jules815

Not all cruises have Special Rates. Are you sure that your cruise has a Special Senior Rate?

 

The $100 discount you are seeing is your Platinum Balcony Discount.

 

Use this Advanced Search to find out if your cruise has any special rates. Make sure to check all the boxes that apply.

Okay, now I understand. I thought that the senior discount was something you always got, in addition to the Platinum discount.

My bad.

Okay, but shouldn't we be getting two discounts? One for the 55 and older status of my husband, and also the balcony discount?

It's showing one, $100 discount. What is the discount for being over 55?

Question...I'm sitting here doing another mock booking for our cruise on Allure. I did this while logged on to their website, but it's only showing the $100 discount for one person in our cabin, and that's probably for my husband being 55.

We should be getting a balcony discount for our Platinum status, correct? Is that applied when I call to book? And do we each receive the discount?

using my wonderful spreadsheet from TPKeller...yes you'll have Johnny, he'll be in the middle of his rotation

That's awesome, thanks!

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Our experiences with MTD have turned a confirmed traditional diner into a strong proponent of My Time Dining. In each of our last several cruises when we have chosen MTD, we have found such excellent teams of servers that we have requested (and received) that team of servers every evening. On our most recent cruise on Freedom of the Seas, our team of servers knew our names and recognized our particular dining preferences (for example my enjoyment of chilled soups, and my wife's preference for English Breakfast Tea (at dinner) by the second night. No need for traditional dining in order to have the same table or same wait staff and never a lengthy wait for a table.

This is really good to hear. Thank.

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We usually try to stay at Marriott properties.

Ft. Lauderdale will be a new cruise port to us, so I'm looking for any recommendations, preferably something like a Courtyard, convenient to the port, for a one night, pre-cruise stay.

Even more convenient would be a hotel where we could return our rental car on the morning of the cruise right at the hotel, and then shuttle or cab from hotel. We're not married to staying at a Marriot, but we're rewards members so usually try to.

B2B.....

 

More time on a ship is always better...

 

When we did it, we were going to do a B2B anyway, and we always booked JSs anyhow....PLUS, it was a super deal....just one of those lucky things....but, then again, my mom and I loved to cruise and didn't really do much other stuff - thus all our expendable cash went into the cruise budget!

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. It sure was interesting to see that pop-up window though!

How about this scenario?

Back-to-back in a D1-D8 Oceanview stateroom; or...

One week in a suite? (Also, this could end up being a junior suite. It looks like you "spin the wheel" when you select one of these rooms.)

I can't do two weeks in a suite.

Are you sure that it is Deluxe Suite?

 

On most ships (not including Oasis or Allure) there are "Superior Oceanview Staterooms with Balcony" and "Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony.

 

*up*grading to a deluxe balcony is a down grade so do not do it.

 

What ship are you going on?

Allure.

Yes, it definitely was a suite. It mentioned that "most staterooms have two rooms and some even have pianos."

The Deluxe guarantee was $4608 and the Superior Oceanview is $3520.

It would be a total of $1088 more for the Deluxe Guarantee vs. the Superior Oceanview.

Do the prices for this type of guarantee ever go down?

What kind of luck have you all had with this option?

(I think I'd be bummed if I paid the extra $$$ and got a junior suite.)

We normally sail from Port Canaveral. Fly into MCO the day before we cruise, rent a car and then do the return the morning we sail.

Ft. Lauderdale is a new port for us. We plan on flying in the day before and renting a car. (my husband really wants to drive to Little Havana and eat dinner at a restaurant there that one of his co-workers raves about.)

Is one car rental company better located near the cruise port? We would want to cab or shuttle from car rental place the morning we sail. We typically book with Hertz.

Also, any noise from Central Park in the cabins on deck 8?

Booking a back-to-back on Allure. Looking at the weeks beginning 9/14 and 9/21. Because I'm a pet sitter, I had to look at my schedule and find availability where I'm not crazy busy. I've already put a big "X" on every day for those two weeks to block out the time, so we have the dates figured out. This is the first time my husband and I, in 30 years of marriage, have EVER taken a two week vacation, and it feels really strange just thinking about it.

My husband definitely wants an ocean view balcony. We would get our platinum C&A discount, and now that he's 55, whatever "senior discount" he'd qualify for. (this cracks me up, by the way.) :D

If you were going to hunker down on Allure for two weeks, would you choose the superior ocean view on the hump, (deck 7 or 8), or save a little money and do a D8 on deck 8, down near Dazzles, which based on what I've read here, seems to also be a preferred location as well. I know the hump balcony is deeper. We do spend a lot of time on the balcony, but we've never had a problem with the space on a Voyager class E1 or E2.

I'm looking for any suggestions; cabin numbers, why you liked it (or didn't), etc.

Suite isn't an option, unless the upgrade fairy paid us a visit, or we got some crazy last minute deal. (We still have one in college!)

We arrive at port around 10:30, board as early as possible. Lunch in the WJ, then we stop by the MDR to see where out table is. Walk around a little more and usually end up sitting around the pool with our friends enjoying a few cocktails in the sun.

We've never sailed on Allure before though, and with so many different dining options, who knows.

Here's a question...on Allure or Oasis, other than the obvious places (WJ and Promenade Cafe') where can you grab a bite to eat after boarding the ship?

My husband and I were planning on purchasing one of the premium beverage packages, and I see the Freestyle pop package is included with that. Are there multiple machines available on all common area decks, or only on the pool deck? Where are they located?

Also, is it necessary to carry around the special cup to use the machine, or do you swipe your seapass? (Not sure if I want to carry around a cup.)

I'm not really that into drinking soft drinks, but I do drink Dasani flavored sparkling water, and that's usually available in the Freestyle machines here at home.

And lastly, what are the bottled waters (sparkling and non) available with the most premium beverage package, and where would you get those from? Bartender?

Sorry for so many questions in one thread that have probably already been asked before.

We were on Carnival Dream during Hurricane Sandy. Our cruise was extended an extra day and we spent that time sailing in a big circle off the coast of Miami. We were supposed to return to Port Canaveral on Saturday, but didn't until Sunday. On Thursday morning, the bolted our deck 2, cove balcony doors shut.

We didn't get sick, but a lot of people must have been because the dining room was practically empty for the last few days. Barf bags near the elevators and stairwells. We never got sick, and even showed up at the steak house one evening without a reservation and they were happy to seat us. It was empty.

Walking was a challenge; not just side to side rocking, but that rolling motion where the floor would literally drop from beneath your feet. And the ship creaked horribly. That was a little scary.

It was definitely an experience!

That said, our weather in ports was beautiful, and we wouldn't hesitate to sail again during this time of year. What are the odds it might happen again?! :eek::D

That was my parent's favorite ship. They sailed on her many times.

I was just browsing the RC website, specifically looking at dining options on Allure. I see they have packages you can buy for dining at the premium restaurants. Has anyone here done this before? Would you buy the package and make reservations online well in advance or once you're on board?

Well my husband has talked with work about taking off two weeks in a row, and now I'M the one starting to freak out about taking that much time away from work/home. I know though, if I don't book this back-to-back, I'll be disappointed come day 6 of our cruise.

My problem is, I'm worrying about something happening here at home with my elderly inlaws. They would NEVER join us on a cruise; my mother in law is scared to death. They still live in their home not far from us, but neither of them drive anymore. 89 year old father in law is a "fall risk," but yesterday morning I caught him out shoveling snow! No matter what we tell them not to do, they do what they want to anyway, and I get that, they don't want to give up their independence. I feel like we're living our lives waiting for the next bad thing to happen.

And for those following my saga with elderly parents, we were scheduled to cruise on FOS in May. My final payment was due March 4, and a month before that my dad in Florida suffered 2 strokes. He passed away on 2/18, but in between that time, I canceled our cruise, because I thought I would be doing a lot of back and forth to Florida while he was going through stroke rehab.

My husband and I are both only children, and we've had a rough year with this kind of thing. We're looking at sailing on Allure September, because that's a slower month for my pet sitting business.

Yes, it's possible to have a table for 2 in the dining room. It's much easier if you choose My Time Dining, you can tell them as you show up. If you are in traditional dining, then send an email to rcldining@rccl.com a few weeks before your cruise with your request.

We've always enjoyed late dining in the MDR, but with all the dining options available on Allure, I'm thinking that My Time might be a good choice for my husband and I.

Is the service as good? We enjoy having the same waiter throughout, so we might miss that. (Although, on our last cruise, the MDR service was so poor, we would have loved to have a table change...and we did ask!)

This may be the time we give My Time a try.

Seattle's Best is what is served on Allure. The specialty coffees that they make in the Café Promenade are quite good. Your choices are Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, and Chai Latte. I think I remember them all.

This is great. I'm a tea drinker, but my husband loves coffee. He is very happy with Seattle's Best, and won't be at all disappointed that it doesn't include Starbucks.

Thanks for the info.

Coffee from the Starbucks venue is not included. You would have to use the bar next to Cafe Promenade.

Thanks Bob. I had a feeling it wasn't. So this would mean the Seattle's Best specialty coffees? (Is that still the premium coffee on RC?)

We enjoy meeting with people over breakfast, but...my husband just asked me last night if it was possible to have a table for 2 in the dining room for dinner? Is this ever done? This will be our first time not cruising with a large group.

I have a question about the Ultimate Drinks Package. It said it includes "specialty coffees and teas." We are planning to cruise on Allure in the fall. Would this mean the coffee from Starbucks?