mac_tlc

Yup, first HAL. We got an aft Vista Suite and added Club Orange option. Will be nice with 10 sea days. mac_tlc

Ah! Now I got it! We are doing the HAL Koningsdam 18N to Hawaii in Jan 2025. It’s round trip from San Diego so the flights are more manageable. Hmmmm. It’s not until 1/28/25 so who knows……….. mac_tlc

😞😞 We are on 1/21. Enjoy Beyond next week and Ascent!!! mac_tlc

Wait? What? January 2024 Ascent? Are we together again???? mac_tlc

Jump on it. We considered going back on Apex in 2025. To whet your appetite, here is my live review from Jewel of the Seas.

We were there this past June. Waterfalls were running magnificently. If the itinerary includes Geiranger and/or Flam, go for it ! We had very-unNorwegian weather. No rain for 12 days, temps around 55 in Honningsvag up to 84 in Flam! mac_tlc

Following along. We are in a similar position, E+ on X, with a couple Retreat cruises coming up that were booked when the prices were reasonable. We have looked at MSC but have not pulled the trigger yet. Although we have booked our first Oceania and HAL cruises in the past few months. mac_tlc

For my February Beyond sailing, it is now showing in the app for $85, with a huge sale markdown to $77.99. We booked it during one of the previous sailings for around $45. Coupled with the removal of any OBC with suite bookings, I guess my upcoming two reservations will be my last. mac_tlc

It’s all good. Which port are you losing? mac_tlc

He certainly is a dream killer 😂😂. Have a great time onboard——- whichever cabin you end up with ! mac_tlc

I would agree with Galveston, not so much for Bayonne —- unless you compare SY to Icon. BTW, if you want a great Norwegian fjord itinerary for summer 2025, look at Celebrity Apex. A couple of outstanding ones. mac_tlc

A couple of the Apex itineraries go to both Geiranger and Flam. And the Fall TA ends up in Port Canaveral. Interesting. mac_tlc

Looking forward to following along and in the Retreat/non-Retreat comparison!! Happy Anniversary! mac_tlc

I'll chime in as an apparent minority that overall like E-class over S-class. My S class advantages: -- real balcony in Aqua and below -- Availability of MBR menu in Luminae My E-class advantages: -- Eden -- Theatre - wow -- Retreat Lounge - not a fan of interior darker Michaels Club -- Retreat Sundeck -- size and amenities much better since it was designed into the ship. -- Rooftop Garden -- Sunset Bar on Beyond,, and hopefully Ascent & Xcel -- Four MDR's -- The Club, we seem to spend a lot of time there. I wouldn't exclude a cruise on any of the S or E class ships, just prefer some things on E vs S. Choice is good. mac_tlc

In August, there was a guy playing piano and singing, country mostly but some other popular songs. He is tucked away in the corner. Too bad the prices went up 50% since then. mac_tlc

Thank you for sharing your experience. We will have ours in January on Ascent and Feb on Beyond. We will relay our experience through the survey and other means whether it is good or bad. It’s all we can do. If there is enough negative feedback maybe things will change. mac_tlc

Thank you for sharing your experience. Certainly sounds like a downgraded experience. Too bad. They had a great product. Coupled with the elimination of grats and OBC, we would only consider it if we got a great deal. We have a good deal held on Xcel but still a little reluctant to put that deposit down - especially since that is now all at risk. mac_tlc

We were scheduled to be there with you, but had to cancel....... Are you in an SS experiencing the "new" butler situation? mac_tlc

We did a Fjord cruise this past June on Jewel of the Seas. Out of Amsterdam, stopped at Geiranger, Flam, Honningsvag (overnight), Alesund and Olden. Our Molde stop was cancelled due to the lock restrictions in returning to Amsterdam. For fjords, nothing compares to Geiranger and Flam. I would seek out any itinerary that has them on it. Honningsvag was great and the trip to Nordkapp was remarkable. Made even more so by the fact that it as perfectly clear and 70 degrees. Cant expect that. We did not experience darkness for 12 days. mac_tlc

I thought the prior "sale" was 40% off every guest, so roughly that would be the same as 80% off of one person.. Now its just 75% off the second guest, with nothing off the first. While the math isn't exactly right, 75 < 80, so the price is a bit higher --- all else being equal. Who knows if they changed the base fare too, which makes it ever harder to follow. mac_tlc

Sounds a bit like us. So glad we did the Fjords this past June with Geiranger, Flam, Olden, Honninsvag, Alesund. We have no Royal cruises booked and don't see any future ones either, unless the Symphony gets a lot cheaper out of NJ (for the grandkids). Moved over to Celebrity and have a few booked with them but tiring of their current pricing and a whole bunch of policy changes. Got a great deal on an Xcel Sky Suite, so we will probably do that one. Then it's on to Oceania and HAL. Next investigation is now on Viking Ocean. The hunt is on. mac_tlc

I am so glad that we did Jewel this past June and got to visit Geiranger, Flåm, Olden and Ålesund. I could not imagine missing them on a Norway voyage. For those of us who may have mobility issues, a land option is really not feasible . Viking has some Geiranger itineraries that we may investigate. mac_tlc

We were also interested in a Fall 2025 TA and discovered a 14 day Barcelona - Miami on the Oceania Vista. For the two of us in a Penthouse Suite (similar in size to a Celebrity Suite) the total was about $9,200, or about $328 per person per day. Includes wifi, butler service, specialty restaurants and more. That price is still available through the end of the month. Looking forward to trying a new cruise line and ship. mac_tlc

I don't blame you. I wouldn't pay that price either. Too bad it disappeared so quickly. 😔 mac_tlc

Interesting. Looks like Luminae and the Retreat Lounge need to be bigger than Ascent/Beyond. mac_tlc