Ret MP

And he was 100% correct. My condolences.

Correct. But, they can hear everything you are saying to your SO. Yep, if luck prevails

Oh ya, for sure. One of my problems with the MDR is the tables for two. They are so close that you can literally reach over, without bending, to the table next to you and grab the salt & pepper. Also, to get in or out of the chair that isn't next to the walkway, you had to move the table to the left or right to make a pathway to get in or out. I don't know how they can advertise these tables as "Tables for Two", they are anything but! Full disclosure: I haven't been to the MDR in many years, for dinner, I don't know if they have changed that configuration. But, that is one of many reasons I gave up on the MDR. My wife and I are happy with our own company and don't want to be sitting on someone else's lap.

I've mentioned this a couple of times here, this site. But, worth repeating: On our Alaska cruise on the Ovation, in May 2022, my wife, my buddy, his wife, and I, went to Wonderland. My buddy and I ordered the same thing, the beef ribs (don't remember what they called it) and mine was Okay to ~good. My buddy's was a big blob of wiggly, jiggly fat, No muscle whatsoever. So, I blame #1, the person that plated the plate. #2, the person that allowed the fat to get into the cooker, #3, the purchasing agent that bought the crap to begin with. #4, The person that delivered the crap. #5, "CUTBACKS". I didn't like Wonderland before that experience and I dislike it even more after that experience. But, I'll go if someone in my party hasn't been before.

Royal hired ANOTHER celeb! The last didn't work out so well, I guess. I don't know why they can't outsource their weather needs. But, that horse has been beaten to death several times, already. Having said that and containing my negative opinion of this (which I fully understand nobody cares about), I wish him good luck and hope he can change my mind. I do have one non-question though. Does it take a nationally known TV personality to be a good cruise company Chief Meteorologist! <Note, no question mark!

Sounds more like an Army barracks in the 1970s. Glad those days are over.

Just a short comment about JRs. I like JRs. Not because of any one item on the menu. I like the e whole experience. The 50s vibe, the limited entertainment, the fries (Chili Cheese Fries, for me), the milkshakes (malt), and a few other things I can't think of right now. Sure, you can get a hamburger in WJs and they may be very good. I've found them to be, off of the steam table, dry and maybe warm, and buns dry/hard. JR's are hot and juicy off the grill, USUALLY, and THEY put on most of the condiments I want, and I don't have to wait in line to get the condiments I want. And the only JRs that I've been to that was a Ghost Town was on Independence. But, the place is/was nasty. We only got a milkshake and ran out of the place. I really enjoy JRs on the Oasis Class ships. But, as stated over and over again, food is subjective. I like what I like and you are welcome to like what you like. But then, I like, a lot, Krystal Burger.

I have no idea if that is how it is interpreted or not. The quote is from 2Q 2023, I believe the most recent "Earnings Call". I think some could interpret it that way because there is no mention of Customer Satisfaction, just "margin", "earnings", "yields", "efficiencies", and "cost control". Just my guess, not stating it as fact and the source of the interpretation, just a possibility.

I've looked for it. Can't find the actual words as stated. This is what I found and I can't say for sure that this is the statement by Liberty that has been bastardized or not: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q2-2023-royal-caribbean-cruises-052428575.html <Second to the last paragraph> We will continue to excel in the core and drive business excellence in order to increase yields and capture efficiencies across our platform. Our proven formula for success remains unchanged, moderate capacity growth, moderate yield growth and strong cost control will lead to enhanced margins, profitability and superior financial performance.

Amen, Brother! We'll put.

Yes, 100%. 6000 people on an Oasis Class ship isn't like 6000 people in a dingy. Like you, I've never felt crowded except in the Promenade and that was only during special events. But, if you don't like crowds, go elsewhere, it's probably virtually empty.

That's what I thought. But, I don't have documentation to back myself up.

Yep, I changed my post already

Could be!

I'd have to look at one of my old boarding passes. But I'm in the middle of a move and that stuff is packed away. If true, I stand corrected. Does the boarding pass say that "Boarding" starts at XX:XXAM Or is it an individual time.

I remember a time, not long ago, the parade in the Promenade was Hannah-Barbara (I think it was) themed, and it's gone now. Now its mostly their own made up creators with a little Pac-man mixed in. At least that's how I remember it.

I read reviews mostly for entertainment. But, there are some folks in here that do great reviews with facts, not agenda items. You get to know who is who. I don't seem to get along with a few of them, but I do respect their review integrity and fact based content. And I don't judge people by their social media content eventhough we may get into a little dust-up, at times. Everyone is my friend, except one.

Sounds interesting to me. I'm anxious to see it one of these days. It can't be any worse than Cats.

It is my opinion and I can't back it up with a scientific poll, based on the myriad of threads here and elsewhere, the quality of food, in general, has taken a substantial knock. Yes, some will say that it hasn't, of course. But, the numbers speak for themselves. And taste is an individual thing. But, toughness, gristle, fat, et al, aren't a matter of taste, it's a matter of quality. And, it's not just food quality either. But, I won't beat that dead horse, again. Based upon my last two, post COVID cruises, I think the food has taken a bit of a quality hit. Some of it may have been preparation, too. But, I don't think it's far fetched to believe it has taken a hit. YMMV, of course.

Exactly. But every week or so, the term keeps popping up. It's misleading to newbs and infrequent cruiser/posters. That's my opinion, anyway.

I haven't eaten in the MDR in a long long time and haven't experienced the new menus in person. But, I've tried to keep an eye on the menu(s). I must say that I'm not a fan. If I eat in the MDR, doesn't matter what night it is, I want French Onion Soup and Shrimp Cocktail. Now, it's hit-or-miss. Some nights they have both, some nights they don't have either, and other nights they only have one or another. Also, I can't remember the theme right now but let's just say it's Mexican, well I'd like to see Mexican on the menu. AND NOW, an extra lobster 1/2 tail costs extra, that's B.S. But, I'm loyal to Royal, the ships and crew that is. The ships are unique, festive, entertaining, and really neat. The crew, well, compared to Rustbucket Cruise Lines, RCCL crew seem to bust their a$$ to exceed my every expectation, for the most part. On Rustbucet, they are there to collect their paycheck and gratuity, for the most part. YMMV

I'd like to know where you get a "Boarding Time". My experience is that we get an arrival time when we check in on the app or the website. We get to the terminal at the arrival time, enter the terminal and we go to a kiosk(s) where they do the security thing and complete the Check-in that the app/website couldn't do. Then, if the ship is ready to board passengers, you enter. If the ship was late getting in, passengers didn't exit the prior cruise promptly, and/or there was some sort of inspection that kept embarkation passengers from boarding, then they call out the "arrival times" even though not what time it actually is, to board. EXAMPLE: It's 11:45, no one has boarded yet, they call all the charmed to get on the ship, then the MC starts to call "if your arrival time is 10:30 you may now board" and so on and so on. That's my experience, YMMV. Check-in is an action, when you, usually, get your "Arrival Time" and complete other administrative tasks, on the app or website, not a time to board. And I think "Borading Times" are a thing of the past. On my last cruise out of Canaveral, they had the serpentine lines set up with arrival time signs on the stands/bollards. I was over about 2 hours early. They announced after the suites, pins, and so on were allowed in, arrival time starting with 10:30. There were literally only about 30 - 40 people in line. And I'd say that in less than a half hour, after I asked the brown shirt about the short line, then he/they opened it up to everybody entering the terminal regardless of "arrival times"/willy nilly. In fact, this cruise was late for boarding, and eventually hundreds sitting in the waiting lobby, when the ship was ready for boarding, they did as stated above.

Great job!!!

In 2018, or 2019, we paid over 32k for the Family Villa on Symphony. There were 13 of us however and it was one of the best cruises I've ever been on. I bet I can't get that suite today for that!

Ya, I kinda figured that. Just wasn't sure about the "we like sleeping around" part. I was going to gift you, on your next cruise, a pineapple. LOL