert for Utopia. 😉 Although I'm a cheapskate when it comes to stomaching the prices for the first year of sailings, but hey, you never know.

I think the Noodle shop is Johnny Rockets when sailing in the U.S.

but that is really annoying when you grab your food in either WJ or Solarium Bistro, but can't sit to eat because people are playing cards. Those tables should be for those who are eating. When done with your food, leave that table. Not eating a meal and hogging up a table for a card game? Find a different spot. Same with people who just sit at a table endlessly after finishing a meal. At least on recent sailings they have started asking people in the WJ to please move on once done with a meal.