Oakman

Being a huge fan of the Oasis Class ships, I would definitely go with Royal Caribbean in this decision. RCCL does an amazing job with crowd control on these mega vessels and the entertainment is exceptional. We were very skeptical at first with the sheer size, but once onboard (except on embarkation), never felt the crowds. 

On the other hand, having sailed all classes of Carnival since my first cruise on the Festivale, the opposite is true on their vessels. As the ships grew larger, additonal cabins added to increased crowding. The ship layouts and public areas never seemed to grow proportionately. The Liquid Lounge is a perfect example. 

While I still love sailing the "Fun Ships" as a Platinum member, (Fantasy and Spirit Class being our favorites), I would choose Royal Caribbean over Carnival in this case. 

Or................maybe try both................. 

Sailed with Hugo on our Empress cruise to Cuba last April, and he totally made the cruise for us. His infectious energy, genuine concern for the passengers enjoyment and comfort, and ability to connect with all age groups made this one of our top 5 cruises. A job very well done!!!

Is it possible to change from non-refundable to refundable after deposit?

This is a surprise for my "better half" and it is so hard keeping a secret until July!!!

Thanks Bob for the input. Appreciate the assistance.

Never sailed Majesty before and are interested in booking a Cat. 2M Spacious Ocean View cabin on Deck 9. I know the forward 4 cabins on each side are relatively unobstructed, but does anyone know of any other more midship cabins with better or less obstructed views? This is a very special surprise Bday cruise and want to make the right choice. I would of preferred a Jr. Suite, but since I did not win Powerball or Mega Millions, this cabin selection will have to do.

Thanks in advance for any assistance. The opinions on this board are invaluable.

Great now there are two of us.:D

One thing I can say, none of the Royal Caribbean ships have caught on fire, run aground or sunk...so there's that. ;)

FYI. Both the Freedom of the Seas (2015) and the Grandeur of the Seas (2013) have caught fire.

Sorry everyone, but my phone died after Periscoping the nonsense of sailaway. Sobering up briefly to get ready for dinner at Izumi. If you are wondering, I did put on my big boy pants and put some food in my stomach earlier. Playmakers wings didn’t disappoint, consistent with Symphony!

 

 

 

Hugo, graced us with his CD presence for all of two songs at sail-away. Bring back Carlos!!!

he the CD on Mariner now permanently?

We were on the April 28-May 4 sailing to Cuba and Mexico and loved the ship. The extensive renovations transformed the ship into a beautiful, upgraded version of her past self. The public rooms and cabins has all new carpets, drapes and furnishings and several areas (Boleros in particular) had a complete makeover to reflect the new Cuban itineraries. The food was the best we have had in years on Royal Caribbean and the staff was outstanding. It was like cruising was 20 years ago. The size of the ship lends itself perfectly to the itinerary, as the lines to embark and disembark were never overwhelming. Public areas, for the most part, were never jammed as on larger ships.

This was our 3rd trip on the Empress, the first being her second sailing 28 years ago. She may not be the largest, with all the upgraded bells and whistles , but she sure has a heart.

After 65 cruises, the ranked as one of the most enjoyable.

Jeff Tracta (Celebrity Impressionist) seems to follow us ship to ship. First saw him on Oasis, then Allure (1 year later), then this past November on Freedom. For a long time, we thought he was Royal Caribbean's only "Headliner"!!:D:D:D:D

Anyone have an update on Hugo on the Empress? Sailed with him Apr 28-May 4, and very much enjoyed the excellent job he did. Filled the whole cruise with great energy and enthusiasm. Want to book Cuba again (loved it), but only when Hugo is sailing. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

For what it is worth - we loved the Empress.

Same here!! One of our favorite cruises. Already planning Cuba again in 2019 on the Empress!!

See the attached file.

Is there possibly a diagram for Deck 9? Thanks.

In the diagram below, the dots show the least obstructed balconies on deck 8. These are the openings between the lifeboats. Even though the stateroom numbers may be different on deck 9, you might be able to use this a guide to pick a minimally obstructed stateroom location.

 

Bob-Planning a cruise on the Majesty from Tampa, and just found this old post. The diagram does not display. Would it be possible to repost the diagram. Appreciate your assistance with this and thank you for all the excellent information provided on Cruise Critic.

Trip Hughes

Sarasota, Fl.

Just off the Empress May 4, and Hugo was our CD. Out of our many cruises, he is our favorite. Energetic, fun, engaged with passengers, never shy to talk to guests. A great host!!! His energy and enthusiasm set the tone for the entire cruise. Loved Cuba and the Empress of the Seas and want to book another sailing. We are trying to find Hugo's schedule. We want to only book a sailing with him aboard.

Just off the Empress last week, and regarding making mistakes on the Visa: They told us you COULD just cross out the mistake and correct it. Many US citizens input their date of birth incorrectly. It follows the Euripean format DD/MM/YYYY.

We had Abe Hughes about 8 years ago, he seemed pretty young (to me) then.

Just had Hugo Arenas on the Empress and after 65 cruises , he was truly the best!!

Thanks for the input. Just reading the Port of Miami website, and all garages are open on cruise days. May try parking at Garage D which is about 1/2 way between the 2 terminals.

Just received this information regarding our Empress Sailing this Saturday:

Parking Information:

Parking is located directly across from Terminal G at Garage G. We recommend dropping off all additional guests and luggage at Terminal G, before continuing to the parking garage. When the ship returns to Miami on May 4th, it will arrive into Terminal B. We will be providing complimentary shuttle service to Garage Gfor all guests.

Has anyone had been in this situation before? If so, is the shuttle big enough for for our party of 4, or should I ride by myself, get the car and return to pick everyone else up. Walking is an option, but I think the distance may be a little far. We only have carry on luggage and will be doing self assist. Comments or suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

I just experienced that with an Adventure cruise coming in the summer. Had to print one SetSail pass for each person.

Same for Empress this coming Saturday. One must be printed for each passenger.

Woohoo, I'm a 10%'er

I will gladly join this club!!!!:D

I was on Vision back in February, and I liked it. Captain Marek was on vacation back then, but I still had a great time. It's true, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but I didn't mind it at all.

 

Here are some photos. Maybe they can make your wife feel better about Vision of the Seas.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmgkfNyJ

Thanks for the GREAT pictures!!! Love the smaller ships!!!!

Remove them all and tip as you go. We do that and have great service. Never an issue at all.

 

At least you know the person got the money directly rather than donate it to a billion dollar corporation in the hopes the full amount somehow trickles down to your server

 

Have a great cruise! You will probably even get better service if they know you are a direct cash tipper!

Thnaks Sam for this great response. This is the way we have been tipping since our first cruise in 1978. We personally tip those we come in contact with directly, to make sure their efforts are rewarded appropriately. When we go to a restaurant, I tip the server for their service. It is not up to me to tip all the back of house staff. That is the responsibility of the owner, as it should be the responsibility of the cruise line to do the same.

Let's get this journey started! Headed for the Marriott Midway!!

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 8 using Tapatalk

Is all this luggage for 1 person on a 3 night cruise? Two of us didn't pack this much for 10 nights to Europe!!!! LOL!!!