jules815

Turn off the phone. We are on Holiday.

First I will call our daughters to let them each know we made it on board. Then I'll snap a selfie holding an umbrella drink poolside and post it on FB. And then we put our phones in airplane mode, because we use them for the camera.

I have butterflies in my stomach thinking about it.

It is probably more money than moving to a JS, but molly361 raises another option to price out. You could check the price of solo cabins for the girl's cruise. You could book yourself as a solo to get double points. DS could also sail solo or perhaps there is a third person you might ask to join the fun. Insides would be most cost effective, of course.

Oh wow...I didn't know that! I'll have to check that out when I get home.

Is there even a Diamond lounge on Oasis? I've been looking at the deck plans, and for the life of me can't find it.

I'm in that boat, pun intended. I probably would have upgraded to a JS on my last cruise on Jewel so I would be Diamond on my next Freedom cruise, but the upgrade was never less than $1000 for both of us and the ship sailed full, so I have to wait for diamond one more cruise! I did upgrade to a JS from a balcony on a cruise on Majesty back in 2010 so that I would be Emerald for Allure in 2011, but I only paid about $300 for the two of us on that upgrade. I won't be worrying about D+ for quite a while.

Oh yeah! That transition from Diamond to D+, at the rate we cruise, is going to take me a LOOOOONG time! :eek:

Yes, you can get a higher balcony discount when you turn Diamond, however I've read that they now re-price the cruise when you do that, so it may not be advantageous if the price of the cruise has gone up significantly.

Yes, it seems like the "deals" are all over the place. We got a good deal when we booked Oasis, so it might be better to leave that one alone.

Okay, currently at 38 credits (Platinum)

Sailing on FOS in September, a B2B in a JS with my husband. 28 + 38 = 66

Sailing on Brilliance in January, 5 nights; girl's cruise. 66 + 5 = 71

Sailing on Liberty in March, 5 nights; spring break with my daughter. 71 + 5 = 76

If I upgraded either my January or March cruises to a JS, I'd be at 86 (Diamond) for the cruise my husband and I have booked for October, 2015 on Oasis. Also, since I'd make Diamond at the end of the March cruise, more than 6 months before the Oasis cruise, I think I might even qualify for a higher balcony discount for that cruise??

Just under $300 (total) to upgrade to a JS on Liberty (hump location, deck 9). About the same on Brilliance, but there's only one left and it's an aft with an obstructed view.

Three cruises over 7 months is not the norm for us. It's typically one per year; 2 if I'm lucky. Although now that our oldest daughter is working full time, and loves to cruise, I may be doing some shorter cruises with her.

Anyway, never dreamed I'd be this close to Diamond, and actually never paid that much attention to it because it seemed so far off. Have any of you ever done an upgrade just to bump up to the next level?

I'll be sailing on Liberty in March with my 20 year old daughter who will be on spring break. Is there anything safe for a mother and daughter to do that doesn't include a trip to Dunn's River Falls? Been there, done that!

I'd be fine with a Margaritaville type place.

I upgraded this morning and did not lose my OBC.

I upgraded cabins this morning on the phone with RC. Our final payment isn't until later this month, but we had already paid in full. I was able to do the upgrade without canceling anything, but the price of our cruise care insurance through RC did go up a little bit.

Haven't sailed with RC since 2009. Back then, beach towels were left for you in your cabin, and you just had to make sure the same number of towels were in your cabin on the day you got off the ship. There was a towel station poolside, and you could exchange there for a clean towel whenever.

Is it still the same?

Just read your review again in preparation for our first B2B on FOS in September.

This morning I upgraded from a D2 balcony to a JS, so enjoyed seeing the pictures of your stateroom. I think we're really going to love the extra space.

I noticed you said there's a coffee maker. Do you recall if there was a pot for making tea as well?

Thanks again for your excellent review and pictures. :)

This pretty much sums up what we do. I would add that I usually take a second to EXHALE because all of my planning and research are about to pay off because we're about to have another WONDERFUL cruise. DH is oblivious to all of the work that goes into planning a cruise. I do all the work and he pays and shows up; it a great partnership :D

Yes, exactly the same!

Although my exhale is usually when we leave our house for the airport. By then I've reached the "there's nothing more for me to do...my work is done" stage, and that is truly when my vacation begins.

We were on the Freedom in April and had JS 9548 and had 2 chairs,2 loungers, and a small table. Bob

This is the same room I just upgraded to! 9548! Did you love it?

I just paid $539 total to upgrade to a JS for both weeks of our B2B on FOS.

It was more than I was hoping to pay after reading about great upgrade deals a lot of you have gotten, but since we were able to stay in the same cabin for both weeks, I did it. I was afraid if I took time to think about it, I'd lose the room.

I'm considering it a treat for my husband and I. We've had a rough year.

I hope so. I just took advantage of the sale and upgraded my husband and I from a D2 to a JS. I did it because this will be our first B2B cruise, and since we'll be on board for two weeks, I thought the extra space would be nice. It worked out that we can stay in the same room for both weeks, too.

Our first B2B in our first JS. Freedom of the Seas is a new ship and class for us too. We're super excited.

On one of our Mariner cruises they had a party late one evening near the main pool with a buffet. They served a pineapple, whipped cream dessert that was shaped like a large pineapple. It may have been an upside down type of dessert, but I remember thinking it was the most yummy thing ever. I looked for it on our other cruises, but never saw it again.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about??

(I don't think I've ever had a dessert in the MDR or Chops that I didn't love!)

Feel the air as you board' date=' listen to the bong as your card is swiped for the first time, eat, tour and go to the pool deck.[/quote']

 

Yes! Love the sound of my card being scanned for the first time!

 

Nothing like boarding the ship on Day 1. And I still get just as excited as my first cruise.

Board as early as possible and to the Windjammer with everyone else for lunch. Then we explore the ship. Head to the MDR to find our table assignment, make our Chop's reservation, then wander back up to the main pool for an umbrella drink and hang out there until our room is ready.

Thinking about upgrading to a JS on FOS. Besides the larger balcony, are there loungers? 1 or 2? A full size (higher) table and chairs?

Is there any way of finding out if your sailing has been chartered by a group, or if anything special is happening that date, like filming for a movie, etc.?

Thanks Bob.

I always check first thing in the morning, and again in the evening. And sometimes even mid-day. :) I've seen prices go up and down in the same day.

I've had 3 price drops on our upcoming cruise for the first week; most recently a savings of $59, which doesn't seem like a lot, but still worth being on hold for.

For some reason that second week of our B2B (9/14) has remained high and not budged.

Both of these look like good locations. These are two that are available that I'm leaning toward if tomorrow's sale works out for us.

9548 (forward; near elevators, port side)

9348 (aft hump; starboard)

I'm very excited. I just had 3 tabs open on my computer; one for each week of our cruise, and one with the deck plans for FOS. I found a few rooms that are available for both weeks we sail, and depending on the "deal," may upgrade to a JS. I think the extra space and larger balcony would be nice for two weeks. Crossing my fingers.

I have a B2B booked for the weeks 9/7 and 9/14/14.

If this is true, this may be my opportunity to move up to a junior suite.